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links for 2007-10-09

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15 thoughts on “links for 2007-10-09”

  3. 1) Go Granderson!!!

    2)Interesting article on Skelton – I’ve checked him out maybe 3 or 4 times a year just to see how he is progressing, 165 lbs? so what it looks like its all muscle, would you rather have that or have him gain 25lbs of mostly fat? He is 5’11 which is taller than Yogi or Pudge or Roy Campanella same height as Ausmus (the best catcher IMO we have ever had while I’ve been alive).

    Look what it did to Pudge when he lost the weight it made him more mobile behind the dish. Not saying he is near Pudge’s class defensively but he shouldn’t be weighted down.

    Do you need power? no, and he isn’t too lacking

    If he was a poor man’s Polanco at the plate would that be OK for a catcher?

    I just hope they advance him to Erie or Toledo and see how he can hit against the top prospects/AAAA players for a year or so to see if he might be an option in the future.

    3) I never knew Stewart was that OK anyone know he stole 51 bases one year and was 4th in MVP voting another? Also didn’t know he was that good defensively, but what the article failed to point out is that you don’t have to have a LF to play LF, corner OF can play either position usually and CF can play all 3 usually. So you can look at all the OF free agents.

    4) Shef we need ya for next year, rest up and come back smacking line drive HRS!!! Sounds like he was in a lot of pain and still played. STUPID but admirable.

  4. The thing is that they can’t push catchers as quickly through the system as other positions due to the need for them to learn how to handle pitches/pitchers. That said, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Skelton make it to Erie later next year. But starting beyond Lakeland or reaching Toledo would be a shock.

  5. Oh, well hopefully he does get the mid-season to Erie and can at least hit .280-.290 there. Very hopeful, I know.

    BTW this just in
    another wish haha

    And Rivera indicated Monday night that he intends to test the market. Rivera, who has been a mainstay in the late innings for the Yankees since their storied run of four World Series titles in five years began in 1996, lobbied for an extension in spring training but was rebuffed.

    “They had the opportunities and they didn’t do nothing with me,” Rivera said, according to the Star-Ledger of Newark. “So we’ll see what happens. … This is a business. Nothing against the New York Yankees.

  6. So now we read my articles, and then come back to Billfer’s site to comment on them? C’mon!

    I’m kidding. Comments aren’t that big a deal to me and I certainly appreciate both the links and the thoughts regardless of which site they’re posted on.

  7. Rivera, no no no. He is old and looks to be losing a little velocity on his one pitch. When he loses a little more, he will have one of the most spectacular flameouts that a HOF-type player ever has. The Yankees will lose A-Rod and then feel like they MUST keep Mo and Posada and end up paying both ridiculous money.

    A name that I haven’t heard or seen anywhere in association with the Tigers is Eric Gagne. His value will never be any lower than it is right now. Assuming that everything in his arm seems to be sound, he may be a great value at about 2 years/10 million. It seems like the floor on him is Jones-like performance, and the ceiling is a guy that can be dominant for a month or two at a time.

  8. 3) I never knew Stewart was that OK anyone know he stole 51 bases one year and was 4th in MVP voting another? Also didn’t know he was that good defensively, but what the article failed to point out is that you don’t have to have a LF to play LF, corner OF can play either position usually and CF can play all 3 usually. So you can look at all the OF free agents.

    I know. I was just looking at those that played LF and opening it up to all OF options would include Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones, Aaron Rowand, Darrin Erstad, Mike Cameron, Milton Bradley, Moises Alou, Bobby Abreu, Shawn Green, Jose Guillen, Geoff Jenkins, Sammy Sosa, Trot Nixon, and Matt Stairs. And out of all these guys, the only actual plausible/realistic options are the ones I looked at, and guys on the back half of the list (Green through Stairs). I may re-look at it and open it up to all of those guys.

    Matt, as far as Skelton goes, he did have a higher BABIP then he probably will continue to have as he rises through the minors (easier to maintain a higher BABIP in the lower minors due to having inferior defenses compared to the upper minors — which is why I’m anxious to see Maybin at a full season’s worth of Double-A ball or above) and you’d like to have a line drive percentage higher then 13%. But honestly, the meal ticket for a catcher is still defense. One could make a case for a lot of catchers to get notice in the minors because there’s really not a plethora of catchers worth noting in the minors. Maybe 2-3 that project to be full time starters with decent or better bats.

  9. Ryan under “Leveraging Todd Jones” I said at the end of my comment

    I’d rather they went after a more dominant guy – Cordero, or a few good guys – Wood Gagne Dotel etc.

    so I agree (also Dotel’s value right now is very low)

    I really think we could use the depth and should go out and get two to complement Rodney Zumaya hopefully Byrdak and/or Seay are as good next year as they were this year.

    But, IF we could somehow get Mariano Rivera I would do it in a heartbeat

    GO CHECK OUT HIS MONTH BY MONTH STATS

    if you take out his terrible April then his ERA would drop to 2.26 which is below his career average.

    This guy is a FA and is who I want them to pursue because he can and will be dominant for periods. He also can K the side if need be with a plus fastball and a devastating slider.

    http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/stats/individual_stats_player.jsp?c_id=mil&playerID=150188

  10. Mo Rivera is just fine. He’s striking out 1 out of every 4 batters he faces, his walk and K rates have remained at about what they have been throughout his career. ERA is too volatile of a number to look at regarding relievers. Now, the cost of him given his age is not something I’m interested in spending on. We already have an old lineup and an old staff when you include relief pitchers ages into the equation.

  11. Mike – Everything I’ve heard about Skelton’s defense has been pretty positive, and I know at about the season’s midpoint he had thrown out 42% of the runners who tried to go on him.

    As for the BABIP, those numbers are augmented by a high BABIP, but in that league they would still have been excellent regardless.

    Line drives? I think there is either a flaw in that stat in the minors or guys develop line drive ability as they advance. Since hitters had plenty of line drives when I pitched in high school, I’m inclined to believe it’s the former. Seriously, I was at a couple of games where the decision was being made and the scorekeeper’s logic was flawed both times.

  12. Mariano Rivera is great right now, my point is that I think he’s set for a fall. I’ve been seeing him throw his cutter 90-92 mph at times instead of 93-95. This is clearly still effective. But due to the dependence of that pitch on its speed to create the cutting movement (sideways and backwards spin), every mph slower also makes it cut less. He could go very quickly from a 92 mph pitch with devastating late movement to a fairly straight 88 mph pitch. When his worst cutters get down to about 88 mph, he will no longer be effective. His 2- and 4- seam fastballs are not good enough to be his primary weapon. I understand that his stats are and have always been great. But you have to use what you see along with stats to try to predict the future. If it was a matter of signing 2005-2007 Rivera to a contract, oh god yes. But I think his career is over sooner than others do. I may end up being right or wrong, but this is my prediction.

  13. Mike – Everything I’ve heard about Skelton’s defense has been pretty positive, and I know at about the season’s midpoint he had thrown out 42% of the runners who tried to go on him.

    As for the BABIP, those numbers are augmented by a high BABIP, but in that league they would still have been excellent regardless.

    Line drives? I think there is either a flaw in that stat in the minors or guys develop line drive ability as they advance. Since hitters had plenty of line drives when I pitched in high school, I’m inclined to believe it’s the former. Seriously, I was at a couple of games where the decision was being made and the scorekeeper’s logic was flawed both times.

    Oh I know. And LD% changes from ballpark to ballpark as you get different score keepers. It’s one of the last things I look at. It just is something that can help give a small idea of what type of hard contact a player makes in their AB’s.

  15. 1) “Fire Jim Leyland” is hardly active supporting that cause. Hence why it’s only got 3 posts on the subject of Jim Leyland since August 30th.

    2) There was no need to create an entire different blog when I wanted to delve into who should be the next shortstop or left fielder.

    3) I encourage you to give the posts that Billfer’s so graciously linked to a looksie, as I think they’re very interesting results and quantitative analysis of what the Tigers should do regarding acquiring new players.

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