SB Nation - Dave Roberts

Wait, so how exactly is this anything like 2004?

CrazyYankeeChick — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:32:45 -0000

Yeah, I'm just not seeing it...

The 2009 ALCS and 2004 ALCS are practically mirror images of each other.

Indistinguishable.

Talk about carbon copies! I haven't seen this level of uncanny similarity since watching Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes in White Men Can't Jump.

Yeah, that's about how alike these two series are.

If I have to read one more thinly veiled (or downright overt, even) suggestion that the 2009 ALCS is "2004 all over again," I may spoon out my eyeballs with my bare hands without skipping a beat.

I'm sorry, HOW exactly is this ANYTHING like 2004?

As much as it pains me to even think about that dark time in my life, I'm going to bite the bullet for the sake of putting an end to this ridiculous Y2K-like mass hysteria and unfounded panic.

Let's consider the elements that shaped the 2004 mess:

The Greatest Rivalry in Sports
Yankees took 3-0 lead
Red Sox hadn't beat the Yankees since the dawn of time
A-Rod's empty performance
Red Sox were the favorite entering series
Yankees pitching: Mike Mussina, Jon Lieber, Javier Vasquez, El Duque, Esteban Loaiza, Kevin Brown
Yankees Big Bats: Miguel Cairo, Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui, Gary Sheffield (all below .300)

And in 2009?

Not the greatest rivalry, or even a rivalry at all
Yankees went up 2-0. Then 2-1. Then 3-1. Then 3-2.
Yankees haven't beaten the Angels since the dawn of time
A-Rod's immortal-like production and clutchness
Yankees were favorite entering series
Yankees pitching: CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte
Yankees Big Bats: Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui

Not only is 2009 not that similar to 2004, but it's arguably the polar OPPOSITE of it. The Yankees aren't squandering away a swift 3-0 lead. The past 5 games have been back and forth, in terms of series record.

If this is considered to be a repeat of 2004, then I have to assume that anytime the Yankees lose a single game in the postseason, it's going to be linked to a Dave Roberts steal clip.

When the Angels lose tomorrow, I expect to read volumes of column inches asserting the blatant redux of the 1986 ALCS. Because, you know, they're practically one in the same. The Angels lost that one. They're going to lose this one. And apparently, that's about all the matching elements you need these days, to substantiate a cross-season comparison.

Next thing you know, they're gonna start telling me Papelbon and Mo are identical closers! Oh, wait...

Pay no attention to this 2004 drivel, Yankee fans. It's the hollow propaganda of haters everywhere.

And as George Bernard Shaw said, "Hatred is the coward's revenge for being intimidated."

-CYC

Yanks remind critics who the real team to beat is, batter Boston 9-5 in series opener

CrazyYankeeChick — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 05:08:47 -0000

More photos » by Paul J. Bereswill - AP

ARod regards Alex Gonzalez quizzically, after swiping his 3rd base of the night: "Are you actually really trying to sell this tag?"

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For the last few days, all I've been hearing about is how afraid we should all be. How very afraid. Our pitching is billed, as usual, as questionable. The Red Sox are billed, as usual, as the indestructible wild card.

Talk is cheap. This year's Yankees aren't cutting corners to sneak wins in. They're where they are not because of any one player, but because they adapt their game based on the challenges they face. Our team demonstrated that tonight when they left Boston reeling with an unrelenting attack that barely gave their division rivals a chance to come up for air.

It took me about 4 innings to realize what was going on with the pitching performances. Joba Chamberlain and his unprecedented unpredictability were zipping through innings with such economic deftness that I was starting to think he either had a date waiting for him, or just really needed to use the bathroom. Conversely, Jon Lester was uncharacteristically awkward, uncomfortable, and stilted. I think it's pretty obvious what happened here...

Other game notes:

Michael Kay waited a whole 3 innings before he broke out the "perfect game" jinx. My Red Sox buddy noted this and texted me: "I almost feel bad for Yankee fans. Girardi should just pull him now."

Though I wasn't listening to the 880 broadcast, I can only imagine the rampant application of "You know, you just can't figure baseball" observations from Sterling, once Lester was literally knocked out of the game from a screaming liner off the bat of Melky Cabrera, into the knee cap of RSN's noble ace. But it was the reaction of posters on the game thread that really struck me: immediate, unqualified concern for Lester spilled out in droves. Indeed, we truly have the best fans in baseball.

Pitching lines for the night:

Joba--6 IP, 5H, 3R, 5K, 1BB

Lester--2.1 IP, 8H, 5R, 3K, 3BB

If I hadn't seen the game and read that in the next day's paper, I'd honestly think the writer accidentally flipped the names.

Bullpen lines for the night:

Yanks--2.3 IP, 3H, 2R, 3K, 2BB

Sox--5.2 IP, 6H, 4R, 5K, 6BB

You gotta give our pen credit; they've been the subject of an unfaltering dismissal of their legitimacy for what seems like forever. And like ARod's non-clutch reputation, this preconceived notion becomes less and less substantiated with every game.

Jonathan Albaladejo (still can't spell that right in one try) gave the Sox their only respite of the night, giving up 2 runs in about 45 seconds of work. Alfredo Aceves, Damaso Marte, Phil Hughes, and Phil Coke were all remarkably effective out of the pen. I guess old habits die hard. Even with Joba going 6, everyone under the kitchen sink was brought in to fill in the remaining innings. I'm not complaining--I think Girardi handled it perfectly. (Did I just actually say that?)

Boston's bullpen is like a freaking clown car at a circus. I really thought I had seen all of em during the 15-inning marathon last month. But tonight, some guy named Hunter Jones relieves Lester, then Michael Bowden after that. My sister texts me, "Who ARE these pitchers? Did they Jorge Bogey? That sounds like a name dad would make up. Like 'Yeah Frank Staboonch is coming in next.'" (Jorge Bogey=Michael Bowden)

Stat of the night: Yankee batters saw 213 PITCHES. This is one of my proudest moments of the season. Lester threw 78 pitches in less than 3 innings. Joba threw 86 in 6 innings. Unbelievable.

2nd best stat of the night: 7 STOLEN BASES. In 7 tries, off Jason Varitek. The most SBs in a game since they stole 8 in 1996. (At what point is "stolen base" no longer an automatic cue to cut to Dave Roberts reels?) They never stopped running, and the Sox were constantly left scrambling on defense.

The Sox offense was spotty, at best. Their only highlights were a solo shot from Victor Martinez (to "break up" Joba's perfecto, just like Kay wanted) and a 2-run bomb from David Ortiz (who's the king of meaningless homeruns now, RSN?)

No element of their game was underplayed. The pitching was tremendous, the running game was extraordinary, defense tight as always, and offense was overwhelming. 14 hits, only 1 of which was a long ball (the record-breaking 127th ding of the year was off the bat of Alex Rodriguez, who went 3-for-3 with 4 RBIs). The Yankees manufactured runs all. game. It was like they never stopped to look at the score, just put their heads down, hit, got on base, and kept going. The Sox never knew what hit 'em.

No one who watched that game can say that this meant nothing. I've been seeing them play all season, and this showing even took me by surprise. They chased one of the best pitchers in the league, they asphyxiated one of the best line-ups in the league. They exploited the Sox's weaknesses, and maybe tomorrow, people will be less quick to lionize Boston, and more inclined to recognize how strikingly stalwart the 2009 Yankees really are.

-CYC

For once, the Epstein's puzzle pieces do not fit

Randy Booth — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:00:11 -0000

More photos » by John Bazemore - AP

Casey Kotchman: a puzzle piece that goes to no puzzle.

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Theo Epstein has always had a knack at making the right moves. Granted, it doesn't work all the time -- because really, how can it? -- but nine times out of 10, you can count on Epstein making a move that will undoubtedly help the club.

I'm starting to think 2009 may be his worst year yet.

It seems like every year since, say, 2004 or so, the Red Sox have just needed to acquire the "puzzle pieces" to cap off a great team. It's getting that one middle piece with a sliver of blue on it and a chunk of a red -- kinda looks like a flower -- to put it all together and complete that 25-piece puzzle.

This year's puzzle pieces have that blue and red, but they just ain't the right shapes.

Since the Sox have started to make mid-season moves, there's been a lot of head scratching.

First there was Adam LaRoche. That was an understandable move for the most part because the Sox needed offense -- even more-so than they do now.

LaRoche was still a wonder though because he's a starting-caliber first baseman and the Sox, no matter how bad the offense was, couldn't start him. Unless there was an injury, LaRoche would find a lot of his time occupied by spitting sunflower seeds from the top bench in Fenway.

That fact that puzzle piece did not fit was quickly realized as he was traded nine days later for Casey Kotchman. That's where we find another oddly-shaped puzzle piece.

Kotchman is an upgrade over LaRoche in terms of fitting in the offense, but it's still not a great solution. Kotchman is considered a better "bench player," per se, because the word is he'd take to that better than LaRoche. OK, sure. He automatically is a better fit in the roster, even if he isn't a better hitter than LaRoche.

I want to point out that just because a player isn't regarded better than another, it doesn't mean that it's a worse fit. Remember the greatest puzzle piece in Red Sox history? Sure you do, because now he's one of the hardest-to-listen-to broadcasters in Sox history.

Dave Roberts. Roberts didn't do anything too amazing, but he was fast. He played solid defense, but he couldn't really hit too much. But he worked in the offense just beautifully. And while I'm on it, thanks again for '04, D-Rob.

So Kotchman is a better fit, but it's still not a great fit. With Kotchman on board July 31, plus the addition of Victor Martinez on the same day, an instant logjam is created at first base.

As of right now, the Sox have four players on the current roster that can feasibly play first base: Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, Martinez and Kotchman. While Youkilis and Martinez have versatility, that's still too many damn first basemen.

We can also talk about players like Brian Anderson, Chris Woodward and Alex Gonzalez (while they do seem to fit a tad better), the bottom line is that Epstein is making moves and they don't seem to be panning out.

So why is our genius GM making these moves? The only thing I can really think of is that someone's desperate.

The Sox have struggled all season long, really. I can only remember one really good stretch and that came at the beginning of the season. But it seems like once one thing got off on the wrong foot (maybe that could be the LaRoche-Kotchman situation), everything else just followed slipping down the hill.

Moves like trading for Gonzalez or designating John Smoltz for assignment could, in some way, cry of desperate measures. Epstein is trying to build a winning team, but it seems like everything that he's tried has had no effect on the club.

It's like having 10 dumb kids all in the same class -- it doesn't matter where they sit in the classroom, because they're still 10 dumb kids.

Epstein can shuffle the lineup all he wants. He can call up whomever from Pawtucket to try and make a spark. But at this point in the season, nothing has worked. This, of course, doesn't rule out the fact that a combination could work. While it's possible -- and has seemed to work in previous years -- I just don't think it's very likely.

However, there's still time. I want to see Epstein use his magical powers to somehow bring a shortstop to the team that can hit the ball. I'm sure he has a magic wand or something that can do that. Maybe he could bring in a starting pitcher that pitches like Josh Beckett and Jon Lester, but isn't Beckett or Lester.

Just maybe.

In the meantime, I say we jam those freakin' puzzle pieces in and make them fit.

The Washington Nationals Just Can't Let Go? Orioles Win 6-3.

Ed Chigliak — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 03:58:35 -0000

More photos » by Gail Burton - AP

5 months ago: Washington Nationals second baseman Ronnie Belliard catches a pop up by Baltimore Orioles Melvin Mora just missing a collision with right fielder Austin Kearns in the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 27, 2009, in Baltimore.(AP Photo/ Gail Burton)

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HEADLINE:

Bases Loaded Failure:

How many bases loaded situations can you fail to cash in on and still expect to win a game against a major league opponent? Even a mediocre one like the Baltimore Orioles...Two of the Washington Nationals' three runs tonight were walked in by the O's starter Jeremy Guthrie in the first inning, when he gave up back to back singles and then two straight walks to force in the first run of the evening. One strikeout later, Guthrie walked in run No. 2, but the double play grounder Ronnie Belliard hit into ended any hope of a real rally, and let the Orioles' starter off the hook after 39 pitches.

Ryan Zimmerman's DP grounder in the second erased a leadoff single. Josh Willingham doubled to start the third and scored the only run the Nationals earned tonight two unproductive outs later when Austin Kearns, of all people, collected his first RBI since May 7th with a two-out single on a 2-2 fastball low and inside that he lined into left. At that point you might have actually thought that the decision to start Austin Kearns and his .196 AVG and .331 OBP was a good one, did you still think so when he ground into an inning-ending DP with the bases loaded in the sixth? Or when he K'd swinging at a 1-2 curve from Orioles' closer George Sherrill in the ninth?

The Washington Nationals drop their second straight in Camden Yards, 6-3 to Baltimore. DC righty Shairon Martis gives up 6 hits and 4 ER's in 5.0 IP, and DC relievers Joe Beimel and Mike MacDougal give up a run each in the seventh and eighth to put it out of reach at 6-3 O's. Orioles' catcher Gregg Zaun, left fielder Nolan Reimold and first baseman Aubrey Huff hit one home run each, and after Baltimore starter Jeremy Guthrie gives up 3 runs in 5 IP, the Orioles' bullpen gives up just 3 hits in 4.0 scoreless innings as the O's hand the Nationals their 51st loss of '09.

Miss The Game? Unfortunately For The DC Faithful, They Didn't?

Orioles win, 6-3 final.

Headlines: (Continued After The Jump):

• Hanrahan? Who Would Take Him?

• DC Bullpen Update...

• A List Of ?'s That Start With How Long...

For The Completists, Complete Game Report After The Jump...

We Totally Outcommented Them At Least...Check Out The Camden Chat (SBN Orioles Blog's GameThread).

DWDT: 14

Washington Nationals now 21-51.

Hanrahan? Who'd Take Him?

In trying to explain the fact that failed DC closer Joel Hanrahan remained on the roster, Washington Post writer Chico Harlan noted in an article at the Nationals Journal this afternoon entitled, "Bard Emerging As Nats' Regular Catcher", that, "Washington's front office openly admits that he'd (Hanrahan would) be pitching in the minors, if only he had options remaining", and when asked by Mr. Harlan, what the Nationals will do with the struggling reliever, who insists on throwing his slider, (ed. note - "Sorry, I added that.") "Acting" DC GM Mike Rizzo, responded:

"'I just think we'll have to be patient with him and live with him,' Rizzo said. 'Manny will have to put him in the right positions to succeed -- maybe winning by a lot of runs, losing by a lot of runs.'"

•• DC Bullpen Duck Pond UPDATE:

(ed. note - "The DC Faithful didn't cite any sources when they discussed this during tonight's GameThread, so I imagine they somehow see into the future because, according to Washington Post writer Chico Harlan's post game post entitled, "Stammen Moves To Pen (And Post Game Comments)", DC righty Craig Stammen will be moving to the pen when Scott Olsen returns to the DC rotation this week. Mr. Harlan thinks it'll be one of the members of the Nationals' bullpen Duck Pond who will be heading up to Syracuse instead of Stammen, Ross Detwiler or Shairon Martis as had previously been speculated, and since we just read what we did above from the "Acting" DC GM, the DC Faithful think it'll be Jesus Colome.")

A List Of ?'s That Start With How Long...

• How long with the Nationals "live" with Hanrahan?

• How long with they insist on putting Austin Kearns out there?

• How long will Mike MacDougal last as the Nationals' closer? And who's next?

• How long until someone convinces Ronnie Belliard line drives are more likely than homers?

• How long until Stephen Strasburg signs???

Go Ahead, Add Your Own "How Long's" In The Comments...

GAME REPORT...("Two G's, Zaun? Do you know how long it took me to correct all those, ugh...")

Washington Nationals At Baltimore Orioles. Game 72 or 73 of 162.

The Amazing Willie Harris starts the game with a single through second. Orioles’ right-hander Jeremy Guthrie gives up another single to Cristian Guzman, who hits a line drive to center field. Ryan Zimmerman walks to load’em up for Adam Dunn. Dunn takes a 3-1 pitch inside and walks to force in the first run of the game, 1-0 DC. Jeremy Guthrie gets Josh Willingham looking at a two-strike fastball inside. Josh Bard battles Guthrie to a full count, and walks in the second run of the first. 2-0 DC. Ronnie Belliard grounds to short, Robert Andino to Dave Roberts to Aubrey Huff, double play...Josh Willingham goes a long way to catch the first out off Brian Roberts’ bat. DC righty Shairon Martis gives up a one-out single on a grounder up the middle by Adam Jones. Nick Markakis takes a 2-1 pitch to center, where Willie Harris makes the grab!! Aubrey Huff walks on four straight pitches. Nolan Reimold walks to load the bases. Luke Scott chases a 1-2 slider for a swinging K to end the first.

Austin Kearns hits a liner over the mound to short, Robert Andino throws to first to start the second. Robert Andino fields a chest high hopper and throws to first in time to get Alberto Gonzalez. Willie Harris flies out to short left to end the DC second...Melvin Mora hits a line drive to center that Willie Harris handles. Gregg Zaun takes a 2-2 fastball to right and...gone? It’s GONE! 2-1 DC. Robert Andino grouds out to short, Alberto Gonzalez fires to first in time. Brian Roberts stares a two-strike slider all the way in and gets punched out emphatically by the home plate ump.

Cristian Guzman singles to left to start the third. Ryan Zimmerman grounds to third, Melvin Mora to Brian Roberts to Aubrey Huff, double play. Adam Dunn pops out to center, Adam Jones makes the catch...Ronnie Belliard’s standing there waiting for Melvin Mora’s groundout to second. Nick Markakis fights off a pitch inside and lines to left for a one-out single. After getting squeezed on a 1-2 fastball, Martis drops a 2-2 change on Aubrey Huff to get a swinging K. Nolan Reimold grounds to third, Zimmerman takes the force at second...

Jeremy Guthrie gives up a leadoff double to Josh Willingham who rips a pond-skipper past Mora at third. Josh Bard’s fly ball to center is not enough to advance the Hammer to third. Ronnie Belliard grounds sharply to third, Mora looks Willingham back and throws to first to get Belliard. Austin Kearns fully extends and drives the ball to center for an RBI single, 3-1 DC. Alberto Gonzalez fouls out on a foul tip...Shairon Martis walks the leadoff batter, Luke Scott. Melvin Mora flies to short right, and Ronnie Belliard and Austin Kearns almost collide as Belliard catches it. Robert Andino lines out to left to end the fourth.

Jeremy Guthrie pops Willie Harris up to the infield. Melvin Mora swipes his glove through the air to make the catch as he tracks Cristian Guzman’s pop fly foul of third. Ryan Zimmerman flies to center on a full-count fastball from Guthrie...Brian Roberts lines to -- Alberto Gonzalez’s glove!!! Diving catch by Gonzalez. Adam Jones grounds to short and reaches safely when Gonzalez can’t come up with it. Nick Markakis flies out to left. Aubrey Huff beats the shift with a hard-hit grounder under a diving Belliard at second. Martis hangs a change to Nolan Reimold and it ends up in the first row in left for a 3-run HR and a 4-3 Orioles’ lead. Martis drops a two-strike slider onto the outside edge for a backwards K to end the inning.

Brian Bass takes over on the hill for the O’s. Adam Dunn takes a 3-2 pitch low and outside for a leadoff walk. Bass throws a high fastball to Josh Willingham and the Hammer drills a line drive to left, Dunn to third. Josh Bard up with two on. Bard walks, Bass is done. The O’s bring on Matt Albers, and he gets a force at home on Ronnie Belliard’s grounder and a tailor-made DP on Kearns’ weak roller to short. 4-3 O’s...Julian Tavarez gets Melvin Mora swinging to start the O’s sixth. Zaun singles with one down and moves to second as Ryan Zimmerman stumbles and falls as he throws out Robert Andino. Brian Roberts grounds out to first, Tavarez holds it close.

Jim Johnson is the next O’s pitcher. Alberto Gonzalez punches a single into center. Willie Harris grounds to second, Roberts to Andino to Huff, double play. Cristian Guzman grounds out to second...Willie Harris flies over to catch a fly ball off of Adam Jones’ bat. DC Manager Manny Acta calls on Joe Beimel against the left-handed hitting Nick Markakis. Markakis lifts a slow slider to Josh Willingham in left. Beimel sends one right down the pipe and Huff hammers it to left and GONE. 5-3 O’s. Nolan Reimold goes down swinging. 5-3 O’s after the seventh.

Ryan Zimmerman hits a blooper to right for a leadoff single in the seventh. Jim Johnson gets a weak ground ball to short from Adam Dunn. Josh Willingham beats out the back end of his own DP grounder. Josh Bard flies out to center to end DC’s eighth...Mike MacDougal walks the leadoff O in the eighth. Felix Pie takes over running for Luke Scott. Pie gets forced out at second on a sweet diving play by Belliard. Gregg Zaun singles through short. Robert Andino singles to load the bases. Brian Roberts flies out to left, Mora tags and scores on a weak throw from Willingham in left. 6-3 Orioles. Adam Jones grounds out to end the eighth.

George Sherrill’s on to save it. Ronnie Belliard pops out. Austin Kearns K’s on a 1-2 bender on the outside edge. Alberto Gonzalez grounds out to Mora, O’s win. 6-3 final.

Nationals now 21-51.

Around the Mission: 6/9 Padres Links

jbox — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:51:53 -0000

More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - AP

6 months ago: San Diego Padres' Kevin Kouzmanoff, left, and Adrian Gonzalez congratulate each other after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks during a baseball game in San Diego, Monday, June 8, 2009. Kouzmanoff had two hits and drove in three runs. The Padres won 6-3. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

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XX Sports Radio Interview: Mark Prior (MP3)
Prior wants to repay the Padres on the field. Watching the 18 inning game made him really want to be out there and pitch.
XX Sports Radio Interview: Woody Williams (MP3)
I have a hard time listening to anyone from those 2004-2007 teams, even Dave Roberts. It's like running into a prison guard who used to beat you every day.
Kouzmanoff swings into action
And Kevin Kouzmanoff snapped out of a 3-for-24 drought, driving in four runs with a pair of two-out hits
Peavy pitches past pain to lift Padres | padres.com: News
Pitching through pain from lingering ankle tendinitis, Jake Peavy struck out eight in seven innings to lead the Padres to a 6-3 win and series split against the D-backs at PETCO Park.
PADRES: Peavy hobbles way to victory : North County Times - Californian 06-09-2009
"I'd be lying if I told you it's 100 percent but it's one of those nagging injuries you get through," Peavy said.
Gonzalez slugs way into All-Star contention | padres.com: News
Gonzalez ranks fourth among National League first baseman in the latest balloting results for the July 14 All-Star Game in St. Louis with 473,060 votes. Gonzalez trails first-place leader Albert Pujols (1,751,945), Ryan Howard (876,149) and Prince Fielder (697,456).
Padres add bullpen help for road trip | padres.com: News
The Padres have several new bullpen reinforcements in tow for a five-game road swing starting Tuesday against the Dodgers.
PADRES NOTES: Adams back in Padres' pitching family : North County Times - Californian 06-09-2009
"It kept me at ease that I didn't have any setbacks especially with what I went through with my knees one after the other," Adams said. "... I'm glad with the way the guys are throwing the last couple of weeks. It makes it easier on me."
Who's your Padre?: About tomorrow's draft ...
Picking Tate would represent a hug shift away from the draft plan the Padres have stuck to in recent years, drafting college players who are close to being finished products and that can move quickly through the farm system.
Draft Preview: Padres in position of choice | padres.com: News
The Padres pick third in the upcoming First-Year Player Draft and have a plethora of options to choose from -- San Diego is expected to go with one of many talented pitchers.
Friars eye sluggers with ties to UNC | padres.com: News
With the No. 3 pick in the Draft, the Padres plan to consider UNC first baseman-outfielder Dustin Ackley if available, and also have interest in outfielder Donavan Tate, a Tar Heels recruit.
Draft Day :: Friar Forecast
Friar Forecast prefers Aaron Crow.
Draft day " Another Padres Blog
Will be live blogging Draft Day.
619 Sports - Padres - 5 Fixes For The Padres
Elsten has five fixes for the Padres in his Podcast. 1. Draft impact players 2. Giles is blocking young players, get rid of him 3. Something about trading Peavy 4. Kouz sucks, move Headley to 3rd 5. Lock up Adrian Gonzalez in long term deal

Analyzing Market Inefficiencies: Players Below Replacement Level

Jack Moore — Thu, 28 May 2009 04:22:16 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

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Sky's Note: I'm psyched to introduce another new BtB writer, Jack Moore. He's a Brewers fan, but we'll deal with that if he continues to write awesome articles like this one and the one below. Be nice to the new guy, and feel free to drop him a tweet at @jh_moore. Ok, enough linkage, read this:

Every year, there are at least a few players that make us scratch our head and say, "Wait, he's still in the Major Leagues?" These are players that are consistently at or below replacement level and yet continue to receive playing time and even occasionally receive contracts above the minimum in lieu of freely available talent. These consistently poor decisions made by front offices across the country beg the question - what are these players doing to earn roster spots? Let's take a look at four categories of players that have performed below replacement level over the past 3 calendar years, with a minimum of 500 plate appearances.

Category 1: One-Tool Sluggers

These guys are good at one thing, and one thing only: hitting home runs. This is the kind of market inefficiency that may be on its way out with the prevalence of defense among front offices now. Included in this category are 8 of the 23 players who have been below replacement level over the last 3 calendar years with at least 500 plate appearances.

Player	Batting	Fielding	Replacement	Positional	Wins	ISO (career)	ISO (last3)	difference	UZR+PosAdj	POS	NOTES
Marcus Thames	0.5	-12.3	21.5	-11.9	-0.2	0.256	0.252	0.004	-24.2	COF	43 HR in 646 PA
Richie Sexson	-11.0	-18.9	27.3	-16.9	-1.9	0.246	0.198	0.048	-35.8	1B	33 HR in 818 PA
Jonny Gomes	0.0	-16.3	19.4	-14.1	-1.1	0.219	0.193	0.026	-30.4	COF	25 HR in 586 PA
Jeff Baker	-11.8	-1.8	17.2	-6.7	-0.3	0.201	0.152	0.049	-8.5	ALL	16 HR in 516 PA
Wily Mo Pena	-18.3	-2.8	17.4	-7.6	-1.1	0.194	0.146	0.048	-10.4	COF	15 HR in 523 PA
Brad Wilkerson	-12.9	-4.0	23.3	-12.2	-0.6	0.193	0.180	0.013	-16.2	ALL OF	24 HR in 698 PA
Craig Monroe	-26.4	-6.1	22.2	-11.5	-2.1	0.191	0.179	0.012	-17.6	COF	23 HR in 668 PA
David Dellucci	-12.5	-7.2	20.6	-12.6	-1.1	0.180	0.148	0.032	-19.8	COF	15 HR in 619 PA

Fantasy players value players like these because they can straight up clobber the baseball out of the ballpark. Looking at other skills necessary to be a major leaguer, however, these seven just come up short. None of these seven play a premium position (Baker did play 76 games at 2B and 3B combined, but never stuck anywhere), and where they do end up fielding they are well below average with the glove. Only Jonny Gomes flashed any legitimate amount of speed on the bases (20 SB to 5 CS). Even with the bat, despite the high power numbers, only two of the seven grade out as average, as their on-base skills simply are not at a major league level. This group overall, for the 2007 and 2008 seasons, got on-base at a .299 clip and had a staggering K/BB ratio of 2.98. Combining poor fielding with the inability to reach base make these players unplayable despite their great power.

Category 2: Aging Veterans

These guys are all at least 30 years old and experiencing a definitely decline in ability with their age. Many of these players not only played well in their 20s but some were even stars (the most notable player on this list, Nomar Garciaparra, put up 41.5 WAR between 1997 and 2003). Instead of focusing on ISO, I'd like to focus on Speed Score with this group.

Player	Age	Batting	Fielding	Replacement	Positional	Wins	Spd(career)	Spd(last3)	difference	UZR+PosAdj	POS	NOTES
Nomar Garciaparra	35	-8.6	-13.0	23.3	-4.5	-0.3	5.90	2.23	3.67	-17.5	1B/3B	41.5 WAR 1997-2003
Mike Sweeney	35	-8.5	0.5	16.9	-14.0	-0.5	3.50	1.46	2.04	-13.5	1B	13.6 WAR 2000-2002
Jose Vidro	34	-5.4	-3.9	31.8	-23.1	-0.1	3.20	1.85	1.35	-27	DH	8.0 WAR 2002-2003
Mark Kotsay	33	-18.8	-5.7	22.1	1.0	-0.1	4.80	2.85	1.95	-4.7	CF	12.0 WAR 2002-2004
Frank Catalanotto	35	0.2	-10.8	21.8	-13.1	-0.2	5.00	3.85	1.15	-23.9	1B	3.9 WAR in 2001
Dave Roberts	36	-8.9	-10.1	19.1	-1.9	-0.2	8.60	7.55	1.05	-12	CF/LF	3 seasons above 2.0 WAR
Corey Patterson	30	-36.0	1.1	29.8	4.1	-0.1	7.20	6.50	0.70	5.2	CF	4.9 WAR in 2004
Gary Matthews Jr.	34	-14.9	-28.6	38.8	-4.0	-0.9	5.60	5.09	0.51	-32.6	ALL OF	9.5 WAR 2004-2006

For the most part, this group of players were, at some point in their careers, plus defenders playing at premium positions. Most notably, Roberts was pushed out of CF, Garciaparra lost the ability to play SS, and Vidro was moved from 2B to DH. Similar to the sluggers, the biggest reason these players are below replacement is because of their minimal defensive values, whether it's because they can't play their positions any more (Roberts is +37 runs career by TotalZone, and had a -7 year in 2007) or simpy don't have the bat for the position any more (Sweeney's +0.5 UZR pales when shown next to a -14.0 positional adjustment). Patterson is the anomaly here, as his defensive value including position is a quite respectable +5.2, but his bat died in 2008, posting a ridiculous -26.6 wRAA. An interesting thing to note here is the decline in speed score. Every single one of these players showed a decline of at least .50 with an average decrease of 1.55. A decline of 1.55 is certainly concerning if not alarming in a stat with a range of 0-10, and it likely explains why these players are no longer assets on defense.

Category 3: AAAA Players

This group just plain does not fit on any major league roster. Still, they seem to find work filling benches or even occasionally starting for the lowest of the low. As a fan, if you have to see one of these players getting consistent at bats, you know your team is in trouble. These players excel at nothing, and really never have.

Player	Age	Batting	Fielding	Replacement	Positional	Wins	UZR+PosAdj	POS	NOTES
Jose Castillo	29	-27.1	-4.5	22.8	3.7	-0.5	-0.8	2B/3B	-1.2 career WAR
Ross Gload	33	-15.4	3.2	27.9	-18.9	-0.3	-15.7	1B	-1.2 career WAR
Chris Burke	29	-23.1	1.9	20.7	-0.7	-0.1	1.2	ALL	1.9 career WAR

I really have explanation as to why Ross Gload has ever been on a major league roster. He's a light hitting, average fielding first baseman, which probably has never been in demand. Jose Castillo plays a decent enough 3B but has no bat to back it up. These two players have not only been terrible recently, but have made an entire career out of it. Chris Burke's career, on the other hand, may be salvageable. He does have a positive career WAR, and it is possible that he was simply being used incorrectly. As an outfielder, he has a career UZR/150 of 0.1, but at 2B his UZR/150 is 7.2. With 2B being more valuable than the COF spots that Burke had spent so much time in, it's possible that Burke could become a 1 win player going forward.

Category 4: Hot Prospects

Occasionally, a prospect gets rushed to the big leagues by virtue of injuries or shortages at the ML level or simply an overzealous front office. These three players all have received hype in some way, shape, or form, and were supposed to play like major leaguers at a very young age. Unfortunately for their fans and their front offices, they have not performed to any major leaguer's standards, much less that of a first round pick.

Player	Batting	Fielding	Replacement	Positional	Wins	ISO (career)	UZR+PosAdj	POS	NOTES
Josh Fields	-14.5	-15.6	20.4	0.7	-0.9	0.187	-14.9	3B	18th pick in 2004
Delmon Young	-12.3	-29.8	46.6	-14.4	-1.0	0.117	-44.2	COF	1st pick in 2003
Alexi Casilla	-27.1	-4.1	24.4	2.8	-0.4	0.069	-1.3	2B	Signed out of DR in 2003 at age 19

This group is probably the most unique of them all, each showing different ways to produce at a below-replacement level. Casilla has the glove to potentially be an average player right now, and Young's bat could play at a tougher position. Fields shows the worst of both worlds, showing no indication of major league talent except for the ability to hit for power. These players were likely rushed to the majors too quickly, but who knows if any amount of minor league time could correct their problems. Another problem for these GMs is that these players are too talented to just get rid of, and may clog up roster spots on these teams for years to come.

Finally, let's take a look at the salaries these players received.

Player	Wins	Salary (2007+2008)	Over Minimum	Player	Wins	Salary (2007+2008)	Over Minimum
Jeff Baker	-0.3	0.8	0	Frank Catalanotto	-0.2	7.5	6.7
Josh Fields	-0.9	0.8	0	Craig Monroe	-2.1	7.6	6.8
Alexi Casilla	-0.4	0.8	0	David Dellucci	-1.1	7.6	6.8
Chris Burke	-0.1	1.4	0.6	Brad Wilkerson	-0.6	8.3	7.5
Marcus Thames	-0.2	1.7	0.9	Mike Sweeney	-0.5	11.5	10.7
Jonny Gomes	-1.1	1.7	0.9	Dave Roberts	-0.2	11.5	10.7
Ross Gload	-0.3	1.9	1.1	Mark Kotsay	-0.1	15	14.2
Jose Castillo	-0.5	2.6	1.8	Gary Matthews Jr.	-0.9	15.8	15
Delmon Young	-1.0	2.7	1.9	Jose Vidro	-0.1	16	15.2
Wily Mo Pena	-1.1	3.2	2.4	Nomar Garciaparra	-0.3	18	17.2
Chad Tracy	-0.1	7	6.2	Richie Sexson	-1.9	31	30.2
Corey Patterson	-0.1	7.3	6.5	Average	-0.61	7.9	7.1
--	--	--	--	*TOTAL*	*-14.03*	*181.7*	*163.3*

Between these 23 players, teams have wasted 163.3 million dollars giving them roster spots. Between Jose Videro and Richie Sexson alone, the Mariners wasted 45.4 million dollars in 2007 and 2008. Even a larger market team like Seattle can't handle inexcusable contracts like those two. These are the kind of mistakes that kill small and middle market teams. As the economy worsens, it'll certainly be interesting to see if these inefficiencies remain or if different types of below replacement players surface.

Know Your Foe: Rox head east to the Windy City, NL West "Aces" folding

Poseidon's Fist — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:00:14 -0000

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

May we not witness this sight for ourselves this week.

Browse more photos »

The schedule-makers were not kind to the Rockies in April. Every foe save the Padres are widely considered the top (or second best) team in their division. There's Arizona, the WS Champion Phillies, Cubs, Dodgers, D-backs again, Dodgers again, and finally San Diego.

The difficult month will be a solid measuring stick for the enigmatic club. Like absolutely no one has ever said before, they need to just take it one series at a time. In an effort to represent parallelism, I will be doing the same. From now on, you'll get a KYF twice a week, before every series. It will help keep the preview up-to-date.

First on the docket in 2009's second week - the two-time NL Central Champion Chicago Cubs.

Chicago (4-2, 2nd in NL Central)

Monday, Wednesday : 2-game series at Chicago

It will be deja vu all over again. For the third time in eight days, it will be Opening Day for the Rockies, as Chicago plays their first home game of the 2009 season today. Despite opening on the road, the Cubs have yet to lose a series, having taken two games each at Houston and Milwaukee.

The Cubs lost Mark DeRosa to Cleveland, but Mike Fontenot is doing well in replacing him. Milton Bradley also has joined the cast.

The first game of the series is scheduled for today, with an off day set for tomorrow. This was done for protection from bad weather, and that looks like a good idea. The forecast for today shows cold temperatures and rain. The last and other game of the series is Wednesday.

Probable Pitchers:

Today, 12:20pm MDT

Ubaldo Jimenez will be going for his second win today against a team he has struggled with in his career. If he is successful, he will earn that win 68 days earlier than he did last year. Ted Lilly surrended four home runs last Wednesday, yet he still earned the win.

	W-L	ERA	WHIP	K	BB
2009 - Ubaldo Jimenez	1-0	0.00	1.00	8	3

	W-L	ERA	WHIP	K	BB
2009 - Ted Lilly	1-0	9.00	1.60	3	0

Wednesday, April 15, 12:20pm MDT

Jason Marquis earns a tough draw Wednesday against his former club. It's hard to top Marquis' Rockie debut, but Rich Harden's maiden start of 2009 was dominant. Harden has never faced the Rockies in his career.

	W-L	ERA	WHIP	K	BB
2009 - Jason Marquis	1-0	2.57	1.00	2	2

	W-L	ERA	WHIP	K	BB
2009 - Rich Harden	0-0	1.50	0.83	10	2

Lineup:

Chicago boasts a potent line-up despite the Iannetta-like struggles in the middle of the order.

Player	Avg	HR	RBI
Soriano	.286	4	7
Fukudome	.409	2	4
Lee	.080	0	4
Bradley	.059	1	1
Ramirez	.269	2	6
Fontenot	.333	1	4
Soto	.167	0	0
Theriot	.550	0	3

The top of the line-up is clicking. Alfonso Soriano (.286/.355/.786) leads the NL with 4 home runs and is 4th in RBIs. Kosuke Fukudome (.409/.480/.818) has broken out of the gates strong once again, and Mike Fontenot (.333/.462/.571) and Ryan Theriot (.550/.615/.700) complete the up-the-middle sizzle. Carlos Marmol (0.00 ERA, 4.2 IP, 2 hits, 4K, SV) is pitching like he wants to be the closer.

The middle of the line-up needs a defibrillator. Derrek Lee (.080/.172/.120)and Milton Bradley (.059/.333/.235) have been just brutal as lineup anchors. Kevin Gregg (12.00 ERA, 3 IP, SV, BS) is not doing a great job of staving off Marmol for the closer position.

Catcher Geovany Soto left Tuesday's game with shoulder inflammation, but he should be ready to return to the starting lineup by Wednesday's game, although today is a possibility as well. He struck out in a pinch hit appearance yesterday. Soto's back-up is Koyie Hill...Milton Bradley strained his right groin last night and will be out of the line-up. He will be replaced by Reed Johnson, who flashed some leather last night in robbing a grand slam from the Prince.

NL West Report

Arizona (2-4, t-4th, L2)

Last Week: 1-2 vs Rockies, 1-2 vs. Dodgers. It's not a good sign for a team to lose its first two series, both at home, when six of their first seven are at home. It will be that much harder to make up ground when they hit that long stretch on the road.

This Week: 3 game home series vs. Cardinals, 3 game road series at Giants

News: Pitcher Brandon Webb has been placed on the disabled list, retroactive to his Opening Day start last Monday due to lingering shoulder soreness.

Brandon Webb

#17 / Pitcher / Arizona Diamondbacks

Height: 6-2

Weight: 230

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: May 09, 1979

Webb, who missed a start Monday, will miss one more before being eligible to come off the DL. No one has been announced to take Webb's roster spot yet.

It has been a rough first week for Arizona. They even gave up a bizarre run on a fourth out yesterday.

Arizona great Luis Gonzalez won't retire just yet, but he will retire as a Diamondback, when he will pursue a management role.

Los Angeles (4-3, 2nd, W2)

Last Week: 2-2 at Padres, 2-1 at Diamondbacks.

This Week: 3 game home series vs Giants, 3 game home series vs Rockies

News: Hiroki Kuroda was the first NL West Opening Day starter to land on the DL. Kuroda was placed on the DL Friday with a left oblique strain, and he'll be eligible to return April 22.

Hiroki Kuroda

#18 / Pitcher / Los Angeles Dodgers

Height: 6-1

Weight: 210

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Feb 10, 1975

Eric Stults took his place on the roster and filled in nicely for Kuroda on Saturday. Still, the staff loses its senior member...could it be vulnerable?

Joe Torre is messing around with his rotation. James McDonald's start will get pushed back to Sunday vs. Colorado, and he'll work in the bullpen until then. It will be interesting to see what shape that leaves McDonald in for the final game against Colorado.

Outfielder Delwyn Young, who is currently on the DL, is out of options and probably out of a job. Many teams are interested in Young, all of them near Lake Erie.

MLBTradeRumors Tim Dierkes evaluates the Dodgers offseason.

San Diego (5-2, 1st, W4)

This Week: 2-2 vs. Dodgers, 3-0 vs. Giants. Easily the surprise of the division, the Padres have made use of the friendly confines of Petco Park to storm out to the division's best record. Expect them to come back to earth after traveling to the east coast this week.

This Week: 3 game road series @ Mets, 4 game road series @ Phillies.

News: Signed RHP Chad Gaudin to a minor league contract. San Diego is only required to pay $400k of his $2mil salary.

Chad Gaudin

#57 / Pitcher / San Diego Padres

Height: 5-10

Weight: 190

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Mar 24, 1983

He will report to AAA but will likely be wearing San Diego sand soon enough.

The Padres also claimed reliever Luis Perdomo off of waivers from the Giants Friday. Perdomo was a Rule 5draft choice from the Cardinals, and he will have a solid shot to contribute out of Bud Black's bullpen.

San Francisco (2-4, t-4th, L3)

Last Week: 2-1 vs. Brewers, 0-3 at Padres. The Giants gave up at least six runs in all three games vs. the anemic Padre offense in pitcher-frindly Petco.

This Week: 3 game road series @ Dodgers, 3 game home series vs Arizona.

News: He might not be injured (yet), but Giants ace Tim Lincecum is legitimately struggling to start the 2009 campaign.

Television cameras caught him muttering to himself and grimacing in disgust on the mound.

"I was all over the place," Lincecum said. "It got frustrating at times. I don't know if you guys could see it on my face, but I was trying to keep my poise out there. It was a rough game and it just got rougher."

Tim Lincecum

#55 / Pitcher / San Francisco Giants

Height: 5-11

Weight: 170

Bats: L

Throws: R

Born: Jun 15, 1984

	W-L	ERA	WHIP	K	BB
2009 - Tim Lincecum	0-1	7.56	2.47	10	6

Might it be because Bruce Bochy so ridiculously abused Timmy's golden arm last year?

Pablo Sandoval and Travis Ishikawa combined to go just 2-for-22 in the sweep at Petco. To add depth, GM Brian Sabean inked a guy who jacked 42 home runs in AAA last year: Dallas McPherson. The former Angel will report to extended spring training and then join AAA Fresno initially as a back-up.

Former Giant Dave Roberts has joined the broadcast team for Comcast despite having yet to announce his retirement.

Know Your Foe: Who is Chase Headley?

Poseidon's Fist — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:18:11 -0000

30th. 20th. 26th. 27th.

Those numbers used to be reserved for the rankings of the Rockies pitching staff. Now, they signify the last four years' rankings for the San Diego Padre offense. Needless to say, their offense could use a savior coming up through the minors to bail out their sickly O. Adrian Gonzalez can't do it all himself. Could Chase Headley be "The One?"

San Diego CEO Sandy Alderson has been quoted specifically as saying he shouldn't be seen as such. Naturally, Padre fans quickly nicknamed him "The Savior."

Who is "The Savior?"

Headley, not to be confused with the late Harvey Korman, holds two distinctions of interest to Coloradoans. He is a Colorado product from Fountain, where he graduated valedictorian in 2002. After attending the University of Pacific, he transferred to Tennessee, where he broke Todd Helton's record of 62 walks in a season. The Padres made Headley their fourth pick in the 2005 draft, behind RHP Cesar Carillo, LHP Cesar Ramos, and C Nick Hundley.

Chase Headley

#7 / Left Field / San Diego Padres

Height: 6-2

Weight: 230

Bats: B

Throws: R

Born: May 09, 1984

Headley would take less than two years to make it to the Major Leagues, earning an eight game call-up in June of 2007 when 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff was injured.

After his demotion back to the minors in June of 2007, Headley was the MVP for the AA San Antonio Missions as he led them to the 2nd half championship. That team earned Baseball America's Minor League Baseball Team of the Year Award. Headley hit .330 with 17 HR and 78 RBI with a 1.017 OPS that year for the Padres' first-year AA affiliate. Complete Minor League Stats

His efforts in 2007 led to high accolades last offseason, when Baseball America rated Headley as the #1 San Diego prospect including the distinction as the best hitter for average in the organization. He also ranked #32 overall in Baseball America's top 100 prospects. For comparison, current Rockies Franklin Morales, Carlos Gonzalez, and Ian Stewart were ranked 8th, 22nd and 38th, respectively on that same list. Despite this, Alex Eisenberg at Baseball Intellect listed Headley among his most underrated prospects.

Headley resurfaced in SoCal in mid-June of last year, about three years after being drafted in the second round. Accoring to Dex at GasLampBall:

A lot of fans were disappointed/irritated that it took so long to call him up. It appeared mainly to be a budget consideration to limit his Major League time despite him being "ready."

For comparison, the Rockies also had four picks in the top two rounds in 2005. Troy Tulowitzki is the only player to don the purple pinstripes thus far, and RHP Chaz Roe, who was picked before Headley, has yet to even reach AAA.

Scouting Report

"The Savior" has been a shortstop and third basemen throughout his career. Despite the signing of OF Cliff Floyd, fresh off of winning a pennant as the DH for the Tampa Bay Rays, Headley will be the Padres' starting left-fielder in 2009. He may eventually move back to third base, but for now he is blocked by Kevin Kouzmanoff. The switch-hitter, who is about even from both sides of the plate as shown by his .001 differential in OPS last season, recently discussed his position change and its challenges with Padre beat reporter Corey Brock:

San Diego Padres Spring Training Feb. 26 (via sandiegobrock)

Despite his distinction as high average hitter, Headley actually exhibits solid atience and power. He managed at least a .380 OBP every year in the minor leagues and routinely flirted with a 1.000 OPS.

However, Headley has been unable to replicate those results in his 99 career games, in part because he is striking out over 30% of the time. That may be less than Ian Stewart or Joe Koshanksy, but he still needs to control his long swing and limit his K's. Otherwise, there are not a lot of weaknesses to Headley's swing. Frank Neville at The Sporting News predicts Headley will one day be .300-25-110 player.

Chase proved to be a below average defensive outfielder in 2008. He should improve some with a full spring to work at it, but it will still be beneficial for him to defend a short porch at Petco Park.

Projections

2009	AB	Avg	HR	RBI	SO	OPS
Bill James	451	.288	16	64	126	.848
CHONE	488	.258	14	61	147	.752
Marcel	345	.272	10	42	89	.772
Oliver	586	.275	20		148	.807
ZiPS	538	.264	19	66	152	.772

Verdict: Headley exhibits above average ability with multiple tools, but does not possess one single otherworldly impressive skill. Long-term, I suspect Headley will be a solid major league bat but have a ceiling as a fringe All-Star, similar to Brad Hawpe. It certainly won't help his cause to play in the stifling venue that is Petco Park half of the time.

For 2009, I project Headley to fall within the CHONE/ZiPS range. In an admittedly small sample size, I've been underwhelmed with what I've seen from him. His production in 2008 was similar to that of Ian Stewart but in 65 more AB's. The Padres are counting on Headley to continue to develop into a legitimate threat in their lineup. He will be in the middle of their lineup, be he's not their savior. Not this year.

Arizona (4-5, 1-3 last week)

ESPN's Peter Gammons speculates that Chad Tracy might be a good fit to replace the injured Alex Rodriguez. Gammons also mentioned Rockie Garrett Atkins as a possibility. Tracy won't be leaving Arizona before the season. The D-Backs would either have to start long-time backup Tony Clark or shift Conor Jackson from LF to 1B, while re-inserting Eric Byrnes in left field. Byrnes is currently injured.

LHP Doug Davis may be injured in what was speculated on as a minor left triceps irritation. Davis will play catch today, so we'll know if the cancer survivor has another early season set-back or not.

Doug Davis

#49 / Pitcher / Arizona Diamondbacks

Height: 6-4

Weight: 215

Bats: R

Throws: L

Born: Sep 21, 1975

Jim McClennan at AZSnakePit explores the prospect of the Diamondbacks leaving Tucson and getting a new ballpark in depth. Included is an interrview with team president Derrick Hall.

Los Angeles (5-6, 3-3 last week)

In case you've been living under five thousand rocks, the Dodgers signed Manny Ramirez to a 2-year $45million contract earlier this week. The terms are similar to the original contract the Dodgers offered, but in return for a no-trade clause and opt-out clause after 2009, the Dodgers also have the ability to defer payments through 2013. The rest of the NL West hopes Manny returns to his destructive ways, but unfortunately, he appears quite happy to be a Dodger. Still, Brad Hawpe and Chris Iannetta know Manny is just one man.

Dodger Mark Sweeney retired this week after a 14-year career that leaves him ranked second in MLB history in pinch hits. Los Angeles immediately hired the former Rockie as an assistant coach. Sweeney definitely has the material for a future managerial career.

Mark Sweeney

#21 / Los Angeles Dodgers

Height: 6-1

Weight: 195

Born: Oct 26, 1969

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports the Dodgers won't wash their hands of Juan Pierre as they did with Andruw Jones. Pierre would likely need a re-structured contract to complete his trade request. Even then, Pierre would need to defer his contract 50 years to be worth acquiring, according to Tom Tango. So for now, it appears our former CF will still be riding the pine for Joe Torre.

Eric Stephen at TrueBlueLA examines the market value for RHP Chad Billingsley by comparing recent deals with Red Sox LHP Jon Lester, Angels RHP Ervin Santana and and Rockie RHP Ubaldo Jimenez.

San Diego (3-6-2, 1-5 last week)

GM Kevin Towers is apparently comfortable with the Friars' rotation, but he wants more arms in the bullpen. LHP Joe Beimel is not on their radar, but even Beimel couldn't help the Padres out of the cellar. Unlike Towers, I find their rotation highly suspect as well, especially if/when Jake Peavy is traded.

Everth Cabrera's has caught the eye of third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff. His comment is about 85% of the way through. Hopefully he'll catch his eye more with three errors a day! Kouzmanoff also talks about the altitude of Colorado.

Everth Cabrera

#1 / Second Base / San Diego Padres

Height: 5-9

Weight: 170

Bats: B

Throws: R

Born: Nov 17, 1986

Tim Dierkes at MLBTradeRumors grades San Diego's offseason. Of note is the included CHONE projection of 80 wins for the Padres. For that to happen, Headley would have to be their savior, along with another four or five breakout players.

Tim Sullivan at the San Diego Union Tribune explores the sale of the Padres to Jeff Moorad. Rumors have swirled that the economy and ensuing financial difficulties will be a deal-breaker, but Sullivan isn't worried.

San Francisco (5-8, 3-5 last week)

Released OF Dave Roberts Thusday after being unable to ttrade him all winter. The Giants prefer to give the fifth OF spot to Eugenio Velez or John Bowker. The Giants will eat the $6.5million remaining for Roberts in 2009. ESPN's Rob Neyer says GM Brain Sabean got what he deserved for offering him such a ridiculous contract in the first place.

Dave Roberts

#10 / Left Field / San Francisco Giants

Height: 5-10

Weight: 180

Bats: L

Throws: L

Born: May 31, 1972

Giants players aren't terribly upset upon losing out on Manny Ramirez. Said OF Randy Winn: "I don’t think there’s anything to be disappointed about...we’re happy with what we have here."

Friday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:02:55 -0000

Some things to read while helping evolution along.

So with Angel Salome and Mike Rivera both missing time with injuries, the Brewers are down to three healthy catchers and will have to bring Martin Maldonado back from minor league camp. It could be a short-term problem, though, as Rivera is only expected to miss a week or so, Salome's injury is not believed to be serious and Vinny Rottino's Italian WBC team will probably be eliminated by Monday or Tuesday.

We've beaten up on the Journal Sentinel in this space a lot lately, and perhaps deservedly so, but some credit is due for Brad Nelson's profile today, which is worth a read. Everyone seems pretty happy to see Nelson succeed.

Meanwhile Lorenzo Cain, the newest Brewer outfielder in camp, learned something about bringing a shirt with your name on it to major league camp. It sounds like Mike Cameron had some fun with it. It might be stretched out now.

Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated stopped by Brewer camp this week and had some nice things to say about the team. There's not much in there you might not have known, except a note about the "Clubby Olympics."

Beyond the Box Score gave a value to each NL Central team's farm system, and the Brewers lead the way with a value of $99.7 million. BtB was also kind enough to stop by and share this pie chart showing where that value was accumulated.

Ryan Braun had a big day yesterday. Not only did he hit a home run in Team USA's win over the Phillies, he was also #4 on David Letterman's Top Ten List, and got to make a joke about the metric system.

Bernie's Crew did the math and estimates the Brewers lost about three wins this offseason. That seems fair.

If it's not the worst job in baseball, it's certainly in the top five: Imperial Parking is holding a job fair for parking attendants at Miller Park.

Around other camps:

Cardinals: Signed former Twins RP Dennys Reyes. They may also be considering signing Pedro Martinez to close.
Giants: Released Dave Roberts, but will still have to pay the last year of his contract.
Phillies: Signed Rodrigo Lopez to a minor league deal.
Rangers: Andruw Jones has struck out 10 times in 14 spring training at bats, and will lead off every inning in a B game today.
Yankees: I think something may be going on involving Alex Rodriguez.

The 2009 World Baseball Classic may be the last hurrah for Moises Alou, who is planning on retiring. A press conference will be tentatively scheduled once he's healthy enough to stand behind a podium without straining a hamstring.

If you were in the parking lot in Peoria yesterday during the fifth inning of the Giants-A's game, you might have been in for a surprise: Giants hitting coach Carney Lansford was out there, pacing while his son Jared was pitching for the A's.

This is what it might have been like if the World Baseball Classic was played in 1935: Seamheads has the story of a near international incident that occurred at an exhibition involving a Japanese All Star team in Milwaukee.

Oh, and Milwaukee needs to grunt more. Sperling's BestPlaces rated Milwaukee as America's 17th Manliest City.

Drink up.