MLB FanHouse

J.J. Hardy Traded for Carlos Gomez

Matt Snyder — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:25:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, Twins, AL Central, NL Central, MLB Transactions

It was no secret J.J. Hardy was likely going to be traded this offseason, but most believed the Brewers would use him to acquire some desperately needed starting pitching help. Instead, they have opted to move him to Minnesota for a young center fielder -- Carlos Gomez.

Hardy, 27, fell out of favor with the Brewers this past season as he failed to meet his previously set offensive standards. He ended the season with an abysmal .659 OPS and the Brewers have uber-prospect Alcides Escobar waiting in the wings (he hit .304 in 38 big-league games last season). Thus, it made sense to move Hardy, who did hit 50 home runs in his previous two campaigns, for help elsewhere.

Hardy will slide into the starting shortstop role for the Twins, who are now almost certain to allow Orlando Cabrera to walk as a free agent.

With the emergence of Denard Span in center for Minnesota, Gomez -- who came over as part of the Johan Santana trade -- became expendable for the Twins. The 23-year-old speedster hit just .248 with a .293 on-base percentage in his two years for the Twins. He flashed some promise at times, racking up impressive stolen base totals and several triples, but he largely disappointed at the plate.

Still, he's only going to be 24 on Opening Day, 2010, and the Brewers can plug him into center field in place of most-likely-departing Mike Cameron. Gomez makes much more sense for the Brewers than Cameron anyway, considering his age and the fact that the Brewers already have enough power. They need table-setters. If Gomez can find a way to work his OBP up to the .350 (or more) range, he'll be a very valuable cog in the Milwaukee lineup.

Both teams have a bit more work to do, but the World Series just ended Wednesday. For now, this is a good, mutually-beneficial trade to kick off Hot Stove season for each.

J.J. Hardy Traded for Carlos Gomez originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brewers Hot in Pursuit of Rick Peterson

Matt Snyder — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:55:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, MLB Rumors

Only the Washington Nationals had a worse team ERA than the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL this past season. Brewers' starters were the worst in the entire major leagues, sporting a pathetic 5.37 ERA. Obviously, something needs to be done for a team with such a high-powered offense, in order to remain competitive.

Thus, the Brewers are reportedly making a strong push for respected pitching coach Rick Peterson. Peterson has worked with former A's and current Brewers manager Ken Macha in the past, as he was in Oakland from 1998-2003, where he oversaw the development of All-Stars Barry Zito, Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder. He then took a job with the Mets -- which didn't turn out near as well and concluded during the 2008 season.

The Brewers lost former pitching coach Mike Maddux to the Rangers prior to 2009, and the results for both the Rangers' and Brewers' respective pitching staffs was evident. Thus, the Brewers are reportedly strongly zeroing in on bringing in Peterson to help shore up the staff -- namely the starting rotation. They appear confident the signing will take place very soon.

Despite the tumultuous ending in New York, Peterson is still known to be a solid developer of mechanics in young hurlers, so his hiring would be a good one for Milwaukee. Yovani Gallardo, the 23-year-old ace of the Brewers, has the stuff to be an elite pitcher. Manny Parra, 26, endured an awful 2009 after a promising 2008. He's far too young and has far too much talent to not benefit from the presence of a pitching coach like Peterson. Even the veterans could use a hand, as Jeff Suppan, Dave Bush and Braden Looper (after leaving St. Louis and the tutelage of Dave Duncan) were all drastically worse in 2009 than they were in 2008.

Brewers Hot in Pursuit of Rick Peterson originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trevor Hoffman Re-Signs With Brewers

Matt Snyder — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:48:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, MLB Transactions

The ageless closer has at least one more year in him -- and maybe even two. Multiple outlets are reporting that Trevor Hoffman has signed a new contract to remain with the Milwaukee Brewers.

According to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the deal will pay Hoffman $8 million in 2010 and has a mutual option for 2011. The option contains escalators involving Hoffman's 2010 stats and could pay him up to $8.5 million in 2011. There is also a $500,000 buyout -- which grows to $1 million if Hoffman reaches 40 saves in 2010 -- should the Brewers decide not to retain Hoffman's services for 2011.

Hoffman saved 37 games in 2009 after beginning the season on the disabled list. He put up a 1.93 ERA and 0.91 WHIP, which were his lowest figures since 1998. He also qualified for his seventh All-Star game. There definitely appears to be some gas left in the tank of the 41-year-old.

Trevor Hoffman Re-Signs With Brewers originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brewers Bring Macha Back, Close to Extending Hoffman

Pat Lackey — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central

Despite a disappointing 2009 season, the Brewers confirmed Sunday that they will bring manager Ken Macha back in 2010 with a team option for 2011. In fact, most of Macha's staff will be back, with only interim pitching coach Chris Bosio and bullpen coach Stan Kyles not being offered contracts.

That's not the only news out of Milwaukee on the last day of the season. The Brewers are also apparently close to re-signing closer Trevor Hoffman, who pitched exceptionally well in his first season in Milwaukee, saving 37 games with a 1.70 ERA and a 4.27 K/BB ratio. He's 41, but the all-time saves leader certainly didn't pitch his age this year.

Bringing Macha back isn't surprising, even if he did find a way to work Corey Patterson into 10 games at the end of the season. The Brewers did fade in the second half, but there wasn't much for a manager to do with that pitching staff. And extending any player at Hoffman's age is going to be a risk, but the Brewers don't have a whole lot of choice, especially given how good Hoffman was for them late in games this year.

This is an incredibly important offseason for GM Doug Melvin because, as Ryan Braun pointed out, the window of opportunity for this group of players in Milwaukee is only so big. Melvin may be forced to trade Prince Fielder after 2010 due to salary concerns, and even with huge attendance numbers, Milwaukee's payroll can only grow so large. Bringing back Hoffman is a good start, but Melvin has much, much more work to do this winter.

Brewers Bring Macha Back, Close to Extending Hoffman originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brewers Owner Unsure What to Do With Prince Fielder

Tom Fornelli — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:42:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, MLB Rumors

A year ago at this time the Milwaukee Brewers were wrapping up their first postseason berth in 25 years, and even though they were knocked out of the Division Series by the Phillies, expectations were raised in Milwaukee. Those expectations weren't met this season as the Brew Crew is battling just to finish .500.

So it's no surprise that the team's owner, Mark Attanasio, is disappointed with this year's results, but he's focused on the future of his club and how it can get back to the postseason. Obviously changes will need to be made in Milwaukee if the Brewers are going to contend in the NL Central next season, and that means there are some tough decisions to be made.

There's a particularly big decision to be made with first baseman Prince Fielder. Fielder has one year remaining on his two-year, $18 million deal and is eligible for one more year of arbitration in 2011. Considering that he's hit 43 home runs and driven in 137 runs this year while putting up an OPS of 1.002, he isn't going to come cheaply. So the biggest question on Attanasio's mind is that even though the Brewers have control of Prince for two more seasons, is it better to trade him now while his value is at its highest, or continue building around him.

"I don't like thinking about the Milwaukee Brewers without Prince Fielder, I'll tell you that," Attanasio said. "It's a challenge, because on the other side, if you concentrate too much on one player. . . . It's not like basketball. If LeBron James or Michael Jordan is on your team, you can dominate. Prince could not have been more of a dominant player and we're scuffling to get to .500 with the challenges we've had with starting pitching. What do you do?

"If you play that player too much you have to surround him with good enough players to win. On the other hand, players like Ryan Braun and Prince, they come along only every 10 years or so. Believe me, I think [GM Doug Melvin] thinks about that every day."

While Brewers fans may not like the idea, it really does make more sense for the Brewers to move Fielder this winter than to bring him back.

He's a big presence in the middle of their lineup, but the team has a lot more holes to fill if they want to get back to the playoffs -- holes that could be filled by trading Fielder while his value will be at it's highest.

Brewers Owner Unsure What to Do With Prince Fielder originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brewers Considering Hiring Rick Peterson

Pat Lackey — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central

With a full week of baseball left in the 2009 season, the current edition of the Milwaukee Brewers have already allowed almost 100 runs more than the playoff-bound 2008 edition. While a large amount of that difference can be chalked up to losing CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets, a more abstract difference for this Milwaukee team is the absence of well-regarded pitching coach Mike Maddux, who left Milwaukee for Texas after last season.

FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reported that the Brewers are interested in trying to bridge that gap by hiring Rick Peterson. The rumor shouldn't be surprising; Peterson worked both with Brewers' manager Ken Macha in Oakland and bench coach Willie Randolph in New York before being fired by the Mets along with Randolph last summer.

Peterson is of course famous for his work in Oakland, where he was pitching coach from 1998-2003 and where he mentored Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito. His work with the Mets, however, is not quite as well-regarded. Still, he'd probably be an upgrade at the spot over the tandem of the now-fired Bill Castro and Chris Bosio.

Still, as much as Peterson may be able to help someone like Manny Parra, the Brewers need a significant personnel upgrade to their pitching staff to jump back in to the NL Central race in 2010. I know I probably sound like a broken record on that point, but they don't have one remotely reliable starter besides Yovani Gallardo right now and soldiering onward with guys like Braden Looper and Jeff Suppan just isn't going to cut it. Even the best potters need clay to work with.

Brewers Considering Hiring Rick Peterson originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Phils No Closer to Solving Closer Problem

Ed Price — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, Phillies, Rangers, Twins, White Sox, AL Central, MLB Injuries, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That Brad Lidge problem is back again.

Lidge on Wednesday blew a save for the 11th time -- most in the NL in 11 years -- as the Phillies lost 7-6 to the Marlins.

He entered for the bottom of the ninth, after Ross Gload's leadoff double, got two outs. But Hanley Ramirez walked, Jorge Cantu singled and Brett Carroll singled to hand Lidge the loss.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

Manager Charlie Manuel acknowledged the Phils' dilemma: With so many other contingency plans thwarted by injuries, [Ryan] Madson and Lidge are forced into the setup and closer roles. If those two succeed, the Phillies are a dangerous team. If they perform as they did last night, the team will not win another World Series.

"It's hard for us to close a game out," said Manuel, who conceded that the Madson-Lidge combination "is kind of what we've got."

Lidge spoke with a flat voice and glassy eyes. "It's incredibly frustrating," he said, clearly struggling to explain another loss. "I'm disappointed."

Lidge, who didn't blow a save all last season, has failed on five of his past 15 save chances. He has eight losses and a 7.48 ERA, worst ever for a closer (20 or more saves).

Only one pitcher ever, according to STATS LLC, has had 11 blown saves, eight relief losses and an ERA greater than 7.00: Norm Charlton for the 1997 Mariners (11 blown saves, eight relief losses, 7.27 ERA).

From the Trainer's Room ...
Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz, who has made 97 starts this season, was found to have no structural damage in his sore left wrist, but he will sit out another three-five days after receiving an anti-inflammatory injection. Philadelphia needs Ruiz in the postseason; 37-year-old backup Paul Bako is a career .230 hitter with a .194 average in 17 playoff games.

Numbers Game ...
Milwaukee's Prince Fielder hit a two-run homer to take sole possession of the major-league lead in RBI, with 131. He can become the first Brewer to lead the NL in RBI and the first Brewer to lead the majors outright since Cecil Cooper in 1980. Another Cecil and another Fielder -- Prince's father, Cecil Fielder -- led the majors in RBI in 1990-92 for Detroit.

In Their Own Words ...
"We won our ballgames, but we also got a couple of guys hot so they can go play Detroit. I think Dye, we put him on the right track. Maybe he can take care of the Motown boys." -- Twins manager Ron Gardenhire, whose team (2 1/2 games out in the AL Central) overcame two Jermaine Dye homers for an 8-6 victory over the White Sox, who face the first-place Tigers this weekend

Advance Scouting ...
Scott Feldman needs a win this afternoon at Oakland (3:35 PM ET) if he is to become Texas' first 20-game winner in 11 years. Feldman is 17-5 with, likely, three starts left. The Rangers' three 20-game winners were Ferguson Jenkins in 1974 (25-12), Kevin Brown in 1992 (21-11) and Rick Helling in 1998 (20-7). With a 12-1 road record, Feldman can become the first pitcher with 13 wins away from home since CC Sabathia in 2001.

Starting Five: Phils No Closer to Solving Closer Problem originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Peavy Wins in Sox Debut

Jeff Fletcher — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Angels, Brewers, Dodgers, Giants, Phillies, Rangers, White Sox, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That the White Sox may be out of the playoff race, but Jake Peavy still gave them something to get excited about. Peavy made his much-anticipated White Sox debut, pitching five effective innings to beat the Royals.

Peavy gave up three runs and his command was shaky, but he consistently threw his fastball in the low 90s. He threw 73 pitches, only 20 in his last two innings.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

"Once you get out there, it's like riding a bike. It comes back to you," said Peavy. "You certainly are comfortable in that surrounding. I did some things well and some things not so well. I got a long way to go to be where I want to be."

Peavy had not been in a game since he hurt his ankle with the Padres on June 8. The White Sox got him in a shocking deal just before the July 31 deadline. Although he came back too late to help them get to the playoffs in 2009, he is signed through 2012.

From The Trainers' Room...
For the second game in a row, the Phillies' starter had to come out of the game with an injury. Fortunately for the Phillies, both pitchers say they will be OK. A day after J.A. Happ was pulled as a precaution because of a lingering side injury, Pedro Martinez came out with a neck injury. Although there may have been some concern that Martinez, who threw 130 pitches in his last outing, had been overworked, Martinez said that he actually tweaked his neck swinging the bat. He said his arm is fine.

By The Numbers...
Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder set the franchise record for RBI in a season with his 127th. Coincidentally, the man whose record he broke was in the ballpark. In the other dugout, actually. Astros manager Cecil Cooper had 126 RBI for the Brewers in 1983.

In Their Own Words...
"Wow," -- Rangers closer Frank Francisco, who could hardly believe the way his ninth inning unfolded in a victory Texas desperately needed. The Rangers led the Angels, 3-2, in the ninth, but the Angels loaded the bases with one out. Francisco went to 3-0 on Howie Kendrick, but he eventually got him to hit into a game-ending double play. The Rangers snapped a five-game losing streak and pulled within 6 1/2 games of the Angels. The Rangers have only 15 games left, but five of them are against the Angels, so they have a heartbeat. Barely.

Advance Scouting...
The Dodgers and Giants will meet for the final time this season (4:10 PM ET). The Giants, who can't afford to lose more than a couple games the rest of the way to have a realistic shot at the postseason, send Tim Lincecum to the hill against the Dodgers' Randy Wolf. The Dodgers' magic number for clinching a playoff spot is six. Depending on what the Marlins do on Sunday, the Dodgers could cut it to four.

Starting Five: Peavy Wins in Sox Debut originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doug Melvin's Job Not in Jeopardy

Pat Lackey — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:28:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central

After winning the NL wild card last year, the Brewers have taken a step back in 2009. They're six games below .500 and well out of both the NL Central and wild card races. Despite that, team owner Mark Attanasio went out of his way to endorse general manager Doug Melvin in 2010, saying that he has faith in Melvin fixing the holes the club currently has.

Since taking over as Brewers general manager in 2002, Melvin has turned what was one of the worst franchises in baseball into a competitive team with a slew of young talent. There's no denying the Brewers have regressed this year, but it'd be foolish to show Melvin the door so quickly when he's the main reason they actually have somewhere to step back from.

Still, Melvin's work is cut out for him. He's got a very good, very young core in place with Ryan Braun (25), Prince Fielder (25), Yovani Gallardo (23), and Alcides Escobar (22). Their offense is in good shape, but the pitching staff is barren behind Gallardo. After CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets left Milwaukee via free agency last winter, Melvin had hoped they could solve their rotation problems internally, but with Manny Parra's poor season, Jeff Suppan's continued aging and Dave Bush's injury problems, Braden Looper is probably the team's second best starter.

Melvin should have some options this winter, though. Both Mike Cameron and Jason Kendall will be free agents, which should open up some payroll for a free-agent starter. Melvin will also be looking to deal shortstop J.J. Hardy now that Escobar has arrived in Milwaukee, and he'll almost certainly want a starter in return.

Of course, as I said before, Melvin's earned the chance to try and patch these holes up. If the Brewers are still stuck in this rut in a year or two, maybe the story will be different.

Doug Melvin's Job Not in Jeopardy originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Giants Did Not Appreciate Prince Fielder's Theatrics on Sunday

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:10:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, Giants, MLB Rumors

I'm sure you've seen the highlight already -- and if you haven't you can here -- from Sunday afternoon when Milwaukee's Prince Fielder hit a walk-off home run to give the Brewers a 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants. As Fielder rounded the bases he untucked his jersey before reaching a home plate that was surrounded by his teammates.

Once Fielder got there, he jumped into the air and, as he landed on the plate, the rest of the Brewers all fell to the ground as Fielder stood there arms extended in the air. It was a creative celebration to say the least, but, as you'd expect after pulling a stunt like that, the Giants aren't too happy with Fielder.

The Giants are keeping their mouths shut on the subject for now (though the Angels aren't), but it was obvious in the reactions of some Giants coaches in the third-base dugout. Pitching coach Dave Righetti stared so hard at Fielder as he gave a post-game interview I kept waiting for Prince's head to explode.

I can understand why the Giants would be upset. I know if I was on the team and had to see that, I wouldn't be very happy about it. Still, San Francisco can take some solace in the fact that they did take two of three from Milwaukee in the series and that, unlike the Brewers, they actually have something left to play for.

Besides, do we really know that this was all planned? I mean, it is possible that the entire Brewers team just lost their balance when Fielder hit the ground. In case you haven't noticed, he's not exactly a tiny man.

If anything the Giants should probably just be happy that Miller Park didn't cave in on them and everybody else in it.

Though, even if it was an accident, I don't think Fielder should be all that surprised when he finds a fastball in his ribs when the Giants and Brewers meet next season (they are done playing each other in 2009).

The Giants Did Not Appreciate Prince Fielder's Theatrics on Sunday originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Rays' Season Slips Away

Andrew Johnson — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Brewers, Marlins, Rangers, Rays, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That the Rays left their magic in 2008.

Fading Tampa Bay wasted a dazzling major league debut by Wade Davis, who allowed one run and struck out nine over seven innings, in a crushing 5-3 loss to the Tigers.

Davis' pitching helped the Rays carry a 3-1 lead into the ninth inning, but then the bullpen came unraveled. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon used five relievers in the ninth, three of whom -- Grant Balfour, J.P. Howell and Russ Springer -- failed to record an out in succession.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

Springer surrendered a grand slam to Detroit's Brandon Inge that turned a two-run lead into a two-run deficit.

"It's difficult, because if you lose games late like that, that's more difficult to take," Maddon said.

The Rays now sit a full seven games behind wild-card-leading Boston in the standings with 26 games to play, making them an extreme longshot to return to the postseason.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Bad news for two teams desperately trying to hang on in the playoff race. Chipper Jones missed Atlanta's 4-2 loss to the Reds Sunday with a sore abdomen. He's hoping to return to the lineup on Tuesday, but with Jones' injury history, you can never be sure.

Meanwhile, the Rangers will be without Josh Hamilton indefinitely. The Texas slugger missed the entirety of this weekend's series in Baltimore with a pinched nerve in his back and is expected to have a cortisone injection in the area in the coming days.

Numbers Game ...
Hanley Ramirez hit his 100th career home run Sunday, becoming the fourth-fastest shortstop to reach that threshold in major league history by hitting it in his 595th game. Only Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra and Ernie Banks reached the century mark faster.

"I didn't even know it was my 100th home run,'' Ramirez said, not in the mood to dwell on his accomplishment after Florida's 5-4 loss. "After the game, they gave me the ball and told me it was my 100th home run.''

In Their Own Words ...
"That was fun. Especially the way our season is going now, it's always good to have some fun." -- Prince Fielder, whose 37th home run of the season gave the Brewers a walk-off 2-1 win over the Giants in 12 innings. Milwaukee also turned a 5-4-3 triple play in the game.

Advance Scouting ...
Two of the hottest team in baseball hook up for a Labor Day matinee, and one of them has plenty on the line. The Rockies -- winners of five of their last six and leaders in the NL wild-card race -- host the Reds (3:10 PM ET), who have won 12 of 14. Per FanHouse's Jeff Fletcher, this is Cincinnati's best 14-game stretch since 1998, when it won 13 of 14.

Starting Five: Rays' Season Slips Away originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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J.J. Hardy Knows It's Just Business

Pat Lackey — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:57:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central

On the surface, the Brewers' handling of shortstop J.J. Hardy seems strange. They sent their veteran shortstop to Triple-A Nashville early in August, saying at the time it was being done to make room for top prospect Alcides Escobar. Then Tuesday they called up Hardy and said he'd be playing shorstop for the rest of the season. What gives?

When Hardy was sent down, Dave Cameron at FanGraphs wrote a post detailing how any lengthy demotion of Hardy would delay free agency for him by a year. That means that Hardy, now under team control for two more years, is a much more desirable trade target in the offseason. And Hardy himself seems to know it, saying that the move "makes sense."

Regardless of the ethics of such a move (and really, given Hardy's production in the past, this sort of thing is very, very shady), it means that Hardy has one month to make up for his currently dismal 2009 showing (he's hitting .229/.300/.365 with just 11 home runs, a far cry from the 50 he bashed in 2007 and 2008 combined) and try to show teams he's still got some semblance of the form that made him an All-Star in 2007.

One would think that even without a huge month, Hardy would still be worth something to someone. In the two years prior to this one, the combination of his bat and his slick fielding made him among the most valuable shortstops in all of baseball in both seasons. In fact, only Hanley Ramirez, Jimmy Rollins, and Jose Reyes had more Wins Above Replacement (WAR) over the two seasons.

Despite his bad bat this year, Hardy's glove has still been very good and with the extra year of arbitration that he now has, the Brewers will almost certainly be able to find him a new home.

J.J. Hardy Knows It's Just Business originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Phillies' Howard Making MVP Case

Ed Price — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Phillies, Pirates, Rays, Tigers, Twins, MLB Injuries, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That Ryan Howard is trying to challenge Albert Pujols for National League MVP.

Howard homered twice, doubled and drove in three runs Friday in the Phillies' 4-2 defeat of the Braves. Philadelphia now has an eight-game lead in the NL East.

"It makes you feel good when he starts hitting," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He's amazing. He'll take two swings and not look too good, then all of a sudden he stays on a pitch and smokes it out of the yard. He's a tremendous hitter."

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

Pujols, who hit a walk-off homer Friday, has 41 home runs, 108 RBI, a .440 on-base percentage and a .666 slugging percentage.

Howard has 37 homers, 111 RBI, a .352 on-base percentage and a .572 slugging percentage.

But Howard is heating up as the September nears. Over his past 15 games, Howard is 20-for-59 (.339) with 11 homers and 29 RBI.

He has also excelled in divisional play, with 19 homers and 46 RBI in 51 games against NL East teams.

Howard leads the NL in go-ahead RBI (36) and game-winning RBI (17), and the Phillies are 25-7 when he homers.

From the Trainer's Room ...
After a defeat of the Rangers, the Twins put third baseman Joe Crede on the disabled list because of his chronically bad back. Crede is hitting just .229 but he has 15 homers and 48 RBI in 328 at-bats while other Minnesota third basemen have combined for one homer and 16 RBI in 172 at-bats.

Numbers Game ...
Pittsburgh lost for the 19th straight time in Milwaukee, tying a major-league record. Toronto lost 19 straight at Baltimore in 1978-81. One player, Ryan Doumit, remains from the Bucs starting lineup on May 3, 2007 -- the last time the Pirates won at Miller Park. Chris Duffy, Jack Wilson, Freddy Sanchez, Jason Bay, Xavier Nady, Jose Bautista, Ronny Paulino and Tom Gorzelanny have all since departed.

In Their Own Words ...
"Timmy showed what he's about. He's a guy you want on the mound in a game like this. He knew how big this game was." -- Giants manager Bruce Bochy on ace Tim Lincecum, who threw a season-high 127 pitches while holding the Rockies to four hits in eight scoreless innings, enabling San Francisco to get within two games of the wild-card lead

Advance Scouting ...
There's only a game difference in their record, but the Rays and Tigers, who meet today in Detroit (4:05 PM ET), are in much different situations. Tampa Bay is 4 1/2 games out in the AL wild-card race and sends the the mound lefty David Price, who is 0-4 with an 8.07 ERA on the road. Meanwhile, Detroit enjoys a 4 1/2-game lead in the AL Central and turns to lefty Nate Robertson, who makes his first big-league appearance since June 26. Robertson missed two months after surgery for a mass in his elbow.

Starting Five: Phillies' Howard Making MVP Case originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 29 Aug 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bill Hall Shipped to Seattle Mariners

Matt Snyder — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:53:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, Mariners, AL West, NL Central, MLB Transactions

Last Wednesday, after enduring three pretty disappointing seasons, Bill Hall was designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers. This means they had 10 days to trade him before having to decide whether or not to cut him or send him to the minors. A week later, the Brewers found their suitor.

Milwaukee traded Hall and cash considerations to the Mariners for Ruben Flores, a minor-league relief pitcher. Hall has experience almost everywhere on the diamond, but he'll likely get a chance to immediately contribute at third base. The Mariners have been using Jack Hannahan at the hot corner as the cupless Adrian Beltre recovers from a testicle injury.

Of course, Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik didn't offer any initial plans with Hall, other than giving a polished, positive statement.

"We value Bill as a versatile player who can play the outfield and three infield positions," said Zduriencik. "Billy has been a starting shortstop, third baseman and center fielder in his career. He has been a very solid Major League player who brings you experience and versatility. We look forward to Billy's contributions as he starts a new page in his career."

Hall was hitting a paltry .201 with 72 strikeouts in 214 at-bats for the Brewers this season. The .606 OPS was easily the worst of his career. In 2006, Hall hit 35 home runs and had an .899 OPS. He's gradually regressed since then and the Brewers finally just gave up on him. Still, Hall is only 29, so there should be something left in the tank. Perhaps a change of scenery will rescue his career. A Milwaukee-to-Seattle shift seemed to work wonders for Russell Branyan (though it's more likely he is just flourishing with an everyday job).

The 25-year-old Flores doesn't appear ready to help the Brewers' bullpen just yet. He was having a great season, saving 18 games with a 2.30 ERA, but that was only in Single-A. He has struggled since moving up a level there.

Bill Hall Shipped to Seattle Mariners originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disappointing Brewers Shake Things Up Before Facing Soft Part of Schedule

Matt Snyder — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, MLB Transactions

The Milwaukee Brewers made the playoffs last season for the first time since 1982, and their foundation of youth seemed to indicate they would at least be in the race for 2009. Sure, losing CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets would hurt the pitching staff in a big way, but the Crew would have a full season of Yovani Gallardo. And they were in the thick of the race for a while.

Since July 1, though, the Brewers are 12-23 and have fallen 6 1/2 games out of first place in the mediocre NL Central. Wednesday morning, Brewers brass finally decided enough is enough and made three pretty significant transactions:

1. Pitching coach Bill Castro was fired and replaced by Triple-A pitching coach Chris Bosio -- who won 67 career games for the Brewers.

2. J.J. Hardy was sent down to the minors, while big-time prospect Alcides Escobar got the call to the majors.

3. Bill Hall was designated for assignment.

It would appear the relatively embarrassing 13-6 loss to the Padres Tuesday night was the straw that broke the camel's back as general manager Doug Melvin sent a clear message to his team. He's not messing around. Obviously, their starting pitching leaves much to be desired, but the team as a whole has too much talent to be under .500 this late in the season.

Castro's firing is basically window-dressing -- just like when the Cubs fired Gerald Perry earlier this season. I'm not sure Bosio can all of a sudden make Manny Parra fulfill his potential and I know he can't wave some wand and magically make Dave Bush and Jeff Suppan into decent starting pitchers.

Hardy has been a colossal disappointment this season. After a 2008 season that saw him hit .283 with 24 home runs, 74 RBI and an .821 OPS, he has failed to live up to those standards. He's hitting just .229 with an abysmal .667 OPS. His power is down, but his plate discipline has been worse. His extended hot streaks, which were a signature of his in both 2007 and 2008, haven't shown up yet. He's still only 26, so a look in the minors could easily get him back on the right track.

Escobar will get a good look at short. The 22-year-old has a .353 on-base percentage and 42 stolen bases in Triple-A in 2009. He could be a better fit for the Brewers powerful lineup than Hardy, considering they could use a few more table-setters. He also figures to be a much better defensive player, considering his superior range. If he sticks, the Brewers would have offseason trade bait. Someone would surely take a shot at Hardy, considering his age and how well he hit the ball his first two seasons. Maybe they could get some starting pitching in return.

As for Hall, his 35-homer season (2006) is a distant memory. He's hitting .217 with a .660 OPS in the past two seasons, which isn't even remotely close to being usable in a major league starting lineup. It's doubtful the Brewers can get anything of value back in a trade within the next 10 days, and they are already stuck with his sizable salary. Therefore, I expect him to accept his assignment to minors. The real question is if the Brewers will want him to take it, or if they'll just wash their hands of Hall by releasing him.

These moves could help, but what really needs to happen is for all the players to just start playing better. If they do, they still have a shot to climb back into the race. The rest of their August schedule is as weak as one I've ever seen at this point in the season. They have 18 games left against the Padres, Astros, Pirates, Nationals and Reds.

Time will tell if these moves propel the team, but for now, everyone in the organization should be put on notice: Melvin is not tolerating failure.

Disappointing Brewers Shake Things Up Before Facing Soft Part of Schedule originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guillermo Mota Hits Prince Fielder; Fielder Attempts Retaliation

Pat Lackey — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:34:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, Dodgers, NL Central, NL West

Keeping track of beanball feuds can be complicated. Tuesday night, after the Dodgers finished drubbing the Brewers, Prince Fielder walked off the field and directly toward the Dodgers clubhouse, intent upon committing some unspecified act of violence against Guillermo Mota (or perhaps just yelling really loudly at him). This was a result of Mota's plunking of Fielder in the ninth inning of a 17-4 Dodger win, which was actually preceded by the Brewers' beaning Manny Ramirez in the seventh.

Mota has made a career of throwing at sluggers and getting chased around the field by them, as with his beaning of Mike Piazza in spring training 2002 led to Piazza leaping out of the Mets dugout and choking Mota, which led to a follow-up incident in spring training 2003 in which Mota fled the mound after an enraged Piazza charged him following another beaning.

The Brewers, meanwhile, completely overreact to even the smallest perceived slights and are known to carry grudges across the better part of a season for issues that most would've forgotten. Combining Mota with his former team has apparently created a perfect storm.

The instinct in this situation is to take sides. You might want to say that Mota's shown a clear pattern of throwing at people and ducking the consequences. You might say that Fielder would pick a fight with a hotel attendant if said attendant tossed a room key softly at him.

The truth is that there are no sides to pick here. Mota's a hothead. There's no reason to throw at anyone in a 17-4 game. But then, the Brewers are brats. Why should Fielder be surprised he got beaned when Ramirez was plunked two innings before, after a homer and three RBI? The game wasn't close in the seventh, either, and it seems pretty obvious the Brewers were sending a message.

There's no right and wrong in a situation that's slightly less mature than a playground fight between fourth graders.

Guillermo Mota Hits Prince Fielder; Fielder Attempts Retaliation originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MLB Trade Deadline 2009: Winners, Losers and Everything in Between

Andrew Johnson — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:30:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, Cardinals, Indians, Phillies, Rangers, Rays, Red Sox, Tigers, MLB Trade Deadline

So you thought that once Matt Holliday went to St. Louis and Cliff Lee wound up with the Phillies deadline day itself would be anticlimactic? Hardly.

Three All-Stars, including a former Rookie of the Year and Cy Young, went elsewhere on July 31, and all that happened while the biggest name on the market all month, Roy Halladay, stayed put.

No, this deadline did not disappoint. There was a flurry of activity right down to 4 PM ET and a legitimate shocker to finish it all off. What better way to wrap up all of the intrigue then with a look at the early winners and losers? Join me -- and a few other members of the MLB FanHouse crew -- as we break it all down after the jump.

More Coverage: Jays' Ricciardi Overplays Hand | Full Roundup

Winners

Philadelphia had been looking for rotation help since at least May. And the Phillies were the best match for getting Roy Halladay, with a deep farm system and the knowledge that he'd approve a trade there. They didn't get 'Doc,' though, opting for a slightly lesser pitcher in Cliff Lee -- but they got Lee by giving up much less. The two position players they surrendered may not wind up as above-average big-league regulars, and they held on to Kyle Drabek and J.A. Happ. Lee isn't postseason-tested, but neither is Halladay, and he too comes from the tougher AL, so he should be fine even in Citizens Bank Park. Lee even had a better home run rate than Halladay. -- Ed Price

The Red Sox have been looking for an offensive upgrade since last winter when they were hot and heavy after Mark Teixeira. Victor Martinez isn't the hitter Teixeira is, but he should help Boston plenty, especially because of his versatility -- he can fill in at first base, pushing Kevin Youkilis over to third base, and spell the aging Jason Varitek behind the plate. The Red Sox offense has declined in batting average, on-base percentage and OPS every month of the season so far. V-Mart, while not an elite offensive force, is very, very good and should help stem that tide. Better yet, the acquisition cost was low. Boston did not have to surrender Clay Buchholz or Michael Bowden -- two pitchers it might need in the second half with a fragile rotation -- or top offensive prospect Lars Anderson. Justin Masterson isn't as critical to the bullpen as he once was with the emergence of Daniel Bard, and Nick Hagadone has made only 10 starts since a major surgical procedure. Oh yeah, they'll have Martinez in 2010 as well. -- Andrew Johnson

Yes, they paid a steep price to get Matt Holliday, giving up Brett Wallace, their best prospect. At the same time, Wallace seems destined for either first base or designated hitter, positions which make him entirely expendable to the Albert Pujols-led Cardinals. Since July 1, Holliday is hitting .383/.469/.638 and if he stays hot, that gives St. Louis an imposing Pujols-Holliday-Ryan Ludwick alley in the heart of the order. Without Holliday, the Cards were a borderline playoff team. With him, they're one of the two favorites in the National League. -- Pat Lackey

The Giants needed some offense, and they needed it badly. By acquiring Freddy Sanchez and Ryan Garko, San Francisco replaced a quarter of its everyday lineup. Neither player is a difference-maker -- Martinez and Holliday were the only true impact offensive players who moved -- but they are definite improvements over what the Giants had at those positions. Also, both may stick around beyond this year. Garko isn't eligible for free agency until after 2012 and Sanchez has an option for next year. It's a little pricey, at more than $8 million, but the Giants might be able to renegotiate it. The cost for those players was two minor-league pitchers, Tim Alderson and Scott Barnes. Alderson was considered the second-best pitching prospect in the organization, but a distant second to Madison Bumgarner. At best, he'd have been the No. 4 starter behind Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Bumgarner in the future. -- Jeff Fletcher

Kudos to Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski. Detroit clearly needed offensive help most, but once Holliday was gone, that bat wasn't there. So instead of twiddling his thumbs or getting a hitter for the sake of getting a hitter (with no guarantee of quality), he strengthened a strength by adding Jarrod Washburn to one of the best rotations in baseball. The left-hander is not a flashy pickup like the rival White Sox's addition of Cy Young winner Jake Peavy, but he'll be much more reliable over the final two months of 2009 than Peavy. He's no slouch either -- ranking in the top seven in ERA in the big boy league. -- Andrew Johnson

Losers

As the trade deadline passed, Tampa Bay sat seven games out in the AL East, in third place, and -- more importantly -- third in the wild card, 4 1/2 back of Boston and three behind Texas. The Rays looked into Halladay and Martinez, but in the end decided to hang onto their prospects, a strategy that in the past helped them build the team they have. But this July called for action, especially an added bat or a piece for the shaky bullpen. Perhaps a reliever will be available after clearing waivers in August, but at this point Tampa Bay has decided to chase from behind by standing pat. -- Ed Price

The Angels are a team built for now, with a list of impending free agents that includes John Lackey, Chone Figgins and Vladimir Guerrero, yet they did nothing to address either of their biggest needs for the present. Their bullpen has been among the worst in the league all season. Even closer Brian Fuentes, who was the one consistent reliever, has struggled lately. George Sherrill, Joe Beimel, Rafael Betancourt and John Grabow all changed teams, and Los Angeles didn't get any of them. They could have gotten Michael Wuertz from the A's or Heath Bell from the Padres if they'd sweetened their offers, but they didn't. The Angels also could have used a starter, and they got no one. They still may have enough to get to the postseason -- the Rangers didn't do anything either -- but they could be vulnerable in October. -- Jeff Fletcher

All year, the Brewers were connected to the big-name pitchers on the trade market, from Peavy to Halladay. As the deadline approached, they held firm in their stance that Alcides Escobar and Mat Gamel were untouchable. That's fine, especially since both of them seem to have a future in Milwaukee. They set their sight on Washburn, who could've potentially shored up their rotation behind Yovani Gallardo and at least kept them in the wild-card hunt. But they decided the asking price was still too high and ended up with Claudio Vargas. This isn't a long-term loss for them, but with the Cardinals adding Holliday and the Cubs getting John Grabow to fill their need for a left-handed reliever, the Brewers' inactivity will probably cost them dearly in the short-term. -- Pat Lackey

Much like the Brewers, this isn't necessarily a long-term loss, but make no mistake, the Rangers are in the playoff hunt right now, three games out in the AL West and 1 1/2 back of the Red Sox in the wild-card race entering Friday. And they did nothing to get better. Though Texas' pitching staff has actually been a strength so far -- it's allowed the third-fewest runs in the American League this year -- it will need pitching help to catch either Boston or the Angels, a fact magnified by the loss of Matt Harrison for the season and the recent absence of Vicente Padilla as he battles swine flu. That pitching help didn't come July 31, and unless Derek Holland and Neftali Feliz grow up very fast, it's not coming until at least 2010 either. -- Andrew Johnson

There's nothing wrong with trading Lee or Martinez given the Indians' position. Mired in fourth place in the AL Central and holding two of the most valuable trade chips on the market, dealing the duo was something that could've set Cleveland up for years down the road. Somehow it managed to trade Lee and Ben Francisco to the Phillies without getting even one of the coveted prospects the Blue Jays wanted for Halladay. Then it turned around and sent Martinez to the Red Sox without getting Buchholz. Some of the players the Tribe did get (specifically Masterson and Lou Marson) could be nice pieces, and it's never easy to judge trades involving prospects right as they are made, but the return that GM Mark Shapiro got for two of the best players swapped this week looks underwhelming right now. -- Pat Lackey

Leftovers

Is it possible to be a loser after holding onto the best pitcher in baseball? Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi is about to find out ... The Marlins win the World Series every six years. They're due in 2009, making first baseman Nick Johnson their key acquisition ... The Yankees uncharacteristically went small, adding only utilityman Jerry Hairston Jr. Given Boston's big splash, fans in the Bronx might call for more from GM Brian Cashman, but, realistically, who should he have gotten? ... Colorado made two deals to strengthen its bullpen -- adding a lefty and a righty to set up for Huston Street ... Mets fans didn't actually want Omar Minaya to add to that triage unit they call a team did they? ... We'll have to wait and see on: Seattle, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Washington ... The Dodgers are hardly losers, having added George Sherrill, but they don't look like runaway favorites in the NL anymore with what St. Louis and Philadelphia did ... Leave it to the Twins to finally get a notable name at the deadline in Orlando Cabrera and get completely overshadowed anyway ... Finally, you have to admire the boldness of White Sox GM Kenny Williams, who finally got Peavy months after he first traded for him. It's an enormous gamble, and with Peavy signed for years to come, it's hard to call it a loss long-term. That might not make it a win in 2009.

MLB Trade Deadline 2009: Winners, Losers and Everything in Between originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Garza Fumes at Yankees

Andrew Johnson — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, Marlins, Rays, Yankees, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That Matt Garza might be hearing from the league office soon. The Rays right-hander admitted that he threw intentionally at Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira during Tampa Bay's 6-2 loss to New York Wednesday night.

Yankees starter Joba Chamberlain, as he has been wont to do during his brief career, threw up and in to Evan Longoria, this after the star third baseman was plunked in the series opener Monday.

"I just kind of got tired of people brushing him back," Garza said. "It's about time someone made a statement. They did it on Monday night and we didn't do anything, they didn't do it too much [Tuesday] and [Chamberlain] did it again tonight.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

"I hate to be that guy, but someone had to take a stand and say, 'You know, we're tired of it. You can go after our best guy, well, we'll make some noise too,' and that's what happened."

Could frustration be seeping in as well? The Rays dropped two of three to the Yankees at Tropicana Field this week and are now seven games back of them in the AL East. They trail Boston by four games in the wild-card race.

From the Trainer's Room ...
The Cubs may be in the market for a right-handed outfield bat to platoon in center field over the next 48 hours. Reed Johnson broke a bone in his left foot when he fouled a pitch off of it in Chicago's 12-0 win over the Astros Wednesday. Kosuke Fukudome, Johnson's platoon partner in center all season, is hitting .179 against left-handed pitching.

Numbers Game ...
Ryan Braun had an apparent two-run homer turned into a triple in Milwaukee's 7-5 win over the Nationals when the umpires used replay to rule that his drive had not left Miller Park. It was the fifth time instant replay has been used in a Brewers game this season, and all five times the call has been overturned. In the previous four occasions, though, it was Milwaukee's opponent that had a call changed.

In Their Own Words ...
"No chance." -- Manny Ramirez on his hopes of winning a Gold Glove this (or in any) year. The mercurial Dodgers outfielder made a stunning grab at the wall to preserve a 1-0 Los Angeles lead in the seventh inning. The Cardinals tied the game in the bottom of the ninth and again in the bottom of the 11th before Albert Pujols provided the winning hit in the 15th. Ramirez later became one of two runners gunned down at the plate in extra innings. The Dodgers have lost four straight, and three in a row to St. Louis, scoring three runs in the first three games of their series against the Cards -- a span of 33 innings..

Advance Scouting ...
Two NL East teams mainly focused on the wild card (now that Cliff Lee is a Phillie) finish a series in Florida. Javier Vazquez takes the mound for Atlanta against the Marlins (7:10 PM ET), who are two games ahead of the Braves in the standings. Don't count on a lot of runs from either side. Despite a 2.98 ERA on the season, Vazquez is 8-7 -- a record that is largely a function of poor run support. The Braves have scored three runs or fewer for the right-hander in 10 of his 16 starts this year.

Starting Five: Garza Fumes at Yankees originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 30 Jul 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting Five: Tremors of Trouble in LA?

Ed Price — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Astros, Athletics, Blue Jays, Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Dodgers, Mariners, Marlins, Red Sox, NL West, MLB Injuries, Starting Five

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That the Dodgers have finally lost three in a row, falling 10-0 Tuesday to the Cardinals.

L.A. is the last team in the majors to have a losing streak longer than two, and by not doing so until games 98-100, it set a franchise record.

And while the Dodgers' lead in the NL West is still eight games, there are causes for concern. In two losses at St. Louis, Los Angeles has had 20 hits -- but scored just one run. The Dodgers went 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position in those games and had only three extra-base hits, all doubles.

More Coverage: Scoreboard | Standings | Statistics

"We've won a lot of close games, but to go this long only losing two in a row is pretty unusual," manager Joe Torre said. "But we have to get ourselves righted right now."

Someone who doesn't have to get righted is Cardinals third baseman Mark DeRosa, who homered for the sixth time in eight games.

From the Trainer's Room ...
Two NL Central Opening Day starters are on the shelf. Houston ace Roy Oswalt left his start at Wrigley Field in the second inning with a lower left back strain. He will likely miss at least one turn in the rotation. In Milwaukee, Jeff Suppan underwent an MRI that showed a strained left oblique. Although no decision has been made on his status, the already-thin Brewers rotation cannot afford much more damage.

Numbers Game ...
Oakland became just the second team in more than 25 years to get 21 hits at Fenway Park -- and no homers. The A's rallied from a four-run deficit to force extra innings and they beat the Red Sox 9-8 in 11 innings. Adam Kennedy had five of the hits, a career high and one fewer than he had in his previous six games total. In June 2006, Texas had 22 hits and no homers at Boston, and before that it had not happened since the Brewers did it in 1983.

In Their Own Words ...
"I was watching one of the monitors in the hallway in the bowels of the stadium. I came running back in here and started high-fiving guys." -- Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez, who was suspended for Tuesday's game, which the Marlins won on Ross Gload's two-run walk-off homer to get to four games over .500 for the first time since they were 14-10.

Advance Scouting ...
Is this it? Roy Halladay is scheduled to start for Toronto at Seattle Wednesday (4:40 PM ET), and it could be his last outing in a Blue Jays uniform. Halladay is the biggest catch on the trade market, but he may not be dealt. With 142 wins, Halladay is second in franchise history to Dave Stieb (175).

Starting Five: Tremors of Trouble in LA? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Brunch: Youth Served in L.A.

Ed Price — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Athletics, Braves, Brewers, Dodgers, Giants, Indians, Mariners, Mets, Nationals, Padres, Rays, Red Sox, Yankees, MLB Draft, FanHouse Exclusive, MLB Inside Scoop, Baseball Brunch

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

Yes, the Dodgers' solar system revolves around Manny Ramirez. He's their star on the field and their main attraction.

But they wouldn't have Ramirez, nor many of the players who carried the team in his absence, were it not for a farm system that has been remarkably productive.

"It's nice that management kept us all here," ace Chad Billingsley told FanHouse. "There's some teams that maybe just start trading guys away. And believing in us, that's a huge thing."

In the 2002-03 drafts, Los Angeles took Russell Martin, James Loney, Jonathan Broxton, Matt Kemp and Billingsley. Those five players made their big league debuts within an 11-month span, from July 2005 to June 2006.

And they aren't the only homegrown products on the roster. Clayton Kershaw came in the 2006 draft, James McDonald was part of that '02 draft crop and Ramon Troncoso was an international free agent.

"We've been fortunate to have great scouts," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said. "We have Logan White as scouting director and great scouts with him. They have an eye for talent and pick the right players. And player development people have taken it from there."

It's not just the guys in L.A. who have had an impact.

Catcher Carlos Santana, signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2004, and Jonathan Meloan (2005 draft) were traded to the Indians for Casey Blake. And third baseman Andy LaRoche (2003 draft) and Bryan Morris (2006 first-rounder) went to the Pirates in the three-way deal that brought Ramirez to what is now Mannywood.

Still, the Dodgers kept together a pretty good group. Martin, Loney and Kemp account for 31 percent of the team's RBI. Kershaw and Billingsley have 18 of the team's 61 wins, and Broxton has 23 of the 29 saves.

"It shows a lot about the front office and the scouting," Kemp said, "how good they are and basically just having the faith in us and letting us come up here and show our abilities."

White shared credit with his scouts and the player-development people, but he has certainly had an impact since coming from the Orioles, where he had been the west-coast scouting supervisor.

"When we completed that (2002) draft," he said, "we had a feeling we had something special. Maybe because it was my first. We were surprised at the depth and players we were able to get."

The players say their path to the majors, and their adjustment to the big leagues, was made easier because they did it pretty much as a group.

Billingsley and Martin met a their first day together on a rookie-ball team in Ogden, Utah -- not long after Billingsley was drafted in 2003.

"We all kind of broke in at the same time," Billingsley said. "It's pretty much like a brother relationship. Being in minor-league ball, you get to know each other with 10-hour-plus bus trips, the hotel rooms, not a whole lot to do in some of the cities."

White said Kemp and Loney pushed and fed off each other on the way up in a friendly competition, as did Billingsley and Broxton, who began as a starter.

Then they arrived in the majors virtually together.

"I think usually when a rookie comes up," Kemp said, "he's the only rookie and you've got all the older guys picking on him. When I came up there I think there were eight rookies, and we all knew each other. So it kind of made it more comfortable in the transition."

Every team knows the value of young players, whose salary can be controlled for three years and can't be free agents for three more. The money saved there can be spent on free agents or players with big contracts, such as Ramirez.

"I think we've been patient, as patient as we can be," Colletti said. At times we've probably fast-tracked a few of them and went through some growing pains because of it. But here, 3-4 years later, they've been in the postseason two out of three years, most of them."

A productive farm system had been the staple of the Dodgers franchise going back to Brooklyn, and it seems to be back that way.

White said he had almost the same feeling about his 2008 draft as that '02 crop, with right-handers Ethan Martin, Josh Lindblom, Jon Michael Redding and Nate Eovaldi, power-hitting outfielder Kyle Russell and speedy shortstop Dee Gordon (son of Tom Gordon).

"We have some pretty good players in the system still," White said. "That's the thing I'm happy about."

Overheard and Understood

Chart of the Week
Just because the Rays were the victim of a perfect game Thursday doesn't mean they can't make the postseason. Two teams on the wrong end of perfect games -- both by lefties, as happened to Tampa Bay -- reached the playoffs. Here's how teams that were victims of a perfect game in the past 50 years ended up:
Team	Perfect Pitcher	Finish
'04 Braves	Randy Johnson	96-66, 1st
'99 Expos	David Cone	68-94, 5th
'98 Twins	David Wells	70-92, 4th
'94 Angels	Kenny Rogers	47-68, 4th
'91 Dodgers	Dennis Martinez	93-69, 2nd
'88 Dodgers	Tom Browning	94-67, 1st
'84 Rangers	Mike Witt	69-92, 7th
'81 Jays	Len Barker	37-69, 7th
'68 Twins	Catfish Hunter	79-83, 7th
'65 Cubs	Sandy Koufax	72-90, 8th
'64 Mets	Jim Bunning	53-109, 10th

o. The Mets' lineup is so filled with backups that before one recent game, as the batting order was being announced, an infielder from the other team turned to an umpire and said, "Did they clinch the division last night?"

o. Milwaukee believed as of late last week it was a player in the Roy Halladay drama. "Toronto likes our players," one Brewers person said. "It's just a matter of can we make it work. I don't think money's a problem. We don't have young pitching, that's the problem. I think we'll be in the mix." Milwaukee also has its "toes in the water" on Cliff Lee.

o. The Red Sox weren't looking into Halladay just to block the Yankees. In fact, the Sox felt they won a battle in the never-ending war over the winter when the Yanks doled out three free-agent contracts of five-plus years worth a combined $423.5 million. The Yankees aren't interested in giving up what the Jays want for Halladay, nor do they want to add to their luxury tax.

o. Scouts say Seattle lefty Jarrod Washburn (recently scouting by Philadelphia) is a different pitcher this year. He has added a sinker and split-finger pitch to his repertoire. Before, he had trouble going anywhere but inside on right-handed hitters with his below-average fastball. Now he can work them away and work down. As a result, a career-low 5 percent of his fly balls are going for homers, his strikeout-to-walk ratio is a career-best 2.6 and he has a 2.71 ERA.

o. If Tampa Bay is to make a charge in the AL East, it will have to earn it. The Rays have 63 games left, with 10 against the Yankees, eight against the Red Sox, and six each against the Rangers and Tigers.

o. Mark Buehrle's perfect game was his first, of course, but it was the third time in his career he pitched nine innings and faced the minimum 27 batters (a no-hitter with a walk and a pickoff and a two-hitter with two double plays). No other pitcher in the past 55 years has done that three times, according to baseball-reference.com, and the only pitcher with two such games in Sandy Koufax. The White Sox said the quick-working Buehrle spent just 32 minutes on the mound in his perfect game.

o. The Indians have averaged 3.5 runs a game when Lee starts and 5.5 runs per game for all their other starters.

o. Last week's series between the Mets and Nationals was the first in the majors since July 2004 in which all three games lasted 2 hours, 20 minutes or less (2:16, 2:09, 2:20).

o. Despite playing in Petco Park, the Padres have gone 531 games without a complete-game shutout (the last was by Chan Ho Park on June 2, 2006). That's the second-longest streak ever, behind the 2001-05 Rockies, 645.

o. The Athletics call the first three pitches of a plate appearance "conversion pitches" and consider them crucial for pitchers. That's because batters have a .832 OPS after getting ahead 2-1 but a .520 OPS after falling behind 1-2. So, according to Oakland manager Bob Geren, the goal is two-thirds strikes on those first three pitches. "We stress it here," he said, "from the minor leagues all the way up. We track it and we teach off of it."

o. No Brewer has ever had 100 walks in a season, but Prince Fielder has a shot, with 72 so far.

o. Eric Hinske joined Dave Kingman as the second player to hit four homers in his first five games as a Yankee. Kingman's streak started Sept. 17, 1977 -- 43 days after Hinske was born.

o. Where did the Braves spend the All-Star break? Atlanta hit 68 homers in 88 games before the break and have 15 in 10 games since (four by Yunel Escobar and three by Chipper Jones).

o. Dan Rohn of the Giants' Triple-A Fresno (Calif.) team earned his 1,000th win as a minor-league manager last week.

Baseball Brunch: Youth Served in L.A. originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 26 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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