I just read this (regarding the Fister/Furbush deal) in the Detroit News, and was very surprised:

"We speak less than some other teams about building up our players," Dombrowski said Saturday, referring to draft picks and prospects. "But every time we go to make deals like this, we have players others teams like." It's difficult to disagree. The Single A team at West Michigan is loaded. Turner, Castellanos, and Martinez have all been considered blue-chip or even elite talents. The Tigers have put more players on big-league rosters in the last five years than any other team.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110730/OPINION03/107300394/Talent-rich-Tigers-could-afford-to-pay-dearly-for-M’s-pitchers#ixzz1Tk5cMICL

Now, I don't even know if this is true, and am not going to do the research to find out.  I don't even know how it would be computed--would Austin Jackson count?  He never played a minor league game for the Tigers organization.   But, has this been the most underrated system the past five-seven years?   Does this even say anything about a system?  Not everyone from that period is a stud, obviously, but it would include a rapidly improving Cameron Maybin, rock-solid Brennan Boesch and Matt Joyce, Jair Jurrjens, Alex Avila, and Rick Porcello, amongst others.  

Anyone else think this is interesting?  Comments?

In a Strat league, would you deal Jordan Zimmermann for Morrison or Dom Brown?   Assuming you have decent pitching but need help in the OF? Pitching of course rules the league, and is very expensive to acquire, but i think i'd be doing okay with one of these two in return.

Which would you request, Morrison or Brown?  I have Teixeira to play 1st, so the fact Morrison may move there scares me off him a little bit.

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This is NOT fantasy related, I just have been thinking of this and curious what the community-think here would be.   Alex Gordon is 26, and tearing up AAA since his move to the corner outfield position.  He was one of if not the best hitting prospect in the game a few years ago.

Brennan Boesch, 25,  was maybe a grade C+ prospect (really should wait until i am at home and have John's book), not given much hype at all.   The Baseball Prospectus 2010 book has the killer line on him "less discriminating than Tila Tequila" to knock his free-swinging ways.   All that said, he is KILLING it in the Bigs right now.   I know he is due for some regression---he isn't Pujols after all--but in my mind he's a legit above average corner outfield for years to come.

Which of these players would you wish your team had from 2011-2015?   I'm not interested in your fantasy team, i mean on your favorite MLB team.

I was curious after you asked us to recommend some bands for you whether or not you found yourself enjoying any of them?    There was a large response to your request, I would have to think at least one of us came up with something you liked.   What, if any, are the new bands that  you now listen?                  

I gave you a couple of suggestions, including this band.   This is one of the best videos ever, even if I like other songs by them more.  Brings a smile every time:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1pu0ZxQ6M70

Link from the Detroit Free Press:

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080301/SPORTS02/803010374/1048/SPORTS

I found it interesting that Leyland says Porcello will not break camp with the Tigers.   But doesn't say he won't be added later.  I think that would be incredible, but he really was supposed to be a special talent.  When do you think he'll be up?

First let me 'fess up that I have a sim league draft fast approaching.  

That said, I find this interesting anyway, as as soon as a player passes out of prospect-dom, little is heard about him.  So how do you rate guys like Hughes and Buchholz now?  I know how they were ranked by BA and John a year ago, but how would they be ranked today?

Please, do NOT rank them for fantasy purposes.  I am curious who you project for their careers, not who will have a lower whip in '08.

The candidates:  Gallardo, Lincecum, Bailey, Dice-K,Buchholz, Hughes, and Joba.  At this point, my list probably reads Linc, Yo, Buch, Joba, Hughes, Dice-K and Homer.   Tell me why I am wrong!  Thanks!

Continue reading this post »

http://www.insidebayarea.com/sports/ci_5984879

I found this to be rather frightening, to tell you the truth.  It is as though the only reason he had kids was to turn them into pitching machines.  I have no idea what kind of person Tim is, but this scares me that the kid is gonna mentally breakdown, ala Todd Marinovich.                                                                                  

Andrew is making his first Major League start tonight.   While he may never cure cancer, stop the deforestation of the rain forest, or reverse global climate change (as I can only assume Tim Lincecum will do all of those things), he is one of the top 10 pitching prospects in baseball, and perhaps a thread dedicated to his debut is in order.

DrB must be busy so far today, so I will start this for him. Amongst highlights for today are these two games:

-Liz and Bucholz are squaring off in Portland tonight, weather permitting

-Homer Bailey faces Ottawa

I didn't really look too in-depth at what today's schedule included, fill us in!

From Rotoworld:
"Dr. James Andrews performed a debridement of Mark Prior's right rotator cuff as well as repair of labral and capsular injuries in his right shoulder during seas-ending surgery Tuesday."

Okay, could DrBGiantsfan or HuskerBob, or someone who is smarter than me please tell me what is a "debridement" of the rotator cuff?  And how vague is it that he repaired labral and capsular injuries?  

I am smart enough to know that the words "rotator cuff surgery" and "effective comeback" have rarely if ever been spoken.  

Apologies in advance to those of you about to tear me a new one because there is a previous Prior post about 20 slots down.    But this guy was supposed to win 3 or 4 Cys...

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

Great day for Meyer: Dan Meyer, who was part of the Tim Hudson trade, is returning from an unusual injury. He'd been bothered by shoulder problems the past two seasons, but after seeing three different doctors and with no structural problems evident on several MRI exams and X-rays, he finally had exploratory surgery in New York last year and Mets doctor David Altchek removed a quarter-sized bone chip from the shoulder. Bone chips are common in the elbow, but rare in the shoulder.
"When I first got out of surgery, they asked me if I'd ever been hit by a car, because that's what it would usually take,'' Meyer said.
On Monday, Meyer's bullpen session went so well, he kept asking to throw more, staying out in the drizzle after the rest of the pitchers had gone inside.
"It was raining, and I was having fun,'' Meyer said. "It's been awhile since I've felt like that.''
He wowed John Baker, who had caught the lefty numerous times at Triple-A Sacramento but had never seen him like he was Monday.
"His mechanics had really changed because of that injury,'' Baker said. "Now he throws like I think he did with Atlanta, and it's so different. It's so drastic, even the ball spins differently. It comes out of his hand differently. ... He looks like a new person.''

That obviously sounds promising, any chance he regains the form that made him such an outstanding prospect?  If he can have a good month or two in Sacramento, I doubt Joe Kennedy will do enough to keep him out of the rotation.  

So, looking at the two pictures John put up for Bonderman and Sheets, I found it very interesting how different they look at basically the same point in their delivery.  What do you make of this?  Is Bonderman a drop-and-drive type?  Does Sheets stay taller because he tries to pitch at more of a downward plane?  

I am just curious what you guys think.  Would you think one would tax the arm more than the other?  Could Sheets nagging injuries be the cause of his delivery, or did his delivery contribute to his injuries?  

What do you think?

According to rotoworld, the Royals have dealt Andy Sisco to the White Sox for Ross Gload.   All you who have been defending Dayton Moore's moves, try to convince us that a young, rebuilding team should trade a high upside 24 year old lefty for a 30 year-old backup 1stbaseman.   I'll bet Justin Huber is ecstatic, at least now he should be dealt since he officially has no role with this organization.

I am in a Strat league, 20 teams.  We have 40 man rosters, and our rookie draft is upcoming.  I have the 7th overall pick, and am trying to figure who exactly to take.  I intend to take a pitcher,  figure DYoung, Weaver and Markakis are locks to be gone. That leaves Hamels,  Billingsley, Sowers, Sanchez amongst others.   I am not interested in immediate help, but best for the long haul.  How would you rank these guys?

I am sure I missed it on here somewhere, but could someone please explain to me just what it is about Drabek that has people put off on him?  I keep hearing/reading about his off field issues, makeup questions, etc.   However, no one seems to expand on them, and I am certain the learned good people who visit this site have the info, and I would love to know what it is.  Thanks!