Seems I’ve fallen behind in my links. Some of these are a little old and might taste funny, but they won’t make you sick or anything…
- Too Many Sliders? (FanGraphs). Eno Sarris wonders about the relationship between throwing sliders and getting injured. Luke Gregerson is mentioned.
- “Paris 1919″ with Rogers Hornsby (Baseball Prospectus). Steven Goldman, as he so often does, pens words I wish I’d written myself:
Family gatherings are always a strange alchemy of being praised and belittled by people who, at least in my case, really don’t know me that well and probably aren’t prepared for me to be 100-percent honest with them about how I feel about, well, anything, because I’m still nine years old in their eyes.
- Cole Hamels triples (Baseball-Reference). Here’s a fun list of pitchers who have hit triples in recent years. Jake Peavy makes an appearance. I remember his 2007 triple. Mainly, I remember him chugging into third base and then falling apart on the mound shortly thereafter.
- Players to watch in a draft short on huge names but long on talent (SI.com). For the draftniks… I know someone who likes Josh Bell. See also this article about UCLA right-hander Trevor Bauer. [h/t BBTF]
- Shrine adds three more Eternals (Hardball Times). Ted Giannoulas has been honored by the Baseball Reliquary. Congrats to the KGB Chicken.
- 2010 The Sporting News-SABR Award Winners Announced (SABR). Congrats to our pal Chris Jaffe.
- U Got the Look: Pitchers, Part I (Baseball Prospectus). Jason Parks talks scouting:
First, I look at the body. While it’s true that size doesn’t always matter, it’s also true that size often matters, and the immediate physical attributes form the skeleton of any report. When scouting a younger player, you look for signs of physical projection. Can the frame hold weight/mass? How mature is the present body? How athletic is the body?
Part II is here.
- Recent History’s Most And Least HBP-Happy Pitchers (Baseball Nation). Former Padres right-hander Steve Reed tops one list, while Trevor Hoffman, Akinori Otsuka, Darrell May, Mike Adams, and Brian Meadows appear on the other. What a random list of names…
- Eric Hosmer Gets the Call (FanGraphs). In discussing the young Royals first baseman, Dave Cameron asks a compelling question:
I just wonder why so much credit is given to batting average at the minor league level as an indicator of when a prospect is ready.
- Opinions… (Inside the Padres). Tom Krasovic expects the Padres to trade Heath Bell and possibly one of Ryan Ludwick, Chase Headley, or Orlando Hudson this summer.
- It might be time for Padres to consider using bullpen as trade bait (U-T). Tim Sullivan has similar thoughts and throws in a few jabs at Petco Park in the process, observing that “it erases more mistakes than a #2 pencil in remedial algebra.” Clever.
- 2008 Amateur Draft Review: The NL West (FanGraphs). Throw out Allan Dysktra (which the Padres have), and that’s not half bad.
- Mets Get Bad News on Young and Mejia (New York Times). Speaking of Padres castoffs now in New York, Chris Young “retore the anterior capsule in his right shoulder, which he originally injured a year ago, and could miss the rest of the season.” That this is not surprising makes it no less heartbreaking. Best of luck to CY in his recovery.
Fangraph’s Marc Hulet misses on a few players in the ’08 draft – the most glaring is Closer Brad Brach whose velocity has gone up again this year in San Antonio. He was peaked at around 96 when I was there last weekend.
Also Weems is hitting this year – he hasn’t in the past – but if he can he is an amazing shortstop.
Also most of his information – especially the scouting portion comes across as a little dated. Tekotte has put on more weight, improved his arm strength and most scouts see him as a little more than a 4th OF.
Dan Robertson, another late pick, also should have merited a mention.
@John
I see Robertson is listed as a LF on the Missions web site. Do you know what happened to the idea of him playing 2b?.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/fangraphs-scouting-bird-dogging-brad-mills-for-sd/
It’ll be a sad day when the Padres move Headley.
It’ll probably be sadder when he makes the All-Star team in another jersey.
So barring a miracle who will end up on the trade block in July?
Bell
Qualls
Neshek
Headley
Venable
Adams
I would list Ludwick, Hawpe and Cantu but I think they are more DFA candidates more so than trade candidates.
@John: Thanks for the additional info. I’m cautiously optimistic about Weems.
@Ray: Peavy. Gonzalez. Headley. It’s always a sad day. At least we have options at 3B.
@Steve: I hold out hope that Ludwick may regain some trade value.
Should be plenty of college talent available to the Padres drafting 10th. Springer, Gray, Jungmann… etc. I would love to see the Padres aggressively draft high upside high school players the rest of the draft.