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Talk About Risk Management |
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MASTERSBLOG
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Written by Lawr Michaels
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Tuesday, 01 February 2011 00:00 |
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I see where the Marlins and Dodgers are interested in former Athletic third sacker, Eric Chavez.
Right now the Dodgers are looking at Casey Blake at third, while the Fish are looking at youngster Matt Dominguez since they want to move Chris Coghlan, so both teams are looking for depth – which Chavez gives them.
Too bad he cannot really play any longer.
Chavez was Oakland's first round selection in 1996, and by 1998 he was their starting third baseman. And Chavez was pretty effective through 2006, banging 212 home runs, including 151 from 2001 through 2005. I always thought Chavez would pick up a batting title somewhere along the way, though in reality his average never went over .288, in 2006 the numbers dropped to .241-22-72, and an OPS of .786, though the hints were there a year earlier when Chavez went .269-22-101 in 2005, the OPS that year was .794.
In 2007 the wheels fell off, and Chavez managed just 379 at-bats, going .240-15-46 over that stretch. Since then, 230 at-bats and .222-3-25 totals since.
Every year, after Chavez has had one or more surgeries, those of us in the Oakland press box guardedly hoped for success.
Last year, Oakland obtained Kevin Kouzmanoff rather than trust Chavez, who signed a seven-year deal in 2004, while Chavez and his back neck languished to the tune of $12.5 million.
I understand Chavy has impressed in his early-year tryouts with both teams.
And, all I can say is good luck. Been there. Done that.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 01 February 2011 00:48 |
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MASTERSBLOG
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Written by Lawr Michaels
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Monday, 31 January 2011 00:00 |
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I guess the NFL held the Pro Bowl this week, in an effort to generate excitement over something that is inherently unexciting.
I actually think this is true of all All-Star conclaves at the professional level, save things like the Futures Game, where we get a chance to see up-and-comers show what they have against like counterparts.
But, at the NBA/NHL/MLB/NFL level, the who-process is mostly silly, and I write this as one who has attended two MLB All-Star Games, and as one who had a pretty good time at both. In fact, if another baseball All-Star fete comes to the bay area, I would probably make an effort to go.
In fact baseball has done something to try and legitimize the mid-season classic by giving home field advantage to the winner, which is a nice trick.
Since I don't really watch hoops or hockey, I cannot really comment on the value of them. I can imagine, just like baseball, that there are fans who love watching the stars of their favorite sport, like LeBron James or Jonathan Toews, mix it up. And, I suppose it is fun watching those guys display their skills, like it was fun watching Dave Parker uncork a throw, or Bo Jackson climbing up the wall to catch a ball.
The thing is, hockey and hoops, and even football, are much more team-oriented sports than baseball. Not that a team isn’t necessary for baseball, but for the most part what we see are outfielders hitting the cutoff, or holding runners, and that is just not the same as the execution of a post pattern play. At least not to me.
As for football, the idea of making the game a week before the Super Bowl, while the season is still essentially on, is not a bad idea. Save it excludes the possibility of Aaron Rodgers or Hines Ward appearing, because, well, the other problem with All-Star games is, players do get hurt.
If you don't believe me, ask Ray Fosse.
As for the game today, I had a choice to watch. I took a nap instead.
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Last Updated on Monday, 31 January 2011 01:36 |
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MASTERSBLOG
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Written by Lawr Michaels
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Saturday, 29 January 2011 00:00 |
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Did anyone out there notice that Byung-Hyun Kim signed the other day to play for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, in Japan?
Kind of interesting, as Kim, who first appeared in the majors as a 20-year old in 1999, the year he was signed, put together a 54-60, 4.42 career, and he was pretty good as a reliever. He was also the closer for the Diamondbacks in the 2001 World Series, blowing two ninth-inning leads before Arizona eventually beat the Yankees in Game 7.
Kim was born in Kwangju, South Korea, in 1979, turning 32 just a little over a week ago. And, when signed, he played in Arizona till 2003, and then he went to Boston, Colorado, Florida, then back to Arizona, and back to Florida, and finally became Giants property. Though Kim has not pitched in the majors since 2007, the Giants had the rights to the pitcher.
Now Kim, who as a pro has only pitched in the United States, gets to go to Japan. It is kind of cool, I think, for moves like this to push baseball more and more to really being a world sport. And that is a good thing.
As for Kim, I do wonder what it would be like. If you ever read Warren Cromartie's great memoir, Ya Gotta Have Wa, on the American experience of playing in the Land of the Rising Sun, maybe that will help.
Still, the world gets smaller. And that is a good thing.
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Last Updated on Saturday, 29 January 2011 00:26 |
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MASTERSBLOG
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Written by Lawr Michaels
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Friday, 28 January 2011 00:00 |
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No, I am not talking about William Conrad and his role in the TV series, Jake and the Fat Man. Nor am I referring to Kasper Gutman, AKA the "fat man" in the great noir film, The Maltese Falcon.
It is, as Matthew Berry once called him--and it stuck--"Big Fat Bartolo Colon," when the hurler was nominated during a Tout Wars auction many years back.
Though Colon is 37, he really has not been any kind of an impact arm since 2005, when he went 21-8, 3.48 and a 1.15 WHIP with the Angels. Since then he has managed to stay in the majors, pitching over 257 innings and 48 starts while allowing 316 hits, 71 walks, with 172 strikeouts. That adds up to an 11-21, 5.18, with a ratio of 1.51. And, amazingly, Colon was only used in relief once, although with those numbers, once might be too many times.
I am not sure what Colon can add to the Yankees powerhouse team. Maybe he is some guilty pleasure gamble predicated on making everyone in the organization feel better about not signing Cliff Lee. Certainly, he has not roto-value, and his major league equivalent is pretty the same.
As an aside, Colon signed a minor league deal with the Yankees Wednesday, meaning the fat man is back. Although, if you look at his size on the The Baseball Reference, they maintain the hurler is 6'1", 185 pounds. Hmmmmm.
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Last Updated on Friday, 28 January 2011 09:29 |
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