2007 Spring Training: The Thread

[Guest Queen Leelee]

Alan, is it fair to give any importance to Caribbean League stats.

 

I only ask because my sleeper catcher Ronny Paulino was miserable there.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Alan, is it fair to give any importance to Caribbean League stats.

 

I only ask because my sleeper catcher Ronny Paulino was miserable there.

If you're referring to that 1 for 12, you can throw that out the window entirely. If you go through a player's gamelogs, you will see several occasions when he performed poorly over the course of a three game series. It does not mean much in the long term. The thing about statistics is that the more data you have, the better. Even 200 at bats is not quite reliable. If you have a guy in his prime, the best thing to look at is career numbers.

[vivalaultra 0]

Since I can't get excited over ST statistics, does that mean that I shouldn't be excited that Hunter Pence is batting 14 for 19 with 3 HRs, 5 2Bs, and only 1 K?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Since I can't get excited over ST statistics, does that mean that I shouldn't be excited that Hunter Pence is batting 14 for 19 with 3 HRs, 5 2Bs, and only 1 K?

As far as the statistics being a harbinger of future production, no. What it does mean however is that Pence is playing his way onto the roster, and if he is ready it would be a boost for a team that received poor production from their outfield last season. Pence is facing an uphill battle to get on the roster for opening day however, as he is not yet on the 40 man roster.

[Guest Eagle Man]

I don't think I've paid much attention at all to the Cubs this month. I check in periodically to see what's going on with the pitchers, but like I've said, even that's mostly pointless. I know that for this year, Derrek Lee will play well, DeRosa won't be a major upgrade, Barrett will give us good offense but struggle at calling a game, Ramirez will try to dog it when he thinks Lou isn't looking, Izturis won't add shit, the outfield will hit well but suck at fielding routine flies, and of those four, the non-Murton ones will all have shitty attitudes.

[Guest]

I only check in on wins and losses. I haven't seen one statistic from any player on our team.

[CanadianChris 0]

The only thing I've been following with the Jays is the starting pitching, trying to see if they have any semblance of a rotation past Halladay and Burnett. So far, it's somewhat encouraging, even though it's hard to tell anything with the limited innings they're throwing. Chacin looks decent, and Towers looks like he's put last season's disaster behind him. Hard to tell much about Ohka -- he had one bad outing and one good outing. And John Thomson has been a pleasant surprise so far.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Czech, your Cubs gave Neifi Perez 33 starts at second last year. Neifi got another 13 starts at shortstop and Cedeno got 130 starts there. DeRosa/Izturis aren't stars, but they are huge improvements.

[Guest Queen Leelee]

Alan, do you think Piniella is a big improvement over Dusty Baker.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I was watching the Padres game. You want proof that Spring Training means nothing? Khalil Greene hit a 3-run home run. The Padres lead the NL in home runs.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Sheffield wanted to play in Boston

By Nick Cafardo, Globe Staff

Greetings from Lakeland, Florida, home of the Tigers.

 

We ponder a what if.

 

Imagine a lineup with Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz and Gary Sheffield?

 

That's what might have been had the Yankees not picked up the option season on Gary Sheffield's contract. Sheffield told the Globe that Boston would have been his first choice and was dreaming of being in the middle of the Sox lineup. Obviously the Yankees knew it, picked up the option and traded Sheffield to Detroit. Read more about it in the Sunday baseball notes.

 

Interesting. All things considered, I think I still prefer JD Drew as the long-term solution in right field, but I would have loved having Gary Sheffield. I know PECOTA is really down on him this year, but I can see him thriving in that Detroit lineup.

[Styles 0]

Orioles non-roster invitees John Knott and Jason Dubois homered off Dice-K, leading Baltimore to a win. Better send him back to Japan, Boston fans. (I'm kidding in case the sarcasm wasn't apparent).

 

 

Hahahahahaa.

[CanadianChris 0]

That picture almost makes him look like he should be pitching in the Little League World Series.

[Annabelle 0]

sometimes sheffield does stupid things. like before playing a regular season game with his new team talking to reporters about how he'd rather play in a different city. what a guy.

[Guest Queen Leelee]

That's why I love Sheffield. He's a self-absorbed dick. He still should apologize to the Yankee leader for proclaiming he was the best hitter on said team, though.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Well who really thought Sheffield would want to play for Detroit though?

[strummer 0]

Jeromy Burnitz retires:

 

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7006711254

[the max 0]

We tried to get into the Cardinals v. Twins game today, but it was completely sold out and had lines 20-25 people deep at the ticket office looking to get in. I've never seen a buzz around a game like that (excluding the Red Sox v. Jankees spring training game that all but shut down downtown Fort Myers.)

[Annabelle 0]

Well who really thought Sheffield would want to play for Detroit though?

 

i didn't think detroit was exactly the last place anyone would want to play considering the team that they have.

[Guest]

Detroit is not known for its lab scene.

[geniusMoment 0]

Ken Rosenthal is sick of A-Rod's shit, and wants him to "shut up and play". He also says Alex is going to bolt from the yankees.

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6567174?MSNHPHMA

[sfaJack 0]

The Astros have basically stated that Hunter Pence has no shot of making the team no matter how well he performs in ST or how poorly Jason Lane, Chris Burke, et. al might do.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Same for Phil Hughes

[CanadianChris 0]

Cashman's being really smart with Hughes. It's good to see.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Cashman's being really smart with Hughes. It's good to see.

 

I pulled this out of an article swiped from another site. It's not meant to prove you wrong, but open some discussion, especially in regards to Hughes. If his talent is as good as advertised, it might not do him any good to waste good years in the minors.

 

When I first wrote that “There’s No Such Thing as a Pitching Prospect,†it meant two things, one of which has kind of become lost over time. Yes, it means that pitchers get hurt at approximately the same rate that methheads swipe identities and lose teeth. That’s what all pitchers do, not just prospects. But it also had another meaning—that guys who are totally blowing people away in the minors like they’re so many hot dog pretenders before Kobayashi are absolutely not pitching prospects—they’re already pitchers, and more time in the minors only means time off the living, pulsating clocks that are their labrums, rotator cuffs, and elbows.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Well who really thought Sheffield would want to play for Detroit though?

 

i didn't think detroit was exactly the last place anyone would want to play considering the team that they have.

 

I was not implying it was the LAST place a player would want to be, but come on. Detroit is not exactly Boston or New York or even Los Angeles here.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Reported today that Theo is kicking the tires again on Brad Lidge and Scott Linebrink. I don't know what we have to swing a deal with either team, but apparently the hopes of finding a closer out of the approximately 37 washed-up and/or mediocre relievers they brought to camp isn't working. Theo, please, find someone who knows how to build a bullpen. It's not your strong suit.

[CanadianChris 0]

Linebrink to Boston as the closer would be awesome for me in the mixed roto league.

[CanadianChris 0]

Cashman's being really smart with Hughes. It's good to see.

 

I pulled this out of an article swiped from another site. It's not meant to prove you wrong, but open some discussion, especially in regards to Hughes. If his talent is as good as advertised, it might not do him any good to waste good years in the minors.

 

When I first wrote that “There’s No Such Thing as a Pitching Prospect,†it meant two things, one of which has kind of become lost over time. Yes, it means that pitchers get hurt at approximately the same rate that methheads swipe identities and lose teeth. That’s what all pitchers do, not just prospects. But it also had another meaning—that guys who are totally blowing people away in the minors like they’re so many hot dog pretenders before Kobayashi are absolutely not pitching prospects—they’re already pitchers, and more time in the minors only means time off the living, pulsating clocks that are their labrums, rotator cuffs, and elbows.

I agree with this to a point, but Hughes is still only 20 years old. Plus, the Yankees have a lot of guys they're committed to in the rotation before Hughes. I think a half-season or so as an ace in AAA would do him better than pitching at the end of the rotation or in long relief with the big club, especially if he's struggling somewhat in spring training, as the article mentioned.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

You know, I'd like to see some of those BPro guys get a general managers' job so I can watch it crash and burn.

 

As for Hunter Pence, if he starts the season in AAA and stays a single week, the Astros retain his rights an extra year. No reason to bring him up immediately.