Running baseball thread unlucky number XIII

If you already have four top starters, I think having a lights out closer would be more important than having five starters.

But that said, The Hammer of God still has a few years left in him, so Joba should be a starter for now. Then when the Hammer is gone, Joba could close a la Smoltz.

1. Wang
2. Pettitte
3. Joba
4. Hughes
5. Kennedy

Plus, another $100 mil plus of revenue when the new stadium opens.

It really is unfair.

 

Chamberlain, who's shown us all we neeed to see less than a month in the bigs, should replace Rivera.

 

He broke a bat in half last night at the handle with a slider.

Sure, it is early in his career, but Verlander is the only other young pitcher in the AL I can think of who has an arm like Joba.

Plus, he seems to be as mean as The Rocket when it comes to putting the ball in a guys ear or across their chin.

 

Once more, if I can. It has been a long time since I've observed a team as fundamentally flawed as the Mets. While they should still hold on and win the division -- hardly a lock, though -- I will be floored if they win a playoff series.

And while I don't rip the manager as much as others on here, it would be nice to see him (and hear him) show some a anger once in awhile when his team plays like dogs.

As for Jeter, I know there are many on here who don't like him -- and I'm not crazy about him either -- but he is clearly a big-game player and a good fundamental player. As much as I enjoy watching Jose Reyes, he clearly has a lot to learn about the game. Jeter would never try stealing third with two out and an RBI man coming up.

If the Phillies do get into the playoffs, it would be hard to ignore Rollins in MVP balloting.

 

I think Rob Neyer is channeling buckweaver about the whole Thome situation and possible HOF...

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/columns/story?columnist=neyer_rob&id=3019681&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fmlb%2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fcolumnist%3dneyer_rob%26id%3d3019681%26lpos%3dspotlight%26lid%3dtab1pos1

 

I think Thome is borderline right now.

Best thing that can happen is he has two more 30+ homer seasons, gets up over 550 and makes it a moot point.

 

OOP's got it right on Moose; no way he could close like Smoltz. Doesn't have the attitude, doesn't have the nasty stuff (those 1-2 unhittable out pitches like Smoltz's splitter and slider.) Smoltz was an ideal choice to close; it was just a matter of if he would let them take him out of the rotation, which he loves, to help him stay healthy back then. Remember, he missed an entire season because of that elbow. ... Mussina needs all of his pitches to be effective; in fact, that's what makes him so good. But none of those pitches are devastating, like a Smoltz splitter or a Rivera cutter. He wouldn't be a good fit there. Clemens, on the other hand ...

 

True. Even in his prime I do not think Moose could close.

Wasn't he always a slow first inning type of pitcher, but once past the first he was lights out?

 

Interesting thing about Thome, is that he did in fewer at bats than all but 3 other players with 500 homeruns, McGwire , Ruth and Killebrew.

He also did it in exactly 2000 games played, 1 homerun every 4 games for 16 years.

Put him in the catagory with Stargell & McCovey.

BTW, he's better than Tony Perez and Perez is in

I think that says alot about how good he is.

 

That's an interesting take, 'yab.

He would get my vote, for sure, I just hope he makes it a no-doubt deal.

 

I apologize for mentioning Mussina as a closer. I was just trying to throw a name out there of a veteran that just doesn't seem to have it these days. Moose would not be a good option for closer.

However, other young pitchers in the minors would be just fine.

Rivera was thought of as a starter at one point but his lack of a diversity of pitches left him with fewer options. Joba isn't the same way. He has the abiilty to start (or so we hear).