2009 MLB Season

[gunnar hendershow]

Thats a bulllpen that has Putz and K-Rod in it, I can't think it'll melt down that badly.

Granted, it won't even need to meltdown when Oliver Perez is starting.

Not sure the Mets even have the prospects to get Halladay.

That's where a 3-way deal comes in. If a team like the Giants is in it at the deadline, they'll be more than willing to unload a few prospects and in return get some immediate help. Then the Mets end up with Halladay.

[Ananas]

I really don't think Halladay will be traded this year. That's a combination of my doubts that he'll actually fetch the price he's worth (because he's worth would bankrupt many farm systems, and most of the teams looking to bring him in at the deadline don't have good enough systems to begin with) and the value having guys like Purcey, Romero, Cecil and Mills share time in the rotation with such a fucking blue chipper. If they're going to have a youth movement of McGowan/Marcum/Litsch/Cecil/Mills next year these guys need to get their veteran support now. Halladay makes his team mates better. They should think twice before sacrificing that too soon.

The youth movement looked good today. Adam Lind set a Jays opening night record with 6 RBI's and 4 hits as the Jays beat up on Justin Verlander and the Tigers 12-5. Travis Snider with 2 extra base hits including a jack which showed his opposite field power. Little tidbit about Snider: he absolutely fucking tore up BP today, launching one of several of his home runs into the 4th deck. Anyway Wells and Rios both had multiple hit games and the entire lineup hit, so a good all around performance. Halladay wasn't dominant, but he got 6.2 before turning it to the Jays' as-usual lights out bullpen. On the Tigers side, Verlander's start was definitely not good news for fans hoping he might be able to capture some of his 2007 magic. He was utterly hittable, not missing a lot of bats in the 80 pitches he threw over just 3.2. Eddie Bonine was welcomed to the game by giving up a 2 run home run to Adam Lind, but after that he settled down for a shaky but damage limited 2.1 innings of work. Juan Rincon continued his rapid decline as a reliever in the 8th, but perhaps the one bright spot was Nate Robertson's solid 3-up-3-down inning with 2 K's.

This was a good game on-field for the Jays. Wish I could say the same for the fans. Home openers are always difficult because with the exception of the most devout baseball cities it means you get a lot of "casual fans". The problem is that in Toronto, those "casual fans" are really non-fans. They're their because it's an event, or because they want to get drunk at the busiest bar in Canada. When you get 48,000 intoxicated morons with no respect for the sport they're watching, you're just asking for trouble. And trouble we got. Fights, drunken incidents, those were just the preamble to the colossal stupidity that almost lost us this game. In fact, one of the fans decided to throw a ball at LF Josh Anderson's head. That's when Jim Leyland understandably pulled his team off the field, which incited the crowd even more. They began throwing everything they had, popcorn bags, beer glasses and even paper planes, on the field. Every time this would happen a large cheer would erupt. It was 10 minutes before announcer Tim Langton made a PA announcement that any further such actions could result in the Jays having to forfeit. Finally they stopped, and the Tigers returned to the field for the final inning. I love working at the Rogers Centre, and in fact I love most of the fans. But when I say fans I mean the people who are there between tomorrow and September. The people that really care about this team, about this sport. And it's days like this that I wish this city really gave enough of a fuck about this sport to just go to a game and WATCH IT.

[wolves]

I'm committed to following the season better than I did last year. I'm really hoping we (the Sox) can make it back into the playoffs. I'm also hoping that Ramirez just goes off and has a monster season. He looks like he can be a great hitter and RBI guy which is something we need. It seemed to me that they've relied just a little too much on Thome and Konerko to bail them out lately. On the pitching side of things, Floyd should be shutting batters down left and right if he really pans out. I know the rotation is getting older but I think they can do some special things. I wouldn't be opposed to a trade though to bring a great arm here though.

Other than that, as always I pray for the Yankees to crash and burn.

[sahyder1]

How often has it happened in MLB history that someone went all 4 bases without actually hitting a homerun ?

Come again?

[Ananas]

If he means something like a triple with an advance on an error then... probably plenty of times.

[Toe]

Watching Adam Lind send a home run straight out to center field was great. This team just tore up Verlander, who looked like he was just not ready to play major league ball. I was sad to see the fans act so dumb, but this isn't the first time the Rogers Centre has seen idiotic fans act this way. I am considering going to the game tomorrow purely because their will be no alcohol served at the game.

[GhostMachine]

The Baseball Tonight guys predicted the Tiger and Blue Jays to be worse this year. I kind of agree with that, but John Kruk predicted the Indians to win their divison, and that I DO NOT agree with. I think they'll challenge, but I'm going with the White Sox....for now.

Cito Gaston only wins MOTY if most of the other managers drop dead. Seriously. Blue Jays just don't have the pitching.

Bad news: Reds got beat by the Mets.

Good news: I had Johan Santana as one of the active starting pitchers on my fantasy team.

Bad news: I also had CC Sabathia as one of my active starting pitchers. Ouch. (He pitched just over 4 innings, with no Ks and a 12.46 ERA when he was yanked)

Good news: I hate the Yankees, so I'm glad they lost.

Currently beating the guy I'm up against by a score of 5-4, but I have a player in the White Sox-Royals game that was postponed, and he doesn't have any in it. (I'm beating him in batting avg and the pitching stats)

(My third active starter was Carlos Zambrano, who beat the Astros - 6 Ks over 6 innings, with a 1.50 ERA)

[Evil Chase K]

While everyone else in Pittsburgh is excited that the Pirates are temporarily in first place, I am marveling at the sheer enormity of crowd in St. Louis yesterday.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the only thing over 500 the Pirates will see all year...

[gunnar hendershow]

What is that? Is it even human?

[Lowerdeck]

I'm surprised something that big could even get to the ballpark nevermind take up three seats in two rows.

[Your Mom]

I didnt think they made seats that size

[naiwf]

Angels rookie Adenhart killed in hit-and-run crash

April 9, 2009

FULLERTON, Calif. (AP) -A hospital official says Los Angeles Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart has died in a hit-and-run car crash after a game.

University of California, Irvine Medical Center spokesman John Murray says Adenhart died Thursday morning after undergoing surgery.

Officials said the 22-year-old Adenhart was one of three people killed in the crash early Thursday, hours after he started in a loss to the Oakland Athletics.

That's horrible. I hope the scumbag who killed these three people ends up doing at least 20 years in prison.

[Magus978]

He had a lot of potential. I thought he could be a very good middle of the rotation starter in the next few years. Such a shame that his life ended all too soon.

RIP Nick Adenhart

[sahyder1]

I can't believe it. Just watched his start last night. Had really great potential. One of the top prospects in the league and the top prospect in the Angels organization. Have been looking forward to his to the majors for the last 2 years. 22 years old.....it's a shame. How the hell can you live with yourself knowing you killed someone and tried to run away? Hopefully this guy gets a longterm jail sentence.

Edited April 10, 2009 by sahyder1

[sahyder1]

Angels' Adenhart killed in accident

Rookie right-hander dies in three-car hit-and-run crash

By Tom Singer / MLB.com

ORANGE, Calif. -- On one of the saddest mornings in Angels history, a groundskeeper on the field in Angel Stadium smoothed the pitching rubber on which Nick Adenhart stood 13 hours before.

In a conference room on the third floor of the park, Adenhart's No. 34 uniform was draped over a table atop the dais. On its left sleeve, a "Preston" patch commemorating the recent passing of Angels exec Preston Gomez.

There will soon be another patch on those uniforms, in memory of Adenhart, the victim of a tragic hit-and-run accident in Fullerton, Calif., in the wee minutes of Thursday.

The sudden and shocking development moved the Angels to cancel Thursday's night game, the finale of a four-game series with Oakland. Makeup plans will be announced later.

Into that third-floor room, media members, club officials and Fullerton police and fire department officers filed in with long faces and vacant eyes. They were there to discuss the 12:24 a.m. accident that took three lives and left a fourth in critical condition, and to reminisce about an exceptional 22-year-old.

As Tim Mead, the Angels' vice president of communications said in opening the proceedings, "It is with deep regret that we are having this press conference."

Of all the sad, thoughtful and poignant sentiments that ensued, nothing spoke louder of Adenhart's effect than the eyes of agent Scott Boras, which weren't vacant but wet.

Looking completely distraught when his turn to speak came, Boras took several deep breaths before saying, "Nick's parents, Jim and Janet, wanted me to convey to the entire Angels organization ... "

Then the tough-as-steel agent broke down, audibly sobbing before again collecting himself to say through quivering lips, "He was a great kid. His life goal was to be a big league baseball player. He'd summoned his father [on Tuesday], telling him 'You better come [to Wednesday's game]. Something special's going to happen.'"

Something special did: Adenhart blanked the Oakland A's for six innings of what turned out to be an Angels loss.

"After the game," Boras said, "he was so elated. It was tremendous fun. A great moment for all of us, seeing a young man take a huge step."

A couple of hours after that 6-4 loss, the Angels suffered a loss much more painful and lasting. A van driven by Andrew Thomas Gallo, a 22-year-old Riverside resident, ran a red light at the Fullerton intersection of Lemon and Orangethorpe and slammed the two-door Eclipse in which Adenhart was a passenger, hurtling it against a telephone pole.

Adenhart was pulled from the wreckage by Fullerton Fire Dept. rescuers and transported within 15 minutes to University of California-Irvine Medical Center, where he was soon pronounced dead. Courtney Stewart, the 20-year-old driver of the vehicle, and another unidentified 27-year-old male passenger were declared dead at the scene.

"An absolutely horrible tragedy," said Lt. Kevin Hamilton, in charge of the traffic bureau for the Fullerton Police Dept. and lead investigator on the case.

Hamilton said Gallo would be booked on DUI, vehicular manslaughter and murder charges, but the eventual charges he will face will be up to the District Attorney. Gallo's arraignment is scheduled for Monday.

Gallo has a history of arrests for driving under the influence. While withholding specifics, Hamilton said his blood-alcohol reading was above the minimum. The officer also said Gallo was driving with a license suspended due to his DUI infractions.

Angels general manager Tony Reagins and manager Mike Scioscia sat stone-faced behind that third-floor table in sharing their memories of Adenhart.

"He was a privilege to be around. He grew as much in four years as anyone I've ever known," said Scioscia. "I can't tell you how proud I was of the great progress he made. He had arm surgery before throwing his first pitch in professional ball, so his family should be very proud."

As head of the Angels' Minor League system prior to his ascension to GM in he winter of '07, Reagins had a special relationship with Adenhart.

"He had a great energy, but didn't show it," Reagins said. "He was very poised; nothing ever seemed to faze this kid.

"He was a tremendous player, and a tremendous person who impacted the other players and the coaching staff in a very positive way. Disbelief is prevalent; we're all in shock. We will deeply miss him; it's difficult to express how much."

Although Thursday night's game is off, the entire roster will convene in its Angel Stadium locker, with Scioscia holding a meeting to begin the healing process.

"We'll have everyone together," Scioscia said, "and start to move forward. And we'll focus on supporting Nick's family."

Wednesday's start was Adenhart's fourth in the bigs. He went 1-0, with an ERA of 6.00. In four Minor League seasons, one at each rung of the ladder, the 14th-round 2004 Draft choice went 37-28 with an ERA of 3.87.

But ERA is not the most compelling acronym of Nick Adenhart's legacy. It is RIP.

Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Link

Turns out that the driver that hit him not only ran a red light.....but was also drunk......and also driving the car with a suspended drivers license for.......you guessed it a prior DUI. He fled the scene but was arrested a little while later.

Still catching up to all the news reports of this. As you all know I'm a big Angels fan and have been hearing the Angels raving about him for the past 4 years. I had forgotten that he went through "Tommy John" surgery at the end of the 17. The Angels took him in the 14th round but still gave him first round money because they knew the talent that was there. It really does suck that through all that he finally makes it to the majors and gets killed on the night of his 4th start. He had actually flown his parents in for the game last night from Baltimore.

MLB.com Coverage

Edited April 10, 2009 by sahyder1

[GhostMachine]

Ran a red light, was drunk, fled the scene and was on a suspended license....hmmm....

I'd say he'll be out in about 15-20 years....assuming he doesn't get parole.

(I fucking hate drunk driving laws, because they are far too lenient)

[sahyder1]

Images from the site of the crash:

Spoiler: Click here to view

[gunnar hendershow]

Such a tragedy. Quite a lot of sympathy is coming out of Baltimore, where he lived in the offseason and where his family was from. This was one of those prospects everyone was keeping an eye on, and it's such a tragedy.

[Ananas]

Did anyone catch the line drive Joe Martinez took to the face on Thursday? Scary moment, and Martinez has a concussion with three fractures. Judging by the force of that line drive, I wouldn't be surprised if he's feeling the symptoms of this one for quite a while.

After a marathon rain delay that set a Jays record, the boys were able to outlast the Indians in a wild one for a 13-7 win. It was a positive start on the road in a stadium we've struggled in over the past few years. Tomorrow Roy Halladay gets the opportunity to send a message to the guy who bested him last year for the Cy Young Award, Cliff Lee. Cliff throws a lot of strikes, and I look forward to seeing what Travis Snider does to a guy who's always around the zone.

And just to not come off like a total homer, how awesome were the Tigers today? Armando Galaragga looked great even when the game was tight, and the offense really took over. Miguel Cabrera continues to be frighteningly hot to start the year. Good homecoming for them after a disappointing opening stint at the Rogers Centre.

[Meacon Keaton]

The Marlins remain undefeated!

162-0, here we come!