Things Read in Others Moms' Basements - Around the NL East 07.24.10

Okay, I plead guilty for being a little scant this week. I'm currently in Chicago on one of my kooky baseball trips, and spent the entire day in four different airports to get here due to bad weather and the city of Milwaukee being obliterated by the endless rains for Prince Fielder's sins, and I landed just in time to see on my phone that the Braves had a 6-5 lead on the Fish, but after the first refresh, it was suddenly 7-6; Final WTF. And it's practically 4 a.m. (3 a.m. central) for me.

Welcome back to another week of Things Read in Other Moms' Basements.

Jamie Moyer to DL with strained elbow - Beerleaguer
I've never hidden the fact that I'm somewhat of a fan of the ageless wonder, and it's a shame to see the surprising #2 of the Phillies staff land on the DL with a strained elbow. Aaand, he could be indefinitely out for the rest of the year.

Which is unfortunate, because Kyle Kendrick has fallen back to earth, and landed in AAA - MLB
He and Roy Halladay kind of reminded me of E.T. and Elliot this year, because when Doc was doing well, Kendrick was often doing his best impression, with fairly impressive results. But now that Halladay has hit some rough times, such is also the case with Kyle Kendrick, who is being sent down to AAA despite the Phillies needing starting pitching. Replacing him is AAA pitcher, Andrew Carpenter.

Who is literally brought up for a day, given a start, and then promptly demoted for AA pitcher - MLB
Okay, this is getting kind of amusing, and is kind of beginning to smell a little bit of desperation. Andrew Carpenter is given one start where he gives up 3 runs in 3IP, and is promptly given the hook, and sent back to AAA in favor of a 22-year old AA pitcher who is currently on a hot-streak. At the time of writing this, the Phillies do not have a starting pitcher for either Saturday or Sunday. Nevermind, Kendrick's back for Saturday's game.

Major move imminent? - Philly.com
The Phillies need pitching. Badly. The Phillies have a fairly intriguing trade chip with Jayson Werth. Names popping up for the Phillies are obviously, Roy Oswalt, but also names such as Dan Haren, Fausto Carmona, Jake Westbrook, Jeremy Guthrie, and yep, Phils too, Ted Lilly.

Phillies fire Terry Pendleton Milt Thompson - MLB
Funny how no matter how badly the Braves struggled through April, and no matter how many people here wanted Terry Pendleton fired, nobody who could, did pull the trigger. But the Phillies could and did. Former hitting coach, Greg Gross takes the position as replacement.

Is Raul Ibanez's days as an everyday player over? - Beerleaguer
After one platoon with the mediocre Ben Francisco, this blogger appears to think it is.

Jinx of the perfecto? - Baseball-Reference
Roy Halladay, Dallas Braden, and Armando Galarraga haven't been quite so perfect since recording their respective perfect (debatable) games. Two aren't necessarily a surprise, but Doc's ineffectiveness is more related to the Phillies' recent slumping.

What's he going to do if he loses? - MetsBlog
So with all the speculation that Oswalt might end up with the Phillies, here's one interesting tidbit: Roy Oswalt really wants to be the all-time Astros wins leader. At 143 wins, he's one shy of Joe Niekro's record. He lost his last start, and if he's lucky, will have two starts to tie, and potentially break the record before the July 31st Trade Deadline.

But as of now, he's non-committed to being sent to the Phillies - Philly.com
Oswalt, who has to approve any trade, has not really given a straight answer to whether or not he'd want to be a Phillie. Other sources have said that he really wishes to remain in the Midwest, or to the Southeast.

Pedro Martinez will not pitch at all in 2010 - MLB
He states how he wishes to spend time with his family, therefore he will not pitch for anyone this year. But next year's a different story. But with the Phillies literally starving for starting pitching, who knows what the wallets will say?

Carlos Beltran will boycott 2011 All-Star Game if selected - NY Daily News
Only a week removed from the DL, and Carlos Beltran is already running his mouth. Unhappy with the Arizona Immigration Laws, Beltran vows to boycott the 2011 ASG if he is selected. Watch this turn into one of those sadistic reverse-psychology situations, where he ends up getting more votes than any other baseball player, just to see what he'll do.

Mets allegedly leaning towards Brett Myers over Ted Lilly - MetsBlog
As a Braves fan, I fully support both of these moves. Why settle for one when they can have both?

Jeff Francoeur, open to trade - MetsBlog
Frenchy's more or less not interested in being a bench player. So that if means leaving his beloved New York, he's open to it. And guess who likes him? That's right. The Royals.

Oliver Perez - the $36M LOOGY - MLB
With pretty much nowhere else to put him, upon coming off the DL, the bullpen is it, for Oliver Perez. According to Jerry Manual, he's going to be the "second" lefty-specialist in the 'pen. I don't really think Pedro Feliciano is shaking in his boots at all right about now.

Chad Cordero signs minor league deal with Mets - MetsBlog
As disappointed as I am to see that it's with the Mets, I am glad for former Rolaids Relief Pitcher of the Year, Chad Cordero for finding work again, and getting another chance to make it back to the big leagues.

And in other Mets Bullpen news - MLB
Manny Acosta is recalled. Should we start cutting out the 2010 banner now?

Mets showing glimpses of implosion - NYPost
Alex Cora snapped at Mike Pelfrey following a loss to the Diamondbacks, and tempers are beginning to flare. Meanwhile, the Braves are slowly beginning to show signs of pulling away with the division lead.

So K-Rod, Phil Cuzzi, and Henry Blanco walk into a bar - Metstradamus
Leave it to Metstradamus to embelish upon situation where K-Rod blew two saves, and backup catcher Henry Blanco almost threw down into fisticuffs, all while losing to the Giants.

Buffalo Bisons to remain Mets affiliate through 2012 - MLB
Set to expire at the end of this season, the Mets locked up the Buffalo Bisons for two more years, to remain the AAA affilate of the Amazins. This makes a lot of sense logistically, as opposed to when the Mets had their AAA squad out in New Orleans previously.

We're not the only ones with knee-jerk, sky is falling FanPosts! - Amazin' Avenue
So much angst, so much unbridled, reactionary hatred here. Emotion in its most raw state, and oh-so-entertaining.

Cuban pitcher Yuniesky Maya agrees to terms with Nationals - WaPo
He says 28, so he's probably 31, but the Cuban pitcher throws gas, and currently fills two needs for the Nationals - starting pitching, and a young little whelp for fellow Cubans, Livan and Orlando Hernandez to reminsce Cuban pranks on, such as black-bagging, abductions, and scary interrogations.

Josh Willingham wishes to remain with the Nationals - MLB
Whcih means he's probably going to get moved before the 31st.

The secret to success - waking up early - WaPo
Livan Hernandez at the robust age of 35-40 recently threw a complete game against the mighty Reds, in their cushy hitter's park. The secret to his success is not getting ITBSOHL by playing racquetball, but something simpler - waking up early.

Pete Rose sighted in stands during Strasburg start - WaPo
I met Pete Rose once, in Las Vegas, and I paid him $90 to sign a baseball. While sitting next to him for two minutes, all he wanted to do was talk about how he could write his name in Japanese. Anyway, the thought of finding Jesus brought the hit king back to Cincinnati, to have some sweet, easily viewable seats for Strasburg's latest start. Complete with his angry looking girlfriend, with matching gaudy Reds hats.

Tyler Clippard supposed back on track to vulture more games - WaPo
After a forgettable pre-AS break, Clippard seems to have found himself again. Currently at nine wins, he's still potentially capable of vulturing his way to a solid starter's record.

Extending Dan Uggla would be a mistake - Marlins Maniac
ESPN thinks the Marlins must extend Dan Uggla. This is a piece that says otherwise, and why it would be a mistake.

Two Marlin Minor Leaguers suspended for doping - Miami Herald
Not a good week for minor leaguers, as two Marlins prospects were among five minor leaguers caught using PEDs. That's a lot of 50-game suspensions.

Nate Robertson DFA'd - MLB
Chris Volstad is recalled, along with, oddly, Jorge Sosa.

And a few nuggets from elsewhere around MLB:

Lou Piniella announces retirement following 2010 season - WaPo
Unlike Bobby Cox, I have a tough time believing that Sweet Lou will truly stay away for good. Maybe he's just a little incensed with all the adoration and gifts that Bobby Cox is getting, and maybe wants a slice of that goodness for himself. On a slightly related note, if all the supposed retirements and calling quits do occur this year, the 2011 season is going to feel a little . . . bare.

Curt Schilling to schill his upcoming video game at San Diego Comic-Con - USA Today
No wonder we haven't heard any nonsensical rhetoric from Curt Schilling the last few months - he's too busy building his World of Warcraft ripoff game, which he'll be pimping like mad at the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con.