Friday, May 26, 2006 |
Pickoff Moves
Jack Cronin BRO b. 1874, played 1895, 1904, d. 1929-07-12. Apparently unrelated to the Hall of Fame player-manager, the one interesting thing I was able to find about him: he fell for the hidden ball trick on September 24, 1901.
Willie Fraser CAL b. 1964, played 1986-1990. A reminder that the draft is a crapshoot: Fraser was taken in the productive 1985 draft, a class that included Barry Larkin, Barry Bonds, B.J. Surhoff, Walt Weiss, and Gregg Jefferies (who would in time become an Angel). While Fraser was a good player who had a few good seasons for the Angels, it's also worth mentioning that Rafael Palmiero was taken eleven slots below Weiss, and seven slots below Fraser. Randy Johnson was taken in the next round, 36th overall.
Ramon Lopez CAL b. 1933, played 1966, d. 1982-09-04
Rob Murphy LAN b. 1960, played 1995
The "Keep Kennedy" Brigade Charges
You can criticize Bill Stoneman for his use of the money saved by not re-signing Troy Glaus, but you can't criticize letting the injury magnet go. Having been unavailable due to shoulder trouble his last two seasons with the Angels, they finally decided to let him go in favor of Minor League Player of the Year Dallas McPherson. The fact that he hasn't quite put it together in the majors yet is a factor of his increased strikeouts and his continued injuries; arguments that Troy Glaus would have been injured, too, have to be countered by the fact that Glaus would also be getting a free market salary on the bench.So today we have this Matt Hurst piece in the Press-Enterprise regarding Adam Kennedy:
Although past years would indicate so, it's not necessarily set in stone that this will be Adam Kennedy's final season with the Angels.While I wouldn't mind a short-term deal — no more than a couple years — it does seem likely that he's going to be gone, and some time later this year, Howie Kendrick will come back and show those who can't read context into statistics just what he's made of. He's not a platoon player to only face lefties off the bench, yet that's assuredly, in part, what caused him to fold earlier this year. If his 5-5 night (with a home run, and a double shy of the cycle) last night is any indication, the day's coming fast that he'll be up with the big club. Kids gotta play sometime.Angels second baseman Adam Kennedy has been the team's best hitter with runners in scoring position this season.
Like so many before him -- Troy Glaus, Troy Percival, Bengie Molina, Jarrod Washburn -- Kennedy is entering free agency, and the team has a hot prospect that could fill his spot at second base.
However, highly touted youngster Howie Kendrick was just 3 for 23 in a short look this season, starting three games at second base and two each at first base and designated hitter. Upon returning to Class AAA Salt Lake, Kendrick has played first and third base.
That might mean the door isn't shut on Kennedy.
"If it is (my last year), I am trying to go about it as I appreciate the time I had here and the people I'm with and the team I'm with," said Kennedy, 30, making $3.5 million this year. "I wouldn't consider it a dead man walking-type of deal."
There are those in the organization who want Kennedy back. The Riverside native is batting .286 and has been the Angels' best clutch hitter, posting a .400 average with runners in scoring position, and 16 of his 20 RBI have come in those situations.
Colletti's First Draft
Well, his first draft with the Dodgers, and do I smell a conflict in philosophy with Logan White?"There isn't a whole lot of sense drafting players you can't sign," Colletti said. "I will want to make sure the thought process is thorough on draft day."Unfortunately, it also appears that this draft, by consensus, is the worst since 2000. It's a bad year to have a lot of top picks; I wonder what that might do to Colletti's approach next year.A few years ago, Colletti's mentor Sabean said, "Quite frankly, we're very reluctant to overspend in the draft … because it's so fallible. Our focus is spending as much as we can and being as wise as we can at the major league level and using the minor leagues as a supplement and not necessarily leaning on it totally."
The Dodgers have aimed higher than that and have a farm system of strong prospects to show for it.
White and his top lieutenants will convene Monday at Dodger Stadium for several days of meetings. Colletti will join them when the Dodgers return from a two-city trip Wednesday and doesn't figure to dampen their enthusiasm.
His thinking appears to have evolved from his years with the Giants, who ranked 22nd in dollars spent for signing amateur players between 2000 and 2004.
"We've got three picks in the first 31, and that's exciting," he said. "We can't let the well run dry. We can't have an interruption. The heyday of the Dodger franchise was two generations of homegrown talent. My intention is to carry that on."
Quote, Unquote
"I was talking with [Darin] Erstad the other day about Napoli, and he said, 'We've got ourselves a ballplayer.' That's the ultimate compliment."— Adam Kennedy, on Mike Napoli"I was wondering why the heck they went and got me," said Ethier, whose professional highlights consisted of a .319 average, 18-homer season for Oakland's double-A squad. "They have the most talented minor leagues, by all the people who say so.
"To go get a guy like me who isn't proven in the major leagues, who wasn't even proven in triple A and throw him into all these guys, I was unsure."
— Andre Ethier, on his transition to the ShowListen, I've heard it a million times before.
Lynndi Kennedy, on the possibility of husband Adam being traded
: 5/26/2006 10:09:00 AMNewer› ‹Older
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