Me Not Here.....Using Eastern Philosopy to Win the War of Attrition (part II)

The highly anticipated conclusion to Using Eastern Philosophy to Win the War of Attrition is now up at 619 Sports.net (Click Here). It has been cleverly titled part II. Click the link to attain enlightenment.

This is a must read for those who want to know how the Chargers can improve upon the conditional draft pick they received from the Jets in the Cromartie trade earlier this year.

Me Not Here.... RJ's Fro and AJM Spend an August Evening in LAtrine

I'm a complete whore. I contribute everywhere but here it would appear. Who cares!

Three weeks ago I went to see the Padres play in Chavez Ravine with fellow fans, Rick, Beau, and Marshall of RJ's Fro. It was enchanting.

For a detailed experience of baseball, beer, and raging debate regarding Willie McGee's special place in the game..... (Click here)

Me Not Here......Using Eastern Philosophy to Win the War of Attrition (part I)

My every-once-in-a-while contribution over at 619 Sports.net sees me exploring the art of stock piling talent in the NFL. In a two part series I look to see how Antonio Cromartie can have a strong year so the Chargers move from a 3rd round pick up to a 2nd... Bruce Lee is also involved. Go read and listen at 619 Sports.net.

An Odd Padres/Giants Series Preview: What Baseball Fans Dare Dream

As a baseball fan I have genuine excitement for this weekend. The Padres are in first place as they go on the road to battle a hot San Francisco Giants team. Not too many Padres fans would have dared to dream this big back in early spring.

As a baseball fan I love that the Padres get the first crack at Jonathan Sanchez after his bold proclamation that, not only would the Giants sweep the Padres in this weekend's tilt, but that once in first the Giants would never look back. The Padres now have a chance to quiet the young lefty which will be no easy task...he's dominated the Padres in the box score over the last two seasons. It's what any fan of baseball would want to witness. (click "Read More" to continue)

I guess it's what you would expect him to say...

A Jets fan's query:

Antonio Cromartie's response:

I guess it's a matter of what the "passion" pertains to....

Me Not Here......Trade Deadline Reflections: Where Is My MInd?

I wrote a Trade deadline piece over at 619 Sports. In it, I spent a preponderance of words on David Fincher's vision of Chuck Palahniuk's novel, Fight Club. There was also music by the Pixies. Check it out.... [here]

MLB Network: Harold Reynolds Needs To Learn How To Transition

On Sunday morning I turned on the MLB Network's Quick Pitch. They finished showing Padres highlights and I felt warm and fuzzy.

Upon completion of the Saturday game highlights the panel went directly into analysis of the trade deadline deals beginning with the Cardinals/Padres/Indians three-way blockbuster.

The panel consisted of Matt Vasgersian, Tom Verducci, Harold Reynolds, and some decrepit old dude I have never seen before who may or may not have been a former GM. Verducci started the analysis:

Tom Verducci:

“........And part of that 3 way deal let’s not forget that the San Diego Padres get Ryan Ludwick. I know that Adrian Gonzalez is really happy to have a legit right handed power bat next to him in the line-up”

Harold Reynolds:

“Yea. What’s interesting though, headin’ into the trade deadline, yer goin’, “what is the rich gonna do?’ meaning, the Yankees? Well the rich got richer! You start looking at Lance Berkman comes over in a big time trade. You know. You get a guy now that is a middle order guy you’re going to hit him where ever you want in the line-up, switch hitter. I think this just is the DH that they needed. You can spell him at first base if you needed Teixeira for a day off or whatever but this is a great bat to get and Kerry Wood also coming in there being in the bullpen, a guy you can stretch from the 7^th and 8^th and figure out what you’re going to do with Joba so it gives them a lot of options and they did it, really, for not a whole lot of money.”

Are you serious, Harold Reynolds? 

Yea. What’s interesting though, headin’ into the trade deadline, yer goin’, “what is the rich gonna do?’ meaning, the Yankees? Well the rich got richer!

Is that your fucking transition? (click Read More to continue)

Not-Joe-Randa coming to San Diego at the Trade Deadline

I could say a lot right now regarding this morning's acquisition of OF Ryan Ludwick from the St. Louis Cardinals but honestly I lack the capabilities. I'm kind of giddy...like JoJo the Idiot Circus Boy with a pretty new pet.....just too excited to be thinking TOO critically right now.....

 

I'm also going to the game shortly so I have little choice but to keep it short.

Please don't mistake my school girl giddiness for thinking that Ryan Ludwick is the messiah. He's not. But he is a big improvement in a line-up that needs a BIG IMPROVEMENT (he leads the NL in hitting with RISP).

Here's how I'm looking at it:

1. In terms of human resources, a minimal amount was ventured. Pitchers Corey Kluber and Nick Greenwood are fringe prospects. Neither were in Baseball America's top 30 for the organization prior to the beginning of the year. Again, little ventured.
2. The Padres showed a willingness to add a significant amount of payroll for a player who is also controllable during the 2011 season.

Both are important points but none more so than #2. Taking on payroll when the team hasn't exactly filled the seats this year shows a commitment to winning. This is an important statement by Jeff Moorad..... one that was painfully lacking during the Padres first 6 seasons in Petco Park.

Oh yea....we got Miguel Tejada too...for what it's worth.

JED HOYER's FINAL GRADE:
Incomplete
COMMENTS:
It wasn't a Joe Randa-esque move! Hooray!

(h/t to @matthewverygood for correcting my Tommy Boy misquote. Follow him on Twitter for expert quotation of Christmas Vacation, Spaceballs, Tommy Boy, and The Three Amigos )

Me not here: Great Moments In Padres Trade Deadline History

I'm a little late on this (wrote it last Friday) but I did a hokey little piece on Padres trade-deadline-transactions of yore for 619 Sports. My target was one Joe Randa....third baseman extraordinaire! Truth be told, I feel abad about being so critical of Joe Randa as I'm sure he is a stellar human.

In the end it is not so much the skills of a 35 year old third baseman that I'm critical but instead the low-bar set by previous management regimes. Nevertheless, I still feel bad about busting Joe's chops. Check it out over at 619Sports.net....

How many All-Star Games Do You Even Remember?

I'm sure this post will be riddled with errors which is, by my rationale, the point. All Star games are so forgettable that your mind cannot help but play with the facts.

The earliest All-Star game I can recall watching was in 1983.

Prior to that year there are only three that come to mind as being memorable. I know that Pete Rose ran over Ray Fosse to win a game. It was sometime in the 1970's, it gave the NL the victory, and Fosse broke his collar bone on the play. Fosse was never the same and a lot of people think Pete Rose is a dick because of it... I disagree. Catchers should be destroyed whenever they place themselves between a base runner and the safety of home plate. A lot of people think I'm a dick too, so you can form your own conclusions.



The second game I can recall was Ted Williams hitting a HR off of Rip Sewell's Eephus pitch. This could be totally wrong but I'm going by memory. It was probably in the '40s. Of course it could have been in the '50s. Does it even matter?
 (click "Read More" to continue)