The Sports Frog

"Right now everyone in Chicago is making lineups -- 'Call up this guy, call up that guy.' ... If we had 50 people allowed on the roster, we could do that. That's what ticks me off about Chicago fans and Chicago media: They forget pretty quickly. A couple of days ago we were the [bleeping] best [stuff] in town. Now we're [bleep]," Guillen said to the aforementioned Chicago media before the game.

Guillen observed that Chicago still loved the Cubs, even though they have not won a World Series since 1908, but the White Sox -- winners of the 2005 World Series -- did not receive the same affectionate support.

"We won it a couple years ago, and we're horse[bleep]," Guillen said, according to the Chicago Tribune. "The Cubs haven't won in [100] years, and they're the [bleeping] best. [Bleep] it, we're good. [Bleep] everybody. We're horse[bleep], and we're going to be horse[bleep] the rest of our lives, no matter how many World Series we win.

"We are the [bleep] of Chicago. We're the Chicago [bleep]. We have the worst owner [Jerry Reinsdorf]. The guy's got seven [bleeping] rings, and he's the [bleeping] horse[bleep] owner."

If only there had been a tape recorder.

Royals left-hander John Bale won't be returning to active duty any time soon after breaking his pitching hand Friday night by punching a door at the team's downtown hotel.

Bale apparently was frustrated by his slow recovery from a fatigued left shoulder. He returned early Sunday to Kansas City and is scheduled to undergo further examination Monday by club physicians.

"I'm not pleased, obviously," manager Trey Hillman said.

He sounds a little Section eight to me. I wonder if he is related to Kyle Farnsworth.

Because Bengal has been very busy with some kind of boring trial thing we have been missing the heartache of being a Reds fan. As a tribute to Bengal and other fellow sufferers I found a good post from the Church of Baseball.

!!?!This is beyond comprehension??!?

The Reds are not this bad. What the heck is going on? We need someone to blame. Well, I blame Corey Patterson. Get rid of him now and bring up Bruce.

Ryan Freel should never be allowed to steal. He's just too dumb to know how to do it. I'm tired of baserunners getting out for stupidity.

Bench Dunn. Just bench him. Maybe a week off will get his head on straight. He really needs to get his head out of his ass. Send him down to the minors like they did Edwin last year. A week or two down there would do him good. Bring up Bruce.

If I were to bet on baseball, I'd bet Arroyo goes on the DL tomorrow to make room for Weathers. I hope he doesn't spend his fifteen days drinking at the Blind Lemon or whatever that place is he goes.

I'll be at the game on Tuesday - Harang vs. Zambrano. Odds are on the Cubs to win the series, but we'll see. Something has to click soon. I think I'm bringing a "Where's Bruce?" sign. No, I don't think Bruce is the answer to all of these problems, but I think Griffey and Dunn are killing this offense and a new bat might bring some life to it.

It's mystifying, it really is. I don't want to give up hope, but right now, it's pretty tough to hope for anything. This team needs to stop feeling sorry for itself and start playing how they are capable of playing before it's too late. I have a feeling too late is coming sooner rather than later.

Sigh. I'm really depressed.

According to Dr. Rick Wilton of Baseball Injury Report, baseball is suffering through an epidemic of injuries over the past two seasons (and I thought it was just on my fantasy team). There was apparently a big jump in 2007, and baseball is on pace for a bigger jump in injuries in 2008:

Major League Baseball is on pace to set a another record for the number of players who spend time on the disabled list.

The previous record was set last year with 404 players. As of April 30, there are 180 players who have spent time on the disabled list this season. That is 6.6% increase over the same time last season. From 2002-2006, an average of 141 players landed on the DL from spring training through April 30 each year. This year's pace is 21.7% greater than the average during that period. This alarming statistic could increase even further in the coming days with retroactive disabled list moves.

Last year's record 404 players was a 12.2 % increase over the five-year average between 2002-2006. The current pace is for 416 players to spend time on the disabled list in 2008.

Now this could all be pure and coincidental-like, see? But maybe, just maybe, there's something going on here. One of the primary benefits of performance-enhancing drugs is to quicken the recovery time from use and/or injury. As we've learned more and more about the actual use of these drugs in baseball, it seems that a significant number of ballplayers were juicing not to become huge Neanderthals, but rather to quicken recovery time (witness the high number of pitchers caught).

As the spotlight on steroids shined more brightly than ever last season, ultimately culminating with the Mitchell Report and a more rigorous testing program, maybe players are actually getting off the stuff and allowing their bodies to heal naturally. That could explain - at least partially - an increased number of injuries and time spent on the disabled list. Of course, this is all speculative without looking beyond a five-year sample size. And given that performance enhancers have been in baseball for so many years, to the extent that the last time players might not have been juicing medical technology and player usage patterns were probably incomparable to today's realities, there may be too many outside factors to really compare with any accuracy.

However, if the testing program is even a part of the cause of increased injuries (as perverse as that sounds), Major League Baseball should be commended for coming up with a program that is actually effective in reducing drug use in baseball.

The last man to play before helmets were manditory,sixty-four year old Julio Franco, a contemporary of Abner Doubleday, has finally hung up his spikes.

The 49-year-old announced his retirement from baseball after a 23-year career in the Major Leagues and stints in his native Dominican Republic, South Korea, Japan and Mexico. In 2007, he became the oldest player to hit a home run in the Majors.

An otherwise regular Major League baseball game will eventually make its way to Hollywood.

A backdrop to the Marlins beating the Padres, 6-4, on Friday night was the shooting of a scene for the upcoming movie "Marley & Me," starring Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson.

Friday was a "Bark at the Park" night for the Marlins, a promotion through which fans can bring their dogs to the stadium. And as it happened, a dog running on the field is part of a scene in the movie, which is set to be released on Christmas Day.

Aniston and Wilson were at the ballpark, filming a few scenes. The first took place in the stands, with a dog racing down the aisles, Wilson and then Aniston in pursuit.

And after Hanley Ramirez of the Marlins was thrown out trying to steal third base, ending the eighth inning, Wilson and Aniston surfaced again, chasing after a dog in left field.

Players were leaving and entering the field but momentarily stopped as the two actors finally grabbed the dog and were whisked away. The segment lasted about a minute and didn't interrupt the game.

Fans will pay starry prices for this year's All-Star game at Yankee Stadium.

Tickets will be priced at $150-$725 for the July 15 game, Major League Baseball announced Tuesday. That's up from $75-$285 for last year's game at San Francisco and $10-15 for box and reserved seats the last time the All-Stars were at Yankee Stadium, in 1977.

Tickets for the Home Run Derby and workout day on July 14 are $100-$650, an increase from $50-$225 last year. Tickets for the Futures game on July 13 are $50-225, up from $22.50-$125 last year.

Prices likely will decrease for the 2009 All-Star game, to be hosted by the Cardinals.

"They will be adjusted for St. Louis. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity -- instant memorabilia, instant memories," said Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer. "The regular-season ticket prices in New York are substantially higher than they are in St. Louis."

Everything is more expensive in NYC. Now if we can just figure out how to charge the comissioner's office for all the bullshit, we'd all be rich.

Why not just say, "Hey it's NY, they're used to getting fucked."

I paid $116.50 a ticket for a Sunday matinee to Spamalot and $4 for a bottle of water at the theater. At least the play didn't end in a tie.

Last year some of the guys from the Frog purchsed a 7XL yellow sweater from Ebay and sent it to El Guapo. We never heard from him regarding our thoughtful gift, but Garces himself is back.

Those of you who have rubbed those "El Guapo Bobble Belly" dolls (I have to find one of those for myself.) in hopes that it would result in the return of former Red Sox reliever Rich Garces to the Nashua Pride, your wish has come true.

After expecting to pitch most of the season in Mexico, Garces was released last week by Potros de Tijuana, after the Mexican League team was struggling at 13-22. He immediately phoned Pride general manager Chris Hall and a deal was worked out.

"I'm happy to be back with Nashua," Garces said. "I want to compete and win another championship and the Pride is the team I want to do it with."

When Walt Jocketty was hired as a special assistant to the owner of the Reds the handwriting was on the wall. Wayne Krivsky refused to look. When he was fired, Wayne Krivsky refused to comprehend it. And now though Wayne is officially unemployed he still can't let go. Almost sounds like stalking. From HOF Hal McCoy:

Wayne Krivsky is finding it difficult to sever his ties with the Cincinnati Reds after he was fired and says, "I must be crazy because I hope the Reds win every game the rest of the year and I still get on-line every morning to check how the minor-league teams did."

And before he fades into the woodwork, Krivsky wants to clear a few things off his desk and his mind.

One of the things he wants known is that Dusty Baker was his choice to manage the Reds and he told owner Bob Castellini at the time, "Dusty Baker is my man and he is the guy for the job." And Krivsky added, "It was my recommendation and Bob agreed."

• So much for Joba going to the rotation. Right-handed reliever Brian Bruney almost certainly will miss the remainder of the season after being diagnosed with a Lisfranc fracture in his right foot.

Bruney was placed on the 15-day disabled list and is not expected back before 2009, general manager Brian Cashman said. Dr. William Hamilton examined Bruney yesterday in Manhattan and recommended surgery.

• Because the Yankees told Joba Chamberlain to stay off his feet during batting practice yesterday, it was likely the set up man wasn't available for last night's 6-4 loss to the Indians in which the need for him didn't surface.

"He slipped on the mound (Thursday night) and tweaked his legs," manager Joe Girardi told The Post during batting practice.

• As though this is news.... The Dodgers are expected to place Nomar Garciaparra on the disabled list Saturday and recall third baseman Blake DeWitt to replace him. Nomar will be out for about a month with an ovarian cyst.

• Chipper Jones has had varying degrees of injuries to a wide range of body parts, but nothing quite like this.

The hot-hitting third baseman was scratched from the lineup Saturday morning after having severe back spasms 2-1/2 hours before the game with the Mets.

• Brad Penny had just stepped out of the shower area in the clubhouse when a replay of his 96-mph fastball crashing into umpire Kerwin Danley's mask with a sickening thud was showing on the wide-screen TV.

• Sawx placed first baseman Sean Casey on the 15-day disabled list.

Last night Morris gave up 8 runs on 9 hits in 4 innings, which brings his 2008 ERA to a hefty 9.15. That's a run per inning. Some elite pitcher barely allow a baserunner an inning. We all know Pittsburgh has its problems but Matt Morris?

Though he has been able to keep his walk totals low this year the least amount of hits he has given up in any of his four starts has been 7 and he only pitched 4.2 innings. I somehow doubt the Pirates will release him during the season, they don't like to eat contracts, but this may partially explain their low attendance.

I only wish I could take a couple of hacks at the shit he's throwing out there.

I respectfully disagree with Mr. Zipper's post below for the following reasons:

1. Rivera and Chamberlain aren't similar pitchers. Mariano's never exceeded two plus pitches while Joba, by all accounts, has four major league offerings. I get that Rivera is the easy comparison given that he came up in the Bronx as a starter and thrived as a closer but they are very, very different. Frame, repertoire, development path (Mariano was already 26 when he began contributing), everything.

2. In a general sense, 180+ innings is always better than 80 innings regardless of leverage. You don't take a consensus top 5 prospect and cut his participation in half unless he proves he can't handle a starter's work. Chamberlain thus far has done nothing to indicate he can't.

3. In a more specific sense, Joba needs to throw around 150 innings this season after getting a total of 116 in 2007. With both Mussina and Pettitte quite possibly out after 2008, Chamberlain is going to be vital to the 2009 staff. If he doesn't get stretched out this season, they'd be taking a massive risk (in both a health and results sense) expecting 30 starts next year.

4. Mark Fidrych threw 250 IPs at age 21. He completed 77% of his starts. Apples to apples that ripened in a completely different era. (Also, Oswalt threw 175 innings at age 22.)

I respectfully disagree with Mr. Zipper's post below for the following reasons:

1. Rivera and Chamberlain aren't similar pitchers. Mariano's never exceeded two plus pitches while Joba, by all accounts, has four major league offerings. I get that Rivera is the easy comparison given that he came up in the Bronx as a starter and thrived as a closer but they are very, very different. Frame, repertoire, development path (Mariano was already 26 when he began contributing), everything.

2. In a general sense, 180+ innings is always better than 80 innings regardless of leverage. You don't take a consensus top 5 prospect and cut his participation in half unless he proves he can't handle a starter's work. Chamberlain thus far has done nothing to indicate he can't.

3. In a more specific sense, Joba needs to throw around 150 innings this season after getting a total of 116 in 2007. With both Mussina and Pettitte quite possibly out after 2008, Chamberlain is going to be vital to the 2009 staff. If he doesn't get stretched out this season, they'd be taking a massive risk (in both a health and results sense) expecting 30 starts next year.

4. Mark Fidrych threw 250 IPs at age 21. He completed 77% of his starts. Apples to apples that ripened in a completely different era. (Also, Oswalt threw 175 innings at age 22.)

I know what you're thinking. The season isn't even a month old. It's way too early to read anything into player statistics. Have I forgotten all about sample sizes? Fear not, I'm only here to share a quick glance at one of the very few stats that is relevant at this point: BABIP. Hitting BABIP is odd in that it does matter early in season but only because a more prominent related stat, batting average, doesn't matter yet. Make sense? Without boring you with all the numbers, in the past 3 years, 929 players have accumulated 251 or more PAs. Of those 929, only 2 have had a BABIP below .225 and only 2 more have exceeded .399. Basically, anything outside of or even near those extremes will likely be corrected towards the mean (~.303) over the next 5+ months of the season. However, since there are plenty of reactionary owners in every league that see an early low batting average and decide the guy has lost it (even more so in the PED era), opportunities arise. With this in mind, I give you a list of 22 players who currently have BABIPs under .225 and were projected by PECOTA to earn atleast $10 in AL or NL only leagues. Obviously not every one of these guys will bounce back to their projected levels due to injuries, lost playing time or just an off year, but now is the time to make a discounted offer on ones you like.

$30+ Projected Value:
Alfonso Soriano, CHN, LF, .175 AVG, .182 BABIP, .263 ADJ AVG
David Ortiz, BOS, DH, .160 AVG, .172 BABIP, .267 ADJ AVG

$20 - $29 Projected Value:
Adam Dunn, CIN, LF, .189 AVG, .216 BABIP, .245 ADJ AVG
Ryan Zimmerman, WAS, 3B, .215 AVG, .224 BABIP, .278 ADJ AVG
Troy Tulowitzki, COL, SS, .176 AVG, .213 BABIP, .243 ADJ AVG
Carlos Pena, TBA, 1B, .206 AVG, .189 BABIP, .270 ADJ AVG
Rickie Weeks, MIL, 2B, .174 AVG, .184 BABIP, .261 ADJ AVG
Russell Martin, LAN, C, .197 AVG, .222 BABIP, .262 ADJ AVG
Gary Sheffield, DET, DH, .192 AVG, .220 BABIP, .250 ADJ AVG

$10 - $19 Projected Value:
Robinson Cano, NYA, 2B, .169 AVG, .176 BABIP, .286 ADJ AVG
Jim Thome, CHA, DH, .222 AVG, .220 BABIP, .270 ADJ AVG
Paul Konerko, CHA, 1B, .172 AVG, .167 BABIP, .276 ADJ AVG
Jose Guillen, KCA, RF, .173 AVG, .214 BABIP, .240 ADJ AVG
Corey Patterson, CIN, CF, .186 AVG, .135 BABIP, .339 ADJ AVG
Travis Buck, OAK, RF, .154 AVG, .213 BABIP, .215 ADJ AVG
Placido Polanco, DET, 2B, .148 AVG, .160 BABIP, .278 ADJ AVG
Adam Laroche, PIT, 1B, .132 AVG, .182 BABIP, .208 ADJ AVG
Austin Kearns, WAS, RF, .212 AVG, .222 BABIP, .273 ADJ AVG
Bill Hall, MIL, CF, .211 AVG, .209 BABIP, .268 ADJ AVG
Frank Thomas, N/A, DH, .167 AVG, .159 BABIP, .267 ADJ AVG
Ben Broussard, TEX, 1B, .180 AVG, .182 BABIP, .260 ADJ AVG
Casey Blake, CLE, 3B, .179 AVG, .214 BABIP, .250 ADJ AVG

The Prince of the Yankees has issued an edict. Joba must start. Of course we are only twenty games into the season, and Joba was away for three of those games, but he must start. Start he must. As it is written, so shall it be done. Quote the Prince:

"I want him as a starter and so does everyone else, including him, and that is what we are working toward and we need him there now," Steinbrenner said Sunday by telephone. "There is no question about it, you don't have a guy with a 100-mile-per-hour fastball and keep him as a setup guy. You just don't do that. You have to be an idiot to do that."

Interesting the man used the word idiot. Because that's exactly what I was thinking about him.

Joba has pitched a total of 138 innings in his career at the tender age of 23. He's not exactly a Roy Oswalt yet. I would rather see him stay in the pen so he doesn't become a Fydrich.

If we even take this thinking a step or two further, Mo Rivera is not going to last forever. Rivera did very well setting up Wetteland for a couple of years. Back off Hank and let's not fuck up the Yankees in your first year. Why not try to find the next Jay Buhner and trade him for today's Ken Phelps. Oh the sins of the father.

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Frank Thomas was livid Saturday after getting benched in favor of Matt Stairs and being told by manager John Gibbons he can expect further cuts to his playing time.
Thomas was hitless in his past 13 at-bats and has gone 4-for-35 since homering in three straight games April 5-8.

The 39-year-old Thomas signed a two-year, $18-million contract with Toronto in November 2006. The deal includes a $10 million option for 2009, but only if Thomas makes 376 plate appearances this season.

Thomas, who is batting .167 with three homers and 11 RBIs in 60 at-bats, said the Blue Jays are cutting his playing time to prevent the option from kicking in.

"It's pretty obvious," Thomas said. "Sixty at bats isn't enough to make that decision. I'm angry, I know I can help this team. My career isn't going to end like this."

Perhaps Frank is correct and sixty at bats is too small a sampling to make a decision, but that .167 looks ugly. I would be pissed if Matt Stairs was replacing me too.

I love being right. Maybe A. Bud reads the front page of the Frog. Just yesterday I pointed out how the umpire didn't do his job correctly and should have ejected Farnsworth. I said when the tape was reviewed there may be a suspension. Viola.

New York Yankees reliever Kyle Farnsworth was suspended for three games and fined Saturday for throwing a fastball behind the neck of Boston slugger Manny Ramirez earlier in the week.

Farnsworth appealed the penalty, which was to start Saturday night against Baltimore. He will be eligible to pitch until a hearing is held. (And Joba returns from family leave.)

Within hours of a Sun-Times report detailing the sale near Wrigley Field of a Kosuke Fukudome T-shirt bearing a racist image, the Cubs put a stop Friday to the production and sale of the shirt.

Inundated with e-mails from offended fans, Cubs officials investigated, discovered the unlicensed product used a trademarked Cubs logo and confronted the vendor - who complied with the team's demand to pull the shirt and cease production.

"Clearly, the shirt was in poor taste and the Cubs are pleased to know that it will no longer be produced or sold," Cubs spokesman Peter Chase said.

The shirt used the traditional Cubs cartoon bear face but with slanted eyes and wearing oversized Harry Caray-style glasses. It was accompanied by the words "Horry Kow!" scrawled in cartoonish "Japanese" script.

And I thought it would have said: Fuck you, Do me !!!

Nine years!

Let's put it another way. After Friday's events, Longoria has more years on his contract than days in the major leagues (seven, as Crawford noted). So much for conspiracy theorists who were convinced the Rays sent him back to the minors last month to keep his clock from starting for arbitration and free agency.

With a guarantee of $17.5-million over six seasons (and $19-million if he doesn't go back to the minors), it is considered the largest contract for a player, not including a half-dozen veterans from Japan and Cuba, with less than one year of major-league service.

The Rays made the deal, essentially, because they could.

They project Longoria, 22, to be a star, and doing the deal -- and doing it sooner rather than later -- gives them cost certainty over what he will make during his arbitration years, extends their control through what likely will be his first two years of free agency, and could save them millions if he is as good as expected.

WOW. Eat shit Vince Namoli.

Tom Glavine's strained right hamstring has landed the Braves pitcher on the disabled list for the first time in his 22-year major-league career.

"If I could give myself a novocaine shot in the hamstring and go out and pitch, I'd do it," said Glavine, 42, who had been scheduled to start Saturday's nationally televised game against the Dodgers. "But it's not that kind of thing."

Left-hander Chuck James has been recalled from Class AAA Richmond to start in place of Glavine, whose DL assignment was retroactive to Monday. He'll be eligible to come off April 29, and he was certain he would be ready.

But on Friday, he said he felt like he had let down everyone in the clubhouse. Glavine has pitched with aches, strains and even a broken rib during his 303-win career, but he never had problems with his legs until now.

"The streak has come to an end," he said late Friday. "I've been on the DL, what, two hours? I hate it. I feel like I've let down everyone."

Boys and Girls, that is the definition of a mench.

Nationals manager Manny Acta, concerned that injured infielder Dmitri Young's big, curly Afro was becoming too much of a distraction, told the injured first baseman after Thursday night's loss to the Mets to have his hair cut before he showed up for Friday night's game here.

Young, who is protective of his locks, complied. He sported a more trimmed look when he surfaced at the clubhouse.

Acta's order was not as sinister or arbitrary as it might sound. First, the manager knew Young's "special barber" was in Miami. Second, he said that Young told him he planned to have a trim while here anyway.

"It's not like you're going to see him with a shaved head," Acta said, smiling.

Acta said he requested the haircut in the interest of team "structure" with the Nationals.

After 9/11 a lot of Latin American ballplayers aged a few years overnight. Some people still refuse to believe Albert Pujols correctly states his age. But now the truth is out about Miggy Tejada. This bit of news also answers why his range at shortstop has been cut down.

Age ain't nothing but a number, unless you're Miguel Tejada.

The Houston Astros shortstop told the Oakland Athletics when he was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 1993 that he was 17. But he was actually 19, meaning he is now 33, two years older than his listed age in the Astros' media guide and other baseball records.

The shortstop made his admission after being approached Tuesday by ESPN.

"E:60" correspondent Tom Farrey presented Tejada with a copy of a birth certificate, filed by his father in his hometown of Bani, that showed he was born on May 25, 1974. The document was acquired by a Dominican law firm hired by ESPN after clerks at the town hall in Bani declared -- improperly -- that Tejada's records were confidential.

Now if ESPN had only done that kind of investigation before they fired Harold Reynolds.

Willie Randolph played for the a Yankees team that often had fist fights in its own clubhouse and dugout. Suffice to say the Yankee teams of yesteryear didn't only hate their opponents but each other as well and that was what Randolph learned about baseball.

This week's visit to Shea by the Nationals, a team managed by former Mets coach Manny Acta, again featured the kind of affection usually reserved for family reunions. Hugs, handshakes, plenty of laughs.

Acta is a great guy, and still well liked in Mets circles. But it's a little strange after the events of last September to see the teams maintain the same close contact on Shea's front lawn. It didn't sit well with everyone.

Manager Willie Randolph, an old-school veteran of the gang warfare between the Yankees and Red Sox, was not among the intermingling groups of front-office members and players. Not this week, and rarely.

To see one of his former lieutenants fawned over by members of the Mets organization probably makes every game against Washington an annoyance for Randolph. But that doesn't seem to be changing any time soon, and neither does the inexplicable chumminess between some Mets and the team that humiliated them only seven months ago.

"How does that happen? How does that become normal?" Randolph said. "I don't know. It's just foreign to me, that's all. I'm fine with, 'Hey, how you doing?' That stuff. I wish that we could enforce it more, really. They talk about it, but I don't really see anyone policing it. You can't force people not to talk to someone."

I know I can never believe a single word coming out of the front offices of the baseball team in Miami. They have a team payroll smaller thatn A-Rod's and I am sure the cash their revenue sharing checks. Here are the words from the lying puppet, I mean team president.

Forbes released its annual state of baseball report Thursday, drawing little more than a chuckle in Marlins offices.

According to the magazine's numbers, the Marlins are the least valuable, but second- most profitable franchise in Major League Baseball.

Forbes puts the Marlins' total worth at $256 million, a 5 percent increase from last year. The Pirates ($292 million) and Rays ($290 million) are the only other franchises Forbes doesn't value at more than $300 million.

The Marlins rank last in revenues at $128 million, $3 million less than the 29th-ranked Royals and $199 million less than the top-ranked Yankees.

In terms of operating income, defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, Forbes lists the Marlins at $35.6 million, second to the Nationals ($43.7 million).

"Every year I continue to be surprised at the absolute inaccuracy that a so-called reputable magazine is willing to print," Marlins President David Samson said. "We've never gotten called by them. We've never been asked to verify, deny, confirm, nothing. It's just a shame their readership is forced to read numbers that aren't true.

"I know the number they have for the Marlins is simply wrong. They have no information of any kind on which to base that article."

If I was Forbes, I wouldn't call a lying sack of shit either.

I have never cared for Kyle Farnsworth. This is a guy who once broke his foot warming up in the bullpen for the Cubs. Somehow I have always doubted the truthfullness of that even though I was watching that game on the tube. Seems like a Jeff Kent washing the truck story.

Regardless, last night after Manny took Mussina deep twice last night, and Manny owns Mussina, Farnsworth decided it was time to throw a 96mph fastball behind Manny's head.

As a Yankee fan the last thing I want to see is Manny mad and motivated. When you throw behind his head that is a major sign of disrespect on Manny's home planet. The ump didn't even properly do his job, he just warned both benches. He should have ejected Farnsworth and the league should review the tape.

Drill a guy in the ass or the thigh. Never throw at a players head. Send a message. Make the guy eat some dirt, but NEVER throw at his head. I don't want to see Boston throwing at Jeter's head, though at this point I wouldn't blame them.

Perhaps Girardi as instilled some grit into this team. That wouldn't be a bad thing except that when explaining something to Farnsworth, I believe you have to use very small words and really big flashcards.

In a game that probably would have even made Ernie Banks tired, the Rockies beat the Padres 2-1 in 22 innings. It wasn't a game it was a relationship.

6 hours, 16 minutes, 15 pitchers, 658 pitches, 3 runs.

Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy threw the game's first pitch at 7:05 p.m. The game didn't end until 1:21 a.m., when Padres pitcher Glendon Rusch took a called third strike. Colorado's Yorvit Torrealba, who caught all 22 innings, wearily pumped a fist in celebration.

It's been a while so here's a quick team-by-team recap of the American League before we head into the National League.

Baltimore Orioles: Nick Markakis, RF, 25
Boston Red Sox: Josh Beckett, SP, 28
Chicago White Sox: Nick Swisher, CF, 27
Cleveland Indians: Grady Sizemore, CF, 25
Detroit Tigers: Miguel Cabrera, 3B, 25
Kansas City Royals: Alex Gordon, 3B, 24
Los Angeles Angels: Howie Kendrick, 2B, 24
Minnesota Twins: Joe Mauer, C, 25
New York Yankees: Philip Hughes, SP, 22
Oakland Athletics: Daric Barton, 1B, 22
Seattle Mariners: Felix Hernandez, SP, 22
Tampa Bay Rays: B.J. Upton, CF, 23
Texas Rangers: Ian Kinsler, 2B, 26
Toronto Blue Jays: Alex Rios, RF, 27

Where the AL West was relatively unexceptional outside of Felix Hernandez, the NL East is full of under 30 stars across the board. If reading this entire article is in your plans, quickly try to figure out who you'd pick from the five NL East teams before clicking ahead. Atleast for me, three of the five teams are no-brainers, one is somewhat easy and the last is tough but for reasons of depth, not scarcity.

Continue reading "If I Were Starting a Team, NL East Edition ..." »

It appears the answer to the question below is Chad Moeller. While his current minor league line of .136/.231/.182 suggests he would be plenty capable of DHing for the Red Sox, that sort of production isn't going to cut it in the Bronx.

Get well soon, Jorge. Really, really soon.

After last night's game (which if you missed it was painful to watch) the Yankees have no catchers. Jose Molina hurt his hamstring in the eighth inning and Posada was forced to go behind the plate.

At this point Jorge can't throw. Posada has told friends that he has never experienced any sensation in his shoulder like he's feeling right now. (and I would link to it if those WWLIS bastards didn't have this on the Inside)

So what do the Yanks do? How about manager Joe Girardi? He could catch and he never hit much anyway. Stay tuned, I am sure this will get interesting.

After five innings, he had a no-hitter for the Tigers. He had also walked five batters. And struck out only one. Two more walks to start the sixth, and finally his first hit allowed, chased him from the game. Seven walks total. Against only one strikeout. And, from looking at the highlights of the game on Baseball Tonight, he wasn't close. It was not like he was just barely missing the zone, he was missing by damn near juuuuussst a bit outside margins. There was a time this past off-season when I was hoping the Reds would pursue him. Thank goodness they did not.

At any rate, the Tigers have fallen to 0-5. And desperately need Justin Verlander to step forward and be a stopper for the team. While they will eventually hit, and should hit a lot (health will help), they don't want to dig too deep a hole in the meantime.

With the baseball season off to a satisfying start, some pieces with some stuff to chew on as the first weekend of the baseball season unfolds.

---Keith Law at espn.com with 10 players who are breakout candidates.

---Jon Heyman at si.com reserves some praise for Johnny Cueto of the Reds and a few other choice newcomers. I unabashedly express my love for Cueto. He's swell.

---Scott Miller at sportsline joins the chorus in casting doubt about just what Barry Zito can do to halt his decline. The rest of us marvel at what an awful job Brian Sabean has turned in as the Giants' GM in the last half dozen or so years.

---Mike Harmon at foxsports has some fantasy notes (more Cueto!) in a comprehensive read while Ken Rosenthal's notebook touches, among other things, on the very real pitching concerns in Philly.

And, to return to Miller's subject linked above, the Giants are really, really, really, terrible. They have a chance to be a special kind of bad. Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum may snap and kill Brian Sabean by the All-Star break. The killing would likely be found justified by a jury of bay area peers.

Quoth the chain smoker following the sweep at the hands of the Royals:

"We don't look ready," Leyland said. "If somebody would have told me that, I would have told them they're crazy." He moaned about how the Tigers produced "lazy at-bats, lazy fly-ball outs, first-pitch fly-ball outs, weak outs." He added: "That's not us. That's not supposed to be us.""When I cool off a little bit, I'll mention some things on an individual basis to guys. You don't want to make a fool of yourself because you're upset. "I'm not really aiming anything at one player or two players. I'm aiming at me. We just don't look like we're attacking the game like we're supposed to attack the game. And that bothers me. "We're supposed to be aggressive and smart. We've been none of those things so far."

True dat.

Their fourth loss in a row to open the season last night probably has not done much to improve his mood. They miss Curtis Granderson.

...GMs of real life baseball teams would notice that Rich Harden has been nails to start the year. If Harden keeps this up and avoids his annual May pilgramage to the disabled list, he might become the object of some pointed affection as the season deepens.

I had a bad opening day. I awoke to thuderstorms and was then unwilling to drive three hours to Chicago for what was certain to be a rainout. But my day wasn't as bad as a few of the players:

Tom Gordon: 1/3 inning, 4 hits, 5 runs, 1 walk, 135.00 ERA, 135 Whip. Loss.

Kerry Wood: 1 Inning, 2 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk, 27.00 ERA AND THEN NOT TO BE OUTDONE

Eric Gagne: Before he recorded an out. 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 fuck you do me Homer. Tie Game.

Felix Pie: 0-3 , 2k's, LOB 4.... the Cubs only had 5 men left on base in total

Mark Buerhle: 1.2 Innings, 7 hits, 7 runs, 1 walk, 37.8 ERA

Indians' Victor Martinez injures leg in opener while running to second.

Octavio Dotel: 1 inning, 3 hits, 3 runs, 2 walks, one loss, 27.00 ERA.

In the HBO documentary Brooklyn Dodgers: The Ghosts of Flatbush, a fan is quoted as saying, "You're in a room with Hitler, Stalin and Walter O'Malley and you have a gun with two bullets: Who do you shoot? And of course the Dodger fans would say, 'You shoot O'Malley twice.'"

Before the Dodgers deserted Brooklyn there were fights between the city and the owner. No one could agree on a suitable place for a stadium. (Sounds so familiar)

The team that broke the color barrier also broke the Mississippi barrier and of course moved to LA. There are still a lot of Brooklyn residents and former residents (like my Dad) that have never forgiven the move or lost interest in baseball entirely.

Here are some recent articles regarding this anniversary. NY Mag or USA Today.

It's a good day.

Ever since ESPN began broadcasting three games on opening day it has become an official holiday for me. I always take it off from work, no matter what. It is truly the one day a year for me and I hold it sacred. I put on my new Yankees cap (must have a new one for each season) and just sit and watch something I have been denied for the past 5-6 months.

This year it will be a little different. I WILL NOT be working or in front of the 46" wide screen, I will be at Wrigley Field for opening day. The best man from my wedding called yesterday and said he had four tickets. And he asked if I would like to go. The nerve. All I could think of is why are you asking. I thought he knew me. He was my best man.

So Monday I will be well chilled in the old musty stadium at Addison and enjoying the first day of what promises to be an exciting season. Pictures to follow.

Sure baseball games can get boring. And it is always nice to see some mammories in the cheap seats, but who would think there would be a DVD collection of such things. I know if mlb.com put that on their website to sell it would be successful.

"Girls gone Wild, from Comerica Park"

So here are the details of the pending litigation.

Tigers photographers routinely shot inappropriate "soft core videos" of female fans at baseball games, a sexual harassment suit by Comerica Park's former scoreboard operator claims.

"We believe there is no merit to the allegations," Karen Cullen, spokeswoman for team owner Mike Ilitch, said Wednesday.

The videos were "freely and openly shown in the scoreboard area to all employees and supervisors on almost a regular basis," and are stored in a room behind the scoreboard, Reanen Maxwell of Beverly Hills says in her Wayne Circuit Court lawsuit, which was filed Feb. 22.

The "continued showing of the soft core videos" created a hostile work environment in violation of the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act, the suit claims. Maxwell is requesting damages in excess of $25,000 on each of four counts, plus at least that much in exemplary damages, costs and attorney fees.

Back to Japan for MLB for a couple of real games, the A's and Red Sox are tied in the 9th following a homerun in that frame by rookie Brandon Moss, who started only because JD Drew was a late scratch from the line-up. Seems pretty exciting there. The most annoyed people in the country are A's fans and owners of Huston Street, who just blew the save.

Oh, and it still kinda blows counting these games, but whatever. Baseball will do what baseball will do. But Steve Phillips would do well to stop bleating "There's nothing like Opening Day". Yeah, that's true. When, ya know, it actually FEELS like Opening Day. Counting two games in Japan that begin at 6:00 am est doesn't really capture the Opening Day feeling.

Just sayin'.

...about re-signing with Yankees and firing Beelzebub (Scott Boras). Here goes:

"So to make the right decision just feels really good," Rodriguez said, "versus being taken down a road where I'm like, 'Oh, my God, where am I? Oh, $400 million to play in some place I hate? Great, I'll blow my --- head off.' "I wanted to remain a Yankee and for once I put my money where my mouth was. It felt good to make a decision on my own and execute it - to deal with Hank and Hal (Steinbrenner) on a one-on-one basis and get a deal done. "If people want to question why I did it, I don't care because it made me happy. If I had gone to Team X, Y or Z, it wouldn't have made me happy. It would have been because Scott wanted me to go - it would have been for the most money. And then I'm always going to be known as a guy who always wanted the most money."

Well, we certainly wouldn't want anyone to blow their heads off over being stuck somewhere with $400 million dollars, so, glad he didn't that THAT particular cross to bear. And, I am not sure that staying in New York for just under $300 million will really drop the tag of him as plays-for-money guy, but I guess he can always hope.

"My wife and daughter both love New York," said A-Rod. "Four days after I opted out (and was living in Miami), my daughter says, 'I really miss my bedroom and my toys in New York.' I wanted to shoot myself. I said to my wife, 'What the --- are we doing?'

When it was suggested that some players never put such personal considerations ahead of the best deal, A-Rod nodded. "That was me - and now it's not," he said. "That's the difference between being 24 and 32. And that's what I'm proud of."

Wow, Rogriguez cusses as much as I do. Which is saying something. At any rate, I am still not sold that people are going to buy the sacrifice-to-stay-with-the-Yankees spin, but, hey have at it. At the least, this next part should make Rodriguez owners and Yankees fans happy:

"Once you start letting go a little bit, things start coming to you a little easier," A-Rod said. "They did for me last year. In the past, I've always said, 'I have to do this and I have to do that,' mainly because of the expectations. Now I've come to a point where, if I get a hit with the bases loaded, cool, and if I don't, so what? Next at-bat. Or next game. People always want it to be about the .individual battle with me, but I just want to be part of this team, and I think that will help me get to where I want to go....

"I want to believe it's the same with me. If I had gone to Detroit or someplace and I don't win, people are going to hammer me, because there's no loyalty, and by moving again, I don't represent anything. Instead, I'm planting my roots here and saying I want to win with one team and represent something as a Yankee the rest of my career. I think it's the right way to do it."

Guess he's been stung by the mercenary tag over the years. And if he feels more comfortable at the plate as a Yankee, I would suspect we can expect his ridiculous numbers to continue to accumulated as he moves through his 30s. As for New York winning a World Series again? That is going to rest more on the development of Phillip Huges, Joba Chamberlin, and Ian Kennedy than on Rodriguez sustaining his excellence.

With regard to this post. No, the rebuttal is not from me. I think he was nails with that analysis. But, an argument that the Joe Nathan signing by the relatively payroll poor Twins was not insane? Read on:

"Joe Nathan's new limited contract trade clause actually makes the Twins' closer easier to swap at the deadline because of the cost uncertainty there would be if he were on his way to becoming a free agent, as he could have been after this season."

Meh. Or, he could blow out an elbow or cuff a shoulder and the Twins are stuck with a ridiculous amount of payroll in a closer. Or teams could decide they don't want to meet Minnesota's price were he on the market. Or the Twins could seriously think signing Natha to that contract was a good move and hold him. But perhaps there is some merit to the above thinking. Perhaps. Color me skeptical that the Twins make this signing make sense.

Perhaps you have been busy figuring out how Davidson ruined your bracket. Maybe you're an accountant who hasn't had time to breathe. Or you're a South Floridian fighting off gay Dominican gentlemen with a stick. In the meantime baseball players have been dropping like fat women in 100 degree heat.

• Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Chris Capuano was told Sunday that he has a torn ligament in his pitching elbow and will probably need Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career.

• Scott Rolen broke his finger during a fielding drill Sunday, and the Toronto Blue Jays' new third baseman might not be available for opening day.

• Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent (bad hammy) played in a simulated game Saturday and also did some light running, but likely won't be ready to play until next week at the earliest.

• Detroit Tigers center fielder Curtis Granderson was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday and will miss opening day.

• If Duaner Sanchez isn't ready to break camp with the Mets, and it's certainly possible, it would seem that the next reliever in line would be Rule 5 pick Steven Register from the Rockies.

• Sean Henn may not be on the team but is still a Yankee because there is a chance he opens the season on the disabled list with a tender left shoulder.

• A new injury has forced the Red Sox specialized Japanese-only roster to be re-jiggered the day before the season opens.

Sean Casey's stiff neck, which came from the plane ride over here, has forced him to be one of the three players on the inactive list. He will be joined by Mike Timlin and Tim Wakefield.

• On Thursday the Brewers placed pitcher Randy Choate on the 15-day disabled list. On Friday the Brewers placed pitcher Yovani Gallardo on the 15-day disabled list. Ben Sheets cannot be far behind.

It appears that sometime this weekend Minnesota Twins General Manager Bill Smith will give a definitive answer of "Yes!" to the question "are you in over your head as a major league general manager?" by signing Joe Nathan to a 4 year contract extension worth $11-$12MM per season. Nathan is a great reliever but it's an ugly, ugly move for a team that can't afford to make bad financial decisions. The following are my three initial reasons; as time passes I'm sure I'll come up with atleast a dozen more so perhaps addendums will follow.

Current Roster Composition:
I like to mock Chicago GM Kenny Williams for the seeming lack of cohesion between his various moves and his inability to view the White Sox in a realistic manner, but even he is probably shaking his head. Rarely will you see a team contradict itself as Minnesota will by extending their 33 year old closer a couple of months after trading one of the best players in baseball for a package of prospects. I think it's fair to say that on the day the 2007 season ended, the Twins had a 6 player core of Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Torii Hunter, Johan Santana, Francisco Liriano and Nathan. With Hunter a free agent and Santana and Nathan headed into walk years, a decision had to be made if they should cut the core in half and rebuild or try to keep everyone together and make a run. Given the strength of Cleveland and Detroit in the Central, Smith appeared to be heading in the right direction by trading Santana and letting Hunter (and valuable starter Carlos Silva) leave via free agency. The logical final step should have been trading Nathan either now or at the deadline to finish the veterans for young talent portion of the rebuilding (or "rebounding" in Smith's words) portion of this project. Instead, Smith is forking over $40-$50MM to keep Nathan on.

Continue reading "Bill Smith Is Probably Awful ..." »

Dontrelle Willis so far in Detroit? Sucking:

"Tigers pitcher Dontrelle Willis' honesty was more evident than his skill Friday. Following a wild outing in which the left-hander allowed five runs on seven hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings in the Tigers' 5-3 loss to the Blue Jays, Willis admitted, "I was terrible." On the heels of the Tigers' seventh consecutive loss, Jim Leyland agreed. "You can't pitch like that," the manager said. "Nobody can." His first spring with Detroit hasn't been the best for Willis, who's walked 10 and allowed nine earned runs in his last 8 2/3 innings. "I have to do a better job of going out there and making guys hit the ball," he said. "It doesn't matter how hard you throw, I just want guys to swing and swing early. I haven't been doing that. "I never shy away from calling it as I see it. ... I just didn't do my job today. It could have been a whole lot worse, but that doesn't mean I can't do my job. "I feel strong, though. I would tell you if I didn't."

Yuck.

Felipe Lopez benched in Washington? Likely. Which is why he is being shopped. Surprisingly, there may be a team or two interested. The latest rumor? The Cubs. Wait until they find out he can't hit.

Joe Crede really going to block Josh Fields for the White Sox? Apparently. Turns out teams were NOT actually interested in beating down Chicago's door to get to a post-back operation on-the-wrong-side-of-30 Crede. Huh. Who could have seen THAT coming?

Cut Washington erstwhile opening day starter John Patterson can't break a pane of glass with his fastball? Assuming he has the command to hit the pane of glass? Not exactly a good scouting report. But apparently not one that bothers the Astros, who are kicking those flat tires.

Patterson, the Washington Nationals' opening-day starter last year, has been limited to 15 starts the past two seasons because of arm injuries. He underwent surgery in September to repair a nerve problem. Wade said any possible deal with Patterson, 30, would hinge on him passing a physical and that he would be sent to Class AAA Round Rock to rehabilitate. "He needs time, from what I understand," Wade said.

Uh, yeah. "Time". By time, Wade hopefully means "8 years ago".

And, finally, from the SF Giants files, they seem to realize that there team is going to be, um, awful. At the least, they are trying to do something about it. Course, if they won't deal either Matt Cain or Tim Lincecum, it's not likely they will be able to start fixing what ails them. Jeebus but they are bad. At any rate, given that you can shake a tree and a first baseman falls out of it, it is absolutely amazing that they are just now realizing they are the one baseball team with players over the age of 12 in the entire world that does not actually have a decent first baseman. Anywhere. Which leads them to beg the Angels for Casey Kotchman. From the Chronicle:

"No match," Angels General Manager Tony Reagins said. "Not now."

The Giants are looking for ways to improve a roster that has failed to meet limited expectations while slogging through the Cactus League schedule. They managed just four hits - all singles - in an 8-1 loss to the Angels at Tempe on Thursday. At 6-17-2, they have the worst exhibition record in the major leagues. Their .253 batting average is the lowest in the Cactus League, and their 7.11 ERA is the worst in the majors. They haven't been so hot catching the ball, either. Lacking Omar Vizquel's stabilizing play at shortstop, their infield continues to look a fright. Third baseman Eugenio Velez committed an error on a routine grounder hit right to him when he inexplicably sidestepped it and tried to field on a backhand.

"We need to turn it up here," Giants Manager Bruce Bochy said. "We're not even playing decent ball. We've talked about it. We've addressed it numerous times. . . . You see it. The guys are taking a ton of groundballs every day. "We've got to keep working here. Believe me, we're aware we're not winning games. We'd like to win some in the next week here. But the last thing we need to do is start hanging heads."

Hee. For funsies, if you are bored this weekend waiting for the season to start, pick up the 2008 Baseball Prospectus and peruse the organization section on the Giants along with the biting write-ups on various Giants players. To answer their question at one point, no, it is NOT too early to begin to use the verb, "to Sabean".

Turns out my irritation with Jayson Stark is significantly lessened when he says nice things about the Reds. OK, and he says nice things about other teams' prospects too. But I don't care about them quite so much.

Yeah, I am a whore. I think I am okay with that. Then again, it has been so long since good things were written about Reds pitching prospects that it doesn't matter where I can get it, as long as I can get it.

And Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez are cut from a different pitching cloth than we have seen in Cincy in awhile. At the least, it will no longer be Harang, Arroyo and flich with horror-o in Cincy this season.

"We're going to leave, but we're not leaving our memories," Tommy Lasorda told them in a pregame address, pausing between sentences. Later, he reflected: "In all probability, I'll never be here again."

In no other sport does history mean as much as it does in baseball. Who better to have the last word on Dodgertown than the voice of the Dodgers, Vin Scully:

"There's probably no place in the world that holds more memories for me,'' Scully said."

No higher praise than that.