Wednesday, October 31, 2007 |
OT: KMZT AM Vanishes, Too
Luis Gonzalez Files For Free Agency, Dodgers Make Other Changes
Tony Jackson is reporting that Mike Lieberthal and Ramon Martinez filed for free agency today. Both players had their options bought out yesterday.
In other organizational news, the club promoted Gene Clines from minor-league outfield/baserunning coordinator to minor-league hitting coordinator, a position that was left open when Bill Robinson died suddenly in July. And former major-league infielder Mike Brumley, a speedster who played with six different clubs over an eight-year career, was hired as the Dodgers' assistant minor-league field coordinator.Incidentally, Gonzalez is a type B free agent according to the just-released list by Elias.
Labels: dodgers, front office, transactions
Colletti Admits To Talking With Torre
OT: Carona Turns Himself In
Labels: offtopic
Nate Silver Plays GM For The Angels And Dodgers
Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimFor the NL West and the Dodgers:
2007 Record: 94-68, first place
2007 Attendance: 3.4 million, second in the AL
2007 Payroll: $109 million, fourth in baseball
Key Free Agents (2007): RHP Bartolo Colon
Key Free Agents (2008): RHPs John Lackey (club option) and Francisco Rodriguez, SS-R Orlando Cabrera, RF-R Vlad Guerrero (club option), LF-L Garret Anderson (club option), OF-R Juan Rivera, LHP Darren Oliver
Key Long-Term Commitments: CF-S Gary Matthews, $10.5M/year through 2011; RHP Kelvim Escobar, $9.25M/year through 2009; RHP Scot Shields, $4.9M/year through 2010; RHP Justin Speier, $4.75M/year through 2010
Key Ready-Now Youngsters: 3B-R Brandon Wood, MI-S Erick Aybar, 1B-S Kendry Morales, RHP Nick Adenhart, LHP Joe Saunders
Needs: 1. LF; 2. DH
What They Should Do: Strong Buy. The philosophical question the Angels must ask is whether they’re competing with the Mariners, Rangers, and Athletics — or the Yankees, Red Sox, and Indians. If it’s the former, the team is probably strong enough to win the division unimproved. There are a few options for the corner slots that would be somewhere between league average and replacement level: make Reggie Willits your right fielder, endure another year of Garret Anderson in left, and Vlad becomes your DH, or permute that by moving Chone Figgins back to the outfield, and handing third base over to Maicer Izturis or Brandon Wood. Still, the incumbents are relatively weak — maybe not George W. Bush in '07 weak, but at least Carter in '80 weak—and the marginal gain from bringing on superstar talent is therefore relatively high. Nor are the Angels any longer a team whose future is ahead of it; a lot of prospects have either graduated (Howie Kendrick, Casey Kotchman) or burned out (Jeff Mathis, and now perhaps Wood), and the total talent stock is probably peaking right about now. Coming off five straight years of three million-plus in attendance, the Angels are at a crossroads, where they can massively inflate their franchise valuation and become Red Sox West with a World Series title, while still having some bailout options as a lot of money is coming off the books in 2008 or 2009. Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds should be target numbers 1 and #1A.What They Will Do: Strong Buy. It’s perhaps the best individual fit for both Rodriguez and Bonds. I’d give 50-50 odds that the Angels snag at least one of them, with a decent chance that they go after both.
Los Angeles Dodgers(Hat tip: SOSG.)
2007 Record: 82-80, fourth place
2007 Attendance: 3.9 million, first in the NL
2007 Payroll: $108 million, sixth in MLB
Key Free Agents (2007): LF-L Luis Gonzalez, LHP David Wells, RHP Rudy Seanez, 1B/3B-R Shea Hillenbrand, C-R Mike Lieberthal, 2B-R Jeff Kent (club option), LHP Randy Wolf (club option)
Key Free Agents (2008): SS-S Rafael Furcal, RHP Derek Lowe, INF-R Nomar Garciaparra, LHPs Joe Beimel and Mark Hendrickson, RHPs Brad Penny and Esteban Loaiza (club options)
Key Long-Term Commitments: RHP Jason Schmidt, $12M/year through 2009; CF-L Juan Pierre, $9.1M/year through 2011
Key Ready-Now Youngsters: OF-R Matt Kemp, 1B-L James Loney, 3B-R Andy LaRoche, SS-R Chin-Lung Hu, LHP Clayton Kershaw, RHP Jonathan Meloan, INF-S Tony Abreu
Needs: 1. SP depth; 2. CF
What They Should Do: Hold. Play. The. Kids. The Dodgers simply need to deploy their existing assets correctly, rather than seek help from elsewhere. To get a bit more specific about it, next year’s lineup should look as follows:SS Furcal C Martin 1B Loney 2B Kent LF Kemp RF Ethier 3B LaRoche CF PierreThat group would be significantly better than league average at two positions (catcher and second base), slightly better than average at three positions (shortstop, left field, and probably first base), about average in right field, and slightly below at center and third (though not for long in Andy LaRoche’s case, especially with Nomar Garciaparra serving as his caddy). Overall, it’s one of the better position player groups in the league. So then you take the money you’re saving yourself on Luis Gonzalez and spend it on a mid-level starting pitcher, to round out a rotation with Penny, Lowe, Schmidt, and Chad Billingsley. Coupled with the great one-two punch in the bullpen, that is also an above-average group. That’s it. You’re done. You’ve spent next to nothing--and you still have a potential pennant winner on your hands. It looks like about an 88-win core that can creep into the 90s if the veterans stay healthy.
What They Will Do: Strong Buy. There is no bigger disconnect in baseball between the Dodgers’ ability to develop talent and the front office’s lack of appreciation for that talent. Matt Kemp is someone that they should be thrilled to have in their lineup for the next six years. Andy LaRoche’s time is now. So is Chin-Lung Hu’s, and the Dodgers should consider trading Rafael Furcal to make way for him.Instead, all rumors are that Ned Colletti’s compass is pointed in the opposite direction. What I envision happening is something like the following: Kemp or LaRoche are included in a deal for a premium starting pitcher. And then-–guess what-–you do have a hole at left or third, and you do need to work the free agent market to repair it. But it isn’t a hole that existed before; it’s one that you’ve created yourself. The behavior is literally almost pathological, a kind of Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome: Colletti seems determined to make the Dodgers sick so that he can make them well again. Playing the kids-–these talented kids from your farm system that embody everything that used to be called the Dodger Way-–well, that’s just too darn obvious.
If the Dodgers feel like they have to have a 94-win club instead of an 88-win club-–and there’s no reason they should feel that way after drawing almost four million fans last year-–there are still a couple ways they could accomplish this. For instance, beat Curt Schilling’s second-best offer by 30 percent, which probably means something like $18 million. By definition, you’re overpaying, but the magnitude of the mistake is much, much smaller than trading Kershaw and Kemp for one year of Johan Santana, or signing Alex Rodriguez and permanently burying either LaRoche or Hu. Or, beat Torii Hunter’s second-best offer by 10 percent, and see if you can’t get someone else to eat most of Juan Pierre’s contract. Of course, all of this speculation may be premature; the Dodgers haven’t done anything yet this winter but replace Grady Little with Joe Torre, which surely has to be considered an upgrade. But based on their past performance, they’re not a club to which I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt.
Labels: angels, dodgers, predictions
Pickoff Moves
Angels Run The Numbers On A-Rod
The Angels are not ruling out a run at A-Rod. The money's the thing (emphasis mine):The loss of Bartolo Colon -- a free agent whom the Angels will not attempt to re-sign -- Shea Hillenbrand and Hector Carrasco will clear $25 million off the books, but it's not as if the Angels can plug Rodriguez's salary -- he's expected to command $25 million to $30 million a year -- into that slot and call it even.Raises to core players such as Guerrero, Gary Matthews Jr., Orlando Cabrera, John Lackey and Garret Anderson, and a significant jump in closer Francisco Rodriguez's salary will add at least $16 million to the 2008 payroll.
That leaves the Angels at about $100 million. Add Rodriguez, and the payroll jumps to about $130 million, not including the millions it would cost to insure his contract. The Angels, in need of rotation depth, also would have little room to add a quality pitcher.
...
"Finances are definitely going to be involved," new General Manager Tony Reagins said. "You want to make the best decision for your club. I'm sure Alex wants to make the best decision, and if the two jell, something can get done."
He has spoken to agent Scott Boras about Rodriguez, "and we'll be speaking again," Reagins said. Boras is also expected to meet soon with Moreno.
...
"You have to look at the long-term picture," Reagins said. "When you make that type of investment, you want to make sure you can absorb it. If it makes sense, you pursue it."
Does signing Rodriguez make sense?
"I can't say that because I don't know what the numbers are going to be," said Reagins, who is awaiting payroll parameters from Moreno. "Arte and I talk about a lot of things, and the most important is improving the club, bringing a quality product to the fans year after year. If something makes sense, we'll take a strong look at it."
Roster Notes
- Chone Figgins had surgery to remove the hook of the hamate bone in his left hand. He should be fully recovered by January 1.
- The Padres expect to re-sign Greg Maddux by either his exercising an $8.75M player option, or the team exercising an $11M club option.
- The Dodgers supposedly are one of several teams interested in Cubs free agent Kerry Wood. Wood was sporting a 98-MPH fastball late in the season.
- The Dodgers will pay half of Odalis Perez's $1.5M buyout for his $9M 2008 club option with Kansas City. The former Dodger had a 5.57 ERA in 2007 with the Royals.
- The Diamondbacks are negotiating an extension for manager Bob Melvin.
- The Rockies declined a $3.75M mutual option on LaTroy Hawkins.
- The White Sox declined Darin Erstad's $3.5M 2008 club option.
U.S.S. Mariner Hearts Bartolo Colon
U.S.S. Mariner has their 2007 offseason plan up, and one of its pillars is picking up Bartolo Colon, a pitcher Dave Cameron calls "the hidden gem of free agent pitchers".OT: Something For Halloween: Kaspar The Dead Baby
A little something for Halloween: my friend Marv Wolfman, fairly early in his career, wrote a rather gruesome backstory for Casper the Friendly Ghost, called "Kaspar The Dead Baby", which appeared in Crazy:
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Marv wrote that it was applauded the first time it was published, but when Crazy ran it later, they got subscription cancellations.
Labels: angels, dodgers, ex-angels, ex-dodgers, pay-rod, transactions
NY Post: Torre Signs For $14.5M, 3 Years
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 |
For What It's Worth: Nate Silver Likes Angels, Dodgers As A-Rod Front-Runners
THE CLINTON/GIULIANI MEMORIAL RUNAWAY FRONTRUNNER DIVISION2. Dodgers – Means, motive, opportunity, a GM and ownership that seem determined to prove themselves, and now Joe Torre at the helm. If A-Rod is spotted house hunting in Silver Lake, look out. 1. Angels – Arte Moreno feigns disinterest, but this team needs a premium hitter and we’ve been hearing all winter that they’re prepared for a payroll blitz.
Labels: angels, dodgers, pay-rod, transactions
Belated: Arte Moreno Falls Off The Forbes 400
In An Alternate Universe
Boston, Mass. (AP) -- Red Sox general manager Steve Phillips announced at a press conference held at Fenway Park today that manager Grady Little has resigned. A search for a new manager has started, according to Phillips, but "we can't say who those candidates are just yet."
While the team officially remains tight-lipped about the interviewing process, highly-placed sources within baseball have linked the Sox to the recently deposed Yankee skipper, Joe Torre.
Despite having perhaps one of the game's best offensive players in Manny Ramirez and a marquee pitcher in Pedro Martinez, the Red Sox have appeared in the postseason only once over the last eight straight years, getting knocked out in the first round by the Angels in 2004.
The new manager would be the team's fifth since owner Frank McCourt purchased the team in 2002.
Well, what would the Red Sox look like under McCourt's ownership?
Labels: angels, mccourts, red sox
Report: Grady Little Fired Resigns, Joe Torre New Dodger Manager
The Journal-News and New York Times are both reporting that the Dodgers have fired Grady Little, and replaced him with Joe Torre. Don Mattingly will follow Torre as a coach on his staff, according to the report. A conflicting report from the Times says:
Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti didn't respond to phone calls for the fifth day in a row. McCourt also hasn't returned calls and a Dodgers spokesman offered no comment.(Via BTF.) I'm no fan of Grady Little, but considering the talent assembled on the field, Ned Colletti seems to be more the right man to be fired here.
More: Tony Jackson, Brian Kamenetzky (I'll remember how to spell that last name without looking one of these days!).
Update: The following paragraphs are worth excerpting from the Times story above:
"What's been the most disappointing to me is that so many people, when things are going good, they're fine," Little said. "But then the very minute things turn sour, the real person comes out. That's what disappointed me the most."Wow, so what are we to believe the "real person" is? Bitter, spiteful, and vindictive?
McCourt stood behind Little and Colletti on the last day of the season, saying in a news conference that both would be back in 2008.Knifing your current manager in the back because a more-recognizable name has come up doesn't seem like a good way to demonstrate trust, respect, or integrity at the very least. The ultimate problem with this typically MacBethian move is that Torre may not be a better manager. He's received a fair amount of criticism that his best managing was done with Don Zimmer whispering in his ear. But this is the McCourt-era Dodgers for you: quick to fire, overly impressed with brand names, and not too concerned with continuity. If I were Ned Colletti, I might be looking over my shoulder should 2008 come to a similarly sour conclusion and Brian Cashman (say) decides he wants out of the Yankee front office.Asked why, McCourt pointed to what he called "core values" that he wanted to be the franchise's foundation -- he listed hard work, trust, integrity, respect, unselfishness and teamwork.
Update 2: The fact that Bill Plaschke endorses Torre's hiring even more cements me against the move.
The move makes sense.Well, how else were they going to handle it? The problem is that if you take the magpie approach to running an enterprise, every new shiny bauble will become this moment's most highly sought-after prize, only to be discarded when a new bead gets within view. It's not the two weeks of silence, it's that they did it at all.But the machinations make me sick.
If the Dodgers have an opportunity to hire future Hall of Fame manager Joe Torre, as several sources indicated Monday, they must do it.
But why couldn't they have done it 13 days ago when Torre initially walked away from the New York Yankees?
Why did they allow nearly two weeks of silence to twist a knife so deep into the credibility of Grady Little that there is probably no way he can ever manage this team again anyway?
Update 3: From the usually level-headed Ken Gurnick:
The hiring of the 67-year-old Torre would give the Dodgers a public-relations victory after a disappointing fourth-place finish in 2007. Torre, who rejected a one-year, $5 million offer plus incentives from the Yankees two weeks ago, reportedly would accept a three-year deal for less than $15 million from the Dodgers. Torre is rumored to be eager to return to managing and prove he doesn't need the richest payroll in baseball to win.How does this give the Dodgers a "public relations victory", except by showing they're willing to garrote somebody (again) every time the team disappoints?
Interesting comments from Torre himself on these rumors-treated-as-fact:
"Well, the Dodgers have a contract, I mean, a manager," Torre replied during his "Late Show with David Letterman." appearance. "The Angels have a very good manager."In Torre's book, Grady Little isn't a good manager? Sometimes, you say things that are quite impolitic, and speaking ill of anyone else in baseball (even if by omission) is considered bad form (though I don't think that's Torre's intent here).Torre went on to say: "That's a bad question to ask. I know what's been rumored. The local paper today is talking about going to LA. There has been a time or two that something that has been in the newspaper hasn't been true."
Update 4: Tony Jackson says "baseball operations has a major hand in it and appears to even be driving" the change, i.e. this is Ned Colletti's doing.
Update 5: Tony Jackson now says the Dodgers are calling a 4 PM press conference to announce Little's firing. Torre's hiring has yet to be confirmed by anyone other than the News-Journal and New York Times stories linked above.
Update 6: (and how long will it be until this gets to double digits?) Tim Brown at Yahoo Sports says Little has resigned. How could he not?
Update 7: Breaking a rule I usually follow by updating the timestamp on this post... the Times is now reporting that the Dodgers are entering final negotiations over payroll for Torre's coaching staff, and how much input he will have over roster decisions.
Update 8: Just got done listening to the tail end of the Little press conference. It sounds very much like the Dodgers aren't done dealing with Torre, and want to keep Little around as an insurance policy in case this turns into a big pratfall and they're forced to find another manager. Perhaps a replay of the situation up in Oakland in the 2005/2006 offseason, when Ken Macha was fired had his contract lapse and was then re-hired after Billy Beane couldn't find a suitable replacement, and Macha couldn't find another job.
Update 9: dodgers.com press release.
Although there are indications the Dodgers want Torre, under Major League guidelines the club is mandated to conduct a search that includes interviews with minority candidates.Ex-Yankee skippers are a minority of eligible candidates, right?
Update 10: Jon makes the same point I've been making, albeit in a slightly different way: "Dodgers Let Little Go Because Yankees Failed in Postseason".
Peter Abraham of the Journal-News says Torre and the Dodgers have agreed to a 3-year, ~$15M deal.
Update 11: Tony Jackson says the Joe Torre story is "not done yet, but should be soon", with yet another round of denials from the Dodgers that a deal is completed.
Labels: coaches, dodgers, front office, managers, yankees
Dodgers Reject Options On Lieberthal, Martinez
Update: Also at dodgers.com.
Labels: dodgers, transactions
Three Dodgers File For Free Agency
Labels: dodgers, transactions
51 Years Ago Today: Dodgers Sell Ebbets Field
Monday, October 29, 2007 |
Bartolo Colon, 56 Others File For Free Agency
- Oakland A's: Ex-Angel Jeff DaVanon, Shannon Stewart
- Arizona Diamondbacks: 3B Jeff Cirillo, RHP Livan Hernandez, RHP Bob Wickman.
- Colorado Rockies: LHP Jeremy Affeldt, RHP Jorge Julio
- New York Mets: Ex-Dodgers OF Marlon Anderson, OF Shawn Green, and C Paul Lo Duca, and 2B Luis Castillo, C Ramon Castro, and 2B Damion Easley.
- St. Louis Cardinals: Ex-Angels SS David Eckstein and RHP Troy Percival; and INF Miguel Cairo and RHP Kip Wells.
- San Diego Padres: OF Milton Bradley, C Michael Barrett
- San Francisco Giants: OF Barry Bonds, 3B Pedro Feliz
Labels: angels, athletics, diamondbacks, ex-dodgers, giants, mets, padres, rockies, transactions
Angels Outright Tommy Murphy, Marcus Gwyn
Labels: angels, transactions
Rangers Claim Nick Gorneault Off Waivers
We're not sure why a team that already has Jason Botts, Nelson Cruz and Victor Diaz feels the need to add Gorneault. The 28-year-old right-handed hitter has a history of putting up quality minor league numbers and probably would be a decent platoon partner for a left-handed hitter, but he doesn't have the long-term upside of any of the aforementioned players.Texas has had a longstanding problem getting quality bats into their outfield to match the firepower they had in the infield; starting with the loss of A-Rod and most recently with the exit of Mark Teixeira, the Rangers have had problems getting offense from the infield, too. Understood as depth, this maybe makes sense, but you have to wonder what Tony Reagins was thinking. It's altogether possible that Gorneault's Angel career had already been decided going into 2007, and this is its logical outcome (i.e., he wasn't going to be with the big club either on the bench or as a starter).
Labels: angels, transactions
Pickoff Moves
Rumordom And Grady Little's Job Security
Last week, Buster Olney cited unnamed partisans in suggesting that the Dodgers had "a developing opportunity" for Joe Girardi — which, as Ken Gurnick at dodgers.com pointed out, could simply mean he'll become a coach now that there are openings. That story is likely dead now that the Yankees have offered Girardi their managerial job and all the headaches associated with it. Supposedly, Girardi's accepted, and so there goes that possibility.As with Jon, my inclination is to say none of this really affects the Dodgers until there's an official announcement, which is why I'm taking this New York Post article that suggests the Dodgers are after Joe Torre with all the suspicion it deserves. (Via BTF.)
A-Rod, Best Player In Baseball?
Well, most likely, anyway. What's surprising is how far he isn't above the comparable players. The cost? Only <your team goes here>'s "heart and soul", according to reliable heart-and-soul-monger Buster Olney. I haven't quoted him in ages. Gotta go take a shower now.Labels: dodgers, managers, stats, transactions, yankees
Sunday, October 28, 2007 |
Red Sox Win The Series, Baseball Is Over, And Thank God: Red Sox 4, Rockies 3
What a disappointing postseason. The Rocks only got into the game late, and then not enough. Another miserable sweep.
Labels: postseason, recaps, red sox, rockies, scumbags
Duh: A-Rod Opts Out
John Henry is smiling in the seats.
Also via AP.
Labels: evil, red sox, transactions, yankees
Saturday, October 27, 2007 |
I Hate Baseball: Red Sox 10, Rockies 5
Labels: postseason, recaps, red sox, rockies
No Embarrassing Questions, Please: The Times Reviews Plaschke's Lasorda Bio
In one of the many great stories in "I Live for This! Baseball's Last True Believer" by Bill Plaschke with Tommy Lasorda, the young Tommy, on his way to a 13.50 ERA with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955, is summoned to the Dodgers executive office. "Tommy, if you were general manager of this team," asked Buzzie Bavasi, "who would you cut?" Lasorda replied: "I would cut that Sandy Koufax kid."Well, not really, something literate Dodger fans have known for a while now, thanks to more searching books like Glenn Stout's The Dodgers. Unfortunately, one gets the immediate impression that Barra was signed to do a book review on this one volume, and had some prior knowledge of Lasorda's son, another blemish on the former Dodger skipper's career. A book that fails to mention Lasorda's role in the Delino DeShields/Pedro Martinez and Paul Konerko/Jeff Shaw trades isn't likely to pursue the uglier details of its subject's career. Lasorda is an interesting, charismatic, and central figure of the franchise in Los Angeles, and it's too bad that the job of writing his life story as it really happened will fall to someone else.That's the only bad advice Lasorda has offered in more than half a century in big league baseball.
Labels: books, dodgers, history
Friday, October 26, 2007 |
Padres Waive Marcus Giles
Labels: padres, transactions
Pickoff Moves
A Curse On You, Red Sox: Red Sox 2, Rockies 1
The Red Sox have been involved in two of the dullest World Series of recent memory, including this one; once Jason Varitek hit a sac fly to center to just tie affairs, you just knew this game was over, because Ubaldo Jimenez was getting less and less effective as time wore on, while Schilling was just getting better. I mean, seriously, the Rocks got their only run without the benefit of a hit (on Todd Helton's scoring groundout)? Ugh. If there's not enough reason to crown the Red Sox as the new Yankees, I don't know what would be.Well, who knows. If one good thing comes out of this series (assuming a sweep, which I think all but inevitable) maybe it won't be having to listen to Curt Schilling prattle on about his bloody sock in a Red Sox uniform anymore.
OT: Speaking Of Things You Didn't Want To See: Slut Day
I'm not a big Joel Stein fan, but this is hilarious.That's why, after much research and consultation, I have founded our nation's newest holiday: Slut Day.It will take place the first Saturday of every August, a time both barren of holidays and plenty hot enough for really degrading costumes. Slut Day festivities include costume parties with themed drinks such as the Lindsay Lohan (just whatever in a giant glass) and, if possible, flat-screen TVs showing the latest celebrity sex tapes and select parts of "Meerkat Manor." Or anything else. Flat-screen TVs are just sexy.
In addition to fixing the Halloween problem, Slut Day also can replace the "Pimps N Hos" parties scattered across the calendar, which are racist and sexist, with an event that is only sexist. That's a 50% reduction in offensiveness.
OT: Total Loss
Uncle Jim's house finally showed up today among those listed in the total losses, but we knew yesterday from one of the people who stayed behind to fight the fire themselves rather than evacuate. Jim and his wife are okay (they were in downtown San Diego at the time), but ouch. That remodel is going to be a bit more expensive than they had planned for.Bringing this back to baseball, the Dodgers are sponsoring a fire relief effort at the Elysian Park gate from 5:00 AM (!!) to 11 PM tonight.
Dodgers At The Coliseum, Maybe
The Dodgers might play an exhibition game at the Coliseum next year. The Freeway Series will consist of only one game next year, so they've got lots of openings. Heck, I'd pay to see that, and given the huge number of seats available, tickets would be plentiful.Wonder Which Presidential Candidates Arte And Frank Donated Money To?
Wonder no more. Arte Moreno and his wife sent $4,600 each to neofascist Rudy "9/11! 9/11! 9/11!" Giuliani, while Frank and Jamie McCourt sent $2,300 each to Hillary "I'm Not Bill, Unless You Want Me To Be" Clinton. Giuliani is the huge favorite for baseball owner dollars, netting $78,000 total. Giuliani is a vile, vile man, and I find it appalling the owners are giving him such money. I have to say I like Arte as an owner, but his political leanings are scary (has anybody listened to the talk radio garbage that plays on 830 AM these days?).Labels: angels, dodgers, offtopic, postseason, recaps, red sox, rockies
Thursday, October 25, 2007 |
Hullo (Again) To Voros McCracken
Braves Add Ex-Angel Chris Resop To 40-Man Roster
Labels: braves, ex-angels, transactions
Pickoff Moves
Dodgers Promote De Jon Watson To AGM Player Development, Make Other Moves
The Dodgers have promoted De Jon Watson to assistant general manager of player development, according to the AP.Todd Tomczyk was named assistant athletic trainer, and Sue Falsone joined the Dodgers as the first female physical therapist in the major leagues.Also, Dave Jauss is not headed to Pittsburgh, despite earlier comments to the contrary.Brendon Huttman became the team's strength coach.
A's Hire Don Wakamatsu As Bench Coach
The A's are another team having an offseason coaching shuffle, and it turns out that Don Wakamatsu will be their new bench coach in 2008, replacing Bob Shaefer.Roster Notes
- Jason Repko injured his left ankle in Arizona instructional league.
- The A's are considering moving Justin Duchscherer to the rotation and out of the bullpen.
- Talks between the Mariners and Jose Guillen have gone nowhere, and it's expected Guillen will test the free agency waters; Seattle didn't want to give him a long-term deal.
Labels: athletics, dodgers, ex-dodgers, front office, injuries, mariners, transactions
Wednesday, October 24, 2007 |
Ball's Over, Cinderella: Red Sox 13, Rockies 1
Labels: postseason, recaps, red sox, rockies
Dustin Moseley Has Surgery
Rockies Blame Hackers For World Series Ticket Fiasco
Late yesterday, Keli McGregor, Rockies team president, said the outage was the result of a coordinated effort by unknown outsiders. "Our Web site, and ultimately our fans and our organization, were the victim of an external, malicious attack that shut down the system and kept our fans from being able to purchase their World Series tickets," McGregor said in a statement.There's some chatter in the comments following the article that the problem is insufficient server resources, but given that Paciolan is a known Microsoft lover, that might be only part of the problem. Microsoft servers, especially for database-driven transactions, just don't scale well, at least in my experience. Of course, if I'm wrong about their backend, then, never mind.Paciolan, which handles the online ticket sales for Colorado and several other Major League Baseball teams, said the system outage affected all its North American customers. TicketMaster in July announced a bid to acquire the Irvine, Calif.-based firm for an undisclosed sum, in a deal that is still under government review.
Paciolan, couldn't be reached for comment on the cause of the outage.
Solution providers said a distributed denial of service attack on Paciolan's online ticketing system is the most likely cause of the outage.
Update: The Rocks finally did sell out their World Series ticket inventory. Interesting sidebar:
Dave Marcus of McAfee Avert Labs, the research arm of antivirus software maker McAfee Inc., said it sounded like Paciolan didn't configure its software correctly to kick off users that were trying to trick the system.Or just failing to prepare adequately. You use stupid tools, you will get hammered. This application just isn't that hard to deal with."I wouldn't call that malicious. It's just someone trying to buy more tickets than they're allowed to in an automated way," he said.
But Alves said it was malicious because it was an attempt to disrupt the Rockies' ticket distribution method. MLB.com spokesman Matt Gould agreed because he said their attempts locked fans out of buying tickets Monday.
"There were people who schemed to cause a disruption in what is a landmark moment in Rockies franchise history," he said. "That's malicious any way you define it."
Labels: postseason, rockies
Tuesday, October 23, 2007 |
Minor League Defensive Sucktitude
10. Great Lakes Loons, Midwest League, Dodgers (Low-A)The Dodgers were the only parent club with two minor league affiliates on this list. But the worst team — by far — was the High Desert Mavericks, the Cal League affiliate of the Mariners. Their team DER was an astonishing .589, a "historic" level of incompetence arrived at in one of the worst hitter's parks in the minors.
Team ERA: 4.56
Team DER: .623
Team FIP: 3.84
Notable Pitching Prospects: Clayton Kershaw, James Adkins, Josh Wall, Steven JohnsonWhile the Loons' 4.56 team ERA will be the lowest figure in this group, they were still last, by a hefty margin, in the Midwest League with an ERA 80 points lower than the league average. It was a disastrous entry into the league, though the Dodgers foray into the Midwest did provide the league with its top prospect, Clayton Kershaw. That Kershaw was able to put up a 2.77 ERA in 20 starts while pitching with one of the minors’ worst defenses behind him reflects his talent. Expect Wall and Johnson to show tangible improvements next season, Wall especially (he drew an honorable mention in my previous article about players Clay Davenport’s minor league translations like more than public perception). Johnson has already looked better in his appearances in the Hawaii Winter League, posting a 3.00 ERA in four starts.
This also doesn't mean good things as far as the defensive futures for a pair of highly-regarded prospects, third baseman Josh Bell and second baseman Preston Mattingly. The quality Bell’s offensive season (.289/.354/.470) was masked by the pitching-friendly Midwest League, but at third base he certainly didn’t do his fellow Loons any favors. Mattingly, a former first-round pick, was a disaster at the plate (.210/.251/.297) and in the field, and his future prospects look more doubtful than ever.
...
6. Salt Lake Bees, Pacific Coast League, Angels (Triple-A)
Team ERA: 5.03
Team DER: .620
Team FIP: 4.47
Notable Pitchers: Joe Saunders, Jason Bulger, Ervin SantanaAt the major league level, Joe Saunders was essentially the same pitcher in 2006 and 2007. His ERA+ was within six percent between the two seasons, and his strikeout rates were also not too dissimilar. While the peripherals suggest modest change, he was league average in both campaigns. At the Triple-A level during these two seasons, Saunders seemed a totally different pitcher. In 2006, he had a 2.67 ERA in 20 starts, thanks to a 7.8 H/9 ratio. In 2007 with Salt Lake, despite sporting improved walk and strikeout ratios, Saunders’ ERA almost doubled (5.11). The difference makes Saunders the poster child of this exercise. It should come as no surprise that Saunders was better in Los Angeles than Salt Lake, as the Angels turned batted balls into outs seven percent more often than the Bees in 2007. While Jason Bulger’s season in Triple-A looked mediocre—besides his 13.8 K/9—the Angels should be confident that Bulger could contribute in their major league bullpen effectively next April.
...
4. Las Vegas 51s, Pacific Coast League, Dodgers (Triple-A)
Team ERA: 5.40
Team DER: .617
Team FIP: 4.62
Notable Pitching Prospects: Hong-Chih Kuo, Jon MeloanTo find the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate near the bottom of this list is surprising given the highly-acclaimed defensive prospects that logged significant playing time with the team: Matt Kemp, James Loney, Chin-Lung Hu, and Andy LaRoche. Setting aside possible environmental effects (here and at Salt Lake), we can probably assume it was the rest of the 51s defense that plagued the team, including veterans like Wilson Valdez and Marshall McDougall. The group of pitchers affected by the defense were largely non-prospects, or borderline guys like D.J. Houlton and Rick Bauer. The latter performance of that latter pair make me think a team could do worse than filling out a pitching staff with those guys, and Meloan’s dominance at the level promises for a big 2008. A lesson the Dodgers could learn: when filling a team with largely minor league veterans, picking up a few solid defenders rather than a hitter like McDougall might be the best thing to help inspire some confidence in your young pitchers.
Labels: angels, dodgers, minors
Angels Announce 2008 Schedule
Labels: angels
The Angels Have A Stats Guy?
Almost all clubs employ metrics and computers to differing degrees and most pursue a balance between these newer tools and their experienced scouts.Well, that's interesting. The Angels, using actual numbers 'n stuff? Who knew?The Angels, for example, have remained scouting-based while putting increased significance under older-school Stoneman on the contributions of 29-year-old computer analyst Tory Hernandez, whom they promoted last week from player performance analyst to manager of baseball operations.
"If our scouts are irreplaceable, Tory has been invaluable," Stoneman said. "Nothing will ever replace the human mind, but I don't know how we would operate without the computer."
One thing the piece points out is that the increase in parity makes for a lot of front office heartburn:
Some clubs have a greater margin for error than others, but almost all, in a wild-card era of parity (this could be the eighth straight year in which a different team wins the World Series), believe they can reach the playoffs, reducing ownership's tolerance for front-office excuses.
Labels: angels, front office
OT: Fires
My uncle was forced to evacuate, along with the entire city of Fallbrook; fortunately they had a San Diego apartment to retire to, instead of heading to Qualcomm Stadium. (We'll likely find out tomorrow if the house he and my father grew up in is still standing.) Jim Forbes, former editor of Network World, was one of those who ended up at Qualcomm. The people running the stadium have set up networking gear, and he's fire blogging, as it were.
The Times' coverage of the fires has been very good (I especially liked their use of Google Maps); maybe most importantly, they've been able to keep their servers going when the San Diego Union-Tribune website is getting slammed.
Things aren't expected to get any better until 6:00 pm today, when the Santa Ana winds are forecast to abate. In the meantime, we can only wait for the fires to burn themselves out; 100 degree temperatures inland and bone-dry desert air will make for combustible conditions. My thoughts go out to everyone affected.
Update: Via Xeifrank in today's Dodger Thoughts thread on the fires, the view of the fires from space.
Labels: offtopic
Monday, October 22, 2007 |
Mariners Hire Jim Riggleman As Bench Coach
Norm Charlton, completing the round, becomes Seattle's bullpen coach.
You may now go back to your regularly scheduled waiting for the World Series to commence.
Labels: coaches, ex-dodgers, mariners
Partial 2007 World Series TV Schedule
Labels: postseason, red sox, rockies, tv
Scalpers Rockies Fans Overwhelm Online Ticket Sales
Like DIA in a huge snowstorm, Colorado's sales of World Series tickets were shut down Monday after fans overwhelmed the computer system with a blizzard of requests.Team officials had said earlier their computers were ready to handle the expected crush of traffic.
Operations were suspended a few hours after sales started, according to a Rockies spokesman who was booed by fans who had gathered at Coors Field after not being able to buy tickets online.
"We're shutting the system down, we're going to suspend it," said Jay Alves. "We're as frustrated as our fans are."
The spokesman made his comments as dozens of fans chanted and continued booing throughout his brief news conference.
Alves said several hundred tickets were sold before the system was shut down.
"Our ticket vendor, Paciolan and Major League Baseball, were overwhelmed -- 8.5 million hits in an hour-and-a-half is a phenomenal total. Paciolan services more than 700 college and professional level teams. And they are amazed and overwhelmed by what’s happened here this morning."
Labels: postseason, rockies
Things You Can't Buy
"I told some writers in June, 'You cannot forget about that club. If they gain some confidence, with their talent, you don't know what they can do,' " he said last week.Ah, but wasn't that why the Dodgers had the likes of Olmedo Saenz, Jeff Kent, Nomar Garciaparra, Randy Wolf, and Jason Schmidt? Every GM (and manager, and if they're smart, ballplayer) will say flattering things about their competition.Just before the trade deadline, he said, "I started to see a great confidence in them that they hadn't had in the past. By the time we saw them in September, they were tremendously confident."
Labels: dodgers
Sunday, October 21, 2007 |
What $143M Will Get You: Red Sox 11, Indians 2
One of these days, Manny and Ortiz are going to fall apart. Unfortunately, if the last few games are any indication, it won't much matter. Dustin Pedroia, 3-for-5 with 5 RBIs? Are you kidding me? Kevin Youkilis, also 3-for-5, and both with a home run?
And then there's Josh Beckett, who was caught warming up in the pen but never got called on.
They'll be blabbing for a while in Cleveland about the lost opportunity in the seventh: Kenny Lofton reached on a routine pop that the wind blew just out of the reach of Pedroia. But then, it just didn't matter, as the third base coach held up Lofton inexplicably. Boston then turned it into a laugher in the eighth with six more runs that buzzed by like an inexorable steamroller. That's what I figure they'll do to the Rockies, so we've probably got four games left of baseball.
One of these days, the Angels might stand a chance against these guys, but I just don't know if it's going to be in my lifetime.
Congratulations (I guess) to the team that's only $50M or so shy of becoming an Evil Empire of their own.
Labels: indians, postseason, recaps, red sox
Saturday, October 20, 2007 |
ALCS Game 6: Red Sox 12, Indians 2
Bottom 1st: After a 1-2-3 first inning by Curt Schilling, Fausto Carmona gets some tough breaks on the first two batters, with a pair of infield singles that he follows up with a walk to David Ortiz (and that latter with a strike two call outside the black) and nobody out. Manny Ramirez comes up and Carmona puts him at 0-2, but Carmona keeps throwing until Manny whiffs on a 2-2 pitch. Carmona then gets Mike Lowell to pop up on the 23rd pitch. But after the big three players for the Sox fail to cash in a runner, it's J.D. Drew who blasts a 3-1 grand slam on a mistake pitch Carmona leaves over the heart of the plate. 4-0 Red Sox.
Top 2nd: Cleveland gets one back with a leadoff homer off the bat of catcher Victor Martinez, a towering shot down the right field line. Schilling, when he has been getting hit, has been getting hit hard, with an earlier shot in the first by Grady Sizemore narrowly missing becoming a home run. But Schilling retires the next three batters in order, and it's 4-1 Red Sox.
Bottom 2nd: Carmona strikes out only his second batter in the guise of Julio Lugo, but already he's facing the top of the order with Dustin Pedroia. The Fox announcers notice he's not throwing a lot of first-pitch strikes, and it's showing in the 36 pitches he's already burned up. Pedroia doubles, and then Youkilis taps out another infield single. Peralta might have had a play on Pedroia at third, but kept the ball in his glove; as it was, Pedroia overslid the bag, and so that opportunity fell through. No matter, as Ortiz tapped into a 6-3 double play. 4-1 Red Sox.
Bottom 3rd: Shouldn't a pitcher named Fausto be playing for the Rockies? If he does have a deal with the Devil, he needs to sue for non-performance of contract. He's falling behind batters all night long, losing leadoff man Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell on consecutive walks. The parade of men in Indians colors to the mound is starting to wear a rut in the infield. The bullpen starts into gear, with Rafael Perez warming up — and then Drew lashes a single up the middle to send Manny home. Drew has driven in all five Red Sox runs, and it's getting dangerously close to becoming a rout. With nobody out, Eric Wedge pulls Carmona, and it's 5-1 Red Sox.
Perez retires the first batter of the frame, Jason Varitek, but rookie Jacoby Ellsbury slaps a single to make it 6-1 Red Sox. The Indians need runs, and they need them now, but first they need outs. Perez doesn't help in that, giving up a smash groundball double down the third base line to move it up to 8-1 Red Sox. That gets up Aaron Laffey in the pen, just before Perez walks Pedroia.
Perez then gives up a single to Kevin Youkilis, driving in Julio Lugo. An errant throw from second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera gets away from Ryan Garko, allowing Dustin Pedroia to score. That's it for Carmona, who gets removed for Laffey. David Ortiz grounds out to first (on what the announcers called a foul ball), but Garko makes his contribution to the Indians' woes by throwing one into the dirt, allowing Youkilis to reach second. It's 10-1 Red Sox with two out.
Manny Ramirez walks, but Mike Lowell pops out to right to end the frame. 10-1 Red Sox, and the Indians need a miracle now.
Bottom 5th: Dustin Pedroia grounds out to second, and Cabrera makes a fine play on the hot smash. "He makes every play," says announcer Joe Buck, but had he actually been watching the game, he would have noted a bad throw in the third that cost the Indians dearly.
Top 7th: After Schilling continued to dominate with his nine-run lead, Ryan Garko breaks through with the Indians' first extra-base hit since Victor Martinez's second-inning solo homer, tripling into the deepest part of the yard. Peralta cashes him in with a sac fly, but that's not the kind of rally Cleveland needs right now.
Schilling finishes the seventh by retiring Kenny Lofton and Trot Nixon; his night is over, and it's very likely Cleveland's hopes of advancing to the World Series with a Game 6 victory, as they now will likely have to face the tough part of the Red Sox bullpen in the eighth and ninth, thus forcing a game seven in Boston. 10-2 Boston.
Bottom 8th: Aaron Laffey, who hadn't made an appearance in the ALCS, pitches 4.2 scoreless frames, and is replaced by Joe Borowski to start the ninth. JoBo gives up a run on a walk to Youkilis, a double off the Green Monster to Ortiz, and a sac fly to dead center by Manny. Lowell cashes in Ortiz (who runs surprisingly well for a DH) to make it 12-2 Red Sox, and Borowski is proving himself unequal to the name "closer".
Top 9th: Eric Gagne gets the Indians in order, and that's the game. It looks to me like the Indians will go home empty-handed, as a game 6 was their best chance to get a win; it's very difficult to win a game 7 on the road. 12-2 Red Sox.
Labels: indians, postseason, recaps, red sox
Friday, October 19, 2007 |
Stupid Trademark Tricks: Rockies Try To Trademark "Rocktober"
- rocktober.com, which "is about sticking it to The Man while sucking up to his corporate teets", by which I assume the Rockies can buy the site for a nominal sum.
- The 1984 horror flick Rocktober Blood.
- Q104.3's month-long rock calendar. If I remember correctly, either the now-defunct KMET or KLOS or both used to do the same thing.
- Redheaded chanteuse October Crifasi (rocktober.org).
- KMGH Channel 7 Denver's Rockies page (no doubt the team's main worry)
Labels: postseason, rockies, stupid ideas
Royals Hire Trey Hillman
Should We Be Sad? Brian Kamenetzky On Stoneman's Resignation
Do they give fans the chance to see a winner year in and year out? Do they strive to put a winning product on the field? Is the effort there? That’s how I judge a franchise, and by that measure, Bill Stoneman has been a success. He helped turn around a flailing organization, and make them into a model across baseball. Was he perfect? No. Was he bold? Not particularly. But he was smart, methodical, and he got the job done.
Labels: angels, front office
Thursday, October 18, 2007 |
Not Tonight, Cleveland: Red Sox 7, Indians 1
Funniest moment of the game: Manny admiring his "home run" that bounced off the yellow line in center-right. It was a single, and Ramirez and Francona argued it. How I longed for Manny to get ejected from the game!
Labels: indians, postseason, recaps, red sox
Pickoff Moves, Lunchtime Edition
Things I Wish The Angels Had Thought Of, Part 5,223
Josh Beckett's ex-girlfriend Danielle Peck will sing the national anthem at tonight's ALCS Game 5. (Via BTF.) Beckett is currently dating his trainer's sister.Joe Torre Turns Down One-Year Deal
Rotoworld reports that Joe Torre has turned down a one-year deal to remain as Yankees skipper. I would, too.Update: Also via ESPN, which sets the salary he turned down as $5M, a substantial reduction from the $7.5M he earned this year. That's some scratch.
Rocks Elect To Stay Home
Despite some earlier reports that the Rockies might be headed to their spring training camp at Tucson to keep sharp over the (who the hell dreamed this up?) eight-day layoff between the end of the NLCS and the World Series, they're going to continue playing four-to-seven inning scrimmages in Colorado.A Word About The AFL
Yes, I know it's going on for a week or two, as witness this weekly notebook. But we've been busy painting and otherwise getting the house ready for move-in, and so, sorry. Will try to get automated Minor League Scorebook posts going presently.Here's a shocker: a Florida instructional league notebook. It's great that they're doing this, but I wonder how much coverage they can really give it. (I haven't seen one for the Arizona instructional league yet.)
Labels: front office, rockies, yankees
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 |
STFU, Gonzo
Commenters on Diamond Leung have made the comment that Gonzalez's quote lacks logic (which it does) and may make no sense (true). But what is really striking to me is the point that there was no gameplan uniting the team that this player could understand. Is that the player's fault, or management's?Yes, indeedy. Whose fault was that, hmm, Ned?
Labels: dodgers
Turning It Around In A Big Way
MLB.com: Your teams went to the postseason throughout the Minors and in college. When's the last time you played for a team that wasn't winning?Update: The Rockies at the time were in last place in the division, six and a half games back of the Dodgers after a 6-4 extra-innings loss to the Giants; the Rocks went 67-46 (.593) the rest of the way.Tulowitzki: Shoot. To be honest with you, I don't know if I've ever been on a losing team. In high school, we were good in basketball and baseball. Even in Little League, all my teams won. We were one game away from the Little League World Series when I was 12. When you win all those years, winning kind of comes easy, but it's not that easy. This is definitely my first time ever -- so far -- experiencing losing. Hopefully, we turn it around.
Labels: rockies
Stupid Stadium Tricks
Via underdog in today's Dodger Thoughts, who got it from Diamond Leung.
Labels: dodgers, stupid ideas
Pickoff Moves
The Best Baseball Cartoon This Year
By Tuck @ THT. For anyone who's ever complained about a strike zone.Bill Stoneman Farewells
The Chronicler says hello to Tony Reagins, who's getting surprisingly little press for being only the second black GM in the business (maybe the third if you count Omar Minaya of the Mets). Also, a useful reminder of just how good Stoneman was, leading the winningest charge in Angels history. I'm not without my criticisms of his approach — in particular, the bizarre love for RISP- and RISP2-hitting in preference to OBP as a primary stat. His failure to land a "big bat" I'm perfectly willing to let him slide on; the major problems with that has been overpaying (which you end up having to do these days, it seems) and/or dealing too many kids (i.e., anything over one). But he should be given props for having a plan and sticking to it, something no other GM in Angels history seemed able to do.OT: How To Pick Up Women At The Car Lot
"One of the services I provide to hetero male readers of this blog," cartoonist Scott Adams opens, "is teaching you how to obtain sex from women who are too good for you." His answer: hang out in car lots. It almost makes sense. (Via Distributed Republic.)OT: Spinning Woman Optical Illusion
Is she spinning clockwise or counter-clockwise? I can see it both ways. Pretty cool.Labels: angels, front office, funny, offtopic
Rolling Along: Indians 7, Red Sox 3
Cleveland gets a shot at closing things down tonight with a rematch of Josh Beckett and C.C. Sabathia. Personally, I can't stand Beckett, and I'm hoping for a Cleveland/Colorado World Series, so an Indians win works out just fine with me.
Labels: indians, postseason, recaps, red sox
Tuesday, October 16, 2007 |
Angels Name Tony Reagins GM
Labels: angels, front office
Monday, October 15, 2007 |
Rockies 21-1, Advance To World Series: Rockies 6, Diamondbacks 4
Arizona didn't go quietly after a big six-run fourth from the Rocks that included a three-run jack by series MVP Matt Holliday; they posted a three-run shot of their own off Brian Fuentes from Chris Snyder, but that was it.
Last year, I thought the Cards would be eaten by the Tigers, but time and chance, etc. We'll just have to wait and see.
Congratulations, Rockies!
Update 10/16: Mark T.R. Donohue has some thoughts on the game ("I have so many thoughts right now I feel like all 50,000 people at Coors Field tonight came home in my brain").
Labels: diamondbacks, postseason, recaps, rockies
Bill Stoneman Resigns As Angels GM
Labels: angels, front office
Dodgers Return To KABC
Update: Rick Monday and Charlie Steiner were signed to extensions through 2009 by owner Frank McCourt.
Colorado One Win Away From AL Obliteration: Rockies 4, Diamondbacks 1
And, yeah, 20-1 in their last 21. Jeez.
Labels: diamondbacks, postseason, recaps, rockies
Sunday, October 14, 2007 |
A Couple Items
Dusty Baker To Manage Reds
Dusty Baker signed a 3-year deal to manage the Cincinnati Reds. Cubs fans must be ecstatic.Steinbrenner Era Over As Steinbrenner Takes Over Yankees
That would, of course, be sons Hank and Hal Steinbrenner taking over for the Boss, George. I personally won't believe it until I read something from a non-News Corp. source, but it's been obvious for a long time that Steinbrenner père isn't in good health.Worst NLCS Game 1 Ratings Ever
Minus a team from the west or east coasts (opposite any of the western divisions), the NLCS has captivated exactly nobody, garnering the worst ratings in NLCS history, with a 3.6 share.Labels: coaches, front office, reds, yankees
ALCS Game 2, The Lesson Learned: Indians 13, Boston 6 (11 Innings)
I was thinking about the tally of events in that fateful 11th inning, and of scoring events, there were two singles, a wild pitch, a double, and a home run. Those latter two events got me to thinking about the Angels' predicament with regards to hitting the ball hard. Now, public rumormongering about A-Rod becoming an Angel is almost certainly a press release from the Devil himself, but let's put that aside for the moment. I was going to suggest that A-Rod's addition to the lineup would fail to give the team the kind of pop it needs in terms of aggregate team SLG, but that turned out to be wrong.
The Angels' team SLG was .417, good for 9th in the AL. Looking at the Angels' top two third basemen, Chone Figgins and Maicer Izturis playing in those positions, we get these numbers (A-Rod's presented for comparison):
Let's assume A-Rod absorbs 100% of Izturis' AB's at third, and the remaining fraction from Figgins. That leaves 239 of Figgins' AB's at third; assuming his rate stats remain the same, that means we see something like this (and giving Figgy credit for numbers rounded up):Player AB H 2B 3B HR ================================= Figgins 424 125 23 5 3 Izturis 185 50 6 1 1 Rodriguez 583 183 31 0 54
Completely subtracting out Izturis and derating Figgins, we get these figures:Player AB H 2B 3B HR ================================= Figgins 239 79 13 3 2
Player AB H 2B 3B HR
==========================================
Team aggregate 5554 1578 324 23 123
Izturis actual -185 -50 -6 -1 -1
Figgins actual -424 -125 -23 -5 -3
Figgins derated 239 79 13 3 2
A-Rod 2007 583 183 31 0 54
========================
Totals 5554 1665 339 20 175
That alone brings the team aggregate SLG up to .462 (1665+339+2*20+3*175/5554), which would easily put the team in the top two or three by that metric.
Nevertheless, I find myself repelled by several things about A-Rod; he hasn't been a great postseason performer (though the usual small sample size issues pertain, amplified by the fact that typically players are facing much-better-than-average pitching at that time), he's a jerk (as exhibited by his exit from Seattle), and as Texas discovered, one A-Rod does not a team make. I worry about the payroll implications, mainly; does this mean the Angels would have a lot less money to spend in the draft and for international signing bonuses? Certainly.
Labels: angels, indians, postseason, recaps, red sox
Saturday, October 13, 2007 |
For Those Disgusted With The AL: Vin Scully Calls 2004-10-02 On XM 175
Incidentally, somebody needs to twit XM for not providing the game status on their lineup list. All baseball channels show MLB-something-or-other, with no indication of what might be going on.
And Speaking Of Sweeps: Rockies 3, Diamondbacks 2 (11 Innings)
The Rocks are now a mind-blowing 19-1 in their last 20. If there ever is a time to get hot, this is it.
Labels: diamondbacks, postseason, recaps, rockies
Friday, October 12, 2007 |
ALCS Game 1: Rout: Red Sox 10, Indians 3
Bottom 3rd: After taking a 1-1 tie into the third, it's obvious that C.C. Sabathia doesn't have much. He can't get his changeup over the plate for strikes; he's loaded the bases twice in this inning alone, and has hit David Ortiz (really, grazed his uniform), walked Manny Ramirez to force in a run, given up an RBI ground rule double to Mike Lowell, and a scoring groundout to third to Jason Varitek. By the time he finally escapes, Sabathia has already thrown 61 pitches. 5-1 Boston.
Day the next: I was hoping this was going to turn interesting, but it turned into a rout just after we left for dinner. All this game did was to cement Josh Beckett's reputation as a big game pitcher, put the Red Sox one game closer to advancing to the World Series, and make me think this could turn out to be the most boring postseason ever. A Red Sox/Rockies World Series would be over with in a trice (i.e., four games), and yuck.
Labels: indians, postseason, recaps, red sox
Shea Hillenbrand A Free Agent, Other Dodger Notes
In that same article:
- Juan Pierre says "we'll see" to moving to left should the Dodgers acquire free agent Andruw Jones.
- Pitchers Scott Elbert (shoulder) and Bryan Morris (elbow) are recovering from their respective surgeries. Also: "Top pitching prospect Clayton Kershaw also is in Arizona working on secondary pitches, Lukas May is continuing to refine his catching skills and Preston Mattingly is working on second-base skills."
- Field level demolition at Dodger Stadium has commenced.
Labels: dodger stadium, dodgers, injuries, transactions
Stuff To Read Until The ALCS Starts
Mariners 2008 ZIPS Projections
Jon's post today asking his readers where they think the Dodgers will end up next year got me thinking about the AL West, too. If this year's happenings hold true, we can expect a pretty similar fallout to 2007, because it already looks like the Mariners' 2008 team will regress a decent amount, at least if you believe Dan Szymborski's 2008 Mariners ZIPS projections; for fans of the team way up north, it's one sobering list. (He's publishing them in reverse alphabetical order by team city.) Only one starter, Felix Hernandez, is expected to even be above league average, with Miguel Batista and Jarrod Washburn falling below that line; he seems to be projecting that the M's will have a very hard time keeping their fourth and fifth slots filled and productive.Offensively, Ritchie Sexson looks like even more of a boat anchor, and you have to believe he and his expensive contract will be either shown the door or benched in favor of Ben Broussard. Sentiment in Seattle seems to be leaning toward moving Adam Jones to a starting job over Jose Guillen. Jones apparently deserves it based on his projections, but like most front offices — and the Mariners have already proved they fall squarely into the "most" category with their treatment of Sexson this year — the M's will give Guillen plenty of chances to prove he's declining.
The M's have a lot of depth, but they don't have a lot of front-line starters who could make a big difference. It won't be a terribly exciting team in terms of contending (if you believe this forecast); given the hazy circumstances surrounding the Angels and the rest of the division, it's easy to toss out another Angels Win scenario for the AL West in 2008.
Baltimore Fires Leo Mazzone
The Baltimore Orioles fired Leo Mazzone, for reasons I haven't the slightest clue about, but maybe the team's 13th rank in the AL by ERA had something to do with it."This is just the business of baseball," Mazzone said. "I had a strong inclination that 2007 was going to be my last year in Baltimore when Sam Perlozzo was released and Dave Trembley was hired."While disappointed at not having the opportunity to play a role in the reconstruction of the Oriole pitcher development program, I understand and wish the team great success. I want to thank the Orioles organization for the opportunity to coach some great young talent. And I especially want to thank the fans in Baltimore who always made me feel at home."
Giants Tap Fred Stanley For Player Development
For a long time the knock on the Giants was that they hadn't developed a starting position player from draft to majors since Rich Aurilia. (I suppose that depends on whether you view Pedro Feliz as a quality major league starter.) The Giants will be handing the player development post to Fred Stanley; he replaces Jack Hiatt, who has stepped down after 16 years in that position.The Boss Says It's Time For The Rocket To Quit
His wife, that is:"I think he's ready to do the barbecue and come home," Debbie Clemens told KRIV-TV. "I think it will be hard for him to play a little bit. He's been such a workaholic and he's really put his heart and soul into baseball. But I just think it's time."
The Baseball Analysts Pick Bosox, Rockies
Rich Lederer says Boston in seven, Joe Sheehan and Patrick Sullivan say six. (See also Sheehan's Beckett vs. Sabathia matchup. It's interesting to see that Beckett uses the entire strike zone, where Sabathia only works outside low.) Also, most of that same group concur on a Rockies-Somebody World Series, with all but Rich picking Colorado to advance.Labels: angels, front office, giants, mariners, orioles, postseason, red sox
Saenz And Hernandez Opt For Free Agency
Update: Rotoworld says both were outrighted to AAA Las Vegas beforehand.
Labels: dodgers, transactions
John Schuerholz Resigns As Braves GM
Labels: braves, front office
Thursday, October 11, 2007 |
NLCS Game 1: Rockies 5, Diamondbacks 1
Top 2nd: After the Rocks go down 1-2-3 in their half of the first, the Snakes come back on a Stephen Drew single followed by a long Eric Byrnes double that gets stuck in the muddy warning track in left. The Rocks get back in the second by loading the bases against Brandon Webb, two on singles and one on a walk to Brad Hawpe. Troy Tulowitzki, batting seventh (where he spent about half time this year, most of the rest batting second), hit into a double play, driving in one, but that was it for the Rocks. Tied, 1-1.
Top 3rd: Willy Taveras knocks a one-out single, steals second, and gets home on Kaz Matsui's RBI single. 2-1 Rockies.
Matt Holliday follows up Matsui's single by reaching on a 50-foot swinging bunt, but then Todd Helton lines out to dead center. A wild pitch to Garret Atkins pushes runners to second and third, and Atkins walks to load the bases for the second time, this time with two out, to face Hawpe for the second time. Hawpe, hitting .337/.449/.699 with two out, comes through in a big way with an RBI single that scores two. 4-1 Rockies. Webb jams Tulo inside, and the Rockies' shortstop bounces harmlessly to his counterpart to end the frame.
Bottom 4th: Both pitchers have efficient fourth innings, with Webb retiring the side in order and Francis getting a double play ball to end the frame facing the minimum. Still 4-1 Rockies.
Bottom 5th: After the Rocks go down in order for the second straight inning in the top of the frame, Francis retires the first two batters to face pitcher Webb — who promptly singles to right. Francis loses Chris Young on a six-pitch walk to bring the tying run to the plate in the person of Drew. After getting to 1-2 on Drew, Francis goes to a full count and then after a couple fouls, gets him to strike out on pitch 73.
Bottom 6th: Both pitchers exchange another set of zero frames, and each gave up a harmless single. Webb's half of the frame ended on a pickoff of Hawpe, while Francis erased his leadoff baserunner, Eric Byrnes, on a 6-4-3 GIDP. There is this difference: Webb has thrown almost 20 pitches more than Francis (98 vs. 81).
Top 7th: The Snakes call in the inconsistent Juan Cruz, and Torrealba walks to lead off the inning. Francis comes up, and after a brief squabble whether he actually attempted to bunt on a 0-1 pitch (he did), Cruz gives up a wild pitch that sends Torrealba to second anyway — and then Francis bunts him to third on a 2-2 count.
Willy Taveras goes 1-2 against Cruz, and finally strikes out swinging on a full count slider dropping outside the zone. But Matsui reaches with a bit of luck: Conor Jackson commits an error at first, allowing Torrealba to score. On the first pitch to Holliday, Matsui steals second, and Cruz throws a pitch that is ruled a passed ball, allowing Holliday to walk and Matsui to reach third. That chases Cruz, who exits the game with two out and both baserunners his responsibility. 5-1 Rockies.
Doug Slaten enters the game and retires Todd Helton on a popup after only two pitches to end the frame.
Bottom 7th: Francis immediately gets into trouble by surrendering a double to leadoff man Chris Snider and hits Justin Upton on the first pitch to put men on first and second with nobody out. But then Ojeda bounces into a fielder's choice that effectively becomes a double play because of an interference call against Justin Upton. (Upton tried to take out Matsui on the basepaths while advancing to second.) Not only is Upton out, but Snyder has to return to second base.
Diamondbacks fans start throwing garbage on the field in left in protest — so much, that the Rockies leave the field.
Bottom 9th, a few hours later: ... aaaand that's all, folks, making it 18 of 19, and the first time two NL West teams have met in the NLCS. Whee!
Labels: diamondbacks, postseason, recaps, rockies
Wednesday, October 10, 2007 |
Dodgers Decline Option On Randy Wolf, Might Pick Up Lieberthal
"We have to go through the club player by player," Colletti said. "Some players take longer to discuss than others. There may be a position change or two, and there may be a role change or two that may need to be discussed."Improvement via free agency will be tough:Colletti wouldn't get into specifics, but there is a reasonable possibility that fleet center fielder Juan Pierre will be asked to move to left field next season to make room for a stronger arm in center. That stronger arm could belong to Matt Kemp, who just completed his second year in the majors and whose potential remains off the charts, but who still is very much a work in progress. It also could belong to a yet-to-be-signed veteran, with Atlanta's Andruw Jones and Minnesota's Torii Hunter heading this winter's list of free-agent center fielders. Or it could be someone the club acquires in a trade.
"Looking over the potential list of free agents, it is a very thin list in many areas," Colletti said. "As time goes on, that list is going to become thinner and thinner year by year. With revenue sharing, teams are signing players to long-term deals and locking them up. And if you go back to July and the trading deadline, that was something we had to consider in deciding whether to trade any of our young players, because how do you replace them?"The Dodgers also have seven arbitration-eligible players this offseason: Chin-Hui Tsao (likely to be non-tendered), Mark Hendrickson (whom it appears will be a Dodger next year), and "pitchers Joe Beimel, Yhency Brazoban and Scott Proctor, catcher Chad Moeller and outfielder Jason Repko".
Tuesday, October 09, 2007 |
Joe Sheehan On The Reasons The Angels Lost
Brian Runge had a huge strike zone yesterday, and both Jered Weaver and Curt Schilling took advantage of it. Schilling has good control to begin with, and if you give him an extra couple of inches down and to the outside, he becomes essentially unhittable. The bigger zone helped Weaver’s big breaking stuff, enabling him to catch corners that might not have been there on a different day. Runge, as much as anyone else, was responsible for yesterday’s game being 2-0 into the eighth. I’m left feeling like the home plate umpires are exerting too large an influence on the game. A large strike zone is better than a random one, to be sure, but not as good as a rulebook strike zone. Calling strikes on pitches down and off the plate does little more than move games along; if umpires were to call the high strike—which has made an inconsistent appearance at odd times—while maintaining lateral integrity, they’d be closer to the book zone, and a better game.The Angels’ hitters in the fifth slot of the lineup in this series were Maicer Izturis and Kendry Morales. That’s just not going to be good enough, and before you point to the absence of Gary Matthews Jr., note that Matthews wasn’t any better than those guys this season: .252/.323/.419, which is what happens when your batting average floats back down to its career levels. Matthews’ 2005 and 2007 seasons are completely indistinguishable from one another; he got to be a free agent after 2006. Ah, serendipity. Four years and $40 million left on that deal, folks. It’s OK, though; he’s just 33.
Labels: angels, postseason, sweep
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