Majewski update...

[Matt700wlw]

Majewski update

Washington Post

Reliever Gary Majewski was traded from the Nationals to Cincinnati last July 13and went on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation Aug. 7. At that point, Reds General Manager Wayne Krivsky said his club would explore filing a grievance against the Nationals, claiming they sent Cincinnati damaged goods. At the winter meetings in December, Krivsky said the possible grievance was "in the hands of our lawyers."

MLB, however, has not received a formal complaint from the Reds. The statute of limitations for such a filing is one year. . . .

Also......

If the Nationals have one area with better-than-average depth, it might be the bullpen, so it makes sense that right-hander Chris Schroder would want to get every advantage he could to make the squad. At the behest of General Manager Jim Bowden, Schroder spent nearly two weeks in January in the Dominican Republic working on his slider with former Cincinnati right-hander Jose Rijo, one of Bowden's special assistants.

"It was a big help," Schroder said by phone. "With the arm slot I throw from, kind of that three-quarter or sidearm or whatever, my slider's always been kind of flat. He showed me how to get more depth to it."

[cincy09]

Sure would love to get Senor Smoke back to the Queen City !

[redsfanfalcon]

Sure would love to get Senior Smoke back to the Queen City !

Didn't Senior Smoke use to pitch for the Astros? I recall Eric Davis taking him yard once. I've never heard Rijo referred to as Senior Smoke, but I could be wrong!

[Bigredfan#1]

Sure would love to get Senior Smoke back to the Queen City !

I would love to see Rijo in Cincy as well!!

[Ltlabner]

Sure would love to get Senior Smoke back to the Queen City !

Is Senior Smoke related to Senior Sock?

[redsmetz]

Didn't Senior Smoke use to pitch for the Astros? I recall Eric Davis taking him yard once. I've never heard Rijo referred to as Senior Smoke, but I could be wrong!

Yankees, A's and the Reds only.

[marcshoe]

I wouldn't have thought that Rijo was old enough when he pitched to be called Senior Smoke.

[redsfanfalcon]

Incorrect...Senor Smoke is not Jose' Rijo, it is Aurelio Lopez who pitched for the Royals, Cards, Tigers, and Astros from 74-87. I remember Davis hitting a grand slam off of him in the big payoff inning to win someone a car. Yahoo Senor Smoke, and you will get this.

[corkedbat]

I thought Senor Smoke was Fernando Valenzuela?

[marcshoe]

Lopez was the first referred to by that name, I believe. Since then, any player from south of the border who throws above 85 mph is likely to be called that by someone, sometime. And if they happen to be over 40, maybe they'll be called senior smoke as well. :

[jmac]

just curious on Maj......if he is at top of his game, who would he compare favorably to ?
I am thinking maybe a Scott Sullivan ........???

[Number_Fourteen]

If my memory is correct, Aurelio Lopez was the first "Senor Smoke". I seem to recall the same monicker attached to Juan Berenguer, who I believe, threw harder actually, whereas Aurelio relied more on some nasty movement as well as Tiantesque windup & delivery motions. Although, he too could bring it.

The '84 Tiger bullpen he & Willie Hernandez anchored was a knockout combination for Detroit that year.

After Lopez's playing days, he became mayor of Veracruz down in Mexico, and was later killed in a car accident... early '90's perhaps.

[Newman4]

I thought Senor Smoke was Cheech Marin?

[cincy09]

I'm surprised more people don't remember Jose by this name.
Maybe it just stuck with me.
Here is an old article I found where it is mentioned, with a
good bullpen reference as well:

It’s hard to believe that in the days of 20 game winners, a team that was never in second place did not have one 20 game winner on their roster. Tom Browning, or as us baseball fans like to call him, “Mr. Perfect” led the Reds with 15 wins on the season. How does this happen, everyone asks? I have two words for you, the two most feared words in all of baseball: Nasty Boys.

The Nasty Boys were the best bullpen in baseball history. They consisted of three relentless relievers - Norm Charlton, Rob Dibble, and Randy Myers - who all could spit in the upper-90s. Whether it was shutting down hitters or plowing catchers, the Nasty Boys were willing to do whatever it took to win games. They were unselfish, sharing the role of closer between them, and Norm Charlton even filled in as a starter throughout the season.

In the deciding game of the World Series, the Reds manager, Sweet Lou, replaced Senor Smoke (Jose Rijo) in favor of Randy Myers to face pinch-hitter Jose Canseco. Myers finished the game by striking out a juiced-up Canseco, and then getting the final out popped up to Todd Benzinger at first base, making people ask who can’t the Nastiest of the “Nasty Boys” get out? The answer to that is simple: Nobody.

The Nasty Boys will forever live in baseball infamy as the last great bullpen and the last team to keep steroids from winning the World Series.

[TStuck]

I've never heard Rijo referred to as Senor Smoke - that was always the nickname of Aurelio Lopez.

In fact, most of our pitchers over the past several years have been closer to this famous Senor.......




alright? is alright!