Hey, Guru, I didn't know the Pads were in need of a 46 year old pitcher...
"Left-handed reliever Jesse Orosco, who turns 46 on April 21, agreed to a $800,000, one-year contract Tuesday with the San Diego Padres, who added him to their 40-man roster.
''I didn't think I'd be able to throw this long,'' said Orosco, who'll be entering his 24th big league season, spread over four decades. ''Things have worked out great and I'm going to get myself well-prepared to try to reach back and do this for another year or so.''
Orosco's agent, Alan Meersand, joked that he and Orosco's wife were going to push him to pitch until he's 50."
I think the Padres were more in need of ANY decent lefty reliever, which Old Man Orosco somehow continues to be. Besides, a veteran pitcher would be like an additional pitching coach to help out all their young pitching prospects.
Also, notice that it's only a one-year contract. It's not like they're planning on building around him. But, if he's still got some gas in the tank, that might be $800K well-spent.
I'm kinda surprised he didn't wind up with a team planning to contend, but he does live in the SD area so that probably had something to do with his signing. He's still better than most relievers half his age.
I really don't get this move. Kevin Walker has been outstanding at times - are they really that concerned about him coming back from injury? We have so many young guys, the only thing that makes sense for me is that they want an extra coach on the team in the shape of a veteran player who can occasionally go for them.
I'm tempted to list every questionable lefty from the last few seasons... but I'm sure I would miss at least half of them.
Your analogy is similar to:
"They already have cars that you can drive, why not blenders?" "I can already write with my hands, why not my pancreas?" "They already have beef that I can eat, why not granite?"
It's more a move to get another veteran prescence in the pen along with Trevor. Also, Orosco has a history of getting the tough lefties in the NL West out. Plus, he's cheap. $800,000 is nothing when it comes too baseball. Orosco gets to pitch at home now since he lives in San Diego County (Poway). I see it as a win-win if he doesn't lose any stuff. Walker is a fine reliever, but Bochy said in September they are going to take a serious look at moving Walker to the starting rotation in 2003. They obviously think he'll be able to make the transition because the Padres put Brett Tomko on the trading block. I don't like the fact that the Padres traded Gene Kingsale to "give Bubba Trammell more playing time." Kingsale was one of the few bright spots the Padres had last season. Bubba crapped out last year because he was handed the job. It wasn't unitl the Padres acquired Brian Buchannan from the Twins that Bubba decided to hit. And the catcher they got is worse defensively than Wiki Gonzales, if that's possible. The Padres are still building for the future. It's pretty obvious they will not contend in 2003 unless there are some drastic changes in the NL West heirarchy.
From Plaza 50 at Qualcomm Staduim, I'm mountinman44. Back to you, Kent!
(edited by mountinman44 on 20.11.02 1545) "Don't feel bad. I've been wrestling wolves since you were on your mother's teet!" -- Groundskeeper Willie
Haha.... are you really in 50? I had row B in 51 (hm.. maybe it was 50 - which one is Franklin in front of? I was to his left) until they decided to put an aisle in there last season...
Funny.
Kingsale was a something for nothing deal - he was rule 5 and we got him from Seattle because they cut him while they were in town (which was pretty convenient considering the Seattle / SD connection that goes back forever)
Think of it like how we got D'Angelo for Witasik -- we shined up a no-cost player until someone bit. While I was a big fan of Gene-o, it was more of an underdog thing (like Ebo or Leyritz)
This is part of the long Pads tradition of rehabbing someone and unloading them for a prospect. This is how we got D'Angelo, Eaton, Crespo, and Kotsay...
I think Bubba will come through, and if he doesn't... then we always have Crespo's speed.
Your analogy is similar to:
"They already have cars that you can drive, why not blenders?" "I can already write with my hands, why not my pancreas?" "They already have beef that I can eat, why not granite?"
Franklin is in front of 51. I used to sit in row 1 of 51, but my girlfriend got run over by some over-zealous Cubs fans for a ball that Sosa threw into the stands. Poetic justice: I got the ball, and it is on display on my girlfriend's TV. I moved us to row 4 in 50 last season. And there I shall stay until the new yard is built. I'm going to try to move from the outfield in the new yard, if they let me.
"Don't feel bad. I've been wrestling wolves since you were on your mother's teet!" -- Groundskeeper Willie
I started two of those four Cubs threads. It's fun looking back on them all, so thanks for that work, cfgb. Here are the current results to a poll on the Chicago Tribune website, asking "How do you feel about the trade?
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