This Week in Baseball 7/23 - 7/29

[mike546 0]

Damon is KILLING the Yankees.

 

Uhyee

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Brewers just dropped the nightcap. They really don't look so good if they aren't smacking the ball out of the yard.

 

Back to a game and a half space.

[Guest •]

But they smack it out of the yard a lot. That's smart baseball. The pitching is what's endangering them at this point.

[strummer 0]

According to the NY Post, Texeira to the Braves is all but official. Jarrod Saltalamacchia will be part of the deal.

 

If Steve Phillips were still the Mets GM he would react to this by making a hasty, short sighted trade deadline deal. With Minaya, who knows.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

But they smack it out of the yard a lot. That's smart baseball. The pitching is what's endangering them at this point.

But their poor hitting has made it difficult for even quality outings not to go to waste. We remember what it's like to watch a team that hits a lot of longballs, but has trouble scoring otherwise.

[strummer 0]

The problem with the Dusty version of the Cubs was that there was no one on base when the homeruns were hit.

[World's Worst Man 0]

Can't have guys clogging up the bases, you know?

[KingPK 0]

Geez, I'd forgotten how pathetic the Devil Ray bullpen traditionally is. 6 runs in the 12th to give Boston a 12-6 win.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The Phillies have now scored 10+ runs the last four times I've been to Citizens Bank Park. I think that officially makes me good luck.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

The Cubs and Mets reportedly have interest in Jay Payton. I was just thinking the Cubs could use another fourth outfield. C'mon, Omar, do your thing.

[vivalaultra 0]

They should trade for Corey Patterson instead. He'll provide the spark to send the Cubbies to the postseason for sure!

[MFer 0]

The Tigers' bullpen is god-awful right now.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

It doesn't help starters not named Verlander can't seem to get past five innings.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

The Phillies have now scored 10+ runs the last four times I've been to Citizens Bank Park. I think that officially makes me good luck.

 

Now, now, that's too small of a sample size.

[Dandy 0]

I'm watching the Reds pre-game show on Fox Sports Ohio, and they are showing fans' trade suggestions. I am embarrased that some of these fans root for the same team I do. Brandon Phillips and Scott Hatteberg to the Dodgers for 1B James Loney? WTF? Since I have been watching, there has not been one reasonable trade idea. Another trade was Griffey/Freel/Stanton to the Mariners for Adam Jones and Wladamir Balentein. Granted the two M's outfielders are studs, but you already have Josh Hamilton and Jay Bruce as future outfielders. The glaring problem, though, is why the fuck would the Mariners agree to that trade? Adam Dunn to the DBacks for Brandon Webb? Are you kidding me? There is no way they would give up Webb for Dunn.

[vivalaultra 0]

The Houston Astros have designated Morgan Ensberg for assignment. They don't wanna send him to the minor leagues, so they're gonna try to trade him, possibly for a hot dog and a box of Pecan Sandies.

[Guest]

Brandon Phillips and Scott Hatteberg to the Dodgers for 1B James Loney?

Hehe, yeah right. Can't believe anyone with a brain would suggest that.

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

I'm watching the Reds pre-game show on Fox Sports Ohio, and they are showing fans' trade suggestions. I am embarrased that some of these fans root for the same team I do. Brandon Phillips and Scott Hatteberg to the Dodgers for 1B James Loney? WTF? Since I have been watching, there has not been one reasonable trade idea. Another trade was Griffey/Freel/Stanton to the Mariners for Adam Jones and Wladamir Balentein. Granted the two M's outfielders are studs, but you already have Josh Hamilton and Jay Bruce as future outfielders. The glaring problem, though, is why the fuck would the Mariners agree to that trade? Adam Dunn to the DBacks for Brandon Webb? Are you kidding me? There is no way they would give up Webb for Dunn.

 

Yea I was chuckling hysterically at a lot of those trade ideas during the pre-game.

 

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The Washington Nats did resign Dmitri Young to a two year extension. Young is 33, having his best season since 2003, and blocks Nick Johnson when he returns. Beyond that though, these deals (this and Ron Belliard) puzzle me. If you're sitting in last place, what's the point of locking up your aged core players? It's not like they've built an incredibly successful team with these guys.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Some Reds fan just denied Soriano his third homer in two days.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

The Houston Astros have designated Morgan Ensberg for assignment. They don't wanna send him to the minor leagues, so they're gonna try to trade him, possibly for a hot dog and a box of Pecan Sandies.

 

I wonder if Mr. Ensberg likes Boston. I bet there's a 50% chance he's sitting on our bench next week.

[Bored 0]

At least in the case of Belliard he's making so little ($3 million for two years) that if he ends up being terrible next year they can release him without having too much dead salary on their payroll. The deal with Young though is so stupid that it can only be done by Jim Bowden. Young is the ideal player you try to trade at the deadline as his value right now is higher than it ever will be again. The rumor is they plan on playing him in leftfield next year which will provide a lot of entertainment.

 

The only way keeping Young makes any bit of sense is if the hip problem that has now popped up for Nick Johnson marks the end of his career.

[Brett Favre 0]

The Padres have jumped to a quick 11-0 lead on the Astros (11 runs in the first inning).

[vivalaultra 0]

I guess the Astros wanted to let their new acquisition, Ty Wigginton, feel at home by letting the Padres score 11 runs in the first inning. Either that, or Jason Jennings is just a very poor pitcher. I'm inclined to go with the latter.

[the max 0]

The Houston Astros have designated Morgan Ensberg for assignment. They don't wanna send him to the minor leagues, so they're gonna try to trade him, possibly for a hot dog and a box of Pecan Sandies.

 

I wonder if Mr. Ensberg likes Boston. I bet there's a 50% chance he's sitting on our bench next week.

 

Wonder if he can play right field...

[Bruiser Chong 0]

All but three of the nine starting Padres drove in a run during that first inning. Is that some sort of record, Al?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

All but three of the nine starting Padres drove in a run during that first inning. Is that some sort of record, Al?

Probably not. I can tell you that I have a list handy of 49 instances where a team scored 13+ runs in an inning. Eleven of those being the first.

 

Here's another game where a team had six hitters collect RBIs in the first inning.

 

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1989/B08030CIN1989.htm

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

9pm ET tonight I plan on hosting a live TSM chat in the sports room, talking MLB, the trade deadline and other pertinent subjects. Time subject to change if the SWB Yankees game goes long.

 

Edit: It's raining now. If the game is delayed, expect a delay in my arrival.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Don't look now, but it's 12-8 Padres in the FOURTH. That'd be incredible if the Astros erased an 11-run lead.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

The Houston Astros have designated Morgan Ensberg for assignment. They don't wanna send him to the minor leagues, so they're gonna try to trade him, possibly for a hot dog and a box of Pecan Sandies.

 

I wonder if Mr. Ensberg likes Boston. I bet there's a 50% chance he's sitting on our bench next week.

 

Wonder if he can play right field...

 

No, but he's an upgrade over Eric Hinske as a bench bat and provides us with insurance for 3B next year if we aren't able to sign A-Rod or find a suitable corner infielder through a trade or free agency. I don't think there's much risk in taking a chance on him. He's one year removed from a 118 OPS+ (and that was considered a down year for him).

 

As far as RF goes, I think the Dye rumors are crazy (Olney says they wanted Okajima... that's insanity). I'd try to swing a deal for Bobby Kielty (who's already been DFA) and use him against lefties. Drew has stuggled but it's not like he's been so bad that we need a wholesale upgrade.