Dan Gould

Buchholz pitched himself out of the majors last year and was ultimately, right around this time, sent all the way back to AA. They weren't going to count on Buchholz for anything in 2009, so it made sense to go out and get low-risk, high-reward veteran pitchers on short contracts. Only Penny's restricted start in March made it an issue of whether Buchholz might make the team but in retrospect, even if he had, Penny was going to take his spot eventually anyway. But with Buchholz issues in 2008, there's no way that a world series "contender" just gives him a spot in the rotation. As for Smoltz, I don't think its command of his breaking pitches, its fastball command. He misses, and misses over the heart of the plate, and it gets crushed. I still can't figure out how to view his 7:1 strikeout to walk ratio, if that signifies that he is pitching better than his results indicate or what. His batting average on balls in play is very high, which suggests that bad luck is hurting him, and his line drive rate is in line with career norms. There's a chance - though I am not optimistic - that Smoltz does still have something left and will start to show it. But as I've said, these losses he inflicts while he searches for his old command is going to ultimately sink their chances. There are two chances for the offseason as far as Buchholz goes: He's packaged with someone else in a trade because he sucks the rest of the way and his stock goes way down. OR Regardless of how he does, Theo refuses to part with him, and he is in the rotation in 2010. In his age 26 season, Buchholz can't putz around anymore. He'll get his chance, somewhere.

Its not about individual performances. Was Lester much better after 118 innings in his career? Furthermore, the Indians offered V-Mart straight up for Buchholz, so someone else thinks he's going to be pretty good. I will say this though: Wakefield is weeks away from returning, and no one knows what they have with Smoltz. They are relying on Buchholz to show that he is more than a AAAA pitcher, and if he continues to suck eggs, his stock will go down. Its shit or get off the pot time for Clay.

Oh yeah, that's real fair to include the very worst of his disastrous 2008 season. I wonder what Hughes looks like if he add in his 2008 numbers. Oh that's right - he sucked, then he kept getting hurt.

Happy Birthday!

I didn't listen - was there any indication that Gregg is finished as closer and Marmol has taken over, or was Piniella giving Gregg the night off? That guy has to be the worst closer on any playoff contending team. He's proof that you can "close" and amass save statistics while sucking raw eggs. It was a terrible trade but I blame Piniella for not realizing that Gregg sucks and getting him out of that role. They could easily be in first with any sort of decent closer, and even if they make the playoffs I can't see them winning if Gregg has to get key outs in the ninth. Quincy - that trade rumors website only puts together the reporting of various baseball sources. I could do without their blog links, but their source on that trade report was Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times. I don't know his rep, but one thing is for sure - that's not the kind of the information you get from an agent putting out unfounded rumors or a GM trying to goose another team to improve its offer. That's pretty much a straightforward rendering of how the trade negotiation went.

I'd love to hear more details about this case. Personally, I wouldn't be very open to what sounds like a ludicrous defense, unless there was a substantial time lag between the accident and when the cops managed to get there, and if he had witnesses to establish that he was one place, sober, had a wreck, then went inside to this bar and had a drink or two. If he was drinking for a couple of hours, and wrecked the car on the way home ... I talked about the issue of reasonable doubt before, so I guess I can understand if the jury truly felt that the prosecution didn't prove its case, but in the situation I was confronted with, it at least partially boiled down to a question of "how stupid do you think we are?" and that really sounds like it should have been the response of your jury, too.

Sorry but I quite noticed what the stated purpose of your post: You're looking for help? Well you certainly do need it. You live in New York and give mad props to Boney James and Dave Koz as great saxophonists. And here's a tip: If you want help, ask for help. If you offer your writings, be prepared to take some criticism.

What are you talking about? It was only last year that Felix went over 200 innings, and that was 200.2. Brandon Morrow & Phillippe Aumont both could turn out way better than Buchholz, especially Morrow, who has an explosive arm, who just needs time to get his act together. Plus, they have won with Felix, they came in second in 2007 (88 wins), Hernandez went 14-7 that year. This year, there is a good chance for a .500 record, thanks in a large part to Hernandez. Pick up a couple of good players this off season, and who knows, an even better club! I know that with Felix, Boston would have had a great chance of going all the way, but it's not going to happen. Seattle is positioned to have a good team for years to come by keeping Felix, so I stll say: Thank goodness they turned down this trade! Now excuse me, there's some kool-Aid waiting for me to drink. You mean Brandon Morrow of the 1.5 WHIP? Felix has thrown 190+ innings for three years straight and will exceed that again this year. He's young, he's good, and odds are, he's going to break down some day. Starting out young means that day will happen sooner. With the Angels in your division, Texas having built up its farm system, and the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays likely to have two teams with 93 wins or better, since when is 87 going to cut it? Your only chance of ever making the playoffs is if the Angels somehow collapse, and they never seem to. My God, your only 4 runs ahead of KC for fewest runs scored in the majors! The only way the M's sniff the playoffs is if they fix the roster. I don't know about your farm system but a reality check suggests that flipping your stud would go a long way toward doing that.

Boney Fucking James is your idea of jazz saxophone? And Dave Koz? It is really, really sad that you are the New York Jazz Examiner. Here's a suggestion: go to Smoke and hear Eric Alexander. Go to Smalls and listen to Ian Hendrickson-Smith. And stop confusing "smooth jazz" with the real thing. Who said that my list ended there, or that my articles would end there. That wasn't the point. It's nice to meet you too. I am making the rounds, I haven't said I won't interview Eric, and I wouldn't make such broad and sweeping conclusions. I have written 12 articles in 3 weeks and just getting started. Reaching out to people who love jazz means ALL people and ALL jazz musicians. I know that some consider my list light weights, but you aren't going to get some people to support jazz by being rude and opinionated. That's always been an issue. That's not what I am about, and its not what my column is about. Like I said, it's nice to meet you too. Whoever pissed you off today has nothing to do with me and what I am about. Thanks for the input. You pissed me off today. No one else. You live in New York, write about jazz in NEW YORK and choose to highlight two guys who don't play jazz and don't need any help selling CDs or getting yuppies to attend their shows. I guess there is some hope though - you didn't tell us that Kenny G turns you into putty.

Buchholz is to be dismissed because he didn't start his professional career until age 20? Your boy has a lot of mileage on his arm at a young age. Given the fact that few pitchers avoid elbow or shoulder injuries, that makes his inevitable breakdown likely to come sooner, say before age 30, then later, doesn't it? And furthermore, what has more value - a staff ace, or an everyday 1B who has led his league in HRs and is locked up for three more years? How has Halladay helped out the Jays for the last several years? How about Pedro before the Red Sox started surrounding him with a decent roster? A huge boost to the offense (Gonzales) + 3 arms that at minimum, right now, are league average and have substantially higher upside (Masterson, Buchholz, Bowden) and are cost controlled for 5-6 years might make you a bit more competitive day in and day out than one ace starting 20% of the time. The Mariners haven't won with Felix, and they aren't going to win with Felix til they fix the rest of the roster.

Boney Fucking James is your idea of jazz saxophone? And Dave Koz? It is really, really sad that you are the New York Jazz Examiner. Here's a suggestion: go to Smoke and hear Eric Alexander. Go to Smalls and listen to Ian Hendrickson-Smith. And stop confusing "smooth jazz" with the real thing.

Lowell's problem isn't live pitching - he's hitting quite well since he came back from the D.L. after the break - but exposure to live balls in play at 3B. He's simply not the defender he was before hip surgery. Hopefully that changes (and they did say he wouldn't be 100% until 2010) but right now he's a big part of the leaky defense and high BABIP. That's the only difference I can think of from last year, him and Nick Green and an even worse Lugo playing SS all the time. Otherwise its the same starters and they don't strike me as bad defensively, though the "advanced" metrics say Bay is bad, I don't believe it.

Are you freaking kidding me??? Buchholz, for his career, has pitched in 118 innings and has given up 135 hits, that's fifth starter territory, and a bad fifth man at that! And didn't just get pounded by those fearsome Orioles??? That's a "major league ready pitcher??? Boston can keep him. Well he sure as hell isn't a AAA pitcher either. If you expect to get equal value one for one, why would any trade offer be made? There's certainly a chance that Buchholz turns out to be a AAAA pitcher, but how can you possibly decide that based on barely half a season, TOTAL in the major leagues? How was King Felix after 118 innings in his career? (I'll tell you - age 19 he was great for 12 starts, age 20, he SUCKED for an entire season) Oh that's right, I forgot that the Mariners are trying to win now, its not about the future. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: I am going to enjoy when the Mariners suck shit for years to come, and "King" Felix walks away because he's sick of the losing.

Are you kidding me? You'd be getting multiple major league ready pitchers, and Gonzales is cost-controlled for like three or four years. You'd be worried about Buchholz becoming expensive soon? He has one year on his clock. That leaves five before he reaches free agency! Maybe he's never King Felix but King Felix becomes extremely expensive a helluva lot sooner.

If that's true then Riccardi is an incredibly stupid asshole. That's three guys ready to pitch right now, a top 1B hitting prospect, a first round pick from only a year or two ago and others? And how about this not-to-be Big Deal: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/08/feli...ailed-deal.html So Seattle was unbelievably stupid, too, missing a chance for Gonzalez AND Buchholz, at the cost of King Felix. I know King Felix is young and great, and several years still from free agency (maybe two now, I am not 100%) but that would have been a huge price to pay to get him.

Thanks for the reminder, John. I haven't even been in a Borders to look at a DB or JazzTimes in a long while, but I need to remember to pick this one up when I go get my haircut this weekend. I've really enjoyed the previous anniversary issues.

I may not call him a POS (I'd reserve that for a face-to-face with Timmy) but I damn well would call him a liar, a felon and a cheat.

When I parted with my Mosaics a year ago, this was one that didn't bother me as much to let go. Just didn't grab me that much.

I saw this a couple of days ago, and my first thought was, why are they taking the wife's claim he was suicidal when it helps to get her out of jail? By all accounts it was an extremely volatile relationship, yet this was their 'second honeymoon' - they have a fight and he kills himself out of fear that she would leave him? It doesn't make sense, and if they really find it impossible that she hoisted and got his body suspended off a pipe or whatever, did they exhaust the possibility she had accomplices? Very strange and of course very sad anyway you slice it.

Couldn't ignore the trade deadline BS. I am done but reserve the right to return solely to talk about the Cubs. That ought to annoy you even more. I'm not annoyed; just having some fun! Glad to be of service. Three in the loss column to the Cubbies!

That's your opinion, and you're entitled to it. You'd be 100% wrong though.

I see. So you'll do the wait and see with your guy Ortiz, but gleefully blast away at Bonds, disavow any BoSox connection to MannyRoid then justify a wrist injury for Ortiz. Maybe Ortiz was eating the wrong hot dogs and drinking the wrong beer too, huh. Gary Hart indeed. Pssh. This punk-out is worthy of the Sarah Palin flake award. Amazing myopia, Dan....even for you. That's your opinion and you are entitled to it. You'd be 100% wrong though.

And I totally disagree. The night after the big trade afternoon, Smoltz gets his ass handed to him again. 5 runs to Baltimore, and on what ought to be his last pitch of the day, Ellsbury saves his ass from a crushing home run by Aubrey Huff. And his next start is against the Yankees in the little bandbox. Over/under is ten. Ten runs also Ten homers I am taking the over and the under, respectively. Its also an over/under of ten games back of first place by the end of the season. I got over.

Couldn't ignore the trade deadline BS. I am done but reserve the right to return solely to talk about the Cubs. That ought to annoy you even more.

450 HRs, 40/40 seasons, the ability to knock balls over the fence using his head.