Who are best pitchers ever, according to UERA? Are the Devil Rays just an easy target? And what are the rules surrounding Rule 5 players anyway? All this and many more questions in your Monday edition of From The Mailbag.
Dusty Baker keeps talking about pitch counts. So does Eric Wedge. The Cardinals aren’t afraid of new information. Ken Griffey Jr. thinks he’s been misrepresented by the media. And Ozzie Guillen doesn’t understand why everyone’s so concerned with Mark Prior. All this and many more quips in your Monday edition of The Week In Quotes.
Moving Scott Schoeneweis into the starting rotation has been a good move for the White Sox. With all due respect to Jermaine Dye, Marco Scutaro has been the A’s most encouraging find of the season thus far. And Jim Thome has been the only hitter carrying his weight for the Phillies this season. All this and much more news from Chicago, Oakland, and Philadelphia in your Monday edition of Prospectus Triple Play.
I was on Boston’s WEEI radio just after Opening Day and was asked, in a very concerned manner, whether the Red Sox could stay with the Yankees in April given their depleted state. I’m thinking we have an answer.
The Angels may have swept Oakland, but they have some problems facing them as they head into next week. Garret Anderson continues to fight upper back problems and current treatments haven’t reduced his symptoms. A decision will be made early this week about the DL. Given the team’s outfield depth, one would think that the Angels could afford to play it safe, but that depth has been already leveraged elsewhere. Vladimir Guerrero is still dealing with pain and swelling in his right knee (his pushoff leg for batting and throwing.) Regular rest and some DH time hasn’t reduced the symptoms, worrying many in the Angels’ front office. With all the options and possibilities, Mike Scioscia has some interesting decisions in front of him. The Braves are very concerned about the hamstring of Chipper Jones. The tear is healing up, but not as quickly as Chipper is telling people. He’ll stay off the DL for now, but Bobby Cox has been told to use him as a “desperation pinch-hitter” just in case the Braves need to retro him onto the DL.