This Week in Baseball 5/21 - 5/27

[strummer 0]

I think John Smoltz puts all those men on base when he pitches against the mets just for shits and giggles.

 

Mets getting tons of runners against Smoltz and then can't get a big hit? You really do see something different every game in baseball.

[vivalaultra 0]

Has anybody read Fantasyland by Sam Walker? I remember a week or so ago somebody asking about good baseball books, and I just started reading and I must say it's really good so far. It's about Sam Walker, baseball columnist for the WSJ, and his quest to build the perfect Roto baseball team while trying to answer the question about whether stats and projections or hustle and intuition play a bigger part in determining how a player performs. Not only is it interesting and insightful, it's also hilarious and well-written.

[phoenixrising 0]

Has anybody read Fantasyland by Sam Walker? I remember a week or so ago somebody asking about good baseball books, and I just started reading and I must say it's really good so far. It's about Sam Walker, baseball columnist for the WSJ, and his quest to build the perfect Roto baseball team while trying to answer the question about whether stats and projections or hustle and intuition play a bigger part in determining how a player performs. Not only is it interesting and insightful, it's also hilarious and well-written.

 

I've been thinking about reading it again. Great book. Nice look into the world of fantasy baseball. It's funny what he does to encourage his players.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

It kind of warms my heart that Roger went to do his minor league thing and got totally blown out of the water by Clay Buchholz. On the other hand, I fear that he's going to go from nice little secret to getting the Phil Hughes treatment.

 

Then Theo panicks and trades him to bring back fan favorite Dave Roberts, who arrives in a limo in full uniform.

 

Hey, it's happened to a Cla before.

[Guest George's Box]

We ain't no white trash! At least Oakland's first base coach was safe this time. I feel like "Yackety Sax" should be playing.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

It kind of warms my heart that Roger went to do his minor league thing and got totally blown out of the water by Clay Buchholz. On the other hand, I fear that he's going to go from nice little secret to getting the Phil Hughes treatment.

 

Then Theo panicks and trades him to bring back fan favorite Dave Roberts, who arrives in a limo in full uniform.

 

Hey, it's happened to a Cla before.

Since we all know trading a middle reliever with fringy stuff is the same as parting with a guy who's predicted to be a #1 or #2 starter.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

It was announced last night that the Brewers are finally bringing 3B Ryan Braun up from AAA. He should see action against San Diego this week.

 

Keep an eye on this kid. He's going to be a monster.

[strummer 0]

Tough blow for the Braves as Mike Gonzalez needs Tommy John surgery and will miss the rest of this season and all of next season.

 

In retrospect where would the Braves be if Bill Bavasi wasn't a complete moron

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Tough blow for the Braves as Mike Gonzalez needs Tommy John surgery and will miss the rest of this season and all of next season.

 

In retrospect where would the Braves be if Bill Bavasi wasn't a complete moron

Horacio Ramirez has a 6.47 ERA this season, for what it's worth.

 

As a fan of a team that employs Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, this is nominally good news. Sucks for Gonzalez though, an overlooked reliever.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Speak of the devil, Horacio just went on the DL.

 

Your Phillies reliever of the week is Michael Zagurski. Zagurski failed to make BA's list of top 30 Phils' prospects, but he's struck out 38 batters in 23 IP between Clearwater and Reading, with just six walks.

[Guest Smues]

Tough blow for the Braves as Mike Gonzalez needs Tommy John surgery and will miss the rest of this season and all of next season.

 

In retrospect where would the Braves be if Bill Bavasi wasn't a complete moron

Boo-urns

[bob_barron 0]

Tough blow for the Braves as Mike Gonzalez needs Tommy John surgery and will miss the rest of this season and all of next season.

 

In retrospect where would the Braves be if Bill Bavasi wasn't a complete moron

 

Awww fuck. This really sucks.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

Tough blow for the Braves as Mike Gonzalez needs Tommy John surgery and will miss the rest of this season and all of next season.

 

In retrospect where would the Braves be if Bill Bavasi wasn't a complete moron

 

Awww fuck. This really sucks.

 

No!! He was doing well for my fantasy team. This sucks.

[mike546 0]

I definitley hate the Angels more than the Red Sox. They just do everything right against us.

 

Why Torre took out Clippard after 4 innings in a 3 run game to bring in DeSalvo, someone who has NEVER relieved before, I have NO dea.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I definitley hate the Angels more than the Red Sox. They just do everything right against us.

 

Why Torre took out Clippard after 4 innings in a 3 run game to bring in DeSalvo, someone who has NEVER relieved before, I have NO dea.

Desalvo's made four relief appearances in the minors.

[CanadianChris 0]

I can't believe I forgot about today being the Ernie Harwell game. At least I'll get to see the last couple of innings.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Yuck.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Jeremy Brown cleared waivers, so he's back to Sacramento.

[Hawk 34 0]

The 10th inning of the Pirates-Reds game was a complete train wreck. Tie game turns into a eight run rout. Just horrible.

[Guest George's Box]

I'm feeling a shutout for Derek Lowe tonight.

[vivalaultra 0]

There is a chance that no team in the NL Central will ever win a game again, except, of course, when they play each other, and when that happens, they'll play .500 ball. The Brewers will win the division with a record of 40-122.

[Richard 0]

It was announced last night that the Brewers are finally bringing 3B Ryan Braun up from AAA. He should see action against San Diego this week.

 

Keep an eye on this kid. He's going to be a monster.

 

I didn't know Tony Gywnn's son was a Brewer. I hope he turns out like his father in regards to number of hits and not number of pounds.

[vivalaultra 0]

I don't think he's in any danger of that. Tony Gwynn Jr. is listed at 6'0" 190 lbs., but from what I've seen of him, he's lucky if he's 5'10" 175. He does have good line drive power, though.

[Guest George's Box]

Cubs came back from 5-0 and scored eight. That NEVER happens.

 

Though I'm no longer as pissed as I was earlier this evening, here's a fun fact: Ryne Sandberg has more ejections this year than Lou Piniella does. Something is strange about that. My theory is that this position (field manager of the Chicago Cubs) is just where established managers go to die, so to speak. Whether it's Leo Duroscher, Dusty Baker, or Lou Piniella, these guys just take the job to collect a paycheck. Dusty needed to pay off some back taxes or something, and Lou could probably use the cash too. The pressure to hire "star" managers is ridiculous.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Shoulda got Girardi.

[Guest George's Box]

I wanted Girardi or Sandberg, because they expressed a real desire to manage the Cubs and had something to prove, unlike the fat and complacent Piniella.

 

And now Bob Howry and Will Ohman will blow the three-run lead. I've seen this movie before.

[Guest]

Come back. Please get those runs back.

[Guest George's Box]

They're facing the Cubs. They'll get at least two, five at most.

[Guest]

Damn. Still no outs...

[Guest George's Box]

That's it, I'm done.