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Re: The MLB Thread
Thome was there to help them replace Howard, but even though it was an odd signing for him to head back to Philly, it's very obvious that Thome's days playing on a field are over. He's been a DH for years, or a rare situational 1B on occasional days.
He should've never left the American League. I was shocked the Rays didn't sign him in the off season. They needed a DH. They still do. Matsui sucks so far.
Re: The MLB Thread
Anyone been watching Yankees-Nats series? The series has been intense. As a neutral observer, I enjoyed the intensity in these games. Washington's bullpen is quite good. They probably could pick up a C like Ryan Doumit (or someone like him) to help the offense.
I think Colorado might be close to firing Jim Tracy. His club has been brutal in interleague play. I think Bud Black might get canned too in SD but he might stick around longer than Tracy only because the Padres are up for sale.
On a rather unrelated note: Is there any pitcher you hate watching pitch? I realized I hated watching Kevin Millwood pitch because the guy takes forever in between pitches and he always throws a bunch of pitches per start.
Manny Ramirez got released yesterday by the A's. Unlike Vlad, who got released as well this week by the Blue Jays, I don't see anyone picking him up.
Re: The MLB Thread
I'm stunned Jim Tracy is even still in a Rockies uniform. I have no clue why he's even still there. The Rockies are a FAR better team on paper than they've played. They're not as good as the Dodgers or Giants, but with the right manager they could get on a run and compete as a 3rd wildcard out in the NL West, with what they have.
As for who they'd replace him with... I have no clue.
As for Bud Black, I don't see Black going anywhere. It's unfair to blame San Diego's situation on him. The team is being sold, there's issues behind the scenes, and frankly -- the Padres just ain't that good. It's not Bud Black's fault that his team sucks. Looking at them on paper -- they suck. You could get Tony LaRussa to manage them and they'd suck.
As for Manny, yeah he's finished. He got his average up, but his power is non-existent without the 'roids. I don't know who could and would possibly take a chance on him. He's obviously nothing but a DH at this point, and DH who can't hit HR's anymore, no different than how he looked in Tampa last year.
There's been some Indians fans, with Hafner's situation, keen on nostalgia in bringing Manny back to Cleveland. Why would you want, a Cecil Fielder-slow, Tony Campana-weak contact hitter as a DH? I see no point, especially with them trying to keep up with the White Sox in the AL Central.
Vlad, i'm stunned he doesn't have a job. I'm stunned the Jays didn't bring him up. He's obviously still got it, and unless it's a money thing, the longer he sits at home, the colder he gets. I think Vlad ends up somewhere in the next couple weeks, and more than likely a contender in need of a DH.
The Indians could DESPERATELY use a bat like his in their lineup, and if I were them i'd go after Vlad before i'd go after Manny. The Rays could also use his bat. Matsui is a bust (so far), and isn't getting any better and if the Rays want to try to keep up offensively in that AL East powerhouse, they could also use a Vladimir Guerrero. Which leads me back full circle to -- why did Toronto not bring him up? Edwin Encarnacion needs to be put back in the field, that Cooper dude ain't that good, and Gurrerro would've easily fit in that Jays lineup.
The fact they had no interest in bringing him up was puzzling.
Re: The MLB Thread
R.A. Dickey is on quite the run right now. As a Red Sox fan, I followed Wakefield's career quite closely, and he could go on some nice stretches here and there where he was nearly unhittable. But this seems to be different. Similar to Wakefield's first year with the Sox in 1995 when he started out 14-1. The amazing thing with Dickey right now though is his control. He's averaging more than a strikeout per inning, and he's barely walking anyone. Two straight 1 hitters. Should be 2 straight CG SO's, and 3 out of 4 as well if it weren't for the error and 2 passed balls that let an unearned run score last game. Hasn't allowed an earned run since May 22nd. Unbelievable.
Re: The MLB Thread
No the unbelieveable thing is Dickey is 37 YEARS OLD. The dude has been around for YEARS.
Why all of the sudden he's a fuckin' Cy Young candidate? Unreal. I have never seen this happen before. Maybe him writing that autobiography and exorcising all of those demons from his past in his childhood lifted that burden from him. He's like a totally different dude this year. Whole different beast as Axl would say.
Re: The MLB Thread
The knuckleball is a tricky pitch that can take some time to master. 37 isn't all that old for a knuckleballer. He's pitched well the last few years too with solid numbers. It just didn't get noticed because the Mets were awful and his record suffered because of that.
I just know with Wakefield, at any point he could toatally lose it. It seems to be different with Dickey though, and he throws harder. We'll see if he can keep it up but so far, so good.
Re: The MLB Thread
The problem is, the older you get the more you have to work that pitch. Every day. Especially if you throw it hard. Plus with the hotter months are always tougher on knuckelballers.
We'll see. Dickey has been around awhile, and I don't buy the Mets sucking as a reason as nobody gave a shit. Dickey is pitching WAY BEYOND his name right now.
He's the Jose Bautista of pitching.
Re: The MLB Thread
Youkillis + 5.6 million dollars traded to the White Sox for P Zach Stewart and IF Brent Lillibridge.
You know at first thought I thought that the Red Sox did okay with the trade but then I looked closely at Zach Stewart's stats and they were brutal. Lillibridge is strictly a utility IF. I think they could have gotten a bit more since they were sending cash and there were other teams interested in Youkillis.
As the for White Sox, their 3b had a collective .167/.243/.224 line for the season. And Ken Williams got the Red Sox to include cash in the trade. Big win for the White Sox, even if just posts average numbers.
White Sox have pitching issues now. They have to be thanking their lucky stars that this kid Quintana has helped with the rotation. Second straight start that he has thrown eight scoreless innings. With both Danks and Humber on the DL, and Gavin Floyd struggling, the back end of the rotation is a huge question mark.
Alfonso Soriano and Josh Willingham are probably the best power hitters available right now. I get the suspicion that the Indians and Tigers will be making a play for Soriano soon. Tigers want a right handed power hitter and a starting second baseman. They'd be a good match for a Soriano + Barney trade for DET prospects.
Garza has a bunch of suitors as well (5 or 6 teams). Toronto probably could use him the most. The funny part is that the Royals are somehow interested in Garza as well. They actually have the most young talent to give the Cubs. But fuck they are closer to last than first, and I'm not sure why they're even sniffing around Garza.
Marlins finally win today. They had lost something like 14 out of 16 and had fallen into last place.
Re: The MLB Thread
The Marlins did beat the Jays 9-0 today (watched that game), and if I remember correctly, it's only their 3rd win in like the last 18 games. Despite the epic May run they had.
They went from being the absolute best in baseball to the absolute worst just changing months. Unbelieveable.
As for Youkilis to the White Sox, that's a win for the White Sox... for now. The White Sox are so desperate for ANY kind of 3B option to plug into that lineup, especially in a division race, I personally don't think they expected.
But Youkilis sucks right now. So I wouldn't oversell it, and the Red Sox basically gave him away. It might help to break up the man love fest between him and Pedroia and get the team more focused on listening to Bobby, rather than each other.
The change of scenary might help Youkilis also. The White Sox are a perfect fit for him right now. As good as it's gonna get. A team that "needs" him, despite his awful production this year, and still going to a "big city contender". It helps.
Twins won't trade Willingham within the division imo. Garza would be a great fit to just catch the train and trade uniforms in Chicago with the Sox. But the White Sox DO NOT have anything worth the Cubs even bothering with considering offers.
Soriano ends up back in the AL, specifically the Central though. Without a doubt. The best fit is the Indians who desperately NEED some power at DH, especially in a division run and their current rivals having Adam Dunn. If they're gonna run with the White Sox, they're gonna need another bat, and Soriano works. The Tigers... I see them looking elsewhere. Like Guerrero or something. I'm shocked somebody didn't throw a minor league deal at Derrek Lee a couple months ago, and work him into a DH role by now.
As for Garza to the Royals, ehh stranger things have happened. I'm not sure what the Royals have to offer, because they've been "rebuilding" since about 1985, lol. I haven't see anything come out of that organization that was ever used to turn them into competitors. They had Carlos Beltran, Zack Grienke, Mike Sweeney, David DeJesus, etc. and they always sucked.
Unless the Royals know something we don't, like the fact they're supposed to be sitting on a wealth of cash they could use for a run anyday, then Garza would be no use to them.
Would be cool though if they did. Grab Garza, snag some free agents in the next couple of years, and start competing in the AL Central. Would be some real cool heat for those Royals/Cardinals I-5 battles each year, if they both were World Series probables.
