TWiB 7/17 - 7/23

[Guest Felonies!]

Go figure, the one competent guy on the Cubs coaching staff is gone.

[DMann2003 0]

2-Run double by LaRue puts Reds ahead 6-4 with 1 out in the bottom of the 8th.

[DMann2003 0]

That Rain delay must've been the break for the Reds tonight, 7-4

[vivalaultra 0]

So uh...the Padres released Vinny Castilla. Methinks Morgan Ensberg will be relocating to the West Coast soon. On AOL Sports, they have the top 15 Free Agents and the supposed "best chances" to score them, and the 'Stros are listed as the most likely to get Scott Linebrink, who I see a very good possibility of them getting...for Ensberg...and pre-season Astros' conversation piece Miguel Tejada, presumably for Lidge and Everett; at least that was the deal before the season started.

 

How about Morgan and Everett to SD for Linebrink and Khalil Greene, then Greene and Lidge for Tejada? I figure Baltimore will want some offense to offset the loss of Tejada and I figure Greene's more likely to provide it than Everett.

 

The only problem I have is if Baltimore wants someone like Hunter Pence. I can see them wanting him thrown in and I'd be hesitant to throw in someone who at 22 has moved up the traditionally slow Astros minor league system. It wouldn't be a dealbreaker though IF the Astros can get Tejada to agree to an extension.

 

Yeah, the thing I'm hearing is that the Astros are absolutely opposed to trading either Hunter Pence or Jason Hirsch. I'm pretty sure if that's who the O's want, the deal won't happen. I honestly don't really see the Tejada deal coming off. Apparently, the Astros were the frontrunners at the beginning of the season to get him, but he didn't wanna sign an extension so that nixed the deal. There's no way I'd give up Lidge or Everett to get Tejada if he was just going to be a rent-a-player. I'd rather just give up Mo for Linebrink and forget Tejada if that were to be the case.

[Hawk 34 0]

Went to the Reds game tonight and depite the shut down on the highway (which forced at least 50% of the fans to find another route or not even attend) and the long rain delay, it was a pretty fun time although the crowd was dead the entire game. The bullpen is fantastic and that trade is starting to look like a big upgrade already because Clayton has been very serviceable and Freel/Denorfia have done well in the absence of Kearns.

 

BTW, Hanks and Opie got a bigger reaction then LaRue's double.

[Guest NYankees]

THE MELKY WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

And it only took 13 people to beat the M's tonight

 

 

From Yesterday's Yankees/M's game.

 

JeffWeaverFan:Andy doubled in between CF and RF. A-Rod was waved home and scored on a close play (he was clearly safe though). Andy hustled all the way and went to 3rd on the play - while the catcher was arguing. The 3B coach, as Andy was coming to 3rd started calling time - which is not his call. The homeplate coach never called time. Andy has to go back to 2B. Larry Bowa was flipping out at the 3B coach.

 

 

Yankees should have had a runner at third base with no out's but due to the Umps they got screwed and lost a one run game. Not once did you ever hear me bitch or complain about the call yesterday.

[sfaJack 0]

But doesn't that "make up" for the favorable call the Yankees got at first base the other day when they tied the game in the ninth?

[Guest Felonies!]

"homeplate coach"?

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

"Jeff Weaver FAN?"

[Guest NYankees]

But doesn't that "make up" for the favorable call the Yankees got at first base the other day when they tied the game in the ninth?

Tuesday nights game was a bang bang play that Jorge looked safe on replays and only looked out when they did slow mo. Also two wrongs dont make a right and only the Homeplate Umpire can call time not the third base umpire.

[the max 0]

But doesn't that "make up" for the favorable call the Yankees got at first base the other day when they tied the game in the ninth?

Tuesday nights game was a bang bang play that Jorge looked safe on replays and only looked out when they did slow mo. Also two wrongs dont make a right and only the Homeplate Umpire can call time not the third base umpire.

 

Any ump can call time.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Rob Neyer just mentioned in his chat that the Cleveland Indians have traded Bob Wickman to the Atlanta Braves for a low-A ball catcher. Didn't bother looking it up, but it was supposedly in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Atlanta Journal Constitution.

 

Probably an okay deal for both teams. The Indians, from what I have read, have a weak farm system and the Braves need all the bullpen help they can get.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Deal's official. Indians get a catcher named Max Ramirez. I don't know anything about Ramirez, but the Indians aren't going anywhere this year and Wickman wasn't all that great this season, but he's an upgrade in Atlanta.

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

Went to the Reds game tonight and depite the shut down on the highway (which forced at least 50% of the fans to find another route or not even attend) and the long rain delay, it was a pretty fun time although the crowd was dead the entire game. The bullpen is fantastic and that trade is starting to look like a big upgrade already because Clayton has been very serviceable and Freel/Denorfia have done well in the absence of Kearns.

 

BTW, Hanks and Opie got a bigger reaction then LaRue's double.

 

Yea I was hesitant about the trade too when it first happened but it's starting to look better and better. One thing that works for the Reds is the they have Freel who can play several different positions and is one of the underrated utility players right now in the major leagues so replacing Kearns wasn't too much of a blow.

 

Also, it was nice to see the Reds finish off a game in the top of the 9th with three consecutive outs. Usually I have to sweat it out in those situations even with a three run lead so I appreciated the 1-2-3 last night at the end.

[Guest Felonies!]

Aren't Bob Wickman and Dan Kolb like the same person?

[Fartsauce 0]

t was a team meeting and he singled me out and was cursing at me in front of the team and challenged me to a fight,'' Hillenbrand told the Fan 590 in Toronto. ''(He) wanted me to get up and fight him and punch him in the face.''

This keeps getting more bizarre.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

So uh...the Padres released Vinny Castilla. Methinks Morgan Ensberg will be relocating to the West Coast soon. On AOL Sports, they have the top 15 Free Agents and the supposed "best chances" to score them, and the 'Stros are listed as the most likely to get Scott Linebrink, who I see a very good possibility of them getting...for Ensberg...and pre-season Astros' conversation piece Miguel Tejada, presumably for Lidge and Everett; at least that was the deal before the season started.

 

How about Morgan and Everett to SD for Linebrink and Khalil Greene, then Greene and Lidge for Tejada? I figure Baltimore will want some offense to offset the loss of Tejada and I figure Greene's more likely to provide it than Everett.

 

The only problem I have is if Baltimore wants someone like Hunter Pence. I can see them wanting him thrown in and I'd be hesitant to throw in someone who at 22 has moved up the traditionally slow Astros minor league system. It wouldn't be a dealbreaker though IF the Astros can get Tejada to agree to an extension.

 

The Padres aren't trading Greene for what will amount to nothing.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Four out of the Wildcard.

[Annabelle 0]

the tigers finally show they may be for real. winning this series has to have proved something. it proved something to them. its a vital hurdle they had to cross. look out, chisox.

[Vern Gagne 0]

The Twins need a 4-2 record this next road trip. It won't be easy against Detroit next week.

[Guest Felonies!]

With losing series against Boston, New York, and Detroit, I expect a record amount of wife-beating from Sox fans.

[Annabelle 0]

i hope to see a liriano vs. verlander match-up. if the tigers can blow off the twins, i'd feel even more secure.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

My fantasy team is starting to hurt post-AS break, as Pedro remains on the DL, and now Shea Hillenbrand is without a team.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

the tigers finally show they may be for real. winning this series has to have proved something. it proved something to them. its a vital hurdle they had to cross. look out, chisox.

 

They haven't shown that they are for real already? They have the best record in baseball and the BP's Playoff Odds have them at a 91.7% chance of making the playoffs. I don't think Chicago has the pitching to knock them off this year, unless they make some sort of deal at the deadline.

 

The main concern I'd have if I were the Tigers is that the pitching staff is a potential house of cards. The team is relying a lot on Verlander and Zumaya, who haven't pitched full big league seasons, as well as Rogers and Jones who could literally fall apart any moment. There are some OBP issues in the lineup, but it really hasn't hurt the offense much.

[naiwf 0]

the tigers finally show they may be for real. winning this series has to have proved something. it proved something to them. its a vital hurdle they had to cross. look out, chisox.

 

They haven't shown that they are for real already? They have the best record in baseball and the BP's Playoff Odds have them at a 91.7% chance of making the playoffs. I don't think Chicago has the pitching to knock them off this year, unless they make some sort of deal at the deadline.

 

The main concern I'd have if I were the Tigers is that the pitching staff is a potential house of cards. The team is relying a lot on Verlander and Zumaya, who haven't pitched full big league seasons, as well as Rogers and Jones who could literally fall apart any moment. There are some OBP issues in the lineup, but it really hasn't hurt the offense much.

 

Detroit hasn't proven yet to most fans that they can and will win a postseason series or three. There have been many teams that dominated during the regular season and then crashed and burned in the playoffs. The 116 win Mariners and 13/14 of the Braves record setting run squads come to mind

[CanadianChris 0]

the tigers finally show they may be for real. winning this series has to have proved something. it proved something to them. its a vital hurdle they had to cross. look out, chisox.

 

They haven't shown that they are for real already? They have the best record in baseball and the BP's Playoff Odds have them at a 91.7% chance of making the playoffs. I don't think Chicago has the pitching to knock them off this year, unless they make some sort of deal at the deadline.

 

The main concern I'd have if I were the Tigers is that the pitching staff is a potential house of cards. The team is relying a lot on Verlander and Zumaya, who haven't pitched full big league seasons, as well as Rogers and Jones who could literally fall apart any moment. There are some OBP issues in the lineup, but it really hasn't hurt the offense much.

Let's face it, as long as the White Sox were constantly making the Tigers their bitches, there were going to be questions and doubts.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The Wickman deal is good for both sides. The Tribe has no use for an aging closer if they're out of the playoff hunt. Ramirez looks like a sleeper prospect, but the Braves already have Brian McCann and Jarrod Saltalamaccia. They can afford to trade some depth there.

 

Jayson Stark reports an Abreu for Milledge deal is being discussed. If Abreu's dealt for a Top Ten prospect, I'd be ok with the deal.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

With losing series against Boston, New York, and Detroit, I expect a record amount of wife-beating from Sox fans.

 

Honestly I wasn't expecting the Sox to do shit anymore after June. Last year they collapsed to almost losing out their bid for the playoffs. This year, probably, will do the trick.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

If the Mets are thinking of trading Milledge, they ought to call Billy Beane and see if he'll part with Barry Zito. This team really needs starting pitching. As currently constructed, they are exactly the type of team that can run through the season and then fall on their faces when the postseason starts. I'm not really sure what Abreu will bring to the team this year.

[naiwf 0]

If the Mets are thinking of trading Milledge, they ought to call Billy Beane and see if he'll part with Barry Zito. This team really needs starting pitching. As currently constructed, they are exactly the type of team that can run through the season and then fall on their faces when the postseason starts. I'm not really sure what Abreu will bring to the team this year.

 

What he said. We have enough offense, and Abreu's a pussy. New York will Bonilla/A-Rod him in no time. Give me Zito or Dontrelle, not a guy whose career highlight was winning a HR derby.