SB Nation User Blog: mssickels

Some Scouting Video from Oklahoma

mssickels — Sun, 10 May 2009 16:37:21 -0000

Here is some video of Albuquerque knocking around Michael Ballard of Oklahoma from Wednesday. Two homers are hit in this clip, one of which I got nice footage off coming off the bat. I apologize for the camera work, as I'm just getting used to this. More to come later today from different angles.

Michael Ballard gets hit hard by Albuquerque, May 6th, 2009 (via MinorLeagueBall)

JERI's Big, Huge Question of the Day

mssickels — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:18:37 -0000

Hello, Happy Readers!

John's on the road, so I have been tasked with posting something this morning.

WAIT! Wait, don't click the X yet....read this post! Gimme a chance!

John got to see a member of the band Korn throw out the first pitch in one of the games he attended. Now, I'm not bagging on Korn....I loved them in the South Park/Scooby Doo episode in which they starred.

However, it did get me wondering: Does the throwing out of the first pitch mean anything to anyone? I know that a lot of the beauty of baseball is the tradition, the little rituals. At some point, though, doesn't it seem that the acting out of the traditions themselves might become so hollow that they become mere parodies of our cultural love of the game?

There are a few points to be made in favor of the First Pitch Ceremony:

1) It doesn't hurt anybody, Just throw it out and be done with it!

2) It may not be important to Joe Audience Member, but to the people chosen to make the throw, it's something they will always remember. Once John and I were at a Royals game and the 'first pitch' was thrown by a few kids, chosen from the crowd. They took turns, so each got to throw out a 'first pitch' (which kind of made NO sense to me, but whatever). The point is, these kids got to throw a ball to a REAL Major League Catcher! Good for them!

3) The First Pitch ceremony has always been done, period. Just do it.

Now, the points against the First Pitch Ceremony:

1) It has no bearing on the game, and is usually done before the spectators are even aware something is going on. Why bother?

2) It seems to be a bit hollow a tradition, when they have some random kid or some random Korn member do it, highlighting how little importance the tradition now has.

3) When they do it at every game, it dilutes the coolness quotient of the ceremony. They should reserve it for when there is a local or national VIP available, such as Queen Elizabeth, or Frank Drebin, then it would be more special, and the spectators might actually notice it more.

My personal thought is this: I think it has become a hollow gesture, one that doesn't harm the game or add or detract from the experience. If I were the Goddess of Baseball, I'd hold it in reserve for when we could get someone cool, but maybe that's just me.

What do you guys think? Are hollow traditions better than no traditions?

BPB2009 Has Shipped!

mssickels — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:53:32 -0000

If you ordered your book before February 7, it has shipped.

Many thanks to all our friends and family who gave their Saturday in order to help us out. Getting the book to you involves way more than writing and editing and printing. Without these people we would not be able to do it.

John's mom is fine, and he is on his way back to lawrence.

JERI

P.S. If you ordered your book February 7 or later, it will ship the next business day, at least for the next few weeks. After that we will set a shipping schedule.

P.P.S. If you want to post a query as to whether or not your book really shipped as stated above, just assume the answer is YES.

Oakland Athletics Top 20 Prospects in Review

mssickels — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:44:55 -0000

This list was originally published January 2nd, 2008. THIS IS NOT A NEW LIST. THIS IS AN OLD LIST!!!!!!!

1) Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Grade B+
    .293/.351/.439 for Triple-A Sacramento, .265/.302/.407 for Oakland. He should improve.
2) Daric Barton, 1B, Grade B+
     ,218/.319/.311 for Oakland. Proof that plate discipline isn't everything. He needs to watch out because there are other 1B prospects on his heels.
3) Brett Anderson, LHP, Grade B+
     1.80 ERA with 29/8 K/BB in 25 innings since being promoted to Double-A Midland. On a roll right now.
4) Chris Carter, 1B, Grade B+
     .262/.361/.561 with 29 homers for Class A Stockton. Very high strikeout rate, but draws walks and has tons of power.
5) James Simmons, RHP, Grade B
     3.54 ERA with 94/22 K/BB in 107 innings, 112 hits allowed for Double-A Midland. Strong command, doing well in Double-A, like the K/BB.
6) Henry Alberto Rodriguez, RHP, Grade B
     Was hammered due to control problems in Double-A trial, but 4.16 with 92/38 K/BB in 67 innings in the Cal League. Excellent stuff, but obviously command is an issue.
7) Trevor Cahill, RHP, Grade B-
      2.78 ERA, 103/31 K/BB in 87 innings for Stockton, 2.19 ERA with 33/19 K/BB in 37 innings for Midland. Ratios have slipped a bit in Double-A but are still impressive overall.
8) Aaron Cunningham, OF, Grade B-
     .320/.388/.510 with 12 steals for Midland. Not great plate discipline, but does a lot of other things well.
9) Corey Brown, OF, Grade B-
      .270/.358/.483 with 12 steals and 14 homers in 84 games for Kane County in the Midwest League. But .213/.278/.483 mark at Stockton, with 43 strikeouts in 21 games, shows the need for much more polish.
10) Andrew Bailey, RHP, Grade B-
       5.14 ERA with 87/51 K/BB in 89 innings for Midland, 81 hits allowed. Strong K/IP and H/IP, but command has slipped this year.
11) Sean Doolittle, 1B, Grade B-
       .305/.385/.560 mark at Stockton was strong, but .245/.294/.422 mark at Midland shows the difference in competition. Strike zone judgment has gotten much worse in Double-A.
12) Javier Herrera, OF, Grade C+
       .281/.352/.397 for Midland. Not sure what to make of him any more, other than he looks pretty mediocre. High strikeout rate.
13) Dan Meyer, LHP, Grade C+
        4.48 ERA with 109/52 K/BB in 123 innings for Sacramento, 113 hits allowed. Not bad for the PCL, but getting old.
14) Greg Smith, LHP, Grade C+
      4.04 ERA with 84/56 K/BB in 127 innings for Oakland, 108 hits allowed. Nice rookie season. Would like to see walk rate come down.
15) Sam Demel, RHP, Grade C+
      3.60 ERA with 16 saves, 75/29 K/BB in 55 innings for Stockton. Strong K/IP and a ground ball tendency are nice attributes.
16) Andrew Carignan, RHP, Grade C+
      2.11 ERA with 18 saves, 46/32 K/BB in 38 innings for Midland. Good season, but the walk rate will have to come down at higher levels.
17) Grant Desme, OF, Grade C+
      On injury rehab in the AZL Rookie League.
18) Travis Banwart, RHP, Grade C+
        Was dominating at Kane County. Promoted to Stockton, 4.26 ERA with 32/24 K/BB in 38 innings, 39 hits allowed. Ratios are much weaker in the Cal League.
19) Josh Horton, SS, Grade C+
      .285/.361/.335 for Stockton. Not much power.
20) Jermaine Mitchell, OF, Grade C
      .242/.343/.360 with 20 steals for Stockton. Draws some walks, but power hasn't blossomed as hoped.

This is a pretty good group. Add in guys like Craig Italiano and Vince Mazzaro who took big steps forward, plus all the prospects acquired in trades recently, plus returns from the 2008 draft, and you have a system that is suddenly flush with prospects again. The turnaround from a couple of years ago has been remarkable.

Family News Update

mssickels — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:36:35 -0000

We are still searching for my brother. Your continued patience and good thoughts are greatly appreciated.

JERI

Yard Sales and Pink Eye

mssickels — Sun, 25 May 2008 12:40:31 -0000

OK...I've been racking my brains trying to think up something remotely interesting concerning baseball that I could discuss with any level of intelligence. Guess what? I failed.

So instead, here are a few very unimportant tidbits of information, since they are at least important to me.

This weekend I am having a yard sale with my friend, at her house. Yard sales are interesting, and I think they tell quite a bit about those who have them.

In addition to the obvious insight into the purchasing patterns of the host of the sale, you can see how they take care of their stuff, how they present it to the outside world. The most interesting thing is how people perceive the value of their junk. A million years ago I went to a sale where the people had one of those $40 walmart do-it-yourself desks that was seriously used, water stains from a million cups of coffee, a little rickety. They wanted $45 for it, despite the fact that you could buy a new one for less. A fellow yard-saler offered considerably less, and was emphatically refused. The owner said that the desk had sentimental value to them, which is why it was more valuable than the new price. WHAT!?!?! I'm guessing that they didn't sell the desk.

I tend to price things low. My thought is that if I take my time to get stuff out to sell, I will be really bummed if I have to take it home again. So, I tend to low ball stuff. I'm never going to get rich off a yard sale.

The friend whose sale I'm involved in prices stuff pretty much in the middle. Some stuff a little higher than I would pay, but for the most part stuff is priced to sell, or priced with the intention that someone can make an offer and really feel good about 'talking her down'.

I might once in a while stop at a yard sale if I'm driving buy and see a potential impulse buy, and this is the 2nd sale, and the first one in about 8 years my friend and I have done. I don't think I've ever made a killing at a yard sale.

What about you? Ever had a great yard sale find?

The second part of this missive is that my friend and I both have pinkeye, do doubt due to contaminated money or something. I hate pinkeye. And with the three day weekend, my only health care option is to go to an urgent are place and pay $25 for an office visit to get $4 eye drops. Somehow, thankfully, with four children between us, there are no more infected eyes in the group.

I awoke realizing I had it because I had two dreams that I remembered, and during both of them I kept trying to get stuff out of my eye because it was itching and hurting. I think dreams are cool that way. How you can incorporate stuff from your reality into them, whether it is a ringing phone, someone talking to you, or unfortunately, pinkeye.

Ever had the dreaded pinkeye as an adult?

Have a great day, and baseball discussions will continue tomorrow or later today.

John is Out of Town

mssickels — Sat, 24 May 2008 19:34:09 -0000

John's family is in the midst of a health crisis, and he is with them in Iowa. He'll be back as soon as he can. I think it will be Sunday, Monday at the latest, as things seem to be going well.

I'll be keeping an eye on the blog, and will try to think up something interesting to talk about. However, the schedule John posted will be put back a day or two.

Thanks!

Prospect Retro: Frank Thomas

mssickels — Sat, 03 May 2008 16:22:33 -0000

John is busy and sent me this to post.

Frank Thomas was drafted by the White Sox in the first round in 1989, seventh overall, out of Auburn. He was considered the most polished college hitter available, but concerns about his defense worried a few folks. The players drafted ahead of him that year were (in order): Ben McDonald, RHP, LSU; Tyler Houston, C, Nevada HS; Roger Salkeld, RHP, California HS; Jeff Jackson, OF, Illinois HS; Donald Harris, OF, Texas Tech; Paul Coleman, OF, Texas HS. All the position players were considered far toolsier than Thomas.

During his junior year at Auburn, Thomas had hit .403/.560/.601 with an incredible 73 walks against 25 strikeouts in 206 at-bats. He signed quickly and began his pro career in the Gulf Coast League, playing 17 games and hitting .365/.470/.519 in a tuneup. Promoted to Sarasota in the Florida State League, he hit .277/.386/.399, not much power but he did draw 31 walks in 188 at-bats. A similar guy now with that kind of college track record and plate discipline would get a Grade A- from me.

Thomas began 1990 in Double-A, hitting .323/.487/.581 with 112 walks and 74 strikeouts in 353 at-bats. Realizing they had something special on their hands, the Sox promoted him to Chicago and he hit .330/.454/.529 in 60 games, exceeding rookie qualifications. By any standard he's be a Grade A prospect.

As you know, Thomas was a devastating hitter through most of the 1990s and is still effective when healthy even now. Someone asked what kind of prospect he was, so here's the answer: he was a terrific hitting prospect and the fact that he wasn't a great fielder or as toolsy as Jeff Jackson, Don Harris, Paul Coleman, or Tyler Houston didn't end up mattering one bit.

Probationary Period

mssickels — Sat, 03 May 2008 16:17:26 -0000

As a temporary measure we are instituting a 24 hour hold on new accounts before posting is allowed so we can weed out sociopaths and borderline personalities.

Dumbasses Deleted

mssickels — Sat, 03 May 2008 15:43:17 -0000

Yippee, we once again have a problem child. We suspect it is the same moron from last fall/winter, and we have deleted accounts as appropriate, but he will likely recreate more.

We are tracking, and will continue to delete dummy accounts. This means that I get to change my plans for the day and monitor this blog for the forseeable future. However, since I have children (one of whom is a toddler) and a life, I cannot just sit here and wait for the next dummy account. I will be checking back as frequently as I can.

We ask that you just be patient and ignore the trouble-making posts. This is a great blog, with great contributors. These little blips are annoying, and do matter, but place your frustration and anger where they belong....with the dumbass.