Cards Duncan on leave to care for wife (AP)

post from MLB News Blog on 05 January 2012 10:02:33 PM. © MLB News Blog

St. Louis Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan is taking a leave of absence to attend to wife Jeanine as she recovers from surgery to remove a brain tumor. The team said Thursday night that no time table has been determined for Duncan’s return. General manager John Mozeliak and manager Mike Matheny will meet to determine [...]

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Greg Reynolds -- It's Finally Over

post from Purple Row on 05 January 2012 10:01:45 PM. © Purple Row

DENVER, CO - JULY 2: Pitcher Greg Reynolds #37 of the Colorado Rockies warms up prior to the game against the Kansas City Royals at Coors Field on July 2, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/Getty Images)

The Colorado Rockies traded former No. 2 overall pick RHP Greg Reynolds to the Texas Rangers for Chad Tracy, the 26-year-old son of manager Jim Tracy. It marks the end of a long, strange journey for the big man, the Rockies, and fans.

I remember clearly the day the Rockies drafted Reynolds. I had to go to jury duty that day. Oh, great, miss hearing who the Rockies are going to take with the No. 2 pick! I was hoping for North Carolina LHP Andrew Miller -- hey, lefties need to support one another. But then there were reports that Miller didn't want to join the Rockies because that USA Today article about the Rockies being a "Christian" ball club was still stirring people.

Whatever. I was thinking I would be fine with whomever the Rockies drafted. Surely Dan O'Dowd and his scouts would make the right decision.

Jury duty that day, a Tuesday, was a total waste. The lawyers weren't able to make it to the court house so we were let go early. It was still early in the day but late enough that I wasn't going to get back in time for the start of the draft. It was a good thing; I would likely have bashed my computer upon hearing, "The Colorado Rockies draft ID No. (XXXXXX), right-handed pitcher Greg Reynolds, Stanford University." The Rockies are drafting a one-year wonder who is big and beat Tim Lincecum during the season? One win doesn't make a season, but Dan O'Dowd was at that game in Seattle, as the Denver Post's Troy Renck reminded us two years later during Reynolds' 2008 time with the Rockies:

"It was an electric atmosphere. Reynolds really showed up from a competitive standpoint," O'Dowd said. "Our guys felt like over the long haul that they liked his size and how clean his delivery was. There's no question he would have been up last season before (Ubaldo) Jimenez and (Franklin) Morales in our pecking order if not for his shoulder injury."

The entire 2006 draft turned into wasted opportunities. The selection of David Christensen in the second actually confused me more than Reynolds' selection. Christensen was a clear predraft selection that ultimately faltered, as I suspected he would. The best pick of that draft class was Andrew Cashner, and he went back to school before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs two years later in the first round. Among those the Rockies drafted and signed that year, Michael McKenry, who is now in Pittsburgh. All kinds of suck in that draft.

And so we know the rest of the Reynolds story. He comes back from his shoulder injury in 2007 to reach the majors in May 2008. The season was turning south fast so Reynolds was rushed to the majors and was praised for his composure in his starts. Composure. That's like praise a hockey player constantly for his puck poise but does nothing to impact the game.

Reynolds went 2-8 in 14 games (13 starts) with an 8.13 ERA. That's bad, y'know. He allowed 14 home runs in 62 innings (17.7% rate). Ugh. Then injuries struck him over the next couple of years until the 2011 season. Ubaldo Jimenez goes on the disabled list after he pitches injured in Opening Day (thank you very much for ruining my first game ever at Coors Field), allowing Reynolds to be back in the majors.

But all was not better. Despite being 3-0 (all he did was win!), Reynolds finished with a 6.19 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP. He was, as Junction Rox wrote in a player review, the Rockies' very own Tim Tebow.

I guess, in the end, I'm just glad that it's over. It's finally over (and I don't want to look at this page ever again, sorted by WAR).

(Oh, and trading for Jim Tracy's son must be the most Jim Tracy thing ever.)

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http://www.purplerow.com/2012/1/5/2685851/greg-reynolds-trade-colorado-rockies

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Mariners sign Japanese RHP Iwakuma (AP)

post from MLB News Blog on 05 January 2012 09:48:29 PM. © MLB News Blog

The Seattle Mariners have signed free-agent Japanese pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma to a one-year contract. The team announced the move Thursday. Iwakuma has a 107-69 record in 226 career games in Japan. The right-hander was selected the 2008 Pacific League MVP and winner of the Eiji Sawamura Award (the equivalent of the Cy Young Award) after [...]

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New York Yankees: Jets Rex Ryan Should Copy
Skipper Joe Girardi and Coach Tom Coughlin

post from Lady Loves Pinstripes on 05 January 2012 09:29:37 PM. © Lady Loves Pinstripes

The inevitable finally happened this past weekend, as the New York Jets collapsed on their faces when the fans were promised a Super Bowl, again. Anyone?other than delusional Jets fans?saw this one coming because Jets coach Rex Ryan has made this promise[...]

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Time Warner Will Own the Dodgers

post from LADodgerTalk.com - Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, Vin Scully, Andre Ethier and the Dodgers on 05 January 2012 09:01:58 PM. © LADodgerTalk.com - Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, Vin Scully, Andre Ethier and the Dodgers

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Yankees cut 14 minor leaguers

post from Bronx Baseball Daily » Bronx Baseball Daily, a New York Yankees blog on 05 January 2012 08:28:55 PM. © Bronx Baseball Daily » Bronx Baseball Daily, a New York Yankees blog

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On The Road With PSUgator02 Mr. Sandy Koufax
January 4, 2011

post from 30-Year Old Cardboard on 05 January 2012 08:15:45 PM. © 30-Year Old Cardboard

‘On The Road With PSUgator02′ – Mr. Sandy Koufax – January 4, 2011 I’d drive to the ends of the Earth for this guy. And i pretty much did. But he did it so it was worth it. My source … Continue reading →

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oufax-january-4-2011/

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Rockies acquire manager Tracys son Chad (AP)

The Colorado Rockies have acquired a minor league infielder that manager Jim Tracy loves — his son. Chad Tracy was traded from the Texas Rangers to Colorado on Thursday for right-hander Greg Reynolds, the No. 2 selection in the 2006 amateur draft out of Stanford. The 26-year-old Tracy hit .259 with 26 home runs and [...]

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Tigers Cabrera takes plea deal, no jail (AP)

Detroit Tigers star Miguel Cabrera pleaded no contest Thursday in Florida to drunken driving. Cabrera accepted a deal that spares him jail time. Charges of resisting an officer without violence and having an open container in a vehicle were dropped. The first baseman was arrested in Fort Pierce in February after refusing to take a [...]

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Trade Bait: Marlins Catch Big Zand his Baggage

Once again, the Miami Marlins are making a big splash in an effort to improve their team for 2012. They are hoping to catch lightening in a bottle by trading for the Cubs' Carlos Zambrano. It is an interesting move considering "Big Z's" explosive[...]

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