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Post by HMARK Center on Mar 24, 2011 23:40:42 GMT -5
Eh, before Capuano and Young really emerged, I was hoping the Mets might look into Millwood; going back to the NL and to a fly ball pitcher friendly ballpark might've done him some good.
Kind of excited about second base for the Mets for the first time in ages. I like that Brad Emaus gets on base and works counts a lot, but I'm liking the way our minor leagues are starting to shape up with 2B options, which we haven't really had since Edgardo Alfonzo.
That said, I'll feel 10x better about it if Reese Havens can actually stay healthy for a full season at AA or AAA.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2011 10:29:46 GMT -5
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Post by Cyno on Mar 25, 2011 13:09:31 GMT -5
Yanks also signed Kevin Millwood to a minor league deal.
Two good moves, IMO. Mitre's not really needed in any position right now as there's much better guys for long relief, plus Chris Dickerson gives them more depth at outfield. Millwood's also a guy who gives them good rotation depth, as either a long reliever or even an emergency starter if someone gets hurt.
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Post by HMARK Center on Mar 25, 2011 14:45:50 GMT -5
I'd be a little concerned about Millwood in Yankee Stadium, but as depth goes you could do far, far worse.
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Post by Crusty Ruffles on Mar 25, 2011 15:42:23 GMT -5
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H-Fist
Hank Scorpio
Posts: 6,485
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Post by H-Fist on Mar 25, 2011 16:30:21 GMT -5
92% of the Cubs roster has been finalized.
Jeff Baker has won the second base job outright, with 2B/SS Darwin Barney playing his way into the backup 2B job. Blake DeWitt has played himself down into a backup 2B/3B role off the bench, and even that is tenuously held, given the strong springs of the recently reassigned Scott Moore and Bobby Scales.
Baker rounds out a starting 8 of Soto, Carlos Pena, Starlin Castro, Aramis Ramirez, Fonzie, Marlon Byrd, and Kosuke Fukudome. Tyler Colvin will be the "everyday backup" in the outfield corners as well as teaming with Baker to back up first. Joining the aforementioned four in the outfield is veteran Reed Johnson, back for a second go-around.
While Koyie Hill is almost sure to make the team as the backup catcher, Welington Castillo The Vampire Slayer has been so good offensively and defensively this spring that he's forced the club the keep him all the way until tomorrow's final cut. This is one of the two less-than-100% positions.
Randy Wells is officially the team's number 4 starter behind Dempster, Big Z, and Garza. James Russell will be the third lefty in the pen along with Sean Marshall and John Grabowmygodwhydidhegetatwoyeardeal. Marmol and Wood will be joined by Samardzija from the right side. And RHP Andrew Cashner has been told he has made the team, but his role is not set. The final four competitors for the twelfth pitching spot are all RHP: Carlos Silva, Braden Looper, Casey Coleman and Marcos Mateo. It appears that Silva will be jettisoned. Quade has laid out different scenarios, essentially saying that if Silva makes it, he will start with Cashner in the bullpen. If Looper or Coleman makes the team, Cashner would start with either of those men in a long role. Finally, Cashner starting and Mateo relieving would signal a lot of confidence in Cashner, as Mateo is more of a traditional reliever than the others. This would place Samardzija and, secondarily, Russell into the long man/spot start role.
My take: Hill will make the team, but the Cubs will be open to moving him around the estimated super-two time frame if Castillo's strong offense and defensive improvements hold into the minor league season. Hill is too weak of an offensive player to garner more than 5 plate appearances per weak, while Soto is coming off of a shoulder scope-and-scrape and might not be a 54-inning-per-week player just yet.
The smart move for the Cubs would be to take Silva north for one or two starts, just to see what he has, because that would allow Cashner to continue stretching out in side sessions. So early in the year, Samardzija and Russell should be able to handle emergency mop-up duty in addition to a normal role the other four days of the turn. If Silva is anything close to competent (i.e., 5+ IP and 4 or fewer runs), there will be some teams willing to part with a low-level prospect if the Cubs eat most of his salary. If/when he's bad, they cut him and either re-sign Looper off his couch or recall Coleman or Mateo from Iowa/MiLB camp. If there was an obvious best choice for 5th starter, I'd be first in line to christen the Hindencarlos and send it off into the wild blue yonder. But Cashner hasn't yet gone 5 innings or hit 80 pitches, and as an NL Central fan...let's just see I've been there and done that with the Braden Looper experience.
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Post by RI Richmark on Mar 25, 2011 18:39:32 GMT -5
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Sajoa Moe
Patti Mayonnaise
Did you get that thing I sent ya?
A man without gimmick.
Posts: 39,683
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Post by Sajoa Moe on Mar 25, 2011 18:57:03 GMT -5
And he's wearing a Mets uniform?
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Post by RI Richmark on Mar 25, 2011 22:42:05 GMT -5
And he's wearing a Mets uniform? I think it's the uniform for the Dominican Republic national team.
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Post by HMARK Center on Mar 26, 2011 0:40:33 GMT -5
Good for Petey! I know the Mets overpaid for him and he didn't stay healthy for long, but through 2005 and half of 2006, the man absolutely electrified New York, and his personality was fantastic. I still love that despite his signing with the Phillies awhile back, he made a point at the press conference of saying "I know you guys hate the Mets, but sorry, I love those guys". Not only quite possibly the most dominant pitcher of any era for a five year span of time, but also quite possibly the most charismatic and entertaining.
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triplethreatmark
Grimlock
Party Fouler
I look exactly like this avatar in real life.
Posts: 14,074
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Post by triplethreatmark on Mar 26, 2011 2:02:47 GMT -5
Is anybody going to any opening weekend games? I ask this because I'm going to the Dodgers/Giants Friday night game here in LA next week. I'm not a Dodgers fan (my dad is) but I'm going because I've missed baseball so much and the Angels don't open up at home until the 8th.
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Post by HMARK Center on Mar 26, 2011 9:26:49 GMT -5
I have two Opening Day tickets to the Mets/Nats games in Queens, but I totally forgot about work I have that night, so I'm trying to sell them, sadly.
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Post by Cyno on Mar 26, 2011 10:12:02 GMT -5
As much as I loved taunting Pedro ("Who's your daddy!" *clap clap clapclapclap*), I respect the hell out of him. I would've loved to see him pitch in a Yankee uniform, even if it was for only one game.
I just remember his pre-game press conference before Game 6 of the 2009 World Series when he talked about going up against Pettitte. That got a few laughs out of me.
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Steveweiser
Dalek
Mickie Mickie You're So Fine... Hey Mickie!
THE GRAPS
Posts: 50,249
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Post by Steveweiser on Mar 27, 2011 9:39:12 GMT -5
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Post by turkeysandwich on Mar 27, 2011 10:42:37 GMT -5
Cutter Dykstra? Sounds like an FCW name. Morgan did some really stupid things last year, I think the Nats are better without him, even though I'm not a Nats fan, I want to see them start to be contenders.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2011 10:57:28 GMT -5
Ozzie Guillen knows his roster, but isn't divulging it as of yet.
White Sox appear they will break camp with Jeff Marquez as a long reliever and Phil Humber as a temporary 5th starter in place of Jake Peavy. (A 5th starter isn't really needed for a couple of weeks, as the Sox have a couple of scheduled off-days in the first 3 weeks.) The 25th man is coming down to either Marquez (12th pitcher) or one of two position players having a good spring: Brent Lillibridge or Lastings Milledge. (Brent and Jeff are out of options.)
Brent Morel has been given the job at 3rd base, as Ozzie tends to emphasize defense over spring stats. Mark Teahen will be a utility player used to give guys days off.
AJ Pierzynski has made it clear he wants to catch all 162 games. (I like his determination, but Ozzie won't do it.)
Peavy will throw a side session today.
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Steveweiser
Dalek
Mickie Mickie You're So Fine... Hey Mickie!
THE GRAPS
Posts: 50,249
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Post by Steveweiser on Mar 27, 2011 16:31:19 GMT -5
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Post by HMARK Center on Mar 27, 2011 17:48:21 GMT -5
Looking at who's made the Mets' roster, it appears that, barring Beltran having another setback, Nick Evans won't make the team, and thus be exposed to waivers or get traded.
Kind of sucks; I really like Evans, and like what he could bring as a right handed bat off the bench, but I guess they just feel there's no space for him.
Still, it's great to see a Mets' roster that doesn't have wasted spots on it. A pleasant change of pace over the past couple of years.
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Sajoa Moe
Patti Mayonnaise
Did you get that thing I sent ya?
A man without gimmick.
Posts: 39,683
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Post by Sajoa Moe on Mar 27, 2011 17:57:20 GMT -5
So...um, Lonnie Chisenhall. He should be pretty good.
That's all I've got.
Also, I drafted another fantasy team this morning. Set it on autopick and went away for five minutes, came back and found out I had Chase Utley. Fuh.
And then I find he's on my Can't Cut list. Double fuh.
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Post by Insomniac on Mar 27, 2011 18:39:11 GMT -5
So...um, Lonnie Chisenhall. He should be pretty good. That's all I've got. Lonnie Chisenhall sounds like some random CPU-generated name that you'd see in a video game after a couple seasons of franchise mode.
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