SB Nation User Blog: davidalanu

Is there much of a chance that Randy Wells is for real?

davidalanu — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:44:32 -0000

In looking over his minor league stats he's really only had one year that stands out as anything special, his 2005 season at high-A Daytona/AA West Tenn. He's given up just over a hit per inning in the minors, with a so-so 1.34 whip. And he'll be 27 in August.

That being said, he's obviously been outstanding in his five starts with the big club. I realize that there's no chance that he'll be able to keep putting up some of the numbers he's produced so far (24 hits in 37 innings, .911 whip), I am curious about what some of you who have followed him more closely think. Is he viable for the rotation for the rest of the year? What is his upside considered to be?

Josh Bard, anyone?

davidalanu — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:58:47 -0000

Josh Bard, anyone?

The Red Sox have released Josh Bard. He had a couple of very nice seasons with the Padres before completely tanking last year. I don't know what his defensive rep is, but he looks like he could be an upgrade offensively from Hill or Bako, and he's a switch hitter.

OT: Little League Pitching

davidalanu — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:09:46 -0000

OT: Little League Pitching

I hope this doesn't offend anyone, but I thought this would be a good group to pose this question to. I have an 11 year old son, and at the first little league meeting the kids were told to be ready to start seeing curve balls this year. If my son pitches, I will not allow him to throw curves, as I feel this is way too young of an age. Also, changing speeds and perfecting location of a "fast"ball is more important at 11, imo.

I would love to hear others' thoughts.

FoxSports' Perry (surprise) rips the Cubs

davidalanu — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:53:53 -0000

FoxSports' Perry (surprise) rips the Cubs

I'm not sure what the Cubs ever did to this guy, but he never seems to miss an opportunity to rip them. In this article, he says they had the 5th worst off-season, and will be lucky to win 90 games. Certainly, they made some moves that could backfire, but lucky to win 90? In this division?

Oil Can Boyd Return

davidalanu — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 22:10:46 -0000

Oil Can Boyd Return

Call me strange, but i love these stories. Hopefully somebody gives him a shot in ST

Slightly OT: Braves reaction to Furcal deal

davidalanu — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:56:14 -0000

I was pleased to see the reaction of Frank Wren and John Schuerholz to the apparent reneging on a deal that would have brought Rafael Furcal back to the Braves. The Braves claim the deal was verbally agreed to (at 3/10 plus a 4th year option), and that Furcal's agents went and shopped the deal to the Dodgers who upped their offer to match it.

I realize that the baseball business world is a different animal, but I couldn't agree with Atlanta management more that this was a completely unethical thing to do. They have now gone public with the statement that they will never again do business with Furcal's representation, the Wasserman Media Group.

http://www.ajc.com/braves/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/12/18/atlanta_braves_john_schuerholz.html

Huge kudos to Wren and Schuerholz for taking this stand, and for making it public.

Greinke- Better option than Peavy?

davidalanu — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:22:44 -0000

Supposedly the Royals and Braves are working on some sort of a Francoeur-Greinke trade. I would have to think that it would take a much better offer than just Francoeur to net Greinke, but it seems to me that it would make more sense to try to work out a deal with the Royals for Greinke than with San Diego.

Greinke doesn't have the pedigree that Peavy has, but he had an outstanding year last year, and his talent has never been in question. My guess is that it would take about half of the prospects to net Greinke has it would to get Peavy. He's still under team control for two years, and will cost much less in dollars as well.

Is it time yet to go shopping in the re-tread aisle?

davidalanu — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:32:40 -0000

Names like Damaso Marte, John Grabow, David Weathers, and others are going to be thrown around in the next week. With the uncertainty surrounding so many of our relievers, is it worth giving up actual prospects for a relatively solid middle reliever/setup guy?

I don't think any of these guys are real difference makers, but a guy like Weathers can pick up a few saves for you if need be, and otherwise throw serviceable innings in the 6th-9th innings.

OT: Sounds like a new zoo in the Bronx

davidalanu — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 03:24:35 -0000

It appears as though Hank Steinbrenner has been paying attention to his old man all of these years after all. Every time there's been a story about the Yankees this offseason, Hank is there with a quote, and usually there's lots of "I" this and "I" that, making it sound as though he's the only one making the decisions.

It almost makes me feel sorry for Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi.

I've been very wrong about pre-2002 steroid use

davidalanu — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:30:04 -0000

Simply because I was tired of hearing the argument that "even if Bonds took steroids prior to the testing era in baseball, he hadn't broken any rules", I sent an email to Lester Munson asking his opinion on the subject.

I respect Munson a great deal, and he was kind enough to respond to two emails on the matter. He basically said that the only rule a player would have broken would have been a "technical violation regarding prescriptions" which the player could easily dance around.

I always held firm to the belief that there had to have been some sort of "illegal drugs" clause in the CBA prior to 2002. Apparently, that's not the case.

Here's what he had to say about the union's stance: "Steroids were not
addressed. The union tried to argue that steroids should be treated as a disease,
a form of addiction, with treatment and confidentiality. It was a ridiculous
position. Steroids are not addictive. There is no rehab for steroid users.
We do not treat steroid users. Steroids are cheating. We do not treat
cheaters. We expose them and we punish them. It took the union and MLB a long time
to come to this fairly obvious realization."

Anyway, my apologies to anyone who(m) I may have contradicted with my errant thinking regarding this.