SB Nation User Blog: Inkara1

Rangers claim INF Joe Inglett on waivers

Inkara1 — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:30:03 -0000

Rangers claim INF Joe Inglett on waivers

Claimed off waivers from the Blue Jays... hit .281/.347/.348 in 99 plate appearances for the Jays this year while playing right field, left field, and second base... hit .360/.422/.516 in 186 AAA plate appearances.

Pirates, Dodgers, Braves, A's after Kameron Loe

Inkara1 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:48:16 -0000

Pirates, Dodgers, Braves, A's after Kameron Loe

WHY?!?!?!?!?

"Back in November of '08 the Rangers sold Loe's rights to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, who paid him $900K. He pitched only 27 innings, posting a 6.33 ERA."

Vizquel to ChiSox for 1 year, $1.375M

Inkara1 — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:25:42 -0000

Vizquel to ChiSox for 1 year, $1.375M

1 year, $1.375 million, backup infielder (same job he had here).

Bailey ROY, Elvis second

Inkara1 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:14:47 -0000

Per Jamey's e-mail and also linked here, A's reliever Andrew Bailey was voted the AL Rookie of the Year and Elvis Andrus was second.

From the mlb.com article: OAKLAND -- Andrew Bailey's rise from Minor League obscurity to Major League limelight is a story that won't soon be forgotten. It turned historic on Monday when Bailey was named the winner of the American League Rookie of the Year Award. complete awards coverage The right-handed reliever beat out Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus, A's teammate Brett Anderson, infielder Gordon Beckham of the White Sox, catcher Matt Wieters of the Orioles and righty starters Rick Porcello of the Tigers and Jeff Niemann of the Rays, who were among the other candidates for the award. With a season strikingly similar to that a year earlier by fellow A's reliever Brad Ziegler, who took the baseball world by storm in 2008, Bailey's rags-to-riches story was among the feel-good highlights of 2009 -- and not just for A's fans. So compelling was Bailey's ascent -- from struggling Double-A starter to Arizona Fall League phenom to Spring Training sensation to All-Star big league closer -- that even President Barack Obama took notice. Sweeping through the AL clubhouse this July before the Midsummer Classic at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, President Obama stopped at the locker of Bailey, the only first-year player named to either team, and smiled. "Hey," President Obama said. "You're the rookie, right?" Bailey, 25, was blown away. "Come on," he said. "The president of the United States knows who I am? That's ridiculous." You could say the same about Bailey's stats. Moved from the starting rotation to the bullpen at midseason 2008 while with the Midland RockHounds of the Texas League, Bailey didn't just make a successful transition to relief work. He made the transition look like a breeze. Like he was born for relief work. "This is, I think, what Andrew was kind of meant to do," said A's pitching coach Curt Young. "His makeup, his demeanor, his stuff ... he's meant for this." Bailey, who dominated during the second half of the 2008 season at Midland, followed suit in the prestigious Arizona Fall League and did the same in his first trip to big league Spring Training to make the A's roster, posted an Oakland rookie-record 26 saves (in 30 chances) and a 6-3 record with a 1.84 ERA, a 0.88 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) and 91 strikeouts against 24 walks in 83 1/3 innings over 68 appearances. "Andrew," said A's catcher Kurt Suzuki, "was amazing."

Quick question about the minor-league playoffs

Inkara1 — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:48:11 -0000

I'm putting this up as a fanpost instead of a fanshot so that people see it and I can get my answer.

As many know, I'm a sports reporter for a small-town newspaper. A kid who graduated from the local high school went to Kansas University for four years and then got drafted by the A's and sent to short-season class A Vancouver. In 29.1 innings over 20 appearances, he allowed zero runs. He just got promoted to Kane County in the Midwest League. Kane County is 69-60 overall and in third place in the division overall (6.0 games behind) , is 28-31 and in fourth place in the division for the second half (8.5 behind) and won the first-half title. There are 11 regular-season games left.

My question: Is Kane County going to the playoffs or are they in contention for the playoffs? I can't find how the playoff teams are decided for the midwest league.

I'm going to do a small write-up for Friday's paper (we're published Wednesday and Friday) with a file photo from his days at Kansas and I wanted to see if he got promoted for a playoff race or if he just got a "cup of coffee" in low-A as a reward for tearing up short-season A.

Thanks in advance.

M's Beltre to DL with injured testicle

Inkara1 — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:28:18 -0000

M's Beltre to DL with injured testicle

A's release Giambi

Inkara1 — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:53:27 -0000

A's release Giambi

He'd been on the DL with a strained right quad. He had 11 HR and 40 RBI but only a .193 AVG and .364 SLG.

Surprise! Ponson DFA'd.

Inkara1 — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:59:53 -0000

Surprise! Ponson DFA'd.

The Royals DFA'd Sir Sidney Ponson with his 1-7 record and 7.36 ERA. I'm shocked -- Shocked! -- that this could happen.

A's send Cabrera to Twins

Inkara1 — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:54:37 -0000

link here

So the A's are getting SS prospect Tyler Ladendorf and cash in return for Cabrera, who would be a Type A but has it in his contract that the team can't offer him arbitration. He's hitting .280/.318/.365 on the season and is 34.

Think he gets the Twins past the Sox in the AL Central? I really don't know much about LAdendorf, so I don't know if they really gave up a whole lot to get Cabrera. That .683 OPS isn't very impressive for Cabrera but I wonder if playing in the dome will help that any.

I also don't know if this the A's any easier for us to beat. Of course, the problem is if so, it also makes them easier for the Angels to beat.

How the Angels are doing it, in an LA-area Howard's commercial

Inkara1 — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 23:01:51 -0000

How the Angels have managed to win all these games is finally revealed. Who would've thought this bombshell would be revealed in a Howard's Appliance and Big Screen Superstores commercial?

And just how have the Angels done it? How have they managed to win so many games in a row when their pitching numbers are so awful and their best hitters are all hurt?

I have no clue. My team was hot before we faced them and has been hot after we faced them.

It must be God’s will. It couldn’t have been because of how I used the bullpen.

If you find out, can you let me know?

Well, we decided to dig a little deeper, do a little investigative reporting. Roll the tape.

Oh yeah. Oh. Oh yeah. Right there. Mmmmm.

You like that, huh? You know, it’s a good thing I got such a great deal on that high-efficiency washer and dryer set at Howard’s. You know, I’ve been known to get a stain or two on my uniform, if you know what I mean.

Wow. Umm... next up, Rex Hudler, "In My Own Words."

...and the moral of the story is: if you’ve got a bag of weed with you, stay away from the Kansas City airport.

LATER...

Man, I hear this new footage of Scioscia and Selig coming out is going to be explosive! I’d better get me a new plasma to watch it on.

I think I’ll get an LCD.

Well, I prefer the plasma.

LCD!

PLASMA!

Hey hey hey. They're both great. Just go to Howard's.

Kendick's been in the minors for a bunch of the season. How can he afford both kinds?

OTHER Howard's!

Howard's. The official big screen and appliance superstore of the Los Angeles Angels.