WEEI: Schilling: Five Years Later … Becoming a Red Sox

Part zweei…

My fondest memories in uniform here are varied. The one-hitter in Oakland, not because I lost a no-hitter with 2 outs in the ninth, but because we had lost four straight, desperately needed a win, and our bullpen was spent. The complete game against KC, well, because CG’s were always what is, first and foremost, what we’re supposed to do. Tek’s glove to face plant on A-Rod for no other reason than that was an igniter for us and a catalyst for so many other things. The 200th win in Fenway. Watching Jon Lester battle back from cancer to not only pitch, but become a No. 1. D-Lowe stepping up and helping carry us through the postseason. Foulkie being the no-doubt MVP of the ‘04 postseason, authoring what I thought was the best October in history for a reliever. He doesn’t do that, we don’t win. Billy Mueller--man, what a class act. Papi getting a game-winning hit every single night in October of ‘04, or so it seemed. Watching Tito get lambasted by fans and media ‘experts’ in ‘04 for being a pushover, then having those same mediots wax poetic about how great he is after ‘07 and into ‘08. Seeing the SHADE Foundation take hold in Boston. Watching the Boston ALS Chapter become a force. So much more, and all of it unforgettable.

The only crime for me would have been not being able to experience this place at the end of my career. Every player should be able to experience what it is that Boston has, at least once in their careers, because after 23 years of professional baseball and a life spent being a huge sports fan,
I can say with some clarity and perspective there is absolutely nothing like it.

To the fans of Sox Nation I say God Bless each and every one of you, and thank you. I owe far more than I ever received here. The city treated my family and me with respect and we’ll be forever grateful. Have a happy and safe holiday season. God Bless.

Doyle: Braves Need Sabathia – Because He’s Black

Quickly thumbs through scratzee Twinight Records collection...AHA! Syl Johnson!

The Atlanta Braves should sign free agent starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia because he’s a great pitcher – and because he’s black.  There – I said it. And others should be saying it too. Oh – and they can afford him.

Sabathia would give Atlanta the first long-term, larger than life African American baseball talent in over a decade.  The economic and marketing impact of that should not be underestimated.  Atlanta is a city that is 56% black within the city limits and 31% black within the metro area.  The Michael Vick experience with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons showed the importance of having a black superstar in Atlanta.  The Georgia Dome was sold out for five years when Vick was a starter after years of television blackouts due to a lack of home attendance.

It’s no coincidence that the Braves were never more popular and financially competitive than between 1991 and 1997, when they had strong African American talent and personalities like Fred McGriff, David Justice, Marquis Grissom, Ron Gant, Terry Pendleton, Deion Sanders, Otis Nixon, Jermaine Dye and Kenny Lofton.  For some reason or reasons, which we can only speculate upon here, these players were never replaced with other African American stars.

Ringolsby: Do the numbers still add up for Hall?

And why isn’t Bob Caruthers mentioned in that “There has never been a Hall-of-Fame eligible pitcher who retired with 100 or more victories than losses and didn’t make it in” line that’s making the rounds?

There are stats that ensure a players’ Hall of Fame future.

Or do they?

Have the numbers been blurred in recent years to the point where what once were standards no longer provide guarantees for enshrinement?

...Yes, Jeff Kent has hit more home runs—377—than any second baseman in history, but is that enough at a position where defense has figured so heavily in the past? Does Kent’s disruptive personality work against him? The Dodgers’ surge to the NL West last year didn’t start with the arrival of Manny Ramirez, but rather the departure of Kent, whose final game before a season-ending knee injury was the final loss in an eight-game losing streak.

While Frank Thomas has hit 521 home runs and has a career .301 batting average, does the fact he has been a DH in 1,311 games in his career while playing first base in only 971 games become a handicap? Paul Molitor is considered the first DH to be enshrined, but was he? While he did DH in 1,174 games he also played in the field in 1,495. He just spread his talent around the field, playing 791 games at third base, 400 at second, 197 at first base, 57 at shortstop and 50 in the outfield.

Kovacevic: Pirates plan patience with offseason moves

Black and Gold Friday here at Primer! (fatty with large pocketbook gets knocked over at key BTF entrance)

But Huntington is adamant, as is the entire front office, that the plan this new administration set in motion last fall is making progress toward developing a deep organization. And all concerned are equally adamant that the most prominent moves made this winter must fit into that category.

“We are not throwing 2009 to the wind and saying, ‘Well, we’ll win again sometime in the future.’ We know we need to win, and sooner rather than later, and we’re going to show up, work hard, prepare, teach and go out to win every game” Huntington said. “But, if we can trade a veteran player and it brings us 12-18 years of control instead of one or two, and we don’t take that large of a step backward, that’s just good business.”

And that is why, according to multiple sources, no fewer than of the Pirates’ five veterans—shortstop Jack Wilson, second baseman Freddy Sanchez, first baseman Adam LaRoche, reliever John Grabow and catcher Ronny Paulino—already have been part of trade talks, to some degree or other.

In the cases of Sanchez and LaRoche, by all accounts, they have been mere inquiries from the outside. But the other three have come up in several directions.

“Wilson and Grabow are out there, and they’re really pushing Paulino,” one American League executive said.

Righthander Koplove signs with Phillies

Let’s face it. Who can trust a Koplove who don’t take money?

Last December, a little known free agent named Chad Durbin signed with the Phillies and went on to establish himself as one of the key components in a bullpen that finished the regular season ranked as the best in the National League East.

This year, Mike Koplove will try to do the same.

Two sources familiar with the situation confirmed yesterday that the Phillies agreed to terms with the 32-year-old righthander on a contract that includes an invitation to spring training.

Unlike Durbin, who signed a 1-year, $900,000 contract, Koplove, a Philadelphia native, must prove himself next spring to make the roster of his hometown team.

McCarron: CC Sabathia buyers beware: $100 million pitching pacts big risks

Discover the CC/NY admissions process from application to financial aid to the first day of the season…

However, the Yankees, might be in a position in which they’ll have to accept nearly any dangers, says Vince Gennaro, the author of “Diamond Dollars: The Economics of Winning in Baseball,” which examines how much players are worth to their teams.

“The second-biggest issue they could have is overpaying CC,” Gennaro said. “The biggest issue would be not making the postseason in ‘09.

“The Yankees are the one team who has to err on the high side coming into this season. Once the novelty of the new park wears off - and at those prices, it might wear off quicker - they will have to deliver a product.

“People will have to feel like they are coming to see the Yankees, a team that is going to be in the postseason. The Yankees are sort of in a corner right now where it’s probably not the worst thing if they took on more risk than they might want to.”

Fenway Nation: Put Teddy Ballgame On A Stamp

Found this in Ed Linn’s Stamp News…

Would you like to be part of Baseball History? For some 5 years the BoSox Club has been working on the task of requesting the U.S. Post Office to issue commemorative stamps in honor of Ted Williams as a tribute to his memory. Having served in two wars and having achieved the admiration of many Americans, we feel that Ted should be honored as a great man for his work in the Marines, for the Jimmy Fund and his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. As you may know this has been done for such players as Ruth, Mantle, Clemente and a few others. The original postal regulations stated that they could not issue any stamps in Ted’s honor until the 10th anniversary of his passing, July 5th 2012, and that date is our target.

The Bosox Club has the support of the Williams family and the Boston Red Sox. However, we need the support of as many citizens as possible from around the world in this endeavor. Please contact your friends, relatives, associates, politicians and anybody you think can help us out, especially those outside New England.

Goold: The St. Louis Cardinals Mount Rushmore

EGAD! Roger Thornhill would have had one look at this and jumped!

Back during the limbo between playoff series, Bird Land asked the simple question: What four members from Cardinals’ history would you carve into a Mount Rushmore of the franchise? We called it The Rushmore Project. There were no rules, though some demanded that it be kept to players only. There were no guidelines as far as time served, though some insisted that Albert Pujols not yet being eligible for the Hall of Fame should mean he not yet be eligible for Mount Cardsmore as well.

From Stan Musial to George Kissell to Branch Rickey — there was only a list of 15 candidates and the invitation to write in more. Dizzy Dean and Mike Shannon, who should have been No. 16, gained the most write-in votes.

...A total of 8,552 people voted, at least check, on the Rushmore Project, and each of the four faces above received at least 40 percent of the vote. Three of the players featured above are Hall of Famers, and the third is well on his way after just winning the second MVP of his career. Musial, of course, led the way, with 8,274 votes, begging the question who were the 3 percent of voters who left him off? Bob Gibson received 7,728 votes (90 percent). In a show of strength from the current generation of Cards Nation, Pujols received 5,087 votes (59 percent), and Ozzie Smith received 3,523 votes (41 percent).

NY Times: Baseball Pulls Curtain on Amphetamine Tests (RR)

Down and Out in MLB, with Amphetamine Psychosis Again…

Since Major League Baseball began testing for amphetamines in 2006, it has been difficult to determine the policy’s value as a deterrent. Players who tested positive for the first time were not identified or punished, so there was no way of knowing if 20, 30 or 100 players had been caught in a particular year.

Only the identities of those who tested positive more than once were revealed. Only those players were suspended. That group has been small — two players in the last three years — which suggests that those caught once are not tempting fate and have stopped using amphetamines.

But what about first-time positives? Is that annual number substantial? If so, that means players are using amphetamines until being caught.

Baseball is about to provide an answer. In early January, the organization’s testing administrator will release the number of first-time positive amphetamine tests for 2008, along with other data about the testing program.

Passan: Navy isn’t playing games with Johnston

“It takes a lot to get me down,” Jonathan Johnston said.

It’s the middle of August. He’s aboard the Peleliu. He’s not allowed to divulge the ship’s precise location.

“I’m very angry,” he said. “I was ripped away from something I love.”

He’s not sure he should be talking. He doesn’t want a reprimand. He just doesn’t understand why, and nobody has been able to give him a sufficient answer.

“I didn’t know what to do that day,” Johnston said. “I didn’t want to talk to anybody. I had to go to the manager when we showed up at the park later and tell him I couldn’t be in the lineup. He had to take me out.”

On Nov. 2, 2007, Navy Secretary Donald Winter issued a policy memo upholding every five-year commitment from Naval Academy midshipmen. Erased was the deal other service academies afforded professional athletes with contracts: serve two years, then double the remainder of your commitment in the reserves, and you are free to pursue your sports career.

“I realize we’re different services,” Johnston said, “but I don’t think I’m any less of a patriot or officer than those guys are.”

The Navy does not concern itself with the other branches.

“Because we’re a nation at war, we need every available body to go to that mission,” said Lt. Cmdr. John Daniels, a Navy spokesman. “This is just one way the Navy is showing our full commitment to the global war on terrorism.”

One of those stories where nobody wins.

Toronto Star: The Richard Griffin Mailbag

With questions like...Okay, 3 guys I’d like to see in Jays’ uniforms next year: Mike Jacobs - a true power-hitting first baseman. He doesn’t hit for a great average, but he brings that home run/RBI threat we are lacking. Orlando Cabrera - a real shortstop, a real leadoff guy, a real ballplayer! ...why would the Griffin return?

Q: Richard, to me the core problem with the Blue Jays over the past few years has been their inability to hit with runners in scoring position, in the early season when it still matters. I could care less what they do when they are 15 games out. They need at least one or two proven RBI guys or it doesn’t matter if they re-sign Burnett, or anyone else for that matter because they won’t win a thing.

A: The only people who care that the Jays always seem to hit well when they are 15 games out are in the front office. They spend all winter pointing it out to potential ticket buyers as a reason that the Jays will contend when the fact is it’s always Groundhog Day with runners on third and less than two out. I would go after Raul Ibanez and Orlando Cabrera and settle for one of them. I would also wait until late January then sign a desperate veteran run producer on the cheap for one year plus an option.

NY Baseball Digest: DelGrippo: Is Andy Pettitte playing the Yankees?

Wait, wait...I thought Andy Pettitte was the greatest BG/BS™ pitcher ever!

I personally feel the Yankees do not need Pettitte, that he is on the decline and doesn’t have the same bite on his reknowned cut fastball. The Yankees are interested in Sabathia and Lowe because they were dominant #1starters down the stretch, helping their teams into the playoffs. But, Pettitte was the exact opposite of Sabthia and Lowe, was terrible down the stretch, fashioning a 2-7 with a 6.23 ERA in his final 11 starts. So, if you were Brain Cashman, the reason you like Sabtahia and Lowe should be the reason you DON’T LIKE Pettitte - he was terrible when it counted most.

The Yankees do not want to give Pettitte similar money as last year, knowing he is on the decline and is, at best in 2009, going to be a fifth starter. But, the Yankees need to offer arbitration, and hope that the Dodgers’ need for a veteran starter is too much and they offer Pettitte a two year deal for good money. But, if Pettitte does accept arbitration, seek to trade him (and possibly Johnny Damon) to the Dodgers for a young player or two. I like Matt Kemp and James McDonald straight up.

mlb.com:  Langosch:  Bucs’ season of giving never ends

Yeah, I thought this was going to be snark on poor Pittsburgh personnel decisions.

With sweatshirts caked in plaster, tools in hand, and masks on faces, 16 members of the Pirates organization and FOX Sports Net Pittsburgh spent last Thursday teaming up with Pittsburgh’s Habitat for Humanity chapter to work on a home for a deserving local family.

Nice to see so many Pirates active in the community, though!

BBTiA: Wilfredo Boscan Interview

After logging 56.2 innings in the Dominican Summer League as a 17-year-old, Wilfredo Boscan made his 2008 North American professional debut in the college-heavy environment of the Northwest League. At short-season Spokane, along with fellow teenagers Martin Perez, Carlos Pimentel, and Neil Ramirez, Boscan joined one of the youngest and most talented starting rotations in professional baseball.

Known for his control, Boscan continued where he left off in the DSL by allowing just 11 walks in over 69 innings of work. On top of his stellar control, Boscan limited the much older competition to only 66 hits while striking out an impressive 9.09 batters per nine innings. That’s a strikeouts-to-walks ratio of over 6-to-1. That’s incredible.

WEEI: Schilling: Five Years Later … A Pitcher’s Most Memorable Thanksgiving

Boksballen! It looks like 38 Pitches is no more…

Late in the year, Mr. Colangelo (the Diamondbacks owner who I think the world of), Todd Stottlemyre and I were sitting in the clubhouse manager’s office while we were getting beat. Mr. Colangelo was pissed. He was talking about payroll and how he had no issues with paying the money as long as players performed. He looked at both Stott and me and said:

“Look at you two, $17 million dollars pissed away for two guys that haven’t done anything this year.”

Stott and I were pretty quiet. He left, we looked at each other and smiled that nervous “I am not sure how to react” smile. We both laughed and at the same time said pretty much the same thing.

No matter what you thought about the man the reason you loved him was his honesty. You never had to guess where you stood with him, because he had no trouble telling you.

Beyond the Box Score: Anderson: Do Not Sign Jon Garland

People of MLB...I came here to give you these facts. It is no concern of ours how you run your own team, but if you threaten to extend your ignorance, this league of yours will be reduced to a burned-out cinder. Your choice is simple: join us and live in enlightenment, or pursue your present course and face obliteration. We shall be waiting for your answer. The decision rests with you.

Some general manager is about to make a critical mistake.

Last season Jon Garland had a tRA of 5.74, or 0.01 runs better than a replacement level starter’s ERA (0.36 better tRA), over 196.7 innings pitched. That works out to about eight runs (non-leveraged), making Garland a 0.8 WAR pitcher, worth less than 4.4 million last season, and nearing 30 years old. Since 2003, Garland hasn’t posted a single tRA* under 4.75, and only one tRA under 4.75, that came in 2006. Despite this, he finished sixth in the 2005 Cy Young voting, largely due to 18 wins.

It appears Garland is a 5 run pitcher at absolute best, and that’s barely over replacement level. Anything more than 4.4 annually is overpaying for him, but the odds are he’ll get double that this off-season, and possibly a deal similar to Kyle Lohse’s 4/41. That’s simply unacceptable for any team, even the Red Sox (who are smart enough to not even call) or the Yankees (who probably won’t consider him.)

...So, which team steps on this landmine?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks for helping make this site such a special place.

THT: Young: Does Ted Simmons belong in the Hall of Fame?

Ok...enough with Mussina.

This is all well and good, if a bit theoretical. What did the only folks’ whose opinion on the subject matters, i.e., the voters, have to say when put to the task? To put it bluntly, they weren’t the least bit impressed with Simmons’ candidacy. He received 17 votes (3.7 percent) in 1994, his first year of eligibility, and subsequently was bounced from the ballot for further consideration.

That same year, Steve Carlton was the only player selected for enshrinement. Orlando Cepeda, Phil Niekro, Tony Perez, Don Sutton, and Bruce Sutter (whose election still boggles the imagination) all fell short but eventually made it into Cooperstown.

...Now, even granting that no man is the sum of his production, how were guys like Garvey, Oliva, Concepcion, and Guidry allowed to linger on the ballot for years while Simmons was dismissed with a wave of the hand? Take Concepcion, for example. His name first appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot in ‘94, same as Simmons; unlike Simmons, however, Concepcion continued to receive support for the next 14 years, receiving nine to 17 percent of the vote in any given year.

Heck, he picked up 16.2% of the vote in 2008, his final year of eligibility. Concepcion was a fine baseball player, but why were 15 years of debate needed to determine that yes, in fact, he should be kicked off the island? Wouldn’t that time and energy have been better spent making the case for more worthy candidates such as Santo, Allen, and yes, Ted Simmons?

Was Watching: Callis: AFL Scout Says Phil Hughes “Not Overpowering At All”

Well...he’s certainly no Brute Hughes.

Via Jim Callis in the recent print edition of Baseball America -

[Phil] Hughes experienced his own ups and downs with the Peoria Javelinas. He earned AFL pitcher-of-the-week honors after his first outing and started the league’s all-star game, but he also got shelled by the Scorpions and missed a start with a torn fingernail.

Hughes mainly pitched off his 89-92 mph fastball and a plus curveball, a nice combination but not the 91-94 mph heater and knockout bender he showed down the stretch in Double-A two years ago. Whether he’ll regain his premium stuff once he stays healthy for an extended period remains to be seen. Whether he can stay healthy is uncertain, too, though he hasn’t had any arm-related problems since 2005, when he made two trips to the DL with shoulder tendinitis and a tired arm.

“I just don’t see how he dominated the lower levels of the minors so thoroughly,” a second scout said. “He’s not overpowering at all. But he has a solid fastball and the curveball is OK. I don’t see what all the fuss was about, but he’s probably still a No. 3.”

Plaschke: Dodgers owners need a huge reality check (RR)

It was the turkey breast of times…

No, No, No, No.

No, $30 million is not weird, it’s the price of competitive baseball.

No, fans should never be forced to choose between a charity and a championship, that’s absurd, is this a baseball team or a telethon? The fans want their money to go to one field only, the one occupied by the Dodgers, anything else is unethical and even immoral.

No, guaranteed contracts are not the deal of the devil, they are common baseball business.

No, fans should not have to worry that signing CC Sabathia means some poor child doesn’t eat that night, that’s beyond belief. Who runs this team, Charles Dickens?

(Should a columnist in a town that has had major league baseball for more than 50 years even have to write those last four paragraphs?)

Pirates: Huntington answers fans’ questions

Great leader! Great energy! Great Cesar Gutierrez’s Ghost!

Are we going to try to re-sign Doug Mientkiewicz and Jason Michaels? hey both are great leaders and brought great energy to this team last year.

We certainly would like to bring Doug and Jason back to the Pirates, Jeff. They did provide quality leadership and energy, but it will come down to finding a common ground on role, playing time and salary. We have talked with both players about exploring the free-agent market, determining their market value, seeing how it compares with what we have to offer and seeing if there is a deal for them to remain Pirates.

What are your evaluations and expectations of the players received in the Xavier Nady and Jason Bay trades now that a few months have passed?

Justin, we continue to be enthusiastic about the players we received in the two trades. We acknowledged from the outset that not all eight players would live up to expectations, but we need to caution against jumping to quick judgments (positive or negative). We did not make the trades looking for immediate returns; rather we made the trades to positively impact the quality and depth of our system currently and in the future, and we believe we have accomplished that goal. Our challenge going forward is to find ways to help these players achieve their potential.

Bonds drug-test results could be made public

The judge in Bonds’ perjury case surprised court observers Wednesday by approving a request made last week by the government to lift the veil on a reported 33,000 pages of previously sealed grand jury testimony from dozens of elite athletes who testified five years ago before a San Francisco grand jury.

Among the more explosive revelations thought to be contained in the files are several of Bonds’ tests results for anabolic steroids, a source said.

However, sources said the government will not release the unsealed material on its own, at least not for now. The only immediate impact of Judge Susan Illston’s order is that the threat of prosecution and jail time has been removed from any BALCO witness or source who wants to leak information.

Angels: Sabathia, Peavy could be options if club moves off Teixeira

According to multiple sources, the Angels are reluctant to come close to meeting the reported 10-year deal agent Scott Boras is seeking for the 28-year-old first baseman. Six or seven years—at about $20 million per—reportedly is the limit the Angels have projected for Teixeira.

One report, courtesy of Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com, suggests the Angels have moved on to CC Sabathia as their main target. It is conceivable they could sign Sabathia and also acquire Jake Peavy from the Padres, who have multiple needs the talent-rich Angels could satisfy.

If Jered Weaver is a centerpiece of a Peavy deal, imagine this rotation:

Sabathia, Peavy, John Lackey, Ervin Santana and Joe Saunders.

While Reagins now says...“Mark Teixeira is a priority”.

Philly’s new urban sustainability magazine is building a base

A look at Alex “Losing Publisher” Mulcahy and his new mag, Grid.

“In my early 20s, I was passionate about indie rock,” says Mulcahy, a Wilkes-Barre native and a 1992 graduate of King’s College. Recently, after devouring books such as Bill McKibben’s Deep Economy, Jane Jacobs’ The Death and Life of Great American Cities and Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Mulcahy was moved to branch out.

“I had an idea for a baseball magazine,” explains Mulcahy, a rabid Phillies fan. “I wanted to do a Baseball Prospectus-type magazine because I think that Prospectus is probably just a little bit too elevated for some people. ... But I felt like I needed to do this one first.”

Rosenthal: Boras has all the cards in this free agent market

Robothal has the off-season all figured out. Next up...McCarver’s Frizzled 6 and what to make of it.

Here’s my theory: Scott Boras wants Mark Teixeira in Boston.

Teixeira, a native of Maryland, would be happy to go back East, happy to accept whatever ridiculous deal the Red Sox gave him.

That way, both the Angels and Yankees would remain options for Manny Ramirez, Boras’ other major free-agent slugger.

The Angels could sign free-agent left-hander CC Sabathia with the money they had slotted for Teixeira. They also could add Ramirez to fill Garret Anderson’s slot and protect them against the possible departure of Vladimir Guerrero as a free agent after next season. Sabathia might cost $150 million over six years, Ramirez $90 million over three. But the additions of both would give the Angels utter control of the Los Angeles market, and make them the favorites to win the World Series.

Teixeria to Boston, Sabathia and Ramirez to the Angels. The Yankees would freak out if all that transpired, and yet another Boras client — free-agent right-hander Derek Lowe — would be the immediate beneficiary.

Oh, and don’t forget Boras’ free-agent catcher, Jason Varitek, who could return to Boston to join Teixeira, his friend and fellow Georgia Tech alum, with Boras posing between them at the news conference.

See how all this works?

The Baseball Analysts: 2008 Rule 5 Draft Pitchers

I heard this guy has some real punch to his fastball.

J. Brent Cox | New York (AL)
Position: Right-Handed Reliever
Born: May 1984
2008 Level: Double-A

The Yankees are putting a lot of faith in the hopes that teams will be scared away from intriguing prospects by medical reports. J. Brent Cox was a top college reliever when he was selected in the second round of the 2005 draft. He was on the cusp of a Major League call-up after a solid 2006 season at Double-A but those hopes were derailed by Tommy John surgery. He returned in 2008 and allowed 30 hits in 36 Triple-A innings. His rates were poor at 4.25 BB/9 and 4.00 K/9 but command and control are the last things to return after the surgery. Based on his past performances, Cox is worth a look.

LoHud: Abraham: LeBron talks about CC, the Yanks

Jeez...I just bratzed up a load of phegley. I don’t feel so well.

Noted Yankees fan and savior of the NBA LeBron James was in New York on Tuesday and talked to the media masses before destroying the Knicks. Sam Borden of The Journal News was on hand and filed this report:

On the idea of his friend CC Sabathia signing with the Yankees, LeBron said they had not discussed it yet. “It will be good for him, it would be good for the team,” he said. “The Yankees definitely need pitching, especially with Mike Mussina retiring. They need to bulk up their pitching rotation. … I know my stuff about the Yankees – they need some pitching, because they have all the offense in the world, and that can help.”

James was also asked why he thinks fans like Jeter more than A-Rod. Interestingly, he didn’t even mention A-Rod at all in his answer, praising only Jeter instead.

“I’m a big fan of Derek Jeter and I like the way he approaches the game every night. It’s not about numbers all the time, sometimes it’s about what you do off the field in his case. He’s been the leader of that team ever since he put on the pinstripes. You could always count on him to be there on and off the field, through rough times, through good times. He’s kind of been that backbone for the last 10 years I guess.” James said.

LeBron sounds like he knows his stuff. Jeter needs to make a call to make sure he helps recruit Sabathia.

Baseball Library: Lally: Answering a Moose Call

If Jim Bunning’s ears are burning...how can you tell?

Yesterday, you were quoted in the Wall Street Journal as saying that you think Mike Mussina belongs in the Hall of Fame. Do you really believe he’s the same caliber pitcher as the greats of my day, Bob Gibson, Jim Bunning, Tom Seaver, Don Sutton, Steve Carlton and Jim Palmer? Or legends like Whitey Ford and Walter Johnson? It seems to me he doesn’t belong in that company.

Jim Bunning? Don Sutton? If either pitcher had played with Mike Mussina when all three were in their primes, neither Mr. Sutton nor Mr. Bunning would wear the title “ace.”

...Mussina has finished sixth or better in the balloting for the Cy Young Award in nine different seasons, as many as Seaver, one more than Palmer and three more than Steve Carlton and Bob Gibson and four more than Sutton. On Sunday I read a column by a New York baseball writer in which he put Mussina on a level with Jack Morris. It was an absurd comparison. Morris’s career e.r.a. (3.90) was barely average (4.08) for the period in which he pitched. He was competent workhorse of a pitcher, a bit better than average but not by much, who happened to play for teams who backed him with superior run support.

Now go back and study the names I’ve mentioned. Many writers I’ve read over the past few weeks seem to be placing Moose in that borderline Hall of Fame pack with Jim Bunning, Don Drysdale, Don Sutton and pitchers who aren’t in the Hall like Morris. But Mussina’s record suggests he was more than a cut above all of them, and he belongs somewhere in that tier just a step below the most dominant pitchers in baseball history. Had he pitched in an era when managers weren’t as quick to go to their bullpens, he easily would have won 300 games, and we wouldn\’t be having this conversation. But 300 games or no, Moose compiled a more impressive record than half the pitchers already enshrined within the Hall. He belongs in there with them.

THT: Daly: Hardball diplomacy

A terrific look back at sports diplomacy, Boozie Kuhn, Fidel Castro and even some Henry Kissinger...slavishly brought to you by GGC.

That was the last serious attempt to send a team of major leaguers to Cuba for many years. In November of 1977, some players and coaches of the Houston Astros went to Havana and gave a clinic to Cuban players, but no games were played. The next spring, the Cleveland Indians looked to play a Cuban team in Tucson. Kuhn referred them to the Executive Council and nothing happened. Hall of Fame umpire Jocko Conlan wrote a letter to The Sporting News calling Castro a murderer and protesting the Indians’ plan. There were talks to bring a Cuban team to Montreal to play the Expos in August, but those went nowhere. Finally, in March of 1982, the Seattle Mariners had scheduled an exhibition series against a Cuban all-star team but it was canceled due to Cuban-American protests.

Major leaguers probably would have played in Cuba 21 years before the Orioles’ trip were it not for Kuhn’s veto. Nevertheless, Jagoda said that he understood why Kuhn, a corporate lawyer by trade, called the trip off. Kuhn was a businessman, not a diplomat. But imagine if a series had happened. Never mind the political ramifications—Americans might have had a chance to see players like Antonio Munoz, Wilfredo “El Hombre Hit” Sanchez and Changa Mederos.

Royals Review: What Do Royals Fans Have to Be Thankful For?

Uhh...Dennis Paepke hasn’t picked up a bat in over 30 years?

Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Billy Butler, Alex Gordon: The odds are that two of these guys will reach an All-Star level, perhaps higher, before its all said and done. It hasn’t happened yet, but at least its possible. Again, it wasn’t always like this.

The K: The K should really almost be in the same paragraph as the uniforms. The K manages to look modern and timeless at the same time, and should be even better this season with the renovations done. I love that the K isn’t a mallpark (knock on wood with renovations coming) and I love that it isn’t supposed to look like the Baker Bowl. The retro-look is as nineties as teal pinstripes. As long as the fountains and some amout of green space remain in the outfield seats remain, I’m happy. And wonderfully, the big honking scoreboard actually accentuates the stadium’s unique outfield and draws attention to it. Better still (knock on wood) the K is still simply “The K” and not “Qwest Ballpark” or “Circuit City Field”. I can’t explain how wonderful this is, and how much it sounds better and better with each passing year. On top of that, there are a higher percentage of good seats at the K than almost anywhere else in the game, thanks to the design of the seating bowl and the lack of a bazillion luxury suites. Good, affordable prices, too.