TWIB #4: now to the end of the month

[Guest Felonies!]

Man, fuck athletes who hold teams hostage like this. If he wasn't, you know, Roger Clemens, it wouldn't be worth all this waffling.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I don't get how a player should be allowed to just come back basically for any team he wants in the middle of a season, barring injury reasons. It just seems really unfair. I know there's no rules against it, and you can't stop it, but it just doesn't sit well with me.

[vivalaultra 0]

Well, he does have a new restuarant opening up...and he's been spending the last several months at Lexington with his son Koby pitching BP for the minor leaguers, so if he comes back, I honestly think it'll only be for us, and I do see him coming back, with the sweetheart deal he has with us (no road games when he's not pitching, free reign over pretty much everything), but it's definently a shitty situation, but then again...it is Roger Clemens. I doubt you could be like...Byung-Hung Kim and hold up the league or something. I hust hope he doesn't ask for like...$22 million or something.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Coles Hamels is heading to AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Gavin Floyd is still awful. It's painful to watch his starts because even when he escapes, he's walking a tightrope the entire time.

[the max 0]

I hope Travis Hafner never becomes a Yankee. He scares the crap out of me even during games in April. He hits the ball so hard you expect it to drill through people like a cartoon.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Does Michael Barrett ever throw runners out? I seem to recall him being okay defensively in 2004, but since, runners seem to get a free pass.

 

And Max, are you referring to that ridiculous double Hafner smashed? That shit was up near his shoulders and he still crushed it.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Tejada's on fire..2 of 3 today with a HR.

 

and Gibbons just blasted a 2 Run HR to tie the game at 3 in the 7th.

[the max 0]

And Max, are you referring to that ridiculous double Hafner smashed? That shit was up near his shoulders and he still crushed it.

 

Yes.

 

I like the Indians and try to catch them when I get a chance. It seems like he can hit practically anything, whether it's head-high or rolling to the plate, and he hits it hard. He's like Nomar circa 1998 with more power. It's scary. If the Indians manage to make the playoffs this season, he's one guy I wouldn't like to have to pitch to.

[jwest27 0]

So hey, Juan Encarnacion is a single away from hitting for the cycle, to go along with another great catch in the outfield. Good way to break out of a slump, I would say.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Alke, I have a couple questions for you.

 

1) Is Brandon Webb a serious Cy Young contender.

 

2) Why did Arizona pay Shawn Green something like $10 this year. He went downhill hard in LA. Am I missing something with this guy. Or, is it just because he was pretty good for a few years like a decade ago.

[KingPK 0]

As Remy's been pointing out, the difference between Keith Foulke's changeup this year compared to last is like night and day.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Alke, I have a couple questions for you.

 

1) Is Brandon Webb a serious Cy Young contender.

 

2) Why did Arizona pay Shawn Green something like $10 this year. He went downhill hard in LA. Am I missing something with this guy. Or, is it just because he was pretty good for a few years like a decade ago.

 

1) Probably not. He's got the numbers to be, except he's not likely to get the wins that seem to be so necessary for Cy Young winners.

 

2) Arizona's got a knack for bad trades and contracts. They are the team that inked RUSS ORTIZ to a multi-year deal for a total of $33 million, after all.

[KingPK 0]

Pap smears the Indians for his 9th save in 9 tries, tying the rookie record for consecutive saves to start a season.

[devo 0]

Pap smears

 

Booo.

 

Bonds just hit number 710. I'm just glad I'm watching this game without sound, is all I'll say.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Wow, Cordero just blew another save by giving up a double to Dan Johnson. Something's definitely wrong.

 

Speaking of blown saves, Lidge is flirting with another one, as he's got the bases loaded and one out up one with Kent coming up.

[2GOLD 0]

Does Michael Barrett ever throw runners out? I seem to recall him being okay defensively in 2004, but since, runners seem to get a free pass.

 

You gotta put some blame on the Cub pitchers, they are absolutely horrible at keeping runners close to first. But he should be doing better than he has, he can't seem to get anyone out on a steal attempt anymore.

[Guest NYankees]

The moose is LOOSE. Plus Jeter is hitting something like .390 to start the season with almost a walk and a rbi per game.

[devo 0]

After an agonizingly long at-bat, Floyd belts a two-run shot into the bay. 4-1 Mets.

[naiwf 0]

Is Willie trying to get Duaner Sanchez to pitch 100+ innings this year? He's now worked 14 in the team's 20th game and this is already the 5th game he's worked 2 innings in. The dude's arm is going to fall off by the All-Star break at this rate.

[vivalaultra 0]

Just got back from the 'Stros game. 14 Freakin' innings. Lidge blew his second consecutive save. Methinks he might get the next couple of days off. At least I hope so. He's been stressing and throwing too many pitches. Hopefully, after some rest he can regain his confidence. However, if he's not, DAVE~! Borkowski was lights out in 4 innings of relief, allowing just one hit. I haven't seen much of him, but from how he did in Spring Training and how he's done thus far in AAA and what he did tonite, maybe he can be a keeper. Ezequial Astacio did good in his one inning, getting the win. Preston "P-Dub" Wilson drove in the game winning run and went...2-3 with 2 RBI and 2 stolen bases...before the extra innings. I dunno. He looks like he's coming around. I predict the 'Stros will finish the week at 17-6. Go 'Stros~!

[Cuban Linx 0]

The toughest battle in the AL West right now seems to be between Francisco Cordero and Eddie Guardado to see who can pitch themselves out of a job the fastest. After tonight Cordero is probably winning, it's a good thing Texas has their offense, carrying them to 9 wins from their last 12 games despite the team being only 3 from 9 in save situations.

 

Mench in particular has been on fire since returning from injury, hitting .450 with 5 Homeruns and 14 RBI's in his last 5 games. Who would of thought changing your shoes by 1/2 a size could make such a difference.

[Guest Felonies!]

I don't think it's been mentioned here: In yet another expert analysis, Joe Morgan has basically endorsed Jose Mesa's "I will bean Omar Vizquel every time" plan, on the basis of "teammates can't talk about each other like that." That was NINE YEARS AGO. Maybe Jose should try and get retribution by proving that he isn't a shitty closer.

 

 

EDIT: Oh hey, we have Kerry Ligtenberg down in Iowa now. How 'bout that.

 

EDIT 2: Jacque Jones is being a whiny bitch because he gets booed at Wrigley. I like that he's hit two three-run homers, but he's hit like twenty one-pitch popouts. Anyway, he'd rather be back in Minnesota where the fans were always there for him, and he's not gonna acknowledge the bleacher fans anymore. Whatever, dude. I miss Jeromy Burnitz.

[geniusMoment 0]

They might as well just make the NL Central a divison above the rest. Do the rest of the teams in the NL suck that bad, it's impossible for them to beat the Astros, Reds, Cards and Cubs. After a month 4 teams in one division have a winning percentage over .630. Since they've played each other a lot that means that when they don't play an NL Central team they must win virtually all the time.

[Cartman 0]

A.J. Burnett - S - Blue Jays

 

 

An orthopaedic surgeon interviewed by the Toronto Star painted a very bleak picture regarding A.J. Burnett's elbow injury.

"Scar tissue is not as strong as the original ligament," Dr. Darrell Ogilvie-Harris said. "When there is a tear of the ligament and scar tissue, this tells us that there is residual weakness from the previous surgical repair. This complicates recovery and increases the risk of re-injury. If he had to undergo surgery again, chances are it would be career-ending." Apr. 26 - 10:18 am et

Source: Toronto Star

[Mik 0]

Wow. That is certainly devestating news...

 

...

[Guest Felonies!]

They might as well just make the NL Central a divison above the rest. Do the rest of the teams in the NL suck that bad, it's impossible for them to beat the Astros, Reds, Cards and Cubs. After a month 4 teams in one division have a winning percentage over .630. Since they've played each other a lot that means that when they don't play an NL Central team they must win virtually all the time.

Too small of a sample size so far, but the Cubs are 4-1 outside the Central (Dodgers, Marlins) and 8-6 within (Reds, Cardinals). I don't know the others offhand, but I assume it's more of the same. I do expect the NL Central teams, Pirates excluded, to win a majority of their interdivision games. The NL Central and AL East will probably be the most compelling races this year.

 

I bet Mik is having a bit of a laugh at Burnett's expense. He earned it, though: A.J. was a real prick at the end.

[Hawk 34 0]

They might as well just make the NL Central a divison above the rest. Do the rest of the teams in the NL suck that bad, it's impossible for them to beat the Astros, Reds, Cards and Cubs. After a month 4 teams in one division have a winning percentage over .630. Since they've played each other a lot that means that when they don't play an NL Central team they must win virtually all the time.

Too small of a sample size so far, but the Cubs are 4-1 outside the Central (Dodgers, Marlins) and 8-6 within (Reds, Cardinals). I don't know the others offhand, but I assume it's more of the same. I do expect the NL Central teams, Pirates excluded, to win a majority of their interdivision games. The NL Central and AL East will probably be the most compelling races this year.

 

I bet Mik is having a bit of a laugh at Burnett's expense. He earned it, though: A.J. was a real prick at the end.

 

I also expect the "winner" of the NL West to finish with a worse record then the 3rd place finisher in both NL C/E, maybe even 4th place in the central.

[treble 0]

A.J. Burnett - S - Blue Jays

 

 

An orthopaedic surgeon interviewed by the Toronto Star painted a very bleak picture regarding A.J. Burnett's elbow injury.

"Scar tissue is not as strong as the original ligament," Dr. Darrell Ogilvie-Harris said. "When there is a tear of the ligament and scar tissue, this tells us that there is residual weakness from the previous surgical repair. This complicates recovery and increases the risk of re-injury. If he had to undergo surgery again, chances are it would be career-ending." Apr. 26 - 10:18 am et

Source: Toronto Star

Beautiful. Everything I've heard, though, says that the elbow is fine stucturaly, and that there's not too much danger of re-injuring the elbow, there'll just be some discomfort. So, I'm just going to bury my head in the sand, go by what Dr. Andrews said, and remind myself that the Star pretty much hates every team in Toronto.

[Guest Felonies!]

Jacque Jones is not only getting hassled by the bleacher fans, but also Pat and Ron: with Mike Jacobs heading home, Jones looks ready to throw home, hesitates for several seconds, and makes a late throw to third, which neither of them were happy about. Not even May and the guy's on borrowed time.