SB Nation - Randy Johnson

Drafting the Astros Dynasty

David Coleman — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:00:28 -0000

*Note: I know you are ready for the Friday Astros Minor Thoughts to return. Hold off for one more week. This story is about the minors and the draft, but it's bigger than the normal Thoughts. So you've got that going for you. Which is nice.

A throwaway comment by Evan the other day gave me a great idea for a story. The Astros glory years were from 1997-2005. That's when they made the playoffs six times in nine years. But, how were those teams built. Everyone harps on how bad the Astros farm system is now, but was it correspondingly good leading up to that dynastic period?

More importantly, how much did a well-perceived system help them win during that time frame? Was it sustained drafting excellence that carried the day, or was it one or two big scores? Obviously, our topics lately have veered into supporting Houston General Manager Ed Wade against all manner of outside opinions. Most observers are skeptical of the strength or effect the past two (pretty strong) drafts will have on the Astros going forward. So, I wanted to both see what caused the Astros success in the late 90's and if the pattern could be duplicated in 2010 and beyond.

In doing my research, I found 54 players who made the major leagues after being drafted by the Astros between 1992 and 2002. I stopped in 2002 because that seemed to be the last season where players would have a realistic chance of impacting the big league club by 2005.

54 players fit this criteria, both playing in the major leagues and being drafted from 1992 to 2002. Of this group, only 35 played even a single game with Houston. Fifteen were traded, including six who never appeared as Astros, including first round picks Ramon Castro and Mark Johnson. Both, incidentally, were traded to Florida.

For all intents and purposes, we can break up this dynasty into two sections. The first is 1997-2000, when the Astros made the playoffs three times in four years. Then, we have the 2001-2005 section, when the Astros won their first-ever playoff series and made the World Series in back-to-back years.

During that first section, six players who went on to play at least 20 games with the Astros made their debut. That number does include Morgan Ensberg, however, who didn't receive significant playing time until 2002. Of those players, Scott Elarton, Wade Miller, Lance Berkman and Julio Lugo made significant impacts. Russ Johnson, Tony McKnight, Keith Ginter, Ramon Castro and John Halama were all traded during this period.

That last sentence is important. Under Gerry Hunsicker, the Houston farm system wasn't always highly rated, but it was productive enough to swing big-time deals. Castro brought back Jay Powell, who was the primary setup man during the 1999 playoff run. Halama was part of the package that picked up Randy Johnson, while McKnight brought in closer Mike Williams, a key member of the bullpen in 2001.

What these years (and the previous drafts) lacked in impact, they made up for in trade value. Oddly enough, though, none of the drafted players the Astros gave up during this period went on to be a star. The closest is probably Ramon Castro, who played in 507 games at catcher. Of course, some of the international signees like Carlos Guillen and Freddy Garcia brought back more value for Seattle. On the balance, though, the Astros did very well by these trades.

In fact, these trades helped offset the lack of an impact player from the 1992-1995 drafts. The closest thing the Astros got during this time period was Billy Wagner. While Scott Elarton, Chris Holt and Julio Lugo all played big roles in short bursts, they didn't play for long. Elarton was a reliever for two seasons before having a great 2000 campaign. He promptly hurt his arm and was never the same for Houston. Holt was traded to Detroit after two okay seasons in the rotation for the second coming of Brad Ausmus. Lugo was a good player at short, but played on just one playoff team (2001) before being cut.

The real core of the later Astros teams were formed in the 1996, 1997 and 1998 drafts. Those three saw Wade Miller, Roy Oswalt, Lance Berkman, Tim Redding, Morgan Ensberg and Brad Lidge. Those three drafts also produced the aforementioned Mark Johnson, who was integral to the Moises Alou trade, Ginter (traded for Mark Loretta) and John Buck, who was one of the keys to the Carlos Beltran deal in 2004.

Of the Astros who played in over 100 games, only Oswalt, Berkman and Ensberg posted double-digit wins from 2002 through 2005. While Miller's best seasons may have scored highly on the WAR list, they didn't track that particular stat until 2002. Jason Lane also was high on this list, but had pitiful WAR numbers and never really had that one great season. Ensberg, on the other hand, posted more than five wins twice and carried the 2005 team until his hand injury.

There were certainly players drafted in the meantime that contributed. Lane, Chris Burke, Chad Qualls and even a guy like Kirk Saarloos had their roles. What was lacking in their performance was an impact on the Astros playoff chances. It's also clear that the Astros never really set out to build through the draft in this period. They lucked into some late round pitchers like Miller and Oswalt. They also made astute trades to supplement the core of the team built during the late 80's (Biggio. Gonzo, Harnish, Finley, Bagwell). That's how the Astros won in the first section, right down to the Alou, Johnson and Powell trades.

On the other hand, as the calendar flipped to the 21st century, the Astros relied more on homegrown players drafted under Hunsicker. While he did make big acquisitions (Kent, Clemens, Beltran, Pettitte), the real thing that hurt the Astros was the perception that they didn't have enough players to make trades. By going through free agency to sign guys like Kent and Pettitte, the Astros lost valuable draft picks. This led to the idea that the system was crummy and meant that they couldn't make impact trades any more. Look at the guys the Astros traded away again. Where are the serviceable players? Hunsicker did all that with smoke and mirrors.

The other positive thing to take away from this study is that Ed Wade and Bobby Heck could be setting the Astros up for big-time succcess again with this draft. A third straight impact-type draft could set up a situation where the Astros are contenders again and very soon. Like by 2014 soon. That may seem like a long time, because it is. I'd still rather another period of sustained success like we saw back then than what Houston looks like now.

2010 Draft Preview Part Two - College Lefties

the red baron — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:43:14 -0000

More photos » Steven Senne - AP

Adam Ottavino, former first round draft pick, simultaneously exults and breaks the hearts of Cardinal fans everywhere with a beautiful yet poorly-located offering. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

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You'll have to forgive the late, and probably somewhat rushed, post today. Work has conspired against me this week. I blame the abstract concept of money.

First things first; before I jump into a couple scouting reports, I have two missives from the Department of Credit Where Credit is Due I feel I should pass along.

Just to prove to everyone out there that no great comment will ever go unappreciated, I bring you this gem. (Also, you get bonus points for Leonard Cohen references, always.)

With the news MLB is considering a radical realignment in which they would allow teams to move from division to division based largely on their willingness to compete in any given year, I couldn't help but think back, back, back to the days of yesteryear. I'm sure the old-timers will recall Larry going on vacation a couple years ago and giving Solanus a chance to front-page it; the result was a very curious series on realigning baseball in the matter of the Premiere League, in which teams which are competing rise to the top division and those who are rebuilding fall to the bottom of the tank with their fellow scrub squads. We all laughed at the time, but who's laughing now?

Okay. Credit given, onward to the meat.

Oh, wait. Before we get to that, a moment of silence for Corey Haim. As of press time, Corey Feldman has been placed in protective custody.

I'm doing three college left-handers this week. Onward and upward.

Drew Pomeranz, LHP, University of Mississippi

6'5", 230 lbs.

DOB: 28th November, 1988

Player Page

So, what's so great about this guy?

I received two outstanding scouting reports on Pomeranz from VEB members Cardball and bmorgan; thanks to both of them for their efforts. It is greatly appreciated, fellows.

As for the reports on Pomeranz themselves, both agree with what is generally the book on Pomeranz: he's a big, physical lefty with good stuff who should pitch in the front half of a major league rotation one day. Cardball specifically said Pomeranz reminded him a bit of Mark Mulder, and I can certainly see that. He also reminds me a bit of Mike Minor, another big lefty taken out of Vanderbilt in last year's draft.

Pomeranz starts his repertoire with a fastball that cruises pretty easily in the 90-92 range consistently. Both my scouts on the scene reported he touched up to 94, especially after getting a bit rattled later in his outing and seemingly throwing a bit of frustration with each pitch. One noted he looked to be feeling for his command early in the game, and actually threw much better, more oomph and less effort, after giving up a home run and getting a bit angry. (That actually does remind me of Mulder a bit. I recall an outing, against whom I don't know, where he was nibbling the outside corner all day long, and gave up about a three run rally in the sixth inning. Suddenly the next batter was a righty and Mulder came inside on the guy, hard. He looked pissed, and added a couple ticks to his fastball, jammed the shit out of three righties in a row, and just generally looked like a different pitcher. Weird.)

The question of Pomeranz' secondary stuff is an interesting one. I've read conflicting reports on it, with many reports stating his changeup is his best offspeed offering, while what little video I've seen and the eyewitness reports seem to contradict that. Both called his changeup his weakest pitch, while talking about two speeds of breaking ball. This jibes fairly well with what I've seen of Pomeranz; he seems to throw two different breaking balls, one with more tilt and a little faster and the other slower and larger that's more of a true curve. I honestly don't know if they're two different pitches or if he just wobbles with his curve and lets it get a bit slurvy at times.

Pomeranz's curve is a bit further on at this point than his other offspeed pitches in my opinion, and it's a pretty good one, although occasionally a bit loopy. It should be easily tightened up, though, and I think his overall package of stuff will play well at the next level. He has a big, mature frame that is a bit similar to Mulder's, though he carries a bit more bulk. At the very least, Pomeranz just flat-out looks durable. Of course, that doesn't mean anything, but when I look at him he just screams workhorse. His delivery looks fine in full speed, but he does seem to get mechanically out of whack, leading him to struggling with his command at times. Again, not something which would require an overhaul, just some tightening.

The thing is, I would be very surprised if Pomeranz is still available when the Cards pick. I would love it if he were, because a big lefty with his kind of raw stuff would be a great add to the farm system, but he's been too highly rated for too long now for me to think he'll last very long come draft day. I haven't seen quite the kind of polish from Pomeranz many scouting reports tout him as having, but I still think he's got a nice ceiling and a strong chance of reaching it.

James Paxton, LHP, University of Kentucky

6'4", 220 lbs

DOB: 6th Novemember, 1988

Player Page

So, what's so great about this guy?

The James Paxton Saga is a long and winding one, and most closely resembles the very similar case of Andrew Oliver, the lefty from Oklahoma State who fought and won against the NCAA just two years ago, but then accepted a settlement, voiding the decision against college sports' governing body. If you want to read more about the legal finaglings of either pitcher, I'll direct you here for Paxton and here for Oliver. Paxton was selected by the Blue Jays in last year's supplemental round, but decided to return to school in order to graduate.

I'm not really all that interested in the legal side of James Paxton's story, though. I'm only interested in what he might bring to my team on draft day. And what he brings is mighty impressive.

James Paxton throws hard. Really hard. As in he can get it up into the 96-98 range hard. He sits lower than that, of course, with an average velocity of about 94, but 94 from a lefty is nothing to sneeze at. Paxton's fastball also has excellent sinking life to it, allowing him to generate plenty of weak contact. His slider gives him a second plus pitch, as it has hard late break, though it's a shorter sort of break; almost a cutter, really. Regardless, his fastball/slider combo is one of the best 1-2 punches of any pitcher in the draft.

The rest of Paxton's package, though, is somewhat less impressive. He lacks polish, as his control is often spotty and doesn't seem to be helped much by his long, slingy sort of arm action. His changeup is a long way from being usable, though he is capable of throwing one and would occasionally show it to hitters, particularly early in the game. (Probably largely due to the number of scouts in attendance at his starts.) The wobbly control and lack of a third pitch have hurt Paxton, whose results have never quite matched his talent. He struck out 115 hitters in 78 innings for Kentucky in 2009, but had a 5.86 ERA and allowed better than a hit per inning.

Paxton will reenter the draft this year as one of the best pure arms on the market, though one that comes with some definite baggage and notoriety. Personally, I think that's unfair, as he was caught up in the NCAA's ridiculous policies, but MLB clubs may view things in a completely different light. I just don't know. Regardless, he's a hugely talented pitcher whose raw stuff puts him up there with absolutely anyone. With his slingy arm action and powerful fastball/slider combo, you're going to hear at least one Randy Johnson comparison along the way. While his stuff certainly isn't quite that off the charts nasty, Paxton does bring an impressive repertoire to the sinister side of the pitching world.

Any team taking Paxton is probably looking at a bit more long-term of an investment, as opposed to someone like Pomeranz, who just needs some tweaking to fly through the ranks. More importantly for us, though, there's a very good chance Paxton will be available later in the draft than his talent level would seem to dictate, due to the various issues he's dealing with in regards to the NCAA.

The Cards' track record of developing pitchers with control problems is not a particularly impressive one, and their record with lefties in general isn't sterling. That being said, Paxton's upside is substantial, and he would certainly make an outstanding pick if the Cardinals were looking to add a high-reward sort of arm to bolster their system.

Sorry, folks. I would like to do a third of these, but I'm running short of time. Apologies again for the truncated posting.

The Baron's Playlist for the 10th of March, 2010 -- Forever Drone

"Sorry for Laughing" - Josef K

"Get Up and Use Me" - Fire Engines

"Swan Lake" - Public Image Ltd.

"Eating Noddemix" - Young Marble Giants

"She's Lost Control" - Joy Division

"Rocket USA" - Suicide

"At Home He's a Tourist" - Gang of Four

"Bloodsport" - Killing Joke

Opening Day for Arizona: a look back

Jim McLennan — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:00:25 -0000

The Reds and Diamondbacks line up for the National Anthem before the opening-day game on April 9, 2007 at Chase Field.

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When Dan Haren takes the mound on April 5th at Chase Field, he'll become the fifth Opening Day starter in franchise history, following in the footsteps of Andy Benes, Randy Johnson, Javier Vazquez and Brandon Webb. The Diamondbacks are 6-6 in Opening Day games, and our starters are 4-4 over that time with an ERA of 4.60. However, they have only one victory to their credit in the past seven attempts.

This will be the second time we've started off the season by playing the Padres - we've played the Dodgers three times, and are most familiar with the Rockies, opponents on five occasions. We have never faced the Giants on Opening Day at all; we've gone outside our division twice, beating the Phillies in 2000, but losing (horribly) to the Cubs in 2005. We've never been able to win by more than two runs in our first game, but have been on the receiving end of several blowouts, losing by 7+ runs three times.

After the jump, we'll go back through the history of Opening Day for Arizona, year-by-year.

Links for the date go to the box-score for the game

AZ starter	Date	Opp	Rslt	Dec	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	Pit	Str	GSc
Andy Benes	1998-03-31	COL	L 2-9	L	6.1	9	5	5	1	1	1	104	64	35
Randy Johnson	1999-04-05	LAD	L 6-8	ND	7.0	5	2	2	6	9	1	125	68	62
Randy Johnson	2000-04-04	PHI	W 6-4	W	8.2	4	3	2	2	10	2	133	86	74
Randy Johnson	2001-04-03	LAD	W 3-2	W	7.0	4	2	2	4	10	0	123	79	67
Randy Johnson	2002-04-01	SDP	W 2-0	W	9.0	6	0	0	1	8	0	130	91	82
Randy Johnson	2003-03-31	LAD	L 0-8	L	6.2	9	5	3	2	5	1	99	68	43
Randy Johnson	2004-04-06	COL	L 2-6	L	6.0	6	3	3	3	6	1	114	76	51
Javier Vazquez	2005-04-04	CHC	L 6-16	L	1.2	10	7	7	0	2	0	42	30	9
Brandon Webb	2006-04-03	COL	L 2-3	ND	7.0	5	1	1	2	2	0	98	66	63
Brandon Webb	2007-04-02	COL	W 8-6	ND	5.0	8	5	5	3	5	0	96	62	33
Brandon Webb	2008-03-31	CIN	W 4-2	W	6.0	3	2	2	4	6	0	90	56	60
Brandon Webb	2009-04-06	COL	W 9-8	ND	4.0	6	6	6	2	2	2	77	42	26

1998. Andy Benes got the privilege of the inaugural start in Diamondbacks history, with a million flashbulbs popping as he threw the first pitch to Mike Lansing of the Colorado Rockies. Though Travis Lee got the first hit, run and home-run in franchise history that night, producing half of Arizona's six hits, the visitors scored five runs in the seventh off Benes and Clint Sodowsky, to put the game away and win it for Darryl Kile. It would take the Diamondbacks five more attempts to get a W.

1999. Randy Johnson made 14 Opening Day starts, a number beaten in recent history only by Tom Seaver's 16. Six of those were for Arizona, and this was the first [Trivia question: which AZ reliever has seen most Opening Day action for us?]. However, in what would become a theme, the bullpen blew it for him: he had a 6-2 lead when he left the game after seven solid innings, but a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth off Gregg Olson allowed LA to tie it, and they won in eleven innings.

2000. Finally, the Diamondbacks won on Opening Day. Damian Miller hit a three-run shot in the second inning, and Johnson came within one out of a complete game. He must have been feeling deja-vu, as Johnson left again with a 6-2 lead, but Russ Springer and Dan Plesac failed to retire the next three batters - a walk and two hits put the tying run on base. However, Darren Holmes got Doug Glanville to line out to 3B Lenny Harris and preserve our first victory. Steve Finley went 4-for-4 with a homer.

2001. Arizona should probably have won by more, outhitting LA 12-5, but went only 2-for-12 with men in scoring position. Every starter bar Johnson had a hit, with Luis Gonzalez delivering the key blow, a two-run homer in the seventh which scored him and Mark Grace. That turned a 2-1 Dodgers' lead into a one-run advantage for Arizona. Byung-Hyun Kim and Matt Mantei posted zeroes in the eighth and ninth inning after the Big Unit left the game, and Miller gunned down two LA base-stealers.

2002. There have been only two Opening Day complete-game shutouts pitched in the National League since 1993, and the Diamondbacks were involved in both. This time, they came out ahead, Johnson out-dueling Kevin Jarvis and producing the best performance by a D-backs starter on opening day, throwing a six-hitter. That was one more hit than Arizona managed, but an RBI double from Danny Bautista and a Mark Grace solo blast was enough to give the home team victory.

2003. However, the boot was on the other foot the next year, as the Dodgers came town and blanked the D-backs, with Hideo Nomo pitching a four-hitter. Johnson didn't pitch badly: he still delivered a quality start, but two unearned runs and Stephen Randolph retiring one of five batters faced helped to pad the final margin and turn the game into a Los Angeles laugher. Luis Gonzalez was the only man to solve Nomo, getting two hits; Tony Womack and Matt Williams had the others.

2004. Randy delivered a quality start, but it was well short of enough on a day when the offense was held to three hits by Shawn Estes, who threw seven innings of two-hit ball, and the Rockies bullpen. Gonzalez did homer twise, in the first and last innings of the contest, but a two-run shot by Colorado catcher Charles Johnson gave them the lead in the fourth. Jose Vaverde padded the margin of Rockies victory, giving up three runs on four hits and a walk in the ninth inning.

2005. Worst. Opening Day. Ever. Not quite the way you want to rebound, coming off a 111-loss season. Javier Vasquez blew chunks and was gone before getting through two innings. We were 7-0 down by the middle of the second, and our pitching staff allowed 23 hits - only once in franchise history has that number been surpassed (and there, we had Grace pitching...). It was the most on Opening Day by any NL team in at least the past fifty years. And against the Cubs, too.

2006. Webb's first start on Opening Day proved unsuccessful, though he was left with a no-decision, as it took Colorado extra innings to put away Arizona at Coors. We struck first, with an RBI single by Conor Jackson in the opening frame, but opposing starter Jason Jennings helped his own cause, tying the game up in the sixth. The teams traded runs in the eighth, but AZ wasted a good chance in the ninth, failing to score after leadoff hits by Sean Green and Johnny Estrada. Jason Grimsley took the loss in the eleventh.

2007. The current streak of victories started in 2007, with this back-and-forth contest in which each team lost two leads. Webb faced Aaron Cook - not for the last time, and not for the last time were both ineffective, the staff aces combining to allow ten earned runs on 17 hits and seven walks over 11 innings. Orlando Hudson and Eric Byrnes each had three hits, and combined to drive in three runs during the Diamondbacks' eight. After a Todd Helton double, Jose Valverde struck out the Rockies in the ninth.

2008. Webb finally picked up a victory, becoming the only Diamondbacks starter since 2002 to get a W beside his name on Opening Day. He and three relievers - Chad Qualls, Tony Peña and Brandon Lyon - combined to three-hit the Reds, with the bullpen holding Cincinnati hitless over the final three frames. Chris Young, Jeff Salazar and Byrnes each had home-runs, while Jackson also drove in a run in the first. Both Webb and Reds' starter Harang went six innings, allowed three hits and two earned runs, striking out six.

2009. If you look up "Pyhrric victory" in the dictionary, you'll probably see some pictures from this game. For, while Arizona were victorious, it was the only time we'd see Brandon Webb take the mound. He left after just four innings of ineffectual baseball, but fortunately, Cook was just as bad. It was 7-6 when Webb left, and we blew four leads before hanging on to the fifth. Tony Clark and Felipe Lopez both homered twice, once from each side of the plate and Chad Tracy's 7th-inning shot provided the margin of victory.

[Trivia answer: Brandon Lyon is the reliever with most Opening Day appearances for the D-backs. appearing three times from 2006-08]

Red Reposter - Joey Votto Continues to Stretch the English Language's Ability to Describe His Excellence

Charlie Scrabbles — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:20:24 -0000

More photos » Al Behrman - AP

Cromnavulent? Meglodacian? Strongmandius!

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Another foot of snow fell here in Columbus since this time yesterday, so the Scrabbles household is staying home from work today. So while I'm outside building a few more snowmen (I almost have enough for a starting nine), here's some baseball reading to help stave off the cabin fever. Also, today is Papa Scrabbles' 50th birthday. Happy birthday, Pa!

Joey Votto’s Opposite-Field Power and Amazing Fly-Ball BABIP | FanGraphs Baseball
Dave Allen thinks that not all of Votto's 0.373 BABIP last season was just good luck, citing exceptional opposite field power and ability to prevent infield flies. I hope he's right, though I wonder if the latter in particular is a skill or just luck.

"He probably will not have a BABIP of over .370 next year, but it will most likely be quite high. This great BABIP coupled with his great — and opposite-field fueled — power and his walks result in one of the game’s best young hitters."
The Fay got his Prospect Handbook from Baseball America
and he gives a little blurb for each one on the list. He also reminds us that just two years ago, Jay Bruce was BA's #1, Homer Bailey was #9, Johnny Cueto was #34, and Joey Votto was #44. Votto as clearly had the better Major League career thus far, but he's also a few years older than the other guys.
10-game Power Packs go on sale on Saturday
It guarantees you a ticket to Opening Day, the Civil Rights Game, the Reds Hall of Fame Induction game, and Scott Rolen Bobblehead Day. You also get to choose 3 games.
Jon Heyman has a list of the biggest surprises of the offseason
and the Aroldis Chapman deal makes the list at #9.

"The Reds, who allegedly had monetary issues, made one of the bigger deals of the winter when they signed Cuban refugee Aroldis Chapman, a 21-year-old let-handed pitcher, to a $30-million, six-year deal. Chapman is said to have the talent of Randy Johnson but needs to harness his control. Some other teams wondered if there's a maturity issue, as well, but Cincinnati believes he'll be ready for the rotation soon."

It irritates me that even people as well-connected as Heyman still can't understand the financial specifics of the Chapman deal. Yeah it's $30 mil, but it's being paid out over 10 years. And yes, the Reds were really strapped for cash this winter, but Chapman is only being paid $1 mil this season. How is this difficult to understand?

Cannons in the bushes: Part 3, the left fielders
At +8 Runs, Todd Frazier had the third best arm rating (it's actually control of running game more than arm, per se) among all minor league left fielders last season. This is despite scouting reports of fairly average arm ratings.

Fake Teams takes a look around the NL Central at prospects who could be just an injury away from the Bigs
Here's what they say about the Reds:

"The Reds have a logjam in leftfield to start spring training with Chris Dickerson, Wladimir Balentien, Todd Frazier, Chris Heisey, Juan Francisco and possibly Jonny Gomes battling for the opening. Why the Reds would look to sign Gomes is beyond me. Once Scott Rolen takes his annual trip to the DL, I could see the Reds calling up Todd Frazier to play 3B, assuming Frazier does not make the team out of spring training. Frazier is also a candidate to play left field, and can play 2B or SS in a pinch."

Fay asked Dusty Baker a few questions about heading into the Spring Training
"Q: What's your biggest concern going to the spring?
A: How much depth we have on the bench. How we're going to be if we need to pinch-hit or double switch. Most teams, except the real rich ones, don't have a bunch of veterans guys they can afford to carry on the team."

Fay also spoke with Walt Jocketty
Lots of good stuff in this one about Walt's key acquisitions (Aaron Miles and Orlando Cabrera), the LF logjam (Chris Dickerson looks to be the early favorite), and the 5th starter spot (Matt Maloney and Justin Lehr have the early edge).

Baseball Prospectus' David Laurila had some questions for Chris Heisey
snippet:

"DL: Do you pay more attention to your batting average or your on-base percentage?
CH: I would say on base percentage for sure. It’s more important. Getting on base is the whole point of the game, because that’s how you end up scoring runs, so I’d like to increase my walk numbers a little bit. But while I’d like to walk more than I do, at the same time I like to stay aggressive. I’ll still swing early in the count, because usually that’s when you get a good fastball to hit. I think there’s a fine line between walking a lot and not being aggressive enough, so I like to balance those two out."

There is a lot more there too. Head over and read the whole thing.

Jay Bruce: Handsome Optimist
CNati.com has up a short video interview with Bruce. Hard to believe, but he reminds us that he's still only 22 years old.

Circling the Bases does a fine job breaking down the Reds depth chart going into spring
The one head-scratcher to me is that Todd Frazier is listed as the #6 option (behind Miguel Cairo?) at 3B.

THIS JUST IN:
NOTHING NEW HAS HAPPENED IN THE JONNY GOMES SITUATION! The Red Reposter News Team will keep you up-to-the-minute on this as it unfolds.

Weekend Round-up: Cubs want to club Cactus fans, extension talk for Reynolds and more fan events

Jim McLennan — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:30:15 -0000

"We would love for the Cubs to stay - just not at the expense of our fans. The other 13 teams in the Cactus League feel the same way."
-- Derrick Hall

Been a while since we've done one of these, and there are a good number of things worth mentioning. There's discussion of a contract extension for Mark Reynolds, Webb feeling better, news of a couple of potentially-interesting events as we head towards next weekend's Fan Fest, Derrick Hall's digestive tract, and a disturbing, if Photoshopped picture of Randy Johnson.

Details of all these can be found after the jump. Warning: if you couldn't tell from the logo on the left, it's probably going to get a bit ranty. Get a coffee and a sandwich, there's a lot to read - and not all about the Cubs!

Details of the plan to finance the Cubs new palace in Mesa have come out. And the plan put forward is, it appears largely to let us baseball fans in Arizona foot the bill. According to a bill introduced in the Arizona Legislature this wee, $59 million - more than two-thirds of the estimated cost - would be funded by increased taxation statewide, both on car rentals, and a surcharge on all Cactus League tickets. Yes, folks: it's not enough that the Cubs used extortion with menaces to bludgeon the Mesa lackies into this deal, by threatening to move to Florida. But as soon as next season, the tickets you buy to a Diamondbacks-Rockies game at their new, entirely privately-funded complex in Scottsdale, could be helping to pay for the Cubs' new facility.

Ah, but a report - commissioned by Mesa, so in no way likely to be prejudiced or biased, of course - claims that the departure of the Cubs would cost the state "over $137.8 million dollars" and 1,581 jobs. The report, however, does not say how many of those jobs involve serving alcoholic beverage to the Cubs fans. Probably around 1,570 or so. I'm also not quite sure how they leap to the conclusion that Cubs fans alone spend $75 million here annually. Even charitably assuming that every single person in attendance at HoHoKam - avg. attendance last year, 10,690 - would simply evaporate if the Cubs left, that works out at more than $7,000 per fan, purely on in-state spending, excluding things like flights. It doesn't add up.

The study also conveniently forgets how many Cubs fans already live here. As anyone who has been to Chase for their visits can attest, for such a rabid fan-base, it's amusing how many of them abandoned the city they supposedly hold so dear. The report contains no evidence at all on the number of attendees who actually come in from out of state. Nor does it take into consideration those who would come anyway, to see relatives, say, or simply to escape the shitty Chicago weather. The potential loss of a few hundred minimum wage McJobs is hardly good enough reason to start gouging everyone who attends Spring Training.

But even if we accept the questionable numbers here, there is absolutely no justification given for why we should have to pay, in order to keep the Cubs in Mesa. Going by the bevy of suitors for the AZ/COL facility, and if it actually is the cash-cow its proponents claim, there would surely be no shortage of alternative locations elsewhere in Maricopa County. These would a) give the Cubs the new facilities they apparently desperately need, b) keep their fans (and more importantly, their dollars) here in the state of Arizona, and c) not require one cent to come out of the taxpayer's pocket.

For what was the shortfall in our state budget last year? $2.43 billion, projected to rise to $3 billion in 2011. And yet idiots like House leader John McComish are proposing to raise taxes to fund a practice park for a professional sports team, when we can't even keep open our state parks? You can understand why fiscally-responsible franchises are unimpressed. It's almost enough to make me wish I could vote, simply so that I could recall the jackass. And never mind the irony that a team playing in a ballpark which was built before the Great War, regards the 12-year old facilities at HoHoKam as 'outdated'.

Hey, Cubs! Let's make a deal. Prove you deserve public funding, because otherwise you're just acting like a bratty kid, demanding a new car, when their report card is full of D's and F's. So, win the NL pennant. It's not so hard. That's something 14 of the other 15 clubs in the league have done since the last time you managed it - including seven that didn't even exist the last time the Cubs went to the World Series. I'm not even asking you win there (you haven't managed that in the entire lifetime of Arizona as a state, so let's not expect too much), just get to the final showdown and then we can talk about us funding your shiny new stadium.

And moving on, appropriately, from the Cubs to bleeding ulcers. For club president Derrick Hall made an appearance on local cooking show segment, 12 News Valley Dish last week, and announced that about 18 months ago, he'd been diagnosed with no less than ten of the pesky critters, and had given up eating red meat as a result. Hmmm... 18 months ago? I suspect the cause of the ulcers was perhaps less the diet, than the 52 one-run games in which his team were involved that year. While it's great that he's now healthy, I suspect that more important than forgoing steak, was the decision to trade Jose Valverde at the end of that season. I think this move saved everyone who watched the team a few ulcers...

Is Mark Reynolds going to be the next player the D-backs lock up long-term? He said on Friday that talks are underway: "There are talks. There's years being thrown back and forth right now. No money yet, but it could be anywhere from a two- to three-year deal with a couple of options is what I hear. I think the week of the 15th, there's going to be some formal offers made." Reynolds missed being eligible for arbitration tis year by about a long weekend of service time, so his arb years will be 2011-13. Nick Piecoro doodles numbers on a beer-mat and speculates we could be looking at "a three-year deal in the $14 million-$15 million range." Here's hoping Mark doesn't fall victim to the Curse of the Contract Extension, whose victims include Chris Young, Chad Tracy, Eric Byrnes and Chris Snyder.

The above pic of Brandon Webb playing long-toss, is courtesy of Steve Gilbert, taken with his Blackberry at yesterday's open practice session at Chase Field. He reports Webb reckons he'll be ready for Opening Day, and also has some other interesting tidbits, such as the off-season arrivals in both the Reynolds and Haren families. Also worth a read is his interview with Ken Kendrick, which by coincidence appeared on the same day as the first part of my discussion with Josh Byrnes, so sheds another bit of light on the Diamondbacks' front-office. In particular, he explained the funding for LaRoche. "We thought it was worth making the stretch and spending the extra money. There were a couple of other possibilities, and we were going to be able to do one of them. The LaRoche thing came, and we liked it, and Josh wanted to do it, so we did."

Nick Piecoro also chips in on Webb, our hopeful #1 telling him yesterday that he's looking forward to the bullpen session on Tuesday - even if it's only going to be five minutes or so in length, he'll be throwing off a mound for the first time in about ten months. "I’m excited to get back on the bump... I’m ready to go... It’s going to be a gradual thing still. Today was really good. I feel like I’m building up every day. I haven’t really thrown for a whole year. Even if somebody didn’t have surgery, if you lay off for a whole year it’s going to take a little bit to get your arm strength back and stuff." He hasn't yet broken out the curveball, but has thrown some change-ups.

FanFest next week, which reminds me, must put in my request for a day off for that. However, it is not the only change for fans to meet major-leaguers this month. The night before FanFest, next Friday, Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino are hosting an autograph event inside the Ocotillo Ballroom from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Those taking part will include Mark Reynolds, Miguel Montero, Ian Kennedy, A.J. Hinch and Daron Sutton. There's no admission charge, but you do have to be 21 or over to attend. You can bring one item per person for the participants to sign, but photography will not be permitted

And the Saturday after FanFest (Feb. 20th), the inaugural Spirit of the Game event takes place at Surprise Stadium from 5-8pm. There'll be more than twenty players from 13 clubs present - Diamondbacks, past and present, include Blaine Boyer, Micah Owings, Damion Easley...and Russ Ortiz. I guess the last-named hopes the statute of limitations has expired on his Arizona contract. Instructional clinics will be offered, and open to kids of all ages and available on a first come, first serve basis. Other activities include autograph stations and a kid’s zone with interactive games . Food will be available for purchase. It's free, but bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to St. Mary’s Food Bank, and you'll have a chance to win one of the door prizes. Bring two, and you'll have something to throw at Russ Ortiz. May I suggest a can of tomatos? Anyway, visit the website for more information.

Fangraphs.com had a couple of interesting pieces. One reviews our 2006-09 drafts, and the other talks about our top 10 prospects - though the latter list deliberately does not include any of the 2009 draft picks, presumably due to the shortage of minor-league data on them. However, that does also leave our farm system looking perilously thin in that report, though they acknowledge that eight of this year's picks could be in the current top ten. And in ex-AZ player news, Yusmeiro Petit was DFA'd by Seattle, as a result of their signing of Erik Bedard.

And, as we are almost approaching 2,000 words for this piece, I think that just about wra... Ah, you thought I'd forgotten, didn't you? The Seattle Times has a piece where it uses the Sorting Hat from Harry Potter to decide which cap certain players should wear into Cooperstown. It's quite an amusing bit of writing - and also good to see someone from that corner who does agree that Johnson should go into the Hall of Fame as a Diamondback [regardless of him throwing out the first pitch in Seattle on Opening Day] However...I could certainly have done without the Photoshopped atrocity of the Big Unit in a wizard's hat that accompanied the piece. It's gonna take a great deal of mental bleach to wash that image from my mind.

Have a good weekend. Back Monday with the bullpen preview, and Wednesday with part two of the JB interview.

Weekend Dad Mug: Brad Woodall Interview. Part the First

Fatter than Joey — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:31:22 -0000

(Editor's note: This is part one of a three part series. To read the rest, click on these links to get to Part Two and Part Three. - KL)

Hey there kids! I am not sure what your regular dad is up to, probably working on his handlebar.... however I do have a surprise for you this weekend - a three part interview with former Brewer pitcher, Brad Woodall.

A lot of the dreams I had as a child, are unfulfilled at this point in my life. Most of them; given my lack of ambition and the puzzling lack of push behind an Adam and the Ants reformation, it is probably safe to conclude, will remain unfulfilled. That said, two of my dreams have come to fruition, having a wife that makes Chex Mix with bacon, and a son that loves playing baseball as much as I love watching it.

I have thoroughly enjoyed playing catch with my son these last few summers, and also teaching him the force of nature that is the FtJ home run swing. Hitting came very natural and easy for my son, without a lot of coaching he has been able to hit for contact and power quite successfully. Throwing on the other hand, was something my son has really had to struggle with mechanically. Never having been able to throw very well myself, I was at a loss on how to teach my son how to throw. My first and only strategy was to find video of Juan Pierre throwing, and yelling at the boy, "This is how you throw, look at how bad you are, BOOOOO!".

In all seriousness, I knew my son's mechanics were bad, but I also was certain that he had a good arm in him somewhere, and I noticed that his throwing was beginning to affect his approach at the plate. Being very familiar with my limitations, I decided to waddle out of my comfort zone, and try to find someone who could help my son throw, without the humiliation of watching Juan Pierre videos.

A few months ago I crossed paths with Brad Woodall, and I took the opportunity to ask him to help my son both improve his throwing and also help my son's approach to practice and preparation. Brad has done a masterful job in teaching my son not only how to throw better, but how to practice better, hit better, and has really helped the boy get better in all aspects of all his games, not just baseball.

One side benefit to the lessons my son has received, has been talking baseball with Brad. I have found a lot of his views, outlooks and stories very refreshing and not cliche at all. I thought I would share some of our discussions with you this weekend -- touching on topics such as Doug Davis, Rick Peterson, catchers, and certainly Ned Yost.

I realize that not all of us were Brewer fans in 1998, and some of us may not have been lucid in the late 90s, so it is probably a good idea at this point to reintroduce Brad Woodall to the reader.

Brad Woodall is a left-handed pitcher who played his High School baseball for Spring Valley in Columbia South Carolina. After a distinguished HS career, Brad played for the UNC Tarheels, enrolling shortly after the departure of future Brewer stalwart BJ Surhoff. Brad helped the Tarheels win ACC conference and tourney championships, and helped get the 'Heels back to the College World Series in 1989, being a force on the mound, and at the plate.

After going undrafted, Brad signed with the Atlanta Braves, who had a tough nut to crack in a rotation with future HOFers Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz; young studs Steve Avery and Kent Mercker in the wings and Ned Yost in command of the bullpen. After four seasons bouncing between Richmond and Atlanta, Brad was given a chance to pitch in the Brewers rotation in 1998, the year the Brewers moved to the NL, under the guidance of Phil Garner. Brad then pitched for the Cubs, and coached for the Rays before retiring. Currently Brad is running Woodall Training, located in the Madison area with his wife (former and current kickass swimmer athlete).

Without further ado, let's get to the interview:

What was your role on your HS team?

I played OF, 1B and P on my high school and American Legion team. Depending on the pitcher that day, I bounced around from OF to 1B. I was very fortunate to have a coach that took care of my arm. I only pitched once a week or with ample rest. I always wanted to be a shortstop, but I was left handed.

Did you have any expectations of playing in MLB at this point in your life?

Of course, it was a far off dream of mine to play baseball in the major leagues. However, it was not a stated goal. I was very competitive and because of this my main concern was winning the next game...whether it was little league, high school, or college. I had a very short term view of what I wanted to accomplish. While many have a tangible goal of playing in the major leagues, what motivated me to work hard and get better was to win games and compete in the now. I believe this helped me take the appropriate steps in my development as a baseball player. I had a great coach once tell us "how can your head be in the big leagues when your ass is in the minor leagues"!! This is great advice to remind players to compete and be successful where you are instead of where you want to be.

In 1989 UNC went to the College WS. What was your role on that team? Were you exclusively pitching as a Tarheel? How had your HS expectations changed after college?

My role on the team in 1989 was very similar to that of my high school team. I played nearly every game as a DH, OF, 1B or as a relief pitcher. This was my breakout year as a college pitcher. Our pitching coach taught me the change up and it changed my pitching career. That year I was 6-0 with a 1.19 ERA by using the simple formula of throwing fastballs away and change ups. I learned then that executing a simple game plan is more important than a complex strategy that is a struggle to execute. Coach Halverson was one of the best pitching coaches I ever had, professional baseball included.

In your promotional material, you note that you have worked with many different HOFers, and future HOFers. One name stands out to me more so than others is Willie Stargell. What impact did Willie Stargell have on your career?

I was very fortunate to be around so many great baseball players and coaches in my career. Willie Stargell was one of those people who was so genuine, thoughtful, intelligent. He was one of the best story tellers that I have ever been around. He taught me a lot about hitting, how to pitch against good hitters, having fun, and keeping everything loose. I teach many of the things he taught me to the players that I coach today. The advice that he gave me was very important to my baseball career and how I try to handle myself in daily life.

Recently on MLB Network, they rebroadcast a game in which recently retired Randy Johnson fanned 13 Brewers. You were the starting pitcher for the Brewers in that game. Was Johnson's "stuff" that night the most filthy pitching you had ever faced professionally?

In short, yes. At that time he was as "unhittable" as any pitcher in the league. Many fans focus on how hard he threw but what made him tough to hit was the combination of his height, angle, and movement on the ball. There are many pitchers that throw in the mid 90’s, but it seemed like he was releasing the ball about 15 feet away from me out of the 1^st base dugout! He struck me out on a slider that almost hit me in the shin.

How does a young pitcher on a staff with 3 future HOFers, and guys like Steve Avery and Kent Merker, get noticed by his coaches?

This is an interesting question, and my answer may be relevant to Brewers fans as well. When I was with the Braves, I was groomed to be a starting pitcher but we had Glavine, Maddux, Smoltz, Avery, and Merker as our starting rotation. There was not much of a chance for anyone else to crack into that starting rotation. When I was in the big leagues with Atlanta, I was primarily relegated to the bullpen in long relief. Even though I was on the team, it was easy to get lost and not get much attention from the coaches.

Ned Yost was our bullpen coach at the time. Of course, he had his main guys in the bullpen that he had to take care of and I was not one of them. As with most rookies, I did not get much attention and I was hoping that I could get recognized through my results on the field.

Well, one day we are playing against the Dodgers in L.A. and I pitched the last 3 innings of an 18 inning game and got the win. I show up at the field the next day Ned approached me to let me know that his good friend Dale Earnhardt was watching the game (from a hospital room after a crash in a race) and told Ned that he liked "that Woodall kid’s style". Ned then took care of me the rest of the year. The "Intimidator" had influence in many ways.

Part 2 of 3 will be posted tomorrow, with questions on pitching coaches, catchers and Doug Davis.

Saturday Night Laugh at the Expense of Yankees Fans

hugo — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:57:50 -0000

So, every fan of the other 29 teams (though perhaps unjustified for Red Sox fans) gets to laugh and scorn the sense of entitlement displayed by Yankees fans, but it's not every day you get such an incredible example of it, as you do in this guy, who is so angry about the Yankees' offseason moves he has decided to cancel his season ticket plan:

As long as I have been a Yankee fan, I have always had the belief that the Yankees would do their best to put the best possible team on the field to attempt to win a championship. After an amazing season in which the Yankees brought the trophy back home, sadly it seems they have lost their focus on winning another championship this year.

Wow, that was quick. Guess the rosy glow of the championship has faded. Well, have at it, angry Yankee fan! Let's have the airing of the grievances!

The list of transgressions includes bringing in players who have already proven they are [in]capable of succeeding in ny (Nick Johnson and Javier Vasquez), destroying the farm system that was finally being built back up to aquire [sic] older players who have had mediocre careers (Granderson) and today the signing of Winn in order to save some money instead of bringing back one of the most productive players as well as a great teammate, Johnny Damon was the final straw.

Want to know how Nick Johnson proved how he can't succeed in NY? He hit .284/.422/.472 for a fantastic 138 OPS+ in his final season there. Sign me up for that kind of failure anytime. And Javier Vasquez had one-half a bad season in New York, after a very good half-season there. He was traded for Randy Johnson, so, maybe what the Yankees were getting had more to do with the trade than Vasquez' incapability of succeeding? And somehow the Yankees got him for Melky Freaking Cabrera, and this guy is complaining? Wow. As for Granderson, the Yankees gave up a situational lefty (Phil Coke), an outfield prospect (Austin Jackson) who has a good bat but only hit 4 home runs last season, and an starter who barely pitched last season and who has marginal stuff and an overdeveloped opinion of himself (Ian Kennedy) for a solid defensive centerfielder in his prime who has a career .828 OPS playing at a pitchers' park. There's little doubt that the Yankees bought low on Granderson, who had a subpar year last year (mostly due to an uncharacteristically low BABIP) but fantastic seasons in 2007 and 2008 and was still a 3 1/2 win player even in a down year.

As for the Damon thing, I wouldn't be thrilled to see my team replace Damon with Winn either, but it wasn't as though they didn't try to resign Damon and, anyway, is it really a firing offense?

Then, this:

...I've always found a way to get ticket packages because of the entertaining product the Yankees put on the field, but also because I knew that the Yankees would do what was in their power to put a championship caliber team on the field. Even in 2008, when I knew the team was rebuilding, I bought a plan because I knew they were making a sacrifice to improve their chances the following year.

This offseason has not instilled this same confidence, so I regretfully must inform you that I am cancelling my ticket plan. I am no longer a ticket package holder for the Yankees, but I remain what I [sic] will always be, I lifelong Yankee fan.

Yes, this long-suffering Yankees fan even stuck it out for the "rebuilding year" of 2008 where the team only won 89 games and had a $209 million dollar payroll, scrimping and saving in order to ensure a better day for next year's team.

Now, I hate to make fun of this guy (ok, as you can tell, this is false), and it has nothing to do with the fact that most of his statements are just plain ridiculous and outright wrong. No, it's the overdeveloped sense of entitlement we've all come to recognize in Yankees fans, the idea that they have the right to every single player in the league they want. Even if everything he said were true, your team just won the world series! Just kick back and enjoy yourself, dude.

They say youth is wasted on the young? The Yankees are wasted on Yankees fans. </rant>

Randy Randy Randy Randy Randy Randy Randy Randy Randy

Jeff Sullivan — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:59:50 -0000

Says Larry Stone, along with a host of others who aren't as awesome as Larry Stone:

Randy Johnson will throw out first pitch at home opener April 12, the M's just announced

I know the feelings around Randy in Seattle don't quite match up with the feelings around Junior, but these are going to be thirty loud-ass seconds. I would've loved to bring Randy in as a 2010 starting pitcher, but given the circumstances, I'll take anything I can get, and this is just perfect. By giving us all an opportunity to express our appreciation, and by not drawing it out any longer than necessary...I can't think of a better compromise.

Marlins Encore Today on Fox Sports Florida

GameFish — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:00:32 -0000

If you're looking for a constructive way to kill time before life resumes on Opening Day, Fox Sports Florida has got you covered. Today at noon the network will air another Marlins Encore, a game that is one of my personal favorites from last season-- June 8th, Giants at Marlins.

Remember that one? Sean West earned his first Major League win as he flirted with a no-no and shut out the Giants through eight innings, and Brett Carroll had a milestone of his own, hitting the first home of his major league career against none other than Randy Johnson.

If you have a happier life than a lot of people and are not required to be at work or in class on Wednesdays, enjoy the game. Otherwise, that's why God invented Tivo.

Monday's Frosty Mug

Kyle Lobner — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:21:06 -0000

Some things to read while building a longer Chunnel.

Thanks go out this morning to Rubie, who filled in admirably for me on Friday, and Noah, who handled this weekend. It's always great to be able to step away for a few days and know that the Mug is taken care of. If you missed either of their Mugs over the weekend, click the links and take a look: there's a lot of good stuff in there.

The Brewer front office staff and coaches from throughout the organization are meeting in Maryvale this week for a pitching symposium, with Gord Ash saying pitching coaches and trainers have submitted "some 100 topics for discussion." Rick Peterson will be the key note speaker for the gathering. Gerry Fraley of USA Today says Peterson could be the Brewers' biggest offseason move.

In the first link in the previous paragraph, Tom Haudricourt also has a note on Chris Capuano, who plans to report to spring training with no restrictions and hopes to compete for a job in the majors. Capuano says he's back to throwing 86-87, down only slightly from the 88-89 he was throwing pre-injury. In-Between Hops has a look at pitchers who have come back from a second Tommy John surgery. The list isn't very encouraging, but it's worth noting that Capuano was significantly better pre-injury than many of the pitchers on that list.

If you've ever been harassed by ~~scalpers~~ "ticket brokers" at Miller Park, then I may have some good news for you. The Brewers are pushing legislation that would allow them to restrict ticket brokers to specific areas of the parking lot, and close some of the loopholes that brokers have been using to escape previous regulations. If the bill passes, the Badgers, Packers, Bucks and Marquette would all also be able to enact similar rules.

I've been following the winter leagues from afar and posting on them each morning for some time now, but somehow I missed this story the first time around: Casey McGehee was banned from competing in the Caribbean this winter and each of the next two after leaving his Mexican team without notice in 2008. The Mexican Winter League season came to an end yesterday for Luis Cruz (the last active Brewer) and his Culiacan teammates, as noted in this morning's Winter League Update.

In the minors:

Deep Leagues unveiled their MLB Farm System rankings over the weekend, and they have the Brewers at 15th, a step behind the Nationals and one ahead of the White Sox.
The guitar scoreboard, the most prominent feature of Greer Stadium in Nashville, was BBTF's Baseball Picture of the Day.
We've got a tight race in the voting for #5 in our BCB Community Prospect Rankings. As of this writing, Eric Arnett leads Zach Braddock by two votes. If you haven't yet, you have until 4 pm today to cast your ballot. At 4, voting for #6 will open with an expanded field of candidates.

Around baseball:

A's: Designated first baseman Tommy Everidge for assignment.
Blue Jays: Acquired Zach Jackson from the Indians for a PTBNL.
Dodgers: Avoided arbitration with outfielder Jason Repko, who will earn $500,000 in 2010, and signed outfielder Michael Restovich to a minor league deal.
Giants: Signed Aubrey Huff to a one year deal.
Mets: Claimed pitcher Jay Marshall off waivers from the A's.
Padres: Signed pitcher Mark Worrell to a minor league deal.

Unless you're an economics nerd, it's possible you don't care. With that said, I'm an economics nerd so I'm intrigued by the math used by the MLBPA to assess Matt Holliday's contract as having $113,580,723 in present day value. The total amount paid will come out to $120 million, but with payments stretched out over 20 years it seems unlikely that it will only experience a 5% devaluation.

Statheads rejoice: Redsox.com has a story on the rise of defensive metrics in major league front offices (h/t BBTF). If you're falling behind, Big League Stew has everything you always wanted to know about UZR.

If that's not enough statistical analysis for you today, Baseball Reference has a two-parter on the length of starting pitching outings and a note on the increasing volume of one inning relief outings.

Or, if you're looking for a slice of baseball history, MLB.com has a look at the birth and expansion of the Cactus League, which will have 15 major league teams for the first time in 2010.

I've got three former Brewer notes of note today:

CC Sabathia made our BCB All Decade Team despite playing just half a season as a Brewer. Was his performance the best ever by a pitcher acquired mid-season? He's currently leading voting over at The Book Blog.
Tyler Maas of Bugs & Cranks teamed up with Dan Tobin for a post on what to expect from Bill Hall in Boston.
Baseball Musings' Players A to Z series reached Jesus Colome over the weekend.

Randy Johnson announced his retirement last week, and more than a few major leaguers will be happy to see him go: Kevin Dame of The Hardball Times has a frequency cloud of Randy Johnson's strikeout victims, and Plunk Everyone (who else?) has everything you ever wanted to know about batters Johnson hit with a pitch.

On this day in 1999, the Brewers signed outfielder Rich Becker. Becker hit .252/.395/.424 in 89 games as a Brewer before being traded to the A's for pitcher Carl Dale. Dale made four appearances as a Brewer, posting a 20.25 ERA in four innings.

Happy birthday today to:

Former Brewer exec and current Mariner GM Jack Zduriencik, who turns 59.
2007 Brewer Greg Aquino, who turns 32.

Oh, and if you follow BCB on Facebook, I promise not to become one of these 18 annoying facebook people (h/t Drew Olson). I did a quick scan of the list and discovered I'm friends with #1, 2, 4, 6, 7 (dozens), 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18,

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've finally found a use for my cast iron skillet.

Drink up.