Tuesday a.m. things

by Adam J. Morris on Dec 2, 2008 9:16 AM CST Comment 39 comments

Milton Bradley was offered arbitration (the only Ranger free agent to be offered arbitration), and the M's have asked for (and been granted) permission to talk to minor league pitching instructor Rick Adair, who is apparently likely to be joining the M's as their new bullpen coach.

The "Masslive" website in Boston has a Q&A with Evan Grant, that includes the fallout over his decision not to include Dustin Pedroia on his ballot and his thoughts on the match between Boston and Texas regarding a catching for pitching swap.

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I propose we track down every single BBWAA ROY voter and ask them why they left Chris Davis off their ballot.

"Somewhere out there, between 14-32 BBWAA NL MVP voters are trying to get cheaper winter heating by drilling a hole in the microwave." - Jeff at LoL

by lonestarJon on Dec 2, 2008 9:31 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

The difference is...

…Pedroia had a better MVP case than Davis had a ROY case.

And there are 10 players on an MVP ballot, vs 3 on a ROY ballot.

by Adam J. Morris on Dec 2, 2008 9:48 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

True...

I still don’t get all this obsession over EG’s ballot the Boston people have. Are they really that petty? Or do they just have nothing better to talk about?

"Somewhere out there, between 14-32 BBWAA NL MVP voters are trying to get cheaper winter heating by drilling a hole in the microwave." - Jeff at LoL

by lonestarJon on Dec 2, 2008 9:53 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Grant should have had Pedroia on his ballot

but if you listened to that grilling, those guys were completely clueless. For instance they were just killing Grant for not giving Pedroia big time bonus points for how little he strikes out.

by Brett Perryman on Dec 2, 2008 10:24 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah.

And they were really acting like jackasses. The way they ganged up on Evan was pretty cowardly.

by Athos on Dec 2, 2008 10:48 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

the strikeouts was the absolute dumbest thing

but then rattling off all the counting stats that pedroia led in was a close second.

I think they barely mentioned the reason that evan was wrong – undervaluing pedroia’s defense.

""If they'd have told me you can make the team but you've got to shine the shoes, I'd have been there shining shoes." -Bradley

by ab03 on Dec 2, 2008 11:39 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The other thing that frustrated me – and this is along the lines of what you’re saying – was when Grant said, in response to the strikeouts comments, that what he cared about was creating runs. Maybe I’m giving him too much credit, but I assume that he meant comprehensively looking at his offensive impact from his meaningful numbers. Well they took “runs created” to mean runs and RBIs and flipped out because Pedroia, after all, did score a lot of runs.

I don’t take that much issue with stone age types unless they ridicule folks who are actually trying to be serious about their analysis. Those hosts are total morons.

by Brett Perryman on Dec 2, 2008 11:51 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

MJH

Predict JD’s annual holiday trade:

http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/12/block-the-shock-predict-daniels-offseaso.html

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Dec 2, 2008 9:32 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Salty for Phillip Hughes.

"Somewhere out there, between 14-32 BBWAA NL MVP voters are trying to get cheaper winter heating by drilling a hole in the microwave." - Jeff at LoL

by lonestarJon on Dec 2, 2008 9:34 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Would you?

As I posted elsewhere:

Padilla for Lowell?

Salty for Lars?

Heads up, both.

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Dec 2, 2008 9:46 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Where would Lars play?

Or would you then flip him for someone else? Because if you get Lars you then run the risk of having the same problem you have this winter next winter with too many major league ready players at the same position and your leverage over the situation starts to diminish and you are almost forced to trade one even if its for not maximum value

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Dec 2, 2008 9:56 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Lars

Yeah, he’d be for a flip.

The question is whether his value’s higher than Saltalamacchia’s.

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Dec 2, 2008 10:01 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

yesyeshellyes

back me up here guys

lars is one of the 3 best 1b prospects in baseball

no chance in hell that lars for salty happens, or would ever happen.

they dont want lowell playing 3b forever, ya know

Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.

by knockoutking on Dec 2, 2008 10:02 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That radio interview with grant about it still irks me

When they laugh at grant for suggesting that K’s wern’t a big concern in MVP voting.

the preceding post was a great success.

by DSheppard on Dec 2, 2008 9:45 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Me too

by Brett Perryman on Dec 2, 2008 11:02 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

BoSox fans..

.. the only people in the world that combine a persecution complex with a superiority complex.

by mattrpav on Dec 2, 2008 9:59 AM CST reply actions 2 recs

well said

""If they'd have told me you can make the team but you've got to shine the shoes, I'd have been there shining shoes." -Bradley

by ab03 on Dec 2, 2008 11:40 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

best part of the article

Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.

by knockoutking on Dec 2, 2008 9:59 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

What you can't see

Is the topless Michael Young basking in the lawn chair to Evan’s right.

"Somewhere out there, between 14-32 BBWAA NL MVP voters are trying to get cheaper winter heating by drilling a hole in the microwave." - Jeff at LoL

by lonestarJon on Dec 2, 2008 10:01 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I am going to pull

a texags and now post a negative article on a player who did not commit to us:

East Windup Chronicle’s take on the Tawaza signing.

I am a little glad we didn’t get this guy. It just seemed like we heard more negative than positive about him.

by clark on Dec 2, 2008 10:21 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Angels BA top 10

1. Nick Adenhart, rhp
2. Jordan Walden, rhp
3. Peter Bourjos, of
4. Trevor Reckling, lhp
5. Sean O’Sullivan, rhp
6. Kevin Jepsen, rhp
7. Hank Conger, c
8. Mark Trumbo, 1b
9. Anthony Ortega, rhp
10. Mason Tobin, rhp

I knew I’d be underwhelmed, but I’m still surprised at how underwhelmed I am. I always like lefties, so I would happily take Reckling, but other than him Adenhart and Walden are the only guys on this list I really even like. Bourjos is a good defender, but I just don’t know that it’s going to come together at the plate, and those other pitchers are all setup/back roto types.

by Brett Perryman on Dec 2, 2008 10:28 AM CST reply actions 1 recs

This both amuses and encourages me greatly.

"Somewhere out there, between 14-32 BBWAA NL MVP voters are trying to get cheaper winter heating by drilling a hole in the microwave." - Jeff at LoL

by lonestarJon on Dec 2, 2008 10:43 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

+1

Bring up Matt West '09

by Chase Irwin on Dec 2, 2008 11:11 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but to get Reckling ...

we’d have to give up Salty, Holland, and Main, right Z? : )

by Athos on Dec 2, 2008 10:51 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Reckling ~ Robbie Ross with a year of Low A under his belt and less FB

by Brett Perryman on Dec 2, 2008 11:04 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

what happened to the guy that they listed on HH

will smith?

Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.

by knockoutking on Dec 2, 2008 11:13 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He changed careers..

and began acting on TV and putting out a few songs and landed some movie roles.

Didn’t even realize he played baseball….(shrug)

I miss 1989. I miss 1996. Please make me miss another season in 2008.

by Chaim Witz on Dec 2, 2008 11:46 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

This is a bloody awful joke.

-1.

This is an exciting time in my life.

The LSB CPP's are in full bloom.

by Chase Irwin on Dec 2, 2008 10:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He was listed there based almost entirely on his

fantastic K/BB ratio in rookie ball. From BA’s comment in the Pioneer League top 20 prospects summary, I would assume that he’ll be in the 11-20 range, but this is not a prime prospect at this point. His FB is fringy, and as an ordinary 7th rounder with a finesse game he’s one of those guys who will have to prove things as he moves up.

by Brett Perryman on Dec 2, 2008 11:55 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

see petit, y.

Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.

by knockoutking on Dec 2, 2008 12:14 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

also conger so low

interesting. if he could ever stay healthy

Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.

by knockoutking on Dec 2, 2008 11:13 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I think the likelihood

of him staying at catcher might be waning.

by Brett Perryman on Dec 2, 2008 11:59 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

yea cant stay healthy

which is a shame

Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.

by knockoutking on Dec 2, 2008 12:14 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Very much pitcher depth

Not enough positional depth. I like that.

Very encouraging to us

In Smoak We Trust

by Smoak Some on Dec 2, 2008 1:05 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

More importantly

most of the pitchers aren’t good.

by Brett Perryman on Dec 2, 2008 1:10 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

so let me get this straight...

Pedroia wins the MVP, and Boston area fans are pissed at a Dallas area writer because he left him off the ballot?

can they not find something more useful to cry about, like, maybe the fact that their perfect little team didn’t make it to the World Series?

"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"

by Walter Sobchak on Dec 2, 2008 12:15 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Its Boston

They consider themselves the sports capital of the world now…they will complain about everything

In Smoak We Trust

by Smoak Some on Dec 2, 2008 12:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

It''s been said

That the greatest manifestation of an inferiority complex is the showing of a superiority attitude.

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by Ed Coffin on Dec 2, 2008 2:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

in that case

do I now have to hate the BoSox more than I have hated the Yankees all these years?

I LOVE the fact that A-Rod has been a curse to that team. I just wish we could’ve gotten Manny and a good pitcher in return instead of Soriano who begot Wilkerson (who I was actually excited about when we got him).

"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"

by Walter Sobchak on Dec 2, 2008 2:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs