Writings on baseball by Matt Barnard and Dan Stein.

Luis Martinez cleared
 
I don't know much about prospects. I'm trying to learn more, but all someone in my position (outside of baseball) has to go on are translated/non-translated statistics and scouting reports as there aren't many opportunities to actually see them play. So while I don't know all that much about Luis Martinez, I know that he's been highly thought of in prospect circles and was the Brewers' Minor League Player of the Year in 2003.

A few weeks ago, Martinez was involved in a shooting (supposedly regarding a parking spot) in the Dominican Republic. As a result, Martinez was held in the Dominican - he supposedly shot a government tax worker several times - and his future was in serious jeopardy.

The bottom line is that the Brewers waived him due to the uncertainty surrounding his status and the Cardinals claimed him yesterday. Today he's been cleared, and the Cardinals find themselves with a nice looking pitching prospect on their hands. For an organization pretty bereft of any kind of minor league talent (pitching or otherwise), Martinez is a fine addition, especially considering he cost nothing talent-wise.

Martinez is supposed to report to Jupiter tomorrow, and will probably begin the season either at AAA Memphis or in the bullpen. But on a team relying on the likes of Jeff Suppan as its #3 starter and Chris Carpenter at #4, the opportunity is going to be there for Martinez to break in on what should be a very good offensive team.

Though his brief (16.1 innings) performance last year didn't do much to inspire confidence he's ready to succeed right now, he was damn good at AA Huntsville (8-5 with a 2.58 ERA, allowing 93 hits allowed (4 homers), while walking 54 and striking out 116 over 115 innings) and dynamite at AAA Indianapolis before the late season call-up. And he's a 24-year old, 6'6" lefty with a nasty curve (it's in there). Not knowing more about Martinez, I don't know what else to say about this other than that the Cardinals may very well have picked up a hell of a pitcher and a guy who could be a factor as soon as this season.
posted by VZW Watcher at 9:19 PM -

There's not a whole lot here, but it's something
 
I feel like every post opens this way, but I'm sorry for the lack of content over the last couple of weeks. I've been occupied lately with a variety of different things and haven't had much of a chance to blog. I've just started watching baseball again (courtesy of mlb.tv, which still works from last season and is fantastic). I think I can safely speak for both Dan and I when I say we are getting really excited for the season - but then of course I could've said that immediately following Game 6 of the World Series. Baseball's the best, and it's wonderful to have it back. Almost. The arrival of our the Baseball Prospectus annuals always heralds the dawn of the new season, and hopefully that'll be here soon too. Rany Jazayerli says in tonight's chat over there that it's shipping from Amazon tomorrow, which is certainly great news.
posted by VZW Watcher at 8:46 PM -

Rodriguez-Soriano finalized
 
We finally get it back moving, stringing together a solid week of posts...and then we take two weeks off. Very poor form, and of course, quite a lot has happened. I don't know that there's a whole lot to be gained by an analysis here of the Alex Rodriguez for Alfonso Soriano trade, both because they're already all over the Internet and at your disposal and because the deal is so one-sided. But here are a few words anyhow.

Joe Sheehan and Gary Huckabay at the incomparable Baseball Prospectus (I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of my book, which was to have shipped yesterday) have a piece up today which goes over some of the "financial flexibility" that the Rangers gain with this trade, which was supposedly the reasoning behind it from their perspective. Of course, as Sheehan and Huckabay point out (and any rational person would realize), the money saved - whatever amount it actually ends up being - is going into Tom Hicks's pockets, not fielding a better team. At least right now. If the Rangers do in fact go out and spread this money around addressing areas in which the team is deficient (notably pitching) over the next few years, perhaps the Rangers can justify this trade on some level. But I'll believe it when I see it.

From the Yankees' perspective, this is pretty much as good as it gets. Money is obviously not an object for George Steinbrenner...and in this case, he's not even picking up all of it. Like many Yankee fans, I've been awfully frustrated on many occasions watching Alfonso Soriano (both at the plate and in the field)...and to have the cost of bringing in the most valuable player in baseball be nothing more than him and whatever minor leaguer the Rangers choose is incredible.

Obviously, moving Rodriguez off of shortstop for Derek Jeter is foolish, and hopefully both Jeter and manager Joe Torre will come to their senses and make things right. Since there's now a hole at second base, I'd really like to see Jeter move to second with Rodriguez at short and some combination of Mike Lamb, Tyler Houston, Miguel Cairo, Enrique Wilson and Erick Almonte at third, but I don't know how likely that is. Right now, it appears as if Rodriguez will simply move to third, forcing the Yankees to address the second base hole either internally with Cairo, Wilson, Almonte or Homer Bush or making another move. At this point, I'd be willing to punt the offense in that final lineup spot provided I could find a slick fielding second baseman to, perhaps, cover up some of Jeter's range deficiencies. Whatever the Yankees do at second, I'm not sure it matters a whole lot...this is going to be a ridiculous lineup.
posted by VZW Watcher at 1:36 PM -

Weekend break
 
Sorry about the lack of posts this weekend (I was rather pleased with the amount I got out and the subsequent hit numbers this past week), and thank you for continuing to check in. We'll be back with content tomorrow (Monday). Enjoy that other game tonight.
posted by VZW Watcher at 1:27 PM -