Aug 03
Recently, former Mets GM Jim Duquette was asked about one of the most famous trade deadline deals in baseball history. That would be the one that sent Scott Kazmir and a minor leaguer to the Rays for Victor Zambrano and a minor leaguer.
Specifically, Duquette was asked why he made the deal. MetsBlog provides the quote and their take…
“I’m still answering questions about the Kazmir trade. It was six years ago… Kazmir, here’s a guy that what we talked about in the evaluation he turned out exactly like we thought; his stuff, his makeup, his desire, all the things that Kazmir turned out to be we had right… What we didn’t have right was the guy we got back, Victor Zambrano. In that, when you’re sitting in the GM chair, and you’re going, ‘What were we looking at, what were our scouts looking at.’ It ended up, he was broken.”
MetsBlog feels that Duquette is referencing Kazmir’s recent struggles and that this is exactly what the Mets thought would happen. When we first read the quote, we thought Duquette was saying that they knew Kazmir would be good, but were still willing to make the deal and the only reason it didn’t work in their favor was because they were mislead by the Rays.
Quite frankly we are not sure it matters. Kazmir has made 139 starts for the Rays, winning 52 with a 3.87 ERA. Zambrano made 35 starts for the Mets, won 10 with a 4.42 ERA. We don’t care if Scott Kazmir’s arm falls off in the middle of the night and he never throws another pitch…The Mets got hosed and most Mets fans blame Duquette.
Quote: Jim Duquette on Scott Kazmir [MetsBlog]
Aug 03
Up until first pitch, use the comments section to predict who you think will be the Sunburst Player of the Game. (be sure to use a valid email address while leaving the comment). The commenter that correctly predicts who we will name the Sunburst Player of the Game the most times prior to the all-star game, will win two tickets to a second-half game. Runners-up get their choice of a t-shirt. [Click HERE for rules]
Check Marc Topkin’s blog for the starting lineups.
Updated leaderboard after the jump. Charles is off to a fast start…
Read the rest of this entry »
Aug 03
The GBT – The Good, The Bad and The Telling sandwich, where The Bad is nice and lean and the The Telling is ripe.
click above image for boxscore
THE GOOD: James Shields. Shields flirted with the first no-hitter in franchise history, allowing just 3 walks in the first 7 innings, before giving up a single just in front of Gabe Gross to start the 8th.
THE BAD: Every. Single. Time. Every time this team starts to look like they are going to make a run at the playoffs they do something to destroy all hope. And we are not talking just losing a game here and there. We are talking about the way in which they lose these games. Not only did Shields lose his no-hit bid. But he wasn’t even in line for the win because the team couldn’t score. Then they lost the game when the defense imploded behind Shields. Navi goes for a double-play instead of one out. Drawn-in infield can’t stop a ground ball. And then they botch a run-down with a runner on third. Every. Single. Time…Runs, Forrest, Runs! The Rays have scored 3 or fewer for James Shields in 14 of his 23 starts. It is difficult when the top of the order can’t get on base. BJ Upton and Carl Crawford were a combined 1-8. One missed opportunity came in the 2nd inning. With 1 out, Pat Burrell was on first base. He was running with the pitch and Gabe Gross hit a double off the wall. Burrell was stopped at third. Gross did hit the ball hard, but Burrell was running with the pitch. How many times in the history of baseball do you think that has happened?
THE TELLING: The Rays are now just 16-15 against central division teams and are yet to play the Central-leading Detroit Tigers. Overall, they are 23-29 against AL teams not in the East.
SUNBURST PLAYER OF THE GAME: James Shields
DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…
- Buster Olney says the Rays will be “very busy in the offseason” when it comes to trades, noting that they may move Carl Crawford and/or Scott Kazmir. [ESPN]
- MLB.com updated their list of the top 50 prospects. The Rays have 5 on the list and 4 in the top 25, but only 1 in the top 10 with Tim Beckham at #10. [MLB]
- Rays Revolutionary spotted some strange jerseys for sale at the Trop. Anybody know more about these? [Rays Revolutionary]
Aug 03
Indianapolis 5, Durham 4. Wade Davis fell to 9-7 after giving up 5 runs in 5.2 innings. He struck out 8 and walked 2 but was touched for 3 home runs and hit a batter…After getting 2 hits and a steal in his triple-A debut, Desmond Jennings went 0-4 with a strikeout…Reid Brignac was 1-4 and Justin Ruggiano was 3-4 with 2 doubles.
Mississippi 5, Montgomery 4. Brian Baker gave up 3 runs (2 earned) in 5 innings. He struck out 4 and walked 4…Cody Cipriano was 0-5 with 2 strikeouts.
Charlotte 3, Daytona 2. Jeremy Hall pitched 6 innings and gave up 2 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks…Shawn O’Malley went 2-3 with a walk…Mike McCormick was 0-4 with an RBI.
Savannah 3, Bowling Green 1 (6). Joe Cruz gave up 3 runs (2 earned) in 4.2 innings of a rain-shortened game…Tim Beckham went 0-2 with a walk.
Brooklyn 5, Hudson Valley 3.
Princeton 5, Pulaski 4.
Notes from Down on the Farm…
