The "King" had finally taken his throne (Mark Sobba/Flickr).

Scouting Report: Felix Hernandez up until 2009 had been wildly inconsistent and hadn’t lived up to the “King” billing he received as a rookie. For some reason he didn’t seem to get up for the lesser teams as he would for the best in the league. This was a huge stumbling block keeping Hernandez from becoming one of the elite pitchers in the game.

This all changed in 2009. King Felix has seemingly finally put it all together and has his mental and physical game working hand-in-hand. Hernandez has an incredible arm and dominating, electric stuff. He attacks hitters with an over the top arm action with a devastating arsenal including a two and four seam fastball (92-97 mph), a powerful slider, two different curves and a well placed change. He uses his four seamer as his predominant strikeout pitch which gives hitters fits trying to get a piece of.

The best part of Hernandez’s awakening is the Mariners finally have a legitimate ace that they can plug in every five days and expect to win with. There are so few pitchers nowadays that you can say that about and its good to see Felix has evolved into that player.

Roberto Alomar has the numbers of a first ballot Hall-of-Famer.

Roberto Alomar: The best second baseman of the 90’s, Roberto Alomar was a model of consistency both offensively and defensively, winning 10 Gold Gloves (the most ever by a 2B) and capturing four Silver Sluggers during his illustrious career. The 12-time All-Star collected 2,724 hits, 504 doubles, 210 HR’s, 1,134 RBI’s, 474 stolen bases and hit an even .300 in his 17-year playing tenure with the Padres, Blue Jays, Orioles, Indians, Mets, White Sox and Diamondbacks. Delivering surprising pop and excellent speed for a middle infielder, Alomar is one of the most decorated second baseman in the history of the game and compares favorably to another recent Hall-of-Famer at his position, Ryne Sandberg. The native of Puerto Rico captured two World Series titles with Toronto in 1992 and 1993, hitting .480 in the ‘93 Fall Classic and finishing with a .318 career postseason average. If there’s a knock against Alomar’s candidacy it would be an embarrassing incident in 1996 when he spat in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck, leading to a five game suspension. However, in an era of rampant steroid abuse and numerous other off-field transgressions, Alomar’s moment of stupidity probably won’t cost him that many votes. His numbers speak for themselves…Alomar is one of the game’s best second baseman ever. Verdict: First Ballot Hall-of-Famer

Barry Larkin: Barry Larkin was the preeminent shortstop of the National League in the 1990’s, making eight All-Star appearances in the decade. Born in Cincinnati, Larkin attended the same high school as Ken Griffey Jr and played the entirety of his 19-year career with the Reds after being selected fourth overall in 1985. Larkin’s tenure with Cincinnati was highlighted by his selection as the NL MVP in 1995 (.319-15 HR’s-66 RBI’s-51 SB’s), but he also thrived defensively, capturing three Gold Gloves at SS. Despite the fact that he won nine Silver Sluggers during his career, Larkin never led the league in a single offensive category, and his career numbers (.295-198 HR’s-960 RBI’s-379 SB’s) aren’t that overwhelming. He was a very good player for a long time, but the Hall-of-Fame was created for greatness. Verdict: Outside looking in

Edgar swung a mean stick, but will his lack of time in the field cost him a shot at the Hall?

Edgar Martinez: The only man who could legitimately challenge Ken Griffey Jr. as the most beloved player in Seattle Mariners’ history, Edgar Martinez helped to save a franchise on the brink with his steady presence and clutch hitting (his game winning double in the 1995 ALCS against New York is one of the best postseason moments of the past 20 years). Martinez was one of the game’s finest right-handed hitters, finishing his career with 2,247 hits, 514 doubles, 309 HR’s, 1,261 RBI’s and a .312 lifetime batting average. His career .418 OBP is 22nd all-time, placing him ahead of Hall-of-Famers Stan Musial, Mel Ott and Hank Greenberg, while his OPS is the 34th best in the history of baseball. ”Gar” was a 7-time All-Star, 5-time Silver Slugger and 2-time AL Batting Champion (1992 and 1995) while playing his entire 18-year career in Seattle. The main argument against Martinez is that he accumulated the majority of his stats as a designated hitter, but he did so well enough that the award for the best DH is now named after him. The fact that he was never associated with steroids helps his cause, as does voters willingness to consider “newer” statistics like OBP and OPS in which Martinez excelled. Leaving a player out of the Hall-of-Fame simply because he didn’t play in the field seems like quite an injustice, especially if players who made their living almost solely defensively (Ozzie Smith, Luis Aparicio, etc.) or couldn’t field at all but hit well (Jim Rice, Paul Molitor, etc.), have been enshrined in Cooperstown. Verdict: Hall-of-Famer, but not in 2010

Fred McGriff: When he retired in the middle of the 2004 season, Fred McGriff fell just short of the mythical 500-HR plateau, finishing with 493 career longballs (although he could still pull a Bernie Mac and return for one last shot at glory ala Mr. 3000). Much like Larkin, McGriff was a good player for an extended period of time, making five All-Star teams and winning three Silver Sluggers. The Crime Dog was a consistent run producer with eight seasons of 100+ RBI’s and 10 seasons in which he hit 30 or more HR’s, although he never hit more than 36 in any one year. His career numbers (.284-493 HR’s-1,550 RBI’s-2,490 hits) are certainly impressive, but McGriff never finished in the top-3 of MVP voting, and is 8th all-time in strikeouts. There have been worse selections in the history of Cooperstown (Ted Lyons?), but McGriff isn’t quite worthy of joining baseball’s most exclusive fraternity. Verdict: Close but no cigar

Could Figgins be holding down third for the M's in 2010? (ATempletonPhoto.com)

On the complete opposite side of the spectrum from my article earlier today regarding the Chicago Cubs bleak financial picture this off season, the Seattle Mariners have been able to unload about half their salary from a year ago.

With Adrian Beltre, Miguel Batista, Jarrod Washburn, Kenji Johjima and Erik Bedard amongst the players that will finally be leaving town and/or coming off the books, the Mariners $98 million payroll will be given an almost $50 million cushion this winter.

This gives the Mariners tons of flexibility to bring on players that can truly help them compete with the Angels in 2010 which is something they have been hoping to do for years.

The Mariners can now work on resigning their slugger Russell Branyon to anchor first base again this year as well as pursue other options like Orlando Hudson at second base and former Angel John Lackey to sure up the rotation and Chone Figgins to take Beltre’s spot at third.

It has been a long time since the M’s had an opportunity to really do things to help their team and I think the fans up in Seattle couldn’t be more excited for the winter ahead.

For me, Thanksgiving is the best holiday of the year. It’s one of the few times of the year when all bets are off when it comes to food. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie.

It doesn’t get any better than that.

Thanksgiving is also the time of year where we give thanks to what we have in life. It’s no different for all 30 teams of Major League Baseball. Each team has something they can be thankful for.

NL East

Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies should be thankful that they have one of the best GM’s in the game in Ruben Amaro Jr. A GM who doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves.

Atlanta Braves: The Braves should be thankful the Minor League Player of the Year, Jason Heyward is on his way. The kid looks like a star.

Florida Marlins: The Marlins should be thankful they are getting a new stadium in 2012. Maybe then they can keep their young stars like Josh Johnson

New York Mets: The Mets should be thankful that 2009 is finally coming to an end. 2010 can’t be much worse.

Washington Nationals: The Nationals should be thankful that new GM Mike Rizzo has more of a clue than former GM Jim Bowden

NL Central

St. Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals should be thankful for the fact that they get to watch the best player in the game on a day in and day out basis.

Chicago Cubs: The Cubs should be thankful that after so many years of being labeled “lovable losers,” they are finally dedicated to winning. Whether or not they are making the right moves to win is another story.

Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers should be thankful that they have an owner in Mark Attanasio, who runs a small market team, but has a big market mentality.

Cincinnati Reds: The Reds should be thankful that Jay Bruce, Drew Stubbs, and Joey Votto are young stars, who should provide a solid foundation for the future.

Houston Astros: The Astros should be thankful that Wandy Rodriguez established himself as a solid No. 2 starter in 2009.

Pittsburgh Pirates: The Pirates should be thankful for the fact that GM Neal Huntington has the team moving in the right direction. The Pirates are making the right moves to compete in the future.

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers should be thankful for Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp, who appear to be the foundation of the Dodgers’ offense for years to come.

Colorado Rockies: The Rockies should be thankful that they have one of the best and exciting young teams in baseball. The Rockies have finally figured out how to win in Colorado.

The Giants should be thankful for Lincecum

San Francisco Giants: The Giants should be thankful for being able to watch Tim Lincecum every five days. His unique delivery continues to amaze fans and baffle hitters.

San Diego Padres: The Padres should be thankful that it appears that they will not be trading star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.

Arizona Diamondbacks: The Diamondbacks should be thankful that Brandon Webb is making progress and looks to be healthy in 2010.

AL East

New York Yankees: The Yankees should be thankful that they are the Yankees. No other team in professional sports has the advantage they have.

Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox should be thankful for their minor-league system, which allows them to trade for players like Victor Martinez and potentially Roy Halladay or Miguel Cabrera.

Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays should be thankful that they have the most athletic team in baseball and after so many years of losing, they have a winner in Tampa.

Toronto Blue Jays: The Blue Jays should be thankful for the fact they got to watch Roy Halladay pitch in a Blue Jays’ uniform for the last 12 years. He will go down as the best player in franchise history.

Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles should be thankful for that after so many years of not having a clue, they are moving in the right direction. Matt Wieters, Adam Jones, Brian Matusz, and Nick Markakis provide a solid foundation for the future.

AL Central

Minnesota Twins: The Twins should be thankful for Joe Mauer. When it is all said and done, I believe he will go down as the greatest catcher of all time.

Detroit Tigers: The Tigers should be thankful for Mike Ilitch. Despite a ravaged economy in Detroit, Ilitch does his best to put a winner on the field in the Motor City.

Chicago White Sox: The White Sox should be thankful for employing Ozzie Guillen. His press conferences have provided baseball fans with hours of comedy. Oh yeah, the guy is a pretty good manager.

Kansas City Royals: The Royals should be thankful that there is only more year left in the Jose Guillen era in Kansas City.

Cleveland Indians: The Indians should be thankful that Grady Sizemore, Carlos Santana, Azdrubal Cabrera, Matt LaPorta, and Shin-Soo Choo provide hope for the future.

AL West

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: The Angles should be thankful for that they have one of the best run organizations in baseball. The job Arte Moreno and Mike Scioscia have done in Anaheim has been impressive.

Seattle Mariners: The Mariners should be thankful for the fact that if they make a couple of solid moves this offseason, they could win the AL West in 2010.

Texas Rangers: The Rangers should be thankful for GM Jon Daniels. His trades and drafting over the last four years have the Rangers poised to make a run at the AL West crown in 2010.

Oakland A’s: The A’s should be thankful for Andrew Bailey. The 2009 AL Rookie of the Year and a great year and should anchor the backend of the A’s bullpen for years to come–or at least until Billy Beane trades him.

I would like to give thanks to all my readers for taking the time out of their days to read my blog. For that, I am truly grateful.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE AND THEIR FAMILIES!!!

Image of Jose Lopez from the mind of a stathead at Fangraphs.com

Episode-5-Calm before the storm.mp3

The Seattle Mariners have just completed a 24 win turnaround after 101 losses. After a memorable third place finish should fans continue wearing rose colored glasses, and name their first born after GM Jack Zduriencik?

Take a listen and get a different perspective from the predominant sabermetrics M’s blogosphere. Listen to some serious concerns I have regarding Zduriencik and the direction of our club.

Listen as I talk about…..

• Are RBI’s overrated?
• An overview of some of the greatest players in the game that had low On Base Percentages.
• Is Jose Lopez an average player?
• How can Theo Epstein win championships and still hold a sabermetrics ideology? What’s next for Zduriencik come December?

1979 Mariners Program

Wednesday, I will have episode 5 recorded and posted.

I have been sick for the past seven days which resulted in a trip to the ER.

I have been better the past few days. So we are back on schedule. Lots to talk about.

Getting all but one first place vote, Joe Mauer became the fifth Minnesota Twin to win the AL MVP.  Hitting .365, playing gold glove worthy defense behind the plate.  It’s hard to argue with the selection – I can’t, he was my pick, too – because there just aren’t that many players like this guy.  Mauer decided to take advantage of the count when he it was in his favor and added power, enough to lead the AL in batting, on base percentage, and slugging percentage.  Amazing, really…  [ESPN and others...]

Tom Verducci had a vote and explains it for Sports Illustrated…

Ken Rosenthal discusses his vote for Fox Sports…

The real challenge will be this offseason or next when the Twins have to try and keep Mauer around, especially since Mauer has to be worth about $20 million per season on the open market.

And in Other News…

Omar Vizquel signed a one -year deal with the Chicago White Sox.  Vizquel expects to be a mentor to infielders Alexei Ramirez and Gordon Beckham.  [ESPN]

The Nationals say that Stephen Strasburg, who missed his last start in the Arizona Fall League, won’t need surgery on his twisted knee.  Dcctors say it’s a dislocation of the joint and he just needs some rest.  [SI]

The Associated Press released notes suggesting that Ken Griffey Jr. could earn as much as $3.9 million after incentives for the 2010 season.  [ESPN]

The Cubs signed lefty reliever John Grabow to a $7.5 million, two-year deal.  Grabow is a solid eighth-inning guy (though he can pitch in any inning from 5 through 9) who earned the contract after a year with 70 appearances for both Pittsburgh and Chicago.  However, personally I’d be leery of anyone coming off a career high in appearances and a career ERA over 4.00…  [SI]

Cuban Aroldis Chapman has fired his agent, signing with the Hendricks Brothers, agents who represent players such as Andy Pettitte.  Edwin Mejia, of Athletes Premier International, had helped Chapman escape from Cuba, setting up residency in Andorra so that Chapman couldn’t be drafted and would be signed as a free agent.  One expects a lawsuit for tampering in the very near future.  [ESPN]

Look for Roy Halliday to play out the string for Toronto, knowing that he will either be traded or become a free agent after the 2010 season.  Toronto brass fully expect Halliday to hit the road.  [ESPN]

The Marlins and pitcher Josh Johnson couldn’t iron out a deal, and per ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, it’s because Johnson wants a fourth year if he signs a long-term contract.  The Marlins are prepared to deal with arbitration, but tried to get Johnson to sign a three-year deal.  Johnson was trying to get a deal similar to the four-year, $38 million deal the Royals gave Zack Greinke.  [ESPN]

Speaking of Marlins named Johnson, the ESPN rumor mill has Nick Johnson getting plenty of interest in the free agency market.  Johnson had a .477 OBA after arriving in Florida in a late season trade with Washington.  Among the suitors?  Boston, Washington, the Mets, Giants and Orioles.  [ESPN]

Let’s stick with stories about my fish…  Former Angels prospect and Marlins minor leaguer, Dallas McPherson, signed a minor league deal with the Oakland A’s.  At 29, McPherson is past his prospect days and has missed two of three seasons with back problems.  [ESPN]

Finally, Peter Gammons compliments the management of the Marlins for winning with a payroll that, over four years, has spent less money – nearly a third less – than the Mets spent in 2009.  [ESPN]

Quick Hits…

Jermaine Dye says he is open to playing first base.  I’d be more worried about how his production fell apart after the all-star break, so this is just something to make him seem more valuable on the free agent market. [MLB]

After signing Chris Capuano and John Halama, two pitchers who have missed time due to injury and really haven’t been on the MLB radar in two or three years, the Milwaukee Brewers are showing interest in Carl Pavano.  There just aren’t enough 4.50 ERA guys with bad backs and shoulders to go around, I guess…  [MLB]

Happy Birthday!

Hall of Famer Joe Medwick was born on this day in 1911.  Joe never liked his nickname “Ducky”, which was shorted from “Ducky Wucky”, which might help explain his surliness…

Others celebrating with cards, cake, or rememberances include:  George Burns (1889) – a fine lead off hitter with the Tigers back in the day…, Billy Rogell (1904), Danny Ozark (1923), Jim Northrup (1939), Fred Beene (1942), Steve Yeager (1948), Randy Velarde (1962), Cal Eldred (1967), Ben McDonald (1967), Al Martin (1967), Dave Hansen (1968) – who could probably STILL lace a single pinch hitting for the Dodgers right now…, and Joel Guzman (1984).

Details of Ken Griffey, Jr.’s 2010 contract with the Mariners were reported today.  He will get a guaranteed $2.35 million with incentives, that I’ll describe below, that could bring the deal up to $3.9 million.  As I’ve already written, I have my doubts whether even at this seemingly low price, the deal really makes sense for the Mariners.  Little about the details of the deal make me think otherwise.

Griffey clearly has more value to the Mariners than to anyone else, but I wonder whether that value was mainly in the 2009, when his being back with the M’s was a novelty.  Griffey has been given a lot of credit for turning the attitude in the Mariners’ clubhouse in 2009, but it’s hard to put a value on that.

In 2008, the Mariners went 61-101, and the attitude in the clubhouse was lousy.  In 2009, the M’s went 85-77, and the attitude in the clubhouse was much better.  Was Griffey responsible for the change?

His play as a DH certainly didn’t make a difference: he hit poorly for a full-time DH.  Baseball is full of potential designated hitters, guys who can hit a ton, but kill you in the field. You don’t have to try to find a DH that can hit better than Griffey’s 2009 .735 OPS.

Whether his manner in the clubhouse made the difference is a chicken-or-the-egg argument.  Griffey could have helped with clubhouse attitude which helped the players perform better and win.  Or clubhouse attitude improved because the team played 24 full games better than they did the previous season.

One of the things about “good-in-the-clubhouse” guys is that you are always faced with this sort of unanswerable question.  In my mind, “good-in-the-clubhouse” guys are valuable if they have some concrete, measurable skill that helps the team win.  A few years ago, Mark Sweeney was one of those “good-in-the-clubhouse” veteran players for the Giants.  So good, in fact, that he didn’t blow up when Barry Bonds tried to blame him for his steroid use.

However, Sweeney was also one of the better pinch hitters in the game, which justified his roster spot, aside from his alleged presence in the clubhouse.  The same is true for Twins catcher Mike Redmond.  He may be great in the clubhouse, but for several years, he was a back-up catcher with enough of a bat that he didn’t kill the Twins when Joe Mauer was hurt or needed a day off.

Back to Griffey.  He’s guaranteed $2.35 million and can earn $3.9 million if all of these conditions are met: (1) he gets 400 plate appearances; (2) the M’s draw at least 2.5 million; (3) he stays on the M’s roster the whole year; and (4) he stays off the DL for the whole year.

The only one of these incentives that makes any sense to me is (2).  The whole reason to bring back Griffey is that Mariners’ fans will come out to see him play and/or his presence in the clubhouse will be so valuable that the M’s win and bring in the fans.

As for the 400 plate appearances, Griffey got well more than 400 last year and probably hurt the M’s as a result.  One can assume that to get 400 plate appearances in 2010, Griffey will have to play better than he did in 2009.  It’s a possibility, but if I had to bet I’d guess Griffey’s 2010 will resemble Hank Aaron’s 1976 season (his second and last season with the Milwaukee Brewers).  I’ll grant that Griffey will be two years younger in 2010 than Aaron was in 1976 and that players as a group age better than they once did due to better nutrition and training regimens (and expansion), but Griffey has also experienced a lot more major injuries in his career than Aaron did.

Staying on the roster all year isn’t much of an accomplishment for which to pay, and the requirement that he stay off the disabled list all year long seems a little unfair on the Mariners’ part for a player who will be 40.  If Griffey plays in 110 or 115 games and posts an OPS over .825 in 2010, he’ll be worth every penny of $3.9 million, even if he spends a stint or two on the DL.

Omar Vizquel received $1.375 million to be the White Sox’ back-up shortstop in 2010.  I’m glad to see Omar squeeze out on more year in MLB, but I also tend to think that teams shouldn’t give players at this stage in their careers more than $1.1 million or $1.2 million a year tops.  The reason is that veteran good-field-no-hit players are fungible, and if one asks for much more than $1 million, the team is just as well off finding another of these guys who will accept less.

With Vizquel, he gets a premium for his past Hall of Fame career.  He hit once, so there’s always a chance, no matter how slight, that he might have one good year left with the bat.  At this point in his career, that’s a pretty unreasonable hope.

Another thing you can say in Vizquel’s favor is that there is probably no person better qualified to give your starting shortstops tips on how to get better.  No one has played more major league games at SS, and its probably hard to argue with the assertion that he has been one of the ten best defensive shortstops in baseball history over the course of his career.

The Rangers seemed to appreciate the work he did with Elvis Andris (it helps to have a talented pupil), although it’s also worth noting that they apparently didn’t make a strong effort to bring him back for 2010.  Of course, it’s also doubtful that in their current financial situation, the Rangers could come close to matching the money the White Sox just gave him.

On January 13, 2009, the Atlanta Braves signed Derek Lowe to a four-year, $60 million deal. The Braves signed Lowe after they failed to sign AJ Burnett, who signed with the New York Yankees.

Now less than one year later, the Braves are looking to trade 6′6” righty.

Why would the Braves look to trade Lowe just after one year? Well, for one, they feel they have an excess of pitching. And two, if they are able to trade Lowe, they could free up some money to add offense.

The Braves want to unload Lowe

So can the Braves trade Lowe? Let’s take a look at the pros and the cons of Lowe and what teams would be interested in trading for the former member of Red Sox Nation.

Pros

If you trade for Lowe, you are going to trade for one of the most durable pitchers in the game.

Lowe has started 30-plus games every season since moving from the bullpen to a starter in 2002. And since moving to the National League in 2005, Lowe has led the league in starts three out of those five years.

Over the last three years, Lowe is third in the National League in innings pitched with 605. In a sport where quantity counts just as much as quality for a pitcher, Lowe’s durability goes a long way.

Perhaps Lowe’s best asset is his ability to pitch well in big games. We all know what he did in the 2004 playoffs for the Red Sox winning the clinching game in all three series.

Lowe was also solid in two out of his three starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2008 playoffs.

Cons

Can you believe Lowe is going to be 37-years-old next year? It’s a little surprising considering that he looks a lot younger.

And with Lowe getting older, perhaps his age started to show in 2009. Lowe’s ERA rose from 3.24 in 2008 to 4.67 in 2009 and Lowe’s hits/9 increased to 10.7, which was his highest since 2004 (11/9).

Lowe K’s/9 went down from 6.3 in 2008 to 5.1 in 2009 and his BB/9 went up from 1.9 in 2008 to 2.9 in 2009. And while Lowe is known as a sinkerball/groundball pitcher, in 2009 he threw a lower percentage of groundballs (56.3) than at any point during his career.

It’s never a good sign when a groundball pitcher is throwing more flyballs than ever.

Lastly, the biggest con Lowe has going for him is his contract. Lowe still has three years and $45 million on his contract. The Braves overpaid for Lowe last year and they are going to hard pressed to move that size contract in this economy.

Now that we have looked at the pros and cons of Lowe, let’s take a look at the teams that might be interested in trading for the native of Dearborn, MI.

Milwaukee Brewers: There was a lot of talk recently of a Lowe for Corey Hart swap, but that was correctly turned down by the Brewers.

I know the Brewers are desperate for starting pitching, but even if all things were equal I wouldn’t have made that move if I was the Brewers’ GM.

New York Yankees: The Yankees had their choice between Burnett and Lowe last year and went with the younger Lowe. However, if Andy Pettitte doesn’t come back they feel Phil Hughes is still better suited to be in the pen, then Lowe could be an option.

It would be a long shot, but an option none the less.

Seattle Mariners: Another long shot, but the Mariners do need a number two starter and perhaps the Mariners could bring back the pitcher they traded away almost 12 years ago.

For those of you not familiar with what I am talking about, the Seattle Mariners trade Lowe and Jason Varitek to the Boston Red Sox for Heathcliff Slocumb.

I’ll check that one off as a win for the Red Sox.

Texas Rangers: Unless the Braves ate a significant portion of Lowe’s contract, it would be hard for the Rangers to acquire Lowe.

However, the Rangers could use a guy like Lowe and if they can get the Braves to eat a large portion of Lowe’s contract, then he would make sense for the Rangers.

As I have mentioned, the biggest problem the Braves will have with trading Lowe is his contract. Unless the Braves eat a significant portion of the deal, they are going to have a tough time trading him.

Now if it were my decision–I wouldn’t trade Lowe. This whole “the Braves have an excess of pitching” is comical to me.

Guess what? There is no such thing in baseball. The Red Sox had more pitching depth than any team in baseball going into 2009 and they still had to bring in Paul Byrd off his couch in August.

I guarantee that if the Braves trade Lowe or Javier Vazquez, something will happen to one of their remaining starters and they will be searching for a starter by the July 31st trading deadline.

That’s just the way baseball works.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

This appears to be a ‘No-Brainer’.  Ken Griffey Jr will gain entry into Baseball’s Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility.

With a resume to back it up, Griffey is one of the best players from the last 20 years.  His ability to hit, run, field, throw, and crush home runs makes him a solid ‘5-tool Player’.  His ability to excel in an extraordinary manner in each of these aspects of the game makes him a very rare talent indeed.

I cannot imagine that he will have to wait long once he is officially added to the Hall of Fame ballot.

And when he gets enshrined, this is the hat he should be wearing!!

You better believe it – He belongs.

This amazing feat happened in my back yard.  I should have been there.  Dolphin Stadium, home of my Florida Marlins, was witness to this event.  You don’t know how many times I have cursed myself about not making this a priority.  Who knows when I may be able to witness baseball history of this kind again.  And he is a player I like too - even more reason to have been there…

Ken Griffey Jr is 1 of only 6 players to have surpassed the 600 home runs plateau.  Sitting in 5th place all-time with 630 dingers, Griffey is poised to make a run at 4th place as he trails Hall of Famer Willie Mays by just 30 homers.  Regardless of his final ranking, which will change in a few years as A-Rod narrows the gaps, Ken Griffey Jr will go down as one of the greatest home run hitters in baseball history.

And to think that he has never really been classified as a ‘Home Run Hitter’.  This truly is a testament to the all-around superb offensive skills he possesses!!!

Personally, I want to see this happen.  But honestly, Ken Griffey Jr does not need this to happen.

Currently he stands just 237 hits away from the milestone of 3,000 hits.  This magical number separates baseball’s elite hitters from the very good.  To really have a chance of obtaining this goal, Griffey would need to play in 130 or more games during the 2010 and 2011 seasons. 

We all know Griffey’s history with injuries.  He missed significant playing time(roughly 200 games) between 2002-04.  Had it not been for that terrible stretch, there is no doubt that he would either be a member of the infamous 3,000 Hits Club or would be knocking on the door as we enter the 2010 season.

Like I said before, I would love to see this happen.  Any true baseball fan knows that he belongs with that elite group of hitters!!

Ken Griffey Jr’s 1997 season is one of the most well-rounded seasons of both offense and defense that the baseball world has seen in the last 25 years!

Offensively, ‘The Kid’ was lights out!!  He batted .304 on the year and compiled a .646 slugging percentage.  He collected 185 hits while smacking 34 doubles and 56 homers.  He was also a big run producer for the Mariners as he scored 125 times while also driving in 147.

To round out his amazing offensive output, Griffey had a stellar year in the field.  He committed just 6 errors and ended the ‘97 campaign with a .985 fielding percentage.

Al in all, 1997 was an incredible season for Junior.  He was an All-Star, A Gold Glove Award winner, A Silver Slugger Award winner, and the 1997 American League Most Valuable Player!!

Congratulations Junior!!!