big dog

I want whoever is the best pitcher, and I have no idea who that is, but I will be a lot more excited if May makes the team.

I can't imagine trying to steal home with Harmon at the plate. I'd be running, ducking, and screaming "Harmon Don't Swing" the whole way.

Check any of about five other threads. The ground has been gone over pretty thoroughly.

And the beast has been poked...

Great story, thanks so much. Best wishes to the Klaw!

My recollection is that Dennis Martinez got traded for nothing, decided it was time to face up to a problem. He gave up drinking and became a much better pitcher. I'm sure the Orioles wished he had figured it out sooner rather than later.

Wacha has had 28 starts so far. If that's all they get, they've succeeded as a team? I don't think I'd personally consider blowing a guy's arm out after 28 starts (and a 9-7 record) to be a team success.

RZR is the fraction of balls converted into outs, right? That could be accounted for by great speed or great positioning. I don't think anyone's fooled about Hardy's speed.

Yeah, exactly. When Hardy joined the Twins, I was disappointed in his lack of range. Then I noticed he happened to get a lot of balls hit to him, and his throws tended to hit Morneau in the chest, as compared to all the diving and stretching Justin had done previously. Give me the good arm and positioning every time.

You convinced me. Let's not handle him the same way we handled Hicks, Parmelee, and Benson, and see if there is a better way. Let's lengthen the leash. Unless lightfoot disagrees

I do agree with that, and as long as they have a wealthy owner spewing money like water they will probably be at least competitive. I wonder if his heirs will have the same interest- maybe. How much money will they be willing to spend, though?

Detroit managed to get Price, not with the farm system, but with two of their few remaining young players. They gave up Drew Smyly, 25, who started 7 games for the Rays and went 3-1 with a 1.70 ERA, and Austin Jackson, 28, who struggled with Seattle but has been a good player. They've eaten through the farm system and started trading young major leaguers for older major leaguers. How long can that last?

Thank you. May peace and grace be with you.

Let's Go, Burdi (clap, clap, clap-clap-clap) This Chattanooga team could be Legendary. Oops, gotta wipe the drool off my keyboard.

Predictions for the White Sox season: 1) Abreu continues to be a monster at the plate. 2) LaRoche gets hurt, Abreu moves to first, infield defense is even worse than expected. 3) Lots of solo home runs. 4) Robinson blows 2 saves in 3 chances and the world falls apart. 5) Growing rumblings about Ventura's decisions and leadership. 6) People wish Konerko was still in the clubhouse, but no one mentions AJ. 7) The team holds its collective breath every time Melky is drug-tested. 8) Hawk Harrelson feuds with umpires and still does not realize how many people think he's a clown. 9)The team wonders why they are playing .600 ball and just drawing 18,000 angry drunk fans per game, while the Cubs continue to sell out to happy drunk fans. 10) Steve Stone announces he is no longer willing to announce "with" Hawk but from a different booth. Now insists that he be allowed to watch the game on TV in his living room in Arizona and just provide live tweets. Reinsdorf agrees. Hawk spends more time arguing with umpires and the Stone-tweets than the game, except when he can shout "He Gone" or "Put It On The Board...Yes!" Ratings skyrocket. Attendance drops to vendors plus a quarter of the team wives, along with homeless people who are allowed in for free to sit behind home plate and make the stadium look full from the centerfield camera.

Trout's going to be hard to get, but Willie is 83 so he won't cost much. If he doesn't work out, we'll go all Youth Movement and put Torii in center.

I'd rather have Gomez, but Denard would be a good start.

Our centerfielder climbs into a tree? We can't afford to lose any more CFs.

Joe Maddon?

The Tigers will have a good shot if Miggy, Verlander and V-Mart stay healthy all year. I don't see that happening. Miggy and Verlander have played an enormous amount of baseball for being 32 years old, and they've been getting (and playing) hurt. V-Mart is 36, with some lingering injuries. If those guys aren't at least close to full strength for much of the year, I think the team falls apart. Toss in the chances that Joe Nathan is fading away, and what have you got?

I'd like the "under", please.

Logan Darnell and Yohan Pino as well.

Can't help but reminisce about Harmon. I remember listening to the radio in 1972 when he hit #535. Herb Carneal and Halsey Hall made the call. They were really excited. One of them, Herb I think, said "And Harmon passes Jimmie Foxx!". Halsey was unusually quiet, for him, and said "I didn't think anyone would ever pass Jimmie Foxx." It was really memorable, hearing how impressed those two astonishing announcers were- made a big impact on this little kid. Foxx was the second-leading all-time home run hitter for over 20 years, until being passed by Mays, Mantle (by only two), Aaron, and then Harmon. Frank Robinson passed him the following year. Harmon was at one point fourth on the all-time board, behind only Ruth, Mays, and Aaron. I have big hopes for Sano, but passing Jimmie Foxx? We'll have to see.

Noted. Nice narrative.

You have earned a plentitude of points for posing such a powerful, if perhaps pretentious, presumption of perspicacity. However, your masterful alliteration was mildly marred by marrying a media meatgrinder metaphor with shellshock, mostly mentioned as a military malady. Please revise this essay and resubmit if you hope to earn an A on the assignment.