SB Nation User Blog: jcAustin

Sosa tested positive in 2003

jcAustin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:31:04 -0000

Sosa tested positive in 2003

NYT article says Sammy Sosa tested positive for steroids in 2003.

Where does it end?

jcAustin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:33:58 -0000

106 games to go. We're a little over 1/3 of the way through the season, and just off a good trip thru juggernaut-land. We're at 33-23, so where do you think we end up? My rosy pre-season projection was 92-70, and i'm sticking with that. 10 of the next 25 games are at home, so we're home a lot in June and away a lot in August. (10 home, 19 away.) Being away in August could be a good thing to escape the heat a little. The season ends with a 7 game road trip to LAA for 4 games and Seattle for 3 games...could be an important trip west.

Remaining games:

Opponent	Home	Away
LA Angels	6	10
Oakland	3	8
Seattle	7	7
Toronto	7
Tampa Bay	6	3
Boston	6
NY Yankees		3
Baltimore		3
Minnesota	7	3
Kansas City		3
Detroit	3
Cleveland		6
Houston	3
LA Dodgers	3
San Francisco		3
Arizona		3
San Diego	3

Some Wash Negativity

jcAustin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:55:26 -0000

I don't like the Jones/Cat move or the Benson/Feldman move, and not that Wash is making all the roster decisions, but my impression is that he pushed for both of these. This just reinforces my feeling that Wash is just not a good players' manager. Cat has been a great team guy for the past two years, and he's dumped for a guy who STUNK the past two years. Feldman was the ultimate team guy last year and he's rewarded by being sent back to the bullpen for a guy that's been out of baseball for two years, and was never that good when he was "in his prime." He yanked Cat out of the game when he was online to hit for the cycle, he yanked Laird around while he was here. He was a non-entity, and maybe even a little subversive, with the Young to third situation, which WAS something the team needed. From snippet's i've read from Byrd and Murphy, my impression is that he hasn't been very clear with them or with Cruz what the outfield roles would be this year, and their uncertainty must have increased during the whole Jones drama.

As much as I hate Mike Scioscia personally, I think he handles his players much better, to wit, the GMJ drama. He had some careful quotes in the press where he said he sympathized with Gary, and he told GMJ what was up in no uncertain terms as soon as he knew. But Wash just seems reactionary, and when he reacts, he's not always thinking about what's going through the mind of the player(s) he's affecting.

I was so happy at the beginning of spring when Wash said the rotation was set barring injury, and then he goes and proves himself a liar.... and for Benson??? Is Benson really worth yanking my boy Feldman around? I Still don't understand why Benson can't be the long guy in the pen.

AS, (after Showalter,) we were supposed to be getting a good communicator and motivator, but time has proven that Wash is bad at in game strategy, bad at managing players' egos, bad at preparing the team for the beginning of the year, and bad at preparing the team defensively. What is it exactly that he's good at? I give him props for dealing with CJ last year and being fun to listen to in interviews but.....

I'll add that I do hope both moves work out, and I would much rather have a beer with Ron Washington than Mike Scioscia, but for me these moves sort of put a damper on an exciting spring.

Jeff Sues, Pirates prospect

jcAustin — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:08:51 -0000

Jeff Sues, Pirates prospect

Not that Sues is all the way back, but it seems so rare for someone to come back after rotator cuff surgery i thought it was notable. Believe this is what Hurley had.

Ponson arbitration hearing coming up.

jcAustin — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 02:06:56 -0000

Ponson arbitration hearing coming up.

Interesting. Didn't realize the Orioles might still have to pay Sir Sydney.

Sun Sentinel on Salty or MaxRam to Marlins

jcAustin — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 18:24:17 -0000

link

In spite of Berardino's words to the contrary, and MJH's prediction that something would get done with the Sox, IMO a trade with Florida could make a lot of sense for both sides. It would take an additional prospect coming from the Rangers, especially for Johnson, Volstad or Nolasco but few teams have such an abundance of good young major-league ready pitching, and they need a good young major-league ready catcher with upside. Also didn't realize Salty was from Florida.

Here are some '08 stats for the pitchers mentioned and Buchholz:

Josh Johnson - 87ip, 91h, 77k, 27bb, 3.61era, 118era+, 1.35whip. 24yrs, 6'7", 240lb, throws-right. (Had Tommy John - aug '07)

Chris Volstad - 84ip, 76h, 52k, 36bb, 2.88era, 148era+, 1.33whip. 22yrs, 6'7", 190lbs, throws-right. ('08 was his rookie year)

Ricky Nolasco - 212ip, 192h, 186k, 42bb, 3.52era, 121era+, 1.10whip. 26yrs, 6'2" 220lbs, throws-right.

Anibal Sanchez - 51ip, 54h, 50k, 27bb, 5.57era, 76era+, 1.56whip. 24yrs, 6'0", 180lbs, throws-right. (Had shoulder problems after brilliant rookie year in '06. Surgery for torn labrum in '07...risky)

Clay Buchholz - 76ip, 93h, 72k, 41bb, 6.75era, 68era+, 1.76whip. 24yrs, 6'3", 190lbs, throws-right.

Jonathan Sanchez - 158ip, 154h, 157k, 75bb, 5.01era, 87era+, 1.44whip. 26yrs, 6'2", 165lbs, throws-left.

Andrew Miller - 107ip, 120h, 89k, 56bb, 5.67era, 72era+, 1.64whip. 23yrs, 6'6", 210lbs, throws-left.

Red Sox Send Crisp to KC

jcAustin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:29:03 -0000

Red Sox send Crisp to KC for Ramirez

Could this pave the way for a catcher for starting pitcher trade with Texas? This would seem to make Masterson more expendable or if they want Masterson to start maybe that would make Bucholz available. They also say they want a right-handed fourth outfielder so, maybe Cruz or Byrd with Salty for Bucholz? blah blah blah blah blah balh blah blah balh blah blah balh blah blah balh

Matt Stairs, LCS Hero

jcAustin — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:47:48 -0000

Matt Stairs, LCS Hero

Nice to see the ex-Ranger have a great moment. Always like him when he was here. Way to go Matt.

ode to Yankee Stadium

jcAustin — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:39:43 -0000

This is a great article on a guy's memories from Yankee Stadium. Haven't seen a more eloquent description about the difference between guys like A-Rod and guys like Bernie Williams. Sad but uplifting. A nice prelude to the playoffs.

NYT on Barry Zito

jcAustin — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 21:04:22 -0000

Good, and lengthy article in the NYT on Barry Zito and how the huge contract has changed his life and his ability to be an effective pitcher. IMO one of the most fascinating things about sports, and baseball in particular is how pressure affects athletes' performance. If i were a GM and had the resources, i'd employ someone to analyze which personality types flourish under pressure and which ones fold, and use that data to help decide which free agents to go after. I guess that's some of what scouts do, and thus the school of thought that scouts have something to offer that sabermatricians don't. If that's true i guess it's a good thing that JD uses a mix of both approaches. I'm not convinced you could predict how a player would respond to the added pressure of a big contract, but if you could, it would be a huge asset.