On a former Red
If you hadn’t heard, the Cardinals signed Kyle Lohse to a big-money, four-year contract. Rob Neyer (subscription required) says it’s a big mistake, and even invokes the dreaded name of Eric Milton.
It’s not near as bad as that, but it’s a contract that the Cardinals are going to regret one day.
October 1st, 2008 at 10:04 am
He also has a no-trade clause. Not what I would’ve done if I were the cards.
October 1st, 2008 at 10:53 am
I wouldn’t plan vacations on money won from betting against the Cardinals.
October 1st, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Is it ego to think you can turn someone around where others have failed? He does have great stuff, he just can’t string 10 good pitches together….or two or three decent games for that matter. Of course, if Duncan gets him to throw well, I demand a new pitching coach.
October 1st, 2008 at 1:15 pm
I’m sure Twins fans are thinking the same thing.
October 1st, 2008 at 1:30 pm
The only thing that scares me is Dave Duncan. The guy is a REAL pitching coach and can turn anyone around (except Rick Ankiel…and even that worked out for them). He even turned Ryan Franklin into a viable pitcher. But, I still think it’s WAY too much for Lohse. I hope it bites them in the ass.
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:25 am
It is that Dave Duncan factor. Look at Jeff Weaver. Stinks, comes to Duncan and flourishes, leaves and stinks again. Chris Carpenter might even be better argument
On Lohse it is hard to argue with 15-6, 200 innings pitched, 3.78 ERA. Maybe Duncan helped him to finally get it.
If Lohse is worth this can you imagine what Sabathia is worth?
October 2nd, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Anyone else shocked to see DeWayne Wise in the post-season and actually producing?
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:31 pm
C.C. Sabathia’s postseason stats take another hit. He is now 4-5 and that 7.17 postseason ERA is even higher after today.
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Speaking of former Reds:
I watched just enough of the Tampa Bay-Chicago game to see Rays right-hander Grant Balfour strike out two to leave the bases loaded. Balfour is a former Red. But you really had to be paying attention to remember that. He didn’t throw a pitch for the big league club, but he was with the team from Jan. 12, 2006 to Oct. 6, 2006 when Milwaukee claimed him off waivers.
Balfour was signed to a big-league deal and made $400,000 even though he was coming of shoulder and elbow surgery and hadn’t pitched at all in 2005. I remember thinking: Why did they sign this guy?
He pitched briefly for the Brewers last year and then was traded to Tampa Bay. He was 1-2 with a 7.66 ERA.
This year, he’s been one of the keys to Rays bullpen. He’s 6-2, 1.54 ERA, .891 WHIP.
Add him to Josh Hamilton, Jorge Cantu, Ryan Depmster, Kyle Lohse, Brendan Harris, Cody Ross list of the Reds that got away.
Except for Hamilton, this group is void of any that I miss too terribly.
October 3rd, 2008 at 12:57 am
Jorge Cantu. Letting him go was dumb. period.
October 3rd, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Cantu was a dumb decision. Why trade for him if you aren’t going to sign him.
October 3rd, 2008 at 12:21 pm
The problem with Cantu, at least what I think happened, is that they didn’t have faith in his defense and knew going into this season that EE and Votto were going to be starters. Paying him a couple million to be a bench player is probably something the Reds didn’t want to do and probably something Cantu didn’t want.
I still agree that it was stupid to just let him walk.
October 3rd, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Can you say Scott Hatteberg!