Running through the notable quotes of the week that was.
METS SIGN DAVID WRIGHT THROUGH 2020 “I just think it's a great statement for everybody to have this guy wrapped up. I knew David wanted to stay. I knew that certainly the organization wanted to keep him and I thought there would be a common ground.”
—Mets manager Terry Collins, on the news that third baseman David Wrightagreed to an eight-year contract reportedly worth $138 million. (Anthony DiComo, MLB.com)
Running through the notable quotes of the week that was.
PLENTY OF HURT FEELINGS AFTER MARLINS TRADE “I’m upset with how things turned out in Miami. Just like the fans in South Florida, I was lied to on multiple occasions. But I’m putting it behind me and looking forward to moving on with my career.”
—Pitcher Mark Buehrle, in a statement issued through his agent, Jeff Berry, on the deal that sent him out of Miami and to the Blue Jays. Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reported that Jose Reyes was also upset about the trade after receiving a verbal promise from the Marlins that he would not be traded. (The SportsXchange)
PAPI SOUNDS OFF ON FORMER SKIPPER “No. 1, never bite the hand that feeds you, because in the end that will come back to bite you. I was one of those players that always showed support for him. In fact, I held a couple of player meetings.”
—Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz, responding to comments made by former manager Bobby Valentine that suggested the 36-year-old “decided not to play anymore” after Boston shipped Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett, and Adrian Gonzalez to the Los Angeles Dodgers in an August blockbuster. (Matt Pepin, Boston Globe)
Is Brown still San Francisco's center fielder of the future? Only if his hit tool plays, which many aren't convinced of.
Fifteen months ago Gary Brown was viewed by many as an elite prospect, destined to lose Gold Gloves to inferior defenders and lead the Giants to the Promised Land. People were amazed that 23 players were selected before Brown in the 2010 draft. When teams would inquire on Brown, the Giants would show reluctance to part with him to shore up their club in the short term. Many expected him to make it to the majors quickly and become the team’s center fielder of both the present and future.
Running through the notable quotes of the week that was.
MARLINS HIRE MIKE REDMOND “I've been preparing for this day since 1993. Kane County Cougars. Charles Johnson starting catcher, Mike Redmond backup catcher.”
—New Marlins manager Mike Redmond, referring to his first day in the minor leagues, on being the new skipper in Miami. (Joe Frisaro, MLB.com)
Running through the notable quotes of the week that was.
GIANTS SWEEP TIGERS, TAKE SECOND TITLE IN THREE YEARS “I've had some good clubs, but just the way they set aside their own agenda and asked what's best for the club. We put them in different roles. They never said anything, never complained. They just wanted to win. It makes it a lot easier for a manager when you have a group like this. It's amazing what a group of guys that play as a team can accomplish.” —San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy, whose Giants trumped the Tigers 4-3 on Sunday night to complete the sweep and take the seventh World Series championship in franchise history. (Chris Haft, MLB.com)
From org guy to major league starter in a year. Did anyone see that coming?
Raise your hand if you not only knew who Dan Straily was this time a year ago, but also knew that he’d become a top prospect and reach the majors in 2012. Keep your hand raised if you’re a liar. During the 2011 season, Straily was seen as a solid org guy with a non-zero chance of making it. He was still young, but most people saw him as a guy with underwhelming stuff who could have an outside chance at making it to the big leagues because of his above-average command and 80 makeup.
The A’s liked Straily all along. He was always athletic and could always repeat his delivery, which enabled him to control the ball effectively. His stuff wasn’t bad, but he was barely distinguishing himself from the rest of the pack. Low 90s velocity is nice, but it isn’t enough to build a major league career on.
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Running through the notable quotes of the week that was.
SAN FRAN’S WIN BRINGS NLCS TO GAME SEVEN “I just tried to do really the same thing [Game Five starter Barry Zito] did—come out here and set the tone early for us. We jumped on [Chris] Carpenter there early and put some runs on the board. We played a great game. These guys played great defense for me. But I just tried to emulate [Zito], and keep them off the board early and get some momentum going our way.”
—Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong, who pitched seven innings and struck out a career-high nine batters in San Francisco's 6-1 win in Game Six of the NLCS. The decisive seventh game will be played tonight. (Chris Haft, MLB.com)
Running through the notable quotes of the week that was.
MONEYBALL: REDUX ENDS JUST THE SAME “There’s so much to be proud of. There’s not a single guy in here who can walk away disappointed in what they did or what we did. It’s been great, it’s been crazy, and there are so many guys in here with the capability to be even better.” —Athletics first baseman Brandon Moss, on the team’s incredible season, ending with a Game Five loss to Justin Verlander in the ALDS. (Susan Slusser, SFGate.com)
Hudson saw a transformation in Maikel Franco this season from raw player to prospect; will the momentum carry into 2013?
Watching players throughout the season, I tend to develop prospect crushes. It started with Jesus Montero in 2009, and then continued with him in 2010. In 2011 it was Domingo Santana, who had huge five o’clock power and fit the classic right field profile. This past season, I had several reasons to plant myself behind home plate in Lakewood. Maikel Franco might have been the most fun of those reasons.
Franco probably won’t appear on many lists of top prospects this winter, but I loved what he showed me throughout his season. Early in 2012 he was a raw baseball player who was a bit overexposed in a full-season league. Later in 2012, he looked more like an impact prospect.
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Prospect Profile: Domonic Brown
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