Game Thread 3/14/08 vs Yanks

[Chip R]

Courtesy of C. Trent

Pi Day: Redlegs v. Evil
Friday 03-14-2008 9:34am ET
Lineups, we got lineups...

vs. Evil at Sarasota
Patterson cf
Castro ss
Griffey rf
Dunn lf
Votto 1b
Cabrera 2b
Valentin c
Green 3b
Hairston dh

Belisle
Mercker
Lincoln
Thompson
Roenicke

[BRM]

Patterson cf
Castro ss


Oh yeah!!

:dancingco

[Raisor]

Oh yeah!!

:dancingco

Isn't "insanity" doing the same thing over and over expecting different results?

[BRM]

Isn't "insanity" doing the same thing over and over expecting different results?

Maybe Dusty just wants to see how Junior does when he bats with the bases empty all day?

[LincolnparkRed]

Looks like Belisle gave up a 3-run homer to some guy named Arod. 3-0 evil after a half inning

[BRM]

C. Trent's summary:



Top 1: ARod? He's good. 3-run homer. Double by Jeter, and man, I'm not going to say Corey Patterson's has a Johnny Damon arm, but there's certainly a difference between him throwing the ball in from center and Josh Hamilton. Belisle walked Matsui before ARod's bomb. Damns 3, Redlegs 0

* Bottom 1: The two fan-favorites at the top of the order, Patterson and Castro have looked pretty good at the plate the last couple of days, fwiw. A leadoff double for Patterson followed by a single by Castro. Phil Hughes, not too impressive. An easy double for Junior to left-center to score Castro easily making it 3-2. Damns 3, Redlegs 2

[NJReds]

I always thought that Patterson was a good defensive centerfielder.

[Chip R]

I always thought that Patterson was a good defensive centerfielder.


There are a lot of good defensive OFers out there who have weenie arms. I don't know if Patterson's is or not but most are compared to Josh who has a cannon out there.

[BRM]

Damon with an RBI double, after another walk, in the 2nd. 4-2 Yanks.

[Caveat Emperor]

Belisle is pitching himself out of a job.

[KoryMac5]

Belisle looks like he is going backwards in this rotation from 3rd starter to 5th in a hurry.

[BRM]

C. Trent, after Belisle gave up another run in the 2nd:



So far, only the young guys look as if they really want to be in the rotation.

[Gainesville Red]

Bako just airmailed another throw to second in the Pirates game.

[Gainesville Red]

Bruce has singled, but I think was picked off. The pirates announcers were off on some sort of tangent, so I had trouble following.

[BRM]

Bottom 2: Your starting centerfielder... Corey Patterson. RBI single for Patterson following an ANdy Green double and Jerry Hairston single. I don't really see him as a long-term solution, but, I'm betting right now he'll start in center on Opening Day. Damns 4, Redlegs 3

[Matt700wlw]

Maybe Dusty just wants to see how Junior does when he bats with the bases empty all day?

Dusty doesn't like base cloggers, you know...

[Matt700wlw]

Bako just airmailed another throw to second in the Pirates game.

Does this experiment get to end soon?

[BRM]

Patterson is 2-2 so far today.

[Cyclone792]

Bako just airmailed another throw to second in the Pirates game.

Sounds like Bako is making Mike Piazza look like Johnny Bench.

[BRM]

Belisle is really getting knocked around. 2 more runs in for the Yanks with 2 outs in the 3rd.

[Gainesville Red]

Belisle is really getting knocked around. 2 more runs in for the Yanks with 2 outs in the 3rd.

Must be a pretty unlucky day for him.

[BRM]

Another run in but he's finally out of the inning. 7-3 Yanks.

His line so far: 3 IP, 8 hits, 7 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

[BRM]

C. Trent's 3rd inning summary:



Top 3: Yep. Another failed audition for a starter hoping to be in the rotation -- Belisle's been beyond bad today. Once again he got two quick outs to start the third -- getting Matsui and ARod -- but then gave up five straight hits and three runs. Damns 7, Redlegs 3

[Joseph]

Harang, Arroyo, Cueto, Volquez, and Fogg, or Bailey?

[Chip R]

Does this experiment get to end soon?


No. We're just going to sign a 7 foot SS.

[*BaseClogger*]

I'm confused... do spring stats matter? :confused:

[BRM]

C. Trent with some interesting words concerning Votto.



Bottom 3: I prefer not to look too much into spring training stats, because, well, they just don't matter and never will. It's easier to see things with your eyes at this point (I know, blasphemy! I should care about Spring VORP because it will tell me all I need to know about life), but both my eyes and the stats tell me Joey Votto is really struggling at the plate. He struck out again in the third. After two-out hits by Jolbert Cabrera and Javy, Votto and Dunn are the only two guys without a hit off Hughes. Dusty said some things today (see above)
that show he's trying to take the pressure off of Votto, but the guy simply isn't hitting. Hughes is lifted after 2 2/3 and 9 hits. Jonathan Albaladejo in for the Damns.

[BRM]

Mercker pitched a scoreless 4th.

[Joseph]

any word on Mercks 'stuff'? Has he looked good, or is he living by the seat of his pants?

[BRM]

Roenicke is in for the 5th.

[Caveat Emperor]

Harang, Arroyo, Cueto, Volquez, and Fogg, or Bailey?

My head says Fogg. Bailey needs to spend time refining his craft in AAA. He isn't pitch-efficient enough, at this point, to be an effective starter. He throws too many balls, walks too many batters, and is into the danger-zone with pitch counts too early in games. With Dusty Baker involved, that is a disaster looking for a place to happen.

My gut tells me Bailey. I have no basis for this theory whatsoever, but I think having him in rotation with Cueto and Volquez would be healthy. Having three young flamethrowers like that might inspire a little bit of intra-squad competition and they might all push one another to be better.

Plus, in order for this team to break out of it's decade-long funk, it's going to need something crazy to go right -- like having 3 rookie starters succeed at the same time.

[TRF]

My gut says pitchers usually have a dead arm period in ST. My eyes see Belisle as a guy that as a sp usually sits 91-93, but can dial it up to 95. Belisle throws harder than Harang. My eyes also see a guy that threw 177 innings last year. He's not going to get cut, and he's not heading back to the pen.

The question with Fogg is do you look at ST now, or his overall body of work? Fogg has been a starter his entire career and topped 100 K's 1 time. 1.

Thanks for stopping by Josh, but I think this ST is a mirage.

[Matt700wlw]

I'm confused... do spring stats matter? :confused:

When you do good they seem to...when you don't, the guy's just "getting his work in" - the only way I buy that is when guys who aren't competing for spots (Arroyo, Harang) are pitching. They don't have to impress anyone, really...

[Caveat Emperor]

I'm confused... do spring stats matter? :confused:

No, which is why there is usually a direct relationship between teams that have starting jobs up for competition in spring training and lousy baseball at a later date.

[*BaseClogger*]

When you do good they seem to...when you don't, the guy's just "getting his work in" - the only way I buy that is when guys who aren't competing for spots (Arroyo, Harang) are pitching. They don't have to impress anyone, really...

haha... exactly the intent of my rhetorical question...

[Matt700wlw]

Another run in but he's finally out of the inning. 7-3 Yanks.

His line so far: 3 IP, 8 hits, 7 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

Staggering. Yup, GIVE him the rotation job.

[Matt700wlw]

haha... exactly the intent of my rhetorical question...

Also, if you're a young pitcher that pitches well, "it's just spring training" but if he does poorly, he's for sure not ready (there's probabaly validity to that one)

[BRM]

Daryl Thompson pitching the 7th.

[OnBaseMachine]

Nice job by the rookies.

Daryl Thompson threw a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout. He's faced six batters this spring and retired all six, four via the strikeout.

Josh Roenicke threw a 1-2-3 inning as did lefty Pedro Viola.

[OnBaseMachine]

Juan Francisco now in the game and he doubles.

[TRF]

Staggering. Yup, GIVE him the rotation job.

Nah, take it away from him based on one bad start.

in spring training.

[Matt700wlw]

The never-ending spring training game....

[Aronchis]

Yawn, more people overreacting to spring training mumble? Never;)

[flyer85]

is it just me or has Coffey pretty much been an afterthought this spring.

[Chip R]

is it just me or has Coffey pretty much been an afterthought this spring.


Has he pitched?

[Coffeybro]

He missed a game due to rain cancellation and had to pitch in a simulated game. Other than that he has given up one hit and struckout 5 in 4 ip. As of today's yankee's game.

[TRF]

I see CoffeyBro in the house. How's your brother feeling with the extra weight off? Does he notice any difference on the mound?

[Coffeybro]

He's feeling fine. Hell he set me up with the same weight loss system/ nutritionist. I've been on it just under month so far and have lost 15 lbs. According the the nutritionist if i keep everything up i'll drop 120lbs by November.:eek:

[TRF]

that's great! do you or Todd have target weights?

[Joseph]

He's feeling fine. Hell he set me up with the same weight loss system/ nutritionist. I've been on it just under month so far and have lost 15 lbs. According the the nutritionist if i keep everything up i'll drop 120lbs by November.:eek:

Share the secret pal.

[Sea Ray]

Bako just airmailed another throw to second in the Pirates game.

Is it possible for a catcher to have Steve Sax Syndrome?

[Chip R]

Is it possible for a catcher to have Steve Sax Syndrome?


Ask Mackey Sasser.

[Raisor]

Ask Mackey Sasser.

And Dale Murphy

[Coffeybro]

Share the secret pal.

http://impowerindustries.com/

They use pretty much the same system that is used on the biggest loser.

[Sea Ray]

Ask Mackey Sasser.

Mackey had more problems throwing it back to the pitcher than he did 2nd base.