Game 125, Mariners at Rangers
JMB · August 24, 2005 at 5:03 pm · Filed Under Game Threads
RHP Ryan Franklin vs. RHP Juan Dominguez, 5:05pm, FSN and KOMO.
RF Ichiro!
2B The Ignitor
LF Ibanez
1B Sexson
3B Beltre
CF Reed
SS Morse
“DH” Dobbs (dammit, this must continue)
C JoeJessica
Have at it, kids.
Comments
182 Responses to “Game 125, Mariners at Rangers”
One of the few things getting me through the non-Felix games was Betancourt’s fielding. Looks like I’ll have to hope for him as a defensive replacement late in the game.
Why isn’t YuBet playing tonight?? I like Morse and all but I’d perfer YuBet’s glove at short over Morse. If they wanna play Dobbs as DH I say sit Bloomquist out and have YuBet play 2nd.
NOOOOO! You can’t sit Bloomquist!!!! He’s the team MVP!!!!!! *gags*
Ouch! Failed ignition.
cider helps me through the boxscores…didn’t Morse play left yesterday? How’d he do? Or is that why he’s at SS today?
I thought Hargrove was going to give us a day off from Bloomie “Dirty Shirt” Willquist some time these past couple of weeks? After all, he just flied out to record the first of what I’m sure will be many outs this game.
GAH.
I like WFB, but I agree with you.
betancourt took a foul ball in the kisser yesterday. that’s most likely why he gets the night off.
YuBet isn’t playing because Morse has been sitting a lot and they want to get him AB’s. I guess they don’t think he’s ready to start in LF.
I am assuming once Morse is ready for LF Dobbs will play less and Ibanez will DH more.
Don’t sweat it. If Dobbs is as bad as most folks here think he’ll prove that with some playing time. Same goes for Will-Blo.
Does anybody know how many games in a row Bloomquist has been in there?
A runner in scoring position with two outs. Makes me long for 2001
#10 – Too Many.
#9 – One thing that many people fail to acknowledge or realize is that Dobbs plate discipline did show improvement during his last stint in Tacoma.
9 I would much rather have Ibanez in left and Morse as DH. Ibanez has to be a better fielder than Morse
I saw on I think what was the P-I that Morse is going to be starting in left field this week. I believe it was the same article in which Hargrove made his comments about Felix’s pitch count.
They’ve been talking about Morse starting in LF for quite a while now, about 4 weeks I believe, and it never seems to come to pass. Perhaps he just isn’t picking it up as quick as they thought he would?
Dobbs is just place-holding for Bucky (hope, hope).
I wouldn’t get your hopes up about Bucky, he’s apparently way overweight, and now struggling in AAA… I do miss the big guy though, he was my favorite thing about last year. But do we really need another right-handed “power” bat in the lineup?
Regarding Dobbs, I thought he was a waste of roster space until he was sent to the minors. Based on the small anecdotal sample size of what I’ve seen since his return, he’s looked better. Of course, the emphasis here is small sample zie.
That was an awful pitch to Teixeira.
Sorry — I’ve been on vacation for a week or so. JoeJessica? I know who that is, but is there a short story behind it that can be shared?
Nevermind…it just seems like 4 weeks, it’s only been since the 13th/14th, when a Mariners note proclaimed
“If we decide to go through with this, and it’s not a foregone conclusion, it probably will be another five or six days, minimum, before we put him out there (in a game),” Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said.”
I mean sample size
JOE Torre + JESSICA alba = Torrealba
Joe Torre, Jessica Alba
Speaking of overweight 1B/DH guys, perhaps we can swap Bucky for Cal Pickering. At least Cal swings left-handed.
Ok, we’re down 1-0 with Franklin on the mound. This game’s over.
For a minute there, I thought Roano Franklero was pithcing, but then Franklin showed up and gave up a run
WE don’t need another RH power bat in the lineup, but it would be nice to have one on the bench.
First time I’d heard Bucky was overweight (and not ready to be brought up). Does anyone else have any info on this?
My God I am so sick and G** Damn tired of Ryan Franklin.
17. Does that mean you want a left handed power bat? I settle for either at this point.
But what I’d really like is another pitcher who can allow less than 8 runs a game.
28 – I dunno if he’s overweight exactly, but when I saw him playing in Tacoma last weekend, the first thing I said is, “My god, did Bucky Jacobsen eat a cow between last year and this year?” He’s looking rather large these days. Maybe he looked just as large last year and I never was sitting close enough to the field to really tell.
Hopefully he’ll start actually mashing AAA pitching soon, though… his .176 or so BA is sort of discouraging. The game I was at, he struck out 3 out of the 4 times he came to the plate.
I can barely stand to have Ryan “I Care Too Much” Franklin on this team. I’d like to see his innings go to anybody, ANYBODY. I’d even settle for Bobby Ayala.
I saw the overweight thing on Mariners Mailbag about a week and a half ago when he was killing the ball in Single-A.
Anyone pitching against the Ms looks like they have fantastic stuff Dave.
33 – Given the choice between Aaron Sele, Paul Abbot, James Baldwin, and Ryan Franklin, who would you take at this point? What order would you rank them?
afbs
Their pitcher’s about as sorry as our’s. Problem is, Texas is a team that scores runs like they were boiled in scalding batshit. M’s score more in the lukewarm poodle-poop range.
Franklin=2006 Cy Young Winner
Anybody remember Greg Pirkl? I liked him as a power 1B/DH type who hit well in AAA. But he never did well in the bigs. Don’t get me wrong. I like Bucky. I’m just not convinced he’s a solution for some of the Mariners hitting issues.
36 – Man that’s a tough call. None of them have a future, just like Franklin, so I don’t really want any of them. I just want the innings to go to someone who might be a Mariner next year. But if you held a gun to my head I’d stay with Franklin until September 1. The devil you know…
Ibanez has to be a better fielder than Morse
How would you know this?
WE don’t need another RH power bat in the lineup
I beg your pardon?
25: Funny that you mention that. I was looking at an old issue of Baseball America (2002 or 2003) and in the tranasactions it was Seattle Mariners – Released 1B Calvin Pickering.
39: in the Mexican league maybe
38 Sage analysis
Ryan Franklin sucks.
If that’s not informative enough for you, so be it.
Feel free to throw in the Towel. Now.
At least Franklin’s pitch count is low. They’re swinging early.
MEDIC!! We need a tourniquet here.
41 I know this because Ibanez has actually played the position
43: I was actually thinking Little League.
Alright, looks like we could rapidly be moving into mop-up time by the time we hit the 4th.
I’ll take Paul Abbott
ay yay yay, no me gusta!
Roano Franklero
And the hits just keep on coming. Up next, a track from Pearle Laggard entitled, “I’m Proud To Be A Zero From Ol’ Spiro.”
a place where even Ranger’s will take a hit
Prefiero Roano a Ryan.
A major league popout? WTF?
Nageotte warming up!
Honestly, I’m glad. The more Franklin fails, the better chance he’s not with us in 06.
On a brighter note…….the Blue Jays just opened up a can of “Whoop *ss” on Mike Mussina and the Yankees in the top of the 5th inning. 8-0 Jays and Mussina gets the hook.
;o)
If Franklin’s around in ’06, sumbitch better be carrying a couple of equipment bags out to the bus.
Franklin gets worse with each start.
Ditto #57,
With this season lost I’m mot concerned with Ryan sucking as much ass as is neccesary to ensure that there is a Franklin shaped hole in the roster in ’06. Plus he seems to be fairly easy to root against.
Cincuenta Cinco: Prefiero un lato de frijoles
Ryan Franklin never gets any run support.
Not. Whoopsedaisy.
Again, I am so sick and G** Damn tired of Ryan Franklin. Paul Abbot, Jim Abbot, Abbot and Costello I don’t care who replaces him. He’s got to go and he’s got to go fast.
Maybe we can feed Ryan to Bucky Jacobsen?
Heck, have Edgar come back and pitch left handed! I’d rather watch THAT than Franklin.
Although I seriously doubt Edgar would want to.
He’s only giving up runs because he cares too much.
You better watch it, guys, or Ryan Franklin will pick a fight with you.
Since the M’s never make a roster move until it’s painfully obvious to every single viewer for weeks, we must be approaching the point where Ryan will be getting the boot. But not after a couple more starts, juuust to be sure.
Man, Franklin really pissed me off the other day when he said he was the only one on the team that cared about winning.
What kind of junk is that?
Were those the highlites of the 05 Ms season on x-mo?
How about we try an experiment? Every five games, instead of allowing RF to pitch, we just give both teams the day off and concede the game in advance.
I know *I* would feel much better, because I wouldn’t have to watch him give up hit after hit.
Most interesting thing about tonight’s game, aside from Texas pounding Franklin into puree of pitcher, is waiting to see if the homeplate umpire suffers a heart attack in that Texas heat. His cardiovascular system must look like the New York subway to keep going in that climate.
Another batter, another hit
I’m just using Gameday now… has Franklin really tried to pick off Soriano 1500 times?
71 Maybe nobody does care. Maybe that’s what Guardado meant when he said there was no energy on the team.
On any given night they got 35,000 people in the stands who care. The job of the 40 guys down under the stands is to perform, and that, folks, by and large ain’t happenin’.
It figures that a guy like Franklin would be an ironman. Out there every fifth day, year after year. Sucking.
They suck because the rotation is terrible, not because they don’t care.
It figures that a guy like Franklin would be an ironman.
How would know if he was injured? I mean unless there was visible blood?
Ryan is pitching through the pain, because he cares.
Sorry. Looks like I forgot to turn off the bold stuff.
Wow, an inning with no Texas runs! Things are looking up. The future is bright! Are you with me fellas?
Franklin throws to first more than anyone else. Maybe if he focused on the hitters more and not the runners so much he’d so better? Just a thought.
The league is hitting 311 against Dominguez. And we only have one hit.
But we’ve got 3 walks! (trying to stay positive)
Just read about Jays/Yaknees game. WOW! What an inning! 2 walks with bases loaded.
Think RJ is remembering the good old days back in the Kingdom watching a game go down like that?
FWIW, DJC, Franklin’s OPS against splits with none on/runners on are .711/.864. Last year, his splits were .862/.785. If he’s worrying too much about the runners, it’s a new trick he learned for this season.
Wow, that was so refreshing. Instead of watching Ryan pitch can we just have a camera fixed on Felix? Honestly, I was enjoying that way more.
89: That would be small sample size because the bases are rarely empty when he pitches.
Just remember, folks, September callups may be around the corner. If a team needs help, they’ll raid their minor-league clubs whether or not they’re in the playoffs.
87. All right. Thanks H-man
It might feel like that’s the case, DJC, but Franklin has indeed faced more batters with the bases empty than with runners on.
92. Yeah but who do we have down there who will do better. Harris, but he’s being called up anyway. Bucky is batting below 200. Lopez is batting worse than Bloomquist at AAA.
95: “Lopez is batting worse than Bloomquist at AAA.”
Uh, no.
95 … bring up the AAA guys that have a shot at playing next year. It will give the FO a better idea of what has to happen over the winter and who gets the call in the spring.
Honestly, I want to believe the FO wants to put a winning club together. They have made enough trades; why stop now that they have the ball rolling.
re: Hargrove, he thought Betancourt was ready for a day off; he had(he thought) the uncharacteristic 3 s.o. game, and that his swing didn’t look “as crisp”. He did want to get Morse into the o.f. in this series.
As I understand it, Jacobson made an effort to get some weight off after the knee surgery was done, as it was pointed out to him that it would better for both knees if he weighed less; he reported to spring training having taken about 20 lbs off. It sounds like he has gained it; the papers were estimating he was about 20 pounds over his desired weight…
Tom said:”Man, Franklin really pissed me off the other day when he said he was the only one on the team that cared about winning.”
actually, he didn’t say that. let’s not get carried away here.
and may I say, I’m really tired of looking up to see the same shot of the Rangers’ defense trotting in off the field, ready to start another inning of hitting…
It’s sad to say, but don’t be surprised if you hear the “no run support” excuse implied by FSN and KOMO reporters during post-game tonight. It would, however, be bold if Rizzs used the ole “he gave the team a chance to win” praise, but I wouldn’t put anything past that guy. Maybe we’ll hear a couple “battled” and “grinder” comments though.
Right now, with this anemic and boring offensive performance against a pitcher with batting practice numbers against, the Good Ship Mariner may have hit another low point, in a season of low points. All the talk about who should be playing anymore is just rearranging the deck chairs on this Titanic of a team. Glub, glub.
This game is a laugher so far. Franklin is the Anti-ace and there is nothing interesting about this game… well, I take that back. They showed one of the announcers dancing with a do. That was mildly interesting. Oh, and Ichiro laughing at the umps strike zone.
Okay. Good for you Franklin. You show your team how to hit a homerun.
Upper Deck Home Run. The Natural theme song. I hate life.
96. I stand corrected. USA today had Lopez batting .261. I see from the Rainiers site that he is batting over .300
Towel! I’m out of here, it’s over.
Might as well take a look at Bobby LIvingston at this point.
Rizzs: “That ball was center-cut….”
Odd. I thought it was a tri-tip to me.
Franklin’s doneness indicator has been sticking way out for an inning or two now.
So, WHY IS FRANKLIN STILL PITCHING?? ON the Roster??
Well, forget my last comment. Guess even Rizzsy can’t use the “he kept the team in the game” line on Franklin tonight.
One thing if for sure: Ryan is not afraid to pitch to contact!
# 95,96,97: Lpopez’ numbers in Tacoma:
38 games 5 errors 157 ABs 5 HRs
OBP .373 SLG .548 AVG .338
Willie who?
101 Glub glub back at you.
Who cares? Franklin should be in the bullpen, sat, or let go at this point. His start to start stats are getting Worse each time. When, I say, when is Bavasi gonna Finally realize Franklin is of NO use to the organization any more? Man, this stinks to high heaven!
I think this game shows the M’s will stay in 4th place. I think the new goal should be to keep on pace not to lose as many games as last year. I think that is the only thing achievable.
Sorry, that should be Lopez’ numbers.
113: As far as Franklin’s current status, who would you rather start if you dumped him? Mateo? Moss? Lorraine? Baek!?
A run! A run! Even still, as bad as Franklin is, why can’t the M’s offense seriously begin to offend?! I’d love a good conspiracy theory here, something along the lines of all wanting to make Frankie look bad. But, giys, he needs no help.
I kept wondering why it is that the M’s can keep drawing 30K while Atlanta and Texas struggle to put 20K in the park. Then I went to Bama in August and remembered just how gawd-awfully hot it is in Dallas and Atlanta this time of year.
Everyone says the M’s won’t have big crowds if they don’t fix things yesterday, but I don’t think that’s all that true. So long as it’s sunny and 72 most of the summer they’ll get 30K in the park.
It’s the attendance outside of the summer dry season that’s a worry.
s/b “guys” he needs no help.
Just as there’s no point in having Felix throw 125 pitches to make sure we win a game this season, there’s no point in rushing guys through the farm system because our rotation sucks this year.
Just because Franklin’s still on the team, doesn’t mean the FO doesn’t recognize he’s a sack of crap. If he’s on the team in 2006 then yes the FO is stupid, but I don’t see Franklin taking the spot of someone who could be helping us next season.
113: As far as Franklin’s current status, who would you rather start if you dumped him? Mateo? Moss? Lorraine? Baek!?
I don’t see any reason why we can’t throw all of them. They’ll all be equally bad as starters. At least Lorraine can get a MLB start out of the deal.
and in a week the rosters expand. speaking of guys who are even larger, my god Colon is enormous these days.
114 Ray I agree with you the only reason the Ms are in 4th place is because there is no 5th place. But, I am not sure the games lost is achievable either. Sigh.
121: True
Nageotte’s lights are on! Me Gusta!
What about getting Foppert up in place of Franklin? Might be nice to see what he could do for the big team. Franklin’s had enough chances, it seems.
124, Nageotte plus Texas = 2 quarts of sweat.
2006 will be a whole season of seeing who is fit for 2007. Let’s face it there is no contention in 2006 only a season of try outs, one long spring training.
Something from “The Brushback” during the lull…
http://www.thebrushback.com/olerud_full.htm
They still seem to be protecting Foppert. He pitches 1-2 innings an outing, max.
Phew, that stunk worse than my s..t!
Look at the bright side……at least we’ll have a good position in the draft again this season. ;o)
Don’t think Foppert is ready. They have severely limited his innings. 4 games started only 6.2 IP. But he did very well when he was in there. Maybe next year?
Rick Rizzs, PETA member. Thanks, man.
Foppert sat for a few weeks after we traded for him due to a neck injury. They are still just stretching him out. He was up to 35 pitches or 3 innings his last outing.
Plus as far as call ups go…..the Rainiers are in a division race, the M’s are not. Probaby won’t see the best guys up until after the Rainiers finish their playoffs.
Nageotte looks a lot better this season. His motion looks a lot smoother. Hopefully he’s not the one sent down tomorrow so Harris can start.
Boy, I’m sick of the bullpen. I know the ERA has been “sparkly” most of the season but I want guys who are groundball pitchers and can get at least 1 K/IP. So far the M’s only seem to have two that qualify: Sherrill and Atchison. Are there any others that can do this?
135, I just hope the DFA Hasegawa.
Nageotte projects as a high K, groundball pitcher due to that slider of his. He just has to watch those walks…
OK, so we have Sherrill, Atchison, Nageotte. Gone should be Nelson, Hasegawa, and Eddie (for trade). Anyone else?
We also have Soriano.
I don’t see how you’re going to get value for Eddie once he’s being paid 6.5 mil.
and FWIW, I’m happy enough with Mateo in pen.
Don’t look now, but Beltre’s batting average has passed that of Sexson.
jason
Has Nageotte pitched this many innings at once all year?
And Putz and Mateo. So it could be: Sherrill, Atchison, Nageotte, Putz, Soriano and Mateo. Not bad. Now what about the rotation? ‘sigh’
Watching Nageotte reminds me of how Frosty the Snowman melted away.
DJC – He’s had a couple of 3 inning relief outings with the Rainiers. Not much more than that though, so he’s just about finished…
Did he just yak on the mound?
That’s what I thought.
145 and Eddie to save. That’s a solid pen on paper.
I don’t know that anyone is going to agree, but I think Nelson should get DFA’d and give the roster spot to Heaverlo. Just thinking out loud. He struggled early but has put it together. Might as well see what he can do. It’s not like the season is on the line.
I think Nageotte crapped in his pants. They kept saying he had an upset stomach. A relief pitcher needing some relief. He should be the spokesman for Rolaids.
I hear that they’ll be installing a new drainage system at the Safeco mount just for Nageotte.
Eddie needs to be packaged with some prospects for a good rotation pitcher. That is more needed than a closer. The FA market on starters will be bare.
Here comes the 9th. Let’s see if the M’s give a damn about hitting…
I hope Steve Kelley writes another column about how Franklin sucks.
154: If they find someone gullible enough to make that trade, sure, but I don’t think there’s a realistic chance.
151: Heaverlo? That’s interesting to say the least. 2 HR in 76 IP is fantastic, and he’s done better lately. I almost like that idea.
I know! Borrowing from Peanuts here, when it’s time for Franklin’s next start let’s tell him the game’s at a different place. Then when he doesn’t show up, we use a different and hopefully maybe have a better chance of winning. Then we can cut him for missing a start.
What? A total of 5 pitches seen by 3 hitters. Yes the M’s don’t give a damn and just want to go back to their hotel. The M’s are to the Rangers as the Royals are to the M’s. I smell a sweep tomorrow even if Harris manages to pitch well.
just because they hit like crap doesn’t mean ‘they don’t give a damn’
The pressing need in the off season is two SPs. We can’t fill that from the minors. It will have to be FA or trade. Secondly we need a left handed big bopper in the OF, or DH if you want Ibanez in the OF full time. Bavasi will have an opportunity to excel. Or not.
158
I’m biased. I grew up with the guy. But that aside, looking at his numbers, I think its time throw him out there. Could he be any worse than Nelson? I don’t know how that’s something you can measure. But if Heaverlo turns out any worse, atleast then the organization will know that it is time to give up on him.
Krueger just said Franklin was affected by the steroid suspension “even if it’s not really true.”
Come again?
I like Kruger but he has been an apologist for the pitching staff all season.
Listening to Krueger’s furious spinning regarding Franklin’s failures, it is enough to give you vertigo. The numbers don’t lie, Franklin is not a good major league starting pitcher, and has not been one for some time. Saying otherwise just stain’s Bill’s credibility, even before you consider the ridiculous “not really true” assertion about Franklin’s bout with vitamin S.
Ok. I try to be a positive guy when it comes to sports. In baseball I think anyone can make a comeback (at least until it is OVER-OVER).
But I am tired of RF. He has been a hard luck case for far too long with this team.
Honestly, I would reather root for the worst Tacoma pitcher for the rest of the season then watch RF get any more starts.
If RF makes a come back let it be with any other team.
FWIW, several of the guys noted in the past for their ‘plain speaking’ –Krueger & Nelson– have said they don’t think Franklin was using.
Who gives a damn if he is/was using? Point is, he’s not throwing.
I disagree about “giving a damn” — well in this case about hitting. When three hitters become impatient and just swing early in the count… well, and it was the ninth. I think they just wanted to go back to their air conditioned hotel. I can’t imagine the stadium smell any good either with all those dogs. That heat, those people and players seating, and those dogs makes for one really stinker of a time, and through on top of that the performance of the team tonight and you’ve got concoction for inducing vomiting.
ANyway, I think if we took most of the aged AAA guys who don’t have a space on the team for many years and put Eddie in there, a team should bite. I’d say a package of Strong, Leone, Lorraine, Kida, Beak, Green, Gonzalez, Santiago, with Eddie. And in return get a solid #3 guy because you can’t get much else for them. I think this is a win win situation. Some team will get a lot of good looking players plus a great closer. The M’s get a #3 guy (now it’s Felix and nothing else) and the M’s can give guys a chance that will never get a chance otherwise. Also dead weight is cast away.
169
Amen
Sorry, “those people and players sweating” — of course they were sitting but also sweating. Sorry about all the other typos too. I just can’t type straight being so frustrated with the M’s.
170
Excellent plan. Maybe we can trade Hargrove for Peavy while we’re at it…
[Rude sarcarsm aside, what team is going to need 8 25th men? Even Piniella never kept more than 3 or 4 on his roster at a time - one usually starting in LF.]
173, Well, If Andy Hargrove (son of Manager Grover) pans out for the M’s maybe a trade will be possible. Of course we’ll probably have to wait 5 years for that in which case Peavy will have come down to the value of Grover’s son.
I ditto 173.
If we of all teams are not using these players, what makes you think any team wants them?
Packaging a bunch of minor leaguers you don’t want in exchange for a quality major league talent is a video game GMing.
Speaking of which, boy I’d like to see the team I built in MVP 2005 play. Ichiro,Beltre,Griffey,Sexson,Dunn,Lopez(Javy),Snelling,Lopez(Jose),Betancourt
I wasn’t serious but look at baseball and the M’s specifically. GMs make “fantasy league” type decisions all time.
171, it’s pretty clear that the reason we can’t move those guys is because 9 guys isn’t enough. You need at least 12 or 13 players in that deal, including M. Garciaparra, before you could get a solid #3 in return. I think we should trade for Ryan Howard instead anyway.
Re. #171:
The only guy in Tacoma with any legitimate trade value is starting pitcher Bobby Livingston, 22, who is a Jamie Moyer clone. Nevertheless, why would the Mariners consider trading a guy like Livingston?
Anyways, regardless of reality, if I could pull the trigger on a move — were it to be agreed upon by both ballclubs — the one deal that I would make is a trade wherein the Seattle Mariners would send starting pitcher Joel Pineiro (’06: $6,300,000) to the Cincinnati Reds for center fielder Ken Griffey, Jr.; the Mariners, though, would have to pick up the remainder of Junior’s base salary (’06: $6,000,000; ’07: $6,000,000; ’08: $ 6,000,000), while the Reds covered the contract buyout (’09: $4,000,000) and the deferred payments (’09-’24: $57,500,000). In addition, to make room for Junior (.294/.362/.552/29 HR/85 RBI), the team would slide Jeremy Reed over to left field, Raul Ibanez to designated hitter, and designated hitter Greg Dobbs to the bench.
Well, yeah, it may be only a dream . . . but it’s a helluva one.
As long as we’re in fantasy land… if you’re going to play Reed and Griffey in the OF at once, why not play Reed in center, where by any metric he’s been outstanding, and where Griffey is not nearly the player he was?
If the Reds are going to eat his deffered salary, Griffey’ll accept the move.
The WaPo claims that a minor leaguer in New Orleans is the first since 41 to hit .400. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/24/AR2005082402273.html
Didn’t Reed hit .400 in AA?
Yeah, Derek, you’re right, for I completely forgot about how Jeremy Reed is one of the top defensive center fielders in the majors this season.
Anyhow, concerning the actual Griffey trade front — which is presently focused on the Chicago White Sox — do you have an idea as to how much Carl Linder, the Reds’ owner, is willing to eat in regards to salary?