7-8 from: - link - The lefthanded-hitting catcher looks like a .300-hitter-in-the-making, the way he chokes up, controls his bat and hits line drives to all fields. He may not hit for much power, at least not for awhile, but he could also be a guy the Mets wouldn't mind seeing at the plate at any time with the tying or winning run on second. Already Thole has opened Jerry Manuel's eyes, in particular with a couple of tough at-bats against Stephen Strasburg last weekend, working him for a walk and a bullet of an RBI single up the middle.
7-8 from: - link - The K/BB ratio can be very telling with regards to a pitcher’s peripheral skill set. Used in conjunction with some form of the strikeout and walk rates themselves, either divided by plate appearances or on a per nine-inning basis, the ratio helps complete our view of the periphery. Much like the assist-to-turnover ratio in basketball, the K/BB divides something considered positive by something deemed as negative in order to inform fans, on average, how often a pitcher produces positive results relative to those on the opposite side of the spectrum. Then again, walks might not be the exact opposite of strikeouts, but that is a discussion for another day. Another interesting bit of tid when discussing the K/BB ratio is that it is usually better to use UBB, unintentional walks, as the denominator, because IBBs are not the result of anything skill-based from the pitcher, and are rather initiated by the manager. Why then should we judge a pitcher’s peripheral numbers—used primarily to evaluate what he can control—by something he can’t control, aside from somehow convincing his manager to go back to the dugout with a changed mind?
7-8 from: - link - Third base - Some solid seasons so far: the healthy Taylor Green at +6, Todd Frazier at +4, Matt Dominguez at +4 and Mike Hessman at +4. Dominguez has been all over the board (-6 in 2008, +8 last year), while Hessman is a consistent favorite of TotalZone. He's generally considered a stereotypical quad-A power hitter, but his defense undermines that judgment. There are just as many prospects at the other end of the third base ratings. Alex Liddi and Josh Vitters trail the pack at -8 apiece, while Conor Gillaspie (-6), Billy Rowell (-5) and Mat Gamel (-4) are right up there. Pedro Alvarez was -3 in his time in Triple-A.
7-8 from: - link - Jake Peavy (strained lat, 10/4) - Not just strained, but detached. That was the piece of info that took this from being bad news for Peavy and the White Sox to being the worst-case scenario. Peavy has pulled the muscle out at the insertion. That's the point where it connects to the upper arm, as seen here. It's not the best comparison, but if you've ever broken down a chicken, this is very similar, though obviously there's a size (and species) difference. It's the same kind of muscles and tendons that are pulled apart when taking the wings off before adding the delicious sauce. Peavy will in all likelihood need surgery to reattach the muscle. He'll get a second opinion, maybe more, but doctors and therapists I spoke with said a complete detachment of this type can't heal on its own. This detachment is what differentiates this strain (and yes, it's still a strain; a detachment is just a specific kind of rupture, which itself is a complete strain) from the ones suffered by other pitchers, such as Brad Penny, Josh Beckett, and Ben Sheets.
7-8 from: - link - As Evan MacLane spoke to reporters after his Major League debut, Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan went out of his way to walk by the rookie's locker and clap him on the shoulders. "Little bit of an unfair assignment," Duncan told the left-hander. It was a severe understatement. MacLane's first big league batter so far is the only one he's faced, as he served up a leadoff, walk-off home run to Chris Iannetta in the ninth inning on Wednesday night. The Cardinals lost to the Rockies, 8-7, making it back-to-back gut-wrenching walk-off defeats for St. Louis.
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