ichirohoya
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Post by ichirohoya on Nov 13, 2008 2:26:02 GMT -5
Matt Holliday to Oakland as per the espn.com frontpage. Umm... Why? So Billy Beane can pawn Holliday off on someone else at Trade deadline and get prospects for him--as we all know--Beane falls in/out of love with prospects quickly. The guy is a major edited. Any bets on how Huston Street fares in his post-Oakland life? Barry Zito and Mark Mulder have set a nice low bar for success by Beane cast-offs. What some might call being an edited, others might call having a good sense for when to trade pitchers.
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Jack
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Post by Jack on Nov 13, 2008 9:30:54 GMT -5
So Billy Beane can pawn Holliday off on someone else at Trade deadline and get prospects for him--as we all know--Beane falls in/out of love with prospects quickly. The guy is a major edited. Any bets on how Huston Street fares in his post-Oakland life? Barry Zito and Mark Mulder have set a nice low bar for success by Beane cast-offs. What some might call being an edited, others might call having a good sense for when to trade pitchers. Rich Harden was pretty solid with the Cubs, but of course remains a perennial injury concern. Tim Hudson would be a valuable pitcher for any club, but has not matched his A's peak. Keith Foulke should have been the 2004 WS/Post-season MVP, but basically shot his wad in doing so. Dan Haren has been pretty awesome in Arizona, but 1. he was acquired for the aforementioned Mulder and 2. the prospects they got in return may make that a decent trade in the end (two of them are going to the Rockies for Holliday, though). So the bar is not as low as Zito (Mulder could still have something in the tank if he gets healthy), but it is true that Beane has not been badly burned in trading away relatively young and accomplished pitchers. The bigger question to me is not Street- closers are a dime a dozen- but Gonzalez, thought to be the CF of the future, and Greg Smith, who could be a valuable cost-controlled starter.
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ichirohoya
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Post by ichirohoya on Nov 13, 2008 15:31:42 GMT -5
More closers on the move... sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3700730Ok Cubs fans, why trade for another closer? Not going to re-sign Kerry Wood? Trying to light a fire under Marmol? With an already loaded bullpen this seems like an odd pickup. Also, is Jim Bowden trying to see how many behavioral issues he can squeeze into one locker room. Add Scott Olsen to the Dukes and Milledge crew! Brilliant! Seriously though, it seems like a good trade for the Nats. Willingham can be a big upgrade over last years black hole in left field. A Willingham-Milledge-Dukes outfield has the potential to hit very well.
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hifigator
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Post by hifigator on Nov 13, 2008 15:39:30 GMT -5
I didn't see this mentioned yet. If it is, then I apologize.
No real surprise for manager of the year from the AL -- Joe Maddon. The NL award went to Lou Pinella. That's not a bad choice, but I would think Philly fans might have a bit of a gripe. Also, Joe Torre could get some support. He really wasn't expected to do much. Of course Manny helps a manager look pretty good a lot of the time.
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SFHoya99
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Post by SFHoya99 on Nov 13, 2008 15:46:17 GMT -5
And the Dodgers didn't really do much. Torre took a high payroll team with a lot of young talent to a 84-78 season. Whoopty doo. And it took Manny to do that.
These are regular season awards, and ballots are due before the postseason. Piniella is a widely respected manager of the club with the best record in the NL. Seems like the safe pick in a year of unexceptional managing.
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Post by HeartAttackHoya on Nov 13, 2008 15:51:10 GMT -5
Ceda has some pretty nasty stuff as well, consistently hitting 98-99 on the gun. I think Cubs were just looking for a backup plan if the Marmol as closer attempt fails...As for Wood, even if he were in the Cubs plans to resign, given his injury concerns, never a bad thing to come up with 1a and 1b.
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TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on Nov 13, 2008 16:03:52 GMT -5
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ichirohoya
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Post by ichirohoya on Nov 13, 2008 16:21:46 GMT -5
Oh- and speaking of Billy Beane cast-offs, sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3700869 Nick Swisher in the Bronx? Who knows? maybe last year was a fluke bad year for him. Good find on the si.com article TBird. I guess its not entirely out of the question that the A's with Holliday might contend in the AL West. Seattle Sucks. Texas is Texas. That only leaves the Angels with whom to compete. If they're not in contention, Holliday is gone by July 31.
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TBird41
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Post by TBird41 on Nov 13, 2008 16:22:47 GMT -5
Oh- and speaking of Billy Beane cast-offs, sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3700869 Nick Swisher in the Bronx? Who knows? maybe last year was a fluke bad year for him. Good find on the si.com article TBird. I guess its not entirely out of the question that the A's with Holliday might contend in the AL West. Seattle Sucks. Texas is Texas. That only leaves the Angels with whom to compete. If they're not in contention, Holliday is gone by July 31. Right. And you figure Beane can turn Holliday into prospects equal to what he gave up (or turn the two draft picks into equal value)
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hifigator
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Post by hifigator on Nov 13, 2008 16:33:39 GMT -5
And the Dodgers didn't really do much. Torre took a high payroll team with a lot of young talent to a 84-78 season. Whoopty doo. And it took Manny to do that. These are regular season awards, and ballots are due before the postseason. Piniella is a widely respected manager of the club with the best record in the NL. Seems like the safe pick in a year of unexceptional managing. OK, well that explains it. For some reason, I thought baseball was different and that the voting was after the post season ended. I stand (or in this case, sit) corrected.
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FormerHoya
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Post by FormerHoya on Nov 13, 2008 17:11:40 GMT -5
/weeping/ WHY! WHY! WHY!!!!! /weeping/
/sniffle/ Good luck Kerry, wherever you go. /sniffle/
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Hank Scorpio
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Post by Hank Scorpio on Nov 14, 2008 17:40:20 GMT -5
Brian Cashman absolutely fleeced Kenny Williams. I love the Nick Swisher deal.
That is all.
- Hank Scorpio
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Nov 14, 2008 19:34:51 GMT -5
Brian Cashman absolutely fleeced Kenny Williams. I love the Nick Swisher deal. That is all. - Hank Scorpio You may sing a different tune if Swisher hits .190 with runners in scoring position again. That said, I think Kenny gave up on Swisher too quickly. I can't believe he'll be as bad again next year as he was this year. This smacks of a salary dump to me, even though Swisher's salary isn't that big. Of course, acquiring Betimit also enables the Sox to cut strings once and for all with Uribe, which saves a few more dollars. I'm also wondering if the pitcher with the greatest potential in this deal might not be the kid the Sox sent to the Yankees. 1.33 ERA?
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ichirohoya
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Post by ichirohoya on Nov 14, 2008 21:39:12 GMT -5
As a fan of the Orioles I love the Yankees trading for Swisher. 1) If he has a repeat of last year that leaves the Yankees with a gaping hole in their lineup at first base. 2) If Swisher is penciled in as the Yanks first baseman, they'll likely stay out of the Teixeira bidding war, and maybe, just maybe, he'll land back at home in Baltimore. The Orioles still won't be able to get any opposing hitters out, but, Teixeira instead of Kevin Millar at 1st is a nice upgrade.
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Nov 14, 2008 23:37:33 GMT -5
No love for Tim Lincecum yet in this thread?
Re: the Swisher trade, Hank Scorpio is dead on. Don't forget Swisher started out the season just fine before tanking in May. And he played his guts out on defense. Baseball players have been losing their swings since the pre-MLB days. Mostly, they find them again. Great pickup by the Yankees.
Also: WILSON BETEMIT ARE YOU KIDDING ME? And Kenny likes Marquez because he's like Jon Garland? What was Garland's overall ERA for the pale hose? I'm pretty sure it was above 4.50. Kenny once again proves to be the most frustrating GM in professional sports -- he'll make some great deals before spring training, but he'll also make a few more moves like this one.
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ichirohoya
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Post by ichirohoya on Nov 17, 2008 14:24:38 GMT -5
Pujols is the NL MVP.
Stats-wise I can't really argue with this pick. The Cardinals did finish 4th, but, they were at least in the conversation for much of the year. Its not like Pujols put up solid numbers on a terrible team.
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Jack
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Post by Jack on Nov 17, 2008 15:56:37 GMT -5
Hallelujah, Pujols was the runaway best choice. I was going to be very annoyed (why, I have no idea) if Ryan Howard won it.
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Cambridge
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Post by Cambridge on Nov 17, 2008 17:16:31 GMT -5
thoughts on Timmy Lincecum I had during the press conference: 1) Is it just me or doesn't he look like he's a 19 year old SF State sociology major who plays in a neo-prog rock band named Dingleberries with his housemates. 2) In all my late night shenanigans I was probably in the same godforesaken hipster bar as him on numerous occasions but never recognized him. Where do you think he hung out? Brunos? Lazlo? Broken Record? Amber? 540 Club? I need to know this.
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SFHoya99
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Post by SFHoya99 on Nov 17, 2008 17:33:38 GMT -5
Bruno's is hipster? Damn, that place has really gone downhill since they switched to tapas.
I picture Tim as a complete mama's boy who doesn't go out. Bu that's the 12 year old face talking.
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Cambridge
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Post by Cambridge on Nov 17, 2008 18:42:41 GMT -5
I actually was all over the place with bars, not just hipster hangouts. My train of thought was jumbled. I apologize.
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