This Week in Baseball 5/28 - 6/3

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I remember that the pre-posting scouting reports had him as a Japanese Jeff Suppan, which wasn't met to be a compliment. I bet the Yankees would be thrilled if he ended up being anything close to resembling Suppan.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

According to espn.com, Clemens won't pitch in Boston this weekend. He'll be back next Monday. What a wuss.

[mike546 0]

Him starting in Boston is just asking for a pulled hammy.

[CanadianChris 0]

Aaron Hill just stole home!

 

First time I've ever seen it live.

[Boon 0]

Beckett back in the swing of things with win #8 as the other Sox closer nails it down.

[devo 0]

God bless Armando Benitez.

[strummer 0]

Wild game at Shea as the Mets tie the game in the bottom of the 11th on 2 balks by Armando Benitez.

 

I've never seen that before

[strummer 0]

And then Carlos Delgado ends it with a walk off.

 

Unbelievable

[devo 0]

Oh my God what an amazing game that was. Best one I've seen this year so far. Lincecum/Perez was just as entertaining a matchup as I hoped and the late inning dramatics, topped off with the utter meltdown of Armando Benitez, were an absolute joy to watch.

 

Delgado is back.

[Mik 0]

After getting swept by the Mets I'm really glad the Marlins had the Cubs on the schedule to turn things around.

[fairtoflair7 0]

That was unbelievable...he's screwed the Mets fans so many times, he owes us

[Annabelle 0]

After getting swept by the Mets I'm really glad the Marlins had the Cubs on the schedule to turn things around.

 

i think mik should know that i am quickly becoming a fan of the marlins. i love every player on that team. sergio mitre especially. he looks so cool.

[Failed Bridge 0]

I thought for awhile that the Red Sox might just be the AL's Brewers since the AL East seems to suck big time but with the way they've played Detroit, Atlanta, and now Clevelend...well I'm starting to believe this team may be something special.

 

There's also a rumor of Ken Griffey Jr possibly headed to Boston should Crisp not pick things up. I don't think he could patrol Fenway's CF at this point in his career, nor would I want this team to go giving up prospects for him.

[Boon 0]

There's also a rumor of Ken Griffey Jr possibly headed to Boston should Crisp not pick things up. I don't think he could patrol Fenway's CF at this point in his career, nor would I want this team to go giving up prospects for him.

Where the heck did you hear that? Crisp is a perfectly fine placeholder for Jacoby Ellsbury- that would be really stupid.

[Failed Bridge 0]

Newark-Star Ledger

[KingPK 0]

I didn't go to last night's game with Roger Clemens. Tonight though the starting pitcher for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is none other than Kei Igawa.

They really missed the boat on that guy, didn't they?

I'll reserve judgment for now, but it appears so. You wonder though if it's honestly a bigger waste of money than $25 million (salary plus luxury tax) on Roger Clemens.

 

Tonight I'm curious to see how the Japanese media takes to Scranton more than anything.

 

The way things have panned out, they probably would have been better served going after Hideki Okajima instead of Igawa. This man is a fucking beast right now and is just excelling in a key place in the bullpen (setting up/filling in for Papelbon). I mean, just THREE hits allowed against lefties so far? A SLG against of .191? 9.12 K/9IP? Ye gods.

 

I love this team.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

There's also a rumor of Ken Griffey Jr possibly headed to Boston should Crisp not pick things up. I don't think he could patrol Fenway's CF at this point in his career, nor would I want this team to go giving up prospects for him.

That sounds utterly ridiculous. I would like to see the article in question because that sounds like a writer entertaining himself on a slow news day. I think it's been proven time and time again in the five years Theo's been in charge that this FO will not trade for aging, overpaid superstars on the downside of their careers.

 

I don't even know what Griffey would offer. They'd have to move JD Drew to center for defensive purposes, which would probably hurt the pitching staff. Griffey makes boatloads the next two seasons and this team is counting the days until Ellsbury takes over in center. The last thing they need is a CFer (Crisp, Pena, Moss, Murphy and Ellsbury are all in the system and capable of handling the position).

 

Coco has been something of a disappointment offensively, but he's a valuable member of the current roster. He's been an acceptable bottome of the order hitter for the past month or so. No reason to shake that up for a marginal upgrade, especially if it costs money and prospects.

[Guest]

I believe that I've seen the light when it comes to Brad Penny. The T word has been retired, when I talk about Brad Penny from now on.

[Failed Bridge 0]

There's also a rumor of Ken Griffey Jr possibly headed to Boston should Crisp not pick things up. I don't think he could patrol Fenway's CF at this point in his career, nor would I want this team to go giving up prospects for him.

That sounds utterly ridiculous. I would like to see the article in question because that sounds like a writer entertaining himself on a slow news day. I think it's been proven time and time again in the five years Theo's been in charge that this FO will not trade for aging, overpaid superstars on the downside of their careers.

 

I don't even know what Griffey would offer. They'd have to move JD Drew to center for defensive purposes, which would probably hurt the pitching staff. Griffey makes boatloads the next two seasons and this team is counting the days until Ellsbury takes over in center. The last thing they need is a CFer (Crisp, Pena, Moss, Murphy and Ellsbury are all in the system and capable of handling the position).

 

Coco has been something of a disappointment offensively, but he's a valuable member of the current roster. He's been an acceptable bottome of the order hitter for the past month or so. No reason to shake that up for a marginal upgrade, especially if it costs money and prospects.

The only two things I would like to see the Red Sox add are another righty set-up man and a right handed bat off the bench that can hit a breaking ball. I'm sick of WMP who can't field worth a lick and just swings at terrible pitches constantly and I don't think Timlin is going to be the Timlin of old (not to mention Piniero makes me nervous and Donnely is no longer somebody you can trot out there everyday as he usually stinks the second day in a row). I'm thinking maybe Xavier Nady and Dan Wheeler. Hell maybe by the deadline Craig Hansen will finally be ready to live to expectations and they could just grab Xavier Nady from Pitt for Pena and Gabbard. I doubt he'd break the bank to aquire.

[Failed Bridge 0]

and apparently A-Rod is cheating on his wife if anybody cares

 

Link

[Brett Favre 0]

I was at the Met game yesterday. For a night, I was a Met fan. Mad exciting. When Benitez balked for the 2nd time, the stadium errupted, but a few seconds later I felt a bad for him. Carlos Delgado is pretty clutch. After he hit that HR, it was fun to high five those crazy Met fans. Yesterday's game had it all. Great young pitcher only allowing 3 hits, an incredible defensive stop by Vizquel to save the game, Barry getting booed the shit out of then walking, close play at the plate, 2 first inning homers, 2 balks by Benitez, and a walk off HR. Good times..

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

and apparently A-Rod is cheating on his wife if anybody cares

 

Link

Doesn't surprise me. A-Rod's reputation for leaving 'em in scoring position is well known.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

But did he come though in the clutch?

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Freaking Brewers sure are struggling lately. At least Prince homered again.

[sfaJack 0]

Does anybody realize that, with 51 games gone this season, Lance Berkman has ONE double?

 

That is an unbelievable statistic.

[vivalaultra 0]

Yeah, that's probably the main reason my 'Stros aren't first in the division. Berkman's batting .250 (43 for 172) with one freakin' double, 5 HRs and only 24 RBI. Last season at this time, he was batting damn near .400 with 14 HRs with almost double the RBI. It's a good thing Carlos Lee's playing $100 million baseball so far or else we'd REALLY suck (worse than we have so far). Personally, I think we should move Berkman for prospects. Clearly, at age 31 he's past his prime.

 

Oh, and Yadier Molina's out 4-6 weeks I just saw on the ESPN ticker.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Yeah, that's probably the main reason my 'Stros aren't first in the division. Berkman's batting .250 (43 for 172) with one freakin' double, 5 HRs and only 24 RBI. Last season at this time, he was batting damn near .400 with 14 HRs with almost double the RBI. It's a good thing Carlos Lee's playing $100 million baseball so far or else we'd REALLY suck (worse than we have so far).

Well, there's that and the fact that Brad Ausmus, Adam Everett, Luke Scott and Craig Biggio are playing every day intead of, I don't know, selling hot dogs at the concession stand.

 

Or it could be because you have no starting pitching outside of Roy Oswalt.

 

Other than that, yeah, you guys should be in first place.

[vivalaultra 0]

Yeah, that's probably the main reason my 'Stros aren't first in the division. Berkman's batting .250 (43 for 172) with one freakin' double, 5 HRs and only 24 RBI. Last season at this time, he was batting damn near .400 with 14 HRs with almost double the RBI. It's a good thing Carlos Lee's playing $100 million baseball so far or else we'd REALLY suck (worse than we have so far).

Well, there's that and the fact that Brad Ausmus, Adam Everett, Luke Scott and Craig Biggio are playing every day intead of, I don't know, selling hot dogs at the concession stand.

 

Or it could be because you have no starting pitching outside of Roy Oswalt.

 

Other than that, yeah, you guys should be in first place.

 

Actually, the team ERA is 4.39, 9th in the league, so, yeah, the pitching isn't excellent, but it's not bottom of the barrel. And before Matt Albers and his 6.35 ERA inflated it, the team ERA was a good bit lower than that. As far as capable starters outside of Oswalt, Chris Sampson has pitched himself to a 3.44 ERA with an ERA + of 121 and Wandy Rodriguez has pitched really well in 6 of his 9 starts (4.45 ERA, 50/14 K/BB in 50 innings, 94 ERA +), but only has 2 wins to show for it. Jason Jennings has pitched wonderfully the two starts before he got sidelined and then again last nite in his first start back. Once again, the main problem is the offense. Luke Scott's not playing everyday anymore; Mark Loretta or Mike Lamb's been starting at first and Berkman's been in RF for the last several games. Adam Everett's just miserable offensively, but is still the best defensive SS in the game and Brad Ausmus...is a really nice guy.

 

Luckily, the entire NL Central is craptastic, so while the 'Stros might not win 90 games like I predicted (There's a chance that ALL of the teams in the NL Central might not win 90 games combined...), they still have as good a chance of going on a run and taking the division as any other team. Damn my youthful exuberance and blind optimism!

[Boon 0]

Damn my youthful exuberance and blind optimism!

Way to stay positive even when they've lost nine in a row. That's more than I can say for lots of people around here.

[vivalaultra 0]

Well, it could always be worse...I could be a Yankees fan and have my team 14.5 games back instead of only 7 games back.