Thursday morning reads

by Kyle Lobner on Feb 7, 2008 9:39 AM CST

Some things grabbed my attention during my pre-work baseball news cruise this morning. But no, Adam McCalvy's preview of the bullpen wasn't one of them. I'm thinking of writing a book. All it's going to have is everything printed about the bullpen from the last day of the season to the day Cameron signed. You'll need to rent a forklift to pick up your copy.

Sports Weekly unveiled 100 names you need to know for '08. The list is full of players who haven't spent much (if any) time in the bigs but could contribute in 2008. Two Brewers make the list: Manny Parra at 14 and Mitch Stetter at 81. Two former Brewers are also on the list: Callix Crabbe at 60 and Joe Thatcher at 71. I'll try to make my thoughts quick:

A: I think Stetter's chances of making the opening day roster are better than Parra's. If Parra doesn't make the rotation, (and right now he's about 8th in line), he goes back to AAA and we only see him if injury opens the door for him to start consistently. If a spot start is needed, a guy like Claudio Vargas will just get dusted off in the bullpen.

B: I'm sure I'm not the first person to make this comparison, and I'm sorry to pile on, but I've never seen these numbers side by side before:

Scott Linebrink as a Brewer: 25.1 IP, 3.55 ERA, 1.500 WHIP
Joe Thatcher as a Padre: 21 IP, 1.29 ERA, 0.905 WHIP

And the Padres got to keep him after the season, too.

I'm starting to feel bad for continuing to bring up things like this, but Jason Kendall also made The Hardball Times' Worst Infield Money Can Buy. Just saying.

Finally, non-Brewer related, David Cone is taking some responsibility for the steroid era. Kudos to him for admitting it. I've always felt he was a class act, ever since I read Roger Angell's A Pitcher's Story. It's available cheap on Amazon, if you haven't read it.

In the Cone story, though, I noticed this tidbit:

Cone joins a crew of analysts (on the YES Network) that includes John Flaherty, Al Leiter, Bobby Murcer, Paul O'Neill, Ken Singleton and John Flaherty.

John Flaherty made his big league debut in 1992, and in the 16 years since, that's definitely the first time he's ever been relevant enough to be mentioned twice in the same sentence.

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Kendall

In fairness to Kendall, that article was more about last year's worst-buys than this year's. He made $13M last year and only $4.25 this year.

The article also indicates that Kendall seems to have been a bit unlucky last year.

This winter, Kendall was signed by Milwaukee to a one-year contract for $4.25 million. Marcel thinks that Kendall can continue his progress in getting his flyball rate under control and will rebound to .265/.333/.334. Kendall's power, if it's not already obvious, is gone for good.

It's not exactly a ringing endorsement, but it's not indicating that Kendall is this year's worst catcher for the money.

by newguy @ Brew Crew Ball on Feb 7, 2008 10:16 AM CST reply actions

Thatcher

Personally, I think he was just on a hot stretch against righties and he'll become just another LOOGY. The team already had Shouse, so the addition of a late inning arm trumped another lefty in the pen.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Feb 7, 2008 10:23 AM CST reply actions

Stetter

I'm a Stetter fan, but isn't the plan to use him as a LOOGY, and doesn't that mean he's blocked by Shouse and maybe Choate.

by drezdn on Feb 7, 2008 10:25 AM CST reply actions

more on Thatcher

I like Thatcher's chances plenty and Inman's as well for an eventual middle-relief guy. But that trade looks better now that the gamble on losing Linebrink as a Class A FA has worked out in our favor. Let's see what Jack Z can do with those 2 extra picks in the top 90 next June.

by balldeagle on Feb 7, 2008 10:40 AM CST reply actions

Not much to add

but I do think that morning reads are a necessary part that needs to be added to the site. Well done

I saw the overcrowded marketplase that is the brewers blogs and said, "Me Too!" The Chubber Lang Report

by hyattff2003 on Feb 7, 2008 11:12 AM CST reply actions

Best part of McCalvy's bullpen preview

"Ned is growing, too. He is somewhat inexperienced as a manager. He has been to the postseason as a third-base coach, but believe me, it's a whole lot different [as manager]."

I know that comment is from October so it probably has been discussed previously, but that quote made my morning. Here's to Nedly hitting his growth spurt in 2008.

by MadJimiBrewha on Feb 7, 2008 12:30 PM CST reply actions

It would be interesting

to hear Cone talk more about the decision-making process on the part of the players back in 94-95. Were there any players who, suspecting steroid use, wanted testing to even the playing field? What kind of discussion went on among the player reps like him?

Good that he admitted some responsibility, but it would be helpful to know more. I wonder, who was the Brewers' rep back then?

by oaklandbrewerfan on Feb 7, 2008 3:48 PM CST reply actions

I'm sure the info is out there...

But for the life of me, I can't find it with Google.

Someone with a better memory than me?

by Kyle Lobner on Feb 7, 2008 4:50 PM CST reply actions

if i had to guess

i'd say darryl hamilson or kevin seitzer?

TheJay where are you for such indepth answers?

"If there is a more reactionary blog with idiotic commentary out there I'd be surprised." -On Bleed Cubbie Blue

by Michael M on Feb 7, 2008 10:07 PM CST up reply actions

That stuff's hard to find

You have to skim through news articles now just to figure out current guys, much less ones from the past. I guess the MLBPA doesn't want to publicize the names of its members (maybe because teams tend to ship those guys off?). I can only find a couple articles from early 1995 (here and here) saying Darryl Hamilton was the team's alternate player representative at that time. I don't think Seitzer was the main guy since neither article mentions him in that role.

Ah, wait, one last search reveals it was B.J. Surhoff, as of March 10, 1995. Talking about a replacement player the team wanted to keep, it says:

"I'd suggest they send me to the minor-league camp for a while to let everything simmer down," said Aldrete, whose brother, Mike, plays for the Oakland A's. "Then maybe I'd ask for a meeting with (Brewers union representative) B.J. Surhoff and tell him my situation.

"I'd take all the precautions. Communication is the key. I know some of the guys I don't think my ability would be a problem with them. You'd have to think about an offer like that."

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Feb 7, 2008 10:35 PM CST up reply actions

thanks

and according to his BR page, "He is currently (2007) the head coach of California State University, Monterey Bay."

The More You Know

"If there is a more reactionary blog with idiotic commentary out there I'd be surprised." -On Bleed Cubbie Blue

by Michael M on Feb 7, 2008 10:44 PM CST up reply actions

Very nice work.

We've found a master of the obscure.

by Kyle Lobner on Feb 8, 2008 8:22 AM CST up reply actions

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