On this date back in 1988, a hobbling Kirk Gibson pinch hit for reliever Alejandro Pena with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the Dodgers down by one to the Athletics in Game One of the World Series. Dennis Eckersley, who finished second in the Cy Young voting that year, recorded two quick outs before walking the light hitting Mike Davis (.196/.260/.270 that year) in front of Gibson. You all know what happened next. Gibson battled Eck for six pitches before the Oakland reliever finally hung a slider, a pitch that resulted in one of the most famous home runs in World Series history.
Injuries limited Gibson to just that one plate appearance in the Fall Classic, which the Dodgers went on to win four games to one. Joe Posnanski ranked Jack Buck's and Vin Scully's call of the play the fifth greatest in sports history. These links might not be all-time greats, but they're still the best from the past week of the internet…
- DRays Bay interviewed a young third baseman by the name of Evan Longoria.
- SPANdemonium interviewed Shawon Dunston … Jr.
- Sabernomics said goodbye and thank you to Bobby Cox.
- Meanwhile, Capitol Avenue Club thinks the Fredi Gonzalez hire is a huge mistake.
- Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness offers up their offseason plan for the Dodgers (part one, part two).
- Fan Speak does the same, except for the Nationals (part one, part two).
- Lookout Landing summarizes the candidates for the Mariners managerial job.
- The Process Report takes on Joe Maddon's gut check.
- Pine Tar And Pocket Protectors examines Colby Rasmus' trade value.
- Red Sox Beacon re-lives a decade of awful Boston shortstops.
- Baseball Analysts found that Long Beach State produced the most big leaguers in 2010, led by Longoria and Troy Tulowitzki.
- The 5th Starter digs deep in the Blue Jays' finances.
- Bleacher GM took a look at umpire bias.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.
The only way the Cards will part with Rasmus is if 1) He’s too much of an issue in the clubhouse and brings the other players down and 2) They receive (a) player(s) who has more upside and can produce at the major leagues now.
Doubt it will happen but Mozeilak would be foolish to not look at offers.
I agree completely. I don’t get why people say it’s dumb to even consider trading Rasmus. What’s the harm and looking at offers teams give? Nothing.
I mean, if a team offers a legit CFer and say someone that fits one of their other holes (SP, 2B, 3B) then you gotta consider it.
Rays could make a ton of sense (Garza or Shields plus a guy like Rodriguez, Bartlett, or Brignac). Maybe the Rays would be willing to swap Upton too (would defintely need more than just Rasmus back though).
Still think Rasmus is in St. Louis when next year starts though.
Well Sox fans, if it makes you feel any better, Jed Lowrie the SS had a good offensive year, Marco Scutaro was solid, and possibly the next Omar Vizquel is in your minor league system in Jose Iglesias. That said(no matter how much success Beckett has had with the team)I would have kept Hanley Ramirez.
Eh, I think it’s one of the few examples in a major MLB trade where both teams won. And considering I’m pretty sure the back up plan for adding another arm was Kevin Millwood. But yeah, I can’t wait to see Iglesias’s glove in Fenway.
Be thankful you have Iglesias too, SS is a very thin position these days, with superstars of the position like Tulo and Hanley both locked up.
Big question is if and possibly when are the Marlins going to follow their pattern and trade Hanley. His salary for 2012 will be greater than the whole team’s salary in 2006. They’ve been increasing their salary lately… but still, with the Marlins history it’s almost inevitable.
Don’t ridicule me, i’m just saying but if they do try and trade him I wouldn’t be surprised to see both the Red Sox and Yankees try and go after him. Both are in need of a SS, and there are lots of questions about Iglesias’ bat.
Umm, relax. I wasn’t ridiculing, I was bringing up a question. If I’m going to riddicule you, it’ll be open and easily seen as sarcastic.
I’m well aware of the questions about Iglesias’s bat. Initial scouting projections suggested he’s a likely #8/#9 hitter. However in Portland he showed some good raw ability to connect and hopefully in time he’ll start developing more patience that’s part of the Red Sox philosophy. But quite frankly, after years of watching defensively poor shortstops in Fenway, I really only care about the glove.
Horrible “best call” list.
Always a mistake to click on these blog links. Apparently the Dodgers should deal Russell Martin, and play a cardboard box behind the plate, for a mediocre infielder to platoon in left field. That’s about how far I got. Anyone suffer through any more of these horrible ideas?
In all fairness, Martin isn’t the player he once was, and Raburn is an ideal platoon option.
Trading a starting catcher for a platoon player is a dead on arrival concept, not to mention for the purpose of having him play out of position. That’s just bizarre. The only reason you might make this trade is if the team has talent coming up from the minors who are being blocked by Martin. Besides, no other team is going to overlook Martin’s output decline and not especially his injury. Talk about selling as low as you can possibly go.
Or because…uh…the Dodgers have no money and Martin is due for a raise in arbitration.
You know about the divorce, yes?
Uh, is the divorce still all we get talk about? No baseball, just the divorce? That’s the way it’s been all season so maybe it isn’t supposed to ever end. The fact is, we don’t have any idea how much money the Dodgers will have to spend this year. No idea. The fact is, these trade ideas are just plain dumb baseball, and no divorce talk is going to change that. Not to mention, if Colletti ever took any of these stupid suggestions that every Dodger fan from here to Azusa would be howling in protest — and with good reason.
Colletti doesn’t need to take stupid fan suggestions to get fleeced by other GMs. He’s been doing fine on his own since 2006, really topping himself with the McDonald + Lambo for Dotel masterpiece, then finishing it off with an encore by trading Dotel to the Rockies after 18 innings pitched. Colletti taking fan suggestions would be an improvement, going from 2 out of 10 on the GM rating scale to perhaps a 4.
some are good. this PineTarandPocketProtectors(lol at the name) thing has some good articles on it.
CAC may just be right about Fredi Gonzalez, he doesn’t exactly have a stellar reputation for managing a game. I get the fact that he worked well with Cox and is respected but he’s still got to run a game effectively.The offseason “plan” for the Dodgers is flawed. Who says Dunn is going to sign for 3-years/$33 million dollars, backloaded no less? He’s likely to get more than that. And the Tigers aren’t just going to trade for Martin because someone wants them to. Plus I could see Uribe getting more than 1-year/$5 million. I’m also not a big fan of the proposed Loney/Gorzelanny deal though it’s not terrible, I’d still rather see the Cubs hold onto Gorz given his potential value and stay away from a first baseman with a below average bat. And no way do the Rays trade Garza for Loney, not happening.It’s really hard to buy the notion that the Toronto Blue Jays should (or could) be spending as much as the Red Sox, much less the Yankees. Rogers may be awash in cash for all I know but even that wouldn’t justify that large of an increase in payroll. I think it’s a bit of a stretch to say that the Jays market is 10 million people just because there are that many people within 2 hours driving distance. There has to be a point of diminishing returns as far as fan base/distance goes. I’d think it would be safe to call a driving distance of 30 minutes local, or even an hour if you want to be generous, but two hours would seem to put most people far enough away that a trip to the park is more of an occasional thing rather than a game day decision. New York has approximately 18 million people in a much closer geographical area and probably not more than an hour away from the Bronx, I don’t see how the Blue Jays can compete with that.
if you want to look at 30 mins distance, the population is still 5-6 Million. not an insignificant number. I wrote the article, and trust me, it’s well researched. You don’t have to believe it, but numbers don’t lie.
I don’t think that package will get Rasmus, but if it will then the Cards would be making a mistake and the Braves would have to jump all over that.
Wow. If the Yankees could get Rasmus for Brett Gardner and Manny I-forget-his-last-name, I think they’d do it in a heartbeat. Absolute steal, right there.
Banuelos? I don’t know. I still might not do that.
As much is a like Rasmus, no thanks. I’d like to see if Gardy can keep up what he’s done this season, and I’m banking on a future Yankees rotation featuring Banuelos and Betances.
Let me quote Wren, “We are not looking to trade arms away, that’s our strength.” I doubt Braves would trade the future closer of the Braves, and arguably the best utility-player in all of baseball. I can’t find one utility-player that can even match up to Infante in the FA market. I believe Wren would balk at that price just because it involves Kimbrel and Infante.
And from the Cards point of view I don’t think it would be enough. What we see is that Rasmus has fantastic production now (5 tools!) and still a lot of upside. So getting a decent lead-off hitter/utility player and a closer in the making doesn’t sound all that appealing to me.
And he’d be a damn fool. Rasmus is one of the best young talents in baseball. If he wouldn’t move our third best pitching prospect, a reliever, and a utility man for Rasmus, I want him fired.
I wanna see SPAN’s opinion on what I wrote.
I don’t care how great a utility player you are, you ALWAYS can trade a utility player for a guy with the talent of Rasmus. That’s not even a debate.
With Chipper coming back for another year, Infante won’t be able to start so using him as a trade chip (he’s not this good) may be the wisest thing for them.
Wren had better make that move. We have arms and infielders can be found anywhere. If you can get one of the best young CF’rs in the game for that package, you do it. Kimbrel is solid and the Braves would hate to move him, but Infante isnt going to hit .330 every year and is in his last contract season. Wren is saying he doesnt want to trade pitching, but who does. He’s just talking up trade value
Fan Graphs rate both Garza and Rasmus at 3.7. Make that trade straight up.
Congrats, you’ve made the perfect video game trade. Garza has 3 years of control left and is about to start making over $5M a year. Rasmus has a higher ceiling and 4 years of control left. Right now Rasmus has more trade value.
Your right, but just in simpler words…Rasmus is much better and valuable in tons of ways than Garza.
I don’t know about “much better”….at least currently. Guys like Garza who can pitch 200 innings and has some solid post-season experience don’t grow on trees.
Based on what they’ve done to this point, Garza is better. But I agree, Rasmus has more upside.
If the Rays threw in Upton and the Cards a mid-level prospect I think it could work. Upton needs a change of scenary and is a better defensive CFer. Not as much potential with the bat….but his speed shouuld play well in the NL.
Cards would be adding like $8-10M with Garza-Upton in arbitration….but they have talked about bringing back Westrook….who made $11M this year. Even if he takes a 50% paycut, you’re basically swapping Garza for Westbrook in the rotation and salary wise. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t take Garza over Westbrook.
Upton won’t get a huge raise. You lose 2 years of controlability going from Rasmus to Upton (4 to 2)….
It’s a trade off. Definitely downgrading in CF (offensively at least), but upgrading the rotation.
It should also be pointed out that scouts were saying the same thing about the Young-Garza deal. Young was supposively the better player with way more upside. While Young had a solid season…..Garza has proved to be the better player (obviously wasn’t a 1-for-1 either though).
Its really not about what they’ve done though.
Don’t know how much salary the Cards want to take on right now… It’s conceivable they may have to almost double Pujols’s salary in 2012.
I wouldn’t so sure about Rasmus having more trade value than Garza. Garza has just pitched very well in Game 3 of the ALDS against a tough rangers lineup. Had an overall solid year and has 3 years of controlability left. Can give you 200 innings.
Rasmus while having a lot of untapped potential, was benched by his manager and is having issues with management, supposively asking for a trade.
That can really hurt your trade value.
Yes, TONS of teams will be in on Rasmus if made available…..every single one of the teams would likely be in on Garza if he’s made avialable too though.
he was never benched by the manager. if your referring to that small strech in late August/September, it was because of a leg ailment. He got benched against lefties because TLR is just compulsive like that, he has always done this, not just to Rasmus. Use facts please.
Colby Rasmus for Pablo Sandoval
Giants fill need for speedy, defensive outfielder All-Star Caliber Young Player in Rasmus.
Cards fill need at 3B and their 5th spot in the order behind Holliday and Pujols. Sandoval has just as good of a future as Rasmum does and has shown signs of a future Clean-up hitter.
“Sandoval has just as good of a future as Rasmum does and has shown signs of a future Clean-up hitter”Not starting play off games? He has no where near the ceiling or future that Rasmus has. Sandoval can’t play third and can’t hit. Rasmus plays very good CF and can rake. If the Cards resign TLR, that would be the only reason why they would trade Rasmus.
No that would not be a fair trade at all.
he’s also shown signs of major regression and a potential heart attack
Ha, that’s a good one! What good stuff did you smoke, please share! Or this is Pablo himself and trying to boost his self-esteem…or just ate too much and under a food coma and talking crazy!
Cardinal will want a cheap young productive player for rasmus which dont get traded to often and really dont have alot of room in thier payroll if they want to resign Pujols this winter. The only way he gets traded is if its part of a larger deal that fills multible holes. Really the best options are the Redsox (Ellsbury), Indians (Sizemore), and Rays (anyone makeing over 3 mil next year)
Red Sox-Ellsbury, Lowrie, Dice-K, Paplebon could fill needs with Rasmus, Franklin and McClellen, Franklin and McClellen would fill out the red sox bullpen and it would free up the Closer and 5th starter role for the red sox givin that Lee and Soriano are free agents it could be appealing. Lowrie would compete for time at short and 2B, Dice-K in the Fifth spot in the NL under Dave Duncun would be interesting, and Paplebon would be a top notch Closer on his walk year With Type A status.
Indians-Grady Sizemore for rasmus would be a good win now and Keep Pujols Move. They are basically the same player but at different points in there career. Given that Sizemore Has been injured alot the past two year the indians would have to kick a RP or prospect and some money.
Rays-Garza, Sheilds and Bartlett all make sense with Crawford likely departing in free agency And they rays depth in Starting pitching.
Could See the Mets, Mariners and Giants makeing runs at him though.
The Reds need a proven pitcher like Garza. He has pitched in the big games. The Reds are past the point of hoping future players develop, they need some ready now type players to take the next step. Your thinking too much about the money, didn’t Harrang make something like 12 mill and he stunk or Arroyo making 9 mill, Garza is better than both of them.
My bad. Wrong article . My point is that I thing Garza or Shields will be traded to a contender and Tampa will want a young player in return like Rasmus.
If Wren gets that deal, he should do it!