Spring Training 2008

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

ESPN has Washington/Detroit at 1pm ET today.

 

The Yankees are playing an exhibition at Virginia Tech. It's bad enough to have your school shot up without getting subjected to Derek Jeter and company. Maybe Shelley Duncan will spike their second baseman.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

That Yankees/VT game will air on the YES Network, locally in Virginia, and on www.baseballchannel.tv.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Jim Caple interviews R.A. Dickey.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story...mp;sportCat=mlb

 

Check out the video. Great stuff.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Some news on Villanueva's role...

 

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=729108

Right-hander Carlos Villanueva pitched so well in the Brewers' camp last year, the decision was made to keep him on the staff as a reliever. Villanueva pitched in that role much of the season before shifting to the starting rotation for the final month.

 

According to Yost, there is no bullpen duty in Villanueva's future this season. He'll either make the Brewers' rotation or be sent to Class AAA Nashville to start there.

 

"I think we all think of him as a starter," Yost said. "I'm pushing for him to stay a starter. I would pretty much say that's going to be the case.

 

"We all like him as a starter. But we all want him on the team, too. We still have discussions that we have to go through but he's a starter, for me. My mind can be changed if it makes sense. But I don't really foresee it happening."

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I know this Yankees/VT game seemed like a good idea, but it's such a horrific mismatch on paper that it could get ugly.

 

Damon walks on four pitches.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Some transaction news from MLB...

 

Florida sent Tagg Bozied down to minor league camp. He's an interesting story because he's still "only" 28 but has been stuck at AAA for one team or another since 2003. He doesn't get on base much but he's a 1B who has decent enough power (32 HR in 611 AB in AAA for the Mets/Cardinals in 2006 and 2007 combined).

 

Pittsburgh optioned Bryan Bullington to AAA. He'll be 27 this year but has had good control (2.80 BB/9) but no overwhelming strikeout ability (6.32 K/9 in minor league career). I'd be curious to see how good he could be if he was transitioned the bullpen rather than continuing to be a starter.

 

The White Sox re-assigned Lance Broadway to AAA. He was one of my favorites coming into the 2005 MLB Draft and hasn't really disappointed. Struggled a little at AAA at 23 (4.65 ERA and 4.53 BB/9 vs. 6.27 K/9) but did well in his brief cup of coffee mainly as a reliever for the ChiSox. I'm curious to see if he'll bounce back this year with a chance at getting called up later in the season.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Damnit Michael Kay, Giese is NOT pronounced "Geese."

[Brett Favre 0]

Don't get me started on Michael Kay. He's far worse in his radio show.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

On another note, I decided to check out VT's baseball alumni. No baseball stars, but Dell Curry (P, Orioles), Bimbo Coles (SS, Angels) and Michael Vick (OF, Rockies) were all drafted by MLB teams. None played minor league baseball.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Don't get me started on Michael Kay. He's far worse in his radio show.

I was already miffed that they declined to mention the game while Giese was pitching. He's just a NRI for the Yankees, but he pitched well over several seasons for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

The Orioles are leaning towards Steve fn Trachsel for the Opening day start.

 

OH MY

 

The questions already been asked on ESPN..when was the last time a baseball team signed a pitcher to a minor league contract in the offseason and had him as the opening day starter that same year?

 

 

 

 

[Guest Beastalentier]

Fuckin' DJ Jeff here all of a sudden.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I don't know about guys on minor league deals, but Jim Bullinger has to be the worst pitcher in recent memory to start Opening Day twice ('95 Cubs, '97 Expos). It would not be Steve Trachsel's first Opening Day start either, he started for the Cubs on Opening Day 1999.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

The Red Sox might boycott the trio to Japan over a misunderstanding regarding a stipend to coaches. From what I've read, the players and manager are being given $40,000 to play in Tokyo series. In addition, the coaches from the A's are being given the stipend but the Sox coaches aren't, despite being told differently when they were agreeing to the trip.

 

The team is holding a player's only meeting to discuss the potential boycott unless MLB rectifies the situation. This will most likely get resolved, but has the potential to be a disastrous PR hit, especially globally, for MLB.

[CanadianChris 0]

I had read that the Red Sox talked to the A's coaches, who said they already knew they (the A's coaches) weren't getting the stipend. This despite the fact that the stipend for the coaches had been promised by MLB before the teams agreed to go on this trip.

 

Good for the Sox players for standing up for their coaches like this.

[KingPK 0]

Sounds like the A's are also protesting this. I guess MLB isn't even chartering a plane so their families can join them, which is even more ludicrous.

 

EDIT: They're playing their exhibition game against Toronto now, so I guess things got cleared up.

Edited March 19, 2008 by KingPK

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Sounds like MLB caved and they will pay the stipends. What a tremendous showing of solidarity by the Sox, and to a lesser extent, the A's. It's not often that you see multi-millionaires going to bat for lower-tier coaches and trainers.

[Guest Beastalentier]

The White Sox put the Juan Uribe on waivers, which means if nobody claims him or offers to trade for him, they're eating the four and a half million dollars they just gave him this offseason. Don't stop believin'.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

It was dumb when they re-signed him and it's still dumb today. That move made no sense whatsoever.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The Orioles really should pick up Juan Uribe. They're kidding themselves if they are going to run with Luis Hernandez.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

The Orioles really should pick up Juan Uribe. They're kidding themselves if they are going to run with Luis Hernandez.

 

 

He's a natural fit for the Orioles and I'd assume that he ends up there. They probably figure that it's easier to wait and sign him after he clears waivers so that they don't get stuck with the $4.5 million bill.

[Guest Beastalentier]

He's a natural fit for the Orioles

Bad?

 

Anyway, this means that Cabrera is at short, and Alexei Ramirez will probably be at second, or possibly Danny Richar, and a trade for Mark Ellis or Brian Roberts as the longshots.

[Krankor 0]

Uribe is god awful.

 

If the Orioles think that .230 average from last season is going to help them out, than they can have him. He hit 15 of his 20 HR's at home last year. He's going to be utterly useless away from Chicago.

 

The Chicago media is already starting to panic because Kerry Wood missed today's game with back spasms.

[Precious Roy 0]

This stipend/bonus thing is weird. Obviously everyone involved should be fairly compensated and I suppose it's reasonable to extend that beyond their regular salary, and there's nothing wrong with what the Red Sox players did, but $40,000 per coach for a brief trip to Japan??!? Doesn't that seem like a shitload of money to anyone else?? Most coaches get paid in the lower end of the six figure range for an entire season! Even for the players that seems excessive to me. And no, I'm not buying that both teams are being put out by this or that it's some arduous task that they've been unfairly burdened with. They get to travel first class to one of the greatest cities in the world, be tourists, go to sushi bars and massage parlors, and play a game. Yeah, it's so fucking unfair, let's give them all $40,000 extra dollars to make up for this grave injustice.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

This stipend/bonus thing is weird. Obviously everyone involved should be fairly compensated and I suppose it's reasonable to extend that beyond their regular salary, and there's nothing wrong with what the Red Sox players did, but $40,000 per coach for a brief trip to Japan??!? Doesn't that seem like a shitload of money to anyone else?? Most coaches get paid in the lower end of the six figure range for an entire season! Even for the players that seems excessive to me. And no, I'm not buying that both teams are being put out by this or that it's some arduous task that they've been unfairly burdened with. They get to travel first class to one of the greatest cities in the world, be tourists, go to sushi bars and massage parlors, and play a game. Yeah, it's so fucking unfair, let's give them all $40,000 extra dollars to make up for this grave injustice.

 

But the $40,000 number isn't something cooked up by the team. It was the actual amount agreed upon when the team signed off on the trip last year and MLB was intending to renege on that agreement without informing anyone. The player's union went to bat for the Sox players, but there wasn't anyone to stand up for the lower tier coaches.

 

Also, the $40,000 number does seem crazy, but I believe the intention was to provide the players/staff with enough additional money that they could bring their families to Tokyo for the week and enjoy the city and all it has to offer. It was also the amount given to the previous teams who made the trip.

 

When you figure that MLB will make millions on the trip, $400,000 extra (for approximately 10 coaches) is just a drop in the bucket.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

The Nationals cut John Patterson today (probably due to his 7.00+ ERA this spring). I would guess that he catches on somewhere else, but when Washington is giving up on you your career might be in trouble.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The Nationals cut John Patterson today (probably due to his 7.00+ ERA this spring). I would guess that he catches on somewhere else, but when Washington is giving up on you your career might be in trouble.

Apparently it was due to his $850,000 guaranteed contract that would have kicked in if he were not cut.

[Red Baron 0]

BJ Ryan has some soreness in his throwing forearm.

 

Not even out of the preseason, and the Blue Jays might be down two pitchers.

[CanadianChris 0]

BJ Ryan has some soreness in his throwing forearm.

 

Not even out of the preseason, and the Blue Jays might be down two pitchers.

I'm amazed they thought he'd be ready this early in the season.

[Red Baron 0]

BJ Ryan has some soreness in his throwing forearm.

 

Not even out of the preseason, and the Blue Jays might be down two pitchers.

I'm amazed they thought he'd be ready this early in the season.

 

Same here, but I believe Accardo should be the closer anyways.