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Tom Strange

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Posts posted by Tom Strange

    Baseball (the talkin' sport)

    in Sports

    Posted

    stRangers pitchers and catchers reported YESTERDAY! (maybe they're trying to get a head start)

    ...of course, maybe they just show up so early because they miss Rocky and Simon!

    that logjam in the Angels outfield could be lightened by GMJ getting popped for roids... no, I haven't heard anything but ya know...

    Baseball (the talkin' sport)

    in Sports

    Posted

    I just read that the Angels signed Abreu...

    Dangit! Newberg had this interesting comparison the other day (I just love his random emails)...

    Milton Bradley hit .321/.436/.563 in his career year in 2008.

    Bobby Abreu hit .296/.371/.471. Just about what he does every year.

    Yes, Abreu is 34, while Bradley is 30. But Abreu played in 156 games in 2008, his lowest total in the last eight seasons. Bradley appeared in 126 games – his high in the last four years.

    Over those four years, Bradley has hit .299/.394/.510, playing in 358 games. He had eight stints on the disabled list (torn finger ligament, torn tendon in left knee, right knee sprain, left shoulder strain, left hamstring strain, left hamstring strain again, right calf strain, oblique muscle strain) – and that includes no disabled list time with Texas despite an injury-marred second half in 2008.

    Abreu: .290/.392/.463, 632 games. No disabled list time.

    Stated another way, if age is theoretically a factor in terms of committing to a free agent hitter, then projected health has to be, too, and Abreu’s baseball age has to considered less of a risk than Bradley’s.

    Abreu, a left-handed hitter, is reportedly about to sign a one-year, $5 million contract with the Angels. Incentives can apparently kick it higher.

    The Cubs – coveting a left-handed-hitting middle-of-the-lineup presence – are giving Bradley $9 million in 2009 ($4 million signing bonus plus $5 million base). They’ve also guaranteed him, despite his health history and an inability to preserve him a bit at designated hitter, $9 million in 2010. He’s also in line to make $12 million in 2011 – though it converts to a club option (with $2 million buyout) if he doesn’t reach certain playing time levels beforehand.

    So Bradley, a very good baseball player but a massive health risk, is guaranteed $20 million over two years by a DH-less team. If he stays as healthy as the Cubs need him to, he’ll be guaranteed $30 million over three years.

    And Abreu, a very good baseball player, is guaranteed $5 million over one.

    Strange, strange winter.

    Baseball (the talkin' sport)

    in Sports

    Posted · Edited by Tom Strange

    well... I'm a little less kind than you guys, I ain't holdin' my breath that Alex learns anything out of this...

    as to how I'm passing my time getting ready for opening day?

    1) watched "Pride and Perserverance" on MLBTV... the story of the Negro Leagues and their players. Guys, this is a must see! It'll do your heart good and fill in a lot of blanks for you.

    2) watching Ken Burns' "Baseball" (I'm only near the end of "the fourth inning" but man oh man... how it makes me salivate!)

    A couple of "old" books I recommend for your enjoyment if you haven't read them: Number 1 the Billy Martin autobiography by BM and Peter Golenback and The Mick about Mickey. It's been years since I read them but they're both great... of course, I'll always suggest Why Time Begins on Opening Day by Thomas Boswell...

    Anyway... they report soon!

    Baseball (the talkin' sport)

    in Sports

    Posted

    Andruw Jones... I know what you mean hiway... but the stRangers aren't really taking any big chances here... a spring training invite is all... and if last year turns out to be a wake up moment for him then good, if it turns out that he's lost it... oh well... we're hearing more about el presidente talking about how things are different with the pitchers now and in the future...

    here's something for you all to ponder:

    Pitcher: Kevin Brown, First Base: Raffy Palmeiro, Second: Villardi (?), Third: Caminetti, LF: Ruben Sierra, CF: Gary Matthews Jr, RF: Juan Gonzalez, Catcher: Ivan Rodriguez, SS: Alex Rodriguez, DH: Jose Canseco

    Quite the lineup isn't it? What made me think of it?

    were we the freakin' epicenter of it all? ...or is it just that more of our guys got caught? ...does this take anything away from the "genius" of Rudi Jarramillo? ...I always wondered how he got people to be great hitters after 5 minutes in the bowels of the stadium...

    ...and I can go watch a game just about any time I think about it! ...but I'd trade that for a pennant! ...and there are three minor league teams in the area! (I like them best)

    Baseball (the talkin' sport)

    in Sports

    Posted

    not yet... quit raining on our parade! we've got a lot of hot young prospects and we're hoping that since El Presidente Ryan is in charge that things will go differently now!

    Hope springs eternal... we're still tied for first! and we've got a chance to really turn it around this season! :)

    Baseball (the talkin' sport)

    in Sports

    Posted

    well then now you guys can come off of a couple of those pitchers in a deal for Salty... we'll even throw in a Shamwow!

    they went to Young trying to better THE TEAM... I don't think anyone expected his reaction and today he rescinded his demand and agreed to the move... I don't know if it was because of all of the negatives that were tossed out by about every "baseball man" that was questioned but it was really out of character for him and took a lot of us homers by surprise...

    the whole idea behind it is that Elvis Andrus is either ready or almost ready to make the jump and having his bat and glove on the team would make it stronger... the reactions I heard from the 'baseball men' was almost all of them talked about how Young is very well compensated ($16m/yr starting this season for 5 yrs) and the stRangers want to do something to improve the team... they're not even sure if Andrus is ready for the jump, spring will give them a better indication, but they do think it will be at least by the break and this was the time to approach Young rather than in the middle of the season.

    Cooler heads prevailed, maybe El Presidente talked to him... but I'm glad he's still around.

    Now... starman... tell Theo that we'll give him Salty and Blalock and a shamwow for a couple of your young hurlers...

    Baseball (the talkin' sport)

    in Sports

    Posted

    I doubt anyone's surprised that Rickey was elected on the first ballot... but how about Rice making it finally?

    It's a good thing... and about time... isn't it? at least I think so but I've never looked at his numbers in comparison to others...

    9th Corps

    in Corps

    Posted

    sweetNika... there's still a little time left, but it looks like your boys took too much time off between games... why do they have to wait so long?

    Baseball (the talkin' sport)

    in Sports

    Posted

    thanks for the b'day wishes and no... that's probably not enough candles (but I confess I didn't count them).. I don't know what's up with Manny, but what's up with the Cubbies signing MB? No way he can field a position for a season... he couldn't even DH for a season here... but miraculously he was good in the room... maybe Simonzeeloaded has some Cubbie insight to offer...

    Started DVRing a series on MLBTV last night called "inside the moments"... looks good...

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