You're Waiting For a Train...: Jan 18, 2011

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Hot

Based solely on his behavior, it's quite possible that this is my illegitimate son. ;-j

Pluto Is Not a Planet

Sunday, PD beat writer Terry Pluto wrote than if the season were to start today the Indians third baseman would be Jason Donald. Despite the fact that Donald has played the vast majority of his minor league games at short, the Indians have always been disappointed in his defense thereat. What? Why trade for him? Why continue to play him at short in Columbus? Alternately, the team thinks that Donald can hold down the hot corner... based on the 3 games he's played there in the minors. This is madness. I agree that Jayson Nix is an abomination at third and can simply not be inserted at that position ever again, but why not take spring training to see if someone jumps out at you? Personally, I'm a big fan of Jared Goedert. Everyone keeps writing that he's a defensive liability with Pluto pointing to his 18 errors in 68 games last season. This is so infuriating that I can barely type. First off anyone who chooses to evaluate defensive aptitude by counting errors is an ignorant fool. If you can't get to a ball, you can't make an error on it. That's not the end of that argument, but it's enough to see my point from. Secondly, I guarantee you that I have watched Goedert play more innings at third than Terry Pluto. While Jared's certainly not Brooks Robinson, he not Nix either. He is more than adequate. No disrespect to TP, but if the assistant to the traveling secretary guesses at an opening day starter, don't print it as the organization's opinion. Don't describe anytime after the middle of January as the last minute. And, absolutely, under no circumstances, disrespect a prospect that you haven't taken the time to evaluate yourself.

Breathing now.

Full text coming soon.

Also, cross Josh McDaniels off of the Browns' list of offensive coordinator options; he signed on for the same position with the Rams today. You can add Atlanta QB coach Bill Musgrave as the team interviewed him today.

The O.C.

There are a menagerie of names being thrown about as possible Browns' offensive coordinators now that (thank god) Brian Daboll has pulled a Brian Windhorst. The list includes, but is not limited to, Baltimore QBs coach (& former 'Skins head coach) Jim Zorn, Broncos OC Mike McCoy, Eagles OL coach Juan Castillo, Rams WR coach Nolan Cromwell, and Barberton native Josh McDaniels. Too many to discuss right now. We'll wait for the list to be pared down a bit.

Also...

The Nationals acquire Tom Gorzellany from the Cubbies for 3 prospects: OF Michael Burgess, RHP AJ Morris and LHP Graham Hicks. Scoutingbook.com considers Burgess the Nats #5 prospect, while Baseball Ameican does not rank him in the top 10. BA does see Morris' slider as the best in the Washington organization.

Former Padres SP Chris Young (dude is 6'10"!) has agreed to terms with the Mets, pending a physical.

The Blue Jays ink former Nationals and Twins closer Jon Rauch (dude is 6'11"!) to a 1-yr, $3.5mil deal.

And then there's this...

Over a million tiny plastic bricks. It took him 18 months to build and 3 years to design. Wow.

Cheers.

Shin-Soo Steal

Tribe signs Choo to a one year $4 million deal.

Seems like a steal to me. I don't have a lot of data to back that up, but they also signed raffy perez to a $4 million one year deal. And Choo = 10 X raffy.

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2011/01/cleveland_indians_sign_shin-so.html

Beat you e.