MLB 2011 Preseason

  • Thread starter Prosthetic
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I was impressed by Ivan Nova of the Yankees. (Surprise!) Pitched six perfect innings the other day against the Orioles.
 
I haven't heard anything yet on the rotation. But I would be shocked if he isn't number 5!! Especially when Burnett is still struggling.
 
Villian - Has Jerry Sands been assigned to minor league camp yet or will he break spring training with the club?
 
I beleive he went down to minors camp with Justin Sellers earlier in the week. I'm pretty sure anyone with options remaining will go down. We look to have two or three hitting the waiver wire as it is so I hope Hector Gimenez makes the team (1B/3B/C). Xavier Paul will probably get claimed and for his good, I hope it's by a decent team.

EDIT: Both of those players are still in camp, I confused them with Russ Mitchell and Jon Link. I believe they are both headed to AAA-Albuquerque at the end of Spring Training.


More for myself, this looks like the most likely Opening Day 25-man:

POS:
1B: Loney
INF: Uribe
INF: Carroll
SS: Furcal
C: Barajas
C: Navarro
INF: Aaron Miles, Hector Gimenez, or Ivan De Jesus, Jr.
OF: Ethier
OF: Kemp
OF: Thames
OF: Gibbons
OF: Gwynn Jr.
====
SP:
Kershaw
Billingsley
Kuroda
Lilly
====
RP:
MacDougal
Hawksworth
Jansen
Kuo
Broxton
Guerrier
OPEN SPOT (Troncoso/Elbert/Mahay)
====
DL:
SP: Garland
P: Padilla
3B: Blake


So the decision will boil down to whether or not they want extra relief pitchers or position players. They won't need a 5th starter until the middle of April so that is what is buying those spots extra time. When that 5 spot is needed, they aren't expecting Padilla or Garland to be ready, so the likely candidates are Tim Redding and John Ely.

Personally, I'd give the out-of-options position players (especially Gimenez, he's been dropping bombs all Spring and proving himself as a switch-hitting 1B who can catch or play 3B) that 2-week window in the bigs to earn their spot and give myself that extra look before making a decision to put them out on that waiver wire.
 
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Is that Mike MacDougal? Forget about developing control or a second pitch, you'll always find a home if you can throw in the mid 90s. If you don't hate him yet, trust me - you will by the end of the season.
 
Yes that is. We signed him as a NRI and he's been plowing his way onto the team. He really looks fantastic. The Dodgers have potential closers coming out of their ears should Broxton lose it again. (Jansen, Kuo, MacDougal, and maybe even Padilla--imagine that 95+FB then a 59mph SCV with all the pressure on! :ouch:).
 
Unlikely that it would work out that way, but that's what his role was as an All-Star in Kansas City.
 
The thing about MacDougal is that he lacks consistency. One month he's a fire-balling God with a sub-1.00 ERA. The next month he can't find the plate and he's walking home game winning runs. His best role is a 6th or 7th inning guy. Don't put too much pressure on him or else crumble like a cookie.
 
Well that's his most likely spot. Kuo, Jansen, and Guerrier figure to be the setup guys for Broxton. The pitching staff as a whole has to be my favorite part of the team. The offense leaves room for improvement, but I don't feel too ashamed when I look at the other NL West line-ups. This division is going to be tight all year.
 
What is Cashman thinking? Naming Burnett No. 2? I am appalled!!!

@Prosthetic: Did you hear about Wilson? What's your thoughts?
 
MacDougal was a All-Star in 03'. That's quite awhile ago.. I would rather have Broxton in the 9th inning instead of him. Whatever happened to Kuo? I could of sworn the Dodgers were sold on him taking over Broxy.

I'm not really sure what the Giants are going to do if Wilson doesn't fully heal by opening day. Thank god it wasn't a tear but it will still take a few weeks for his oblique to heal 100%. My guess is that it will be between Romo and Affeldt.
I really love Romo, I think he is probably biggest unsung hero of this team. Gave up a little to much of the longball last year but this year he added a sinker to go with his nasty slider and a fastball which doesn't go much higher then 91-92 but he never misses his spot. Affeldt needs to find his arm slot last year, he struggled with that last year and then started into a groove and then went on the DL. Same time Runzler did so we had no lefties until we traded for Lopez.

I'm not worried about Wilson. The guy his a workhorse and injuries don't usually seem to effect his throwing. We have 3 or so relievers that can step in and spot close. Affeldt is probably the best of them, hes a lot like Wilson and does best with pressure. *Cough* Games 6 NLCS *Cough* We have a deep pen unlike the first half of last year. We gave up way to many games early last year in the pen.
 
Broxton is a natural closer. Kuo is still there, but he is better suited as a setup-man or as a shutdown lefty. Broxton at his peak as a closer is far greater than Kuo at his best. Last year Broxton lost some velocity and lots of confidence so Mattingly sees it in the teams interest to put a lot of faith into The Ox and get him back to what he once was. Some of the players which are looking to make the team are misfits which are coming off of injury plagued off-years. This includes Jay Gibbons, Mike MacDougal, and Aaron Miles. This is also one of those years where I'm not finding myself watching other players which could hit the free agent/trading block. LA has a solid cast, and there is depth waiting in the Minors.
 
Well, Peavy has been pushing it as Peavy does and we've come to find out he's been pitching through tendonitis in his shoulder. Now Ozzie is pissed because Peavy's always downplaying or flat out lying about his injuries.

I think it's not much of a stretch to label Jake Peavy as "injury-prone". Ignoring his salary, is he better suited for the bullpen at this point in his career?
 
I was reading that as well. It is an interesting thought to put him in the bullpen because that would reduce the stress on him. Who would be able to fill that hole in the rotation? Is there a long-reliever that could split starts with him?
 
I've been meaning to say that I saw a little Astros baseball back on Saturday. The Astros beat St. Louis 3-2 that day. What tore into my heart was seeing Lance Berkman in Cardinal colors. How come he couldn't last longer in Astros colors? Just unnerves me!

Still, we're doing better apparently. :)
 
Villain
I was reading that as well. It is an interesting thought to put him in the bullpen because that would reduce the stress on him. Who would be able to fill that hole in the rotation? Is there a long-reliever that could split starts with him?
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Chris Sale is the guy every White Sox fan wants to see in the rotation but they're handling him with kid gloves. Even though he basically got drafted straight to the big leagues last season, management wants this him in the bullpen for at least one more year.

I have to believe Sale's starting by the end of the season. Right now, I think Phil Humber is the White Sox 5th starter. :yuck:
 
I actually had Sale on my mind when I was wondering about ChiSox relievers. I've used him frequently in MLB 11: The Show. I generally have him pitch the 7th-8th, and maybe all the way to the 9th while using Buerle over Peavey as my starter. I'll take a devasting change in lieu of a fireball any day!

Yeah, 5th starters tend to be "close-your-eyes-and-hope-for-offense" days and that's why I was happy when I saw we had Garland and Padilla as capable 5s. Then of course they get hurt so we'll have a temporary 5 spot to fill in with Tim Redding or John Ely until Garland returns. Those days are always worrisome!

Regardless: I'd still put the Sox rotation up against Detroit or Minnesota's. It's a steep drop off from Verlander and Liriano is appearing in trade rumors constantly. I really like how Chicago does business. They manage to protect the young'ns while still not shying away from the high priced guys like Dunn, Rios, Pierre, and Manny.
 
Villain
Yankees are considering Oli Perez? Yikes! :dunce:
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Are you serious. I am so losing faith in the Yankees of late. That's so hard for me to say. There choices are horrible! Don't get me wrong, I will always be a die hard fan. But it doesn't seem like the old Yanks.
 
Carpenter might be on the block, and there's always Liriano (you know that's who Cashman really wants).
 
I'm afraid of Carpenter. Great pitcher, but sits on the DL to much. If somehow he could stay healthy, I wouldn't mind his big contract. He is a larger guy, like the Yanks like as well. Liriano, maybe. Not a horrible pitcher, and not a horrible price. I can hope that Cashman would make a run at arbitration eligible Buchholz or Gio Gonzalez.

I just read that the Yankees are interested in O. Perez, (recently cut from the Mets.) Seriously? When the Yankees become so, well, frugal? I'm not always proud of the Pin Stripes buying championships. But to scrap the bottom of the barrel to win isn't going to work either. Has the team forgotten about the park in the outfield? Who stands in the middle? What did he teach. "Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing. Breathing first, winning next."
 
Villain
Yankees are considering Oli Perez? Yikes! :dunce:
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If that's true, the White Sox have a former Cy Young winner available. He's a little pricey but I bet Kenny would pony up a little to get that salary off the books. 👍
 
The Cards aren't going to give up Carp... They are still in it to win it. And I doubt the Twins are going to give up Liriano, the same for Gonzalez. I've seen enough A's games to know they want to keep him.
 
So I'm watching the Yankees/O's ST game on ESPN right now and the Yankees catcher is Gustavo Molina. What? Another Molina and of course a catcher!

gustavo-molina-Joe-MaitrejeanNew-Orleans-Zephyrs.jpg


Alas, he's not related to the others.
 
Yep, 7 days left to make the team!

@Prosthetic: Did you watch the SF v Angels game today? I got to see the first couple innings. Cain was gettin rocked! :scared:
 
Didn't see it but at this point the games are pretty boring. The regulars are only going 60% especially pitchers. Cain was throwing mostly fastballs just to get his pitches in. Come regular season he will likely be the usual lights out self again.
 

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