Caps can be dangerous

[nyy26wc]

1) Brewers 1B Richie Sexson had to miss an intrasquad game last week, after suffering a strained neck. The cap he was given to wear for photo day was too small, so to stretch it out, Sexson pulled so hard on the bill that he hurt his neck.

In Sexson's case, it's safer to put on a batting helmet than a regular cap. After 11 RCAA/.848 OPS and 13 RCAA/.889 OPS seasons, he hit .504 SLG, .363 OBA,. 867 OPS, 25 RCAA in 157 games in 2002. Sexson has a .862 career OPS, compared to his league average of .780, and 47 RCAA in 651 games.

2) Cubs P Kerry Wood says he'd like to sign a 2 year contract extension, which would cover 2004-05. In January, he signed a 1 year, $6.19 million contract, which avoided salary arbitration.

Wood will be 3 days shy of free agency at the end of the year and such an extension would push his free agency back a year. He ranks 5th on the all time list for SO/9 IP above the league average, through the age of 25 (min: 600 IP)--

STRIKEOUTS/9 IP DIFF PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Bob Feller 4.02 7.66 3.64
2 Sandy Koufax 3.83 9.04 5.21
3 Nolan Ryan 3.65 9.32 5.67
4 Sam McDowell 3.61 9.55 5.95
5 Kerry Wood 3.57 10.40 6.83
6 Mario Soto 3.35 8.48 5.13
7 Rube Waddell 3.22 6.09 2.87
8 Tom Hall 3.13 8.70 5.57
9 Bobby Witt 3.04 8.71 5.67
10 Cy Seymour 2.99 5.38 2.39

3) Rockies SS Juan Uribe suffered a stress fracture in a bone outside of his right foot. He's going to return to Denver for tests and the team says it's too early to speculate on how long he's going to miss.

Uribe is already in danger of losing his starting job.

4) BlueJays INF Mike Moriarty was hospitalized after being hit in the side of the head by a pitch from Devil Rays Seth McClung. He was able to walk off the field under his own power.

Moriarty, who turns 29 next week, had a .438 OPS/-3 RCAA in his first 8 major league games, with the 2002 Orioles.

5) The Diamondbacks re-signed 1B Lyle Overbay, INFs Tim Olson and Matt Kata, OFs Doug DeVore and Luis Terrero, C Brad Cresse and P Stephen Randolph to 1 year contracts.

Overbay is expected to be the starting 1B, although this week the team said they might have platoon with Matt Williams and there's always the possibility that they'll lose in Overbay and return to the veteran Mark Grace. While Overbay is too old to be considered a top prospect (he turned 26 in January), he has a good minor league track record, which includes a .924 OPS (.396 OBA, .528 SLG) in AAA in 2002.

6) The Angels re-signed INF Alfredo Amezaga, OF Nathan Haynes and Ps Ben Weber, Scot Shields and Mark Lukasiewicz to 1 year contracts.

Weber's had 3.42 ERA/10 RSAA and 2.54 ERA/15 RSAA the past couple of years and has a 3.41 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.52, and 21 RSAA in 138 games.

7) The Twins re-signed 2B Luis Rivas, OFs Michael Cuddyer and B.J. Garbe and P Adam Johnson to 1 year contracts.

After a -20 RCAA/.682 OPS rookie season, Rivas hit .392 SLG, .305 OBA, .697 OPS, -12 RCAA in 93 games in 2002. His OPS vs. the league average is the 3rd worst (since 1900) for 2B, through the age of 22 (min: 1000 PA)--

OPS DIFF PLAYER LEAGUE
1 Ken Hubbs -.098 .626 .724
2 Glenn Hubbard -.078 .645 .722
3 Luis Rivas -.073 .690 .763
4 Bill Mazeroski -.065 .688 .753
5 Frankie Gustine -.052 .657 .709
6 Rennie Stennett -.035 .678 .713
7 Johnny Evers -.023 .648 .671
8 Marty McManus -.017 .760 .777
9 Willie Randolph -.016 .695 .712
10 Delino DeShields .002 .721 .719

8) The Padres are talking to P Brian Lawrence about a multiyear contract.

After starting his career with a 3.45 ERA/7 RSAA in 27 G/15 GS as a 25 year old rookie in 2001, Lawrence had a 3.69 ERA/2 RSAA in 35 G/31 GS in 2002.

9) The candidates for the Whitesox 5th starter's job are Esteban Loaiza, Gil Heredia, Jon Rauch and Josh Stewart.

10) Cardinals P Rick Ankiel made it through an inning while "only" walking 2 batters in his first appearance of the spring. At least that's better some of his performances last spring.

Ankiel's 2001 season ranked 4th among Cardinals pitchers for most IP in a season, with more BB than IP--

INNINGS PITCHED YEAR IP BB
1 Gene Woodburn 1911 38 40
2 Ken Johnson 1949 34 35
3 Grover Lowdermilk 1909 29 30
4 Rick Ankiel 2001 24 25
5 Jim Bibby 1973 16 17
6 Gene Dale 1911 14.2 16
7 Stan Partenheimer 1945 13 16
8 Mel Wright 1954 10 11
9 Joe Willis 1913 9.2 11
10 Mike Matthews 2000 9.1 10

11) Brewers LF Geoff Jenkins sprained his right wrist and is expected to miss about a week.

The Brewers have to hope this isn't a sign of things to come. He missed time in 2001, due to a shoulder problem, and most of last year, due to an ankle injury. After 26 RCAA/.935 OPS and 34 RCAA/.948 OPS in his first couple of years as an everyday player, Jenkins fell to .808 OPS/-1 RCAA in 2001 and hit .444 SLG, .320 OBA, .764 OPS, -3 RCAA in 67 games in 2002.

12) Redsox MGR Grady Little says the fact that the team only has 1 day off in the first couple of weeks of the season could be a major factor in them carrying 12 pitchers on the Opening Day roster.

13) Many players have had their ages changed in the past year, but now Redsox P Robert Person had his birthplace changed. Person has been listed as being born in Lowell, Massachusetts, but he says he's never been there.

Almost a decade ago, when he was a minor leaguer with the BlueJays, Person and a teammate's hometowns were inadvertently flip-flopped and the error was never caught until now. Person's real birthplace is St. Louis.

14) The Dodgers re-signed CF Dave Roberts to a 1 year, $400,000 contract.

After playing a combined 75 games with the 1999-2001, Roberts hit .365 SLG, .353 OBA, .718 OPS, 9 RCAA in 127 games as a 30 year old in his first opportunity as a starter.

15) The Pirates re-signed SS Jose Castillo, OF Adam Hyzdu and Ps David Williams and Duaner Sanchez to 1 year contracts.

16) The Phillies cut P Dan Adams, sending him to the minor league camp.

17) The Mariners re-signed INF Luis Ugueto, utilityman Willie Bloomquist, OF Chris Snelling and Ps Jeff Heaverlo, Rafael Soriano and J.J. Putz to 1 year contracts.

18) The Devil Rays re-signed DH-1B-3B Aubrey Huff to a 1 year contract.

After a .660 OPS/-24 RCAA in 2001, his first year as a starter, Huff hit .520 SLG, .364 OBA, .884 OPS, 20 RCAA in 113 games in 2002.

19) The Diamondbacks signed P Jason Jacome to a minor league contract.

Jacome had a 5.34 ERA/-20 RSAA in 106 games with the Mets, Royals and Indians, from 1994-98.

20) The Reds re-signed 3B Brandon Larson, C Corky Miller and Ps John Riedling and Seth Etherton to 1 year contracts.

21) The Marlins re--signed C Ramon Castro and Ps Michael Tejera, Wes Anderson, Jose Cueto, Kevin Olsen and Blaine Neal to 1 year contracts.

22) Free agent OF Chuck Knoblauch says he's leaning towards retirement.

Knoblauch can't find a job after hitting .300 SLG, .284 OBA, .584 OPS, -24 RCAA in 80 games with the Royals. It was his 3rd consecutive year with a negative RCAA and he has a .783 career OPS, compared to his league average of .763, and 155 RCAA in 1632 games.

[Max Power]

Lean, Chuckie, lean............

[WiredTiger]

Can someone in KC shove Chucky before the Royals sign him to another bad contract?

[KCBOOMER]

People here in KC can't seem to find. I think it is because the keep looking out on the basepaths.

[hmrsf]

No one will admitt to being born in Lowell.