newportitis

Lou Piniella has to be shaking his head...he went 3 and out twice and became public enemy #1....The Twins came out with fear in their eyes from game one - AGAIN - and all we hear about is match ups...

Kenny seems to follow a simple formula when he builds his starting staff. He wants 4 number 2 / borderline number one starters and can live with one bargin bin veteran for the fifth starter . When the Sox decide that someone either no longer has the makings of a #2 or will never be a #2, out they go. It doesn't seem to take them very long to size someone up an the major league level. A potential #3 or 4 starter is just a guy, get what you can for him...Gone. Look at John Garland, Brandon McCarthy, Javy Vasquez, Clayton Richard, and now Daniel Hudson. I don't think he cares at all if Richard or Hudson or Ely or Aaron Poreda become serviceable mid-rotation starters, he doesn't need them. And in theory, it makes sense. If you match up against halfway decent teams that have a starting rotation of 12345 with a rotation of 22225, you have a disadvantage in the first slot, a break even in the second slot, advantages in the 3rd and 4th slots and another break-even in the fifth. Over 10 games that figures out to be 6 wins ( slot 1 LL slot 2 WL slot 3 WW slot 4 WW slot 5 WL) .600 equals playoffs. The match-ups will be tougher against the best teams, better against the bottom feeders. At least in theory. And when you get into the playoffs, you figure one of your #2s will be hot enough to rank as a temporary #1...as Jose did in 2005. Danks looked like that guy for quite a while, Gavin looks like that guy at times - so does Jackson. If we'd gotten in, you'd figure at least one of them would be red hot...and Kenny's all number 2 staff would have a good chance in any playoff series. I know it's not that simple and clear cut, but this seems to be the way Kenny think and I'll bet he has done this calculation.

A #5 if Hudson can't get it going or Freddy runs out of gas? Probably a post-deadline waiver option...and cheap. He's a free agent at the end of the year. from mlb.com - MILWAUKEE -- Brewers right-hander Dave Bush entered the week with 13 quality starts, just as many as Texas' Cliff Lee, considered the best available pitcher on the summer trade market before he was dealt from Seattle to Texas. Bush had one more quality start than Dan Haren, who has already been traded, and Ted Lilly, who is a staple of rumors. And like Lee and Lilly, Bush is a free agent at the end of the season. Yet Bush, 30, is generating almost no trade buzz. "I get a kick out of teams talking about all of these other pitchers, and [bush] has more quality starts than all of them," general manager Doug Melvin said. "He's pitched as well or better than some of these names I hear on the trade front.

How many Cy Young winners or true #1s have been traded for prospects the last few years? I think 5? Out of 30 teams, five have both been in position and had the goods to get one of those guys. Kenny got one. Nobody has come up with the prospects to get two of them.

Who played SS for us from 85 to 97? After watching Alexi, I can't remember....

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jul 11, 2010 -> 06:07 PM) You're absolutely right, which is why my fantasy is just that - a fantasy. But I do sleep comfortably knowing Kenny is having the same fantasy and will do everything within his power to figure something out. Fielder has been having a really tough year. He's started hitting some homeruns again but he's been chasing terrible pitches with men on base. He has 20 HRs but only 39 RBIs. Starting pitching is what carried this turnaround. It's already been dealt a blow that we all know will be felt in the upcoming 2 and a half months...I trust Kenny won't do anything to damage it further to chase a big name...at least I hope he doesn't.

QUOTE (Mattchoo @ Jul 11, 2010 -> 08:20 AM) Also found this AOL Fanhouse report http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/07/09/brewers...-weeks-on-table We really need to try to get Fielder. He would fit perfectly at US Cellular. Also, we could still keep PK next year if PK is willing to take an under market contract. I'm thinking 3yrs $21M for PK. I'm afraid any realistic chance of getting Fielder ended with Peavy's injury. If the Brewers wind up moving him, it will be for pitching. They have a young catcher they're happy with (Jonathan Lucroy) but after Yovani Gallardo the starters are really bleak.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Mariners outfielder Milton Bradley was ejected from Friday night's game against the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark, marking the second straight spring contest from which he's been tossed. http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/artic...sp&c_id=sea I wonder how long Jack Z will put up with this.

QUOTE (ScottyDo @ Feb 23, 2010 -> 09:20 PM) oh god, its like giving a dog a squeaky toy... It isn't very often that someone says something so right on and so funny that I actually do Laugh Out Loud. This comment did it.

I've never forgiven Mike Scioscia for adding steroid boy Jason Giambi instead of Frank to the American League team for the 2003 All Star game played at the Cell. To this day I despise the man and root against the Angels for that reason alone. He had the option of selecting either Frank or the cheater to appear in Frank's home park near the end of Frank's career and he picked the cheater because - get this - the cheater was a little better with the glove. As if either of them would play an important role in the game in the field. Frank had the opportunity to be honored in front of his home fans but that low life bum selected Giambi and left Frank off the roster.

QUOTE (GreatScott82 @ Feb 7, 2010 -> 01:55 PM) well said. however, i highly doubt- jordan danks would be the center piece to an A-Gon deal anyway. Mitchell has a much higher ceiling than D2 and you would have to assume- he would have to be included in a mega package headed to San Diego. Pretty sure the Sox can't trade Jared Mitchell. Teams have to wait one year before draft choices are eligible to be traded.

Mike Cameron is a free agent and the Brewers need to put their money into pitching. They are still not sure if Rickie Weeks is a leadoff man. They liked Pods. He played so-so CF for them. Maybe Milwaukee?

Considering Danks' circulatory problem with his finger, Floyd's bad hip and Buehrle's weakening shoulder, I think we better hang on to Hudson. And please, no Gamel. The Brewers were very disappointed by his cluelessness at the plate this year (his poor fielding was no surprise) and they'd love to move him to anyone who hasn't updated their scouting reports.

I'd vote for the Twins...but only if we were guaranteed a televised fistfight between Nick Punto and Ryan Theriot after the Twins were eliminated...I'd root for a long, brutal draw.

QUOTE (son of a rude @ Sep 26, 2009 -> 09:20 PM) The stats say he has above average range 2007 UZR - 14.8 2008 UZR - 8.2 2009 UZR - 7.6 (in only 110 games) We have your standard issue SABR vs. scouting disagreement here, which leads no where. But let me take a step in your direction. I've always felt the extreme outer edges of an infielder's range isn't where a player proves his defensive worth - rather his ability to turn a variety of difficult plays that are within his range into outs on a regular basis is what earns a player the right to be called an excellent fielder. JJ Hardy makes all those plays (mostly...)