San Diego Padres vs. Atlanta Braves – Box Score – July 20, 2010 – ESPN.
I don’t want to speak too soon… but the Braves might be about to run away with this. At least they’re in position to, with the Mets and Phillies struggling and the Braves continuing to monotonously win two games a series. Tonight, they took over possession of the best record in the league from the Padres, at 55-38.
Jair Jurrjens allowed just a solo homer to Chris Denorfia (who?) in the second, but was lucky that the homer came when it did. In the first, the Padres got three baserunners, thanks largely to an error on Martin Prado, but Melky threw out scrappy, gutty, putrid David Eckstein at the plate to end the inning. Another Prado error came right after Denorfia’s homer, and was later followed by a walk, but Jurrjens got out of that, too. They got a couple of two-out hits in the fourth, one by the pitcher, but Jurrjens got a strikeout to end it — and the Braves took over the game from there.
Glaus walked his way on in the bottom of the fourth, and the red-hot Matt Diaz followed with a homer to give the Braves the lead. In the seventh, Prado and Heyward hit back-to-back doubles — Heyward smoked everything he hit tonight, and had three hits — and Diaz later drove Heyward home to make it 4-1. AAG hit into a bases-loaded double play to end the inning, but it was more than enough runs.
Jurrjens for the first time didn’t tire, and even seemed to get stronger as the game went on. He finished with seven strikeouts — he seems to be striking more batters out than ever since his return — and allowed five hits and three walks over seven innings. The back of the bullpen, the briefly not-suspended Venters and the everpresent Wagner, each had no problems in pitching an inning. Braves Baseball, 2010: Wear down the opposing pitcher (97 pitches through six) and get the lead to the eighth, and you’re golden.
What a fun game. Bit of drama, late inning rally, and a shutdown bullpen again. It’s a great season to be a Braves fan. Big win.
JC’ed from last thread…
DOB is tweeting about the Braves scouting Cody Ross tonight:
Braves have not one but two special assts at Marlins game, Jim Fregosi and Dom Chiti. Cody Ross as CF possibility seems the likely interest…
…That’s just speculation regarding which Marlin the #Braves are interested in, but fact is they have two top special assts there. Unusual.
Heyward’s swing looked to be back. That is very exciting.
@2
i hope we were scouting the rockies…
Heyward’s hits were some of the hardest I have seen this year.
Cody Ross, eh? If it doesn’t cost too much, I don’t think that is a harmful move, especially if McLouth is giving you nothing.
———————-
Eric Byrnes looks like a douche on MLB Tonight on MLB Network. Awesome show, though.
Ross would be the perfect acquisition. Shouldn’t cost too much, fits a legit need. As I said a couple of weeks ago, I would be pretty stoked to get him.
That double in the 7th by Heyward was the hardest hit ball I’ve seen in years that didn’t leave the yard. Just absolutely crushed.
Heyward’s swing looked to be back. That is very exciting.
Came here to post the same thing. The double in the seventh was a rocket, Gwynn had no chance.
Just an observation, not nitpicking: he hasn’t hit a ball harder than the Zambrano Homer on opening day.
If we get Ross, don’t the Marlins have to forfeit all the games left against us?
Marlins would probably release him at the end of the yr so his trade value cant be extremely high I wouldnt think. They’d probably have to take Melky or Nate in a deal too.
I can’t see the words “David Eckstein” without thinking about this:
Heyward hit 3 tonight harder than anything he’s hit in the last 30 days, easily
Melky for the Commando. So it Wren.
If Fregosi is there, we are seriously looking at someone.
Jamie Moyer is the oldest pitcher to ever get hurt in a big league game with his team in third place!
The Good: Heyward just killed it tonight. The ball he hit over Lil’ Tony Gwynn was sick. Matty D is still hot as a firecracker, and Jurrjens looked really solid. A nice win over a good ball club.
The bad: Eric Byrnes on MLB. Good Lord is he stoned?
re: sdp @10
According to Hit Tracker, only one person all year has hit a ball harder than Jason hit that one off of Zambrano. They calculated that one leaving his bat at 120.9 mph; only Chris Snyder has hit a ball harder in all of baseball all year, as he hit a homer on May 3rd against the Astros calculated at 121.0 mph. He crushed that ball…to say he hasn’t hit one that hard since is hardly a bad sign.
(edit: of hits that were home runs at least, as those are the only hits Hit Tracker tracks. Pretty rare for a ball to be hit that hard with the right trajectory to leave the yard.)
One reaction to the ball Heyward hit in the seventh: ohmigod!
…and Upton homers to put the D’Backs up 1-0.
Who do you give up for Ross?
I’m hoping they don’t have to go get Commando Cody as the latest twitteres indicate that the asking price is very high, and he isn’t *that* good.
The Sawx are supposedly hot after Ross, and if they’re willing to deal Lowrie I don’t see how we could match that.
Seeing some tweets about the Phillies nearing a trade for a “frontline” starter, maybe Oswalt. They’d have to deal Werth to make it happen. Then they’d call up Brown. I guess that’d make them better, but it’s hard to see it helping enough. When is Utley coming back again?
If McLouth can regain his usefulness — granted, that’s a big IF right now — I’m not sure that I would want to trade prospects for Ross.
Hopefully the Braves will take the time to see what McLouth can do over the next week and a half.
Stark tweets that the Phillies are about to make two trades, or a three-way trade, with them moving Werth and getting a pitcher.
24 — September
I don’t get why the Phillies haven’t already benched Ibanez for Brown.
Werth is one of only 2 legitimately good hitters the Phillies have right now…him and Howard. The rest have mediocre or worse OBPs.
Stark and Buster Olney are both saying it’s likely Oswalt to Philly. CRAP.
God I effing hate the Phillies.
Is everyone in here really excited about Cody Ross? Talk about your classic mediocre outfielder. Don’t we have enough of those guys????
The Phils owe Ibanez $11.5M for next season. Heh.
Oswalt’s WAR has steadily declined since 2004. One pitcher isn’t going to make up for Blanton, Moyer, a schizophrenic Halladay, and Kendrick/Happ/whoever. Let them have him.
Oswalt’s been pretty terrific this year, actually. You try pitching for that team in that park. He’s not worth six games in three months, though.
34, actually, Oswalt makes the most Machievellian sense, if you actually think you can win it. All he costs will be money – you shouldn’t have to give up much for that contract.
Flags fly forever, as they say, and you’d get a pretty good chunk of it in extra tickets sold and postseason revenue, not to mention sales for next year.
Mac, he might be worth 6 games, if our offense continues to be schizo.
This is why having a competent center fielder who can be consistent, offensively is so important. Melky’s been better than McClouth, but neither should be the guy in center on a contending team. Of course, neither should Cody Ross.
And yes, Oswalt is a true #1 starter to go along with Roy Hallasday. Yes, that sufficiently would scare me.
What I’m afraid is that too many of our starters stay inconsistent, our offense stays inconsistent, and a Philly team with 2 true #1 starters now does catch us. God I hope that Astro deal falls through. Freaking Astros.
if we can trade melky and mike dunn to florida for ross, i’m in. if it doesnt involve dumping melky, i’m out.
ross, like matty d, is a lefties killer. he has a career .950 ops against lefties. againt righties it’s an abyssmal .731. either way you slice it, he’s better than melky.
Nobody is worth six games in half a season. Babe Ruth in his prime was worth maybe ten games a year.
Offense being schizo? That’s assuming an offense should rip every pitching it sees. Even the best won’t do that. Since April 30th, we’ve only lost three in a row once–that’s a sign of steady pitching, steady hitting.
If they’re moving Werth in conjunction, then it’s counterintuitive unless they think Dominic Brown is ready. Werth, as scrutinized as he may be, is one of their most productive bats, especially so without Utley.
@37, the Phillies have $135M committed for next year. They’d either have to give up a painful prospect, or really be pushing all in. I think it’s a long shot. Having said that, if Werth goes to Team X in a 3 way, maybe Houston gets back the prospect to eat some dough. But then again, Team X would have to be an AL team, as I can’t see anyone helping Philly get off the mat.
/and after trading Lee, and to trade for another pitcher and it doesn’t work out? Oy.
Alex R., Cody Ross isn’t that bad. He’ll give you .270/320/450.
The question is, can McLouth give us his standard .250/350/440 down the stretch?
I hope the Phillies just acquired Scott Kazmir.
I wouldn’t worry about Philly catching us but I would worry about having to deal with Philly in the playoffs if they can run Halladay and Oswalt out there.
The phils don’t have to catch the Braves, though, to make it into the tournament. They’re still very much in the hunt.
44 — What he said.
Hamels is pretty good, too.
It actually would have to be about 7 games in a little more than 2 months, though.
Oh, and Oswalt has to approve any trade, and doesn’t really want to go to a team in the northeast.
If the Phillies theoretically did acquire Oswalt and won the Wild Card, we still would avoid playing them until the NLCS.
It’s worth pointing out they are currently 3.5 GB in that race but have 5 teams in front of them. Cincinnati has a half game lead over Colorado and would be our first round opponent if the season ended today.
Oswalt is battling an injury last I heard
Phillies have half of their remaining games with contenders too. They are going to be a longshot if they don’t turn it around soon. 2 more with St Louis and then 4 with Colorado could get real ugly.
Too bad Ruben Amaro thinks a shit franchise like Philly has to be in the playoffs every year now. If you’re seven games out, chances are it’s for several reasons and one pitcher isn’t gonna fix the problems.
Ken Rosenthal on twitter refuting Stark’s tweet, saying that the Phils aren’t close to a deal…
Willingham? Okay. Ross? Only if he’s basically free.
Of course I would still like Kemp even though the Dodgers insist they aren’t looking to trade him. I’d be willing to give up a little bit for him.
Yeah, I don’t get the Ross love. He’s basically Matt Diaz. I love Diaz but only against lefties, usually.
I trust Ken Rosenthal over Stark. Stark is a Philly guy and he works for ESPN so I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s leaking a story like this from his own wishes to get public PR pressure on Amaro to make a deal.
@55, Ross can technically play CF. He’s McClouth insurance/replacement.
/not that I particularly want him either, but that’s the appeal to some.
Ross is basically Matt Diaz, only he can play center and right. So, he’d add quite a bit of value to this roster.
Mets trail 3-0 in the 7th to the Dbacks.
They would fall 6.5 GB with a loss.
People in here do make a good point about Philly winning the wild card. If they add Oswalt & have him with Halladay and Hamels in the Playoffs, I don’t see how that rotation could lose.
#57
Stu, but can we guarantee that McClouth and Melky will be gone? We just have a glut of too many average outfielders. I’m more OK with Cody Ross if Melky and McClouth are hopefully gone.
3-1 D-Backs, bottom 8.
The Mets’ Western Death March continues.
Ross for Melky? Um, sure. We need some more RH power.
Not going to fret about Oswalt in Philly just yet, but it’s true that they don’t have to catch us & their rotation (Halladay/Oswalt/Hamels) in the post-season would be better than anyone in our league, except maybe the Cardinals (Wainwright/Carpenter/Garcia).
Any rotation can lose in the playoffs. Remember Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz? No team is unbeatable in the playoffs. Let’s get to the playoffs first and let the chips fall where they may.
Oh, I know that.
Hell, at this point, I’d be happy to take on Koufax & Drysdale just to play in October again.
Ross should probably cost Melky plus a prospect. Dunn, maybe, but I would bet it would probably be someone like Robinson Lopez.
Much higher up the chain than that and I would say “no.”
I’m going to stop reading the opinions of people who spell Nate’s last name “McClouth”. Misspelling “Francoeur” is one thing, but the “L” in “McLouth” is capitalized, for chrissakes….
Freaking Pagan.
Pagan just hit a leadoff homer in the 9th to make it 3-2.
Arizona’s bullpen is sooo bad.
So the ‘Backs have a guy with a 7.49 ERA trying to close for them.
65—I think it’s a losing battle. I have tried to point that out more than once here. It’s just one of those things.
Some folks still think there’s a “g” in Jair’s last name, too.
I feel like the price for Kemp would be steep.
Freeman and Teheran are probably untouchable, but at least one of Minor/Delgado/Vizcaino would be gone along with Kimbrel maybe and probably another relatively high profile prospect.
Why does Bowman answer such idiotic tweets?
@wawel78 any chance Wren pulls off a back-door deal w/ another team to steal Werth?
@khoffman3113 Any chance the Braves go after Prince Fielder?
speaking of francoor, does he still play for us? if so, i’ve got a trade scenario for ya’:
francoor and mcclouTh for
pulholes
get it done, ren.
When Troy Glaus is gone next year the line up is going to be awfully lefty-heavy, and they could do a lot worse than balancing it out with Ross.
kawakami, mcclouTh and melkdud for Worth…
get it done, ren.
The D-Backs survive, 3-2, thanks to a bad swing by Ike Davis.
We’re six and a half games up and counting!
Mets lose.
magic number 63!
YES Mets lose!
I think that the Dodgers would want an MLB starter — that is, Jurrjens or Medlen.
En final, AZ 3 Mets 2.
Beatiful, Mets lost.
@79, Kemp is just the guy, but boy that would be painful.
For Kemp, yeah, Medlen might be available. Hard to imagine Jurrjens being available in the midst of a pennant race.
Does Medlen, Melky/Schafer, Delgado, Kimbrel get it done? Is that a trade worth making?
Knowing the Braves, I don’t think they would make a trade like that during the season — that is, trading a key part for someone else’s key part.
Mets have dropped 5 games in the standings over the last 10. Ouch.
Oswalt trade to the Phillies would be like our own Tex trade. It would have very little impact on the outcome if they actually had to trade away Werth to do that.
Imagine they could have Lee for the whole season. Stupid Amaro.
I don’t want Cody Ross. It would be stupid to give up ANYTHING for Cody Ross.
“Venters’ appeal of his four-game suspension will be heard on July 27 in Washington.”
I think O’Flaharty would be back in time.
Schafer’s got as much trade value as Mike Hessman.
Less, I’d bet.
I don’t think Medlen and Delgado would be enough. In any event, I can’t imagine Kemp is really available right now–if he was I would give up a lot to get him. A lot.
EDIT: Just checked Kemp’s defensive numbers. He’s awful. It’s possible he wouldn’t be worth the heavy price…
I believe that at least some people spell JJ’s name with a G so as to make a pun with Jergens skincare products.
I don’t take the Phillies lightly, but right now we’re a better team than they are. I use the following method to evaluate every trade rumor, however: virtually everything that every team official says on or off the record to a reporter is a baldfaced lie. That doesn’t mean that kernels of truth don’t get out, that just means that so much of it is smokescreening and patently false denials that it generally doesn’t pay to take anything seriously until something’s a done deal.
Like the Cliff Lee-to-the-Yankees story, where Jack Z literally used The New York Post to drive up the price for his trade chip by getting them to report that the trade was basically done.
Hessman has at least been successful in AAA (he’s OPSing .985 right now – at age 32),
schafer’s got as much trade value as mike nesmith.
Schafer’s got as much trade value as Mike Vick.
Schafer’s got as much trade value as Vic Chesnutt. (Yes, I know he’s dead.)
Be nice.
Did you see what happened to Carl Crawford tonight?
He’s leading off first base & the pick-off throw hits him right in the nuts. He gets tagged out as he writhes on the ground, then leaves the game. Ouch.
He’s got as much trade value as Susie Essman.
94 – Now that was funny…
Trolling twitter here are two wonderful tweets from @Kentremendous, Michael Schur of FJM
Sad news out of San Diego: David Eckstein goes on 30-day DL with a sore left he’s terrible at baseball.
Sad news out of Philadelphia: Jamie Moyer will go on the 15-day DL with a strained he died eight years ago.
I feel like I’m cheating on Mac. I just wanted to share.
Testicular contusion for Carl Crawford. Not fun.
PW Hjort-
I read something you wrote a while back about how if the Braves were to make a move, to actually improve the team they’d have to get a very high WAR player because- well, I’m sure that I would paraphrase you all wrong and I doubt I understood you properly anyway. At any rate, what are your thoughts on acquiring Ross (just for speculation) given that framework? Your argument seemed compelling at the time, but I can’t find your post to re-read it and try to put this possibility into perspective…
#73, Glaus could always be our third baseman next year.
Not sure how much of the assessment of Jordan Schafer’s trade value is pure jest, but I do think it is being underestimated. Let’s at least keep in mind that more than a few people on this blog have advocated trading for Brandon Wood.
Schafer was an opening day starting center fielder 16 months ago at the age of 22. He displayed at least some ability to hit major league pitching before a very real injury setback which cost him all of last year.
He may not hit again, but it is also possible that he will and he is just taking longer to regain his stroke than we would like. Keep in mind that his main value to the team was expected to be defense and that he was a pitcher when he entered the Braves organization just a few years ago.
Schafer could not be the centerpiece of a trade like at the beginning of last year, but he has some value as an additional piece, 3rd or 4th on that list of 4 players, similar to Melky Cabrera.
Just like Beltre:
“Crawford said he doesn’t wear a protective cup because it’s too restrictive, and he insisted he won’t change that practice.”
6.5 games ahead…but it’s only July…don’t want to get too excited yet, but it makes me a very happy person indeed.
from amazinavenue.com:
Jeff Francoeur: D-. Doesn’t hit for average, doesn’t hit for power, doesn’t get on base, doesn’t run well, doesn’t range well. What else? He’s affable and has a great arm, which, along with $350,000, will get you a replacement-level right fielder who would be just as good at baseball as Jeff Francoeur
—-
on behalf of Braves fans, thank you Minaya =)
Crawford is a numb nut.
I saw the replay. I flinched and doubled over just watching it.
Pass on Cody Ross.
Let’s first hope that Nate has paid attention to Diaz, Yunel, and (straight from my fantasy team) Aramis Ramirez on the finer points of getting hot in the second half.
Speaking of which, it’s about time to make your annual fantasy trade offer for Adam LaRoche!
What I learned from catching up on yesterday’s Bravesjournaling:
1) Deerhoof has apparently made the Beatles obsolete
2) Arodys Vizcaino was apparently a middling Yankees prospect
3) The prospect of Oswalt to the Phillies apparently didn’t scare everybody on here
What was in the water yesterday?
Isn’t Matt Kemp overrated? We’re talking about a guy with a lifetime OPS+ of 115 and OBP of 340. He has a 315 OBP this year.
wow, 315 OBP? …. didn’t we just trade for that when we got Gonzalez?
I’m told he’s been living it up with this Rihanna person. Too many parties, no time to work counts.
#111 – you wish. .296 OBP.
Kemp is a centerfielder who hits for power. You can live with his OBP because of his position.
@113
you can if he’s an above average defensive centerfielder. this year, for whatever reason, he’s far below average.
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5631&position=OF
Not if he’s also a bad fielder, and Kemp has evidently been brutal this year.
Edit: Or, what ryan said….
Then Kemp does not look to worth even the price I suggested, but I bet that’s what it would take.
David Cameron would tell you that a half season of UZR data has next to zero comparative value. It’s an indicator, yes, but there are not nearly enough data points to make any conclusions.
@117
how about 3200 innings of a -9.6 UZR/150 rating?
Any chance Wren meddles with the Astros if the Phillies are really in on Oswalt? Does that kind of stuff happen?
Biggest lead of the year, best record in the NL. I’ll take it!!
Am I the only one who likes a DeJesus trade better than Ross better than Kemp?
@109:
“Deerhoof has apparently made the Beatles obsolete”
Well yeah. Give John and Paul a hundred years and they would never come up with a “The Runners Four.”
‘how about 3200 innings of a -9.6 UZR/150 rating?’
Yet a lot of folks have a stiffy over this guy. Medlen or Jurrjens for him? IMHO No damn way.
@118 – Pretty skewed by this years results don’t you think? Or do you believe he really did go from a +3.9 CF to a -29 in 1/2 a season?
@123
you can say that it evens out from the ridiculous +54 rating in ’07. plus/minus also has him as below average.
FWIW, Plus/Minus shows a real defensive drop for Kemp this year as well. He’s on pace to be about -24 runs this year. And it shows him to have been pretty average before.
Does anybody else like looking at the standings even though they already know what they say?
Such fun.
Eyeballs have said Kemp’s had a terrible year defensively too, and of course his struggles on the basepaths are very well-known. Basically, there are two possibilities: either he’s really distracted and just isn’t trying hard at all this year, or he’s lost a step of speed and hasn’t yet adjusted his game. I’m betting on the latter, but you never know.
maybe there’s a point to the laziness talk that surrounds him.
so, is everyone else also convinced that freddie freeman will be our starting 1b next year out the gate? since the “adjustment period”, he’s been on a tear. anyone know where i can get minor league game logs?
Hey, I am perfectly willing to concede Kemp is having a bad year defensively. The idea that this is quantifiable by the defensive measures of today not so much.
@129
fair enough
Mets suck after benching Frenchy. Did the ball that SS dropped off Infante go off heel of his glove?
@126, I want to enjoy it. I really do. Part of me hopes Braves Journal doesn’t relive the “Hope is a terrible thing” meme of last year’s stretch run. But honestly, I am terrified of looking at the standings and will likely remain so until October.
Toronto sounds like the perfect city for Kemp.
@128-
I honestly think Freeman will be our 1B next year; this coming from a guy who was skeptical of Freeman making the team as soon as 2012.
@134 I don’t think there is any doubt now. At the same time, let’s enjoy what we have now!
I wish Glaus was agile enough to play 3B again, but I seriously doubt it. plus, he’ll be expensive next year anyway.
@126
I check the standings at least three times a day. I just assumed everyone else was the same way.
#126
Parrish, when we’re in first, I do it all the time. When we’re buried, I’m not nearly as interested.
#121
I fully retract my “character flaw” joke.
D.N. Nation, you do have a character flaw! 😉
ryan c. at 128,
The only question for Freeman is hitting lefthanders.
Minor League Baseball.com (milb.com) has box scores, stats, and a sort of play by play for each game (don’t know if that is what you mean by a “game log”).
@138 I am thinking of using the standing as my wallpaper. Sorry, I just can’t help it.
129,
I’m with you. I don’t like Kemp all that much, I think his reputation far exceeds his actual value, but I also don’t trust UZR at all. +/- I’m a little less skeptical of because they have actual video scouts review each play, but still don’t put a whole lot of stock into it.
One thing I think is true is these metrics do a better job with outfielders than infielders, but like I said, I’m still skeptical.
It’s funny.
I know exactly how far ahead of the Mets and Phils we are, yet I still have to look.
Freddie is about to bring his SLG up to .500 at AAA and he is younger than Heyward. I was resistant to the thought of him as our starting first baseman next year, but I think he will be ready.
I’d take Ross if we could somehow get rid of Melky. I think a McLouth/Ross platoon in center would work as well as the Diaz/Hinske platoon in left.
If we keep Melky then its somewhat superfluous to have three centerfielders of their quality.
Rufino at 101,
Peter’s analysis of that is in his archive (unless a recent update botched the archive) and is on the subject matter of “roster construction.”
It was a good analysis and seemed quite valid to me.
I love it that we have Fregosi in on something. He has an extraordinary talent eye. He was the primary person saying to pull the trigger on Jaret Wright, that he wasn’t through, and that he had the potential to be really good.
Commando Cody Ross is a player who shows the validity of Peter’s analysis. He is, as a hitter, about like Matt Diaz and about the same in cost (a litle more salary, but I am pretty sure both have one more arb year left.) Ross is a little better fielder in left and is credible in center, so he has more defensive value. So, if you get Ross and play him instead of Diaz, you barely move win expectancy. If you play him in center full time and replace Melky at the level we have seen him and McLouth at this year’s level, then that might be one more win before the end of the year. but if McLouth is his career average against righties and Melky is this year’s average against lefties, then you barely (if at all) gain anything.
Compare that to an acquisition of “Good Kemp” which would be a major upgrade (“Bad Kemp” still wouldn’t be much worse than what we have had so far this year in center).
Where our trade stuff needs to be directed and how it needs to be guided by is toward finding people that also fill next year’s holes (some in the direct object, some in the prospects or “throw ins”. I am thinking about the pick up of Damon Berryhill and a pitcher back in 1992 after the post season deadline.). A decent back up catcher. A “right handed bat” that can either play 3rd or left or center. A Closer (TM) (maybe. I might be tempted to say Venters with challengers like Kimbrel, Dunn, Marek, Hyde, whoever, fight to the death next spring). A high minors major league ready shortstop (I dont think we will be able to resign Infante at what he will be able to get elsewhere. I am thinking he can get 3 years 5 a year as an “almost good enough to start shortstop” with versatility).
IF FO has in its pocket that Chipper is DEFINITELY not coming back, I would go to Troy Glaus’ agent right now and offer a 2 year extension at 8 or so a year. Try to make it work at 3rd and use somebody as a late innings replacement. Play GlausBeast at first some to spell Freeman against tough lefties. DH him in interleague and postseason (when it is a lefty, otherwise, keep McCann’s bat in the “off” games). At his age, he is going to have a hard time beating that in the off season and we are offering the security NOW (what if he gets hurt before the season ends?).
@ 121
“Well yeah. Give John and Paul a hundred years and they would never come up with “The Runners Four.”
I’m not a big Beatles fan and the older I get the less interesting I find them but to use “Runners Four” as a litmus test for them is silly. Maybe John and Paul wouldn’t have come out with a record that sounded like that but bands such as King Crimson, Soft Machine, Hawkwind and a slew of other Prog bands did.
Deerhoof isn’t nearly as innovative as you are giving them credit for.
I see no way to move McLouth or Melky unless (1) somebody in contention has a centerfield injury or (2) we pay part of salary or (3) we give better prospects in the transfer to get somebody to take them.
It isn’t quite as bad with Melky because Florida might need an outfielder back to help them get through the year and there isn’t that much salary left to him.
And, it will be difficult to move any of our ML outfielders out in any trade bringing in an outfielder. Well, we could move Heyward, but I don’t think anything we might accept there (Strasburg, Longoria) might be available.
Game thread is up.
You’re missing the point about the Beatles.
The Beatles were about fun. About joy. Trying to judge them on originality or ground-breaking musicianship or song-writing is a pointless exercise.
They wrote the best silly little love songs ever. They were what it was like before everybody got so damn serious.