Tuesday Links (1 Mar 11)

by Geoff Young on Mar 01, 2011

Cleaning off the metaphorical desk…

  • Cajon Speedway Track History (Tracks Back When). Who knew the old Cajon Speedway was supposed to be a baseball facility for a Detroit Tigers farm club back in the day? You did, that’s who!
  • Veteran Gerut announces his retirement (MLB.com). Good on former Padres center fielder Jody Gerut for realizing it was time to walk away from the game.
  • BP’s 2011 Top 101 Prospects (Baseball Prospectus). Kevin Goldstein includes RHP Casey Kelly (no. 48), RHP Simon Castro (no. 61), 1B Anthony Rizzo (no. 69), Jaff Decker (no. 97), and Donavan Tate (no. 101). A couple of shortstops the Padres drafted but did not sign — Oakland’s Grant Green (no. 49) and Kansas City’s Christian Colon (no. 88) — also make the list.
  • Our friends at the MadFriars recently chatted with Goldstein (and Baseball America’s Matt Eddy) about the Padres organization. Goldstein’s comments on Jedd Gyorko are encouraging: “In some ways, I think Gyorko is kind of underrated because too many people focus on what he can’t do instead of what he can.” That’s how I see it as well. Eddy and Goldstein identify LHP Jose DePaula and C Tommy Medica, respectively, as sleepers.
  • Team Preview: Colorado Rockies (FanGraphs). From the article: “The Rockies won 83 games last season, but could — and perhaps should — have won six to eight games more.” Yeah, they’re pretty good.
  • The Padres will be better than you and Vegas thinks (Platoon Advantage). The Common Man notes that “the conversation from the national media has largely dismissed the San Diego Padres” (what else is new?) and that you should “take the over” on wins, which at least one outlet has put at 76 for the Pads. Assuming the pitching holds up, that’s not a terrible bet.
  • Tug Haines: Casual Fan. The tagline says it all: “27 states. 113 ballgames. 1 season.” So jealous.
  • Team Preview: San Diego Padres (FanGraphs). Eno Sarris gives his take. Aarons Cunningham and Poreda will be in the minors, with Chris Denorfia and Dustin Moseley occupying those spots in San Diego, respectively.
  • Marlins, Rays, Rangers lead value pack (MarketWatch). In what should come as no surprise to those of us following along at home, the Padres have gotten good value in recent years. [h/t SBNation]

That is all.