Pretty damn funny.

What kind of an org bats a guy cleanup one day than DFA's him the next (Phelps)?

Wait; they DFA'ed Phelps so they could bring up Reggie "Career OPS+ 68" Taylor?

Is this one of those moves designed to make Lou Piniella stop grousing? Does Piniella have an addiction to mediocre-to-bad outfielders and constantly needs new fixes?

I had high hopes for this entry, and they were more than met.

Manny Aybar for Josh Phelps! Pull the trigger, Omar!

WTF? If you're going to call up another OF, why not Gomes? Sure, Durham is a hitter's park, but at least he might be good.

Hi-larious.

Best. Oracle. Ever.

Brilliant, but only barely less brilliant than the toast.

Still RDF.

I am in a Strat Keeper league.

What does this have to do with this entry?


I read that Reggie Taylor had been called up. I saw him play in a Bulls / Lynx game last week and he made a sweet catch.

"Good for him." I thought.

Then I read that he was called up because they DFAd Josh Phelps.

I own Josh Phelps. I got him with a very high first round pick a couple of years ago. "Damn it!"

Then I read that Reggie Taylor would likey replace Alex Sanchez as the D-Rays' center fielder.

I also own Alex Sanchez. "Damn it again!"

Now I really, REALLY don't like Reggie Taylor.


(Not that I was expecting anything useful from Sanchez ever again, but I am always hopeful.)

Nah--this blows the Toast oracle away. Great stuff.

No, the toast was simple, yet brilliant.


My God, we're talking about Transaction Oracles like we were art critics. :D

where is joey gathright?

any speculation on where phelps will end up?

the blue jays could certainly use another power bat. i think he would be worth taking a chance on. i don't think they can hang around too much longer with their current roster.

Insta-Primey.

"Lots more Dad outfielders? That's a lot to ask for, Billy .... how many daddies do you think you have, anyway? Wait, don't answer that. I'll ask your mommy."

This beats Toast by a good margin.

This is just that damn funny.

Can Josh Phelps play an acceltable 1B?

I suppose there's some chance he'd suck less than Kevin Millar.

Josh Phelps > Rubson Giamierra

It's simple, really. Lou has a very real need to have as many players on his team that he can outhit in early BP.

So what happens to Phelps now? Is he on waivers?

Dan is a genius. Perfect yin to Repoz's yang.

I love this site.

it's key that esix snead is brown... lmfao

Bashing Chuck Lamar is too easy, but anyone else get the feeling Lou Piniella has given up and wants out?



Isn't "Lamar" Billy Beane's middle name?

Guy should send him a letter. Guy can take a walk. He's been told that many times.

Esix Snead...runs like Willie Mays, hits like his three-year-old great granddaughter.

"Esix Snead" is a great baseball name, though.

And bravo Szym. Almost as good as the Detroit Tigers free agent contract.

Billy, you're not the only one that is sad.

-Devil Ray "fans"

I used to think that the Devil Rays represented the expansion bridge to far. But they are the only team that is ritually abused by the Phillies. Thanks for Bobby Abreu for Kevin Stocker, and the bag of balls for Reggie Taylor roll real nice. Taylor was a first round tools goof pick, position player out of high school in Chicago, iirc.

great intro, btw. Hadn't seen the toast but am glad I did.

I used to think that the Devil Rays represented the expansion bridge too far.

{D-Rays fan in his best Gene Hackman-Polish accent}: Just checking to see who's side you're on.

Billy? Plagiarist.

So what happens to Phelps now? Is he on waivers?

That's what "designated for assignment" means. If Phelps clears waivers, he can be released or sent to the minors; if he doesn't, the D-Rays can work out a trade or let him be claimed.

This is indefensible, and I have to think that none of this would have happened if Rocco Baldelli hadn't been injured in the offseason. Most of the moves since have been in an effort to find someone who can give passable offense and defense in CF, without requiring a move of Carl Crawford there full-time until Baldelli returns. Why the Rays have been obsessed with CF is beyond me.

-- MWE

This is why BPro is not allowed to have players on the cover of the book anymore.

Lou probably thought it was his former player Ken Phelps.

For those that don't remember, this is the Tigers contract that Matt is referring to.

I used to think that the Devil Rays represented the expansion bridge too far.

{D-Rays fan in his best Gene Hackman-Polish accent}: Just checking to see who's side you're on.

[D-Rays fan in his best Robert Redford accent}: Hail Mary, full of grace! Hail Mary, full of grace!

This was hilarious, and the Danny Graves signing was really damn funny as well.

Okay, I can see I need to click on TOs more often.

Most of the moves since have been in an effort to find someone who can give passable offense and defense in CF, without requiring a move of Carl Crawford there full-time until Baldelli returns.

The real issue with all of it is the fact that Piniella refuses to use Crawford as the regular center fielder, because he feels he won't be able to concentrate on his hitting as much. Stupid reason, but that's Piniella.

There's more to this move than there seems. When it was announced some of us speculated that it could be a precursor to Jonny Gomes coming up to be the regular DH (replacing Phelps). Since Lou loves versatile, crappy players (and Gomes is poor defensively), Taylor has more use on the team than Phelps in interleague play and once they go back to the DH Gomes could be called up.

According to a couple people today with sources in the organization, that's exactly what will happen. Unfortunately, one person who tends to have accurate souces said that it could be Damon Hollins that's DFA'd for Gomes and that Gomes will only be up until Rocco returns. Obviously, that would be horribly stupid.

Someone asked about Gathright, he's currently on the DL. Haven't heard what's wrong with him though.

"Esix Snead" is a great baseball name, though.

I saw him in the Eastern League a few years ago and said Thank God he isn't a shortstop.

"The real issue with all of it is the fact that Piniella refuses to use Crawford as the regular center fielder, because he feels he won't be able to concentrate on his hitting as much."

I thought it was because if he put Crawford out there, everyone would see how much better he was then Baldelli. And then there would be issues when Baldelli came back. At least, that's the only way I could justify it.

I just watched A Bridge Too Far again the other day. And I just woke up Mrs Snowboy with peals of laughter while imagining D-Ray fan as Robert Redford "Hail Mary, full of grace!".

Thanks. Primey for #33.

And when will LaMar earn a Darwin Award?

Just asking, but would the D-Rays be in this spot if they hadn't waived Restovich out of spring training? Or did they need the center fielder?

Chuck Lamar: So that's it. We're pulling them out. It was Vinny Castilla.

Cam Bonifay: It was the signing of Fred McGriff.

John Higgins: No, it was after Vinny Castilla.

Tim Wilken: And the park, in Tampa.

Lou Piniella: Doesn't matter what it was. When one man says to another, "I know what let's do today, let's play the baseball game."... everybody loses.

{Chuck Lamar is his best Sean Connery accent}: Piniella. I've got lunatics laughing at me. My original plan has been scuppered now that Baldelli is hurt. My communications are completely broken down. Do you really believe any of that can be helped by a cup of tea?

Lou Piniella: Couldn't hurt, sir.

Alright, I know this is getting old, but one more.

Lamar to Piniella is his best Ryan O'Neal impression: I need a man with very special qualities to lead.

Piniella in his best Robert Redford impression: Go on, sir.

Lamar: He's got to be tough enough to do it and he's got to be experienced enough to do it. Plus one more thing. He's got to be dumb enough to do it... Start getting ready.

Zimmer to Piniella: What was all that about, Lou?

Piniella: Well someone's come up with a real nightmare. Real nightmare.

"So what happens to Phelps now? Is he on waivers?

That's what "designated for assignment" means. If Phelps clears waivers, he can be released or sent to the minors; if he doesn't, the D-Rays can work out a trade or let him be claimed."


Not really. DFA means the team gets 10 days to choose whether to option him (and thus place him on waivers), release him outright, or put him back on the roster. There's a (slight) possibility that they actually put Phelps back on the roster once interleague is done, but I think it's more likely that Taylor gets waived at the end of interleague to make room for Jonny Gomes.

Not really. DFA means the team gets 10 days to choose whether to option him (and thus place him on waivers),

I was under the impression that waivers had to be part and parcel of the 10 days?

I.e., I think it takes 3 days for a player to go through the waiver process, so for a team to try to try to slip someone like Phelps through, by the 7th day after DFA -- they have to be placed on waivers. Otherwise - the 10 DFA days are up, and some action has to take place (release, trade, or re-add).