A lot of good stuff to write about today. Lets begin.
-Via Baseball Musings, I learned of the existence of the Gyroball. It’s a new pitch that was invented by two Japanese scientists and their supercomputer. It supposedly works like this:
To throw a gyroball, a pitcher holds the side of the ball with a fastball grip. The pitcher’s hips and throwing shoulder must be in near-perfect sync, something the book refers to as “double-spin mechanics.” As the pitcher rotates his shoulder, he snaps his wrist and pulls down his fingers rather than flipping them over the ball, as happens with curveballs. The rotation is side over side. When the pitcher lets go, he must pronate his wrist, or turn it so the palm faces third base. It’s like a right-hander throwing a screwball, only instead of the ball last touching the middle finger, it spins off the index finger.
Will Carroll has been promoting this new pitch as a way to force good mechanics. It’s Interesting, to say the least.
-From the Daily News, we learn the Damon’s shoulder has been bothering him a bit.
Damon’s shoulder – his throwing shoulder – started bothering him several days ago and he discussed the injury with Yankee GM Brian Cashman Sunday after pinch-hitting in Team USA’s victory over Japan and Damon said Cashman thought “it was a good idea” if Damon took a break from throwing.
Damon has never had much of an arm to begin with, add in his age and that cavernous center field at Yankee Stadium and Yankee fans could be looking at four, long years.
-Chuck over at Ivy Chat quotes John Rogers Jr., CEO Ariel Capital and the Tribune’s fifth-largest shareholder. John thinks selling the Cubs would be the right thing to do.
I agree.
-The Trbune says Bonds is baseball’s big headache. You think? The article does have its good points, though. It mentions how dismissive of the Bonds seteroid allegations Giants fans are and how despite everything, Bonds still puts buts in the seats.
-The Todd Walker situation is beginning to be a seriously irritating case of He said, They said. Both Hendry and Baker reacted to Walker’s comments over the past few days. Neither of them were pleased.
“It bothers me because that’s one thing I pride myself on,” Baker said. “This is the second time since I’ve been here that a player has accused ‘somebody.’
Baker was referring to Sosa’s complaint in the summer of ’04 that Baker failed to show him any “respect” when he moved him down in the batting order, although Sosa had reportedly called Baker to let him know he was OK with the decision.
“I clearly wouldn’t think Todd Walker would have any reason to tell you I’ve never not told him the truth,” Hendry said. “Whether I’m right or wrong, which, obviously, in this business you’re wrong a lot, I’ve spent 27 years of my life telling players what I felt was the truth at that time. My decisions don’t always work out, but they are never done with any deception to the player.”
I also found this little tidbit interesting (and annoying):
Hendry, who according to a source had Walker traded twice in the off-season only to have the deals fall through at the last minute
It was no secret that they were trying to get Walker out of town, but I don’t remember hearing about them being so close to doing so. I wrote yesterday that I thought he was most likely going to stay, but comments like the one above and the fact that Tood just wont shut up make me wary.
-Jerry Crasnick of ESPN has a nice little fluff piece on Juan Pierre and the Angels’ Chone Figgins. It is just that – a fluff piece, but nonetheless I found it a very nice read and once again we are reminded of Pierre’s (and Figgins) great work ethic. My favorite part of the article is probably this:
There was a time when Pierre would instinctively pick up the tab. But now that Figgins has signed a three-year, $10.5 million extension with the Angels, he’ll be called upon to assume a greater share of the burden.
-I just finished writing about the Walker soap opera, take a break, and find another article. This one, though, paints a prettier picture.
After the Cubs lost 10-6 to the Colorado Rockies on Monday, Baker confirmed that he and Walker talked during the day.
“We got it straight,” Baker said. “OK. He told me the same thing (about not meaning to rip the Cubs). You’ve got to accept what a man says.”
-According to Dusty, Prior could pitch a simulated game on Thursday.
-There’s no “Fun” in fundamentals. At least not if you’re the Cubs, as they continue to struggle making the plays you usually master in Little League. The latest blunder was from Glendon, who as he did several times last year failed to cover first base in the Cubs 10-6 win over the Rockies yesterday.
–The Cubs acquired Clint Brannon as the PTBNL in the Leicester deal. The Cub Reporter has more details.
