This Week in Baseball 6/18 - 6/24

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

After checking, he actually had a 9-21 record that year.

[Failed Bridge 0]

via rotoworld

 

Elijah Dukes has been dropped from Tampa Bay's roster, according to the St. Petersburg Times.

If they DFA'ed him then he'll be snatched up quickly.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

After checking, he actually had a 9-21 record that year.

 

Good catch, I guess I mistook them barely missing the 120 loss record with him barely missing a 20 loss season.

[vivalaultra 0]

Darrin Erstad is back for the SOX~! and he's already grinding, baby! Sliding dive to rob a basehit! He's playing baseball! Ohhhh yeah!

 

Oh, did anybody mention that the Cardinals picked up Tomo Ohka a few days ago? I think I did, but...anyway...if their rotation shapes up to be:

 

Wainwright

Maroth

Ohka

Wells

Thompson

 

in a few days, that's...still not...very good at all.

 

Edit: Darrin Erstad 'grinded' a little too much and had to be pinch-hit for in the bottom of the first. Sorry, Czech.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Damon says his ribs are now banged up, but still refuses to go on the DL. Something's gotta be done with this guy, since he's been helpless in the outfield this year and has been relegated to DH, rendering him almost useless in the Colorado series and now in the upcoming San Fran series. A hobbled outfielder with no arm, bad legs, and now sore ribs who's hitting .250 with 3 or 4 home runs this year isn't helping this team at all.

 

Meanwhile, tonight is the Igawa Re-Launch. Oh dear.

[Brett Favre 0]

Damon is going to become the new Giambi. I hope the Yankees go after Ichiro when he becomes a FA.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Another outfielder on the wrong side of 30 who's going to want 4 years? I think I'll pass, especially with the impending free agency of Rodriguez, Posada, and Rivera. There are bigger fish to fry.

[Guest George's Box]

Darrin Erstad is back for the SOX~! and he's already grinding, baby! Sliding dive to rob a basehit! He's playing baseball! Ohhhh yeah!

 

Edit: Darrin Erstad 'grinded' a little too much and had to be pinch-hit for in the bottom of the first. Sorry, Czech.

bring back aaron rowand

[Brett Favre 0]

We need to address center field, unless you're confident Cabrera can take the job.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

And then you end up trying to shoe-horn guys into positions where they don't fit again next year. You've got Damon and Giambi, with one DH spot to go around. I'd rather hand the CF duties over to Melky who has played the position exceptionally well and is only 22, instead of handing 33 year old Ichiro a multi million, long term deal while Melky will be cheap for the foreseeable future. It's not a huge upgrade to me, because a) the age difference, obviously, and b) Ichiro isn't going to give you any more power than Melky would anyway. Alot of his hits are attributed to his speed, and as they say, speed is the first thing to go. He also isn't stealing bases at his usual clip this year, either.

[Failed Bridge 0]

they could go after Elijah Dukes but should he play in NY he could end up fathering 10 more kids before next year.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Somebody before the Yankees will be scooping him up on the waiver wire I'm sure. Melky's fine.

[KingPK 0]

Another outfielder on the wrong side of 30 who's going to want 4 years? I think I'll pass, especially with the impending free agency of Rodriguez, Posada, and Rivera. There are bigger fish to fry.

 

IIRC, he doesn't have that much of an injury history and had only two "bad" years ('03 and '05, though he still topped 200 hits both years). With his hitting ability and speed, that's one hell of a tablesetter for a high powered offense like Boston or New York while also providing a great defensive presence to boot. I'd certainly give him 3-4 years, especially since Boston can further solidify their position in the Far East with a guy like that and Dice-K.

 

Hopefully he can learn to play center, though.

Edited June 22, 2007 by KingPK

[Failed Bridge 0]

Red Sox outfield would be a logjam, especially with Ellsbury due to be ready next year. If they hadn't have signed Drew then I'd be all for Ichiro.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

They already stole a centerfielder from Boston last year.

 

It all depends on what A-Rod does. If he walks, they need to find a way to replace his power numbers, and quickly. Ichiro doesn't do this.

 

Again, I don't want to give big bucks and a lot of years to guys over 30. Damon was never on the DL in his career, and look what has happened to him this year. He still has 2 full seasons left on his deal, and already it's apparent that his CF days are over.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Damon says his ribs are now banged up, but still refuses to go on the DL. Something's gotta be done with this guy, since he's been helpless in the outfield this year and has been relegated to DH, rendering him almost useless in the Colorado series and now in the upcoming San Fran series. A hobbled outfielder with no arm, bad legs, and now sore ribs who's hitting .250 with 3 or 4 home runs this year isn't helping this team at all.

 

I sure wish we would have given him that 4/$52 million contract he wanted.

 

And by the way, I remember getting sufficiently killed last year for saying that Theo was one of the best GMs in the game because even though he's made mistakes along the way he's stuck to an approach that will keep them competitive into the future. All I heard was they should have resigned Pedro. They should have resigned Damon. Beckett's a bust. Bard's a future star. Etc, etc. How's that looking now?

[Brett Favre 0]

Ichiro has stolen 22 out of 24 bases this year. What more could you want?

 

And I really wouldn't mind the Yankees picking up Elijah Dukes. Dude has too much talent to pass up.

[MFer 0]

After checking, he actually had a 9-21 record that year.

 

Good catch, I guess I mistook them barely missing the 120 loss record with him barely missing a 20 loss season.

It was Bonderman that had 19 losses that year. Nate Cornejo had 17.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

He must have caught up quick, because he's on my fantasy team and last time I checked he wasn't doing a hell of a lot for me in that category.

[KingPK 0]

And by the way, I remember getting sufficiently killed last year for saying that Theo was one of the best GMs in the game because even though he's made mistakes along the way he's stuck to an approach that will keep them competitive into the future. All I heard was they should have resigned Pedro. They should have resigned Damon. Beckett's a bust. Bard's a future star. Etc, etc. How's that looking now?

 

His record concerning shortstops says hello. He just makes some odd choices sometimes (Lugo this year, Rentaria instead of just keeping Cabrera, trading Arroyo right after signing him to the extension, giving Drew all that money instead of just filling the RF hole for a year and going for Ichiro).

 

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

 

 

I'd say the boy wonder has made as many good decisions as bad/curious ones.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

And by the way, I remember getting sufficiently killed last year for saying that Theo was one of the best GMs in the game because even though he's made mistakes along the way he's stuck to an approach that will keep them competitive into the future. All I heard was they should have resigned Pedro. They should have resigned Damon. Beckett's a bust. Bard's a future star. Etc, etc. How's that looking now?

 

His record concerning shortstops says hello. He just makes some odd choices sometimes (Lugo this year, Rentaria instead of just keeping Cabrera, trading Arroyo right after signing him to the extension, giving Drew all that money instead of just filling the RF hole for a year and going for Ichiro).

 

 

 

Well, Cabrera sucks and he wanted Renteria money too. It's easy to think fondly of Cabrera because of 2004. Doesn't take away the fact that he hit .257/.309/.365 in 2005. Arroyo was effectively 7th on the pitching depth chart going into 2006. They tried to get value for him while they could. Turns out Pena couldn't play RF though.

 

Drew has struggled but I still have faith in him going forward. I don't regret that deal, especially when it's no lock that they could have gotten Ichiro or Andruw Jones this coming offseason.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Aaron Rowand's a free agent this year and I imagine Yankee fans would like the guy who made a great showing in that White Sox series a few years ago. Of course he's having a big year so he might score a Gary Matthews contract. Thank god the Phillies can slide Shane Victorino over and avoid overpaying him.

 

As for Maroth, really his stuff is fringe so I'm not sure he's a tremendous upgrade for the Cardinals.

 

While Igawa starts for the Yankees, I'll see Tyler Clippard's return to Scranton. I saw Igawa's first AAA start and to say he pitched well is a reach. It took him about 100 pitches to get through five innings and he worked deep counts to too many hitters. They're playing Syracuse, staring SAL FASANO!!

[Brett Favre 0]

If it isn't a problem, update us on Tyler Clippard. I hope the Yankees haven't given up on him, he has good stuff, just needs to get his control down pat.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

I can see Clip getting moved at the deadline.

[Brett Favre 0]

Which would be incredibly stupid when the only 2 guys that will be here for sure next year are Wang and Hughes. No reason why Clippard can't take another spot in the rotation. And he was called up early because of injuries anyway, he was projected to be ready by the end of the year.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Mussina will be here next year, so will Igawa.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Mussina will be here next year, so will Igawa.

 

Don't forget Pettitte. Actually, Pavano will still be under contract too.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Pettitte has a player option for next year.

[Brett Favre 0]

I think Pavano's last year is an option, and if it isn't, he won't fully recover by then.

 

Pettitte doesn't know if he's coming back next year. He might retire with Clemens. Mussina is looking really old lately, and Igawa will probably come out of the bullpen. There's a reason why I said who's coming for sure. Wang and Hughes are coming back no doubt. Everyone else has a question mark. Either way though, Clippard should come up too.