Yardbarker: Mark Loretta

Cubs at Astros open game thread

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:30:10 -0500

B-REF PREVIEW | GAMEDAY | WEATHER | ACB CHAT ROOM Brian Moehler vs. Cubs hitters: .343/.393/.648 in 108 at-bats Ted Lilly vs. Astros hitters: .171/.240/.379 in 140 at-bats When and Where: 7:05 pm, WGN The Cubs begin the "2nd half" with a 4-game lead tonight. They've hit Moehler really well. Edmonds has hit 5 home runs against him. Mark Loretta has a couple home runs against Lilly and is about the only Astros hitter to have any success against him.

"Fans" Say the Darnded Things

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:01:23 -0500

You've been there. You're at the ballpark and the Jack-@$$ behind you won't stop prattling on about things that don't even make sense, while the morons he's with nod and approve as though the guy was the Dhali Lama. We'll come read about our experience recently and share your own.

FLORIAN TELEVISION SIGHTING!

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:21:44 -0500

How much of a following has Pirate SuperFan/Anti-Dentite Ronnie Florian acquired over the past year? His story has been well-chronicled on this site, which has become his unofficial internet fan club.

So you can imagine the variety of "Did you just see that?" emails I received after Florian was apparently spotted last night on the Pirate telecast chasing a ground-rule double ball that Mark Loretta hit into the PNC Park stands.

Mike T. from Pittsburgh had perhaps the best summary:

"I swear to God, I'm watching the Pirates game, there's 1 out in the top of the 7th and Loretta just hit a ground rule double.... A guy seems to have possession of the ball, bounces around, and like a bat out of hell, Florian dives into the screen in a futile attempt to get the souvenir.. I wish I had video proof to send you, but keep your eye out."

So tell me, does anyone out there happen to have any video proof of this moment? The inbox at mondesishouse@gmail.com is begging for it.

By the way, the Pirates won the game, 4-3, and Joggin' Ronny Paulino was sent down to AAA. Coupled with the Pedro Alvarez draft pick and a Ronnie Florian sighting, yesterday was about as great a day as a Pirate fan could ever hope for outside of finishing the season at 81-81.

Sizzlers and Fizzlers, Week 3

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:51:27 -0500

Who's hot, who's not in Major League Baseball? We'll get you started with a sizzler, Travis Buck (OF, Oakland Athletics): After a tumultuous first 22 AB's, Buck broke out. He has gone 8-28 (.285 BA), 4 RBI, 5 R, and has recorded a 3B and 6 2B. This is what expert projected out of the young A's outfielder, and now that he's producing, he's worth a look in AL-only leagues, and deeper mixed leagues.

Playing by "The Book"

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:45:58 -0500

An in-depth analysis of why Cecil Cooper was an idiot yesterday.

Hot corner a concern for the Dodgers

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 16:00:43 -0500

Third base has turned into an area of concern for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team has already lost 3 of them during the course of spring training. Where does that leave them? With minor leaguer Blake DeWitt as their Opening Day third baseman, barring a last minute trade. I'm sure Dodgers fans are even going who the hell is DeWitt?

Will Miggy Tejada go to jail?

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 12:03:53 -0500

"Miguel Tejada apparently had some experience with lying and cheating, so he probably figured one more fib wouldn't hurt. One more and he'd stop." "Someone tell Mark Loretta to come to spring training prepared to play a little shortstop for the Astros this season. Miguel Tejada might be trying to stay out of prison. Two congressmen believe Tejada lied to their investigators in 2005 when he told them he had never used steroids and didn't know anyone who had. Unfortunately for him, George Mitchell's report on baseball and steroids indicated Tejada knew quite a bit about the topic." Man that would suck for the Astros, sign a big name like MIggy then have him miss serious time during the season, but then again they did now about his past.

2008 Fantasy Second Base Rankings: National League

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 14:16:15 -0500

Here's the Crooked Pitch ranking list fro NL second basemen.

N.L Central preview pt.2,Tejada goes to Stros.

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 03:30:34 -0500

Hey everyone my dad deleted my post before so i have to start all over so here we go. Houston Astros. Now that they got Miguel Tejada which is a good deal but they should of gotten some starting pitching but I guess they wanted someone to replace Mark Loretta so here you go. They do have a awesome offense with the likes of Pence,Lee,Berkman,and Tejada so they're probably gonna try to out score there opponent.Roy I feel sorry for you man, you're the only good pitcher on the enitre team, you do have a good offense supporting you what you really need is some pitching. St.Louis Cardinals Oh have the mighty have fallen. The 06' world series who finished at a below average 78-84. The cards who looks good to average lineup with Pujols who's a beast at the plate,Ankiel who surprised everyone and there dog with a great powerful 48 games last year. The Cards rotation is actually pretty good with Carpenter if he stays healthy,Adam Wainwright who did pretty decent on his first season in the rotaton. Joel Pineiro who actually did pretty good with a 9-5 record. Pittsburgh Pirates Wow Pittsburgh has an ugly ugly team. Jason Bay who really did pretty bad last year with 21 home runs and a below .250 average,which was about equal to Xavier Nady. And there pitching it's probably the worst pitching in the N.L period. Pirates consider yourself the worst one of the worst teams in the N.L with the Giants. My big N.L review WILL BE tomorrow

Loretta close to signing w/ Yankees

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:30:39 -0500

Looks like the Yankees are either getting Loretta to play 1B or they need a 2nd baseman because Cano is headed to Minny in the trade for Santana.

Phillies Off-Season; Free Agency, Arbitration and Other Acquisition Moves

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:49:11 -0500

Still basking in the glow of making the post-season for the first time in 14 seasons, yet sorely disappointed with the speed with which they were dispatched from the playoffs, the NL East Division Champion Phillies begin planning and preparing for a 2008 season in which they seek to reach the next level and perhaps beyond.

Let free agency begin

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 04:54:29 -0500

The MLB free agency period has officially began. Fifty-seven players filed papers to become free agents Monday. Big names on the list include: Barry Bonds, Torii Hunter, Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Kerry Wood, Trot Nixon, Shawn Green, Paul Lo Duca, and Shannon Stewart. Check out the entire list.

MLB Rumors: Deadline Edition

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 22:52:31 -0500

Now that the long-rumored Mark Teixeira to the Braves deal is finally done (well, almost), we can look at the other possible blockbuster deals looming on the horizon. Huge names like Mark Loretta, Octavio Dotel, Al Reyes and Mike Lamb could move by tomorrow's 4 p.m. deadline. Those are names that could change the landscape of not only this season, not only your team, but of baseball as a whole! OK, so I'm kind of overselling this. There's probably not a whole lot left to happen, but here are the latest rumors circulating. Dye to the Red Sox now off? The Red Sox apparently made a very aggressive offer to the White Sox for Jermaine Dye, but got rejected, according to Buster Olney. Unless the White Sox change their mind, the deal won't happen. The Angels are no longer interested in Dye either, so for now, unless something big happens, Dye will stay in Chicago. The White Sox may have dropped the ball on this one. They are going to lose Dye in the offseason, since they have been unwilling to extend his contract and he will be a free agent. He'll get money from someone and apparently Chicago isn't willing to keep him long term, so why not get rid of him for something in return? Doesn't make sense to me but maybe they've got something up their collective sleeves. Dotel will move, but where? The Mariners and Braves are locked in a battle to gain the services of Octavio Dotel. The Royals like Mariners prospect Wladimir Balentien but Royals GM Dayton Moore was formerly the Braves' scouting director, so he might want one of his former finds in Atlanta's farm system. My question is, will Dotel add much to either team? I guess he's another arm, but he's been shaky as of late and doesn't have the greatest track record. Would you give up a great prospect for a middle reliever/set-up guy who has a history of melting down and getting injured? Personally, I'd keep my prospects and stick with my 'pen. Gagne a hot commodity as the deadline looms The Mets, Yankees and Red Sox are all trying to take Eric Gagne off the Rangers' hands. Gagne can block a trade to all but 12 teams, two of whom are the Mets and Yanks, he can block a move to Boston. Jason Stark is reporting that all three teams would bring him in as a set-up guy but don't want to overpay, and the Rangers are motivated sellers. The Yankees always seem to add a guy like Gagne at the deadline, so I'd put them out front in this one. Betemit going or staying? The Yankees continue to pursue Dodgers infielder Wilson Betemit and are trying to convince the Dodgers to accept reliever Scott Proctor in return. Betemit would likely play first base for the Yankees, giving them another option there, and would be insurance at third base if A-Rod decides to opt-out after the season. Proctor would give the Dodgers another middle reliever, which is one of their weakest areas. This deal would fill a hole for both teams, but the Dodgers just are not sold on Proctor and they like Betemit's versatility, especially when you consider Nomar is about due for a muscle pull of some type. The Yankees want Betemit badly, and have been after him since last season when he was still with the Braves, but they'll probably have to add something to the deal to get him. Piazza moving South? The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that the Angels are a realistic possibility for the A's if they want to move Mike Piazza. Piazza is currently on fire, going 14-for-35 since coming back from the DL. The Angels likely wouldn't have to part with any prospects to get the deal done, though they would have to absorb the remainder of Piazza's $2.7 million contract. I don't think this gets done, even though Artie Moreno is worth more than Guatemala and can definitely afford the salary hit. Loretta to Seattle? The Astros really want to move Mark Loretta but the destination remains unclear. The Padres aren't as high on him as they were less than a week ago and the Mets were on him for a while, but have backed off because they have a deal in place for the Twins' Luis Castillo. Meanwhile, the Mariners have decided they want him, and look to be poised to obtain him, if the deal can get done. They really like him and would love to have him coming off the bench, but the Astros still feel they can get more for him. The Padres have actually shifted their focus from Loretta to Mike Lamb, and if the Astros can get a deal done, they would prefer to keep Loretta. One of the two will almost certainly be moved, it will depend on which team (Mariners or Padres) comes up with the better offer. Mariners in another rumor Apparently the Mariners are not satisfied with their roster, as they are now trying to get Al Reyes from the Devil Rays to be a setup option in front of J.J. Putz. Reyes is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA and 17 saves in 18 chances so far this season, but the Rays want to keep both him and the recently acquired Dan Wheeler. The Mariners will have to throw a ton at the Rays to move him, but they really want him to strengthen their bullpen, which could use some help.

Yanks Miss Out On Wiggy, Mets Closing In On Loretta?

Sun, 29 Jul 2007 02:35:11 -0500

Just yesterday, George King wrote in the New York Post that the Yanks appeared on the verge of acquiring Wigginton in exchange for Scott Proctor, whom the Devils Rays were reportedly interested in converting to a starter. We can only assume therefore that the Yankees had second thoughts about parting with Proctor, or the D-Rays valued Wheeler more highly. Moreover, the deal could signal the imminent departure of Mark Loretta. With Ensberg hitting just .232 this season, Loretta had seen increased time at third. Wigginton's arrival would seemingly make the already expendable Loretta even more so. On Monday, we told you that the Mets were interested in Loretta as an option at 2nd base and in the No. 2 slot in the order, however the team certainly isn't desperate given the strong play of Ruben Gotay. Still Loretta would be a reliable veteran presence should Gotay struggle down the stretch.

Latest MLB Trade Rumors From Around The League

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 01:35:05 -0500

With names like Mark Teixeira, Jermaine Dye, Troy Glaus, and Dontrelle Willis the MLB trade rumor central is a one stop shop to boredville. Teams are looking for the backend guy, or the off the bench, ummmm boring. But, here is a list of those players and the teams that are interested in them.