2006 MLB Thread

[Quincy]

Gotta hand it to those Philly folks for the number of fan groups.....sadly Sal's Pals (a bunch of guys, and even a few gals, with fake fu manchus!) is no more, with Sal Fasano's being traded.

I've been a fan of Sal Fasano going back to his short season single A days with the Eugene Emeralds back when they were affiliated with the Royals (Cubs & now Padres since then. Way back in the early 70s Eugene was the Phillie AAA team where Schmidt, Bowa & Luzinski played.) I saw a game where he doubled to left, doubled to center and either doubled to right or hit a long single that advanced the runner 2 bases. He put up a John Wockenfuss season where all the singles were long ones and he walked a lot that year. I thought he'd be a big time major leaguer but instead he's the type of guy who every time he gets cut another team picks him up. Ah, the life of the back up catcher I guess. But lemme tell ya, that year in Eugene (with Hal Sutton & Matt Sweeney on a short season single A team) he was very much like Gene Tenace, which is pretty darn good. I'm very happy for the guy to be Posada's backup and getting to play in Yankee Stadium, which is a long way from Civic Stadium in Eugene, which I believe is now something like the 9th oldest minor league park. And a beautiful park it is! (This post has been brought you by the fine hoppy beers of the Pacific Northwest. Better I hang here than at the Mosaic website right now.)

[Dan Gould]

I noticed the other day that the always resourceful Philly phans had yet another fan group, this one for rookie pitcher Cole Hamels. The name should raise a smile from jazz fans.....the Cole Train!! Somehow I doubt any connection to Coltrane, but what the hey, maybe they'll start playing something of JC when he comes out to pitch.......

With Coltrane's connection to Philly, I would bet that he was the inspiration (although they could just be taking "Train" from Dontrelle Willis' "D-Train" nickname).

Isn't Hamels a hard throwing lefty? If I were the Phils, I'd play "I'm Old Fashioned" accompanied by clips of Steve Carlton, or of a bunch of older Phils pitchers.

[Dan Gould]

Dave James:

We have an answer this fine Saturday morning.

If the series goes 4-1 or turns into the ultimate Boston Massacre, I'm done. Anything else and I'll stick it out til they return from the west coast.

[Soulstation1]

dan

i bet you need one of these

Edited August 19, 2006 by Soulstation1

[Dan Gould]

dan

i bet you need one of these

No, I'm thinking about one of these:

[Dan Gould]

Dave James:

We have an answer this fine Saturday morning.

If the series goes 4-1 or turns into the ultimate Boston Massacre, I'm done. Anything else and I'll stick it out til they return from the west coast.

UPDATE:

I am not going to wait any longer. I am officially finished with the 2006 MLB season. Good luck to Jazzypaul, any Tiger or A's fans (sorry Big Al but its just not going to happen) and all fans of NL teams. I bid you adieu til next year, secure in the knowledge that the MFY will not win a championship, and that is as fine an outcome as any short of a Cubs or Red Sox world championship.

I'll be back to gloat after the Yankees are eliminated.

[GregK]

hopefully this embarassment of a series will finally convince Fox/ESPN that there are better teams out there that deserve to be shown more often.

[MartyJazz]

(snip)

.....secure in the knowledge that the MFY will not win a championship, and that is as fine an outcome as any short of a Cubs or Red Sox world championship.

I'll be back to gloat after the Yankees are eliminated.

Pretty cowardly, Dan. If the Yanks should go all the way, we won't hear from you, but if the probability of a non-Yankee World Series championship occurs (after all, the Tigers do have the best record, the White Sox who are the prevailing World Champions are very much alive, the Mets are a worthy adversary this year should the Yanks get to the big show, and Yankee starting pitching is not top drawer), then you will deign to appear with an "I told you so". I expect more from all true Red Sox fans. After all, the Red Sox are still the only team to come back from a 3-0 deficit in post game play. I suspect that you may be in danger of being expelled from Red Sox Nation. Say your capitulation isn't so and come back to us.

[Dan Gould]

(snip)

.....secure in the knowledge that the MFY will not win a championship, and that is as fine an outcome as any short of a Cubs or Red Sox world championship.

I'll be back to gloat after the Yankees are eliminated.

Pretty cowardly, Dan. If the Yanks should go all the way, we won't hear from you, but if the probability of a non-Yankee World Series championship occurs (after all, the Tigers do have the best record, the White Sox who are the prevailing World Champions are very much alive, the Mets are a worthy adversary this year should the Yanks get to the big show, and Yankee starting pitching is not top drawer), then you will deign to appear with an "I told you so". I expect more from all true Red Sox fans. After all, the Red Sox are still the only team to come back from a 3-0 deficit in post game play. I suspect that you may be in danger of being expelled from Red Sox Nation. Say your capitulation isn't so and come back to us.

If the MFY win it all, I will indeed come back. The message will be "see what 210 million dollars does for you?"

As for my decision, I can have no doubt it is the right one. I bought chinese food for lunch and kept the fortune cookie til just now. It says:

You are a gentleman of outstanding wisdom.

If that isn't a sign of cosmic agreement, I don't know what is.

See ya after the Yankees are eliminated or accept delivery of their latest purchase.

[Big Al]

(sorry Big Al but its just not going to happen)

This is news?

Like Dave said, get back in here. My team's been out of it since spring training, and you don't see me leaving in a huff!

[Dan Gould]

(snip)

.....secure in the knowledge that the MFY will not win a championship, and that is as fine an outcome as any short of a Cubs or Red Sox world championship.

I'll be back to gloat after the Yankees are eliminated.

Pretty cowardly, Dan. If the Yanks should go all the way, we won't hear from you, but if the probability of a non-Yankee World Series championship occurs (after all, the Tigers do have the best record, the White Sox who are the prevailing World Champions are very much alive, the Mets are a worthy adversary this year should the Yanks get to the big show, and Yankee starting pitching is not top drawer), then you will deign to appear with an "I told you so". I expect more from all true Red Sox fans. After all, the Red Sox are still the only team to come back from a 3-0 deficit in post game play. I suspect that you may be in danger of being expelled from Red Sox Nation. Say your capitulation isn't so and come back to us.

I need to make one last comment about this.

Its called preserving one's sanity, not cowardly.

As a Yankee fan you've been conditioned to expect victory, and with the resources of your team often achieve it.

As a Red Sox fan, I have been conditioned (and 2004 notwithstanding, continue) to expect defeat.

In order to better manage my use of emotional and mental energy, it is time to recognize what is inevitable.

Theo (in whom I still trust) said that sometimes you have to take a step back to go forward. I am going to hope that this was a single step backward, and that he will build a winning team starting November. That's a conversation for November and beyond, when we will find out if the youngsters we unfortunately relied on this year turn into gold or dross.

Edit to better express myself.

Edited August 19, 2006 by Dan Gould

[Tim McG]

Giants have won five in a row ....and the Bums are slipping.

Life is good again

[Chalupa]

Dan, I can't believe you're giving up on the Red Sox w/ 6 weeks to go. Fer Chrissakes they're only 4.5 out(3.5 in the WC). Yeah, sure you're boys have taken a severe beating the last two days but you just have to love the pitching match ups for tomorrow and Monday. Win those two are you're right back in it. What would the Sons of Sam Horn say if they knew you were jumping ship right now???

[Chalupa]

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Giants give 16-year-old phenom $2.1M signing bonus

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Giants on Saturday signed Angel Miguel Villalona, a 16-year-old third baseman from the Dominican Republic.

The Giants gave Villalona a $2.1 million signing bonus, making him among the highest paid amateur players in club history, and reportedly outbid the New York Yankees, Mets, Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners.

"Everybody's excited," Giants general manager Brian Sabean said. "It's the first time in a while we were at the right place at the right time, because there was a lot of action on him. ... We just have to pick our spots because we don't spend like big-money clubs do in that area. He's a big-money club type of acquisition."

San Francisco also placed backup infielder Kevin Frandsen on the 15-day disabled list after he had his broken jaw wired shut.

Villalona, who turned 16 on Aug. 13, signed for the 2007 season and is expected to report to instructional league in Arizona next month.

He is from the Dominican town of La Ramona, and back home the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Villalona is already drawing comparisons to Alex Rodriguez, Adrian Beltre and Wily Mo Pena.

Sabean said if Villalona -- nicknamed "Wily Mo" -- were a draftable player, he would be a legitimate first-round pick.

"For his age, his power is off the charts," Sabean said. "He's a physical kid for 16. ... We think he's on the fast track."

Villalona receives the most money of any amateur player during Sabean's 10-year tenure as GM. He was signed by Pablo Peguero, the organization's director of Dominican operations.

The Giants gave Cuban defector Osvaldo Fernandez, a pitcher, a $1.3 million signing bonus when they signed him to a three-year deal in 1996.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2555073

[MartyJazz]

(snip)

I need to make one last comment about this.

Its called preserving one's sanity, not cowardly.

As a Yankee fan you've been conditioned to expect victory, and with the resources of your team often achieve it.

As a Red Sox fan, I have been conditioned (and 2004 notwithstanding, continue) to expect defeat.

In order to better manage my use of emotional and mental energy, it is time to recognize what is inevitable.

Theo (in whom I still trust) said that sometimes you have to take a step back to go forward. I am going to hope that this was a single step backward, and that he will build a winning team starting November. That's a conversation for November and beyond, when we will find out if the youngsters we unfortunately relied on this year turn into gold or dross.

Edit to better express myself.

Hey Dan, I regret how I characterized your decision but it was your certainty that the Yanks wouldn't go all the way this year that set me off. I admit however that if the shoe was on the other foot, no telling how fast I would want to opt out of further baseball communication. While I can't hope for the Red Sox to right their ship, winning is ultimately more rewarding when the competition is more tight.

[Dan Gould]

Dan, I can't believe you're giving up on the Red Sox w/ 6 weeks to go. Fer Chrissakes they're only 4.5 out(3.5 in the WC). Yeah, sure you're boys have taken a severe beating the last two days but you just have to love the pitching match ups for tomorrow and Monday. Win those two are you're right back in it. What would the Sons of Sam Horn say if they knew you were jumping ship right now???

I'll bet there are hundreds of Sons of Sam Horn members who have jumped ship as well.

Reasons to face reality:

How can any team compete with a bullpen where the most important setup men are:

Delcarmen, 16 of 22 inherited runners scored

Hansen, ERA 6

Timlin, absolutely atrocious ever since he got off the DL (his DL stint a direct result of the WBC)

NO ONE who can drive in runs who isn't named Ortiz or Ramirez

Beckett looking like the worst "ace" in the history of the game

Lester, a 22 year old being asked to be a #3 pitcher

Those are in addition to my stated reasons, the preservation of my mental health. I cannot continue to invest anymore energy in a team that not only is sinking out of sight but fully deserves to be sinking out of sight.

Since the season is over, here are the moves I feel need to be made:

1) Papelbon MUST return to the starting rotation. Its very simple:

Beckett cannot be trusted to be a big game or top 2 starter. We can only hope that he will get his shit together and figure out how to win in the AL. Furthermore, what is the use of a top-flight closer if you can't deliver the game to his capable hands? And what is the value of a pitcher like Papelbon, for 80 innings or 220 innings? Yes, a lesser closer may give away a few games ... but factor in the additional wins that will accrue when Paps gives up 1 or 2 runs, the offense does its thing, and the final is 10-4. You don't need a closer in those games, and I bet that Papelbon will have a lot of them. So:

2) Replace Papelbon with an experienced closer like Borowski or even the former Marlin the Cubs are using. Again, they're not as good as Paps but will get the job done well enough. With that experienced arm at the back of the pen, we can find out if Craig Hansen and Manny Delcarmen were worth holding onto. Given the way Hansen ripped through the minor leagues, and given his College pedigree, I can't see how he does not fullfill his promise. He pitches the eighth, Delcarmen pitches the seventh. 2008, Hansen is the closer, and is probably as good as Papelbon, who will be working on his second CY season at that point.

3) Make a decision on Mark Loretta/Alex Gonzales. Dustin Pedroia is ready to go - he's hitting .310 at Pawtucket, has a huge OBP and makes an error about once every two months. He can play either SS or 2B, so a decision needs to be made on who goes and who stays. Its possible the Sox go hard after Julio Lugo, so maybe Loretta and Gonzales both go. But its Pedroia's time for sure. Loretta's been excellent in the two-hole and solid on defense, so if Pedroia replaced Gonzales, the offense is improved with Loretta still there. But Pedroia probably does a better job than Loretta, if Lugo replaces Alex.

4) Seriously study the possibility of packaging Coco Crisp for starting pitching. The contract he signed makes him very tradeable, as he gave up a couple of year's free agency for some stability, and a low salary for a 26 year old. The fact is that the offense worked best with Youk at the top of the lineup, regardless of the fact that he is a station-to-station runner. Crisp has failed as a leadoff man and while his speed allows him to cover a lot of ground in centerfield, his arm is actually worse than Damon's. I am not at all certain that he will return to being a .300 hitter next season.

His replacement? Wily Mo Pena. Pena has already made huge strides in his hitting and I am quite certain that within a year, will put up 45-50 bombs. His OBP is improving and his BA is improving. And when Coco went down for six weeks, he played a very decent CF. He also has the arm of a centerfielder. His arm may be better suited to rightfield, actually, but I don't think he has the instincts to handle the corners so well, while he has good speed and an easier time with balls hit to center, as they don't tend to tail away.

5) A decision has to be made about Trot Nixon. If Crisp is dealt, perhaps Nixon is brought back. However, his health history and his declining production/power numbers makes that a poor decision. If Crisp is kept in centerfield, Wily Mo becomes the starting rightfielder. Hinske is on the roster for next year, too, and he lights up righthanders. So another possibility is for Hinske and WMP to share rightfield, if Crisp remains, or a trade is made for Andruw Jones.

I think that covers it.

[Big Al]

Okay, give up on your team if you want; nothing us Ranger fans don't do on a yearly basis. We also seem to share the characteristic of being conditioned to lose on a yearly basis.

I'm staying, though. And bear in mind, my team is further out of it than yours, and folks around here STILL talk like we have a chance at post-season play (and whupping up on the Tigers two straight games is only fueling that talk! {{{{SIGH}}}} ).

[Soulstation1]

yanks win 4 of the 5 games this weekend

that I seriously doubt. Wells vs Lidle on Monday favors the Sox, and Ponson vs Lester on Friday favors the Sox. Mussina and Wang haven't pitched very well recently, and Wang pitches downright crappy away from the Bronx (5+ ERA).

I can see it going 3-2 for either team, but I seriously doubt it will go 4-1 or 5-0.

And one more thing, Hinske, on his way from Toronto, rings up the Yanks at .370 clip, and has slugged .512 on the season.

Late Edit to say:

AND while the Sox have an off day to rest everyone, the Yanks get clobbered by Baltimore and burn their bullpen in the process, just in time for a day-night doubleheader and five games in four days. If they've ever needed Wang to go 8 + innings, its tomorrow. Too bad his last two starts have been far shorter. Yankee fans can't be as confident going into this series, methinks.

so i just need the yanks to win one of the final two games

the sox ain't got no pitchin', dan you pitching for the sox on monday.....

[Chalupa]

Interesting take on the Mets pitching woes....

Pitching may derail Mets when playoff time comes

By Jim Salisbury

Inquirer Columnist

The New York Mets took control of the National League East early in the season and have not been challenged since opening up a double-digit lead two months ago.

Even a little slip-up like the one they had in Philadelphia last week won't stop the Mets from ending a five-year playoff drought in October.

"Even the best teams can lose three in a row," third baseman David Wright said.

True enough. But lose three in a row (or three out of five) in the first round of the playoffs and you go home. Lose three games in the first round of the playoffs and a division title is quickly forgotten, especially in a World Series-or-nuttin' town like New York.

As good as the Mets have been in the regular season, people around baseball are beginning to wonder how they will fare in the postseason.

"I don't think they shape up very well," said a longtime scout who has seen the Mets regularly in recent weeks. The scout, because of the nature of his job, did not want to be identified.

"Their right-side defense is not very good, but the big thing is the starting pitching," he said. "You have to have that 1-2 punch to get through the playoffs, and they just don't have it."

In Pedro Martinez, Tom Glavine and Orlando Hernandez, the Mets have big, postseason-tested names in their rotation. But all three are past their prime years (the Phillies beat all three last week), and they don't have the bank-on-it consistency they once did. Sure, each is capable of dialing up a gem, and Steve Trachsel can supply one, too. But as a starting staff, the Mets don't have the short-series firepower that teams such as the White Sox, Red Sox and Marlins used to blaze through recent playoffs.

"Pedro is hurt, and he's not close to what he used to be," another scout, who also requested anonymity, said. "They don't have power [starting] pitching, and in the playoffs, power pitching shuts down good teams. They could have problems."

General manager Omar Minaya is keenly aware of his team's pitching needs. He pursued high-end starters Dontrelle Willis and Barry Zito, but wouldn't pay the exorbitant prices their teams were asking, and both stayed put.

So, it looks as if the Mets will take their chances with what they have - and what they have more than anything else are question marks.

Martinez is on the disabled list for the second time this season, though neither visit has been because of an arm injury. Martinez figures to pitch in the Mets' playoff opener, but even if healthy, he doesn't strike the fear into opposing lineups that he once did.

Glavine is 40. He got off to a great start and has pitched well lately. Still, he has only one win since June 23, though the team continues to benefit from his veteran counsel.

"If nothing else, these last three games show us we're not invincible," Glavine said after the Mets were beaten for the third straight day by the Phillies on Wednesday. "We've got to play the game the way we've been playing it most of the year in order to do well. Mentally, you have to stay at a level, because once you get into the postseason, you want to be able to maintain. I don't believe you can turn it off and then turn it back on."

After Glavine, there are Trachsel and Hernandez. Both are middle-to-back-of-the-rotation guys with high ERAs.

Who knows what happens? Maybe Martinez will benefit from the rest he has received from two trips to the DL and be April-fresh in October. Maybe Glavine will get on one of his rolls. Maybe Trachsel will dazzle and Hernandez will tap into the postseason greatness he displayed in his days with the Yankees.

The postseason is six weeks away and it's clear the Mets are headed there for the first time since 2000. How long they stay around remains to be seen. It will all come down to starting pitching. Gulp.

[Chalupa]

And here's another reason to be worried Mets' fans....

Glavine done?

NEW YORK -- Tom Glavine is having his pitching shoulder examined for a possible blood clot, and the New York Mets left-hander could miss the rest of the season.

[Chalupa]

Speaking of starting pitching... Phillies picked up Jamie Moyer for 2 "A" ballers. Seattle salary dump.

Moyer is 6-12 with a 4.39 ERA this season and 211-164 with a 4.17 ERA in his career. He has thrown six or more innings in 20 of his 25 starts this season, which is important for a team that has overworked its bullpen for much of the season. His record also looks deceiving. He has the second-lowest run support in baseball at 3.52 runs per game.

The Phillies played a weird game today. They were up 10-1 going into the 5th and wound up beating the Nats 12-10. A real pitchers duel. The Nats committed 5 errors.

Edited August 20, 2006 by Chalupa

[Big Al]

Can't believe the Rangers took three of four from the Tigers on the Tigers home turf. Will wonders never cease?

[Adam]

Ah, the Dodgers won the last 2 over the Giants. They're looking pretty good. I wonder how they woudl be if they still had Paul Lo Duca.

Now if they can only beat the Padres in a full series...

[Big Al]

Can it get any worse for Dan's beloved Sox? Giambi hits a homer to put the Yanks in front in the top of the tenth, and then Posada's two-run blast follows shortly afterwards. Damn.

[BERIGAN]

Can it get any worse for Dan's beloved Sox? Giambi hits a homer to put the Yanks in front in the top of the tenth, and then Posada's two-run blast follows shortly afterwards. Damn.

Yeah, that was a tough one to watch. I guess Dan was right, after all....Can't believe the Sox bullpen went south so fast! Heck, the Braves might, just might have a better bullpen right now, but then again, that's akin to comparing manure, to dog shit. Both are crap!