Running 2011 Baseball Thread, Vol. I: Dedicated to spnited

I'm just not so high on Joakim Soria that I'd be shelling out big bucks to get that no-trade waived. There are other options.

 

I wouldn't waste good prospects or a lot of cash on a "closer." Last year's Twins ought to have taught everyone this object lesson.

In terms of cost-benefit, this shouldn't be a priority. It's been mythologized to death.

 

Hell, look at the Phillies, who keep plugging in one closer after another, and all of them have worked probably better than Lidge.

Nationals may have the right idea. Venture one high draft pick on a pure major college closer, move him through the system quickly and never let him have any doubts that he's the man. You just hand him the ball and go from there.

 

Generally, your closer will be somewhere within the system right now. Probably someone who will suck as a starter. Idiots would have us believe Eckersley was made to be a closer, the way Wonka was made to be a chocolatier.

 

Don't buy that, LJB, and I think it's being debunked more every season.

Chad Cordero pioneered the brand. Drew Storen was made to be a closer. Heath Bell had two starts in his pro career. Wilson: three starts. K-Rod's last start was 2001. Chris Perez has never started a game in the pros.

There were a number of first-round picks in this year's draft who have been closers throughout their college career.

 

Maybe they were pigeonholed in the minors because they have limitations, because their organizations knew they'd never be good starters.

Brett Cecil was drafted as a college closer and turned into a starter, and you can see the severe velocity problems he's been having.

 

Question: How can a player have a batting average of .283 and an OBP of .280?

 

More sacrifice flies than walks.

 

Yes, sacrifice flies count as plate appearances, but not at-bats.

 

dunno if they've got enough in 'em to complete the deed, but the yankees trailed the blue jays, 8-0, at the end of one inning tonight. it's now 9-7 in the bottom of the sixth.to add injury to insult, jays slugger jose bautista left game with ugly looking ankle injury after hard slide into third base. could end up a nightmare all the way around in toronto.

 

If you're interested, it looks like MLB Extra Innings is running a free preview. Not sure how long it will last.

The Blue Jays broadcast has some really old school graphics. I feel like I'm watching a broadcast from 1977.

Canadians pronounce Mazda funny. In the commercial, it's Maz-da, not Mahz-da as it's pronounced here.

(I'm nor sure if that's proper phonetic spelling, but it should get my point across.)

 

Thanks for the heads-up; we most definitely have a free look-see.