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Saturday, August 30, 2008

Rosenthal: Sources: Angels, Diamondbacks in pursuit of Eckstein

The latest Robothrenody reading…

The return of infielder David Eckstein not only would be a boost to the Los Angeles Angels’ injury-depleted infield, but also a homecoming that would resonate with the team’s fans.

However, the Angels face competition from the Diamondbacks in trying to acquire Eckstein before Sunday’s deadline for setting post-season rosters, major-league sources say.

The Diamondbacks are using Augie Ojeda and Chris Burke at second base after losing Orlando Hudson to season-ending wrist surgery. The addition of Eckstein would give them another option.

The Angels, meanwhile, envision Eckstein as a backup at shortstop and second base. The team lost shortstop Maicer Izturis to a season-ending thumb injury this month. Second baseman Howie Kendrick went on the disabled list Thursday with a strained left hamstring. And shortstop Erick Aybar is day-to-day with his own left-hamstring issue.

Repoz Posted: August 30, 2008 at 10:05 AM | 28 comment(s)
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1. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: August 30, 2008 at 10:41 AM (#2922735)

The Dbacks are lacking a surprising amount of scrappiness.

2. dahlian Kirby, children's author extraordinaire. Posted: August 30, 2008 at 10:51 AM (#2922740)

The Dbacks are lacking a surprising amount of scrappiness.

This is flat out wrong. Eck wishes that he had Augie Ojeda's scrappiness. It's no competition really.

That being said, assuming they don't give up anything of value, this would be a good pick up for the Snakes.

3. Randy Jones Posted: August 30, 2008 at 11:26 AM (#2922793)

This is flat out wrong. Eck wishes that he had Augie Ojeda's scrappiness. It's no competition really.

Augie Ojeda? He's not nearly white enough to be scrappier than Eckstein.

4. Gamingboy Posted: August 30, 2008 at 11:41 AM (#2922804)

Augie Ojeda is the scrappiest player in the history of scrappiness. Don't be racist.

5. Ryan Jones Posted: August 30, 2008 at 11:43 AM (#2922805)

Wait, two teams want to trade for Eckstein? Come on JP! Get us something (anything) in return.

Given the way that the D-Backs have been throwing prospects around, it might actually be something worthwhile too.

6. Fancy Pants Handle Posted: August 30, 2008 at 11:46 AM (#2922810)

Augie Ojeda? He's not nearly white enough to be scrappier than Eckstein.

Also, he doesn't have nearly enough hard consonants in his name. You just can't be scrappy with a sof t sounding name like that...

7. Robert S. Posted: August 30, 2008 at 12:53 PM (#2922847)

Eckstein will be The New Byrnes™ if Arizona gets him.

8. Leroy Kincaid Posted: August 30, 2008 at 12:58 PM (#2922851)

David Eckstein: "Two Time World Champion!"

9. 1k5v3L Posted: August 30, 2008 at 01:11 PM (#2922862)

The Dbacks have been throwing prospects around? Really? I doubt Dallas Buck and Wilkin Castillo qualify as "prospects". Micah Owings is not a prospects any longer, even though it is sad to see him go... but if Dunn helps the Dbacks reach the playoffs (and beyond), it'll be worth it

I think Ecks gives the Dbacks depth at SS. And that's not a bad thing, depending on the cost

10. ValueArb Posted: August 30, 2008 at 01:25 PM (#2922876)

Surprisingly Eck's is a huge upgrade offensively over Augie and Burke...

11. Epitome Posted: August 30, 2008 at 01:26 PM (#2922877)

What would be the all-scrappy team in today's game? The hard nosed guys full of character and leadership who play the game the way it was meant to be played?

C: P. Lo Duca
1B:
2B:
3B:
SS: D. Eckstein
LF: J. Pierre
CF:
RF:

Someone help me out here.

12. dahlian Kirby, children's author extraordinaire. Posted: August 30, 2008 at 01:28 PM (#2922880)

I think you're confusing the all-scrappy team with the all-BTF whipping boy team.

13. Chase Utley, America's Favorite Robot (Joey Belle) Posted: August 30, 2008 at 01:29 PM (#2922881)

Augie Ojeda is the scrappiest player in the history of scrappiness. Don't be racist.

You got it wrong, he's got that fiery latino temper, latinos can't by there very nature be scrappy, they can only be fiery.

14. rfloh Posted: August 30, 2008 at 01:29 PM (#2922882)

CF: Rowand

15. 1k5v3L Posted: August 30, 2008 at 01:31 PM (#2922883)

C: P. Lo Duca
1B: A. Boone
2B: N. Punto
3B: O. Infante
SS: D. Eckstein
LF: J. Pierre
CF: D. Erstad
RF: J. Tyner

Don't know about leadership.
Was going for scrappiness

16. dahlian Kirby, children's author extraordinaire. Posted: August 30, 2008 at 01:38 PM (#2922889)

You got it wrong, he's got that fiery latino temper, latinos can't by there very nature be scrappy, they can only be fiery.

You know it's possible to reach a point where you go from mocking stereotypes to further entrenching them.

Augie is by all accounts a scrappy player and he has been fully embraced by the Arizona fanbase because of it. Sure, it may not fit into the "non-statistically inclined fans are closeted racist" narrative that people here like to flog, but that doesn't make it any less true.

17. Chase Utley, America's Favorite Robot (Joey Belle) Posted: August 30, 2008 at 02:03 PM (#2922894)

Sure, it may not fit into the "non-statistically inclined fans are closeted racist" narrative that people here like to flog, but that doesn't make it any less true.

I was tapping into "the media loves to lazily toss around adjectives when describing players that perpetuate age-old stereotypes" narrative.

18. Fancy Pants Handle Posted: August 30, 2008 at 02:17 PM (#2922905)

non-statistically inclined fans are closeted racist

This is the worst piece of slander I have ever heard! Some of them are openly racist...

19. Padraic Posted: August 30, 2008 at 02:31 PM (#2922912)

Augie is a very scrappy name. Anybody who already has the 'ie' thing going on gets extra points. And Ojeda doesn't fit with the fiery name category. You need Zs.

20. The Milton Bradley Effect (Voxter) Posted: August 30, 2008 at 02:47 PM (#2922927)

Anybody who already has the 'ie' thing going on gets extra points.

I feel differently. This name robs the manager of anything to call him for short in post-game interviews. Not scrappy at all.

21. dahlian Kirby, children's author extraordinaire. Posted: August 30, 2008 at 02:52 PM (#2922929)

This name robs the manager of anything to call him for short in post-game interviews. Not scrappy at all.

Two words - Augie Doggie

22. The Milton Bradley Effect (Voxter) Posted: August 30, 2008 at 02:56 PM (#2922934)

Point taken.

23. Walt Davis Posted: August 30, 2008 at 04:36 PM (#2922984)

C: P. Lo Duca
1B: A. Boone
2B: N. Punto
3B: O. Infante
SS: D. Eckstein
LF: J. Pierre
CF: D. Erstad
RF: J. Tyner

Nah, Varitek has taken over the starting C job and Ausmus is the eternal backup.

There is a sad lack of scrappiness at 1B but Millar might be a better choice.

3B I think has to go to Figgins on career scrappy value. I'm not sure Infante can even make the bench on this team -- Miles, Ojeda, Bloomquist, Cairo and Chris Gomez are all in front of him on the depth chart. Yes, other than backup C, obviously all the backups on the all-scrappy team have to be MI multi-position types.

Tyner's too easy -- not to mention, only 2 AB this season. Is Emil Brown scrappy?

And you forgot our DH: Jose Vidro. That man gives you a good AB every time up.

Player most in need of adding scrappy to his repertoire ASAP: Jeff Francoeur. His OPS+ is now Vidro-esque.

24. Petunia Posted: August 30, 2008 at 05:04 PM (#2923002)

Marco Scutaro should be the consolation prize to whoever "loses" the race for Ecks. Scooter can also be a superutility guy on the all-scrappy team.

25. Baseballing powerhouse Crispix Attacks Posted: August 30, 2008 at 05:24 PM (#2923023)

Matt Stairs played 45 games at first last year, he can be the 1B. Kevin Millar is a good choice too, though.

26. Robert S. Posted: August 30, 2008 at 05:45 PM (#2923029)

Erstad at first and Rowand in center. Problem solved.

27. Padraic Posted: August 30, 2008 at 06:31 PM (#2923039)

1B is easy. Opens his top buttons on the uni. Always has a two-day beard going on. And no batting gloves people...No. Batting. Gloves.

Edit - And of course he fits #7s criterion...

28. jwb Posted: August 31, 2008 at 02:13 AM (#2923372)

Vizquel told the San Francisco Chronicle this week that he wanted to play next season, either for the Giants or in Japan.

Sadly, these options may be more appropriate for his current abilities:

North Division 
Team          W  L Pct 
Edmonton     27 15 0.643 
Calgary      19 22 0.463 
Chico        19 24 0.442 
Reno         11 29 0.275 
 
 
South Division 
Team          W  L Pct 
Long Beach   25 17 0.595 
StGeorge     24 19 0.558 
OrangeCounty 22 19 0.537 
Yuma         20 20 0.500

Assuming the Alberta teams can afford the jet fuel next year.

Augie is a very scrappy name.

Augie is a character in a Saul Bellow novel. Saul Bellow characters are never scrappy. Therefore, no one named Augie can be scrappy. Nelson Algren characters are scrappy. Frankie Ojeda could be awesomely scrappy.

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Rosenthal: Sources: Angels, Diamondbacks in pursuit of Eckstein

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