SB Nation User Blog: JLC

Watch '09 Draft Picks Live

JLC — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:21:13 -0000

Bored at work? Got some time to waste? Tired of watching Mariner relievers post -.900 WPAs? Then just click this link (http://www.ncaa.com/brackets/2009/ncaa_bracket_DI_baseball.html) to start watching some NCAA college baseball tournament games. The link sends you to the CWS bracket - just click on a region and then on a match-up, and you can click on a yellow camera icon to watch the game if live video of the game is available. Now, not every game is available to watch and the quality isn't great, but it's free, so I'm pleased with what's offered.

At the top center of the bracket, there are options that allow you to sort the games by "In Progress", "By Day", "By Team", "By Region" and "By Conference". Clicking on "In Progress" puts all the games currently being played at the top of the list along with the yellow camera icons to watch the game. The Gametracker link is basically a Gameday-like program that will give you lineups, PBP and e.t.c.

For those of you interested in knowing who to watch, below is a list of the teams with potential top picks. If you're interested in watching how awesome Dustin Ackley is, now is a good chance.

North Carolina

Dustin Ackley IB/OF, Kyle Seager 2B/3B, Alex White RHP

Arizona St.

Mike Leake RHP, Jason Kipnis OF, Carlos Ramirez C

LSU

Jared Mitchell OF, D.J. LeMahieu 2B/3B

Oklahoma St.

Andrew Oliver LHP

Vanderbilt

Mike Minor LHP

Rice

Ryan Berry RHP

South Carolina

Sam Dyson RHP

Kansas St.

AJ Morris RHP

Brief observations:

- The list is a bit short as teams are being eliminated, but UNC looks strong thanks to Ackley flipping his shit. Yesterday Ackley went 4-4 with 2 walks, not making an out in a single plate appearance. I saw a single and a double from him and both were smoked line drives. Ackley's been playing 1B.

- Strasburg isn't on the list because SDSU is on the verge of being eliminated.

- Today Ackley went 3-5 with a single, double, and solo HR. The homerun came on a 3-1 pitch and was crushed magnificently. Ackley did have a rare K in this game, though, and it was a bit ugly.

- Jared Mitchell is really fast. He had a solid game on Saturday, with a single, walk and HR off a lefty.

- Anyone worth watching, feel free to mention them here.

Nick Johnson wants to be traded, trying not to get hopes up

JLC — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 06:11:42 -0000

Now that Adam Dunn is the regular 1B for the Nationals, Nick Johnson's feeling left out:

WASHINGTON -- With Adam Dunn slated to become the Nationals' everyday first baseman, what does this mean for the Nick Johnson? The team will most likely look to trade Johnson, who said he will not accept a bench role.

There was talk of the Athletics having interest in Johnson after the team asked for his medical records, but a deal is not close between Oakland and Washington.

"I would rather play every day, smell the grass and run around," Johnson said via phone on Wednesday night.

So yeah, obviously I'm trying not to get overly excited about this idea, but the fit is there. Johnson, when healthy, is a phenomenal player. For his career, he rates above average at 1B with a career UZR/150 of 5.9, and his most pessimistic wOBA projection comes from Marcel at .374, which is pretty much what Abreu has to offer.

The injury history is old news at this point, but Nick Johnson missing a fair chunk of playing time still works out quite well for us, since it allows us to give Clement/Wlad/Prospect more ABs.

Gimme gimme gimme gimme.

Edit: In my excitement, I forgot to post a link.

Bargains ----> Team that doesn't deserve bargains

JLC — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:26:09 -0000

Rocco Baldelli will be signing with the Red Sox.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090107&content_id=3736388&vkey=hotstove2008&fext=.jsp

I really liked Baldelli as an option for LF next season. I imagine he won't be that expensive and we had the depth necessary to not make me afraid of his fragile body.

And if that weren't enough, John Smoltz is apparently joining him

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090107&content_id=3736434&vkey=hotstove2008&fext=.jsp

What fantastic news.

Ben Broussard will always be a Seattle Mariner

JLC — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 03:15:52 -0000

Just hit a Grand Slam in the top of the 4th against the Angels.

Texas leads 5-0.

75 words long woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo woo

Poll

Ben Broussard is

Fucking the man

60 votes

60 votes | Poll has closed

Cha Seung Baek vs. Greg Norton

JLC — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 07:37:10 -0000

Last spot on the roster has basically come down to this. Bullpen is Putz, Lowe, Green, Dickey, EOF, and RRS. Bench is Willie, Cairo (boo!), Burke, and Morse. Are you a 7 man bullpen or a 5 man bench kinda guy? Vote now.

Cha Seung Baek:

Pros & Cons --

Can protect Lowe's arm from overuse

Might gain slight uptick in velocity moving into bullpen

Not Brandon Morrow

Has mostly been a starter his professional career

Not a very good one, either

Name is not very funny, much unlike Brian Bocock's

Greg Norton:

Pros & Cons --

Filled with veteran-y goodness

Kinda good vs. righties, I guess

Has a 'stache

Would risk losing Baek on waivers if Norton made team

Doesn't add much defensively

Would also risk making the Baek face collage obsolete.

Poll

Baek or Norton?

Baek

45 votes

Norton

11 votes

Flesh eating pony

24 votes

80 votes | Poll has closed