ANAHEIM ANGELS Acquired C Charlie O’Brien from the White Sox for LHP Jason Stockstill and RHP Brian Tokarse. [7/30] Purchased the contract of 3B Troy Glaus from Vancouver; optioned LHP Jarrod Washburn to Vancouver; transferred RHP Mike James from the 15- to the 60-day DL. [7/30] The big news here is the callup of Troy…
Steven Carter is taking a break from quotes. Dave Pease will be filling in until he returns. NEW FACES, NEW PLACES "I can’t walk on water, I can’t spread the Red Sea. But every time I go out, I expect to win." —Randy Johnson, Astros pitcher "This is the best chance we’ve ever had to…
With the Yankees flirting with a record-breaking pace this year, the idea is being bandied about that this team might be the best team in baseball history. People are comparing them with the 1927 and 1961 Yankees, or the 1906 Cubs (the usual suspects) in categories like winning percentage, run differential, et cetera. (How come…
ANAHEIM ANGELS Released 2B/SS Carlos Garcia from his contract at Vancouver. [7/26] Just in case there was any doubt about whether or not he’s done… BALTIMORE ORIOLES Recalled OF Lyle Mouton from Rochester. [7/24] Released RHP Steve Ontiveros from his contract at Rochester. [7/25] Placed 2B Roberto Alomar on the 15-day DL (sprained pinky); activated…
Last month, in introducing a new method for evaluating the usage of starting pitchers, I was hopeful that the concept of PAP would mark a small first step towards a better understanding of the natural limits a pitching arm can take, and that it might help to establish better guidelines for pitchers to avoid disabling…
A headline for a recent Baseball Weekly cover story described Dusty Baker as an "inspirational manager" in charge of "overachieving Giants." The article included gushing praise from players, fellow managers, and even an opposing general manager who stated that Baker "handles people like nobody I’ve ever seen … I’d get rid of my own guy…
BALTIMORE ORIOLES Purchased the contract of 2B/3B P.J. Forbes from Rochester; designated RHP Joel Bennett for assignment. [7/21] Traded OF/1B Joe Carter to San Francisco for RHP Darin Blood. [7/23] Good news for the Orioles has been pretty infrequent, so its news when they pull off one addition and one bit of addition-by-subtraction. Sending Joe…
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS Placed 3B Matt Williams on the 15-day DL ("micro" stress fracture – foot); activated INF Andy Stankiewicz from the DL. [7/19] Whereas losing Matt Williams might be touted as a bad thing, the only place where it may really hurt them over several games will be defensively. With Danny Klassen having been handed…
ANAHEIM ANGELS Activated LHP Allen Watson from the DL; optioned OF Damon Mashore to Vancouver. [7/13] Watson was promptly deposited into the bullpen, and if you pricked up your ears from the stands, you’d undoubtedly hear him kvetching about it. You might think that his near-supersonic ERA ought to shut him up (7.17, 7.27, 7.37?…
BALTIMORE ORIOLES Announced that RHP Terry Mathews cleared waivers and was granted his unconditional release. [7/10] Placed DH Harold Baines on the 15-day DL (hamstring); activated OF Jeffrey Hammonds from the DL. [7/11] Losing Baines doesn’t help an already weak set of choices in the outfield. Although Brady Anderson has struggled back above the Mendoza…
ALL-STAR GAME "It was exciting to face Big Mac, especially when there were runners on base, because you can feel the electricity in the stadium. I was lucky enough to get a couple of pitches by him." — Roger Clemens, Blue Jays pitcher "It’s disappointing when players picked to wear the uniform aren’t deserving over…
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS Optioned RHP Jeff Suppan to Tucson. [7/3] Recalled 2B Danny Klassen from Tucson. [7/4] The lot of fifth starters in general is to get shipped off when roster pressures mount, and Suppan is no exception. Omar Daal may be ready to come off the DL by the end of the break, and the…
DODGER SHAKE-UP, LAST WEEK "I never thought I’d get fired." — Fred Claire, former Dodgers GM "Everybody is numb right now. You just go out there and play. You just go to the park and hope you still have a uniform to wear." — Eric Karros, Dodgers infielder "[Tommy Lasorda is] just killing me and…
If you don’t agree with a pick here and there, that’s OK; half of the authorship probably doesn’t either. As always, we welcome your comments at info@baseballprospectus.com. Catcher Starter: Pudge Rodriguez (Texas) Reserve: Darrin Fletcher (Toronto) Okay, picking Pudge is easy, because he’s probably the league’s MVP. But after that? Several teams are platooning or…
He was through, but it still hurt when the Giants traded Willie Mays early in the 1972 season. It wasn’t just that Mays was my favorite player; it was that yet another seemingly permanent fixture of my youth was shown to be as temporary as everything else. Before that, the deal that really bothered me…
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS Placed 2B Andy Stankiewicz on the 15-day DL (knee). [6/27] Activated C Jorge Fabregas from the DL; optioned OF Mike Robertson to Tucson. [6/30] Uncanny. The D-backs replace one utterly useless player for another. Both Kelly Stinnett and Damian Miller are better players, but Fabregas has his defensive reputation, and he’s blessed to…