This week in Baseball

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Whoohoo, Phillies trade Marlon Byrd to the Nats for Endy Chavez. Nothing like getting a .311 OBP back in a deal for someone with at least a little potential. I can see it now though, with the 32 steals last year they will stick him at the top of the lineup to be the speed they lost when Lofton got hurt.

Endy Chavez.

 

 

 

Endy F'n Chavez.

 

 

I can't enough put it into words. The utter stupidity of this trade boggles the mind. We traded our best center fielder for a 5th outfielder. A fifth outfielder who is hitting .253 in AAA.

 

We needed a center fielder with speed? Why the hell didn't we just call up Shane Victorino? An outfielder who, with the addition of being fast, can HIT THE DAMNED BALL.

 

Thumbs down for the Phillies, who are rapidly losing my faith.

[Bored 0]

Speaking of losing faith, A's down 9-1 in the 3rd inning. This looks like a 100 loss team right now and it's time to start blowing it up, which I suppose they started this past offseason. Scott Hatteberg for one needs to be dumped when they have a better option in Dan Johnson at Triple A right now.

[Brett Favre 0]

How's Rich Harden looking? He's on my fantasy team, and well, I can't afford to lose him.

[mike546 0]

A-Rod makes errors at the worst possible times.

 

Besides basically giving the Ms all the chances for their runs on Wednesday, he blows another DP leading to another As run.

[Brett Favre 0]

It's funny. Last year his D was superb; you'd figure he would, I don't know, get better. And he's finally coming around at the plate.

[mike546 0]

If Kevin Brown continues to pitch like this, I'll hug him. This entire inning was because of the Yankees D. How the hell does a runner on 1st score on a bloop fly out?!?

[Brett Favre 0]

Kevin Brown is looking like the Brown of early last year. If that's the case, with the pitching staff coming around, 1-4 we're a top 5 pitching staff in the league.

[the pinjockey 0]

Did you hear Ed Wade during the game al? The worst part is, he was saying they were actively pursuing Chavez last year. So this isn't just some crappy deal, they think enough of him that they've been trying to get him for a year.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Did you hear Ed Wade during the game al? The worst part is, he was saying they were actively pursuing Chavez last year. So this isn't just some crappy deal, they think enough of him that they've been trying to get him for a year.

I didn't catch the game, instead deciding to spent time with the gal.

 

The Endy Chavez rumors have been ongoing for the better part of the year. Honestly, I don't know what anybody sees in Chavez.

[mike546 0]

If I'm Kevin Brown, I'd feel like punching my fielders right now.

 

4 out of the five runs given up have been due to dumbass fielding plays.

 

EDIT: Mariners sent down Joel Pinero to Triple A. How bad has he been struggling?

[Bruiser Chong 0]

So I'm seeing Carlos Zambrano went 3.1 innings and threw 64 pitches. I'm left to assume that he left with some sort of injury (since the box score doesn't mention any ejections). Awesome.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

So I'm seeing Carlos Zambrano went 3.1 innings and threw 64 pitches. I'm left to assume that he left with some sort of injury (since the box score doesn't mention any ejections). Awesome.

MLB.com says forearm tightness.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

While all signs say I should be worried, I guess I'm not just because he's had this sort of thing happen a few times and been fine after. At any rate, I've stopped holding expectation for success so it's all gravy.

[sfaJack 0]

I wish I could be as optimistic as Bruiser.

[Guest Smues]

Is Endy Chavez the guy who the Nationals wanted to be their lead-off man on opening day but he wasn't having a good spring so they sent him to back to the minors?

 

 

And Atlanta is up 3-1 going into the top of the 9th. Not likely to pad that lead since gagknee is in. Place your bets on how Kolb will blow this game. My money is on back to back walks to start the inning followed by a walk-off homerun.

[Guest Smues]

Well I'll be damned Gagknee's first appearance batter faced this year and Chipper takes him deep. 4-1 Atlanta. HUZZAH.

[Guest Smues]

Make it 5-1 with back to back homeruns from Jones and Jones. Please don't let Kolb blow this. I'm not sure why but we seem to have good luck against Gagknee, glad to see it hasn't run out yet.

[iggymcfly 0]

OK, I have to say that as an Orioles fan, I'm honestly not worried about the Yankees at all.

 

It's not that the Yankees couldn't possibly catch the Orioles right now. It's that if the Orioles fall behind the Yankees, considering how old and washed up they are, then there's no way the O's could keep pace with the Red Sox and the Twins.

 

The fact is that there are four extremely competitive teams in the East and the Central right now and the Yankees aren't one of them. Either the Orioles are legit and they win close to 100 games or they're not and Boston, Chicago, and Minnesota wipe the floor with them.

 

The prospect of the Yankees sneaking back to 85 or 90 wins has absolutely no bearing on the Orioles ultimate playoff position.

[mike546 0]

OK, I have to say that as an Orioles fan, I'm honestly not worried about the Yankees at all.

 

It's not that the Yankees couldn't possibly catch the Orioles right now. It's that if the Orioles fall behind the Yankees, considering how old and washed up they are, then there's no way the O's could keep pace with the Red Sox and the Twins.

 

The fact is that there are four extremely competitive teams in the East and the Central right now and the Yankees aren't one of them. Either the Orioles are legit and they win close to 100 games or they're not and Boston, Chicago, and Minnesota wipe the floor with them.

 

The prospect of the Yankees sneaking back to 85 or 90 wins has absolutely no bearing on the Orioles ultimate playoff position.

What basis do you have that the Yankees "old" and "washed up" players will falter down the stretch? WHO says that the young guns on the Os are going to hold up? Bruce Chen holding up like this the whole year? Because YOU KNOW the eventual Randy Johnson vs Sidney Ponson and Moose vs Rodrigo Lopez matchups in huge september games are gonna be easy win games for the Os.

 

Seriously, you keep telling us the Yankees aren't a "contender". But I'd like to know why, beside the old and washed up players comment.

 

I've held back on the "when were in first, I'll be laughing in all your faces" comment, but I'll be first in line to laugh at you when it does happen.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I wish I could be as optimistic as Bruiser.

Just accepting that this probably isn't our year (again) and hoping some serious efforts are made in the offseason, makes it a bit easier to swallow. If this season's a bust (which it has the makings of being), I doubt the fans will sit idly by and let nothing be done in the offseason.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I think Iggy is saying he is more worried about falling behind the Red Sox and company, than he is about the Yankees. Which is true. I would be immensely surprised if the Yankees beat the Red Sox for the division crown.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Word is that Zambrano's injury was the recurring cramps in his arm. As some may recall, it stems from dehydration since Big C seems to think he doesn't need water (which he stated and said he wasn't gonna start drinking it). He's got great stuff, but his attitude is a real detriment to him and his team.

[mike546 0]

I think Iggy is saying he is more worried about falling behind the Red Sox and company, than he is about the Yankees. Which is true. I would be immensely surprised if the Yankees beat the Red Sox for the division crown.

I can understand that, but the "old" and "washed up" players being the reason we falter at the end of the season is totally unpredictable. I'd be a lot more scared with the Os pitching faltering.

[Guest Smues]

Kolb gets through the ninth and Atlanta wins. Nice to get two homeruns off Gagknee, since runs off of him are few and far between.

[Cuban Linx 0]

Texas are certainly getting production out of their "old" player, Kenny Rogers has now pitched 30 straight scoreless innings, picking up 4 wins in the process with an AL-best 1.49 ERA.

[Guest Smues]

Apparently during the Oakland/New York game a fan threw a beer at Giambi. I would have though people would have learned by now not to do stupid shit like that but I guess I give people too much credit.

[Brett Favre 0]

Aren't the Yankees like 3 and a half behind the Red Sox too? Come on now.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Cubs are such an aggravating team to watch sometimes. You put things into perspective, but their refusal to work the count is their biggest issue right now. They've been popping pitches up all day, with the latest one coming from Corey Patterson on the first pitch with two outs and the bases juiced in a tied game.

[Mik 0]

I had the game on for a bit. Maddux was PISSED about that mound. WGN kept cutting to him in the dugout after the inning and he was complaining for a good 5-7 minutes.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

A hit is more likely to score a run than a walk is. Of course hits are more valuable than walks, especially when it's a lumbering oaf like Giambi on base. He stands at the plate with absolutely no confidence in himself and just waits and prays for a walk.