2012 MLB Regular Season Running Thread

Does Gibson have the red-ass for Upton or something? Can't see why they'd be ready to move a guy who was fourth in MVP voting last year when they're only four games back.

 

There are two dozen teams in MLB who would be ready to top Taillon/Marte if the Diamondbacks really are willing to trade Upton.

Personally, I love Taillon, but am not sold at all on Marte. I'm mystified as to why he gets rated so highly in the prospect lists. The hit tool is average at best, the plate discipline is average at best, the power might not even be average (I have a big distrust of MiLB slugging percentage that is based heavily on doubles. A lot of times that's just fast guys taking advantage of bad outfielders). He's fast but not a very good basestealer. His defense should play in CF, but I don't know if it's a plus there at the MLB level.

He'll be 24 next season, I want to see more production and less tools from a guy like him. He looks like a second-division starter to me.

 

This is just conjecture, but it seems to me that given what his reputation was as a player, that Gibson would have a major red-ass for guys who don't seem to get the most out of their talent.

 

That's probably true, but I'd take 70-80 percent of what Justin Upton can do over some unknown alternative.

 

Maybe he's just making a point. I've heard that upton comes with attitude problems. He's a young guy, I can see that. Maybe floating his name in trade rumors is two-fold. Seeing what you can get and letting him know he's not irreplaceable. But the pirates have been stockpiling talent at the minor league level do if they can use a lot of that for a guy like upton, backing away is not an option.

 

Because he's skipping for medical reasons, right?

 

I'm waiting for the elbow/shoulder diagnosis. You don't fall apart that fast unless you:

1. Get Rick Ankiel Syndrome... juuuuuuuust a bit outside!
2. Are hurt

I could be wrong.

 

Lincecum's wild weight fluctuations and the never-ending stream of alleged sightings on the Bay Area nightlife scene are worth wondering about, too.

 

If not Ankiel ... Steve Blass?

 

Got me to thinking. Are Ankiel and Blass the only two established big-leaguers to suddenly lose it like that? It's all I can think of ...

I know some position players contracted the disease, like Knoblauch. And who was the catcher who suddenly couldn't get the ball back to the pitcher?

 

Mackey Sasser?

 

Steve sax. I think at second base.