Monday, June 12, 2006 |
Pickoff Moves
Today's Birthdays
Damon Hollins LAN b. 1974, played 1998
Dave Skaggs CAL b. 1951, played 1980. A third catcher on the 1980 Angels before Brian Downing nabbed the reserve role, Skaggs had the odd distinction of having two of his three career home runs come off Matt Wise in the last game of the season. Weird.
Roster Notes
- Scrappy veteran team leadership counts for more than bat speed and production as Mike Scioscia says Erstad may be back in Monday night's lineup:
Erstad is batting .091 in eight games, with three hits — all singles — in 33 at-bats.
Well, this is the team that thinks OBP is a gift from Mars or something, instead of developing it in their minor leagues.Manager Mike Scioscia said there was "definitely a chance" Erstad would be activated today. According to reports from Salt Lake Manager Brian Harper, Scioscia said, Erstad is running well, playing superior defense and displaying good bat speed.
And those statistics?
"I don't think that's a gauge," Scioscia said. "I don't think it's a gauge to say, hey, a guy is ready because he's gone 10 for 20 in his rehab. You're evaluating, but you're evaluating things besides statistics at this juncture."
Erstad has not played for the Angels since April 30 because of irritation in his right ankle.
- Chone Figgins may return to third once Erstad goes to the outfield. This points out the whole stupidity of hauling Erstad up in the first place: now they're taking at bats away from Dallas McPherson, too, and if they're ever going to find out whether he's a competent major leaguer, it won't come by restricting his playing time. Erstad is done, but Scioscia — and apparently the Angels front office — refuse to recognize it.
- Former Philly and Astro Brandon Duckworth has been purchased by the Royals and will make his first start for that team against the Angels on Tuesday. Maybe the Royals' presence in town explains the rush to call up Erstad; if he can't hit against them, who can he hit?
- The Daily News cites a Boston Globe article claiming a rumored trade sending Ervin Santana to the Devil Rays for OF Carl Crawford.
- Chad Billingsley may be in a Dodger uniform for either Thursday's start against the Padres or Friday's start against the A's.
- Eric Gagné's return to the DL is "a near certainty", though Joel Guzman might get sent down to AAA.
The Dodgers have signed two of their three first-round picks in last week's draft and are close to signing pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who was the seventh player taken, for a bonus of about $2.3 million.
Pitcher Bryan Morris, the 26th player chosen, received a bonus of $1.325 million and infielder Preston Mattingly, the 31st player chosen, received a bonus of $1 million.
Erstad might even know it, although who could blame him for not wanting to believe it?
But the scary thing is that it appears, based on what they're saying, that Scioscia & Stoneman don't know it. Maybe they do, and this is just the politically correct way of proving it to Erstad. One just hopes that they don't take too long to figure it out.
I hate to say things like this, but it would be helpful if Erstad were to tweak something that knocks him out of the lineup again.
On a different subject: Santana for Carl Crawford?
Sounds like Pedro for Delino DeShields v2.0.
: 6/12/2006 09:53:00 AM
: 6/12/2006 08:51:00 PMNewer› ‹Older
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