-Scott Kazmir, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim neé Tampa Bay Rays.

It’s always a surprise, isn’t it, Scotty ol’ boy? 

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim acquired LHP and two-time All Star Scott Kazmir yesterday for two minor leaguers and a player to be named, as the Tampa Bay Rays appear to be raising the white flag for the 2009 season. Since they were only 4 1/2 games out of the wild-card race, it IS, as Kazmir says, a surprise, but with New York holding tight to first and Boston on their heals, there is a point of view which suggests that Tampa would be better off cutting their losses. Financial losses, that is.

The truth is, with Scotty out of the mix, the trio of Shields, Garza, and Niemann have things well under control, thank you very much. Niemann is 12-5, 3.87 this year, and Shields and Garza both have sub-4.00 ERAs, as well. Kazmir, on the other hand, has had his…moments, shall we say? Injuries aside, there’s no reason to expect he would have been anything but his usual, dominant self, but then he might not have been traded, to begin with, right?

Wrong, as it turns out.

In the midst of a $28.5 million dollar contract, it made perfect sense. At least, in this current market. However, this is not just a salary dump.

“We think that we gave up two talented players, and a third to come. So this was not a basic salary dump,” said Angels general manager Tony Reagins.

Told ya. I mean, if you can’t believe Tony Reagins, who CAN you believe?

Anyway, the Rays don’t exactly come out of this empty-handed. Their loot consists of one of the top lefties in the Angels system, and one of the best young power bats, as well. Here’s the skinny:

Alex Torres, LHP, Arkansas, Rancho Cucamonga (AA and A+)

Bats: Left , Throws: Left
Height: 5′ 10″ , Weight: 160 lb.

Combined totals:

13-4, 2.75, 26 games, 24 starts, 147 1/3 IP, 116 HA, 149 SO, 10 WP (doh!), 7 HBP (ow!)

FB in the low 90’s, curve with tight spin, developing change (sound familiar? Kazmir-Lite?)…groundout pitcher, comes at you from different angles…has trouble throwing the curve for strikes, which partially explains the 80 walks…strange in that he has significant trouble with lefties.

Matthew Sweeney, 3B (for now), Angels, Rancho Cucamonga (AZL and A+)

Bats: Left , Throws: Right
Height: 6′ 3″ , Weight: 210 lb.

Combined totals:

62 games, 259 PA, 42 R, 67 H, 18 2B, 9 HR, 44 RBI, 28 BB, 41 SO, .296 BA, .380 OBP

21-year-old has barely missed a step since being drafted in 2006 (8th round)…Great bat, not-so-great glove…Aggressive swing, creates natural lift, ball carries well off his bat…Fielding, on the other hand, is another thing entirely…Lacked range at third before missing the whole 2008 season with an ankle injury that turned out to be rather more serious than originally thought…Will probably move to first in the Rays system, where his arm is well above average…Could move through the system quickly if he learns to use the whole field at the plate and can adjust to first well enough.

Since Kazmir was traded before August 31st, he will be eligible for postseason play. It is in that scenario where he becomes a different matter, altogether. Assuming he manages to stay healthy, he could be a real wild card when October rolls around. He will be the 14th starter used by Anaheim this year, most in the majors, and he’ll need to step it up if the Anaheim rotation is to keep it together, never mind fighting off the hard-charging Rangers and their No-Name rotation (no offense, Kevin Millwood). The Chase is on, and in the AL West it looks like it may be a photo finish.

Clinton Riddle

The Grand Old Game

UPDATE: Check out Halos Heaven for info regarding the PTBNL.

Aug 20, 2009-I can’t really put into print what I was thinking when Martin hit that grand slam in the bottom of the 6^th tonight off of Angel Guzman, but suffice it to say I was displeased. We won’t go into that. The Cubs are looking an awful lot like pretenders, this year. There’s just something missing from this year’s model; I can’t really put my finger on it, though. They’ve never seemed to recapture that swagger they had in 2007-08, and I’m not really sure why. One thing seems certain: they don’t have to worry about losing to anyone in particular, because they seem to find ways to beat themselves. Bad throws, bad fielding decisions, hanging pitches…every team in the league has issues like this, but the Cubs are followed everywhere they go by them.

A quick look at the players Chicago sent to San Diego for RHP Jake Peavy:

Clayton Richard, LHP

DOB: 09-12-83

B-T: L-L

HT: 6’5” WT: 240

Drafted: 2005, 8^th rd.

Comparable to Mark Buehrle…FB at 88-92, good sink and a bit of run, change and slurve, all for strikes…Changeup is fringe-average, but shows promise…Projects as a #3 starter who can eat a lot of innings, induce a good number of ground balls…Would be a strong middle reliever, but is probably wasted in the ‘pen, even with shaky secondary pitches.

Aaron Poreda, RHP

DOB: 10-01-86

B-T: L-L

HT: 6’6” WT: 240

Drafted: 2007, 1^st rd.

Bigtime FB sits in the mid-90’s, approaches triple digits…Physically imposing and easy velocity, but has little else, and has had to work hard on developing secondary pitches…Slider is fair, but still better than changeup…Projects as an All-Star closer, at this point, but could be ace starter if he can get at least one other consistently average pitch…Fastball can straighten out, but let’s face it; at that velocity, it’s still no day at the beach.

Dexter Carter, RHP

DOB: 2-5-87

B-T: R-R

HT: 6’6” WT: 195

Drafted: 2008, 13^th rd.

Another pitching prospect the size of a small forward; see a pattern, here?…At 195, has a lot of room to fill out…Fastball sits at 92-93 with life, can dial it up to 95-96…Excellent curve that he throws for strikes…Keeps the ball down well, drives to the plate, has worked hard on his mechanics since being drafted…Has perhaps more upside than the other three prospects which the Padres received in the Peavy trade; a half-way decent change could give him a ceiling as a #1 starter.

Adam Russell, RHP

DOB: 4-14-83

B-T: R-R

HT: 6’4” WT: 250

Drafted: 2004, 6^th rd.

Yes, another hulking pitcher from the White Sox system, though this one’s more linebacker than small forward…Comes right at you with a FB peaking in the mid-90’s and average-plus curve, but his mechanics have historically been all over the place…Looks like a classic short man, at this point, especially since he’s not been able to get a steady third pitch going…Will have to work at being consistent in his delivery before he can be trusted with more than short stints.

Hit AZL record 16 homers in 2004…went .291, 25, 93 with Inland Empire (A), in Seattle’s organization, but average dipped to .230 at San Antonio (AA) in ‘06…bigtime raw power, strikes out a ton…very good OF arm, has enough speed to steal 15 a year if he learns to pick his spots…all-or-nothing hitter…all-or-nothing in most every aspect of his game, actually…seems to attack every aspect of his game with a passion…could be an AS-level OF or a late-inning replacement with occasional pop…has a way to go before he gets there; has to learn to shorten up on an already too-long swing, but not so much that he loses his aggressive approach altogether…just needs to learn to play within himself…with the right instruction, he could be a perennial 25-homer bat, but average will likely never be higher than about .270, give or take a few points…with what he could become, the BA won’t matter a whole lot.

“‘You know me, I will not hide, and I will not make excuses.’”

That was the response from erstwhile DH-1B David Ortiz when questioned by reporters concerning the latest bombshell release from MLB’s 2003 drug testing results. It is, at the least, an appropriate and mature comment when one is confronted with an accusation of this magnitude.

And at worst, it’s yet one more attempt at stalling for time in which to gather one’s thoughts and regroup for the inevitable media onslaught.

Perhaps an even more fitting comment came from former teammate Dave Roberts, who stated, “‘It’s very sad, but I don’t think those championships should be tainted. Not at all. David Ortiz and Manny (who, surprise of surprises, was also named in the report) were two of the best teammates I ever had.’”

“‘I wouldn’t change a thing.’”

I doubt I would either, Dave. Especially considering the fact that your 2004 World Series ring is now, perhaps forever, tied to that very same report, courtesy of Mr. Ortiz and Mr. Ramirez.

It is, for both of their sakes, unfortunate that being a “good teammate” and all-around great guy means exactly diddly squat where performance-enhancing drugs are involved. Players used to say the same of reigning hit king and baseball exile Pete Rose, even if he was (allegedly) a pathological gambler, philanderer and, as it turned out in the end, a felon. For his sins against the baseball gods, he was forever banned from entering into their bronze pantheon of myth and legend as anything other than a paying visitor. What, then, would be a proper punishment for our fine, upstanding gentlemen (and all-around “good teammates”) Manny and Big Papi? Not to mention A-Rod, Big Mac (assuming he’s someday willing “to talk about the past”…how very cryptic), Jose, Rafael, and all those others whose names are in baseball’s little black book?

The truth is, there’s not a thing we can do about it. The damage, whatever it ultimately turns out to be, is done, and you can no more strike their names from the record book than you can turn the tides or move the mountains. Sure, you can lay the whammy on ‘em, put an asterisk by their names and try to pretend that the drug problem which STILL pervades and infects our professional sports industry is just a bad dream, but you can’t change the past. If baseball really wants to see our Grand Old Game whole again, these 50-game slaps on the wrist aren’t gonna cut it. First time offender? Ok, that’s a year out of the game. See ya. Second time, you’re gone. Done. Finished. That’s it for you, my friend. Athletes are sometimes a little like spoiled children, after all: they’re used to getting their way, so every once in a while you have to remind them of their responsibility to the game and to the industry, in general, not to mention the fans. Yes, they have an obligation to the ticketholders, without question. If Ramirez had been banned for a year, the Dodgers likely would be sitting at home come October, watching the playoffs on cable. That’s playoff revenue, and it means a whole heck of a lot, as if that even needs to be pointed out. You don’t think the team owners would have something to say about being stiffed on those righteous bucks, due in part to the poor judgement of a star player? Please. Money talks in professional sports, no matter how innocent and pastoral we want to make the game seem to the public. You take money out of a few pockets, you’d see some action, for sure. It’s unfortunate, but that may be the only sure way we can clean up the game.

As for Big Papi and Man-Ram, they probably have little to worry about as far as real discipline is concerned. Another slap on the wrist, another “bad boy, you shouldn’t do that”, and they’re on their way. For those found to be offenders in the future, there has to be a much sterner approach. There must be.

Otherwise, our “national game” will remain broken and diseased, and our country as a whole will come to accept, even more than they do already, that there simply is no justice for the multimillionaires who play this child’s game, and the game (and the asterisk) will eventually become even more irrelevant than it is seen to be now.

It’s up to you, Bud. Do the right thing, for once, and see your game, and your legacy, healed and whole again.

Well, if there had been any doubt before as to whether or not the Phillies could put their division away, that doubt was quickly erased with the acquisition of Cy Young winner Cliff Lee from the Cleveland Indians. Arriving in Philadelphia with outfielder Ben Francisco, Lee was the centerpiece of a trade which landed four of the Phillies’ top prospects in Cleveland, pitcher Carlos Carrasco, IF Jason Donald, C Lou Marson and Single-A pitcher Jason Knapp. While Philly would not pull the trigger when the Indians initially asked that top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek be included in the package, the inclusion instead of Carrasco made both sides more agreeable. Francisco will be added insurance in the event that RF Raul Ibanez goes down with an injury, again.

My Take: Philly initially went after Halladay, but the Jays insisted that Drabek be included in any deal for the Toronto ace, something The Phils were unwilling to do. Carrasco was developing a rep for being easily rattled and somewhat of a prima donna-in-training, but Drabek has had issues of his own, as he at one point was drinking heavily and having significant issues with anger management. Those problems are behind him, now, and he is regarded as being nearly ML-ready, stuff-wise. But either way you look at it, Cleveland will have the better end of the trade if the prospects they received come close to living up to their advanced billing, Lee or no Lee.

Bucs’ Wilson, Snell Traded to Mariners

The Pittsburgh fire sale continues. Everything must go! We’re slashing prices!
Well, not exactly, this time.
The Bucs sent veteran IF Jack Wilson and struggling former prospect Ian Snell to the Mariners for C power prospect Jeff Clement and SS Ronny Cedeno. This is Cedeno’s second trade on the year (Cubs to Mariners, Mariners to Pirates). Seattle also included two other minor leaguers in the deal.

My Take: A financial move for the Pirates, to be sure. To me, Clement is the real prize in this trade. There aren’t too many young catching prospects coming down the pipe in recent years with the light-tower power that this former first-rounder has, and if he pans out for Pitt, he could end up being one of several bats around which this perpetual basement dweller of a team can build. He should get his chance very soon. However, the Mariners get an established, versatile fielder and solid bat in Wilson, and a young arm on the upswing in Snell, so both teams actually made out pretty well, here.

After pitching only the 18th perfect game in ML history, LHP Mark Buehrle continued his dominance of opposing hitters well into last night’s game against the Twins, retiring the first 17 batters in succession before losing the perfect game and no-hitter with two outs in the 6th inning. Buehrle walked Alexi Casilla before giving up a single to Denard Span and an RBI double to Joe Mauer. Nick Punto followed with a weak liner to to right, and before it was all said and done Buehrle had been saddled with the loss, as well. 

He did manage to break a 37-year-old record before he was chased from the mound, besting the previous consecutive batters retired mark set by Giants hurler Jim Barr in 1972. Barr retired 41 straight, that year. The old mark was actually tied by Buherle’s teammate, closer Bobby Jenks, in 2007.

This game held perhaps more significance for the Twins, as it moved them into a tie for second place in the AL Central with none other than the White Sox.

Also in team news for the Sox (both Red and White), The Boston Red Sox traded OF Mark Kotsay to Chicago for OF and struggling prospect Brian Anderson. Kotsay started the season on the DL (back surgery), and has played in only 27 games, so far this year. Anderson has had his struggles, as well, having recently been demoted to AAA Charlotte after batting .238 with only 2 homers and 13 RBI in 65 games. Anderson was a 1st-round pick for the White Sox in 2003, and has yet to live up to his potential. Anderson was optioned to AAA-Pawtucket on his arrival. Kotsay will primarily pinch-hit and make occasional starts in the OF and at first base.

My Take:Anderson is only 27, and could still prove to be a valuable 4th OF, at worst. Kotsay has always been an excellent glove man, and has certainly been no liability at the plate, either. He turns 34 in December, and under normal circumstances I’d expect him to be a productive bench player for another 3 years, but I have a feeling that these back problems will lead him to retire by the time the 2010 season ends. The Red Sox got the better of this deal, of course, though that advantage will be measured in Anderson’s ability to fulfill his potential.

Wang To Have Season-Ending Surgery

The New York Yankees suffered a loss to their rotation when it was decided yesterday that RHP Chien-Ming Wang will undergo season-ending surgery on his right shoulder. Wang was examined by orthopedist Dr. James Andrews on Tuesday, and had been on the DL since July 5th.

“It’s a tough loss for us,” Girardi said. “I feel for him. He’s been through a lot the last 14, 15 months. Hopefully this is will be the end of the surgeries for him and he’ll have the rest of his career be real healthy. We’ll be there for him and we’ll help him get through this. We’ll get him back pitching as soon as we can.”

Wang will return some time next season, though the exact date has yet to be determined.

My Take: Wang hasn’t been the same since he hurt his foot in 2008. He’s also had a hip injury to contend with this year. His arm angle has fluctuated a lot, and consequently he’s not had anything near his old sinker and slider. His stuff has tended to flatten out, and so he gets hit pretty hard when he’s healthy enough to pitch. Also, his velocity has dipped, probably due to the hip and foot injuries. I think he came back too soon from both of those injuries, and because of that has altered his mechanics slightly, though enough to cause serious shoulder problems. When he does come back next year, it will be interesting to see if he’s anywhere near the Wang of 2006-07, when he went 38-13 and pitched 417 1/3 innings. My guess is, he’s not going to make it back quite to that level, though he should still be a 13-15 win guy, and average around 180 innings a year. The Yankees should prepare for that contingency now.

Big Unit Down With Tear In Rotator Cuff, Out At Least Three Weeks

“Obviously the first thing I thought is that I won’t be able to do my instructional hitting video. That will be on the back burner for a while.”

That was the response from Randy Johnson when he learned he had a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder on Tuesday.

Johnson met with team orthopedist Dr. Ken Akizuki after his MRI on Monday. He is expected to miss at least three weeks, and was placed on the 60-day DL. While he’s never had any serious shoulder issues before, he has endured three back surgeries and at least three knee surgeries during his career. The team is hoping to have Johnson back in September, though they have no real idea how quickly he will recover.

My Take: A rotator cuff injury at 45? A shoulder injury even at 25 can be career-threatening in some cases, but at Johnson’s age, doubly so. Even if he managed to return in September, he cannot be counted upon to significantly contribute to the Giants’ postseason aspirations, and thus the Giants have suffered a significant setback in their chase for the playoffs. If he really wants to pitch in 2010, he’d be better off not pushing the envelope this year with his rehab. Problem is, this is Randy Johnson we’re talking about, one tough SOB. He eats nails and gravel for breakfast, and opposing batters for dinner. I’m sure he’s considered how tough it would be to come back from shoulder surgery at his age, and will probably do everything possible to avoid that scenario, but it’s a small possibility that Randy Johnson has reached the end of the road, toughness and determination aside. Everyone reaches a point when all the willpower in the world just isn’t enough. If he’s finally reached that point, he certainly has been a real joy to watch, one of a kind.

Next: The NL Central and the four-team tug-of-war for first place.

This is always a fun time of year, isn’t it? When teams with visions of golden trophies and tickertape parades begin their maneuvering, and when the pretenders give up the chase and start planning for “next year”, though next year never seems to come for some of them.

Wrigleyville, I feel your pain.

Anyway, there is little arguement to be made when it comes to this year’s prize. That man is none other than the Toronto twirler, Roy Halladay. It’s extremely doubtful that the Jays will keep him any longer than the next few days, and wherever he goes, division titles and postseason dramatics will most assuredly follow. The question is, who gets him?

There are a number of teams which remain in contention even now, but only a few have a realistic shot at winning it all. In the AL, particularly the East, the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays all have a very real possibility of ending the year as division champs, at the least. The Central boasts Detroit, Chicago, and Minnesota (spoiler?) as playoff candidates, and in the West the Angels are fighting off an unexpectedly powerful Texas team for their right to be king of the hill.

In the NL, Philly is rolling over the competition, the Dodgers are leading the entire major leagues in win percentage, and the Central…woah, the Central is a mess. All but Pittsburgh remain within 5 games of first place, though the division is essentially Chicago’s to lose, and it appears that lose they shall. Which brings me to my next point…

There have been rumblings that Halladay may leave the AL altogether and land in St. Louis. A signing of that magnitude, in a division like the Central, means certain victory for the beneficiaries of ol’ Doc’s services. Indeed, Halladay could seal the fate of the NL East were he to end up with the Phightin’ Phils, especially when they’ve already picked up the unemployed Pedro Martinez as (esentially) pennant insurance. A rotation of Halladay, Hamels and Martinez is just sick.

But sicker still would be C.C., A.J., and Halladay. Oh, and Joba. And Pettitte. That would be murder for those poor souls doomed to run the Bronx gauntlet. If I were Theo Epstein, I’d grab him before they do. One thing is for certain, and I’ll go on the record with this right now: If the Yankees, Red Sox, or Phillies get Halladay, they will win it all. So perhaps the Phils should consider that before the two-headed monster that is the Steinbrenner Brothers swoop in and steal him away, and the World Series with him.

Don’t be fooled; this is exactly what’s at stake. Not just a division, or even a league, but the whole ball of wax. That alone is enough to make the division leaders sweat a bit, maybe toss around in bed at night, hit the coffee and cigarettes like they’re pulling an all-weeker. They certainly have a lot to think about.

Like how much they’re willing to give up in order to leave their mark on baseball history. What would that be worth to you?