A few links to check out while we wait to see if Jon Garland can halt the Padres' eight-game losing streak and get his team's season back on track…
- The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo wonders out loud (via Twitter) if Paul Konerko could be a fit for the Red Sox in 2011. That speculation, of course, likely depends on Adrian Beltre's future in Boston.
- In a piece for MLB.com, Sarah D. Morris opines that the Dodgers should re-sign Hiroki Kuroda, even though the team's financial situation makes it unlikely.
- ESPN's Buster Olney (Insider req'd) draws the parallels between this year's Astros and last year's Padres, pointing out that both clubs traded long-time stars at the deadline for young players and payroll savings, then went on to have strong second halves.
- Olney also notes that given his disappointing season (.255/.314/.315) and recent suspension troubles, Nyjer Morgan is hurting his chances for future employment. FoxSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi also chimed in on the subject.
- The Nationals plan to call up Cuban defector Yunesky Maya following Monday's game according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Washington signed the 28-year-old righthander early last month.
- USA Today's Bob Nightengale recently sat down for a chat with Dan Hudson. Among other things, the righty said it's nice to be with a team that wants him. Hudson was traded from the White Sox to the Diamondbacks for Edwin Jackson before this year's deadline.
As an Astros fan, I hope they’re heading in the right direction, but I think everyone who follows baseball knows the Padres are a fluke. How they have been winning (recent slide excepted) with Adrian Gonzalez and little else, is beyond me.
It’s not a fluke…It’s pitching, a great bullpen, defense, and speed…It works.
I must admit I thought it was a fluke early on in the season, but at this point, The Padres are hardly a fluke. Their greatest asset is definitely their starting pitching and bullpen.
Remember the Royals of 2003? This was about the time in the season when they caved. They were a fluke and these nine-game losing streak Padres may be another. I’ll bet the farm they finish under .500 next year–even with Miracle Man Bud Black at the helm. But I must admit, I love these underdog teams.
Maya is pretty much the same thing as Anibal Sanchez…So if they like Sanchez, then they should be happy.
Sorry for being negative but I can’t see how a pitcher with the upside of Anibal Sanchez couldn’t defect until 28. I see him as a solid guy in the bigs but I can’t see him as being any more than that. He has a high 80s-low 90s FB with good command. I haven’t read anything that says he is above average.
You should move to Cuba for a few years and then see why it took him so long to get out.
The term ‘defect’ is used by the Castro Regime instead of escape in order to molify the Cuban people. It is apparent that you don’t know that anything or anyone that the Cuban Gov’t deems valuable cannot just take a ticket to Miami anything they feel the need.
I know they can’t just get a ticket but a lot of guys would have tried several times before they turn 28. I know Maya tried once before the WBC but other than that I haven’t heard of him trying. You think if you had the chance for a big payday to help his family he would have tried.
Please go on to another subject, both statements you’ve made just continue to show your total ignorance on the matter. If you knew anything about the situation, you would know the following:
1. Players on the national team are all ‘chaperoned’ everywhere they go at all times.
2. Players that attempt to ‘defect’ lose their ‘privledges’ and are removed from the team for a certain period. They face prison on the next attempt. Even when re-instated, they don’t ever go home alone.
3. Their families are ostrisiczed by the Govt because of the players actions.They also are not allowed to leave,and are constantly monitored.
4. Keep in mind that the Gov’t controls everything. Even when the player does escape, he cannot help his family, as they cannot receive anything from the player. I would have thought that as a Red Sox fan, you would be familiar with story of Luis Tiant. He defected and went twenty years before his parents were able to see their son pitch. The US Gov’t had to appeal to Castro personally to allow his dying father to come see his son play before he died.
5. Any player that escapes Cuba loses touch with his family.
So when you make those statements, it comes off as an insult to the hardships that these indivduals have to face. Consider that after making that sacrifice, they have to land a job in the major leagues, otherwise they lose everything.
I’m gonna remember this post when I decide whether to see Maya’s debut, stay home, or try to trek out to Bowie to see if Harrisburg can make the postseason for the first time since the Nats moved to DC.
Never said he was above average…Never said that Sanchez is above average
or has a high cieling…I was just making a comparison because you are
right, Maya doesn’t have a good fastball but he does locate which is good.
Seriously though, he might be a very good #3 for the Nats.
Alright then. I misunderstood what you were saying. Or I hold Anibal as a higher level of player.
Maya is taking Scott Olsen’s spot in the rotation and will make his Nationals debut Tuesday against the Mets and Santana.
The only Sox Paul Konerko will be putting on are White ones
So you can see into the future? You have no idea how hard it would be to turn down an offer to play for a better team and get paid more (if the Red Sox were to offer more).
Nope sorry but Konerko is staying with the White Sox…
All I can say is we’ll see because time and time again people have said this player and that player isn’t going anywhere and a very many times the player has ended up leaving the team that he was never going to leave or was a lock to stay with that team.
The White Sox wanted Hudson…they just thought that by trading for Jackson they could end up with Dunn. I personally disagree with wanting Dunn so I was disappointed that Hudson was traded at the time. However, Jackson has been awesome and it sure looks like he will be able to pitch in a pennant race…something that wasnt a certainty with Hudson.
Also, its not like the Diamondbacks set out to get Hudson because they loved the guy. They were looking to dump some salary this year as well as in 2011. They were lucky to end up with a good pitcher like Hudson while shedding the dollars at the same time. Both sides did well
I agree Alan J. Its not like the White Sox would have wanted to trade Hudson if he was pitching like he is in Arizona. He stunk it up for 2 or 3 starts and thats too many in a tight pennant race. Hudson is pitching in a low pressure last place National League situation. Exactly the opposite of an American League pennant race. Best of luck to ya Danny boy but I would make that deal 10 times out of 10 times.
It is my belief that after Konerko handed the World Series ball to Jerry Reinsdorff that pretty much wrote him a contract for life with the White Sox. The fact that he is having an MVP season is only window dressing for the front office.
It’s not a fluke…It’s pitching, a great bullpen, defense, and speed…It works.”———— Those attributes are great. But it’s the NL and they’ve been losing (1-9/ten)?
content.usatoday.com/sportsdata/baseball/mlb/game/…
——I heard years ago that Konerko wasn’t interested in Boston in spite of having family living near the city. He picked a great time to have a career year. He’s got bigtime leverage.
Konerko to the Red Sox? You jest! Epstein will make a serious run at Adrian Beltre. In the absence of success with Beltre, Epstein will seek a sign and trade deal with Prince Fielder, using the money saved from Mike lowell’s retirement and David Ortiz’s 50% salary reduction. Fielder is 26, not 35! As for additional players in Boston, Theo will look to recruit two new relievers, one of whom, can close games, if called upon. The second will be a middle inning reliever capable of striking out batters with regularity. Otherwise, he will play a pat hand in 2011, hoping to avoid the injury bug that infected his team in 2010.