Another Reason Matsui Won't Be Back
Pinstripe Alley (Free subscription) | 7 hours ago
... $5M (more for staying off the DL and hitting for power), agreeing to be an 80 game DH and the best pinch hitter in baseball.
Pinch-hitter
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Looking back at community projections: Shortstops
Brew Crew Ball (Free subscription) | 10 hours ago
... 2009, and his numbers were good at second, great at third and incredible (in a small sample) as a pinch hitter. Yet somehow he was terrible as a shortstop. I'm not sure if that's relevant or just a small sample size quirk, but I thought I'd share it and let you decide for yourself. Playing Time Player Projected % Actual % Diff J.J. Hardy 87.9% 67.1% -20.8% Craig Counsell 6.9% 13.6%...
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Marlins Decline Option On Ross Gload
MLB Trade Rumors (Free subscription) | 11/07/2009
... but the lefty swinger excelled off the bench, hitting .318/.418/.455 in 79 plate appearances as a pinch hitter. He even threw a scoreless inning for good measure.
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Manny Ramirez will remain with Dodgers (Dylan Hernandez/Los Angeles Times)
Ballbug (Free subscription) | 11/07/2009
— Marlins hold exclusive negotiating rights until Nov. 19 — MIAMI — Neither one of them was on the roster when the Marlins opened Spring Training in 2009. Yet, both became big contributors. — Now, reliever Brendan Donnelly and first baseman/pinch-hitter Ross Gload will test the market.
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World Series Averages 19.4 Million Viewers, Up 42% From 2008 (Maury Brown/The Biz of Baseball)
Ballbug (Free subscription) | 11/07/2009
— Marlins hold exclusive negotiating rights until Nov. 19 — MIAMI — Neither one of them was on the roster when the Marlins opened Spring Training in 2009. Yet, both became big contributors. — Now, reliever Brendan Donnelly and first baseman/pinch-hitter Ross Gload will test the market.
Explore : Sports
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Expect moves, moves and more moves - Johnny Damon ... (Tim Kurkjian/ESPN)
Ballbug (Free subscription) | 11/08/2009
... in 2009. Yet, both became big contributors. — Now, reliever Brendan Donnelly and first baseman/pinch-hitter Ross Gload will test the market.Discussion: Discussion: Mike Axisa / : RELATED: Joe Frisaro / : — Veteran first baseman not expected to return to club — MIAMI — In 35 games, Nick Johnson made an impact with the Marlins. But unless Florida works out a contract with the veteran,...
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Rattler Alumni Report: Winter League Games of November 5, 2009
Rattler Radio (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009
Arizona Fall League @Mesa 8, Javelinas 1 Javs: Lorenzo Cain ('09): 2-for-4, RBI Anthony Varvaro ('07): IP, H, 0R, K Liga Venezuela Beisbol Profesional: @Lara 11, Margarita 8 Lara: Luis Valbuena ('06): 2-for-3, RUN, RBI Michael Saunders ('06): 1-for-4, 2 RUNS, 2RBI Oswaldo Navarro ('05); Pinch hitter, BB Jose Escalona ('08): .2IP, H, 0R Ivan Blanco ('05): .1IP, 0H, 0R, BB @Zulia 6, Caracas...
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Four Atlanta Braves file for Free Agency
Talking Chop (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009
The Atlanta Braves had four of five eligible players file for free agency yesterday. First baseman Adam LaRoche , outfielder Garret Anderson , pinch hitter Greg Norton , and reliever Mike Gonzalez all filed for free agency, leaving only reliever Rafael Soriano yet to file. The two relievers, Gonzalez and Soriano, are both type-A free agents, meaning the Braves would receive two first...
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Manny exercises option, remains in LA (Ken Gurnick/MLB.com)
Ballbug (Free subscription) | 11/07/2009
... in 2009. Yet, both became big contributors. — Now, reliever Brendan Donnelly and first baseman/pinch-hitter Ross Gload will test the market.Mike Axisa / — Veteran first baseman not expected to return to club — MIAMI — In 35 games, Nick Johnson made an impact with the Marlins. But unless Florida works out a contract with the veteran, those 35 games may be the extent of Johnson's tenure...
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Music video: Young Dro feat. Yung LA - "I Don't Know Ya'll"
Notes from a Different Kitchen (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009
Directed by Gabriel Hart: " To call Young Dro ’s latest clip “animated” would be a severe understatement. With depicted scenery functioning like real-life oil paintings, it’s literally a work of an art. Grand Hustle’s pinch hitters prove their vision can be as colorful as their lyrics." This video is pretty incredible and worth watching regardless...
Explore : Music
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So does the fact that what the...
Silliman's Blog (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009
... but that’s okay. He’ll be a big improvement in Matt Stairs’ slot as primo pinch-hitter. Stairs is just one of the bench players I don’t expect to see back next year. In fact, catcher Paul Bako & Francisco are the only bench players I do expect to return. The Phitins (you have to live in Philly to use that term, long i on the first syllable) had the worst...
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White Sox mum on Teahen deal
Chicago Tribune (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009
Club would give up Chris Getz and Josh Fields in deal The Whtie Sox wouldn't confirm reports they have acquired versatile left-handed hitter Mark Teahen from the Royals for Chris Getz and Josh Fields. Although several scouting sources acknowledged the teams thoroughly evaluated and discussed personnel, neither Getz nor the agent for Fields said they had been informed they had been traded.
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Rattler Alumni Report: Winter League Games of November 4, 2009
Rattler Radio (Free subscription) | 11/05/2009
Arizona Fall League Mesa 8 @Javelinas 5 Javs: Joe Dunigan ('08): 1-for-4 Taylor Green ('09): 1-for-3, RUN Liga Venezuela Beisbol Profesional @Lara 10, Caribes 0 Lara: Luis Valbuena ('06): 1-for-3, RUN, RBI Oswaldo Navarro ('05): Pinch hitter, 1-for-1, RUN, RBI, HR #1 Michael Saunders ('06): 1-for-3, 3 RUNS Juan Ovalles ('04): IP, H, 0R @Magallanes 6, Margarita 3 Magallanes: Wladimir Balentien...
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A hot Matsui back in Yankees' starting lineup
Philadelphia Inquirer (Free subscription) | 11/04/2009
NEW YORK - For three games in Philadelphia, Hideki Matsui played the role of the dangerous lefthanded bat off the bench. It worked well: Matsui was 2 for 3 with a home run as a pinch-hitter.
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If You Would Have Told Me Before the Season . . (Phillies Musings)
SportsProf (Free subscription) | 11/04/2009
... party of miners to look for his batting average; and Matt Stairs would have a huge oh-fer as a pinch hitter during the season and hit for very little power; and the Phillies would make it to (at least) Game 6 of the World Series. . . I would have signed up for that result in a heartbeat. So now the Phillies find themselves about 2 1/2 hours away from Game 6, in a classic match-up...