the pinjockey

Thank god for Laz Diaz. Not only does he call a terrible third strike on Burrell, when Burrell complains he makes sure to immediately lose the mask, jaw back worse than Burrell and follow him a few steps before tossing him. I love watching the umps play baseball.

Why is signability such a dirty word? Everything seems to say Andrew Miller is the no.1 pick unless the Royals decide he isn't worth the asking price (implying that they are just being cheap). They also say, however, that he isn't exactly the type of lock you want look for in a number one. So is it really worth paying twice as much for a player (BA mentions Miller may want an eight figure deal), if the second player is just a tick below the first? Especially if the savings there allow you to take and sign 3 or 4 tough signs. If you are passing on a Justin Upton, ARod, etc. for money, then yes that is just being cheap. But is it really that wrong for money to be a (a, not the) factor when it comes to who you want to pick?

If Tim Hamulack is a nickname for Gavin Floyd, then yes he really shouldn't be in the big leagues. Floyd sucked balls in AAA last year and I don't see why he has this golden ticket for a major league job. Ok, it was worth it to start the season instead of Ryan Franklin, but we are getting way past the struggle stage and into the flat out suck period.

In your opinion, 50 odd games into the season have Mathieson and/or Carrasco overtaken Gio for the top prospect slot? Not really a knock on Gio as his numbers appear to be holding up well, but Mathieson (leads minors in IP and Ks) and Carrasco (great numbers at 19) have been killing it.

I would like to apologize. Yesterday, I bought a ticket for the memorial day game (his first home start). Obviously he couldn't wait even 24 hours before getting hurt afterwards. Methinks I am going to end up eating 40 bucks.

The real question is, does Gonzalez fare better on the list than John Marzano? Might as well turn this into a completely bitter Phillies thread and mention the worst commentator in the history of Comcast.

The classic "great deal.....who'd we get?" Watch McMullen turn around and pull a Finneran.

Why is Abe Nunez batting for Carlos Ruiz (just have Nunez start throwing pies and be done with it)? How do you run through 80 % of your bench in a 3 AB stretch? Why is Ryan Madson pitching to Geoff Jenkins when you have three lefties in the pen? Why is Alex Gonzalez still in the major leagues? I understand the players have to perform, but Cholly is crapping the bed in this one.

Given the way this season is going, are the Phils going to be the first team in the history (assumption, but pretty safe assumption) of BA's Prospect book to have pitchers in the first 15 slots next season? I am assuming Ruiz is going to pass the number of ABs allowed this season given how much Manuel is using him in this stretch. I can't see how their first 20 picks in the draft this year can be on anything but hitters (not of the Greg "he can do everything but actually hit a baseball" Golson variety)

Why do so many people hate Abreu? If he's dealt for two MARGINAL prospects, I'll break something. It will show there's no justice in the world that he can be traded for that and Jacque Jones can get a three-year deal for $16 million. The only way it could conceivably make sense is to turn around and trade for Zito. But trading Abreu and some quality prospects (what it would take to get Zito) for Zito and the marginal prospects would be idiotic without an extension. And at that point you are talking about too many factors (contingent deals, is Zito open to an extension in Philly?) to make it a safe move. I don't think they could do anything now that Rowand is hurt unless they were absolutely blown away. If Victorino could fill in for Abreu, then that would work. But if they move Abreu, their outfield would consist of Burrell, Victorino, Dellucci, not really what a streaking team closing in on the division leader needs.

Cole Hamels has been promoted and will make his debut on Friday in Cincy. I know he is incredible when it comes to preventing HRs (2 in just under 200 IP), but that could be a bit of baptism by fire.

NY Times article about the draft coverage I agree with the props for Mayock and the coverage of the early picks, but it is pretty apparent that all this guy watched was the early stuff. Saying that the "Current Selection Alert" was unnecessary couldn't be more wrong beyond the first round. That was the only way you could keep up with it. I am also glad to see someone calling Berman out on tipping the picks early, that pissed me off beyond belief. Way to kill drama douchebag. There is a difference between predicting while not giving away (see Mayock) and indirectly giving away (see Berman).

Something like the Houston debacle is what makes me hate the idea of having a certain "value" on a pick. Houston eliminates the value of the number one pick when they pick the second best, arguable, player on the board. They have enough holes that if they weren't going to take Bush, the rumored Jets deal made a ton of sense (both 1s and a 3rd). But because the no. 1 pick is worth 3000 points, they had to push for next year's number one as well thus killing any deals. Trading down to four and getting Williams or Ferguson plus picking up another 1st and 3rd in a deep draft can set you up for years. Look at how the draft fell. You do that deal, if Williams goes no. 2, you still end up with Ferguson plus you can pick up Winston Justice and immediately the previous decade's worth of OT problems are hopefully solved for the next decade.

Interesting little note on Chris Gocong, the Eagles 3rd round pick. They had to think they were moving up for one of the remaining receivers or something. Apparently the Pats were interested in drafting him at 74 as well, so he may not have made it to the Jets anyway.

I think it needs to be said again that if you want to see Cole in Scranton you better make it to his next start. Striking out the side in the 9th 100 odd pitches in is sick.

After this draft all I have to say is how long until training camp starts. Love Bunkley, Justice, Jean-Gilles and BLOOM~!. Bloom could end up as the biggest contributor this year as he is really the only one that has to get into action. Avant is solid and really like him as the possession complement to Reggie Brown. Really interested to see if Gocong can adapt to an NFL SAM. If he can he will be a monster at 265 next to Trotter at 260 and change. Even if he can't though, I don't see why he can't be a situational pass rusher like Trent Cole.

If you play him for more than 30% of the snaps he'll be in trouble. He is ok as the second tier fat turd, don't think you are getting Ted Washington here. You're getting the poor man's version. Not a bad pick up for only a 9 slot move in the 4th round, but he isn't going to be that much of help. BLOOM~! God damn I love this draft.

It looks like the Eagles got the 115 and 185 from the Vikings for 127 and Artis Hicks. Don't know what it took to go from 115 to 109 Edit: They turned the Vikings package into the 109.

I heart Andy Reid trading up to 109 to get Jason Avant.

Great pick by the Pats to get Garrett Mills. He is this year's Chris Cooley

In two years their line could be Herremans-Jean-Gilles-Jackson-Andrews-Justice. That is freaking massive when Winston Justice is the smallest guy on your line. There is no excuse to not run the ball ridiculously well now.

I love reading some of the idiots on the Eagles board. The draft falls perfectly for them, the talking heads (Kiper and Mayock) both love what they did and yet because they took Gocong over Stovall (who is apparently the be-all end-all) and Denver got Walker, there is still whining about doing nothing for McNabb so it sucks. Comments like "All it took was a 2nd and one of the 4ths and GB easily would have given him to us over just one 2nd round pick". Mostly they are getting shouted down, but I still love seeing how even a sect of fans can think this way.

I could see passing on Leinart as long as they grabbed one of the second tier QBs (Clemens/Croyle/Whitehurst/Jackson). The only one left really is Omar Jacobs and they will have to move up to get him since they don't pick until 141 now. I love the Eagles first day draft. The only way they can dampen it is to draft another batch of Oline projects like the last couple years. Lines have been addressed go get some skill players now. My ideal second day for them would see them add Garrett Mills, Jeremy Bloom and an early WR (Williams/Nance/Avant etc.). IMO, that would address everything that they need.

The Jets got the 76th and the 220th in exchange for the 71st. Not a bad move considering the Eagles took some complete unknown. I wanted Stovall, I wish Todd Pinkston would just go away so I'd never have to watch him run away from contact or say how he "lost focus" again. Apparently they are going to play Gocong at the SAM. So if he is helping to get rid of the bow tie wonder than it is a positive. There are so many receivers still out there they can afford to wait until tomorrow.

BTW, the Packers-Falcons deal was a 2 and a 5 for a 2,3, and 5