The End Of Morgan Ensberg, Dan Johnson Going To New York, Elijah Dukes' Child Support, Ian Snell Wants Out Of The Steel City, Taking On Keith Law, A Fitting End To Biggio's Career In Houston, and the end of Jeff Allison's comeback...again.
The End Of Ensberg
The career of Morgan Ensberg in Houston is over.
With the acquistion of Ty Wigginton (a great aquisition, more on that tomorrow), the Astros have made it clear it's time to cut bait and designated Ensberg for assignment. It's a sad end to a player that had promise during Houston's title run in 2005, but a torn ligiment in his shoulder during an accident in 2006 sapped the life out of Ensberg's swing and left him powerless, resulting in the Astros' inevitable collapse in 2006 and a big reason why they were so awful this year.
Will Morgan get another shot? Probably. There are teams looking for third base help and the Astros could get some decent roster filler if they can accomodate them, but it's still a #### end to a career for a person who looked like he would be the first stable third baseman for the Astros since Ken Caminetti.
Dan Johnson – Potential Yankee?
Dan Johnson is rumored to be headed to the Yankees at some point before the trade deadline is over.
Of course, this was mentioned by ESPN’s resident Yankee fan, Buster Olney, but I did read an article that the Athletics inquired about Brett Gardner, a outfielder in the Yankees' system, only to be rebuffed by saying he was not available. Why? Gardner looks like he's a fourth outfielder and won't be anything special. He's the return of Bubba Crosby from what I've read and seen of him.
Moving on, why would the Athletics be interested in moving Johnson, a player that has legitimate power, a decent glove, and plays hard?
Aside from the injury history, which is substantial, Johnson is a bit streaky, which is how he went from hitting over .300 to hitting below .250 in a month's time.
But there's another reason.
One is that Johnson can't be sent down because of the fact that he's out of option and would be lost on waivers.
The other is that Oakland is trying to make room for Daric Barton, a solid young first baseman that brings up memories of John Olerud. Though Johnson has more power, Barton has a solid bat and does a lot of things well. Plus, with this season looking lost, Oakland is looking to give their kids a shot and see where they can go from here.\
It's the usual Oakland policy, but should work out well for them.
Personally, I'd move Nick Swisher back for first base myself.
But that's just me.
Dukes May Be In Contempt Of Court
Things don’t seem to be getting easier for Elijah Dukes, who may be held in contempt of court. Dukes was ordered to pay the first of his court ordered payments for child support from his wife: $3,300 for his wife's alimony and $2,800 in child support for the three children they had together. He hasn’t paid a cent yet, though his attorney has said he’d pay by Monday.
If Dukes doesn’t pay by Monday, he could be forced to pay immediately, or possibly face jail time.
I used to wonder if Dukes was maybe, criminally disturbed and needed help to overcome his demons. I honestly wondered if he was just truly a soul that needed help.
One of your duties as a man is to ensure that your children are cared for. To not do so makes you a coward in my book.
Ian Snell Wants Out Of Pittsburgh
Ian Snell wants out of Pittsburgh in a bad way, calling out teammates, management, yelling several times that he hates losing and even acting like a spaze when he supposedly trembled his hand and said "I'm starting to break. I'm getting stressed out. I don't know about these other guys, but I just want to win. I don't want to be called a loser. Man, even my family calls our team losers, and I don't want anyone to say that about our team."
Ooookay.
Snell has a lot of value. He’s a young pitcher that isn’t eligible for arbitration until next season and he plays well, can dominate, and shows the potential to be a middle of the rotation horse.
Is it true the Pirates have one of the worst management offices in baseball? Yes. Is it true that they’ve been #### in almost every deal they’ve made? Oh yes. Is it fair for him to call out teammates? No. Like it or not, they’re in the same boat with you and like or not, you have to see them the next day after they read about your antics in the paper.
Snell has been on the block for a while and was most recently offered to the Braves in exchange for Jarrod Saltalamacchia. In reality, the Pirates have so many other needs, but young pitchers typically can bring oodles back in exchange.
Should the Pirates do a trade, perhaps with the Devil Rays, they could get some quality outfield talent in the process, get Snell out of the National League where he wouldn't come back to hurt them, and be rid of a headache in the process.
It's a mutually beneficial trade, but the con is that the Pirates would be down a starter and the farm system isn't exactly deeply stocked enough where they could accomodate such a trade.
It's a real catch 22 for them.
Disagreeing With Keith Law…Sort Of…On Brandon Morrow
I usually agree with most of Keith Law’s post. He’s also the only person on that staff (aside from maybe Tim Krukjin) that knows what he’s talking about.
But I disagree with him as far as the Mariners’ use of Brandon Morrow.
Should Morrow be in the majors at the moment? No. But that doesn’t mean he’s irrepariably damaged. Allowing Morrow to build innings and stamina works out well for him and it allows him to adjust to major league competition. Plus, he can be optioned back to the minors next year to allow himself to build starter’s innings and eventually allow him to join the Mariners’ rotation in 2009 or so.
But that assessment is ONLY if the Mariners are smart enough to send Morrow down to allow him to develop his breaking stuff, as he’s relying on his fastball too much and his control needs work.
If they continue to see him as a reliever, however, and treat him as such, then yes, I would probably have to change my opinion to Law’s, that the decision to draft Morrow over Tim Lincecum is one of the worst draft decisions in ages.
Biggio To Finish Career As He Begun
Craig Biggio has one more special moment coming up.
Astros ace Roy Oswalt has asked Biggio to be his catcher for a few innings during his final start of the season, likely during the Sept. 28-30 final home series against the Atlanta Braves. Biggio has agreed provided that the Braves are not in a fierce fight for a playoff spot.
I love the fact that Biggio will finish his career the way he ended it, the same way I remember him when I used to collect his cards during the early 90’s, mostly Donruss and Fleer.
As a catcher.
Biggio will be coming full circle. And I can’t find a more beautiful and fitting way to end the career of one of my favorite players ever to play the game.
That Jeff Allison Comeback…Never Mind
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the potential comeback for Marlins prospect Jeff Allison, who has been had his share of legal issues, due to drugs, criminal behavior, and addiction.
The comeback is over for now.
Allison has been placed back on the major league restricted list because of a legal issue that has come up, likely because of that stolen car charge nearly a year ago. The Marlins have said that he’s welcome to come back once all legal issues have been resolved.
Damn.
This has been a hard fall for a kid who was once seen to be the potential ace of a major league staff.
On a side note, Texas seems to own J.J. Putz, as he always seems to have trouble against the Rangers Four of his five home runs have come against the closer..
Wow again.
Onto The Trade Rumors...
Okay, here's my take on the possible trade of Mark Teixeira.
Atlanta - The Braves are said to be close, with a package of Jarrod Saltalamacchia, prospect Elvis Andrus, and a pitcher, likely Kyle Davies (ick.) in exchange for Teixeira and a reliever. The sticking point appears to be the reliever. The Braves want Eric Gagne or Joaquin Benoit. The Rangers want to send them Ron Mahay instead. I'm down with obtaining Saltalamacchia, as he can be stuck immediately at first base, or could possibly preclude a Gerald Laird Trade (Hey, Pittsburgh, still want to trade Ian Snell?). Andrus I'm not so sure. Hey's a toolsy player that hasn't put it together. Not a good fit. If the prospect can be changed to something else, it would be a better fit, but Andrus sounds like a typical John Schuerholtz Sell High Bust.
Boston - Boston is said to be considering acquiring Teixeira and is said to be right behind the Braves in terms of trade. The Red Sox are refusing to send Clay Buchholz (nor would I expect them to) or Jacoby Ellsbury, but apparently are open to maybe packaging Michael Bowden, Brandon Moss and Coco Crisp to Texas while promoting Ellsbury to the big league club full time. That's a little less sexier than the Atlanta deal, though Bowden is a good pitcher and Moss could become a solid right fielder. The only question really is what the Red Sox would do with Mike Lowell. Does the deal get expanded to send Lowell elsewhere? Could it be possible that the Rangers get something else too? We'll see....
Yankees - It ain't happening. In spite of the New York Media and Buster Olney stating that the Yankees are going to wait out the Rangers in hopes that the Rangers accept a Bobb Abreu type package in return, that's not happening, as Teixeira is a young player, still under club control, and would merit significant draft pick compensation. The Yankees pretty much want to have their cake and eat it too, obtaining Teixeira while getting to keep Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, and even Ian Kennedy. It's not going to happen.
Dodgers - The Dodgers are the dark horse candidate. They clearly don't want to part with either Clayton Kershaw or James Loney, but where would Loney play if the Dodgers acquired Teixeira. A potential deal has been rumored to consist of Loney, Andre Ethier, and a pitcher, but the pitching prospect can't be agreed upon.
Angels - Two days ago, I would have said any chance for a deal was shot. Though Teixeira would add a shot in the arm to the streaky Angels offense, the Angels have been hurt by many of their prospects having down years. Bill Stoneman has kind of lost some of the trade on his prospects because he's waited too long. Though Casey Kotchman is okay, the fact that the Angels are making Nick Adenhart off limits and are offering up Joe Saunders or Ervin Santana is making the deal hard to ####. However, the Angels have upped their offer to center on Kotchman and outfielder Terry Evans. Hmmm.
That's where things stand. It figures to get pretty hectick once the dealine approaches, especially between the two LA teams, who don't want to see either get Teixeira and will do whatever it takes to make sure one doesn't acquire him.
The Implications Of Tejeda’s demotion for Next Year
Robinson Tejeda has been sent to Triple-A Oklahoma for work on harnessing his control. Tejeda's biggest problem has been the amount of walks he's given up, as he's averaging 6.3 walks per nine innings.
While the Rangers are still high on Tejeda, bringing him back isn't such a slam dunk as it would seem.
For starters, Tejeda faces two other young pitchers, Brandon McCarthy and Kameron Loe, both of whom are starting to show some promise as major leaguers. Millwood is locked in long term and, oddly enough, the Jamey Wright freak show is still sort of working.
John Rheinnecker's gem o####ame yesterday makes that he's likely going to get another shot, as the fifth starter.
Even more worrisome to Tejeda's situation is that he'll have competition coming into next year.
Top pitching prospect Eric Hurley may be near ready for the show and will likely be given a shot to earn it in Spring Training. Edinson Volquez appears to be back somewhat and could be given a shot. Even Mike Wood, the Royals reclamation prospect, is showing some signs of life.
It doens't mean the Rangers are giving up on him.
It just means that he's no longer a lock to be in the rotation.
Blalock Is Still Out
Hank Blalock is still having some issues with his shoulder, making it unlikely that he'll return by August 1, and possibly nto at all this season. Blalock could only throw halfway to first base comfortably during fielding drills and is going to need more time to build up arm strength. Though he's been able to hit well off in batting practice, it's his defense that's keeping him back.
Blalock, in my opinion, may be avaialble in September as a DH, but I'm beginning to wonder if we'll ever see Hank at third again. Travis Metcalf is doing a decent job of holding down the fort and needs some work to get his bat up to speed. Metcalf is a superior defender than Blalock. I wonder if possibly, with Teixeira gone, if Blalock could be shifted to first, where his lack of range and shoulder issues would be less of a worry. It could also help his offense, if Blalock returns to his old form of hitting for contact and not trying to hit everything out of the park.
Rangers Notes (Majors)
It’s looking more and more that the Rangers will not sign 4th Round Garret Nash, a speedy centerfielder who has a commitment to Oregon State. From what I’ve heard and read, it looks like Nash is adamant on going to Oregon State, making the Rangers’ pick of him a bit of a waste, as they could have drafted Jake Arrieta, a righthander out of TCU that could have been had for roughly the same money. They still might be able to get Arrieta. From what it’s looking, Arrieta might decide to return to TCU for his senior year to increase his stock.
Oh, a note about Rangers’ 5th Rounder John Gast. Apparently, Gast is open to accepting a deal, from what I gathered at the LoneStarBall Forums and a few other off the wall sources, but it looks like Texas might not sign him until they have taken a look at how his rehab is going from Tommy John. Gast would have been a first rounder had he not gotten hurt, so I would be open to getting a deal done. Adding a lefty pitching prospect is always a plus. Gast will be in Arlington soon to meet with Management.
Rangers Notes (Minor)
Two Ranger Prospects, Omar Poveda and Edinson Volquez, both took no hit bids in late innings. Volquez blew the no-no in the sixth, while Poeveda took it into the 7th. You want to hear that kind of stuff from your prospects. Expect to see both of these guys get some play in the Top Ranger Prospects list after the season.
The Pirates look like they finally said enough was enough and finally let the kids play, in which there was some improvement in the team. However, the Pirates are still very much a raw team, and despite some promising acquisitions, there remains a lot of work to be done.
Starting Rotation
Zach Duke (LHP) – Duke will likely head the staff, due to him being the most experienced member of the staff. However, Duke has at lot more of growing up to do, as he was hammered last season, winning only 10 of 25 decisions and compiling 4.47 ERA. Even more troubling is that opponents hit .302 off of him, though he did prove to be remarkable durable. Much of this can be blamed on inexperience, which can be testified in the fact that he went 5-7 with a 3.65 ERA in after the All-Star break. Duke should continue to improve, as he’s got quality stuff and should have a future in the league.
Ian Snell (RHP) – Snell moved into the rotation for good this year and is the only Pirate pitcher to have a winning record, going 14-11 with a 4.74 ERA and led the team in strikeouts. He should also continue to improve as he logs in innings. The only question is his durability, as he’s small for a starting pitcher at 5’11.
Paul Maholm (LHP) – Maholm is also a solid lefty, but like Duke he struggled early on in the season as he continued to adapt to pitching in the majors. Of the young Pirates, Maholm has the deepest arsenal of the bunch, but his fastball is the weakest of the four, making him a liability for the long ball. He could become a solid lefty workhorse, similar to Kenny Rogers, provided that the rotator cuff problems he suffered at end of the season don’t become a long-term problem.
Tom Gorzelanny (LHP) – Gorzelanny was one of the top pitchers in Triple-A before being promoted to the majors on July 6th. He’s likely not going back after he went 2-5 with a 3.79 ERA over 14 games and 12 starts. Scouts feel that Gorzelanny might be the most talented of the young Bucs due to his good velocity and his excellent changeup. If he and the others develop as planned, the Pirates could have the potential to have THREE solid lefties in the rotation, something that no other team has.
Tony Armas Jr. (RHP) – Still young, but Armas isn’t what he used to be. He was rocked pitching at RFK, a pitcher’s park, as his command and control are both really off. Still, Armas has the potential to be able to come back from the derailment his career has gone through, though Pittsburgh’s reputation as the place where pitchers come to die isn’t promising. He’s still a much better option than a former Yankees starter in the pen…
Bullpen
Salomon Torres (Closer) – Torres was effective in limited action last season when filling in for Mike Gonzalez. With Gonzalez now in Atlanta, Torres will get the opportunity to be the closer. His numbers weren’t quite as dominating as Gonzalez’s were, but overall he should be solid.
Dan Kolb (Setup Man) – Kolb will likely be the setup man, a duty that he functions well on. Kolb doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but his effectiveness is due to the fact that he induces so many ground balls. With a improved defense, the Bucs should be able to give Kolb the defense he needs to be successful.
Damaso Marte (LHP) – Marte is a lefty that the Pirates have obtained from the White Sox last year that will also help out Kolb as far as setup duties go. Marte has been one of the more consistent bullpen performers in baseball for the last five years.
John Gabrow (LHP) – Another talented lefty, Gabrow was having a solid season until a dreadful September blew up his ERA.
Shawn Chacon (RHP) - Chacon has fallen far after he went 7-3, 2.85 with the Yankees in 2005. Thankfully, he’s not in the rotation and will be a swingman, unless he’s able to re-establish himself as a legitimate starter. Doesn’t seem likely at this point, though God knows that the Pirates could use some luck like that happening.
Matt Capps (RHP) – The fact that Capps is near the top of the roster in terms of wins should be troubling. But Capps is a good young reliever that’s coming to his own and could make for a dynamite setup corps if Kolb and Torres work out as planned.
John Sharpless (RHP) – Another solid option that got his crack into the pen last season, if Sharpless continues to be dominant, he would be a final piece of what could be a dynamite bullpen for the Pirates.
Starting Lineup
Freddy Sanchez (3B) – Sanchez finally took that leap that the Red Sox hoped he would take, becoming a capable everyday starter. He’s a solid contract hitter and though he doesn’t have much home run power, he gets on base and has enough doubles power to give himself some breathing room. He’s a capable defender and with a solid work ethic that could slide over to second in time.
Jose Castillo (2B) – One of the better second basemen of the season's first half, batting .279 with 11 homers, Castillo is still young enough to be able to grow some more into a solid number two hitter, as Sanchez has leadoff potential. Most scouts feel he’s got 20 home run potential, which was evident last season before his slump in the second half. He’s due for a breakthrough, and he’ll most likely get it this year.
Jason Bay (LF) – The face of the franchise, Bay didn’t have as good of a year as his 2005, but that’s just nitpicking. He was still very productive as a run producer and the power is excellent. Bay has stated that he didn’t feel comfortable in the cleanup role, but this year should be better as he’s got legitimate protection behind him in the lineup.
Adam LaRoche (1B) – LaRoche finally had that breakout season last year that so many people had been waiting for. He showed strong power numbers and is just entering his prime as a hitter. He’s also a slick fielder at first base and improves the infield defense by a whole lot. With Bay moving down to the number three spot, LaRoche will hit cleanup and will provide protection for Bay. He’ll get his RBI chances and PNC Park is a lot kinder to left handed hitters than Turner Field. Look for him to continue to put up those numbers from last year.
Xavier Nady (RF) – Nady finally proved that he could be a solid regular in the majors after the Mets acquired him in a trade for Mike Cameron last November. The fact that it took this long for Nady to finally blossom makes me wonder about the Padres ability to develop prospects. Nady's calling card is that he has great power, but his long swing often leads to loads of strikeouts and a mediocre batting average. With the arrival of LaRoche, Nady will hit fifth for a surprisingly potent Pirates lineup.
Ronny Paulino (C) – A pretty nifty catcher, Paulino put up a good average and had some reasonable doubles power, but he’s still growing as a hitter and could develop some more power down the line. He needs to improve his defense, though it’s his offense that will win him the starting job.
Chris Duffy (CF) – Duffy is the likely favorite for the centerfield job in PNC. He hit okay for the amount of games he played, far below what is expected from a centerfielder, and is a stolen base threat. He’s a solid defender, but he just needs to get his bat in order for him to stay as a regular. It doesn’t help that Andrew McCutchen is rising quickly in the minors and could cost him his job if he has a strong Spring Training.
Jack Wilson (SS) – One of the worst shortstops in the majors, Wilson is a black hole in the lineup. Putting him at the end helps minimize his impact. Defensively, he needs to minimize his errors, as he had a career high in errors last season with 18.
Bench
Ryan Doumit (C) – Doumit had a horrible year offensively, which further solidified Paulino as the starter. A productive winter league campaign could lead him to challenge for the starting job if Paulino starts off slowly.
Nate McLouth (OF) – Though McLouth did nothing to help establish himself as a regular, it’s still possible that McLouth could become a average regular. However, with prized prospect Andrew McCutchen on the way and Chris Duffy likely to be a utility outfielder, any chance of that happening would be with another team.
Brad Eldred (1B) – Eldred was considered a challenger for the first base job during Spring Training, but injury cost him the entire 2006 season. With LaRoche now in Pittsburgh, Eldred is left riding the pine.
Jose Bautista (IF/OF) – Primary use is as a lefty killer off the bench.
Rajai Davis (CF) – He’s fast. And umm, that’s it.
Down On The Farm…
The Pirates lost a lot of farm system depth after the massive amount of promotions last season and it doesn’t look like there will be any major graduations other than who is listed below. So, the Pirates have to work with who they have now, because there won’t be any help coming from the farm anytime soon.
Andrew McCutchen (CF) – McCutchen is the Pirates’ best prospect now that the pitchers have graduated. McCutcheon has got great speed and has can hit for power. His bat speed is excellent and his plate discipline is fantastic. McCutcheon doesn’t have a strong arm, but that’s just nitpicking at this point. At the moment, McCutcheon will likely be headed to Triple A, but there isn’t much stopping him from breaking into the majors now and taking the starting centerfield job at some point this season.
Jesse Chavez (RHP) – Obtained from Texas in exchange for the Kip Wells experience (which lasted two stops), Chavez was one of the better reliever prospects in the Rangers' farm system. He's not a big guy, but his arm is good, causing scouts to compare him to Julian Tavarez. Chavez's best pitch is a low to mid 90's mph fastball that touches 96 at times, but he lacks a breaking pitch and there are some durability concerns because of his size. Still, he's got enough in him to maybe be a quality setup man, which seems to be the only thing to come out of Pittsburgh's farm system these days.
Brad Lincoln (RHP) – Lincoln was a star pitcher and hitter at the University of Houston, but despite his potential with the offense, his long-term future is at pitcher. Lincoln pounds the strike zone with a mid 90’s fastball and follows it up with a good curveball and a promising changeup. He’s also capable of lasting deep into games, always a plus. The problem is that at 5’11, he’s short for a pitcher and durability will be in question. But the Pirates are high on him and they will begin testing Lincoln this season to see how far he can advance into the system.
In Conclusion
If the Pirates' mix of young talent gels this season, this team could contend in the NL Central. But unfortunately, that doesn't look to be the case.
Final Standing: Fifth In the National League Central
I'm a long time Texas Rangers fan who has come to love baseball as a whole. I recently began this blog as a way for me to showcase my opinions, provide some analysis, and hopefully entertain those who happen to stumble upon my little soapbox online. I'll toss in an NFL, College, or NBA nugget every now and then. Enjoy the posts everyone, and yes, getting a little love in a Deadspin post was probably the highlight of the year, blogwise.
Do You Have Comment You Don't Want All To See? Just Want To Talk Baseball? Email Me at morisatos_blo g AT yahoo.com. Email's edited to keep away the Spam.
