Friday Morning Closer

Here’s my five-pitch outing for the day.

How Johnny Damon's Defection May Have Doomed The Red Sox

During drinking last week, me and the guys somehow came up with this idea.  Actually, it's got some plausability.  Let's take a look.

If this one even had happened, here's what would have happened?

If Damon had re-signed wtih the Red Sox, the Yankees would have been forced to look elsewhere for centerfield help and would probably have had to force Bubba Crosby or Melky Cabrera into center if nothing turned up.  This in turn would have further weakened a Yankee lineup that would be reeling from the losses of Matsui and Sheffield (I'll make it a given at this point that Cabrera would have had the same season.)

The Red Sox would not have had to go out and make the deal for Coco Crisp.  And as a result, the Red Sox would have retained top catching prospect Kelly Shoppach, who's currently hitting .274 with 3 Home Runs and 15 RBI's in 30 Games.  He also calls a good game and Cleveland is very high on him.

The Red Sox would have kept Shoppach in Triple A until Varitek goes down, in which case the Red Sox could have called up Shoppach instead of dealing for the disappointing Javy Lopez.

And the Red Sox still could have gone after Mark Loretta and re-acquired Doug Mirabelli.

Would this have completely saved the Red Sox?  No.  The bullpen is still shot and Broson Arroyo is still in Cincinnatti.  But you have to admit, the team is much less weaker than it is now.

A Clemens Return In 2007?

Aww ####, not this again.

Clemens is 6-4 with a 2.29 ERA.  And Clemens has remarked that he feels pretty good about how he's feeling this season.

Which has now started a bunch of rumors that Clemens may return mid-season yet again.  Boston has reportedly offered him $4 million per month!!!! for him to do just that.

Haven't we had enough of Roger?  This is getting ridiculous...

The Second Roid Free 40/40?

What will Alfonso Soriano soon have in common with Jose Canseco, Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds?

Being a member of the 40/40 Club.

Alfonso Soriano has more than a month left to try to join the exclusive 40-40 club, and it looks like he’ll do it with time to spare.  He's at 43 Homers and 34 Stolen Bases.

If Soriano does it, he'll become only the fourth player to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in one season, joining Jose Canseco (1988), Barry Bonds (1996) and Alex Rodriguez (1998).   He'll also become the second member of the 40/40 to do so without steroid allegations (though Bonds was still normal sized when he did it.)  While there is some talk about him becoming the founding member of the 50-50 club, it's a little late in the season to pull that trick off.

Doomed By Deer Meat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rockies top prospect Troy Tulowitzki was called up to the big club on Wednesday, replacing Clint Barmes, who had such a breakout season until the infamous "deer meat" accident.  Tulowitzki was the team's first pick in the June 2005 draft and the seventh player taken overall.  The Rockies really didn't have to promote Tulowitzki to the 40-player roster until after next year to protect him from the Rule V Draft, but , but they have decided to speed up that process.  Tulowitzki was hitting .292 with 12 Home Runs and 57 RBI's in Double A.

I say the Rockies should have waited until today to call him up, where they could have expanded the rosters.

It's a sad ending to Barmes' major league starting career.  Last year, he was probably the favorite to win the NL's Rookie of the Year until he went down (and Ryan Howard heated up.)  He'll make a quality defensive replacement, and maybe could slide over to second base or centerfield.

The Return Of Canseco Watch!!!!

A reminder why aging superstars shouldn’t come out of retirement?

Jose Canseco’s Stats.

.179 Batting Average

4 Homers

9 RBI’s

29 Strikeouts

Good Night Now.