Dojji

You're kidding, right? The sandard to qualify for a batting title is actually less than 400 if memory serves.

Someone in go for it mode who needed a closer for this year? i think Saito would be good for a decent prospect under those terms. Some teams do pay extra for closing experience. That one goes out the window when Smoltz comes up anyway, unless Daisuke goes on the DL either Bard or Masterson gets sent down.

I couldn't. Sporadic HR's do more harm than good if they make a light hitter think he's a power hitter. he should be hitting it on a line and going gap to gap. Any HR's need to be a happy accident of happening to line the ball that far.

Disagree very strongly. Bard isn't Hansen and he's looking very much like the real thing. He has struggled and bounced back, both from stuff within one inning and from an awful performance. And even without Saito how "regularly" would he have to contribute with all of Papelbon, Ramirez, Delcarmen, Masterson and Okajima in the pen?

I still think they should take the opportunity to vet that shoulder of his THOROUGHLY and make sure they clean it out properly if it needs it. I suspect Daisuke's been playing hurt for a year and more now and that it's beyond what just a few months of rest will easily cure.

That's as good a reason as any to trade Saito. takashi is a great pitcher but he doesn't have bard's stuff.

That would utterly suck. Bard has proven he belongs. I'd rather trade Saito

Burnett is a fair comp. But Beckett is just that little bit better. Any idea what the roster countermove is for Smoltz?

This organization is not going to throw Daisuke Matsuzaka to the wolves. So forget that. I could see a DL stint. But that's the only way Daisuke Matsuzaka isn't starting a regular turn for us.

OK let's preface this with the obvious. First, we know that Smoltz is coming back to the big leagues soon. Second, we know that we have a strong, deep, effective bullpen. Third, our optionable players -- Masterson, Bard and Green -- are all filling vital roles, and the only one of the three you can afford to send down right now is Masterson, which only makes sense if you still see him with a future in the rotation and want to get him stretched out. Fourth, Saito is an older veteran signed to a short-term deal, and of all the men in our bullpen right now is the one the team is committed to the least. Also, having proven himself effective and healthy, Saito's trade value now goes up based on his reputation and possible value as a possible closer for a team in contention. In other words, trading off a pitcher is a move that makes sense to clear space for Smoltz. With Delcarmen, Ramirez and Bard all looking solid, effective and durable we could afford to give someone like Hunter Jones a second shot without destroying the bullpen if it doesn't work out. Rather than making a move based on a player whose value is low, like Daisuke or Penny, hows about we trade a guy whose value is about as high as it could be under the circumstances? I guarantee we get a better return for Saito than for Penny, and I doubt I get much disagreement there. A guy with closing experience who's proven himself healthy and effective? Yeah, someone goes nuts for that -- Texas is a great candidate for example. Personally I don't know if it's the perfect move, but it bears all the hallmarks of a good move, and might be the right move for the team.

Not long, IOW.

My #8 And #9 are, for the record, Chris Snyder and Stephen Drew. And I don't even believe myself that I might have the best lineup in the game (although I believe I'm in the top half...) We're concentrating the talent of a 30 team league into a league half the size, good 1-9 lineups are a given.

You have to sustain a .400 BABIP or higher to have a prayer of batting .400 though. That or hit an incredible number of homers.

Orlando Hernandez spent a lot of time out of the rotation that year. And Loaiza pitched his way out of the rotation eventually.

Pretty much title says it all. In the last 2 weeks or so Papi has hit 4 HR's and has an OPS north of 1.000, and it looks like he's got his confidence back as well After an incredibly rocky start, it's great to see him rolling again. here's hoping the big guy can keep it up

Yeah, it's crazy. So she can't hear you, but you'll hurt her if you raise your voice. Can get REAL frustrating.

Yeah, as a kid I used to have an annual ear infection. They're no fun *at all.* Better to get that crap cleaned out any way you can than take risks with your hearing, balance and coordination. My mother got an ear infection and woke up one morning (as a kid) with a bloodstain on her pillow. Her hearing has never been the same since and actual ability to hear is only the half of it. I have a powerful voice, and when I talk to her, if I'm not careful, she spends a lot of time wincing. But my softspoken brother has it worse. There's a range of sound Mom can't hear partly thanks to that infection. His voice falls SQUARELY within that range. There's days she barely realizes he's talking at all. Talk about all kinds of awkward. And she gets these times where her damaged ear gets shut off by a buildup of something or other, which is what reminded me of this. Spudboy is right that even if it was actually just a pile of earwax crap it could have been a ton worse.

I stuck with the pick I jumped the gun on. Hiroki Kuroda is a fine pitcher and is following up a good first campaign with, so far, an even better season. I am going to treat him like DipreG treats Torii Hunter. Count on him to cover for a pitching prospect until that prospect is fullly ready, then activate the prospect. Greinke, Shields, Zambrano, Kuroda, Bush should put me squarely in the top half of AFL rotations

Hiroki Kuroda, SP and make him my 4th starter

Ahh well I'm a little spoiled in that regard. I live less than a mile from no less than 2 top notch swimming holes. Failing that, anything involving large quantities of steam can only help.

Go swimming. No, seriously. Works every time for me.

His descent into injury marked the last time the A's have won anything. That says something right there.

There isn't enough letters in the word "Yawn" to describe the utter yawn-ness of this. Seriously, don't these guys have anything better to do?

Hey Kilo, could we get a ruling here? We basically have a guy who knows it's his pick and has declined to make it. Can we move on without him?