| | ESPN.com's resident baseball afficionado Rob Neyer recently dropped by for his weekly chat to take your questions on all things baseball.
From Carl Everett to Barry Larkin to Curt Schilling, Neyer gave his take on all the trade rumors, what's happening in Houston with the Astros and who to watch among the crop of young pitchers making headlines of late.
In case you missed the July 21 chat, the following is an edited transcript.
BMan: Alright, alright, alright. I just don't get it. LaRussa historically allows his pitchers' pitch count over 100. So what's up with last night when Darryl Kile is only at 90, he's leading the game 2-1, but doesn't get to pitch the ninth? And my Cards lose the game. And I believe Kile is one of the more "proven" or "veteran" pitchers. I understand pitcher abuse is bad, but it seems LaRussa could have Kile at least go out there in the ninth.
Rob Neyer: I understand your frustration, but remember that (1) La Russa sort of pioneered the one-inning closer, with Eckersley in Oakland, and (2) Dave Veres has generally pitched well this season. Also, what we don't know is how Kile was feeling, perhaps he simply was ready to come out of the game. Tough loss for the Cards, though ... losing on a walk-off home run by Tony Womack???
Coils: I recently read that you went back on your prediction that the Jays would make the playoffs and the World Series. Personally, I think that statement was a little premature. Especially since the Jays are one of the most dangerous teams in the majors. Anyway, are the Jays going to make a deal for another pitcher?
Rob Neyer: The Jays have two major weaknesses: their hitters don't walk, and their pitchers don't get people out. As for dealing for better pitchers, I suspect they've used everything up getting Esteban Loaiza. I also suspect that Jim Fregosi is not the right manager for this team, and I think they'll finish well back of the division winner.
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NEYER'S FILE
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ESPN.com's Rob Neyer writes a daily baseball column from March through October. His book "Baseball Dynasties," co-authored with Eddie Epstein, has just been published, and can be ordered from Amazon.com. |
Willie Horton: Enjoyed today's column ... why is it that left-handers's hit for higher averages? Closer to the first base bag out of the box is a reason I have heard, but I doubt that helps John Olerud much.
Rob Neyer: I probably should have addressed this question in today's column, but the disadvantage faced by right-handed hitters is so ingrained in my brain that I forgot. Anyway ... As I'm sure you know, it's "easier" for right-handed hitters to succeed against left-handed pitchers, and it's easier for left-handed hitters to succeed against right-handed pitchers. But there are significantly more right-handed than left-handed pitchers, which means that left-handed hitters generally have an advantage in the game. Always have, always will.
J.L.: Do you think Carl Everett's head-butt was intentional, or do you think he did it "in the heat" of the argument? In the long run, does this difference actually matter?
Rob Neyer: The Player's Association and Everett's agent are doing a masterful job -- well, semi-masterful -- at making this whole head-butting thing a part of the discussion. But you know what? It really shouldn't matter whether their foreheads exchanged electrons or not. Everett was doing his best to physically intimidate an authority figure, not to mention another human being. And for that alone, in my book he should sit for 10 games.
Scalawag: Rob, daily reader here. Who's got the brightest future ahead of him: Scott Elarton, Carl Pavano, Kevin Millwood, or Bruce Chen?
Rob Neyer: That's a complete toss-up, but I would rate them: Millwood, Pavano, Chen, Elarton. Millwood's got the great stuff and the history of success, but he may have been overworked and has struggled this season. I love Pavano's stuff and he's in a good place for young pitchers. Chen's been treated with kid gloves. Elarton, not so much, and I have to say I'm not happy with some of Dierker's moves this season.
1138: Do you think anybody is being unreasonable in the Barry Larkin/Reds situation?
Rob Neyer: Not really. Jim Bowden would be foolish to pay Larkin $27 million over the next three years, simply because Larkin is 36 years old and one of Cincinnati's best prospects is a shortstop. But you can't blame Larkin for over-valuing his services, as most of us do the same every day.
skip: What does K.C. have to do to get back to the Series?
Rob Neyer: At their regular Baseball Chapel meetings, they should pray for 11 or 12 plane crashes.
Scooter: Hey Rob, what do you think of the rumors of Johnny Damon to the Mariners? I love that guy, and think he'd be a great fit with the club and could take over and learn something about the leadoff role from Rickey Henderson. How likely do you think that deal is?
Rob Neyer: This doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Would the Mariners really acquire Henderson -- as they did -- just to go after another, slightly better leadoff man? And do you really think that Rickey, supplanted in the lineup, would serve as a mentor to his replacement. Not bloody likely.
Roger: Do you see Curt Schilling being traded to anyone before the July 31st deadline? And if so, which team has the best chance of getting him?
Rob Neyer: The Phillies would love to trade him, but according to this morning's USA Today, Schilling will approve a trade only to the Yankees, Mets or Diamondbacks. The Mets really don't need him, which leaves the Yankees and Diamondbacks. The Yankees are running out of top prospects, and the Diamondbacks don't have much, either. Arizona's organizational strength is at first base, which happens to be one of the few things Philadelphia doesn't need. So I would say the chances of Schilling getting dealt are just fair.
Patt: Rob, do you know how an interested fan might get a copy of the recent MLB "Blue Ribbon" Panel findings? I'd love to read the actual report.
Rob Neyer: I believe you can download the whole thing from MLB's web site.
Justin: Will the Astros turn it around and be a contender once again next year?
Rob Neyer: Had you asked this question a month or two ago, I would have responded in the affirmative. However, the Astros currently sport the worst record in baseball, by far. This suggests some fundamental problems, and I doubt these problems can be solved within the space of one year.
Denton True: What would you do with David Cone? Has Joe Torre been too patient?
Rob Neyer: I'm of two minds about this. First, I think this shows what happens when organizations become obsessed with "guts" and "chemistry" and all that silliness. On the other hand, Cone's been a resilient cuss over the years, and it's not like Torre has a lot of attractive options. But Cone's probably going to get another shot or two, and that'll be it for a while. Much as I might be pulling for the Yankees to lose this season, I'm also pulling for Cone to pull it together.
Royals fan: This week's World Series prediction?
Rob Neyer: Hmmm ... nine days ago, I said the Diamondbacks and Mariners. So I'll stick with the Mariners, but in the National League ... an old favorite, your Atlanta Braves.
Pup: I keep seeing Mike Mussina's name bandied about as a possible acquisition for teams who need starting pitching help, and if I'm the White Sox, this is the one guy worth giving up some of our top prospects for. But is Mussina really even "available?" Hasn't Peter Angelos said that Mussina is untouchable?
Rob Neyer: Unless Mussina has a no-trade clause in his contract, the Orioles are free to deal him. However, they would ask for plenty, and any team is unlikely to give plenty unless Mussina also signs a contract extension. He has flatly denied his willingness to agree to such an extension, which is why he'll probably finish the season with Baltimore.
By the way, that's a truly moribund franchise. You really have to examine their lineups to realize this, but I see no hope for that club in the next three or four years, not unless they unload three or four veterans in the next 10 days.
jonboy: What do you think it would take to get umpires to call the high strike?
Rob Neyer: It would take a meaningful mechanism for evaluating umpires' performance. And in the current contract negotiations, the umps are fighting such a meaningful mechanism tooth and nail. Because God forbid they should do their jobs as defined by their employers.
Derek Dressler: How do you feel about Gammons saying that Garrett Anderson is one of the most underrated players in the game?
Rob Neyer: I think it's pretty hard to underrate a player with a .276 on-base percentage. But that's just me.
J.L.: Setting aside the long-term ramifications, do you think Andy Ashby will help the Braves playoff chase? Do you think he'll give more to this year's team than Chen could have, if Bobby Cox would have actually let him pitch?
Rob Neyer: This is a complicated question. I do think that Chen, handled properly, could have been just as valuable, perhaps even more so, in a pennant race as Andy Ashby. But I don't know that Cox would have handled Chen properly, so perhaps it was best for all parties to move him.
Gene Mauch: What do you think of Anaheim's young pitchers -- Seth Etherton, Jarrod Washburn, Brian Cooper and Scott Schoeneweis? How good are they and can they be?
Rob Neyer: They're good, and they could get better. What's surprising is that, for the most part, they've all been pretty good. No 7.86 ERAs among the bunch, which is a bit of a surprise given their youth and the general environment in baseball. I do think they'll have trouble as the season goes along, but the Angels deserve a huge amount of credit for doing as well as they have.
Neal Williams: Why haven't the Red Sox given Paxton Crawford more starts at the big league level to see if he's for real? Could a Pete Schoureck be sent down to AAA to make room?
Rob Neyer: Jimy Williams loves veteran pitchers, and as you know the Sox have not had good "luck," not at all, with young pitchers in recent seasons. That said, Schourek's about out of chances, and until Bret Saberhagen is ready in a few weeks, Crawford's the best option. He may pitch well against the Twins next Tuesday.
Shaun Z: Do you think the schedules down the stretch will hurt anyone's chances? The Sox and Yanks have 40 and 41 games respectively the last 41 days of the year, while the Blue Jays have 37. Will that play any role in the final outcome of the AL East?
Rob Neyer: I don't think it will play a role because I don't think the Jays are still going to be close enough in September to make a difference. Fortunately for the Red Sox and Yankees, they're in the same boat, though the Sox might have a slight advantage because they're a tad deeper in starting pitching.
That's all for today. I'll be back next Wednesday. Thanks for all the questions!
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