No, Cliff Lee is not Roy Halladay. One couldn't expect for the Indians to get both Drabek and Brown from the Phillies for them. As a Mets fan, I can't be too upset, considering the Mets got Johan Santana for a comparable package. But Johan at least forced a trade to them, while Cliff Lee did no such thing.
The Phillies didn't have to give up any of J.A. Happ, Dominic Brown, Michael Taylor, or Kyle Drabek, their 4 best young players. They gave up absolutely everything they had but those 4 players., but the Indians were downright stupid not to demand at least one in a deal. Jason Donald is a nice prospect, but probably is nothing more than a David Eckstein with a stronger arm. Carrasco could be a mid-rotation starter, and Marson a lower level starting catcher.
Maybe this is a biased viewpoint of mine, but I just don't like many of the prospects in the Phillies system, I just don't see the raw tools out of them to be superstars. (Maybe Dominic Brown, but otherwise I'm very skeptical).
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Thoughts on a bad Trade Deadline
I remember only a few years ago, teams spent more freely. But the last few years, most clubs haven't been willing to take on new money for talent.
It used to be a regular occurrence for teams to take on aging, veteran, but still talented players with large contracts. Now teams looking for a playoff push seem unwilling to take on the large salary. Recently, the only time this happened is when the Yankees took Bobby Abreu off the Phillies hands for nothing. The only reason this happened was that the Yankees don't give a crap about money.
Brian Giles, Luis Castillo, Melvin Mora, Aubrey Huff, and Danys Baez should all be on the move. If one of them moves, it will be a surprise.
As a result, this trade deadline will be boring (even if Halladay moves).
It used to be a regular occurrence for teams to take on aging, veteran, but still talented players with large contracts. Now teams looking for a playoff push seem unwilling to take on the large salary. Recently, the only time this happened is when the Yankees took Bobby Abreu off the Phillies hands for nothing. The only reason this happened was that the Yankees don't give a crap about money.
Brian Giles, Luis Castillo, Melvin Mora, Aubrey Huff, and Danys Baez should all be on the move. If one of them moves, it will be a surprise.
As a result, this trade deadline will be boring (even if Halladay moves).
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Thoughts on how dumb Joe Morgan is
I'm currently watching the Mets play the Braves in Atlanta on ESPN.
It's the first inning, there's a runner on 3rd, one out, and Danny Murphy is at the plate.
He hits a sharp, hard liner, but it's right back at Javier Vazquez and he makes a nice grab for an out.
Joe Morgan then chastises him for not hitting a grounder to the right side, and that "the only way that run doesn't score is if you hit it back to the pitcher."
This is stupid for two reasons:
1.) There's lot's of ways he doesn't score -- pop up, strikeout, grounder to third, hard grounder to short, soft liner, shallow pop fly or a line-out to anyone.
2.) He just suggested not hitting the ball square, and not to go with the pitch.
Joe Morgan's an idiot, in the booth he makes Steve Phillips look smart. And we know for a fact Steve Phillips is dumb because of the 2nd Mets team he assembled post- Robin Ventura/Todd Zeile/Jay Payton etc.
It's the first inning, there's a runner on 3rd, one out, and Danny Murphy is at the plate.
He hits a sharp, hard liner, but it's right back at Javier Vazquez and he makes a nice grab for an out.
Joe Morgan then chastises him for not hitting a grounder to the right side, and that "the only way that run doesn't score is if you hit it back to the pitcher."
This is stupid for two reasons:
1.) There's lot's of ways he doesn't score -- pop up, strikeout, grounder to third, hard grounder to short, soft liner, shallow pop fly or a line-out to anyone.
2.) He just suggested not hitting the ball square, and not to go with the pitch.
Joe Morgan's an idiot, in the booth he makes Steve Phillips look smart. And we know for a fact Steve Phillips is dumb because of the 2nd Mets team he assembled post- Robin Ventura/Todd Zeile/Jay Payton etc.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Thoughts on a Bad Trade
Ryan Church was traded for Jeff Francoeur last night. I only have a few thoughts on this:
Omar Minaya must hate Church as much as much as Jerry Manuel does.
Omar Minaya makes some very good moves (signed K-rod, Beltran, Pedro, Sheffield, traded for Johan) and some very bad ones (traded away Heath Bell, Matt Lindstrom, Ryan Church, signed/traded for Luis Castillo). This one was terrible, the next one is bound to be close to how he got Johan Santana for Carlos Gomez. He's going to get a win. (Halladay for spare prospects?).
Why would anyone want Jeff Francoeur?
The Mets are now officially missing the should-be starters in RF, CF, SS, 2B (not officially hurt, but can't play every day, and he'll be on the DL soon), 1B.
If Jeff Francoeur suddenly learns plate discipline (obviously he's "young" at 25, and as he ages, he will learn plate discipline. Because that's something you learn with age, at least according to Minaya. Minaya's a very, very smart man. Not.)
The best argument in favor of Francoeur was that he plays a lot of games. Seriously, he's always healthy. But just because the Braves made the mistake of playing him everyday, doesn't mean the Mets have to do the same.
In case Omar Minaya didn't notice, 8 of the top 11 league leaders in walks are under the age of 31. It appears the correlations are not in his favor.
Yes, Church is a no-power corner outfielder. But Jeff Francoeur is an SI cover jinx. And no one can overcome that. Not even Mr. Met.
Omar Minaya must hate Church as much as much as Jerry Manuel does.
Omar Minaya makes some very good moves (signed K-rod, Beltran, Pedro, Sheffield, traded for Johan) and some very bad ones (traded away Heath Bell, Matt Lindstrom, Ryan Church, signed/traded for Luis Castillo). This one was terrible, the next one is bound to be close to how he got Johan Santana for Carlos Gomez. He's going to get a win. (Halladay for spare prospects?).
Why would anyone want Jeff Francoeur?
The Mets are now officially missing the should-be starters in RF, CF, SS, 2B (not officially hurt, but can't play every day, and he'll be on the DL soon), 1B.
If Jeff Francoeur suddenly learns plate discipline (obviously he's "young" at 25, and as he ages, he will learn plate discipline. Because that's something you learn with age, at least according to Minaya. Minaya's a very, very smart man. Not.)
The best argument in favor of Francoeur was that he plays a lot of games. Seriously, he's always healthy. But just because the Braves made the mistake of playing him everyday, doesn't mean the Mets have to do the same.
In case Omar Minaya didn't notice, 8 of the top 11 league leaders in walks are under the age of 31. It appears the correlations are not in his favor.
Yes, Church is a no-power corner outfielder. But Jeff Francoeur is an SI cover jinx. And no one can overcome that. Not even Mr. Met.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Thoughts on All-Star Teams
This year's teams bay be the least objectionable I've seen in years. There's no catchers batting under .250, or absurd personal choices by coaches who want their own guys. Ryan Howard/Ben Zobrist may not be the best players, but one could make arguments for them making the team.
I only have a few players on my list who really don't have any business being in this game:
Jason Marquis - he has 10 wins, he must be having a good year! Which he is, but not All-Star good. Javier Vasquez, Jair Jurrjens, Yovanni Gallardo?
Yadier Molina - One of the most consistently overrated players in baseball. Pablo Sandoval (4th in the NL in hitting)?
Ryan Howard - defensible, but he's still hitting .250, and Adrian Gonzalez and Prince Fielder are already reserves at this position, and both are having much better years.
I don't have any major issues with the AL rosters. It's hard to argue with these choices. Joe Maddon gave another example of why he's such a genius, crafting perhaps the best All-Star roster he could.
I only have a few players on my list who really don't have any business being in this game:
Jason Marquis - he has 10 wins, he must be having a good year! Which he is, but not All-Star good. Javier Vasquez, Jair Jurrjens, Yovanni Gallardo?
Yadier Molina - One of the most consistently overrated players in baseball. Pablo Sandoval (4th in the NL in hitting)?
Ryan Howard - defensible, but he's still hitting .250, and Adrian Gonzalez and Prince Fielder are already reserves at this position, and both are having much better years.
I don't have any major issues with the AL rosters. It's hard to argue with these choices. Joe Maddon gave another example of why he's such a genius, crafting perhaps the best All-Star roster he could.
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