SB Nation - Ramon A. Ramirez

Throwing Money at Relievers? Red Sox Could Do Worse Than Matt Capps

Ben Buchanan — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 14:00:29 -0000

by Charles Cherney - AP

6 months ago: Pittsburgh Pirates closer Matt Capps pitches the ninth inning and gets the save as the Pirates beat the Chicago White Sox 4-3 in a baseball game Sunday, May 24, 2009, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Cherney)

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In case anyone hadn't noticed, the Red Sox' approach to building their 2010 bullpen has been, by-and-large, to throw as many guys as possible at it and see what sticks. To this point in the offseason, they've acquired 5 guys to fill possibly as few as 1 spot:

Scott Atchison, who at 33-years-old has spent all of 3 seasons and 68 innings in the MLB, spending the rest of his time in the minors or Japan.

Ramon A. Ramirez, who only managed a 4.11 ERA starting in AAA last year. Also, that's just gonna make things really confusing.

Fabio Castro, who pitched in the majors 3 years ago and has put up numbers very similar to Ramon A. Ramirez over the intervening years in AAA.

Robert Manuel, who actually posted fairly good numbers over the last couple years in AAA, but has all of 4 innings of major league experience.

And Boof Bonser, who I believe was acquired as part of a cruel practical joke.

Also likely to join this motley cast of characters at camp are names like Dustin Richardson (a converted starter who only pitched 11 innings in AAA last year) and Fernando Cabrera (who recently resigned with the team).

So, if this is how the Red Sox are going to try and solve their bullpen, why not add another name to the list: Matt Capps.

Now, it's usually not a good sign when a player's resume includes "non-tendered by the Pittsburgh Pirates", but for Capps that is the case. As a result of Capps' being non-tendered, he is now a free agent able to negotiate with any team he so chooses. On the surface, he may seem like a non-commodity, given his 5.80 ERA coming out of the pen. But a deeper look shows that he's worth at least as much of a shot as Boof Bonser.

To start with, there's the career 3.61 ERA. He has been good in the past--very good, in fact. In 2008 he posted a 3.02 ERA. He did even better in 2007, with a remarkable 2.28. So what caused the sudden collapse, and is it indicative of a problem with Capps himself?

The short answer is no. The most obvious number that will jump off the page to anyone is the .370 BABIP against him. That is a ridiculous number, especially given the fact that his line drive percentage against went down by nearly 5 points. He also gave up fewer fly balls, going from 46% to 40.7%. All this, of course, went to ground balls, which rose from 31.1% to 40.7%. This should speak to hitters making less solid contact against Capps, instead clipping the balls and driving them into the ground. Which makes his greatly inflated HR/FB numbers (from 6.8% to 13.5%) even harder to explain. Maybe it was just that when he threw a bad pitch, he threw a really bad pitch. But more likely, it seems as if Capps just got unlucky.

The other problem with this year were his walk rates. Now, while 2.82 BB/9 is actually pretty good, it's definitely high for Capps, who gave up less than 1 walk per 9 innings in 2008 and 1.82 in 2007. Again, though, there doesn't seem to be an obvious reason why his walks increased. In 2009, compared to 2008, opposing hitters swung at a higher percentage of pitches outside the strike zone, a lower percentage of pitches inside the strike zone, made more contact outside the zone (again, makes one wonder how that BABIP was so high with such mediocre contact being made) and less contact inside the zone. Between 2008 and 2009, Capps went from 56.6 percent pitches thrown in the zone to 55.3 percent--hardly enough to explain such a leap.

For a team that's clearly unsure what they're doing with much of their pen, to the point where they're signing never-will-be's by the handful, Matt Capps should be an obvious target. He may fly under the radar thanks to his unimpressive 2009 numbers, but anyone who digs deeper will find a good pitcher hampered by bad luck despite sticking to the same process that made him a top reliever in years past. If Capps is looking for a contract befitting his peripherals, than perhaps it's best to pass him over in favor of smaller gambles. But if that market fails to develop, then the Red Sox should be first in line to sign him up.

A Brief Primer on the Rays Off-Season to Date and a Look Forward to the Winter Meetings

R.J. Anderson — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:54:22 -0000

The Winter Meetings start tomorrow. Any murmur or misunderstood comment will be amplified and some press members will be used as pawns. Disinformation is going to spread like wildfire. This makes the event more alluring as a spectator sport, but keep in mind 90% of what is talked about will never come to fruition. Now, completely ignoring that, this is the day one open thread. Ideally most of the rumors and discussion will stick to this thread until a recap thread is posted (expect that in the evening) barring something actually occurring or a rumor passing the smell test with flying colors.

This thread is going up about 20 hours early because tomorrow we'll have a very special interview with James Click -- the Rays chief of quantitative analysis and former Baseball Prospectus deity - which should provide entertainment for those willing to accept anything less than rumors in the early AM.

Moving on, let's review the Rays off-season to date in a brief and concise manner which means links.

Transactions

Rays re-sign Gabe Kapler

Akinori Iwamura for Jesse Chavez

Player to be named later for Kelly Shoppach

R.J. Swindle signs minor league deal

Joe Bateman signs minor league deal

Gregg Zaun signs with Milwaukee

Ramon Ramirez is claimed on waivers...

And then released

Milton Bradley

The Burrell-Bradley swap

The clubhouse cancer theory

Rumors and general interest posts

Rays interested in Ivan Rodriguez?

Pirates make Reid Brignac main target?

Why Billy Wagner made no sense for the Rays

Three rules about acquiring relievers

The Rays and the win curve

Kiko Calero

Brendan Donnelly

Kelvim Escobar

Joaquin Benoit

Carl Crawford extension talk

Interviews with Rays personnel

Andrew Friedman

Matt Arnold

Chaim Bloom

Remember that you can also follow the latest Rays rumors, news, and tidbits on Twitter by adding @draysbay, @trancel, @ehahmann, or @freezorilla.

One more note: please, please, post the source of the rumor. And generally speaking, the MLBTR comments section or a random message board post won't pass the smell test.

Friday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:46:08 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

Randy Wolf: 2010 Brewer?

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Some things to read while combining restaurants.

There's been a (likely unsubstantiated) rumor floating around that the Brewers have reached agreement on a three year deal for Randy Wolf. Again, odds are it's nothing, but it's still probably the top story on a slow news day, so here's some reaction to it:

In-Between Hops says the move would "make the Brewers starting rotation 50% better than it is right now."
Jorge Says No! thinks "this deal could turn into Jeff Suppan 2.0."

My reaction to the deal would depend on the price. If it'll take Suppan money to sign Wolf, then I'm not interested. But if the price is the rumored 3 years/$27 million, then we're getting close to the acceptable range. A third season for Wolf might be a bit risky, but the price is low enough to not be crippling.

Meanwhile, the Brewers are also still rumored to have interest in Gregg Zaun. FanGraphs has targeted Zaun as one of the players they'd like you to stop by and project today.

Assuming the front office isn't preparing to announce a Randy Wolf deal, they're most likely getting ready for next week's Winter Meetings. Adam McCalvy has a preview, including the Brewer needs, and once again raises the possibility that Jason Kendall could be back next season. McCovey Chronicles ranked Kendall seventh in their Future Free Agent Mistake Power Rankings.

Could Manny Parra be more effective out of the bullpen? I'm not sure I'm sold on it, but Keith Law said the Brewers should think about it in yesterday's chat, as noted over at View From Bernie's Chalet. Law also isn't too high on either Mat Gamel or Casey McGehee as a long-term solution at third base.

I know at least one BCB'er is already in line to get in, but if you were still trying to decide on checking out the Clubhouse Sale at Miller Park this weekend, John and Cait have a preview of the items that will be featured. After seeing it, I wish I had time to go.

If you're looking to do some Christmas shopping but you're more of the minor league type, the Brevard County Manatees also have some holiday specials going.

Alcides Escobar and Hernan Iribarren will be back in the states this weekend, as the Venezuelan Winter League plays a two game series in Miami to showcase Venezuelan baseball in the US. Escobar and Iribarren's Lara team will take on a Zulia team which used to feature Brendan Katin. I'm assuming Katin has left the team, as he hasn't appeared in a game in over a month.

Elsewhere in the winter leagues, Mat Gamel went 0-for-2 with a strikeout in his VWL debut for Caracas last night. You can read about that and more in today's Winter League Update.

Around baseball:

Astros: Signed pitcher Ryan Sadowski to a minor league deal.
A's: Acquired Aaron Miles and Jake Fox from the Cubs for reliever Jeff Gray and two minor leaguers.
Braves: Signed Takashi Saito to a one year deal.
D-Backs: Removed reliever Kyler Newby and catcher Luke Carlin from their 40-man roster. (h/t AZ Snakepit)
Mets: Signed Henry Blanco to a one year, $1.5 million deal.
Phillies: Signed Placido Polanco to a three year deal worth $18 million.
Rays: Released pitcher Ramon Ramirez.
Red Sox: Signed Marco Scutaro to a two year deal with a mutual option for 2012.

If some of the Brewers' current pitching targets don't turn out, might they be interested in Gil Meche? MLB Trade Rumors says the Royals are expecting to receive offers for him once the free agent market starts to heat up. Meche is owed $24 million over the next two seasons, but has posted a sub-4.00 ERA in two of the last three years.

All three of these guys will probably come up in connection to the Brewers again at some point: Lookout Landing has a look at the upsides of Rich Harden, Erik Bedard and Ben Sheets, and explains why Harden is in a better position than Bedard for 2010.

Happy birthday today to:

Carlos Gomez, who turns 24.
Harvey Kuenn, who would have turned 79.

Oh, and no matter how disappointed you are in the offseason so far, at least we can all be glad Doug Melvin isn't responsible for these robocalls.

Drink up.

Tampa Bay Rays Release Ramon Ramirez

R.J. Anderson — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:36:42 -0000

Topkin's Twitter.

All that wondering about his change-up for naught. That puts the 40-man roster at 39. The Rays usually don't make moves just for the fun of them. We'll see what this leads to; waiver claim, Gregg Zaun, or something -- if anything -- else.

Wednesday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:33:43 -0000

by Ed Andrieski - AP

Everyone's talking about John Lackey today. Should they be?

View full size photo »

Some things to read while launching a third party.

Thanks to Mark for filling in yesterday while I laid on the couch and drifted in and out of consciousness. My apologies for the late Mug today - I had hoped to be off my pain meds by now, but no such luck, so I'm having a hard time writing coherently. Also, as I was gathering news this morning, a delivery truck showed up with a whole room full of furniture from IKEA.

Before we go any further, you may want to just give up and find a new team or a new sport. Dave Begel of OnMilwaukee.com wants to make sure you know the Brewers are never going to compete (h/t BBTF). So abandon all hope, ye who remain here.

Meanwhile, for those of us who haven't jumped off a bridge, it's the time of year where we spend lots of time discussing players who may or may not even consider becoming a Brewer. Take John Lackey, for example.

Jorge Says No! wonders if the Brewers should be interested in signing him.
In-Between Hops has a visual representation of reasons they shouldn't.
When Buster Olney said the Brewers may have interest in Lackey, he also mentioned the Mariners as a candidate, prompting Lookout Landing to rip apart the logic involved in that statement.
Ken Rosenthal says the Angels are still interested in Lackey, too.
If/When Doug Melvin gets outbid for Lackey, Fire Doug Melvin has a statement for him to read. Melvin is already using similar language to complain about the draft.

There's also a flurry of discussion on catchers:

Just a few days after this vomit-inducer on Jason Kendall's likely return, new reports would suggest Kendall's return may not be so likely after all, and Jonathan Lucroy may be the leading candidate to take Kendall's place next season.
View From Bernie's Chalet is in favor of that move.
Project Prospect gave Lucroy a pretty nice review from the Arizona Fall League.
Big League Stew wonders why no one is searching for Jason Kendall's real age.

I'm planning on writing something more in-depth on Lucroy once my brain gets a little less fuzzy. In the meantime, here's a bunch of notes on Mike Cameron, too:

Dave Cameron of FanGraphs wonders if Cameron might be the second-best position player on the free agent market this offseason.
Evan Brunell of The Hardball Times thinks he'll end up with the Yankees.
Hot Foot hopes he doesn't end up back with the Mets.

A fair number of people are treating it as a foregone conclusion that Craig Counsell will either return to the Brewers next season or retire, but that may not be the case. Adam McCalvy thinks Counsell's surprising 2009 season should net him several offers, and may drive up the price for Whitefish Boy.

MLB Daily Dish has predictions for free agents #11-20 in their rankings, and thinks Rich Harden (ranked #12) may end up with the Brewers. They also have Felipe Lopez (ranked #14) signing with the Cubs.

Speaking of oft-injured pitchers who could get a phone call from Doug Melvin, FanHuddle thinks the Brewers could sign Brad Penny.

And, of course, as the Brewers look to spend their free agent dollars this offseason, one massive mistake overshadows all other deals: Jorge Says No! has a look at the logic and failure of the Jeff Suppan deal.

Finally, there's some continued reaction to the J.J. Hardy-Carlos Gomez deal:

Aaron Gleeman has a scouting report on Gomez from his former manager, Ron Gardenhire.
Real GM Baseball gave the Twins an A- for the deal, and the Brewers a C+.

On Monday, I mentioned having written a scouting report on Hardy for Nick Nelson of Nick's Twins Blog. In return, I asked for his scouting report on Gomez. Here it is:

"When it became clear that the Twins were working to move Johan Santana during the 2007-08 offseason, fans geared up for a marquis package in return. After all, Santana was arguably the best starting pitcher in baseball; a two-time Cy Young Award winner with devastating stuff and command from the left side who still hadn't yet turned 29. What the Twins got was a package from the Mets that included three promising pitchers but was headlined by Carlos Gomez, a raw 22-year-old center fielder who general manager Bill Smith envisioned as a future anchor in the lineup.

Because of the circumstances surrounding his acquisition, Gomez became saddled with massive expectations amongst the Minnesota fan base. This might have been his undoing. By the time the Twins sent him to the Brewers for J.J. Hardy last week, a sizable portion of local fans was more than ready to see Gomez go. His lack of progress at the plate and his repeated mental lapses on the field -- one of which was on display during the ALDS when he cost the Twins a crucial run by overrunning second base in New York -- became too much for a lot of folks to tolerate.

As a person who greatly values defense and appreciates players who display enthusiasm and emotion on the field, I was always a big fan of Gomez and I'm sorry to see him go. There's no doubt that he was failing to make meaningful strides on the cognitive end, but his physical tools are undeniable and he was at least making slight adjustments at the plate this past season, with a decreased strikeout rate and increased walk rate. Granted, he was still poor in both those areas and his overall hitting numbers dropped regardless, but it's something to keep in mind, especially considering that he's still only 24 years old.

As far as defense goes, get ready for a treat. I know Mike Cameron did some nice things for the Brewers, but Gomez is better. I watched the great Torii Hunter in center field regularly for about a decade, and can confidently say that Gomez gets to balls that Hunter in his prime never would have dreamed of reaching. Even though he occasionally makes bad reads, Gomez can very quickly make up for a missed first step and has closing speed on line drives and fly balls like I've never seen before. He's an exquisite defensive center fielder and will make any fly ball heavy pitchers on the Brewers staff very happy.

That tremendous defensive proficiency means that Gomez doesn't have to progress all that much offensively in order to transform into a highly valuable player. While he has failed to post even a .300 OBP during his three major-league seasons thus far, Gomez posted a .339 OBP in the minors despite being young for every level and he may benefit from a return to the National League. His dreadful lack of discipline at the plate may prevent him from ever taking the next step and becoming an adequate offensive contributor, but I could certainly see him turning a corner and becoming a Franklin Gutierrez type player. Even if he doesn't, his defense makes him a worthwhile starter in center field and at worst he'll settle in as a quality fourth outfielder and pinch-running option.

For all the negatives that have surrounded Gomez's tenure in Minnesota, my lasting memory of him will not be the baserunning muff against the Yankees or one of the hundreds of outside breaking balls whiffed on for strike three. It will be the 12th inning of this season's Game 163 against the Tigers, when Alexi Casilla sneaked a grounder between second and first to drive in Gomez with the winning run. Gomez came sprinting home, arms outstretched like the wings of an airplane, and dove across home plate despite the fact that the play was nowhere near close. After recording the game-winning, playoff-clinching run, Gomez lept into the air with the excitement of a kid in little league. He may not be the brightest guy in the world, but Gomez plays the game with a lot of heart and he absolutely has his strengths.

Appreciate Gomez for what he is, and you'll love having him on your team. Just try to be patient with the mental mistakes and often clueless offensive approach."

Meanwhile, NL Gold Glove winners are expected to be announced today, and Stan Musial's Stance is projecting J.J. Hardy as the winner at shortstop. It seems unlikely, but I suppose it's possible.

Over 1000 innings and nearly 1000 appearances into his career, we're still trying to figure out how exactly Trevor Hoffman has managed to be so successful. Dave Allen of FanGraphs has a look at one of Hoffman's strengths: pinpoint control that allows him to keep the ball out of power zones to left-handed hitters.

Hitting during day games at Miller Park might get a little easier next season: The team has removed the ivy in the center field batters' eye and replaced it with glare-reducing black paint. They're also adding some black mesh around the scoreboard.

In the minors:

Jonathan Lucroy, Zach Braddock and (to a lesser extent) Lorenzo Cain are having pretty nice seasons in the AFL, and the Peoria Javelinas are 16-8, the best record in the AFL. They lead their division by five games with eight to play. For more on their recent performances, check out today's Fall/Winter League Update.
FanGraphs has the Brewers' minor league season in review, with notes on one Brewer minor league graduate and four more prospects.
Project Prospect ranked Caleb Gindl as the 12th best corner outfield prospect in all of baseball.
Plunk Everyone noted that Adam Heether and Brendan Katin are still among the Venezuelan Winter League leaders in HBP. Heether hasn't appeared in a game since November 1, and I'm still not sure why.

Around baseball:

Blue Jays: Claimed utilityman Mike McCoy off waivers from the Rockies.
Orioles: Claimed pitcher Armando Gabino off waivers from the Twins.
Rays: Exercised Carl Crawford's option for 2010, declined options on catcher Gregg Zaun and Brian Shouse, and claimed pitcher Ramon Ramirez off waivers from the Reds.
Red Sox:Shortstop Nick Green and outfielder Joey Gathright both rejected outright assignments and will become free agents.
Reds: Outfielder Darnell McDonald rejected an outright assignment to the minors and will become a free agent.

If you're looking to sign Yorvit Torrealba to a deal this offseason (perhaps as a replacement for Jason Kendall), the baseline has been set: After the Rockies declined his $4 million option for next season, they reportedly offered him $4.5 million for two seasons, and he turned it down. I think the Brewers could easily beat that, and might welcome a 2 year$6-7 million deal for him. Brian McTaggart has a look at other available catchers.

Meanwhile, the Reds are reportedly looking to cut payroll into the $65-70 million range, which could be a challenge considering they owe $66 million to ten players for 2010. So, if you have a Red you're looking to acquire, you should get on the phone.

Looking for another buy-low pitching candidate? The Royals are reportedly monitoring the rehab of Runelvys Hernandez, who has pitched just four major league games since 2006.

We use WAR a lot to discuss the value of players, but are there cases where we're misusing it? Jeremy Greenhouse of The Hardball Times looks at misuses of the stat. We've definitely been guilty of some in the comments here.

I shuddered while reading this note: Garrett Broshuis, a teammate of Giants prospect and accused murderer Angel Villalona, has a look at the circumstances surrounding Villalona's release from prison, which included a roughly $50,000 payment to the victim's family and their decision to ask for charges to be dropped.

On a happier note, Brewerfan.net has an interview with former Brewer Junior Spivey, who remains a Brewer fan long after moving on from the organization.

A couple of cool notes from the SBN Network:

SB Nation celebrated its sixth birthday this week.
Sky Kalkman, formerly of Beyond the Box Score, represented SBN well by winning Dugout Central's prediction contest.

I don't have any Brewer related birthdays today, so we'll have to settle for wishing a happy birthday to UW-Stevens Point alum Scott May, who appeared in five major league games and turns 48 today.

Oh, and I have a new career goal: Leveraging BCB's Twitter (@BrewCrewBall) to get a CBS TV deal.

Drink up.

Rays Exercise Carl Crawford's Option; Decline Gregg Zaun and Brian Shouse's; Claim Ramon A. Ramirez Off Waivers from Reds

R.J. Anderson — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:47:08 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

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Nothing unexpected on the options part. Although it will be interesting to see if they attempt to re-sign Zaun.

---

Ramirez is a 27-year-old righty with the locks of Lincecum from the Cincinnati organization and 39.3 career innings in the Majors. That's a pretty small sample size to draw from, but during his time he posted a 4.6 FIP and 5.1 tRA. His home run per fly ball percentage is awfully high for a reliever (just over 11%) but those things fluctuate so much on a year-to-year basis for a reliever it's hard to know whether it will be an issue heading forward. He's done some starting and pen work throughout his career.

His fastball is the pitch he uses the most and it sits around 90 miles per hour. He backs that up with a change-up that sits seven-to-eight clicks lower and also has a slider. Again, a small sample to work with, but he showed a good tendency to miss bats with a 76.5 Contact% (average is about 81%) and avoid walks. His strikeout totals before hitting Triple-A were ridiculous, but in 127.3 innings as a starter/reliever, his Triple-A K/9 dropped to 5.51 this year.

Interestingly, he's thrown a little over 3,200 pitches at Triple-A since 2007 and his swinging strike rates were pretty impressive. Assuming this guy's change is legitimate - and it appears so - this could be more than simply fooling less talented batters, but as mentioned his whiff rates with the Reds was pretty solid too. He has one option year remaining and will probably shuffle between Durham and Tampa at least a time or two throughout the season.

His middle name begins with an A. So there's that.

Whiff rates from last year with the pitch totals thrown in (SSS):

Pitch	Thrown	Whiffs	Whiff%
CH	59	13	22
FF	116	8	6.9
SL	5	1	20

And now for his 2008 numbers (mostly as a starter), SSS again:

Pitch	Thrown	Whiffs	Whiff%
CH	187	26	13.9
FA	208	14	6.73
SL	18	2	11.1

That change might be something, huh?

11/4 - Red Sox National Pedro Day

bs.uf15bosox9bears23 — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:00:14 -0000

I declare it so. I don't care that I don't have the authority to do so, in my world, it's officially Pedro Day again in the Nation.

Game 6 script perfect for [Pedro] Martinez - The Boston Globe

Oh, man, this is going to be SWEEEEEEET: it's the first time that we've had a really good reason to not care what logo is on Pedro's cap since he left us. In fact, more than just one reason...

Jim Donaldson: 27 reasons to root against the Yankees - The Providence Journal

In case anyone was leaning towards Mazz's crazy side.

Now, in more directly related news:

Red Sox pitcher Buchholz prepared to play mind games - The Boston Globe

Sounds like he's maturing. I would absolutely love to see Buch prove me wrong and become the ace that replaces Beckett as Lester's partner in crime. Also, we're pretty damn spoiled to be able to talk about phasing one of a pair of aces out with another one. Of course, we'd be rotten to keep all three, right?

Valuing Josh Beckett - Yawkey Way Academy

Going against popular opinion here; an argument FOR signing Beckett to a relatively large extension.

After the jump, more links, likely in rapid fire mode, because it's hard to focus with it being a national holiday and what not.

Tito says splitter is key to Papelbon’s success - The Bottom Line

Pitch F/X'd. But if Tito knows this, why isn't Paps acting on it? Perhaps Farrell and Tito are having a bit of disagreement?

Is Johnny Damon a fit in Boston? - The Bottom Line

Not unless a lot of stuff doesn't go our way.

Red Sox Tasked With Finding Bench Coach, Role for Jason Varitek - NESN.com

Envision one of those Saturday morning cartoons where the cat gets its punk head beat in by the mouse (sorry, dog person here). Now imagine the shaking vision view from the cat's perspective, where everything is in multiples, and slowly stabilizing into one solid picture. The bench coach role and Jason Varitek are like that, to me - and no, I didn't get my head beat in by a rodent. Unless I did, and I just can't remember...

The Batter's Box Quiz 2 - NESN.com

Boredom kill. First one is beyond obvious, even to someone who apparently lost a fight with a mouse.

Should baseball expand replay? - Extra Bases

Yes. If the fairweather fans don't like it, they can go spend their money on something that will instantly gratify them - microwaveable pasta.

BoSox AFL Update - Fire Brand of the American League

Uh oh, USG's got competition. Well, maybe. I still prefer to see all the stats laid out along with the story.

2010 Red Sox Preview: Catcher - Yawkey Way Academy

Interesting point about the gain from a full season of Vic starting. Maybe we don't need to worry about losing out on Bay if we go after Holliday after all?

Negative Team WAR - 2009 Edition - Beyond the Box Score

Hey, we sucked the second least!

Patience Is A Virtue: Looking Back At The Ramon Ramirez Trade - Bleacher Report

So while visions of trading for Adrian Gonzalez, Miguel Cabrera or Felix Hernandez dance in our heads, it's important to note that even the smallest trades can become impact moves. A one-for-one deal in December can pay dividends in July, even if it doesn't involve sexy names or big contracts.

Pretty good article, actually. Every once in a while, BR surprises me; would be nice to see more authors using better stats in their articles though. Oh, wait, that's pretty much what most SB Nation users do. Seriously, it's amazing how this network seems to filter fans down to the most intelligent and committed (not always both though).

Regressing UZR toward the Fans’ Scouting Report - Inside the Book

The comments section is where the meat is here - lots of good points about considering the connections between stats before deciding to regress one to another, among other things. If anyone wants to use the formulas they present to project, say, Ells, be my guest. If not:

Trade Market: Center Fielders - MLBTradeRumors.com

I really hope Ells can develop an eye for reading balls off the bat, but there are some options available.

Adrian Gonzalez Trade Talks - MLB Daily Dish

Might as well help out another SB Nation blog.

Links, comments, favorite Pedey stories - let it all out.

Just Like They Drew It Up. Reds Win 7-5 to Break 5-game Losing Streak.

Slyde — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 21:01:24 -0000

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

Yer a....GULP....mmmmmm.

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Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Drew Sutton. Sutton only saw three pitches all day, but that was enough as his 2-run pinch hit double in the 9th inning was the difference for the winning squad.

Key Plays

The story of the day today was base runners, as in the Reds had 21 of them when you add up the 10 hits, 8 walks, and 3 errors by the Cubs. Thankfully, they managed to get some hits today with runners on base, going 5 for 13 with runners in scoring position.

The Reds put their first two runs on the board due to the Cubs fielding incompetence. Three errors in the 3rd inning allowed the Reds to load up the bases and score a run before Brandon Phillips singled in a second run to put the team up 2-0.
The Reds added 3 more runs in the 4th inning after Adam Rosales and Drew Stubbs singles put runners at 1st and 3rd. Darnell McDonald followed with one of his two hits on the day to drive in Rosales. Joey Votto did the same to drive in Stubbs. Consecutive walks to Phillips and Scott Rolen put another run on the board and the Reds led 5-0.
While all of this was happening, Johnny Cueto was cruising right along, allowing just 1 hit and 2 walks through the first 5 innings. He ran into trouble in the 6th though, walking lead-off hitter Ryan Theriot and back-to-back singles Derek Lee and Aramis Ramirez, the latter scoring Theriot. Geovany Soto ended Cueto's day with a double that plated Lee and moved Ramirez to third base.
Daniel Ray Herrera relieved Cueto but allowed a sacrifice fly to score Ramirez and a walk and was replaced with Ramon Ramirez who induced a flyout from Jeff Baker to end the inning.
The Cubs rallied again in the 7th a walks to Kosuke Fukudome and Lee put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. Nick Masset came to the game to face Aramis Ramirez who promptly singled to load the bases. Masset struck Milton Bradley out, but then gave up another double to Geovanny Soto. Both Fukudome and Lee scored, but a nice relay from Stubbs to Paul Janish to Corky Miller nailed Ramirez at the plate, preserving a 5-5 tie.
The 8th inning was quiet on both sides, and it looked like the Reds would stall out in the 9th as Rolen grounded into a double play after a Phillips single. However, 2-out walks to Jonny Gomes and Kevin Barker left the door open for Drew Sutton to be a hero, and Sutton didn't disappoint. His double into right field plated both runners and gave the Reds a 7-5 lead.
Francisco Cordero made quick work of the Cubs in the 9th, throwing just 9 pitches in a 1-2-3 inning.

via www.fangraphs.com

Other Notes

The win today still leaves open the possibility that the Reds could finish this road trip with a split. As bad as they played during the 5-game losing streak, a split would feel like a freaking miracle.
The Reds had 10 different players reach base via a hit or a walk.

Reds lay four eggs in Denver. That's a helluva omelet. Cincinnati loses, 5-1.

Brendanukkah — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:17:04 -0000

by David Zalubowski - AP

The Giambornstar. -or- "We Greeks invented democracy!" "Yeah, and you also invented homos!" (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Juan Rincon. After starter Jose Contreras left the game after only three innings, Rincon pitched three innings of scoreless relief, giving up only two hits, striking out five and earning the win. Former Red Matt Belisle pitched the final two innings, giving up only one hit.

Key Plays

The Reds got off to a promising start. Paul Janish got a one-out walk in the first, and consecutive singles by Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips brought him around to score. Jonny Gomes then walked, loading the bases. But the lineup's biggest weakness - an abundance of strikeout artists and a lack of RBI men - came to haunt us as Wladimir Balentien and Adam Rosales struck out to end the threat.
In the third inning, Votto hit a double, and one out later, Gomes hit a single to put runners on the corners. Once again, Balentien and Rosales struck out.
The Rockies didn't seem to have a problem bringing in their baserunners. Clint Barmes singled to start the bottom half of the third, but Jonny Gomes threw him out trying to stretch it into a double. Jose Contreras grounded out (and strained his quadricep), and Kip Wells was one out away from being in the clear. But Eric Young, Jr. bunted for a hit and then stole second. Dusty pointed excitedly and insisted that was what he wanted when he got a Colorado centerfielder. Carlos Gonzalez walked, then Seth Smith hit an RBI single. Jason Giambi smashed a ball to centerfield that made Drew Stubbs look foolish and drove in two more runs with a double. Then Garrett Atkins smashed a two-run homer. Five runs in one inning, and that was all Colorado needed.
Jhoulys Chacin relieved the injured Contreras. You may not believe this, but he is the first player named Jhoulys to play in the majors.
Drew Stubbs somewhat made up for his miscue on Giambi's ball in the third inning by stealing a home run from him in the eighth.

via FanGraphs

Other Notes

Jose Contreras does not have a hit in the majors in 32 regular season plate appearances. He pitched in two World Series games, but one was in an AL stadium, and the other was a relief appearance and he was pinch hit for.
Balentien and Rosales both struck out three times. Rosales has 43 strikeouts and 19 RBI, and Balentien has 65 strikeouts and 21 RBI. Clearly, those numbers need to be reversed.
This was Ramon Ramirez's first appearance since May 21.
It was Joey Votto's 26th birthday. And he smells like one too!
Colorado finished the season a perfect 7-0 against Cincinnati. That's part of the reason they're now only two games behind the Dodgers, despite starting the season 18-28. Since firing Clint Hurdle, they've gone 63-32 under Jim Tracy. That's damned impressive.
Eric Young, Jr. stole two bases, the first two of his career.

Final - 9.10.2009	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cincinnati Reds	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	7	0
Colorado Rockies	0	0	5	0	0	0	0	0	X	5	7	0
WP: Juan Rincon (3 - 2) LP: Kip Wells (1 - 4)

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Farmers Only: Daryl Thompson roughed up on rehab, and Travis Wood has another great start in AAA

BK — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:00:28 -0000

Louisville won a close game 2-1 as Travis Wood had another good outing. Wood pitched 6 inning of 1-run ball, Ramon Ramirez put up 2 innings of shutout relief, and Enerio Del Rosario closed it out with another perfect relief inning. Darnell McDonald went 4-for-4 with a double to lead the attack, Chris Heisey homered, and Drew Stubbs, Chris Valaika, and Travis Wood all had multi-hit games. Up next: Matt Maloney takes on Lehigh Valley at 7:05.
Carolina were off. They play Birmingham at 7:15.
Sarasota lost to Jupiter 4-3. Alexander Smit gave up 3 runs in 5 2/3 innings of work, while striking out 8. Denis Phipps went 2-for-3 with 2 doubles and Jake Kahaulelio went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI. Up next: The S-Reds take on Jupiter behind Travis Webb at 7:05.
Oscar Castro got shelled again as Dayton lost to West Michigan 8-4. Castro gave up 6 runs in the 2nd to put the Dragons behind for good. Enrique Rojas and Kevyn Feiner had 2 hits each. Up next: Mark Serrano takes the hill at 7 against West Michigan.
Billings lost to Idaho Falls 6-2. Tyler Stovall and Chris McMurray drove in the Mustangs runs. Up next: The Mustangs take on Idaho Falls at 9:15 behind Ricky Bowen.
The GCL Reds scored 6 runs in the 8th inning to beat the GCL Rays 10-9. Daryl Thompson started the game on rehab, and it wasn't pretty. He managed to get two outs in the first, gave up 2 hits and walked 2, and his final tally was 3 runs allowed, 2 of them earned. Danny Hernandez homered and drove in two runs for the offense, Billy Hamilton was 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot, and Henry Rodriguez and Juan Duran drove in two runs each as well. Up next: The GCL Reds take on the GCL O's at noon.
Roster Moves: Sean Watson joins the Louisville bullpen after Jeff Kennard goes on the DL with an injury. Jordan Wideman takes over full time catching duties in Sarasota as Devin Mesoraco goes on the shelf for the first time this year. 10th round pick Tucker Barnhart joins the GCL Reds, as does Porfirio Martinez from the DSL team.