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Chuck,
If you look at it in only dollars true, but how costly will he be if he bombs two or three times? The losses would be quite costly I would think.
Chac is a better pitcher.
Peg,
Just as long as the Yankees are looking up in the standings, that suits me just fine. :)
Red Sox up 3-1, top of the fourth
Good deal!
I was afraid the Red Sox would sign him. Light him up!
Press Release on trade
The Washington Nationals today acquired outfielder Austin Kearns, shortstop Felipe Lopez and right-handed pitcher Ryan Wagner from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for right-handed pitcher Gary Majewski, left-handed pitcher Bill Bray, infielder Brendan Harris, shortstop Royce Clayton and right-handed pitcher Daryl Thompson. Nationals Vice President and General Manager Jim Bowden made the announcement.
Kearns, Lopez and Wagner are former first-round selections-none of whom is older than 26 years-old. Kearns and Lopez are expected to join the club tomorrow at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, as the Nationals kick off the season's second half with the first of three games against Pirates. Wagner will be optioned to New Orleans of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.
Kearns, 26, was hitting .274 (89-for-325) with 21 doubles, 16 home runs and 50 RBI in 87 games for Cincinnati at the time of the trade. Currently in his fifth big league season, Kearns is a career .267 hitter (426-for-1593) with 92 doubles, 71 homers and 263 RBI in 452 games with the Reds.
Kearns-who currently stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 245 lbs.-was tabbed as the Reds' top selection (seventh overall) in the 1998 First-Year Player Draft. In 2002, Kearns hit .315 with 24 doubles, 13 home runs and 56 RBI in 107 games for the Reds and finished third in NL Rookie of the Year balloting.
Since arriving in the big leagues in 2002, Kearns' 71 home runs rank third among Reds. Only Adam Dunn (167) and Ken Griffey Jr. (94) have hit more. Kearns, however, offers more than power, as his .358 on-base percentage indicates. Kearns' career has been well chronicled since he was named Reds Minor League Player of the Year following the 2000 campaign. Since then Kearns was named Cincinnati's No. 1 prospect entering both the 2001 and 2002 seasons, and in 2003, he garnered the Joe Nuxhall Good Guys Award, which is given annually by the Cincinnati Chapter of the BBWAA.
Lopez, 26, was batting .268 with 14 doubles, nine home runs, 30 RBI and a career-high 23 stolen bases in 85 games for the Reds at the time of the trade. Lopez is currently on pace to establish career highs in walks, stolen bases and runs scored. Currently tied for fourth in the NL in stolen bases, Lopez's 47 walks pace all NL shortstops, and his nine home runs are tied for 2nd among NL shortstops behind only Khalil Greene (12).
A career .259 hitter (477-for-1843) with 93 doubles, 17 triples, 54 home runs, 216 RBI and 56 stolen bases in 505 career games, Lopez is coming off his finest offensive season. Last season, at the age of 25, Lopez hit .291 with 34 doubles, five triples, 23 home runs, 85 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 148 games. For his efforts, Lopez earned his first Silver Slugger award, given annually to the league's top offensive shortstop. He also earned a spot on his first NL All-Star team.
Originally Toronto's first-round (eighth overall) selection in the 1998 First-Year Player Draft, Lopez was acquired by the Reds as part of a December 15, 2002 four-team deal that sent, among others, Elmer Dessens to Arizona and Erubiel Durazo to Oakland. Lopez-who hails from Bayamon, PR-will form an all-Puerto Rican double-play combination with Nationals second-baseman Jose Vidro (Mayaguez, PR).
Wagner, 23, was Cincinnati's first-round selection (14th overall) in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft. The University of Houston alum later became the first player from the 2003 Draft to appear in the big leagues (edging current Nationals closer Chad Cordero for the distinction), and the first Reds top pick to debut in the big leagues the season he was drafted. Wagner justified his position on the fast track by posting a 1.66 ERA in 17 games for Cincinnati as a rookie in 2003.
Wagner is 8-4 with 26 holds and a 4.69 ERA (62 ER/119.0 IP) in 108 games spanning three big league seasons. He was pitching for Indianapolis of the Triple-A International League at the time of the trade.
With a roster spot opened up with the trade, the Nationals are expected to purchase the contract of right-handed pitcher Roy Corcoran from New Orleans. Corcoran, 26, is currently 2-3 with seven saves and a 2.45 ERA in 16 Pacific Coast League contests this season. He has posted a batting average against of .169 and fanned 11.8 batters per 9.0 innings since being promoted from Double-A in early June.
Soriano gone?
Could this trade be the prelude to that trade?
BJ Upton moved to 3b in AAA
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060712&content_id=1554428&vkey=news_mlb...
They need to do something, he doesn't seem to be improving defensively.
Peg,
The point as to why it was stupid and not like the comments Jeter usually makes, is of course they are not in first place, because the team ahead of them is playing well.
It is kind of like saying well we would be in first place if the other team wasn't undefeated. That is kind of dumb, don't you think? An undefeated team should be in first place.
Jeter is usually pretty measured on what he says, at least the quotes of his I read. I just found that to be non Jeter like.
A typical Jeter statement might be "we need to get on a 20-30 win hot streak and put ourselves where we want to be". I find it rare that he is even talking about what Boston is doing, he usually just concentrates on what the Yankees need to do.
World Series Home Field Advantage
A lot of folks knock the idea of using the ASG for making the decision. I read a suggestion today that makes good sense, at least about as good as any.
"Decide home field advantage by interleague play". I think that has merit. Every way you go has a drawback. Schedules are to varied to just make it the team with the best record. Since all teams do not play each other perhaps the best idea would be to use the cumulative league record for the year.
This year it wouldn't make a difference, but I see logic in the thought.
Comments?
Silly quote of the year:
"I feel good about our chances," Yankees captain Derek Jeter said. "If Boston hadn't won 20 or 30 games in a row like they did, we'd be right where we want to be."
Well, Duh! But I like it, it tells me Jeter isn't where he wants to be.
Red Sox Midterm Report
Preseason uncertainties ironed out with strong first half
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
BOSTON -- They began the year with an entirely new infield. They had an ace coming off ineffectiveness and injuries. They entrusted the closer's role to someone who hadn't done that job since college. How was it all going to come together for these 2006 Boston Red Sox, a team that had undergone considerable transformation since the epic World Series championship of two years ago?
The first-half returns have been good in every conceivable way. The Red Sox have mixed the game's three main ingredients -- pitching, hitting and defense -- with uncanny balance.
Of course, no contender is complete without pitching. The Red Sox have had it at the front of the rotation, with Curt Schilling regaining his status as one of the best pitchers in the game. And they've had it at the back of the bullpen, where Jonathan Papelbon has been an elite closer as a rookie.
The hitting hasn't been as spectacular as in years past, but David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez are still the most powerful No. 3-4 combo in the game. The lineup has been well-rounded, with Kevin Youkilis, Mike Lowell, Mark Loretta and Trot Nixon all making solid contributions.
And the Sox have made their mark with their gloves, setting a record by closing June with 17 straight errorless games.
Club MVP: Papelbon has given the Red Sox an edge in the late innings that few teams can relate to. When he comes into a game, it is virtually over. He converted his first 20 save opportunities and allowed just two runs in his first 37 appearances. The mere presence of Papelbon has shortened the game for the Red Sox.
Call him 'Ace': As late as Spring Training, Schilling admitted that he didn't know if he could reestablish his dominance. But then he pitched a gem against the Rangers on Opening Day and has seemingly never looked back. The Red Sox went 14-3 in Schilling's first 17 starts. Though he's lost some velocity, Schilling has compensated with his savvy, knowing full well how to exploit the weaknesses of opposing hitters.
Greatest strength: The defense. Boston pitchers have been able to go to the mound with no worries on their minds, knowing that all of the plays will be made behind them. Shortstop Alex Gonzalez has been ridiculously good, making just one error before July. The rest of the infield has also been stellar. Lowell is proving why he won a National League Gold Glove Award last season. Loretta has been steady and smart. Youkilis has stepped up in a big way in his first year as an everyday first baseman.
Biggest problem: If the Red Sox have a weakness, it is the overall depth of the bullpen. This was supposed to be a strength, considering the 1-2 punch of Papelbon and Mike Timlin. But Julian Tavarez and Rudy Seanez, who were supposed to be vital additions over the winter, have been inconsistent. The Red Sox are being forced to rely more on the young, talented arms of Craig Hansen and Manny Delcarmen. Just how quickly those two pitchers develop could determine whether the Red Sox have a bullpen good enough to go deep into October.
Biggest surprise: The offense of Youkilis. Billed as an on-base machine in the Minor Leagues, Youkilis has carried that up to the highest level, serving as one of the most productive leadoff men in baseball. Sure, Youkilis can draw a walk with the best of them, but he can also hammer the ball into the gap or over the wall.
Complete coverage > Team needs: The Red Sox could use another starting pitcher, and you can be sure that general manager Theo Epstein will hunt for one leading up to the July 31 trade deadline. Matt Clement, an All-Star last year, has fallen on hard times in '06. He finished the first half on the disabled list, and the Red Sox aren't exactly sure what to expect from him the rest of the way. Boston could also use another setup man to take the load off Timlin.
Oh, doctor: Will 227-game winner David Wells throw another Major League pitch? That is very much in doubt, as Wells was belted on his surgically repaired right knee by a Travis Lee line drive on May 26. Wells has already stated that he will retire at the end of the season and, at least as the first half came to a close, nobody seemed very optimistic about his chances of making an impact down the stretch.
He said it: "I think the biggest thing is, we've just been showing up every day. We've caught the ball very consistently. We've caught some breaks, we've taken advantage of those breaks, we've made some breaks. I think we've just been consistently giving ourselves a chance to win every night. Then you have special nights like David [Ortiz] hitting walk-offs." -- Red Sox manager Terry Francona
Mark your calendar: The Yankees invade Fenway Park for a five-game series on Aug. 18, starting it off with a day-night doubleheader. Then the Sox go to Yankee Stadium for four more from Sept. 15-17, including another doubleheader. Don't discount the games that remain with the Blue Jays, either. Those could be just as big. The Sox go to Toronto for four games Sept. 22-25.
Fearless second-half prediction: Ramirez will have a monster second half, carrying the Red Sox to the point that he'll walk away with the first Most Valuable Player Award of his career.
Chuck,
Despite what the article says, using steroids without a prescription is indeed illegal. If they paid doctor's to write legit prescriptions it might be considered legal, yet unethical, but since these were designer steroids I would tend to doubt a legitimate medical necessity for them.
As I am neither a lawyer or a physician I can not speak to all the legal nuances, but as a layperson these are my views.
Peg,
I'm not being defensive at all. You said, "I just wonder how long it will take (mainly) RS' fans to wise up and stop voting for this guy - surely other RS players deserve their votes more than Manny."
And then I replied that it can't be (mainly) Red Sox fans since he was the largest vote getter. I really don't care if Manny plays in the all star game or not. As a matter of fact I wish the team was populated by more teams and not so heavy on Red Sox and Yankees.
Sure it is nice to see your players are liked and others appreciate their talent, but since EI and MLB.TV came along I can see the Red Sox almost everyday. It used to be a lot different when they were the NBC game of the week about three times a year, years ago.
Now I would prefer they got their rest.
I do appreciate the tone of your posts a lot more than some other Yankee fans and hope we will be able to continue to discuss issues that affect both teams as well as baseball in general.
Good for Houston,
I am glad the Rays got a couple of prospects for him and especially glad he didn't end up with the Yankees, who were reportedly heavily interested in him.
The Rays have sure been busy early in trade market.
Although Huff's defense isn't much to write home about (although he had a great defensive series against the Sox last week) he would be a much better hitter and right fielder than Kevin Thompson and cover more ground than Bernie Williams. He can also play first and third.
Peg,
Manny was the largest vote getter, so how can you say he was voted in by mainly Red Sox fans?
If he doesn't want to play, big deal.
If you want to be critical let's be critical of Giambi, Sheffield and their buddy Bonds.
Chuck,
Well as for Giambi I would tend to disagree. First, the timing of the resurgence was very convinient to the ability to resume his career. Second, amazing that he had a tumor in his pituatary gland where HGH is produced, that "abnormality" would give him an out in the event they ever tested for HGH, he could blame it on a tumor. And third, nothing like using cancer as a way to elicit sympathy.
If things went as you suggest, then I am sincerely glad for his recovery. I am doubtful that it went the way the PR went, especially as his brother is also an admitted juicer.
As for the Red Sox being squeaky clean, again you didn't read my posts. I advocate jail time for them as well if they are found to be using illegally obtained medications or drugs.
Chuck,
Who was being critical? You Yankee fans have a deliberate habit of taking anything I say and trying to say I said the opposite. I am seriously starting to wonder about the abilities of some here to read with comprehension.
Mo Rivera is fruitbat, no mistake by me.
Wierd to say it,
but congrats to Fruitbat for shutting down the NL in the ninth.
A special thank you to Konerko, Glaus and Texan Young.
Hmm, I remember in 2004 a certain guy for Texas, Blalock, hit the game winning homer that gave the Red Sox home field advantage. I wonder if history will repeat itself?
Red Sox and Yankee batters combined for a miserable 0-9 in the game. It sure was fortunate other AL teams had players in the game and that produced.
A special tip of the hat to David Ortiz, who ironically saved Alex Rodriquez from an error. Good thing Ortiz is a good fielding first baseman! ;o)
I read yours, "chump".
You looking to get iggied with Susie and 26?
keep drinking the Kool-aid
is all I can say.
Simple, it is illegal.
They are in different leagues,
so how would Ortiz win over Wright?
Speaking of Ortiz he was cheered loudly by Pittsburgh fans and Jeter and A-rod were booed heavily. Hmmmm.
Since I have kids,
I find it despicable what kind of role models these guys are. We always had the drunks like Mantle and Ruth but it was at least hushed up by the media to spare kids.
We have very little in the way of morals these days. And you are preaching to the choir, they need to do blood testing and turn the results over to the government for prosecution if caught, but with the money involved, we know that's happening.
Easy to understand Chuck,
Steroid use without a prescription isn't just morally flawed as far as baseball is concerned, it is illegal. They took the stuff, they bought the stuff and they benefited from its use.
The same thing should happen to Manny, David or Trot if they are found to be doing the stuff illegally, put them in prison for a long time and make them a lesson so our kids don't follow in their footsteps.
That's why. These guys need to be stepped on and stepped on hard. It won't happen which is why our world is so messed up.
As far as Giambi being honest, do you think he has been honest since May of 2005? I find it very hard to fathom how he suddenly turned things around without illegal supplements to the point he can one hand balls into the upper deck? Let's be serious here. I don't believe Giambi is not using, and I believe his apology was preposterous.
Can you honestly say he isn't using, even today? Most Yankee fans I talk to even jokingly say he is using the best undetectable stuff Steinbrenner can buy. That is a direct quote from a Yankee fan on Sunday, by the way.
Now I don't figure Steinbrenner would actually do that, if so it is worse than we would think, but it does show the mindset some fans have, even of their own team.
If you have followed baseball for decades, you know folks just didn't have the abilities these guys have today and many of them trained a lot harder than guys today do. I think most players are still juicing on most teams.
These guys as I said before need to be made a lesson of, and the same with any found later.
MLB forsees Bond indictment:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=afp-baseballusadoping&prov=afp&type=lgns
Well if they get him they need to get Sheffield and Giambi too.
Verducci=Yankee Shill eom
Chuck,
It isn't all about home runs, but it is about RBI's. Your veiled hints that Jeter is worthy is apparant. Baseball is about being the team that wins the most. You have to score to win. Papi's average is insignificant to the fact that he still is driving in more runs than anyone. Yes, it would be nice if he were getting the singles, because it would mean more opportunities for Manny, but the fact is the guy is leading the majors.
I don't understand why all the Ortiz bashing is going on except for the fact he is with the Red Sox and there are a huge number of Red Sox bashers on this board.
Giambi isn't a good consideration because he does play defense to much. He should get more consideration if they use Phillips more. Giambi's weakness is what folks should of taken from A-rod last year, their defense gives up a lot of runs. And it isn't just errors either, A-rod has had a lot of bad plays scored as hits for the other team. Sunday was another example of that. He almost threw a ball to me from third, yet they ruled it a hit.
Since last year's all star break,
Ortiz has exactly 160 RBI to go along with 57 home runs. Those totals are far and away the best in baseball, which means there is currently no better run producer in the game.
Manny isn't having the year Ortiz is,
but he should merit some consideration if he has his typical year. He usually gets the shaft because he won't cooperate with the writers though. He has carefully crafted his persona so he doesn't need to, he can just be "Manny".
Anyone who leads the league in HR and RBI and his team is in first place or wins the wildcard should be a top vote getter IMHO.
DM,
Yeah, A-Rod contributed 14 errors last year. You folks seem to convieniently forget that playing defense is a two edged sword. Playing defense sometimes costs games.
I am tired of this ridiculous argument anyway. The two who left him totally off their ballots should be replaced with writers who are not biased against AL rules (unless they were NY writers, who are idiots anyway).
I can't help it if you can't read
stop with your disgusting accusations and learn how to read. You and she are now going to be ignored since excel didn't comment back to me about your putrid attempts to make me leave.
excel,
of course he did which is why I mentioned the longevity factor, however to say he did more than Ortiz will ever do, we don't know that yet, do we? Of course we don't.
I would say that Ortiz has impacted the game hugely since 2003 and continues to do so. Will he reach what Edgar accomplished in a career? Maybe, maybe not but it doesn't diminish what he is doing currently and in the near past.
While we are having a discussion any thoughts on the "go to hell" comments by Susie today or the idiotic stuff that "26" keeps spewing?
excel,
While I thought the same nafarious thoughts as Susie this time, it won't be. I believe the Rays still control him for about three more years. One year contracts are common while players are under a teams control. That is starting to change a little, such as the Red Sox making deals with Crisp and Beckett that reached into a year of their free agency years in an effort to keep them longer at a cheaper price.
Edgar had longevity but he didn't impact the league the way Popi does. I hope his being primarily a DH doesn't keep him out of the hall. Edgar deserves to be there.
Liriano named to all star team
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5773094
He deserves to go. I am glad for him and the Twinkies.
Randangie,
Did you not read the follow up?
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=11955285
I'm done with this board for today
That says nothing,
Do you think all blacks can speak every African dialect?
Do you think every one ofCaucasian descent can speak Russian? French? English? Polish? Hungarian? etc. etc.
Do you think every one ofAsian descent can speak Chinese, Japanese or Vietnamese, etc.:
Why do you think urban blight is racist? Do you feel a certain race creates urban blight?
Why do you sometimes quote what I am saying and other times pretend you have me on ignore?
If anyone here is racist it would be appear to be the one who threw the race card in the first place.
Susie,
Well that explains why you would feel it doesn't beat rape or child molestation, which I feel are deplorable or I wouldn't of used them in my example.
So why would you tell me to go somewhere you don't believe exists? Your logic is certainly screwy.
Now can we kindly get off of the subject and get back to baseball? You started this crap again this morning right after Excel exhorted all of us to play nice.
You won't drive me away, but you and your cohorts are ruining the integrity of the board.
After having been to Mexico this summer,
and having trouble with Spanish speakers and signs, I can somewhat understand difficulties, but I still think it is the player's responsibilities to learn what is and isn't exceptable.
Ortiz said many of the Latin players don't fully understand what substances are now banned, in part, because players association meetings aren't translated into Spanish.
``Let me tell you something. My English is not the best, but I can understand everything. I can read, I can write. And sometimes, I misunderstand things. Think about a guy who can't really talk or read?'' Ortiz said prior to last night's 8-3 loss to the Tigers. ``I'm not making excuses for those guys. But I think they would prefer if someone talked to them (in Spanish) . . . the system is all (expletive). You might think everyone's got the message, but they don't.''
Ortiz spoke passionately about the subject, and how he believes Latino players easily walk into danger.
He said it's not unusual for a Latino ballplayer to go into a GNC store looking for some kind of all-encompassing vitamin to help boost energy, and unwittingly come back with a product on the banned list. Why? Because they don't read the labels, or can't read the labels.
Not all of his countrymen are apt to do what he does to protect himself: have everything he takes checked by the Sox training staff.
``I take vitamins from the trainers,'' Ortiz, who went 1-for-5 with an RBI last night, said. ``I make sure what I use, I let them know.''
Ortiz suggested the union get the Latino players together in the offseason with a translator present so they can fully comprehend the new steroid policy.
``Get together in Puerto Rico, or in the Dominican or Venezuela, call a day, whatever,'' Ortiz said. ``Have a dinner and say what's going on.''
Always the critic aren't we?
You must of forgotten your good friend HHL as well as your friends here who argue the Yankees are not tied for first place when they were. LOL
Tell 26 to use his HHL name as well and stop trying to hide behind a new moniker. It doesn't work.
DM,
Who really cares? That is primarily about population densities and who gets national television coverages.
Who is in first place, that is all I care about. I would argue that the Yankees are also the least popular team in America, but popularity contests in sports are a stupid way to judge teams.
So who is in first in the AL East? Yeah, I thought so.
I have been to and thru the Bronx and by Yankee Stadium but did not go to a game there. Neither of your responses to me adress your acusation of racial bias.
You do not even know what race I belong too. ROFLMAO