Braves acquire 2B Red Schoendienst from the New York Giants for INF Danny O’Connell, RHP Ray Crone, and OF Bobby Thomson, June 15, 1957.

Red apparently was the Brian Roberts of his day, not necessarily the best hitter or defender among second basemen, but probably the best all-around player at the position. (Okay, that would actually be Chase Utley, but don’t worry about that.)

A close 3rd is the Cardinals getting Lou Brock and two other guys in 1964. Teixeira (this year) and Manny also make the top 10, and almost all of the top 15 spots are from the past 20 years, many from the past five years.

Full article.

Uhh, sorry, I forgot. I also got a big ESPN banner (like the ones they hang at games) signed by a lot of their anchors and hosts. It’s from John Seibel, who hosts the SportsNation radio show. His wife went to high school with my wife, and when they came to visit me after my accident he brought that as a gift. It’s huge.

You know, sometimes it pays to get in a near-fatal car accident. (Emphasis on the sometimes.)

No, I did not. I knew nothing of Highland (or any other MOAC school) until I started teaching there 5 years ago. Where did you go to school?

Hello Cols714,

In Garko’s defense, he did rebound in the last month or so of the season.

Moreover, however, it’s likely LaPorta will start at AAA to begin 2008. Recall Adam Miller’s excellent 2007 Spring Training, yet he didn’t make the ballclub. Granted, Miller had an arm/shoulder issue in 2006, but recall that LaPorta struggled a bit coming over to Cleveland, likely due to all the happenings occurring in his life (grandfather’s funeral, he and his girlfriend finding a home, the Olympics, the beaning in the Olympics, etc.).

Besides, it won’t hurt him to spend a half-season or so in AAA, a level he hasn’t experienced yet. With the depth of 1B we have now in the system, I’ll be surprised if Garko/Martinez doesn’t start the season at 1B next year. The only way I see Garko NOT being a part of that pair is if Garko gets traded for something OTHER than a 1B (we need to keep it open for Laporta/Mills/even Weglarz, who was originally a 1B coming up through the system, though of course, only one of the three can be the Indians future 1B).

Presuming Martinez spends time there next season, I’m not sure they’ll trade Shoppach unless a great offer comes along – Shoppach will keep Martinez fresh, and hopefully, healthy to allow him to have a big year, which will be very helpful to the offense, especially if Hafner doesn’t find his old form (and that’s something I’m not confident in at this point).

Just my 2 cents.

It’s all on the MLB website.

Jay is right. We have four guys who can probably only play three positions: LF,1B, and DH. That’s assuming they can outplay the veterans who occupy those positions now. None of these four appear to be outstanding defensively, so it may not matter if LaPorta is LF, 1B or DH.

LaPorta is the fastest mover of those guys. Obviously if they all pan out moves are going to be made but I don’t see the point in lowering LaPorta’s value when we have a similar player who can play 1b in one or two years. If Weglarz pans out and Choo keeps hitting, or Brantley emerges, then you can talk about DHing Mills or LaPorta and putting the other at 1b. But I don’t see the rush to put LaPorta at a position that would lower his value to the team (or to potential suitors if somehow all these guys end up panning out).

What could the impasse be that is resolved by this aspect of the deal? My problem is only that this is way too generous to the Brewers.

I’m trying to think of an example:

1) Mark says he wants LaPorta and Brantley. Doug says that’s too much. Shapiro says that’s what it will take. Doug says if he does that and doesn’t make the post season it will ruin them (both b/c of the lack of postseason dollars and the crappiness of the trade). It’s at this point that I’d expect Shapiro to say, “what’s that go to do with me?” instead of, “okay, here’s your safety net: if you don’t make the post season we’ll take Green”)

2) Doug offers LaPorta and Green. Mark is enticed, but reluctant to deal CC a month before the deadline for only this. Doug tells him this is probably as good of a deal as you’re going to get. Mark still hesitates. Melvin, worried that he’ll lose CC, says, “okay, we’ll make it Brantley, but only if we get to the post season”, giving Mark a guy he never thought he could get… ?

Eh, it’s pure conjecture…

Not to mention, I thought I remembered Antonetti saying the PTBNL status of the fourth guy was specifically part of the value for the Indians in the deal… in the sense the extra couple of months they got to pick the right guy was valuable for the Indians (in exchange for the Brewers getting a month’s more starts out of CC). Does anyone else remember them making this argument?

He’s got his good points, but also definitely his bad points.

In some ways, he deserves to be treated as harshly as Cashman, as he’s working with a huge payroll relative to his division.

He appears to be an idiot savant. Good moves: Quentin, Danks, Alexei. But plenty of bad or oddball moves: Griffey, 2007’s power bullpen,

Remember Mike Sirotka? He snookered Gord Ash, and after that I was surprised anyone would do business with him. He does have a large payroll, and can piss away a lot of money on guys who don’t work out. But he has made some smart moves.

Yeah, I agree with you that there was obviously something going on. I guess Isaac is a likable guy, and Bill and Paul liked him, but I can’t believe their harshness. But maybe they know something we don’t know.

During a Passover Seder, the youngest child asks a series of questions about “why is this night different than any other night.”

Since Yom Kippur starts at sundown tonight, I was trying to juxtapose the two ideas.

I don’t see that phrase in there, although I do see “different degrees of speed.” It’s kind of frightening to read 2000 words you have no recollection of writing. Anyway, players who can make a real impact with speed are both rare and exciting, and of course that makes them interesting.

I see my contribution to Taveras’ Wiki entry is still intact: “Taveras is an exceptionally poor power hitter, producing the lowest slugging percentage among all regular major league outfielders for both the 2005 and 2006 seasons.”

I’m not sure what comment about Frank you mean in particular, but I still basically think of him the same way I have for years. I can see great things are possible for him, yet good things are never all that likely.

ah good point about his speed impacting his baBIP, speedier guys usually have higher baBIP as a result of their ability to make it to first base quicker.

All you guys are going to find out, he doesn’t need to trade anything for power other than his youth. He can stay the same kind of hitter and he’ll hit 25 home runs by age 25. Who wants to make a wager on nit?

And to echo some of the above statements, Brantley will hit for more power just by getting older.