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News and Notes

10125965_1__tiny by Ryan on in News

Given their roster makeup, the Indians can afford to keep Andy Marte with the major-league club, but he'll make it in a reserve role:

The Indians, keeping in mind the hard lesson they learned when they sent Brandon Phillips to the Reds two years ago, don't appear inclined to deal Marte before the end of camp. The plan is for him to grab a spot on the big league bench, backing up Casey Blake at third and perhaps even getting into the mix at first base.

After hitting .275/.372/.506 in AAA at the age of 21, Marte's regressed the past two seasons. Injuries and a couple of poor major-league stints makes this season extremely important both for Marte and the Indians. He's only 24 years old, and  current third baseman Casey Blake is only signed through this season, so Andy remains the long-term solution at the hot corner. But he'll have to win the job playing only sporadically. And third base is really his only opportunity to play, since the Indians aren't going to want to sit Ryan Garko or Victor Martinez that often.

Shin-Soo Choo, who is also out of options, won't be able to play in the field until May, though he's hitting now. Like third base, left field isn't a settled position, so I would imagine the Indians will make sure Choo's rehab is very thorough, if you know what I mean.

Eric Wedge will go with seven pitchers in the bullpen:

The Indians have declared one spot open in a bullpen that led the American League in saves and winning percentage last year. Tom Mastny, who pitched so well against Boston in the ALCS, is at the head of a long line for that job. Other candidates include Edward Mujica, Rick Bauer, Matt Ginter, Jeff Harris and Jorge Julio, who has yet to report to camp.

Whoever loses out shouldn't feel that disappointed, for bullpens almost never keep the same configuration over the course of a season, let alone a month. I'm partial to Edward Mujica over the long haul, but Mastny seems to be a better fit for long relief.

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Re: News and Notes
i'm a fan of milking options as they provide back-up plans and prefer mastny get some work in buffalo anyway.  remember when it seemed like he'd go weeks between appearances?

i hope julio gets a shot and mastny is waiting ready when someone roberto hernandezes himself out of town or when a perez or someone have some troubles - performance or injury wise.

every time they say someone has reported to camp 10-15 pounds lighter i hope they mention perez packed on 2 or 3, which has to be what, like 20% of his body weight...

by Brick. on Feb 18, 2008 11:50 PM EST   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Hmm, several thoughts:

  1. Mastny's performance against Boston ought to go down in Tribe lore -- but expecting anything like that on a regular basis is asking too much.  I realize, of course, that the last man in the pen is not going to be eating up high-leverage spots, but it's also easy to get drunk on one legendary game.

  2. Brick touched on weight; I'm constantly wondering about those kinds of reports.  It seems that every spring, EVERY player is "reporting to camp in the best shape of their life!"  

Every spring, (insert player here) has spent the offseason (on a new nutrition program / working out with a team of trainers / doing wind sprints on Dominican beaches / eating bricks of HGH)!

Anyway, cheers to spring training.

by tabler84 on Feb 19, 2008 7:45 AM EST   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Speaking of weight - isn't Pedro Marinez starting to look a lot like Ronnie Belliard lately?  
"the most vehement Yankee-hating guy I know" - Jay

by mauichuck on Feb 19, 2008 8:01 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
I heard Pedrioa reported to camp 20 lbs more douchey and 5 lbs more flukey.

by gte619n on Feb 19, 2008 8:13 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Dude, why do you even post on this site?  It's like you're not even a real Red Sox fan.  Maybe you should take this drivel on down to the road to LetsGoTribe or someplace ...

... oh, wait ...

by Jay on Feb 19, 2008 9:14 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Jay, I know how strongly you feel about Pedroia, and as a way to say thanks for running such a great site, I promise, to do my very best, and at every possible turn, remind everyone that Pedroia is really, truly, without question, the douchiest of the douchey.

THIS, is my promise to you.

by gte619n on Feb 19, 2008 4:01 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
  1. It is funny how the ALCS performance fits in with the post-2006 mentality that maybe he's a potential closer, isn't it?

  2. Not every player.  Hector Luna comes to mind.

by Jay on Feb 19, 2008 9:15 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
2.  And last year's Choo.

by dgcambridge on Feb 19, 2008 10:58 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Is that from this year?!
Burn on, big river, burn on...

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 19, 2008 3:55 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Don't try this before dinner but.......

Imagine CC in a similar jersey.

"the most vehement Yankee-hating guy I know" - Jay

by mauichuck on Feb 19, 2008 3:58 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Yeah, but we all know CC is fat. I didn't know Captain Asshat was such a tubb.
Burn on, big river, burn on...

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 19, 2008 4:44 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Is that from this year?!

Yep!

by mkwng on Feb 19, 2008 4:17 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
MENTAL TOUGHNESS!

by Brick. on Feb 19, 2008 4:20 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
He's starting to look like a CY Young winner.

by jhon on Feb 19, 2008 4:29 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
I love all of you.
Sizemore-Shapiro 2008. The Official Red Bull of Let's Go Tribe Game Threads.

by Gradyforpresident on Feb 19, 2008 5:24 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Well, I'm happy for the confirmation that Shapiro learned his lesson with BP.  Mistakes happen, but the smart GM's don't make them again and giving up on your organization's highly regarded young players without giving them a solid chance is a mistake.  Hopefully, Marte can make this whole situation irrelevant with a great camp but at least they're willing to give him a shot to prove his worth.

by Ghostof WillHartley on Feb 19, 2008 10:25 AM EST   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
I think we stopped talking about Phillips many months and many many comments ago, but it is not accurate to say that he wasn't given a solid chance.  Not that I think the decision was the correct one.

Now, Will Hartley, he never got a chance.

by dgcambridge on Feb 19, 2008 11:01 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Nor did he deserve one.

What a brutal draft that was:
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/teams/draft/cleveland-indians-1999.shtml

Man, all those Hart drafts were just horrendous, with the exception of CC in '98.

by mrich on Feb 19, 2008 4:59 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
I'm the biggest Marte doubter out there, but I have come around to thinking that in an analytic world, he should probably get most of the playing time at 3B over Blake.

Why? Is it because now I believe Marte will hit like is proponents have been saying? Hardly. My guess is that his BA will be about 40 points below Blake's with equal isolated power and walks. That is pretty  far below Blake.

No, the difference is that Blake's defense at 3B is pretty horrible (mainly range), while Marte is above average. Looking at David Pinto's numbers, I think it is conservative that Marte will turn 25 more batted balls into outs than Blake (mainly this is Blake's ineptness, not Marte's greatness).  (Aside: Remember 3 years ago, the tribe signed Aaron Boone because they did not like Blake's defense at third. And now it is passable 3 years later?) This makes up for a lot of batting average at the plate, and makes Blake and Marte about equal in 08. With the age difference and option situation, Marte should get the nod.

Note that this is very unlikely to happen, as the real world is not the analytic world, and you can't shuffle players around like chess pieces, besides the love Wedge has for Blake and the obvious disdain for Marte. Anyway, the win difference between the players in 08 is probably less than 1. Also in either case, 3B will be like LF (and RF?) for the tribe in the sense that it will be manned by below average performers. Hopefully Beau Mills or Wes Hodges has a breakout year in 08, so we won't have to suffer through a another year of weak 3B performance in 09.

by oxforddave on Feb 19, 2008 11:10 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
the tribe signed Aaron Boone because they did not like Blake's defense at third. And now it is passable 3 years later?

You make a bunch of interesting comments here, and this is the one that even many serious fans seem to lose sight of.  Blake looked really good upon switching back to third base in April, we all saw that, but it didn't last, and looking good isn't the same as being effective anyway.  The idea that his defense can somehow be better at age 34 than it was at age 30 is simply not credible, and by the way, it was very bad at age 30.

PECOTA's take on their hitting is 767 for Blake and 720 for Marte, pretty similar to your prediction with just a little less difference between the two.  Over 600 PA, you're right, it's less than a 1 win difference.

by Jay on Feb 19, 2008 1:36 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
So I wonder, then, what the argument in favor of playing Marte sporadically is, as opposed to giving him the majority of the playing time or trading him?  Using him as a reserve probably won't generate projectable statistics nor will it increase his trade-value as time goes along.  We've also seen some indication that he's a slow starter, so why prevent him from getting started?  Maybe there's a Peralta-style slide-into-the-job planned?

by FranklinScott on Feb 19, 2008 1:51 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
So I wonder, then, what the argument in favor of playing Marte sporadically is, as opposed to giving him the majority of the playing time or trading him?

There's no real-world justification for starting Marte over Blake except for defense. Marte hit .267/.309/.457 in AAA last season, and that was after an awful stretch in Cleveland. Translate those numbers to the majors, and it's below replacement-level.

Now when you bring other things into the decision-making process (age, service time, etc), then you could begin to justify it. But it would still be a rather large leap of faith to do it, especially considering the high regard Blake is held in by Shapiro and Wedge.

But you have to think that everyone on the Indians knows that Andy Marte at third base is the best thing for the team going forward. The trick is in the exexcution. Of course, if Marte stinks again, then there isn't much you can do.

by Ryan on Feb 19, 2008 2:21 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Exactly.  720 may be the best average projection for next year, but really, would we be surprised to see 900 or 650?  I no longer have any idea how Marte will shake out.  So one justification for sticking with Blake is to gain more information on where Marte is at.  

by dgcambridge on Feb 19, 2008 2:49 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
900 would surprise me.  My area of not surprise would be in the 600-800 range.

by APV on Feb 19, 2008 2:51 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
I concur totally (doctor).  I would be immensely pleased with an 800 OPS but not shocked.

by Jay on Feb 19, 2008 9:00 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Crap. I just let myself consider what would happen to the team if Marte became a star. Can't let myself DO that! It's too beautiful. And implausible.

by Voltaire on Feb 19, 2008 4:10 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Why'd you have to do that?  I was taking anything that Marte gave as a simple bonus, and now you have my hopes up too...  That is just cruel.

by Fundamentals on Feb 19, 2008 4:21 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Where can I go on record predicting good things from Marte? I just want to make sure that in the future, when we look back at who was in which camp, I am on the Marte does well side. If he bombs out, I will admit defeat.

by Roger Dorn on Feb 19, 2008 4:47 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Booooo Thome!

There, now when you link this at the end of the year everyone will see that too.

by Brick. on Feb 19, 2008 4:50 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Hilarious.
Sizemore-Shapiro 2008. The Official Red Bull of Let's Go Tribe Game Threads.

by Gradyforpresident on Feb 19, 2008 5:24 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Big big LOL over here ... best laugh I've had in quite a while.

by Jay on Feb 19, 2008 8:59 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
The thing to do is to bet a 6-pack on it.  Turk and I have a little bet going about this very thing.  I'm on Marte's side.

The obnoxious part is that one has to wait so long to find out who wins.  

When he was still a minor leaguer I once made a $50.00 bet that Eric Milton would win a Cy Young within 5 years. I owned one of his pitching videos and studied it closely.  People were calling him a left handed Greg Maddux.  A left-handed Maddux would surely win multiple Cy Youngs, I figured.  

by jhon on Feb 19, 2008 5:27 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Ya know the key, John, is not to study any of this stuff too closely, because it's not like any of us are real kinesiologists.  You have to stick to the meta-analysis, focus on figuring out which analysts are sharp and which prospect reporters get the best scoop from the scouts.  That way, if you turn out to be right, you still get to gloat, and if you turn out to be wrong, you don't really give a crap.

by Jay on Feb 19, 2008 8:58 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Utt oh.  So you're saying I should cancel the titanium implants??

I studied Milton (the pitcher, not the DWM) primarily to learn how to pitch.  Didn't work out; guess I'll have to make a career out of being correct about something instead.

The little I know about prospects I gather most intensely in Spring training, or as revealed on this site.  This time and the first couple months of the season is probably the peak of my pan-MLB fanaticism, which usual wanes through the summer months.

So, who's the next Big Thing?  I know it in my gut.

by jhon on Feb 19, 2008 9:50 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
**Meant to follow "Who's the next Big Thing?" with Jeff Stevens.

I have a habit of omission.

by jhon on Feb 19, 2008 9:52 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
I know, I know. I try to think of anything from him as a bonus, too. But then I started thinking about how while I was talking to class through a -10 windchill the Tribe was playing soft-toss down in Winter Haven and I got that rush that means baseball is BACK and, basically, some chemicals in my brain mixed in very dangerous ways.

by Voltaire on Feb 19, 2008 5:53 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
The question for me is, when do you decide that a guy stinks? After 100 AB's? At the all-star break? After a full season?

Last year, Kevin Kouzmanoff hit even worse than Barfield during April, putting up a .354 OPS. Had he been the Tribe third baseman, he would have demoted to Buffalo. The Padres stuck with him, largely because they had no attractive alternatives. His second half OPS: .890.

There is general agreement on this site that the Indians do not block prospects, but I believe that the club too often demands immediate success at the major league level.  

Marte should get an extended shot now. If he does not, a year from now he will be gone.

by Rochester on Feb 19, 2008 9:00 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
I don't think there is a general thing of blocking or not blocking prospects, I think it's very circumstantial.  As you point out with respect to KK, it was as much about the Padres' lack of options as anything else.  With BP, it had everything to do with Belliard being cheap, low-risk and relatively high-performing.  With Marte, it has everything to do with how handsome Blake looks in that uniform, and his big warm soft eyes, and that big goofy loveable grin ...

by Jay on Feb 19, 2008 9:03 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
If you take away the extra 20 outs that Blake's defense cost the tribe (this is conservative), and apply them to Blake's offense statistics (basically take away 15 singles and 5 doubles over 600PA), you get a 690 OPS for Blake (OUCH).

The corner outfield situation is below average, but players may step up (Choo, Francisco, Delucci, etc.). Third base is just ugly.

by oxforddave on Feb 19, 2008 2:23 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
We know Blake's a bad defender, but at this point he's all we have. Not until Marte can show he can actually hit major-league pitching.

I really haven't seen enough of Marte's defense to really make a good comparison, but the Indians keep saying they like his glove. If take that at face value, Andy isn't going to have to hit that well to justify him playing every day.

by Ryan on Feb 20, 2008 11:09 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Don't look know, but some team is about to get a lot grittier.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2008/news/story?id=3250820

Based on amount of sand alone, I'm going with Arizona.

by supermarioelia on Feb 19, 2008 6:33 PM EST   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Here's what I hope for.  Marte works with Shelton and gets more playing time over April.  Choo comes back after a injury stint int the minors.  We flip Blake to a National League team for a PTBNL.  Blake is an expensive man's Jeff Conine.  I still can't believe he got 6 million.  Let's think about it from this perspective, do you want to pay a 35 year old Blake 3/25 million next year?  That's probably what it would take and I DO NOT WANT TO WASTE THAT KIND OF MONEY IN 2009.  If you want any chance of CC coming back we need to find a way for Marte being our everyday 3B in 2009.  Or maybe Marte fails for the entire year and Barfield breaks through, again.  Here's another thought, would we have brought back Blake if one of these three were on our 25 man at the end of last year(Marte, Choo, And Barfield)?
Casey Blake gets 6 million!!! That fargin icehole!!!

by crackaddictwhit on Feb 19, 2008 11:06 PM EST   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus has his overview of the AL Central up on SI.com, and I've got to say...it sucks.  Hoynesian, perhaps.

A few "high"lights...

After losing most his playing time down the stretch, Josh Barfield was not expected to be brought back. However, the Indians still have him in camp...

Who didn't expect us to keep a 24-year old second baseman who isn't even arbitration eligible yet?  

The Indians, however, have enough question marks on the outfield corners -- populated largely by veteran fourth outfielders

This statement is made while highlighting Trevor Crowe's shot at making the club this year.  Really?  Trevor Crowe?  And by veteran 4th OFers he's presumably referring strictly to our LF platoon of Michaels and Dellucci, whose combined career R/L OPS split is over .820.  Since when do Gutierrez and Francisco count as veterans?

"originality" isn't high on the list of the traits of an otherwise solid management team

I'm not even sure what this is supposed to mean, but I believe the Indians have "originated" quite a few things, including a comprehensive in-house stats/scouting evaluation system.  

One move to make: Any, given how they spent the last four months.

Again, this is something I'd expect to see from a Tribe beat reporter.  You don't make moves so that people can have something interesting to talk about...you make moves because you have team needs or because advantageous opportunities present themselves.  

More and more, the AL's "Big Four" looks like a "Big Three."

Regressions a "noun", right?  Especially when you tied for the most wins in baseball last season.  Except maybe not so much when your team is young and and getting better...

Here's CLE vs. DET in terms of the age transition at each position from last year to this year:

C: CLE 27>28  DET 35>36
1B: CLE 26>27 DET 32>32 (Guillen replacing Casey)
2B: CLE 21>22 DET 31>32
SS: CLE 25>26 DET 31>32 (Renteria replacing Guillen)
3B: CLE 33>34 DET 30>25 (Miggy)
LF: CLE 40/31>34/32 DET 30>33 (Jones replacing Monroe)
CF: CLE 24>25 DET 26>27
RF: CLE 24>25 DET 33>34

The pitching staffs are somewhat similar in age.

Based simply on the age curves, which team would you expect to get bit more by a regressive curve?

by APV on Feb 20, 2008 10:08 AM EST   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Owned. Noun sportswriters.
Sizemore-Shapiro 2008. The Official Red Bull of Let's Go Tribe Game Threads.

by Gradyforpresident on Feb 20, 2008 11:49 AM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
i don't understand the trevor crowe prediction either.

this, however, from lastoria's recent "prospects that can help in 2008":

He is still earmarked for the left field job in 2009, and it is likely that the Indians will want to get an extended look at him in Cleveland sometime late this year, especially if his second half showing last year carries over into the start of this season.

by emil minty on Feb 20, 2008 12:46 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
I do not get the infatuation with Trevor Crowe. Quite simply, he isn't very good. Does he have some sort of Ecksteininess of which I am not aware?
I swear, next year is it.

by fwembt on Feb 20, 2008 1:47 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
I'm not going to go so far as to say he "isn't very good", but I agree with your general point.  At his best, he gets on base and is sort of fast.  Meanwhile, he spent most of last season hitting below .200.

by APV on Feb 20, 2008 2:02 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
he's got the "tools" to be a successful major leaguer, and i believe around the 05 draft and until a year after, he was compared to ellsbury.

by 7foot3 on Feb 20, 2008 2:34 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
you must be thinking of ty cobb.

by emil minty on Feb 20, 2008 2:35 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
He's got the skills to be a bad hitter and fringe center fielder, in Double-A, at age 23.  That is a very far cry from being a successful major leaguer.  As for his tools, I can't see thinking of him as toolsy.  He's supposed to have plus contact hitting and plus speed, along with solid fielding and throwing, adequate power at best.

That isn't crazy-toolsy to begin with, but when you consider there's no evidence of that plus contact hitting ... well, where's the tools?

by Jay on Feb 20, 2008 4:46 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
that was kind of sarcasm. scouts kind of like him because they expected him to do a bunch of things somewhat well, like you stated. he just hasn't turned it into actual results yet.

by 7foot3 on Feb 21, 2008 1:00 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
God bless that guy, but you know, the whole Swerbs thing is about the sheer volume of content, and Tony is no exception.  Great source of organized information, but analysis, not so much.

by Jay on Feb 20, 2008 4:40 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Note that in his previews of the AL East on BPro, he lauded the Red Sox & Yankees for not making any moves this offseason. I think people throw around the "biased sportswriter" thing a little too much, but this whole thing reads like he really doesn't know much about the Indians but had to write an article about them anyway.

by zempf on Feb 20, 2008 12:58 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
FWIW, the format of the article requires him to answer the "Wow, he's still here?" and "One move to make" questions, and if you had to answer either, his answers are defensible.  Not sure if the format was Joe's choice or was editorially mandated.  

by mkwng on Feb 20, 2008 2:37 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Wow, he's still here?
Aaron Fultz
Casey Blake
Jason Michaels
David Dellucci

...all options I would consider.  But our pre-arbitration middle-infielder a year removed from an impressive rookie campaign?  Odd choice.

One move to make?
Any answer but "any".  Obviously he goes into a few suggestions about corner OF/IF which are reasonable - but that reflexive "any move is better than nothing" is just ignorant.

by APV on Feb 20, 2008 2:41 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
I also love this caption on the picture: "Asdrubal Cabrera will have to fight for the second base job, though he has enough range to be the everyday shortstop."

He will? That's news to me. Another obvious sign that someone who knows little-to-nothing about the Tribe was asked to write an article comparing them to the rest of their division. And what the hell is that comment about the "Big Three" supposed to mean? For chrissakes, we were tied for the best record in baseball last year.

Burn on, big river, burn on...

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 20, 2008 3:05 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
He must mean, "The Big name three", or else he's really off the mark.

by jhon on Feb 20, 2008 3:32 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
He was off the mark with the "Big Four" comment as well. I mean who was he leaving off, the Angels?
Burn on, big river, burn on...

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 20, 2008 3:52 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
What a dolt. So the Tigers are in the big three because they won 88 games and made some trades, but we're out because we won 96 and did nothing. Absurd.
Burn on, big river, burn on...

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 20, 2008 3:58 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
BUT THAT WUZ B4 DONTRELL!!!

by jhon on Feb 20, 2008 4:09 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Man, you have been hanging out with Phil too much.

by Jay on Feb 20, 2008 4:39 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Oh you know you miss us, Jay.
Burn on, big river, burn on...

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 20, 2008 4:45 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Yo Phil, where'd you put the bottle opener?

by jhon on Feb 20, 2008 5:00 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
See that's why I go for the pull-tops.  No brewacus interuptus.
"the most vehement Yankee-hating guy I know" - Jay

by mauichuck on Feb 20, 2008 7:09 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
Ah crap, I threw it out the window with that last pile of bottles!
Burn on, big river, burn on...

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 20, 2008 10:37 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
I wasn't impressed with the article when I read it at BP a couple weeks ago, but I am not so sure it deserves FJM style criticism.  I am not Joe Sheehan's biggest fan, but he is one of the guys that "gets it".  While that doesn't make him immune from criticism, I would think he would be cut a little slack. You have to take this stuff for what it is, a brief overview of every team. Most of the criticism seems trivial and based on the fact that he likes the Tigers better.  While I like the Indians chances better, I don't think its an indefensible decision to take the Tigers.    

by ClarkM on Feb 20, 2008 5:01 PM EST to parent up   0 recs

Re: News and Notes
BP writers in general, and Joe and Christina in particular, have a bad habit of getting sloppy with the details of any individual team's specific circumstances.  Over and over again, they fail to account with any nuance for the real-world factors and options faced by a real GM in making any specific decision.  It's a downside of stat-heavy analysts getting too big for their britches.

It's one thing to say, factually, I'm not sure why they're bringing Barfield back.  It's quite another to say, disingenuously, that he was "expected" to be gone.  "Expected" in this case means that the author thought about it carelessly for about ten seconds, four months ago, and that's not what the reader will think it means.

by Jay on Feb 20, 2008 5:12 PM EST to parent up   0 recs