One of my favorite baseball blogs is the one done by the Cleveland Indians’ MLB.com beat reporter, Anthony Castrovince. He talks plenty of baseball, of course, but he starts each post with a little anecdote that probably interests absolutely nobody but himself. But I like that, so I’m going to start doing it, too.
So I come home the other night from a very grueling (read: boring) softball game — my team won but I nearly became “Softball Guy” because the other team was so annoying. When I get home, there’s this huge 18-speed mountain bike sitting against the railing next to my door. I’m like, “Well, I don’t really bike that much, but I guess I could start. And where’s the helmet?”
Then I notice a note taped to one of the crossbars, so of course I read it, just in case it happens to be addressed to me. Of course, it isn’t. It’s to a woman named Kelli from a man named Robert — kind of a break up letter but I couldn’t really tell who was dumping whom. I taped the letter back, but it and the bike were still there the next day, so I took the letter. which is still in my possession. The bike is gone, but I don’t know who took it so I can’t return the letter.
I want to get into this a lot more, but if Kelli and Robert happen to be reading this, I doubt they’re too happy that I’ve invaded their privacy, however unintentionally. This letter was pretty dramatic and touching, I must say. He spelled picnic “pick nick,” but other than that it was solid. There — 2 minutes of your life you’ll never get back. On to baseball.
Yesterday, I graded the moves the Wingnuts have made on their pitching staff since the beginning of the season. Today I’ll switch to the hitters. Only moves that affect the current roster will be mentioned.
May 11: Traded Brandon Carter to Grand Prairie in exchange for future considerations
Carter was slated to be a regular at second base for the Wingnuts, but he got injured late in spring training and Wichita ultimately didn’t have a spot on the roster for him. Even though Carter is having a nice season with the first-place Airhogs and the Wingnuts didn’t get anything in return for him, this move was good because it opened a spot at second for Brenan Herrera, an All-Star who’s batting .332. Grade: A-minus
May 28: Sold the contract of Dustan Mohr to the Colorado Rockies; July 1: Signed Mohr
Mohr struggled in his first stint with the Wingnuts, but they got him back after he hit about .160 in Triple-A with the Rockies. His average is up to .259, though, and it’s probably safe to say he’ll lead the team in RBIs when the dust is settled on this season. Currently, his 29 RBIs rank fifth on the team and 10 behind leader Michael Thompson. Grade: A
June 6: Signed Jose Amado; June 16: Released Amado; June 24: Signed Amado
Amado must feel like Billy Martin for as many times as he’s been let go and brought back. Actually, the Wingnuts had good reason for this — he injured his knee a few days after he was signed and it was thought he would be out for the year. But the injury didn’t turn out to be as serious as first thought and the team re-signed Amado a few days later. The effects of the injury are still there and Amado hasn’t put up the power numbers for which he was originally projected, but he rarely strikes out and has come up with a few big hits. Grade: C
June 24: Released Heath Keel, signed Leivi Ventura
In hindsight, probably the Wingnuts’ most questionable move to date. Keel is a streaky hitter and was on a down-cycle at the time of his release. It was clear he was susceptible to off-speed pitches away, and the Wingnuts didn’t have time to find out if he could make the adjustment. The only problem was they didn’t have a suitable replacement and signed Ventura, a former Mets farmhand, after one workout. He didn’t pan out and Keel is an All-Star now playing for St. Paul. Grade: F
June 12: Signed James (Jim? Jimmy?) Baker
I’ve seen his name all three ways but I think the Wingnuts are officially going with “Jimmy” so as not to confuse him with the former secretary of state or the scandalous PTL minister. This move was made in concert (speaking of which, I’m seeing the Eagles in Tulsa on Sept. 6) with the release of Ventura. Baker is apparently a power threat out of Spring Arbor College in Ann Arbor, Michigan — an NAIA school. So far Baker has five hits in 25 at-bats as the Wingnuts continue to search for someone who can fill the 22nd man role. Grade: Incomplete
Baseball is back tonight as the Wingnuts begin a three-game home series with Sioux City. Big series for the Wichita nine. I just wanted to say “Wichita nine” like I’m from the early-1900s or something. Talk to everybody soon.