Thursday, August 24, 2006 |
Pickoff Moves
Today's Birthdays
Kip Gross LAN b. 1964, played 1992-1993. Along with the made-of-glass Eric Davis, one of the other returns on the John Wetteland/Tim Belcher trade; just a horrible trade. Factoid: he once lost games on consecutive days 1,100 miles apart, one in AAA and one in the majors; the AAA game had been suspended before his callup
Jeff Kubenka LAN b. 1974, played 1998-1999. Struck out damn near everything that showed up in the batters' box playing for Rookie-A Yakima, with a 16.98 K/9; he dominated every level through AA, advancing three grades in second professional season, earning a microscopic 0.70 ERA in AA ball. Starting the next year, his strikeouts progressively declined and his walks balooned. Not what you want to see from a young pitcher. Out of baseball by age 27.
Chris Prieto LAA b. 1972, played 2005. Brother Rick was a minor league star, but Chris actually made it to the Show — for two games and two unsuccessful at bats.
Tim Salmon CAL,ANA b. 1968, played 1992-2004.
Dear Timmy,It's not me. It's you. God knows I've tried to make this thing work, and so, I think, have you. Don't we have some great memories together? Unfortunately, it's just getting... old. Just like you. Yeah, 38's old, for a ballplayer. Face it, you're not getting enough playing time to contribute, and you've lost your eye lately, too; why didn't you swing at that called third strike last night, when you had an umpire giving the pitcher everything between first and third? Fangraphs agrees with me; you sucked almost as bad as Vlad, whose fifth inning GIDP killed a no-outs rally with two on.
Listen, it's just hard to believe that you're going to get anything besides a few at bats a week, and not even against every lefty the Halos face. I hate to say it, but ... it's time.
Love,
— R.
Luis Sanchez CAL b. 1953, played 1981-1985, d. 2005-02-04
Hit Eject: Padres 7, Dodgers 2
Another game I'm glad I missed; three ejections, two runs, and the first time the Dodgers got swept in San Diego since 1999. Gack. To be perfectly honest, I find this year's Dodgers awfully unpalatable even when they win, in no small part because of Frank McCourt's unsavoriness as a character, and his pathetic demand to be loved regardless of how tyrannical and petty he appears on the public stage. Takashi Saito and Andre Ethier make nice mascots, but it seems to me that the bottom could drop out — and it has — or they could take the division one-handed. Well, we know that latter won't happen; if they can't handle their nearest division opponent, they aren't getting to the postseason, either, and all the idiotic deck-shuffling that seems to be motivated by a panicky owner will be, as I figured, for nought.Chris Dial's Defensive Numbers
I've had both an anonymous commenter and Jon point out Chris Dial's defensive scores for the National League and American League. The stats (numbers in parens are the RS/150 score, runs saved per 150 innings played):- Mike Napoli (0) isn't as good a catcher as Jose Molina (9).
- Kendry Morales (19) is the second best defensive first baseman in the league.
- Adam Kennedy (-10) is appreciably below league average (one of the five worst in the league).
- Dallas McPherson (15), a top five defensive third baseman? Get outta town!
- Orlando Cabrera (4) is good but not much better than average.
- Garret Anderson (1) is just a whisker above average.
- When he can still take the field, Darin Erstad (20) is still the best defensive centerfielder in the league. Too bad his bat is so useless. Figgy (5) is better than average, only just.
- Vlad (3) is just above average at right.
- Russ Martin (3) is about league average.
- Nomar (6) is a top five defender at third, but as a converted shortstop, you'd think he'd leap to the top of the list here.
- Jeff Kent (-5) is below average, and I'm not surprised.
- Bill Mueller (-12) was really bad, but no other Dodger was included at the position, presumably because it's been a revolving door.
- Rafael Furcal (-9) is a bottom five defender; former Angel David Eckstein (12) is the second best defensive shortstop in the league.
- Andre Ethier (10) is solid in left, but DFA victim Jose Cruz, Jr. (11) was just a hair better.
- Kenny Lofton (-8) clocks in as a bottom five defender at center.
- J.D. Drew (2) is about league average at right.
As much as I like to bash Erstad's offense (it's fun!), I really wouldn't have a problem playing him everyday in CF if the rest of the lineup/roster were constructed properly. In other words, Erstad could bat ninth and be OK as long as power is coming from the other, more appropriate, spots in the order. Scioscia's error is that he thinks Erstad is a sparkplug or middle of the order type. He's not.
: 8/24/2006 11:20:00 AMhttp://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=5455&PHPSESSID=7032c66fc8d94658603d9fcbf4305d52
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its stuff we know as halos fans by watching day in and out. Vlad has issues on bases that cost us games.
Ersty? he brings an intangible to his game that can actually be measured statistcally in a positivive light.
as for Timmy, i've been his biggest supporter i think by far since February here and HH all year long, but the letter you wrote after last nights game, sad to stay, hit the nail on the head.
Anyway, enjoying your work--for the most part--all the same.
: 8/25/2006 07:21:00 PM : 8/25/2006 07:25:00 PMNewer› ‹Older
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