cubfan33
08-04-2002, 10:34 PM
I'll start by thanking Rachael for playing a doubleheader. Judging from all the responses to trivia that came to me, a lot of you must enjoy her work. She cooks some mean desserts too, so thanks, Rach. I'm really looking forward to her first feature article, which she's working on now. I had a nice quiet weekend, spending some time with my family, getting the final details on the sunroom done, and working on a non-UTK article. What? Non-UTK? Yes, I'm doing an article for our great local alternative paper, Nuvo, about the Colts and their quest for a stadium. Yes, there will be a link to the article from the UTK website once it is published. If you haven't already been there, please check out the feature archive at www.willcarroll.com.
There is no clearer contrast in pitchers than Mark Prior and Randy Johnson. Sure, both are tall and very good, but Prior is 21 and a rookie, while Johnson is 38. Both went exceptionally deep into their last starts: Prior went 136, Johnson went 149. Wait wait ... I hear the outcry. "Wasn't it a week ago you said pitch counts don't matter?" Yes, I did. Keep listening and I'll show you why I bring this up. Both Johnson and Prior did not lose more than two miles per hour off their average fastball during the course of a game. While I am much more comfortable with Johnson going an extended session, Prior was pitching for a team out of the race against a team out of the race and the best explanation Bruce Kimm has offered is "he wanted to finish the game." It is the job of the pitching coach and the manager to protect a player from himself and there was no value in extending Prior. That said, I expect neither pitcher to see any percieved or real loss of effectiveness or velocity in their next start. Preliminary studies are showing that loss of velocity may be an even more accurate measure then pitch count when trying to assess damage inflicted during a start. Johnson starts tomorrow, so we'll see quickly how he reacts.
If anyone thinks someone in the AL might clear waivers, Cleveland has roster slots and cash available for claiming the right player. What is the right player? Someone with a contract under $5m annually that could fit in on the Tribe in 2004. Mark Shapiro is watching the White Sox and Royals roster closely, but let Jose Valentin and Frank Thomas pass through.
I was on a streak of a couple days without mentioning Ken Griffey Jr. So much for that. Griffey did not start yesterday's game due to "left quadriceps spasm" but was available to pinch hit and did so. He's back in the lineup today with no noticeable problems - in fact, he stole a base. The Reds will get Sean Casey back mid-week, but their titular ace, Elmer Dessens, will likely miss a start with a strained groin. The missed start would be in Coors Field, so this is a bit of a positive for Dessens. The Reds have not announced who will take the start, but Joey Hamilton is available and on rehab assignment.
Kevin Brown made his first rehab start in Vegas and looked good. He was on a 50 pitch limit and managed to get a line of 3 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 3 K, and 2 BB. He reported no unusual soreness today in his back or elbow and is on schedule for two more starts before returning to Los Angeles. By my very unofficial calendar, Brown will likely return on August 18th, barring setback. Some of his timetable will be set by the Dodgers themselves - if they continue to fade, pushing Brown's return will be unnecessary.
The Yankees should get Roger Clemens back this week, but next year is very up in the air. Clemens has an extremely odd contract - one that guarantees him $10.3 million dollars next year, whether he is with the Yanks or not. Clemens' agents approached the Yanks about a $12m extension to keep him in pinstripes, but the Yanks thought the Hendricks meant $12m instead of $10m, while the Hendricks were looking for $12m in ADDITION to the $10.3m! In the face of some sort of luxury tax or similar scheme, the Yankees may not be able to afford Clemens. If Clemens leaves, the likely candidates to get him would be Houston, his hometown, or Texas. Texas probably would get a slight edge, as Clemens has never played in the NL, and if Clemens is willing to give a hometown discount while cashing his check from Steinbrenner, both teams could likely find payroll room for him.
The Yankees are being ultrasupermegaconservative with Mariano Rivera and are rumored to be internally debating their options if Rivera cannot return at 100%. Rivera is now expected to take a rehab assignment which would likely take at least a week and include pitching on back to back days. Rivera was due to pitch batting practice today and the Yankees refused to comment when called. If you're expecting Rivera back this week or even next, you may be out of luck. Keith Foulke is the preferred option if someone is needed, but it's unlikely that he could clear waivers to the Yanks.
The Yanks aren't worried by Jason Giambi's back spasms, but will be cautious. Giambi was removed from the game in late innings, but he's often lifted for defensive purposes anyway. The Yanks are off tomorrow so Giambi will spend the day with Gene Monahan. Speaking of Steinbrenner, how did he avoid the million dollar fine for speaking out about the Cliff Floyd deal? It wasn't specifically about labor, but it might as well have been. Could it be that Seligula knows that fine won't stick and knows how much of a threat Steinbrenner is to his office?
Across town, the Mets are trying to do something near impossible - rebuild for next year while trying to convince the New York media that they are still thinking about this year. Sources from Flushing say that the John Thomson trade and failed Paul Byrd trade all point to next year. The Mets will likely let Shawn Estes, Steve Trachsel, and Jeff D'Amico go, leaving them a rotation of Thomson and Pedro Astacio, rescued from Planet Coors, Al Leiter, and prospect Aaron Heilman. That leaves one slot open for the obligatory free agent signing. While Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux will be the names the media will throw around, the Mets staff realizes they have almost no shot at those players and might target Omar Daal or Ismael Valdes.
Outside the pitching situation, the Mets will also deal with an oblique injury to Edgardo Alfonzo, also a potential freebie. Alfonzo may avoid the DL, but I wouldn't bet on it. If Alfonzo is out for any extended period, the Mets will lean on John Valentin during their fade from contention. Alfonzo in the long term is expected to be re-signed and stay at 3B.
The A's are dealing with three key injuries as they trail the Mariners and Angels. Jermaine Dye has a sprained ankle which is slowing him down in the outfield, but not at bat, forcing Art Howe to juggle his lineup more to keep everyone rested yet sharp. Ted Lilly will be out longer than expected with shoulder tendinitis, but Cory Lidle's recent turnaround makes it a bit more tolerable. Lilly will be necessary in September and he should be back in late August for that run. The other recent addition, Ray Durham, missed today's game with what was thought to be kidney stones. These are exceptionally painful and I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy or Bud Selig even. However, tests indicated that Durham did not have kidney stones, so further tests are planned.
More than one report has called Woody Williams the key to the Cardinals hopes for the post-season. I'm not ready to go that far - I think they make the playoffs with or without him, irrelevant of the Scott Rolen deal. Williams is due to begin throwing, but I'm hearing negative rumblings from St. Louis and Williams may not return on schedule and with near the expected effectiveness. Even with Williams, the Cards do not match up well with any of the other NL playoff contenders.
If you haven't seen this bizarre play, set your Tivo's for tonight's sports news. Corey Koskie was running down the first base line after hitting the ball to the Royals 1B. The runner from third (the winning run) is coming in and the throw from first is going to be close. As the throw comes, Koskie DOES NOT DUCK. (Insert Batman sound effect.) The ball cracked him in the chest, he goes down like the proverbial sack of fertilizer, and the run scores. Koskie is reported to have quite the bruise and may miss a game or two. Talk about taking one for the team.
Jack Cust hit a home run in his first game for the Rockies and honestly, didn't look that bad in the outfield to me. The question is how patient will Clint Hurdle be when he has about twelve other outfield options. Cust is going to be a 40-100 man, but he won't ever be a 300 hitter. Well, the 40-100 will come if he's given a chance and this is at least a start. Ok, Cust and Ruby Durazo are now in the majors ... who should we campaign to free next from captivity?
Damian Miller is not making progress and the D-Backs have begun looking for other options to Chad Moeller and Rod Barajas. The likeliest option is Sandy Alomar, but there are teams that may claim Alomar before he gets to the D-Backs.
Jon Lieber will visit Jim Andrews tomorrow, an off day for the Cubs. The visit, I'm told, is precautionary and Andrews has a long standing relationship with the Cubs, especially the pitchers. I'll keep you informed as to the findings, hopefully tomorrow. As Rachael told you on Friday, Steve Smyth was called up from AAA Iowa to start on Tuesday. It will be an important audition for the lefty, who could be a part of the 2003 rotation if he shows something, leaving Juan Cruz and Carlos Zambrano as bullpen guys.
Never take back injuries lightly, but Carlos Delgado should be fine. Mike Sweeney on the other hand is still bothered by his, but is working out in Iowa. His rehab assignment should be short - just enough to shake the rust off - and he should be back in KC by the 15th.
There is no clearer contrast in pitchers than Mark Prior and Randy Johnson. Sure, both are tall and very good, but Prior is 21 and a rookie, while Johnson is 38. Both went exceptionally deep into their last starts: Prior went 136, Johnson went 149. Wait wait ... I hear the outcry. "Wasn't it a week ago you said pitch counts don't matter?" Yes, I did. Keep listening and I'll show you why I bring this up. Both Johnson and Prior did not lose more than two miles per hour off their average fastball during the course of a game. While I am much more comfortable with Johnson going an extended session, Prior was pitching for a team out of the race against a team out of the race and the best explanation Bruce Kimm has offered is "he wanted to finish the game." It is the job of the pitching coach and the manager to protect a player from himself and there was no value in extending Prior. That said, I expect neither pitcher to see any percieved or real loss of effectiveness or velocity in their next start. Preliminary studies are showing that loss of velocity may be an even more accurate measure then pitch count when trying to assess damage inflicted during a start. Johnson starts tomorrow, so we'll see quickly how he reacts.
If anyone thinks someone in the AL might clear waivers, Cleveland has roster slots and cash available for claiming the right player. What is the right player? Someone with a contract under $5m annually that could fit in on the Tribe in 2004. Mark Shapiro is watching the White Sox and Royals roster closely, but let Jose Valentin and Frank Thomas pass through.
I was on a streak of a couple days without mentioning Ken Griffey Jr. So much for that. Griffey did not start yesterday's game due to "left quadriceps spasm" but was available to pinch hit and did so. He's back in the lineup today with no noticeable problems - in fact, he stole a base. The Reds will get Sean Casey back mid-week, but their titular ace, Elmer Dessens, will likely miss a start with a strained groin. The missed start would be in Coors Field, so this is a bit of a positive for Dessens. The Reds have not announced who will take the start, but Joey Hamilton is available and on rehab assignment.
Kevin Brown made his first rehab start in Vegas and looked good. He was on a 50 pitch limit and managed to get a line of 3 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 3 K, and 2 BB. He reported no unusual soreness today in his back or elbow and is on schedule for two more starts before returning to Los Angeles. By my very unofficial calendar, Brown will likely return on August 18th, barring setback. Some of his timetable will be set by the Dodgers themselves - if they continue to fade, pushing Brown's return will be unnecessary.
The Yankees should get Roger Clemens back this week, but next year is very up in the air. Clemens has an extremely odd contract - one that guarantees him $10.3 million dollars next year, whether he is with the Yanks or not. Clemens' agents approached the Yanks about a $12m extension to keep him in pinstripes, but the Yanks thought the Hendricks meant $12m instead of $10m, while the Hendricks were looking for $12m in ADDITION to the $10.3m! In the face of some sort of luxury tax or similar scheme, the Yankees may not be able to afford Clemens. If Clemens leaves, the likely candidates to get him would be Houston, his hometown, or Texas. Texas probably would get a slight edge, as Clemens has never played in the NL, and if Clemens is willing to give a hometown discount while cashing his check from Steinbrenner, both teams could likely find payroll room for him.
The Yankees are being ultrasupermegaconservative with Mariano Rivera and are rumored to be internally debating their options if Rivera cannot return at 100%. Rivera is now expected to take a rehab assignment which would likely take at least a week and include pitching on back to back days. Rivera was due to pitch batting practice today and the Yankees refused to comment when called. If you're expecting Rivera back this week or even next, you may be out of luck. Keith Foulke is the preferred option if someone is needed, but it's unlikely that he could clear waivers to the Yanks.
The Yanks aren't worried by Jason Giambi's back spasms, but will be cautious. Giambi was removed from the game in late innings, but he's often lifted for defensive purposes anyway. The Yanks are off tomorrow so Giambi will spend the day with Gene Monahan. Speaking of Steinbrenner, how did he avoid the million dollar fine for speaking out about the Cliff Floyd deal? It wasn't specifically about labor, but it might as well have been. Could it be that Seligula knows that fine won't stick and knows how much of a threat Steinbrenner is to his office?
Across town, the Mets are trying to do something near impossible - rebuild for next year while trying to convince the New York media that they are still thinking about this year. Sources from Flushing say that the John Thomson trade and failed Paul Byrd trade all point to next year. The Mets will likely let Shawn Estes, Steve Trachsel, and Jeff D'Amico go, leaving them a rotation of Thomson and Pedro Astacio, rescued from Planet Coors, Al Leiter, and prospect Aaron Heilman. That leaves one slot open for the obligatory free agent signing. While Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux will be the names the media will throw around, the Mets staff realizes they have almost no shot at those players and might target Omar Daal or Ismael Valdes.
Outside the pitching situation, the Mets will also deal with an oblique injury to Edgardo Alfonzo, also a potential freebie. Alfonzo may avoid the DL, but I wouldn't bet on it. If Alfonzo is out for any extended period, the Mets will lean on John Valentin during their fade from contention. Alfonzo in the long term is expected to be re-signed and stay at 3B.
The A's are dealing with three key injuries as they trail the Mariners and Angels. Jermaine Dye has a sprained ankle which is slowing him down in the outfield, but not at bat, forcing Art Howe to juggle his lineup more to keep everyone rested yet sharp. Ted Lilly will be out longer than expected with shoulder tendinitis, but Cory Lidle's recent turnaround makes it a bit more tolerable. Lilly will be necessary in September and he should be back in late August for that run. The other recent addition, Ray Durham, missed today's game with what was thought to be kidney stones. These are exceptionally painful and I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy or Bud Selig even. However, tests indicated that Durham did not have kidney stones, so further tests are planned.
More than one report has called Woody Williams the key to the Cardinals hopes for the post-season. I'm not ready to go that far - I think they make the playoffs with or without him, irrelevant of the Scott Rolen deal. Williams is due to begin throwing, but I'm hearing negative rumblings from St. Louis and Williams may not return on schedule and with near the expected effectiveness. Even with Williams, the Cards do not match up well with any of the other NL playoff contenders.
If you haven't seen this bizarre play, set your Tivo's for tonight's sports news. Corey Koskie was running down the first base line after hitting the ball to the Royals 1B. The runner from third (the winning run) is coming in and the throw from first is going to be close. As the throw comes, Koskie DOES NOT DUCK. (Insert Batman sound effect.) The ball cracked him in the chest, he goes down like the proverbial sack of fertilizer, and the run scores. Koskie is reported to have quite the bruise and may miss a game or two. Talk about taking one for the team.
Jack Cust hit a home run in his first game for the Rockies and honestly, didn't look that bad in the outfield to me. The question is how patient will Clint Hurdle be when he has about twelve other outfield options. Cust is going to be a 40-100 man, but he won't ever be a 300 hitter. Well, the 40-100 will come if he's given a chance and this is at least a start. Ok, Cust and Ruby Durazo are now in the majors ... who should we campaign to free next from captivity?
Damian Miller is not making progress and the D-Backs have begun looking for other options to Chad Moeller and Rod Barajas. The likeliest option is Sandy Alomar, but there are teams that may claim Alomar before he gets to the D-Backs.
Jon Lieber will visit Jim Andrews tomorrow, an off day for the Cubs. The visit, I'm told, is precautionary and Andrews has a long standing relationship with the Cubs, especially the pitchers. I'll keep you informed as to the findings, hopefully tomorrow. As Rachael told you on Friday, Steve Smyth was called up from AAA Iowa to start on Tuesday. It will be an important audition for the lefty, who could be a part of the 2003 rotation if he shows something, leaving Juan Cruz and Carlos Zambrano as bullpen guys.
Never take back injuries lightly, but Carlos Delgado should be fine. Mike Sweeney on the other hand is still bothered by his, but is working out in Iowa. His rehab assignment should be short - just enough to shake the rust off - and he should be back in KC by the 15th.