6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog

The animated GIF is not to be missed.

Labels: funny, haha, white sox

I missed this hilarious ESPN New York story about Scott Boras' reaction to the Mets' historic drop in payroll from $143M last year to a projected $91M this year.

Speaking in generalities about big-market teams, Boras said: "When they are not providing fans with the highest quality of play, and they take an attitude of 'we're going to take on a development role,' knowing that the TV contracts, the market size and such allow them revenues that far exceed many of the clubs that have to pursue those development policies, that impacts the game. The major franchises who are getting the majority of revenues should provide a product, or an attempt at a product, that has the near-highest payrolls commensurate with the markets they are in."

In other words, he's publicly upset that the Wilpons won't be bidding up any of his soon-to-be injured free agents, and is saying as much. While I have no love for the Wilpons and their vile manipulation of team finances (which are scarcely better than what the McCourts subjected the Dodgers to), it's a sort of enemy-of-my-enemy situation with Boras. As the article points out, megabust Oliver Perez was a Boras client (3 years/$36M). Perez is out of baseball at age 29, if such a thing is conceivable — and yet Boras is lecturing the Mets on providing a quality product on the field?

Labels: haha, mets, scott boras

”I think we’re going to look at who we can get from the Angels next year.”

Whoever is the Angels' GM needs to be his own man, by which I mean the Angels better not pick a flunky to ratify Mike Scioscia's frequently fatuous player assessments, something T.J. Simers wrote about yesterday. The ugly throw-the-front-office-under-the-bus quote about the Vernon Wells trade by Scioscia probably hasn't helped cohesiveness, or made that long-term deal any more comfortable:

"We needed to get better in the outfield," Scioscia told reporters, "so some decisions were made by Tony and Arte as to what the team would look like."

That quote stunned some people in the Angels' front office. A manager who takes great care not to publicly criticize his players appeared to be pointing a public finger at his bosses.

Labels: angels, haha, rangers

Ouch. Apparently his phone number was published on the scoreboard for an early spring training game, along with the tag, "Fans call Angels’ Mike Trout directly with your baseball questions". The prankster was none other than Jered Weaver, who found the Trout in violation of rookie thou-shalt-not-speak-unless-spoken-to protocol.

Labels: angels, haha

There are two things we may infer (perhaps, more strongly) from this NYT story about MLB loaning the Wilpons $25M last fall:

1. The owners still aren't averse to helping out those they favor, and
2. They hate Frank McCourt.

Mr. Selig’s decision to give what amounts to extraordinary assistance to one of the sport’s most prominent and highly valued teams — one owned by Mr. Wilpon, a man Mr. Selig has long regarded as a close personal friend — could anger other team owners, who might wonder why their money is being used to rescue a team with a $140 million payroll.

...

“The fact that the loan is coming from baseball would be a jarring event because, as with the Texas Rangers, the league is effectively a lender of last resort,” said Marc Ganis, a sports industry consultant. “It would indicate the team cannot get loans from normal commercial sources, which could be taken as a sign of very significant problems.”

Labels: dodgers, haha, mccourts, mets

Oh why am I not surprised?

The Dodgers were a great franchise once. But on the eve of the 2009 NLCS, Frank McCourt filed for divorce from his wife Jamie, who he had made CEO of the team for some reason that must seem inconceivable to him now. Not content with a simple firing, he sent her a public letter blaming her "insubordination, non-responsiveness, failure to follow procedures, and inappropriate behavior with regard to a direct subordinate." That last one: an alleged affair with her chauffeur. Oh, and he changed the locks on her office.

The weirdness was only starting. It came out the pair had hired a faith healer to watch games on TV in Boston, and send "positive vibes" their way. Jamie, refusing to accept her firing, sent her chauffeur/boyfriend as an official Dodger ambassador to Taiwan. Frank, who owns Dodger Stadium, charged his own team exorbitant rent, in order to move the money where Jamie can't touch it.

So now the Dodgers desperately slash payroll, in an attempt to horde funds in advance of a court ruling. Los Angeles, a city that's like a flame to moths for professional athletes, can't sign anyone to prevent their freefall. And we still don't know who owns the team, nor do we know why anyone would want to. The Dodgers were a great franchise. Once. (Barry Petchesky)

Also some great stuff on Tony LaRussa and Donald Sterling, too, leavened with Ben Rothlisburger hate. Suweet!

Labels: dodgers, haha, mccourts

Dan Szymborski replaces Tony Reagins with the robot GM in PS3 The Show game. Hilarity (and tragedy, from a real-world perspective) ensues.

Related: Napoli signed a 1-year, $5.8M deal with Texas.

Labels: angels, funny, haha, hot stove, stupid ideas, trades, transactions

This sounds like a job for Batman.

Labels: dodgers, giants, haha

Maury Brown on teh Twitterz:

It may not happen soon, but it's going to happen: the Frank McCourt era of owning the Dodgers is on death watch

Labels: dodgers, haha, mccourts

Story: Question of the day: Is Don Mattingly ready to manage in the major leagues?

Comment:

We would like to know if this is a trick question.

Posted by: Mike Scioscia and Tim Wallach | September 21, 2010 at 10:04 AM

Labels: dodgers, funny, haha, managers, newspapers

That's funny. The Mouse had a whole 30 teams' worth of mice out there, with a photo contest.

Labels: angels, haha, red sox

... to make sure this isn't an April Fool's gag: Matt Kemp on the cover of Dodgers Magazine?

Labels: dodgers, haha

Five runs in the bottom of the ninth, with no outs made, including a walkoff grand slam to shortstop Everth Cabrera, for whom it was only his second homer of the season. Hope you like your closer, Mets. You'll get to see plenty of those kinds of moments, too.

Yahoo box

Labels: haha, mets, padres, recaps

Old Friend Derek Lowe Pwns The Dodgers: Braves 4, Dodgers 3

Randy Wolf seemed to get blooped to death in this one, especially in the sixth when Diory Hernandez and Greg Norton singled to drive in single runs, Norton's being the go-ahead tally. The Dodgers never quite caught up, and though I enjoyed James Loney's crazy infield single, it wasn't a good substitute for a win. Derek Lowe got the better of his old team, and whether or not you agree with the idea of letting him go (given his age and the duration of contract he was asking for, it seems to me wise), on this one day it hurt.

It was an odd game made even odder by botched foul call from first base vacation umpire Scott Barry that should have been fair, robbing Andre Ethier of a first-inning double.

Yahoo box • Dodgers recap

Pitching And Defense Win Ballgames, Right? Right? Angels 11, Twins 6

Pretty much another lame Joe Saunders start, complete with lots of opposition scoring early on, both sides traded two-spots in the second, the Angels on Gary Matthews, Jr.'s two-out, bases-clearing double (he was out trying to stretch it to a triple). They retook the lead on a fairly typical singles barrage in the next frame, which had the effect of chasing Twins starter Anthony Swarzak; but the big fireworks were yet to come. In the sixth inning, R.A. Dickey and Bobby Keppel combined to give up three homers (one each to Maicer Izturis, Juan Rivera, and Kendry Morales) before Erick Aybar bounced into an inning-ending double play.

And really, that was the game. Saunders gave up five runs and got the win anyway, Matt Palmer gave up a couple runs over two and two-thirds, but for all that it was frustrating, the Angels are winning these days with their bats and not their pitching, a thing of shreds and patches.

Yahoo box • Angels recap

Oh Noes! Manny And Papi Steroid Users!

I, of course, could care less, but Deadspin sounds this Welchian note:

For legions of fans, a magic spell is broken

NO! NO! The enchantment has worn off! Quick, find all the juniper berries and hearts of cedar you can find. We shall produce a spell that will bring back our precious innocence!

The news struck like a thunderclap

MY WHOLD FACKIN' WARLD JUST GAWT RAWKED!

a bolt that shook fans to the core and bruised their fondest memories.

Oh, no! My precious memories! They've been sullied! Unclean! Unclean! Shouting FACK THE YANKEES will never be as sweet as it once was!

Labels: angels, braves, dodgers, drugs, haha, ohnoes, recaps, twins

The Cubs murdered the Astros 12-3, taking nine runs out of the hide of Houston starter Russ Ortiz, all of them earned, including two home runs; Ortiz only lasted 2.1 innings. The former Giants starter had an 0-3 record with a 12.23 ERA in five July starts, and was later placed on unconditional release waivers.

The Cubs' starter in that same game, Kevin Hart, also got the win, the third of his season. He, Jose Ascanio, and Class A infielder Josh Harrison were all shipped to Pittsburgh for reliever John Grabow and minor league starter Tom Gorzelanny. Gorzelanny was a 14-game winner in 2006 but has scuffled since. Tough deal for both pitchers, especially Hart: thanks for the win, here's your ticket to Pittsburgh.

Labels: astros, cubs, haha, trades, transactions

The Yankees are getting basted in their home opener by Cleveland, off to a terrible start themselves. The Yanks' bullpen disgorged a nine-run seventh despite a creditable start by former Indians teammate C.C. Sabathia. Let's hope it's an omen.

Bottom 9th: The Yanks have loaded the bases with one out against Rafael Betancourt, with Cody Ransom at the plate. Ransom hits into an inning-ending double play, and it's 10-2 final. The game was about four hours long, too, so the pain was really extended.

Yahoo box

Labels: haha, indians, live blogging, recaps, yankees

BCB reports the Cubs have dealt Derrek Lee to the Giants for Matt Cain, and in the process have named Micah Hoffpauir, on a tear in spring training, as their starting first baseman. Taking a cue from Angels GM Tony "Del Taco Ninja" Reagins, Jim Hendry utilized a nondescript Phoenix-area eatery to conclude the transaction:

To make room for Hoffpauir in the starting lineup, Jim Hendry took my suggestion from last October 22 (and to think, so many of you laughed at me when I suggested this) and, after several weeks' worth of secret negotiations carried out at the Paradise Bakery in Scottsdale (the very same location where Nomar Garciaparra himself, the subject of one of Hendry's biggest deals, was spotted buying bagels and coffee during spring training in 2005), Hendry convinced San Francisco GM Brian Sabean to take the two remaining years on Derrek Lee's contract in exchange for pitcher Matt Cain.

Hoffpauir is hitting .287/.323/.587 in 88 spring training at-bats, with a team-leading six home runs. Lee is hitting .314/.364/.471 in 51 at-bats with one home run. Matt Cain is having a rough spring, with a 1-2 record, and a 6.04 ERA, but he had the second-best ERA on the team among starters last year with a 3.76 ERA, good for a 116 ERA+. Last year marked the third straight season of 190 or more innings pitched by the 23-year-old.

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*And happy April Fool's Day to everyone!

Labels: cubs, giants, haha, trades, transactions

Ouch:

The lawsuit, which describes Canseco as "an infamous baseball player," alleges that Canseco reneged on a marketing agreement that he signed when he agreed to play for the league's Long Beach Armada in 2006. Among the specific conduct cited in the suit:

• "Canseco faked a back injury to avoid a public appearance and game in Reno while he actually played poker all night at a local Reno casino."
• "Canseco cited a family emergency as requiring him to rush home and abandon his team while they were on a road trip when he actually traveled to Las Vegas to play in a Celebrity Poker Tournament which he won and then bragged to his teammates about upon his return."
• "Canseco abandoned the team in Yuma, Arizona, including a scheduled sponsor appearance with the Yuma team's largest business partner so he could return to Los Angeles to attend Hef's Mid-Summer Night's Party at the Playboy Mansion."

Canseco is scheduled to speak at USC on Friday.

Labels: haha

Prior will receive $1M if he pitches in the majors. He also gets a NRI to spring training. He also gets an MRI (just kidding). Paul DePodesta blogged about this acquisition:

A San Diego native, we signed Mark last year to a Major League contract after the Cubs declined to tender him a contract. After progressing well early in the spring, Mark had a setback that required another surgery and cost him the rest of the season. Mark has now lost the entirety of the last two seasons to injury, but when he pitches he can be dominant. In his first four seasons in Chicago (2002-2005) Mark used he power fastball/curveball combo to pitch 613 innings with a 3.24 ERA. Mark has been working out all winter here in Petco, and we're encouraged by his progress. If we can get him back and healthy for us in 2009 we believe he could make a significant difference.

More on this at Gaslamp Ball.

Also, catcher Chris Burke got a minor league deal and will compete for the starting second base job; he will get $650,000 if he makes it to the major league roster.

Labels: haha, hot stove, padres, transactions

The Angels won their lawsuit, Anaheim is now expected to back down, and hallelujah and amen.

Labels: angels, haha, stupid ideas