Link Roundup: Chris Duffy Will Miss Start of Spring Training

by Charlie Wilmoth on Jan 9, 2008 1:40 PM EST in News

-P- As if Chris Duffy's career wasn't already heading south, now he'll miss the start of Spring Training after having surgery on his shoulder in September. With both Nate McLouth and Nyjer Morgan in front of him and with this injury, Duffy's going to have a hard time reclaiming his starting spot. Which is as it should be, frankly - aside from a hot start to his big-league career in 2005, he hasn't really ever hit in the majors, and he'll be 28 in April.

-P- Vlad explains why the Pirates shouldn't be content with their current group of starting pitchers.

-P- Speaking of guys whose careers are heading south, the Rockies signed Marcus Giles to a minor-league deal. It's incredible that Giles was receiving MVP votes as recently as 2005.

Giles was terrible in 2007 for the Padres, but he hit well in April, and he's the sort of player who always seems to have one injury or another, so one wonders if one or more of those was really bothering him last year. If he never rebounds, he's a good example to use when explaining how it's possible that players tend to peak around age 27 - sure, players like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens can remain elite players into their 40s (perhaps through dubious means), but there are also players like Giles who peak well before they turn 27 - Giles' only really great season was at age 25.

Whatever the case, this is a good move for the Rockies, who had Omar Quintanilla at the top of their depth chart at second.

-P- Via Primer, this quote from Scott Boras is just hilarious:

Scott Boras has a bunker of computers loaded with nearly 130 years of statistical history and 35 staffers dedicated to prepping arbitration cases for clients like Rick Ankiel.

Yet even with all his resources whirring into action, it's improbable they'll find a case anything like Ankiel's.

"You have a player whose contributions came first as a pitcher, then as a position player," the agent said. "The last player you're really talking about is Babe Ruth."

And how did his arbitration go?

"It's just a nice analogy," Boras said.

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Babe Ruth

Boras is going to argue that Rick Ankiel deserves more money than the President. After all, he had a better year.

Comedy schedule and clip ... Stay Free! Daily

by ugarte on Jan 9, 2008 3:10 PM EST reply actions

Brewers

add Brian Shouse to the pen, a year and $2 mil.

by bucdaddy on Jan 9, 2008 4:31 PM EST reply actions

Bucdaddy

I keep trying to reply to your email, but it keeps bouncing back to me.

by Charlie Wilmoth on Jan 9, 2008 4:38 PM EST up reply actions

Try

bugdaddy@comcast.net

Note it is buG, not buC maybe?

by bucdaddy on Jan 9, 2008 11:04 PM EST up reply actions

Poor Rube Bressler & Johnny Cooney

If not for Babe Ruth, they'd be the last guys on Boras' list.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Jan 9, 2008 5:11 PM EST reply actions

I think

DK makes a minor error in his LaRoche story today. He says LaRoche is 29, but bbref has him coming into his age 28 season. Well, maybe that's not such a minor error if the Bucs are thinking of nailing him down for 3-4 years. I'm not so sure that would be a great idea if he were 29 and coming off a less-than-scintillating season. It makes more sense with him at 28. It also makes sense to see how he comes out of the box before committing to him long-term, I think.

by bucdaddy on Jan 10, 2008 12:50 AM EST reply actions

Question

If LaRoche is signed to a reasonable contract does that then make him MORE valuable in a trade?

by bryanzane on Jan 10, 2008 1:41 AM EST up reply actions

I'd say ...

Yes.

by bucdaddy on Jan 10, 2008 10:19 AM EST up reply actions

I concur.

<n/t>

by Vlad on Jan 10, 2008 11:49 AM EST up reply actions

Method to the madness

In Vlad's article on The Black (and Gold) Spot he notes that one's delight in the Pirates rotation should be muted. It's hard to argue with that logic. In addition to the usual uncertainties about any pitching staff, the potential performaces of Duke and Morris are almost impossible to forecast. League average? ERAs of over 6? TPenaRules makes an excellent point in response. Morris's trade value is minimal right now and will garner very little. So wait. The value might increase. It might not, but you would be losing very little. A similar (if less extreme) case can be made for Bay and Nady. Right now, neither will bring in much. By May that might change. It might not, but waiting doesn't cost much. Huntington is clearly willing to trade Bay, Nady, or anyone on the club, just not for what can be gotten now.

Viva Clemente!

by Roberto on Jan 10, 2008 2:05 PM EST reply actions