TWiB 7/17 - 7/23

[KingPK 0]

If they want to get into the race in earnest, Toronto's gotta put a run together of 6-7-8 or more wins, preferably when the Red Sox and Yankees play that five game series in a month or so because that's a perfect opportunity to gain ground on at least one of them. They can't keep winning two/losing two and expect to keep pace.

 

And I don't really think that there's gonna be any big trades that are going to push any of these teams over the others. Perhaps someone will get a MOTR pitcher to fill in as a #3 or #4 and maybe a decent reliever, but that's pretty much it.

[CanadianChris 0]

Where have all the good baseball writers gone? I read Sean McAdam's latest article on ESPN.com because I thought it would shed some light on which pitchers might go where, but it was just a rehashing of old myths and half-truths. Among other things:

 

- The All-Star streak, among other things, is proof of the AL's dominance over the NL (10 of the last 20 WS winners came from the league that lost the ASG -- some predictor!);

 

- NL pitchers struggle mightily when switching leagues, with the examples being Matt Clement (bad peripherals to start, and was overused), Randy Johnson (c'mon, he's OVER 40, and had a few good years with Seattle, anyway), Carl Pavano (one-year wonder signed to a ridiculous deal, and injury-plagued) and Esteban Loaiza (mediocre, but had a pretty good season with the White Sox, an AL team, 3 years ago);

 

- Josh Beckett, while on pace to win 20 games, is struggling because he's given up 27 HRs, as opposed to 14 last season (since going from Pro Player Stadium to Fenway Park? GET OUTTA HERE!!)

 

Are there any good writers besides Rob Neyer that anyone reads?

[Guest Felonies!]

Over this trade deadline and next offseason, the Dodgers are going to become Yankees West. Just watch.

Funny, that's what I'd been calling the Angels the last year or two.

[KingPK 0]

- Josh Beckett, while on pace to win 20 games, is struggling because he's given up 27 HRs, as opposed to 14 last season (since going from Pro Player Stadium to Fenway Park? GET OUTTA HERE!!)

 

Column A:

 

6-4

6.33 ERA

22 HR

.270 BAA

54/23 K/BB ratio

 

Column B:

 

5-1

3.58 ERA

5 HR

.212 BAA

41/17 K/BB ratio

 

If you said Column A are Josh Beckett's home stats........

 

X

 

It ain't the park. The number of starts are fairly even as well (11 road, 8 home)

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

It's the Blue Jays. Seven of those home runs came in two starts at the Skydome.

[KingPK 0]

Yeah, he also had two horrid starts back to back in Toronto (7 ER, 4 HRs) and New York (7 ER, 2 HR) that ballooned his ERA above 5. It really hasn't recovered yet.

 

He's also allowed a HR in all but five of his starts this year (the majority of those at the beginning of the season). He's allowed 3 or more HRs in a game FIVE times (ALL on the road).

 

I should note that this doesn't take into account his last start against the A's this past weekend, so his home numbers took a hit.

[CanadianChris 0]

OK, that's bizarre. I should've looked at the splits, but who goes from a pitcher's park to a hitter's park and gives up all their home runs on the road?

 

He's still not really struggling as badly as the article would suggest. His ERA should come down when he stops giving up HRs. He's not a flyball pitcher, which makes it stranger.

[KingPK 0]

Watching most of his starts, I think his emotion gets to him sometimes and he simply tries to fire the fastball in there as hard as he can and overpower the hitter, but he either leaves it up or towards the inner half (esp. against righties) and they just crank it out.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

From Buster Olney's chat...

 

Joe (Round Rock TX): Any chance the Yankees can get Bobby Abreu without giving up Phillip Hughes?

 

SportsNation Buster Olney: Joe: I think that totally depends on Philadelphia's level of desperation to get rid of Abreu's contract, and my guess is that by the time the deadline passes, Philly will move him, and he will go to the Yankees, and Hughes won't be involved. Cashman will not trade Philip Hughes unless it is for Dontrelle Willis (and I don't think Willis will be dealt).

 

Level of desperation? If Philly's not trading for a win now type of player, why the heck would they feel ANY sort of pressure to trade Bobby? He's not even a free agent until after next season, and he's got a team option even then.

[the pinjockey 0]

It appears Jerry Crasnick would like to answer that question

 

Richie (Philly, PA): Hey Jerry, let me be the first to ask what thousands of fans here in Philly want to know. Where will Boby Abreu end up, and what will the Phillies be gettin in return. I'm hearing things out of Detroit and New York. Any inside info?

 

SportsNation Jerry Crasnick: Richie,

 

I'm not as sold on Abreu being traded as a lot of people -- maybe because he has a full no trade clause and will make $15 million next year. Plus, he's not that great a player anymore. And the Phillies aren't going to just dump the salary -- they want something decent in return for him. That limits the list of potential suitors considerably. Just a hunch, but I think the chances of Soriano being moved are better than Abreu being dealt.

 

The only "pressure" that appears to be involved here is reportedly trying to create some salary relief. But given Gillick's views on FA pitchers (no big money deals, so no Zito) and the lack of quality position FAs coming this offseason, I don't really see the point of having to dump money for this winter.

[CanadianChris 0]

In what universe is Crasnick living in where Bobby Abreu isn't a good player? He gets on base more than any NLer not named Albert Pujols.

[Hawk 34 0]

Another one of those goofy deals, MLB likes to do every year. This time, it's to select the hometown hero for each franchise.

 

"DHL Presents Major League Baseball Hometown Heroes" Official Panel

• Orestes Destrade, Broadcaster, ESPN and XM Satellite Radio

• Steve Hirdt, Executive Vice President, Elias Sports Bureau

• Jerome Holtzman, Official MLB historian and member of the writer's wing of the Hall of Fame

• Richard C. Levin, President, Yale University

• Dinn Mann, Editor-In-Chief, MLB.com

• Tim McCarver, Broadcaster, FOX Sports

• Jose de Jesus Ortiz, Writer, Houston Chronicle

• Harold Reynolds, Broadcaster, ESPN

• Ken Shouler, historian, author of The Real 100 Best Players of All-time and Why

• Claire Smith, Assistant Sports Editor, Philadelphia Inquirer

• Don Sutton, Broadcaster, Turner Sports and member of Baseball Hall of Fame

 

 

"DHL PRESENTS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL HOMETOWN HEROES" OFFICIAL FRANCHISE NOMINEES

ANGELS ASTROS ATHLETICS BLUE JAYS BRAVES

Jim Abbott Jeff Bagwell Dennis Eckersley Roberto Alomar Hank Aaron

Don Baylor Craig Biggio Lefty Grove Joe Carter Chipper Jones

Rod Carew Larry Dierker Rickey Henderson Tony Fernandez Phil Niekro

Chuck Finley Nolan Ryan Jim "Catfish" Hunter Pat Hentgen John Smoltz

 

 

BREWERS CARDINALS CUBS DEVIL RAYS DIAMONDBACKS

Cecil Cooper Lou Brock Ernie Banks Wade Boggs Jay Bell

Rollie Fingers Bob Gibson Ferguson Jenkins Carl Crawford Luis Gonzalez

Jim Gantner Stan Musial Ryne Sandberg Roberto Hernandez Randy Johnson

Paul Molitor Albert Pujols Ron Santo Aubrey Huff Todd Stottlemyre

Robin Yount Ozzie Smith Billy Williams Fred McGriff Matt Williams

 

DODGERS GIANTS INDIANS MARINERS MARLINS

Roy Campanella Barry Bonds Earl Averill Jay Buhner Josh Beckett

Sandy Koufax Juan Marichal Larry Doby Ken Griffey, Jr. Luis Castillo

Pee Wee Reese Willie Mays Bob Feller Edgar Martinez Jeff Conine

Jackie Robinson Willie McCovey Nap Lajoie Jamie Moyer robb Nen

Duke Snider Mel Ott Tris Speaker Ichiro Suzuki Dontrelle Willis

 

METS NATIONALS ORIOLES PADRES PHILLIES

John Franco Gary Carter Eddie Murray Brian Giles Richie Ashburn

Tug McGraw Livan Hernandez Jim Palmer Tony Gwynn Steve Carlton

Mike Piazza Brian Schneider Cal Ripken, Jr. Trevor Hoffman Chuck Klein

Tom Seaver Rusty Staub Brooks Robinson Randy Jones Robin Roberts

Darryl Strawberry Jose Vidro Frank Robinson Dave Winfield Mike Schmidt

 

PIRATES RANGERS RED SOX REDS ROCKIES

Roberto Clemente Rusty Greer Roger Clemens Johnny Bench Dante Bichette

Ralph Kiner Ivan Rodriguez Jim Rice Joe Morgan Vinny Castilla

Bill Mazeroski Nolan Ryan Ted Williams Tony Perez Andres Galarraga

Willie Stargell Jim Sundberg Carl Yastrzemski Frank Robinson Todd Helton

Honus Wagner Mark Teixeira Cy Young Pete Rose Larry Walker

 

 

ROYALS TIGERS TWINS WHITE SOX YANKEES

George Brett Ty Cobb Rod Carew Luke Appling Yogi Berra

Amos Otis Charlie Gehringer Kent Hrbek Harold Baines Joe DiMaggio

Bret Saberhagen Hank Greenberg Harmon Killebrew Nellie Fox Lou Gehrig

Mike Sweeney Al Kaline Tony Oliva Minnie Minoso Mickey Mantle

Frank White Alan Trammell Kirby Puckett Frank Thomas Babe Ruth

[2GOLD 0]

Cal and Banks are my choices for the Orioles and Cubs.

[Bored 0]

Rickey Henderson is the easy choice for Oakland since not only is he the "Greatest of All-Time" but he also grew up in Oakland.

[the max 0]

Ted Williams for the Red Sox.

 

Rice is pretty well liked among the Sox fans that I know down here. Most think that he's a hall of famer (as do I), but I don't know if I'd call him a face of the franchise player.

 

Yaz is Yaz. Cy Young would certainly be the face of the Red Sox had he not pitched 250 years ago.

 

I can't believe that they even put Clemens on the Red Sox list.

 

Sox fans love Johnny Pesky, but I'm not surprised he's not on the list. The 2004 title was shared with Johnny just as if he'd helped them win the title.

[Guest Smues]

Hank Aaron for the Braves is a no brainer.

[Guest]

When I think of the Los Angeles incarnation of the Dodgers, I think of Kirk Gibson or Fernando Valenzuela. Obviously, the face of the franchise is either Koufax or Jackie Robinson (can't choose), but I thought I should point that out.

[KingPK 0]

Wakefield's ailing back forces him out of the game. Guess he's off to the DL, making that Wily Mo Pena trade look worse and worse.

[Vampiro69 0]

I got to see the Twins and Indians this weekend in Minneapolis. It was a hell of a series. The worse was watching Hunter and Stewart get hurt AGAIN.

 

The positive was seeing my boy Morneau hit a monster shot on saturday and nearly catching a llne drive foul ball of his on friday that I just missed bare-handing.

 

The next two weeks is the when we make the decision on whether we make a hard push to make the playoffs.

[vivalaultra 0]

So, is Jeff Weaver really thatmuch of an upgrade over Sir Sidney? Brian McCann would say not.

 

And for the hometown hero thing, I think it's obvious who the Astros pick should be...

 

Larry Dierker.

[treble 0]

If you're going to have Rusty Staub and Gary Carter on the 'Nationals' list, how can you have Brian Schnieder on there but not Vlad Guerrero?

 

And, unless the teams on the top there have a 5th guy that got cut off (which I think might be the case), Carlos Delgado should be on the Jays list.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Wakefield's ailing back forces him out of the game. Guess he's off to the DL, making that Wily Mo Pena trade look worse and worse.

 

You can't call the Wily Mo trade a disaster now just because the pitching staff has fallen apart over the course of the year. Coming into this season the team had a surplus of starting pitching, but needed a 4th OFer, a platoon mate for Trot Nixon and a long-term solution for RF. They took the best deal out there. I don't want to second guess the deal now just because Pena has been hurt and Bronson Arroyo has had a little bit of success pitching in AAAA.

[CanadianChris 0]

Yes, there are supposed to be five for each team. Bizarre typo.

 

As it is, I'd pick Alomar for the Jays. Treble's right, Delgado should be on there, and should really replace Hentgen (Cy Young notwithstanding).

[CanadianChris 0]

Holy run support...Jays rang up NINE in the fourth. A Vernon Wells grand slam was the highlight, and Overbay went 2/2 with a single and a 2-run homer.

[Guest]

So, is Jeff Weaver really thatmuch of an upgrade over Sir Sidney? Brian McCann would say not.

He's a huge downgrade, and they will notice that within the next week. To AAA or the Royals (same thing) you go, Mr. Weaver.

[KingPK 0]

I've always thought the trade was a head-scratcher, especially since it happened after they signed Arroyo to an extension. They had a surplus, but among them were three guys pushing/over 40 and one mentally shaky guy coming off a horrible second half. Yes, Arroyo's numbers are inflated due to the NL, but, even if they had to eat the contract, they should have shopped Clement instead.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

So, is Jeff Weaver really thatmuch of an upgrade over Sir Sidney? Brian McCann would say not.

He's a huge downgrade, and they will notice that within the next week. To AAA or the Royals (same thing) you go, Mr. Weaver.

 

I think they noticed within an hour and five minutes.

[Guest]

I hadn't checked the game in a while. Their bullpen isn't doing any better.

[Hawk 34 0]

I'm sort of surprised they put Rose on that list. I would have taken him off the list(although Cincinnati will always turn a blind eye to the entire gambling deal) and replaced him with Larkin. As it is, I'd give it to Bench.

[CanadianChris 0]

If you're going to have Rusty Staub and Gary Carter on the 'Nationals' list, how can you have Brian Schnieder on there but not Vlad Guerrero?

Or Tim Raines. Or Andre Dawson. Or Tim Wallach. Or...