Word On The Street

 

 

Traveling The Same Path

Max Sherzer’s first career start (4 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) reminded a lot of Tim Lincecum’s last year (4.1 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 5 BB, 5 K). Oddly enough, both came against the Phillies. Sure, the lines look similar, but that’s not what I found reminiscent. Watching Max on May 5, 2008, I saw a guy a bit overwhelmed, a guy carry some unnecessary pressure and a guy simply pressing too much, trying to impress us all a little too much. That was Tim on May 6, 2007. Lincecum, in his second start settled down and pitched 7 innings and gave up 2 ER, while walking 1 and striking out 6 for his first career win. In his second go-around, Max pitched 6 innings, gave up 1 ER, while walking 1 and striking out 6. Unfortunately, he was denied the win by a faulty bullpen. I point out all these comparisons only to say Max will be fine. He was well worth all those waiver wire grabs and will be a factor this fantasy season, albeit possibly from the bullpen (at least for the time being) as it has been reported that Doug Davis is one more rehab start from regaining his spot in the Diamondback’s rotation. 

Deep Keep
I’ve been hearing whispers about a sixteen-year old pitching prospect by the name of Michael Inoa (aka: Micheal and Michel). He a Dominican right-hander and supposedly has MLB teams intrigued and lining up to sign him. Why? Word has it he’s 6-foot-7, 200-pounds and is already throwing a 94 mph fastball, again, at the age of sixteen. Add in a breaking ball and a splitter and it’ll be fun to see the news on him around July 2nd. That’s when the international signing period begins and when we’re sure to hear more about this kid.

Missed It By That Much
How good was James Shields’ outing (9 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB 8 K) against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night? You might have heard he only faced 28 hitters, however, there’s more. Tori Hunter, in three at bats, saw a total of 13 pitches from Shields, yet he managed to make contact with only one, which resulted in a groundout to the shortstop. That’s, well, almost perfect.

That Was Fast
A few weeks ago, when I said Blake Dewitt’s bat would eventually catch up with his stellar defense, I’ll be honest, I did not expect it so soon. However, it’s happening now, in Dewitt’s second stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Check out the numbers yourself, but he is seeing the ball, hitting the ball and having a ball in the process. The kid plays with poise and vigor, something that is a lot of fun to watch.

Call Webster’s Dictionary
kei-igawa — verb:
1. to play with no ability and no enthusiasm — “Hey, Dorn, what was with you keiigawaing it today in the ninth?”
2. to throw a pitch and have it hit to perfection, as if the batter knew what was coming — “Charlie, here comes the keiigawa. And when you speak of me, speak well.”
3. spending an exorbitant amount of money in a flashy manner, yet yielding no results — “That professional dancer in Las Vegas had me keiigawaed all night.”

Byrd In The Hand
Aaron Laffey needs to stay in the Cleveland Indians rotation. A Byrd-less rotation of CC Sabathia, Fausto Carmona, Cliff Lee, Jake Westbrook and Aaron Laffey is just plain better, smarter and more formidable. And that’s a knee-jerk reaction on my part after his 7 innings of 2 hit ball against Toronto on Saturday. If you’ve been reading this column the last few weeks, you know I’ve been watching the kid and he could/should very well be 3-0, in turn, making Cleveland a better team. It’ll be interesting to see what the Indians do when Westbrook returns.

Thanks For Stopping By
A day after going 3-4, with a HR, the Red Sox sent Jed Lowrie back to Triple-A Pawtucket in order to make room for Alex Cora. Ugh.

Keep Walking, Nothing to See Here
Watched Nick Adenhart’s second start with the Los Angeles Angels and, well, it was nothing special. I had concerns about his walk rate when he was in the minor and he’s now walked 10 in 6.1 major league innings.

Bold-Stupid-Absurd Prediction
While watching Fausto Carmona pitch in an attempt to decipher what’s been wrong with him this season, I was reminded of something. When I was a kid, my dad woke me up one night to watch the last 3 innings of Lenny Barker’s perfect game as a Cleveland Indian. It was May 15, 1981. The game was against the Toronto Blue Jays and Lenny’s pitches were falling off a table that night. It was a moment in time I’ll never forget, a moment I recalled while watching Fausto. I saw nothing wrong with him, which got me believing he’s going to figure it out really quick, which, in turn, got me reminiscing about Lenny. Call it a gut feeling, call it a premonition, but I think when Fausto does figure it out, that night just might be perfect for him and the Indians. Crazy, I know. So absurd, you should consider never bother to read me again. However, you also heard it here first.

What You Should Be Watching This Week:
Fausto Carmona, Kevin Slowey, Clayton Kershaw
Kenji Johjima, Jarrod Saltamacchia, Jeff Clement
Jody Gerut, Chase Headley, Matt LaPorta
Yankees at Rays, Tigers at Diamondbacks, Mets at Yankees

Major League Words of Wisdom: You Padres. You lollygag the ball around the infield. You lollygag your way down to first. You lollygag in and out of the dugout. You know what that makes you? Lollygaggers.

Phil Brody resides in Los Angeles, California. He works as a freelance writer and director. In his spare time, he devours everything baseball. He can be reached at: philbrody@earthlink.net

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No Laffey Matter
Aaron Laffey’s debut on Monday against the Yankees was impressive. You might look at his line of 5.2 IP, 3 H,4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K and think otherwise, but he was the victim of some bad luck and lethargic defense. It should be noted he had a no-hitter for five innings (on a mere 63 pitchers), as he attacked the strike zone, threw inside and seemed fearless while facing the Yankee hitters. Against the Royals on Sunday, it was more of the same (7 IP, 4H, 0 ER, 2BB, 5 K). He lost to Gil Meche on an unearned run, a product of more bad defense. However, Laffey didn’tallow a hit until Miguel Olivo singled with two outs in the fifth and he threw 70 of his 103 pitches for strikes. He looked fantastic in both outings and, if by chance his bad-luck record makes him available in your league as a free agent or via trade, I’d pull the trigger. He’s filling in for Westbrook, who is out for a few more weeks, but also recall that Francisco Carmona was yanked back and forth for a while last year before the Indians realized his value in their rotation. 

Deep Keep
It’s hard for most to get excited about a sixteen-year old pitching prospect, but a Dominican right-handed pitcher by the name of Michael Inoa (aka: Micheal and Michel) might be the exception. Dubbed the next Francisco Liriano, Inoa reportedly has more than twelve MLB teams vying to sign him. When you get past the bravado you’ll discover he’s 6-foot-7, 200-pounds and is already throwing a 94 mph fastball, again, at the age of sixteen.  Scouts say he “creates easy velocity through relatively sound mechanics. He possesses a 91-94 mph fastball, a breaking ball and a splitter.” I also uncovered this intriguing scouting report: “For as big as he is, you’d expect him not to be able to repeat as well as he does. But he stays within himself and once he grows more into that frame, you’ll see that velocity start to climb…and that’s a scary thing.”

Game Within The Game
As fantasy owners, we all love when the hot prospect gets called up to the bigs. However, as a baseball fan, how great is it to see the crafty veteran school a rookie? Last week, in his second game after his callup, Wladimir Balentien faced Paul Byrd. The old man struck out the kid all three times he faced him, getting him swinging twice and making him look silly in each at bat.

Game Within The Game II
On the other side of the coin, Jeff Clement, also in his second game, fouled out and grounded out in his first two at bats. However, in his third appearance at the plate, he battled Byrd for eight pitches, ultimately getting the walk. Why is that significant? It was Byrd’s first walk issued in 109 batters faced. 

Everyday J.J.
J.J. Putz was one of the best stories during the 2006 season, in reality and fantasy. Prior to that season, he was always effective reliever, relying on a stellar fastball to get hitters out.  What made him The Man though, that season and beyond, was his splitter. Prior to 2006, it was a serviceable pitch, until Everyday Eddie Guardado suggested J.J. alter his grip. Putz listened and according to him, “The first throw I made with the new grip fell off the table and just knew we had something.” I love that story. Wish I had heard it about a week prior to Putz’s breakout instead of two-and-a-half years later, but a great story none-the-less. 

Vision Statement
It’s been reported Phil Hughes will be wearing glasses when he returns to the mound to help dull the glare of the lights during nightgames. Hughes said he had trouble seeing the catcher’s signs and is “slightly nearsighted.” He commented, “When I looked through the prescription, it made a pretty big difference.” Wonder if that eye chart read:  T I N S T A A P P 

Some Things Never Change
Watched Chris Shelton in his second game after getting called up by the Texas Rangers. Shelton homered in the game, but that’s also his only hit after 13 at bats. It’s a tiny sample size, but in 48 AB at AAA Oklahoma, Shelton was hitting .354 with 3 HRs, 18 RBI, a .429 OBP and .625 SLG, so I guess I expected more. Truth be told, I still do and will continue watching. 

Three Days, Two Innings
Also watched Nick Adenhart’s debut on Thursday, which lasted only two innings, and was of course not impressed. Granted he was pitching on three days rest, which definitely makes this week’s start against the Royals worth watching. 

Say It Ain’t So
I reside in Los Angeles, but I do not root for any of the local teams.  However, I always go out of my way to watch the Dodgers because of Vin Scully, announcer extraordinaire. Last week Vin hinted about retiring and whenever that occurs it will be one very sad day. If you’ve enjoyed the Vin Scully experience, you know what I’m rambling on about. If not, do yourself a favor and experience it ASAP. If you have a friend in the LA area, ask them to tape a Dodger game this season, maybe when they are playing your favorite team. Hell, tell them to just tape any game. Trust me, it will be something you cherish long after Vin has hung it up. 

In Every League There’s That One Guy
I am certain if Monday’s Arizona Diamondback’s game was on National TV, 99% of Fantasy Nation would be watching. The other 1%, when asked why they were not watching, would probably respond, “Who is this Max Scherzer?” 

What You Should Be Watching This Week:
Aaron Laffey, Nick Adenhart, Kei Igawa
Nick Johnson, Chris Shelton, Dallas McPherson
Franklin Gutierrez, Ben Francisco, Fernando Perez
Phillies at Diamondbacks, Yankees at Tigers, Diamondbacks at Cubs

 Major League Words of Wisdom: What the Braves got here is a failure to communicate.

  Phil Brody resides in Los Angeles, California. He works as a freelance writer and director. In his spare time, he devours everything baseball. He can be reached at:  philbrody@earthlink.net  

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Trevor Cahill doing what he does best.

 

I See Your Scherzer and Raise You A Meloan

Last week, I wrote about the possibility of Max Scherzer getting an opportunity this season with the Arizona Diamondbacks and he was indeed called up yesterday. While I am excited to see him pitch in the majors (albeit as a reliever at first it seems), I have already turned my attention to the next big impending call up, Jon Meloan of the Los Angels Dodgers. Meloan’s career K-Rate is as exciting as Scherzer’s (91 Ks in 66.2 IP) and the two seem to be sharing the same career path with their respective clubs. Meloan also projects as a reliever, but the Dodgers decided to stretch him out as a starter during the Spring in order to work on his command. All was going well (25 Ks in 25.2 IP) until he walked five in his last start, which lasted only four innings. I am anxious to see how he rebounds. If he does well in his next few starts, I believe the Dodgers are a team that could use an influx of youth and energy on the mound. 

 

Minor Accomplishments

Trevor Cahill was flat-out dominant against the Ranch-Cucamonga Quakes on Sunday. This came after a less-than-stellar outing against San Jose Giants earlier in the week where he gave up 5 runs in 5 innings, while striking out 6. On Sunday, however, he struck out 12 in 7 innings, giving up 5 hits and an unearned run, while walking none in a no-decision. The run came on a throwing error in the first inning by Quake’s catcher Juan Nunez, when he attempted to throw out 2B Wilberto Ortiz at second. The error did not seem to faze Cahill, who struck out 7 of the next 9. Lots of details, I know, but what I am trying to say I can boil down to five words: Get. Him. While. You. Can.   

 

Cardinal Sin

Said it before and will say it again, given the opportunity Brian Barton would help many fantasy baseball teams this season. To me, it’s almost a sin that he’s relegated to part-time duty in what has become a crowded outfield in St. Louis. Barton has been performing well off the bench, which is invaluable to a team, so it looks like it’ll take an injury or a trade to prove my point.

 

Rockie Mountain High

I feel the same way about Ryan Spilborghs. I’m high on him. He always seems to get the clutch hit off the bench and I’d love to see what he could do with everyday at bats. 

 

New Sox

Gut feeling here, but the White Sox seem at wits end with Juan Uribe, which might be a golden opportunity for Alexei Ramirez. While Ramirez has not done much with the opportunities he’s been given so far, the fact that the Sox have not sent him down tells me they believe in him. If the Sox act on their disdain for Uribe, Ramirez could be a nice band-aid for fantasy teams with MI needs.

 

This Season, Not Next

Watched John Lannan on Sunday and to me he looks a lot like this year’s version of Kyle Kendrick, which is not a bad thing if you need a SP this season. 

 

Did You Know?

What do Chris Young, Edinson Volquez, John Danks and Armando Galarraga have in common? All are former Texas Rangers, the same Texas Rangers with a current rotation of Kevin Millwood, Vicente Padilla, Jason Jennings and Sidney Ponson.

 

One Door Closes, Another One Opens

Francisco Liriano’s demotion gives Kevin Slowey a clear path into the rotation when he completes his rehab assignment. He has looked good so far, tossing five hitless innings on Saturday, while striking out five and only walking one. I am trying to add him or acquire him in any league I can.

 

Always Fun To Root For The David

If anyone needs proof that the Tampa Bays Rays can and will contend in the very near future, look no further than the way they played the Red Sox this past weekend. I know it’s just one series, but when Beckett and Buchholz pitch like they did and the Rays do not even flinch, it shows me something. Now it looks like Tampa Bay gets Scott Kazmir back this week. Wow. The 2008 Rays remind me a lot of the 1994 Cleveland Indians, albeit Tampa Bay has much better pitching than Cleveland ever did during their run in the 90’s. Another wow. If it sounds like I am a Rays fan, let it be know I am not. I just enjoy watching a young team that plays with high-energy and no franchise (besides maybe the Diamondbacks) has seen more highly touted prospects reach the majors in the last few years. Plus, it’s always fun watching a David slay a Goliath.

 

One-Hitter, Two-Hitter, Three-Hitter

Speaking of Buchholz, his outing on Saturday was heartbreaking. He was cruising for 7 2/3 shutout innings, striking out 9 and walking 2. Then he gave up that two-run shot to Akinori Iwamura. At the time of the homer, Buchholz’s pitch count was at 110. I have to think that Buchholz’s no-hitter last year affected Terry Francona’s decision to let him pitch the eighth. With Hideki Okajima, Manny Delcarmen and Jonathan Papelbon in your pen (none of which pitched the prior day), why else would you send Buchholz to the mound with six outs remaining? More importantly, though, why leave Buchholz in the game after giving up a single to Dioner Navarro with his 102^nd pitch?  

 

But I Saw Him First!

Nothing is more frustrating in fantasy sports than targeting a player for a trade, approaching the owner with an offer and batting it back and forth until you actually get him to consider parting with said player, only to have him advertise that newfound liberty in an On The Block email to the league, resulting, of course, in someone else “offering more” for the player. I sound like a nine year old when I say this, but that’s just so not fair.   

 

 

What You Should Be Watching This Week:

Max Scherzer, Jon Meloan, Kevin Mulvy

Aquilino Lopez, Masahide Kobayashi, Chris Perez

Ronnie Cedeno, Blake Dewitt, Alexi Ramirez

Brewers at Cubs, Mets at Diamondbacks, Rays at Red Sox

 

 

Major League Words of Wisdom: The greatest trick the jinx ever pulled was convincing the world it did not exist. 

 

 

Phil Brody resides in Los Angeles, California. He works as a freelance writer and director. In his spare time, he devours everything baseball. He can be reached at:  philbrody@earthlink.net

 

 

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The Word On The Street…

by Phil Brody

 

 

Short Stop For The Shortstop

Jed Lowrie has looked fantastic, and I’m not talking about what you see in his numbers within the boxscores. I’m talking about what you see when you watch him play. He has energy and poise, which is an effective combination when married with the skills he possesses. It’s the reason I believe he just might stick with the club. I’m not buying the demise of Julio Lugo as a Red Sox just yet, but a mid-season trade is a definite possibility. Question is, who might get dealt? I imagine the return on Lowrie just might bring the piece the Red Sox could be looking for prior to the deadline, while dealing Lugo would only rid them of an unwanted contract.  

 

Foundation of Youth

John Bowker just keeps on hitting. It’s obvious the San Francisco Giants are rushing many of their prospects, but Bowker seems to have seized his opportunity and it’ll be interesting to see how the team handles him. When you’re tied for the team lead in home runs after 22 at bats and you’re leading the team in RBIs, why wouldn’t he be given every opportunity going forward? Why? This is the Giants we are talking about.

 

Diamond In The Minors

Max Scherzer’s numbers so far are impossible to ignore. He has K’d 29 in 17 scoreless innings in Triple-A this year, while improving his groundball rate. Add in the fact that the Diamondback’s rotation includes an old and fragile Randy Johnson, a recovering Doug Davis and the shaky Edgar Gonzalez and it’s easy to see how Scherzer could be promoted quickly, much like Tim Lincecum and Yovanni Gallardo were last year.

 

League Of His Own

I usually don’t like to write about what I do not view firsthand, but I am about to make an exception as the numbers I’m seeing from Trevor Cahill make me want to watch him pitch in person more than any other prospect. 11 IP, 1 ER, 17/1 K/BB. Add in the fact he’s doing all this for the for the Stockton Ports in the California League, a hitter’s haven, where he has not surrendered a HR, and, well, it’s something I need and want to see firsthand. Good news is the Stockton Ports play at the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in a four-game series next weekend. I’m planning driving the hour plus to check him out. Can’t wait.  

 

Second Thoughts

Asdrubal Cabrera has looked less-than-stellar this year at the plate and the Cleveland Indians might eventually be kicking themselves for not taking some of the rumored offers for him in the off-season. Whispers in Cleveland have Jhonny Peralta moving to third with Cabrera sliding over to his natural position of SS. This would allow the team to bring Josh Barfield back up to play 2B, although I’m not sure who the odd man out would be on the roster? Andy Marte? Jason Michaels? David Dellucci? It might shake things up in Cleveland, but I’m not sure it’s the answer and I’m also not sure why they didn’t just do this during Spring Training. 

 

Longoria Marriage Announcement

The contract signed by Evan Longoria was a brilliant move by the player and the team. It is the perfect marriage of talent and team. The pundits that balk at the deal are, in my opinion, stupid and biased. The deal obviously gives Longoria long-term security and shows that the Rays are very serious about building team that can and will contend in the very near future. Longoria is going to be a star and it’ll be nice to see him remain with Tampa Bay, rather than the usual suspects being the only teams that can afford him as a free agent. Aren’t we all a little tired of seeing that happen? I know I am.    

 

Great Seats Still Available

If I was in my twenties, I swear I’d relocate to Tampa Bay and buy season tickets to the Rays so I could have a front row seat to what I think will be one fun run by the franchise in the very near future. How often do you get to witness young talent like this maturing before your eyes at nearly every position? Not often. Plus, how often can you witness all this from just about the best seats in the house. Again, not often.

 

Breathing Through His Eyelids

Watched Scott Olsen on Sunday and he looks a lot like the pitcher I saw in 2006. He pitching with his head, which many will say is a scary scenario, but I’m saying that’s a very good thing. His emotions seem to be in check and the more I see him, the more I believe he’s back.

 

Brewed To Perfection

Watched Yovanni Gallardo pitch on Sunday and he’s already back. I saw no ill effects from his surgery and am thinking it was very smart of the Brewers to give him that extra start in the minors.

 

Uphill Battle

The numbers on Shawn Hill’s first start are deceiving. Hill gave up four runs in five innings against the Seattle Mariners, but he was throwing one run ball with six strikeouts and no walks before the sixth inning. Then he hit a wall and gave up three hits in the sixth, which is when he was yanked. Two men he left on base eventually scored off of Jesus Colome. Once Hill gets his stamina, watch out. Guy just needs to say healthy, of course, but, in my opinion, he is a really nice pitcher to have this year.

 

What You Should Be Watching This Week:Scott Olsen, Luke Hochevar, John LannanJason Kubel, John Bowker, Wladimir BalentienJed Lowrie, Clint Barmes, Josh BarfieldCardinals at Brewers, Mets at Cubs, Angels at Tigers

 

Major League Words of Wisdom: Brian Sabean is polishing the brass on the Titanic. It’s all going down, man.

 

 

Phil Brody resides in Los Angeles, California. He works as a freelance writer and director. In his spare time, he devours everything baseball. He can be reached at:  philbrody@earthlink.net

 

 

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The Word On The Street

4/14/08by Phil Brody

Deja vu All Over Again

With the fantasy world up in arms regarding the Dodgers’ outfield situation, I have to laugh. It has always been known that Joe Torre favors veteran players (Juan Pierre) and enjoys fostering the careers of unselfish players (Andre Ethier). More so, the situation with Matt Kemp is eerily similar to the one he had with Alfonso Soriano in years past. Torre knew Soriano had all the ability in the world, but his attitude affected his playing time in the early days. Plus, how did that relationship ultimately turn out? So the next time you get all vocal about how in the world Torre can sit a fantasy-superstar-in-the-making like Kemp, realize this game involves targeting players that can play and will play. Owners often overlook the latter and, in a competitive league, that is what makes a fantasy team a pretender instead of a contender.

 

Nuke or Meat?

Edwin Jackson was the talk of the town this week. Are we looking at a breakout? Well, while his walks are down slightly (10.9%) and his K-Rate is okay (18.2%), many will point out that his low BABIP (.192) is clearly an indicator of a lot of good luck. How long can that last? I like him, but also realize he’s not this good.

 

The Second Coming of Liriano

I think bringing up Liriano is the best thing for him. Look, he is almost 18 months removed from surgery, so as far as post-Tommy-John prognosis, he’s good to go. If it’s just him trusting his arm again and letting go, as many speculate, then I think his competitive fire will be the best medicine. Put A-Rod or Ortiz or Magglio in the box with him on the mound and I think we’ll see that kid we fell in love with in 2006 once again. Personally, I cannot wait.

 

Unreasonable Coverage

I live in Los Angeles and subscribe to DirectTV’s MLB Ticket. Have for years. I relish it six days a week, dreading every Saturday morning when the Ticket is blacked out and only one game is televised, FOX’s Regional Coverage of Saturday Baseball. This is when the network offers up at least three match-ups and distributes those feeds according to region. This week, I was surprised to see my FOX Regional Coverage Game was the Yankees versus the Red Sox. Imagine that. I did not know those cities were so near, especially with Matt Cain mowing down St. Louis hitters in Northern California and the Diamondbacks slugging away against Colorado in AZ. Um, what exactly is FOX’s definition of “regional.” I would really, really like to know.

 

Able Cain

Speaking of Cain, I am starting to feel sorry for him. This kind of losing has to have an effect. You’d have to agree that being on a World Series Champion team so early in his career helped Josh Beckett become Josh Beckett. If anything, it has given him loads of confidence every time he takes the mound. Therefore, can’t you theorize quite the opposite for Cain and Lincecum too? I sure do hope not.

 

Offensive Versus No Offense

Mr. Wang (”no offense” — as Rodney Dangerfield would say) is off to a hot start with the Yankees. Funny, I do not own him in any leagues and have never really been a big fan. Yeah, I’m a K-Whore. K-Whore. That needs to be someone’s nickname in the majors, no? Personally, I’ll take Lincecum every time, even without much of an offense to back him up. I own him in almost every keeper league I compete in and you could not pry him from me for anything, even for a shot at a pre-pregos Jessica Alba. Yeah, that’s how much I value Timay.

 

Crooked Cap’s Slanted Start

I am so tired hearing about C.C.’s innings pitched in 2007 affecting his 2008. Look, even if that is true, it is not why he’s had a rough start to the season. If we see any ill effects from that workload, it’s sure to come post-All-Star Break, not in April, after a whole lot of time off. If anything, I’d agree with those who chalk up his poor start to his big, overworked head. I have to believe his impending FA Status and now Fausto Carmona’s out-of-the-blue contract extension has had some effect on his concentration. C.C. will be fine. As the cliche goes, as it warms up, he’ll warm up.

 

Ditto

Same can be said for Fausto. In fact, even more so with this kid regarding his 215 innings pitched in 2007. Why? Well, (I do have to credit Lenny Melnick with these stats — look up his article “Do Innings Really Matter” for more), if we are going to put so much weight on IP, should we not also be looking at Pitches Per Inning (PPI)? If so, Fausto threw the fourth fewest PPI in the majors last year at 14.59, behind only Tim Hudson (14.11 PPI), Wang (14.35 PPI), and Brandon Webb (14.56 PPI). My opinion, F.C. will also be fine.

 

Rule Five Gem

Brian Barton should be playing every day and the Cleveland Indians can add his name to list of Brandon Phillips and Jeremy Guthrie as ‘ones that got away.’

 

Mine Eyes Have Seen The Coming…

I got to see Clayton Kershaw pitch in Dodgers stadium in a Spring Exhibition against the Red Sox the Sunday before Opening Day. Kershaw pitched four innings of relief, gave up a mere hit, struck out six and walked none. We all know he is going to be something very, very special. I just got to see it with my own eyes.

 

2B Or Not 2B?

Blake DeWitt is going to be a very nice ballplayer. His glove is a magnet and I do believe his bat will only improve. The fact that the 22-year old has never played above Double A before this season is astonishing as, if you’ve watched him play, his poise is that of a veteran. I like the kid’s potential a lot. I just wonder if 3B is where he will play. At 2B I know he’d be a fantasy gem. What the Dodgers do with him in the future, especially if/when Jeff Kent retires, is a mystery, but also a scenario to keep an eye on.

 

Half Full or Half Full?

Here’s what I find scary about the Diamondbacks. They remind of the Indians teams of the mid-late 90’s that had Kenny Lofton, Jim Thome, Carlos Baerga, Manny, and Albert Belle, except the Diamondbacks have much better pitching. They also remind me of the A’s teams of the early 00’s that had Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito, except they have better hitting.

 

Fact: For Halloween, Chuck Norris Dressed As Cole Hamels

Every time I watch Cole Hamels pitch I think, “One day I’ll be telling my kids I watched Cole Hamels pitch.”

 

Bogg-ball Tonight

So, ESPN’s Baseball Tonight announces that on Sundays they are going to have in-studio guests/analyst. Yipee! This week they kicked it off with Wade Boggs and then proceeded to pepper the telecast with recaps of Bogg’s Career Stats, him reminiscing about days gone by and, of course, video highlights from his career. Are you kidding me? What is this, force-fed ESPN Classic? Are you telling me that enough did not happen during a full slate of Sunday games to avoid an in-studio guest meandering about his glory days and instructing us how he and Ichiro are similar hitters? He honestly took up two-thirds of the telecast. Ugh. I actually miss the days of Harold Reynolds. I’m serious.

 

Who I’m Watching This Week:

Erik Bedard, B.J. Ryan, Max Scherzer

Joe Crede, Edwin Encarnacion, Evan Longoria

Justin Upton, Jason Kubel, Franklin Gutierrez

John Bowker, Fred Lewis, Jason Werth

Red Sox at Yankees, Reds at Cubs, Mariners at Angels

 

Major League Words of Wisdom:

Listen, here’s the thing. If you look up and down a line-up and don’t see the hole in it, you ARE the hole.

 

 

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