MLB 2008

[Quincy]

Sabathia to Brewers

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3475667

Whoa! Way to go Brewers. (Also my spring predictions need a lot of help! )

[Dan Gould]

Well if this isn't gut-check time I don't know what is. Its certainly the first one since the ALCS. This team is not good right now. The bullpen sucks. The offense sucks. And Ortiz is almost certainly not getting back at the break, if they are only hoping he might take BP sometime this week. And there is no fucking time to waste. Manny is worthless, Tek even more so, Drew isn't doing much and the bottom of the lineup is a black hole. At what point do one run losses stop being "bad luck" and start being a fact of life that isn't going to change, because of a shitty lineup and bullpen?

And this one run loss all falls on Papelbon, with one big assist from Varitek.

WHY does he keep going to the "target at the shoulders" stance with Papelbon on the mound?

HE CAN'T EXECUTE THE PITCH. HE NEVER HAS EXECUTED THE PITCH.

In fact, what happens is that he fails to elevate the pitch but elevates it enough to make it a belt high fastball over the middle of the plate. Schilling, Pedro, sometimes Dice-K. Those are the guys who get the ball where it needs to be and makes that strategy work. Papelbon has NEVER made that strategy work. Every fucking strikeout he gets is on the hard stuff on the black, or with a splitter. And every time he tries to get a batter to chase a high strike, he feeds him a cookie and gives up a hit.

Then of course there was Papelbon's complete incompetence on the bunt attempt. Cano is dead to rights if he picks it up and throws - but for some goddamn reason the asshole looked to first, as if the play is, check both bases, take whichever out is easiest. Fucking POS.

So it didn't surprise me a bit that Slapsie Maxie "muscles" a ball 100 feet for a game winning single.

3-7 road trip. 5 games out of the division. If they don't get their shit together immediately in Boston, they will be out of the WC by the time Minnesota leaves town.

And they motherfucking deserve to be.

Edited July 7, 2008 by Dan Gould

[zen archer]

Well if this isn't gut-check time I don't know what is. Its certainly the first one since the ALCS. This team is not good right now. The bullpen sucks. The offense sucks. And Ortiz is almost certainly not getting back at the break, if they are only hoping he might take BP sometime this week. And there is no fucking time to waste. Manny is worthless, Tek even more so, Drew isn't doing much and the bottom of the lineup is a black hole. At what point do one run losses stop being "bad luck" and start being a fact of life that isn't going to change, because of a shitty lineup and bullpen?

And this one run loss all falls on Papelbon, with one big assist from Varitek.

WHY does he keep going to the "target at the shoulders" stance with Papelbon on the mound?

HE CAN'T EXECUTE THE PITCH. HE NEVER HAS EXECUTED THE PITCH.

In fact, what happens is that he fails to elevate the pitch but elevates it enough to make it a belt high fastball over the middle of the plate. Schilling, Pedro, sometimes Dice-K. Those are the guys who get the ball where it needs to be and makes that strategy work. Papelbon has NEVER made that strategy work. Every fucking strikeout he gets is on the hard stuff on the black, or with a splitter. And every time he tries to get a batter to chase a high strike, he feeds him a cookie and gives up a hit.

Then of course there was Papelbon's complete incompetence on the bunt attempt. Cano is dead to rights if he picks it up and throws - but for some goddamn reason the asshole looked to first, as if the play is, check both bases, take whichever out is easiest. Fucking POS.

So it didn't surprise me a bit that Slapsie Maxie "muscles" a ball 100 feet for a game winning single.

3-7 road trip. 5 games out of the division. If they don't get their shit together immediately in Boston, they will be out of the WC by the time Minnesota leaves town.

And they motherfucking deserve to be.

Dan, do you think Manny is losing it ? ,even Remy is commenting on how Manny is missing so many fastballs .

His batting average dipped last year and its not too high this year , but he just seems like he can't turn on a fastball anymore.

[Dan Gould]

Who's to say? If he keeps going this way this season, we will miss the playoffs and he and Boras can go find some other team to con into giving him four years.

[tkeith]

It's an ill-timed group slump. Uhm... Pap is a POS? I think he's overrated (less than great control) but a POS? the best news I've heard is when Gammons drooled on himself that they were shopping for a SS. That tells me there may be hope, yet. If Slim gets to that ball up the middle cleanly, that run doesn't score. And how about points for Robinson Cano for his work in that game. He may be the most underrated Yankee.

I'm interested to see how they recover on this home stand. Manny concerns me, but I think he's got value this year, then let him fly.

I was pissed to see that Varitek was voted to the AS game. I understand why, but he needs to sit his ass home and rest. In fact, I'd give him the weekend off before the game, then send his ass home. The team should pay him the bonus to opt out for some unforeseen nagging injury. Let Pierzynski play in that meaningless exhibition.

[MartyJazz]

Well if this isn't gut-check time I don't know what is. Its certainly the first one since the ALCS. This team is not good right now. The bullpen sucks. The offense sucks. And Ortiz is almost certainly not getting back at the break, if they are only hoping he might take BP sometime this week. And there is no fucking time to waste. Manny is worthless, Tek even more so, Drew isn't doing much and the bottom of the lineup is a black hole. At what point do one run losses stop being "bad luck" and start being a fact of life that isn't going to change, because of a shitty lineup and bullpen?

And this one run loss all falls on Papelbon, with one big assist from Varitek.

WHY does he keep going to the "target at the shoulders" stance with Papelbon on the mound?

HE CAN'T EXECUTE THE PITCH. HE NEVER HAS EXECUTED THE PITCH.

In fact, what happens is that he fails to elevate the pitch but elevates it enough to make it a belt high fastball over the middle of the plate. Schilling, Pedro, sometimes Dice-K. Those are the guys who get the ball where it needs to be and makes that strategy work. Papelbon has NEVER made that strategy work. Every fucking strikeout he gets is on the hard stuff on the black, or with a splitter. And every time he tries to get a batter to chase a high strike, he feeds him a cookie and gives up a hit.

Then of course there was Papelbon's complete incompetence on the bunt attempt. Cano is dead to rights if he picks it up and throws - but for some goddamn reason the asshole looked to first, as if the play is, check both bases, take whichever out is easiest. Fucking POS.

So it didn't surprise me a bit that Slapsie Maxie "muscles" a ball 100 feet for a game winning single.

3-7 road trip. 5 games out of the division. If they don't get their shit together immediately in Boston, they will be out of the WC by the time Minnesota leaves town.

And they motherfucking deserve to be.

Was looking forward to your reaction to last night's Yank win. Great post, thoroughly enjoyed it.

Naturally, I enjoyed watching the rook hang in against Papelbon and get a well-deserved walkoff hit. What shocked me beforehand was Manny looking at 3 strikes from Mariano. I recall Mussina pitiching to him earlier in the season in a similar run producing situation with first base open and he came through with a first pitch double to right center. So I'm screaming that he should be intentionally walked this time, but Mariano to his credit wanted to pitch to him. Go figure.

And what the hell is wrong with Varitek? I can't believe his hitting stats this season and even more I can't understand his fellow American Leaguers voting him to the All Star game. AJ Pierzinski must really rub opponents the wrong way. Fans vote for favorites regardless of stats; players aren't expected to act that way nor should they.

[Big Al]

Four Rangers to the All-Stars, two of them starting. THAT is surreal.

[Dan Gould]

It's an ill-timed group slump. Uhm... Pap is a POS? I think he's overrated (less than great control) but a POS?

More blown saves to date than all of last year. Three walk-off losses this year out of five in his career. Yeah, I'd say he's been a POS. Tek gets partial credit for the idiotic reliance on the high strike zone strategy that has yet to work with him, but Papelbon is to blame too many times this season.

the best news I've heard is when Gammons drooled on himself that they were shopping for a SS. That tells me there may be hope, yet. If Slim gets to that ball up the middle cleanly, that run doesn't score.

He throws him out while stretched out on the ground? Cano was running all the way and he'd have been lucky to throw him out if he had fielded it cleanly. SS is the least of their problems, because they have an internal answer - Lowrie can field the easy ones that Lugo fucks up, and his hitting - particularly his OPS - runs circles around that worthless joke. I don't listen to these broadcasts - who are they shopping for? David fucking Eckstein? Maybe Omar Vizquel, who makes Varitek look like Yogi Berra? That was the name tossed around earlier in the year when Lugo started killing us.

What this team needs is relief pitching (I fear Masterson in the bullpen because of his wildness and problems with lefties) and for people like Ellsbury, Ramirez, and Varitek to earn some keep with the bat. Not a trade for some other SS when there are other glaring weaknesses and an in-house solution.

I'm interested to see how they recover on this home stand.

The Rays get one more against the hapless Royas, the Yankees and then the Indians. If they don't recover immediately against the red-hot Twins, they will be on the outside looking in. My five game prediction may turn out to be closer to eight games when the break comes.

[Soulstation1]

It's gonna be an expensive day for A-Rod

[zen archer]

The SS situation is totally Theos problem , this guy had a Man Crush on Lugo for years .

I still don't understand what he saw in him.

On top of that he dished out a 4 year deal , so does Lugo become a bench player ?

who are they looking at for SS......i really don't think Lowrie is the answer either he doesn't have much range .

He looks like a second baseman, is Lowrie playing SS down in pawtucket ?

Edited July 7, 2008 by zen archer

[Dan Gould]

The SS situation is totally Theos problem , this guy had a Man Crush on Lugo for years .

I still don't understand what he saw in him.

On top of that he dished out a 4 year deal , so does Lugo become a bench player ?

who are they looking at for SS......i really don't think Lowrie is the answer either he doesn't have much range .

He looks like a second baseman, is Lowrie palying SS down in pawtucket ?

As far as I know, he is, and when he was up here he didn't look that terrible. He made all the plays he should make - and those are the ones that Lugo screws the pooch on. Its Theo's fault and everyone else's problem that he dished out so much money for such a worthless excuse, and there is no way Lugo should be a bench player. Bench players are supposed to at least field, and he sucks at that. Lugo has to be released. John Henry can afford it, particularly if Lowrie is allowed to take over. At the major league minimum, it would be as if he is paying Lugo but not playing him. If you trade for someone "established" it becomes another financial black hole like the Rent-A-Wreck contract/trade. Think of it - 9 million for Lugo to play elsewhere and 3 million for Eckstein of someone equally worthless? Now you've got a SS that costs 12 million dollars, and for what?

[BERIGAN]

Chucky, and Barry Bond's agent, must love all this AL EAST talk!

I thought Veritek looked the last few years like a guy swinging too big a bat, just can't catch up to fastballs.

Why don't they DL Manny??? He hit any and all fastballs earlier in the year, hammy has to be the issue, right???

How about Tex to the Red Sox, if Ortiz can't come back??? Thing is, we NEED outfielders/and someone to replace Tex... not really hurting with pitching, which is purely insane, since we lost 4/5th's of our starting rotation. Maybe some crazy 3 team trade????

[Tim McG]

Pretty decent picks in th 2008 AllStar Game this year I thought...but if Tim Lincecum doesn't get the start for NL, there is no justice.

10-1

122Ks [Leads the league]

2.49 ERA

Two-seam FB does 100 mph; four seam FB does 97 mph. He has a wicked good curve and splitter.

At 24 years-old, "The Freak" just plain deserves it. I think SI would agree.

What I've seen is impressive but between his physique and his motion, doesn't he seem to be an incipient injury risk?

He's listed at 5'10" and 172 pounds and you would think so. But according to the SI article, his Dad taught him the mechanics to utilitize his small frame and without putting undue stresses on his shoulder and arm. Dave Righetti was so impressed he leaves his pitching motion alone...and at Dad's request.

They made several comaprisons to other pitchers not the least of which was Mark Prior, Bobby Brownlie and Randy Peterson relative to potential injuries. The consensus was these guys have mechanics problems that have or will cause injury. The article also quotes a study done by the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) on the pitching motion and they seem to think Lincecum will be OK. Personally, I think at age 24 he can afford to throw with abandon. However, he only will grow bigger and stronger with age and training should bulk him up a bit to compensate for any potential injuries. What interested me is the fact he never ices down his arm after he throws. Saying ice is for injuries and for your drink. So we have to wait and see if his Dad has it figured out or not.

Here's the link: SI Article

Edited July 8, 2008 by GoodSpeak

[BERIGAN]

Pretty decent picks in th 2008 AllStar Game this year I thought...but if Tim Lincecum doesn't get the start for NL, there is no justice.

10-1

122Ks [Leads the league]

2.49 ERA

Two-seam FB does 100 mph; four seam FB does 97 mph. He has a wicked good curve and splitter.

At 24 years-old, "The Freak" just plain deserves it. I think SI would agree.

He's a real freak alright, if his 2 seemer is faster than his 4 seemer!

He's great, no doubt about it....but....no justice if he doesn't start??? Who has more wins than he does??? Who has a lower ERA?? And who plays half of his games in the great American small park??? Edinson Volquez!!! 11-3, 2.36 ERA. If he doesn't start, there's no justice!!!

[Tim McG]

Pretty decent picks in th 2008 AllStar Game this year I thought...but if Tim Lincecum doesn't get the start for NL, there is no justice.

10-1

122Ks [Leads the league]

2.49 ERA

Two-seam FB does 100 mph; four seam FB does 97 mph. He has a wicked good curve and splitter.

At 24 years-old, "The Freak" just plain deserves it. I think SI would agree.

He's a real freak alright, if his 2 seemer is faster than his 4 seemer!

He's great, no doubt about it....but....no justice if he doesn't start??? Who has more wins than he does??? Who has a lower ERA?? And who plays half of his games in the great American small park??? Edinson Volquez!!! 11-3, 2.36 ERA. If he doesn't start, there's no justice!!!

I heard that same argument on ESPN yesterday.

Bottom line is Lincecum has something Volquez doesn't: 122Ks and only one loss. I think that trumps a 2.36 ERA

Besides, when the wind is blowing out at ATT Corporate Money Pit Park, balls are flying out with abandon. Ya gotta keep the ball down in SF or die out there on the mound. Just ask Barry Zito.

Edited July 7, 2008 by GoodSpeak

[Dan Gould]

Why don't they DL Manny??? He hit any and all fastballs earlier in the year, hammy has to be the issue, right???

How about Tex to the Red Sox, if Ortiz can't come back??? Thing is, we NEED outfielders/and someone to replace Tex... not really hurting with pitching, which is purely insane, since we lost 4/5th's of our starting rotation. Maybe some crazy 3 team trade????

You can't DL Manny unless he's seriously injured. It seems to be a lingering problem, for like two months, but in the last week, he scored from first on a double and went first to third on another hit. He's just not hitting like he was when he was red hot earlier. Someone needs to remind Manny that if he wants to stay in Boston, he's playing for his next contract, or at least to have his option picked up.

They are already talking about trading for Teixeira if Ortiz doesn't come back - and as pessimistic as I am about how imminent his return is, someone in the Herald said that he's probably looking at the end of the month. That won't work at all - we need him back and get a clue about what he can do before the deadline.

I wouldn't mind a shot at Teixeira to see if we can convince him to stay. They'd get younger, could move Youkilis to LF (I didn't say it would be fair or smart, just that they could do it), say sayonara to Manny and keep him away from the Yankees. With all the money coming off the payroll, its easy to foresee the Yankees going hard for Teixeira and possibly, though its not a foregone conclusion,

[Dan Gould]

And Tim, Dice-K has never iced his arm either.

[WorldB3]

Four Rangers to the All-Stars, two of them starting. THAT is surreal.

Like I posted earlier I think the Hamilton and Bradley stories are great. I really liked Bradley when he was on the A's in 2006, if he could ever stay healthy and just keep it together he could be very productive. At the same when he left the A's in 07 I didn't miss him becuase he was almost never in the line up when he freaked out on Beane and got kicked off.

Re: CC to the Brewers. Normally getting a rent a pitcher never works out as they only get about 10 starts for you but CC can possibly win 8 of them and the NL is so bad if they get in to the playoffs with Sheets and CC as 1 -2 they could go deep. Its also Sheets last year as a Brewer so they need to go for it now.

Go Rays!!

Edited July 7, 2008 by WorldB3

[Dan Gould]

Go Rays!!

I'll probably ultimately jinx them into yet another walk off win, but down by a run, tying run at third, Aki just grounded out to the pitcher. They'll have to do it against the Royals All-Star closer.

Is it too much to dream that the Sox could get that game they lost in the standings last night back today?

First things first - go Royals!

[BERIGAN]

After 3 whole games in AA to work with the hitting coach that helped him get his swing right in 2005, the Braves have recalled Francoeur!!!! Shit for brains! From the manager on up!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3476648

[Dan Gould]

After 3 whole games in AA to work with the hitting coach that helped him get his swing right in 2005, the Braves have recalled Francoeur!!!! Shit for brains! From the manager on up!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3476648

Didn't I see at the same time that like three Braves went on the DL? I'm sure that it was a need for bodies, not how much he had improved, that led to the call up. So - stupid, but if you've got such a problem with healthy bodies, it sort of excuses it.

[BERIGAN]

After 3 whole games in AA to work with the hitting coach that helped him get his swing right in 2005, the Braves have recalled Francoeur!!!! Shit for brains! From the manager on up!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3476648

Didn't I see at the same time that like three Braves went on the DL? I'm sure that it was a need for bodies, not how much he had improved, that led to the call up. So - stupid, but if you've got such a problem with healthy bodies, it sort of excuses it.

But it was two pitchers, and Infante...a backup infielder, who can play the outfield(and did yesterday) But we've got this speedy guy, Josh Anderson, that hit .319 in 22 AB's (and was sent down for no reason even the beat writer could understand) and he stays down....He doesn't have power, but neither does Frenchy right now....IF he does what Andruw is doing right now(Andruw I think was 4-8 in the minors, and is now 0-9 since coming back up) are they going to send him down, yet again???? Just crazy to not give it til the All star break. They won 2 of 3 without him....

[Dan Gould]

OK, Conrad, I'm with you - shit-for-brains is the only theory that fits the available facts.

[Tim McG]

And Tim, Dice-K has never iced his arm either.

Seriously...wow.

I guess I'm just old school, then; I thought all pitchers iced up after a game.

Edited July 8, 2008 by GoodSpeak

[Dan Gould]

And Tim, Dice-K has never iced his arm either.

Seriously...wow.

I guess I'm just old school, then; I thought all pitchers iced up after a game.

Dice-K doesn't ice, and he used to throw 250 pitch bullpen sessions. And according to SI, when the Red Sox signed him, his elbow and shoulder looked "pristine".