Karma?

by gavind on Mar 26, 2007 10:39 PM EDT Comment 13 comments

Could it be an attack of bad karma? WhiteSox.com is reporting that Toby Hall is out for the season with a torn larbum.

The weird thing is that it sounds like Hall was playing first base for the Sox. I can not recall that experiment ever happening in Tampa.

I'm sure I am not alone in being SO glad to be rid of all the bitterness in camp. Maddon has been stressing cooperation this spring. It got a lot easier once Hall and Huff left!

http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070326&content_id=1860209&vkey=spt200 7news&fext=.jsp&c_id=cws

What do you think the response will be from the fans when Huff returns to the Trop? How about Lugo? I'd imagine they'd be the exact opposite. Any thoughts?

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Between the 2

I'd only cheer for Lugo, seeing as he hasn't taken any shots towards the organization while Huff makes it a habit in every article to blast his old organization and to promote his playoff-worthy new one.

by Jacob Larsen on Mar 26, 2007 10:48 PM EDT reply actions

Hall played first base a few times with the Rays

I remember one instance specifically in Toronto, it was the first post All-Star Break series of the 2005 season, and Lou was doing all sorts of weird things in the late innings. Then again, all sorts of weird things happened in that second half...even Joe Borowski pitched well! ;)

I think Lou played him at first a few other times, but I don't think that it took place under Maddon at all.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Mar 26, 2007 11:15 PM EDT reply actions

Re: Karma?

I laughed, serves him right, now if Huff's team finishes behind us..his 'MAJOR LEAGUE TEAM' that would be sweet.

by R.J. Anderson on Mar 26, 2007 11:33 PM EDT reply actions

Re: Karma?

I liked Tubby so I cannot wish him ill but I was happy with the move last season as most baseball experts agreed that Toby was not a great catcher and the Rays made out pretty good in the deal.

As for Huff, well that is different. He has really thrown the Rays org under the bus and failed to mention in one of his rants what he did to try to change things here in Tampa while he was here. From what I have heard, Huff didn't provide too much in the way of leadership. The Rays need folks that work hard and can lead by example and sadly, that was not Huff. I cannot wait until the Rays play the Baltimore as I predict Huff will receive a lot of boos and deservedly so as he is an arse.

On the otherhand, when Julio Lugo returns to the Trop, he will get a warm welcome.

by BabySayGoRays on Mar 27, 2007 10:07 AM EDT reply actions

Huff=Roger Dorn

More interested in himself than he is interested in leadership, fielding and hitting in the 1st half.

by Jacob Larsen on Mar 28, 2007 8:41 AM EDT up reply actions

Re: Huff=Roger Dorn

Does Huff plan to become an interior decorator?

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Mar 28, 2007 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: Karma?

Chicago needs a backup?

Take Josh Paul.

by RATW on Mar 27, 2007 7:33 PM EDT reply actions

Re: Karma?

I'll pay for his tickets.

by R.J. Anderson on Mar 27, 2007 7:37 PM EDT up reply actions

That's sort of ironic

What with the whole 2005 ALCS Game Two incident.

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Mar 28, 2007 3:20 AM EDT up reply actions

Re: Karma?

It does appear to provide at least the opportunity to move Paul, which you all are so hot on. The Yanks are struggling with their backup C's as well. Of course, I don't think Cashman would give you squat for the guy, and likely the same in Chicago.

I've got to bring this up, and please don't take it the wrong way, but it seems that most of you very quickly get down on any player near or over the age of 30, or making more than near the minimum, if their performance sags a bit. This spring it's Miceli, McClung, Paul, Norton, even Wiggy in some instances. Yet newcomers like Reyes, Pena, and Aki get a free pass. Now I recognize the short term spring performance issues, and that within the long term strategy this makes sense. So all these positions are justifable. But there's something to be said for letting a veteran work their way through a short term bad patch and perhaps offer some trade value in July. And also to let some younger kids hone their craft in the minors in lieu of perhaps coming up, struggling, and losing their confidence. Maintaining one's confidence in this game is crucial to success.

You don't expect to compete for the playoffs, so "seeing what the kids can do" has some validity, but you don't want to wreck them either. Another 1/2 season in the minors for guys like Orvella or Salas, regardless of their spring performance (and I recognize these guys aren't very young anymore) might not be a bad short term strategy. What guys are making just shouldn't be an issue - your payroll is plenty low already.

This particularly strikes me in Norton's case. Here's a guy, clearly in the end stages of his career but who was a bright spot and great story for the Rays last season. He or Pena are going to be the only guys who hit lefty on your bench, so 1 of them should be on the team. I understand Pena's younger, likely has more power and LH power is something you'd like. But Norton delivered last year, can fill in at more spots, and it's not like he's making a fortune. Pena hasn't done squat - his K rate is appalling and he doesn't hit for average. Terminating Norton (he's not very tradeable right now) and carrying Pena might cost about as much as just carrying Norton and letting Pena show he's getting better in Durham.

Is it me, or is there a bit of a bias against veterans right now? What do you all think?

by nyyfaninlaaland on Mar 28, 2007 4:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: Karma?

Other than Wiggy, the vets you mentioned haven't done much at all. Reyes is still a good reliever, I'm not even sure how you would criticize Aki at this point, and nobody talks about Pena because nobody thinks much of him.

by R.J. Anderson on Mar 28, 2007 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Hrm, I wonder

Why would Aki get a "free pass"? Maybe it's because he was one of our only Free Agent acquisitions and he was a Top 20 Free Agent according to most sites(Fox, ESPN).

I'd like to point out that the Rays are starting to turn it around and start dumping the crap rather than letting it stick. We're starting to learn from our mistakes, it appears.

by Jacob Larsen on Mar 30, 2007 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions