Posted November 26, 200618 yr http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball...8p-399262c.html The gobble gang Time to carve up this year's batch of major-league turkeys Just when you think you've had enough holiday turkey, here comes a second helping. Our annual Daily News top 10 baseball turkeys, completely basted. 1. CARL PAVANO The missing-in-action $40 million Yankee righthander might be the first person who did absolutely nothing to attain this lofty distinction. After at least three false starts - the last one being an initially concealed car accident in Florida while rehabbing in which he suffered two broken ribs - Pavano managed to avoid throwing a pitch for the Yankees this season while earning $8 million plus a full playoff share since he was on the roster all year. This is one turkey who's given GM Brian Cashman major indigestion. 2. THEO EPSTEIN We like Theo, who is an affable and accommodating guy, but even he would have to admit that he had a horrible year as Red Sox GM. Even though he was said to have resigned, he was still in the building when his underlings and team president Admin Lucchino traded NL Rookie of the Year shortstop Hanley Ramirez and no-hit, up-and-coming righty Anibal Sanchez to the Marlins for Josh Beckett (5.01 ERA), so it was still on his watch. He was absolutely in charge of the ill-fated trades of 30-year-old righthander Bronson Arroyo (14-11, 3.29) to the Reds for contact-challenged Wily Mo Pena (90 strikouts in 267 at-bats), and rookie reliever Cla Meredith (5-1, 1.07) to the Padres for backup catcher Doug Mirabelli (.191 in 78 games). Finally, at the trading deadline, in response to a Red Sox Nation that was enraged because he didn't make a run at Bobby Abreu, he answered: "We can't operate like the Yankees." Two months later, he doled out $51 million - $13 million more than the next highest bidder - for the negotiating rights to Daisuke Matsuzaka. 3. DAVID SAMSON The head-strong Florida Marlins president - whose abrasive manner is said to have been one of the major impediments coming to a new stadium deal for the Fish - embarrassed baseball with his appearance on WAXY-AM , in which he made jokes about women, sex and pornography. On other occasions, Samson has joked about having Porn Night at Dolphin Stadium as a way to get more people out to see the Marlins, who, because of ownership stripping the payroll to $14 million, drew a major league low 1.16 million. 4. (Tie) YOUNG BROTHERS, DMITRI & DELMON After being one of the Detroit Tigers' most productive and popular players during the losing seasons of 2002-05, Dmitri Young managed to get himself thrown off the 2006 pennant-winning team by manager Jim Leyland in the midst of the September stretch. In April, Dmitri was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend in a Birmingham, Mich., hotel, for which he was later given a year's probation. When he was released by Leyland and GM Dave Dombrowski in September, he was described by teammates as having become a "growing cancer" in the clubhouse. As for Dmitri's kid brother Delmon, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' 2004 No. 1 draft pick also demonstrated that he had anger issues when, in an International League game on April 19, he threw a bat at an umpire, striking him in the arm. Delmon was suspended 50 games and sentenced to 50 hours of community service for his action. It was not the first time he had caused problems for the Devil Rays. In his first season as a pro at Charleston, S.C., he refused to sign autographs for fans, and the next year he ripped the D-Rays for not bringing him up in September. 6. PETER ANGELOS The most reviled owner in baseball apparently will not be satisfied until he's completely destroyed what was once the model major league franchise. Under Angelos' manic and imperious rule, the Orioles have become a team that marquee free agents don't want to come to, and the fans have deserted in droves. This past winter he nixed a trade that could have helped the Orioles in which disgruntled, self-absorbed shortstop Miguel Tejada was to go to the Angels for promising 24-year-old righthander Ervin Santana and 23-year-old shortstop Erick Aybar. This past season the Orioles, who routinely drew over 3.2 million fans, had their ninth straight losing year and drew just 2.1 million to Camden Yards. 7. ERIC WEDGE Can someone explain how seven managers were fired this winter, including NL manager of the year Joe Girardi and the highly respected Frank Robinson and Dusty Baker, and this man kept his job? You could have said that Wedge should have been fired for the way the Indians collapsed down the stretch in 2005. It appeared as if he had clearly lost the team, and that became more evident this past season when the Indians, picked by many to compete for the AL Central crown, never showed up. 8. RONNY CEDENO Tough call in determining the worst everyday player in baseball this year, but somebody's got to do it, so we'll just have to go with the weak-hitting Cubs' shortstop. He finished 14th in fielding among 15 regular NL shortstops and had a .271 on-base percentage. 9. ANGEL BERROA The man who beat out Hideki Matsui for AL Rookie of the Year in 2003 has certainly fallen in stature. Not only did just two AL shortstops make more errors than Berroa did in '06, his .259 on-base percentage was the worst in the majors. Berroa, who stole 21 bases his rookie season, had three steals in '06. 10. LASTINGS MILLEDGE The Mets' rookie, whose season fell below his inflated opinion of his ability (.241, 4 HR, .310 OBP in 56 games), repeatedly annoyed teammates and management. First was the high-fiving of fans after he hit a game-tying home run against the Giants. Then, in Philadelphia, he arrived an hour before the start of a day game. Now comes word that he's refusing to go to winter ball at the Mets' request.
November 27, 200618 yr yea, that was terrible when Milledge was high fiving fans how dare he! I think marlinsfan was referring to the last bit where it said Milledge was refusing to go to winter ball and improve his skills, at the Mets request. Seems like a good idea to me, when you haven't realized your full potential yet.
November 27, 200618 yr Another reason not to trade for Milledge. Because the NY Daily News bashed him?
November 27, 200618 yr actually porn night at dolphin stadium doesnt sound like a bad idea...can the mermaids come too?
November 27, 200618 yr actually porn night at dolphin stadium doesnt sound like a bad idea...can the mermaids come too? as long as they bring pretty girls
November 27, 200618 yr Naked mermaids? I'm there! lol As for MIlledge, he doesn't want to work on his game? PASS!
November 27, 200618 yr actually porn night at dolphin stadium doesnt sound like a bad idea...can the mermaids come too? as long as they bring pretty girls :lol burn..
November 27, 200618 yr actually porn night at dolphin stadium doesnt sound like a bad idea...can the mermaids come too? as long as they bring pretty girls :lol burn.. Ouch :lol
November 27, 200618 yr Another reason not to trade for Milledge. Because the NY Daily News bashed him? I think because of the whole "refusing to play winter ball" thing. Doesn't seem like his potential will be worth much if the guy isn't willing to put in the work to realize it.
November 27, 200618 yr actually porn night at dolphin stadium doesnt sound like a bad idea...can the mermaids come too? as long as they bring pretty girls :lol burn.. Ouch :lol
November 27, 200618 yr Thoughts: I can't stand David Samson and Lastings Milledge is severely underrated right now. I would trade any one pitcher in our organization for him (not named Dontrelle) straight up.
November 27, 200618 yr Thoughts: I can't stand David Samson and Lastings Milledge is severely underrated right now. I would trade any one pitcher in our organization for him (not named Dontrelle) straight up. UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
November 27, 200618 yr Thoughts: I can't stand David Samson and Lastings Milledge is severely underrated right now. I would trade any one pitcher in our organization for him (not named Dontrelle) straight up. UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH What ? Should I explain why a 21 year old extremely toolsy center fielder who has a .388 OBP and .440 Slg% in triple A is underrated ?
November 27, 200618 yr BTW: The best player I can compare to Lastings right now is Hanley. Hanley as a 21 year old in triple A had a .335 OBP and .385 slg%. Both players do not play sound defense at an important defensive position, but both players do have the potential to be plus defenders with great range at a middle position. Both guys were thought of extremely highly (top 10 prospect in all of baseball) as teenagers, but for whatever reason fell in status at the age of 21, which is still WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY too young to write off a toolsy prospect at a premier position. Furthermore, I would bet anyone very good money right now that Lastings Milledge will put up better overall numbers (if he was a full time starter) than 9 million dollar a year FA Juan Pierre. When guys like Dave Mathews Jr. and Pierre are getting these type of contracts, we see how hard it is to fill a position like Center field in this league. I'll say it again- I'd trade any pitcher on our roster not named Dontrelle for Lastings Milledge.
November 27, 200618 yr ....any pitcher not named Dontrelle, JJ, Scott, or Anibal :banghead :banghead :banghead :banghead
November 27, 200618 yr ....any pitcher not named Dontrelle, JJ, Scott, or Anibal What about Nolasco? Why does everyone hate him?
November 27, 200618 yr ....any pitcher not named Dontrelle, JJ, Scott, or Anibal What about Nolasco? Why does everyone hate him? It's not hating. It's that his ceiling isnt as high as the other guys. And if the Mets weren't in our division, I would trade them Willis. That being said, I'm in agreement with The_Godfather and hopefully at this point, we wouldn't even need to give them Anibal or Olsen.
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