“You got to make a good quote,” says Parker, the owner of the Gameday Gamblers. “You write it and I’ll back it up.”
Why is Parker forcing me to quote him?
Because he can’t stop bragging about Andre Ethier.
And for a moment, he had me fooled.
OK, actually, for about four days.
He picked up Andre Ethier after the Generals dropped him, and immediately he ran into my room (he’s my roommate) and he said, “Yo, picked up Ethier. He’s good.”
And then, courtesy of my MLB.TV package I bought, I found myself watching Dodgers’ games all the time because I get done with work late. During those games, it seemed like Ethier was producing. He’s always on base.
However, he’s 5-for-22 the last seven days. That’s .227. Not good. But, four walks and a couple other great at-bats that did not equal hits but worked his way on base, helped him score seven runs. (His on-base percentage, according to my calculator, is .455 — not too shabby.) Plus, he has two home runs and six RBIs in that time, so the .227 doesn’t look all that bad.
If he doesn’t pull up the average, though, the pick-up Parker brags about right now will not seem so great in a week.
Althought, on a team like the Dodgers, I believe that average will get better. Pitchers are constantly worried about getting to Manny, so they’ll give Ethier pitches to hit. So we’ll see if he continues to take advantage of these opportunities.
If he does, this will be the second year in a row that the Generals dropped a Dodger in the first couple weeks of the season and lived to regret it. Russell Martin was an early season drop by the Generals after a 2-for-20 start in 2008. Clearly that was a mistake. I traded Martin for this year's second overall pick. (That equals Jake Peavy.)
And speaking of giving up too early, there are many division favorites who are at the bottom of their divisions.
No, not in the JimmyJam League, at least not yet. The season is young and the surprises in our league are not mature enough to be called that. I’ll be surprised if Sex Panthers lead in July. I’m not surprised in April.
But in the REAL baseball league, known as the Major League, every division has a surprise on top. EVERY one!
It’s kind of crazy right now. Because, in the early going, you expect that crazy start by the Pirates or the Orioles, but they’re the only ones.
Not in 2009.
Check this. Saturday, 1:46 a.m. Here are your division leaders: A.L. East, Toronto; A.L. Central, Kansas City; A.L. West, Seattle; N.L. East: Florida; N.L. Central, St. Louis; N.L. West, San Diego.
Now, Toronto, Florida and St. Louis were expected to have decent teams, so it’s not too much of a surprise to see a good start. It’s just amazing to see all three at the top of their divisions. And the Marlins, at 9-1, with the best record in baseball. Their pitching staff is ridiculous. They right now, no matter what J-Roll says, are the team to beat in the East.
Outside of those three, we have Kansas City, Seattle and San Diego.
Seattle was predicted to finish last, and Kansas City was expected to do better and finish .500 due to its top three starters, but San Diego has no business being No. 1 right now.
Jake Peavy was a part of trade talks in the offseason, and when nothing happened, it was speculated that the Padres would trade him in July or August when they were clearly too far out of it to even think about keeping him.
If they keep playing the way they have so far, starting 8-3, they’ll not only keep him, but maybe go after starting pitching in July and August for themselves. Also, if they keep this up, imagine the battle this can be between the Dodgers and Padres.
I’m calling it now. The N.L. West winner will not be a shame to the playoffs as it has in the last two years. There will be a 90-plus-win team coming out of the West — maybe two at this rate.
Imagine the Wild Card going to the West. That’d be amazing.
Then I would be speechless.
Maybe Parker, too.
Why is Parker forcing me to quote him?
Because he can’t stop bragging about Andre Ethier.
And for a moment, he had me fooled.
OK, actually, for about four days.
He picked up Andre Ethier after the Generals dropped him, and immediately he ran into my room (he’s my roommate) and he said, “Yo, picked up Ethier. He’s good.”
And then, courtesy of my MLB.TV package I bought, I found myself watching Dodgers’ games all the time because I get done with work late. During those games, it seemed like Ethier was producing. He’s always on base.
However, he’s 5-for-22 the last seven days. That’s .227. Not good. But, four walks and a couple other great at-bats that did not equal hits but worked his way on base, helped him score seven runs. (His on-base percentage, according to my calculator, is .455 — not too shabby.) Plus, he has two home runs and six RBIs in that time, so the .227 doesn’t look all that bad.
If he doesn’t pull up the average, though, the pick-up Parker brags about right now will not seem so great in a week.
Althought, on a team like the Dodgers, I believe that average will get better. Pitchers are constantly worried about getting to Manny, so they’ll give Ethier pitches to hit. So we’ll see if he continues to take advantage of these opportunities.
If he does, this will be the second year in a row that the Generals dropped a Dodger in the first couple weeks of the season and lived to regret it. Russell Martin was an early season drop by the Generals after a 2-for-20 start in 2008. Clearly that was a mistake. I traded Martin for this year's second overall pick. (That equals Jake Peavy.)
And speaking of giving up too early, there are many division favorites who are at the bottom of their divisions.
No, not in the JimmyJam League, at least not yet. The season is young and the surprises in our league are not mature enough to be called that. I’ll be surprised if Sex Panthers lead in July. I’m not surprised in April.
But in the REAL baseball league, known as the Major League, every division has a surprise on top. EVERY one!
It’s kind of crazy right now. Because, in the early going, you expect that crazy start by the Pirates or the Orioles, but they’re the only ones.
Not in 2009.
Check this. Saturday, 1:46 a.m. Here are your division leaders: A.L. East, Toronto; A.L. Central, Kansas City; A.L. West, Seattle; N.L. East: Florida; N.L. Central, St. Louis; N.L. West, San Diego.
Now, Toronto, Florida and St. Louis were expected to have decent teams, so it’s not too much of a surprise to see a good start. It’s just amazing to see all three at the top of their divisions. And the Marlins, at 9-1, with the best record in baseball. Their pitching staff is ridiculous. They right now, no matter what J-Roll says, are the team to beat in the East.
Outside of those three, we have Kansas City, Seattle and San Diego.
Seattle was predicted to finish last, and Kansas City was expected to do better and finish .500 due to its top three starters, but San Diego has no business being No. 1 right now.
Jake Peavy was a part of trade talks in the offseason, and when nothing happened, it was speculated that the Padres would trade him in July or August when they were clearly too far out of it to even think about keeping him.
If they keep playing the way they have so far, starting 8-3, they’ll not only keep him, but maybe go after starting pitching in July and August for themselves. Also, if they keep this up, imagine the battle this can be between the Dodgers and Padres.
I’m calling it now. The N.L. West winner will not be a shame to the playoffs as it has in the last two years. There will be a 90-plus-win team coming out of the West — maybe two at this rate.
Imagine the Wild Card going to the West. That’d be amazing.
Then I would be speechless.
Maybe Parker, too.
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