MLB Season 2011

[wco81]

Presumably he follows them so he knows what they've been doing with payroll over the years and what they do with players who reach arbitration or free agency.

Still way more entertaining than most radio sports guys.

[HipE]

I actually think they should be sellers at the deadline since many of their players are at their peak values. Even though it has been 18 years since they have been successful, I'd rather keep stocking the organization with talent rather than taking a shot at one winning season.

The problem is that it wouldn't make much sense to trade the players that are at peak value. If Hanrahan, McCutchen, and Walker are deemed virtually untouchable, and they should be, then the only two players they would consider trading that would bring much in return are Maholm and Karstens IMO. Most of the others in the rotation, bullpen and bench are young and/or cheap enough to keep around. Any other veterans like Jones, Doumit, Oberbay, etc. they could trade and still take a shot at the division. It looks like Morton and MacDonald are decent young and cheap pitchers so why trade them unless you can get a proven power hitter?

I'm more worried about the rotation all approaching career high in innings than I am that they are having career performances. It's not that uncommon for pitchers to improve dramatically in their 3rd or 4th year especially under a competent pitching coach and manager and with catchers that have a clue (not a big Doumit fan).

We will find out a lot in the next 9 games against STL, Philly, and ATL. If they go 5-4 or better I say go for it with a deal for a power hitting first baseman or outfielder. Lincoln and Ohlendorf are pretty good insurance for the rotation and Doumit, Alvarez, and Tabata will upgrade the offense or provide some depth when they return.

I guess I should say that they shouldn't necessarily be sellers, but not buyers, and least not in the sense that they trade away young assets just to try to win this season. Like you said, the best help they can get on offense would be provided by Alvarez, Tabata and Doumit. I'd be for adding on salary that a team might be trying to dump to get another bat, but like Dave Dameshak, I'll believe ownership is willing to increase payroll to win when I see it. It is easy to say you are willing to do it when you have a contender when it has been 18 years since it last happened, its another thing to actually do it. However, I wouldn't consider Hanrahan untouchable, he and Maholm would be the two guys having big years that I would trade. They'll never pick up Maholm's option next year (I think it is something like 9.5 million), and closers like Hanrahan seem to lose it as fast as they found it.

I'm still convinced that this run is more about that over 19 seasons, you are bound to win at least once or twice even if you aren't any good. I know I'm jaded, but it has to be hard to be bad enough to lose this many years in a row (which is why they are the only team in the history of the MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL combined to do it).

[MizzouRah]

Cardinals are bringing it this series, hopefully they get the sweep tomorrow!

[10spro]

Special day for former Blue Jays Robbie Alomar and Pat Gillick as they enter into the HOF in Cooperstown today. The third inductee is B. Blyleven. Alomar was a special second baseman for TOR, perhaps the best of his generation.

[MizzouRah]

Alomar, defnitely the best spitter of his generation.

[Leebo33]

I'm glad the Pirates could steal one. They went all week without a home run! They need to send some guys to Pujols' trainer.

[MizzouRah]

I'm glad the Pirates could steal one. They went all week without a home run! They need to send some guys to Pujols' trainer.

Steal one is right.

As usual, LaRussa shows his lack of managing skills. Hey let's give Holliday and Molina the day off against a team we are fighting for first place!

It's not like they couldn't have rested against Houston tomorrow.

[greggsand]

I'm glad the Pirates could steal one. They went all week without a home run! They need to send some guys to Pujols' trainer.

Steal one is right.

As usual, LaRussa shows his lack of managing skills. Hey let's give Holliday and Molina the day off against a team we are fighting for first place!

It's not like they couldn't have rested against Houston tomorrow.

The insane part of that game was that they had a runner on 3rd & 1 out, and just pitched to the batter. I thought walking a dude to setup a double play was baseball 101 in that case. I think they all just wanted to get out from heat.

[MizzouRah]

The insane part of that game was that they had a runner on 3rd & 1 out, and just pitched to the batter. I thought walking a dude to setup a double play was baseball 101 in that case. I think they all just wanted to get out from heat.

LaRussa doesn't know baseball 101, he thinks he's above simple baseball logic.

[fanatic]

Alex Anthopolous does it again......

A bunch of relievers, Zach Stewart (nice but not AAA prospect) and Corey Patterson for Colby Rasmus? Wow.

Another great "buy-low" trade from Alex. He did it last year with Escobar (who's one of the best ss in the AL btw db ) and now this.

Definitely worth the risk - he may respond well to the new environment/coaches.

[dbdynsty25]

Escobar still sucks. Hate that guy. Numbers are decent...I guess. Better than Alex Gonzales for sure...god that guy is horrendous. Must be Turner Field.

Would have loved to see Rasmus patrolling center in Atlanta...it's a virtual black hole right now. Still got a few options left (hate Beltran, so glad he's going to SF)...would absolutely LOVE Kemp, but that ain't happening unless the dodgers are desperate and the Braves empty the pitching inventory. BJ Upton I guess is the fallback, but he strikes out too much. Braves are desperate now that McCann is gonna miss a month or so. Terrible situation in ATL right now.

[MizzouRah]

Well LaRussa didn't like Rasmus so he's off to Toronto.. I hope he does well there.

[sportdan30]

Well LaRussa didn't like Rasmus so he's off to Toronto.. I hope he does well there.

Stupid a** trade! I'm so pissed. They could of gotten more for him in the offseason. Or at the very least, gotten a shortstop who can play DEFENSE!

[Lancer]

No hitter by the Angels today, and CLE scored a run. Pretty cool to see.

Wish they would go back and award no hitters to losing pitchers. They changed that rule 20 years ago and it's really not fair. No hitter is a no hitter win or lose.

[dbdynsty25]

No hitter by the Angels today, and CLE scored a run. Pretty cool to see.

Wish they would go back and award no hitters to losing pitchers. They changed that rule 20 years ago and it's really not fair. No hitter is a no hitter win or lose.

And a no-hitter when you allow a run is lame. Don't care how it happened (error or whatever), but if you get a no-hitter without a shutout, it's just like a one hitter in my book.

[greggsand]

No hitter by the Angels today, and CLE scored a run. Pretty cool to see.

Wish they would go back and award no hitters to losing pitchers. They changed that rule 20 years ago and it's really not fair. No hitter is a no hitter win or lose.

And a no-hitter when you allow a run is lame. Don't care how it happened (error or whatever), but if you get a no-hitter without a shutout, it's just like a one hitter in my book.

If some 3rd baseman boots 3 errors in an inning or something that leads to a run, I don't hold it against the pitcher. If a pitcher walks 5 in-a-row (to score a run), that's def a "lesser" no hitter.

[MizzouRah]

Well LaRussa didn't like Rasmus so he's off to Toronto.. I hope he does well there.

Stupid a** trade! I'm so pissed. They could of gotten more for him in the offseason. Or at the very least, gotten a shortstop who can play DEFENSE!

0-1 without Rasmus...

[lexbur]

And a no-hitter when you allow a run is lame.

It was also kinda lame when you consider it was basically a triple-A lineup the Tribe ran out there. The way the Tribe's been hitting lately a local sportswriter predicted that Weaver would get a no-hitter Tuesday night. He was off by a day.

It's AMAZING the Tribe's still only 2 GB.

I was at the game yesterday. It was the second no-hitter I've seen in person, both were Tribe losses. The other one was Dave Steib's on Labor Day weekend in 1990. Now I'm 0-2 lifetime in no-hitters.

[10spro]

With Rasmus, Jays will have a core of 24 and 25 years old and a farm filled with solid prospects. The outfield has been struggling a bit this season, I think they missed V. Wells speed out there and hopefully Rasmus will get a clean sheet in his career. With Yunel, they've said that he was a head case too, full of baggage but after 2 seasons in TOR, he's been anything but.

I think Rasmus will take some pressure off A. Lind batting left handed while Snider has been solid since his recall. Jose Batista should also feel less pressure to produce at every bat, every day.

If Jays can get a decent bullpen, this team could be the next Tampa to be.

[fanatic]

With Rasmus, Jays will have a core of 24 and 25 years old and a farm filled with solid prospects. The outfield has been struggling a bit this season, I think they missed V. Wells speed out there and hopefully Rasmus will get a clean sheet in his career. With Yunel, they've said that he was a head case too, full of baggage but after 2 seasons in TOR, he's been anything but.

I think Rasmus will take some pressure off A. Lind batting left handed while Snider has been solid since his recall. Jose Batista should also feel less pressure to produce at every bat, every day.

If Jays can get a decent bullpen, this team could be the next Tampa to be.

I wouldn't be surprised if AA trades a couple of those prospects for another top of the rotation starter. Gose is now somewhat blocked (even though he's only in AA) in CF - he and Drabek could form the core of another big deal.

I'd like to see Colby in the 2 spot, right in front of Bautista. Thames is flourishing there, but I think Colby is the more important piece.

[lexbur]

Fukudome to the Tribe for a couple of prospects? He's only got 13 RBI, is that right? Geeze, that puts him on pace for maybe 20 this year. He'll fit right in with our offense. Awesome.

The sad thing is he's probably an upgrade for us in RF since Choo went down.

[Dave]

His .374 on-base percentage will be the second-best on the team behind Hafner. That counts for something, even if he's an otherwise underwhelming player.

[MizzouRah]

2000 hits for Pujols!

[sportdan30]

Great addition by the Braves to get Bourne. That guy is stud. Wish the Cards had a true lead-off hitter.

[dbdynsty25]

Great addition by the Braves to get Bourne. That guy is stud. Wish the Cards had a true lead-off hitter.

They absolutely stole him. None of the braves top 7 prospects and arguably a better player or at least fits better than either Beltran or Pence. Love it.