March 2009
Chad Qualls – my diamond in the desert rough
FOR those of you who don’t know me too well, I will be the first to admit I have a mini ego. I am very self-congratulatory, and often for no real reason.
That’s why when I get even a glimmer of a chance to boast, I do it.
Ok, so maybe I am making myself out to be a bit too weird, but you get the idea.
Anyway, as a fantasy baseball fan, I have a semi lob on for a few guys this year, my man crushes for 2009.
My love for Brett Myers and Mike Jacobs is well known, but I’m getting more excited by the day with Chad Qualls. I’m telling you, 40 saves are coming his way this season.
Let me share with you my post about Qualls which I wrote over a month ago:
The Cardinal’s pitcher is getting picked up, on average, in the 22nd round of a 12-man league, when he’s even being selected at all.
He is going undrafted in 55 per cent of mock drafts, but has the skills to be a fantastic end-game closer.
The 30-year-old righty makes hitters pound the ball frustratingly into the ground at an alarming rate (58 per cent) and he has above-average command coupled with a high strikeout rate.
If he gets the full-time closers job, that nasty sinker could carry himself, and your team, a long way.Comparable to: Francisco Cordero (Cin) and Kerry Wood (Cle). These two closers are being picked up in the 12th round of snake drafts. Expect Qualls to have as many saves as either pitcher, but with a better ERA and lower amount of walks.
Ok, so he hasn’t nailed down even his first save yet, but the things I’m hearing about him so far are very promising.
Tony Pena gave up four runs and six hits in two-thirds of an inning against the Rockies on Monday.
If there wasn’t much of a gap between closer Chad Qualls and setup men Pena and Jon Rauch at the beginning of the spring, there is now. Qualls has allowed three runs in eight innings this spring, while Pena has given up eight earned in his eight and Rauch has allowed eight in seven innings. ~ RotoworldWith too many questions as to who is going to get the saves, both Joey Devine and Brad Ziegler still fell short of the list. Instead, it is the Diamondbacks’ Chad Qualls who steps in and takes the last spot.
Qualls is a sleeper option having little experience closing games, but he posted tremendous numbers last season (2.83 ERA, 1.08 WHIP). He’s certainly worth grabbing late in your draft. ~ Bleacher Report
But my favorite article about the closer situation in Arizona is from KFFL’s Ilan Mochari
The full article is here. But to steal a few lines, he wrote:
Why is the Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen worth discussing? For one thing, the Diamondbacks had 62 save opportunities in 2008.
In 2009, the save opportunities should be plentiful again, with starting pitchers Brandon Webb (22-7 last year) and Dan Haren (16-8) anchoring the rotation. The most likely beneficiary is relief pitcher Chad Qualls, 30, who converted all seven of his save chances after wresting the job from the faltering Lyon in September.
In fantasy terms, these numbers suggest Qualls is no ordinary first-time closer; his command is exquisite. Likewise, Pena and Rauch are a cut above the typical middle relievers listed as sleeper closers only by virtue of owning eighth-inning roles. Rather, Pena and Rauch are terrific pitchers in their own right. They enter the game and throw strikes – in spades.
Furthermore, Qualls’ overall resume is sparkling. Since 2005, he ranks third among all relievers with 245 innings pitched and 237 appearances. He is also the first reliever to post at least 20 holds for four straight seasons.
By all counts, Qualls will begin the season as the Diamondbacks closer. His lack of experience in the role is causing him to slip in many drafts. For that reason, it may be possible to draft him as a No. 3 fantasy closer. That would be ideal, since Qualls could easily rack up 30 saves with superb peripherals. In other words, by drafting Qualls you might get a No. 2 closer at a No. 3 value.
Only time will tell to see if Qualls can not only hold onto the job, but can flourish. My money says he will. But I’m English. What do I know?!? 
Mets edge pitching duel over Orioles 2-1
WITH just six days to go until Opening Day, the New York Mets fine-tuned their preparations with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.
Oliver Perez gave up just one run on 93 pitches and Fernando Tatis won the game for the Mets in the bottom of the 8th inning in a game dominated by the starting pitchers.
The Mets approached Monday night’s exhibition game against the Orioles as if it was a regular season matchup, with Jose Reyes leading off the game for Jerry Manuel’s side, Daniel Murphy batting in the two hole and Luis Castillo batting eighth as he will when the season starts in ernest on April 6.
Perez threw well in six-and-two-thirds innings of one-run ball, JJ Putz recorded four outs and hard-throwing Bobby Parnell came in to close the game with a 6-4-3 double play.
With the game tied at 1-1, Fernando Tatis led off the bottom of the 8th inning with a triple to centre field.
Ryan freel, who had just moved from left field to centre, played the ball off the wall but rainbowed his throw into the infield, prompting Tatis to leg out a three-bagger.
Shortstop Chris Gomez then made a bad throw trying to get the out at third, one-hopping the ball towards Melvin Mora and off of Tatis’ leg, allowing him to score. Gomez was officially charged with the error, although it could easily have been Freel’s.
Good news for the Mets was that Perez’s fastball touched 91mph – something it failed to do in his previous start on his return from the World Baseball Classic – and he came out throwing strikes and locating his pitches.
After performing below par against the Tigers on Wednesday, Perez looked sharper than in his last start, despite never reaching the 93- or 94mph on the gun the pitching coaches were accustomed to in 2008.
He gave up four hits and one walk and struck out three batters through 6.2 innings of work and he got 9 of his 20 outs on groundballs, although four of these were the first four batters he faced.
Home runs
Adam Jones gave the Os the lead on a 2-out, 3-2 home run to straightaway centre field on a high 80s knee-high fastball in the 3rd inning.
Luke Scott almost doubled the Os lead in the 4th inning, but the leftie pulled Perez’s hanging slider narrowly foul down the first base line.
But the Mets tied the game in the bottom of the frame on Daniel Murphy’s first home run of the spring – a solo shot off of Alfredo Simon.
This was all of the scoring until the 8th inning when Tatis – who came into the game an inning earlier as part of a double switch – lit up the basepaths after going down and away to rip a fastball to the wall.
Elsewhere for the Mets, David Wright went 1/3 with a single, a walk and his first stolen base of the year and Jose Reyes went 0-4. Reyes will likely bat leadoff for most of the year and had 15 RBI from 38 at bats this year prior to today’s game.
Murphy also hit the ball hard with a home run, double off the centre-field wall and deep fly out to the warning track among his 2/4 day.
Next up
The Mets will now travel to play the Marlins tomorrow and the Cardinals on Wednesday before hosting their final 2009 Spring Training game in Port St Lucie against the Os on Thursday lunchtime.
From the east coast of Florida, the Amazings will then play back-to-back exhibition games at Citi Field against the Red Sox, before taking to the road to open their campaign in Cincinatti.
Salary Cap Baseball – a plan and a prayer
FOR those of you who can’t get enough fantasy baseball from your head-to-head league, rotisserie challenge or keeper competition, there is also salary cap fantasy baseball.
The general concept works like stocks and shares. You buy low and sell high.
There are a number of games out there that meet this salary cap ideal where you have a finite budget to assemble your squad and where the players’ values rise and fall throughout the season based on performance and demand.
The one that I will be taking part in this year is the Citizen Sports Salary Cap game on Facebook, as advertised here on the MLB 411. If you have never listened to the show, do it. You’ll love it and you’ll keep coming back for more.
Their blog can be found here. Mike Siano and Cory Schwartz do a great job and you can compete against them as well as Jeffrey Ma through the Facebook page.
If you want to play the game, go to http://apps.facebook.com/salarycap.
Ok, so cheap plugs out of the way, let’s get to the info.
Different thinking
There are a number of schools of thought about how to select your team.
- You can get 2 or 3 of the biggest names in the game such as Johan Santana and Hanley Ramirez and then fill out the rest of the position with a mixture of mid-tier players and affordable scrubs.
- You could focus solely on the 9 hitting positions and then assemble a 5-man pitching staff to the best of your ability with whatever is left.
- Alternatively, you could say that because there are so many hitting spots to fill, you want to get the best 5 pitchers money will buy and then get maybe 1 stud hitter and a bunch of lovable others to round out your team.
- Or you could get the cheapest team money can buy, focusing on value players or those who appear to be underrated. You then sit back and wait for them to put up crazy numbers at which point you can sell them for a massive profit and buy a whole team full of Albert Pujols and CC Sabathias.
Value
Ok, so with that in mind, which way am I swinging? Of course, I’m all about the value and the big ceilings, so I am going to focus on the potential of a host of players and then spend the money I have left over on upgrading some of them.
My thinking is that a ton of people will select the guys like Han Ram. That is fine. But he costs $44m of your $250m budget.
The scoring is based on 1 point for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a three-bagger and 5 for a home run. You then get an extra point for each run and rbi and 2 points for each steal. You lose 1 point for every 3 outs made.
Let’s consider Hanley then.
Don’t get me wrong, he is a beast. I have him down in my projects to be the 2nd most valuable player in the game behind Pujols.
I have him penciled in to get 177 hits, 38 doubles, 5 triples and 34 home runs. That alone would score him:
100*1 = 100
38*2 = 76
5*3 = 15
34*5 = 170
= 361 points.
Added to that are 104 and 95 rbi for another 199 points, plus a further 50 from 25 projected steals. That all adds up to 610 points. Now, we know Han Ram is going to play every day, so let’s deduct 133 points for his estimated 400 outs.
That gives us a grand projected total of 477. So theoretically, you are getting almost 11 points for every $1m you pay.
Sounds good right?
Wrong.
Mistake
Why spend $44m on Han Ram when you could get, say, JJ Hardy for $6m?
Hardy has been tearing it up this spring. He will not out-perform Han Ram, but is still very capable of 30 home runs and 80+ rbi and runs. I have Hardy down to score 339 points – a massive 42 points per $1m spent.
With the extra $38m you save, you could almost do anything you wanted. You could get another stud – someone like Grady Sizemore or Roy Hallady.
If you have, for example, just 4 hitters on your roster at $6m who perform well and make $4m of profit each, you could then upgrade another position.
How great would it feel to be doing so well that you could just replace a Billy Butler or Jason Giambi with Pujols at 1B?
With that in mind, here is my cost-effective 2009 batting lineup:
C: Pablo Sandoval
1B: Mike Jacobs
2B: Jose Lopez
3B: Kevin Kouzmanoff
SS: JJ Hardy
OF: Jay Bruce
OF: David DeJesus
OF: Adam Lind
DH: Adam Laroche
This lineup would cost $57m. Pujols would cost you $44m alone!
Of course, depending on your pitching staff which could be equally as cost-effective, you can then make your upgrades.
For example, you could replace Kouzmanoff with Aramis Ramirez ($19m) or David Wright ($42).
Let me know how you would select your team. And let me know if you are taking part in this salary cap game. It would be great to hear your thoughts and to see how different strategies work.
For me, it’s value all the way, with upgrades in the middle tiers.
Welcome back!
What a difference a day makes. Maybe more fitting is what a difference a week makes.
My fiance has been over to visit me for the past 10 days and I have just dropped her back off at London’s Heathrow airport.
But what a week it has been, and not just on the baseball diamond. To be honest, I can’t even really tell you what has been happening on the field. It is not hardball related, but what I can tell you is:
- I celebrated my 25th birthday
- I had my immigration visa approved to move to America
- My wedding plans got firmly underway with a visit to look at invitations, place settings and photo albums and guest books.
So there’s the brief update about why I have been AWOL. I am already missing my girl, so this will be my outlet for the coming days while I try not to miss her too much.
For those of you who are interested about baseball, here’s 3 things that have not passed my by over the last week-and-a-half:
- Justin Upton is now 2/27 in the spring. So much for upside!
- Carl Crawford is running as freely as ever and Edison Volquez threw 5 scoreless innings this week.
- Scott Lewis and Anthony Reyes nailed down the last 2 jobs in the Indians’ rotation.
Ok, so my 3 pieces of information are better than that trio of nuggets, but with 8 days until Opening Day, there will soon be much more of where that came from.
Mike Jacob predictions. Bold or stupid?
OK, lets get one thing ironed out before the abuse and haters start jumping on my back…
If you don’t know what I’m on about, see the post directly beneath this. Hint: I compared Mike Jacobs with Mark Teixeira.
So, my disclaimer: Mike Jacobs is not Mark Teixeira. He doesn’t have the Rookie of the Year nomination, his name on an MVP ballot sheet, a home run at an All Star game, a Silver Slugger trophy or a Gold Glove.
But guess what? I am going on record right now as saying he is going to have a good year that will be comparable to Teixeira’s.
And I mean very comparable.
My friend Phil says it won’t be done. That Jacobs will need to have a monster year and that Teix would have to have just an average year to better him.
We’ll see.
Here’s 8 predictions that I am making right now and that I will follow throughout the season. I don’t know why people aren’t giving Jacobs the love he deserves. 2009 is his chance to shine and I will be cheering for him all the way.
- Jacobs will hit more than 30 home runs.
- Teix will not hit more than 5 more homers than Jacobs
- Jacobs and Teix will both strike out between 95 and 105 times each.
- Both will score between 85 and 95 runs
- Jacobs will be within 2 per cent of Teixeira in RBI.
- Jacobs will hit more doubles than Teixeira
- Jacobs will not have a season-ending BA of more than 15 points less than Teixeira.
- Teix will celebrate his 29th birthday first.
Oh c’mon give me a break. I had to give myself a fighting chance!
Money talks, but who is the real winner?
I read a fantastic article yesterday about Scott Boras’ off-season dealings. I had not realised he had already secured more than $340M of done deals this year.
And that is on a dozen players! One of these is admittedly Mark Teixeira, but still.
If Scotty takes his 5 per cent, the guy who wrote the article says Boras will be in line for an amazing $17M. Incredible.
So yeah, Scotty will be able to survive the credit crunch and economic crisis without too many problems.
But it got me thinking about a guy who has been a little overlooked the last few years. A guy who is on just 1.5 per cent of what Teix makes each year.
Here is a gamer who I kinda feel sorry for. And when I say ‘sorry’, I don’t really mean it. He’s still on more in a month than I’m on in a year. He’s ‘champagne poor’ in a world surrounded by the seriously big spenders.
Maybe the blog should actually be called ‘A guy who needs Boras’. Then again, does anyone really need him? I think I’d rather keep my job and my salary than sell my soul to the reaper.
So, let’s look at one man who Boras has helped this offseason. And one who maybe wishes he had his number.
vs
Mike Jacobs ~ $395,000
Summary: The Yanks dropped the GDP of El Salvadore to lock up Teix until 2016 – an average of more than $25M a year until he is 35. Jacobs, a 38th round draft pick, will get just about enough money to buy a 3-bed house in the suburbs of Kansas after being shipped from the Mets to the Fish to the Royals.
I feel for Mike, I really do. Ok, he’s not Teix, but is he that different?
Similarities:
- They are both 1B
- They are both 28 years old
- They both have above average power and below average speed
- They will both hit 30 home runs, drive in 100RBI and strike out 100 times in 2009
- They have spent a similar amount of time on the DL in the last 3 years (Teix 35 days, Jacobs 39)
- Both have an 80 per cent contact rate and 20 per cent line drive rate.
Differences:
- Teix plays in pinstripes, Jacobs plays in Kansas City.
These statistics are a little misleading, I appreciate that, but there may be some value in them. Basically Teix came into the league as an amazing talent at 23 years old and then built upon his skills over the next 2 years before plateauing somewhat.
Jacobs on the other hand never really developed year-on-year, other than for a spike in his power. He has the upside to bat .290 and hit 38 home runs, but unfortunately he will never get the big bucks he may really be worth.
Last year, the Royals’ entire payroll was $58,245,500, compared to the $201,001,579 the Yankees were able to spend.
But while the Royals won 75 games, the Yanks could only manage 89. To give it some perspective, the Royals effectively paid $775,000 per win while the Bronx Bombers paid more than $2M per W.
In a world where money really does talk, Teixeira and Boras may be cashing in the big paychecks, it’s teams like the Royals who are the real winners for making the most of what they have.
It will not buy them a ring. But it’s a start.
Pics: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2009/01/07/sports/07yankees.1.600.jpg
http://multimedia.heraldinteractive.com/images/a9dcb205ff_jacobs04182008.jpg
LIVE: Venezuela – Puerto Rico 2-0 (FINAL)
VENEZUELA advanced to the semi finals of the World Baseball Classic with a 2-0 victory over Puerto Rico in Miami.
A 3rd-inning 2-out single from Carlos Guillen scored Bobby Abreu from second base and Ramon Hernandez hit a solo home run in the 7th after a video replay deemed it went over the National League scoreboard in Dolphin Stadium.
Puerto Rico will now face the USA in an elimination game tomorrow to see who else advances to the final four in LA.
See the live running commentary below.
- 7:25pm (11.25pm London time):
The lineups are in for tonight’s WBC game between Venezuela and Puerto Rico, the winner of which advances.
It’s 35 minutes until 1st pitch and it’s 11.30pm here in England, but I love this matchup between Hernandez and Snell and I’ll be following it live with you all night, here on MLBlogs.
Let’s check out the lineups:
Venezuela
Blanco CF
Mora 3B
Abreu RF
Cabrera 1B
Guillen DH
Ordonez LF
Lopez 2B
Hernandez C
Scutaro SS
Puerto Rico
Feliciano LF
Vazquez 3B
Beltran CF
Delgardo 1B
Rios RF
Rodriguez DH
Lopez 2B
Molina C
Cora SS
- 7.30pm
People who have read a few of my blogs will have seen me refer to my friend Phil, a Yankees fan and a baseball addict.
Here’s the conversation we just had:
Me: You gonna watch the WBC?Phil: What time they start? And yes probably
Me: 30 mins
Phil: Then yes
Me: Good call
Phil: Will you catch a bit of it?
Me: Gonna watch it all baby
Phil: All of it?!!!!!
Me: Yessir
Phil: Are you nuts? You are even more baseball crazy than usual this time! Gotta say i like it
Me: If you can’t get excited for baseball, what do you have left?
Phil: brb, I’m gonna grab a shower before first pitch then
Me: Haha, who showers at 11.30pm?
Phil: People without jobs
- 7.45pm
Ok, 15 mins until game time – checklist
- Chocolate and snacks – Yes
- Drinks – Yup
- Headphones – Yes
- Set my alarm for work – Done
- Pyjamas and one last bathroom break……. Be right back.
- 8pm - Let’s play ball
With Netherlands out, the winner advances to the final round in Los Angeles. Puerto Rico are favorites, but I’m going for Venezuela tonight.
Ian Snell will face Gregor Blanco, Melvin Mora and Bobby Abreu in the top of the 1st inning.
Top 1st
Blanco fights back from 0-2 to a 3-2 count but strikes out looking on a fastball at the knees. Mora slaps an 0-2 pitch up and away the other way to right-field but Abreu gets ringed up on a slider which drops out of the zone.
Miguel Cabrera doubles off the centre-field wall. Mora moves to 3B but pulls up and is not able to round for home. He’s maybe pulled something. A hamstring perhaps.
Carlos Guillen, batting from the left side, strikes out on a fastball to end the inning with a pair stranded. Puerto Rico are coming to bat.
Mid 1st: 0-0, 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors
Felix Hernandez will face Jesus Feliciano, Ramon Vazquez and Carlos Beltran in the bottom half of the 1st.
Bottom 1st
Hernandez fans Feliciano on a sweet hook down in the zone and then gets Vazquez looking on a high breaking ball. Beltran walks on a pitch down and in but Carlos Delgardo strikes out on a 1-2 fastball. He knew it straight away. Felix fans 3 and we’re on to the 2nd inning.
END 1st: 0-0, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
Ordonez, Lopez and Hernandez up next for Venezuela
Top 2nd
Magglio Ordonez is booed by his own fans for his support of the Venezuelan President as he strikes out. Jose Lopez walks on 5 pitches and Ramon Hernandez flies out to left-field.
Marco Scutaro singles on a soft broken-bat flair to right-field, sending Lopez first-to-third, but Snell barehands Blanco’s chopper to retire the side.
MID 2nd: 0-0, 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors
Alex Rios, Pudge Rodriguez and Felipe Lopez up next
Bottom 2nd
Rios singles to left-field after turning on the high fastball and Pud
ge singles up the middle. It looked like it hit Rios – how did they miss that?? Rios goes to third base. Looks ominous.
Things are all good in the world – they reversed the call, and rightly so. Lopez lines out to left-field on the first pitch of the next at bat and Yadier Molina walks to bring up Cora. Runners on 1st and 2nd, 2 outs, but Cora flies out to Ordonez in left. Still 0-0.
END 2nd: 0-0, 0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors
TOP 3rd
Mora flies out to Beltran in centre-field and Abreu walks on an inside 3-2 pitch for ball 4.
Miguel Cabrera, who hit 37 homers and 125RBI last season, just misses an 0-1 fastball and Abreu then steals 2nd as Cabrera strikes out on a breaking ball in the dirt. Yadier Molina tries to throw him out, but short-hops his throw.
Carlos Guillen lines a single to centre and we have our first run as Abreu scores from 2nd.
1-0 Venezuela
Magglio Ordonez flies out to right to end the inning.
MID 3rd: 1-0, 1 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors
Feliciano, Vazquez and Beltran up next for Puerto Rico
BOTTOM 3rd
Feliciano lines out to Blanco in centre-field after working it to a full count and Vazquez has no idea where Felix is pitching him. He looks all at sea and inevitably strikes out. That’s his 4th K – this time it’s a high cutter.
Carlos Beltran keeps the inning alive after slapping a breaking ball the other way for a stand-up double. Delgado walks on a 3-2 pitch inside as Beltran steals third base. Felix Hernandez slips on his back foot, but he’s ok.
There’s men on the corners for Rios but he lofts a soft fly ball for Abreu and they strand a pair. Venezuela still leads 1-0
END 3rd: 1-0, 0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors
TOP 4th
Let’s move into the 4th inning – Jose Lopez laces it, but Feliciano tracks it down in left. Ramon Hernandez reaches on an infield single down the third base line and Marco Scutaro hits into a force out. Delgado wheels and throws to second – it’s a much safer play.
Gregor Blanco pops up to Cora at third to end the inning.
9.30pm in America, but 1.30am in England – It’s time for some chocolate I think
MID 4th: 1-0, 0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors
BOTTOM 4th
Pudge grounds out on the first pitch and Lopez strikes out on a 2-seamer. Hernandez throws out Yadier Molina on a smart play to grab the nubber before it went foul. Quick inning, still 1-0.
END 4th: 1-0, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
TOP 5th
Giancarlo Alvarado comes in to pitch for Puerto Rico. He’ll face Melvin Mora to start the 5th inning.
Cora does a good job ranging to his left before throwing Mora out at 1B.
Abreu flies out just short of the warning track for out number 2 and Cabrera goes down swinging. Just 9 pitches to retire the side for Alvarado. Good effort in relief.
MID 5th: 1-0, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
BOTTOM 5th
Cora strikes out, as does Feliciano – that’s 7Ks for King Felix. Ramon Vazquez is up next and he’s 0/2 with a pair of strikeouts today. Are we taking bets?
Good job we didn’t – he crushes a 2-out triple over the glove of Abreu in deep right field. Gonzalez and Vazquez are warming up in the pen as Beltran comes to bat.
Beltran fouls off a good 3-2 breaking ball after looking at the hammer at 3-1. He’s at his pitch limit, so this will be the last batter. The next pitch is away from Beltran and he will walk to 1B. A new pitcher will be in to face Delgado.
Carlos Vazquez is in to face the Puerto Rican slugger who chases a slider in the dirt. The Venezuelans are pumped. We’re going to the 6th inning, still a 1-run game.
Felix Hernandez leaves with 4.2IP, 4hits, 4 walks, 7Ks
END 5th: 1-0, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
TOP 6th
Alvarado will face Carlos Guillen to lead off the inning. It’s a ground ball to Delgado and he will feed Alvarado covering the bag for the first out.
The boos tell you Ordonez is back at the dish and he grounds out to short. He’s 0/3 today and that will bring up Jose Lopez.
That’s a quick inning too as Lopez lifts a shallow flyball to Rios for out number 3.
MID 6th: 1-0, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
BOTTOM 6th
Enrique Gonzalez is in to pitch the bottom half of the 6th inning. Rios is up first and he flies out to right-field to Abreu. Pudge just misses a fastball and flies out deep to right and Lopez hits a comebacker at Gonzalez who gets hit on the foot but manages to throw him out in time. 3-up 3-down – we’re on to the 7th.
END 6th: 1-0, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
TOP 7th
Hernandez things he has hit a home run. So do I. They rule it a triple, but it has gone. They will confer, but it’s 2-0 Venezuela for sure.
This is silly! 7 minutes for an obvious decision from above. I don’t know what is taking so long.
HOME RUN HERNANDEZ – the umps tell him to circle them all and it’s 2-0 Venezuela.
Scutaro tries to catch them Puerto Rican team off guard by bunting, but he’s thrown out by the 3B. Pitching change here in the top of the 7th – JC Romero is in to pitch for PR and he gets Blanco on a chopper back to the mound. Melvin Mora drills at flyball to CF Beltran to end the frame.
MID 7th: 2-0, 1 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors.
- 2.30am – time for a trip to the bathroom
BOTTOM 7th
Yadier Molina comes up after the 7th inning stretch. Gonzalez walks him on a 3-2 breaking ball waaaay outside. He’s the #8 hitter and it is nowhere near him – strange.
Cora will get a chance here to cut into the lead, but he grounds into a force out. Cora hustles and beats the return throw though – almost a straight double play. Jesus Feliciano up.
Feliciano grounds out to Cabrera at 1B as Cora advances 90ft. Ramon Vazquez looks at a 2-1 slider but works the count full. Beltran is on deck.
Vazquez swings over top of a breaking ball and the threat is over for now. They are down to their final 6 outs. It’s on to the 8th, the score 2-0.
END 7th: 2-0, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors.
TOP 8th
The heart of the Puerto Rican order is up in the bottom half of the frame, so JC Romero has to keep Venezuela off the board here.
Abreu watches it to a 3-0 count and then takes a fastball. Romero is late covering 1B on a grounder and Abreu beats it out on the flip from Delgado.
We have another pitching change. We’ll be right back.
Saul Rivera is in to face Cabrera and he gets him to hit a flyball to centre-field. Delgado holds Abreu on 1B.
Cora makes a fantastic play to throw out Carlos Guillen as Abreu goes to 2B. Magglio is up, batting 3/19 in the WBC so far.
He hits a ball right to Rivera for the easy put out 1-3.
MID 8th: 2-0, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors.
BOTTOM 8th
Ramon Ramirez is in to pitch for Venezuela. He’ll face Beltran, Delgado and Rios. Endy Chavez comes in to play centre-field for Venezuela.
Beltran walks on 5 pitches on a 90mph high fastball and Delgado lines out to 2B. Beltran quickly turns and hustles back to 1B to avoid getting double off.
Rios lines a base hit to centre and the go-ahead run comes to the plate. Runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out. Pudge is up.
He flies out to right and there is 2 away. Big spot for Felipe Lopez and K-Rod is warming up. Oh oh.
In the middle of the at bat, 2 ball and 1 strikes, they go to the pen and bring in K-Rod. Sweeeet.
He strikes Lopez out on the changeup and they’re 3 outs away from the semi-finals!
END 8th: 2-0, 0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors.
TOP 9th
Fernando Cabrera faces Lopez who lines out to SS. Home run hero Ramon Hernandez rips a single to right-centre; he’s now 3/4 with a pair of singles and a bomb. Gerrardo Parra is the pinch runner for Hernandez.
Parra steals second despite a perfect throw from Yadier Molina who backhanded the pitch in the dirt and Marco Scutaro draws a walk to put baserunners on 1st and 2nd.
Pedro Feliciano comes in to pitch for Puerto Rico and Henry Blanco comes in for Gregor Blanco as a pinch hitter. But Blanco grounds into a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play.
Last chance for the Puerto Ricans, trailing 2-0
MID 9th: 2-0, 0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors.
BOTTOM 9th
K-Rod remains in to finish off the game for Venezuela. Henry Blanco remains in to catch and Izturis comes in at SS. Gerrado Parra is in at left and Chavez moves over to centre-field.
Yadier Molina popped up to Cabrera after fouling off 3 payoff pitches from K-Rod. 1 away.
Alex Cora strikes out looking. He was frozen with the fastball down and away. Unhittable. 2 down.
Jesus Feliciano grounds out to 2B – BALLGAME
END 9th: 2-0, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors.
FINAL 2-0 Venezuela
- 3.29am here in England and time for bed. I hope you enjoyed the game and my coverage if you missed any of it. Goodnight all.
Pudge is an Astro. Houston, we have a problem
Alyson Footer, beat writer for the Astros, wrote on her blog about the Astros getting Pudge as an upgrade at catcher. If you haven’t read her stuff before, go check it out – she knows her stuff.
It got me wondering just how valuable Pudge is, both for Houston and for anyone drafting their fantasy team this week. Of course, they’re not exclusively interchangable, so don’t take it that they are.
Here’s what I said to Alyson as a comment on her post:
I think getting Pudge, even on a short-term deal is
good news for the Astros, but only because of the mediocrity that
previously surrounded their catchers.
That said, Pudge’s skills
have been sliding since 2006 and, at 37, they’re not going to get
better. His power is marginally better than Qunitero and on a par with
Towles and only his batting average being 30 points higher will really
differentiate himself from the other two. He also doesn’t know how to
take a walk and if his linedrive swing even begins to dry up, his
batting average could drop from .280 to much nearer the .240 or so you
could expect from any of the others.
He is there to provide
experience and leadership; don’t expect him to light up the box scores.
The days of double-digit homers or steals are behind him. That is how
bad Towles and Quintero are right now.
And I actually stand by that. The Astros have done well to get him, especially at the price they paid, but if they had even an average backstop to begin with, I don’t believe they would have gone near him.
The Astros have a veteran club with guys like Berkman, Boone, Blum and
Tejada and I’m sure will fit in well with the 30-somethings pitching
staff (Moehler, 37; Hampton, 36; Ortiz, 34; Backe and Oswald, 31 and
Rodriguez, 30)
Unfortunately, with Ausmus now in LA and Towles and Quintero bordering on useless, they didn’t really have too many options. It’s a shame, because I have a soft spot for Towles. He has a rare blend of power and speed that you don;t get from that many catchers. Unfortuantely, and hindsight is 20-20, I think they brought him up a year early. If they had let him continue in the minors, where he started to improve again when they sent him down, they may not have even had to get Pudge.
So, is Pudge an asset to your fantasy team? In short, no.
His .285 average is his only saving grace in a pool of catchers who so frequently hit less. But, as I said in my post to Alyson, if he loses that line drive swing, he’s in trouble.
His walk rate (4 per cent) is pretty much the worst you will find among any catcher and both his power and speed are distinctly below average.
If you want a catcher who can hit for average, you have guys like Mauer, Doumit and McCann. If you need some pop then try Napoli, Snyder or Iannetta; for speed you need to be looking more at a Martin.
There are maybe 20 or so catchers who I think are better than Pudge. If you get to the point in your draft when you’re considering him, the chances are, you’ve left it about 14 rounds too late.
Barely needed in real life, Pudge’s services won’t find many takers in the fantasy world.
Unfortunately for Pudge, knowing how to call a game or handle a pitching staff just doesn’t cut it in the world of 5-by-5 Roto leagues.
Pic http://redsoxgirl46.mlblogs.com/Ivan%20Rodriguez%202.jpg
2009 draft – meet my boys
So, the draft is over – let me introduce you to your 2009 Walk Off Scrubs…….
It pretty much went according to plan. My team is stacked with offense and a boatload of speed. A little disappointed I couldn’t get Pedroia or Roberts at 2B, but Figgins (who can play 2B or 3B) was my back-up choice for 3B if I didn’t get Aramis, so that worked out well.
I’m loving my outfield and utility and I might have to get Jackson some ABs there too. Iannetta went really early, so I missed out on him, but he was actaully going to be my backup for Napoli, so I didn’t mind.
I also got most of the starters I wanted, other than maybe Greinke or Vazquez, so a job well done.
C Mike Napoli
1B Albert Pujols
2B Chone Figgins
3B Aramis Ramirez
SS Rafael Furcal
OF Matt Holliday
OF Johnny Damon
OF Bobby Abreu
UTIL Carlos Guillen
SP Brett Myers
SP Joba Chamberlain
RP Mariano Rivera
RP Chad Qualls
P Gil Meche
P Wandy Rodriguez
P JJ Putz
BN Pablo Sandoval
BN Luis Castillo
BN Ryan Theriot
BN Jody Gerut
BN Conor Jackson
BN Michael Cuddyer
BN Jerry Blevins
BN Cla Meredith
BN Andy Pettitte
DRAFT – update
Hello all,
I’ll be drafting out of the number 1 position! So, good news is that I know I can get Pujols, bad news is that Pedroia and or Beltran could both be gone by my next pick. So…probably Holliday or Quentin if the others are gone. I’m kinda sad that I won’t get the chance to get Teix, he was my man crush this year, but needs must, and I needs me some Albert.
Here’s a more likely team for me now….
Will update you all later.
C Napoli
1B Pujols
2B Pedroia/ Roberts
3B Ramirez
SS Furcal
OF Holliday
OF Damon
OF Dye
UTIL Ethier
SP Myers
SP Greinke
RP Rivera
RP Qualls
P Baker
P Wandy Rodriguez
P Meche
BN Iannetta
BN Guillen
BN Theriot
BN Sandoval
BN Jackson
BN Cameron
BN Blevins
BN Meredith
BN Kuo
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