The Major League Baseball Post

[b rob 21]

The O's have the talent and potential to be very good soon we just have to pray no injuries come up...............

Im excited for the season tho i go to about 20 games a year sittin in the 2110 eutaw street section

watched matusz's last start of the year last year and he started with 4 perfect innings against the indians dude is disgusting

also watch out for my boy Mike Flacco (Joes little brother) i played college ball with him dude had about 10-15 pro scouts recording his batting practice every day lol he can rake!

 

[DeadsetAce]

Originally Posted by Al3xis

Think about this: a closer only enters a game for one inning in games when teams are up by 3 or less runs. How much impact does that have in a game really?

honestly, you've just probably been spoiled by Nathan.

Not having a good closer is a nightmare.

nathan is a 30-40 save guy. you have to figure at least 5-10 of those wins would be blown by anyone else you guys run out there. 5-10 games can make a big difference at the end of the year.

 

[N41D]

Damn it I had a long reply written out and it didn't post... I hate Yuku...

Anyways, Allen is right... Having a guy like Joe Nathan, Jon Papelbon, or Mariano Rivera is easy to take for granted because they only pitch in about a third of a team's games and only throw about 70 innings a year... But life without those kinds of guys isn't fun.

Nathan is worth 2+ wins above replacement level, third highest on their entire staff... The Twins are going to have to count on guys like Rauch and Mijares to seriously outperform what they did last year to replace Joe Nathan, and when dealing with non-elite relievers, the year-to-year variation in performance is fairly high... It'll be interesting...

I don't care how you want to try and rationalize it... It's a huge, huge loss.

 

[CP1708]

Losing your closer is a more important loss then havin a horrible kicker in the NFL. 

All the talent in the world on an NFL team, and if the kicker misses the crucial kick, it all goes for not. 

Your team works for 8.5 innings to score runs and hold leads, guy comes in and gives up a 2 run homer just like that, whole team is frustrated. 

It's big. 

 

[651akathepaul]

Originally Posted by Nowitness41Dirk

Damn it I had a long reply written out and it didn't post... I hate Yuku...

Anyways, Allen is right... Having a guy like Joe Nathan, Jon Papelbon, or Mariano Rivera is easy to take for granted because they only pitch in about a third of a team's games and only throw about 70 innings a year... But life without those kinds of guys isn't fun.

Nathan is worth 2+ wins above replacement level, third highest on their entire staff... The Twins are going to have to count on guys like Rauch and Mijares to seriously outperform what they did last year to replace Joe Nathan, and when dealing with non-elite relievers, the year-to-year variation in performance is fairly high... It'll be interesting...

I don't care how you want to try and rationalize it... It's a huge, huge loss.

I'm in agreement. I think Rauch and Mijares and co. can do a great job, but the opportunity cost of that is it expands their roles and takes a way some depth to the bullpen.

 

[jpzx]

You lost me here... Anything that costs you 5-10 games in the wrong direction IS catastrophic...
The reason I said it is not catastrophic is because I believed (before the Nathan injury) that the Twins were already 5-10 games better than the rest of the AL Central with the additions they made this past off-season:

-Adding Orlando Hudson (Amazing first half in 2009, made the NL All-Star team).
-Adding J.J. Hardy (Many are predicting that last year was a fluke since history shows that it is unheard of for guys to regress in what should be their prime years).
-"Adding" Pat Neshek (Terrific for the Twins before the 2008 injury that lead to surgery; is almost like signing a new player due to the fact that he has been gone for so long).
-Adding what I'm hearing is an underrated reliever from the Phillies in Clay Condrey.
-Keeping Carl Pavano.

The Twins didn't lose anybody to FA and instead added some quality players that should be able to propel the team to the top of the Central. The Twins won the division last season with injury-riddled starting pitching, disaster bullpen, Morneau out for a month, Mauer out for a month, etc. Due to that, I already felt they were 5-10 games better than other teams in the Central, but now they have lose that perceived "edge" I had given them without Nathan.

*I don't want anybody to think I'm downplaying this, because I'm not. It's a crucial hit but since I already felt on paper that the Twins were so much better than the rest of the AL Central I don't believe this injury means they are out of anything yet. I think it brings them to even with the White Sox and possibly the Tigers (but I don't think Detroit will amount to anything this season).

SI's Jon Heyman is speculating that Minnesota might be trading Glen Perkins for Toronto's Jason Frasor to fill the closer role. I don't know much about Frasor, though.
There were also some other rumors that Minnesota might sign Jarrod Washburn and then move Liriano into the closer role. No thanks on Washburn though.

 

[651akathepaul]

Frasor would be a good option. It's only filling that void for this year so I'm for that.

JPZ, just curious, but why the nasty face towards Washburn? He pitched very very well last year.

 

[N41D]

Rangers blog I read has been speculating the Rangers may try to do something with Minnesota to get another utility guy since Khalil's head exploded...

 

[jpzx]

Originally Posted by 651akathePaul

JPZ, just curious, but why the nasty face towards Washburn? He pitched very very well last year.

He was solid in Seattle for the first part of last season but he had the league's top defense behind him. At the deadline he was traded to Detroit and laid an absolute egg. I know there was a rumor out there that he was injured during that time but I'm not buying that.

Plus, I believe that Liriano is much better suited for a starter than a closer. I mean, what did Liriano show last season to make anyone believe he has the make-up to be closer? If there was even one little hiccup in one of his outings the whole thing would unravel. You can't have that in a closer. A closer needs to be a guy on the mound who can perservere and not get rattled when thrown into pressure situations.

Maybe it's more that I don't want Liriano as a closer than Washburn as a starter...

 

[651akathepaul]

I hear ya. Washburn to me has always sort of been that tailor made Twin in the fact that he's not a big name and not flashy but very serviceable and the type of guy the Twins typically value.

Liriano is such a toss-up right now. I agree that he hasn't shown anything to warrant him being a closer, but I also wonder if those who want him to stay away from the bullpen think that only because they remember what Liriano did as a starter. We might have to face the fact that those days are long gone. I like your reasoning, just questioning what others in the Twins network think.

If they land Frasor though, then I think that would be a nice reserve relief man so-to-speak. Not that Frasor is a guaranteed placement holder for Nathan, but because he gives them another arm to plug-in somewhere else if they find a closer somewhere else in their roster.

 

[stringer bell 32]

Originally Posted by Proshares

I don't really see the White Sox or Tigers that much better than each other. Pretty much even to me. I just think Detroit's offense will push them to the division crown.

CWS bullpen is pretty solid but the rotation needs a lot to go right w/Peavy, Buehrle putting up another solid year and Garcia. Danks and Floyd are great young kids. But their offense just looks weak to me. Still gotta see if Quentin was a one year wonder. Rios is awful. Jones isn't an everyday man. Pierre isn't anything special. Konerko is getting up there. I dunno. I wouldn't say they're considerably better than the Tigers at all.

Losing the likes of Granderson, Jackson, Lyon, Rodney and Polanco put this team way behind the 8 ball from the jump.

The White Sox offense is going to be intresting because this team unlike previous years will be able to go from first to third on a single. The past 3 or 4 seasons its been home run or nothing cause of guys like Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome. I think this team is going to be more aggressive running the bases because they are more athletic and younger.

Starting pitching wise, thats not a concern really. The Sox had great starting pitching last season with the likes of Bartolo Colon, Jose Contrereas and Clayton Richard starting for them.  A full year of Jake Peavy isn't going to be an improvement?

White Sox have some legit concern though like the DH.

Quentin andd Rios are definitely the lynchpin for the Sox success in 2010.

 

[proshares]

Can you count on a full year of Jake Peavy though? He sounds very optimistic and has looked good in the spring but we need to see him put in some innings first.

What happened to Greene Dirk?

 

[651akathepaul]

Just booked me opening day tix at Safeco for Seattle vs. Oakland. Also got me some good seats in right field for the Twins game in Seattle. There's bound to be a bomb hit my way with the Twins lefty rich lineup.

 

[kiddin like jason]

Ben Sheets' "outing" today: 8 hits, 10 runs (9 earned), 1 walk, 0 strikeouts...

0 outs recorded...

 

[CP1708]

^
Least it was only 9 earned.   

 

 

[wildkycat]

 that's not easy to do.  they gave that dude alot of money, too.

 

[CP1708]

What are ya'll's thoughts on this "story" that the Phillies are talking about a Howard for Pujols deal? 

 

I get the money reasons for STL to at least think on it for a minute, but, really? 

Although, I did like how it was leaked on Philly's end.  Nice. 

 

[wildkycat]

I'm all for it!  get that monster out of our division.  but if they paid Matt Holiday that money, why wouldn't they just trade him and keep Albert if they don't think they can afford both?

 

[proshares]

I thought the story was a crock of %!@@ to be honest. Unless they were 100% certain that he was not going to sign an extension.

 

[wearinthefourfive]

For reference, Sheets' ERA in Spring:

2004: 7.86
2005: 8.10
2006: 27.04
2007: 6.08
2008: 6.55

 

[jayt206]

^^Haha, spring training is really a warm-up for pitchers. You should never look too seriously at the numbers their first few games. I mean some aces get hammerred their first few outings in spring training. In other news Cliff Lee got thrown out of the game today vs. the Dbacks for throwing at a player. I mean he got that mad in a spring training game? You gotta be kidding me.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

In AA I trust.

Apparently we got Cuban defector Adeiny Hechavarria supposed to be good. 10mil 4 years.


Power moves baby.

 

[ddot7]

Originally Posted by Osh Kosh Bosh

In AA I trust.

Apparently we got Cuban defector Adeiny Hechavarria supposed to be good. 10mil 4 years.


Power moves baby.

Toronto's poised to work their way up to 3rd in the AL East in 2013

 

[Los Angeles]

[h1]http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/03/nationals-release-elijah-dukes.html[/h1]

[h1]Nationals Release Elijah Dukes[/h1]
By Tim Dierkes [March 17 at 9:11am CST]

The Nationals released outfielder Elijah Dukes, according to a team press release.  According to a tweet from MASN's Ben Goessling, the move had nothing to do with off-the-field issues.  This is very surprising news, as Dukes projected as the team's starting right fielder and could've been traded or sent to the minors.  Dukes' time with Washington was marked by injuries and a disappointing '09 season.

Dukes, 25, hit .250/.337/.393 in 416 plate appearances last year, playing a below-average right and center field (according to UZR).  He also played 22 games in the minors.  Dukes has avoided off-the-field problems since Jim Bowden acquired him from the Rays in December of '07, with a June '08 dugout confrontation with Manny Acta probably his worst offense.  Just a couple of weeks ago Goessling noted that the Nationals had "taken the reins off Dukes -- letting his personal adviser go and allowing him more freedom with the media." 


Where's JRAIN?

 

[kiddin like jason]

Wow.