# Baseball July 2009 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [July 2, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737 "2009-07-02T20:43:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/421 "2009-07-31T21:14:13Z")
The Indians should just change their name to the Cleveland Expos and get it over with. What a crock of shit that trade was. Prediction: Masterson will win a Cy Young for Cleveland in 2013 and get dealt for prospects the following season. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/422 "2009-07-31T21:22:08Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Victor Martinez is on the radio crying about being traded to Boston. Maybe he’s afraid of needles. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/423 "2009-07-31T21:33:02Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > Because 6 years of Porcello for cheap is better than one and a half of Halliday for lots of money. Especially for a team that’s not in a great market. Not in a great slice of the economy here in Michigan, but a very hungry fan base, and one of the best owners in professional sports. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/424 "2009-07-31T21:50:01Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Not in a great slice of the economy here in Michigan, but a very hungry fan base, and one of the best owners in professional sports. True. I think mainly I’m just a big fan of Porcello. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/425 "2009-07-31T22:46:34Z")
Cincinnati gets Scott Rolen from the Blue Jays for Edwin Encarnacion, Josh Roenicke, and Zach Stewart. I can sort of understand this from Toronto’s position; they save money by dumping a 34-year-old player and get a few young pitchers. I don’t get it from Cincinnati’s position at all. Are they expecting to contend next year? Why would they want Rolen? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/426 "2009-07-31T22:54:31Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Cincinnati gets Scott Rolen from the Blue Jays for Edwin Encarnacion, Josh Roenicke, and Zach Stewart. > > I can sort of understand this from Toronto’s position; they save money by dumping a 34-year-old player and get a few young pitchers. > > I don’t get it from Cincinnati’s position at all. Are they expecting to contend next year? Why would they want Rolen? Do you get a sense of whether Encarnacion will slot straight in as full-time third baseman? I ask mainly because he’s on my fantasy team, and if he’s going to rotate on and off the bench, i’m going to need a replacement. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/427 "2009-07-31T23:02:34Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Maybe he’s afraid of needles. Zinger! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/428 "2009-07-31T23:12:05Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Do you get a sense of whether Encarnacion will slot straight in as full-time third baseman? > > I ask mainly because he’s on my fantasy team, and if he’s going to rotate on and off the bench, i’m going to need a replacement. 🙂 There’s nobody else in the organization who can play third base in the majors. Encarnacion will play every day, and why not? Aside from a poor start to this year he’s always been okay. Of course, he’s moving from a weak division and league to a powerful division in the better league AND into a better pitcher’s park. I note Baseball Prospectus has the deal as Rolen for Encarnacion and Yonder Alonso. Since the Jays are saying otherwise and have made roster moves to accomodate the new pitchers I’ll assume BP is getting their version of the deal from the same place they got the “Pete Rose Is Back In Baseball In 2004” story. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/429 "2009-07-31T23:38:32Z")
Guys, we dumped Edwin because he is a freaking error machine in the infield, and because he’s a terribly streaky hitter. He has power, and seems to do well with RISP, but sometimes he’s just hacking away out there at really bad pitches. Edwin is one of those infielders that will make a spectacular play, and then botch a routine one. Zach Stewart is the plum of your deal. The guy has been magnificent at every level in the Reds minor leagues. His ERA is quite low. As for Rolen, yes, I do think this is more of a “next year” acquisition for the Reds. It sure isn’t this year, we’re 10 games out now. Our pitching, once considered a strength, has completely fallen off the rails. Harang has been terrible, Arroyo is woefully inconsistent (and combined they make $22 million this year…yikes) and our would-be allstar Volquez has been hurt almost all year, and apparently re-injured himself in a mock game today. Homer Bailey is coming along, Cueto is really good (when he isn’t having back issues, like in that 22-1 debacle against the Phils, giving up nine runs in the first inning) and Micah Owings is an average pitcher with an above average bat. It sucks being a Reds fan, but I like Rolen, he hits for average (where did his homers go?) and is a clean infielder. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/430 "2009-07-31T23:40:38Z")
Nice preemptive [strike](http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4368436) Bronson! Umm, guys?Just in case, you know, MY name is on the list, remember when I said there was something funny going on back then? ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/431 "2009-07-31T23:42:53Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > True. I think mainly I’m just a big fan of Porcello. I like him too, but what’s the point in having prospects if you don’t use them. Porcello has no business in the majors right now at 20. We should have traded Magglio last year and we should have fired the trade for Halladay this year in addition to the trade we did make. We still had to make a trade or two this year, too. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2009, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/432 "2009-07-31T23:50:04Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Nice preemptive [strike](http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4368436) Bronson! > > Umm, guys?Just in case, you know, MY name is on the list, remember when I said there was something funny going on back then? I don’t know why that guy would even bother taking something like andro. He’s so damn skinny he disappears when he turns sideways! Plus, he’s never had much in the way of velocity anyway. I can almost sympathize with amphetamine use. It really must be hard to try to get up for every game in a grueling season, although Bronson does only play every fifth game. It would make more sense for an every day position player to feel overwhelmed by fatigue with all the games they play and travelling they do. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/433 "2009-08-01T00:17:41Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > It sucks being a Reds fan, but I like Rolen, he hits for average (where did his homers go?) and is a clean infielder. Rolen in his prime was a superb player, defensively and offensively, but how much does he have left in him? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/434 "2009-08-01T02:17:21Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Rolen in his prime was a superb player, defensively and offensively, but how much does he have left in him? He can still play a pretty nifty third base, but shoulder problems have robbed him of a lot of his power. He’s done a great job this year of making up for it by shortening his swing and just ripping base hits. The concern with Rolen is always his health. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/435 "2009-08-01T16:17:21Z")
The Tigers are going with pitching. That means nervous close games for the season. Pitching beats hitting .so they are better now. But it will be a nerve racking year. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/436 "2009-08-01T17:03:30Z")
The Astros choked away a chance last night against the Cardinals. With the Cubs loss to the Marlins, the Cardinals move back into first place in the NL Central. Still looks to be quite a race with 4 teams still in it. [Oswalt](http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bb/6556901.html) seems headed for the DL, however. A nice win by the Rangers in a crazy game with a very long rain delay. ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/437 "2009-08-01T19:38:45Z")
The way Linceum is pitching combined with the Phillies flailing at pitches the past couple of games makes me worried that he’s going to get 20 strike outs tonight. I was pushing for the Phils to get Halliday. I didn’t see a problem giving up pitching prospects - they are so much riskier than hitting prospects. But, I like the Lee trade. Not only did they get an ace, but picked up a right handed bat. Without having to give up their best prospects. Nice start for Lee I hope he can keep it up. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/438 "2009-08-01T20:29:08Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > There’s nobody else in the organization who can play third base in the majors. Encarnacion will play every day, and why not? Aside from a poor start to this year he’s always been okay. That was my impression, too, but both [Yahoo Baseball](http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7278/news;_ylt=AjyaCs9JJl.Q1GTY_a1TmK.FCLcF) and [MLB.com](http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090731&content_id=6172536&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb) are reporting that he’s going to share third-base duties with Jose Bautista. The MLB article says that this comes straight from Cito Gaston’s mouth. As you noted, Encarnacion had an awful start to the season, but he’s looked good since coming back from his injury, hitting .276/.375/.526 over that stretch. Playing against opposition like the Yankees and the Red Sox is going to hurt his numbers, though. By my count, the Blue Jays have another 20 games against those two teams this season, as well as a bunch against strong teams like the Rays, Angels, and Tigers. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/439 "2009-08-01T20:42:53Z")
psst… it’s August 1… ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737/440 "2009-08-01T20:44:21Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > psst… it’s August 1… I started the [August](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=526614) thread [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-july-2009/501737.md?page=23)