Old News, Bad News, Worse News
You know the easiest, most surefire way to tell that it's the middle of the offseason? You see a headline that reads: "Red and ready? GM says Griffey healing well."
Seriously, these annual Griffey-is-healthy stories are getting to be like some sick version of Mad Libs. Writers can use the same basic template and quotes over and over again, and all they need to do is fill in a few blanks with specific information about whatever current injury Griffey is recovering from.
Seriously, try it for yourself:
All-Star outfielder recovering from (*INJURY*)
CINCINNATI -- All-Star Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. is making progress in his recovery from (*INJURY*), reports the Cincinnati Enquirer in Friday's edition.
"He's doing outstanding," Reds general manager Dan O'Brien told the Enquirer. "He really has had no setbacks. He's right on track and should be at or near 100 percent at the start of spring training."
Griffey, (*AGE*), began rehabilitation after having surgery last (*DATE*). He was (*LEVEL OF INCAPACITATION*) for weeks.
It really is fun for the whole family. Well, maybe not for the Griffey family.
The White Sox signed Japanese second baseman Tadahito Iguchi yesterday, giving the 30-year-old a two-year deal worth around $5 million, with a team option for a third season. I'm hoping to crunch some numbers on Iguchi today to get a better feel for exactly what type of player he is, but on first glance it looks like a very good signing for Chicago. Iguchi, who is a career .271/.349/.471 hitter, batted .333/.394/.549 last season and .340/.438/.573 in 2003. Before yesterday, the team's projected starter at second base was Willie Harris, who has hit .240/.305/.296 in 266 big-league games.
The Hardball Times' own Larry Mahnken, who didn't exactly have the greatest luck in 2004, is off to a horrible 2005. Larry's apartment building burned to the ground yesterday morning, leaving him with nothing besides the clothes he was wearing. Situations like this make me wish I was incredibly wealthy, because it would be so great to be able to send Larry a nice, fat check and get him back on his feet. Instead, I'll have to settle for suggesting to any of you who have some excess income that you consider making a donation to Larry via PayPal. He's a hell of a nice guy and a very good writer, and he deserves to have something nice happen to him.
Today at The Hardball Times:
- Top 50 Prospects: Year in Review (31-40) (by Aaron Gleeman)
- Drying Off the Spitty 1910s, Part 1: The Seasons (by Steve Treder)
