Last season I labeled the Reds as the collective Anti-Christ of roto. Fearful of competition for this title from the Phillies pitching staff and the Minnesota Twins, the Reds have gone to great measures this spring to remain my greatest roto nightmare. Dante would be proud. At least this season Barry Larkin let us know up front that we can expect the usual headaches. Ah Pokey, if only you could hit for average. Let's see, Greene is going to play. So is Sanders -- at least until he pulls a Larkin! Apparently it helps if you are the son of a Reds legend, because I read that Eduardo Perez has the first base job. I'm sure Roberto Petagine and Dmitri Young are thrilled to be in Cincinnati now. It looks like having daddy upstairs is not helping Bret or Aaron, though Bret should play until Bowden can unload him. Let's not even try to sort out the OF situation.
Who would have thought the Angels would miss Luis Alicea? The 2b situation is all the talk in Orange County. To me the question isn't how are the Angels going to survive without Velarde, but does it really help them when he comes back?
Good thing we did not hold the draft in the first week of March. "I'll open the bidding on James Mouton at 15!" The press coverage of the Padres continues to call this a competition between Rivera and Vaughn. The way I see it, Rivera has no chance. Perhaps if Mouton was not out to prove he should get the 300 ABs that go to the 4th OF in San Diego, Rivera could slide into that spot. But with Mouton locking that spot up, Vaughn almost certainly has to start. Your 5th OF cannot be near the top of the payroll chart. Doesn't matter if he's not even batting his weight in Spring Training.
Aren't there two expansion teams? Let's see... They added the Arizona Diamondbacks... They moved the Brewers to the NL... Maybe if I flip through the paper I can figure out the name of that other team. Everything that is still wrong with MLB seems to me to be summed up in the way expansion has been presented. "Check out this cool team we set up in Phoenix. And look at them spend money! Oh yeah, we gave St. Petersberg a team, too. It was time to shut them up." Granted, Arizona is a better team and deserves more of the hype, but the Devil Rays should be getting some press.
I hope you haven't run out and bought some Diamondback gear. They've already announced that they will be changing their look next season. Guess the fans have to pay for Jay Bell's contract.
I love Boston. Midway through March and the Red Sox are already lining up the excuses. "Well, our nice-guy leader is really a money-hungry, boozing asshole." "Jeff Frye is impossible to replace!" JEFF FRYE!! Don't get me wrong. I like the guy, and I would have kept him if I was Tony. But if Jeff Frye's injury is unraveling your club you've got some bigger problems. Like maybe the fact that the Steinbrenner-ish contract you gave Pedro Martinez has meant you can't sign anyone else. Or maybe the fact that you signed Dennis Eckersley, essentially wiping out the morale boost created by the successful conversion of Tom Gordon to closer. Or maybe it's the fact that you can't seem to understand that Tim Naehring is a walking injury. Oh well, what should I expect from a franchise built on the excuse of "curse."
What's really wrong with expansion? Dave Steib is in Toronto's camp.
He's 40 years old. Shouldn't he be in camp with the Twins.
"Gee, we feel really bad that we burned you on our trade. How about you send that stiff, Ben McDonald, back to us and we'll send you an uncertainty in return. At least his arm is not in a sling!"
Which is worse? The Mets, who are a big market team that won't spend money, or the Cubs, who are a big market team that spends money badly?
PREDICTION: Sometime in mid-July, Randy Johnson will inform Lou Pinella that he will be heading to the showers. 6 IP is enough for the day -- Randy's tired. Later in the game, Lou will watch balls fly over Glen Allen Hill's head. Some because they are going over the wall, and some because this is Glen Allen Hill we're talking about. Mike Timlin will be ineffective, so he will be replaced by Bobby Ayala. The fires will still be burning, so in will come Heathcliff Slocumb. Finally, with the Mariners' lead having disappeared, Lou will march out to pull Slocumb and the baseball world will witness a first. The spontaneous combustion of a manager.
(Paraphrased) Spring Training comments from Rangers' camp. Johnny Oates, "I see Rusty Greer running more this season. He's the complete package." Greer, "Thanks for the vote of confidence skipper. But you do know I bat third, don't you?. In front of Juan Gonzalez?"
It's time to acknowledge that Wil Cordero's MLB future is in doubt. When Steinbrenner won't sign you because you are not a model citizen, you are in big trouble.
Another class act looking for a job is Tony Phillips. In his case, though, I am surprised. Especially when I read that Andruw Jones will be leading off in Atlanta. Settle the second base issue and sign Phillips. Before you say Atlanta is the home of Boy Scouts, remember that Otis Nixon and Luis Polonia both played there in the 90s.
Good luck to everyone building retention rosters.
commish