The Destruction of the World Can Wait One More Day. . .
Posted on June 6th, 2009 by azruavatar in Blake Hawksworth, Jess ToddTwo quick notes before the meat of the post:
- The draft mailbag will be posted Monday. My apologies for the lateness, my schedule has precluded much blogging this week as you may have noticed. Tuesday is the draft and we’ll be here chatting about it. We expect you to be here as well.
- cardsfan1, our resident tipster, indicated that Hawksworth got the callup last night. I’m a little unsure of this because of the risk involved in calling him up. He can’t simply be optioned down again and would have to pass through waivers. Now, the Cardinals have a plethora of guys like Hawksworth who are backend starter types so it certainly wouldn’t be a crippling loss but there’s more risk here than a Mitchell Boggs callup. This is all probably related to the Lohse to DL move, which, by the way, once again shows the incompetency of the medical decisions this season with regards to the DL.
Moving on. . .
Obviously Jess Todd didn’t have the kind of callup that we’d all hoped for. There’s not much to read into a night when 1) he’s pitching for the first time in the bigs and 2) the Rockies go to score 11 runs against some of our best relievers.
Inspired by The Destroyer’s promotion, bgh sent some quality shots of Todd from an Iowa Cubs v. Memphis Redbirds game. And, I hope he doesn’t mind, but I have to quote the first line of the e-mail, which had me laughing uproariously at work:
My girlfriend has been holding these pics hostage for about a month via her indifference to my baseball photos.
With much thanks to bgh, pictures after the jump. Don’t look to close, you might get hurt. . .
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The Hawksworth move is a surprise if it indeed happens. After all the call ups time after time he has been passed over. But if he is out of options this would explain why they have not called him up before. Because he would have to stay and the past call up have not been permanant ones. So what gives is Todd being sent back down in place of Hawksworth?
I bet you they’re sending down Stavinoha to make room for 13 pitchers again.
I would rather they sent down Barden myself. Or even Chris Duncan.
What rule mandates that Hawksworth clear waivers before being sent to the minor leagues? Unless I’m missing something, this is his third option season, so he should be able to be sent out and recalled as necessary, as an option is good for the entire season. Maybe I’m mistaken, but as far as I know that isn’t a risk here.
I think since he’s been in the minors for XXX years he’s used all his option years.
I think that Barden should be sent down but that would leave them short at 3rd. Joe Thurston doesn’t exactly play 3rd that well. Baby Duncan would be sent to the minors just like his brother if he played for another team. Check that Baby Duncan would still be a starter if he played for San Diego. Bring on Brandon Woods!
I see the inherent risk in promoting the hawk. Perez is pitching okay but could pass freely between memphis and stl if they need roster flexibility. At some point we do need to find out how the hawk does in the majors.
Alternate explanation: Any possibility the hawk is on the trade block?
Also I will have to send you the bill for my retinal transplant surgery. My lawyer says your disclaimer insufficiently described the health risk of viewing this page.
Back to Duncan. I think what disgusted the fans was that fact the he was injured and un productive last year and refused to go on the DL until littlerally the end of August. I think there was something about the fact that he had to get so many plate apperances last year to be eligible for arbitration and refused to be put on the DL until then. I distictly remember something being said about this last year and a lot of people “fans” were really irritated about it.
redbird – Duncan was placed on the DL on july 22 last year. When you use a word like “literally” (or littlerally) try to make sure your statement is correct.
Jose Martinez had shoulder surgery and will be out for the season.
Latest is that Todd is back down, and that Hawksworth is there to eat innings, since BT is now in the rotation. Per Bernie Miklasz.
Redbird – you are so right. We should so DFA Barden and Duncan. I know other people will say, hey they were two of best offensive performers in April, but like that was a whole month ago. I’d be willing to give them a chance if they weren’t holding spots that belong by right to shorey and rowlett. I look at those guys and say “everyday major leaguers.” Let’s get them in the ML lineup. Also play nick stavinoha every day since this rasmus joker can’t hit like him. Hooray. Nick the stick + rowlett + shorey equals world series.
I’m sorry but Chris Duncan sucks and Rick Ankiel supossedly has taken HGH. Makes you wonder how much of Rick Ankiels performance two years ago was from the HGH still being in his system. Personally knowing people who have used HGH & Roids the stuff doesn’t just leave your sysytem. You will still have benifits for as long as 2 years after taking one cycle of shots. His swing this year hasn’t looked anywhere near as quick as it did two years ago. JKust makes you wonder.
Really I can’t think of what could be more convincing. If you have actually personally known people who’ve used hgh, your authority is unimpeachable. Also you’ve watched a lot of games at memphis. That’s enough for me.
I am intrigued by your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
So the Cards added Todd to the 40 man and used up an option year for a quick fix? Was there nobody else in Memphis that could have thrown for a day or so before Hawksworth was ready?
I’m honestly asking, because it seems a little wasteful to me, but maybe it was really the only option.
Redbird-
You need to stop talking about the drugs, because either you or the “person you know” are idiots and need to stop taking steroids for your own preservation. I have taken steroids and can say that they do leave you system in about 6 weeks. Metabolites of some drugs can register on a drug test a couple years after the fact, but the positive effects of the drugs diminish pretty quickly. That said the positive effect of busting your ass in a gym will last a long time.
Now think about it. Ankiel was in the Minor Leagues prior to last year where drugs have always been tested for…and in the Major Leagues last year where he would be subjected to testing. I seriously doubt he has been taking anything. I will admit though that HGH cannot be tested for, but if it was such a big component of his game what is stopping him from taking it now. If this is the case not taking it is causing him millions on the free agent market.
I personally hate to admit it but I think Ankiel being in his walk year is the worst thing for him mentally. He is probably putting undue pressure on himself because of the contract implications that he has shown he is incapable of handling. If the Cards are serious about keeping him, they should get a contract out of the way now and let him relax.
AZ-
Sorry to discuss major league stuff here.
Love the destroyer pics…
Who knows about the option year. Makes you wonder though. As far as my assessments I can only speak for what I see on the field when I watch the games and the stat lines. I have been following the game for around 26 years, have seen plenty of players come & go and player the game myself up thru american legion & community college ball. I used to be friends with Darrell Henderson who was a prospect in the Rangers system back in the early to mid 90′s Even at the CC level many of the players I was playing ball with in 95 & 96, used roids & HGH to get an edge. If taking roids or HGH wasn’t an advantge or edge as far as recovery time and not getting tired like everyone else why did guys like BB, JG, MR and others take it?
BigJawnMize are you a doctor or something? Just wondering? Because you seem to know a lot about HGH tests. One of my friends died at 30 from using the stuff so I think I would know what the effects were. Thanks for the tip though I’ll pass it on.
I’m surprised that Azruavatar seems unaware that an option year lasts for an entire season and that Hawksworth can be shuttled up and down an indefinite number of times this year if the Cardinals wish to use him that way. Chris is certainly right about this. I believe a different rule would apply if the player in question has a certain amount of prior major-league experience, but Hawksworth has none. The same rule, of course, applies to Todd, contrary to the fears of another of today’s correspondents.
Regarding the pic chain: awesome, just awesome.
Regarding the PED one-upping comments: lame.