Toby Hall
Just when the company line was, “the record doesn’t matter as long as we break camp healthy”, when it happened. I cringed when I saw it from the comfort of my bedroom TV. I don’t know why, but Toby Hall was playing firstbase for the Sox, a ball was hit to his right, he dove, and I saw his shoulder extend in an un-natural way. It reminded me of the injury that the Big Hurt suffered a few years back. I knew it was bad. Now it looks like Hall will miss all of 2007 with a torn labrum.
From my very same bedroom TV I was watching Kerry Wood when he allowed three runs in an inning to the LA Angels of Anaheim, including a homer by Kendry Morales on a high inside fastball that the Cuban jerked over the RF wall. After the game it was revealed that the oft injured Cub righthander would be back on the shelf again with a bum shoulder.
So today I called the White Sox and left a message for the White Sox GM Kenny Williams saying he should check out the northside of town to resolve his backup catcher dilemma. When I was in Arizona I couldn’t help but notice the Cubs depth at catcher. I suggested the Southsiders deal an arm (Gavin Floyd) for a backup catcher (Geovany Soto). I wouldn’t mind Jake Fox, but he may be a year or two away from the big leagues. IMHO, Williams has to do something, Gustavo Molina & Wiki Gonzalez are not an option, and without a quality backup catcher the Pale Hose are seven games worse than they’d have been with Toby Hall.
Ted I was at that game and we were all thinking what the hell was Hall playing first base for?As it turns out the Sox just cut Perez so here we go, those great baseball minds overthinking themselves again. Hey what if we make our backup cather a backup first baseman also. What was Ozzie thinking, didn’t we pick up Erstad for that…..Oh yeah why do I have to type cubs below, it pains me.
I know what you mean about having to type “cubs” when entering a comment on the BZ, but the BZ is a Cub fan, so there you go. It’s kind of like having to type “intelligence” on a government blog.
But getting back to Toby Hall, we were finally going to have a quality backup catcher to give AJ some rest, now that plan is out the window. Cutting Eduardo is another head scratcher, I’d have liked to have seen Perez come up with the game on the line, perhaps Anderson or Gustavo will get lucky, NOT!
And I agree with you, that every once in a while Erstad could’ve played 1B with fair haired Brian Anderson patrolling CF, much better than risking Toby.
I’ll be by Nancy Faust three out of the first three home games, stop by if you get a chance.
Hi Ted,
Five reasons in order of importance why the (American League) West is not won until Oakland decides:
#1 Bobby Crosby’s health
#2 Shannon Stewart’s health
#3 Rich Harden’s effortless transition to #1 starter
#4 Milton Bradley’s health and production
#5 Eric Chavez bounces back from 2006
Charlie Manuel and the Phillies will wait with their five reasons:
#1 Ryan Howard hitting 40+.
#2 Pat Burrell’s 35HR’s, .360 (OBP), and .275 BA
#3 Jimmy Rollin’s uncanny ability to stay healthy at short while continuing to hit.
#4 Chase Utley in a repeat performance of 2006
#5 Aaron Rowand both staying healthy and productive as a defensive sparkplug.
Great insights, as usual. Glad you stopped by the site to give your input. Hope you bookmark BZ and visit often!
hey y’all,
I felt my ears burning so i thought I’d drop in :)
I was thinking of making it something like “I love the cubs” or something like that. That would be awesome. :)
I’m kidding of course. I needed a word for people to type to keep the spammers away and that was the first thing that popped in my head.
Go Cubs! :)
-TBZ