Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
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1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
2) personally attacking other commenters
3) baiting other commenters
4) arguing for the sake of arguing
5) discussing politics
6) using hyperbole when something less will suffice
7) using sarcasm in a way that can be misinterpreted negatively
8) making the same point over and over again
9) typing "no-hitter" or "perfect game" to describe either in progress
10) being annoyed by the existence of this list
11) commenting under the obvious influence
12) claiming your opinion isn't allowed when it's just being disagreed with
Mark Hendrickson signing with the Marlins was Wednesday's news, but today we learned that the Rays had acquired yet another erstwhile Dodger: Willy Aybar. From Bill Chastain at MLB.com:
In 105 career Major League games for the Dodgers and the Braves, the switch-hitting Aybar has a .292 average with five home runs, 40 RBIs and a .387 on-base percentage; he has played 81 games at third base and 21 at second. Friedman said the Rays plan to look at him at first and in the outfield as well.
(Rays executive Andrew) Friedman did not back away from addressing Aybar's problems off the field.
"We did a lot of due diligence into his problems from last year," Friedman said. "While we recognized it's a risk, we feel it's a risk worth taking."
Friedman said Aybar's problem "needs to be monitored."
"And it's something we will be aggressive to help him any way we can to put a support network into place," said Friedman, who noted such issues are a private matter.
Aybar has spent the offseason playing third base for Licey in the Dominican Winter League, batting .268 in 27 regular-season games. He is currently hitting .339 for Licey in the league's round-robin tournament with a home run and six RBIs.
* * *
Lee Panas of Detroit Tiger Tales has been assimilating (maybe that's not quite the right word) different defensive metrics, and finds that Andruw Jones was tops in the National League at his position in runs saved.
* * *
Finally, a souvenir photo from Wednesday: Andy LaRoche
And when you figure out what good defense means to pitchers stats, I think it may cast offense in a different light. In play-offs and World Series pitching and defense( which leverages pitching) does seem to dominate.
(Kidding Canuck. Don't tell me to take off eh.......)
Their acquisition of Willy Aybar apparently signals that I misread those earlier moves.
I really don't get this. If you're willing to put up with problem kids, why not hold on to truly outstanding talents like Delmon and Dukes?
I can only conclude that the Tampa Bay club is suffering some kind of schizophrenia.
http://tinyurl.com/2gv6fd
Luckily, Notorious is on TMC so I can switch to something less atrocious.
I'm just wondering if he was indebted to 25 Jews or something.
"With youth coming off the bench, there's always a question mark how they'll handle not playing," Torre said. "Andy Phillips had that problem [in New York]. He had trouble playing off the bench."
One good way to get more veterans available for bench strength would be to have Nomar and Pierre on the bench.
Pound of flesh or pound of fat?
I can't see into the clubhouse but I can see Kemp running very hard on every ground ball and crashing into outfield walls. Now he works hard on the off season and comes into spring in what appears outstanding shape. I seem to appreciate his attitude. Willie Davis ran through a few stop signs and scored from second on bunts or ground outs. Kemp = excitement. He probably is fun to watch even when he is merely moving a trash can.
Broxton can't close. Betemit can't hit. Kemp is a bad baserunner.
Don't bother "searching" for him down here...
Glad to hear we signed Brazoban, and I am especially glad to hear Nomar and Andy are battling it out for the job. I really hope Andy gets it together this spring.
Also, I was not aware the Dodgers play the Tigers this year, that is going to be something to watch. A friend works for Don Slaught's company Right View Pro. I havent been this excited about the Dodgers ever, being born in 1983 and all.
Torre said he prefers to have a lefty in the rotation... i can think of a couple lefties on the trading block, is he hinting at something?
Torre said he prefers to have a lefty in the rotation... i can think of a couple lefties on the trading block, is he hinting at something?
Torre said he prefers to have a lefty in the rotation... i can think of a couple lefties on the trading block, is he hinting at something?
Any insider buzz on Piazza?
It's an oblique reference to something you're not getting.
Without an explanation, of course, it's still oblique and confusing.
This should get you started:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shylock
No, the rotation is set. If a lefty is needed, he will be called-up.
May be old news around here by now, but Repko agreed to a deal worth $487,500. http://tinyurl.com/2v9kwl
In the old days of steroids when a player announced he had lost weight it was usually a nod and wink that they had de-juiced. At least that is what my grand pappy tells me.
1. Is it Jon or John Meloan?
2. When your own team website misidentifies you as Adam LaRoche, should you be upset?
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-rays-pena&prov=ap&type=lgns
What a bargain.
86 Why on Earth would he sign that deal?
When analysts call players a 4th outfielder I think of players like Repko and Cody Ross not players like Byrnes or Ethier or any of the other innumerable outfielders who are everyday outfielders.
If we didn't have D Young and 4 other outfielders I think Repko would have some value if he stayed healthy, but I don't ever foresee Repko being useful if he ever got 350 at bats. If you think Juan Pierre has OB problems then Repko's sub 300 OBP would really hurt. He has some power against LHP and can play off 3 outfield positions. I'd rather have Cody Ross if given a choice which the Dodgers were given in 2006 and they went with Repko
No it isn't. It doesn't have to be Repko, there are plenty of NRI's who can be Jason Repko.
86
That is the strangest signing I've seen by a player.
http://tinyurl.com/yt9ds3
in all fairness to mr. colletti when you look at these clips how is he supposed to have any idea about what would in occur in '07
I think it's a tough gig for anyone to hit well when starting only occasionally, since it's all about timing. So wouldn't it be doubly difficult for a rookie who's still getting his feet wet in the league?
I think that's all Torre was saying. Presumably a veteran on the bench would come in to a key pinch-hitting spot, or a fill-in start, with some experience against the pitcher he's facing. A rookie with only a vague idea about the pitcher is presumably at a greater disadvantage.
Repko has never stayed healthy enough to know what he can and cannot do if given a shot. I think we envisoned him platooning with Kenny Lofton before he got hurt. He showed he was able to hit lefties well.
Delwyn can hit from both sides of the plate but has left speed, less major league games under his belt, and strikes out albeit with more power in his bat. I don't see them both sticking with the team unless Pierre or Ethier are gone or injured.
Answer, 2 if you count Kurada. Only Carlos Silva (4/48 million) has signed a multi-year deal. Stark also says that only Kyle Loshe is probably going to get more than 2 years and only 2 other pitchers will get even 2 years.
Repko has never stayed healthy enough to know what he can and cannot do if given a shot. I think we envisoned him platooning with Kenny Lofton before he got hurt. He showed he was able to hit lefties well.
Delwyn can hit from both sides of the plate but has left speed, less major league games under his belt, and strikes out albeit with more power in his bat. I don't see them both sticking with the team unless Pierre or Ethier are gone or injured.
It seemed to me Torre was discussing the mental part of the rookie vs. veteran pinch hitter. Sounded like he felt rookies might have a harder time mentally dealing with the lack of playing time, as opposed to the veterans who have settled into a back-up role.
vr, Xei
Scott Kazmir got 1 year/$3.785 million
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/ncaa/01/18/walker.personalities.ap/index.html
Small sample size, but it makes me sad we didn't get that last year.
Yeah, my mistake, I thought he was walking after 2008.
Until Texas came to the Rose Bowl, Walker was the best college player I'd ever seen.
Any chance that McDonald will add velo as he is still learning to pitch?
A: Alan Matthews: That's a good question, and an important one. When Dodgers assistant GM Logan White was looking for a late-round, projectable pitcher in the 2002 draft, area scout Bobby Darwin knew the perfect candidate, as he had seen McDonald pitch briefly and loved his arm action from third base when he scouted him in high school. McDonald pitched presently with a solid-average fastball, and because he has fluidity to his delviery, there is reason to think the FB could add some velo in the future. But's he's not as big-boned as his father was, and some scouts said they believed there was not considerable room for additional growth on his wiry frame. Even if 93 is all he's got in there, that, along with his command and breaking ball are going to get him to the big leagues.
Michael?
Ronald?
Old?
Vince Young still haunts my dreams. Luckily Will Ferrell can't hear my screams because he has two Heismans in his ears.
113
Ben?
Anyway, BA does not think that highly of McDonald. In a recent ESPN chat Jim Callis said that McDonald has only one pitch that is above average, his curve, and that he projects as a #3 or 4 starter, and more likely a #4. The problem I have with this is that the implication that McDonald's change-up is no better than average contradicts White's claim that it is "outstanding."
I also came across an old article in which Colletti is said to have been scouting him for a possible spot start last year. Just a word of advice: Don't enter "Another Tomko disaster" as a key word search--it could blow up your computer!
Your painting BA with the same brush. Matthews, John Manual, and Callis all have their own opinions and they differ all the time.
Derek McKamey put McDonald at 98 in his top 100 which just came out. A month ago he wasn't even going to make the top 100, so I wonder what changed.
The rifleman has a -100OPS+ as a Dodger. If only he'd gotten that 2nd at bat.
Wow, this post really describes me. I assume you mean "Jon" being like the "S" means that it isn't short for anything. My name is also "Jon" not short for anything, but in addition to that, my last name is "Truman". I was thinking we could rephrase your post to say, "Jon" is short for "Jonathan," except in the case of one Mr. Weisman, whose first name is like the "Jon" in "Jon Truman." "John" is not short for anything, but is a completely different name than "Jonathan."
Of course this wouldn't have made any sense to anyone besides me though.
Bo Jackson was more than just the best two sport star. He was a freak of nature that may have been the best running back of all time. Lengthy career not factored in of course. I would say Deion would at least have to be mentioned in the discussion though. Maybe even a mention of Dave Winfield, wasn't he drafted in all three sports? By the way, how did I get off on this tangent when we were supposed to be talking about Dodger two-sport stars here?
I wish MJ had been able to make it for at least a few at bats. When he tried to play baseball it must have opened up some eyes for those kids who adored him and thought of baseball as a ancient sport only played by farm boys and island dwellers.
Not usually, but it's short for the given first name of one of the Presidential aspirants, this year.
Keith Law: Kemp is the only one of those three guys who could hang with the Uptons on tools. I think I'd still rank him third, just because I think the Uptons show a better feel for the game (Kemp was a basketball star in HS, so he's developing a bit late as a baseball player), but I think all three will be superstars.
I only pass this on because I respect what Law has to say.
Since football ended his career I wish he had concentrated on baseball. To be honest I don't understand why anyone plays football if they can play baseball. You not only run the risk of serious injury but the financial rewards are much greater in baseball then football. In baseball you can be Eric Byrnes or Juan Pierre and pull in 10 million.
You, sir, are no gentleman!
Nothing like a little feast on our time!
Not me, I wish he had made it. How many athletes saw him fail and then decided not to try baseball and just concentrate on football or baseball. Being 6'6 he was going against the odds as a hitter but I'd love to see the 5'10 - 6'4 guys playing CB/WR/RB give baseball a shot. I think were missing out on some special talents. I'd like to see an influx of Aarons, Mays, Robinson, Stargell, and McCovey again. I'm thrilled to see the Upton's and Kemp doing it in baseball.
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