Open Thread: The RAB Mailbag
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Photo Credit: Ross D. Franklin, AP
We’re going to try something new here, the RAB Mailbag. It’s exactly what you think it is. Send us questions either via email or through the Submit the Tip box under The Montero Watch, and we’ll pick the best and answer them once a week or whatever it ends up being. It’s a trial and error thing, we’ll figure it out as we go. If some questions require a longer, in-depth post, we can certainly do that too.
Anyway, here’s tonight’s open thread. The Mets are playing the Twins, and there’s another game on MLB Network, but who you see depends on where you live. Clemson and South Carolina play at 9pm ET (on ESPN2) in the College World Series; it’s an elimination game for USC, and if Clemson wins they advance to the finals. UCLA and TCU are finishing up their game (on ESPN2 as well) as we speak. If UCLA wins, they go to the finals. The regular game thread will be up later, so kick it here until then.
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So. Um.
ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FĂTBOL?
I’m pumped up.
I used to never watch soccer, I thought it was boring and dumb. I started watching the World Cup only for the USA game. I am now hooked and am extremely excited for the game tomorrow. USA! USA! USA!
Also, I haven’t really been here in a while so I’m not 100% sure of the soccer following. I think it would be cool though if we could get an open thread for it tomorrow.
I’m with you. That Algeria game was so fucking awesome, that I now care about the World Cup.
Wow, Zambrano suspended indefinitely following this afternoon’s tirade.
What happen?
Gave up four runs in the first, got all pissy in the dugout and started throwing watercoolers, Derrek Lee said something to him and they had to be separated.
he almost killed derrek lee and was all up in his grill in the dugout after getting hit around in the first inning. I was watching the game and didn’t see anything that D. Lee did wrong
well other than the fact that d. lee was sayin something to him
oh looks like d. lee was saying “shut the f$#k up” to zambrano
Yeah, It looks like he was saying shut the F*** up. Oh yeah, I definitely don’t think Zambrano could beat up Lee if he tried.
If I was Lee, I would have to say something considering that your own pitcher who stinks, is basically showing you up…
He misplayed a ball that led to a Juan Pierre double. But that doesn’t make Zambrano even remotely right.
Zambrano is a head case. Dude was overrated to begin with too and he throws his teammates under the bus. I wouldn’t want him to play on my team anyday of the week…what a jackass.
Someone set up us the bomb
NHL Draft here we gooooo!
I want to see Connolly or Tarasenko become a Ranger tonight!!!
I don’t think they’re going to make a big deal. Gotta get Stall locked up before anything.
So here’s the utterly stupid idea I came up with earlier today. Prepare to be upset with me.
(I’m particularly interested in hearing what tony c. has to say about this idea. I’m sure it’ll make him apoplectic in his own indecipherable block-of-rambling-typographical-errors way. But I digress.)
Enjoy.
———————–
I’m looking for a second LOOGY to replace Boone Logan.
There’s a pitcher currently in the big leagues, in someone’s rotation, who is a good bet (IMO) to get DFA’d at some point this summer. I think he could be picked up and converted into a reliever; his delivery is funky enough that despite not being a very solid pitcher overall, he annhiliates lefties.
His split this year against LHB is .188/.278/.261 (.293 BABIP) with a 28/8 K/BB in 80 TBF; for his career he’s .203/.280/.292 against lefties (.285 BABIP) with a 240/71 K/BB in 822 TBF. This guy has given up 106 homers in his career, but only 10 of those were against southpaws. He walks way too many guys, but again, the preponderance of his control issues have been against righties; against lefties his arm action and raw stuff is still good enough to keep them off balance and allow him to pound the zone and get K’s without being sharp.
Sounds like a decent buy low option, right? Wait for him to get DFA’d, pick him up for the veteran minimum, move him to the bullpen, and see if he can just become an Arthur Rhodes-type lefty assassin?
Have I intrigued you? When I tell you the name, you’re going to stop being intrigued. But I think you still should be.
It’s this guy.
I’m going to assume you didn’t see Thursday’s game and give you a pass.
I did see Thursday’s game. I still want to do it anyway.
I think it’s a bad idea. Willis looks like more and more his problems are mental (and also mechanical too) than anything else. There is no way I would use him in high leverage situation. Guy is a mess…
And by Thursday I mean Wednesday.
http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs.....357503.jpg (safe)
Maybe, seems pretty doubful though. And you’re right, his name scares me away.
There are a million reasons to say “No f’in way” the most obvious reason was on display Wednesday when he was missing his spots by an average of 20 nautical miles.
Plus, this is not Willis, it’s the corpse formerly known as Willis, you can’t use his career stats and say he’ll live up to anything remotely close to them.
But his career stats are also what he’s currently doing, this year.
How are his career stats (which include seasons when he was one of the best pitchers in the league) indicative of what he’s doing this year?
Also, Logan hasn’t been a prototypical LOOGY in that he’s been asked to get righties out (I think Joe saw 98 on the gun and figured what the hell) and occasionally finish innings.
Over the last three seasons his line against lefties is .233/.351/.372
Pass. Not intrigued in that reclamation project.
I don’t think it is that crazy. I don’t know if it is worth the Yanks time to be the guys to turn him into a lefty specialist reliever, maybe another team. But I don’t see why he can’t play that role if he finally gives up on starting. He may stink at that too, but he has a better shot there than as a starter.
Manny Banny and Sanchez did some nice work for the GCL team today. Quite the start to Sanchez’s career: 4GP, .353/.389./824, 2 HR, 2 2B.
The Yanks have really found some great talent in the IFA market (not even including the GCL kids, who are too far away), they deserve a ton of credit on that front.
(Well, include Banuelos, he’s obviously beyond the GCL and only there because he’s rehabbing.)
I’m calling it. Gary Sanchez will be in the majors by 2015! Mark my words! And yes. They have found some great talent in the IFA market.
Let’s see…
Arodys Vizciano, Jose Tabata, Jesus Montero, J-Ram, ManBan.
Older players…Robinson Cano, Melky, Nova.
Cito Culver’s line in 000/000/000. Bust.
*is
Did he strike out in his debut?
No. There’s hope I guess.
Haha, I guess so.
Gotta take some type of positive out of it.
How many double plays did he ground into?
Listening to the Mets broadcast, does anyone else think that (when referring to a team that plays in a large ballpark) the idea of “tailoring your team to pitching, speed, and defense” makes no sense? If you play in a ballpark that’s hard to homer in, why would you want to do anything to further hurt your offense? Furthermore, isn’t a cavernous ballpark even more motivation to bring in big sluggers? That always bugged me.
What makes even less sense is that their centerpiece is David Wright, and they just signed Bay to a long fat contract. They ought to bring in the walls next season.
Well, the thinking is that a big ballpark would neutralize the big sluggers, because there long hits would just be outs instead of homers. So, getting speed, gap type hitters maximizes their ability to use a larger outfield for extra base hits. Faster guys also can cover more ground in the outfield. I do see logic in this, but I also get your point. If you have big mashers that can get it out of the park, and other teams don’t, then that gives your team a big advantage.
Pitching is pitching. You need good pitching no matter how big or small the ballpark.
Brackman with a rough start to his first start in AA… Settle down, big man.
Here’s crazy Z
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play......id=9335281
Lee tells him to “shut the fuck up” a couple of times, which is good advice.
Announcer: “It’s good to see someone show some emotion.”
Somehow, I don’t think Big Z’s reaction was in any way “good”. It would probably be better for the Cubs to see someone show some baseball skills.
IETCVM
Does MiLB.com never do Gameday for Trenton? Or just not tonight? I wanted to follow the BrackMan.
There’s only Gameday for Triple-A and All Star Games.
Laird HR’d agian, how long before he is in AAA?
You don’t promote guys when they’re hot, you promote them when they’re ready.
Doesn’t being hot all year make him ready?
What’s the rush? If he’s having a great year let him have a great year. Why would you want to potentially destroy his hot streak and confidence by moving him to AAA in the middle of the season?
That makes no sense.
Which one does more for his confidence:
Staying in AA while having a great year < getting promoted
Fair enough.
This.
He’s been doing it all year is JPK’s point.
Either way, I don’t think Laird gets promoted until August or next year.
I’m not saying call him up to replace ARod, just to AAA to replace Eric Brunlett
If Montero mashes for the last few months, does he split time WIth JOPO as the C/DH role next year?
There’s a chance if you ask me. Everyone knows Posada isn’t going to catch 100 games a year anymore, and Cervelli is more of a back up catcher. So there’s always a chance. Especially if Montero Mashes the rest of the year.
i’d rather have him start off next year in AAA, and if he continues his hitting through the months of april and may 2011, call him up in june and save service time clock
The Yankees don’t worry about the service time clock. If they think a player is ready they call them up. They don’t hold them back to save money.
true, but even then, me personally would wait a little more seeing that he is still 20 years old i believe and will be 21 years old next year. nothing wrong with more seasoning at such a young age in AAA
Yes, would love to see Cervilli learn another position or two ie OF, 3B(he already takes GB’s there) so he could be usefull in other ways and allow the Yanks to carry 3 catchers next year.
Montero should also maybe take some FB’s in the OF
Jorge is too old to teach new tricks
True, but if JoPo and Jesus are both in the lineup everyday one way or another, you’d need another catcher anyway.
In case of mid-game injury that is. You don’t want to lose the DH spot.
Aren’t you losing the DH spot anyway? It’s Cervelli after all. A pitcher can probably hit as well as Cervelli with more power at that.
I joke, I joke.
Compared to most catchers, Cervelli is just below average, not terrible.
He’s an average back up.
Yeah, average bu catcher, below average normal catcher.
BTW, does JPK stand for JobaPhilKennedy?
no
Jesus has a 2 rbi double in his only at bat so far!
just hit another 2B only one rbi this time
Yeah, I commented below. Awesome!
Question: Is ARod hurting/injured more then the Yanks are letting on?
I think we need the best UIF we can find. We could use JHJr back. Don’t know why they didn’t keep Hinske and have him work out at 3B (his original position),
Letting both those guys leave in favor of Nick Johnson, Randy Winn, and Marcus Thames is proving to be very dumb. Cashman should have keep at least one of those two.
Wait, did you just say NJ impacted JHJ and Hinske?
more Hinske than Hairston. in theroy where would Hinske fit in other than back up RF/LF emergency 3B with Nick Johnson in the lineup at DH or backing up 1b
But NJ is a possible AS, Hinske is a pinch hitter, how could you compare the two? It was a bad result with NJ, not a bad sign.
Vazquez is 2 for 2.
Montero with another Rbi double. He’s 2 for 2 with 3 rbi’s tonight!!
I’m more excited about the the hits and the double, but 3 ribbies are nice too.
Well obviously, but I feel like I’m required to at least mention them.
better offensive player. Adam Dunn or Jose Reyes?
Dunn>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Reyes
You get my point.
Is that a serious question
yes it is.. i’m curious what people think?
Dude, even with positional adjustment, I still prefer Dunn at this point. Purely offensively, no offense, but your coming across as a bit of an idiot. It’s like asking who’s better, JImmy Rollins Ryan Howard?
*Rollins or Ryan
immy Rollins is just a special player. It is hard to put into words everything he brings to the table. Forget number. Jimmy Rollins is quite possibly the greatest SS in the history of baseball.
For MLB Tonight I am Harold Reynolds.
Jimmy Rollins!
/Jimmy Rollins’d
No pun intended in that 2nd sentence.
ok.. i wasn’t intentionally trying to sound like an idiot. an idiot is one that would present their case, without using any facts to support their side, and then accuse someone else of coming across as an idiot just for asking the question..
to add on.. the real reason i posed the question is because i actually got into a debate over this with other Met fans who thought that I’M the idiot for even thinking to suggest Dunn is a better offensive player
i’m curious to know if i sound as stupid for having this opinion, and to see if anyone had any factual reasons to explain their side (to see if they were similar to mine) other than just “well duh.. of course Dunn iz betta! why you askin’ somethin so stupiddd.. u an idiot or somethin’ homes?!?!?”
I could pull out the statistics to back it up if you want me too. Although I do agree that there was no need to call you an idiot.
I thought you thought they were similar. If I had known you were only looking for reasons. I wouldn’t have called you an idiot. I apologize.
It’s all good man.
Trust me, I feel the same exact way you feel about the issue! I think only an idiot would really feel that Reyes is better offensively.
Well technically he didn’t call me an idiot, so I’ll let it ride. If he knew what side of the fence I was on he may have thought differently about referring me to one just for asking the question.
That’s what I just said above.
For a fact, even with positional adjustment, Dunn is still a full half a win above Reyes on the year. Purely offensively, fg says Dunn has triple the value.
but how is that calculated? how would you explain to someone unfamiliar with fangraphs how that stuff is calculated?
every time it try to, it’s like i’m speaking another languge literally to them
I don’t pretend to be an expert. It’s probably something to do with Dunn’s massively better on base skills and power, which are the two main components of hitting. Getting on base more plus hitting for more bases equal better hitter.
Anyone who would have a friend who believed something as dumb as that must be an idiot.
/Total Dominication’d
Dude, I apologized.
I saw that after I posted. Sorry about that.
I know, it’s just a very very very one-sided comparison.
I originally read this question as, “Who is better defensively?” and laughed to myself for a long time.
To bad I read it wrong.
Damn Tampa Bay Lightning took Connolly…
Tarasenko or Skinner. Let’s Go!
Sanchez has given up just a single and a walk through 4. No errors so far by the Scranton defense.
Another 1-2-3 inning, 7 k’s as well.
Another 1-2-3, still at 7 k’s.
WOW Nyjer Morgan. Fantastic catch.
And as a plus, he’s now 3-for-3. Which makes him 8-for-12 with 5SB the last three times I’ve benched him on my fantasy team. He’s such a fantasy tease this year.
You should pick up a bunch of Yankees.
Then bench them.
I’ve got Posada on the bench tonight. Multi-HR game. Book it.
Why?
Have Paulino as a backup, sat Posada last AZ game because he had the night off and forgot to put him back in the lineup tonight. Forgot that just bc the Yanks have a 10PM start, not every other team does.
I´m watching TV here in Colombia. On channels 2 and 28, they have baseball. The schedule fluctuates, but tonight I´m lucky to have the Yanks-Dodgers. Hopefully I´ll get the Yanks for the next two weeks.
I remember when I went to Ecuador a couple of years ago, they didn’t have any baseball on tv. Those were sad times for me.
i’ll be in africa for 6 weeks starting july 10th… it will be a sad time without internet and the yankees
The cable/dish providers in Ecuador are the only reason I would never ever be able to move there. I loved it on all other fronts.
Agreed.
Montero ruins his perfect night, nooooooooooo!
What happened? He struck out? Error? Made an out? I know he’s not injured…
A non k out.
What the fuck Rangers…
You have arguably the best Russian on the board in Vladimir Tarasenko, the best Offensive Defensiveman in Cam Fowler, Brandon Gormley, Austin Watson…
and you go with the Dylan McIlrath? He WILL KILL YOU in the PK with all the penalty minutes he gets from fighting. UGHUGHUGHUGHUGH
Yeah! Me too! All that stuff you said +1.
/Not into hockey but trying to be supportive’d
Ha it’s ok!
I’m not THAT angry, but my favorite NY teams disappointing me in the draft makes me go nuts.
That I can relate to.
Kelly Johnson just succesfully slid into 1st.
Don’t tell Michael Kay.
5.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, 1 WP. 86 pitches, 53 strikes.
Not a bad first AA start for Brackman.
Not bad at all, and all those er’s were int eh 1st I belive, maybe the 2nd, he settled down.
Can’t complain. Ashmore said they weren’t hitting him that hard too.
+1
Keeping those BB’s down is my main concern these first few starts.
Don’t like the hits and the homerun allowed. But everything else looks good. He should be fine.
8 outs on the ground vs. 2 in the air is pretty promising, too.
Arizona with hte bases loaded and no outs on 3 singles. Time to break it open against Tampa guys!
Damnit, k and dp.
Goreki with a 3-run HR.
I’m sure it has already been mentioned but…
Edwin Jackson is throwing a Ubaldian No No against the Rays.
7 BBs!
Getting into Burnett territory.
getting into Harold Garce territory!
Are you implying a 20.1 BB/9 ratio is bad?
It hasn’t been mentioned actually.
Still got the no-no through 7 IP. But 117 pitches. At what point do you turn to the Dbacks bullpen?
The D-backs’ bullpen?
You ride this fucker into the ground, or at least until he gives up a hit.
A team like the D-backs has nothing else to play for. And with that bullpen…
Well fuck. Keep it updated man.
Edwin Jackson will have the second Burnettesque no hitter this season if he records six more outs.
There’s no way he gets thru the next 2 innings in 12 pitches (total) or so. It’ll have to be a group effort. And of course, the Arizona BP is beyond shitty.
The Rays are about to be no hit for the 3rd time in 2 years.
EJ is at 117 pitches
i dont see him lasting long enough, although he’s had some 120+ efforts in his career
this is a great example of why and how there’s actually MORE strategy involved in an AL game vs. the NL (contrary to popular imagination), where the “spot in the batting order” makes the decision for you
I hate having this argument with ML people. They just won’t budge and refuse to see the other side.
Wasn’t it Jim Leyland who said managing in the AL is tougher than the NL?
I think it might have been him or Torre who said that.
I would LOVE for Mike or one of the guys on RAB to really do an in depth article on this breakdown, especially coming towards the end of interleague play just to tie relevance into the topic, and to also get into detail on the DH debate, etc etc.
I personally don’t have a problem with both leagues having separate rules (I have a preference, but it’s not like I won’t watch an NL game; baseball is still baseball). Yet NL supporters continue to feel that the DH ruined the game and isn’t real baseball, etc.
Montero with another hit, this one’s a single. He’s 3-4 with a single and 2 doubles. Sanchez has given up just a single and 1 bb with 8 k’s through 7.
man they are really goin to let EJ itch until his arm falls off
now a E-6 will have to go about 150 at least for the no no
keep the AZ bullpen out of this for the yanks sake
they just gunned down Crawford trying to steal 2B, to end the inning
unbelievably idiotic call by maddon
no with Crawford on second a hit would have tied the game
Fuck. No-no still good?
And what’s the score?
No no is still good Crawford was pinch running for Pena who reached on a error
1-0
Three to go for Jackson.
I hope AZ has enough brains to give EJ a extra day or two after this
135 pitches and counting
damn jackson still looks crisp
damn, 2 to go for Jackson
Ked BJ Upton on three pitches
1 to go
Wily Aybar
pitch number 140 is a fastball at 95mph… crazy
Just one left…can Jackson do it?
one more
poor BJ Upton lol
come on EJ!!!
And that’s the eighth walk of the night…
he did it
did it
Holy crap, he pulled it off!
The Rays have now been no-hit three times in the last two seasons.
he did! congrats EJ! very impressive
Damn… third no hitter pitched against the Rays in a year. That’s crazy.
Matt Joyce FTW! LMFAO!!!!
that was the best pie facing ever
The Rays are no-hit once more!!!!!!
Wow, yet ANOTHER no-hitter!! That *should* be 5 this year, through 3 months, unreal. Congrats to Edwin Jackson, it may have been sloppy, but 0 hits through 150 pitches is damn impressive
also agianst a top flight team
Im embarrased, ashamed, and saddened that I forgot today was the anniverisery of the King of Pop’s death.
Rest in Peace, Michael. We love you.