It'd be more fun if Slick Castleman were actually Patton's name instead of just a comp.


I guess this is the first big step in the decade-overdue rebuild. Hopefully we'll look back upon this as the move that started to turn things around. I know, that's a big hope, but that's our lot I guess.

I love the symmetry of Tejada and Scott both being 111 OPS+ players.

So if the Orioles can sign a 74 OPS+ shortstop (like say, Adam Everett) to replace Payton's 74 OPS+ in LF, they are no worse off than last year.

But they'll be 4 prospects and $25MM richer.

I think Tejada is the surer bet to put up an OPS+ of 111. Scott showed some pop in the minors, but he'll be 30 and doesn't have much of a major-league track record.

"Losing Pitcher Mulcahy"? Hell of a nickname.

I wonder if anyone has ever had ##### Tebeau as a top comp.

"Losing Pitcher Mulcahy"? Hell of a nickname.

Looking him up on BB-Ref, it is clear how he came by that nickname. Here was a starter/reliever of the 1930s-1940s who put up losing seasons in 7 out of 8 years, and led the league in losses twice. Despite being an all-star in 1940, he had a total record of 45-89 in 1,161.7 innings, with a career ERA+ of 90. He was good enough to pitch over 1,000 innings, but kept losing.

We need more honest nicknames like that. "Overrated" Zito, "Inconsistent" Pettitte, and "Living off that one year" Willis would be great nicknames, for instance.

"Losing Pitcher Mulcahy"? Hell of a nickname.

That's what you get for pitching for the Phillies at that time.

Apropos of nothing, he was the first major league regular drafted in WWII and the Sporting News reported that he said "My losing streak is over for the duration...I am on a winning team now."

Dan, since you're adding cool stuff like OPS+ and ERA+ to the ZIPS profiles, how about age?

And can you somewhere give us the OPS+ on the Guillen and Hunter signings?

Ok line for Scott, nothing great, but 98 RBI in only 431 at bats?

Who's he driving in?

Does Baltimore have a plan B for shortstop in 2008?

Dan, since you're adding cool stuff like OPS+ and ERA+ to the ZIPS profiles, how about age?

I think Marcel can probably predict a player's age as well as ZiPS can, so it's not clear what that would add.

Fearless prediction: Luke Scott will not be an Oriole come July 31st.

loren,

scott has been VERY good in the majors - he started of the year lousy in 05, rooled in 06 and SHOULD have been the full time RF in 07 but for some reason they already disliked him...

he's darn good and i'm surprised dan
no - i'm NOT surprised dan only got him down for 111 OPS+

How badass would a Scott/Mench platoon be?

Is there a better leftfielder in the American League than a platoon of those two?

Manny Ramirez DEFINES "badass", no?

Twin Cities media report that the Twins have signed Adam Everett. Can anybody confirm?

OK never mind I found it. On any ordinary day, that would rate a thread, no?

OK never mind I found it. On any ordinary day, that would rate a thread, no?

And it did:

http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/newsstand/discussion/rosenthal_sources_twins_everett_reach_deal/