Thanks for picking me up, Mike.

Anyone know if Cory Patton went back to college?

Can anyone undecover a list of those going to instructional league. If so, please post.

Anyone know if Cory Patton went back to college?

I doubt it. Patton was a senior last year so it's unlikely he'll go back. Even if he did we'd still have a chance to sign him as fifth year seniors are like juco draft and follows. You get a chance to sign them in the week leading up to the draft.

They're likely just waiting to see how the foot heals before they sign him.

Is any one with me for voting Gustavo Chacin minor leagur player of the year?

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/leagues/winter/04aflrosters.html
Peter, COMN - Baseball America has a list of players going to the Arizona Fall League.

Holy doodle, 13 K's in 7 IP is pretty sweet.

Chacin seems to have mastered that cut fastball they taught him this year...

Gustavo is doing quite well but because of his age and large amount of minor league experience he would not get consideration for minor league player of the year.

It's probably going to go to someone very young with tremendous tools who is moving quickly. Upton didn't play the whole year in the minors or else I would say he was a cinch for it.

Holy doodle, 13 K's in 7 IP is pretty sweet.

Chacin seems to have mastered that cut fastball they taught him this year...

Sweet indeed. Is Chacin for real? Could he supplant Towers/Miller as the 5th starter next year?

Personally, I'd love to see Chacin get a shot at a bullpen job out of spring training next year, and see where he takes it from there.

Some like their starters to get their feet wet as starters in the majors immediately, after going through all the developmental levels; other like their starters to apprentice in the bullpen. Chacun a son gout ;)

Gustavo is doing quite well but because of his age and large amount of minor league experience he would not get consideration for minor league player of the year.......Gustavo is 23 .... Here is a list of of some of the minor league players and age that are up for minoor league player of the year...
jose capellan 23
jeff francis 23
Ryan howard 24
Dallas mcpherson 24
Jason Kubel 22
Ian Kinsler 22

I think Gustavo will get a good long look in spring training but I would be surprised if he broke camp with the club. With Miller, Bush, Towers, and possibly Glynn ahead of him right now I expect they will play it conservatively though stranger things have happened.

Chacin, League, Rosario, Vermilyea, and maybe Arnold or Peterson are all guys to watch for mid-2005.

The Jays have some respectable young pitching depth coming but I'm still concerned for their offence. Unless they get a couple of true impact bats in the off-season for which the chances look slim this could be a weak hitting club again.

If Hinske is a .260, 15-20 homerun, 70-80 rbi man then I think they're better off trading him and going with a cheap platoon at third until Hill is ready and using that money on an impact player(s) at 1B/DH/LF. I mean they can get what they're getting out of Hinske between Menechino and Clark. You might even be able to sign Koskie short term.

If they can't afford to pay for an experienced closer or a starter like Kelvim Escobar in the $5-$6 million range then they shouldn't be spending $4-$5 million on a league average third baseman in the late years of Hinske's deal either. If he repeats this year's performance in 2005 he will be nearly untradeable at his '06 and '07 salaries. They might have no choice but to risk his improving in '05 though because I doubt they'll get much interest right now.

Is Chacin for real? Could he supplant Towers/Miller as the 5th starter next year?

Not out of spring training. I think they would go Doc, Lilly, Batista, Bush, Miller. Miller is the favourite for #5 if he is healthy because his stuff is much better than Tower's. Miller's issue is control and when healthy he has shown it this year. I think JP really likes him and always has.

I would then send Towers to AAA (man he would be pissed) if I could and have a rotation of Towers, Gwynn, Chachin, Douglass and maybe Arnold to start the year there. You also have Baker, DeJong, League, Ozias, Rosario and maybe Vermilyea, and less likely initially Banks looking to move to AAA. Peterson will hopefully sort himself out too.

Whoever does best would come up in the event of injury/ poor performance of Bush/ Miller.

Wow, the Jays might even have some depth at AAA instead of the suspects like Mike Smith!

If miller is healthy (and thats a big If) you are right ducey jp does like miller....But i dont think they will sent down towers he is def trade bait.. I know he has a high era but in the last 2 years he is 17-6 somebody will want him may be get some much needed bullpen help

I agree 100% that Towers will be traded. I can't see Towers being in the Jays rotation next year. Towers does not deserve to be in AAA hes pitched way to good to go down again. Im sure there are a few teams looking for cheap bullpen or fifth starter help.

I have always been a fan of Mike Smith. Throws the ball hard, and once upon a time, before his Adam-Pererson-esque trip to the majors, he had good numbers. I checked out his Syracuse numbers this year, and while he pitched well at the end of the season, it was still another disaster. 9 wild pitches, 72K/55BB and 123 hits in 109 innings. I don't have the stats to see if his last three starts were an aberation, but he had talent...once.

Looking over the Syracuse stats, the pitcher that stood out for me was MIke Nakamura. 76K/17BB in 55IP. Not bad. He deserves another major league look.

I'll be here to start the BBRadio broadcast of the New Hampshire game from 6:05, for about an hour. Would anyone else like to take a turn? As Rob pointed out last night, we can have 2 or 3 at once and make it work.

I'll be warming up in the pen, if needed.

Just so you know. :)

Mike, I'll be the Milhouse to your Bart and provide the secondary coverage, including stats and whatever else may come up. You provide the detailed updates and I jump in with witty comments, right? ;)

I can only do it for about an hour (6-7) as well, so our free time coincides nicely.
And, noticing Ryan's post, I suppose that makes the lineup like this:

Mike & Rob: 6:00-7:00
Ryan: 7:00-whenever

Sounds good.

Marc,
Instructional league is totally different from the Arizona Fall League. It is held in Florida and should be starting next week as I know someone who is going to Cleveland's Instructional League team. I assume the Jays start around the same time though you never see any published info. That's why my query. Most of the players involved will be from A level down though higher levels can be involved if a player is deemed to have something particular to work on or learn eg: new pitch.
I am simply wondering if someone knows or can find out which Jay organizational players are participating.

Welcome to the BBRadio Pregame Show, Game 2 of EL Semifinals.
New Hampshire lead Binghamton 1-0, best of five series.

Brandon League: 6-4, 3.38 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 41 BB, 90 K in 104 IP. 10 starts.
Jason Scobie: 5-5, 2.82 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 49 BB, 95 K in 147 IP. 24 starts.

And the radio feed is currently down for me. Mindless music playing, I feel like I'm on hold at Canadian Tire...

Nothing happened in the top of the first other than a Hill error, which was erased by a 4-6-3 DP. League threw about 8 pitches.

Stupid question: Is anyone else around, or am I doing the PBP?

An untimely computer crash delayed the 1st inning report.

Top 1 Binghamton at New Hampshire

Brandon League pitching.

Lyden struck out on the 2-2 pitch. Pagan reached on an error by Hill on a grounder up the middle. Acuna grounded into a 4-6-3 DP.

0-0 going to the bottom of the first.

(Disregard my last post.)

Notes from Top 1st:
The wind is blowing out to centre, very strong. Might see more than one run today
- Lydon struck out for the fifth time in five playoff AB's
- one-hopper 4-6-3 DP sounded easy on the radio

Man-strength, baby!

GOING GOING GUAM!

Bottom of 1:

I missed the start of the inning due to the crash. Godwin reached second (on a single and stolen base?), advanced to third on a Rich ground ball. Hill was plunked and JF Griffin hit a sac fly, when I rejoined the broadcast.

Runner on 1st, 2 out. John Hattig hits one deep to center, Pagan does not move as it clears the fence. GONE.

Jova loops a single to left, and Singleton flies out to end the inning.

3-0 F-Cats after 1 inning.

Notes from Bottom 1st:
- Godwin "singled" off the second baseman's glove, then stole his 43rd base. He is now 43 for 55.
- Hattig's man-strength didn't need no stinkin' wind to get out of there. It was whacked.

Though we all dig the long ball, and Hattig is Da Man, speed can be a useful weapon too. Godwin grounded to 2B, but a "turf hop" and Tyrell's wheels turned it into an infield single. Then he stole second; the weak throw by the catcher suggests the Cats should be aggressive all night. On a Rich fly ball to the track, Godwin advanced to third. After Hill took one for the team, Ty scored on the JFG sac fly. Little ball to break the ice, then the big blast.

Top of 2:

Brett Harper swings and misses, fouls one off and then swings and misses for League's 2nd K. Josh Pressley grounds out weakly 1-3 on the 1-1 pitch. Chris Basak grounds a single up the middle. Aaron Baldiris grounds out slowly to Dominic Rich at second.

3-0 F-Cats after 1.5.

Congratulations to B.C.'s own Jeff Francis, BA's Minor League Player of the Year.

Although certain MLB correspondents may disagree, the only way Francis could have had a better season was if Dan O'Dowd had allowed him to go to Athens as the ace of Team Canada.

Bottom of 2:

Jason Scobie pitching for Binghamton. Chiaffreddo, Snyder and Godwin due up.

Chiaffreddo smokes the 1-0 pitch down the left-field line. Baldiris dives and snares it to rob Chiaffreddo of a double. Mike Snyder goes down looking on the 2-2 pitch. Tyrell Godwin up. Third baseman Baldiris playing even with the bag for the speedy Godwin. Godwin grounds out to second on the 2-1 pitch.

3-0 F-Cats after 3.

Not only did Baldiris make a great play on Chiaffredo's liner, his first name is "Aarom." That's just cool.

It's rarely a good idea for anyone on a team that strikes out 17 times a game to argue location with the plate umpire. :)

Top of 3:

Catcher Joe Hietpas runs the count full and takes the payoff pitch inside for a walk. League gets 2 quick strikes on Gil Velasquez, then follows with a slider outside and a heater at belt-level for his 3rd K. Wayne Lyden grounds the first pitch to Hattig who throws to Rich for the 5-4 fielder's choice.

Angel Pagan takes 2 balls and a strike. Lyden has a big lead and goes, but Pagan fouls off the 2-1 hit and run. The 2-2 pitch is just a little low. Pagan slams the payoff pitch, which shorthops the left-centerfield fence. Singleton barehands the carom, but has no play on the speedy Lyden at the plate, as Pagan coasts into second with a double.

League's first two pitches on Acuna are taken for balls, and pitching coach Rick Adair makes a trip to the mound. The 2-0 pitch is low for a ball. After a strike, Acuna chops one over the mound, which Rich fields and throws on to Snyder for the third out.

3-1 F-Cats after 2.5 innings.

Unofficial Brandon League Stats:

Innings Pitched: 3.0
Runs/Earned Runs: 1/1
Strikeouts: 3
Walks: 1
Hits: 2
Pitches: 40
Strikes: 25
Game Score: 53

Note: After tonight's game, the teams have an almost six-hour bus ride to Binghamton. Ouch.

Whoops, the dinner bell beckons. I've got to go, but I'll be checking in later on the game; good luck to New Hampshire. Keep the two-hitter going, Green! ;)

Bottom of 3:

Rich lines the 0-1 pitch to left; Lyden makes a sliding catch just off the carpet. Aaron Hill smacks the ball under Scobie's glove into centerfield for a single.

John-ford Griffin runs the count to 2-1, lines a pitch foul and fouls one off. He takes a ball high and away. On the full count pitch, Hill goes, but JFG takes the ball high for a walk. Runners on 1st and 2nd, one out for Hattig. Fasten your seat belts!

Hattig takes two balls, then swings and misses. A pickoff attempt on Hill at second almost succeeds. The 2-1 pitch is outside. Mmm, tasty. The 3-1 pitch is fouled off. He swings and misses on the payoff pitch for the K.

Maikel Jova falls behind 0-2, takes a slider outside, and then swings and misses for the 3rd out.

3-1 F-Cats after 3 innings.

I've got to pass the torch now.

Technical Difficulties. Please stand by.

I can't get the radio feed to work on my computer for some reason.

Someone else can take over if they want.

I was on the phone and missed the details, but League was a bit wild, prompting another visit from Rick Adair. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Hattig turned a 5-3 DP but the second run scored, then Brandon got out of the inning. So it's 3-2 NH, Singleton leading off against Scobie, who has definitely settled down since the shaky first.

Singleton cracks a leadoff double off the wall. The announcers said that Lydon might have caught it but pulled up, then had trouble corraling it, and looped a rainbow throw back to the infield. Other than that, it was played perfectly.

Chiaffredo fights off a couple of excellent 1-2 pitches then strokes a "laser beam" single to left. First-and-third, no out and the bottom of the order is making it happen. Reuss comes out to chat with his pitcher.

Elsewhere, Altoona leads Erie 2-0 early in Game 1. Can anyone locate Internet feeds of the FSL or SAL games?

Snyder fans for the second time, missing the RBI opportunity. I'd be tempted to try a safety squeeze with the pesky Godwin, but Basso lets him swing away. It's a high chopper over the mound, fielder's choice at second, no chance to turn two and the run scores. Works for me!

4-2 NH, Rich at the plate, two away. Scobie's obsessed with the runner.

Godwin had the base stolen, but Rich swung through the 0-2 to end the fourth. That was a big run, giving League a bit more cushion. Brandon needs to throw more strikes this inning, or they'll be looking into that deep bullpen.

One-pitch popup by Velazquez; it's a dumb idea to come out hacking when the opposition pitcher has been struggling, but Lydon does too, grounding out to 2B. Pagan takes three pitches, is way late on the 2-1 then whiffs. Seven pitches, League's first 1-2-3 inning.

Bottom five: Hill (HBP, single, run scored) bounces to the left side but it's a tough hop for both the 3B and SS; score it an infield hit. Griffin fouls a few off before Scobie catches him looking on the outside corner for his sixth K of the evening. Hattig, the hero so far, drills the first pitch so hard into RF that Aaron has to stop at second. Two on, one away for Jova. Murph says Ken Oberkfell has "little faith" in his bullpen, so nobody is warming up. A blooper to right cashes in Hill, and it's 5-2. Go Cats go!

Singleton smashes another one off the LF wall for a 2-run triple. Lydon, inexplicably, throws behind him into second. 7-2 now, and they're finally stirring in the 'pen, but that horse has left the barn; it's much too late to close the door.

Infield in, so it's easy for Chiaffredo to slap one by the 3B for an RBI single. Four-run inning, 8-2.

Even though League was dominating in the fifth, Ryan Houston comes out for the sixth to protect the big lead and retires the first batter. I suppose you need to keep everyone sharp.

The radio feed has suddenly vanished for me, and I have a couple of chores to do, so if anyone can take over, please be my guest.

8 - 2 New Hampshire as I start to listen to it. I just started to listen in on this, so bear with me.

Dominic Rich strikes out.

Aaron Hill goes ahead 3 - 0, then takes a 3 - 1 fastball to center field for a single, he's 3 - 3 with two runs, and a HBP.

JFG 0 - 1 with a walk and a sac fly, goes to 2 - 1, and it's out of the park for a home run!

Fisher Cats up 10 - 2.

Hattig gets behind 1 - 2, and strikes out, to end the 6th inning with the Fisher Cats up 10 - 2.

Dunedin leads 2-0 in the 4th while Charleston trails 1-0 in the 3rd.

Continuing my work as Batter's Box's answer to Gamecast.

Top of the 7th.

Ryan Houston pitching.

Basak lines a ball past Hattig, and the ball rolls under a temporary fence for a ground-rule double.

Baldiris hits a ball to warning track in center, Basak tags up and goes to third.

Ogiltree warming up.

Hietpas falls behind 1 - 2, then strikes out for the second time of the night.

Velazquez comes up, and my feed dies.

My feed comes back, Houston's day is done and Ogiltree is into the game.

Lydon singles, to put Velazquez on third (he had doubled).

Pagan is up, hitting .368 with runners in scoring position. He hits the first pitch for a ground-rule double, scoring Valazquez, and Lydon's on third.

10 - 4 Fishercats, still in the top of the 7th.

Acuna comes up, goes ahead 3 - 0, takes a strike, and Dan Jackson is warming up as Acuna walks to load the basees.

Brett Harper, the Mets clean-up hitter, as the commentators note that he's 0 for 3 with the bases loaded. He fouls a pitch off to fall behind 0 - 2, then flies out to leftfield to end the inning.

The Mets score 2 on 4 hits, and after 6 and 1/2, it's 10 - 4 Fisher Cats.

2323 people are attending the game in (apparently) bad weather.

Bottom of the 7th for the Fisher Cats. If the Fisher Cats hit a home run in this inning, someone will win a boat cruise and a whole roast beef.

Maikel Jova (2 - 3 on the game), hits a very high pop-up that gets booted by Harper as he stumbles from foul territory to fair territory, then misses the ball totally while backing up. Jova gets to first on the error.

Justin Singleton comes up, Jova is running on the 0 - 1 pitch, but Singleton fouls it off. Another pop-up in foul territory, but the Mets 3B Baldiris drops to routine pop-up for another error, to give Singleton another chance at 0 - 2. Singleton loops a fly ball to shallow center field, but it's caught by Pagan.

Chiaffredo comes up, and hits a foul to the the temporary fence set up behind 3rd, and Balderis can't get to it. Chiaffredo swings and misses to go to 0 - 2, fouls another off. He swings at a bad pitch to strike out.

Snyder (0 - 3 with a double play and 2 K's) hits a 1 - 1 pitch into shallow center for a single, Jova stops at second to put on two on with two outs.

Bevis is warming up for the Mets.

Tyrell Godwin comes up, and hits a bad breaking ball just foul by 6 feet or so. Godwin then strikes out to end the inning and strand the runners.

After 7 innings, it's still 10 - 4.

Dan Jackson comes in to pitch, replacing Ogiltree. His ERA's 2.45 against the Mets. Jackson's home ERA is above 7, his road ERA is around 2.

Pressley leads off with a slow roller to second for an easy out.

Basak then comes up, and grounds out to Hattig at third for another quick out.

Baldiris works the count to 2 - 2, and apparently strikes out, but he stays alive on a foul-tip. He takes the next pitch for a ball,
but Jackson gets another grounder to Hattig to end the inning.

PJ Bevis comes in to pitch, as the commentators make the usual "G'day mate, he's Australian" jokes, then wonder why he wasn't on the Aussie national team at the Olympics. He leads to Mets with 12 saves.

Dominic Rich leads up with a line-out. He's 0 - 5 on the day, and he's still the only Fisher Cat without a hit.

Aaron Hill flies out to right on the first pitch.

JFG takes 4 quick balls to keep the inning alive.

Hattig strikes out for the third time to end the inning.

Tampa rolled a 5 spot in the 4th to lead Dunedin 5-2 after 5. Hickory leads Charleston 2-1.

Top of the 9th inning. Jackson is still on to try to get the Fisher Cats the win, and a 2 - 0 lead in the series. One of the commentators accidentally knocked his water bottle out of the broadcast box onto the field, causing a mild stir.

Hietpas (0 - 2 and a walk), fouls a ball of to go to 0 - 2, swings and misses to strike out, and gets thrown out on a dropped ball.

Velazquez flies out to Tyrell Godwin in left for the second out of the inning.

Lydon comes up, trying to keep the Mets alive. He takes a close pitch to make the count 2 - 1 (drawing boos from inpatient fans), then takes another high pitch. He takes a strike to make it a full count, then fouls two pitches off, and Jackson finally winds up walking him on a close pitch.

Pagan takes a few pitches to go to 2 - 1, and hits a sharp liner that gets caught to end the game with a 10 - 4 win for the Fisher Cats. The series is now 2 - 0 for New Hampshire.

Tommorow, game three is at 6:45 air time.

Phew, I'm gassed.

Thanks, 6-4-3. You have a promising future in transcribed radio, should there ever be a demand for that anywhere else but here. :)

The Binghampton players and coaches had to be even more demoralized than Mets fans at the deadline trades that gutted a very good Double-A club. Not only did they lose uber-prospect Scott Kazmir, but their next best arm, Matt Peterson, and Justin Huber's .901 OPS from the catcher position. Adding Jeff Keppinger in the deal looked like the only consolation, but after he hit .362 in his first two weeks, he was called up to Shea. If Basso suddenly had to do without Chacin, League and Hill, for example, it would be difficult not to feel like he'd been abandoned by the parent club -- I'd say the B-Mets' 9-game losing streak at the end of the regular season was no coincidence.

The underdogs did put up a very good battle last night, thanks to an outstanding start by Petit, but the Fisher Cats are simply a better team right now, and "intangibles" like confidence and organizational support, whatever you might think they're worth, favour New Hampshire as well. They need to win just one of the next three games, and I think they'll wrap this up on the road. I sure hope so, as that will set up a rested Chacin to open the final series.

Hey, good for the F-Cats! Nice 54 minutes there, as well, 6-4-3.

It sure is easier to pay attention to the minors when the big club is out West.

Coach, I tried looking for some FSL/SAL feeds, but couldn't find anything. Only Daytona and Ft. Myers are online in Florida, and the Sally League has just four teams, none of which we are interested in.

You can listen to Daytona, I suppose. They are in the playoffs. And Jordan can tell you all about their great Thirsty Thursdays.

Scoreboard: Tampa 6, Dunedin 3 after 7. Yankees with 10 hits and a 5-run fourth.
Hickory's pitcher has a "1" under the "H", but also under the "R". Guess it was a homerun. Anyway, the Alley Cats are losing 5-1 after six.

It was tough work, but some day when I've made millions upon millions of dollars by posting internet transcripts of radio broadcasts of AA baseball games, I'll remember this fine day at Batter's Box. I'll try to listen tomorrow, I had fun listening to the Junior Jays win big.

The hardest part was not knowing anyone on the Mets' roster. Looking back, that Kazmir for Zambrano trade will probably be the most destructive trades of the year. I didn't believe that any GM could top Bavasi's trade of Guillen to Detroit, but the Mets sure stepped up to the plate to accept the challenge. I still don't have any idea what the Mets were thinking when they made that trade.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/Stats/stats_AAeast_bin.shtml
The hardest part was not knowing anyone on the Mets' roster.

You can use this page (COMN) if you don't know the Binghamton names.

I still don't have any idea what the Mets were thinking when they made that trade.

Nobody does, Mr. "3", nobody does.

http://www.nj.com/mets/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/109340940168331.xml
That's actually a better page than the one that I was using.

I just googled Rick Peterson, and found an article (COMN) that claimed that Peterson was the mastermind behind the Kazmir trade, and that he argued that the Mets were ready to win this year, that he could correct Zambrano's problems in "10 minutes", and that Kazmir was an arm injury waiting to happen. When interviewed, Peterson agreed that he made the first two claims, but said that the "10 minutes" was a metaphor, that the Mets didn't know about Zambrano's arm troubles, that he didn't talk specifically about Kazmir potentially having arm troubles, and that the Mets would be happy with the trade in three years.

If the Jays ever made a trade like this for the same reasons, I'd disavow the franchise and proclaim my undying love for the Montreal Expos / Washington Senators / West Virginia Angelos Appeasers / Montreal + San Juan Wanderers. It's that bad.

"When decisions are made, they're made by a group of people," Peterson said. "I don't know, was Eisenhower the first to say, 'Let's invade Normandy?'

He sure wasn't the first one to decide to do something about Hitler. Hey-yo!

But, yeah, that Kazmir trade is looking like one of the most extreme win-lose deals I've ever seen.

What's even funnier about that trade is that - according to the article - apparently Peterson analyzed Kazmir's mechanics, determined that they *might* cause an injury *maybe* in three years time, and then sent him on the first train to Tampa for Victor Zambrano, because Victor's problems were fixable (and worse, unbeknownst to the Mets staff, those problem included *giggle* arm problems) It's amazing that no-one in the Mets' front office didn't wonder why their super pitching coach didn't want to . . . y'know actually *coach* their top pitching prospect? Or if he could "fix" Victor Zambrano in "10 minutes", why couldn't he "fix" Kazmir in "a year or two"?

The Mets would be better off issuing an apology and blame the trade on paint fumes at the office.

As a reminder, you can go to Baseball America tomorrow (Friday) at 1pm to ask Jim Callis questions...

This just in from Binghamton's Hometown Newspaper:

PROBLEMS WITH PETIT

Even if the B-Mets do beat the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in the Northern Division Series, right-hander Yusmeiro Petit's season is over.

Petit allowed one hit and struck out nine in 4 1/3 scoreless innings in Game 1 but had to leave in the fifth after developing a blister that broke skin on the tip of his right middle finger. Petit had blister problems earlier this season at low-A Capital City.

"He won't pitch again this year," manager Ken Oberkfell said. "There's no way."

The blister brings to an end a breakout season for the 19-year-old Petit, who went 11-5 with a sparkling 1.98 ERA and 184 strikeouts in 127 1/3 innings between two Single-A levels. He made three Double-A starts, posting a 3.31 ERA and figures to open next season with Binghamton.

If both Series wrap up by Saturday night in the Eastern League, does anyone know if they still plan to play game 1 of the EL Championship on Tuesday night? Or will they move the games up?

Similarly, if the Altoona/Erie series goes 5 games, will they still start on Tuesday or will there still be a day off in between? My guess is since the Southern Team will host gm 1 of the Championship there will be no day off in between.

Peterson was the mastermind behind the Kazmir trade, and that he argued that the Mets were ready to win this year, that he could correct Zambrano's problems in "10 minutes", and that Kazmir was an arm injury waiting to happen. When interviewed, Peterson agreed that he made the first two claims, but said that the "10 minutes" was a metaphor, that the Mets didn't know about Zambrano's arm troubles, that he didn't talk specifically about Kazmir potentially having arm troubles, and that the Mets would be happy with the trade in three years.

Well, I see the revisionist history is already starting.

Zambrano's arm trouble didn't re-awaken until AFTER Peterson tried to "fix him in 10 minutes". He was pitching pain-free with Tampa, and then after the deal Peterson monkeyed with Zambrano's mechanics to try to help him with his control (it actually worked some... Zambrano had one of his best games of the year against Houston the start before he got hurt) and the flexor strain re-appeared.

As for Kazmir, Peterson is now backing away (shurely not!?) from his earleir claim that he's an arm injury waiting to happen. The biomechanical analysis that Peterson mentioned re: Kazmir tells me that he too is fixable - if he's under-rotating his hips and undercarriage, then he's not getting maximum momentum transfer from the legs to the arm. In other words, he's not pitching from the ground up; and as scary as this sounds, it means that with some mechanical adjustment Kazmir could get even faster. But that might take more than ten minutes.

I mean, it's easier to take Victor Zambrano and fiddle with his delivery to give him a more consistent release point (and hopefully better control). It's harder to rebuild Scott Kazmir 's delivery from the ground up to protect his shoulder from over-stress. But in the end, when a pitching coach says "I want guy Y and not guy X" the deficiencies between one versus the other you lay at the feet of the pitching coach.

Peterson's a smart guy and a helluva successful pitching coach, but this is shaping up as a disaster. At any rate, he's still a huge net positive to New York...

http://milb.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=minorbaseball&misc=9&page=milb-east/scores/final/boxscore.aspx?GAMEID=21358
Altoona took Kyle Sleeth and Erie to the woodshed. COMN for the boxscore. I can't remember seeing a boxscore where every member of the starting lineup had at least 2 hits. I'm sure that it has happened many times.

If the Jays ever made a trade like this...

Don't forget it was two trades. They also gave up a ton of talent to rent Benson, for reasons known only to the brain cramp, I mean, trust. It would be something like trading Halladay for Sirotka (as if getting nothing for Boomer wasn't bad enough) then on the same day giving up Dave Bush and Guillermo Quiroz for a couple months of Esteban Loaiza. The Mets weren't going anywhere this season even if they had added Randy Johnson and Jason Schmidt, so if, as they insist, they were thinking about 2005 all along, why overpay at the deadline? Three top prospects for an impending free agent and the wildest pitcher in decades? Incomprehensible.

Well, I see the revisionist history is already starting.

There's plenty of blame to go around, which is why there's so much finger-pointing and attempted face-saving among Peterson and so-called super scouts Al Goldis and ex-Jay advisor Bill Livesey -- people are scrambling to keep their jobs and preserve their reputations. Peterson is a great coach, but it seems to me he's got an unprecedented amount of input on personnel decisions. There are persistent rumblings that even certain Mets players are like a shadow cabinet in the front office. It's all a recipe for disaster. Ultimately, Jim Duquette made the call on both terrible blunders after hearing from all those "experts," so I'd hold the GM responsible, but if he's been told to build a consensus among all these other opinions, then ownership is most at fault.

If I had been a Mets fan, instead of just marvelling at their collective stupidity, I'd be in attack mode. They wouldn't win back my affections until there was a complete, top-down purge. I'd find it nearly impossible to be a Jays fan if Ted Rogers or Paul Godfrey interfered with baseball decisions. They deserve a lot of credit for hiring the right GM and knowing enough to give him autonomy, even if we all wish that was accompanied by an unlimited budget.

I don't think any organization is perfect. The one owner with apparently limitless resources is not exactly hands-off, creating a unique set of problems for his highly capable staff. It's a question worth considering -- which franchises are run so well from the top down that they make you envious? I can think of a couple in L.A., where the primary difference is owners who are more intent on winning than keeping their board of directors happy.

which franchises are run so well from the top down that they make you envious

While I think the jury is still out on the Dodgers, I agree that the Angels have a superb team in place from the owner's box right down to the dugout.

Another team who have a very solid group in charge are the A's. While you'd like to see an ownership group with a touch more of a go-to-hell swagger, they don't do badly and are clearly willing to lose a little bit of money to build their brand.

The Indians management, from Dolan through GM Shapiro down to Eric Wedge and most of his coaching team on the field, have a good feel about them. I don't know if I'm necessarily envious, but they're a good group.

Certainly the Yankees have an incredibly deep and devoted management staff that has done really remarkable things with six AL championships in eight years. I would NOT want my team to have the overloaded, complex, sluggish (and highly politicized) management structure of the Yankees though.

The best up-and-coming management group is in San Diego, with John Moores as a very good owner and Kevin Towers a very capable GM. They have had some serious hiccups along the road to success.