In-Season Trades, 2006

[Guest Edgy DC]

Red Sox reportedly re-acquire Doug Mirabelli in preparation for Yankee series.

Noted in Yanx/Sawx thread.

[smg58]

Apparently Bard couldn't catch Wakefield at all.

So the Padres trade Loretta for a backup catcher they wind up giving right back. Interesting.

[DocTee]

]Padres trade Loretta for a backup catcher they wind up giving right back. Interesting.

Actually, they trade Loretta for Josh Paul, $100K and a minor league pitcher they're pretty high on.

I think SD is in trouble, even in the weak NL West, and there could be more trades to come as the season continues.

[Guest Rotblatt]

DocTee wrote: Actually, they trade Loretta for Josh Paul, $100K and a minor league pitcher they're pretty high on. I think SD is in trouble, even in the weak NL West, and there could be more trades to come as the season continues.

I agree, although I think this was a relatively insignificant loss for San Diego. Mirabelli wasn't doing much for them and his apparently unique ability to catch a knuckler is pretty useless outside of Boston.

Still, I think you're right, and the Padres will start selling off more significant parts as the season progresses . . .

[Guest sharpie]

It's a little early to bury San Diego in the weak NL West. They beat the Giants last night and it was in May of last year that they seized control. I don't see that trade as a deperation move at all. They had no real use for Mirabelli (not sure why they wanted him in the first place).

[DocTee]

They traded for Mirabelli after losing Ramon Hernandez but before acquiring Piazza. Once they signed Mike, they really had no need for Mirabelli, who, IMO is more than just a knuckleballer's caddy-- I think he's a pretty solid backstop and decent enough hitter.

I don't think this is desparation, (not on SDs part-- Boston perhaps) but could signal a willingness by the Padres to deal more significant pieces later on.

[Guest Edgy DC]

This delays Piazza's move to first!

More seriously, I curiously inquire: who else throws the knuckler nowadays? i don't understand why there isn't at least one knuckleballer in every system.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Because the power pitchers get all the chicks.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Well, Lance Neikro proves that Joe scored at least once.

Seriously, this was discussed in a fine book I read once (I think The Hidden Game of Baseball). If 80-90% of pitching prospects (I'm guessing), never see a major league clubhouse, wouldn't it be good business sense to take maybe two or three every year who have gone as far as their arms will take them, but have shown resolve, headiness, work-ethic, etc. and have some old salt teach them the knuckleball.

Keep one or two designated Crash Davis-type knuckleball catchers in the system, bounce them betweeen levels for whichever knuckleballer is giong that day. Sure it's a little demeaning to bounce around so in a job, but it's a job in baseball, and it comes with the hope that if one of those pitchers reaches the show, the team may well need you to be his caddy.

[Gwreck]

Edgy DC wrote: More seriously, I curiously inquire: who else throws the knuckler nowadays? i don't understand why there isn't at least one knuckleballer in every system.

R.A. Dickey, the Rangers pitcher who gave up the 6 homers to the Tigers early this season -- except he got sent to AAA as a result....leaving Wakefield as the only knuckler currently in the majors.

I found this page linked from Steve Sparks' baseball-reference page:

http://www.oddball-mall.com/knuckleball/list.htm (list of everyone who's thrown the knuckleball, ever -- including Mets pitchers Dennis Springer, Rich Sauveur, and Todd Zeile)

[Guest sharpie]

A kid on the baseball team I coach showed me his (pretty good) knuckler this past weekend and asked if he could use it in a game. I told him he can try it with an 0-2 count and no one on.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Make sure the catcher knows it's coming.

Speaking of coaching, how's that calf?

[RealityChuck]

Edgy DC wrote: More seriously, I curiously inquire: who else throws the knuckler nowadays? i don't understand why there isn't at least one knuckleballer in every system.

Playing it safe. As Wakefield pointed out, if you have a guy with a 90 mph fastball and he has a bad game in the minors, people just say, "Well, we know fastballers tend to be wild and he just needs time to find his control."

When a knuckleballer in the minors pitches poorly, it's that damn trick pitch. Throw some heat, dammit!

If you go with a fastball, no one will second guess you. If you go with a knuckler, everyone will.

[Guest sharpie]

Calf still hurts, though not as much as yesterday. Thanks for asking.

[Guest Edgy DC]

]If you go with a fastball, no one will second guess you. If you go with a knuckler, everyone will.

Nonetheless, I'm hoping my team has room for some progessive thought.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Phil Nevin and cash to Chicago, Jerry Hairston to Texas.

Might mean something for the Mets. Chicago is trying to stay alive and it makes them less likely to provide the Mets with their next second baseman, I guess. I sure don't want Tony Womack, though.