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links for 2007-07-17

19 Comments

19 thoughts on “links for 2007-07-17”

  1. Great links!

    The Zumala thing is hillarious, and great article about Brandon.

  2. Sorry but I can’t decide what’s creepier, the whole Alyssa Milano thing or bush hosting a Jackie Robinson tribute game at the same time as his admin. is setting back civil rights 100 years.

  3. It also seems a little strange that both the Freep and News would print an article about Brandon Inge and his defense on the same day. I know there was no game last night, but still.

    And that whole Alyssa Milano/DY thing? The first word that comes to my mind is “icky”.

  4. I wondered the same thing, Anne. Seems the love-fest is spread equally in both papers. Lowe’s description is especially moving, in describing Inge’s epic grab of Beltre’s “smash” to save the day in Seattle.

    And has Alyssa Milano ever read a newspaper to know who in the heck she’s talking about???

  5. Hmmm…. something tells me Hessman is on the block. The Tigers have been “hyping” him lately, and, honestly, I truly think he deserves to be playing in the bigs.

    Anybody else concur? And who needs a power infielder, maybe packaged with another prospect, for some middle relief? Anybody have any guesses/insight?

  7. 1907? Why not say 160 years, at least that would take you back to 1857, pre-Civil War.

    But cib may be right because he’s only taken us back to the post-Reconstruction time period, still well before any of the major Civil Rights laws of the 1950s. Apparently because of Bush’s presidency, there are now poll taxes and Jim Crow laws once again?

  8. I think that’s a good call on Hessman. There just doesn’t seem to be a spot for him on this team, with Brandon Inge signing a four-year extension this past off-season.

    Both Houston and Texas might be interested in a third base prospect. Unless the Astros think Mike Lamb is a long-term solution, and the Rangers are still believers in Hank Blalock.

  9. There’s no spot for Mike Hessman because he strikes out 4 times more then he walks and hits almost 20 points worse then Brandon Inge. Yeah, let that soak in for a minute.

  10. Mike R:

    Career-wise, yes. 20 points lower than Inge. This year, no. He’s having a killer year. Perhaps a record year. This would be the Tiger’s best chance to trade him. And, yes, there is no spot for him with the Tigers, but he is certainly good enough to play in the big leagues, especially if he can build off the success he’s had this season.

    Look at his power numbers, and his defense. Trust me, the Tigers are trying to trade him and bill him as something special.

  11. I don’t know that they are making a big push to trade him and I don’t know that they would for the sake of maximizing his value. He’s a big part of the Toledo team, a team that has drawn very well the last few years because the Tigers have done a good job of accumulating AAAA players there. I know that MLB teams don’t try to maximize the records of minor league teams, but if they can help the record and develop talent at the same time it’s the ideal situation.

    For the last few years it’s been a nice win-win for both Toledo and the Tigers. The Tigers benefit from a pure geographical perspective. Guys are an hour away from Comerica and those on the shuttle don’t even need to find new housing. Plus they do share fan bases and the Tigers have done well to keep the team competitive for those who are Mud Hens fans.

    That said if they thought he was a piece that could be used to strengthen the organization they would move him.

  13. Ooh, my new favorite Jim Leyland quote from when he was talking about Pudge’s suspension and the fact that there is a lot of emotion and arguing of calls in baseball –

    “If they want to take that away, let’s just go to Sunday school”

  15. T Smith: The Tigers very well could be attempting to shop him, however, he’s 29 and JUST NOW put it together in Triple-A. We disagree on whether or not he can play in the bigs and a very solid 3 months of his 3rd consecutive year in Triple-A isn’t going to sell me. If he continues into next year, then I’ll gladly admit to being wrong but there’s way too much that point for me that he’s probably a AAAA player. If he finishes hitting with his current average, it’ll be the first time in his minor league career he’s hit above .260 since 2002. Unless he was hurt for the last 4-5 years or the Mud Hens made a BIG TIME improvement on his swing, I’m chalking it up to getting hot and if we get anything substantial in return for him then Dombrowski would be absolutely robbing the team trading for Hessman.

  16. Mike R:

    Good points. I understand, though, that Hessman significantly changed the mechanics of his swing, thus the results. There is no reason to believe he will not continue on with similar success (if his new approach at the plate is indeed the catalyst of his recent tear. In any case, there is no reason to believe the Tigers wouldn’t be shoping him, especially given his run, to a team that might take a chance on a “diamond in the ruff” kinda trade for a 1st or 3rd base power hitter.

    On the flipside, I’m the first to recognize he just may be hot right now, that he may well gravitate back toward the Mendoza mean. In any case, any player who hits 40 home runs in the minors (he’s on pace for 41 I think) is more than an AAAA player, unless by way of an incredibly extraordinary strung together fluke at-bats.

  17. Him hitting 40 homeruns might be an anomaly. He’s never hit over 28 in any full season. We’re just going to have to disagree on this one. However, if he does get dealt for something substantial, then I would be ecstatic. Maybe Matt in Toledo can write something up (if he hasn’t already and I just haven’t seen/read it) about Hessman and any changes he may have made at the plate.

  19. Hessman has no value. The Mudhens had a similiar late 20s player in 96. Phil Hiatt hit 40 hrs’ with 119 rbi’s. All that got him was a one year deal in Japan and more years at AAA. The odds that a 29-year-old is suddenly going to turn the corner and become a bonafide major leaguer, rather than just an adequate backup, is infintesimal.

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