Encarnacion got his first walk as a Blue Jay yesterday; Roenike 13.50 ERA

[LouisvilleCARDS]

Yes it took that long. He's batting a cool .191 with a .204 OBP.

Also Josh Roenicke has been getting shelled, giving up 5 ER's in 3.1 IP.

As for Zach Stewart he gave up 4 hits and 1 ER in 0.1 IP his last outing. Overall, that's only his first, but has given up 6 hits in 3 IP.

[GIDP]

Oh well now everything has changed.

[LouisvilleCARDS]

Oh well now everything has changed.

Don't worry, if they both keep playing like this, we can get them back when they get DFA'ed.

[GIDP]

Don't worry, if they both keep playing like this, we can get them back when they get DFA'ed.

we can both play this game if you really want to.

[texasdave]

What is Edwin's problem? I thought he was so happy to get out of Cincinnati that he would be motivated to put up some numbers. There must be a bit of an adjustment to a new league. He probably hasn't faced most of those pitchers much.

[mroby85]

What is Edwin's problem? I thought he was so happy to get out of Cincinnati that he would be motivated to put up some numbers. There must be a bit of an adjustment to a new league. He probably hasn't faced most of those pitchers much.

Of course, Edwin always has an excuse for why he's going to be good in the future, sounds all too familiar :D

[Newman4]

How's Scott Rolen been doing the last few games?

[FlyerFanatic]

How's Scott Rolen been doing the last few games?

come on now...what happened to rolen was a) not his fault and b) not something that should be taken lightly

this season is lost, if they have to shut down rolen for the year, so be it. you can be upset about the trade, but faulting him for not playing with a head injury is just foolish.

[Newman4]

come on now...what happened to rolen was a) not his fault and b) not something that should be taken lightly

this season is lost, if they have to shut down rolen for the year, so be it. you can be upset about the trade, but faulting him for not playing with a head injury is just foolish.

Picking out a few games worth of stats and judging the trade by that is just as foolish. I was being sarcastic, Louisville Cards wasn't.

[BurgervilleBuck]

True, but we're talking about the same group of people who were posting every Josh Hamilton stat when Volquez was slipping.

[LouisvilleCARDS]

Picking out a few games worth of stats and judging the trade by that is just as foolish. I was being sarcastic, Louisville Cards wasn't.

I'm not the one who over exaggerated the trade to ridiculous proportions. Saying, one of the worst trades in franchise history, worst all time period. Those people drama queened it up, I'm just responding with statistics so far.

[Redeye fly]

What is Edwin's problem? I thought he was so happy to get out of Cincinnati that he would be motivated to put up some numbers. There must be a bit of an adjustment to a new league. He probably hasn't faced most of those pitchers much.

That, or he just isn't all that good of a hitter. Who knows though, maybe the Blue Jays work with him and turn him around. But chances are, the Blue Jays never wanted him all that bad in the first place.

[TheBigLebowski]

I hated to lose Roenicke and Stewart, even though I was in favor of the trade when it was made and remain so today. But I do not and will not miss Edwin.

[bounty37h]

I did see him make a nice stop the other night, and get this...wait for it....a throw to first base from his knees-and hit the glove (yes, of the first baseman)!!!!!!

[GBC Red]

I, also, wish we hadn't let go of Stewart and Roenicke. However, Edwin was not, and is not a very good ball player. He is a decent player that everyone has been saying will be good for years, but he has not shown me anything to make me think he will ever be a star. Face it, he isn't the player some make him out to be.

[texasdave]

Bump for an LPDO (Edwin Elpidio Encarnacion) update:

114 PA .585 OPS.
5 Errors in 28 games.

Is the AL more of a breaking ball league? At one time it was considered as such. If so, that certainly isn't going to help LPDO. Why he ever saw/sees a fastball is a mystery to me. He will only be 27 next season so it's not like he can't still make a splash. But at this point in time would you bet on that happening? Not me.

[gilpdawg]

No, the AL is just better. NL fans try to deny it, but when a guy like Brad Penny or John Smoltz, who were worthless in the AL come over and do very well, there's something to it. The National League is basically AAAA right now. I hope it turns around as a NL fan, but it doesn't look good.

[Redlegs212]

I saw Edwin get hit (I think) right before Aaron Hill on the night of the brawl

[goreds2]

I saw Edwin get hit (I think) right before Aaron Hill on the night of the brawl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji-cT58rgNc

[will5979]

No, the AL is just better. NL fans try to deny it, but when a guy like Brad Penny or John Smoltz, who were worthless in the AL come over and do very well, there's something to it. The National League is basically AAAA right now. I hope it turns around as a NL fan, but it doesn't look good.

That comment fell about 20 yards shy of making any sense whatsoever. If the AL is so damn superior like you stated then tell me why the NL has won 4 World Championships this decade? A win this year would make the AL/NL 5-5 in the World Series this decade, not to mention 2 of the last 3 champs are NL teams.

[Jefferson24]

That comment fell about 20 yards shy of making any sense whatsoever. If the AL is so damn superior like you stated then tell me why the NL has won 4 World Championships this decade? A win this year would make the AL/NL 5-5 in the World Series this decade, not to mention 2 of the last 3 champs are NL teams.

You cant judge the talent of the whole league just by the top teams performance from that league. I would feel comfortable saying top to bottom the American league has more talent than the National league.

I think looking at who wins the world series has little to due with the talent of the entire league as a whole.

[davereds24]

That comment fell about 20 yards shy of making any sense whatsoever. If the AL is so damn superior like you stated then tell me why the NL has won 4 World Championships this decade? A win this year would make the AL/NL 5-5 in the World Series this decade, not to mention 2 of the last 3 champs are NL teams.

1 best of 7 series doesn't tell which league is better. The AL as a whole has owned the NL for quite some time. It's a fact.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/interleague/records.jsp

[will5979]

1 best of 7 series doesn't tell which league is better. The AL as a whole has owned the NL for quite some time. It's a fact.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/interleague/records.jsp

last 20 seasons...

1. 08 Philly NL
2. 07 Boston AL
3. 06 St. Louis NL
4. 05 Chicago AL
5. 04 Boston AL
6. 03 Florida NL
7. 02 LA AL
8. 01 Arizona NL
9. 00 NY AL
10. 99 NY AL
11. 98 NY AL
12. 97 Florida NL
13. 96 NY AL
14. 95 Atlanta NL
15. 94 n/a (would have been Cincy!) NL won't count it!
16. 93 Toronto AL
17. 92 Toronto AL
18. 91 Minnesota AL
19. 90 Cincinnati NL
20. 89 Oakland AL
21. 88 LA NL have to do one more cause of 94

12 AL World Series wins, 8 NL World Series wins...

ok so the AL has won the majority of the World Series, but not necessarily dominated.

[jhc2010]

Triple E has had 5 errors in 28 games with Toronto.

[gilpdawg]

That comment fell about 20 yards shy of making any sense whatsoever. If the AL is so damn superior like you stated then tell me why the NL has won 4 World Championships this decade? A win this year would make the AL/NL 5-5 in the World Series this decade, not to mention 2 of the last 3 champs are NL teams.
I said right now. The rest of the decade doesn't matter right now.But thanks for the condescending attitude. That's why I rarely post here anymore.

[Griffey012]

You cant judge the talent of the whole league just by the top teams performance from that league. I would feel comfortable saying top to bottom the American league has more talent than the National league.

I think looking at who wins the world series has little to due with the talent of the entire league as a whole.

Unfortunately the American League dominates the National League when it comes to payroll's. As of 2008 the AL averaged 97.6 mil per team(NYY included) and 89.0 mil (NYY excluded). The NL averaged 83.125. And 4 of the top 5 payroll teams were from the AL.

I think the AL and NL are just 2 different league that are hard to compare due to the DH. AL is more of line up and mash and the NL is a lot more strategy, defense, and small ball.

The DH really complicates any comparison because most all pitchers can't hit so it is a bit of a wash when the AL plays in an NL park. But when it is the NL in an AL park the AL team gets to play their normal DH who is a regular starter and the NL plays a bench guy.

[mdccclxix]

Joe Pos had a an article in SI a few weeks ago that stated: "If you want to get a good player in the NL, just get one from the AL!" It didn't really hold much water since there are all kinds of players that switch leagues and fail no matter what.

The perception that the AL is "better" totally has to do with the DH. More offensive pressure. If anything I'd say it's just a matter of time before the shift of better players goes back to the NL, unless the payroll disparity prevents it.

[kfm]

Is there really any debate about which league is better. I am an NL guy, but all you really need to do is check out what happens when the leagues play each other. The AL has completely dominated interleague play in the last five years. Does anyone really think the best way to determine which league is better is to ignore all the games they play against each other over the course of a season and simply look at what happens between two teams in a best of seven series. That will only tell you who is better between those two teams at that particular time. Take a look at wins and losses, that's how you figure out who is better.
Year AL NL
2005 136 116
2006 154 98
2007 137 115
2008 149 103
2009 137 114

[kfm]

last 20 seasons...

1. 08 Philly NL
2. 07 Boston AL
3. 06 St. Louis NL
4. 05 Chicago AL
5. 04 Boston AL
6. 03 Florida NL
7. 02 LA AL
8. 01 Arizona NL
9. 00 NY AL
10. 99 NY AL
11. 98 NY AL
12. 97 Florida NL
13. 96 NY AL
14. 95 Atlanta NL
15. 94 n/a (would have been Cincy!) NL won't count it!
16. 93 Toronto AL
17. 92 Toronto AL
18. 91 Minnesota AL
19. 90 Cincinnati NL
20. 89 Oakland AL
21. 88 LA NL have to do one more cause of 94

12 AL World Series wins, 8 NL World Series wins...

ok so the AL has won the majority of the World Series, but not necessarily dominated.

This post says nothing about which league is better, you are the only person who is arguing this very limited point of view. You have to examine what is going on as a whole. This post makes sense if we are arguing that the best team in the NL can compete with the best team in the AL, but it says nothing about which league is better. Especially as was mentioned in another post if you are talking about right now. What does who won the World Series 10 to 20 years ago have anything to do with this discussion about what league is better today?

[krm1580]

As an NL guy it pains me to say it but I think the AL is a better league right now but it has nothing to do with the DH or style of play but more money and management.

I think money is the primary reason. If you look at baseball right now 6 or the 7 highest payroll teams are in the AL. Big money team sign better players, can keep teams together longer and have greater stability, IF managed properly....

Which brings me to my second point on balance the team in the AL have better front offices right now. The big money teams in the AL do a much better job allocating their money that the ones in the NL do.

Case and point:
The 4 highest AL payroll teams are all, right now in the playoffs (if detroit holds on)
The 4 highest NL payroll teams, only 1 will make the playoffs.

[LetsGoReds11]

As a whole, the AL has better teams with better players...Also as you take a look...More AL teams have more money to spend....therefore getting better players on there ballclub....One other point I hate to bring up but is very obvious....NL teams have a severe disadvantage when playing in a AL ballpark....AL teams can start there regular Home Run hitting DH...While a NL team has to start a backup player with normally putrid stats....No matter how you shake it, that is a severe disadvantage everytime a NL team takes on a AL team in AL park