Comments on: What They Still Need: AL West http://umpbump.com/press/2008/01/15/what-they-still-need-al-west/ In-your-face baseball commentary Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:48:13 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: gej http://umpbump.com/press/2008/01/15/what-they-still-need-al-west/comment-page-1/#comment-54367 gej Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:20:22 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/what-they-still-need-al-west/#comment-54367 The Mariners don't need Erik Bedard at the price that the O's are asking. Of course they could use a stud like Bedard, but trading Adam Jones (who is under control for like a million years at 400k) would be a massive downgrade the defense. Run prevention is what the Mariners need and defense is significantly undervalued when talking about this. The Mariners aren't one player away from making a run, so this deal doesn't make sense. Looking at the roster, this team cannot beat the Angels, Indians, Red Sox or Yankees with or without Bedard, so why hemorrhage the future for him? The Mariners don’t need Erik Bedard at the price that the O’s are asking. Of course they could use a stud like Bedard, but trading Adam Jones (who is under control for like a million years at 400k) would be a massive downgrade the defense. Run prevention is what the Mariners need and defense is significantly undervalued when talking about this.

The Mariners aren’t one player away from making a run, so this deal doesn’t make sense. Looking at the roster, this team cannot beat the Angels, Indians, Red Sox or Yankees with or without Bedard, so why hemorrhage the future for him?

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]]> By: Paul Moro http://umpbump.com/press/2008/01/15/what-they-still-need-al-west/comment-page-1/#comment-39726 Paul Moro Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:56:08 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/what-they-still-need-al-west/#comment-39726 Sorry, Coley. Didn't realize he was your boy. Plus, you're right. I shouldn't have used the past tense since he can still hit the ball a long ways. As for his Hall candidacy, I haven't looked at his numbers all too closely but my initial reaction to your question was "most likely". The guy's got over 500HRs and counting. His career OBP is over .400. Even in the PED-era, his career numbers put him among the elite. The only things that could prevent him really is number of hits and (if you're really nitpicking) the fact that he played much of his career in hitter's parks. Regarding the low (for a HOF-er) career hits, for one, he's been a bit injury-prone (and still hit over 500 HRs. Go figure) so for a guy with that many years of service, he doesn't have a lot of ABs. Besides, other HR hitters like Harmon Killebrew and Willie McCovey didn't get that many hits either. And Thome should get his 2000th sometime this year. We're not sure if Thome or Frank Thomas retires first, but they'll be rooting for each other on those HOF ballots. They've had pretty similar careers and if one gets in, then the other probably will too. Sorry, Coley. Didn’t realize he was your boy. Plus, you’re right. I shouldn’t have used the past tense since he can still hit the ball a long ways.

As for his Hall candidacy, I haven’t looked at his numbers all too closely but my initial reaction to your question was “most likely”. The guy’s got over 500HRs and counting. His career OBP is over .400. Even in the PED-era, his career numbers put him among the elite.

The only things that could prevent him really is number of hits and (if you’re really nitpicking) the fact that he played much of his career in hitter’s parks. Regarding the low (for a HOF-er) career hits, for one, he’s been a bit injury-prone (and still hit over 500 HRs. Go figure) so for a guy with that many years of service, he doesn’t have a lot of ABs. Besides, other HR hitters like Harmon Killebrew and Willie McCovey didn’t get that many hits either. And Thome should get his 2000th sometime this year.

We’re not sure if Thome or Frank Thomas retires first, but they’ll be rooting for each other on those HOF ballots. They’ve had pretty similar careers and if one gets in, then the other probably will too.

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]]> By: coley http://umpbump.com/press/2008/01/15/what-they-still-need-al-west/comment-page-1/#comment-39707 coley Fri, 28 Dec 2007 16:02:24 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/what-they-still-need-al-west/#comment-39707 Paul, quit talking about my boy Thome in the past tense. He's STILL grizzled. And while we're talking about big Jim, what do you think...is he a hall of famer? I say yes. Paul, quit talking about my boy Thome in the past tense. He’s STILL grizzled.

And while we’re talking about big Jim, what do you think…is he a hall of famer?

I say yes.

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]]> By: Paul Moro http://umpbump.com/press/2008/01/15/what-they-still-need-al-west/comment-page-1/#comment-39692 Paul Moro Fri, 28 Dec 2007 14:50:23 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/what-they-still-need-al-west/#comment-39692 Coley, Thome is "grizzled", not "gritty". He was way too good a power bat to be classified as such. He's currently 9th on the list of active players with the most intentional walks, he's hit a ton of extra-base hits, etc. PS: It's great that we can actually debate these kinds of things as a result of a study that's 50% a joke. Coley, Thome is “grizzled”, not “gritty”. He was way too good a power bat to be classified as such. He’s currently 9th on the list of active players with the most intentional walks, he’s hit a ton of extra-base hits, etc.

PS: It’s great that we can actually debate these kinds of things as a result of a study that’s 50% a joke.

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]]> By: Esteban http://umpbump.com/press/2008/01/15/what-they-still-need-al-west/comment-page-1/#comment-39689 Esteban Fri, 28 Dec 2007 14:28:47 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/what-they-still-need-al-west/#comment-39689 this is cool http://www.spymac.com/details/?2321924 this is cool
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2321924

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]]> By: Coley http://umpbump.com/press/2008/01/15/what-they-still-need-al-west/comment-page-1/#comment-39601 Coley Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:13:46 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/what-they-still-need-al-west/#comment-39601 Paul, I was just reading this post. It's fantastic. Though, I was surprised to read that Jim Thome was one of the least gritty players ever. He strikes me as a guy who isn't afraid to get his uni dirty. Paul, I was just reading this post. It’s fantastic. Though, I was surprised to read that Jim Thome was one of the least gritty players ever. He strikes me as a guy who isn’t afraid to get his uni dirty.

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