WGOM Polls: NL East

post from The WGOM on 21 February 2011 08:02:01 AM. © The WGOM

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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http://stickandballguy.com/blog/2011/02/21/wgom-polls-nl-east/

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Purple Row Radio - February 21, 2011

post from Purple Row on 21 February 2011 07:01:16 AM. © Purple Row

Purple Row Radio

Purple Row's official podcast is back with a new title, new features, and many more new things.

This introductory episode, however, is much like our old show Rowbot Radio. On this episode, Andrew Martin and I discuss the following topics.

- The new podcast format.
- Why some fans have more confidence in Jose Lopez than others.
- Eric Young Jr's role in the organization through this year and next, and how it relates to Hector Gomez.
- Our first impressions from what we've seen from the new Scottsdale Facility, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.
- The Rockies' choice to take it easy on their pitchers early in the Spring.
- Desperate begging for some listener feedback.

Here's the deal everyone. On the new show, we're going to devote at least 5 minutes every show to discuss questions and comments from listeners. We made the same promise last year, but people stopped sending in stuff so we forgot about it. But this year, we need a lot less hour long ramblings between just Andrew and I. In addition to regular guests, we want the listeners to have some control over the content we choose to cover.

So please, either in the comments or through e-mail, let Andrew and I know what you want discussed on a future show.

I'd like to thank Purple Row's own Hollidayrain for once again allowing us to use his music for the show. The piece that is there now is temporary, and at some point when schedules allow, we're going to produce a piece specifically for the show.

I'd also like to thank Purple Row's Charlie77 and oo nrb (as well as anybody else who took the time to submit a logo) for providing us with two awesome new logos for Purple Row Radio. Charlie's logo is the one in the post right now, but we'll be using oo nrb's as well.

As always, we have a direct link to the episode below, and a flash player version after the jump. Finally, Purple Row Radio now has its own website at purplerowradio.com. While we wait for the show to get set up on iTunes, you can use this RSS feed to keep track of our audio files.

Download Link:
Purple Row Radio - 2/21/11

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http://www.purplerow.com/2011/2/21/2005180/purple-row-radio-february-21-2011

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Movie Day

post from The WGOM on 21 February 2011 07:00:27 AM. © The WGOM

I only watch the Oscars a third of the time or less, but for whatever reason I always try to make a point to see most of the nominees. This year I have four down (Toy Story 3, Inception, The Social Network and The Kids Are All Right) with six to go, two of [...]

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http://stickandballguy.com/blog/2011/02/21/movie-day-2/

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Happy BirthdayFebruary 21

post from The WGOM on 21 February 2011 06:00:20 AM. © The WGOM

This day marks the two-year anniversary of when I started putting the birthday list in the Cup of Coffee.

Jouett Meekin (1867) Dummy Taylor (1875) John Titus (1876) Tom Yawkey (1903) Mark Scott (1915) Joe Foy (1943) Jack Billingham (1943) Tom Shopay (1945) Charley Walters (1947) Rick Lysander (1953) Alan Trammell (1958) Oscar Azocar [...]

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http://stickandballguy.com/blog/2011/02/21/happy-birthday-february-21-2/

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Justin Morneau Update

post from The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on 21 February 2011 04:11:07 AM. © The Ghost of Moonlight Graham

Update, 2/21/11: According to Phil Mackey via Twitter, Morneau has reported to camp and is feeling great. He hasn’t felt any post-workout fogginess in weeks. We’ll see if Morneau suffers any concussion-like symptoms after he plays his first spring training game, but this is a great sign and all signs point to Morneau being ready [...]

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http://theghostofmoonlightgraham.com/2011/02/21/justin-morneau-update/

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Killing Santa Claus: Abner Doubleday Did Not
Invent Baseball

post from Baseball: Past and Present on 21 February 2011 03:01:12 AM. © Baseball: Past and Present

Editor’s note: Please welcome Maria Rainier, a freelance writer, baseball fan, and the first-ever female to guest post on this Web site. This is the rude awakening in which you learn that Abner Doubleday, the Santa Claus of baseball, did not invent baseball. Or, maybe not. Maybe you already know about the Doubleday myth. John [...]

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http://baseballpastandpresent.com/2011/02/21/killing-santa-claus-abner-doubleday-
invent-baseball/

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Liriano and Work Ethic

post from Nick's Twins Blog on 21 February 2011 02:02:10 AM. © Nick's Twins Blog

Signing Francisco Liriano to a multiyear contract this offseason has long seemed like an obvious move to me, so I was puzzled when the Twins expressed little interest in doing so. I was even more puzzled earlier this month when reports dropped that the team was open to trading the southpaw.

Three years removed from Tommy John surgery, Liriano had finally returned to his previous level of filthiness (or at least pretty close) and established himself as the Twins' most dominating and exciting starter since Johan Santana's departure.

And now, the front office was thinking about trading him, with free agency still two years away?

There had to be more to this. I know the Twins don't rely as heavily on statistical analysis as some other clubs, but they're certainly not ignorant to Liriano's relative dominance. Surely they are aware that he was one of the league's most prolific strikeout artists, and that no other pitcher was as stingy with home runs. They weren't asleep while Liriano was breaking off two lengthy scoreless-inning streaks last summer.

The coaching staff knows what a dangerous weapon Liriano is, and that's why the lefty was tabbed as Minnesota's Game 1 starter in the ALDS, even with Carl Pavano coming off a 17-win season.

The Twins are obviously familiar with Liriano's ability, so it seems odd that their attitude toward him this offseason could best be described as "indifferent." Long-term contract discussions between the two sides reportedly went nowhere, and while club officials haven't openly confirmed that they're shopping the left-hander around, they haven't really backed away from the reports of his availability either.

It may be that the Twins are afraid of another major injury. I've been a little baffled by that line of reasoning, since he was mostly healthy last year and has had a full offseason to rest his arm. Then, I came across this bit in La Velle E. Neal's Twins notes for today's Star Tribune, under the scalding header "Failure to exercise is Liriano's issue":

Liriano threw several bullpen sessions in the weeks leading to the start of camp but came down with tendinitis just before he left his native Dominican Republic for Fort Myers. An MRI done in Miami showed no structural damage.
Twins pitching coach Rick Anderson said he asked Liriano whether he did all of his shoulder exercises during the offseason, and Liriano said no.
"He's been doing them here, and now his shoulder is strong,'' Anderson said.

That's a surprisingly direct criticism of Liriano's work ethic. I'm sure other Twins players have failed to keep up with their exercises in the past, but I can't remember ever reading about it.
Well, actually I can. While I don't feel like digging through newspaper archives to find quotes, I'm pretty sure I've seen Twins officials grumbling about Liriano's work ethic before. Those gripes may have some validity. He showed up noticeably heavier in 2008 when returning from a year-long Tommy John rehab, suggesting he hadn't been working to keep himself in shape while away from baseball. He battled arm fatigue in the latter months of the 2010 season, a recurring issue which has been attributed to his between-start regimen.
I love watching Liriano pitch and would hope to see him do so in a Twins uniform for years to come. I still feel like buying out at least his first year of free agency should have been more strongly considered this offseason, and I still feel like the idea of trading him at this point in time is loony.
But if quotes like the one Anderson provided above accurately reflect the lefty's work ethic, it's not hard to fault the club for being hesitant to commit long-term, nor for being perpetually irritated when apparently avoidable injury issues like his current shoulder soreness crop up.

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http://www.nickstwinsblog.com/2011/02/liriano-and-work-ethic.html

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Spring training news & notes -- Day 7

The crummy weather returned for another day to Scottsdale, Arizona but that didn't stop the San Francisco Giants from conducting their second straight day of full-squad workouts today in spring training. The team was not able to conduct any on-field drills, though, doing most of their work indoors.

The Giants are just five days away from their first Cactus League game of 2011 (Friday vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks).

Notes:

Pat Burrell faced Jonathan Sanchez in batting practice this morning and lined a single off the Giants' lefty. So much for the pitchers being ahead of the batters right now. Burrell singled off Lincecum yesterday in BP.
Skipper Bruce Bochy told Hank Schulman (SF Chronicle) that outfielder Nate Schierholtz will mostly work in left field and center to improve his chances of making the team out of spring training. He also said that he would keep Aaron Rowand in center field only, where he's most comfortable.
Bochy also said that he is considering using Madison Bumgarner in long relief to start the season (since the Giants have five off days in the first 25 days of the season). Either that, or MadBum could even start the season in Fresno.
A day after Brian Wilson threw off a mound for the first time since reporting back stiffness almost a week ago, the Giants' closer played catch today and felt fine. Bochy says he'll be back on the mound tomorrow, as scheduled.
Reliever Sergio Romo told Chris Haft of MLB.com that he's not taking anything for granted, saying he doesn't feel established enough to get too comfortable. As Haft noted, Romo appeared in a career-high 68 games last year for the Giants, finishing 5-3 with a 2.18 ERA. Romo plans to work on his changeup during the spring in an effort to become more than just a right-handed specialist.

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/22gigantes/ySKM/~3/3SBEUmD3gJ0/spring-training-new
s-notes-day-7.html

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1910 Philadelphia As

Top row: Harry Davis, Frank Baker, Jack Coombs, Ira Thomas, Chief Bender, Ben Houser, Cy Morgan, Pat Donahue Middle Row: Rube Oldring, Bris Lord, Danny Murphy, Connie Mack, Eddie Plank, Jack Lapp, Amos Strunk Bottom row: Topsy Hartsel, Stuffy McInnis, Tommy Atkins, Lew Krause, Louis Wanzelet, Jimmy Dygert, Eddie Collins, Jack Barry, Paddy Livingston Connie [...]

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http://dmbworldseriesreplay.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/1910-philadelphia-as/

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