Well played, sir.

The danger here isn't in having Willie Bloomquist on one's roster - he has his uses (a 25th man with good speed who will put on a glove and play anywhere in the field capably). It's that Trey Hillman is likely to give him a few hundred ABs. Here's the money quote from Hillman, from the article on the Bloomquist signing at MLB.com:

"When you put everyone's evaluations together, from our scouts to our coaches who have had experience watching him day in and day out or from the other side of the field, I think sometimes guys just need the right situation or the right chemistry of the club that they're on to go from being a utility guy to an everyday player.

It has to be one of the great miracles of our time that Bloomquist managed to draw 25 walks in 192 PA with only ONE extra-base hit. How can you be a professional pitcher and not throw strikes to this guy on a 3-ball count?

FWIW, walks for the guys in the "1 XBH with 30+ hits" club:

Willie Bloomquist - 25 BB, 192 PA
Glenn Beckert - 11 BB, 184 PA
"Reindeer" Bill Killefer - 4 BB, 144 PA
Eddie Miller - 5 BB, 146 PA
Luis Gomez - 12 BB, 186 PA

Ahh, it's always heartwarming when Billy makes a TO appearance.

Agreed.

Another issue is, why give Willie $1.5 million a year when a quick search of AAA rosters could likely uncover a similar guy for a song?

The anticipation of a first-time click on a TO post upon a universally stupid signing is almost as great as it must be for Billy when he looks at those presents under the tree. Thankfully, it's a sure bet MLB teams will continue making stupid deals, thus making for repeated Christmas Days 'round these parts. Nice work: keep it up Dan and MLB.

P.S.: Less ZIPS, WARP, DOOBIE (sic), and Comps; more silly Paint jobs, screenshots and SNES references.

Is that Billy Butler?

Of course as a fan of a team whose GM signed Aaron Miles for 2/$5, I shouldn't be picking on the Royals. If there's a substantial difference between those two players, I don't see it other than Miles having 800 more AB to provide even more proof that he can't hit.

Miles did put up a 99 OPS+ last year in 400+ PAs, which is a lot better than Bloomquist has ever been able to do.

I thought that Bloomquist was only in the league because he was Mr. Seattle (or Bremerton - whatever).

Apparently not?

Did I miss a Giambi to the A's TO?

Trevor Hoffman analysis soon?

This defines "senseless". I'll grant Moore that Willie is a terrific basestealer, and when the rules are concocted for zero-gravity fergusball, whatever positions are invented Willie will be able to play them, but so what? This is a man with a career OPS+ of 74. 74!!!For a club with a limited budget this is a firing offense.

Decades from now, Bloomquist's grandchildren will ask about his career. So, Grandpa, when was it you signed your big contract? What??? The year the housing bubble burst and the international economy went into the crapper? That's right kids. And now Grandpa is going to teach you the word incongruous.

Ahh, it's always heartwarming when Billy makes a TO appearance.
Billy >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Family Circus' Billy.

dan

this is fer SHER your best one since the juan gonzalez one last year

you got yourself a WONDERFUL sensayuma

i just wish you had done this for one of the astros fabulous signings like matt kata/jason michaels/aaron F boone

If Willie Bloomquist had been born in Pittsburgh, and John Wehner born in Bremerton, we never would have heard of either of them. Instead, they're each going to end up as a 10-year-plus major league ballplayer.

Is there any chance in your realm of choice that Billie Bloom outperforms TPJR?

"If Willie Bloomquist had been born in Pittsburgh, and John Wehner born in Bremerton, we never would have heard of either of them. Instead, they're each going to end up as a 10-year-plus major league ballplayer."

An interesting comparison to make, considering that each one started out his career on a hellacious hot streak.

Seriously. Wehner hit .340/.381/.406 in his rookie year, including an 18-for-40 stretch in his first dozen games. It was absolutely unreal.

Is there any chance in your realm of choice that Billie Bloom outperforms TPJR?

Considering that TPJ's OPS+ was 7 in 2008....

yeah.. Bloomquist would be an improvement on Pena. If Moore is willing to dump Pena and let Bloomquist be an overpaid utility guy.

I like what JoPo said the other day, something like this was the first time ever a guy with a .322 OBA was described by his GM as an "on-base percentage guy."

I like what JoPo said the other day, something like this was the first time ever a guy with a .322 OBA was described by his GM as an "on-base percentage guy."

Good: Using OBA instead of BA
Bad: Forgetting to rescale your brain