Time for deals

Yunel Escobar

Last year, the Jays had come to the realisation that the Braves were frustrated with Yunel Escobar, ancd Alex Gonzalez had converted one half of baseball into a very marketable shortstop, 17 home runs, extra base hits, high enough average, reliable defense, and a player not prone to the hot doggery play.

Cito Gaston knew as well the kid had much more potential, given the right circumstances, a very special one.

Deals at this time of year are generally made for need and Atlanta had a need, a shortstop that could hit and make those routine play.  Run out ground balls.

Funny that a year into the deal, that woulld describe Escobar to a tee, and in fact, he's part of the young leadership group.

The Gonzalez deal was pure sell high, and deal for the guy with potential, but little results. Anthopolous saw an opening, deal Alex quickly before the batting average tumbled, and the lustre of the early home run success would run dry.
So this was more right place, right partner.


 So Jim, handicap where the potential deals are going to be made this deadline. Okay, let's give it a whirl.

Beltran, the most sought after, or the most hyped.
I think that the Mets want 2 things, salary relief, and ready to play prospects, like Chris Davis, Marty Perez.

BJ Upton, now this is a deal that Tampa wants prospects only, no one that is making any appreciable money, a controllable commodity. San Fran will lose out on Beltran, so will need to score a bat, too bad it will likely be Upton`s. But he might flourish with a change of scenery.

Aaron Hill, and I don`t think we will get much, but I think he moves , perhaps kenny Williams has soured on Gordon Beckham, Ozzie sure has, and US Cellular is a hitters paradise, so maybe the White Sox, and Jays get a single AAA prospect, but Kenny be careful, last year we got Escobar, this year, well, just be careful.

The usual collection of relivers will drift around to fill holes, a few back up catchers, but Beltran, and Upton will be names to expect.

Everyone expected Hunter Pence, or Wandy Rodriuguez, and James Shields, but none appear to be moving, but the Phils, Red Sox and Yankees all see the finishing line, and one of these teams will make a splash, bet on it.

Players from a time gone by

I started with Roberto Clemente, since he finished with 3000 hits exactly, after the 1971 season, he never saw 1972, his plane crashed delivering supplies to earthquake victims.

 I loved watching this perennial All Star play right field for the Pirates, win batting titles, knock in over 100 runs, and man could throw out runners.
The press in Pittsburgh insisted on calling him Bobby, and he would correct them constantly, and so was considered a malcontent, but he was fearless proud of his Cuban heritage.

Born to play the game, and he patrolled center field ( just ask John Fogerty ) like no one else in the majors, in either league.  I swear he played so shallow he could hear the second baseman whisper.  Has been given a bad rap because he fought the reserve clause at a time when players were not represented in a true fashion by a union with any teeth.  Marvin Miller sure changed that ( and when does he go to the Hall, thee most influential figure in the game from the late 60's for almost 2 decades.

 Dick Allen was a sullen, angry black player, never feeling like he got a fair shake from the establishment. He had tremendous talent, and on occasion was the most feared hitter in the National League.  But he frequently wore out welcomes, moving to Chicago to play for the White Sox, then onto Oakland and Texas, and played a season with the Dodgers.  Like I say, he had great ability to hit long home runs to all fields, and he could easily stretch a double into a single, he had that type of talent.
Sad he never fully realized his true potential.

 Let's Play Two, as Banks would utter, he was a player who never played a single playoff gamer, but has Hall of Fame numbers nevertheless, playing 1st base and other posts essentially for the South Siders of Chicago.
Another feared hitter from the late 50's through the 60's, and into the early 70's, he had the zeal for the game when it paid pennies.  Players complain about unscheduled double dips, Ernie wanted as many double headers as he could get.

Played in 3 World Series, Brock stole bases, but he could stroke the ball enough that he could have hit 30 homers a year, but like Ichiro, chose the path of base hits, steals, and runs created. Played a flawless outfield, making the glide to the ball look effortless, he did not get the press that Flood did in centre, but he range baby, he could take away hits that were sure doubles. Because he could run like the wind.

Joey Bats and Clemens Rats

Time to get caught up after the All Star Game, the Jeter 3000 hit, the Beltran Buzz, and here come the Yankees to town, with no Arod, no Cameron Diaz, no current controversy lingering.

Clemens vs The US Government declared a mistrial on evidence a first year law student should know was not admissible.  Maybe planned that way, so as to trip your self up, and reduce the potential long drawn on cost on taxpayers. In the 40' s, boxers took dives because they cleaned up betting on the other guy, and so did the Govt  get good odds on a mistrial ? . 

Jays roll into the 2nd half and clobber the Yanks, while losing Joey Bats19 to an ankle sprain, which most will tell you will cost him a weekend on the shelf.  No sweat, we banged out 23 hits, most of them off Barty Colon, who stunk worse than the Hudson River.  In fairness though to Colon, not many of those hits were truly monstrous. Mostly dinks and duck farts.

Into the 2nd half with tight division races, Arizona hanging with San Fran, Tigers and Tribe, Yankees-Red Sox, Cards and Brewers, Braves and Phils, and Angels- Rangers, with a few others still hope like Tampa, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and the Twinkies. Ultimately they will cut down the pretenders into August, 3 team races usually unravel like a poorly knitted sweater. Watch out for the Twins.

Here in Toronto, we headed into he break winning 3 in a row off Cleveland, then last nights combination laugher/ cliffhanger, thanks to Jo Jo Reyes, and Andruw Jones. Imagine, a 9-0 lead, and he gives back 7, and that with half the game still to play. Still nice to exhaust their bullpen in one evening.

Key hit of the night, E5 ( Encarnacion ) a 2 out base knock that gave us an 11-7 lead, a chance to breathe again, and momentum to re-accelerate our engines. 8 runs in the first not a record against the poinstrippers, 9 scored in 1934 by the Tigers, but a pasting nevertheless.

Clemens Rats

Clemens, number 1 Rat Fink, so far denied his chance to stand up and have his record washed clean, must hope a mistrial means HOF Voters think he is innocent.  Does the Pope wear a toupee ? Does a bear shit in the woods ?

This ain't over by a long shot.


I am sure that HBO are thrilled that when they begin showing the Jeter assault on 3000 hits like Hercules ascending Mount Olympus, there are no nightly trial tidbits to tarnish Yankee icons.  Maybe here's hoping Clemens elects to wear a Red Sox hat if he gets into the HOF.

Joey Bats19

I am currently following baseball's good boy @JoeyBats19 on twitter, and yes folks, I am also on Twitter, as well as blog world.

My twitter handle is @keon2214, but don't expect Shaq like ditties, and Darren Dreger trade updates, just rambling commentary, like the blog.



With E5 hitting, Snider banging, and Thames swinging, we can survive against the Yanks if we get contributions from everyone, and start taking more pitches to wear out their arms. That's what they do.