Mephistopheles

That's nice, but his periph's for 2005 suggest about 4.50 and his periph's for 2006 suggest about a 4.50. He's also moving to a tougher park to pitch in, although he would benefit from the high grass as he still can keep on the ground. Of course if it meant getting Andruw Jones, eat the salary, but I was originally talking about the Marshall, Veal, & Jacque Jones for Hudson deal the person above me quoted. Yes Hudson is listed to only make $6M next season, but there's another $4M of his signing bonus remaining, though I have no idea if the Cubs have to pay that or not. Then he's due 26 mil over the next two seasons, which is pretty much a sunk cost that he has no chance of producing at, and Andruw Jones by then will be gone considering he's an FA after '07. The only way we can make the Jones and Hudson deal is if we're certain that we can win next year - and we're a long ways away from that. It'll screw our finances in 2008-09 and cost us a couple solid prospects from a system with little talent to draw from. If we had a 72 hour window to sign Jones to an extension, it's a different story. Scott Boras would laugh us off into the sunset though. Given the decline of his ability to strike guys out, I wouldn't bet on it. There's a chance, but who's to say it's a high chance. I'd bet on someone like Angel Guzman having an ERA in the 3.50 range before Hudson returns there. Hudson's simply not the pitcher he once was. There's no way we'd get him for a fair price, in every scenario we'd be severly overpaying for him. If I figured we have no chance in 2007 (which I don't think we do), I'd certainly pass on the deal. After next season Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones, Andrew Rowand, and Vernon Wells are eligible for free agency. One of them may sign an extension before then, but three of those will be there. The teams with a lot of money who would be in the market for a centerfielder by then would be the Sox, Angels and Cubs. Also Coco Crisp, Carl Crawford, and Wily Mo Pena would be available in potential trades. 2007 also looks to be a banner year elsewhere. After 07 a lot of pitching hits the market, and so the year before, that 13 mil might be better used in trades and such. There's a lot of impact talent out there after next season, and spending 13 mil on a pretty average starter isn't going to help a team with quite a few holes. Trading for one year of Andruw Jones and acquiring a sunk contract in Tim Hudson would be a ill-advised short-sighted move by Jim Hendry. If I was guaranteed to keep Jones I'd do it, but since I am not. I can't pull the trigger.

¥330,000,000 --> about $2,750,000.

eh his sinker/two seam is a pitched he has just developed the last 10 months or so. He never threw it in a game until the WBC, and I don't think it has been an integeral part of his arsenal this season and when he does throw it it's in the 89-90 range. His fastball far from sits in the mid 90s. He rarely throws 95 and sits 91-93. However it's a lot like Prior's FB in that hes got pinpoint command with it and great life. he throws a curve, but his slider is his best offspeed pitch. His fork/split is pretty good.

The Zito enthusiast might be interested in a little something I made awhile back. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v467/kctigers2323/Icons3/zito06302e04.png

right around the 4.40-4.50 range - which isn't terrible but isn't good either. It's certainly not worth trading for. A cheap guy like Vicente Padilla is just as likely to put up that kind of season

Is it really a batted balls thing? His BABIP last season was .307, which is only slightly higher than it should be. His K rate has fallen from his established 1999-2003 rate and he has walked more guys the last two seasons than he did in 2002-2004. For his last two seasons in Oakland he was helped by an extremely lucky HR to flyball ratio - and that evaporated when he moved to Atlanta. Looking at his peripherals the last two seasons, it becomes apparent that 2006 was in line and 2005 was not.

i was at the game he pitched 5 innings against OU. He looked fine.

I meant Veal not Jones. Oops.

Anyways, I decided to look up on some of the guys in the top fifty I wasn't familiar with: 23: Jack McGeary, lhp/1b, Roxbury (Mass.) Latin HS On a side note, if he goes in the first round would he and Harvey be the first NE HS prospects to go in the first round togehter? McGeary is a 6'3" lefty who topped out at 92 at PGN. He also has a curve thats a plus pitch and a developing change that could develop into a plus offering as well. He's topped out at 93 in the past and has good projectability. 29: Eddie Kunz, rhp, Oregon State I am pretty familiar to Kunz from the CWS, but he still has not developed a good secondary pitch. He's still a good closing prospect who throws in the mid 90s. This looks to be a banner year for relief pitchers (Moskos, St. Clair, Fields, Cecil, etc). Although I think St. Clair is moving into the rotation this year. 32: Josh Donaldson, c, Auburn Donaldson was jacked between third and catcher on the Cape, but his future is behind the dish. Last year he hit 10 homers and shows good raw power. He also uses the field well. He has a good arm and a quick relief behind the plate. 33: Mitch Canham, c, Oregon State He has a lot of similarities to Donaldson, but he's more raw recieving. He's a bit more athletic. 37: James Simmons, rhp, UC Riverside He's a polished righty. He sits in the high 80s but has excellent command. I doubt that translates... 41: Mike Moustakas, 3b/c, Chatsworth (Calif.) HS Matt Dominguez's HS teammate. He shows good power and quick batspeed. While he's listed as a 3b/c he doesn't play third (Dominguez) he's athletic enough to play SS. Chatsworth also has Bobby Coyle who could wind up in the top 3 rounds, as a speedy centerfield similar to this years' Derrick Robinson. 43: Charlie Furbush, lhp, Louisiana State Furbush starred in the Cape Cod League and transferred to LSU. Hes a big 6'5 lefty who shows 89-91 fb topping out at 94. He also has a plus curveball but is a little raw. 49: Phillippe Aumont, rhp, Ecole Secondary Du Versant, Gatineau, Quebec Aumont is a guy I am familiar with but think he's a guy who could shoot up like Loewen did. He's 6'7" and throws 89-93 with his FB. He could easily sit at 95 next spring because of his height.

Does anyone know where can I find the video of it? The one in the lights? I was there and I am still shocked the estimated distance was only 468 feet or whatever it was. I couldnt find it anywhere on Youtube.

I wouldnt put Jones in the untouchable category, but at this point in Tim Hudson's career, he's simply not good. And secondly, investing in Barry Zito is a terrible idea.

Meh @ Officiating. The question is, are instant replays in HD?

Breaking News: Carlos Zambrano throws 194 pitches in a 14 inning thriller!

Gamble on Matsuzaka. Or JD Drew's health

or the extra 15 mil is for a 20 mil bid on Dai-san

I didn't find that surprising. He had really fallen off of late.

BA has a top 50 draft prospects list out Top 10 # David Price, lhp, Vanderbilt # Matt Wieters, c, Georgia Tech # Andrew Brackman, rhp, North Carolina State # Matt Harvey, rhp, Fitch HS, Groton, Conn. # Justin Jackson, ss, Roberson HS, Asheville, N.C. # Michael Burgess, of, Hillsborough HS, Tampa # Julio Borbon, of, Tennessee # Joe Savery, lhp, Rice # Daniel Moskos, lhp, Clemson # Josh Vitters, 3b, Cypress (Calif.) HS http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/draft/features/262598.html

"Tomateros" Please tell me that doesn't translate to Tomatoes

Glenallen Hill is a very good comparison.

I guess he didn't get the memo that Rich Hill turned it on the last two months.

Justin Jackson is no where the talent that BJ Upton is. He's a flashy defensive SS whose got above average tools - save power. He won't hit 30 HRs like Upton might. Jackson is a top five-to-ten.

I dunno, with Brackman's size and undenied talent, him concentrating on baseball for the first time in his life could be a happy marriage. What I am saying is that it is 9 months out, and we're talking about two guys are similar now, but one of them has a lot less development time. He's going to catch up rather quickly.

closer to the plate when he releases it, also think of the randy johnson effect on lefties. its similar.

Yeah 101 MPH from 55 foot is absurd

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/news/262619.html BA too.