ByBetter than the gyroball.. Tip o’ the hat to With Leather and Will Carroll. · (9) ·
College World Series Finals preview
By · Comments
Yes, I know this is a Yankees blog, but we’re not just Yankee fans here at RAB, we’re baseball fans (well, at least I am), and you’d be hard pressed to find a better brand of the game than in Omaha. The players aren’t a bunch of egomaniac millionaires who think all of humanity owes them something; they’re a group of guys trying to achieve a common goal while in a key phase of life. There’s no pay check to play for, in fact many of the players are paying out of their pocket to play (NCAA limits the number of scholarships available for baseball to 11.7 per year, compared to 15 for women’s basketball and 85 for football).
Quick note -Â if you’ve ever wondered why so many high school kids drafted in the lower rounds of the draft sign pro contracts instead of going to school, remember the scholarship bit – some families just don’t have the means to send their kid to school if he doesn’t get a scholarship.
Down on the Farm
By · CommentsTriple-A Scranton (5-1 loss to Durham)
Shelley Duncan: 1 for 4, 3 K
Alberto Gonzalez: 2 for 4, 1 R, 1 2B – breaks an 0 for too-many-to-count
Omir Santos: 1 for 4, 1 K
rest of lineup: combined 2 for 21, 5 K – E-Duncan and Bronson Sardinha took 0 for 4′s
Matt DeSalvo: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 10 K, 1 HB – that’s a good way to throw 97 pitches in under 5 innings
Ben Kozlowski: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
ByScott Proctor just walked Jorge Julio on five pitches. Julio is 0 for 1 in his career. That was his second walk this year. That’s pathetic baseball. · (1) ·
Watch Joba Chamberlain pitch on TV!!!
By · CommentsIn about 2 and a half weeks. (sorry for the tease)Â
Joba was named to the USA squad for the 2007 Futures Game, which takes place Sunday July 8th at 2pm, and will be telecast on ESPN (or ESPN2, one of those damn channels). Both Phil Hughes and Jose Tabata made the game last year (you can watch watch Tabata almost talk off Hughes’ head here), but this year the Yanks only have one representative. You can check out the World Team roster here.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
We-want-Mil-ton
By · CommentsIn a somewhat surprising move, the Oakland A’s have designated Milton Bradley for assignment. The team now has 10 days to either trade him or grant him his outright release.
There is a common misconception that a DFAd player must pass through waivers. This is untrue. While it is common for a DFAd player to be placed on waivers, the intention is to outright him to the minor leagues. Because Bradley has five years of MLB service time, he cannot be outrighted to the minors. So it’s either trade him, or he’s a free agent in 10 days.
With Jason Giambi out and Johnny Damon near a DL stay, we think Milton, attitude problem or not, can help this team.
ByJoe Girardi has turned down the Orioles’ job offer. Considering that George Steinbrenner is a better boss than Peter Angelos, I don’t blame Girardi for saying no to a bad situation in Baltimore. But do you think he’s holding out for a spot on the bench in the Bronx? I sure do. · (3) ·
2007 Midseason Top 30 Prospects
By · CommentsI wasn’t planning on putting together a midseason list, but once I saw that everyone else doing it, I figured I might as well join the party. You can catch Fabian’s Top 30 List here and EJ’s here. I’m not going to go into too much detail because not all that much has changed as far as individual scouting reports and stuff like that. You can find my Preseason Top 30 list here, for comparisons sake. List after the jump.
ByCoors Field is a hitters’ haven. So what have the Yanks done in two games there? They are 12 for 65 with 6 doubles, no home runs and two runs scored. That’s a .185 average for those keeping score at home. But today, in a few hours, long-time Yankee punching bag Rodrigo Lopez takes the mound. I’m predicting, knock on wood, an offensive explosion from a Bombers’ offense waiting to burst out in Colorado. · (1) ·
