Izturis has not had a good spring, unusually shaky with the glove. If he can't field, he's Yuni-level worthless.

Unfortunately, everyone needs INF depth right now, and there just doesn't seem to be enough to go around. *sigh* shuda kept jayjay

Craig

Counsell

comes

out

of

retirement

wins

World Series MVP!!!

SEER

The Baltimore Orioles lost to a community college today...seriously.

http://blogs.thescore.com/mlb/2012/04/03/new-lows-for-the-baltimore-oriloles/

Yes, they had most of their everyday lineup, a major league SP, and two notable relievers. Lost to State College of Florida, 2-1.

Ouch.

That's hilarious, a lot of starters played too, pitchers and hitters

It's embarrassing. They aren't really an awful team either, they just are significantly worse than the rest of the powerhouses in the AL East that their record reflects on them as god awfu.

You either gotta pay the bills or scout like mad in that division.

eh, people make excuses that it's a tough division, but just a few years ago the Rays were the bottom feeder and they turned it around and are just as much of a contender as New York or Boston. If you scout and develop well, it can be done.

Rays pulled in a lot of top prospects though over a long stretch. The one thing BAltimore needs and doesn't really have is pitching. Matusz looks better, and Dyland Bundy has been said by some to be the best prospect taken last draft, but that's it. They need a few more years.

Major stunner: Brewers send Conrad to AAA, giving Ishikawa the final roster spot.

Bit of a head scratcher, to be honest.

That is interesting. I guessed Conrad had the job because of his versatility.

ISHI! PUT CHEEZ ON UR HEAD

I guess they did it so they have a decent plan b for if Gamel doesn't pan out.

Decent defensive plan b that is

If that was the case, then I don't like it. Gamel went into the spring knowing the first base job was his and he played well (according to the box scores, I honestly didn't see much of it.) Anything they do now that shows a lack of confidence in him could backfire. Keeping Ishikawa on the 25 man roster basically says, "we have another option to play first daily, so don't screw up."
Gamel seems like he's pretty immature and coddling him and telling him how great he is may be the only way to get him to play well. Keeping "plan B" on the active roster may just be a self fulfilled prophesy.

I think Ishikawa's .290 batting average as a pinch-hitter compared to Conrad's .196 might have had something do to with it.

Brad Nelson.

The spring training OPS of Conrad and Ishikawa was pretty close with a slight nod to Ishy. Their BB/SO ratio was almost identical. Conrad showed a little more pop with 4 HRs to Ishy's 2. Conrad has more versatility in the field and is a switch hitter. Izturis is going to be the guy everybody hates this year and we'll all be <pissed when he is in the lineup, Conrad could take some of those starts away. This JBG says that last bench spot should have gone to Conrad.

Meh. We're talking about the 25th man on the roster. It's not like Conrad is gone, he's just in the minors. If Ishi doesn't work out, we can always call him up.

BTW, what happened to Jay Gibbons? We signed him to a minor league deal, but I didn't see his name on the Nashville roster.

Yeah, that is true. If all I have to <bitch about is the last roster spot things are looking pretty good.

I can't wait for the season to start. Classes are crazy hectic right now and I need something to give me a nice distraction from time to time. The roller coaster of "we're going to win it all to cliff jumping" is just the thing I need.

Good point. The bench players now don't matter since they're ever changing because of injury, Conrad and Maysonet are one call away.

The speculation I read last night is maybe they're just trying to cover their bases with Hart because they don't want to push him too hard right away, and Ishikawa can play a little OF as well as 1B in case they need someone extra.

I haven't heard anything about Jay Gibbons, but he's pretty much option number 4 after Schafer, Gindl, and Patterson anyway.