MLB.tv Mosaic - Life is good

Nothing else to do here in Philly. 85 degrees, 100% humidity, raining all day. Not enough product to keep my coif in place (hey, at least I still have one!).

Thank goodness for MLB.tv Mosaic! No, I'm not a shill for that crap-a*s org. run by the Mole-Man himself, but they did get it right on the webcast part--as a subscriber to MLB.tv I get Mosaic free.

As I wrote, back in April, if you don't subscribe, you really have no business calling yourself a baseball fan (or reading this blog). Now it's only $50 for the rest of the season. Still translates to 3 cents a game.

What's Mosaic? Just something that has six tv screens on one computer screen, enabling you to watch 6 games at once. With interleague going on, it's "All Good" as nothing but NL games, no matter where you look.

Of course, the only game I put to full screen, is Cubs/Brewers. Got to see Derek Lee put on a RUNNING cast after he finally reached base, so he doesn't inadvertanly injure his bum wrist when he slides and uses his hand to find the base.

Pretty scary putting these guys out there with their atrophied parts, just to try to salvage respectibility. If I'm the owner of the Cubs, I let the guy get well, and get out of the woods, in terms of a PERMANENT career threatening injury. He's the frickin' future of this team, signed to a long-term contract--what are they thinkin'

But, then again, I'm only the owner of Any 9.

Lee made it the 7th Inning stretch without re-injuring it, which means he gets to hear Santo do "Take me out" - makes him pine for the DL again, if you heard ol' Ronnie singing lately at the mic.

"...how 'bout some runs!?!"

Stat-man: When was the last time they walked Bonds and the next batter hit a game-winning HR?

I need to know. Chances are, it was at least 100 times before yesterday. When you're down 7-2, then 7-5, and they walk Bonds to put the winning run at the plate, even the streaking A's can't win every one. Ray-Ray put all of his 185 pounds behind it to just get over the wall in Right--whata game!

Love to send those smug A's fans home with heads hung. One guy is wearing a '89 W.S. t-shirt to try to rub it in. Guess what, dude--that was 17 friggin years ago.

Wear this one home tonight, Pancho!

S.O.S.

Save Our Season! As I was adding a comment to El Lefty Malo's posting on the Elvis Costello concert at the Paramount the other night, I missed Buttmando blow another one.

Come on Sabes--ship this bum to TBay, too.

Let anyone else close--Accardo, Sanchez, even Hennessey!

Thumb in the dyke

A while back, I made a comment about a "sinking, crippled Hobo ship."

However, with Phat Al back going 4 for 4 and John Patterson pitching 6 stout innings, I may have to eat some crow, and quickly.

How do you season crow, anyway??

What's my line?--Part Deux

Name this NL Starter:

5.0 IP
14 Hits
13 Runs
13 Earned Runs
1 Walks

I'll give you a hint....."That's a shame."

The Cain Conspiracy

I was in the best seat in the best house for baseball for the Cain Masterpiece on Monday Night--Section 119, Row AAA, Seat 4. Directly behind home plate--actually underneath home plate. To watch Cain's 131 pitches come toward the batter and mystify the way they did was pretty amazing.

You know that the bullpen catcher for the Halos had a little devil in him, "accidentally" letting a ball get by, so the ump at home plate had to call time out just before the pitch with a 3-2 count to Figgins. After re-grouping, Cain comes down broadway with a heater and Figgins goes back up the box with a liner and that was the end of the No-No.

Probably saved Cain (and ultimately the Giants') goose in the process, as Felipe would have let him go 145+ pitches to get the No-No and Cain would go the way of Kwai Chang, wandering in the desert for eternity.

FYI, The reason that Cain then faced the next batter to get to 131 is because there was no one warming up in the Giants pen until the single--one of those unwritten rules--don't mess with the pitcher's head when he's got a no-no going.

After the Figgins single, Righetti came out to stall but it wasn't enough, so Cain had to go after Cabrera with pitches 129-131.

Masterful for a young guy--just hope he doesn't "bounce" as they say in T-Bred Racing circles next start. Not sure if an extra day'll do it...

The Stats Ownership thingy

You don't want to know what I think, but I thought you would like to know about what some Wharton faculty members think about this whole thing:

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/index.cfm?fa=viewArticle&id=1495

FYI, signing up for Knowledge @ Wharton is free--some really interesting articles--a great business journal that is only available online--saves some trees.

this year's model?

no high profile players have been busted for steroids yet this year. any insight as to who might be first? post your comments here.

More Impertinent analysis

While I'm in a position to get 4th-5th place money this year, AT BEST, I'm not doing any dumping myself (I'm not trading Josh Johnson or Ryan Howard), so that leaves a crippled, sinking Hobo ship (sorry guys--but that's where you sit right now), a no-trade clause George, and trade 'em if you got em Boofs, who only have one piece left (Lopez) worth a damn, who is untouchable. Middle of the pack guys like Falkuhns, Bats, Busch,Lickers, Pecklers and me are pissed, because it puts the leaders that much more ahead of us, and out of reach. The other top dogs are pissed, because Greg scored 3.5 guys for this year for one (and they didn't). Bottom of the pack guys are pissed that they didn't get Wright themselves. So that leaves just two teams who are NOT pissed--Greg and Kevin. Therefore, it sounds like a perfect deal. To the other 10 teams--that's a shame.

Bob Aspromonte

Just trying to get some eyeballs on this posting...and make it past the censors.

Corge Coolio's standard-setting dump deal on Tuesday has the whole applecart in a tizzy. Let's not assume Aaron Heileman is a real player and call a spade a spade. 3 studs (regardless of their current woes) and one very servicable player (3.5 for 1 ratio):

All of them have their issues:

Zambrano - needs anyone but Dusty and a winning team behind him
Edmonds - needs an ab blaster
Winn - needs July
Counsel - needs the Snakes to keep winning and to stay healthy to keep his job, as Drew is tearing it up on the Farm

..for one BABI god:

David Wright F'08 20X

How much is Wright worth on the open market on draft day in BABI? Juding by the $41 that was paid for Beltran, probably $45 tops. Guess what---he's not that good at $45 (when you have to take on a $1 player to afford him). And, as we've seen, when you pay top, top dollar for a player, and he gets hurt, your team loses 10 pts. IN ONE WEEK and really has no recourse (unless you consider a 48 year old pinch hitter a suitable replacement).

What is Corge getting for his $25 per year savings on Wright in '07 and '08? I don't know.

I do know that he could have gotten Weeks (when extended, would be $15 F'08X) for just Zambrano and Edmonds, because he turned down that deal. What would Weeks go for on Draft Day in '07? $30 at the very least, given the way he's (finally) playing since 5/1/06 (and the crazy money paid for pure SB guys like Pierre and Furcal)--Weeks has power and hits for average on top of that, a true 3 category player in the leadoff spot. Will probably be the top RBI guy from the leadoff spot throughout the Majors, so a 3.5 category guy. But let's just call it $30 for now to be VERY conservative.

So that would have saved him at least $15 per year on Weeks over the same two years.

With Wynn and Counsel, he could have gotten another keeper. Some possibilities would include Uggla for $10 and Burke for $5. Both of those are at least $10 under value if they were available on Draft Day in '07.

Who would you rather have at the end of draft day?

Weeks and Uggla (or Burke)

or Wright and a Neifi, Jose Hernandez, Wes Helms, etc.

...essentially the same money Corge (if all were available at full market value).

But, of course, they will not be available.

So, as keepers:

Corge gets Wright at $20 and Neifi at $1 for a total of $21 (actual locked-in salaries)

Will they outperform Weeks at $15 and Burke at $5 for a total of $20.

Answer: quite possibly, but a Neifi is going to negate any BA that Wright gives you. Does Wright outhomer both Weeks and Burke combined? Probably not. Will he out-RBI the combo? Maybe, but not if they keep Burke in the middle of the lineup (or even batting second).

Weeks out-Steals Wright on his own, hands-down (and Burke projects to be a pretty good SB guy, too).

So, do you distribute your risk over two undervalued keepers, or put your eggs all in one Phat Al Basket?

(FYI, While we never discussed it, I wouldn't have traded Weeks and Burke for those 3.5 bums, so maybe Kevin got the best deal that was out there, as Geo isn't trading Freel (or Uggla in all likelihood), Boofs has Felipe Lopez under wraps, and Hobos love their cheap starters TOO much--and they now are somewhat damaged goods right now anyway. Sounds like a pretty good reason to me to get the one guy you really want--Wright).

By the way, here's Aspromonte's career numbers (not that he has anything to do with anything):

http://www.baseball-reference.com/a/asprobo01.shtml

Life during wartime

Not referring to that thing in the sand, a world away. Talking about BABI race this yr. I wake up and find myself in 6th place and a world of possibilities ahead of me. Ryan Howard and Josh Johnson are untouchable, but for the right package, Weeks is available (and the others). Talk to me boys!

...not happy

When you lose 3 of 4 to the Pirates, and it could have been 4 of 4 if not for the gift victory on Th. night, life is not rosy. Perhaps it's becase the fog never lifted either of these two weekend days over China Basin. After taking a 5-2 lead against a very ordinary Malholm for Pitt, we go to Worrell in the 8th.

Timmy Worrell, for all the guts he's shown over the years, is plain over the hill. Let the kids worry about the 7th inning to get to Buttmando. Accardo did a great job in the 7th--Sanchez from the portside could do the same in the 8th. Felipe keeps running his tried-and true aged generals bayonet-first into the firing line, and it's starting to take its toll (not only on the generals, but also on the team)...

Hate to say it, but just like Walker and Fassero before him, Worrell needs to be sent out to sea... (the TB teal uni is waiting).

...if you can't score more than 2 runs in 18 innings vs. Pitt

you gotta move. El Lefty Malo hit is on the head--great Gigantes blog (thanks Josh for the link!):

My take on this: After this weekend 4-game series, (Sean) Casey is our Bat. Yeah, he's a native Pittsburgher, but he's in the last year of his contract, clearly hits lefties as well as righties. Bat him second, put Alou between Casey and Bonds, then let 'em rip! That ugly first base scenario currently in place has got to go.

El Lefty Malo is much more eloquent: http://leftymalo.blogspot.com/

Gracias!

Nothing like a 4 game stand with the Bucs

...when they're 5-25 so far this year on the road (.01666 winning percentage)

They're way ahead of (as far as being able to top) their record worst year overall and worst road record in 1985 B.B. (--Before Barry).

1985: 57-104 overall (will be hard to do worse in '06 but there's still time)

1985 Road: 22-59 (0.272 winning percentage) - could be going down this year. Would have to go 18-33 for the rest of '06 to NOT have a worst road record.

Take a look at the roster (especially the hitters) of the '85 Bucs and leave a comment re how many (and which) of them would have been drafted by a 12 team NL Only Rotiserrie team that year.


34
Mike Bielecki
6-03
195
Right
Right
1959-07-31
45
John Candelaria
6-07
232
Left
Left
1953-11-06
15
Pat Clements
6-00
180
Left
Right
1962-02-02
25
Jose DeLeon
6-04
215
Right
Right
1960-12-20
47
CeciIio Guante
6-03
205
Right
Right
1960-02-01
35
Al Holland
5-11
207
Left
Right
1952-08-16
51
Bob Kipper
6-02
200
Left
Right
1964-07-08
46
Ray Krawczyk
6-01
186
Right
Right
1959-10-09
49
Larry McWilliams
6-05
180
Left
Left
1954-02-10
48
Rick Reuschel
6-03
235
Right
Right
1949-05-16
29
Rick Rhoden
6-03
195
Right
Right
1953-05-16
43
Don Robinson
6-04
231
Right
Right
1957-06-08
19
Rod Scurry
6-02
180
Left
Left
1956-03-17
27
Kent Tekulve
6-04
180
Right
Right
1947-03-05
35
Dave Tomlin
6-03
185
Left
Left
1949-06-22
22
Lee Tunnell
6-01
180
Right
Right
1960-10-30
18
Bob Walk
6-04
208
Right
Right
1956-11-26
41
Jim Winn
6-03
210
Right
Right
1959-09-23
#
Catchers
Height
Weight
Throws
Bats
Date Of Birth
26
Junior Ortiz
5-11
176
Right
Right
1959-10-24
6
Tony Pena
6-00
181
Right
Right
1957-06-04
#
Infielders
Height
Weight
Throws
Bats
Date Of Birth
12
Bill Almon
6-03
190
Right
Right
1952-11-21
37
Rafael Belliard
5-06
150
Right
Right
1961-10-24
5
Sid Bream
6-04
220
Left
Left
1960-08-03
17
Jerry Dybzinski
6-02
180
Right
Right
1955-07-07
10
Tim Foli
6-00
179
Right
Right
1950-12-08
24
Denny Gonzalez
5-11
185
Right
Right
1963-07-22
27
Sam Khalifa
5-11
170
Right
Right
1963-12-05
10
Johnnie LeMaster
6-02
167
Right
Right
1954-06-19
5
Bill Madlock
5-11
185
Right
Right
1951-01-02
16
Lee Mazzilli
6-01
185
Right
Both
1955-03-25
2
Jim Morrison
5-11
182
Right
Right
1952-09-23
3
Johnny Ray
5-11
185
Right
Both
1957-03-01
30
Jason Thompson
6-03
210
Left
Left
1954-07-06
#
Outfielders
Height
Weight
Throws
Bats
Date Of Birth
17
Mike Brown
6-02
195
Right
Right
1959-12-29
17
Trench Davis
6-03
171
Left
Left
1960-09-12
51
Doug Frobel
6-04
196
Right
Left
1959-06-06
15
George Hendrick
6-03
195
Right
Right
1949-10-18
13
Steve Kemp
6-00
195
Left
Left
1954-08-07
28
Sixto Lezcano
5-11
175
Right
Right
1953-11-28
17
Scott Loucks
6-00
178
Right
Right
1956-11-11
11
Joe Orsulak
6-01
196
Left
Left
1962-05-31
39
R.J. Reynolds
6-00
190
Right
Both
1959-04-19
36
Marvell Wynne
5-11
185
Left
Left
1959-12-17

Two more Over/Unders

Both inspired by Josh:

1) Total number of times Boof will have Majewski on his roster this year. The Current Line: 3.5 times.

2) After Josh turned down a trade for Knucksie Niekro today, I made him take the over on the following wager (because anyone who would hesitate to trade Niekro for a keeper is truly a Knucksie-head - nuk, nuk):

Will Niekro hit above or below .255 for the rest of the season, starting 6/9/06. He's hitting .261 now (through games played through 6/8--including tonight's 3 for 5 gem).

"So it has been written, so it shall be done."

The Game's the Thing...

Giants are doing another web promotion to capture more email addresses and market to us schmoes. Can’t blame ‘em.

Anyway, the contest is: “What if they were really YOUR SF Giants?”

Here’s the URL to enter: http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/fan_forum/att/2006/mysfgiants/index.jsp?c_id=sf

Here’s my actual entry:

I would get rid of the "Noise" prompts on the scoreboard, bring back the old time organ, and return baseball to its mellower past. Fans can get fired up by themselves, based on the circumstances on the field, as the game itself "is the thing." Let the fans dictate when they should clap--they know when to roar and it would be much more authentic, and ultimately more satisfying.

________________________

to my loyal reader(s), What would you do? Post your comments here (just so I know you're still logging on).

"Just a bit inside..."

Uecker files restraining order against woman


By EMILY FREDRIX, Associated Press Writer
AP - Jun 4, 5:35 pm EDT
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Hall of Fame announcer Bob Uecker filed a restraining order against a woman he contends has been harassing him for years and last week confronted him at a hotel pool over his refusal to assist her charity work.
A hearing is scheduled June 15, according to the Wisconsin Circuit Court Web site. Uecker, the voice of the Milwaukee Brewers for more than 35 years, filed a harassment injunction against Ann E. Ladd on Thursday, as first reported by the investigative Web site The Smoking Gun.
In court filings, the 71-year-old former player said Ladd has been bothering him for six or seven years by sending unsolicited gifts, driving around his home in Wisconsin and contacting with him in various cities.
"In the past year, however, Ladd's pattern of harassment has escalated in frequency and intensity, and has resulted in repeated and serious invasions of my personal privacy," he said.
A message left at Ladd's home on Sunday was not immediately returned. Uecker was announcing the Brewers' game against Washington and was unavailable for comment.
He said the 45-year-old woman from Prospect Heights, Ill., recently approached him on what she said was a charity project involving a manuscript about him.
She persisted, and he said he asked her to leave him alone. The next night at the stadium, Uecker said members of Major League Baseball security and the Pittsburgh police told her not to contact him. She said she didn't realize there was a problem and would stop.
In April, Uecker said Ladd appeared at his autograph session in Milwaukee. She eventually was led away by Miller Park security, documents said. Several weeks later, she accused Uecker in a letter of having a "sneering dislike towards me."
"Both in your broadcast position and somewhat ambassador role, you interact publicly with many people, yet disdainfully I am met with your recurrent coldness," the letter said.
Uecker contends she has made reservations at hotels he has previously used when the Brewers travel to Texas, Chicago and Pittsburgh in the coming months.

Kruk & Kuip vs. Robin & Milken?

Holy dilemna Batman!

If you were watching the top of the 4th, you got to see Kruk & Kuip host Robin Ventura & Michael Milken in the booth. Batman & Robin were promoting their year-long Home Run Challenge to raise funds for Prostate Cancer: http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/

Blogs are supposed to poke fun at everything, but in this case, the poking is already in the pudding.

Buttmando

who else with a 2 run lead in the 10th inning throws challenge fastballs to Jose (Mr. K) Valentin and wobbly kneed rookie Lastings (longer than he should) Milledge for solo shots?

Only our Buttmando.

clock is ticking on Borowski

Kensing gets his first ML Save. Two inning job. no hits, no walks, 4 k's. kid's gonna be a stud and vault Any 9 to the top of the Saves category. Mr. Leaguer, you're a seer. Still, Lieber sucks.

If you know this one: G. Gordon Liddy and Willie Mays as themselves

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090314/

If anyone has actually seen this movie, you should be writing this blog.

When it was a game

1955. When else would the following ballplayers all agree to be on the same show:

Jerry Coleman
Willie Mays
Pee Wee Reese
Dusty Rhodes
Robin Roberts
Warren Spahn
Vic Wertz

Of course, they all needed the dough.

Here's the show: Toast of the Town

8/31/55 episode: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0725282/

Here's one for Karnak: Paul Lynde and Willie Mays?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0523274/

Jethro & Leo

....if you said, Beverly Hillbillies meet the Dodgers, you're old like me.

Here's the episode--classic:

http://tesla.liketelevision.com/liketelevision/tuner.php?channel=55&format=tv&theme=guide

Have fun watching...again!

finish this line from a song:

"We're Bingo, Bango, and Bongo......

you either know it or you don't.

and, no, it ain't the Killer B's.

Quick Quiz, Hot Shot: Name the Voice of the Aflac Duck

Hint: If you watched the documentary, "The Aristocrats" it's a gimme.

Was watching LA/Phil on mlb.tv and during a pitching change, that damn duck kept crossing the screen and barking "Aflack!"

<...and you didn't think this was a baseball-related posting!>

...then it occured to me whose voice it was, and sure enough, quick google and was confirmed.

Don't cheat by using a search. Just listen, Grasshopper.

SF Bumper Sticker

"Who would Jesus bomb?"

June 1st - let the dump season begin - all you quitters!

I'm in last place, and have proudly been here all season long, but see no one is seizing the top of the standings for himself. There have been plenty of helpful free agents out there, but everyone is playing the Waiting for Rocket game. He'll get about 14 starts, so that's not gonna cut it.

In the words of Neidemeyer: "You're all worthless and weak!"

So I'm going for it--the brass ring, the gold spitoon, the monkey's uncle--so let's hear your offers--if yer man enough!

trades we'd like to see

the rumored, three-team burrell for willis for yankee prospects trade is fascinating. willis becomes an instant winner again in philly (and they plug delucci into burrell's slot, as he's wasted as a designated pinch hitter on the bench after a 29 hr year), burrell gets to hit in the middle/end of the bomber lineup, fla continues to re-tool with prospects. problem is, willis is too young and too much of a draw in so. fla for them to consider it.

ok, who else can the yankees go after, now that WASH, and Pittsburgh should be considering dump deals?

• soriano
• burnitz (ugh)

Ok, so it's soriano (especially since Guillen is injured and of no use to the nyy).

But you would need a third team to get involved, as the yankees are low on prospects, which is what WAS should probably be looking for.