http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/ben_reiter/11/04/reiter.50.free.agents/index.html?eref=sihp

In the article on the other side of that link the author suggest the Pirates might pick up Orlando Cabrera to provide an alternative to Ronny Cedeno, and to provide leadership.  I sincerely hope that does not happen.  I would prefer the Pirates to take a fliers on guys like Chris Young or Rich Harden.  Maybe they won't get back to their pre-injury level, but I think it would be a better way to waste cash than Cabrera.  That said they may not be "down" enough yet to consider playing in Pittsburgh.

Any other opinions?  Some of the team shifts the author suggest seem a little ridiculous; of the 40 guys he thinks will change teams aparently 25% of them will go to the NL West.

First off, both of these teams are offensively challenged.  Altoona had one hit through 7 innings and still won.  The big thing of note is that Tim Alderson started the game for Altoona, and though he pitched well his fastest pitch (according to Altoona's gun) was 86 mph.  He's got good breaking stuff, but with an 86 mph fastball can he really be a MLB prospect?

Moskos got the win and pitched well in his inning of work.  Not much juice in his pitches either, though.

Is anyone watching / listening to this one today?  Looking at the box score we're putting the C-team out there today.  Is there any reason the starters are sitting?  Split squad game or anything?  I'm certainly hoping that this is NOT a lineup we see very often in the regular season.  If our best players are a 90 loss team, I shudder to think what this team would put up.

Raynor RF

Vazquez 3B

Crosby SS

Church CF

Pearce 1B

Young 2B

Grossman LF

Jaramillo C

Morton P

Just got back from the 11 a.m. "businessman's special" and I would mirror all of azibuck's comments, including the fact that I am someone who's played a lot of baseball and watches a lot of baseball, but I'm not someone to take seriously. 

The speed gun here in Roch is a MPH or two slow.  Far too many readings of 49 and 54 to be relied upon.

Pearce cannot hit an offspeed pitch.  He did manage a single though. 

Andrew McCutchon went 3-3 and got on base on a error.  Not much pop in his bat.  He came off as Nyjer-like.  I'm going to thursday and friday's games, so we'll see.

Neil Walker DH'd and Luis Cruz played 3rd.  Doesn't bode well for Neil long-term, in my opinion.  He had a single.

Daniel McCutchen pitched pretty well.  6 innings, 3 runs, 7 hits.  He throws strikes, but his velocity isn't great, and I would call his breaking stuff average.  Average today anyway.  He would get lit up in the majors right now.

Rochester has a reliever named Juan Morillo who even with Rochester's iffy gun hit 97.  He made the Indian batters look foolish. 

On a side note I sat near a woman who was at least 80.  In the first inning she almost got nailed by a pop-up foul.  For 7 innings I was somewhat concerned for her safely, as we were in a foul ball heavy area.  Then in the 7th she snared a balled up t-shirt out of the air like she was Brooks Robinson.  Remind me to never doubt my mother.

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Are there player management issues already?

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