John Tomase from the Boston Herald has some notes about several Major League topics in his latest article:
- Tomase reminds us that at the 2009 deadline, the Red Sox reportedly offered the Mariners any five of the following prospects in exchange for Felix Hernandez: Clay Buchholz, Daniel Bard, Michael Bowden, Josh Reddick, Yamaico Navarro, Nick Hagadone, Felix Doubront, and Justin Masterson. While a Boston official disputed the specific names, Tomase says the reports were in the ballpark.
- Regarding a trade though, Tomase quotes King Felix himself as saying that he wants to stay in Seattle: "I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m not trying to think about it. I’d love to stay here (with the Mariners). I’m part of Seattle now and I’d like to be in Seattle."
- San Diego's Anthony Rizzo, acquired in the Adrian Gonzalez trade, is off to a blazing start at Triple-A. Rizzo has posted a monstrous line of .400/.471/.744 with seven homers, eight doubles, and a triple through 102 PAs, but despite that production the Padres aren't giving up on Brad Hawpe yet. Manager Bud Black cites Hawpe's career success, but it'll be hard to ignore his .149/.194/.194 line much longer.
- Manny Ramirez's abrupt retirement had many questioning a Rays' lineup that was struggling to score runs, but as Tomase points out, the Rays have gone 14-5 since Manny called it quits. The Rays were 0-6 with Manny on board.
Tomase's article also features several more quotes from Felix on his appreciation for Seattle as well and is a good read all-around.
jeffbrown
Rizzo is playing at Triple A Tucson, stupid.
Mark Hildreth
No need to bash the guy for making a mistake man. Chill out
Guest 6742
Someone else who was served soggy french fries for lunch..
phoenix2042
I don’t understand this obsession with “the Rays are better without Manny.” Yes, Manny sucked in his six games of at bats. I bet you can find a worse stretch of six games in even Albert Pujols’ career because it was six games, and that small of a sample means nothing. the whole team was bad to start off, no one was hitting and the pitching was getting blown out. But it wasn’t Manny’s fault that the team gave up too many runs and that no one, not just him, was hitting a lick. Manny had a long history of success, and even in an injury-plagued and production reduced year last year, he was still an above average bat. If nothing else, he could still hit for decent contact and walk a ton, which is more than adequate for $2MM. It was a good signing at the time and the right move for Maddon/Friedman to make. The team is hitting on all cylinders and pitching very well right now, which has nothing to do with Manny being on or off the team. Manny is the not the sole reason they lost six straight, nor is his absence the reason that they are winning now. So just give it a rest.
muskyfish
that is perhaps the most well-thought out response to any baseball topic I have ever heard from a Yankee fan…. LET ALONE WHEN TALKING ABOUT MANNY!!! Very nice take, and 100% correct. Manny was a machine, and a great player to watch. Steroids or no steroids, gets my vote as a HOF-slam dunk.
venn177
If this is the best response you’ve seen from a Yankee fan, you haven’t been here very long. Some of the best posters here are Yankee fans.
phoenix2042
The difference between Yankees fans here and in general is that the ones here actually care about the sport. They don’t just wear the hat because it’s cool, spouting “27 world series” to counter any argument, and can name only Derek Jeter and Joe DiMaggio. Personally those fair-weather, know nothing, ignorantly arrogant fans disgust me because that’s what everyone thinks being a Yankees fan is. That’s why everyone thinks Yankees fans are stupid braggarts, and that’s why they’re hated. I consider myself a Baseball fan first, a Yankees fan second, and a New York sports fan third. So I apologize for the annoying bulk of my team’s fan base. But not for the fact that my team still kicks your team’s @ss (whichever team that happens to be)! 😛
captainjeter
any Yankee fan who does not know the Yankee history is not a true Yankee fan. It does not matter whether you are 80 or 10, you should know your’s team legacy and all about the great players in the organization.
My Dad was a fan when Ruth was on the team. He saw Ruth, Gehrig, Di Maggio , Berra , Dickey and Mantle play. I have been a fan sinceMantle and the early 60’s.
I find it funny when so called Yankees fans don’t know the team’s history. And just because a player was NOT a Yankee does not mean he wasn’t a great player. It is called knowing your team’s history and baseball history in general.
woadude
Your dad watched Ruth and Gehrig? man you must be like 65 years old
captainjeter
no you jerk. My Dad was 20 years older than my Mom. He was 42 when he married her.He was in his 50’s when he had me. 65? That is older than my oldest brother,
WhiteSoxHomer
I will take a fan who can name everything about a team currently then one who knows the history of the team.
kimofromkauai
Agreed that Manny was a great hitter. Period. Other phases of his game were not great, or even good. Poor fielder, often failed to hustle, often disruptive as a teammate. Even worse, he was felt to have quit on teams (Red Sox, Dodgers, White Sox). The drugs further tarnish his accomplishments. I have doubts about his HOF being a slam dunk.
sergio
still, while you make a strong point, it makes me happy that a team is doing better now that Manny is gone, whatever the reason
they did dodge a bullet, he didnt stay long enough to be a cancer…
FamousGrouse
I think San Diego got better trade value.
Anyway the Red Sox were able to use Hagadone and Masterson to pick up Victor Martinez so it seemed to work out in the end.
grant77
Seattle would still turn down that deal without hesitation.
Bluduke28
“Would” turn it down? Given the report, they clearly DID turn it down.
Great insight though.
Taylor Hope
Agreed.
woadude
Exactly, when I read that article it was as if the Mariners passed on a great trade, in hindsight they made the right choice in saying no.
whatever
Yeah I wouldn’t want those players either.
Dadbodfromseattle
MY FELIX ISNT GOING ANYWHERE. GIVE IT UP. HE LOVES SEATTLE.. HE WANTS TO BE PART OF THE REBUILDING. GIVE IT UP. HE DOESNT CARE ABOUT MONEY LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DOES..
ultimate913
LOUD NOISES!!!
ellisburks
I LOVE LAMP!
You're Killing Me Smalls
I DONT KNOW WHAT WE’RE YELLING ABOUT!!!
Ferrariman
someone’s delusional.
m4r1n3r
Believe it or not some players put loyalty and honor before money. Bedard and Johjima are perfect examples of that. Johjima by letting the Mariners off the hook for the 18 mill still owed and Bedard for taking a non-guaranteed contract with the Mariners because he felt he owed the city/fans something for all that was given up for him.
I’m a firm believer that Felix WILL be a lifetime Mariner. Just like Ichiro will be.
ARod's Ring
Jack Zduriencik, don’t you have anything else to do?
start_wearing_purple
One day I’m going to find out who invented the caps lock button… then I will take revenge on their heirs.
East Coast Bias
I shall accompany you in your efforts!
East Coast Bias
Ah yes Anthony Rizzo, yet another example of ESPN hyping up the Yankees and Red Sox prospects so they can sell high.
woadude
Are you serious? How uneducated of you to think of him as someone they are trying to sell high on, He was a big piece of the trade for Adrian Gonzalez, he is a Padres prospect, you know that team out in San Diego? They wrote how he has been working out pretty well so far.
Bluduke28
I hope this is a really good level.
East Coast Bias
Uhh, hmm, uneducated? Either your sarcasm is lost on me, or mine on you. I know he’s doing really well in the Pads system, that’s what the whole article is about.
I was simply poking fun at how people say that Boston and New York always hype up their prospects through ESPN so they can sell high on them to other teams, as in this case as Boston did with Rizzo to the Pads… which is not true, since he is doing really well and NOT a product of the east coast hype machine. See, Sox and Yanks prospects actually pan out for the teams they get traded to most of the time.
That was my point. I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about… (probably my lack of education, yes?)