scottz

They will have to add me to the 40-man before September 1, but I'm up for the task. I will bring the 65 mph gas.

Year BA OBP SLG OPS 2010 .307 .379 .491 .870 (2 teams) 2011 .292 .352 .637 .988 2012 .258 .373 .521 .893 2013 .280 .382 .610 .992 (2 teams) 2015 .274 .374 .544 .918 (minors) 2015 .289 .394 .584 .978 (majors) I think he'll be fine.

Berrios: the kid just wants it. August 31 call-up, so as to be playoff eligible if they make it.

I don't think May has a shot at the rotation next year. He "good-soldier'ed" his way into a spot in the bullpen for a long time, regardless of how well he was doing and learning in the rotation.

Joe. Not close. Which catcher was more durable? AJ. Not close.

While interesting from a perspective of what people thought and did in other times, what people did and thought in other times and places is hardly how I believe decisions should be made. The easiest example of why that approach doesn't work for me is past views of slavery in many cultures throughout history. Again, not that my "spectrum" approach would solve anything, but it might provide an understanding of where the disagreements and agreements exist. Then again, it might just end with people yelling at each other.

The are many facets to this discussion, and it is pretty impressive to me that obvious disagreements on this topic are being handled with logic and reason. Way to go, baseball fans. One item that I find fascinating is the discussion regarding viewpoints on whether abortion is or is not murder. I feel like there must be a spectrum of situations where nearly all (say 99%+) people would agree that something is not murder and a point at the other end of the spectrum where nearly all (say 99%+) where something is murder. Let's say at one end of the spectrum, you have a young couple in the back seat of a 1974 Caprice Classic (for the legroom). They finish their act, and 9 seconds later (author note: time chosen is random), their act (unbeknownst to them) is working on the animation of a human lifeform. But if someone (she, he, or someone else) would intentionally disrupt that magic right then and there, would that be murder, yes or no? Not some word other than murder; would it be murder? To me, I'd think that is a 99%+ point to "no, not murder". On the other end of the spectrum and in an alternate universe, the same young woman from the young couple described above is giving birth. The baby emerges from the birth canal, and 9 seconds later (author note: time chosen for consistency), the baby's animated action is disrupted by someone (she, he, or someone else). Would that be murder, yes or no? To me, I'd think that is a 99%+ point to "yes, that's murder." On one end, go one hour later (young couple saying goodnight, disrupt the animated life then - is it murder?). On the other end, go one hour earlier (young woman in hospital bed with labor pains, disrupt the animated life then - is it murder?). Keep doing that until you get to the middle point. I don't think that exercise would solve anything, but I'd be fascinated by the data. I don't think we'd get a real smooth bell curve. I think there would be sharp jagged data points where people on both sides would abandon their logic and reason and rely instead of emotion and belief. And that's ok because that's how we humans are. I'd just be interested in how it played out. Anyway, good discussion.

I'll stick with the Rangers and throw out Ken Caminiti. And although Buddy Bell has already been named, I can't help but think of Buddy Bell when I think of the Rangers. Specifically, I think of the time I was sitting in the lower deck left field seats at the Metrodome with a sightline just above the plexiglass, when Buddy Bell hit a hooking rope of a home run. It started to my left, and ended up three seats to my right in the aisle where it made direct contact with the nose/upper teeth of a boy about my age (maybe 12 at the time) who was carrying 2 malt cups in each hand. The malt cups went flying and the ball ricocheted about 5 rows back down and further right, where a man caught it and celebrated. Meanwhile, a responsible adult hollered at the nearest Coke vendor and proceeded to pour cup after cup of ice onto this kid's mashed face while he bled all over the steps. What a sight. Anyway, Ken Caminiti.

But he's not stretched out and he makes the bullpen better and Duffey was easily the best choice 4 days ago. But I hope you are right and the excuse factory has temporarily broken down.

And from the defensive side, the Bat Flop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DioNas3v4wQ

Bat Flip, indeed:

And their long lost cousin (i.e., George Bell aka Jorge Bell aka Jorge Antonio Bell Mathey). We are playing the Blue Jays, after all.

That's just a gem. Barrett made good contact there with that right cross.

it's a classic! http://m.mlb.com/video/v20254775/alcs-gm2-aj-reaches-first-on-dropped-third-strike/?query=2005+ALCS+Pierzynski

I don't know if there is a master list of AJ Pierzynski's best moments of trying to get an edge for his team, but if there is, this could well be at the top: http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v328367083/sfatl-pierzynski-frames-aardsmas-pitch-in-dirt If he's truly framing it, it is amazing that he's trying to sell THAT pitch. If he's quick witted enough to be making a joke out of THAT pitch, it is also amazing. Amazing. That's what the A stands for in AJ. Feel free to add links to your favorite AJ moments.

I cannot tell a lie. It was sarcasm. I'll try to lay it on thicker next time. I thought I had exceeded sarcasm thickness standards for effective sarcasm operation, but I will check the sarcasm manual. Free High-Leverage May!

I don't know what everyone is so upset about. May is finally being used in high-leverage situations like tonight when they were down 7-3. Get him up, get him loose, and get him in the game - 2 pitches, 1 out, night over. Boom. High-leverage. Kept the team in the game and the next thing you know, it's 7-7. High-freaking-leverage. Keep him right where he is - there are bound to be more games when we're down 7-3 in the 8th and we need somebody for a single out. A single high-leverage out. High-leverage May - that's what we should call him.

I probably should have got this one, given that I'm from Sleepy Eye. I'll go from Fred Bruckbauer to another Fred who I always thought was great: Fred Lynn

From Glenn Hubbard (who once appeared on a baseball card holding a snake), I will make a connection to Scott Downs (who apparently had the nickname Snakeface).

A 23-year old who made AAA in 2012 (as a 20 year old) caught my attention. Looking up his minor league stats, I see he played only 3 games (4 ABs) at AAA in 2012, and otherwise appears to be a light-hitting player A-ball level player. My attention has now been released.

McCutcheon for position players. King Felix on the mound.

6 man rotation?

I was listening to the pre-game today when they were discussing Hicks' elbow injury and something about it struck me as odd. I don't even know now what in particular was said to make me think that, but your statement that they seemed surprised is close to what I would have said too. My thought after hearing about Buxton getting called up was that Aaron Hicks has played his last game as a Minnesota Twin. Who knows if that is right, but I wouldn't be surprised if he is traded once "healthy".

I'd be in favor of league-approved injury-recovery steroid use for anyone on the DL, if such drugs were prescribed/administered by medical professionals. The flip side of this would be that if anyone were "caught" taking such drugs outside of whatever the league approved medical recovery duration/policy was, then they would banned for a good long time. Say 5 years for first offense, lifetime ban for second. Regarding A-Rod's milestone's specifically, those are big numbers and are impressive in quantity, but I'll always consider their shine to be a bit dulled, simply because of what we know of both him and his generation of ballplayers. For me, his numbers will be viewed the same way that I view McGwire's, Bonds', Palmeiro's, and many others. Big numbers though.