This Week in Baseball 6/22 - 6/28

[Bored]

I'll be at the A's game tomorrow night against the Assholes by the Bay. Hopefully there will be more A's fans at the game than the opposition but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Baseball! Live! In COLOR!

MONDAY
Cardinals (Todd Wellemeyer) at Mets (Tim Redding), 7:00/4:00 PM, ESPN2

WEDNESDAY
Yankees (Joba Chamberlain) at Braves (Kenshin Kawakami), 7:00/4:00 PM, ESPN2

THURSDAY
Phillies (Antonio Bastardo) at Rays (Andy Sonnanstine), 7:00/4:00 PM, MLBN

SATURDAY
Red Sox at Braves, 4:00/1:00 PM, FOX
Cubs at White Sox, 4:00/1:00 PM, FOX
Angels at Diamondbacks, 4:00/1:00 PM, FOX
Yankees at Mets, 7:00/4:00 PM, MLBN

SUNDAY
Red Sox at Braves, 1:30 PM/10:30 AM, TBS
Yankees at Mets, 8:00/5:00 PM, ESPN

 

[Smartly Pretty]

Woohooo an NL opponent!

 

[alkeiper]

JHawk posted about a minor league Mahoning Valley game in the last thread. I've been to a few NY-Penn League games, and I actually find the fundamentals are worse at that level. I love the low, low minor leagues though because you get better acccess. In Williamsport, you have 2000 or so at a typical game and the players walk through the concourse to get to the park.

I'm hoping for a doubleheader tonight. Scranton has seen rainouts Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and yesterday. The last game was cancelled due to wet grounds. Weather is favorable today (though it was on Thursday too).

 

[Smues]

My only experience with the minors is the northwest league (low a) but at least at that level yeah the fundamentals are usually quite awful. The Spokane Indians had a third basemen a few years ago that was just wretched in the field. A friend described it as 'a chair at 3rd base would be better' and he wasn't far off. with a chair there the ball would just hit the chair and stay near 3rd. With the guy they had he'd throw the ball into the outfield or the stands. It was quite wretched, yet fun to watch. I'm not sure if it was the same year, but they also had a catcher who just completely laced the ability to throw the ball to 2nd base. I don't mean lacked the ability to throw out people stealing second, I mean he couldn't throw the ball to the 2nd baseman. At one game we were at we watched the opposing team steal 2nd EVERY time they had a man on first, i think it was something like seven steals of second. But what makes it better is that everytime the catcher would throw the ball into the outfield, and except for the time or two another player had him backed up, the ball would sail into the outfield and the runner would take 3rd. It was so bad I couldn't help but laugh. I mean yeah there are catchers in the majors sometimes that just can't stop fast base stealers, but they at least get the ball to 2nd.

 

[naiwf]

Beltran to the DL. Francesca just passed along a note that the Mets starting lineup tonight has 16 HR, while Pujols by himself has 26.

 

[Smartly Pretty]

I love going to see the Jacksonville Suns, which is AA. That's a ton of fun. Excellent bratwurst, at the Jacksonville Baseball Grounds.

 

[JHawk]

My only experience with the minors is the northwest league (low a) but at least at that level yeah the fundamentals are usually quite awful. The Spokane Indians had a third basemen a few years ago that was just wretched in the field. A friend described it as 'a chair at 3rd base would be better' and he wasn't far off. with a chair there the ball would just hit the chair and stay near 3rd. With the guy they had he'd throw the ball into the outfield or the stands. It was quite wretched, yet fun to watch. I'm not sure if it was the same year, but they also had a catcher who just completely laced the ability to throw the ball to 2nd base. I don't mean lacked the ability to throw out people stealing second, I mean he couldn't throw the ball to the 2nd baseman. At one game we were at we watched the opposing team steal 2nd EVERY time they had a man on first, i think it was something like seven steals of second. But what makes it better is that everytime the catcher would throw the ball into the outfield, and except for the time or two another player had him backed up, the ball would sail into the outfield and the runner would take 3rd. It was so bad I couldn't help but laugh. I mean yeah there are catchers in the majors sometimes that just can't stop fast base stealers, but they at least get the ball to 2nd.

The aforementioned Mahoning Valley game has the horrendous play of shortstop Rafael Vera. I'd put a little leaguer at short with more confidence. Dropped a routine grounder, threw two very high that first basemen Jason Smit had to catch and swing the glove down for a tag to get the guy out, and then he went 0-for-4 at the plate. Seriously, I was going to shout "Send him down a level" until I realized there is no other level to be sent down to.

 

[Smartly Pretty]

Rookie ball is lower than Short Season A. I think you're technically allowed to send non-rookies to rookie ball, it's just odd.

 

[Dandy]

I'll be at the SAL All-Star Game in Charleston, WV tomorrow. Any players you want a report on?

http://westvirginia.power.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090608&content_id=5205382&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp#roster

 

[MFer]

Don't know if you heard, but Donald Fehr's retiring. Some guy named Weiner is taking his spot.

 

[Dobbs3K]

Some guy named Weiner is taking his spot.

Seems appropriate, if he's following in Fehr's footsteps.

 

[alkeiper]

I'll be at the SAL All-Star Game in Charleston, WV tomorrow. Any players you want a report on?

http://westvirginia.power.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090608&content_id=5205382&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp#roster

Any of the Lakewood Blueclaws. Keep an eye particularly on Anthony Gose. Gose has 44 stolen bases already in 66 games. The Southern team has Pat Venditte, the switch pitcher.

 

[jimmy no nose]

I'll be at the SAL All-Star Game in Charleston, WV tomorrow. Any players you want a report on?

http://westvirginia.power.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090608&content_id=5205382&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp#roster

He'll probably only barely play since he's a pitcher, but Rudy Owens of the West Virginia Power has pitched 20-some consecutive scoreless innings and in his last 2 starts took a perfect game through 6 in one before giving up 1 hit and no walks in 8 innings, then was perfect through 5, but left due to weekly pitch limits. I think he's also gone 30 innings without walking a batter.

 

[alkeiper]

Speaking of minor league ball, tonight Kei Igawa is attempting to tie Scranton/Wilke-Barre's franchise win record.

 

[alkeiper]

The upper deck of Tiger Stadium came down yesterday. The stadium is now just rubble.

 

[treble]

I like how they still cut the grass and kept the diamond in there for 10 years.

 

[jimmy no nose]

I always like looking at Rookie League rosters just to pick out the guys with awesome names who are almost guaranteed to never make the major leagues. This year I'm really pulling for Deivis Goatache in the Venezuelan League.

 

[Smues]

Manny's about to come back to AAA in preparation for his suspension ending. Am I the only one who think the suspension should include the minors as well?

 

[Dobbs3K]

Manny's about to come back to AAA in preparation for his suspension ending. Am I the only one who think the suspension should include the minors as well?

No, there are others out there...but the counter to that argument is that the suspension is just supposed to keep him out of X amount of games playing for his club...it's not designed to hurt his playing ability after the suspension is over. Thus, the "rehab" stints are allowed.

 

[Precious Roy]

Tommy Hanson throwing opposite Chien Ming Wang tonight.....quite the interesting matchup

I still get excited for these Yankee/Braves interleague games, can't believe it's been 10 years since we played in the world series

 

[MFer]

So WGN and FSN had Joel Zumaya clocked at 104 on that strikeout pitch to Bradley. And then he fucks it up two batters later by giving up the go-ahead HR on a fucking change-up to Hoffpauir...great.

EDIT: And Rayburn saves the game...thank God.

 

[Dobbs3K]

Manny versus Manny. Manny Parra struck out Manny Ramirez in a AAA game. Maybe that will help restore some of his confidence. The Brewers could really stand to see him straighten himself out ASAP.

 

[alkeiper]

Manny's about to come back to AAA in preparation for his suspension ending. Am I the only one who think the suspension should include the minors as well?

No, there are others out there...but the counter to that argument is that the suspension is just supposed to keep him out of X amount of games playing for his club...it's not designed to hurt his playing ability after the suspension is over. Thus, the "rehab" stints are allowed.

I was on record as having that opinion during Romero's suspension. If Ramirez, Romero or anyone else wants to "rehab" he can play simulated games at his team's spring training facility. The Ironpigs' Pablo Ozuna was suspended 50 games. Can he go to Reading after 40 games and start playing again?

 

[still fly]

Is it really fair to Manny to wait 50 games then start his "rehab" assignment? His suspension would go over 50 games if that was the case. Thats the issue. Plus he's not getting paid still to be in Albuquerque and it doesn't affect the big league club at all.

 

[Dobbs3K]

Right. The 50 game suspension is supposed to keep him out for exactly 50 games. Not "50 games, plus an extra week for rehab."

 

[treble]

I just like all the sportswriters getting mad at the fans in Albuquerque for wanting to go see these games. "Don't they know he's a cheater!?"

 

[Next USC #55]

Speaking of minor league ball, tonight Kei Igawa is attempting to tie Scranton/Wilke-Barre's franchise win record.

Money well spent, I say.

 

[jimmy no nose]

I can't believe Kerry Wood is still closing games. He tried pretty hard last night to blow his 3rd straight save, but Adam LaRoche just missed hitting a walk off grand slam after Wood walked the bases loaded and he managed to escape with a save somehow.

 

[Master Thrasher]

If the Washington Nations keep doing terrible say five seasons from now, do you think they'll move back to Montreal?

 

[alkeiper]

Is it really fair to Manny to wait 50 games then start his "rehab" assignment? His suspension would go over 50 games if that was the case. Thats the issue. Plus he's not getting paid still to be in Albuquerque and it doesn't affect the big league club at all.

Of course it's fair. Manny Ramirez failed a drug test. I don't get up in arms over steroid use like a lot of people, but there is now a system in place and it caught him. Like I said, Manny Ramirez, J.C. Romero or others should be free to go to their teams minor league facilities and get their kicks in simulated games. But the Pacific Coast League, International League etc. are competitive leagues. They crown their own champions and have their own steroid policies. A suspension by one league in organized baseball should be honored by all of them.