This Week in Baseball 4/9 - 4/15

[Guest Queen Leelee]

Small sample.

 

The pitching has been horrible outside of Hamels. It will turn around. Maybe not that bullpen, though.

 

The manager means very little. Again, Ozzie Guillen won a World Series.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Shouldn't Bob Brenly be a better example of a bad manager winning a World Series?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Small sample.

 

The pitching has been horrible outside of Hamels. It will turn around. Maybe not that bullpen, though.

 

The manager means very little. Again, Ozzie Guillen won a World Series.

Pulling the manager is usually a PR move more than anything else. I don't think many fans understand managers. How is it that only the good teams have good managers? And why is there never a good manager running a bad team?

 

As for the sample yes, I do not believe it is representative of the team's true quality. The problem is, would you pick the Phillies to win the division if you were going to spot the Braves and Mets five games in the standings? I picked the Mets as it was.

[Guest Smues]

Shouldn't Bob Brenly be a better example of a bad manager winning a World Series?

 

Possibly, but Ozzie is far easier to hate, so he gets thought of first.

[Guest Eagle Man]

Pulling the manager is usually a PR move more than anything else. I don't think many fans understand managers. How is it that only the good teams have good managers? And why is there never a good manager running a bad team?

What about Bruce Bochy, who is regarded as a strong manager in spite of some truly awful Padres teams?

[Slayer 0]

This decade saw Bob Brenly, Terry Francona and Ozzie Guillen all get rings, and Phil Garner had a shot at one

[Slayer 0]

and while they are good managers, I do chuckle at the thought of Drinky vs. Smokey at this year's ASG

[2GOLD 0]

David DeJesus totally faked out the umpire to start the Orioles game. Pretended a curveball low hit him when it didn't even come close. It was amazing and then he came around to score. Royals up 4-2.

[Failed Bridge 0]

as far as recent Red Sox rookies go in the hitting department; Dustin Pedroia is like the Anti Hillenbrand. Draws walks on a constant basis and doesn't seem to swing at terrible pitches at all. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up leading all rookies on OBP this season.

[snuffbox 0]

Jeff Suppan finally earning that paycheck.

[CanadianChris 0]

Good example right there of why the A's don't bunt much.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Baseball has been canceled in the northeast today.

[Open the Muggy Gate 0]

I wanted to throw a name in the Minor League team name battle. The AA Montgomery Biscuits. The mascot is a walking talking biscuit.

 

Find me something weirder than that.

[treble 0]

Well, BJ Ryan won't be pitching for the next 2 Saturdays, at least.

[CanadianChris 0]

Well, BJ Ryan won't be pitching for the next 2 Saturdays, at least.

If he blew out his elbow, kiss the season goodbye.

[geniusMoment 0]

The Reds have two fucking offensive players worth a shit: Adam Dunn and Josh Hamilton. Whenever Hamilton plays he takes walks, hits for power and gets key hits. So after scoring no runs without Hamilton in the lineup, Narron runs the same fucking lineup out again. I hate Jerry Narron.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The Reds have two fucking offensive players worth a shit: Adam Dunn and Josh Hamilton. Whenever Hamilton plays he takes walks, hits for power and gets key hits. So after scoring no runs without Hamilton in the lineup, Narron runs the same fucking lineup out again. I hate Jerry Narron.

Griffey and Freel aren't exactly black holes. The problem with Hamilton is that nobody knows his strengths and weaknesses at the plate. There is going to come a time when pitchers "solve" Hamilton, and that's when we'll see his true measure as a hitter. I know playing the hot hand and all, but this is a guy without experience above A-ball before this year. I can't see inking him into the lineup based on 17 plate appearances.

 

Edit: Also remember, Hamilton is a lefty hitter, with a lefty pitcher (Ted Lilly) on the mound. Hamilton is 0-4 (3 Ks) against lefties this season. Last year at Hudson Valley, he was 2-10 (4 Ks).

[geniusMoment 0]

The Reds have two fucking offensive players worth a shit: Adam Dunn and Josh Hamilton. Whenever Hamilton plays he takes walks, hits for power and gets key hits. So after scoring no runs without Hamilton in the lineup, Narron runs the same fucking lineup out again. I hate Jerry Narron.

Griffey and Freel aren't exactly black holes. The problem with Hamilton is that nobody knows his strengths and weaknesses at the plate. There is going to come a time when pitchers "solve" Hamilton, and that's when we'll see his true measure as a hitter. I know playing the hot hand and all, but this is a guy without experience above A-ball before this year. I can't see inking him into the lineup based on 17 plate appearances.

 

Edit: Also remember, Hamilton is a lefty hitter, with a lefty pitcher (Ted Lilly) on the mound. Hamilton is 0-4 (3 Ks) against lefties this season. Last year at Hudson Valley, he was 2-10 (4 Ks).

 

When you score as little as the Reds have the last 2 games (they've only scored in one inning out of the last 18) you need to at least see what Hamilton can do. If he fails so be it, but I'd rather have him in center, freel at second and phillips at ss. No reason to continue to run Juan Castro out at short while A-Gon is on leave for his son.

[Guest Queen Leelee]

Freel is a black hole. Phillips will be a stud.

[Slayer 0]

"Number 42's been hitting well today, but number 42's been striking out lately, and number 42 is pitching decent, but this wind today could affect number 42's play in the outfield..."

[vivalaultra 0]

I hear that even though the 'Stros-Phillies were cancelled today, they're still planning on doing the entire team wearing 42 thing when they make up their game in a few weeks. They should just have everybody permanently wear 42 for every game all year long.

[World's Worst Man 0]

Well, BJ Ryan won't be pitching for the next 2 Saturdays, at least.

If he blew out his elbow, kiss the season goodbye.

 

 

Jason Frasor - closer of the future. Maybe Tom Henke can suit up.

[treble 0]

Both Marcus Thames and Craig Monroe were supposed to wear 42 today, with Thames in the starting line-up in LF, but he was scratched before the game so Monroe got the start there instead. It took the Jays' TV guys about half the game to notice it was Monroe and not Thames playing. Jackie Robinson would be proud.

[Guest Smues]

Six games cancelled on Jackie Robinson Day. OMG WHITEY CAUSED GLOBAL WARMING SO THAT GAMES WOULD BE CANCELLED ON JACKIE ROBINSON DAY JUST TO HOLD DOWN THE BLACK MAN!

 

Ok I've had my fun. But seriously, what are the odds that at least some, if not most of the sports media will make a huge deal about all these games being scratched on Jackie Robinson Day and how sad it is because blah blah blah? I'd take that bet.

[geniusMoment 0]

This has to be the stat of the weekend: The Reds were held scoreless in 25 out of 27 innings against the cubs and won 2 out of the 3 games. I know it's probably happened before but I've never heard of it. Only the Cubs.

[razazteca 0]

Hey look the Yankees starting 5 pitchers are all on DL. Pretty soon the lineup will be Roger Clemons, Andy Petitte, Philip Hughes, and another minor leaguer.

[2GOLD 0]

This has to be the stat of the weekend: The Reds were held scoreless in 25 out of 27 innings against the cubs and won 2 out of the 3 games. I know it's probably happened before but I've never heard of it. Only the Cubs.

 

Not only that but the Cubs had first and third today with nobody out. Jones struck out swinging, Lee struck out looking and then Barrett hit a lazy pop to right field. Ted Lilly gave up one run with 10 Ks and gets a loss because the Cubs offense really sucks.

 

Another great season of Chicago baseball.

[Bored 0]

I wonder if somewhere today Mo Vaughn woke up thinking everyone was honoring him.

[Bored 0]

Marco Scutaro sucks, he really does. But I'll be damned if he doesn't pull clutch hits out of his ass when you least expect it. Three run, walkoff homerun with two out off Mariano Rivera to win it.

 

Almost takes away the sting knowing Rich Harden might but hurt yet again.

[Failed Bridge 0]

I wonder if somewhere today Mo Vaughn woke up thinking everyone was honoring him.

They honor Mo everyday at The Foxy Lady.