83Gator

Lefties might only bat .162 against him, but their OPS is .664. That's still good but you'd expect better with a BAA of .162. He gives up too many walks to lefties (12 in 19 IP) and too many HRs (4 in 68 ABs). Nate Bump has walked less and given up fewer HRs to lefties in more lefty plate appearances. Don't get me wrong - Perisho has done well against lefties but he's not as good as it would seem just by glancing at the BAA. It looks like these left-handed NL relievers have done as well or better than Perisho against lefties this year: Arizona: Stephen Randolph (.635 OPS - he's started a couple of games) Cubs: Kent Mercker (.673 OPS) Rockies: Javier Lopez (.651 OPS) Expos: Joe Horgan (.595 OPS) Mets: John Franco (.543 OPS) Phillies: Rheal Cormier (.649 OPS) Pirates: Mike Gonzalez (.454 OPS) Giants: Jason Christiansen (.663 OPS) Cards: Ray King (.404 OPS), Steve Kline (.458 OPS)

First of all, that's not what you said. What you said was the umpires could call the game after 7 innings of the first game of a double header if there was a "big lead." When I asked what a big lead was, you said that was by umpires discretion. When I pointed out you misread the rules, you agreed. You even admitted that you misread "National Association" in the official rules to mean "National League." Then you claimed you meant that the umpires and managers can agree to call a game because it's a blowout. That's technically true, I guess. But you don't need both managers to agree or the umpires to be okay with it. One manager would just have to pull his team off the field. Can you imagine what would happen? The press would go nuts, accusing the manager of "quitting." Some fan or fans would claim they didn't get their money's worth, even if it was a double-header. It's actually an interesting idea, even forgetting the double-header part. Forfeit a blowout to save the bullpen. But it would mess with the stats too. Don't all the stats get wiped out in a forfeit? MLB would be really unhappy. As far as travel, weather, etc., again that's not what you said and that's not what I was disagreeing with. You were talking about shortening the first game so you could start the second. It was in response to somebody's very valid point that the second game would end after midnight. You're changing the rules Cape. You should've just left your original post out there - it was pertinent in the thread that it was in because it dealt with DH rules.

Ishii's career numbers post-All Star break: 5-10, 6.24 ERA, 1.78 WHIP Ishii's career numbers away from Dodger stadium: 17-12, 5.17 ERA, 1.67 WHIP Ishii's numbers this year away from Dodger stadium: 5-3, 6.37 ERA, 1.79 WHIP Overall I like the move but there's some red flags with those numbers.

What a B.S. posting. You have facts, give facts. You have rumours, give sources. You have nothing, say nothing. 482514[/snapback] Cut dawg some slack, Arnie. He's the most believable "insider" around here. If he says a trade has gone down, then I believe him and I never believe anybody. BTW - nice new name. You didn't stay quit for very long.

Gagne only comes in with a 3 run lead or more. It's hardly ever that he comes in with a 2 run lead... no wonder he has 81 consecutive saves. I really want to see him come in with a 1 run lead against a hard hitting team. Actually, he's gotten more 1-run saves in the streak than any other kind. In the 81-game streak, he came into the game with a 1-run lead 36 times, a 2-run lead 17 times, a 3-run lead 23 times, and more than a 3-run lead 5 times. Here's the link ... Link

Another old-school name was Boots Poffenberger, a pitcher back in the 1930s.

Easley hasn't played that much 3B since his first couple of years, playing only 28 games at 3B over the last 9 and a half years. Maybe McKeon doesn't think he can do it defensively. Maybe he doesn't have the arm, though I wouldn't think that's the case if he can play SS. Defense is the only reason I can think of to start Mordy at 3B over Easley. That, or to give Mordy some work. But with Easley hitting well right now, I think we need to try to get him ABs. I bet we do see Nunez in RF sometime this week with Cabrera as DH.

Let's put a pitcher to hit instead of a Major League position player. Gee, that's a great idea. Well considering that AGon is a bad hitter for a SS and Dontrelle is a great hitter for a pitcher Some people would put Dontrelle in to bat instead.Dude - here's the rule if you don't believe it ... Rule 6.10(b) - A hitter may be designated to bat for the starting pitcher and all subsequent pitchers in any game without otherwise affecting the status of the pitcher(s) in the game. A Designated Hitter for the pitcher must be selected prior to the game and must be included in the lineup cards presented to the Umpire in Chief. The designated hitter named in the starting lineup must come to bat at least one time, unless the opposing club changes pitchers.

i honestly think dontrelle should get to hit. really. if A-Gon was still hitting poorly, i'd be wondering is it aloud to have someone besides the pitcher not hit? No. The rule specifically states that the DH can only be used for the pitcher. Another quirk in the DH rule - it says that the DH in the original line-up must bat at least once, unless the opposition changes pitchers. I don't know if this is in response to what Earl Weaver used to like to do - list one of his other starting pitchers as the DH and then pinch-hit for him the first time up.

I'm thinking Jack will go with a platoon - Harris against righties and Easley against lefties.

kendall would have to be considered at catcher...and if i'm thinking properly is putting up better offensive numbers than estrada...though i might be wrong. I'd have thought the same thing, but when I looked it up I was surprised to see that Estrada is outperforming Kendall by quite a bit. Kendall is hitting .320, has an OBP of .393, and has his typically crappy SLG of .371 for an OPS of .764 Estrada is hitting .358, had an OBP of .420 with a SLG of .547. His OPS is .968. Estrada has 4 HRs and 37 RBIs to Kendall's 0 HRs and 19 RBI. Granted, Kendall is batting #1 or #2 a lot, but even still, Estrada has only scored 2 less runs (25 to 27). Kendall is faster, with 6 SBs but he's been caught 3 times. Estrada hasn't attempted a steal.

Helling comes back to start, but what if beckett and burnett (god forbid) cannot return to full capacity? We need some insurance. I want Helling for insurance, Cape. But it doesn't sound like he wants to be just insurance. Ramon Castro didn't want to be third string last year, but he performed better that way than as a starter this year. I'm not saying Helling won't perform as as insurance. I think he would (that's why I want him). So why would you even question that, and bring up Castro as an example. We owned Castro's rights. We don't own Helling's rights. We need to talk him into coming here. Have you forgotten that he wants to start? I never paid too much attention to your posts, Cape. Do you change the point of the argument every time you start losing?

Helling comes back to start, but what if beckett and burnett (god forbid) cannot return to full capacity? We need some insurance. I want Helling for insurance, Cape. But it doesn't sound like he wants to be just insurance.

You could make a case for one of the Phillie OFs over Alou, especially Abreu. He's only batting .284 but he walks a ton so he has a .404 OBP. He's also 10 for 10 in SBs. He's another Central Division player, but Adam Dunn could be considered if you can get past the batting average and the strikeouts. His OBP is .424 and his SLG is .548. He has 14 HRs. I'd also go with Lowell over Rolen, though that might be homerism on my part. Lowell's OBP and SLG are both a little higher than Rolen's. Also, maybe Estrada over Barrett.

the Royals shoudl sign Helling. He could probably start for Kansas City, so it could come down to starting for a terrible team or contributing in the bullpen for a contender. I wish we could get him for our bullpen, using the lure of playing for a contender that he's familiar with. But if he's dead set on starting, I don't see how we can promise him that, barring an injury.

Helling is a pitcher, but he wants to start, but something is better than nothing. He came here last year in a similar situation, maybe we can repeat. That's not what you said. You said "I would pick him up as a starter now, we need him. Put Phelps back in the pen, send Bump to AAA, and viola....Helling is happy and we have a starter." You said that Helling would be happy because he would be a starter. When it was pointed out to you that he wouldn't be starting for very long, you started with the "lighting a fire under Burnett and Beckett" drivel, and now you're saying "something is better than nothing." That last part is the first rational thing you've said today but it's not what you said earlier in this thread.

I think that Jack can create a situation in which Beckett threatened by Oliver. Don't underestimate McKeon, he can make life for a player a living hell. Beckett can be stuck in DL Land for most of the season and his salary will drop faster than Enron stock. I think you've gone off the deep end, unless you're intentionally saying irrational things about Beckett because you think as "media guru" that somehow he will find out about your opinions and try harder to prove you wrong. McKeon can make Beckett's life hell. If he can do it with Oliver like you said, why do you need Helling? You never have addressed how being a starter for 2 games, or being a threat, will make Helling happy. Beckett is arby eligible. If he spends the rest of the season on the DL, he's still double his salary this offseason.

I have a feeling that Beckett and Burnett are going to need a fire lit under them to perform. Competition for the job always lights a fire. Burnett isn't going to need any motivation to perform. He's trying to come back from injury. He'll be motivated for a while, maybe too motivated. I'd rather him not looking over his shoulder too. Maybe competition would help Beckett, but how does that make Helling happy? Helling wants to start - that's not starting. That's sitting in the bullpen as a potential starter. That won't make him happy. Look at it from Helling's point of view. If it's true he wants to start, we can't offer that to him. And there is no way anybody, especially Beckett, is going to look at Rick Helling as competition for Beckett. Not going to happen. When somebody enters your doghouse, you lose all rational thought, don't you? First you think it's better to trade Beckett than Pavano, and now you think Helling could push Beckett for a spot in the rotation. Beckett has been mediocre - a .500 pitcher with an ERA of 4. That's still better than Helling.

I would pick him up as a starter now, we need him. Put Phelps back in the pen, send Bump to AAA, and viola....Helling is happy and we have a starter. Geez, can we oversimplify any more? Helling wouldn't be happy long. Helling would be happy for all of 2 starts until Beckett comes back. I think you need to give him credit for being intelligent enough to figure out that he ain't starting on a team with Beckett, Burnett, Willis, Pavano, and Penny. If he wants to be on a mjaor league roster, and the first guy to start if one of the regular starters go down, then he'd be happy here. If he wants to be a starter all season, he needs to look elsewhere and I suspect he will.

I'd rather lose Castro. You can hide Oliver at the end of an 11-man bullpen. It's hard to hide Castro as the #2 catcher when the #1 is somebody like Redmond who needs plenty of time off.

If we put him on waivers, I hope he is claimed by another team. I'd rather not have to pay him his $400,000 major league salary at AAA. He's never going to contribute to the Marlins. Might as well get him out of here.

Ben Howard...FINALLY! Who he replaces is a good question though, maybe we'll waive Oliver. Are they going to activate AJ tomorrow or wait until Thursday. If they wait until Thursday, they can send Howard right back down if they want.

You have to ask why bring someone up from AAA if AJ is about to be reinstated? Must be they are planning to make another roster move the day AJ starts....... ........release Oliver? Whoever is brought up tomorrow will probably be sent right back on Thursday. If it's a pitcher, it's a way to get another arm in the bullpen for 3 days, which we could use after going through the bullpen today and having Phelps start tomorrow and Willis on Wednesday. Phelps was great last week but he did have an ERA of close to 6.00 as a starter last year. Beckett's injury may actually keep Oliver around. With Beckett healthy and AJ back, we had Phelps in reserve for a spot/emergency start. Now we may need Oliver to do that. While I want to see Oliver gone, I want to hold on to him for 2 more weeks and hope that some team with money to burn will trade some non-prospect for him.

What if we sent down Sutton and brought up JW? We need another righthanded bat on the bench to replace Cordero and Mordy or Red or Easley could play first in a pinch. Thoughts? I'd rather not have Willingham on the bench. If we bring him up, I'd like him splitting starts with Redmond and hopefully eventually taking over the job. Because Willingham is already on the 40-man roster, he'd be easy to bring up (easier than Treanor) but we'd burn an option on him. I wouldn't do it unless we decide to dump Castro, or try to slip him through waivers and send him to AAA. I'm pretty sure we'd have to pay Castro his major league salary even if we are able to send him down.

We have enough players that play 3rd as farmer fran said, he can't play OF anyways, and we have enough PH's. It's nice he wants to play for us, but it would be just overloading. He can't play 3B anyways, so don't worry about us being overloaded at that position. TealMonster is wrong about him playing 3B last year, at least according to every online site I can find. He's a 1B only. It's not a bad pickup is Cordero is out for a long while. We don't have any RH power on the bench.