Change-UpMarch 19, 2008
'Round the Web
By Patrick Sullivan

Between Marc's Young Guns series, the Ground Ball-Strikeout work Rich has been doing and the kickass start to the Two on Two series we have had, Baseball Analysts has been turning out quite a bit of work over the last few weeks. It's a good time to have a look outward, and check out some of the good work and notable items taking place at other baseball haunts around the web.

- David Pinto is holding his annual pledge drive at Baseball Musings. His is one of the very finest baseball sites around, combining three of the most valuable characteristics of a true blog. He aggregates much of the best content from around the web, chips in with astute commentary and analysis of his own and even compiles the invaluable Day by Day database. If you enjoy his site, you might consider a modest donation.

- Bruce Markusen recalls the day Thurmon Munson died over at Bronx Banter. It's a really nice read, and even includes an old baseball card of Munson.

- Susan Slusser's San Francisco Chronicle notes column contains this tidbit on Rich Harden; apparently the Yanks are interested.

Rich Harden will start at Phoenix today, and Joe Blanton at Mesa, splitting the scouting hordes that have been watching the two all spring. Both are potential candidates to be traded, and the Yankees apparently have expressed interest in Harden, according to one source.

The A's, however, won't provide any real discount for Harden, even though he has been hurt much of the past three years. They probably would ask for right-hander Ian Kennedy, for starters, and perhaps pitchers Alan Horne and Jeff Marquez as well.

         IP     K    BB   WHIP  ERA   ERA+
Harden  464.7  431   201  1.26  3.60  123 

Sort of sounds like a pending stalemate to me. On the one hand the Yankees have every right to ask for a discount to his overall abilities due to the injury risk they would be assuming. On the other, the A's might as well benefit from Harden's excellent pitching when he can be out there if they cannot get something worthwhile in return.

- It came up in our AL Central preview that Fernando Rodney and Todd Jones does not a good bullpen make. Said Rich:


A bullpen headed by Todd Jones and Fernando Rodney and bereft of Joel Zumaya's services for most of the first half is a weakness that can't be ignored.

Well add Rodney to the "bereft" list.

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Be sure to check back in tomorrow. We will be previewing the NL Central.

Comments

Whats up Sully, any chance you are going to bang out the o/u's on total wins for each team before the season starts?

Harden for Kennedy would be dumb by the Yankees...and as a Red Sox fan I hope they do it.

Also, if you still need to sign-up a fantasy league, you have until March 25th to take advantage of the $50 rebate offer at CBSSports.com:

http://baseball.sportsline.com/splash/baseball/spln/referral?refcode=BBCA08_atpr

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT SOME OF THIS BALLPLAYERS THAT SEEM TO FALL OUT OF THE PICTURE AND THEN PLAY BALL INDEPENDENTLY AND THEN DOMINATE IN THIS LEAGUES GET A TRY-OUT AND SHOW UP SOME EX.PLAYERS AND THEN ARE ASK TO PLAY FOR LESS THAN MIN.WAGE BUT THEN WE HEAR ABOUT THIS KIDS DRAFTED AND OFFERED MILLIONS TO IN70% OF THE TIME COULD NOT START IN COLLEGELET ALONE PROS BUT TEAMS SEEM TO YEAR IN YEAR OUT KEEP THROWING AWAY THEIR MONEY AND LET SOME MEN THAT SEEM TO ME WOULD HELP A TEAM MUCH QUICKER.BUT TYHEY WILL NOT EVEN OFFER 3000 A MONTH. BUT WILL SPEND MONEY OF MILLION FOR ONE KID THAT MOST LIKLY WILL NOT EVEN SEEM TO BE WORTH 3000 A MONTH .IM AMAZED AT HOW TEAMS RUN THEIR BUSINESS.