Comments on: Going home & movin’ on

By: JP

JP — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 15:15:00 +0000

That’s a good point. I guess it’s time to see if Sardinha will sink or swim. Give him a cup of coffee in the bigs and if it doesn’t motivate him next year I guess it’s time to cut bait.

By: Doublegrapes

Doublegrapes — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 11:43:15 +0000

Why did Scranton take out Karstens after 90 pitches. They should have let him pitch the 8th inning. Karstens development is more important than Sean Henn’s.

The same thing in game 3. DeSalvo throws only 83 pitches in 7 strong innings. Wouldn’t a nice complete game playoff win help his trade value.

Let these guys throw 100-110 pitches. DeSalvo and Karstens aren’t 21 years old. Let them pitch!

By: Ben K.

Ben K. — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 06:51:44 +0000

I don’t see any reasonable 40-man move that can be made)

I wouldn’t be sad to see Brian Bruney go at this point.

By: dan

dan — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 04:21:34 +0000

I think Eiland would be a good choice, considering he had half of next years pitching staff under his watch this year. As good a job as Contreras has done, I think his talents are best suited for Tampa. You don’t teach pitchers new things once they get to the majors, and Nardi has excelled in that area.

By: DKA

DKA — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 03:56:22 +0000

Mike R:

I’d like to see someone like Eiland or Nardi Contreras take over for Guidry next year. I like the idea of having someone used to grooming younger pitchers and, while I have nothing but gut feeling to back this up, I don’t know if Guidry is the kind of pitching coach that would excel at bringing these guys to the “next level.”

I’m nowhere near a major league pitcher, but it took me several months to trust my own footing in getting back into running after suffering numerous small injuries last year. I can absolutely relate to the “Hughes isn’t trusting his footing” theory. Sad to see people down on him, but he’ll have the last laugh here.

By: Michael T

Michael T — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 03:23:24 +0000

DiceK is pretty much now a $100 million, league average pitcher. The AL Barry Zito. Compare the stats of these two guys and they are remarkably similar. Same innings, same ERA, same WHIP, same walks, same ERA. DiceK is only better in terms of Ks and he hasn’t allowed any unearned runs. And to account for league and park difference, I’d look at his ERA+, which was 110 before the start tonight but likely closer to 100 now, since league average is 4.54. (Zito is 98).

And, for the most part Japanese pitchers get worse not better after their first year. Check out DiceK’s best comp, Nomo. He had ERA+ of 15 and 120 his first two years at age 26/27. For his career he was 98.

Choke on it Theo.

By: Wordekemper = Wizard

Wordekemper = Wizard — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 03:03:27 +0000

All I can think about this is that September call-ups aren’t a) particularly meaningful, and b) worth many 40-man alterations unless they’re going to be impact guys for the playoffs. Sardinha has been in the system a while, Gardner hasn’t, and Gardner probably has a full year ahead in AAA. So he’s, if not earlier, a September call-up next year and Sardinha, if he doesn’t perform well next year, becomes The Future of Kevin Reese?

By: Mike R.

Mike R. — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 02:41:15 +0000

Over at Lohud Pete Abraham is speculating that if Torre is not back next year Dave Eiland, the pitching coach from Scranton, could be a front runner to replace Guidry. I love what the guy has done with the pitchers he has had. Any toughts?

By: JP

JP — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 02:22:15 +0000

It’s strange that Sardinha would get the call instead of Gardner. I would think a pinch runner with good defense would be more valuable than a pinch hitter that won’t see any valuable at bats. Sorry just a rant

By: zack

zack — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 01:54:55 +0000

Maybe Karstens really did turn it around. Nice to see the Trenton pitching dominate Portland and totally out pitch them, and thats not even the Trenton rotation that was supposed to be so great!