Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
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* * *
The Dodgers have a new third baseman in Atlanta's Wilson Betemit, whom they acquired tonight in exchange for misbegotten reliever Danys Baez and not-quite-their-style infielder Willy Aybar, plus an undisclosed amount of cash.
"He's one of the best young players in the league," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said, according to the Sports Network. "He's here to play third base. He's a good hitter. He's someone we're going to have here for a while."
Betemit, who turned 26 today according to ESPN.com - Baseball Prospectus has a different birthdate - will apparently hold down the position until Andy LaRoche is ready - unless one of a million other possible things happens. Betemit has an OPS of .838 in 218 plate appearances for the Braves this season.
This is the kind of trade that illustrates an idea I've tried to get across here before - that some trades don't fall neatly into the buyer/seller dichotomy. It's an attempt to improve the Dodgers both for this year and for next year. Whether or not it does depends largely on whether the team has underestimated Aybar, but it's neither a surrender nor a move of desperation.
Brett Tomko was activated to replace Baez in the bullpen.
* * *
Odalis Perez arrived in Kansas City today. Wrote Ken Daley for MLB.com:
Perez looked like a man running for public office Friday afternoon, shaking hand after hand and grinning broadly at each new acquaintance he made.
"My first day here," he said, "and I already feel like I'm home."
Update: "Nomar Garciaparra, out of the lineup for the third straight game with a strained knee ligament, hit off a tee on Friday," Elizabeth Aguilar writes at MLB.com. "He should take the field again on Tuesday when the Dodgers open a series in Cincinnati. ... Jeff Kent's return to the lineup is expected within 10 days to two weeks."
Lofton, CF
Drew, RF
Saenz, 1B
Ethier, LF
Martin, C
Izturis, 3B
Martinez, 2B
Billingsley, P
No Aybar again!
This weather is terrible. I can't wait for school to start.
I'm 33 years past my high school graduation, but I remember what it was like to be in school. This would have been a highly unfamiliar pairing of thoughts.
3- I'm talking about college. In the daytime it's about the same, but it's much cooler at night where I go to school (northern california).
I'm gonna go back to slamming my head against the wall.
I don't know why, but I thought Miggie was older than 30.
214. Anyone know anything about Shairon Martis, the 19 yr old RHP that the Giants traded away to get Stanton? Is Sabean up to his old tricks (i.e., is Martis a top prospect like so many before him)? Or was this just young junk for old junk? The other GM was Bowden, so it seems possible that Sabean didn't lose his shirt on this one...
216. Man, even the rumor mill is boring this year. It's not like anyone's ever held accountable for spreading garbage -- and yet there seems to be less of it than usual. Must be the nationwide heat wave. Everyone's too hot to generate misinformation.
(long comment warning)
A few days ago, folks here were speculating about possible Rookies of the Year. I may have missed it, but it looked to me like no one mentioned Nationals' 3B Ryan Zimmerman (nb: that was true when I banged this out in the am; I see Josh R has since noted the possibility). With the Nationals in town, thought I'd write a little about what he's been doing this year. The team is obviously in the baseball hinterlands and that will only get hintier if Soriano is traded, so I don't expect him to actually win ROY, but his arrival has been a fantastic story here in DC. He's not up there yet with the great NL East third baseman -- Wright, Cabrera, Chipper -- but he's making a case to get into that conversation.
Zimm was the 4th overall pick in the 2005 amateur draft, drafted out of UVA. After just three months in the minors, he was called up straight from AA last September. He hit pretty well (OPS'd .988 over 58 ABs), vacuumed up every ball in sight, and cheerfully languished on the bench while Frank Robinson wheeled Vinny Castilla's decaying veteran corpse out to third base every night. It was not fan friendly. But it was impressive to see that Zimmerman could so readily make the jump.
In possibly his best move of the offseason (non-Soriano division), Bowden Frank-proofed the roster by trading Castilla to the Padres (and even got what seemed like a decent arm in return, though it turns out the Padres too were just passing off damaged goods). And so Zimmerman was named third baseman of the future. And to make the point even more clear, Bowden has basically refused even to carry a backup third baseman this year. Zimmerman's started 99 of the Nationals 102 games, with one of those misses for his grandmother's funeral.
And he's been a revelation. He's an amazingly strong fielder with soft hands, good range and killer instincts. Early in the season, he made a catch tracking a not-that-short and not-that-high fly ball into left that was just one of those "never gonna get there, never gonna get there, never gonna get there, OHMYGOD" moments (you can watch it here, http://tinyurl.com/hewxe, just scroll down to April 21). He's had some throwing yips, and built up some errors as a result, but he is a rock at third, and just ferocious charging slow balls.
At the plate, he is just a very cool customer. You'll see it when you watch him bat. He moves very steadily, watches very carefully. He has a great deal of confidence for a 21-year old kid. He's batting .291 (BA) / .356 (OBP) / .479 (SLG) for an .835 OPS. He has 68 RBI, 31 doubles, and 13 HRs. He sees 3.9 pitches per at bit (same as Lance Berkman and right between JD Drew at 3.91 and Andruw Jones at 3.89). And he has had some huge hits this year:
1. His first mlb home run came off Billy Wagner in the second game of the season -- it tied the game in the ninth inning.
2. On Father's Day, he hit a two-run walkoff homer to seal the series win against the Yankees (his first walkoff hit at any level of baseball)
3. On the Fourth of July, he hit athree-run walkoff homer off a 2-2 Joe Borowski pitch
4. Two days later, in the eleventh inning of a tied game, he hit a two-out walkoff single
5. On July 18, he doubled with two out in the top of the ninth of a tie game v. FL and came home to score the winning run (go Alex Escobar!)
6. Two nights, ago, he hit a one-out single to tie the Giants in the bottom of the ninth. (Austin Kearns would then win the game with a sac fly).
Scouting tip for Cesar and Bills: One of Zimmerman's regular tricks has been dropping bunt singles down third when the fielder is playing too deep. Here's Chris at Cap Punishment's description of one of these plays in the big RFK grand-reopening game last week: "Ryan Zimmerman, as you undoubtedly know, has shown an amazing ability to drop bunts down the third base line when the 3B is playing deep. To date, he has something like 9 or 10 bunt hits, and has only been thrown out once. In the 7th inning, while down a run, he led off the inning, and the camera zoomed tight, in MASN's version of Fox' nostril cam. And there you saw it. Zimmerman, while standing in his normal batting stance, peeked. Without shifting his head, he glanced all the way to the left, seeing if Ramirez was still deep. He was, and the first pitched found its way to the no-man's land between the pitcher and the hard-charging third baseman. Another hit." http://tinyurl.com/je3zn
As far as the whole Rookie of the Year thing, Zimmerman leads all NL rookies in hits, doubles, and RBIs; he's third in runs scored, fourth in OPS and BA. Others, esp. Uggla and Fielder have pretty great numbers too, and I just see now that Josh Johnson of FL has a pretty gaudy 2.60 ERA with 92Ks to 51 BBs, certainly have their cases to be made. And of course, there's a certain 3.5 making a case for himself. But Zimm definitely ought to be in the mix.
For anyone interested in a more human interesty look at Zimm -- here's a Wash Post profile that ran last winter. Zimmerman's mother has been wheelchair bound since he was a teen, and folks often credit his mature, collected aproach to things to having to cope with that. http://tinyurl.com/cvqeo
So, hope this long ramble isn't too clunky here in Jon's comments. Can't say I'm really looking forward to the games this weekend -- My Nationals fandom has certainly taken hold enough that it's not fun rooting against them. Suppose some folks would feel like "Hey Great, no matter what my team wins." I end up more in the "Well, crumb, no matter what my team loses" camp. Is it just too cheezy to wish for good games and that no one gets hurt?
Sabean is an idiot.
This guy would improve the team this year and going forward - the kind of guy Ned should go after.
I'm assuming they arent going to activate him tonight.
Phbbt! Say wha-?
No one is allowed to utter this phrase or any derivative or extension of said phrase on this or any other site, ever. I don't care if we're having weather that inspires Dante, the summer can't last long enough for me! :)
Now, with all due respect to the boys... let's win a dang game tonight, shall we?
After the game, Philadelphia traded third baseman David Bell to the Milwaukee Brewers for minor league pitcher Wilfrido Laureano
How many shortstops does Colletti want?
We are missing Bob.
Let's stay cool people, however you feel.
"Ned" "Flan" "Ders"
for
Wilson Betemit and Lance Carter.
Hmmm.
Don't let the door hit your butt on the way out Danys!
Job well done Ned!
Good trade Ned.
Successfully stymied the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Jackson, Tiffany, and Aybar for Betemit and Carter.
Is that about right?
...like Bruce Smith.
Was this really announced or are people just going on a rumor? Seems like it would be a bad idea for Atlanta considering Chipper came out of today's game with his lingering oblique injury. I suppose that's why Aybar was included.
Career Rate2 at 3B:
Betemit: 88
Aybar: 88
Vin announced it and they showed footage of Baez saying goodbye to other members of the team.
His MLB career is .280/.339/.389
His minor league career was .278/.339/.425
Betemit is 26 years old.
This is basically a deal to get Baez off the roster. The other players are interchangeable.
Saito
Broxton
Beimel
Tomko
Dessens
Carrara
I just hope the Dodgers play Betemit.
If he comes in and is just a bench guy, with Izzy still starting at 3b, its going to stink.
He IMMEDIATELY becomes our biggest home run threat....and I'm not joking. Sad.
He seems like one of those guys who always got hyped by his potential, was looked at as a disappointment, but then finally had something click (partially last year, fully this year). A lot like what happened to Brandon Phillips this year.
I'll pass judgement when I see him play.
This is one trade where I'm truly excited. A lot of the others were pretty meh, but I feel like this one will help us now and in the future.
He has had a huge jump in HRs this year though. He hardly hit any in the minors, just like Aybar.
69- Betemit has always had a ton of talent. He was the Braves top prospect for years and last year showed some flashes of why he was so highly regarded. Betemit could be one of the top offensive 2B in the league if that's how the Dodgers eventually decide how to use him. Like Aybar, Betemit has long quality at bats. We also have him under control for 4 years after this year!
my friend told me he was 21 1/2.
For some reason, Aybar's errors were less forgivable than all of Fur-kel's.
Aybar 18/17 .770 OPS
Betemit 18/57 .839 OPS
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/dt/betemwi01.shtml
13,000,000.00 I guess that's why.
That's not a bad trade, and if I recall, Betemit's always been considered one of those great potential players.
I hope Aybar finds success in Atlanta. Baez, not so much.
Every other place has him born 7/28/80.
TBC, Braves home page, ESPN...
Trading Baez really waves a white flag, right? O Ned, prepare for an unclever nickname.
And it wasn't with Tampa Bay!
It better be Izzy.
Betemit must play!
Oh yeah, Baez is gone. Nice.
"He's one of the best young players in the league," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said. "He's here to play third base. He's a good hitter. He's someone we're going to have here for a while."
Dodgers included cash in the deal.
Sweeeet.
at least is gonna play everday unlike poor Aybar.
I'd be willing to trade with Tampa. But only if we would trade for some of Tampa's hitters, not pitchers.
Trading for Tampa pitching is like going to the Dallas Mavericks, seeing that they have good young players like Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, etc. and saying, "You know who I'd like to get? Erick Dampier."
Betemit seems like he would be too big to play 2B, but he filled in for Marcus Giles while he was hurting.
And a grounder up the middle from Izzy.
Why can't Betemit play 2nd? I mean, it's not like Kent is showing that he's got much left.
This is a good night so far.
(Kenny Lofton and Toby Hall eye each other warily...)
I'm pretty excited.
Well, at least Tomko got a roster spot cleared.
I feel a little bad though, because the rest of my family is a bunch of Braves fans. I was just talking to my dad about how horrible Baez has been.
OBP: .421
SLUG: .539
HR: 8
RBI: 55
Why isn't Loney up here? What left has he to prove in AAA?
I don't think Ned is connecting the two thoughts. "Betemit is going to be here a long time," does not necessarily mean that "Betemit is going to be here a long time playing 3rd base."
Sounds like we need to trade for Bactine.
Listen up Yoda, we don't buy that statistics stuff around here.
I don't think we could get what Laroche is worth until he's further from that injury.
Does anyone know more about how serious a small Labrum tear is long term?
I do wonder if this does lead to another trade - dunno for who or what, but I feel like they're not done. But hey, as this game shows so far, maybe they just needed to do something to wake up the current roster and get them to score some runs. (So far.)
And so far, I'm happy with this move today.
144 Noooo! No trades with Padres - we don't want even more ex Dodgers coming back to haunt us in San Diego.
I simply can't believe LaRoche is being unloaded unless it's for something really major.
Does Betemit then block Dewitt, who will be ready in 2008-ish, I think.
I guess the Dodgers offer of Baez/Aybar was too good for the Braves to pass up.
This trade really makes little sense for the Braves. Aybar is younger, but his upside cant be that much greater than Betemit. And Baez is horrible. So its a trade that makes sense for the Dodgers, and makes little sense for the Braves.
What is all of this about LaRoche being traded. Is there talk? An inquiring mind with his finger far away from the pulse of this team...
What's there to sour on concerning Laroche? Aren't his numbers pretty good? I can understand Guzman, but Laroche?
That shows an astounding lack of evaluations skills, if true.
171 It seems that the Braves want any and all relievers, no matter how useless.
I've been a big fan of Aybar, but this is a good trade.
He keeps running even when the pitcher needs a map to find the K zone.
John Schuerholz has been making a lot of moves to suggest that his run of division titles was based more on a fortunate assemblage of great pitchers, bad teams in the division, and a solid farm system more than anything he's done.
Players gather to open presents.
Chipper: "Open mine!"
Betemit: "Hey, a watch! This is nice, thanks man!"
John Schuerholz: "Ooh, open mine!"
Betemit: "Sure. . . a nice card, 'good luck on your birthday, and a, plane ticket to Los Angeles?'"
Are we going anywhere this year? no, we are not. Let him pitch this year and he will be significantly better next year.
188 After long deliberation, we determined he's 26.
From what I heard the Dodgers have sawerd on LaRoche.(that's what I heard/read)
You guys dont know how happy I am when i found out what we actually traded.
Billingsly: "Yes, sir, I throw the pitch known as the fastball."
Grittle: "Son, I'd like you to throw that pitch and see what happens."
The day we got Baez I posted that we should spin him off to the Braves. It just took a lot longer than I had hoped.
It's already been said but I think it's worth repeating. Ned should get real points for fixing his mistakes. This is now two guys he has traded for this year that he has already moved on to other teams when it became obvious that they weren't a good fit. Not many GM's will work that quickly to correct mistakes.
Joe Ferguson?
And Ryan Zimemerman really is good.
208 Totally agree.
But his, ahem, work on the Choi story convinced me that Jackson is fully capable of getting an idea in his brain and then twisting the facts to fit. If Jackson has decided the Dodgers have soured on a prospect -- or even if Jackson himself dislikes the guy -- he will write it as fact.
good question.
His defense, by any metric I see so far, is below average - certainly not better than the younger Aybar.
PECOTA projects him to peak over the next few years as a 2 win player. He is out of options and already in his arbitration years, so he'll be expensive on top of all that.
With the possible exception of power - and that based on an extremely small sample - Aybar looks better than Betemit is every way - other than he seems to have picked up Choi's problem of not having any confidence from (field) managment.
The trade is even worse when looked at in total - Aybar, Tiffany, Jackson and a lot of cash in exchange for Betemit (and Carter - though that piece counts as nothing), but of course Colletti's stupidity in the Baez deal was already a sunk cost.
Yet the Braves insist they have not forgotten about Betemit, who missed out on playing winter ball when he strained ligaments in his thumb during instructional league.
"The number one thing to remember is youth is on his side," Braves farm director Dayton Moore said. "He will play the whole year at 22."
http://tinyurl.com/nrb79
I guess that makes him 24, or 25, but not 26.
For the future, who knows how much better Betemit will be than Aybar?
Just dumping Baez is addition by subtraction.
we're starving for a win Sam sorry.
But isn't that just self-fulfilling prophecy, since he's never been used as anything but a utility infielder?
You have to think that Izturis is going to be traded. It sounds like Betemit is going to play everyday and since I don't see Kent being traded, Izzy is the odd man out.
The scene in Atlanta in a few days. The setting: Bases loaded in the ninth, one out, one run lead for the Braves. Bobby Cox has Danys Baez in. The Pitching coach to the mound.
Pitching Coach: "Okay, the scouting report says that this guy will fish for the slider away with two strikes."
Baez: "I don't throw a slider."
Pitching Coach: "Okay, how about a curve? A curve away in the dirt? Don't worry, Mccann can block it."
Baez: "I don't have a curve."
PC: "A Sinker?"
Baez: "Nope."
PC: "What then?"
Baez: "I have a fastball."
PC: "What else?"
Baez: "What do you mean?"
PC: "What else do you throw?"
Baez: "Well, I have this fastball. It's nice."
Pitching Coach's head explodes, Baez throws a fastball. End Scene.
Actually, the Braves offered Betemit for Linebrink, and the Pads turned them down.
Add Izzy to the list of players with as many homers as Drew the past 2 months.
Funny. And we'll take it.
no, the current age at most media outlets is the age before "agegate".
He is 2 yrs younger. so he is 24. Aybar is what? 23? Honestly, Betemit is a good younger player, this was a tremendous trade. I cant believe we got anything for Baez.
But where is your info for this?
Tremendous trade.
246. natepurcell
this was a tremendous trade.
In the words of Vic the Doug Melvin, I'm feelin you!
bam.
I havent got a chance to read through the comments yet haha so that was totally coincidence.
And if the Braves think they're going to the playoffs with a bullpen anchored by Baez and Bob Wickman, well, they've got another thing coming.
Why wouldnt the official Atlanta Braves site offer a correction?
226- The age thing is irritating, but, if he's 26, you wouldn't expect him to get a whole lot better. As is, he'd be a good enough starting 2B, a position which is full. A good SS, a position which is full. A sub-par 3B, a position which is available for a year this year, and maybe some of next. Unless LaRoche doesn't make it, or Kent gets hurt, he looks like he's going to keep on being a utility man.
And now... Charlie Steiner. Oh well, at least Steiner doesn't have to be as depressive tonight (to start).
How bad is it. I can take it.
1. Almonte
I do think Aybar was underappreciated by the Dodgers, though the recent slump didn't help. I'm not sure the difference between him and Betemit is significant, either way.
why r u asking so many questions, just go with me here!
Surely someone will ask Betemit what its like to be traded on his "birthday".
If he's like, "sorry, but today isnt really my birthday". Then I'll guess we'll know the truth.
I think Cesar hit the home run just to honor your achievement.
Nice highlight...does it count when Odalis is pitching
he can play 2b. hes our future there (or unless dewitt really breaks out).
Everyone needs to RELAX. We are so paranoid that we cant see a good trade when it happens.
I believe Be-te-mit is our future
Teach him well and let him lead the way
This may borderline on blasphemy, but it seems like Vin sure is doing his best to hype this deal.
I'm still shocked Atlanta would deal him. He aggrivated his left oblique, and I think it said he might miss the rest of the season.
If you wanna know what happens to Aybar, just turn to TBS.
"We believe these are the pieces of the puzzle that will enable our team to continue its 14-year streak of not finishing in last place," Scheurholz said. "Baez is nothing, really, but this Aybar kid has mad skills. Did you see that catch on Web Gems the other night? Dude!"
The Braves gave up 24-year-old reserve catcher Reggie Wayne Betemit, who had been working in concessions for the Braves' Single-A ballclub in Peachland, Ga.
Forgetting Baez, who given what is left of the season was not costing us much anyway - plus we gave "cash" so the savings can't be that great anyway, do you really think Aybar for Betemit makes good sense.
Even though BP is the ony place that reports it, they are a better source than all the others combined, so I'll accept Betemit at 24.
Aybar is just plain better from anything I can see.
Aybar already has one of the most important skills - taking a walk - that leads to consistancy and often to increases in power. He is a year younger. He is pulling down MLB minimum, has an option left, won't be arbitration eligble for another 2 years and won't be a FA until 2011.
Betemit is already in arbitration, becomes a FA after 2008, doesn't walk, Ks a lot, but might have a little power.
Add to that Aybar is already projecting better than Betemit by 1 win.
What are you seeing that I am not?
I will definitely take Dewitt over Betemit. I think Betemit is just another in a long line of overrated Braves prospects. He is solid, but nothing special.
But funny nonetheless.
There were people saying what a huge haul Milwaukee got for Carlos Lee. People say all sorts of goofy things.
1. Almonte*
I love it, Almonte Betemit up to bat.
Ouch.
Who called J.D.'s homer?
I think Betemit has a higher peak then Aybar, especially in the power department. And I think Betemit is closer to attaining that peak so he will help us sooner over the next 2-3 years when we are breaking in our own prospects.
I agree. I like Betemit at 2b with Laroche at 3b. Hopefully we can trade Kent.
Home: .333/.405/.547/.951 (75 ABs)
Away: .250/.301/.468/.768 (124 ABs)
Good job JD.
For that you win our admiration. :o)
All of the players he's gotten rid of were at or near their career lows (Baez, Perez, Navarro, Seo, Aybar, Bradley) and many of his gets were coming off of career highs (Hendrickson, Hamulack, Baez, Betemit, Seo, Lofton, Ethier.)
I am stilling waiting for that clever trade where we give up a guy on a 3 month tear for someone mired in a 2 month slump.
Their pitching skills are probably similar.
Fine. I am not wed to Rate2, but you have to give me more than "'cause I say he is." What is your basis for declaring him "solid"?
Atlantas homepark is a pretty nuetral park so the splits dont really concern me.
Honestly, how many chances to get a 24/25 yr old infielder whos best years are ahead of him? Aybar could be a solid player. Betemit has a chance to be an allstar do to his power increase.
Of course, I could well be wrong.If our bullpen isn't included in this revival, we may need every run.
Is Lasorda gonna wait until the 9th inning to get a Dodger Dog?
Yep.
So Aybar, who walks, doesn't K, projects over a full win per year better, starts a year younger, is cheaper and under our control for 3 years longer than Betemit could be "solid," but Betemit - based solely on 9 HR in 220 PAs - could be an allstar?
I am not getting this.
Admittedly, you can't throw a group of guys together and demand an ace, but even with the trade for Ethier, Ned's aggregate transaction doesn't (yet) look too pretty.
I read he did, what are you're thoughts on him? you think we'll make a run for him? (maybe not huh)
Hmmmmmmmm.......
Not that he's not good, but too costly.
Oh, and put in me in the "like" column. Nice job, Ned.
Yes, I posted in the other thread my plan.
Send Baez (too late) and Kent to Cuba
Sign Gourriel for 5 years $30 million.
However, they also forget that Willy Aybar "could" be useful too. But he didnt play much either.
I sympathize with Paul Scott. Aybar's age and handiness with the strike zone were always attractive to me.
I wish I hadn't left my Fielding Bible at work, so that I could look up Betemit.
They dont. But Aybar and Betemit have very similar minor league numbers, and Aybar is younger and cheaper for the next few seasons.
The key to this deal is jettisoning Baez, so Ned didnt take a chance on bringing him back for next year. Thats the big winner in all of this.
It's the philosophy. The philosophy here is sound.
I do think Aybar will be solid, but his defense has always worried me a bit (and I watched firsthand a game in which, ironically, Aybar's defense and Baez's pitching cost the Dodgers a game in San Francisco in a disastrous 9th inning). Maybe that game alone soured me on the both of them.
(Here's an analysis from a Braves blog: http://www.braves.net/bravesjournal/?p=1461)
What if Aybar ends up capable of the same type of surge?
I think though, if both players have surging careers for different teams, then good for them.
And speaking of former Braves third base guys, Gameday is reminding me that Marte got promoted to the show in Cleveland.
And to build Vins picket fence, we need an error.
http://www.braves.net/bravesjournal/?p=2528
If Betemit was actually younger his agent would be getting the information proper disseminated to at least the Braves homepage.
"Comparison:
Aybar: 43 games, .250, 12 doubles, 22 RBI, .356 OBP
Betemit: 88 games, .281, 16 doubles, 29 RBI, lower OBP.
in 45 more games, Betemit has 7 more RBI's, is older, slower, and plays worse defense."
Neither player has very good speed. He must have been watching Baseball Tonight a few days ago.
NASA is 48 today.
Prince Charles & Lady Di were married on this date back in... wait for it... 1981.
And in 1976, the Son of Sam was terrorizing New York.
No Wilsons; no Betemits; no sandwiches; no biscuits.
I wouldn't be surprised to see an infield of Kent, Betemit, Furcal, and LaRoche next year, with Izturis as the backup/insurance policy guy.
I love it when players are born after I graduated from high school, really I do.
--
This has got to be Chad's last batter...
Why do you subject yourself to the whims of the unintelligent?
A long time. I was a little kid in Brooklyn. I remember my dad saying something like "Deuces are Wild in Flatbush" with two on, two out and the count two-and-two.
Betemit is listed at 6'3 200#
If Betemit plays 2nd base, will that make him the tallest 2nd basemen in baseball?
Baseball is not the strong suit of this board. I am the Nate Purcell there when it comes to prospects lol.
Oblique injuries this year have seemed to require 3-4 weeks.
Where Baez belongs is back in the AL East. His numbers in Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, whereeveritis that the Blue Jays play and Tropicana are tremendous. Not so much anywhere else.
I appreciate the information, but as long as he's good enough to displace whoever is the token banjo backup shortstop next year while also backing up LaRoche and Kent, that's good enough for me.
404 - In retrospect, that's what I meant.
Someone should inform Josh over at the dodgers blog that they should clear up the age issue with Betemit.
Martin: 5'10"
Navarro: 5'9"
Seo: 6'0"
Hendrickson:6'9"
Bradley: 6'0"
Ethier: 6'1"
Duaner Sanchez is 6'2", but Ned corrected that by trading off Seo.
I thought I heard Vin say he was still hurt?
Btw, I'm about to sign off to do some writing, but wanted to say... is there any way the Dodgers can bank any additional runs for future use (with possibly some interest earned)? I do worry they're going to blow their uh... um, go dry again.
Anyway, enjoyed it for now! Night.
Send us your tall middle infielders, your short first basemen, your power-forward-size junkballing starting pitchers, your broken-down, spindly, diminutive centerfielders yearning to be waived...
Willy Aybar is insanely slow.
440 - I wonder if we can convince another team that Izturis and Oscar Robles are fleet of foot.
Come on, just because the pitcher is named Rivera . . .
With Betemit's they havent....
LOL, I wouldn't go that far. He bulked up in the offseason and now has below average speed. From what I've seen from Betemit, he's slower than Wilber, but neither is a burner.
hammer
saw
screwdriver
drill
wrench
And we still haven't landed on the moon.
Rivera? He's a Saul.
Castro? A Bernie.
You don't see a lot of Sauls and Bernies these days.
nice of Schneider to get Repko into the game
I have a gut feeling Izzy is going to be packing his bags in a day or two.
Yay.
Let's play pin the tail on the donkey.
http://tinyurl.com/g25qs
both are the odd men out by next year.
I've been off the blogs for a few days. I remember linking to a YouTube with and old video game recreating the sixth game of the '86 series like it was news or something.
Bob had it six months ago.
You are making things confusing.
http://tinyurl.com/l4vc9
"Nomar Garciaparra, out of the lineup for the third straight game with a strained knee ligament, hit off a tee on Friday. He should take the field again on Tuesday when the Dodgers open a series in Cincinnati. ... Jeff Kent's return to the lineup is expected within 10 days to two weeks"
*Little expected that either first baseman Nomar Garciaparra or reliever Danys Baez would be put on the disabled list. However, Garciaparra's treatment for a minor knee injury is going well and Baez balked at any suggestion that his flu-like symptoms were a reason to sit out 15 days.
Baez left Tuesday's game in the ninth inning because he felt dizzy and has been fighting illness since the All-Star break. But, he said, "I'm not going to be on the DL. For what? A roster opening? They can trade somebody."
Bird flu.
One point in Betemit's favor is that he initially was projected a SS and played a fair amount there in the minors.
Willy was never thought that athletic.
http://tinyurl.com/fk4as
Oh, to be a prophet ahead of one's time.
- Grady Little
From Dodger Blues, because I don't remember where he actually said that
I wasn't around earlier today.
"I'm not going to be on the DL. For what? A roster opening? They can trade Izzy"
http://tinyurl.com/fbxe5
"We're bringing him in here at this point in time to play third base. He's versatile. He can play third, short, second, he's a good hitter, he's young and somebody we'll have around for a while."
Much easier to envision Betemit hitting 20 HRs and 35-40 doubles in a season. I've followed Aybar closely, like him, but don't see him reaching those numbers.
I am sorry to see Aybar go. He was the one player I saw last year play for Vegas that looked good to me. I don't see a position for him with the Braves. For his sake I hope he is traded from the Braves to a team who will give him a chance to play.
Stan from Tacoma
Of course. Betemit has very good athleticism for his size. I would not be suprised if 2b was his long term destination for us.
So you like the trade Dsfan? You have Dewans fielding bible handy with you right now? If so, can you tell us what he says on Betemit.
Other controversies involving Dominican players include Rafael Furcal, signed last year by the Braves as a 19-year-old when he was really 22, and Wilson Betemit, signed in 1996 when he was 14.
385. Paul Scott
Jon - Betemit is even at 2B, -5 at SS, +7 at 3B - enhanced on all of those. Very little playing time at any of the possitions, however.
Betemit's best position is 3B. He isn't as good of a fielder there as Izzy, but he's pretty good. He upgrades the offense and in turn the bench, because Martinez will stay there.
Further, Izzy goes to second, where I expect him to return tremendous defensive value, much to the delight of Lowe and several other challenged pitchers.
Betemit's chances of being a solid or better regular exceed those of Aybar's.
No concern here at all over blocking LaRoche, alhtough Betemit is a forced fit at 2B. So many times, people say, "We can stick (whoever) at second base."
I think Betemit can handle it. He hasnt played there much but send him to winter ball to learn. He has the athleticism to play 2b.
When mentioning mediocre to terrible relievers don't forget Stanton. I can't get over how dumb Sabean is.
And your "projections" are better than PECOTAs on a regular basis or you have some other reason why conclusary statements without support should be accepted?
I am not meaning to be sardonic, though it is hard to tell in type, I just see a lot of "Betemit is solid" (with the presumption that Aybar is "less solid") without any backing - or at best with the backing of 9 HR in 220 PAs - since that is the first and only time in his career he has shown any power.
But aren't terms like "utility player" and "starter" subjective? It's not like guys are inherently one or the other. If, for example, Grittle had chosen to start Aybar, he would have been a "starter." He was only a "utility player" because he was used that way.
http://www.yard-work.org/
By the by, if you haven't read the Jim Leyland entry, ask yourself why.
This trade is like the Ethier and Seo trades. One hit big and the other flopped. All we can ask is that Ned do deals that have a chance. The Devil Ray trades had no chance of helping us regardless of performance and we paid the price for that (even today, when we had to give up Aybar along with Baez to do the deal). But this deal has potential. So many deals that were out there don't.
Well, yeah, but that's what a utility player is. Someone who your manager doesn't think is good enough to start every day. Aybar has been up and down between AAA and the majors, and the Dodgers didn't think he was good enough to start for them. If Betemit turns out as well as Ethier ...
don't know how I missed that. thanks
Who's to say...?
Hope is a good thing.
I hope.
It's not worth it Ned!
we still have Nomar's and Toby Halls draft picks lol.
And the two month rental we trade for.
That said, I wouldn't trade Andrew's coffee addiction for Maddux.
However I didn't like that postgame show.
I seems like Ned liked the accolades he collected for todays trade so much that hes's looking to make some more.
546 I hope not.
There are only two prospects I'd trade for an exceptional deal like a young starter, and those are D. Young and Broxton. They are redundant if Brox isn't a starter.
And Sam, as good as it is that Bell is gone, I'd rather see Dave Hollins starting at 3B tomorrow than Nunez. WHY could we not swap him + Sal + Lidle for Aybar instead???
And they are bashing DePodesta once again. Organization really benefitting, we are in last place!!
Dodgers Organization Report: July 28
Promotion Pending
By Tony Jackson
E-mail this article
July 28, 2006 Print this article
LOS ANGELES--Sergio Pedroza had swatted a South Atlantic League-leading 21 home runs, but he still couldn't swat his way through the glass ceiling keeping him at low Class A Columbus.
"We're trying to find a way to get him to the next level," farm director Terry Collins said. "But right now, we don't have a spot for him (in high Class A)."
Pedroza, 22, was the Dodgers' third-round pick out of Cal State Fullerton in 2005, and he was hitting .282 for the Catfish with a league-best 74 runs and a .434 on-base percentage.
"That's what he did in college," Collins said. "He's one of those guys that has always had a tremendous on-base percentage, and he does have a pretty good eye at the plate. But we do want him to cut down on his strikeouts a little bit, because we feel that would allow him to produce even bigger numbers offensively."
Pedroza had struck out 91 times in 312 at-bats, once every 3.4 at-bats. But he also had drawn 69 walks, a solid 1.3-1 strikeout-walk ratio. He also had 24 doubles.
There is some talk, albeit preliminary, of converting Pedroza to catcher, a position he played in high school. The precedent was established three years ago with former third baseman Russell Martin, who has become the everyday catcher for the Dodgers, not to mention the best defensive backstop Los Angeles has seen in years.
Dodgers scouting director Logan White is quietly, but cautiously, pushing for club officials to at least try a similar move with Pedroza, an experiment that might take place as soon as this fall in instructional league.
Pedroza had committed nine errors in right field this season, but Collins said that is in no way a concern.
"A lot of those throwing errors can be misleading," he said. "Maybe you make a good throw, and it gets away from somebody. So we're not too worried about it."
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL
• First baseman James Loney was the Triple-A Pacific Coast League's runaway batting leader for Las Vegas. Loney was hitting .383 with a .422 on-base percentage and had walked almost as many times (20) as he had struck out (22).
• In his first 11 games after being promoted from Double-A Jacksonville to Las Vegas, third baseman Andy LaRoche batted .279 (12-for-43) with three homers and six RBIs. LaRoche is a strong candidate for a September callup.
Pedroza could be a Mike Napoli type catcher offensively.
and by Mike Napoli, the Napoli we are seeing this year.
not seeing this year
oops.
Paul Scott is worried about his arbitration clock but since he has only been a super sub I expect his salary won't be anything we can't handle. I was a big Aybar backer but the more he played the more unimpressed I became. He may very well be as good as Betemit when the career's are over but Betemit will be better sooner and I don't think Willie can match Betemit's power potential. I was never the hater of Baez that 99% of the group is, you were determined to hate him and you succeeded. He was not close to being as bad as you all think he was but for the money he was being paid I'm glad he's now pitching for the Braves.
NO GREG MADDUX.
Of all the young kids making impressions this year, Mike Napoli is the biggest surprise to me. I figured he could hit home runs but I thought he'd be hitting 220 or so. I always love it when the highly touted guy fails and the guy whose been ignored steps upto the plate and delivers. He helped save the Angel season.
Yeah, I meant to add that while everyone is loving this deal, I expect the next one where we get a Lidle/Lieber/K Wells type to leave them stoning Ned all over again.
I will want to stone Ned if that happens, which is why I said I was nervous.
Sorry, no luck on Dewan regarding Betemit. Perhaps he didn't play enough last year to warrant a bio sketch.
As for the trade, a solid one for the Dodgers, but I also think Baez can help the Braves get the wild card berth and am hopeful Willy will benefit from a fresh start.
Atlanta's among the best at evaluating talent, so there's a bit of buyer-beware concern anytime you get one of their so-called young studs, but I do believe they felt some pressure to fortify the bullpen, especially after Smoltz called them out.
As an example of Atlanta's scouting acumen, many people were saying last winter that Marte was going to be terrific this year. They had lots of impressive numbers to back it up, but the Braves doubted his ability to hit certain pitches at a high level, and Martee showed those holes this year in Triple-A, getting off to an awful start. Good to see he's started to get going.
Betemit needs to watch his weight but I see his present and his upside as more than Willy.
I stand by my evaluation at the time Willy was demoted, that he wasn't just in a slump, that he cratering and that the minors were the best place for him to bottom out and make some adjustments. He went 6-for-44 or so thereafter in Vegas with about .250 OBP. Pitchers were finally coming after him and he couldn't counter. That's a big deal for a guy whose walk ability was a big part of his game.
Betemit has already gone through such fires and proven that he can adjust and counter at the major league level, largely because he will punish pitcher who come after him. He still some holes, definitely can be "pitched to" but that power dimension is what makes you say this can work.
The thing that's so hard for so many young players is you have to have something to counter with, to hang your hat on when major league pitchers expose you -- maybe it's good defense or great baserunning or, more excitingly to many folks, power potential against the mediocre or bad pitch (given the state of pitching, this is almost obligatory).
You've got to give your manager something good to keep throwing you out there when he knows you're likely going to get carved up at the plate.
And it's even more important for a young switch-hitter to have that something that keeps him out there getting those ABs. Why? He's got two swings to maintain. One's hard enough.
Betemit is stiff at second, though. And that matters. Ned's got it right: Third is where he belongs. Maybe you send him to instructs for second-base immersion this November, but the less time there is now the better. And Izzy going to 2B is a nice positive resulting from the trade.
But, {sigh}, someone's going to jump in here and tell me his peripherals are all awry.
all great points, i enjoyed reading it. I agree that for this year, 3rd base is where Betemit should be. But I like his overall athleticism and I think one winterball session in the DR could help him to make the switch.
True, but Betemit costs more with being arbitration eligible.
So our "hate" drove made Baez off the team?
Too bad that hasnt worked for Izturis.
The Dodgers already have Tomko, Hendrickson (2 mediocre) starters on the books for next year. Adding a 3rd one would not be advisable.
Jon Lieber will be 37 years old next year.
Never, ever spend money on non-difference making veterans. Lieber is exactly the type of guy that Ned would go for...So hopefully he doesnt.
Stockpiling young players-- good.
Stockpiling "innings eaters", "veteran presence", "good clubhouse guy"-- bad.
Two other things I like about the trade.
It should create leverage, because (and this a premise others may attack) the Dodgers filled an everyday hole, 3B, for this year and next year. You go into the offseason with one less hole to fill. For too many years, Dodgers GMs have had too many holes to fill in the offseason. And all the better if LaRoche is tearing it up in Triple-A this year and early next year. Even more leverage.
This is a smaller thing to like, because one doesn't know how much Little knows about Betemit, or how much information on him Colletti obtained.
But a fundamental to every trade is: Know the person. Far, far easier said than done. Many of don't even know ourselves, so how can a GM know about the person he is trading for, the qualities outside of the player's skill set?
My guess is Little's extensive background with the Braves has allowed him to obtain pretty good information on Betemit the person over the years. And Colletti's big strength -- purportedly -- is his ability to network and glean intelligence from a wide variety of sources such as former teammates, coaches, even agents.
One never totally knows, but I like their chances of knowing the person in this case, although their apparent lack of knowledge on Toby Hall the person gives me pause.
Agree with you. Tiny point: A smidge harsh to nail him totally for "blowing" the 5-0 lead vs. San Diego.
He wasn't supposed to pitch that day. Had pitched the prior two games and supposedly was told he was pretty much off. Then Carter immediately loaded the bases with none out in the ninth. Baez was thrust into it after warming up hastily and looked nothing at all like he had all April (IIRC, he hadn't allowed an earned run as a Dodger, something like eight games).
Again, I agree with your point.
The Dodgers basically traded Aybar, for an older more expensive Aybar. The new Aybar has more power, but less plate discipline. Thats a trade off.
But to act as if there's new 'leverage', is just ignoring what Willy Aybar could have been.
The guy who fell and ate it is Dennis Gilbert.
When Colletti says the Dodgers are buyers, I guess he means that in the group of people at a restaraunt sense, that they'll pay for everybody.
Lieber at this piont in his career is a #5. The Dodgers are only going to get better by signing Zito/Schmidt/Zambrano level difference maker. Bringing in a #5 does nothing. It'd be Hendrickson/Tomko/Jeff Weaver all over again. Same goes for Maddux. He's useless in 2007.
"I'm very surprised," he said through an interpreter. "I was hoping to stay here for good. This has been my team since I was a child."
:(
Sad to see one of my favorite players go. I've been following him since he made it up to Vero. Good luck Wilber...
I'm sure most of you disagree. Just because that's how my beloved DT brethren roll. We disagree with most things
I just wanted to drop my four hapennies.
Agree with you on Baez.
Disagree with you on Izzy, while acknowledging I'm among Izzy's few defenders here.
He should be an excellent second baseman and that matters a great deal to a pitching staff and defense such as this one.
As it is, SS and CF are question marks defensively (frankly, CF is plain bad). Up-the-middle defense is a big thing to me. The lone Dodgers' division title since 95 came when they had a good one. I don't think it wholly coincidental. Izzy can bring strength to the spine (and I'd put Drew in CF, but that's a topic for another day). An ancillary benefit, I believe, is he would enhance Furcal defensively.
Further, Kent, given his age and the nature of oblique injuries, should be thought a question mark in bright red ink, even after he comes off the DL.
Betemit at 2B? Only sparingly. He would give you three question marks up the middle. He's unwieldy there right now, maybe you immerse him there in the winter.
I also think more teams could be hungrier for a SS this winter than at present, so Izzy probably would have more value on the market.
Another premise to my evaluation is that Izzy, before blowing out his hammy and elbow, was in the midst of becoming a better hitter than his dreadful career minor league and major league OPS numbers.
Not saying he'll ever be a good hitter, but I believe the Wallach drills on improving his bottom-hand strength were paying off in 2004 (not hugely dis-similar to Ozzie Smith's improvement), that his progress as a hitter in 2004 and 2005 (OPS circa .810 when the hammy injury first struck in early June) was not hugely flukish. Keep in mind that he's still learning his two swings.
Full-time at 2B, I think he could be a .730-760 OPS guy with excellent defense at age 26-28. Maybe that doesn't excite most people, but you can do a whole lot worse. Or maybe you think he just can't get there.
What he's done the past 3-6 weeks speaks well of him -- consider had a full year off, was put at a tough position where he essentially had never played. And pitchers who had TJ surgery will tell you that the strength is fine one year later, but it takes two years before your nerves fire in a consistent way where full coordination is restored on a daily basis.
Keep Izzy unless you get something pretty doggone solid.
This stinks for Aybar. I hope he has a good career. I still think this is a good trade, though.
And it's definitely time to go to sleep. I have visions in my head that people are advocating trading for John Lieber. John freakin' Lieber!
107ABs-.243/.293/.308
OPS-.601
RATE2 at 3b: 96
Could he have done worse?
It has to be jarring for Aybar. I hope it works out for him. But he's going to a great place. It's a better hitting lineup. Could be better for him. And Cox's track record with young players is impressive. I'm happy for him in that regard, but it has to be emotional. He's been affiliated with the Dodgers a long time, longer than most of the players on the 40-man.
We disagree on the value of rate2. The other day, Aybar had an awful game at 2B and his rate2 improved.
*
Its not correct. Period. Never has been his real b-day, never will be.
Its been gone through 100 times. Betemit wanted to sign from the DR BEFORE he was eligible...so he faked his BDay UPWARDS almost 2 years (like Renteria did at one point too coincidently) so he could sign sooner. Eventually it was found out and it was quite the big deal. The Braves were banned from signing intl FAs for 6 months for signing an underaged Betemit. However, even after the story broke, many places never corrected Betemits age.
His b-day, his 100% correct b-day, is Nov 1981. Wilson Betemit is currently 24 years of age and putting up a 280/350/500 line as an athletic, toolsy 3b/ss.
That means when he was 19, he hit 350 in AA despite weighing about 150 pounds.\
Next year he will be 25...and quite possibly an all-star for the first of many times to come ugh*
Sounds good to me.
;)
I like the deal. I'm a big Betemit fan. Hes got nice tools and athleticism and has the size and frame to be masher too.
"The offense came out great tonight coming off of a day off, and we really swung the bats well." -Billingsley
The Department of Redundancy Department...
There's a story on Betemit where the author states he's 20.
Between 2002 and 2006, he aged 6 years instead of four according to all of the outlets.
Canuck's theory makes sense, because if you go back to most of the stories written around 00-02, all of them claim Betemit as being around 18-20. It was between 02-06 that he 'aged' more than he should have.
Another story written in 2003, mentions Betemit as being 21.
If these old stories are all correct, why would ESPN, Rotoworld, AtlantaBraves.com, baseballcube all change his age back to the wrong thing once he made the big leagues?
lol. Give it up, hes 24, not 26.
Because they suck? I don't know. All I do know is that he is 24 yrs old and he turns 25 in November. Therefore this is his age 24 season.
I know WHIP isn't a great stat, and I'm sure that defense can make it fluctuate (like ERA and such) but one of your better relievers can't allow baserunners at that rate.
Baez throws one pitch and had a krate of 5.26
As a late ining "power arm", thats pathetic.
I think so too.
Thats the only reason I can think of for all the media outlets to have Betemit at 21 in 2003, but 26 in 2006. Why would they all change something if it wasnt correct? Something after 2003 happened. Maybe Betemit claimed he was younger than he really was to increase his market value. MLB investigated and believed Betemit's story, and suspended the Braves back in 2000. However, in 2004 the US Govt did their own investigating on people and declared differently. Thus, Betemit was returned to his original age.
I have to believe the kid is 26. Right now, its Baseball Prospectus against everyone else, including the actual home site. No publication would have his age correct through the minors, then all the sudden up it once he got to the majors if it wasnt for good reason.
'Pen is now mightier
You're going to have to use a different definition of "might" to draw that conclusion
Is Betemit's agent lying? I really don't think so. That's from yahoo. It looks like his birthday was yesterday, but that he is 25, not 26.
This is the story from AP:
Where did you see the agent part?
Betemit has been the Braves' most valuable player off the bench, filling in at second, short and third when the starters were sidelined by injuries. The switch-hitter, who turned 25 Friday, is batting .281 with nine homers and 29 RBIs.
Yahoo has it as:
Betemit, who was celebrating his 26th birthday on Friday, hit .281 with nine homers and 29 RBI in 87 games for the Braves. Izturis was batting .243 with no homers and nine RBI in 29 contests.
Betemit, who turned 26 Friday, is hitting .281 with nine home runs and 29 runs batted in in 87 games. A 6-3, 200-pound switch-hitter from the Dominican Republic, Betemit has demonstrated two qualities the Dodgers' offense has lacked: power and clutch hitting.
Betemit has 25 extra-base hits in 199 at-bats this season, has a .333 average with runners in scoring position and a .435 mark with runners in scoring position and two out.
2. My mother emailed late last night and instructed me to put the kids in the Dodger T-Shirts she sent this morning. Cold!
3. sniff 622 comments and not a single react to my Ryan Zimmerman hagiography.
Keep writing about the Nationals -- I like hearing your point of view.
I wish i knew ned's plan, because if this blocks laroche, then i don't care for this trade, but if you just look at the pieces of this trade, its a good trade.
Now, espn stats say benemit has played some shortstop as well as 2b, so if the plan is to play benemit at ss and unload furcal (not necessarily this year but later on) then this is a home run trade.
I've been thinking that aybar at ss and unloading furcal would be a good idea, but with ned liking good defense i don't think that would ever happen, but now with benemit....
So in the long run, if ned puts benemit at ss, laroche at 3b, and kent at 2b until 2008 then dewitt, this plan in my opinion is a home run plan.
The only way i don't like this trade is if laroche goes on the trading block.
God, i wish i could figure out ned like i could with depodesta.
Well, finally I understand. You like him because he "looks like a player." That's fine, it just leaves nothing to discuss. Suprised to read that kind of "reasoning" from you though.
Examples:
Is benemit an upgrade over kent assuming kent gets traded?, my answer is no.
Is benemit an upgrade over our future 2b dewitt?, my answer is no.
Is benemit an upgrade over our future 3b laroche?, my answer is no.
Is benemit an upgrade over furcal assuming furcal gets traded?, my answer yes a little bit and on top of that we get rid of furcal's contract which is more handcuffing than kent's contract (furcal 13 mill for the next 2 years, kent 11.5 mill for 1 year).
So if the plan is to unload furcal and his contract and replace him with benemit, this trade is a huge home run, otherwise it only improves the team this year (and who cares about this year) and could be a downgrade in the long run if benemit kicks laroche or kent and/or dewitt out the door.
PS: Does anyone know if the Braves "soured" on Betemit? Were they shopping him, or did Flanders just knock their stirrup socks off with a deal they couldn't refuse...?
Here is a part of an article from dodgers.com
Collettti said things really picked up trade-wise on Thursday night. He also said most of the calls have been outgoing, rather than incoming.
Outgoing rather than incoming?
It doesn't prove anything but....
592 -- Guess again.
We've managed to make the age debate boring. He's what he is, and Flanders clearly didn't trade for him because he's "24."
Gee, how did that happen?
I was sitting in the Dugout Club (about six seats from Dennis Gilbert--poor guy went down hard). About 20-30 mins after the game we were hanging out in the hallway between the Dodgers and the Visiting team's locker room. The Dodger's clubhouse door opens and out walks Soriono with a Nat's represenative (Soriono was still in his uni but without his jersey.) He didn't sign or stop for even a second and went straight into the Nat's locker room.
Now, I don't know if this means anything, I suspect it doesn't and indeed I didn't think anything of it until I read this thread. But, Soriono was the only Nat's play to emerge from the Dodger locker room and I have never seen another visitor come out of the Dodgers clubhouse. (I had assumed Frank took him out so he doesn't get hurt before the deadline.)
If there is a deal, maybe I'll catch wind of something today from my host.
A couple of other observations: Billingsly will be great soon as he develops more confidence. There's no doubt he has the stuff. Just needs to go after hitters more. After the game he stayed and signed for every kid in the place.
Ethier also signed every ball, cap and paper handed to him.
Drew did not hang around to sign for anyone but in fairness looked like he was late and felt badly about it.
Lofton, blew everyone off and did not seem very nice about the whole thing.
Mark Hindrickson signed for most everyone.
Nomar signed a few and said he was sorry but had to run.
For Bob: Frank Robinson was even nastier and surlier than I expected. He wouldn't sign for anyone and didn't even try to feign regret. He was almost belittling.
Sam, I very much enjoyed your Zimmerman post. Especially as I try to get up to speed on the Nats. Thanks again for your input and I will post a full report after I get back from today's game.
I too was at the game last night, took a buddy and we sat in those baseline seats down the LF line. The good, leg room storage area, the bad, not much, just have to get used to the angles.
Ethier is a lot bigger than I thought he was, also I like his hustle on the "triple" he hit last night.
Don't know if anyone noticed but when I finally saw JD's ball go over the wall and turned to see the players rounding the bases, JD was not too far behind the guy ahead of him, he must have thought it wasn't going out.
I agree with the statements about Chad being more agressive, could not tell from where I was sitting but I don't think he had a good curveball all night.
I was shocked to find that you guys could spend 400 comments whether Wilson is 24, 25 or 26.
Okay, maybe not so shocked.
Go get them today so I can watch a sweep tomorrow.
Meanwhile, this is why I love the trade deadline:
The Astros, Angels and Rangers are offering significant major-league talent for Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada, FOXSports.com has learned.
*Orioles owner Peter Angelos, who said last month that the team would not trade Tejada, could reconsider his position due to the quality of the proposals.
The Angels are offering right-hander Ervin Santana and Class AAA shortstop Erick Aybar, according to multiple major-league sources.*
The Astros are offering "prime major-league pieces," a major-league source says, topping the proposal they made for Tejada last off-season – closer Brad Lidge, shortstop Adam Everett and an outfielder, either Jason Lane or Willy Taveras.
Somebody needs to call in the Department of Agriculture because that is a felonious misuse of the word "prime"
Now, Ervin Santana would make me think.
Betemit has demonstrated two qualities the Dodgers' offense has lacked: power and clutch hitting.
Betemit has 25 extra-base hits in 199 at-bats this season, has a .333 average with runners in scoring position and a .435 mark with runners in scoring position and two out.
Uh-oh.
What kind of sad, low-self-esteem child wants Mark Hendrickson's autograph? That's like getting your picture taken with a Disneyland parking lot attendant.
Have fun at the game LAT. Look forward to your report.
Also, I was very surprised that the Brewers let Nelson Cruz go. Contrary to others opinion, I don't think he and Nix are "a wash". Still Cordero might be worth it to them. IMHO, crus should have gone up before Gwynn and would probably be doing better at the plate than Weeks. My new guy to watch from Nashville is Carlos Villanueva; that guys change is wicked, wicked.
Today's AJC quotes John Schuerholz: "The guy we got back, we like every bit as much as Wilson. Plus, we got a pitcher."
I think he might be right.
You can't trade a guy on the DL, so kent is not getting traded.
Izturis or martinez is going in a trade, i'd bet its izturis considering he has the most value in a trade plus his salary is higher than martinez, therefore a salary dump.
Everyone on the infield is out of options except martin (but that aint happening).
Basically when kent comes back, nobody can be sent down without losing them except martin which isn't going to happen.
And then there is a rumor loney has been called up (he has options, for a kent return)
1) Betemit signed with the Braves in 1996, ten years ago. It was a very high profile signing.
2) Around 2000, it was discovered that the Braves had signed him before he turned 16. MLB investigated, and confirmed this.
3) In 2000, the Braves were fined and suspended from the DR for 6 months for signing Betemit underage (http://tinyurl.com/fk4as)
4) In 2002-2004, the ages of many players were investigated, and many players magically aged a few years. There is no evidence that Betemit was one of these players.
So why do the Braves still list Betemit's age as 26? Because they don't want to draw attention to their mistake. It would be silly to say on his Player page that he was signed in 1996, and that he is 24 now. So they are trying to hide it, and hope no one notices.
Most of the mainstream media hasn't really paid attention. The only ones who do are people like Baseball Reference, Baseball Prospectus, and Baseball Primer, groups who like to study the facts carefully.
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