By Phil RogersTalking baseball while celebrating 78 spring-training games on the MLB Network:
1. No player is generating more buzz than Aroldis Chapman, the Cuban laser launcher signed by the Reds last winter. Imagine the noise if he had signed with the Mets or Dodgers instead of Cincinnati.
This time last season, Chapman was getting ready for the World Baseball Classic with Cuba. He did not dominate in that event, but opened eyes with his 100-mph fastball and advanced development, prompting one long-time scout to call him the best pitching prospect he'd ever seen.
Photo: Reds lefty Aroldis Chapman is getting rave reviews in spring training. (Mark Duncan/AP)
Chapman's first round of live batting practice was an event, even in the
remote destination of Goodyear, Ariz. The Cincinnati Enquirer's John Fay chronicled it.
2. Tough question recently posed: Is Lou Piniella a good manager? Obviously, he is. But when you list "impact managers,'' he's not on the 2010 short list. The buzz guys are Terry Francona, Mike Scioscia and Ron Gardenhire along with old standbys Bobby Cox, Tony La Russa, Joe Torre and Jim Leyland. But Piniella's accomplishment in getting the Cubs into the playoffs in back-to-back years shouldn't be dismissed as quickly as it often is.
For the sake of comparison, here are the running Pythagorean plus-minus totals the last three seasons for a group of well-known managers: Scioscia, 21; La Russa, 7; Fredi Gonzalez, 7; Ozzie Guillen, 4; Joe Maddon, 2; Dusty Baker, 1; Leyland, 0; Gardenhire, -1; Francona, -3; Piniella, -4; Torre, -10, and Cox, -16. (Pythagorean standings measure how many games a team should have won, based on runs scored and allowed, vs. actual wins).
Guillen's strong showing shouldn't be a surprise. He's been worth almost two wins per season in his seven years in the dugout, finishing on the wrong side of the Pythagorean standings only in 2009 and '04. He makes a lot of right moves but they don't get nearly as much attention as the sound bytes and nonsense.
3. To no one's surprise, Ken Griffey Jr. is already on the case with Milton Bradley. He laughed when told by reporters that Bradley is working to have fun with the Mariners.
"Oh, he will have fun,'' Griffey said. "There's no other choice but to have fun.''
Griffey called Bradley immediately after the trade with the Cubs. He says he will work to get to know him better during spring training and be available to him throughout the season. Don't be surprised if Bradley is a productive player in Seattle.
2. Tough question recently posed: Is Lou Piniella a good manager? Obviously, he is. But when you list "impact managers,'' he's not on the 2010 short list. The buzz guys are Terry Francona, Mike Scioscia and Ron Gardenhire along with old standbys Bobby Cox, Tony La Russa, Joe Torre and Jim Leyland. But Piniella's accomplishment in getting the Cubs into the playoffs in back-to-back years shouldn't be dismissed as quickly as it often is.
For the sake of comparison, here are the running Pythagorean plus-minus totals the last three seasons for a group of well-known managers: Scioscia, 21; La Russa, 7; Fredi Gonzalez, 7; Ozzie Guillen, 4; Joe Maddon, 2; Dusty Baker, 1; Leyland, 0; Gardenhire, -1; Francona, -3; Piniella, -4; Torre, -10, and Cox, -16. (Pythagorean standings measure how many games a team should have won, based on runs scored and allowed, vs. actual wins).
Guillen's strong showing shouldn't be a surprise. He's been worth almost two wins per season in his seven years in the dugout, finishing on the wrong side of the Pythagorean standings only in 2009 and '04. He makes a lot of right moves but they don't get nearly as much attention as the sound bytes and nonsense.
3. To no one's surprise, Ken Griffey Jr. is already on the case with Milton Bradley. He laughed when told by reporters that Bradley is working to have fun with the Mariners.
"Oh, he will have fun,'' Griffey said. "There's no other choice but to have fun.''
Griffey called Bradley immediately after the trade with the Cubs. He says he will work to get to know him better during spring training and be available to him throughout the season. Don't be surprised if Bradley is a productive player in Seattle.
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What's the over/under on when Aroldis Chapman has his first Dusty Baker overpitching arm injury? I say he makes it until August 15.