It's pretty unbelievable he's 20 years old. He's going to have some more downs along with all the ups this season, but just imagine him next season. Along with Bills.

Eager anticipation )-( Anxiety

it's just unfortunate that he's not a middle IF, because he's wasted as a OF playing a power position and with Ethier on the bench.

"In the immortal words of Jean Paul Sartre, 'Au revoir, gopher'."

I can't wait for Simers to ask JP how he feels about batting ninth. I'm guessing he will view it as more "sticking it" to him. If he gets through waivers, JP might well be willing to permit a trade to someplace he'll be treasured.

Padres wouldnt want Coco Crisp would they?

I would think the Sox would definitely want to trade Coco; the question is would/why would the Padres want him?

"I Have a poem...

It's easy to grin
When your ship comes in
And you've got the stock market beat.
But the man worthwhile,
Is the man who can smile,
When his shorts are too tight in the seat. "

Everybody else looks at him trying to figure out what he's talking about.

http://tinyurl.com/6ms7pe

...J.D. Drew, Jason Bay, and Jacoby Ellsbury are stars? Are you kidding me?

Much better.

http://tinyurl.com/5q65df

"After Giles had cleared National League waivers, the only other two AL teams after Boston with a shot at claiming him were the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim."

Kemp
Martin
Kent
Ramirez
Loney
Blake
Berroa
P
Pierre

Although this does bring up an interesting situation, the Angels might be looking for for an OF next year considering they don't think Gary Matthews Jr. is the answer and Juan Rivera is a FA. They're stocked at First base in the minors with Kendry Morales in Triple A, so they'd feel good about letting Texiera walk away but they still need to find power somewhere... and could it be Manny? He'd fit better for the Angels at DH/LF, a shorter deal for the Angels, and they get the added benefit of sticking it to the Dodgers.

Kent
Loney
Kemp
Ramirez
Blake
Hu
Martin
Pitcher
Pierre

I quickly changed the subject.

-Manny being Manny

Also, J.A. Andande thinks Andruw Jones should be playing in center and can hit over .200.

"Uncertainty about where he will be next season -- or next month, for that matter -- is something that Johnson said makes him reluctant to get married at this stage in his life."

Plus by keeping Manny and making it clear to Pierre he's a part-time player, maybe the newly "sullen" Pierre will demand a trade.

But that's the subtle reason. The real reason is that McCourt knows he'll make a profit on Manny, at least for the first couple of years. Pure and simple.

72 - Journeyman Jason Johnson

Thanks. I think I was on vacation during his callup and just sort of accepted those initials without question. I need to be more skeptical!

My guess is that with Penny back we've got a full-strength staff of five and we won't skip over anybody on the off-day (= Bills on the 21st).

Anybody believe otherwise?

http://www.baseball-reference.com/j/jonesan01.shtml

So you will see Penny, Kuroda and Billingsley.

I am still trying to see how they can avoid pitching Lowe in Colorado but right now it would take a lot of movement to do that.

I cannot quantify it, but my instincts tell me to sell high on him...

and who replaces him?

Is this their first head-to-head showdown?

I'll be there on Friday. Good luck!

82 Thanks. Tickets for Thursday it is!

The Angels picked up Terry Evans as a throw-in on the trade that sent Jeff Weaver to St. Louis. Evans was a journeyman outfielder of no importance who started unaccountably raking in high-A Palm Beach after years of sub-.400 slugging averages and tepid, sub-.310 OBPs. AA Springfield agreed with him so much that he assembled an impressive .311/.373/.649 with seven home runs in only 45 at-bats. He continued to hit once traded to Los Angeles de Anaheim, posting a .309/.385/.553 line at AA Arkansas and a career-best average .316/.352/.512 in his first full season at AAA Salt Lake (120 G, 475 AB). His eye remains suspect, as the differential between his average and OBP attests, and he's come down to earth a bit in his 2008 season at Salt Lake, carrying a .308/.390/.452 through only 26 games; he was disabled May 21 with a right shoulder injury.

Evans does appear to have made some sort of legitimate breakthrough, but it is unclear how valuable he will be after he returns from his injury, or what he could do even if he hadn't been injured. He only yesterday made his first rehab appearance with the AZL Angels. So it's altogether possible he might be an option if it comes to that, but the likelihood of the Angels outright dumping Gary Matthews, Jr. is pretty slim, at least as long as he has a no-trade clause. Quite frankly, the Angels would be better off with Evans offensively; Jeff Sackmann's MLE calculator tags him as a .257/.293/.403 hitter in the Show. Of course, that presupposes the Angels let Juan Rivera walk without an attempt to long-term him, and Rivera is an even better bet to produce those kinds of numbers or better.

If May wants the starter spot, he should fight Martin in a MMA fight, and the Dodgers can air it on FSN Prime.

Zito vs. Penny (rematch of Opening Day)
Correia vs. Kuroda
Cain vs. Billingsley (2002 First Round Pick vs. 2003 First Round Pick)

I don't know if you are serious but he's with the Indians now.

I think he lives near LA, which probably is partly behind what he supposedly has said.

But the Angels are technically LA also. Any chance of that? Would LAA have any interest in him?

Maddux lives in Las Vegas and what he actually is supposed to have said is that he would only accept a trade to a West Coast team. It's just that the Dodgers are the only West Coast team still in a pennant race that might be interested in him. The Angels don't appear to have any interest.

From Jeff Kent:

"You look at Matt [Kemp], he's swinging the bat well after being an easy out at the beginning of the year.

OBP thru 4/30:
Kemp: .348
Kent: .318

OBP in May:
Kemp: .360
Kent: .247

So when was Matt an easy out Jeff? And if he was an easy out, what did that make you?

Oh, and this one:

"And Russell [Martin] is holding his own and done a good job. Everybody has gained some experience and that's what you hope will happen as you get close to the end of the season."

I think Martin has more than held his own and done more than a "good" job.

Also, from Tidbits at dodgers.com--

"Former Giants left-handed pitcher Kirk Reuter was a guest of general manager Ned Colletti. "

Apparently they mean at today's game. Why is this newsworthy?

>> But in any kind of a bidding war, the Dodgers will fold their cards and leave the game. That's what they do. <<

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/14400754/

Mr. Smith, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone at home is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Was just about to post that, Scan. Kent hasnt done much at all this year and he's calling out the guy who was the best player on the team for a good month Pre-Manny? That dude has some serious nerve.

>> At the owners' meetings Wednesday, DuPuy said he will propose that if a team is not broadcasting in a geographic location for at least one season, it loses the right to black out games in that area. Gone would be the blackouts that prevent folks in Iowa and Las Vegas from seeing as many as six games each night and have caused viewing havoc throughout the country.

"I see no reason why there ought to be so many clubs able to black out in those territories," DuPuy said. <<

http://tinyurl.com/5v45fa

Why is it a crime to avoid overpaying a 36 year old baseball player for one too many years? If the Yankees or Mets want to overspend on Manny, have at it.

Basically, is it worth 25 mil a year to have a HOF hitter from age 36-40?

>> SAN DIEGO – As great a pitcher as Greg Maddux has been for 23 years, he might be a better poker player. But he finally tipped his hand in a meeting with San Diego Padres general manager Kevin Towers on Tuesday.

Maddux reiterated his desire to be traded only to a team on the West Coast. <<

http://tinyurl.com/6c873m

If he continues to hit like one then uhh....yeah?

Michael Ventre is even worse than Celizic when it comes to being absurdly confident about his opinions without any real justification.