Ask Rotoman

“Tom Terrific Seaver”

I was going to flog MLBlogs, where Tom Seaver started his blog today, signing off by saying, “Looking forward to blogging with you again soon.” A bunch of other broadcasters also started blogs. You can, too, though you have to pay.

But it turns out that Seaver, who says he’s computer averse, has two web sites. The one linked to here (it lands on a Flash opening) seems to be a medium for selling Seaver memorabilia. It also has two Reggie Jackson quotes hyping Tom Terrific.

The better of the two: Tom is so good blind people come out to hear him pitch.

Major League Baseball : Fantasy : Ask Rotoman

The new edition has hit the stands, er, streets, um, airways, ah, is online at mlb.com. A look at ML transaction rules and their Graves implications, Jon Garland for Clint Barmes, a righteous three way trade, and more about Jon Garland and trade vetoes.

Yahoo! Sports – MLB – Piazza Throws

Didja know that three of Marcus Giles’ six stolen bases this year have come against the Victor Zambrano-Mike Piazza battery?

Spector’s Past Gun Play to Figure in Trial – Yahoo! News

I think Da Doo Ron Ron is the greatest song in all of rock and roll, though this is one of those things that you only say to make an argument. Like Rolling Stone magazine deciding that Bob Dylan’s Like a Rolling Stone was the greatest rock and roll song of all time.

Or that a song by the Rolling Stones was the second best.

In any case, the picture you’ll find of Phil Spector, the architect of the Crystals, in this link suggests that a non-traditional defense is going to be in play in Phil’s murder trial. I really wish Phil were innocent, and that the woman weren’t dead, but I’ve seen enough Columbos to think I know how this one is going to turn out.

I wonder what Peter Falk’s hair looks like these days?

For baseball fans: Nice game for Ervin Santana tonight against the hot White Sox. ES’s name hearkens back to Magic and Johan. That’s quality.

Yahoo! Sports – Oakland is terrible

They aren’t hitting at all, which puts Noah Lowry’s third quality start of the season even more suspect than the other two (Colorado and Arizona at SBC).

The A’s are so soft right now I’m keeping Doug Waechter active this week against them. There aren’t good waiver alternatives, but I can’t think of another team I wouldn’t ditch him against.

Yahoo! Sports – MLB – Kevin Brown Wins

Two Ask Rotoman columns ago at mlb.com I suggested that Kevin Brown’s problems were looking dangerous, if not fatal, in the short run.

But before I could special him he pitched a good game against the hapless A’s, earned a win, and I noticed his next game was against the A’s, so I kept him up. He got another win. Then I noticed his next game was against the Mets at Shea, which seemed like a fair matchup. Now he’s won three straight.

The interesting thing about tonights game is he pitched more. He had been approaching each hitter like it was batting practice, throw it in the zone and hope they hit it at someone. With the Yankees sadly maladapted defense it had better be right at them, too. But tonight he walked guys and he struck them out. And while the Yankees’ dee let him down, the Mets was its equal.

It’s too soon to say Brown is okay. He’s won three games against teams that can be pitched to. But I’m going to keep him active, since he’s pitching against the very average Tigers in Yankee Stadium. I not, however, confident.

Girl Pitches Perfect Little League Game – Yahoo! News

An all-in FAAB bid?

Major League Baseball : Fantasy : Ask Rotoman

I try to choose questions for the column that have underlying concepts that will apply to other questions the reader may have. This week’s Beltran for Abreu query struck me as so odd, yet the heart of the matter could prove to be crucial for many fantasy teams.

I felt obliged to return to Edgar Renteria because, well, I’ve long thought his career would look more like a string of 2003s than 2001s.

Joe Crede, Oscar Robles, Dan Johnson are three corners in a square that makes a sign that says, Not worth a lot. But perhaps useful.

And then there are potential breakout rookie starting pitchers and speedsters. Long shots worth thinking about, to say the least.

Rotoman said the following smart thing in his column this week at mlb.com.

“The real problem is that as a ballplayer there isn’t a lot to recommend him over Scott Hatteberg, who the A’s are paying a lot of money ($2.45M) to be their first baseman this year. Another way to put it is that the As are paying Scott Hatteberg a lot of money this year to do a job that Dan Johnson could probably do nearly as well for a lot less. ”

We, as roto owners and the A’s as real life owners can’t cancel contracts or trade something ‘smart’ like playing Dan Johnson for pennies against playing Hatteberg for two and a half mill. But what Rotoman says here is VERY smart. There is not a reason to play Johnson over Hatteberg to be sure, but that this is a discussion at all means that there isn’t any reason to pay Hatteberg 8 times what you would pay Johnson. Nothing you can do about it now of course, but next off season when you are looking at your Mike Matheny’s and Omar Vizquels….why not heed the Rotoman and tell yourself that your 2.5 mil guy might not be appreciably better than your triple-A ‘non’ prospect.

Rob Neyer and Rany Jazayerli write an amusing blog about their beloved Royals at this link. Historically they have been…ummm…critical of the organization, the KC press and probably if pressed the parking and concessions as well. In this installment they opine about the parting of Tony Pena. If you want to know exactly how the Royals have come to be what they are….here’s the spot. It’s also a good object lesson in how an organization can drive itself off the pier.