TWiB: 7/12-7/16

[tominator89 0]

Well he did say offseason.

 

Speaking of trades, http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/story/434475p-366047c.html, the Yankee farm system isn't that bad anymore, so a trade is possible. Gillick likes Delluci, so he would replace Abreu if he were traded.

 

Yeah, this article was mentioned on tonight's Daily News Live. Nothing really new as far as what the Phillies would get. If a pitcher can't be acquired, then a catcher or third baseman would be nice.

[Guest NYankees]

Anyone else watching that "Best of the World Series Champions" tournament they're currently airing on ESPN2? They've stuck 64 championship teams in brackets (AL side and NL side) and are using fan voting to determine the results.

 

Not a bad waste of an hour, especially when you see how stacked many of these teams were. Case in point: the '98 Yankees, the #1 seed in their bracket, who look like a Little League team compared to others in the tournament.

You must be really out of touch!!!! Posada, Martinez, Knoblauch, Chilli Davis, Jeter, Brosius, Raines, Strawberry, Oneill, Bernie Williams all in their careers have made it to an All Star Game. How many teams can say that they had a player at each posistion who has made it to an all star game. As far as the pitching they had Cone, Pettite, Wells and El Duque who had a great rookie season. The Yankees also had one of the best bullpens in the modern era with Lloyd, Stanton, Jeff Nelson and Rivera all having great seasons. Yeah the Yankees really look like a little league team.

 

18 Members of the 1998 Yankees at one point in their careers made it to an all star game. You have alot of nerve calling the Greatest Baseball team of all time a little league team.

[Fökai 0]

I failed to mention one of the talking heads (one not associated with ESPN) calling it "the greatest offense of all time", which resulted in audible laughter off-camera from Tommy Lasorda and Tim Kurkjian.

 

As far as the pitching they had Cone, Pettite, Wells and El Duque who had a great rookie season. The Yankees also had one of the best bullpens in the modern era with Lloyd, Stanton, Jeff Nelson and Rivera all having great seasons. Yeah the Yankees really look like a little league team.

 

I was referring to the offense, since they were 90% of the focus of the show, and the talent that were peaking when they won their championship. Look at the amount of Yankees on that squad that retired or faded away soon after.

 

While a very good team, I have a hard time believing they were juggernauts while an equal team (106-win Braves) would've posed a challenge for them at the end. To steal a stat out of Al's playbook, their Pythagorean records were only seperated by three wins, which is useless since the Braves were playing in the better league that year overall. Imagine if the Braves lucked out better in one-run games (23-21) than the Yankees had (21-10)? Imagine if the Braves played in the AL that year where the other division leaders failed to break 90 wins?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Let me jump in for a moment. Comparing the 1998 Yankees to the 1998 Braves does not discredit the Yankees. The Braves from 1995-99 led the NL in wins five consecutive years, and they're among the top 15 teams in baseball history in their own right.

 

Offensively there's no comparison. The Braves were great because of their pitching. The Yankees scored 965 runs. That's more runs than the 2003 Red Sox scored when they set the record for slugging percentage. As for not lasting, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada are still highly productive. Martinez, O'Neill and Brosius remained productive for several seasons. Knoblauch retired because of his fielding. They weren't a group of old men about to fall off the cliff. They won the next two World Series.

 

Best of all time? If not they're easily top five.

[Guest Smues]

I was just about to buy a MLB bloopers DVD that I saw at the store. It looked decent and I think the running time was 90 minutes, and it was only $9. Then I saw the warning sticker on the front that said it was hosted by Chris Kattan and I threw it back to the rack. (ok so it wasn't a 'warning' sticker, but it might as well have been one) Damn you Chris Kattan!

[vivalaultra 0]

You shoulda gotten it. I got it recently, and it's great. Not even Chris Kattan can spoil an hour and a half of professional atheletes looking like jackasses.

[Guest Smues]

You shoulda gotten it. I got it recently, and it's great. Not even Chris Kattan can spoil an hour and a half of professional atheletes looking like jackasses.

 

I don't know, I won't underestimate his ability to cause me massive pain.

[vivalaultra 0]

But it contains such wonderous occurences as:

 

The Bruce Chen and Steve Kline Show

Dontrelle Willis and J-Rol talking about growing up in tha hood together (seriously, this is like...hilarious.)

Ryan Dempster doing Harry Caray

 

And it also has the greatest play ever....ever...Manny Ramirez cutting off a throw from centerfield.

 

Seriously, it's great. Not even Mango can fuck with the greatness of ManRam cutting off Johnny Damon's throw like Game 7 of the World Series depends on it.

[Guest NYankees]

Nationals and Reds make an 8 player trade. Clayton, Harris, Thompson, 2 other pitchers for Felipe Lopez and Austin Kearns.

[vivalaultra 0]

It looks like the other notable players were... from the Nats:

 

RHP Gary Majewski (the pride of St. Pious High School, here in Houston)

 

...from the Reds:

 

RHP Ryan Wagner (former #1 draft pick from University of Houston. kinda fizzled out.)

 

I think this deal helps the Reds more than it hurts them, as Kearns was expendable, Wagner wasn't really going anywhere and Gary Majewski is a really solid bullpen pickup.

[Guest Felonies!]

Great to know the Cubs never bothered trying to get Kearns for all these years, who kills us at Wrigley, and let him fall to the buttfucking Nationals. I hope he doesn't piss off Fred Sanford and gets a chance to play, he seems like a good guy.

[Guest]

Yeah, let's trade Felipe Lopez and Austin Kearns for a relief pitcher.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Jesus Christ, the Reds are stupid.

[Hawk 34 0]

There is a vocal crowd of pissed of fans around here. Kearns, was really popular but there is a silent sigh of relief that we dumped Wagner.

 

Lopez, was expendable. Kearns, not as much.

 

Can Al or one of the more intelligent people tell about these two pitchers we got? Clayton doesn't seem to add/detract from what we got with Lopez.

 

Seems like we gave up Kearns for no reason. Lopez and a pair of prospects could have gotten those two pitchers.

 

Kearns could have been packaged for a potential reach for a starter.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

If this is all it took to snag Kearns, then the Cubs and a few other teams should be kicking themselves right now.

[Guest Felonies!]

Jesus Christ, the Reds are stupid.

No kidding. Does Jim Bowden still hang around the office or something?

[Hawk 34 0]

If this is all it took to snag Kearns, then the Cubs and a few other teams should be kicking themselves right now.

 

Worse of all, it was Jim Bowden who figured it out.

 

Man, I thought Krivsky was genius after pulling off the Arroyo trade and getting pieces like Ross, Phillips in there but with Mays and this debacle of a trade (I can't really say that until I see these guys in action but they gave a key player for two relief pitchers that don't appear to be worth a shit), I'm not sure what to think of him now.

[jwest27 0]

Why would the Reds do that? Just....wow.

 

 

 

Royce Clayton??? The 36 year old dude with the 680ish career OPS? Yeesh.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Monumentally bad trade for the Reds. If I was a fan of that team, I would be seriosuly pissed as this takes them out of the running this year and handicaps them a bit in the future as well. Has bullpen help gotten so scarce that it now takes a starting RF and SS (who are both young and relatively inexpensive) to get some arms?

 

I've seriously underestimated Jim Bowden. Not only has he secured a great young bat for the future, he can now justify moving Alfonso Soriano if a good deal comes his way.

[Hawk 34 0]

On saturday, Cincinnati will trade Ross, Harrang and Dunn to Kansas City for Scott Elarton, Jeremy Affledt, Tony Graffanino, 3 prospects and a case of local BBQ.

 

Maybe they just intend to bundle these people for another trade for a real pitcher? I have no clue at all.

 

Cincinnati had tons of good offers for Kearns over the years and they dump him for Royce Clayton and some no name relief pitching?

[vivalaultra 0]

Oh wait...Royce Clayton? Wow. I thought...it...was another Clayton when I said the trade didn't seem to hurt the Reds. Geez, I must've been on drugs for that one, but yeah...still this helps the Reds bullpen and gives Donofria a chance to play, but...seriously...Royce Clayton? Is he gonna...be the...everyday shortstop? Wow...

[Guest Felonies!]

I've seriously underestimated Jim Bowden. Not only has he secured a great young bat for the future, he can now justify moving Alfonso Soriano if a good deal comes his way.

He'd better do it soon; Tavares, Bowden, and Fred Sanford are getting shitcanned once the Lerners take full control of the club.

[Hawk 34 0]

Oh wait...Royce Clayton? Wow. I thought...it...was another Clayton when I said the trade didn't seem to hurt the Reds. Geez, I must've been on drugs for that one, but yeah...still this helps the Reds bullpen and gives Donofria a chance to play, but...seriously...Royce Clayton? Is he gonna...be the...everyday shortstop? Wow...

 

They have players like Freel, Phillips, Aurilla, Castro who can easily play SS. They didn't need 2 more fucking infielders.

 

They had FIVE players capable of playing SS, which made Lopez expendable and they went ahead and traded him for another one with a key player that you can't just replace that easily.

[Gert T 0]

Local BBQ sauce? Why would they do that, they got Montgomery Inn?

[Hawk 34 0]

Local BBQ sauce? Why would they do that, they got Montgomery Inn?

 

They already had shitty relief pitching and excess infielders but that didn't stop them from getting more of them today. More BBQ sauce fits this whole trade scheme anyways.

[vivalaultra 0]

Oh wait...Royce Clayton? Wow. I thought...it...was another Clayton when I said the trade didn't seem to hurt the Reds. Geez, I must've been on drugs for that one, but yeah...still this helps the Reds bullpen and gives Donofria a chance to play, but...seriously...Royce Clayton? Is he gonna...be the...everyday shortstop? Wow...

 

They have players like Freel, Phillips, Aurilla, Castro who can easily play SS. They didn't need 2 more fucking infielders.

 

They had FIVE players capable of playing SS, which made Lopez expendable and they went ahead and traded him for another one with a key player that you can't just replace that easily.

 

But...they're gonna put Freel in the outfield and have Aurillia or somebody start at short, right? That seems like the best bet, huh?

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Ponson to the Yanks. Should be interesting. I recall Michael Kay ripping on him constantly when he was with Baltimore.

[Guest Felonies!]

Did the Yankees have to give up anything other than their pride in this deal?

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Ponson to the Yanks. Should be interesting. I recall Michael Kay ripping on him constantly when he was with Baltimore.

 

As a Red Sox fan, I absolutely love this deal.

[Hawk 34 0]

Oh wait...Royce Clayton? Wow. I thought...it...was another Clayton when I said the trade didn't seem to hurt the Reds. Geez, I must've been on drugs for that one, but yeah...still this helps the Reds bullpen and gives Donofria a chance to play, but...seriously...Royce Clayton? Is he gonna...be the...everyday shortstop? Wow...

 

They have players like Freel, Phillips, Aurilla, Castro who can easily play SS. They didn't need 2 more fucking infielders.

 

They had FIVE players capable of playing SS, which made Lopez expendable and they went ahead and traded him for another one with a key player that you can't just replace that easily.

 

But...they're gonna put Freel in the outfield and have Aurillia or somebody start at short, right? That seems like the best bet, huh?

 

I'm guessing Clayton/Castro will alternate at SS. Freel, has been in the outfield most of the season and he has poor arm strength (something Dunn, Kearns and Junior don't lack). I'd perfer Freel at 2B and moving Phillips to SS and alternating Castro/Aurilla/Encarnación at 3B.