Wednesday, May 24, 2006 |
Pickoff Moves
Today's Birthdays
Bartolo Colon LAA,ANA b. 1973, played 2004-2005, All-Star: 1998, 2005. The Angels' Cy Young winner is due for a rehab stint any day now. Happy 33rd, Bart!
Rob Ducey CAL b. 1965, played 1992. When looking at these players, I admit to being a little fascinated by guys like Ducey; how do you have a 15-year career in the U.S. and Japan and not make it as a regular? Sort of a Ron Mabry type of outfielder, he arrived in California as half of the deal that sent Top 100 Angel Mark Eichhorn to the Blue Jays, the other half being reserve catcher Greg Myers. The Angels released him at the end of the season, and he scampered off to Japan for a couple of years. Texas bought him out of his Japanese contract, and he played in Mariners, Phillies, Blue Jays, and Expos uniforms for another five years before hanging 'em up in 2001.
Gus Felix BRO b. 1895, played 1926-1927, d. 1960-05-12
Jason Grabowski LAN b. 1976, played 2004-2005. He of the eponymous Grabowski Principle, whose reformulation states
When a pitcher does something hopelessly bad in a situation he should easily handle (e.g., giving up a hit to an opposing pitcher in a National League game, plunking the batter with bases loaded, or walking a struggling hitter), the Grabowski Principle says that pitcher must immediately be replaced.Grabowski appears on no major or minor league rosters this year, and given his age, we have to assume he is retired. Update: it appears Grabowski is working in the Japanese industrial (minor) leagues.
Carlos Hernandez LAN b. 1967, played 1990-1996. A useful reserve catcher behind Mike Piazza, he came up a couple years earlier and got far too many at bats in the Dodgers' awful 1992, Piazza's debut year. Allowed to walk by the Dodgers after 1996, the Padres picked him up; he had a shockingly good line in two postseasons, .299/.338/.358, numbers well over his career norms. He retired after the 2000 season.
Fred Jacklitsch BRO b. 1876, played 1903-1904, d. 1937-07-18
Dave Machemer CAL b. 1951, played 1978
Joe Oeschger BRO b. 1892, played 1925, d. 1986-07-28
Brad Penny LAN b. 1978, played 2004-2005. A controversial figure through no fault of his own, largely because of then-GM Paul DePodesta's Big Trade that unloaded Paul "Heart And Soul" Lo Duca, among others, to the Marlins. Said cardiectomy didn't prevent the Dodgers from winning the division, though ironically, Penny had almost nothing to do with it, as he spent most of the rest of that season on the DL.
Ellie Rodriguez CAL,LAN b. 1946, played 1974-1976, All-Star: 1969, 1972. Both his All-Star appearances coming with teams (the Brewers and Royals) other than the Angels, he was part of the return on the deal sending Clyde Wright to the Brewers. After two years as the Angels' starting catcher, he was traded the Dodgers, where he served for a year as Steve Yeager's backup.
Clancy Smyres BRO b. 1922, played 1944
Pecking Order: Dodgers 8, Rockies 1
What a tear the Dodgers have been on! On May 4, they were 12-17 and in last place in the NL West; they're now 26-20, only a half game out of first place, behind Arizona, and knocking out the first-place Rockies besides. They've got a major league-leading six-game win streak, and with all that's good going for the team, I'm starting to watch for the other shoe to drop; but for now, we take the good without reservation. The team's veterans are contributing as Colletti no doubt planned, and while I have my doubts about some of these guys over the course of a whole season, for now, skies are blue. I know I'm enjoying it.Roster Notes
- Kendry Morales, on the pressure to perform in the majors:
"It's kind of hard to explain, because I haven't faced the pressure here yet," Morales said through an interpreter before the game. "I know I'll have a bat in my hands and someone will throw the ball from the mound. That's about it."
- Bartolo Colón's latest bullpen session didn't go so well, and Mike Scioscia says "it's going to take some work" to get him back in Anaheim.
- Kevin Gregg will get the next replacement start, despite Jered Weaver's nine-inning shutout earlier in the week.
- Both Darin Erstad and Maicer Izturis could have minor league rehab starts within the next week.
- Cesar Izturis expects he will play shortstop when he returns, leading me to think: bench or trade.
- Rich Harden could come off the DL in early June.
Batting stats of Surpass, the Orix farm team
*グラボースキー ←Grabowski in Japanese
G AB H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB HBP BA
15 40 12 1 0 1 7 0 5 0 .300
: 5/24/2006 11:15:00 AMNewer› ‹Older
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