Open Thread: Building a team with up the middle players
ByThe late 90s Yankees were blessed with incredible talent in up-the-middle positions. Those teams are a testament to the strategy of developing pitching and up the middle players, and using trades and free agency to fill in the other positions. It’s just not easy to find players like Jorge, Jeter, and Bernie on the free agent market, or even in a trade from another team.
Part of the reason the Yankees succeeded in 2009 was that they had excellent talent up the middle. Jorge Posada is one of the best hitting catchers in the league. Jeter is near the top, if not at the top, for shortstops. Cano is one of the better hitting second basemen, and Melky Cabrera hits league average, which is above average for center fielders. The Yanks appear ready to reload, too, as their two top prospects are a catcher and a center fielder.
Over at Baseball Prospectus, friend of RAB Tommy Bennett looks at the up the middle free agents. As expected, the class isn’t all that inspiring. Thankfully, the Yankees have a superior player at every position except maybe center field (Mike Cameron), but even in that case they have a young player who has shown promise. He’s easily an acceptable alternative to Cameron.
Unfortunately, the article is subscriber-only. This is Tommy’s takeaway line, with which I fully agree. “The lesson to be drawn is that if you’re looking to add more than one of these players on the open market, you might want to take seriously the possibility that you’re not going to be competitive this year.” This is true in most years, and 2009 is no exception.
That said, this is your open thread for the evening. Treat it well.
219 Comments»
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Spring Training Countdown
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More importantly, let’s end this stretch of horrible hockey.
I’m not counting on it.
So much for that…
Good grief, I didn’t turn it on yet.
You don’t even want to know.
I have it on. I wish I didn’t.
Awful defense. Both were guys wide open in the slot.
Anyone know if the Detroit writer who voted for Cabrera over Mauer was the same douchebag who voted for Verlander over Grienke, because “he saw Verlander and didn’t see Grienke as much”
It was a Seattle writer who voted for Miggy.
OK, then it wasn’t the same guy.
I thought it was a Seattle writer.
You can only vote for one award a year, so it couldn’t have been the same guy.
You mean to tell me there are actually TWO batshit crazy sportswriters in this country?
Going to be interesting to hear how the guy who voted for Miggy defends that decision.
I suspect no one will make a big fuss because he’s Japanese. It’s just the way it is.
Because he didn’t use his spreadsheets and watched his player with his own eyes.
Well its obvious he didnt use his own eyes since he would have seen Miggys team collapse down the stretch because he didnt come thru like an MVP should.
Considering his team didnt even make the playoffs. So no he didnt use his common sense.
Let’s say that the stretch run happened exactly the same exact in the final tiebreaker game the Tigers LF’er doesn’t misplay the ball into a triple and the Tigers win. Is Mauer MVP? Remember that his team didn’t make the playoffs.
Sorry, typo. exact=except
yes, he still would have won.
I have been noticing for a while that on SportSpyder.com, it says weird things for the author of some articles. For the Twins site article on Mauer’s MVP, it said “By: objective and subjective measure.” On the Rosenthal article on his thoughts on MVP results, it said “By: a hair”
Heh.
I still can’t figure out how the “IT IS HIGH, IT IS FAR, IT IS CAUGHT” site got linked to SportsSpyder. It sticks out like a sore thumb with all the newspapers/serious blogs that get linked there.
Well, a lot of pointless blogs that only repost the news (that everyone can get from the newspapers themselves and don’t do analysis like RAB get linked there so its not that bad.
The Twins site article: http://i47.tinypic.com/2ec2puh.jpg
And the Rosenthal article: http://i48.tinypic.com/n5of8p.jpg
Can’t wait for the Radio Show. When do you think we can expect it?
It’ll be up tomorrow at 11:30am. Joe didn’t have time to edit and upload it this afternoon.
Dodgers “Long Shot” To Land Halladay
By Howard Megdal [November 23 at 5:28pm CST]
Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reports that the Dodgers are a “long shot” to land Roy Halladay, while Los Angeles GM Ned Colletti indicated an unwillingness to add Chad Billingsley into any Halladay deal.
It doesn’t take much of a leap to think the former is a result of the latter.
Colletti refused to discuss Halladay specifically, but said of his desire to improve the pitching staff, “We would like to improve our pitching, especially starting pitching. I don’t believe we can subtract from it in order to improve it.”
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/.....laday.html
So I guess that stuff about Coletti wanting to dump Billingsley was bogus. It never made sense to me.
Seriously. Selling low on a guy like that can be career suicide.
Look, the Yankees aren’t the only team “in love” with prospects and young players. Go figure.
And thats whats called negotiating.
What team would ever say its down on a player especially a pitcher like Billinglsey???
They want to keep his stock propped up and make it seem like hes valuable. Even when his team felt so bad about him they didnt start him in the playoffs and let Kuroda start games for them.
What team would ever say its down on a player especially a pitcher like Billinglsey???
A)A team that wanted to motivate him, thinking he didn’t give his best effort last year (See Yanks w/Cano last year)
B)A team that wants to test the waters and see what offers they get, without actually putting him on the market.
BTW-On that same topic, I’m still not 100% convinced the Yanks wouldn’t trade Swisher. His value is high, he has his limitations as a player, and he’s due to have serious money kick in over the next few years.
I don’t think anyone has said they wouldn’t trade Swish. It really depends what they can get for him and who they can find to play RF.
I think all of you will find this amusing:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3381278
Click on the link. You know you want to.
I think RAB should do more guest posts. How awesome would it be to have a Lanny/Bo post followed by a mryankee the next day? That’s change I can get behind.
We’re all eagerly anticipating your love poem to Joba the 4 inning Starter.
Dont keep us waiting.
Give me twenty minutes!
I’m still waiting for Pat’s guest post, myself. That one just might get the site closed down by Federal Investigators.
Olney: “Heard this: Teams are being aggressive in pursuit of Randy Wolf, who is one of the best of FA starters not named Lackey.”
Is this year’s class of FA pitchers so bad that Wolf is one of the best pitchers available?
Yes, yes it is.
Wow, that’s just sad.
Why did I think Randy Wolf bounced around more than he did? Probably because he’s signed 3 consecutive 1 year deals.
He’s a solid enough NL pitcher, but I wouldn’t want him anywhere near the AL East.
Can Gaborik play 40 minutes a night?
Holy crap. I’d say that timeout was effective.
Wow. What a comeback.
WOW! What happened to the Rangers? Six in a row!
I want what he said to the team on mp3.
The Rangers just lit up Columbus. Wow.
Hey so I got my Nike Yankees poster I got from Posterburner.com. Its really high quality paper, but the images are a bit fuzzed, which is to be expected. The original image was pretty small.
Here are some pictures:
http://tinypic.com/r/jsemb7/6
http://tinypic.com/r/33fakh0/6
How much did it cost you?
I think it was about 42 dollars.
Kinda costly but I guess its worth it.
42 dollars is a rather fitting price…
300 pages and counting.
I’m working on my 2nd book, but it keeps getting delayed. I haven’t finished coloring the first one yet.
I’m just too good.
I’m amazed at the negative reaction I got for suggesting the Yanks pick up either Rafael Soriano or Mike Gonzalez today. Are people that shell shocked over Kyle Farnsworth that they’ll NEVER give up a draft pick again?
Ooops, this was supposed to be a new comment.
Just finished “Olive Kitteredge” and “Let the Great World Spin,” which just won the Natinal Book Award (the REAL “NBA”) for fiction.
Those are the two best things I’ve read this year.
Jorge Luis Borges never wrote a novel, only short stories, essays, and poetry.
Quality, not quantity!
(That said, best of luck!)
I’m on page six of my children’s book. “Your Parents Got Divorced, And It’s All Your Fault!” is the title. Slow progress, y’know?
http://www.cracked.com/photosh.....ok-covers/
That’s awesome. Nice find, Jack!
Is Ajax considered up-the-middle talent? Is he a for-real center fielder?
For sure.
Any guess when will we see Ajax and Montero in the big leagues ?
I would say toward the end of 2010 for Ajax, maybe September. A year later for Montero if all goes well.
Both next year, second half.
Montero too? You’ve got me all excited now
Would a good MLB comp be Curtis Granderson? Above average fielder, good pop, strikes out a bit too much.
That’s the comp I always saw.
Another interesting comp was Z McAllister and Kevin Millwood.
what about a comparison for Jesus Montero ?
KLaw said Frank Thomas. Too big and stiff to field a position well long term but a natural born hitter with patience and power.
A scout quoted (don’t have the link, sorry) on a blog said Montero doesn’t get enough credit for his catching. I wonder if maybe he’s not the absolute stiff back there we’ve all been told about.
Piazza was a complete stiff, and he’s heading to the HOF (assuming the steroid suspicions don’t get proven).
Wow … dunno if there is one. Roy Campanella?
Michael Del Zotto is unimpressed by Steve Mason’s Calder Trophy.
When are the college basketball rankings revised each week? Where is the easiest place to find them?
Beating Cal and North Carolina on the same weekend must have done wonders for Syracuse’s ranking, and I was trying to find it. I went to ESPN’s and to AP’s sites, but they must not be up yet.
They’re up.
ESPN/Coach’s Syracuse went from 24 to 9, AP they went from unranked to 10.
GO ORANGE
WooHoo!
Thanks, Rebecca. (I’m a devoted fan. Of yours.)
Best Yankees players at each position for this decade?
That’s kind of easy, no?
C: Posada
1B: Giambi
2B: Cano
SS: Jeter
3B: A-Rod
LF: Matsui
CF: Bernie
RF: Sheff
Haha yea, thats why I just changed it.
DH: Karim Garcia!
Weren’t you paying attention earlier? Juan Miranda!
/didn’t actually read the post
Actually, some positions are too easy so lets add in year, like 2007 A-Rod for 3B
C: 2007 Posada
1B: 2002 Giambi
2B: 2006 Cano
SS: 2006 Jeter
3B: 2007 A-Rod
LF: 2004 Matsui
CF: 2000 Bernie
RF: 2004 Sheff
Agreed on all. Imagine how many runs that offense will score.
7.35 runs per game, or 1,190 over a 162 game season.
Never doubt the awesomeness of the internet.
http://tinyurl.com/ybffy7a
Kind of interesting that the best lineups all have Posada leading off and Jeter hitting 9th.
It’s the OBP. A-Rod’s hitting fourth all the time because of his SLG.
Imagine how many runs that offense will score.
All of them.
IETC.
Why not 2009 Jeter?
2006 Jeter: .343-.417-.483
2009 Jeter: .334-.406-.465
I didn’t consider defense.
Gotcha. Defense factored in pushes Jeter’s 2009 season as better then his 2006 season in my opinion.
He also put up identical 132 OPS+’s those two years.
There is definitely a difference in offensive production those two years though.
2006 wOBA: .399
2009 wOBA: .390
Fuck me. Um.
C: Jorge
SS: Jeter
1B: Hmm. Teixeira, honestly. But Tino in October.
2B: Canó, we’ll ignore 2008
3b: Nails.
LF: Gotta be Damon, no?
CF: Still gotta go with Bernie
RF: Paulie, but I love Swish
DH: Matsui
RHP: Moose
RHP: Wang, before mid ’08
LHP: CC
LHP: Andy
SU: Hughes ’09
CL: Rivera
Fuck me.
Nah. Too easy.
Hey now, we’re talking about Rebecca here, not her mother.
the 2000s?
Individual years, or overall?
Lets go with 1 year at a time:
1: (SS) 2006 Jeter .343 avg .900 OPS
2: (CF) 2001 Bernie Williams 26hr .917 OPS
3: (1B) 2001 Giambi .314avg 41 hrs 1.034 OPS
4: (3B) 2007 Arod 54 hrs 1.067 OPS
5: (C) 2007 Posada 20 hrs .970 OPS
6: (RF) 2004 Sheffield 34 hrs .927 OPS
7: (Lf) 2004 Matsui 31 hrs .912 OPS
8: (2B) 2006 Robinso Cano 342 avg .890 OPS (just beat out Soriano, could go either way here)
BTW I turned it into a DHles lineup just because it was so unstoppable.
Axia – we independently came up with almost identical lists, but I think. Giambi’s first year with NY was his best.
Bernies early 2000′s were hard to pick from they were so consistent.
Giambi was still with Oakland in 2001. He was a beast that year, though.
Yeah I just caught that…I was looking at (and listed) his 2002 stats I just messed up entering my comment.
I clearly typed the wrong year, Giambi starting in 02, not 01.
The lists are more similar than i originally thought.
It’s tough to balance years spent with the team vs. overall production (ie Giambi vs. Teixeira, Mussina vs. CC), but I’ll try…
SP – Mussina (4 very good years, 2 average, 1 clunker)
RP – Mariano (did you expect Jose Veras?)
C – Posada
1B – Giambi (1 great year, 4 very good years, 2 clunkers)
2B – Soriano (3rd place MVP in his second year)
SS – Jeter
3B – Alex
LF – Matsui (4 very good years ['06 would've been a 5th])
CF – Bernie (3 great years, 2 good years, 2 clunkers)
RF – Sheffield (2nd and 8th in mvp voting, fwiw)
DH – Giambi (kind of a revolving door)
Just look at the lineup now. Except substitute Bernie for Gardbrera.
Dang. Wanted to reply to salty-guy there. Sorry.
I’m amazed at the negative reaction I got for suggesting the Yanks pick up either Rafael Soriano or Mike Gonzalez today. Are people that shell shocked over Kyle Farnsworth that they’ll NEVER give up a draft pick again?
It’s not that. It’s that spending big money on free agent relievers isn’t smart because they’re so damn volatile. Even the best are unpredictable. That’s why Mo is so amazing.
Plus both Soriano and Gonzalez have injury histories, and you know someone will pay them to close. They won’t come to NY to set up out of the kindness of their hearts.
Both have set up in recent years (Gonzalez this year and Soriano last) and the closer thing is really a money issue, which can be worked out. Also, you could dangle the possibility of closing down the road, since Mo is 39.
But don’t be so sure they’ll insist on closing. The Atlanta beat writer linked on MLBTR today was questioning how badly Soriano wanted to even pitch (much less close), and said Gonzalez is a ‘consummate pro’ who’ll do whatever is asked of him. I’d pursue both of them, and see which one bites first.
Why (over)pay a guy for a task he isn’t performing? It’s not Farnsworth, it’s BJ Ryan and Steve Karsay. Two good years out of nine years they were paid to pitch.
Everyone knew BJ Ryan was a bad risk the day JP signed him. Farnsworth had a history of blowing up in pressure spots and Cash just dismissed it, and was wrong to do so. He should have done more homework on Farnsy. Karsay just didn’t work out, but that happens with prospects as well.
As far as paying guys not to perform, we did the same thing with Big Unit, Javier Vasquez, Jaret Wright, Carl Pavano, and a few other guys I’m sure I’m forgetting. Should we have stopped signing starting pitchers, too? Where would we have been this year if we did?
Starting pitchers are far more important to a team winning than relievers. You know that.
Those guys both aren’t bad, but I’m very reluctant to pay free agent relievers that aren’t great, great pitchers. Both those guys don’t have elite walk or home run-rates.
(My standards may be a little high. The only free agent relievers I’d be willing to pay are Mo-type, like ’03 Gagne, ’07 Papelbon, etc etc)
http://nomaas.org/blog/wp-cont.....shman1.jpg
I wonder what ever happened to Elian Gonzalez?
Actually, I hadn’t been, but thanks for the pic. I lol’d.
A machine gun AND a sack of money. Brian leaves nothing to chance.
He was sent back to Mexico if I remember correctly.
Wow, I’m a douchebag.
Cuba.
Cuba.
Joke? He was Cuban…
Haha. We caught it at the same time it seems.
Teixeira finishing 2nd in the balloting might be one of the biggest jokes of the whole voting process. Obviously the moron who voted Verlander in the Cy Young, and moron who voted Miggy 1st in the MVP are bigger jokes, but Teixeira was probably only the 3rd most valuable player on his own infield, let alone 2nd most valuable in the AL.
Mauer, Zobrist, Jeter, Longoria, ARod, Youkilis, and Miggy were all better choices than Teixeira.
“But he had 122 (!) RBI!!!”
Well, not really A-Rod since he missed 6 weeks and slumped for a month. If he played all year, probably.
You can make a case, salty, that ARod is a true MVP contender for what he and the Yanks accomplished after he returned. It shows his value in high relief. I have to agree with Stan Van.
Yea, I guess you can. I’m sure thats why he ended up in top 10 again. But I still think Tex was more valuable because he played all year.
If you were a Boston fan you would be one of those people who argues that Tom Brady is a better QB than Manning purely because of what his team accomplished.
Come to think of it, I actually do think Brady is better than Manning. I’m not arguing who had the better season, just who’s the better player. I’d take Brady.
When the Colts and Pats play they play great games.
Fair enough, I completely dissagree but I’m not trying to say that its not debatable..
But saying “hey, just look at the superbowls” is not a good argument. Unfortunately it is a very common one.
I disagree. A-Rod helped us a lot when he came back, no doubt. But that doesn’t take away the fact that his numbers were worse than Tex’s.
Look at it this way: What if Tex were gone a month, but A-Rod was still there, and then Tex came back and ended up putting up the same numbers that he ended up with at the end of the season?
Now what if A-Rod was here all season and he ended up putting up the same numbers that he ended up putting up after missing a month?
Looked at that way Tex is far more valuable than A-Rod.
If memory serves, the Yankees were 13-15 when ARod returned on the fateful day in Baltimore in May. He didn’t play in every game after his return, obviously, but from that date the Yankees won 90 games, and lost only 44.
Another thing to signify ARod’s value, imo – it was during his really bad slump in June where the Yankees nearly went in the tank. They got swept in Boston, won 2 of 3 from the Mets based on the luckiest play in baseball history (only slight exaggeration) lost 2 of 3 from the [b] NATIONALS [/b], and 2 of 3 from Florida. After ARod finally started hitting again (which was that magical 6/24 game in Atlanta, where everything came back together – the offense, the fight from the team, and ARod especially) the Yankees never looked back.
That June 24th game is definitely one of those true “turning points”. We all remember how listless the Yankees were, and how the frustration amongst the fans rose. The 6th inning of that game may have very well changed the course of the entire season.
I think the turning point of the season was the A-Rod first pitch HR.
Look, Tex is historically a slow starter, and the bullpen was also in shambles at that point IIRC.
I’m not saying A-Rod’s not immensely valuable, just that you can’t attribute the teams ultimate success to him. Or even mostly to him.
He played a big role, but not an MVP role, he waited for the DS & CS for that.
Aside from the obvious issue of the 28 game “Arodless” sample vs. the 134 games afterward, SSS alert, it doesn’t help anything but narrative to try & boil down a team’s success to a single thing or even game, a “turnaround” event.
This is a great team, & A-Rod is a great player on it. Maybe he’ll contend for MVP next year, but he didn’t deserve it this year.
A-Rod got something better than MVP this year, anyway. But I’m not talking about his World Series ring. I’m talking about Kate Hudson.
Mauer, Zobrist, Jeter, Longoria, ARod, Youkilis, and Miggy were all better choices than Teixeira.
I agree with most of these, but I think I’d vote for Tex over Youk and Miggy. I think he’s better defensively than both of them (though Youk is close) and you could argue that he was better offensively than those two.
Tex: .292/.383/.565 (149)
Miggy: .324/.396/.547 (142)
Youkilis: .305/.413/.548 (145)
But yeah, he shouldn’t have been runner-up.
I think yo can make an argument for him ahead of A-Rod, Longoria, Miggy, and Youk.
hey, i can type “fangraphs”!
Lanny asked me to do a Joba love poem. Well, it’s not exactly that, and I stink at poetry (never went through an emo phase), but here goes:
Oh Joba, oh Joba, we tithe our love to thee
The 41st prize from the land of corn, meth and football
Your graces are the most controversial of The Big 3
To The 8th the Diabetic Coma Diet Cokes shout,
He’s not a Starting pitcher, that kid’s got bullpen clout!
He’s got one-inning composure, he’ll shorten the game!
Holy bridge, Mosanna in the highest, the Holy Throne he’ll someday claim
Beneath the bright lights in the blighted Bronx, fastballs fuck the wind
He’s a starting pitcher, the brass says, one day, he’ll be our ace king!
In the year of our Mo, 2008, he’ll move to the rotation, the crowds will hiss.
Standing ovation.
Ks left and right, 1-2-3, Joba’s doing great, look at that, DCOKE, now do you see?
In deep trial, under strain, the shoulder pops, the dark of August! Not this game!
The season was over, how could this be? Oh Joba, oh Joba, please return, return to thee!
A new season begins–how many innings, the velocity, how will the bullpen be?
Why, oh why, why is he at 90-93? Bring back the magic, to the 8th, he’ll hit 103!
He lumbers–great, then good, then bad, then great. For there is no consistency.
Ablaze in the sky is who we knew he could be. Look at the kid pitch
Aces shooting down the stars right after the ASB! But it was not to hold.
Extended rest, 7 days, 10, two weeks, maybe Thursday, can I grab anyone some drinks?
Has he hit the wall, they say. He’s done, you can’t mess with the starter mentality!
But the playoff’s fair game, his arm can fall off, at this time we have no shame
4th starter in the playoffs? Not this time! Back to the 8th, his progeny
Now without limit for 2010, it is time, oh Joba, oh Joba!
Tip your straight cap and show us what you can be!
Oh Joba, oh Joba, we tithe our love to thee.
If you were a woman, I’d kiss you.
I see this here but refuse to read it.
[Golf clap]
You actually did it. Wow. I’m impressed.
What is it about this blog that attracts guys like you and TSJC?
Me.
Well, yeah of course, but besides that.
Nope, that’s it. Nothing else. Just Rebecca, and UWS, and yankeegirl49, and Kiersten, and Riddering. That’s it.
I can’t speak for TSJC, but for me, this is why:
Rocky Road Redemption (formerly RAB poster) says:
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Did you really just write that JMK is one of your favorite posters because he has the ability to masturbate?
(edges away slowly)
OK, I’ll buy that.
Here’s what attracts me to this blog:
http://riveraveblues.com/2009/.....ent-654403
/speechless
Late push for post of the year. I’m speechless. That was so great
Bravo.
Meter and rhythm isn’t your strong suit, huh?
Still, A+ on the effort.
I tried for a limerick on the first go and then Word freaked out and shut down. So I figured, fuck it, I’m not going to bother with meter and rhythm. I wrote that freehand in five minutes.
Dude that shit was fucking awesome. Congratulations, that must’ve taken a long time to do. I don’t know shit about poems even though I had to learn about it by fuckfaces like John Donne (who is actually pretty fucking cool in a 17th century religious kind of way) back in high school, but you seemed to do a good job at faking a classical style … unless you actually knew the fuck you were doing, in which case I am legitimately impressed.
Nonetheless, its good to know this poem exists. The universe is a little more complete with its creation.
awesome dude. “fastballs fuck the wind” hahaha. great work
Well done.
IETC to death:
“Holy bridge, Mosanna in the highest, the Holy Throne he’ll someday claim”
The rest kind of stank up the joint, but I admire the effort.
This House episode is way too fucking depressing.
Just re-read the Joba poem, guaranteed depression cure.
Help me out, folks. Name me some good hitting Catchers who’ve retired in the past 10 years or so. Piazza, Javy Lopez, Mike Stanley, and. . . .?
Lieberthal had a nice little run. Hundley, Charles Johnson.
Thanks. I’m trying to see how many of these guys had soft landings as they aged and if there was a relationship with their K/BB rate.
Pudge. Since he retired from steroids he’s stopped being a good hitting catcher.
Got him already. Technically, he’s still playing.
I consider him to be two different players though, the good one retired once he put down the syringe.
This might help:
http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/UMVWp
“Spanning Multiple Seasons or entire Careers, From 1980 to 2009, Played 50% of games at C, (requiring At least 3000 plate appearances), sorted by greatest Adjusted OPS+”
Gracias. Besame mucho.
Be much same?
/High school Spanish teacher wasn’t very good.
Thank you, many kisses.
I think besame means kiss me so you said “thanks kiss me a lot “
“I can get you a green card if you’re willing to sleep with me,” I believe.
/also did poorly in Spanish (but very good in Latin!)
and very poorly in english!
/adverb nitpicking’d
How do you share your play index search? I’m assuming a copy/paste of the URL wouldn’t do the trick that neatly.
At the top of the table, click “Share”.
I knew it would be right in front of me. Thanks.
Retired catchers, who played from 1990-2009 with and OPS+ over 100:
Piazza 142
Javy Lopez 112
Hundley 102
Lieberthal 101
Macfarlane 101 (retired after 1999)
Steinbach 100 (retired after 1999)
Not much there.
Seth McFarlane?
Benito Santiago
Jim Leyritz.
I need 11.5 points out of Kevin Walter in a .5 per reception league.
I need a miracle.
The Yankees were certainly competitive when they had Bernie at CF and Miguel Cairo at 2B in 2004. They even had Mr. 95 OPS+ himself, Tony Clark, at first base that year. I’m actually having a really hard time believing that offense actually scored 897 runs.
The Islanders.
win the game!
Anybody else hear anything about Craig Counsell? From Buster Onley’s twitter:
“# Craig Counsell has attracted interest from 12 teams. Possible he will leave Milw. for a multi-year deal. Possible fits: NYY, Boston. 8:51 AM Nov 16th from web ”
I like the lil guy and his grit and hustle and decent on base percentage, but do we really need an old Craig Counsell on a multi year deal? I do not see the need. He would be a great bench player for a one year but what kind of $ would he get for a multi?
Every time I hear his name I think of this:
http://www.theonion.com/conten.....g_counsell
Seriously though, I’d pass. He’s just not very good.
That’s awesome.
Yeah, no use for him. At all.
I do not like the Onion usually. But I laughed at that. I may be old or something but I don’t dig anything on the fake news tip. Usually reminds me too much of the corny SNL news desk stuff from back in the day but less funny. But this one was pretty good and I laughed out loud.
Always laughed at the look on Counsell’s face. I am sure he can not help it but he looks like a clean cut version of somebody who should have been an extra on Raising Arizona.
He’s gritty, gutty and has spunk coming out of his cleats.
. . . and has spunk coming out of his cleats.
Ewww.
It’s a clubhouse hazing ritual. He just liked it so much as a Rookie that now he requests it.
This explains why the dirt sticks to his helmet like no one since Trot Nixon.
pat’d
Meh. He’s Jerry Hairston w/o the flexibility. Hairston, plz.
Yes, Hairston > Counsell
You’re giving him too much credit.
+1
Serious question….people are up in arms about Teix getting second place in the MVP voting– understandably so. However, he had a very good year statistics wise.
My question is this; by the logic of some people, what qualifies a first baseman to win the MVP (I’m not being snarky, just genuinely confused)?
Pujolsian levels of awesomeness or a really down year at all the other positions.
Be Albert Pujols, basically. A first baseman REALLY has to tear the cover off of the ball to win MVP.
Don Mattingly levels of doubles and a glove smooth as silk. Plus a bad ass mustache.
I enjoyed this comment, DBHOF. Well done.
It’s not just first base, it’s most of the corner spot. You really have to hit the snot out of the ball to be the MVP at a position known for offense. If a C/2B/SS/CF has a big .300/.380/.500 season with real good defense, they should probably win.
What do we think about Phil Hughes’ ability to translate his success this year to next? It sure seemed like half his PAs this year looked like this:
Fastball down and away, called strike
Fastball up and away, swinging strike
Fastball middle up, swinging strike
All 93-96. As awesome as it was to watch, it was a little worrying, like watching a non-obnoxious version of Papelbon — he can’t sustain that amount of whiffing, can he?
Well, it probably won’t be as high as it was as when he was relieving, but Phil could definitely rock out a K/9 between 7.5-9.0. He may not be blowing dudes away with the FB, but if he can mix in the deuce and change, he’ll be able to be effective.
Okay so I went to a pizza place during my break at work today, right? I walk in and ask the girl behind the counter for a slice of regular. She proceeds to tell me that the place is out slices. Seriously. Out of slices. How in the fuck does a pizza place run out of slices?
Wow.
Out like there some pies in the oven, or out like come back tomorrow?
Or out like, “We can only make full size pizzas, not slices.”
It seriously didn’t even look like there were pies in the oven. The only thing I could see close to resembling pizza was three pieces of dough sitting vaguely near the oven. The guy who looked to be the cook was napping in the seating area.
Do you take lunch at a (very) odd time?
This was at about 5:40 PM. I was working from 3-8 and had a break from 5:30-6:00.
http://www.sportspickle.com/ar.....s-basement
My mom lives in a garden apartment?!
http://www.boston.com/sports/b....._shop.html
Isn’t it ironic that Lowell turned down 4 year deals to sign with the Red Sox? That’s why you go for the money every time, its not like the team actually gives a shit about you.