Links for Thursday, as the minor league season opens and Bryce Harper and others make their pro debuts…
- Yahoo's Jeff Passan explains how 5'7" left-hander Tim Collins went from being an aspiring carpenter to a promising rookie in the Royals' 'pen.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports know the winless Red Sox aren't as bad as they've seemed for the first five games of the season, but he argues they aren't as good as they seemed in January.
- The Mets and Francisco Rodriguez continue to say they aren't worried about the reliever's vesting option for 2012, according to Dan Martin of the New York Post. Rodriguez finished his first game of the season last night and with 54 more games finished, he'll have his $17.5MM option vest.
- MLB’s main concern with the deal Dodgers owner Frank McCourt recently proposed is that it would relieve McCourt’s debt without necessarily improving the product on the field at Dodger Stadium, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney.
- ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick anticipates some milestones that players may reach in 2011.
Force McCourt to sell. Immediately. Dan Gilbert or Eli Broad would fit just fine.
But would they be interested, especially with the title clouded by the divorce? Who does a buyer negotiate with, Frank or Jamie? Both? Their lawyers? If the Commissioner really wants to see the Dodgers sold, then he is going to have to intervene in a clear and decisive way. So far he has not shown any resolve whatsoever.
No sport can or will benefit from Dan Gilbert as an owner. He’s a classless fool.
you could say that again
No sport can or will benefit from Dan Gilbert as an owner. He’s a classless fool.
Say it one more time
“…winless Red Sox aren’t as bad as they’ve seemed for the first five games of the season, but he argues they aren’t as good as they seemed in January”
Seems to me they are just as good now as in January, they have won the same amount of games in March as in January!
I’m resisting the urge to scream at ESPN, FOX, and Red Sox Nation. It’s five games into the regular season for God’s sake! You don’t see people ranting about Albert Pujols’ .182 batting average thus far. This is absurd! Sample size, people, sample size.
Actually, alot has been made about Albert…..more the 6 GIDP than the .182 BA though.
Anyway, I agree with you, it’s early and alot can change. But when you are in a tightly contested division, a loss in April can hurt you just as bad as a loss in August or September. All wins count the same, the Sox have plenty of time to make it up, but this rough start could give them less margin for error the last month of the season.
Six games. A six game losing streak and a four game deficit can come back to bite you in this division. It’s not that they’re 0-6 and people think they are a bad team, it’s more that they’re shooting themselves in the foot in a situation not allowing a whole lot of error
Boston’s bats have been strangley quiet with the exception of A-Gon. They will come out of it, today’s 1-0 defeat to the Indians must have frustrated the hell out of even the most patient and optimistic Sox fans. I just hope this continues at least another day.
What confuses me is it 55 appearences or saves?
Games finished, I believe.
And now that I’ve actually scrolled up, it explicitely indicates that. Games finished is just that: games finished. If he records the last out the Mets ring up against their opponent of a given game, he gets a game finished.
…And there is where “salvation” lies for the Mets money-wise. Frankie is pretty good at blowing saves (blew one in his first outing of the season). If he keeps rolling that way he won’t have enough finished games for anybody to be worrying about.
On the other hand…if somehow his $17.5 MM option were to vest, helping to tip the scales in favor of the Wilpons selling the team, I’d be all over that!! >: )
Actually blown saves can count towards finished games. A couple of scenarios:
Away game: Blows save in the bottom of the 9th, home team wins
Home game: Blows save in the top of the 9th, home team wins in the bottom
Those are two scenarios in which he could blow a save and still finish a game. Now, obviously there are scenarios where he could blow a save and not finish a game like he did in Florida where the home team tied the game and the Mets scored in the 10th and Boyer closed the game out in the bottom of the 10th. If he’s the last pitcher on record for the Mets, no matter the outcome, it’s a game finished.
Aside from his shortened season last year he has never ended a season with less than 56 games finished since ’04.
I stand corrected.
As for “never ending a season with less than 56 games finished…” well, hey, today is a fine day to start something new! 😀
You didn’t close the game if your team bats again, did you?
All Mets fans have to keep in mind that the Wilpons are Billionaires!! Even if they lose the Maddoff case, that doesn’t mean they will be forced to sell the team.While an unfavorable verdict will hurt them, it only means that they will have dig into their Sterlng Equitites funds if they really want to retain the team.
Fred has said on several occasions that the team will belong to his grandchildren. The fact that he has looked for minority partners is just to avoid having to dig into his own pocket in order to keep the team.That’s just a business manuever, exploit all options before going into your own pocket. Selig will cut him all kinds of slack, unlike with
McCourt in LA.I really hope I’m wrong, but I’m afraid you’re stuck with Fred for a long time to come.
I haven’t forgotten anything, my friend. Rather, I recognize that even the strongest and most entrenched of “regimes” of any kind can fall sooner or later, and sometimes quite unexpectedly. So instead of the customary resignation and fatalism that typifies not just sports fans, but people in general, I prefer to be an optimist – if a cautious one. Hope has to start somewhere, and there are times when things that are supposedly “impossible” do become reality. So let’s see what happens.
You’re right, anything is possible, even the improbable. I forgot, W. was elected twice!
Bravo…except…suddenly I don’t feel so good. Next time you remind me of that, don’t forget to serve it up with a barf bucket!! 😀
they are billionaires who needed a loan from MLB.
that aint gangsta
K-Rod’s option doesn’t necessarily vest at 55 games finished. According to Cot’s, there’s another clause about “doctors declare Rodriguez healthy after 2011”. That seems awfully vague to me and possibly a loophole for the Mets. I’m sure if you take an MRI of any MLB pitcher, you can find something.
With the situation the Mets are in right now, the last thing they need is to stir up the MLBPA by declaring K-Rod “not healthy”. That being said, I don’t think that will be an issue, no way they let him finish 55 games.
Exactly. If they’re miraculously in contention and he’s pitching well I think the clause will be the last thing on their minds.
For all intents and purposes I know that he’s had his problems off the field, but he showed up to camp in great shape (don’t they all) and seemed really eager to redeem himself and show the fans that he was sorry and went on record saying such. Maybe he’d be willing to re-structure his contract? Just a thought.
The Red Sox will be a much better team when they take the field on Friday at Fenway Park.
However many games they lose before winning is irrelevant this early in the season. By Memorial Day, this team will be above .500 in the W/L column and moving towards overtaking whichever teams might be ahead of them in the standings in the AL East… bet the farm on that…
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However many games they lose before winning is irrelevant this early in the season.
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I understand the point about sample size, but every game they lose is relevant in that it’s one more game they have to make up against their division/wild card rivals later in the season.
Using 95 wins as a measuring stick, the Yankees have to go 91-65 (.583) over the rest of the season to reach that mark, whereas the Red Sox have to go 95-61 (.609). The Red Sox’s highest winning percentage over an entire season since 1978 is .605 in 2004. While I realize that they are capable of stringing together streaks well in excess of a .609 clip, this team would have to show something really special to reach that number over the rest of the season.
By starting 0-6, they have put themselves in a position where they either have to perform at a historic level (in 2009, the Red Sox won 11 in a row after a 2-6 start en route to winning 95 games), or hope that their rivals underperform.
The season’s not over, obviously, but losing your first six, including three to a team you should steamroll, is definitely relevant.
Wow dude, fantastic post. It’s odd for all the sabermetrics Red Sock fans generally throw out, you’d think they would be able to digest the numbers you’ve provided. This is why the results of this weekends meetings with the Yanks is of dire consequence. If they lose even two, it would require the Sox to go on an 8-10 game straight win streak, while the Yanks equally lose 6-8 at the same time. I’m certainly not counting the Sox out, but let’s just think for a moment; what if at this exact time next Thursday they are 2-10? That doesn’t seem too far fetched at this point and they are facing the Rays next Mon-Wed. Well, one of those teams season could be near critical and I think that is when people can start to panic..Can they perform at the historic level you suggest. No, probably not and it won’t be because of the offense or defense. It will be because of their pitching and catching situation.
april
NYY 2007: 9-14 (w/ 7 losses in a row)
NYY 2006: 13-10 (w/ 4 losses in a row)
NYY 2005: 10-14 (w/ 4 losses in a row)
i was going to call double standard, but ya know, you were actually probably among the many nyy writers/fans freaking out about it back then, too
learn and shush
All your numbers are wrong. . if they went 95-61 over there remaining games they would finish the season 95-57. (.600).
losing streaks happen, red sox are just having theirs at the beginning of the year.
Dear Bud Selig,
Thank you for caring enough about the dodgers to not loan the current ownership any money. The team becomes far more attractive to buyers if future television rights that fox currently owns are not extended out further into the future before the team hits the market. Do not let those knuckleheads borrow against future television revenues. Also, do not buy these knuckleheads out, only because the amount of money it would take for them to leave would by by its very nature too much, detracting from the value for the next owner. Although not ideal, I recognize you have no choice but to either wait out the legal system.
However, I am a little uneasy that you may decide to sell the team to another corporate owner, especially fox/newscorp. Please do not make the same mistake twice. They’ll just take the team and resell it again after a short period of time to a marginal owner so they have favorable terms as far as ownership of television rights. I don’t like this as it severely handcuffs the amount of money in the owner’s hands, causing our big market team to only spend mid-market money on players, the draft, and international signings. Nobody wants that except for giants fans.
I’m sure MLB has a lot of rules about who can buy a team. In addition to all of those I’d like to add a few of my own: 1) Owner must offer Vin Scully a lifetime contract. 1a) Cannot fire Vin Scully for any reason except for him committing the sin (for him) of dying. 2) Commits to dodger stadium as where the team will play. 3) No vanity charities allowed 4) Selling the naming rights of the stadium is not allowed. 4a) Naming rights to the field are allowed, but may only be sold to Farmer John and if so must only be named “Farmer John Field at Dodger Stadium” 5) The right field pavilion seats be renamed and branded in cooperation with Dos Equis and sold as the “Stay Thirsty With Friends all you can drink Pavilion Powered by Dos Equis” seating for persons above the age of 21 with no minors allowed in the section. 6) A dodger ‘dog’ mascot be adopted in coordination with Los Angeles County animal shelter to both encourage responsible pet ownership and adoption. A walking plush mascot may be adopted in addition to an actual dog featured between an inning that is in need of a home. 7) Frank and Jamie McCourt be given 2 free seats in the upper deck for life, however an obstruction must be added to destroy their view. Hopefully this is an obvious enough metaphor for them.
Well, I think that about covers it, Bud.
Sincerely,
A. Fan
Awesome.
As much as I love Dodger Stadium. A new one near downtown (staples center) sounds good too.
Send it directly to Bud, at MLB Headquarters on Park Ave in NY.
I’m all over your sentiments. I also like your (intentional?) non-use of capitalization of “Dodgers” at least until somebody is McGone.
Actually, I digress to one point of contention… The Pavilions. If alcohol was B& out there, half the problems at the stadium would be gone. Just my opinion, I used to sit out there back in the $5 days and it was SANE. Not anymore, go YouTube Dodger Stadium fights” and yeah, you’ll see some on the reserved level, but the pavilions are flat out insane (LF specifically, people too busy getting their cholesterol counts up to care these days in RF).
the right field pavilion rule was totally comic relief. I might have one beer at a stadium if it’s hot.
How about Dodgers worry about all the gang bangers that go to Dodger stadium….. maybe ensure Giants fans can go to a game and NOT end up in a coma….How about that???
Your comment makes it sound like gang-bangs are common at Dodger Stadium and enthusiasts are turning up for them. That’s how I intially read your comment.
No Argument there 55. As a Dodger fan, as much as I HATED listening to Giants fans’ “BEAT LA” chants, the “GIANTS SUCK” Dodger Stadium chant is embarrassingly weak and is only gotten obnoxiously louder the last 5 years or so. First thing I hope for is they hang those 2 idiots up by their “equipment bags” and prosecute other d-bag toublemakers at the stadium instead of just evicting them from the premises.
mean and violent people suck, no matter which team they root for.
Tim Collins looked pretty bad-ass against my Angels. Hope he’s legit and good for him.
He’s so good, he’s gonna make Joakim Soria expendable. He’s that good.
A little premature to say that, no? Soria’s arguably the 2nd-best closer in the game. Collins has thrown 4 innings…..
However, Craig Kimbrel laughs at Collins’ 12.5 K/9. Kimbrel’s at 17.9 K/9 through 23 innings, as well as a 3.6 H/9 mark.
Including the playoffs: 27 innings, 0.21 ERA, 10 hits, 17 BB, 52 K’s…
I kid, I wish the Braves had held onto Collins. Ankiel and Farnsworth weren’t worth the price, although Ankiel did win a playoff game for the Bravos. I think Kimbrel and Venters are both legit, but if not……losing Collins and Feliz will actually bother me. But as it stands, I’m perfectly happy with Kimbrel and Venters. Wish Collins the best though, pretty cool seeing that guy pitch.
STILL mad we sent him away (and Blanco and maybe someone else) for freakin’ Farnsworth and Ankiel. He was my favorite part of the Escobar trade and now he’s gone. :/
I feel the Braves are really going to miss Escobar. They have a few solid SS prospects, but at least two of them are projected to be moved to another position.
In Wren’s defense, the Braves had a surplus of pitching and he was hoping to catch lightening in a bottle with Ankiel and provide a stable, veteran presence in Farnsworth. Didn’t work out, but it happens.
kimbrel is fun to watch. the braves in general are fun to watch right now
The Braves are, I agree, a fun team to watch right now…Hope it holds up!