Rex Hudler

I think they know that they aren't going to win the division, yet couldn't get away with trading Beltran. So in the spirit of keeping the fans on their good side and in showing the players they are trying to win, they make this move, which is basically a token move for show. This sets them up for next year to rebuild how they had planned before, without turning all their fans away.

Damn MSF, bash me why don't you? I even give you credit on here when its appropriate. I won't go quite so far as to say that everything I know I learned from you (HA) but you are responsible for getting me more interested in following the lower minors. I used to be strictly a AA and AAA guy.

Probably Anthony Webster and Palmeiro for Juan Cruz. LOL

I understand the unwritten rules of the game and respect them. However, it seems there is a new one each year that I have never heard of. I certainly have never heard of anything like DiFilece was complaining about. Hell, for all he knows, Miguel could have been swinging at the first pitch trying to get the game over faster. The unwritten rules require a little common sense from the players. There can be situations where they do apply and where they don't. You can't just say they apply with an X-run lead in the X-inning. Doesn't work that way.

I agree with you on this one. And if he doesn't do the job, then Cotts is waiting in the wings (note: on the same rotation schedule) for the next time up in the rotation. If a guy can be had cheaply and you know he will be better than Wright, then go for it. But sometimes you better be careful what you wish for, because you may get a guy to be your 5th starter and he may suck it up.

I agree, Malone is expendable. He may make a comeback and end up doing well, but he is definitely no long untouchable.

Thanks Blackie... Those may have just been the kindest words I have felt all day!

Yes, a roster move will have to be made. They won't have to activate him until Saturday, so it won't happen until at least after Friday night's game.

Thanks for all the kinds words........ Keep 'em comin! LOL

Thanks Tony........ I've been wrong before, but I am also smart enough to know that you can tell a lot by watching a player and you can also learn a lot by looking into numbers and not just taking them at face value. The perfect examples of that are Arnie Munoz and Mark Buehrle.... Munoz has a 6.20 ERA in AAA..... But he also has a 4.04 ERA since April 15. I would much rather have Arnie, who struggled in 3 outings in the first two weeks of the season, over a guy who has just been bad all year. If you just look at his numbers, you have no way of seeing that. If you just look at Mark Buehrle's numbers you see a 9-10 record with 4.21 ERA. Pretty damned average. But if you know how Mark's season has gone you think that Mark was just bad in the first half of the season. Look into his numbers and you will see that really all Mark had was a bad May and one bad outing in April. Mark's ERA for May was 7.16 and he was 0-4. In April Mark was 2-3 with a 3.92 ERA even with one horrendous outing against Cleveland and very little run support. In June and July, he was 6-2 with a 3.49 ERA. The point is, Mark Buehrle is not representative of a 9-10 record with a 4.21 ERA. Digging into one's numbers can tell a lot. It can also take a lot of time. LOL

Roman, you just proved what I knew all along......... You have no clue!

He had one bad outing and one decent one. Threw a seven inning complete game, allowing three runs. He is the most logical choice right now.

They haven't yet. But he is slated to start on Saturday.

Let's not jump the gun here........ Joe is doing well in the last 2 weeks, but these are just baby steps. He is nowhere near able to be deemed "on the road to recovery". Let's just enjoy his recent success, root for him to continue and hope that he works is all out. Otherwise, somehow he will be a son of a b**** (deemed by some on here) if he slumps again next week. well i am feeling good and want to get that off my chest. i hope he continues his success. btw does joe b read this board. feeling good, or feeling guilty???

Should we call him Jeremy Reed or what??

Add 7 Hr's and 24 RBI to that.......

Let's not jump the gun here........ Joe is doing well in the last 2 weeks, but these are just baby steps. He is nowhere near able to be deemed "on the road to recovery". Let's just enjoy his recent success, root for him to continue and hope that he works is all out. Otherwise, somehow he will be a son of a b**** (deemed by some on here) if he slumps again next week.

Could, yes....... and like Jason said, I think you will see him get a sept. callup regardless.

So Rex, as someone who has watched Neal all year, how does he compare to the other phenoms we've seen this year -- Willis, Jerome Williams, B. Webb, and Rich Harden?? While it would be nice to see fewer walks, if they can't hit it, it seems like a small glitch. (I mean, Danny Wright walks too many batters too.) Neal's weakness is definitely walks and that is a concern. It has been for me (and I am sure for him) all season long. However, I have seen progress in the last month. Four out of his last five outings have been solid in terms of walks and he keeps going deeper and deeper into games, which means his pitch counts are lower as are his walks. He has also gotten more efficient with his pitches recently, which only helps. I really can't compare him to the other guys because I haven't seen them that much. I have seen Willis a few times on TV and saw him in Birmingham earlier this year (6 IP 5 H 0 R 1 BB 8 K). The only time I have seen Hardin is the one inning he pitched in the Future's game. I have not seen anything of Williams or Webb other than an occasional Sportscenter highlight. I am not saying that Neal is ready to come in and dominate the American League. I am not even sure he will be ready to jump into the rotation at the beginning of next season. But he is pitching very well right now and I have no doubt that he could hold his own in the 5th spot in the rotation if called upon. I don't think it will happen unless Wright really falters on Saturday, but I like what I see from him a lot more now than I did earlier in the year. And I liked what I saw from him then!

Apparently he has pitched well all year except for a stretch when he was hurt. Not enough to keep him from starting, but something was wrong.

If only they would all listen to me from the beginning!

Try and know what you are talking about, k??? How does 14 IP 1 H 0 R 3 BB 14K sound?? Take it from someone that has seen him all year. If called upon, Cotts is ready.

When have you ever known roman to make sense?

Don't believe there is any available space on the 40-man roster for Cotts at the moment.

I think the thing they don't realize is that even if we didn't make the Ritchie trade Fogg and Wells would still have been traded. They would have probaly been the players involved in a trade for Colon. Sorry Joel, but using that logic is like throwing darts blindfolded. There is no way you can say with any validity that would have happened. No one has a clue what would have happened last year had that trade not happened. Exactly! And yet I've seen that logic used alot. Like Kenny Williams traded for Todd Ritchie knowing he was going to lose fifteen games. Sounds to me like a contradiction. It's always a gamble. You win some you lose some. What does that have to do with the above posts?