We are happy to announce that we are all grown up now and have moved to the Bloguin Network. This is a real privilege for us and we are certain that you will get much more enjoyment and use out of the site. You can read all about our move HERE.
Guys, this will be our last post on this site. We are happy to announce that we are all grown up now and have moved to the Bloguin Network. This is a real privilege for us and we are certain that you will get much more enjoyment and use out of the site. You can read all about our move HERE.
So, check this out. Yesterday Ken Rosenthal over at FOXSports.com breaks a story that says Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols will undergo arthroscopic debridement surgery on his right elbow today (that would be removing bone chips, I don't know why they don't just say that?.)
My first thought was, I thought I read a piece about this last year over on our Bloguin friends site over at Fantasy Hurler? So I went and looked. I did!
The say that they will be removing bone chips in his elbow. Last October they said that he had nerve transposition (that's where you transpose a nerve - follow?) on the same elbow. I think someone should look into this.
Perhaps there is some sort of Steve Austin thing going on here. "The $14,427,326 Man?" After all, in St. Louis they do call him "The Machine" right? All I know is that I'm told the guy had nerve transposition surgery so I figured the guy was damaged goods, would at least have a drop-off in stats and stayed clear of him at last year's fantasy draft.
Oh contraire!
With a transposed nerve and bone chips in his right elbow (his throwing arm too) Pujols proceeded to hit .327 / 47 / 135. What would the guy have hit with a healthy arm? We've got about 300 other Major League batters out there with healthy arms and no one can hit like he does? And here lies the issue.
Is it conceivable that he had some sort of bionic procedure and is now going back to have it tweaked? Everyone is so focused on talking about steroids and human growth hormone. Pujols has denied those things up and down the river and even got his wife Dee Dee involved in the topic. Remember the Sports Illustrated story just before last season?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing Pujols of cheating. I'm just saying........
Hey look, if some woman suggested that I had a bionic penis I would be flattered. I'm just throwing out the possibility that his got something extraordinary going on there. His performance on the field is that good.
Bionic or not, I'd take him on my team any day. You can be sure I'll bid a few extra dollars on him this year after this bionic enhancement. - Peter Costa
Have a Fantasy Football or Rotisserie baseball question? Want to know who to pick up, who to activate and who the hot prospects are? Ask Dr. Roto. Let Dr. Roto guide your team to a league championship.
Pete (a.k.a. Roto Loser) is a serious Rotisserie participant playing the same league with the same guys for 18 years. Not only has Peter never finished in the money; he's now finished last 14 times and no higher than 10th (in a league with 14 guys). Join us in following Peter's trials, tribulations and frustrations, as he attempts to navigate his way out of the basement again in 2010.
Ok, so what we have here is an old fashion spiiting incident. Actually, this one is kinda similar to the Seinfield episode where Roger McDowell of the Mets was hiding "in bushed by the gravely road" and spit on Kramer and Neuman.
The Major League Baseball Commissioners Office reviewed available video and still photography from Mariano Rivera spitting toward a baseball in the ALCS Game 3 and "found no evidence that Rivera spit on the ball."
The initial reaction by the league had been that the video plus still pictures they have of the incident were inconclusive if Rivera actually spit on or near the ball. But after further review of what it had, the Commissioners Office determined that Rivera was not spitting directly on the ball. On still pictures in MLB's possession, it apparently looks as if Rivera is spitting near, but not on, the ball (that's what they say).
The incident came when Rivera came in the game in the middle of the 10th inning, between his warm up pitches and his 1st pitch to Erick Aybar. Jeff Mathis had just doubled to lead off the inning and there were no outs. But then it what happened..........
Rivera finished throwing his eight warm up pitches and then proceeded to spit on the ball. He then threw strike one to Aybar. Then Aybar bunted the second pitch, and Rivera threw wildly to third to leave first and third with no out. So from the spitting on the ball until Aybar bunts, there is probably a minimum of a minute that elapses and the ball has been caught once by Jorge Posada and thrown back.
So the question remains. Would the ball have retained enough of the liquid that Rivera allegedly was putting on it to impact its movement?
There have been a lot of players commenting on this incident the past 24 hours. Don Mattingly who is now Joe Torre's bench coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers had an interesting take. "Honestly, guys are using tar, resin, anything they can to get a better feel for the ball, and just moisture on your hands is nothing really."
A few thoughts on this subject.
- Aybar got the bunt down successfully and the Angels ended up with runners at 1st and third so they can really complain about it.
- That's why Mariano threw the ball away. It was wet and it slipped!
- Posada is the one who should be pissed here at Rivera for making him catch a phlegm-ball and having to grab it with his hand and then throw it back? And what about Johnny Damon in left field? He is the one who retrieved the wet goober thing after Mariano threw it down the third base line? And if you think about it, Posada gets really screwed here holding the hot potato as it were because Damon threw it back in to him for a second time thinking that there may be a play at the plate!
But in the end the Commissioners Office was circumspect of the allegations from the beginning because:
1. The spit is coming from far away. There is no attempt by Rivera to hide what he is doing. He is facing toward the outfield, but in the playoffs that leaves him in the direct line of sight of at least three umpires. He is not rubbing the ball up or massaging it in his glove as is often the case when a ball is being doctored.
2. Between the regular season and postseason, Rivera has appeared in 999 games and nothing has ever emerged before linking Rivera to doctoring the ball. He has appeared in 82 postseason games when cameras, eyeballs and opponents are fixed on him constantly, and no evidence of this has previously emerged.
3. The league office is aware that Rivera is a player who spits constantly while in action.
I'm sure he grabs his Johnson once in a while too, are they going to acknowledge that?
All in all, the way I see it the Commissioners Office is missing one thing here. HE SPIT ON THE BALL! This video is going to go down in history like the Zupruder film. Wouldn't it be great if Posada got revenge by peeing in Rivera's hot chocolate in the bull pen? - Josh Bolan
Josh Bolan is a retired AP baseball reporter and now works as a freelance writer in Fresno California. Josh has been contributing to baseball publications as a writer since 1996.
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Have a Fantasy Football or Baseball question? Want to know who to pick up, who to activate and who the hot prospects are? Ask Dr. Roto. Let Dr. Roto guide your team to a league championship.
Reporter - "Pedro, that was a wonderful performance, are you going to pitch next year?"
Pedro - "I don't know, I have to ask my mom."
What? Wait, Pedro. Did you just get finished watching Water Boy for the 15th time? When did you become Bobby Boucher?
Pedro Martinez's outstanding performance in Game 2 of the NLCS certainly has the Dominican Dandy and everyone around baseball thinking about his baseball future beyond this season. Martinez seems increasingly eager to continue his stellar career next year, and his seven scoreless innings against the Dodgers suggest he's far from finished. Martinez dominated the Dodgers nine days shy of his 38th birthday, hitting the biggest moment yet in his truncated season with Philadelphia. There wasn't anyone who thought that Pedro would throw this well this year.
"I'm considering coming back next year if I don't win the World Series," Martinez said. "If I win the World Series, I'll think a bit longer. I'll have to ask my mom."
Pedro Martinez went unsigned during the past off-season and had to wait until the all-star break this year to sign a one-year contract for a measly (in the world of baseball) a prorated share of $2 million plus incentives. If your game 2 NLCS starter throws a 7 inning shutout giving up only 2 hits for one million dollars, you got yourself a steal!
Martinez said that his mother implored him to stay home in the Dominican Republic this year, but Martinez wanted to honor the instructions he received last year from his father, Paulino, who died of brain cancer shortly after telling Pedro to keep playing.
This is going to be the Roger Clemens thing all over again, you can tell. Pedro will stay home during spring training running cock fights with Juan Marichal in Santo Domingo until sometime in late May. Then the rumors will start (started by him)..... Before you know it, teams will be flying down to the Dominican to watch the Dominican Dandy throw and someone, some contender will offer him a contract and he'll pitch in meaningful pennant stretch baseball and maybe even the playoffs again.
You know what; I think he's earned it. We forget because of his last few health challenged seasons with the Mets what it was like to have Pedro in his prime. That was good for baseball. I think it was best put by Twins manager Ron Gardenhire this year. When talking about Zack Grienke and his Cy Young year (if he doesn't win it's a crime.)
"That kid has had the best year in the American League since Pedro Martinez in 1999 and 2000."
When you are a legend people are always compared to you. Pedro is a legend. If Pedro's mama would prefer that he make his livelihood running cock fights for a few months, that's ok by me. Just be here when it counts Pedro. You can pitch for me any time, any day. - Blake Kearny
Blake Kearny is a retired baseball scout from Los Angeles, California. He currently runs a baseball school for children in Los Angeles.
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Have a Fantasy Football or Baseball question? Want to know who to pick up, who to activate and who the hot prospects are? Ask Dr. Roto. Let Dr. Roto guide your team to a league championship.
If your question was not answered this time, you can go directly to the source @ https://www.roto-rx.com/ where Dr. Roto will answer all your Fantasy Baseball and Football questions.
The Doctor is in...
Question #1: What is the best way for me to learn about or get information on players that might be playing in MLB next year that are currently playing in other countries? – Harold, Coventry, England
Harold: Greetings from across the pond. Dr. Roto is always keeping his eyes out for players coming from other countries to MLB. Take a look at some sites like: Espn, rotoworld, and of course, my own site: roto-rx.com to see who looks like a good player to invest in for next year (and beyond).
Question #2: Brad Lidge seems to have settled down. Do you see (an every other year) good year for him next year? – Kim, Franklin, VA
Kim: Dr. Roto is adverse to taking on too much risk. It's one thing to draft a guy who you think can bounce back. It's another thing to take a chance on a guy who you KNOW has major problems. I would probably bring his name up at the table and bid just a bit on him so people think I am interested. If I get him for a few bucks, terrific. If the table starts bidding crazy dollars, I would back off and go get a young guy who may be the closer sooner than later.
Question #3: Great post by Peter Costa on Kershaw. That COULD BE a traumatic experience. Do you think there is a possibility that he may now turn into an Oliver Perez or Ankiel? – Harry, Pittsburg, PA
Harry: No I think Kerhsaw is too mentally tough to fall into that trap. Plus he's got a Hall of Fame manager in his corner (Joe Torre) who is going to make sure that he is in a good frame of mind. The kid is 21...cut him a break. He's got nasty stuff and could easily throw a one hitter next time out.
Question #4: What is your outlook on Dontrelle Willis going forward; fine piece of sushi or dog meat? – Dasuke, Osaka, Japan
Dasuke: Dr. Roto has no faith in Dontrell Willis. Stick a fork in him, he's done.
Question #5: What happened to Billingsley? He went from the All-Star team to holding Vicente Padillia’s jock strap? –Franklin, Seneca, SC
Franklin: It has been a shame to see the fall of Billingsley. His mechanics were off and he struggled for the better part of the second half of the season. Torre decided to go with his veterans Wolf and Kuroda in the NLCS instead of Chad. Watch to see if Chad pitches well out of the hullpen and regains Torre's trust. He is does, he may get a start in the World Series (assuming they make it) and be just fine next year.
So between innings I go to the bathroom. I come back and sit down and I’m thinking, ‘wow, this kid is only 21 years old and he’s throwing a gem in Game 1 of the NCLS!’
Then….the 5th inning from hell including 3 wild pitches!
A single by Ibanaz, a wild pitch, a 5 pith walk to Feliz, a BOMB to Feliz! A walk on 4 pitches to Hamels (yes I typed that correctly). A fielder’s choice, a strikeout and another wild pitch, a walk to Utley, a double to Howard; 4 2/3 Innings pitched, 4 Hits, 5 Runs, 5 Earned Runs, 5 Walks, 3K’s, 1 HR
My god, what the hell was Kershaw doing during the bottom of the 4th that made him lose it? Did get a phone call from Oliver Perez? And Where the hell was Joe Torre? He sat and watched Kershaw meltdown on national TV in front of 50,000 people in Game 1 of the NLCS! Seriously, that is exactly what happens when Perez pitches isn’t it? He’s Cy Young until a certain part of the game and then he loses it!
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that Kershaw will turn out to be a basket case, but you CAN NOT let a 21 year old pitcher endure that type of adversity on that big of a stage. I’ll say it again. Where the hell was Torre?
I guess Torre was too busy managing the Yankees in the 2000 playoffs and doesn't recall what happened to another 21 year old pitcher in game 1 of the NLDS, Cardinals pitcher Rick Ankiel. Remember that?
Game 1 started well for Ankiel, who did not allow a run through the first two innings. It was in the third inning that Ankiel lost control; he allowed 4 runs on 2 hits, walking 4 and throwing 5 wild pitches before being removed with two outs. Here is the play-by-play from that inning:
Greg Maddux walked; Rafael Furcal popped to Will Clark in foul territory; Ankiel threw a wild pitch (Maddux to second); Ankiel threw a wild pitch (Maddux to third); Andruw Jones walked; Ankiel threw a wild pitch (A. Jones to 2nd); Chipper Jones was called out on strikes; Andrés Galarraga walked (Maddux scores, A. Jones to 3rd on wild pitch); Brian Jordan singled to Ray Lankford (A. Jones scored, Galarraga to 2nd); Ankiel threw a wild pitch (Galarraga to 3rd, Jordan to 2nd); Reggie Sanders walked; Walt Weiss singled to Lankford (Galarraga scored, Jordan scored, Sanders to 2nd); Mike James replaced Ankiel; Javy López popped to Fernando Viña; 4 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Ankiel was never the same after that traumatic event. Congrats to him for having the resolve to make it back as a MLB player (as an outfielder) but that day was the beginning of the end for Ankiel as a pitcher.
I hope Kershaw’s fate isn’t the same. Joe Torre, you didn’t do right by your team last night and worse yet, you didn’t do right by your young pitcher. His career and livelihood was in your hands and you may have very well have just eff’ed it up…… - Peter Costa
Pete is a serious Rotisserie participant playing the same league with the same guys for 18 years. Not only has Peter never finished in the money; he’s now finished last 14 times and no higher than 10th (in a league with 14 guys). Join us in following Peter’s trials, tribulations and frustrations, as he attempts to navigate his way out of the basement again in 2010.
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Have a Fantasy Football or Rotisserie baseball question? Want to know who to pick up, who to activate and who the hot prospects are? Ask Dr. Roto. Let Dr. Roto guide your team to a league championship.
