Around the Internet today
— Alan Schwarz looks at 833 current major leaguers for a broad look at farm system success. The Mariners do very well in most of these quick-and-dirty calculations, though you’ll be sure to note that all of the “notable signees” are no longer M’s. It’s kind of cool to see Jamie Moyer singlehandedly put St. Joseph’s on the baseball draft map, though. You’ll see what I mean.
Double meaning department: Schwarz notes that the Brewers have performed miserably in a Win Shares analysis of their draft picks, despite having Ben Sheets. “Then again,” he writes, “that happens when you demonstrate almost no ability to keep your minor league pitching prospects healthy.” Ouch. Did anybody else feel that?
— The TNT tries to put the hex on Doyle.
— Did George Steinbrenner’s tantrum inspire the Yankees to destroy their natural enemy and hated rival, the Devil Rays? What do you think, Joe Torre?
“Ask the players. I’d like to believe we try all the time.”
How about you, Tino Martinez?
“He (Steinbrenner) has every right to say what he said,” said Martinez. “We know we have to pick it up. It motivated us.”
Yankee dissension: smell the long knives as they come out.
— Try reading this story about how versatile Ron Villone is in this way: first, replace all references to pitching with references to hitting or playing the field. Then, replace the name “Ron Villone” with the name “Willie Bloomquist.”
You’d get results like this:
Bloomquist’s response to the duty?
“OK,†he said. “Whatever.â€Â
That’s not a complaint, it’s just that Bloomquist is one of those throwback players who will do whatever is asked of him, without complaint – as long as he feels he’s helping the team win.
Ah, versatility. Say what you will about Greg Dobbs; at least he’s only trying to play two or three positions poorly instead of all nine.
Out of curiosity, what happens when a throwback player feels he’s no longer helping the team win? Does he step across the foul line and transform into an elderly doctor? Take up a career in musical theater? Get on the boat to the Undying Lands with Frodo and Gandalf?
Comments
18 Responses to “Around the Internet today”
I think that Villone can be an effective, if overpriced, relief pitcher, but, as another thread suggested, he is wasted in the LOOGY role. But Thornton does not seem suited to that role until he can demonstrate, over a period of time, much improved control. (The M’s FO does know that George Sherrill still lives, right?) At least Villone has performed the LOOGY task well.
When a throwback player no longer feels he can help the team win, he becomes the team’s broadcaster.
Anyone notice the two contrasting reports on Pokey Reese today in the Seattle dailies? Finnigan says Reese “…rifled the ball in pregame workouts yesterday” and will start his rehab assignment today at single-A Inland Empire, while Hickey says Reese “…still couldn’t unleash a strong throw” and is “unlikely” to go on a rehab assignment anytime soon, despite then also noting Reese will spend 3 days with Inland Empire and 5 days with San Antonio.
My favorite line from the Doyle article:
“It’s a good thing, too. (His) eyes helped him recognize a peculiarity about Fresno relief pitcher Scott Munter on Monday at Cheney Stadium.”
What was that peculiarity? Beats me, the article never tells you. Bad editing maybe?
#4, I was wondering the same thing. Kinda leaves you hanging. BTW, Doyle is the man.
Jeff @ 8:37 am.”It’s kind of cool to see Jamie Moyer singlehandedly put St. Joseph’s on the baseball draft map, though.”
go Hawks.
Todd said:”The M’s FO does know that George Sherrill still lives, right?”
they might be waiting on trying to run Thornton through waivers until they are really sure Sherrill has gotten his mechanics righted…
The Mariners do very well in most of these quick-and-dirty calculations, though you’ll be sure to note that all of the “notable signees†are no longer M’s.
It ain’t just the “notable signees”.
Griffey? No longer a Mariner.
Boone? Hit a lot of HR’s as a Red/Brave/Padre.
Jose Cruz Jr.? Tino? Even Raul has more HR’s as a Royal than as a Mariner.
Here’s something else that’s interesting:
Team, (Win Shares by farm system since 1994) (Playoff Appearances since 1994) (World Championships since 1994)
1. Athletics (965) (4) (0)
2. Twins (908) (3) (0)
3. Angels (803) (2) (1)
4. Mariners (784) (4) (0)
5. Indians (752) (7) (0)
Whereas in the bottom 5, only two of them has even SNIFFED the playoffs (the Orioles, who have been awful since 1998, and the Padres, who had a fluke year in 1998).
Re #4 – maybe they didn’t want to take the chance that the Fresno pitcher read it (or a coach) and told him his “tell”
Re #4, 8: Maybe his fly was unzipped. Or he had a piece of spinach in his teeth.
Would’ve loved to join you guys, but I’ve got a softball game tonight. Hope you put another outing together a little later in the year with King Felix on the hill and Doyle in the lineup.
Don’t let Pete get to the point where he knocks the barkeep aside and puts his mouth directly under the tap.
Bad editing all over that TNT piece:
“Our guy (Campillo) pitched well … He only made one mistake,†Tacoma manager Dan Rohn said. “He’s got command of about seven different pitches. And he and (catcher) Wiki (Gonzalez) worked well together. He’s got command of about seven pitches out there.â€Â
Uh, I didn’t catch that. He has command of how many pitches?
Speaking of which, is Campillo being groomed to be the newer, younger Moyer next year? Soft tosser, puts junk in the corners? Given the way the M’s system seems to break hard-throwing arms, perhaps that’s a safe strategy to have at least one guy in the rotation who isn’t lost to the DL for part or all of the season.
An interesting part of the Schwartz article is following his link to the pull up bar list of players by college.
Locally, UW still isn’t producing MLB quality talent (fewer than Gonzaga) despite their Pac 10 success.
WSU is producing MLB quality talent but just about every name was recruited by Bobo or Kelvin Sampson long long ago (and Olerud probably doesn’t belong on the list) from the Pac North days.
Oregon St. has nobody and of course Oregon with all that Nike money won’t field a baseball team.
Lewis & Clark St. in Lewiston should have been listed (Bucky Jacobsen). I can’t see listing Olerud but not Bucky on this list since other NAIA schools and JCs were shown.
That’s hilarious that you used a Moonlight Graham reference; Field of Dreams was on TV two nights ago, and I hadn’t seen it in years. On the topic of Graham, SABR has an article about the differences between what the movie says about Graham and what actually happened. Thought somebody might find that interesting.
About #12’s comment:
Keith Foulke and Marvin Benard are also LCSC guys. They should definitely be listed.
Um, one thing leaped off the page about the farm system article. And it’s something that has been a pet peeve of mine for a long time. SCOTT POSEDNIK WAS OURS! OURS! OURS! OURS! We let him go because, as I remember it, he wasn’t developing the way or as fast as a team like the Mariners required/needed. Huh? Argh. ‘Sigh.’
I also got a kick out of the comparison between the Devil Rays and Diamondbacks. The M’s and Blue Jays also entered the league together. Thanks in large part to the owner whose name must never be mentioned, we were celebrating our second winning season when our expansion partners were celebrating their second World Series triumph. And that second winning season (and second World Series) came in an expansion year, too.
When a throwback player feels he’s no longer helping the team win, I believe that turns him into a throwUP player.
Podsednik? Whoop-de-doo. His 2003 screams “fluke year”. Basically, he’s somewhere between Stan Javier and Willie Bloomquist as a hitter- a decent 4th OF if he’s hitting .280 like Stand always did, a not so decent one if he’s hitting .240 like Willie does. If you have anything like a decent farm system, you can come up with these kinds of guys without oo much of a problem, or better.
Anyone have any thoughts on the Times’ new “statscout” column?
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2002246621_statscout20.html