Posts from — July 2005
Are the Giants Remaking the Traditional Pitching Staff?
Marty; The Giants once had a pitcher named Juan Marichal. He ended his career with more complete games than victories—and he had well over two hundred victories before he suffered an arm injury. There was an occasion when Alvin Dark was his manager. Juan was in the midst of one of his rare series of outings where nothing he threw seemed capable of getting batters out. As a result, Dark had to pull him before he pitched into his customary late innings. On this occasion, as Marichal was warming up on the mound Dark walked out and told him to look at the bullpen in deep right field. The bullpen was empty. Dark said to him, “You’re going nine innings today. I don’t care how many runs they get off you.” Marichal pitched a complete winning game.
Tempus fugit!
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July 8, 2005 No Comments
Cooperstown Confidential by Bruce Markusen
The Rumor Mill
Don’t be fooled into thinking that the Red Sox feel they’ve solved their bullpen problems by moving Curt Schilling into the uncharted territory of late-inning relief. They’re still holding out hope that Schilling can move back into the rotation by August or September, and even if he can’t, they still believe they need to acquire at least one quality reliever through the trade market. Their most desired commodity is Tampa Bay’s Danys Baez, but they’re hoping that the Devil Rays back off on their exorbitant trade demands of three prospects for the talented but inconsistent closer… The Red Sox are also one of several teams that have shown interest in Bret Boone, recently thrown into the wasteland known as the designated-for-assignment list. The Sox’ interest stems from their concern over the shaky defensive play of Mark Bellhorn, whose hands have become a sore spot in 2005. Like the other teams that have expressed a desire for Boone—principally the Yankees and the Padres—the Red Sox will have decide whether to give up a small amount of value in a trade that will guarantee them the services of Boone, or wait until he becomes a free agent and hope that he chooses them over other contenders… The Red Sox do have an advantage over other teams in that they can offer Boone a regular playing job for the rest of the season. In contrast, the Yankees can only promise a platoon opportunity with impressive rookie Robinson Cano, while the Padres can only offer playing time until Mark Loretta returns from the disabled list…
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July 8, 2005 No Comments
Pitching is still the name of the game; and the Giants don't have it.
Marty; There is no joy or pleasure in writing about the Giants these days. They may be on the way to a 100 loss season or very close to it. There undoubtedly are teams looking for one or two more starters to enable them to get back into the chase now that we are approaching the season’s mid-point. There are no teams looking for four or, possibly, five starters to accomplish this.
With the exception of Schmidt, who may have something left in his right arm, although recent outings raise a reasonable doubt concerning his health, the remaining starters do not belong in a rotation on a team which intends to be a factor in the race. The Giants, it daily becomes clearer, have no such intention.
Click below for Ed’s analysis.
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July 6, 2005 No Comments
Broadcasting: Major League trend
There was a time not long ago when
Spanish radio stations would buy the
rights to carry Major League Baseball
games. Today the trend is for the
teams to run their own spanish
radio broadcast.
Amaury Pi-González [Read more →]
July 4, 2005 No Comments
First Half Report, Who's in, Who's not?
Batter Up July 3rd, 2005
As the 2005 season reaches its half way point this weekend let’s take a look at the division races.
The Angels are safely in command in the AL West. Vladimir Guerrero is heading towards a second consecutive MVP award. Bartolo Colon has been the horse of the Angels starting rotation. However, you can’t overlook the emergence of John Lackey who has stepped up big time for the Halos after righty Kelvim Escobar went on the shelf with elbow miseries.
Give Mike Scoscia one more veteran arm in his pen that he trusts late in the game and the Angels are the team to beat in the AL.
The A’s will continue to put pressure on Anaheim.
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July 3, 2005 No Comments
Kenny Rogers
There have been many incidents of bad behavior by major league baseball players in the past. On wednesday this week, Kenny Rogers went to the top of the class with his unbelievable bad behavior. The
unprovoked attacks upon 2 cameramen was beyond the pale. These men were doing their job and did nothing to
Rogers to cause such behavior. Baseball responded by suspending Rogers for 20 games. Big deal !!
Rogers should be suspended for the rest of the year.
Just last year another Texas pitcher threw a chair at fans at the Oakland Coliseum and injured a fan. In that
case, the injured woman’s husband was baiting the players. Nothing of that nature occured o Wednesday.
Many pkayers have had temper tantrums in the dugout or in the clubhouse. Kevin Brown injured himself last year and Rogers hurt his right hand just last week.
If Rogers lived in the real world as most people do, he would have been hauled off to the local pokey and would have been charged with assault and battery.
That may happen later. This man makes more money in one year than most people will make in 2 or 3 lifetimes but that doesn’t give him the right to attack
anyone.
As for me, I could care less if he ever played again.
Jerry Feitelberg [Read more →]
July 2, 2005 No Comments
A's Fool Their Critics
IT WAS ONLY about six weeks into the season when some writers were saying Billy Beane had been taken in the trades which sent away Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson, which shows again that it’s a mistake to make early judgments on trades which involve young players.
The season isn’t quite at the halfway mark, but the Mulder trade is looking good for the A’s right now. Dan Haren has a six-game winning streak and he appears to be a pitcher who can be a solid starter for years. Kiko Calero has pitched well in relief when he’s been healthy, as he is now. Daric Barton is only 19 and is a couple of years away, but everybody who’s seen him says he’s a top hitting prospect. He’s been shifted from catcher to first base but the A’s think he can play the outfield, too, which would improve his major league opportunities because Dan Johnson looks more and more like a fixture at first for several years. [Read more →]
July 1, 2005 No Comments