Odds & Ends: Byrd, Fox, Kobayashi

how much do these jokers in Newark get paid?

"Newark Bear vs. (my) Washington Nationals, 3 game set, I woulnd't mind seeing it."

The Nationals would absolutely destroy the Newark Bears.

"Rany Jazayerli likes Pedro Martinez as a comparable for Zack Greinke."

You mean the guy with a career FIP of 2.89? The guy with a career K/9 over 10 and a K/BB ratio of 4.14?

The guy who posted a sub-2.25 FIP in FIVE STRAIGHT SEASONS?

Come on..

That's like saying that Sammy Sosa is a good comparable for Jay Bruce..

"how much do these jokers in Newark get paid?"

Probably not much but I dont really think they care that much to be honest.

For example, I play men's league hockey with 5 ex-NHL players that PAY to play on the teams theyre playing on. Sure, they could be playing in Europe and such but theyre playing for the love of the game because theyve all made millions and now they want to enjoy life and just play hockey at a lower level. Maybe thats what these ex-MLB pros are doing as well?

A few of them could still get a call to play in the show but for most of them I think its more about still playing ball especially since in the independent league, these guys put up good numbers where as none of them would be stars in the show anymore so there's something to be said for them to still feel good about themselves.

Either way, I can see the atlantic league being a lot of fun for players. Ex pros still get to feel like stars and younger guys that never got a major shot get to play along side and against ex-pros. Seems like a good time.

I completely agree with xethicx. A lot you guys seem to forget that sports are incredibly fun. As evidenced by all the ridiculous comments telling players to go away, just retire, or call it quits. If you still like to play sports, it is fun at any level. It is like during the NHL lockout a few years back when some guys went to Europe and made big bucks, Scott Gomez went back to Alaska, and played in a small league with the guys he played with as a kid, making basically no money. Sports are fun, personally, I would play baseball for a living for 50 grand a year and be totally happy.

"You're right. Sosa wasn't as good as Bruce when he was Bruce's age. That is an unfair comparison."

So you're predicting that Jay Bruce is going to better than Sammy Sosa? Really?

I'd love to see Bruce hit 60 home runs in three different seasons, 49+ home runs in five straight seasons, and 35+ home runs in ten straight seasons.

I don't care whether you think Sosa cheated or not. For a few years, he was absolutely one of the greatest hitters in the history in the game, and it's ludicrous to compare any young major leaguer to someone so prolific.

Maybe that's Bruce's absolute, crazy highest upside, but the likeliness that he reaches it is near zero.

"Rany Jazayerli likes Pedro Martinez as a comparable for Zack Greinke."

Yeah, that is one of only a very few poorly worded headlines on this sight. I too thought someone was trying to state that signing Pedro would be the equivalent to signing Greinke. If you read the article you see it is comparing Greinke to Pedro in his prime.

hey xethicx no one was bashing the Newark Bears, so chill out lil lady. I love MTuck he's a fellow Longwood Alum, don't mess with the Lancers bro...

Although to be quite honest, I now read the article and he isn't going on to predict any sort of Pedro like dominance over the league, he is more just comparing the upside of Grienke, and what would happen if he continued this run of dominance, to Pedro Martinez. It was an interesting article.

One thing that bothered me is he likens Grienke now to a May, 1997 version of Pedro Martinez, which just isn't accurate. At this time in 1997, Pedro had already posted sub 4 FIP's four out of four times. He was under 3.50 three out of those four times. He really dominated from the minute he stepped onto a major league field. Greinke was never sub 3.50, and was above 4.50 a few times also. Pedro sported whip's under 1.24 four out of his four seasons going into 1997. Grienke has done that one time, with a couple of real stinker seasons also. I know he had mental health issues, and I commend him for dealing with them at such a young age (though that is a topic for another day), but regardless of the reason or the path that brought them there, Zack Grienke of right now does not have nearly the track record of dominance that Pedro had in 1997.

Although still, what Scribbletone said still holds true. To compare is one thing, but to predict a guy who is really still a baby will have a career resembling that of one of the all time greats is completely crazy.