MLB 2009 Season

[Quincy]

Fuck them all with a white hot poker, starting with that asshole inbred hillbilly fuck, Papelbon.

Wow, that's what I've been calling Papelbomb for a couple of years now, but that's the way it is with hot shit firemen who aren't on your team. They're hard to tolertate. But when you start calling your own guy that...well see ya next year then.

Meanwhile M's win in the 9th!

[Matthew]

Fuck them all with a white hot poker, starting with that asshole inbred hillbilly fuck, Papelbon.

Wow, that's what I've been calling Papelbomb for a couple of years now, but that's the way it is with hot shit firemen who aren't on your team. They're hard to tolertate. But when you start calling your own guy that...well see ya next year then.

Meanwhile M's win in the 9th!

It was a good win for the Mariners, Ichiro hitting a curve ball that's about an inch off the ground, and just getting over the infield. If I'm Toronto, I'm pissed losing that way.

[WorldB3]

It was a good win for the Mariners, Ichiro hitting a curve ball that's about an inch off the ground, and just getting over the infield. If I'm Toronto, I'm pissed losing that way.

Ichiro is one of those guys where every at bat is worth watching. He is a true artist up there like George Brett and Rod Carew.

[Chalupa]

Back from a summer vacation to North Carolina....

Where to begin?? Nice to see the WFC have finally got over their June swoon. Looks like we're getting Cliff Lee for 3 prospects. Kinda of bummed b/c this means that they are dropping out of the Halladay sweepstakes. Plus he's another lefty to go w/ Hamels and Happ. However, he's a lot cheaper in terms of salary and prospects. Phils still need a right handed bat off the bench and another arm for the bullpen wouldn't hurt either. Lidge is still injured despite what he and the Phils say. I wish he had gotten his knee cleaned up back in May when he went on the DL. Alas.

Halladay - Well I was really hoping that the rumors were true and that he was coming to Philly but that dumb ass GM in Toronto over played his hand and F'ed it up. I don't think Halladay goes anywhere at this point.

Minaya/Mets - What a freakin' soap opera! Not sure if they can be counted out of the post season yet though. If they can get everyone healthy they can still be tough.

[Brad]

At this point, I'm just looking for a somewhat fun/interesting remainder of the season. I don't think they can worry about how many games they're behing so or so until they win on a consistent basis.

The ultimate irony would be if they lose out on a playoff spot by a game or two. If that happens, you'll start to think of games they should have won such as the games where Castillo dropped the popup against the Yankees and the one where Church forgot to touch Third base.

[BERIGAN]

I had to double check, the Red Sox are still in the W.C. lead, right??? Papelbon is 25 for 28 in saves...not exactly horrible. I know, he makes it too interesting in the 9th...oh well.

Steve Berthiaume is like most other red sox fans. Waaay too tense about the team. He was going on and on the other day about Papelbon, and everyone else on the baseball tonight panel was basically saying, but he got out of the jam, no runs scored, whats with all the anger???

Brad, Mets and Braves fans I think share the same feeling right now...Fun/interesting. The Phils have the east all but won. The W.C. is a bit more possible, but still....

I'd love to see Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman given 2 months to get their feet wet, but in typical braves fashion, they won't realize they are out of the race till they are officially eliminated. Then we will hear how my goodness, you would have to put them on the 40 man roster...can't do that! They will play in Arizona instructional league, then we will have them waste half a year in AAA so like Hanson we can start their arbitration clock late, and save some money.

Well, they might not mention the last part, but that's what they mean.

Glad to see Mariner fans still having something to root for in August! Jack Wilson is one of the best SS in the game, did the pirates get anything of value??? Besides Ronny Cedeno?

[BERIGAN]

I know there's still 3 more months of baseball left and the WFCs are in first place but the Phillies are done. DONE. Stick a fork in 'em. I can't see them recovering from this funk that they're in right now. They've lost 11 out of the last 13 w/ 6 of those at home in back to back sweeps. Hopefully they won't trade the farm system for a late run at the playoffs. Ruben, pack it in and stock up on some arms for next year when everyone's healthy.

:P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P

Can you know say the same thing about the Braves W.C. chances????Thanks!

Edited July 30, 2009 by BERIGAN

[Chalupa]

I know there's still 3 more months of baseball left and the WFCs are in first place but the Phillies are done. DONE. Stick a fork in 'em. I can't see them recovering from this funk that they're in right now. They've lost 11 out of the last 13 w/ 6 of those at home in back to back sweeps. Hopefully they won't trade the farm system for a late run at the playoffs. Ruben, pack it in and stock up on some arms for next year when everyone's healthy.

:P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P

Can you know say the same thing about the Braves W.C. chances????Thanks!

LOL!!

[BERIGAN]

Can't find anything about it on mlbtraderumors.com but on the braves telecast they mention a rumor of the marlins (Who the braves are playing tonight) are possibly going to trade for Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell for Mike Stanton(Gee, is he still pitching??? ) and some other prospects!

[Chuck Nessa]

Cubs won again.

[BERIGAN]

And a photo of Pete Falcone for some reason( the mets shared spring training facilities with the Cards...I think? Quincy will know1 )

Nice pics! The beauty of Carlton & Rose is that their styles are very recognizable. Aside from being a nice guy Tito was a regular Mr. October in his 50 plate appearances. He made a friend of mine from Chicago cry when his 10th inning home run for the O's (which broke a scoreless game) finished off the ChiSox.

I'm guessing you took the picture of Falcone as the Cards had him for awhile as they got him from the Giants for Reitz. Or perhaps you looked into the future and knew you'd be a Braves fan. He was around at the park as the Mets also played their spring training games in St. Pete during those years (note the home uni pinstripes.)

A bit of Cardinal spring training trivia for ya. During WWII (1943-45 to be specific) the Cards held spring training at Cairo, Illinois.

Speaking of Rose there's a rumor that baseball may make him eligible for HoF voting. Aaron and other Hall of Famers met with Selig concerning the topic. As far as I know most guys who played during his era are okay with it. Schmidt has long been an advocate but to have Aaron on board is big. The steroid stuff probably helps Rose's cause. The timing of it has to do with the 20th anniversary of Rose being banned for life approaching. No guarantee that he'd be voted in, and I think the surviving HoF-ers have to vote on it too. Bob Feller won't be pleased.

Quincy, I kept seeing the next page, didn't think anyone had commented on this!

You are right, For anyone over say 35, I bet I didn't even have to mention Rose or Carlton's name under the photos!

Rose has made some huge mistakes in the past, but if some asshole like Cap Anson is in there, Rose sure should be. Just do it and be done with it...

A mention of Kenny Reitz, aka the Zamboni machine! Slowest player...ever??? Always liked him...he used to just tear the cover off the ball early in the year, then hit about .220 after the all star break. I could swear one year he was leading the league in hitting around June 1st, say .370...then sucked the rest of the year. bet you could find his stats early in each season!

Did not know that about Cairo Ill! Must have been to save fuel I guess??? Wonder how many arms were ruined trying to warm up on a 35 degree day in March!

[Soulstation1]

IMO

Rose will never make the HOF

If so it will be after he passes away

IMO

[Quincy]

A mention of Kenny Reitz, aka the Zamboni machine! Slowest player...ever??? Always liked him...he used to just tear the cover off the ball early in the year, then hit about .220 after the all star break. I could swear one year he was leading the league in hitting around June 1st, say .370...then sucked the rest of the year. bet you could find his stats early in each season!

I liked him a lot too. I think Cardinal fans did too as the team got him back from SF after just one year away. As far as his "speed" it was too bad he never raced Brooks Robinson. Cardinal announcers loved to compare the two (range factor didn't exist back in those innocent days. )

I too remember him being hot in April, and what do you know, for once the memory wasn't made up!

Batting Average for April (courtesy of retrosheet.org)

1974 - .417

1975 - .369

1976 - .369 (his season w/ the Giants)

1977 - .211 (oops, back w/ STL. Hits .366 in May.)

1978 - .315

1979 - .324

1980 - .397 (batted .195 for June & July)

1981 - .192 (now w/ Cubs)

1982 - w/ Pirates, does not bat in April, gets 10 AB in May & June and is out of baseball.

Lifetime he was a .260 hitter who hit .314 in April. His worst month was September .243.

Did not know that about Cairo Ill! Must have been to save fuel I guess??? Wonder how many arms were ruined trying to warm up on a 35 degree day in March!

Oh I don't know, the average March temp is 73. Oh wait, that's Egypt. Having spent some August days in Little Egypt (Southern Illinois' nickname) I just assumed that summer heat & humidity was still hanging around to keep you warm in the winter. (I know better, but that summer weather is so wicked that I still have flashbacks.) Regarding ruined arms it must have been bad, look at Pete Gray.

IMO

Rose will never make the HOF

If so it will be after he passes away

IMO

IMO too. Sorry all for passing on the Rose rumor. Dan Patrick sounded very convincing that day.

[BERIGAN]

Ahh, thanks for retrosheet again Quincy. I can't ever remember that site, no matter how many times you have mentioned it in the past...but, I can recall within 3 points what Kenny Reitz was hitting one season when I was 13! 1980, at the beginning of June, he was hitting .373!!! And if my math is right, he only hit .224 the rest of the year!!!! How do you do that??? Is that some kind of weird record??? Hitting .149 points lower than you did the first 2 months of the season??? Or worst ba after having the highest batting average the first two months?? can you look into that as well???

And how do you play in 151 games, and only have 523 AB's even though you only walked 22 times the whole season??? He wasn't taken out for defensive purposes.

Did offenses just suck that much??? Gee, some .300 hitters that year...no one even had 600 AB's. Barry Bonds struck out more than anyone else on that team, and that was only 74 times....different times for sure.

And bringing up Pete Gray, bad Quincy!

[BERIGAN]

Quincy, this talk must bore the crap out of everyone but us!

hey, remember Mike Tyson????

[Tim McG]

How 'bout that David Ortiz?

Another HR last night. A 3R jack.

Must have been those hot dogs and beer.

[Brad]

How 'bout that David Ortiz?

Another HR last night. A 3R jack.

Must have been those hot dogs and beer.

Guess he and Bonds now have something in common except that at least Ortiz said he took responsibility.

[zen archer]

Red Sox are very close in a deal for Victor Martinez and Bucholz and Bard are not part of the deal

looks like Masterson ....aaarrgghhh...I love Masterson....is Martinez that good?

Edited July 31, 2009 by zen archer

[Dan Gould]

Red Sox are very close in a deal for Victor Martinez and Bucholz and Bard are not part of the deal

looks like Masterson ....aaarrgghhh...I love Masterson....is Martinez that good?

Giving up Masterson is giving up a lot of flexibility, as someone that could be an eighth inning guy (last year) or a long man/starter (this year - and he didn't do it very well this year either). In all seriousness Masterson slipped significantly in my eyes this year. V-Mart is a very good hitter with no real position, though he can play 1B and he catches. He's a substantial offensive weapon, the problem is that there is no place for him to play without sitting a regular everyday starter. What do they plan to do, sit Youkilis, Varitek, Lowell and Papi once a week? That's not a full week from Martinez, who is used to being a starter.

I'd love to find out that since they didn't give up Clay or Bard that somehow they are going to pull of Halladay, but the reality is that they have less than an hour to deal poor Adam LaRoche, who came to Fenway, looked at the Monster, and smiled, and now is going to end up somewhere else less than 10 days later. Unless of course he is going to Cleveland since I am pretty sure they need a 1B now - weren't Garko and V-Mart sharing the position?

I will say this - with V-Mart signed for next year, they will either ease him in as primary catcher over 'Tek (because even if they don't exercise the team option on Varitek, Varitek has a player option) or else look seriously at sending Lowell away in a Lugo-style 100% salary dump, as no one will take Lowell with his bad hip.

The Phils must be ecstatic that Lowell didn't take their offer in 2007, or they'd be on the hook to him for two more years.

[zen archer]

They traded LaRoche for Casey Kotchman

[Dan Gould]

And what the hell kind of deal is that?!?!

One third-string 1B for another? And a worse one at that. They couldn't get one or two mediocre prospects for LaRoche? Then they'd be even with what they gave up for ten days of having him on the roster. Maybe they are sending Kotchman somewhere else? Unless he has options left and can be sent to Pawtucket, it makes no sense.

And meanwhile, Rolen being traded to the Reds just puts the lie to that a-hole Blue Jay GM claiming that if they don't get what they want, they'll just go for it all next year with Halladay + all their other young pitchers coming back. They've got a shitty offense as it is, and they get rid of Rolen now?

We may find out how good Theo's draft people are, because V-Mart did cost TWO first-rounders in Hagadone and Price. At least it will be a little while before they make this trade look bad, if that's how it turns out.

[Dan Gould]

Am I missing something about Kotchman? Is it possible they'll do a waiver deal on Lowell in order to give Kotchman and V-Mart time at 1B? Or maybe they just accepted Kotchman because they know he has value, isn't that much different from LaRoche and could be gotten through waivers and he'll be on the roster about as long, or even less than, LaRoche was?

Otherwise I can't figure out why they started the day with an extra every-day player in LaRoche, and basically ended the day with two extra everyday players (who play the same position) in V-Mart and Kotchman?

I realy want to hear how they are going to deal with this, and especially whether or not Varitek begins to be eased out now. FoxSports suggested that the best defensive they could put out there would be Kotchman at 1B and Lowell at 3B, with Martinez getting his ABs at C and DH.

[BERIGAN]

Well, as a braves fan, I ain't exactly happy about the trade either. Kotchman was finally showing a bit of pop of late. 6 homers is pathetic, but the last 2 he had hit were really monsters, looked like he was finally starting to turn on pitches, instead of just going the other way all the time. He's only 26. Now he's a bench player, at least for 2 months.

LaRoche has had a terrible year, but has a bit more power. But, he's a free agent at the end of the year. Perhaps the braves would go with a 20 year old rookie next year(Freddie Freeman) but not likely. Sigh...not the big bat move braves fans were hoping for.

And did you guys hear about this asshole umpire????

http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/c...ver-104780.html

[zen archer]

Am I missing something about Kotchman? Is it possible they'll do a waiver deal on Lowell in order to give Kotchman and V-Mart time at 1B? Or maybe they just accepted Kotchman because they know he has value, isn't that much different from LaRoche and could be gotten through waivers and he'll be on the roster about as long, or even less than, LaRoche was?

Otherwise I can't figure out why they started the day with an extra every-day player in LaRoche, and basically ended the day with two extra everyday players (who play the same position) in V-Mart and Kotchman?

I realy want to hear how they are going to deal with this, and especially whether or not Varitek begins to be eased out now. FoxSports suggested that the best defensive they could put out there would be Kotchman at 1B and Lowell at 3B, with Martinez getting his ABs at C and DH.

On NESN they (Maz,Buckley) said that Kotchman will accept being a role player more so than LaRoche?.I don't know that remains to be seen.

Also of note they said that the Sox have been enamored of Kotchman for a long time ya know Theos Man Crush syndrome (remember Lugo)

Edited July 31, 2009 by zen archer

[zen archer]

Well, as a braves fan, I ain't exactly happy about the trade either. Kotchman was finally showing a bit of pop of late. 6 homers is pathetic, but the last 2 he had hit were really monsters, looked like he was finally starting to turn on pitches, instead of just going the other way all the time. He's only 26. Now he's a bench player, at least for 2 months.

LaRoche has had a terrible year, but has a bit more power. But, he's a free agent at the end of the year. Perhaps the braves would go with a 20 year old rookie next year(Freddie Freeman) but not likely. Sigh...not the big bat move braves fans were hoping for.

And did you guys hear about this asshole umpire????

http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/c...ver-104780.html

Well Nick Carfado (Boston Globe) said that Bobby Cox was not happy with Kotchmans lack of power.