Fixing Interleague Play

I could be wrong about this but this is based on my best recollection of the debate leading up to MLB beginning interleague play. I had thought the idea behind it originally was with the addition of Arizona to the National League and Tampa Bay to the American League we would have unbalanced leagues. Each league was to consist of three five-team divisions and a team from each league would always be playing an interleague game spread out over the entire course of the season. Ultimately Bud Selig chose to move his team, the Milwaukee Brewers to the National League thus evening out the leagues. Yet interleague play continued. I love the concept of teams playing others from the other league, its good for baseball. However the current setup is bad for baseball. What I would do to "fix" interleague play would start with a National League team moving to the American League to finally equalize the leagues. Teams to consider are Colorado and Houston because of there offensive parks. If its Colorado you move Houston to the NL West and the Rockies become part of the AL West, if its Houston they go from the NL Central to the AL West. Once we have the leagues equalized you work the schedule. To make my plan work it would include a minor addition of games to the schedule, moving from 162 to 165 per season. A someone balanced schedule would result. You would play 15 games each season against the other teams in your division, six games against each of the other teams in your own league and three games against each of the teams in the other league. This would eliminate some teams having easier interleague schedules then others and it would also even out the schedule comparison for teams vying for a wild card, though teams from weaker divisions would still have a slight edge, but I think its more important to weigh greater upon division opponents. Next is the designated hitter. People argue that it evens itself out, but there's a greater advantage for a National League team playing in an American League park then the other way around. Any position player on a team should be able to hit whether for power or not, yet the American League pitchers are at a big disadvantage because they don't hit that often while National League pitchers have it as a way of life. I think the designated hitter should be instituted for all interleague games. Back to the schedule. Each team would play and interleague opponent each month and play two opponents in three of the months.

Rod Beck 1968-2007

Another untimely death of a former Red Sox player occured when former relief pitcher Rod Beck was found dead in his Arizona home Sunday. Beck played parts of three seasons in Boston from 1999-2001. While a member of the San Francisco Giants he was one of the best closers in the game. He reached a career high of 51 saves in 1998 with the Chicago Cubs and over the course of his career he played for four clubs. Rod Beck is survived by his wife Stacey and two children.

Red Sox Eye Buehrle; Chi Sox Like Buchholz, Ellsbury

The Boston Red Sox have emerged as front runners to land Chicago starter Mark Buehrle. Boston is reportedly willing to sign him to a 5-year contract extension as part of the deal. With Jon Lester just about ready to return to Boston, the sudden interest and Boston's surge to the front runner status on Buehrle could indicate that Curt Schilling maybe out for more the a start or two and a extension for Buehrle as part of the deal will likely end Schilling's stay in Boston after this season. However what Chicago is looking at in return should take Boston away from the table as soon as Chicago places names on the table. Among the players Chicago would like to see in return are Clay Buchholz and Jacoby Ellsbury, the top pitching and position prospects in Boston's system. But why should Boston give up so much to land a player who will be a free agent after this season? They shouldn't. At least seven teams have made serious contact with Williams, with three actually having the resources to pry Buehrle from the White Sox. The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets were the leading contenders until this weekend, with the Boston Red Sox now becoming the front-runner. While Williams wouldn't acknowledge that Saturday, he didn't have to. Allard Baird, the Red Sox' assistant to the general manager, was in town Friday to watch the White Sox' loss to the Cubs -- in which Buehrle started -- and reportedly was to be sent out on assignment only when things were about to get serious. They're getting serious. According to the source, the Red Sox not only want to keep Buehrle away from the New York Yankees and are willing to offer him a contract extension in the five-year range he is seeking, but they have a farm system loaded with players in whom the White Sox are interested. Starting pitchers Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden are on the White Sox' radar, as well as speedy outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury and shortstop Jed Lowrie. Chicago's price would seem to be to steep for Boston, who walked away from the table with Atlanta last year after the Braves mentioned Craig Hansen and Manny Delcarmen, two lesser prospects for Andruw Jones who wasn't a pending free agent, it would seem doubtful Boston would give up its two best prospects for a pending free agent. If Boston can finish the deal prior to the trade deadline they should ask for a window to negotiate with Buehrle before a deal is finalized and if they can lock him up long term then I could favor a deal including Wily Mo Pena, Coco Crisp, Brandon Moss or David Murphy and possibly some of the midlevel pitching prospects but not Ellsbury or Buchholz. Chicago is said to be thinking of moving Jermaine Dye and they also have Darrin Erstad in their outfield, so adding one or two of the young Sox outfielders could be beneficial to Chicago, especially if they targeted a Buehrle for Pena and Moss deal which would give Chicago two guys with a lot of power potential. Crisp would give them a bargain price speedster who's bat has finally begun to come around. Click here for the complete story from the Chicago Sun Times

The Fun Leading Upto The Trade Deadline

In NASCAR they call it Silly Season and some of the names being tossed around as targets fans want Boston going after before the July 31 trade deadline makes you wonder if MLB should call it the same thing. Torri Hunter? Ichiro Suzuki? Some fans want both of them in the lineup this summer and beyond. Sure that would be great, but we need to think ahead. The Sox only have three outfield positions and JD Drew is locked very expensively into one of them for the foreseeable future. Coco Crisp surely doesn't have a secure job, but who exactly would you rather have roaming center long term, an aging Ichiro, a similarly aging Hunter or the hot prospect in Pawtucket Jacoby Ellsbury? If one single Sox fans says anything other then Ellsbury, smack yourself now because you deserve it. Then of course there's Manny Ramirez. Hunter could be a decent replacement for Boston who should have no problem unloading Ramirez anytime they so feel it is time. However Hunter doesn't strike the fear that Manny does at the plate, he doesn't walk as much as one would like and most importantly his OBP numbers don't meet the standards the Sox front office likes, his career high was .337 last season and he's more likely to finish a season closer to .300 then .350 on any give year. Manny's worst OBP season with Boston was .388 in 2005 and he's more likely to be over .400 then not. Other names we hear are Mark Teixeira the first baseman from Texas, his OBP number more reflect what Boston looks for and his power could help Boston unload Ramirez and go with a lighter hitting outfielder without harming the total offense of the team. If Boston landed Teixeira they would likely move Kevin Youkilis back to third base and that would lead to the end of Mike Lowell's sucessful stay in Boston. Lowell of course is highly sought after by numerous teams looking for a bat at third and a deadline deal is more likely to involve Lowell then any other player on the Sox major league roster. Playing General Manager What moves would I make if I were the General Manager? First as much as I like Mike Lowell I would move him if I could land Teixeira, thats an easy move. Second I would go after Alex Rodriguez in the off season, not to would be the most idiotic move any GM with money to spend could do. Assuming I land Rodriguez and Teixeira I would send Manny packing to offset some of the cost, assuming Rodriguez gets around $24 million per season in his next deal and that it would take $12 million to lock Teixeira up for a few years that would be about a $7 million increase in payroll after deducting Lowell and Ramirez. Curt Schilling becomes the next casualty as I would not re-sign him after this season, that's another $13 million in savings leaving me $6 million under the 2007 payroll. To replace Schilling I go out and find a closer to take over for Jonathan Papelbon in 2008, though if I cant find one its not a big deal as Hideki Okajima can be a very effective bridge until 2009 when Craig Hansen or Manny Delcarmen among others should totally be ready to take the job...that's even more savings. I'm now looking to enter 2008 with a rotation of Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jonathan Papelbon, Jon Lester and Tim Wakefield. The next victim to fall will be Coco Crisp, I will pay someone to take him if I have to though someone surely would take him for a mid level prospect. His stay in Boston thus far has been a huge disappointment. Jacoby Ellsbury is the future in center field and the future is now. At this point most of you are probably pissed demanding to know why I cut Youkilis outta the equation. Don't fear, our favorite speedster is still with us, remember then lighter hitting outfielder I mentioned? Ladies and Gentlemen, your new left fielder... Kevin Youkilis. This leaves us with a Youkilis, Ellsbury, Drew outfield from left to right. A speedster sandwiched with two usually reliable OBP bats. At this point attention is turned to Wily Mo Pena. What to do with him? I love his potential but there's just no room for him and his bat has too big a whole to be an effective pinch hitter, so Pena becomes my latest trade chip. You hope to land a top level prospect for someone like Pena, someone who can be an important part of the team in the future. I would look for pitching, perhaps a middle reliever or a middle infielder who would be ready when Julio Lugo either finishes his contract in Boston or is forced into retirement by a legion of pissed off Sox fans. This leaves Boston in a great position in 2008 assuming some of the kids in Pawtucket are ready to step in the bullpen. If not there's a few spots there that would need to be answered as well, but I wish to assume Delcarmen and Hansen are ready to step in. If Clay Buchholz is ready in 2008 great he can take Wakefields spot sending Wakefield to the pen. If he needs another year in the minors thats fine too.

Sox Going For The Sweep

The Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants meet today in the final game of a three game series at Fenway Park. Boston has won the first two games with some great pitching by Julian Tavarez and Daisuke Matsuzaka and hope for more of the same from Tim Wakefield today. The win yesterday kept Boston 8.5 games ahead of the New York Yankees and also marked the first time in 44 years that Wrigley Field and Fenway Park saw 1-0 scores on the same day. Boston got its lone run on a Manny Ramirez homer and the Sox held the score. After today's game Boston heads to Atlanta for a three game set beginning tomorrow.

June 13: Rockies Visit Boston

Boston looks to take game two of the three game series from the Rockies tongith in Boston. The Sox send Curt Schilling to the mound in his first start since his near no-hitter in Oakland last week. Boston has won four of its last five games.

174 - William Middlebrooks

Will Middlebrooks could end up either a pitcher or a third baseman for Boston. He excelled on both sides of the game at Liberty-Eylau High in Texas. On the mound he was 11-0 with a 0.89 ERA and 122 Ks. With the bat he hit .576 with 47 runs, 53 hits, 19 doubles, 6 homers and 19 steals. More to come.

144 - Christopher Province

Christopher Province was a four year player at Southeastern Louisiana University. He compiled a 7-13 record with 14 saves over 164.1 innings while walking 47 and striking out 113. He had ERA's of 9.27 as a freshman, 6.65 as a sophomore, 4.37 as a junior and a 4.29 ERA in his senior season. More to come later.

114 - Brock Huntzinger

Brock Huntzinger dominated in high school this season, and the season is not yet complete. On the mound Huntzinger is 7-1 with a 0.29 ERA in 49 IP. He allowed just 2 earned runs and struck out 95 batters. At the plate Brock is batting a cool .512 with 9 homers and 41 RBI. He leads his division in home runs, average, and hits batting. On the mound he leads the division in ERA and K's. If he doesn't sign with Boston he will attend Indiana next year. The skinny: The Madison County (Ind.) Herald Bulletin says: "Dubbed 'one of the top pitchers in the Midwest' by [Indiana University] coach [Tracy] Smith in a press release issued by Indiana University, Huntzinger upped his career pitching record to 19-5 in three varsity seasons and whiffed 162 batters in 152 career innings pitched. He carried a 1.91 ERA last season... The 6-3, 210-pound right-handed Huntzinger owns a .324 career batting average and participated...in the prominent East Coast Area Code Showcases last August after preliminary tryouts were held at the University of Cincinnati and Butler University this summer." Huntzinger has committed to play baseball at Indiana University.

84 - Jeffrey Morris

Jeffrey Morris, who goes by Hunter Morris has legitimate raw power from the left side of the plate. Scouting reports say he needs work on his fielding and overall approach to hitting. His senior season ended with an injury, but not before he had another sucessful season for Grissom High in Alabama. Morris batted .476 in 2007 with 13 HR and 67 runs. He also set a state record with 59 walks. He is commited to Auburn University and was considered tough to sign prior to the injury. MLB video on Morris here. From Boston.com The skinny: Morris posted a batting average of .473 this season with 12 HRs in just 93 ABs. His OPS was an astounding 1.604. MLB.com says: "Morris has decent bat speed but his approach at the plate will need some adjusting... The big, strong left-handed hitter has a body type similar to Nick Johnson... Morris has put up some ridiculous numbers as a high school outfielder and he does have some pretty legitimate raw power from the left side, a commodity often in high demand. The rest of his game is behind the pop, with his overall approach at the plate needing some work and his defense average at best. Some see him as a fourth outfielder at the next level, but someone is sure to take a chance on his power potential." brewerfan.net says: "Morris has a very mature, strong frame that allows him to hit for plenty of present day power. That power is generated from a big uppercut swing from the left side of the plate, of which he'll have to tone down somewhat to avoid lofty strikeout totals at the next level. It will be hard to tinker with his swing since he crushes mistakes like few others. He is a good overall athlete, although he has more lateral quickness than foot speed, which means he would be a better prospect if he were able to stick at third base as opposed to a corner outfield spot, although first is also an option if he keeps on mashing. He was an Aflac All-American, and has committed to play for Auburn."