So the Yankees have apparently placed Chad Gaudin on waivers. If he clears waivers, he can go to AAA, they can release him, or he can refuse his assignment and become a free agent.
Gaudin has had a miserable spring, and if that's really what the Yanks are basing their decision on, then they are knuckleheads. But you have to figure they see their #5 slot going to Joba or Hughes and would like Gaudin to go to AAA for emergency help if disaster strikes their stupid-good front four.
If you're Gaudin, you have to know there's a starting gig out there for you, so I can't imagine he'd accept a minor league assignment. I'd also be surprised if he cleared waivers - at just shy of $3 mil this year, he's a pretty good deal.
Gaudin posted an 8.49 k/9 rate and 4.16 FIP in 2009. Even if he regresses a bit, this would be far better than Vargas, Fister, Olson, French, and anyone else the M's are considering for the 5th slot in the rotation. His big problem is the propensity to walk batters, which he did a lot of last year.
With Lee's health now less than 100%, with Fister dinged up, and looking at the potential of your starting five to start the season featuring Felix, Hyphen, Snell, Vargas, Olsen/French/Kelley?? - I mean, well, yowsa.
Chad Gaudin. Not thrilling, but probably good for our #3 starter to start the season. Why not.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
When Cliff Lee was horrible
In fantasy baseball terms, I recall when Cliff Lee was an afterthought, a waiver wire cast-off, someone you would only start in an emergency and then dump back on the scrap heap of has-beens, never-beens, and never-will-be's.
It was in 2007 when he posted a 6.29 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP. He won 5 games that year. What went wrong?
He had an abdominal strain.
Well thank God it's 2010, eh?
What's that? He just received treatment in Seattle for an abdominal strain?
I just peed.
I wonder how Erik Bedard is feeling.
It was in 2007 when he posted a 6.29 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP. He won 5 games that year. What went wrong?
He had an abdominal strain.
Well thank God it's 2010, eh?
What's that? He just received treatment in Seattle for an abdominal strain?
I just peed.
I wonder how Erik Bedard is feeling.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Cliff Lee ejection
Just for the record, Cliff Lee was ejected from a game before Milton Bradley. At some obscure off-shore casino, someone just became a billionaire.
Oh, and Cliff Lee is going to punch Chris Snyder's new puppy right in the face.
Oh, and Cliff Lee is going to punch Chris Snyder's new puppy right in the face.
Monday, March 8, 2010
M's Ranked 7th In TSN Preseason Power Poll
What a difference an ace makes! The Sporting News ranks the Seattle Mariners 7th in its preseason power poll. The poll has the big 3 at the top. Here is the top 10:
1. NYY
2. PHI
3. BOS
4. STL
5. COL
6. LAA
7. SEA
8. TB
9. MIN
10. CHC
There is no question the Mariners improved this offseason. But 7th in all of baseball seems a little optimistic for such an offensively-challenged squad. TSN projects that Jose Lopez will lead the Mariners in home runs with 22. No other player is projected to top 18 (Bradley's projected for 18, Griffey & Guitierez 17). Where will the run production come from?
Let's also not forget the rotation has more question marks than sure things after you get past Felix and Lee. We are all expecting good, if not great, things out of Rowland-Smith this year. But with 27 starts over the past two seasons we really can't bank on anything yet. The 4th and 5th slots are dicey, relying on the ineffective (Snell) and injured (Bedard) to turn things around. Snell was pretty effective in 2007. This humorous blog post from Pittsburgh pretty much sums up the last couple of years for Snell. I'm probably most excited about the return of Bedard. A nice ace-in-the-hole for a team that should be in the thick of the divisional chase when he's ready to return in May or June. If one of them steps up this thing could get very interesting.
With all of that said, it is fun to see the sports nation, or at least national writers, take notice of the Mariners. Hopefully we have finally emerged from the Winter of Bavasi with only blue skies ahead of us.
1. NYY
2. PHI
3. BOS
4. STL
5. COL
6. LAA
7. SEA
8. TB
9. MIN
10. CHC
There is no question the Mariners improved this offseason. But 7th in all of baseball seems a little optimistic for such an offensively-challenged squad. TSN projects that Jose Lopez will lead the Mariners in home runs with 22. No other player is projected to top 18 (Bradley's projected for 18, Griffey & Guitierez 17). Where will the run production come from?
Let's also not forget the rotation has more question marks than sure things after you get past Felix and Lee. We are all expecting good, if not great, things out of Rowland-Smith this year. But with 27 starts over the past two seasons we really can't bank on anything yet. The 4th and 5th slots are dicey, relying on the ineffective (Snell) and injured (Bedard) to turn things around. Snell was pretty effective in 2007. This humorous blog post from Pittsburgh pretty much sums up the last couple of years for Snell. I'm probably most excited about the return of Bedard. A nice ace-in-the-hole for a team that should be in the thick of the divisional chase when he's ready to return in May or June. If one of them steps up this thing could get very interesting.
With all of that said, it is fun to see the sports nation, or at least national writers, take notice of the Mariners. Hopefully we have finally emerged from the Winter of Bavasi with only blue skies ahead of us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)