Rest of Baseball Thread 2009

[BigEd76]

before the deadline, the Dodgers got Thome and Jon Garland

[Sgt PSN]

i'd be worried about that if thome could still play 1st base or if garland could still pitch.   looks like the dodgers are hoping that thome is this year's matt stairs.   

[QB Eagles]

Dumb:

The Blue Jays are hoping a dispute between the U.S. and Canada over charter flights will not affect wholesale changes to an upcoming road trip.

The dispute, though, already has forced a small change for the team's trip to Detroit Sept. 10 and could cause bigger problems with an alternative flight that was booked into the Motor City.

"We're hoping they settle the ban," Jays travelling secretary Mike Shaw said. "We don't see any issues at the moment, but you have to be ready all the same."

Airline authorities in the U.S. have begun banning Canadian charter company flights between American cities.

The ban, seen as a measure of protectionism, affects Canadian charter companies, including Air Canada, which has about a half dozen planes dedicated to chartering professional sports teams.

While Canadian-based planes are admitted into U.S. air space, the problem lies with the Canadian carrier flying teams between U.S. cities.

Those flights are being banned, and unless there is a quick settlement, teams like the Jays and the Maple Leafs may have to leave the U.S. and re-enter in the case of back-to-back games against American teams.

The Canadian government has responded with a similar ban on American charters, something that has already forced the Jays to change plans with their upcoming Detroit trip.

The Jays use a U.S. charter company – Miami Air – and Shaw said Canadian authorities have nixed the team's plans to fly from Toronto to Windsor and then entering the U.S. from Windsor.

The club has since booked a flight directly into Detroit. But Shaw said if Canadian authorities balk at that flight, the team will charter a bus to get to Detroit.

And even then, the Jays will have to get approval from the Major League Baseball Players Association, which bans bus travel of more than 200 miles for the 30 major league teams.

"Fortunately, it's not very far," Shaw said.

Miami Air, which has five NHL teams and the Jays as clients, was reportedly told this week to cancel 60 in-Canada flights. Most of those flights affect NHL pre-season travel for U.S.-based NHL teams.

Shaw said the Blue Jays' contract with Miami Air runs out at the end of this season, and the club is looking at several charter companies in its search for a carrier for next year.

Talks are ongoing between Canadian and American authorities, but Shaw said if the dispute carries on into next season, the Jays will likely bus to Buffalo and fly to their U.S. destinations from there.

[PhillyPhreak54]

I actually feel sorry for Pirates fans

Other matters of note, one for each of the Pirates' 17 consecutive losing seasons:

1. Number of Pirates elected as a starter for the National League All-Star team since 1993: 1. Jason Bay(notes), in 2006.

2. Number of Pirates who have been drafted and become an All-Star since 1993: 0.

3. Number of Pirates to hit .300 or better, with enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title: 9. Freddy Sanchez(notes) led the league with a .344 average in 206. Jason Kendall(notes) did it four times. All nine players were traded: Sanchez, Kendall, Bay, Jack Wilson(notes), Aramis Ramirez(notes), Brian Giles(notes), Al Martin, Jay Bell and Orlando Merced.

4. Number of Pirates with at least 100 plate appearances to hit under the Mendoza Line (.200 batting average): 17. Mike Benjamin batted .150 in 2002, with 18 hits in 120 at-bats, zero home runs and three RBIs. In both 1997 and 1998, the Pirates had three hitters with averages under .200. That included infielder Kevin Polcovich, who was given 238 plate appearances in 1998 and batted .189.

5. Number of Pirates to hit 30 or more home runs in a season: 5. They all were traded – Bay, Reggie Sanders(notes), Brian Giles (he and Bay were traded for each other before Bay was dealt to Boston), Ramirez, and Jeff King.

6. Number of Pirates to lead the league in errors: 1. Third baseman Ed Sprague made 29 errors in 1999, finishing in a tie with Adrian Beltre(notes) of the Dodgers. Aramis Ramirez led the league in 2003 but was traded midseason to the Cubs.

7. Number of Pirates to win Gold Gloves: 2. Outfielder Nate McLouth(notes) won in 2008, shortstop Bell in 1993. And yes, they both were traded.

8. Number of Pirates pitchers to win 15 or more games in a season: 1. Todd Ritchie won 15 in 1999, then won a total of 26 over the next five seasons, spent with the Pirates and three other teams.

9. Number of Pirates pitchers to lose 15 or more games in a season: 9. Kip Wells(notes) was the biggest loser, going 8-18 in 2005.

10. Number of Pirates pitchers with an ERA of 3.00 or less (among qualifiers): 1. Oliver Perez(notes) had a 2.98 ERA as a 22-year-old lefty in 2004. He was traded to the Mets.

11. Number of Pirates pitchers with an ERA over 5.00: 9. Bob Walk had the highest, 5.68 in 1993.

12. Most games over .500 by any Pirates team in the last 17 seasons: 7, in 2002.

13. Most games under .500 by any Pirates team in the last 17 seasons: 40, in 2001. In eight other seasons, the Pirates finished 25 or more games under .500.

14. Number of seasons in which a Pirates team did not spend a single day over .500 or in first place: 5. An additional six teams were never more than three games over .500 an entire season.

15. Number of first-round draft choices between 1993 and 2005: 15. Number of first-round draft choices to make it as a big league regular: 3. Two are pitchers, Kris Benson(notes) and Paul Maholm(notes). The third is rookie outfielder Andrew McCutchen(notes). There have been 12 first-round busts. The jury is still out on Maholm, a middling left-hander, and McCutchen, who looks like a budding star. Benson, the No. 1 overall pick in 1996, is an undistinguished 69-74 and was outrighted this year by the Texas Rangers.

16. The worst draft? So many to choose from, but none of the Pirates' first 16 picks in 1998 played an inning in the big leagues.

17. Most losses by five or more runs in a season: 36, in 2001. Eight other times, they lost 25 or more games by at least five runs.

[QB Eagles]

I've been told that Tim Wakefield is the only remaining active player in MLB who was a member of a Pirates team with a winning record.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Sounds about right.

And at least they can be given credit for moving him to pitcher from a 1B when he sucked as a regular player

[MDS]

farg if i feel bad for those MA pennsyltucky iceholes. go suck a jesus cock western pa

[ice grillin you]

13 major league players have had 3000 hits with one team....name them without googling

[BigEd76]

Rose, Cobb, Ripken, Gwynn, Brett, Yount

[ice grillin you]

good so far

no yankee has ever done it which amazed me...altho three (winfield - rickey - boggs) have 3000 and played for them

also its incredible how few great pitchers the yankees have had for as good as theyve been

like pettite might be their second best pitcher of all time

[BigEd76]

what about Aaron and Mays?

[ice grillin you]

yes and yes

[ice grillin you]

four more what i would consider easy ones and two toughies

[rjs246]

Clemente

[rjs246]

Musial