This Week In Baseball: 4/14-4/20

[NYU 0]

Heilman does a good job getting out of the inning only giving up one run, but I also need to question why Willie wouldn't place Wagner in that position. Considering he's hardly been used this season, there's no reason Wagner couldn't have worked five outs. I'm often critical of him -- but good grief, he's better than Aaron Heilman.

[the max 0]

As McCarver said, "It's not the time to bring in your closer. It's only the 8th inning." Of course, that bases-loaded, one-out jam is the kind of thing you want your best relief pitcher to get you out of.

[Guest Teal-y Dan]

Andy Sonnanstine pitched a three-hitter against the Sox, which is impressive given how well they've hit. Quick game, too: just a smidge over two hours. How un-AL East. Sox blew a rundown early on which led to the Rays scoring three runs in that inning. Hawk kept yelling that these were GIFT RUNS, that we GAVE THEM THOSE THREE RUNS, which may very well be the case, but giving up three runs on poor fielding doesn't explain away a 5-0 loss.

 

Someone in the crowd was banging a cowbell. That has to be terminated in the future.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Its been a long time since the Yankees were this bad..

 

Its 6-0 Os in the bottom of the 7th

 

People want to bash the Orioles pitching staff but the Yankees staff as it exists right now is absolutely pathetic.

[Guest Teal-y Dan]

The Yankees are .500. They've been much worse than this before Memorial Day in recent years.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

The Yankees are .500. They've been much worse than this before Memorial Day in recent years.

The team thats playing tonight looks like a sub .300 team.

 

Though points can be given for playing an injured catcher at 1st and Ensberg at 3rd for the first time this year.

 

The yankees bullpen wouldnt scare a little league team either. the only reliever thats pitched well in this series is the guy they just called up Edwar Ramirez who pitched 2 scoreless innings last night after it was already 8-2. Hawkins gave up 3 runs last night and Ohlendorf gave up 2 tonight.

 

Its JOBA time..hmm

[CanadianChris 0]

I'd say Kennedy should be sent back to Scranton, but who else do the Yankees have? He doesn't look like he belongs in the majors right now, though. 22 BB in 33 total major league IP doesn't bode well for his future.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Yovani Gallardo is slated to start for the Brewers today against the Reds' Harang. Should be interesting to see how he performs coming off the DL.

[Guest Teal-y Dan]

Gallardo is gonna be scary good.

 

What's the latest news on Ben Sheets? Has the world not yet seen the last of Dave Bush?

[HarleyQuinn 0]

I'd say Kennedy should be sent back to Scranton, but who else do the Yankees have? He doesn't look like he belongs in the majors right now, though. 22 BB in 33 total major league IP doesn't bode well for his future.

 

They do have Chris Britton who had a 3.55 ERA in 12.2 IP last year (126 ERA+). Granted it's a small sample but he also fashioned a 3.35 ERA (136 ERA+) for Baltimore in 2006 at age 23 in 53.2 IP.

 

He had a 2.52 ERA at AAA last year and in 8.1 IP has 9 K vs. 2 BB right now.

[CanadianChris 0]

Frank Thomas was just released by Toronto:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3355502

 

I wonder who the Jays will bring in to replace him. Matt Stairs is a good guy, but he's definitely not the long term answer at DH. Maybe they do the unthinkable and go after Barry Bonds.

[treble 0]

Shit, well that seems a little drastic.

[CanadianChris 0]

They probably didn't want his option to kick in for next year, and figured it'd be better to release him than to sit him and let him bitch for the rest of the year.

[Bored 0]

I'd welcome him back in Oakland although I don't see that happening. Seattle seems like the most likely destination for him.

 

So I didn't see any of the A's prize pitching prospects after all at the Stockton Ports game last night. It wasn't a total loss though as Chris Carter, who the A's got in the Haren trade, hit three homeruns and Sean Doolittle, the A's 2nd round pick in '07, hit two of his own in a 21-7 laugher.

[Guest Teal-y Dan]

more like BIG SKIRT!!!! kenny told em

 

Hey, the Brewers have 14 pitchers. This is like Tony La Russa's dream team.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Hey, the Brewers have 14 pitchers. This is like Tony La Russa's dream team.

 

Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous. My guess is Sheets may be going on the DL. Anyway, they'll have to change soon with Mike Cameron coming in within the week.

 

Speaking of Sheets, they haven't really said anything definitive. Dave Bush is "available if he needs to make a spot start for Sheets."

 

And there are still Brewers fans who think the team should offer some huge multi-year contract to Sheeter. Geez. This isn't the Yankees we're talking about. I love the guy when he's healthy, but you can't risk some huge five year deal on a guy like that when you're the Brewers.

[CanadianChris 0]

David Eckstein just hit his yearly home run.

[Guest Teal-y Dan]

And there are still Brewers fans who think the team should offer some huge multi-year contract to Sheeter. Geez. This isn't the Yankees we're talking about. I love the guy when he's healthy, but you can't risk some huge five year deal on a guy like that when you're the Brewers.

Well, if he's going to keep getting injured, he's not going to be in a position to command a big multi-year deal. If he misses a significant amount of time this year, I think he'll take the hometown discount and stay in Milwaukee. Doesn't he own part of the Admirals?

[snuffbox 0]

Yep, along with the Brewers owner and others.

[Boon 0]

Red Sox had no business winning that game, leaving over a dozen men on and Manny getting tossed in the second. But the prospects delivered, some tough ABs late and patience, and they steal one from Texas. Crazy game.

[snuffbox 0]

At least Gallardo was good today.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I'd say Kennedy should be sent back to Scranton, but who else do the Yankees have? He doesn't look like he belongs in the majors right now, though. 22 BB in 33 total major league IP doesn't bode well for his future.

I'd say Kei Igawa V. 2.0 is next in line. Alan Horne would be a candidate, but he's on the minor league DL.

 

Jimmy Rollins and Chris Snelling hit the DL in Philadelphia. Rollins stuck around for a week and a half as a pinch-hitter. The Phils really should have faced reality and DL'ed him much earlier. Snelling was born on the DL, I'm stunned he lasted this long. IF Brad Harman and OF T.J. Bohn take their places.

[Dandy 0]

Frank Thomas was just released by Toronto:

Twins?

[Guest Teal-y Dan]

Giants. old, lol

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

They probably didn't want his option to kick in for next year, and figured it'd be better to release him than to sit him and let him bitch for the rest of the year.

 

Exactly. There is no doubt in my mind that this is money related.

[devo 0]

This could (well, will) be a move that lowers the Jays' future standings with free agents, though. Who's going to want to sign an incentive-laden deal with relatively low guaranteed money if the team's itchy to release a player after a slow start?

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I agree with that too. I hate the move. But money is almost certainly the reason they did it.

[treble 0]

This could (well, will) be a move that lowers the Jays' future standings with free agents, though. Who's going to want to sign an incentive-laden deal with relatively low guaranteed money if the team's itchy to release a player after a slow start?

Maybe, but if players were still willing to sign after the Shea Hillenbrand and Ted Lilly situations, I don't know if this is going to do anymore damage. And JP Ricciardi is really good at spinning, too.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Is it possible that Thomas simply asked for his release?

[Guest blame that goot.]

Um, the Dodgers are six and a half games out. What's going on out there?