I Wish All Off Days Were This Interesting
July 1, 2010 at 11:48 pm | Posted in Russell Martin | 25 CommentsYou know, I really didn’t plan on posting today, but there’s been so much random interesting stuff which has popped up today, that I can’t help but all dump it in here.
Let’s first get out of the way the Dodger news you no doubt already have read on everyone else’s site: Manny Ramirez‘ MRI showed some inflammation in his hamstring, but Dylan Hernandez thinks that he’s likely to avoid the DL. And in the “stuff I’m linking from MOKM” section, Chad has his updated top 30 Dodger prospect list up, and notes that Kenley Jansen struck out all six batters he faced tonight.
******
But it’s the non-Dodger related news that came down tonight which really blew my mind. In Arizona, the disaster that is the Diamondbacks got even uglier as a total housecleaning has begun. It wasn’t really a huge surprise to me that manager A.J. Hinch got fired (though as Jon notes, he had just 212 games to prove himself – and not one with Brandon Webb), as his hiring was somewhat questionable in the first place. Honestly, I thought he did a decent job with the team he was handled, though it’s hard to ignore the regression that all of the touted young talented, other than Justin Upton, have displayed.
What did surprise me was seeing GM Josh Byrnes get dismissed as well, and only partially because he still has five years left on his contract. Byrnes has had his share of iffy choices (the Eric Byrnes extension comes to mind), but he’s still a well-regarded executive who surely won’t be unemployed for long. If you’re asking me if I’d rather have Ned Colletti or Josh Byrnes as my GM… well, I wouldn’t have to think too long about it.
Buster Olney’s been tweeting up a storm about it:
Nothing less than stunning: The D-Backs have fired GM Josh Byrnes and manager A.J. Hinch. Byrnes will be unemployed for about 0.2 seconds. First, the Diamondbacks have him under contract for the next five years, and secondly, he is very, very, very highly regarded — and now some team can hire him as a consultant until he gets his next GM job, and it will be on the D-Backs’ dime.
From a rival high-ranking executive, about the D-Backs’ changes: “That is a brutal decision. They just tore apart one of the best front offices in baseball.”
Another GM on the D-Backs’ change at GM: “Absolutely crazy.”
Dodger hero Kirk Gibson takes over as the interim manager, and former big leaguer Jerry DiPoto is the interim general manager. Jim Bowden tries to terrify us all by saying that Kim Ng and Logan White should be candidates for the job, and though he’s not wrong, his hilarious misuse of Twitter and the fact that he’s Jim Bowden means I won’t worry about it until I see from a more reliable source. And hey, all of a sudden the Dodger series in Phoenix starting tomorrow just got a little more interesting.
******
The other interesting story developing tonight is that Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek broke his foot and will be out for 4-6 weeks. This is interesting only because Victor Martinez was already placed on the DL this week with a broken finger, meaning the Boston catchers are now Kevin Cash (acquired from Houston about six hours ago) and someone named Gustavo Molina, who’s played parts of three seasons with four teams.
Part of me wonders if the Red Sox are so desperate for catching that they’d be willing to give up something worthwhile for the overpaid, underperforming Russell Martin. I know they won’t, of course, and even if they did the Dodgers would have a catching shortage of their own, but I’ve soured so much on Martin that I’d be happy to see him just about anywhere else before seeing another arbitration raise. A man can dream, I suppose.
25 Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Leave a Reply
How Many McCourt Sins?
MSTI on the web
MSTI Library
Blog at WordPress.com. | Theme: Pool by Borja Fernandez.
Entries and comments feeds.
Dude, you’ve confused me here:
1) “Honestly, I thought he did a decent job with the team he was handled, though it’s hard to ignore the regression that all of the toured young talented, other than Justin Upton, have displayed.”
2) “Dodger hero Kirk Gibson takes over as the interim manager, and former big leaguer Jerry DiPoto is the interim manager.”
Not sure what you’re saying there.
Comment by Bill Grabarkewitz— July 1, 2010 #
1) I do think he did a decent enough job. It’s not on Hinch alone that the young talent hasn’t blossomed as expected; that had started long before he was there. It’s just something people will point to.
2) interim GM i meant, of course.
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— July 1, 2010 #
Thanks. That’s what I thought you meant, but wanted to be sure.
Comment by Bill Grabarkewitz— July 2, 2010 #
2010 Red Sox = 2005 Dodgers?
Comment by Nofatmike— July 2, 2010 #
Chris Young has made a pretty good comeback from his disastrous 2009 with the Snakes.
Comment by WBB— July 2, 2010 #
you forgot to mention the Molina Trade and how the Giants are going to rely on their Golden God Buster Posey for more outings now
Comment by Nolan Ryan Beat Down— July 2, 2010 #
I heard a rumor up here yesterday that the idea is to trade one of the starting pitchers and someone else to Milwaukee for Fielder. Moving Posey from first was part of that plan.
Personally, I hope Posey is in for the duration. He didn’t seem at all impressive in the series this week.
Comment by Bill Grabarkewitz— July 2, 2010 #
Would not be surprised to see Fielder moved. The Brewers don’t entirely suck, but they aren’t going to win the NL Central, either. Their window is already shut, Fielder won’t re-up with Milwaukee, and they have little pitching.
Comment by Rob McMillin— July 2, 2010 #
I don’t think Posey looked all that bad – he struck out on some tough calls in the Dodgers series, just hit a home run today against the Rockies (Gnats still lost), and is carrying a .737 OPS despite being bounced around as a 1B, pinch hitter, and catcher.
Which pitcher do you think they’d have to give up for Fielder? Sanchez? Cain, even?
Comment by Blue Blooded 16— July 2, 2010 #
Speculation was Cain and a position player. If I were a Giant fan, I’d hate this, but as a Dodger fan, I love it, since I think Lincecum’s days are numbered.
Comment by Bill Grabarkewitz— July 2, 2010 #
I was wondering if Gustavo Molina was one of the catching brothers Molina, but the fact that he’s from Venezuela pretty much makes that impossible. (That, and the fact that I dimly recall there are only three Molina brothers, total.)
Amazing night for the Snakes. They really are adrift. One thing this makes plain is that the Theo Epstein Red Sox front office is not a font of front office talent.
Comment by Rob McMillin— July 2, 2010 #
Aw don’t give up on Martin. He can turn it around. I think. Maybe? I hope. Possibly? meh.
Comment by EephusBlue— July 2, 2010 #
I have to admit that Russel Martin #55 is one of my favorite Dodgers – has been since his rookie year – but there is no denying that his steady decline hits you like an el chollo’s chilota bumpin the uvula from the backside – not a good feeling. But, I still hold out hope that he can turn it around…Lord knows, he’s DUE!
Comment by BotFot— July 2, 2010 #
The fact that Buster Posey will get regular at-bats and will continue to develop is a definite negative for the Dodgers over Bengie Molina.
Comment by Chad Moriyama— July 2, 2010 #
Buster Posey is faster than Bengie Molina only because he’s younger and he’ll hit into plenty of DPs. Last night he and the other “prospect,” Bumgarner, combined for a double steal and then he dropped the ball on a succeeding play at home. From what I’ve seen, the Gnats have badly overrated Posey; his upside is Kirt Mainwaring, his downside Eli Whiteside.
Comment by WBB— July 2, 2010 #
The guy’s 23 years old, how can you say he’s overrated in the incredibly small time he’s been in the big leagues? The guy hit .463 with 26 home runs as a junior in college, to say “his upside is Kirt Mainwaring, his downside Eli Whiteside” is far underestimating his potential.
Comment by Bobby Long— July 2, 2010 #
The dbacks will come back to within 2 games of the dodgers and make it a fight to the finish under gibsons command. Ala, 2009 rockies?
Comment by motomikey— July 2, 2010 #
no
Comment by EephusBlue— July 2, 2010 #
Move Martin? Move him to Boston now they’re desperate? Move a catcher who’s regressed steadily over the past three years while making $5M a year? Move a man who’s getting older and who’s playing the position that ages players more rapidly than any other position?
Move Martin? Oh, if only. Burn up those phone lines to Boston.
Then fire Colletti and bring Byrnes to L.A.
Comment by SC Dodger— July 2, 2010 #
Only GM in the league dumb enough to make that move from Boston’s end is running our front office.
Comment by BlueBlooded16— July 2, 2010 #
um ok move Martin. Then what? Ellis is our primary who produces even LESS than Martin does offensively?
Comment by EephusBlue— July 2, 2010 #
Folks can hate on Martin all they want, but the reality is we don’t have a replacement. and yed we can rage until blue in the face about Carlos Santanna blah blah blah but that ship has sailed and it doesn’t help the conversation of what to do. Martin is flawed but his defense is better this year and he DOES get on base. There are a LOT of worse options out there at catcher. I think alot of the negative reaction to Martin is because of how good he was before. It is a shocking drop in production and fucking sad. But I still think he can produce better than he has been but thats based mostly on hope than any real facts.
Comment by EephusBlue— July 2, 2010 #
Martin has NO movement behind the plate and doesn’t even make an attempt to block an outside pitch half the time. He is just flat out lazy (or tired from getting it with that girl of his). AND, he is a big baby. Cries every time he strikes out. Up until last year he would yell “FUCK” so loud you would hear it on the TV when he struck out, hit his usual ground ball to the infield or popped out. I just can’t respect a player like Martin! I’d rather have a rookie who wants to give 100%.
Comment by Johnny— July 2, 2010 #
If he’s tired its likely because he has CAUGHT IN ALMOST EVERY FUCKING GAME this season. I can’t blame him for feeling run down.
Comment by EephusBlue— July 2, 2010 #
Alright Mike, time to change that GA bit on your site. I truly believe this site has powers. SCary mystical powers. So far you have had a pathetic GA on the site, and what has GA been doing? Being pathetic. I think its time to change that to a FREE XP graphic. Say no to GA
Comment by EephusBlue— July 3, 2010 #