jacksonianmarch

people seem to forget that the A's also got one of the best offensive prospects in that deal too, in Daric Barton. He is 21 and in AAA right now, having a little trouble adjusting. But he'll be in the show seen as well. He has a world of power, and a lot of people compare him to Travis Hafner. I see Beane holding onto Harden through this season and sending out feelers in the offseason. That west is winnable and a healthy Harden makes them a very good team. If he comes on, and is able to give 130IP of solid starting en route to a playoff chase, he will rise significantly on the trade board. He is very similar to Beckett, and look at what they got for him. Eventually, he will be moved, and eventually Beane will get a kings ransom. That time is not now.

A guy with a career K/9 of close to 10 in 513 minor league innings does not suck heavy cock. And at 22, he certainly has a future in the game. He gets overlooked because he doesnt throw 95mph. He is very similar to Arroyo in that regard. Interesting delivery, durable, good control, average fastball, very good and deep off speed stuff. While he isnt set up for a coronation ceremony as the next yankee ace, he is certainly the kind of guy who projects as a middle of the rotation starter. I do share your sentiment in terms of heads rolling. I dont think they would have done anything if they lost last night, but if we were swept in queens and lost the series to the sox, Torre would have been sent packing.

It doesnt really make a whole lot of sense for us to allow him to opt out anway. Texas is on the hook for 40+mil of the remaining 3 seasons, so we have a 40 mil head start on anyone who is considering signing him. I hope Cashman does bend though. When he is hot, he can carry a team for a month. Without his april, we are 15 games out.

Clippard is a prospect that most pundits write off because he doesnt have a 95 mph fastball. But he has very solid control, and plus curves and changeups. His K rate has always baffled people, but players chalk it up to a sneaky delivery that causes the 90mph heat to look like 95 and off speed stuff that is pretty sick. His curveballs are nasty. The loopy one looked more like a showme pitch, and the hammer was very good. I like Clippard. I am still of the thought that he is better served to spend the rest of this season honing his control in AAA, but so far so good. This young yankee pitching corps is really something to behold.

Right now they are making something out of nothing. The idea of changing anything with the sox is assinine as they are playing the best baseball overall that I have seen since the 98 yankees. More talk for talking's sake.

not until I get my DEA number, which comes once my license application is finalized (the gov't is slow to respond). And even so, I believe I need certain clearances for some things. I will always use my priviledge with the strictest of judgement though.

Beane has been a godsend to a team that hardly spends any money. And he wont sell Harden on the cheap either. Wait until Harden has a healthy half season and he is dominant. Then he will bilk a team like Ny and watch as the product falters.

Game over. Clippard looked confident. His scouting report was spot on. Very good location of his pitches, keeps the ball off the meat of the bat, and pitches backwards with 2 different breaking balls and a very solid changeup. Struck out 6 in 6IP keeping with his strikeout capability. And a700, if you want an Arroyo comparison, this is your guy.

The pitching depth has been very impressive. Hughes and Clippard are the last of the big minor league cannons to fire, though, in terms of depth for this yr. If anyone else goes down before Roger and Hughes return, it would likely be between Horne, Wright, White, or Marquez for the start. I still cannot believe the storm we are weathering. #1- Wang - missed a month #2- Mussina - missed 2 weeks #3- Pettitte- effective and healthy #4- Pavano - out for season #5- Igawa - in Tampa, very ineffective #6- Karstens - missed 3 weeks, returned and now will miss 3 months #7- Rasner - Will miss 3 months #8- Wright- one shaky start, one awful start, in AAA right now #9- Hughes - has missed 2 weeks, likely will miss 2-3 more #10- DeSalvo- 2 effective starts, one poor one #11- Clippard- One Effective, dominating performance in Shea. That is ridiculous to have used 11 different pitchers in the first 6 weeks of the season. Our #3 pitcher has stayed healthy and effective all season. Our #1 and #2 have returned. DeSalvo,

95 mph cutter drilled out of the park. Left it too high.

Even though Marquez had a rough start today, he should be brought up to AAA and Kennedy should be brought up to AA. Kennedy isnt even being tested. Scout.com is saying that Kennedy's 4 seamer is back up into the low 90s and he is incorportating a high 80s 2 seamer into his arsenal. A big issue with his dropoff in his final collegiate yr was a drop in velocity into the mid to high 80s. Seems like they figured it out.

Kennedy dominating again 7IP 5H 2BB 9K 0ER. His era is down to 1.24.

I honestly hope they do not do this. Giambi, even though he seems to be breaking down, he is still a major power threat and a great OBP guy. We need him badly. And to cut him to save money would be awful.

nah, thats alright. Although it did feel friggin amazing to get hooded and have my name called as a Doctor for the first official time. Man, what a day.

thanks buddy. Went back up to school on Wednesday. Drank from Wed. night to last night, graduated today, came home. Now I am back. And we are sucking overall.

the bolded statement is absolutely not true. When you see the closeup of his pitches, you can tell if it is a cutter or a 4 seamer based solely on spin. And when they show the slow mo's of the 4 seamers, you can tell they are 4 seamers. And I wouldnt expect a pitcher of Mo's calibre to throw a 100% straight cutter because he is losing it. If his cutter was losing it, it would cut a little less, but it would still cut.

Clippard is throwing a gem.

http://redsox.bostonherald.com/redSox/view.bg?articleid=1001497 looks like Beckett isnt expected to make his next start, and could very well be placed retroactively on the DL, which would leave the sox in need of finding a start to fill in in NY.

comedic classic

just about as good as JD playing healthy.

Ian Kennedy is a beast. 6.2IP 0ER 2H 11K 3BB On the season, he is 4-1 1.43ERA 44IP 27H 18BB 47K in A+ ball. May be time for a callup. Also, Joba Chamberlain has made 2 starts since recovering from, you guessed it, a hammy pull. He has thrown 9IP allowed only 3 hits, 4 walks and 11K's. Both of these guys are throwing really well in A+ ball in their first season.

I know it is so f***ing insightful, but the point is, he isnt a Chacon. Chacon loaded baserunners even in the games he pitched well in. Rasner has days when he finds the zone and is pretty damn good, and days where he doesnt and gets smashed. Sounds like a perfectly good 5th starter if you ask me.