In probably the best deal of the day the Pirates traded Octavio Dotel and $500,000 to the LA Dodgers for RHP James McDonald and OF Andrew Lambo.
Prior to 2009 McDonald was ranked the #56 prospect in baseball by Baseball America. He is a good control pitcher. He has three good pitches, and averages over a strikeout per inning at AAA. He even has some big league experience but he hasn't been successful at that level. He has been both a reliever and a starter, but has started in the minors.
Andrew Lambo, in addition to being suspended 50 games for violating the leagues drug policy, was ranked #49 in 2009 by Baseball America. He was ranked as the #7 prospect in the Dodgers organization this offseason by Baseball America and prior to this past offseason was the #1 prospect in their organization.
Overall this was a great trade for a guy we signed in the offseason, and really don't need. No doubt the cash strapped Dodgers threw these guys away for the extra money.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Javier Lopez Traded For Joe Martinez and John Bowker *EDIT*
According to multiple sources the Pirates have traded LHP Javier Lopez for Joe Martinez.
Martinez is a 27 RHP currently in AAA. He has been solid, posting a 3.32 ERA in what most consider a hitter's league. He keeps the ball in the park, typical ground ball pitcher. Nothing to get overly excited about, but he may see time in the Pirates rotation.
Really can't ask for much more in return for a situational lefty aka LOOGY!
*EDIT*
Apparently 1B/OF John Bowker was also acquired in this deal. Bowker has had plenty of success in the minors .868 OPS, but that hasn't translated in the majors. Maybe another late bloomer like Jones? It's worth a shot I guess.
Martinez is a 27 RHP currently in AAA. He has been solid, posting a 3.32 ERA in what most consider a hitter's league. He keeps the ball in the park, typical ground ball pitcher. Nothing to get overly excited about, but he may see time in the Pirates rotation.
Really can't ask for much more in return for a situational lefty aka LOOGY!
*EDIT*
Apparently 1B/OF John Bowker was also acquired in this deal. Bowker has had plenty of success in the minors .868 OPS, but that hasn't translated in the majors. Maybe another late bloomer like Jones? It's worth a shot I guess.
Pirates Trade For Chris Snyder, promote Diaz and Clement *EDIT*
I've been kicking this one around a lot today, and I think I like the move. Obviously it depends on what we give up, and how much money comes this way, but I do believe he is an upgrade over Doumit.
The only thing I don't like is that Kratz (who has been proving it's the catcher not the pitcher in relation to basestealers) might get sent down because of it.
Chris Snyder is a kind of average offensive catcher. His BA is terrible, .233 for his career, but we all know batting average is an extremely flawed way of looking at guys. Despite that low BA he has a decent OPS of .737. He has had some very productive years, and despite two really low OPS' he has sat between .773 and .800 for five out of seven seasons.
While true Doumit has a better OPS over his career, and has been better consistently in that department if he isn't hitting he is worthless. Even though Snyder's BA is .37 points lower than Doumit's for his career, his OBP just higher. That means that when he isn't hitting he is still getting on base. In fact his OBP is more than .100 higher than his career average.
Not to mention that he throws out 30% of would be base stealers for his career, and has only made 6 errors in parts of 7 seasons, I think he could be a valuable addition to this team..... if we don't overpay.
In other news the Pirates have called up both SS Argenis Diaz, and 1B Jeff Clement.... look for a busy day.
*EDIT* The Pirates have sent Ryan Church AND Bobby Crosby to the Diamondbacks. That means we have literally given up nothing to upgrade the Catcher position. It sounds like D.J. Carrasco has also been sent to Arizona. While I am a huge Carrasco fan, it's not a major loss, and I would give up a reliever for a position player almost every time. This is still a good trade.
The Diamondbacks have sent MiLB SS Pedro Ciriaco to the Pirates to complete this trade. Ciriaco is a defensive shortstop, and must be added to the 40 man roster. He was ranked #27 in Arizona's system by Baseball America.
The only thing I don't like is that Kratz (who has been proving it's the catcher not the pitcher in relation to basestealers) might get sent down because of it.
Chris Snyder is a kind of average offensive catcher. His BA is terrible, .233 for his career, but we all know batting average is an extremely flawed way of looking at guys. Despite that low BA he has a decent OPS of .737. He has had some very productive years, and despite two really low OPS' he has sat between .773 and .800 for five out of seven seasons.
While true Doumit has a better OPS over his career, and has been better consistently in that department if he isn't hitting he is worthless. Even though Snyder's BA is .37 points lower than Doumit's for his career, his OBP just higher. That means that when he isn't hitting he is still getting on base. In fact his OBP is more than .100 higher than his career average.
Not to mention that he throws out 30% of would be base stealers for his career, and has only made 6 errors in parts of 7 seasons, I think he could be a valuable addition to this team..... if we don't overpay.
In other news the Pirates have called up both SS Argenis Diaz, and 1B Jeff Clement.... look for a busy day.
*EDIT* The Pirates have sent Ryan Church AND Bobby Crosby to the Diamondbacks. That means we have literally given up nothing to upgrade the Catcher position. It sounds like D.J. Carrasco has also been sent to Arizona. While I am a huge Carrasco fan, it's not a major loss, and I would give up a reliever for a position player almost every time. This is still a good trade.
The Diamondbacks have sent MiLB SS Pedro Ciriaco to the Pirates to complete this trade. Ciriaco is a defensive shortstop, and must be added to the 40 man roster. He was ranked #27 in Arizona's system by Baseball America.
Friday, July 30, 2010
5 Reasons Why The Pirates Should Trade Zach Duke
1. He sucks.
2. He sucks.
3. He sucks.
4. He sucks.
5. He sucks.
I think I've done my homework on this but feel free to discuss.
They Call Him G.I Jones.....
.... because he belongs in a platoon. I know I know he is our biggest power threat, and we don't have the other half of the platoon. Well we do have that other half but he is currently injured. This post is more for next year anyway. That other half is Steven Pearce, in case you were wondering.
I think we've gotten a long enough look at both that we can discern their strengths and weaknesses.
First off Jones belongs at the ML level. There is little doubt about that. He is a good enough fielder at first base and has the speed and versatility to move to RF in a pinch. He has crushed righties over the course of his career, posting a very good .911 OPS. Sadly against lefties he has been pretty poor overall this is evidenced by his .224 BAA and his terrible .665 OPS. It's because of these splits that he has a pretty average .830 OPS.
This season alone, his OPS is .786 well below what this team needs out of that position.
Thankfully he has a polar opposite. Steven Pearce has struggled a decent amount in the big leagues, his .706 career OPS in nowhere near good enough to warrant a full time job, but what makes him particularly attractive to me is his splits. Even though he has had less success in the big leagues than Jones thus far, he is even better against lefties than Jones is against righties. His avg. is barely higher (.304 to .303) but his slugging pct is almost .30 points higher. A platoon in this situation makes almost too much sense to ignore.
Wouldn't it make a ton of sense to take Jones' average .830 OPS and turn that into a platoon with an OPS of around .920? I know it's unpopular to think that Jones should see the bench, but this is the correct move to make an immediate impact next season, if Pearce recovers fully.
I think we've gotten a long enough look at both that we can discern their strengths and weaknesses.
First off Jones belongs at the ML level. There is little doubt about that. He is a good enough fielder at first base and has the speed and versatility to move to RF in a pinch. He has crushed righties over the course of his career, posting a very good .911 OPS. Sadly against lefties he has been pretty poor overall this is evidenced by his .224 BAA and his terrible .665 OPS. It's because of these splits that he has a pretty average .830 OPS.
This season alone, his OPS is .786 well below what this team needs out of that position.
Thankfully he has a polar opposite. Steven Pearce has struggled a decent amount in the big leagues, his .706 career OPS in nowhere near good enough to warrant a full time job, but what makes him particularly attractive to me is his splits. Even though he has had less success in the big leagues than Jones thus far, he is even better against lefties than Jones is against righties. His avg. is barely higher (.304 to .303) but his slugging pct is almost .30 points higher. A platoon in this situation makes almost too much sense to ignore.
Wouldn't it make a ton of sense to take Jones' average .830 OPS and turn that into a platoon with an OPS of around .920? I know it's unpopular to think that Jones should see the bench, but this is the correct move to make an immediate impact next season, if Pearce recovers fully.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Talbot Calls Ovechkin A Douche
Max Talbot was on 105.9 the X today and had this to say about Alexander Ovechkin not being at today's Winter Classic press conference.
Bahahahahahahahahahaha. Here's the audio link.
I'm kinda happy [Ovechkin's] not there. I really didn't wanna see him... I just hate him... I was actually at the NHL awards. Last summer with Malkin. We brought the Stanley Cup over there after the season and everything. Malkin knew Ovechkin and introduced me to him. The first impression wasn't great. I'm not really gonna say what happened, but uh, it wasn't... I was like, "okay, this guy is a real douche."
Bahahahahahahahahahaha. Here's the audio link.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Pirates Option Lincoln
In a very unsurprising move the Pirates announced they have optioned Brad Lincoln to AAA Indy. Lincoln has struggled pretty much his entire time with the big club after making his way up from Indy early in the season. He really still needs to work on developing a changeup, and needs to start getting his fastball down because guys are just teeing off on him at an alarming rate.
After coming on pretty strong about wanting to be promoted he really didn't show much, and I bet he could use a bit of humbling too. Hopefully this showed him that he isn't just going to dominate guys without working on a third pitch. That shit can slide in AAA, but in the majors you have to be better.
In other news Brenden Donnelly has been DFA'd. This move was a cost cutting move (surprise, surprise), as he had a 1.65 million dollar bonus about to kick in. Not that he has been good though, he has a 5.58 ERA and a 1.663 WHIP. Plus he is 39.
I would expect Wil Ledezma to take his spot. Ledezma has a phenomenal .94 ERA in 35 games at AAA Indy and has earned a shot.
Hopefully this means D.J. Carrasco can get a start.
After coming on pretty strong about wanting to be promoted he really didn't show much, and I bet he could use a bit of humbling too. Hopefully this showed him that he isn't just going to dominate guys without working on a third pitch. That shit can slide in AAA, but in the majors you have to be better.
In other news Brenden Donnelly has been DFA'd. This move was a cost cutting move (surprise, surprise), as he had a 1.65 million dollar bonus about to kick in. Not that he has been good though, he has a 5.58 ERA and a 1.663 WHIP. Plus he is 39.
I would expect Wil Ledezma to take his spot. Ledezma has a phenomenal .94 ERA in 35 games at AAA Indy and has earned a shot.
Hopefully this means D.J. Carrasco can get a start.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
So Much For Trading Doumit
The Pirates have placed Ryan Doumit on the 15 day DL and recalled Jason Jaramillo from Indy. Doumit has a concussion after a collision at the plate in last night's game. Doumit will still be on the DL when the trade deadline passes. Doumit will still be a Pittsburgh Pirate. I have seen enough of Doumit.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Bandwagon Line Forms To The Right
The Pirates have scored 151 runs (appox) since the all-star break. It's a good time to jump on the wagon, but before you do realize of few things:
1. The trade deadline. A favorite among Bucs fans, the deadline this year won't be like others. Still, known players like Duke, Doumit and Maholm might be shipped off the boat. Duke and Doumit will not be a part of the turnaround anyway. Maholm I would keep but if the price is right, see ya. He's signed until 2012 but for a lot of dough. Would you pay Maholm 9.75M two years from now? Doug Drabek he is not.
Remember before the season started most Pirates fans thought the pitching was our strong point? Check out what I said on question #3. By the end of the season we may see Lincoln, Karstens, Ohlendorf, your mother and my sister as our top 5. Doesn't really sound all that good.
2. The young guys. I've heard people say these guys will take their bumps and bruises. For the most part, they already have. McCutchen, Walker, Alvarez, Tabata, Milledge and Jones will be here for a long time. A few more bumps maybe, but no bruises. Alvarez couldn't hit the ball into the ocean two weeks ago and look at him now. It's going to be a fun ride. Soon.
3. Patience. We waited 17 years for some excitement (well, 1997 was a great time). There's still a lot of work to be done but other than shortstop, what position player would you replace right now? If/when Duke and Doumit see the door, let's hope we get some major league ready talent in return. Preferably starting pitching. Preferably someone better than Duke. Great game tonight Zach. Have fun in San Diego.
The future is here. Relax and watch a Pirates game. For once, I'm very hopeful. I should be. We ALL should be.
Penn State adds Navy to 2012 schedule
Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley announced today that the Nittany Lions will host the Midshipmen on Sept. 15, 2012. It will be their first meeting with Navy since 1974.
Penn State has a 18-17-2 record against Navy all-time and a 7-3 mark at home. The last meeting in 1974 saw Navy upset No. 8 PSU 7-6 in Happy Valley.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Dodgers Eyeing Maholm?
According to Dejan at the Post Gazette the Dodgers are kicking the tires on Paul Maholm (link). The Dodgers have also been looking for relievers so maybe we could send them Dotel as well. The Dodgers system isn't exactly stacked but there are a few players with value that the Pirates could use.
First off is Dee Gordon. He is their consensus Number 1 Prospect. I haven't seen him listed otherwise by anyone. The chances of the Pirates getting him are pretty slim, but it should be mentioned that he is a SS, and that is a hole the Pirates need to fill soon. The only glimmer of hope? The Owners divorce has left him strapped for cash and since the Pirates have spent next to nothing on payroll they could send some cash to cover Maholm's salary and that would sweeten the pot, maybe enough to get Gordon.
That said, I think they are probably targeting a guy like Ivan DeJesus Jr. He is blocked by Dee Gordon, and is coming off a pretty major leg injury last season. He is also nearly ML-ready, and could probably come up in June of next season. Problem with him is that he might not stick at short. Still if the Pirates think he can stick, he would be a good guy to nab, since he is basically blocked at the ML level for the foreseeable future.
First off is Dee Gordon. He is their consensus Number 1 Prospect. I haven't seen him listed otherwise by anyone. The chances of the Pirates getting him are pretty slim, but it should be mentioned that he is a SS, and that is a hole the Pirates need to fill soon. The only glimmer of hope? The Owners divorce has left him strapped for cash and since the Pirates have spent next to nothing on payroll they could send some cash to cover Maholm's salary and that would sweeten the pot, maybe enough to get Gordon.
That said, I think they are probably targeting a guy like Ivan DeJesus Jr. He is blocked by Dee Gordon, and is coming off a pretty major leg injury last season. He is also nearly ML-ready, and could probably come up in June of next season. Problem with him is that he might not stick at short. Still if the Pirates think he can stick, he would be a good guy to nab, since he is basically blocked at the ML level for the foreseeable future.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Pens Sign Potter
Your Pittsburgh Penguins have agreed to terms with UFA Defenseman Corey Potter on a one year, two way contract.
Potter is basically an AHL player, so he is another in a line of depth signings for the Penguins. He has only played 5 games at the NHL level in his career so unless you watch the Baby Pens, or something is going terribly wrong, you probably won't hear much about him.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
My New Favorite Song This Week
Turn this one up. They call themselves Trances Arc and the song is Boom City.
Side note: Julian Dorio from my favorite band The Whigs is the brother of some dude in this band.
Side note: Julian Dorio from my favorite band The Whigs is the brother of some dude in this band.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Bixler is back and you're gonna be in trouble
The Pirates reacquired shortstop Brian Bixler from the Cleveland Indians five months after they traded him for Jesus. This is just another move by the "best management team in sports" that has everyone scratching their heads. Cleveland gets future considerations in return. First that city loses LeBron and now Bixler. Tough times for Cleveland fans.
I am and will always be a Bixler supporter. If anyone can give Pedro Alvarez a run for his money in the K department, it's Double B. No word on where Bixler is reporting to but I'm assuming it's Indianapolis.
In other news, the Pirates demoted Altoona pitcher Tim Alderson to Bradenton. Alderson was the player the Bucs got in the Freddy Sanchez deal. Let's hope he figures things out.
ESPN Ranks Steelers #18
Disrespect. It's really one of the best motivators in life. Giving guys a chip on their shoulder is usually a great way to get them to perform to the maximum of their abilities.
This especially holds true with sports, and very true with Ben Roetlisberger. He has consistently been underrated by pundits, and "journalists" throughout his career. Tell him he can't do something, and whether good or bad he just doesn't listen.
ESPN has come out with their pre-season "power rankings" and the Steelers are in the bottom half. The rankings can be found here.
Now you'll notice next to their record from last season there is a neat little blurb from some guy named Chadiha. If you don't know who he is his full name is Jeffri Chadiha and he is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.
He was insightful enough to predict a Cowboys Vs. Chargers Superbowl at the beginning of last years postseason. He had quite a few bold statements in his post season prognostication column from last year. Here are his 10 predictions:
Burn man. I guess we all know how this one turned out.
3. The Green Bay Packers will be this year's surprise team
To be totally honest I had a hard time remembering what the Packers did in last year's Superbowl, so I checked. I was very "SURPRISED" to see that they were eliminated in the first round.
4. The Eagles aren't going anywhere without more help from DeSean Jackson
This one is true. This is probably the first one he got right out of the NFC thus far, although is saying the last Wildcard team will get knocked out of the playoffs by the highest ranked team playing that week earth shattering?
5. Brett Favre will not be a problem in Minnesota
Don't be sad Favre had a pretty good run, it's just I think those two BACK-BREAKING int's he threw at the end of the game were a big problem for Minnesota.
I wonder if he had better luck on the AFC side?
1. The Patriots won't make it past the first round
Correct on that one. The Baltimore Ravens beat up on the Patriots.
2. Colts fans eventually will see the wisdom of resting starters in late-season games
I can't really say if this one is true or not as the Colts did make the Superbowl, but there is really no evidence to suggest it was because the starters got a rest.
3. The Jets will remind us why they don't belong in the playoffs
Was knocking out your pick to represent the AFC and making it to the AFC championship game a good enough reminder?
4. The Bengals will play better once the postseason begins
These are the guys who didn't belong. The Steelers more or less gave them a postseason birth, if the first thing you think of when you think of the Bengals is improved postseason play you haven't been paying attention.
5. Norv Turner will not keep the San Diego Chargers from winning the Super Bowl
The best way to predict what will happen in the future is to look to the past. If you want to know what kind of performance you are going to get from an athlete or coach just look at what they have already done.
Here is the link to the full article.
So what have we learned? Well first we learned that Jeffri Chadiha is not psychic, which we all more or less knew. Secondly we learned that the you don't have to be correct to write for ESPN, again something we more or less knew. So what did Jeffri have to say about our beloved Steelers?
Their star quarterback (Ben Roethlisberger) is suspended for up to six games, and they traded their star receiver (Santonio Holmes) to the New York Jets. What else do you need to know? (Chadiha)
Relevant points? Sure. The loss of Big Ben for 6, but probably 4, games is big. Can the Steelers win without Ben though? Yup. How do I know this? Again I look to the past. They've done this before. Big Ben missed four games in 2005 and how did this team respond? By winning the Superbowl.
Another thing that ESPN's rankings don't take into account? The return of both Troy Polamalu and Aaron Smith, and the addition of Bryant McFadden to help shore up our secondary. That was the Steelers big problem last season, a swiss cheese corps of Defensive Backs and the lack of one of the most dynamic players in the league. The Steelers may have lost Willie Colon, but they drafted a blue chip Center.
ESPN has them as the worst ranked 9-7 team from last season. In fact there were four teams with 8-8 records, 3 of them are ahead of Pittsburgh. So keep up the disrespect ESPN, just hope you find it in your hearts to give the Steelers props in the playoffs.
This especially holds true with sports, and very true with Ben Roetlisberger. He has consistently been underrated by pundits, and "journalists" throughout his career. Tell him he can't do something, and whether good or bad he just doesn't listen.
ESPN has come out with their pre-season "power rankings" and the Steelers are in the bottom half. The rankings can be found here.
Now you'll notice next to their record from last season there is a neat little blurb from some guy named Chadiha. If you don't know who he is his full name is Jeffri Chadiha and he is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.
He was insightful enough to predict a Cowboys Vs. Chargers Superbowl at the beginning of last years postseason. He had quite a few bold statements in his post season prognostication column from last year. Here are his 10 predictions:
1. Tony Romo finally will know what a playoff win (or two or three) feels like
Well he sure got this one right. Tony Romo did find out what a playoff win feels like, but only one. So much for that Chargers vs. Cowboys tilt.
2. The New Orleans Saints will not reach the Super BowlBurn man. I guess we all know how this one turned out.
3. The Green Bay Packers will be this year's surprise team
To be totally honest I had a hard time remembering what the Packers did in last year's Superbowl, so I checked. I was very "SURPRISED" to see that they were eliminated in the first round.
4. The Eagles aren't going anywhere without more help from DeSean Jackson
This one is true. This is probably the first one he got right out of the NFC thus far, although is saying the last Wildcard team will get knocked out of the playoffs by the highest ranked team playing that week earth shattering?
5. Brett Favre will not be a problem in Minnesota
Don't be sad Favre had a pretty good run, it's just I think those two BACK-BREAKING int's he threw at the end of the game were a big problem for Minnesota.
I wonder if he had better luck on the AFC side?
1. The Patriots won't make it past the first round
Correct on that one. The Baltimore Ravens beat up on the Patriots.
2. Colts fans eventually will see the wisdom of resting starters in late-season games
I can't really say if this one is true or not as the Colts did make the Superbowl, but there is really no evidence to suggest it was because the starters got a rest.
3. The Jets will remind us why they don't belong in the playoffs
Was knocking out your pick to represent the AFC and making it to the AFC championship game a good enough reminder?
4. The Bengals will play better once the postseason begins
These are the guys who didn't belong. The Steelers more or less gave them a postseason birth, if the first thing you think of when you think of the Bengals is improved postseason play you haven't been paying attention.
5. Norv Turner will not keep the San Diego Chargers from winning the Super Bowl
The best way to predict what will happen in the future is to look to the past. If you want to know what kind of performance you are going to get from an athlete or coach just look at what they have already done.
Here is the link to the full article.
So what have we learned? Well first we learned that Jeffri Chadiha is not psychic, which we all more or less knew. Secondly we learned that the you don't have to be correct to write for ESPN, again something we more or less knew. So what did Jeffri have to say about our beloved Steelers?
Their star quarterback (Ben Roethlisberger) is suspended for up to six games, and they traded their star receiver (Santonio Holmes) to the New York Jets. What else do you need to know? (Chadiha)
Relevant points? Sure. The loss of Big Ben for 6, but probably 4, games is big. Can the Steelers win without Ben though? Yup. How do I know this? Again I look to the past. They've done this before. Big Ben missed four games in 2005 and how did this team respond? By winning the Superbowl.
Another thing that ESPN's rankings don't take into account? The return of both Troy Polamalu and Aaron Smith, and the addition of Bryant McFadden to help shore up our secondary. That was the Steelers big problem last season, a swiss cheese corps of Defensive Backs and the lack of one of the most dynamic players in the league. The Steelers may have lost Willie Colon, but they drafted a blue chip Center.
ESPN has them as the worst ranked 9-7 team from last season. In fact there were four teams with 8-8 records, 3 of them are ahead of Pittsburgh. So keep up the disrespect ESPN, just hope you find it in your hearts to give the Steelers props in the playoffs.
Jeff Locke Promoted
The Pirates have promoted pitcher Jeff Locke to Altoona. Locke was acquired by the Pirates in the Nate McLouth trade. He had a 3.54 ERA at Bradenton this year. Through the power of twitter, Locke tweeted he was "heading north" hours before the promotion became official.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Justin Thomas and Jason Jaramillo sent to AAA
Justin Thomas has been sent down to make room for the returning Zach Duke. The real news? The well deserved demotion of Jason Jaramillo. This opens a great spot for the legend Erik Kratz to move in and turn this ship around.
Is it finally time for Erik Kratz to make his dent in Pittsburgh Sports lore? Only time will tell.......
Is it finally time for Erik Kratz to make his dent in Pittsburgh Sports lore? Only time will tell.......
Call up Kratz! We won't say we told ya so....
Almost a month ago we threw up a post in support of the great Erik Kratz. Since then the movement has grown steadily, now there is even an Erik Kratz Tracker on Twitter (@ekratztracker). We certainly didn't start this movement, but I'd like to think we were on the forefront.
Since that time Kratz has stayed pretty steady, although he has dipped a bit. His average is still around .300 and his OPS is .947. What has happened since that time for the players blocking him?
Well since June 13th Ryan Doumit is boasting a stat line of .244/.303/.366, if you can't add he has an OPS of .669 in that span. Couple in easily the worst defense in the league, and the fact that EVERYONE runs on him and you the worst starting catcher in the league.
Why not look to his backup you might say? If he is the worst the backup has to be just as good if not better correct? NO! Since we sounded our first alarm for Kratz Jarmaillo's average managed to go down from .172 to .164. His OPS also dropped from .505 to .489. He is 1 for 9 since we first called for Kratz, with that one hit being a single.
One good thing in my eyes out of Jaramillo? He has gunned 38% of potential basestealers. That goes a long way in proving that it isn't only the pitchers. It shows me that Doumit's problem with baserunners is his own. Maybe guys like John Wehner will stop blaming the pitchers everytime someone steal on Doumit..... or maybe he just sucks at his job?
Anyway, when will management make the right choice? If anything they have proven to be stubborn, and overly loyal. Whether it's scrubs like Church and Crosby taking time from younger players like Milledge and Cedeno, or popular scrubs like Doumit just sucking out loud this FO has a hard time turning the ship. It's a very troubling trend.
I've seen it speculated that these moves are being made by Huntington to increase Church's trade value with other teams, if that's true Neil Huntington is a moron and should be fired. Short of walking on the Allegheny River to catch a homerun I don't see us getting much more than a PTBNL for Church.
Since that time Kratz has stayed pretty steady, although he has dipped a bit. His average is still around .300 and his OPS is .947. What has happened since that time for the players blocking him?
Well since June 13th Ryan Doumit is boasting a stat line of .244/.303/.366, if you can't add he has an OPS of .669 in that span. Couple in easily the worst defense in the league, and the fact that EVERYONE runs on him and you the worst starting catcher in the league.
Why not look to his backup you might say? If he is the worst the backup has to be just as good if not better correct? NO! Since we sounded our first alarm for Kratz Jarmaillo's average managed to go down from .172 to .164. His OPS also dropped from .505 to .489. He is 1 for 9 since we first called for Kratz, with that one hit being a single.
One good thing in my eyes out of Jaramillo? He has gunned 38% of potential basestealers. That goes a long way in proving that it isn't only the pitchers. It shows me that Doumit's problem with baserunners is his own. Maybe guys like John Wehner will stop blaming the pitchers everytime someone steal on Doumit..... or maybe he just sucks at his job?
Anyway, when will management make the right choice? If anything they have proven to be stubborn, and overly loyal. Whether it's scrubs like Church and Crosby taking time from younger players like Milledge and Cedeno, or popular scrubs like Doumit just sucking out loud this FO has a hard time turning the ship. It's a very troubling trend.
I've seen it speculated that these moves are being made by Huntington to increase Church's trade value with other teams, if that's true Neil Huntington is a moron and should be fired. Short of walking on the Allegheny River to catch a homerun I don't see us getting much more than a PTBNL for Church.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Why Lebron James Chose the Heat
Very rare is it that a post about the Association pops up on this site. Today is going to be one of those occasions. By now everyone has heard all about the Lebron James circus, it's clearly an ego thing.
"King" James lives for this kind of thing. Excuse me while I think out loud here for a second...... If Lebron James is the "King" what does that make Delonte West?...... Okay back now. Anyone Lebron James really thinks he is going to be the best ever. Better than Kobe, better than MJ, better than Magic, and better than Bird.
First off what they all had in common. They were all unbelievably talented. They all made their teammates better. They all had good to great players on those teams. Lastly they all won with the team that drafted them.
Lebron on the other hand does not make his teammates better. In fact he has flat out blamed them for struggles. He is leaving his hometown team, the team that drafted him, not for money (the Cavs can pay him), but for rings.
He went to Miami because it will be the easiest way for him to get one. He is following two great players to try to get his ring without actually making his teammates better. He is trying to win a ring not by taking over a team, a series, or even a game, but by following the best players out there and basically riding their coattails. He couldn't do it in Cleveland so instead of building something, a team, a legacy, whatever he is going to the team that gives him the best chance at an easy championship.
Being great isn't only rings. It's how you get them. How you answer the bell. Even who you win them with.
Lebron James is doing this for his ego, and what he thinks will be his legacy. I am a huge Dewayne Wade fan, but I could never root for a team with a guy like Lebron on it.
"King" James lives for this kind of thing. Excuse me while I think out loud here for a second...... If Lebron James is the "King" what does that make Delonte West?...... Okay back now. Anyone Lebron James really thinks he is going to be the best ever. Better than Kobe, better than MJ, better than Magic, and better than Bird.
First off what they all had in common. They were all unbelievably talented. They all made their teammates better. They all had good to great players on those teams. Lastly they all won with the team that drafted them.
Lebron on the other hand does not make his teammates better. In fact he has flat out blamed them for struggles. He is leaving his hometown team, the team that drafted him, not for money (the Cavs can pay him), but for rings.
He went to Miami because it will be the easiest way for him to get one. He is following two great players to try to get his ring without actually making his teammates better. He is trying to win a ring not by taking over a team, a series, or even a game, but by following the best players out there and basically riding their coattails. He couldn't do it in Cleveland so instead of building something, a team, a legacy, whatever he is going to the team that gives him the best chance at an easy championship.
Being great isn't only rings. It's how you get them. How you answer the bell. Even who you win them with.
Lebron James is doing this for his ego, and what he thinks will be his legacy. I am a huge Dewayne Wade fan, but I could never root for a team with a guy like Lebron on it.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
One Week Later
We are now about one week into the NHL Free Agency period, and the Penguins have made some moves. The first two were major splashes that were to be expected on the blue-line. The others were depth moves that could signal the end of the big spending period and show the Shero has faith in the organization's pipeline.
Zbynek Michalek (D): 5 years/$20 million
Scouting Report: Michaek is a shutdown defenseman with offensive ability to work on second powerplay unit. However, he does not use his 6'2" frame to his benefit and passes up the opportunity to shoot way too much.
How he fits the Penguins: Much like the loved Rob Scuderi, Michalek fits the mold of defenseman that the Pens were lacking last year. Pairing him with Orpik would be the 2010 version of the Gill/Scuderi tandem.
What we can expect: 5 G, 20 A, 25 Pts, -5 +/-, 40 PIM, 2 PPG, 125 Shots, 22:30 TOI
Paul Martin (D): 5 years/$25 million
Scouting Report: Paul Martin is a mobile defenseman that is able to eat up ice time when needed and also provide an offensive touch. His downfall would be that he isn't all that physical against opponents.
How he fits the Penguins: Many are looking for Martin to be the replacement for Gonchar on the powerplay, but he will most likely end up as the second defenseman on the top unit. Pairing him with Letang would allow Kris to continue his focus on bettering his defensive tatics while still having the offensive possibilities from either defenseman in the pairing.
What we can expect: 5 G, 30 A, 35 Pts, +10 +/-, 20 PIM, 2 PPG, 100 Shots, 23:30 TOI
Ryan Craig (LW): 1 year/$0.500 million
Scouting Report: This winger has the ability to play any forward position and is willing to grind out some points and stick up for his teammates. Craig's style of play will often get him injured and he lacks the creativity to add another dimension to his game.
How he fits the Penguins: The first of three depth signings this week, Craig could be in the mix for a roster spot with the current prospects seeing as he has played in almost 200 NHL games. With that said, the projected line-up has Craig starting the year in the AHL.
What we can expect: 20 G, 20 A, 40 Pts, -5 +/-, 50 PIM, 5 PPG, 125 Shots, 15:00 TOI (AHL)
Brett Sterling (LW): 1 year/$0.500 million
Scouting Report: Sterling has a good, accurate shot and will push it every shift. Brett lacks size at the NHL level and is not sound in his defensive responsibilities.
How he fits the Penguins: Anoter depth signing by Shero at the wings, Sterling has produced very well at the AHL level, but has not shown much in his few games at the NHL level. This signing seems like a low-risk, high-reward if Sterling happens to crack the NHL lineup and is able to produce at a similar rate to say Tyler Kennedy early in his career.
What we can expect: 40 G, 40 A, 80 Pts, +10 +/-, 100 PIM, 15 PPG, 125 Shots, 15:00 TOI (AHL)
Andrew Hutchinson (D): 1 year/$0.500 million
Scouting Report: Andrew can light the lamp from the defensive position and has good size to compliment his skill. However, he can be inconsistent at times and lacks the defensive skills needed to see big minutes at the NHL level.
How he fits the Penguins: The most recent signing for the Penguins, Hutchinson will bring some veteran firepower to the blue-line in the minors. This can only help the younger players gain some offensive skill to compliment their style of play from the back end.
What we can expect: 15 G, 35 A, 50 Pts, +5 +/-, 70 PIM, 5 PPG, 100 Shots, 15:00 TOI (AHL)
So there are your five signings for the first week of Free Agency. With the depth signings, the door is now open for some prospects to make an impact at training camp to earn a spot on this team. If Shero is done going after either a top-six winger or a third-line center, expect a line-up similar to this when the puck drops for the first game of the season:
Zbynek Michalek (D): 5 years/$20 million
Scouting Report: Michaek is a shutdown defenseman with offensive ability to work on second powerplay unit. However, he does not use his 6'2" frame to his benefit and passes up the opportunity to shoot way too much.
How he fits the Penguins: Much like the loved Rob Scuderi, Michalek fits the mold of defenseman that the Pens were lacking last year. Pairing him with Orpik would be the 2010 version of the Gill/Scuderi tandem.
What we can expect: 5 G, 20 A, 25 Pts, -5 +/-, 40 PIM, 2 PPG, 125 Shots, 22:30 TOI
Paul Martin (D): 5 years/$25 million
Scouting Report: Paul Martin is a mobile defenseman that is able to eat up ice time when needed and also provide an offensive touch. His downfall would be that he isn't all that physical against opponents.
How he fits the Penguins: Many are looking for Martin to be the replacement for Gonchar on the powerplay, but he will most likely end up as the second defenseman on the top unit. Pairing him with Letang would allow Kris to continue his focus on bettering his defensive tatics while still having the offensive possibilities from either defenseman in the pairing.
What we can expect: 5 G, 30 A, 35 Pts, +10 +/-, 20 PIM, 2 PPG, 100 Shots, 23:30 TOI
Ryan Craig (LW): 1 year/$0.500 million
Scouting Report: This winger has the ability to play any forward position and is willing to grind out some points and stick up for his teammates. Craig's style of play will often get him injured and he lacks the creativity to add another dimension to his game.
How he fits the Penguins: The first of three depth signings this week, Craig could be in the mix for a roster spot with the current prospects seeing as he has played in almost 200 NHL games. With that said, the projected line-up has Craig starting the year in the AHL.
What we can expect: 20 G, 20 A, 40 Pts, -5 +/-, 50 PIM, 5 PPG, 125 Shots, 15:00 TOI (AHL)
Brett Sterling (LW): 1 year/$0.500 million
Scouting Report: Sterling has a good, accurate shot and will push it every shift. Brett lacks size at the NHL level and is not sound in his defensive responsibilities.
How he fits the Penguins: Anoter depth signing by Shero at the wings, Sterling has produced very well at the AHL level, but has not shown much in his few games at the NHL level. This signing seems like a low-risk, high-reward if Sterling happens to crack the NHL lineup and is able to produce at a similar rate to say Tyler Kennedy early in his career.
What we can expect: 40 G, 40 A, 80 Pts, +10 +/-, 100 PIM, 15 PPG, 125 Shots, 15:00 TOI (AHL)
Andrew Hutchinson (D): 1 year/$0.500 million
Scouting Report: Andrew can light the lamp from the defensive position and has good size to compliment his skill. However, he can be inconsistent at times and lacks the defensive skills needed to see big minutes at the NHL level.
How he fits the Penguins: The most recent signing for the Penguins, Hutchinson will bring some veteran firepower to the blue-line in the minors. This can only help the younger players gain some offensive skill to compliment their style of play from the back end.
What we can expect: 15 G, 35 A, 50 Pts, +5 +/-, 70 PIM, 5 PPG, 100 Shots, 15:00 TOI (AHL)
So there are your five signings for the first week of Free Agency. With the depth signings, the door is now open for some prospects to make an impact at training camp to earn a spot on this team. If Shero is done going after either a top-six winger or a third-line center, expect a line-up similar to this when the puck drops for the first game of the season:
Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Tangradi-Malkin-Talbot
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Rupp-Adams-Godard
Martin-Letang
Michalek-Orpik
Goligoski-Lovejoy
Fleury
Johnson
An Old Friend Makes it Back to the Show
Did you hear????? The Rockies have just called up our old savior Brad Eldred. With Todd Helton going on the DL the Rox have decided to give one the one time Bucco another look. Brad Eldred may best be known as the guy who led to us passing up a trade for Ryan Howard.
He is also well known for being a near clone of Goliath of 1 Samuel fame.
He is the classic low average, high strikeout slugger. Somehow in one season he managed to have an OPS of .851 while hitting 35 homers and 22 doubles. He had 100 RBI that season so it just seems like it should be at least a bit higher.
Anyway, nice to see this blast from the past getting another shot. I can't imagine he will do too much because his minor league stats have been pretty underwhelming, but good luck.
He is also well known for being a near clone of Goliath of 1 Samuel fame.
He is the classic low average, high strikeout slugger. Somehow in one season he managed to have an OPS of .851 while hitting 35 homers and 22 doubles. He had 100 RBI that season so it just seems like it should be at least a bit higher.
Anyway, nice to see this blast from the past getting another shot. I can't imagine he will do too much because his minor league stats have been pretty underwhelming, but good luck.
Pirates Trade For Sean Gallagher
Today the Pirates traded for RHP Sean Gallagher, of the San Diego Padres. He was recently DFA'd by the Padres and the Pirates traded cash for him. He has struggled mightily in the majors and lately has been pitching out of the bullpen.
Gives up a lot of hits and his SO/BB is a pretty sad 1.42 for his major league career.
He has had success in the minors though and was even rated as BA's #82 prospect prior to the 2008 season. He has spent all of his AAA time in the PCL where he did put up an impressive 6-6 record with a 3.08 ERA in 22 starts. The PCL is generally thought of as an extreme hitters league so those numbers are very promising. He is only 24 too so he is still young enough that he can get it.
He is the basic control issue Pirate acquisition. He has decent enough stuff that he could be very good IF he figures it out.
Considering we only traded cash for him there is really no risk in this type of move.
Gives up a lot of hits and his SO/BB is a pretty sad 1.42 for his major league career.
He has had success in the minors though and was even rated as BA's #82 prospect prior to the 2008 season. He has spent all of his AAA time in the PCL where he did put up an impressive 6-6 record with a 3.08 ERA in 22 starts. The PCL is generally thought of as an extreme hitters league so those numbers are very promising. He is only 24 too so he is still young enough that he can get it.
He is the basic control issue Pirate acquisition. He has decent enough stuff that he could be very good IF he figures it out.
Considering we only traded cash for him there is really no risk in this type of move.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Happy Birthday Mr Fleury!
Why, you may ask, am I wishing Marc Andre Fleury a happy birthday nearly 5 months ahead of time? Well, it appears Uncle Ray (Shero) already got him a very nice present. Shero added defenseman Paul Martin to the roster Thursday afternoon to (probably) complete the revamping of the defense. Between Martin and Michalek, some of the defensive struggles of last year will hopefully cease to exist and maybe make Fleury's job a bit easier. Let's take a look at Paul Martin. He is neither huge nor small at 6'1 200 lbs. He is not an overly flashy puck mover nor is he a huge bruiser of a shutdown man, but he is the definition of solid. He has great positioning and good vision with the puck. He can also slide onto the Pens 2nd powerplay unit effectively as that was one of his strong points with the Devils. He is exactly what the Pens were looking for in a versatile, all purpose defenseman who can fill nearly any hole required. They did fork over some decent cash to get him (5 years 5 million each year), but I think it will turn out to be worth it. Shero is making the right moves today.
Pens ink Michalek!
Ray Shero is doin' exactly what he needs to do. On a day when panic struck throughout Pens nation due to the departures of Gonchar (to Ottawa), Hamhuis (not signed yet but probably Vancouver) and maybe Eaton (unsure), Shero landed Zbynek Michalek to calm everyone's nerves. This guy brings exactly what the Pens need on their blue line. He is 6'2, 210 lbs and is the physical defenseman the Pens are looking for. He can be referred to as "stay at home" because he prefers to stay back on the blue line rather than jump into plays. This is a perfect match for either Letang or Goligoski, as they both have been known to occasionally over-commit to offensive plays. Shero also got him rather cheap, at 5 years for only 20 million. That is no pocket change but it is somewhat low for a high ranked dman like Michalek. This deal puts a huge grin on my face, as the defense has offiially already gotten better. The day is still young as well, and I'm hearing the Pens are in the mix for another defenseman.
Saying Goodbye To Sarge
It appears Sergei Gonchar is headed for Free Agency. It's probably not the worst thing that could happen for the Penguins either. He is getting up there in age and injuries have been a big part of his career as of late.
I haven't always been the biggest Gonchar fan. His game definitely has his faults, but for two seasons Sergei Gonchar was great on both ends of the ice. His impact on this team, and on the development of Evgeni Malkin have been undeniable.
I will miss seeing #55 on the ice, and I will surely miss that shot from the point which always seems to be on net.
What many people will remember was his whiff in the Montreal Series, a play which he clearly gave up on. Many people will look at him leaving as a guy chasing money. These views are totally acceptable to.
How will I choose to remember Sergei Gonchar? First off that picture at the top of this post will be my most lasting image of him. And the reason I will harbor no ill-will towards him following the money and not taking a discount here. He is a family man, a man dedicated to his daughter. Who are we as fans really to question his judgment when it comes to setting her up for, possibly, life?
I will also remember him as one of the Big 4 on this team during it's two consecutive Cup runs. Without him things are probably very much different. He was a warrior to play after his knee injury and he didn't let us down during the playoffs.
He has had 50 points in 9 out of the last 10 seasons, the most of any defenseman. As far as offensive minded defensemen go he is in a class with Nicklas Lidstrom and no one else this decade.
This isn't the final chapter, after all everyone thought we'd never see Orpik again once he hit the FA market, but if it is goodbye I wish him luck and a few more years in the league. He deserves both.
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