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Thursday, April 13, 2006 |
Pickoff Moves, Lunchtime Edition
Two Blowouts: Pirates 9, Dodgers 5; Dodgers 13, Pirates 5
Jim Tracy, using the inside information that the Dodgers have a lousy pitching staff, murderized the LA of LA team; it's gonna be a long year if this keeps up, which Jon allows as to how it might. I thought it funny when, in today's game, Jerry Reuss suggested the Pirates wouldn't get too many balls to hit for home runs, for two reasons: first, Lowe gave up 28 last year, and second, he did end up surrendering one anyway, to Burnitz. Pay attention some time, Jerry.Cody Ross had probably the best game of his life today; too bad he's not likely to be anything more than a fourth outfielder. Maybe they can get a decent reliever...
Update: Grady Little suffers from the proximity to Jim Tracy:
"Is there a chance [Cody Ross] might not be the odd man out? Yes, there is a chance he might not be," Little said.
4/12: Pirates 9, Dodgers 5: Recap
4/13: Dodgers 13, Pirates 5: ESPN Box
Calling Jered Weaver: Rangers 11, Angels 3
Was Kelvim Escobar's fingernail screwing with his command? I think so, but when do players not named J.D. Drew ever tell you they don't want to play? Jon Weisman in Sports Illustrated, talking about Eric Gagné's recalcitrance when it comes to disclosing his injuries:The Dodgers hope to see Gagne make his 2006 debut in fewer than eight weeks. But whatever date Gagne and the Dodgers pick, they should consider self-imposing an automatic delay -- the same way TV executives now censor Super Bowl halftime appearances. Even with the promise that the worst has to be behind them, it's time to play it safe. Gagne has been one of the most reliable relievers in Dodgers history, but if anything has become clear, it's that he cannot be trusted to monitor his physical condition. The Dodgers training staff should draw similar skepticism.I hope not to insert Kelvim Escobar's name in place of Gagné's in the passage above; but I hold it in reserve. Is it a cue to call up Jered Weaver? Not yet.This isn't meant to be an insult. No one's saying this stuff is easy. But given that it's not easy, isn't it time that everyone involved started to take it easy? If the past two seasons have been the Dodgers' idea of being careful with Gagne, isn't it time to redefine what "being careful" means?
Between the lines, baseball's biggest sinner is the malingerer: the guy who doesn't run out a ground ball, the guy who asks for a day off to nurse the sniffles. But when you think about it, perhaps some cross words should be directed at the chronic gamer, the player who can't see that he needs to rest until it's too late.
CAA Swipes Clients From Some Sports Agents
The Times is running a story that long-time Hollywood superagency CAA has hired the agents representing such sports luminaries as Peyton Manning, Matt Leinart, and Derek Jeter. I wonder just how well they'll do at this; Scott Boras they aren't.A's Near Completion On New Fremont Ballpark
The AP is, incredibly, reporting that the A's are near to completing a deal for a new ballpark in Fremont, on land leased to Cisco Systems. Cisco has an option to buy the property between 2007 and 2010.
Comments:
An even better comparison for the pressure Escobar faced to perform is with Odalis Perez and Kaz Ishii, 2003:
dodgerthoughts.baseballtoaster.com/archives/10663.html
dodgerthoughts.baseballtoaster.com/archives/10663.html
More players playing hurt, from Ken Gurnick at Dodgers.com:
J.D. Drew "also hasn't seemed to recover fully from last year's shoulder surgery. He has yet to come close to displaying the power throws that made him one of the better defensive right fielders in the league."
"Shortstop Rafael Furcal is still occasionally troubled by a sore shoulder he encountered trying to play catch-up this spring while recovering from knee surgery. Furcal said he still feels it on certain throws, especially off his back leg."
J.D. Drew "also hasn't seemed to recover fully from last year's shoulder surgery. He has yet to come close to displaying the power throws that made him one of the better defensive right fielders in the league."
"Shortstop Rafael Furcal is still occasionally troubled by a sore shoulder he encountered trying to play catch-up this spring while recovering from knee surgery. Furcal said he still feels it on certain throws, especially off his back leg."
I would also take any pronouncement of health coming from Escobar's mouth with several grains of Kosher salt. Last year, he insisted on trying to pitch through the pain in his elbow long after it seemed obvious that he'd need surgery to remove the bone chips. Had he undergone surgery after his May 11th start (he went on the DL for a few weeks because of the elbow) rather than after his June 8th start, he could have come back in early August rather than early September. Ultimately, it might not have made much of a difference in the Angels season, since they wrapped up the division early enough to set the rotation for the ALDS. Still, though, he basically lost a month by trying to pitch through the pain.
I'd prefer to see him let his fingernail heal rather than try to be a gamer about it for a few weeks.
I'd prefer to see him let his fingernail heal rather than try to be a gamer about it for a few weeks.
# posted by 
: 4/13/2006 01:50:00 PM
: 4/13/2006 01:50:00 PMNewer› ‹Older
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