SB Nation User Blog: EliminateMe

Game 6 critical for Yankees' World Series rotation

EliminateMe — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:30:39 -0000

Game 6 critical for Yankees' World Series rotation

World revolves around the Yankees, part 74,322:

According to Tom Verducci, "Game 6 is especially important to the Yankees when it comes to their World Series rotation. The Yankees do not want to use a fourth starter in the World Series, which starts on Wednesday."

Gee, I would've thought the more important implication of game 6 had to do with whether or not they actually get to play in the World Series, but that seems to be pretty much taken for granted.

Indians fire Eric Wedge

EliminateMe — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:53:43 -0000

The Indians fired manager Eric Wedge today. I visited Let's Go Tribe to try to get a sense for what they thought of the firing, and discovered a shocking fact: although he's been the manager for seven years, LGT has not one single Wedge Antilles joke. Some nerds they are.

I had a vaguely positive impression of Wedge, although since I don't follow the AL much it's heavy on the "vaguely". A few years ago he was considered a good developer of young talent, though ithat reputation has tarnished some as the Indians young talent has fizzled. More recently he's been knocked for playing favorites (shades of Bochy). He's also the guy who experimented with Garko in the outfield (which should make owlcroft happy). The firing seems to be more of a by-the-book "team is losing -> fire the manager" move rather than a specific indictment of Wedge.

Poll

Would Eric Wedge be an upgrade over Bruce Bochy?

Upgrade

53 votes

Downgrade

19 votes

Same thoughts, smaller head

49 votes

121 votes | Poll has closed

Justin Miller Appreciation Thread

EliminateMe — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:20:46 -0000

This past offseason, the Giants signed a plethora of minor league free agents. Some of them vanished quickly (Francis Beltran, we hardly knew ye). Some of them spent most of the season injured (sorry, Josh Phelps and Dallas McPherson - lucky thing we didn't need a power hitting first baseman anyway). Some of them were Ramon Ortiz, but the less said about that the better.

But several of them made the roster and contributed more than could have been expected. Juan Uribe, Andres Torres, Brandon Medders all turned out to be excellent pickups. And so did Justin Miller, whose season is now over with an injured elbow. He walked too many and struck out not enough; but he threw a lot of innings, especially in the first half when Sanchez and Johnson had a lot of 5-inning starts, and kept the Giants in most of those games. (Being the Giants, they lost most of them anyway, but that's not Miller's fault.)

In the second half, he got a lot less work (15.2 IP after the break as compared with 41 before) and was less effective, but before his last 5 games blew it up he still had a 1.83 ERA. His first half WHIP was a mere 1.098. Even with a lousy ending, he ends his season with a 1.306 WHIP and 3.18 ERA, very respectable for a back of the bullpen guy.

With the emergence of Joaquin and Runzler, it seems like a long shot for Miller to return next season. If he doesn't, I wish him well - as long as he doesn't sign with the Dodgers - and salute him for being much better than I expected.

So, .500, we meet again

EliminateMe — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:35:45 -0000

You thought you'd seen the last of me, didn't you? When you left me dazed and battered on the streets of San Diego, you thought that was the end. But no, here we are again...you and I.

You know, it wasn't so many years ago I never even gave a second thoughts to the likes of you. .500? Please. I may have passed you a few times, but I had higher things in mind. Playoffs, Championships...all these were within my grasp.

But then, in 2005, you began to pester me. Everywhere I turned, there was .500. A mere irritant, I thought at first, a buzzing mosquito. May 26th was the last time I saw you that year; 23-23, just like today. And then, you were gone. Somehow you'd gotten the better of me, though I could never understand how.

The next year seemed to return to normal, with you forgotten, fading into my rear view mirror. But then you tracked me down in Washington. Perhaps it was the muggy July afternoon that dulled my senses, allowing you to knock me down and steal my dreams; dreams of playoff glory and of Armando Benitez being an adequate closer.

Since then, it's been me chasing you, never quite catching up, like a man on a treadmill...with a carrot...well, anyway, never catching up. Until this year.

You thought you'd get rid of me early, with that 2-7 start, didn't you? But I caught up to you. 8-8, 9-9, 10-10, 11-11, 12-12, 13-13...clearly this time we were well matched. It was an epic battle, an Iliad of mediocrity. For a time I pulled ahead, then you caught me again. 18-18...19-19...and then you took the advantage, but again, not for long.

There's still a long season ahead of us, .500. You'd better get used to seeing me.

Worst. Promotion. Ever.

EliminateMe — Fri, 01 May 2009 20:36:08 -0000

Worst. Promotion. Ever.

"On Wednesday, May 6th, the Grizzlies will present their first signature theme night of the 2009 season, Nerd Night, in honor of the opening of the new Star Trek movie in theaters next weekend. The evening at Chukchansi Park will celebrate not just the stereotypically "nerdy" things that people enjoy, but give fans an opportunity to express, and learn, that EVERYONE is a "nerd" about something."

Adoption Draft Board 3: Board Harder

EliminateMe — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:29:57 -0000

Starting the 3rd board thread, there are still two active roster members available (Uribe and just-promoted Justin Miller) and seven more members of the 40-man roster up for grabs as well.

This is not an exhaustive list of who's available! Anyone in the organization is eligible for adoption even if they're not on the list. (If they're on the list with a name next to them, then they're NOT eligible for adoption because they're already adopted.)

Official draft order and actual selection is in WalrusMan's fencepost.

40-man roster:

Affeldt (GiantAmongAngels)
Aurilia (wjackalope)
Bocock (capnk)
Bowker (rightcenterfielder)
Burriss (BaronVonCurrentEvents)
Cain (jponry)
English
Frandsen (WalrusMan)
Gillaspie (chilibean_3)
Hinshaw (The Enchanter)
Holm (UnleashTheGore)
Howry (CB30)
Ishikawa (kennv/Andy from DC)
Joaquin (GiantFan)
R. Johnson (Speedforthewin)
Lewis (jcb9)
Lincecum (sharksrog)
Lowry (Cookyman)
Martinez (cornball)
Matos (neurofarm)
Medders (SloIsLonelyForTheOrange)
Miller (stealth snail - tentative)
Misch
B. Molina (fwoty oz)
Pichardo
Renteria (rxmeister)
Rohlinger (Scottsdale)
Romo (Lyle)
Rowand (lincypoo i wuv u)
Sadler
Sanchez (Aadik)
Sandoval (bondslegend)
Schierholtz (PacBellBoozer)
H. Sosa (raisingcain)
Torres (victor frankenstein)
Uribe
Valdez (rotoreuter)
Velez (The Gene Hackman)
Wilson (hairball)
Winn (oldjacket)
Zito (giantscatcher)

Minors:

Adrianza (obsessivegiantscompulsive)
Alderson (Natto)
Ambort (AngelWillSaveUs)
Barnes (boonitez)
B. Bond (greg8370)
Boyer
J. Bucardo
W. Bucardo (gianator)
Bumgarner (multiphasic)
Casilla
H. Correa
Cowart
Crawford (Azmanz)
Culberson
D'Alessio
Downs (nvsfg)
Espineli
Fairley (WTF)
Foppert (AndYourBirdCanSing)
Ford (monta101)
Guzman (Goofus)
Hammond
Horwitz
J. Izturis
Jarvis (j14)
Jennings
S. Jordan (Little Napoleon)
Kieschnick (Takimoto)
Kinney
A. King (baetown415)
Loree (say hey nation)
Maday (rhys)
K. Marte
Martinez-Esteve (malarky)
McBryde
McClain (Useful_Idiot)
McPherson (The Thrill - tentative)
Mooney
Neal (nostocksjustbonds)
Nicholson (gore51)
Noonan (Giant Fan in Singapore)
Ortiz (giants9107)
Oseguera
Palazzolo
J.C. Perez (marcello)
Peguero (haverecords)
Periera
Phelps
Pill
Posey (GiantsFanInExile)
Pucetas (Sammy Danger)
Quinowski
Quirate
Ray
Richardson
R. Rodriguez (BrianBokake)
Sadowski
H. Sanchez (tedfordfan)
Schoop (Viliphied)
Snyder
C. Sosa
Surkamp (MonkeyChow)
Tanner (walkoff baltimore chop)
Timpner
Villalona (thehavenot)
Wald
Whiteside
J. Williams (Tchli)
Windster (EliminateMe)
Witter
Yabu

Management/Ownership:

F. Alou
Baer (ResDog)
Bochy (cheno)
S. Burns (igotnothing)
Cepeda
W. Clark
Flannery
Gardner
Hayes (delorean)
Kakazu (Zetsuboushita)
Kelly
Lansford
Mays (merkin)
McCovey
Neukom (Gabafnerhagen)
Plack (Headhunter Rollins)
Righetti
Sabean
Sabean's Laptop (xanthan)
Snow
Stanley
Tidrow
Wotus

Broadcasters:

Flemming (larson2042)
Fuentes
Higueros
Krukow (TimLincecumIsGod)
Kuiper
Miller (Norm Median)
Papa (grant)

Other:

E. Alfonzo (tk)
B. Bonds (Sabertooth)
K. Krab (timmeh)
L. Seal (can of corn)

Adoption Draft Board 2: The Boardening

EliminateMe — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 23:23:50 -0000

The thread you are reading is now obsolete. This one is so much more modern.

Since the first board has fallen off the front page, I'm posting a new one. This is not an exhaustive list of who's available! Anyone in the organization is eligible for adoption even if they're not on the list. (If they're on the list with a name next to them, then they're NOT eligible for adoption because they're already adopted.)

Official draft order and actual selection is in WalrusMan's fencepost.

Also, I've moved Aurilia, Medders, Torres and Uribe to the 40-man section since they are now official. Congratulations to all their parents, you must be so proud!

40-man roster:

Affeldt (GiantAmongAngels)
Aurilia (wjackalope)
Bocock
Bowker (rightcenterfielder)
Burriss (BaronVonCurrentEvents)
Cain (jponry)
English
Frandsen (WalrusMan)
Gillaspie (chilibean_3)
Hinshaw (The Enchanter)
Holm (UnleashTheGore)
Howry (CB30)
Ishikawa (kennv/Andy from DC)
Joaquin (GiantFan)
R. Johnson (Speedforthewin)
Lewis (jcb9)
Lincecum (sharksrog)
Lowry (Cookyman)
Martinez (cornball)
Matos
Medders (SloIsLonelyForTheOrange)
Misch
B. Molina (fwoty oz)
Pichardo
Renteria (rxmeister)
Rohlinger
Romo (Lyle)
Rowand (lincypoo i wuv u)
Sadler
Sanchez (Aadik)
Sandoval (bondslegend)
Schierholtz (PacBellBoozer)
H. Sosa (raisingcain)
Torres (victor frankenstein)
Uribe
Valdez (rotoreuter)
Velez (The Gene Hackman)
Wilson (hairball)
Winn (oldjacket)
Zito (giantscatcher)

Non-Roster Invitees:

F. Beltran
Perdomo
Phelps

Minors:

Adrianza (obsessivegiantscompulsive)
Alderson (Natto)
Ambort
Barnes (boonitez)
B. Bond
Boyer
J. Bucardo
W. Bucardo
Bumgarner (multiphasic)
Casilla
H. Correa
Cowart
Crawford (Azmanz)
Culberson
D'Alessio
Downs (nvsfg)
Espineli
Fairley (WTF)
Foppert (AndYourBirdCanSing)
Ford
Guzman (Goofus)
Hammond
Horwitz
J. Izturis
Jarvis (j14)
Jennings
Kieschnick (Takimoto)
Kinney
A. King (baetown415)
Loree
Maday (rhys)
K. Marte
Martinez-Esteve
McBryde
McClain (Useful_Idiot)
Miller
Mooney
Neal (nostocksjustbonds)
Nicholson
Noonan (Giant Fan in Singapore)
Ortiz (giants9107)
Oseguera
Palazzolo
J.C. Perez (marcello)
Peguero (haverecords)
Periera
Pill
Posey (GiantsFanInExile)
Pucetas
Quinowski
Quirate
Ray
Richardson
R. Rodriguez (BrianBokake)
Sadowski
H. Sanchez (tedfordfan)
Schoop (Viliphied)
Snyder
C. Sosa
Tanner (walkoff baltimore chop)
Timpner
Villalona (thehavenot)
Wald
Whiteside
J. Williams
Windster (EliminateMe)
Witter
Yabu

Management/Ownership:

Baer (ResDog)
Bochy (cheno)
Flannery
Gardner
Hayes (delorean)
Kelly
Lansford
Neukom
Righetti
Sabean
Sabean's Laptop (xanthan)
Wotus

Broadcasters:

Flemming (larson2042)
Fuentes
Higueros
Krukow
Kuiper
Miller
Papa (grant)

Other:

E. Alfonzo (tk)
K. Krab (timmeh)
L. Seal (can of corn)

As this screencap from mlb.com proves, even a bunch of internet geeks can beat the Pirates. Full...

EliminateMe — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:51:23 -0000

As this screencap from mlb.com proves, even a bunch of internet geeks can beat the Pirates.

Full size version here because the FanShot format is so incredibly lame.

Adoption Draft: The Board

EliminateMe — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:11:26 -0000

NEW THREAD: For the latest board updates, see the new thread.

I thought it might be helpful to have a list showing who's on and off the board. The prospect list is just a grab bag of guys I could remember or find mentioned somewhere. I'll try to keep it updated, but WalrusMan's list remains the official list of who's taken.

40-man roster:

Affeldt (GiantAmongAngels)
Bocock
Bowker (rightcenterfielder)
Burriss (BaronVonCurrentEvents)
Cain (jponry)
English
Frandsen (WalrusMan)
Gillaspie (chilibean_3)
Hinshaw
Holm (UnleashTheGore)
Howry (CB30)
Ishikawa (kennv/Andy from DC)
Joaquin
R. Johnson (Speedforthewin)
Lewis (jcb9)
Lincecum (sharksrog)
Lowry (Cookyman)
Martinez
Matos
Misch
B. Molina
Perdomo
Pichardo
Renteria (rxmeister)
Rohlinger
Romo (Lyle)
Rowand
Sadler
Sanchez (Aadik)
Sandoval (bondslegend)
Schierholtz (PacBellBoozer)
H. Sosa (raisingcain)
Valdez (rotoreuter)
Velez (The Gene Hackman)
Wilson (hairball)
Winn (oldjacket)
Zito

Non-Roster Invitees:

Aurilia (wjackalope)
F. Beltran
McClain
Medders (SloIsLonelyForTheOrange)
Miller
Phelps
Torres (victor frankenstein)
Ortiz
Uribe
Whiteside

Prospects:

Adrianza (obsessivegiantscompulsive)
Alderson (Natto)
Ambort
Barnes
B. Bond
Boyer
J. Bucardo
W. Bucardo
Bumgarner (multiphasic)
Casilla
H. Correa
Cowart
Crawford (Azmanz)
Culberson
D'Alessio
Downs (nvsfg)
Espineli
Fairley (WTF)
Ford
Guzman (Goofus)
Horwitz
J. Izturis
Jarvis (j14)
Jennings
Kieschnick (Takimoto)
A. King (baetown415)
Loree
Maday (rhys)
K. Marte
Martinez-Esteve
McBryde
Mooney
Neal (nostocksjustbonds)
Nicholson
Noonan (Giant Fan in Singapore)
Oseguera
J.C. Perez (marcello)
Peguero (haverecords)
Periera
Pill
Posey (GiantsFanInExile)
Pucetas
Quinowski
Quirate
Ray
Richardson
R. Rodriguez (BrianBokake)
H. Sanchez (tedfordfan)
Schoop
Snyder
C. Sosa
Tanner (walkoff baltimore chop)
Timpner
Villalona (thehavenot)
Wald
J. Williams
Windster (EliminateMe)
Witter

Management/Ownership:

Baer (ResDog)
Bochy
Flannery
Gardner
Hayes (delorean)
Kelly
Lansford
Neukom
Righetti
Sabean
Sabean's Laptop (xanthan)
Wotus

Broadcasters:

Flemming
Fuentes
Higueros
Krukow
Kuiper
Miller
Papa (grant)

Other:

E. Alfonzo (tk)
L. Seal (can of corn)

Mariners release Tyler Walker

EliminateMe — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:52:30 -0000

Mariners release Tyler Walker

"They also released disappointing reliever Tyler Walker, who never developed into a potential replacement for All-Star closer J.J. Putz."

In other news, I just threw out a month-old burrito, which never developed into a three course gourmet meal.