On this date in 1969, the Mets moved into sole possession of first place for the first time in franchise history. They swept the Expos in a doubleheader to move ahead of the Cubs by a full game in the NL East. The Miracle Mets went on to defeat the Orioles in the Fall Classic for the first World Championship in their history, more than eight years after they played their first ever game.
Let's take a look at some links from around the baseball netweb…
- Yankeeist chatted with Alex Langsam, a Baseball Operations Assistant in the Pirates' front office who reports directly to GM Neal Huntington.
- The Sports Virus interviewed Huston Street about the topic of pitching injuries, an unavoidable evil.
- 1 Blue Jays Way spoke with Luis Rivera, manager of the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, a Blue Jays minor league affiliate.
- Play A Hard Nine examines Colby Rasmus' trade value following his fall-out with the Cardinals.
- Meanwhile, Capitol Avenue Club tries to figure out what it would take for the Braves to acquire Rasmus.
- The Hardball Times projects Manny Ramirez's performance for the White Sox.
- Crashburn Alley wonders if the Phillies' offense is just inconsistent, or if their core players are in decline.
- River Ave. Blues says that after searching all winter, the Yankees found their left fielder in Brett Gardner.
- Cubs Pack looks at Chicago's 2011 rotation, which MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith did just yesterday.
- DRays Bay muses about the responsibility of the baseball media.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.
Phillies offense will be fine. Plus they have 3 aces if it decides not to be as dominant as in the past. 3 aces who can throw a shutout any day of the week.
Sorry to nitpick, but neither Oswalt or Hammels has thrown a shutout this season*.
*In a Phillies uniform
What are you talking about? One its Hamels and two hes currently on a 25 inning scoreless streak. It might not be a 9 inning shutout but as long as hes out there he has a shot to throw “scoreless” innings. And yes Oswalt has thrown a 9 inning shutout. He did so on July 8th while still on the Astros.
either has CC, Verlander, Carpenter, Greinke. i think your point has no validity
Someone said that all three can throw a shutout “any day of the week,” when two of the three hadn’t done so in a Phillies uniform this season…Not that hard to understand what I was saying.
You’ve got to love all the Braves fans at Capital Avenue Club commenting on how much they’d like to have Colby Rasmus next year while insisting that Jair Jurrens and a couple of less prospects from the Braves is a fair deal for the Cardinals. I suspect that if indeed St. Louis makes Rasmus available, virtually every other MLB team will be interested and the Braves will have to cough up top talent to get him. Rasmus is young, cost controlled, very talented, and has shown that he can be an impact player in the big leagues. And, without a no-trade clause, if the Cardinals were to move him, they would have no limitation on where to move him.
I think the majority of Cardinals fans are overvaluing him. He only has one less year of service time than JJ meaning only 1 extra year of control, Rasmus is only a year younger. Jurjjens has proved capable of putting up constant ~4 WAR seasons, something Rasmus has yet to do and is unlikely to match this season (rate stats, had he played more, say he should have though).Bidding may very well drive up the price, but that doesn’t really mean he’s incredibly more valuable than JJ+prospect. The Cardinals may not even have as much leverage as you try to make it sound. Smart GMs would probably bring up his K rates, his (according to UZR) only slightly above average defense, and the fact that the best player in the game ,whom the cardinals are probably interested in resigning, has basically said he doesn’t want him on the team.
I agree. Heck, in a JJ for Rasmus straight up deal one could easily argue the Braves are getting the worse of the deal. Rasmus does have tons of untapped potential but until he reaches it, his value is not higher than a bona-fide #2/3 starting pitcher like JJ.
Cardinal fans are vastly overstating Rasmus’s trade value. He’s good, but not great. He’s not considered a prospect anymore. His value is no higher than what Delmon Young’s was when he (and others) were dealt for Garza (and others).
so then by your very logic, it wouldn’t make sense for the cardinals to sell low on rasmus in the hopes that he might be able to find his untapped potential. Thus making all these trade speculations BS and more media fabrications(shocker).
so then by your very logic, it wouldn’t make sense for the cardinals to sell low on rasmus in the hopes that he might be able to find his untapped potential. Thus making all these trade speculations BS and more media fabrications(shocker).
The Braves offseason should go like…-Trade/sign good outfielders that can actually hit unlike the outfield right now(except for J-Hey)of Melky/Ankiel/Hinske/Diaz. Huge part of the reason they are choking. -Pencil in Tim Hudson, Tommy Hanson, Jair Jurrjens, Mike Minor, and maybe DLowe(I don’t know if they are going to try to trade him.)as the starting 5.-Make ONLY Freeman, Heyward, McCann, and Martin Prado start at this point. Why? The Braves need an outfield overhaul. -Resign Omar Infante.And other stuff.How does that sound?
Sorry I’m not really interested in Colby Rasmus, the Braves already have the exact player in Nate McLouth. Take away 2010 and McLouth and Rasmus are the same player!
McLouth
2005-2009 (Per 162 games) .260 .342 .454 21HR 67RBI 22SB
Rasmus 2009-10 (Per 162 games) .262 .331 .455 22HR 67RBI 8SB
McLouth and Rasmus have had identical numbers if you take away this season for McLouth which has been a throw away year anyway. Why not just give McLouth another chance rather than trade the farm away for a player that doesn’t seem like much of an upgrade?
Rasmus has a higher ceiling then McLouth and can be a superstar but he’s not yet.
Some people have put some lowball offers on Rasmus but some people are expecting WAY too much for the guy.
The advantage that Rasmus has over McLouth is age. The only way Rasmus can develop into a “superstar” is if he cuts down the strikeouts and becomes a more patient hitter. Rasmus and McLouth are both left-handed pull happy hitters, but as time as shown those guys do get tons of praise (Rasmus, Granderson, Hawpe, Sizemore). The only way Rasmus becomes a “superstar” is if he goes to a ballpark that caters to left handed pull hitters. So Red Sox, Yankees, Phillies, and Rockies need to get in on Rasmus. That way he can gain his “superstar” status!
“the advantage that Rasmus has over McLoutch is age”
and power..and speed..and range…and just about everything else.
you have the right to your opinion and i respect that.however, i find it really pointless to compare a guy who has been in the league for like 1.5 years to ANYONE. what is he now, like 24? he just turned 24 in july. McCloutch is like…29 ish. Been in the league for like 6 years. thats a big difference. just look at the progress Rasmus made from year 1 to year 2. McCLouth also doesn’t have near the tools Rasmus does. No where similar power, speed, range, maybe throwing arm but thats about it. Quite frankly, this comparison baffles me. Sizemore is probably a better one.
Speaking of Sizemore……if there really is issues with Rasmus and they do put him on the market…..could that be a fit? Straight up no (and I’m an indians fan), Rasmus being younger, healthier, and cheaper/more control makes him more valuable. But if the Tribe threw in say one of their top 2B prospects (Cord Phelps? or maybe even Jason Donald) and maybe take back Schumaker (to ease the sarly burden of Sizemore)…..
Obviously Sizemore’s injury puts a huge damper on things, though all reports are he’ll be ready to go opening day (though long way to go so who knows for sure). Sizemore is just 2 years removed from a 30-30 year…..him at the top of the lineup setting up Pujols and Holliday would keep you guys contenders (though obviously having rasmus in the lineup would be great too).
I do agree, baseball skill wise doesn’t make sense to deal Rasmus…..but if there are truely issues and they do decide too…..will be interesting if they go straight up prospects or grab a bona-fide All-Star in return to try and get after the up-and-coming Reds.
As a Cards fan, my opinion is that Rasmus is not going anywhere. He has too high of a ceiling for the Cards just to let him go. I think that all of this trade talk is just because he is wanting to play, and honestly, Tony is not giving it to him. Tony I agree has something against him, I hate how he never gets a chance to play when a lefty is on the mound because Tony has this idea that lefties can’t hit lefty pitching, but you don’t see righties not playing against righty pitchers. To me, Tony way over thinks everything and it is time for him to go. Everybody talks about how Tony is too important to get rid of because of his record, but honestly who couldn’t win with players like Pujols, Holliday, Carpenter, Wainwright, and ex players in their prime like Rolen, Edmonds, Renteria, McGwire, Glaus, Conceco, Isringhausen Ludwick and Eckstein. In my opinion if you look at his record as a Cards manager, his numbers should be better than what they are with the talent that his been put before him. Obviously the problem is the managing strategies because the talent has been there but the managing of that talent has not. The Cards need to give Jose the job and I guarantee the record will go up. Tony has over thought even circumstance and plays favorites ( why Ludwick and Rolen are gone) and quite frankly its getting old has a Cards fan because they are underachieving with the team they have and its time they get a manager that will fire up the club and get them going and Oquendo is that guy.