Kalapse

QUOTE (knightni @ Jul 18, 2009 -> 01:07 PM) Possibly a better 3B than Fields or Beckham. Beckham in 2008: .281 AVG, .783 OPS, .338 wOBA, -5.8 UZR/150, $400K Huff in 2008: .261 AVG, .754 OPS, .316 wOBA, -4.4 UZR/150 (career number at 3B), $8M

QUOTE (LZPride08 @ Jul 18, 2009 -> 01:33 AM) this is the worst journeyman to play OF for the team since Rob Mackowiak.. but he still put up a .250 BA at worst, DeWayne Wise has a BA of a average NL Pitcher Mackowiak hit .285 with a .360 OBP as a member of the White Sox and was the furthest thing from a journeyman when acquired. He was a very productive offensive player for the Sox, his manager's decision to completely misuse him him defensively destroyed his reputation, however.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Jul 17, 2009 -> 06:58 PM) http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/spli...ng3&three=1 Haren has a 3.73 ERA away from home (around 3.30 in the desert) and has given up more hits than IP on the road over the 2006-2008 seasons. That's a little worrisome, just like we talked about with Peavy. That would translate to a 4.00-4.25 ERA in the American League. So I don't think Haren or Halladay are worth that kind of package...Halladay because we wouldn't be able to keep him for more than 1.25 years and his age, Haren because he's not really a proven ace in the AL. A Brandon Webb or going after Peavy coming off an injury are more KW's style, with the exception of the Freddy Garcia trade, when he was still pretty close to his prime but still declining a bit because of the abuse to his arm/shoulder. Dan Haren put up a 3.07 ERA pitching for the A's in 2007, his ERA away from Oakland: 3.34. Oh and Arizona's home ballpark has played as a hitter's park the past 2 seasons. It's hardly surprising that a starting pitcher would be more comfortable pitching in his home ballpark. Hell the last time Johan Santana won a Cy Young his road ERA was higher than Haren's '07 number.

QUOTE (longshot7 @ Jul 14, 2009 -> 05:25 PM) But isn't a Halladay/Buehrle-anchored rotation almost as good as the Johnson/Schilling one the Dbacks had in 2001? Wouldn't that be enough to put us over the top, the future be damned? Koufax/Drysdale, Spahn/Sain, Maddux/Glavine, Johnson/Schilling, Buehrle/Halladay . . . oh yeah that sounds about right. Pair the formidable Roy Halladay with a reliable, mid-3 ERA lefty and you have one of if not the greatest starting pitching duo in baseball history.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 3, 2009 -> 11:21 PM) Interesting to hear they want to basically make Fields a back-up corner infielder. I'd be ok with him if he ends up being a 1b/3b reserve who can mash lefties (assuming he regains this ability). It's better than nothing, especially if Allen eventually is our 1b. So how big of a disappointment was Betemit? Turns out I was dead wrong about one thing; he really can't field at all.

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Jun 3, 2009 -> 10:49 PM) Gordo has the hair of a champion. I also think he should be in our damn banner once he homers tomorrow. As soon as we get a good pic. There should be many.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 3, 2009 -> 10:47 PM) I really hope he doesn't start off cold...solely because I don't want to risk giving Ozzie any excuses to Anderson him. I don't see how that's even possible. This isn't the kind of player you dick around with and Ozzie should know that.

Keep in mind; Matt Wieters is 3 for 21 to start his major league career. Just temper your enthusiasm a bit.

Wait, what?

Lillibridge total PA: 137 Doubles: 4 Beckham AAA PA: 25 Doubles: 5

3.67 years and $65.59M left on that deal. There's really no reason to believe he could keep his ERA under 4 (or say 4.30 for that matter) in the AL. Personally, I'd have no interest in him.

I was pretty psyched about playing a Dead Space prequel then I found out it was an on-rails shoother. My enthusiasm quickly dissipated.

Contreras settling in nicely after some control issues early: 6 IP 3 H 1 ER 4 BB 3 SO | 95 pitches, 58 strikes

QUOTE (chisox2334 @ Jun 2, 2009 -> 07:40 PM) no excuse for pods playing well this yr. he has thrown people out who have tried to run on him, he is hitting, and ozzie found a lineup he likes with pods and alexi at the top, and base running needs to be improved of pods. Other than that, Im not complaining seeing how we picked him up for nothing The way people are talking about him (Hawk especially) you'd think he's sporting a .370 OBP, 15 stolen bases and a 4.30 pit/pa but in reality he's been less productive than our disappointing leadoff man from last year then you factor in the atrocious base running and you start wondering why this guy is getting more credit than any other person for the team's turn around.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 2, 2009 -> 07:31 PM) Kalapse, you don't like Pods? To be honest, the only one I know hates him is Capn. I think he's a bad baseball player who gets WAY more credit than he's due. If anyone in the lineup starts producing or the team starts winning it's because of Podsednik regardless of his production, there's always some bulls*** excuse.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Jun 2, 2009 -> 07:28 PM) How do you get picked off second base? I mean come on you see it tried a lot, but it just don't hapen. But, it did!!!! Well, when you're a terrible base runner . . .

It's funny. After the way he started off this game I was feeling real good about Pods, it feels like I'm starting to come around. But then he reminds me: he runs the f***ing bases like a little leaguer.

Contreras thus far: 3 IP 2 H 1 ER 4 BB 1 SO | 61 pitches, 34 strikes

Adrian Gonzalez's swing is right up at the top.

Jim is hitting .350/.487/.667/1.154 w/ 5 HR, 18 RBI and 17BB/16K over his last 20 games. Just an idea of how huge Jim's bombs have been this year: DATE HR SITUATION RESULT INN LEAD/TIED 4/07: 3R DOWN LEAD 8th * 4/12: 2R TIED LEAD 6th ** 4/19: 1R AHEAD -- 8th 4/22: 1R AHEAD up4 3rd 5/12: 2R TIED LEAD 1st *** 5/12: 2R DOWN LEAD 5th **** 5/18: 2R DOWN TIED 8th ***** 5/25: 3R AHEAD -- 3rd 6/01: 3R TIED LEAD 8th ****** SPRAY CHART: LF: 1 LC: 4 CF: 1 RC: 2 RF: 1 SPLITS: RISP: 45 PA, .286/.422/.714/1.137, 4 HR 24 RBI RISP 2 OUT: 19 PA, .375/.474/.875/1.349, 2 HR 13 RBI CLOSE/LATE: 21 PA, .250/.286/.750/1.036, 3 HR 10 RBI HIGH LVRGE: 30 PA, .296/.367/.778/1.144, 4 HR 15 RBI

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Jun 1, 2009 -> 06:11 PM) But if the players believe it and gain confidence from it, is it really misguided? Are they? Seriously? They're drawing confidence from Podsednik's occasion single and that's why Alexei and Dye have come alive and the pitching staff has picked it up?

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jun 1, 2009 -> 05:51 PM) But you kow what? It certainly felt like less of an impact than what Pods has done these last few games. Which is retarded. If I had a dollar for every time I've come across a misguided feeling I'd be earning money in a very weird way.

QUOTE (BearSox @ Jun 1, 2009 -> 05:33 PM) The thing is, it's been a long ass time since we've had anything resembling a leadoff hitter. Getz for about a week, and that's it. Having Pods show some flashes is refreshing, while it lasts. There's no denying he's made some good adjustments at bat. I was actually surprised by how soon he scrapped the run and swing thing after pitchers were starting to adjust to it. Orlando Cabrera hit .293/.341/.386/.728 in nearly 600 PA in the leadoff spot last year and he ran the bases like a big leaguer.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Jun 1, 2009 -> 04:28 PM) BA's job is surely safe (sox and Ozzie love him as a defensive replacement, and i'm sure as a platoon) It's really between Pods and Wise, and I'm sure as of now Wise will be the odd man out with Pods taking CF/platooning with BA when Quentin returns. Defensive replacement? Since when? Ozzie has been incredibly reluctant to use BA late in games, I did a break down last year that showed he almost NEVER brought BA into close games as a late inning defensive replacement.

QUOTE (fathom @ Jun 1, 2009 -> 03:12 PM) Yep, BA being platooned Like Ozzie said; a player should not lose his job due to injury and regardless of what Brian did while Wise was out Dewayne deserves to have the starting job handed back to him. It's Wise's job to lose. Sure Brian hit .282 with a .365 OBP in a starting role and his hitting .323/.382/.484/.866 over his last 10 with four multi-hit games, not giving Wise the majority of the ABs would be unfair.