Links for Thursday, as Kelly Johnson and Paul Konerko jockey for the MLB home run lead…
- Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas takes a look at what the Rangers could do with their roster once Ian Kinsler returns from the disabled list tomorrow.
- Reds' GM Walt Jocketty said that the team doesn't have a timetable for Aroldis Chapman's arrival in the Majors, says John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer.
- Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wonders why the Pirates didn't retain Matt Capps in hopes that he'd rebuild value. Capps is generating attention as MLB's saves (and save opportunity) leader. The righty told Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times it was a pretty close competition between the Cubs and Nationals for his services, once he was non-tendered.
- Yahoo's Tim Brown profiles Shin-Soo Choo, who his agent Scott Boras feels "has a chance to be the best Pacific Rim player ever over the course of his career."
- SI's Ann Killion writes about Barry Zito's apparent redemption. Zito is rocking a 1.32 ERA, an improved groundball rate, and an unsustainable .203 batting average on balls in play through four starts. If Zito can continue to keep the walks down, he could have his best year as a Giant. Of course, he flashed a similar walk rate in July and August of last year.
- Matt Kemp's agent Dave Stewart discussed Ned Colletti's recent comments on ESPN's Mason & Ireland show, saying the public criticism "should never have happened."
- Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times notes that the Mariners made the right call in not signing Jarrod Washburn.
- Baseball Prospectus' Kevin Goldstein does a mock draft of the first ten picks this year.
- Mark Zuckerman talked to a high-ranking Nationals official who finds Goldstein's criticism of Bryce Harper's makeup "way overblown." Meanwhile, Byron Kerr of MASNSports.com spoke to Harper's college coach about those same makeup concerns.
Again Scott Boras is talking out of his rear end…no way will Choo be better than Ichiro. From gold gloves to the rookie of the year to the MVP to the All-Star Game appearances, Choo would have to become one heck of a player to beat out Ichiro.
Ichiro didn’t even get started here til he was 27. Choo has been outstanding since he was 25 and has more power and patience. Not saying he is or will be a better player, but it’s really not that hyperbolic for an agent.
Choo has a legitimate shot at becoming an impact player comparable to Ichiro… IF he actually stays on the field. Remember, as a South Korean national, he’s required to serve in the country’s military for a number of years. These are the years in which he is at his power prime. It’s a lose-lose situation for him, because he would lose much of the support of his home country by spurning the service, but he would lose the best baseball years by serving his military time.
I’d be thrilled with Machado. Yes, please.
For someone who has a BP subscription: who does Goldstein have as the Dbacks selection?
Deck McGuire
I still don’t get the “pulling a Tony Sanchez” stuff. Yes, the Pirates probably reached there when it first went down…but does no one else look at the stats this guy is putting up? I take “pulling a Tony Sanchez” as some sort of negative, but I just don’t see how that could possibly be the case.
Having said that, it’s pretty clear that the Bucs need pitching and lots of it. For 17 years, they’ve been without an ace on the roster or in the system. I like Machado, personally, but I just don’t see how they don’t go pitcher at #2, unless Harper should miraculously fall, even if it’s a high school arm that is a few years away like Taillon.
I’m about to give up if they don’t draft a stud pitcher with the #2 pick this year. This team will never get an ace or even a #2 starter any other way. Teams aren’t trading away prospects with ace potential and it would be tough to sign someone who’s a bona fide ace. Sure, they can sign someone like De La Rosa who would be an ace on our staff, but they need a very good pitcher and more impact players in general.
I wouldn’t give up, but I’d be very disappointed if they don’t pick Taillon or Ranaudo or some other highly touted prospect. As you say, pitching is the hardest thing to acquire and the easiest way to acquire it is through the draft and this Pirates organization is in DESPERATE need of some ace-like pitching.
If they decide to go the pitching route, it had better be Taillon or Pomeranz. Ranuando scares the heck out of me with the recent injury issues, and even if it wasn’t an issue in the past, considering the Pirates luck with college pitchers drafted in the first round being riddled with injuries, I’d stay far, far away.
Exactly. I don’t want anything to do with Ranaudo at #2. The Bucs can’t take yet another injury plagued pitcher that high. CAN NOT. He might be a stud one day, I don’t know, but the Pirates HAVE to hit a homerun with someone and I’m not putting any stock into Ranaudo doing that, at this point in time.
I’m pulling for Taillon from now til June. Unless, of course, the Nats somehow don’t take Harper.
The mets will draft Bryce Harper =)
Weird, Bryce Harper wears makeup?
Are you being sarcastic?
Aye lad.
Gee, you think the Cubs wish they’d won the bidding war with the Nationals for Capps? You think the Pirates wish they’d spent their money on the devil they knew instead of the devil they didn’t, Dotel? Capps is making people look smart and stupid this year and I’m not talking about his pitching. This was predictable, he’s a descent pitcher and last year was an aberration.