cubfan33
08-26-2002, 02:44 AM
I was going to wait until the offseason, but I'll give everyone a bit of info on a fun little project I'll be doing: the UTK Hall of Fame. I went back and forth with "Fame" and "Shame" but decided that since this will honor players with injuries and injuries are usually bad luck, there's no real shame to it. The UTK Hall of Fame will honor those players that have become known because of their lack of health and luck and will be honored in one of three categories: 1) Players who had infamous, odd, or humorous injuries; 2) Players who's careers were cut short by injury and would likely have gone on to greater renown without the injury having occurred; and 3) the most important, the trainers and doctors who treated injuries or made advances in helping baseball players avoid injuries. I'll start taking nominations soon and all subscribers will be able to vote. All living winners will recieve a special UTK mug, if we can find them.
It may not seem significant, but baseball doing a live webcast of tomorrow's Yankees-Rangers game really might be. For those who want to be very forward looking, this could be a major revenue stream for baseball ... and even more significantly, its a revenue stream controlled centrally and theoretically, distributed equally. For fans, it means that we can see more games and choose our own, rather than hoping Fox and ESPN pick the games we want. I'll be watching and hoping my cable modem isn't cut off by the impending construction.
I pretty much ignore Little League baseball. I think its fine in the big picture, but having been a player, coach, and umpire, I think I got a lot more from the game that happened every day about a mile from my house, across the street from the 7-11 in an open field that is now a Wal-Mart in western Texas. I don't feel positively or negatively about the LL World Series, but I do feel very negatively after a friend called me and told me to watch the game. The Louisville pitcher was experiencing tightness in his shoulder and the coach put heat on his arm in between innings to keep it loose. Besides the very dubious practice of putting heat on the injury, I was disturbed that the coach didn't have to consider this boy's future. Yes, winning the LLWS is very significant, but its not the coach who may have to undergo surgery someday for a decision he made. It also bothers me that even at the LLWS, there was no doctor, no athletic trainer, and no medical facilities beyond the legally required ambulance. (Ok, I could be wrong. I didn't SEE any of it and if it were ever going to make an appearance, this would have been the time.) Little League should seriously consider requiring the presence of an athletic trainer at all games. Oh, expense? Fine, get a qualified student - even a high school kid with some training could help keep some of the more egregious injuries from getting out of control. Also, coaches should get some instruction in first aid and sports medicine. Even better, they should get some training in coaching.
Is Jim Hendry a genius? He's traded away two relievers (Flash Gordon and Jeff Fassero) in the last week that he didn't need during a time he doesn't need relievers. Has he gotten much back? Well, a lot depends on the names behind the PTBNL tag, but getting something for players that had no value to the organization shows that Hendry gets it.
Report in from Friend of UTK Rob Miller in San Francisco: Barry Bonds and Vlad Guerrero are good.
Good news for the Yankees if we get past DDD. Nick Johnson is making progress and his wrist is nearly pain-free. He's progressed to hitting off a tee and taking grounders and should take some live BP later this week. They're being conservative with him because they can and because the shadow of DDD. The Tampa fencewatchers are keeping their eyes open for Mariano Rivera sightings as well.
More good news for Jim Rushford ... Jeffrey Hammonds is hurt (again.) This time, it's a sore shoulder. The best line I saw on this was "Jeffrey Hammonds is always day to day." Less and less excuses for Dean Taylor to not have this guy up in Milwaukee. He certainly deserves a callup more than the rumored Prince Fielder show.
The Twins will get Joe Mays on his next scheduled start Tuesday. It had been touch and go for a while with his bruised thumb, but he looked good in a side session and should have no problem with the start. I'm not sure if he'll be 100% and they'll have a quick hook for sure, so if you have other options, it's something to consider. Any team with a lead like the Twins have is going to be able to be conservative, get their stars some extra rest, and be ready and waiting for the playoffs.
Edgardo Alfonzo is back for the Mets, not that it really matters, but with his impending free agency, it will be interesting to see what he can do as the season draws to a close. Is he worth a Rolen type contract, will some team try to move him back to 2B, or will he be a victim of bad timing? The best thing he can do now is put up some decent numbers and prove he's healthy.
Dmitri Young is farther off, coming back from hernia surgery, but if he does make it back while we're playing, the Tigers say he will play 3B exclusively. It's clear they want to move him over there, opening a space for Eric Munson next year. The Tigers are so hamstrung by bad contracts, I'm not sure what they'll be able to do in the short term.
Sammy Sosa's neck prevented him from playing in today's game. While I have no doubt his neck is stiff, it's funny how injuries like this tend to keep guys out when Randy Johnson is pitching that day. Sosa should be fine as he closes in on HR500. I know that Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens are better and that Curt Schilling might be a better pitcher, but I'm not sure there has ever been a more intimidating pitcher in the history of the game. Did players take themselves out of the lineup when Sandy Koufax or Walter Johnson pitched? I'm sure someone will cheerfully tell me!
The White Sox barely had Tony Graffanino carted off the field before placing him on the DL and calling up D'Angelo Jiminez. It's odd to see how a guy touted as better than Alfonso Soriano has been traded twice and seen his star fall faster than my HSX portfolio lately. The White Sox need to figure Jiminez out quickly, because I'm pretty sure he's out of options.
The Cards will miss Eli Marrero for a couple more days after leaving with back spasms. He could be rushed back if he responds to treatment, but he's been so valuable all over the place this year that, with their lead, the Cards shouldn't make him.
Tomorrow's report will be on Fox and hopefully, Rach will be well enough to fire off a quick update and trivia question. Everyone hope that I live through this sunroom. The company has been great so far so I have high hopes.
It may not seem significant, but baseball doing a live webcast of tomorrow's Yankees-Rangers game really might be. For those who want to be very forward looking, this could be a major revenue stream for baseball ... and even more significantly, its a revenue stream controlled centrally and theoretically, distributed equally. For fans, it means that we can see more games and choose our own, rather than hoping Fox and ESPN pick the games we want. I'll be watching and hoping my cable modem isn't cut off by the impending construction.
I pretty much ignore Little League baseball. I think its fine in the big picture, but having been a player, coach, and umpire, I think I got a lot more from the game that happened every day about a mile from my house, across the street from the 7-11 in an open field that is now a Wal-Mart in western Texas. I don't feel positively or negatively about the LL World Series, but I do feel very negatively after a friend called me and told me to watch the game. The Louisville pitcher was experiencing tightness in his shoulder and the coach put heat on his arm in between innings to keep it loose. Besides the very dubious practice of putting heat on the injury, I was disturbed that the coach didn't have to consider this boy's future. Yes, winning the LLWS is very significant, but its not the coach who may have to undergo surgery someday for a decision he made. It also bothers me that even at the LLWS, there was no doctor, no athletic trainer, and no medical facilities beyond the legally required ambulance. (Ok, I could be wrong. I didn't SEE any of it and if it were ever going to make an appearance, this would have been the time.) Little League should seriously consider requiring the presence of an athletic trainer at all games. Oh, expense? Fine, get a qualified student - even a high school kid with some training could help keep some of the more egregious injuries from getting out of control. Also, coaches should get some instruction in first aid and sports medicine. Even better, they should get some training in coaching.
Is Jim Hendry a genius? He's traded away two relievers (Flash Gordon and Jeff Fassero) in the last week that he didn't need during a time he doesn't need relievers. Has he gotten much back? Well, a lot depends on the names behind the PTBNL tag, but getting something for players that had no value to the organization shows that Hendry gets it.
Report in from Friend of UTK Rob Miller in San Francisco: Barry Bonds and Vlad Guerrero are good.
Good news for the Yankees if we get past DDD. Nick Johnson is making progress and his wrist is nearly pain-free. He's progressed to hitting off a tee and taking grounders and should take some live BP later this week. They're being conservative with him because they can and because the shadow of DDD. The Tampa fencewatchers are keeping their eyes open for Mariano Rivera sightings as well.
More good news for Jim Rushford ... Jeffrey Hammonds is hurt (again.) This time, it's a sore shoulder. The best line I saw on this was "Jeffrey Hammonds is always day to day." Less and less excuses for Dean Taylor to not have this guy up in Milwaukee. He certainly deserves a callup more than the rumored Prince Fielder show.
The Twins will get Joe Mays on his next scheduled start Tuesday. It had been touch and go for a while with his bruised thumb, but he looked good in a side session and should have no problem with the start. I'm not sure if he'll be 100% and they'll have a quick hook for sure, so if you have other options, it's something to consider. Any team with a lead like the Twins have is going to be able to be conservative, get their stars some extra rest, and be ready and waiting for the playoffs.
Edgardo Alfonzo is back for the Mets, not that it really matters, but with his impending free agency, it will be interesting to see what he can do as the season draws to a close. Is he worth a Rolen type contract, will some team try to move him back to 2B, or will he be a victim of bad timing? The best thing he can do now is put up some decent numbers and prove he's healthy.
Dmitri Young is farther off, coming back from hernia surgery, but if he does make it back while we're playing, the Tigers say he will play 3B exclusively. It's clear they want to move him over there, opening a space for Eric Munson next year. The Tigers are so hamstrung by bad contracts, I'm not sure what they'll be able to do in the short term.
Sammy Sosa's neck prevented him from playing in today's game. While I have no doubt his neck is stiff, it's funny how injuries like this tend to keep guys out when Randy Johnson is pitching that day. Sosa should be fine as he closes in on HR500. I know that Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens are better and that Curt Schilling might be a better pitcher, but I'm not sure there has ever been a more intimidating pitcher in the history of the game. Did players take themselves out of the lineup when Sandy Koufax or Walter Johnson pitched? I'm sure someone will cheerfully tell me!
The White Sox barely had Tony Graffanino carted off the field before placing him on the DL and calling up D'Angelo Jiminez. It's odd to see how a guy touted as better than Alfonso Soriano has been traded twice and seen his star fall faster than my HSX portfolio lately. The White Sox need to figure Jiminez out quickly, because I'm pretty sure he's out of options.
The Cards will miss Eli Marrero for a couple more days after leaving with back spasms. He could be rushed back if he responds to treatment, but he's been so valuable all over the place this year that, with their lead, the Cards shouldn't make him.
Tomorrow's report will be on Fox and hopefully, Rach will be well enough to fire off a quick update and trivia question. Everyone hope that I live through this sunroom. The company has been great so far so I have high hopes.