The Phillies won their second World Series in franchise history two years ago today, beating the Rays in the first suspended game in series history. Game Five started on October 27th, 2008, and the two clubs played to a 2-2 tie through the first five and a half innings before rain forced the suspension. The game didn't resume until October 29th due to the weather, but when it finallly did the Phillies outscored Tampa 2-1 the rest of the way for a 4-3 final score.
There's no weather-related delay for these links; here's the best from around the web this week…
- Capitol Avenue Club provides a primer for the Braves' offseason.
- Pine Tar And Pocket Protectors explains how Mark Teixeira built the AL Champion Rangers.
- The Baseball Opinion re-lives Sandy Alderson's biggest trade.
- DRays Bay compiles Andrew Friedman's offseason to-do list.
- Meanwhile, The Process Report thinks about Nick Johnson as a cheap option for the Rays.
- Drunk Jays Fans reacts to the John Farrell hiring and more.
- Baseball Analytics breaks down Pat Burrell's resurgence.
- Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness wonders if Ivan DeJesus should get a crack at the Dodgers second base job next year.
- Disciples of Uecker says it's time for Josh Butler to put up or shut up. The Brewers acquired Butler for Gabe Gross in 2008.
- Yankeeist wonders what would have happened if the Yankees managed to acquire Dan Haren this summer.
- SPANdemonium compares the Rangers, Rays and Royals.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.
Could not agree more with the statement that Mark Teixera built the Rangers in key places. Elvis Andrus at short stop has a great glove and good hitting for the to of the order with speed. Feliz has shown flashes of greatness all season and still may become a starter with plus stuff. Don’t forget about Jarrod Saltalmamacchia. He showed a lot of promise but was later dealt to Boston. Now its just one example but maybe the Padres and Brewers should take notes and follow suit. They cant resign their first baseman anyway and top prospects are better than compensation picks.
If the Dodgers are on a budget crunch you would think that Furcal would be the first player put on the block. They would have to eat some of his salary but w/ such a weak SS market they should be able to move him, get a decent prospect and save some money. With Dejesus, Gordan and Hu around they should take that chance.
I think Carlos Delgado may sign with the Rays on a 1 year low cost incentive laden contract. He still owns a home in Tampa Bay, would not have to pay state tax, would be on a playoff contending team, would play in Hitter friendly ball-parks at least 18 times a year, would be able to rest his hip and DH and can hit his 500th HR.To me, Tampa can cut costs and still get potentially more production from 1B/DH position.
Dont see that happening…Boston did that last season and showed no improvement and I believe he re injured his hip. Better solution would be Johnny Damon. Tampa made a push for him last season and he wont command much in the open market. he can still hit posting an average .272 this past season and Tampa needs a 2 hole hitter with Crawford departure.
ok
he was signed to a minor league contract and played for 2 weeks before the
season ended. I didnt ready anywhere about him re-injuring his hip.
also, who plays 1B ?
There’s going to be guys willing to DH at a fairly low cost that are better bets to hit than Delgado.
Delgado’s done.
Agreed.
Russell Branyan would be a nice grab IMO for the Rays as well. Can play 1B or DH. Is he really that big a drop off from Pena anyways? Based off the last two years, not really. Branyan has some history with the Rays too. Played there in 2006 putting up an ok .760 OPS in part-time duty. OPS’s over .800 each of the last 3 years and even after a 31HR year in 2009 took a $2M deal in Cleveland.
I would take Branyan over Delgado obviously….I’d even take him over Dan Johnson since he can’t stay healthy.
I am sick and tired of hearing about the Mark Teixeira trade. Who could have foreseen two top prospects actually panning out??? I hope that Neftali Feliz and Elvis Andrus have great careers and that the Rangers have success for years to come, I just hate having to hear about this trade. To this day I don’t understand why the Braves traded for a power hitting first baseman when they needed pitching in the 2007 season. As a Braves fan I also hate how many other Braves fans think that Frank Wren pulled that trade off when it was John Schuerholz. Looking back this trade just shows the talent level of the Braves system at the time.
“Who could have foreseen two top prospects actually panning out???”
…
The worst thing is that I don’t even have to paraphrase or take it out of context. It just stands on its own as one of the most mind numbingly baffling things I have ever read here.
i read it like 3 times hoping i just misunderstood what he was saying or didnt pick up on his sarcasm. lol
Haha…you’re funny. Sometimes the best jokes tell themselves right? The truly ironic thing is that at the time….
Saltalamacchia was ranked #36 overall
Andrus was ranked #65 overall
Harrisson was ranked #90 overall
Feliz was not ranked in the top 100
Jones not ranked
Feliz wasn’t even really on the radar yet and wasn’t even ranked as one of Atlanta’s top 10 at the time.
Feliz may not have been ranked at the time, but Braves fans knew who he was and the potential he possessed. Although that might be hard figure out because on blogs and message boards they constantly call him Neftali “Felix” or “Perez” lol
its pretty obviously sarcasm
Excellent scouts.
It was sarcasm… I don’t understand what the big deal is, it was a sarcastic statement to show that Neftali and Elvis developed into great young players. People act as if they can’t believe how good they both are, they were two top prospects and they panned out. Thus, why I said “who could have foreseen two top prospects actually panning out?” It’s not like they weren’t expected to be good players at some point.
I’ve heard Wren explain it away as “We were already had McCann, we were happy with Escobar, and we didn’t see Feliz as a starter”, which is pretty damn revisionist.
You’ve got to be revisionist when you’re in Wren’s shoes. You can’t say “yeah, my boss really messed that one up, didn’t he?”
Little off topic here…..
But better trade prospect wise…..Bartolo Colon for Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, and Brandon Phillips……or the Teix deal?
And not based off how they helped their teams….but off the talent…ie, yeah Phillips blew up in Cincy, but man…..who would have thought THREE top prospects would pan out LOL (sarcasm).
Has there ever in the history of baseball been a trade were a team got not one but TWO future 30-30 guys (Grady and Phillips)?….not to mention a future Cy Young winner…..
That trade between the Expos and Indians is very underrated to me. I guess the only reason why it doesn’t get the respect or publicity it deserves is because it took Brandon Phillips and Cliff Lee a little longer to reach the national spotlight than it did Grady. I love bringing up this trade when I’m talking with my friends, most of them can’t believe it lol