Friday, November 03, 2006 |
Pickoff Moves
Today's Birthdays
Mike Christopher LAN b. 1963, played 1991
Sherman Corbett CAL b. 1962, played 1988-1990
Bob Fisher BRO b. 1886, played 1912-1913, d. 1963-08-04
Spider Jorgensen BRO b. 1919, played 1947-1950, d. 2003-11-06
Ed Lennox BRO b. 1885, played 1909-1910, d. 1939-10-26
Paul Quantrill LAN b. 1968, played 2002-2003, All-Star: 2001. Teriffic, hard-throwing reliever who gave the Dodgers his last truly great season, in 2003; the Dodgers got both him and Cesar Izturis from the Blue Jays for Luke Prokopec and a minor leaguer — one of Dan Evans' best trades ever.
Earl Robinson LAN b. 1936, played 1958
Bob Welch LAN b. 1956, played 1978-1987, All-Star: 1980, 1990. A Cy Young winner in 1990, he struck out Reggie Jackson using only fastballs in Game 2 of the 1978 World Series, preserving a 4-3 win with men on first and second. He later took the loss in Game 4, losing 4-3.
Welch spent most of 1981 in alcohol rehab, and pitched poorly in the World Series that year, giving up two runs without recording an out in Game 4, a game the Dodgers won anyway thanks to Yankees reliever George Frazier, one of three he would lose in the series. (For more details, see my bio of Ron Davis.) In December, 1987, the Dodgers traded Welch to Oakland in a three-way deal with the Mets, bringing Alfredo Griffin and Jesse Orosco back; he pitched well for Oakland in the World Series that year, getting a no-decision in the only game the A's won. He pitched in two other postseasons besides for the A's, posting good numbers; he retired immediately after the 1994 strike broke.
Roster Notes
- Bill Stoneman at least didn't repeat his mistake with Bengie Molina, and made a personal phone call to Adam Kennedy to let him know the team wasn't going to pursue him this offseason.
- The Angels are not interested in Barry Bonds at this point, though that might change if he hasn't got a deal by spring training.
- John Lackey helped propel the MLB All-Stars to a victory yesterday in their barnstorming tour of Japan. The game's other hero was Jermaine Dye, whose two-run jack was the game winner. Incidentally, does anyone else get the impression we're about to repeat the World Baseball Classic mistake with Lackey?
- The Dodgers aren't interested in Japanese free agent pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. Just as well; why get involved in a bidding war?
- Another guy the Dodgers have no interest in is Korean OF Byung Kyu Lee.
- The Dodgers want to commit suicide in this market:
Dodgers brass emerged from three days of meetings in Phoenix more convinced than ever that they must add a power hitter, at least one standout starting pitcher and arms in the bullpen. And General Manager Ned Colletti won't be as reluctant to give a top player a long-term contract as he was last year, his first on the job.
[...]
Colletti plans to set his sights high as soon as free agents can accept offers Nov. 12. Starting pitchers Barry Zito, Jason Schmidt and Greg Maddux, outfielders Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Lee, and third baseman Aramis Ramirez can expect to hear from the Dodgers.
- Aramis Ramirez would prefer to remain a Cub, which is probably just as well for the Angels; I have this awful sense of "decline phase ahead" for him. But maybe not.
- In AFL notes, Astros top prospect Hunter Pence was busted for a DUI incident on Sunday and sent home afterwards.
: 11/03/2006 10:32:00 AM : 11/03/2006 04:29:00 PMNewer› ‹Older
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