fathom

QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 03:34 AM) Kotsay's inability to come through in the 1st inning really did serve to change the complexion of this entire game. Disagree, the inability to turn the 1-2-3 DP was the turning point in this game. This offense have no "spurtability" though.

Wow, another blowout. I wonder who the fall guy is going to be?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 02:29 AM) We talk about the lack of offense, but check out the current ERAs from the greatest rotation ever assembled: Buehrle 4.56 Floyd 9.00 Garcia 8.10 Peavy 7.66 And wait until the ball starts jumping at the Cell.

QUOTE (Jenks Heat @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 02:25 AM) This is all guillen doing his lovie smith letting us know he is smarter than everyone. Jake is our quarterback

When we sign bench players this offseason, can we please sign some younger players who can actually provide energy on the field? I was all about signing someone like J. Gomes.

5 ground outs to the right side.

Thad, good post, but a lot of those other guys have proven their ability in their league, with that team, in their home ballpark.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 03:13 AM) JR stated last year that the 2008 team was boring. 2007 was worse, 2009 wasn't exactly riveting, and so far this season reminds you of the Bill Veeck days of the 70s sans 1977. They better get this turned around pretty quickly. The attendance outlook is horrifying right now With our lack of resources in the farm, an immediate fix to this doesn't seem likely.

It's sad knowing Ozzie would never have the balls to release Vizquel. It's not even worth rooting for him to do bad so that he'll get DFA'd.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 03:07 AM) I think they would have sent him down, but the one lefty they would probably like to call up, is on the DL. I would just screw the lefty, and call up Torres to pitch garbage innings. There seems to be a lot of those lately. Yes, it's amazing how often we see Pena/Linebrink/Santos/Putz to end the game.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 03:00 AM) This is a dissappointing game. I really thought Peavy was going to pitch a gem tonight. Now you have to start wondering if there's something wrong with him. His stuff is fine, he's just not fooling anyone. Not to continue to discuss the NL/AL debate, but this Tampa offense isn't exactly an NL West offense. Peavy thrives on getting hitters to chase pitches out of the zone.

AJP hasn't hit a ball hard all season it seems like. At least his contract is up after this year.

Can we all agree that Randy Williams needs to be released?

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 01:50 AM) I didn't think his opening start was that bad. He blew the game and his command has been awful all season, but he had nice movement, was throwing a good changeup, and just hasn't had a feel for his slider. I didn't see any reason to panic. And no, I don't think we are going to see him regularly walk 6 guys a game. He's a much better pitcher than that but I think he is really rusty from being out of baseball for a relatively significant time. See, I completely agree with your last point, and it's why I was frustrated by the routine they put him through in Spring Training. He just doesn't look comfortable, as he's opening up way too early in his wind-up.

QUOTE (Cerbaho-WG @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 01:47 AM) Clayton Richard is not a good pitcher. Look, you can claim that you've been prescient for Peavy all along, but I sincerely doubt you were saying the same stuff right now about Peavy last September. Actually, I was asking what happened to his 95 mph I used to see. He was only throwing like 92-93 mph last year.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 01:46 AM) No, comments that add absolutely zero value to the discussion are awful. Statements like he doesn't have 4 starts to figure it out, etc. He's got a Cy Young, was brilliant in 4 starts last year, and hasn't been near as bad this year as some of you guys seem to indicate. So when you take a game thread and spout the same stuff 1000 times that isn't even accurate or have a shred of fact to it, that is what ruins the game thread, because it fills the game thread with unintelligent nonsense. Let me ask you this, how can you say he hasn't been all that bad this year? This is two absolutely awful starts, a good start (where he got some luck, but that happens), and a pretty bad start in his home opener.

More booing as he leaves. Really disappointing start after a crisp first inning.

QUOTE (Flash Tizzle @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 01:45 AM) Peavy is just pitching like a p**** tonight. I said TONIGHT, not the entire season, or for the remainder of his time here I'd love to know his strike percentage on that change-up he's throwing.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 01:44 AM) Like the Twins, the Rays are a team with superior talent. Pure and simple. We can't win with smoke and mirrors again. Agreed, they have 5 hitters that might be better than anyone we have. Their 5 man rotation is great now that they've gotten rid of Sonnanstine.

Wow...continues to be afraid of the bat. Some audible booing by the 25 fans in attendance.

QUOTE (mmmmmbeeer @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 02:41 AM) You're right, dude...he's washed up and I too wish we still had Clayton Richard. Never said he was washed up...it's just there were a lot of warning signs that he could struggle. And yes, I'd rather have Richard, the prospects, and 15 million than Peavy. I was also a much bigger fan than most of Richard.

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 02:39 AM) It was good to see Ramirez go to right field on that single though He's been swinging much better lately. Really, it's AJP and Quentin that look lost now.

QUOTE (Flash Tizzle @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 01:36 AM) Don't we have Spring Training for that exact purpose anyway? Yes, and Peavy was busy building up arm strength and not working on his slider.

QUOTE (mmmmmbeeer @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 02:35 AM) In 4 starts..... what about all those years in San Diego, did he have an average slider then? Was it the seats behind home plate at Petco that made his slider look like one of the best in the league? No, but NL hitters will make a lot of pitchers look a lot better than they are. What about all the scouts worried in the Spring about how much his stuff had seemingly deteriorated. Very few pitchers can throw as many sliders as he did for so many years in their 20s without losing their stuff quickly. Smoltz is basically an anomaly, and that's only cause he went to the bullpen.

QUOTE (mmmmmbeeer @ Apr 23, 2010 -> 02:33 AM) If you believe a guy with as nasty of a slider as Peavy has coupled with a 95MPH heater with movement got by on nothing but a big ballpark and weak division, eh, I can't convince you otherwise. Seems you're stretching to have his performance fit your narrative, imo. His slider is very average so far, and to say he throws 95 mph is like saying Jenks throw 96 mph now. They might peak at that, but the average fastball is a very mph slower and I haven't seen any movement at all on the fastball. And no I'm not stretching it, go back and view my posts around the first trade last year.