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Old Faces, New Laundry: Players Who Moved for 2009

One of my favorite things every spring is to see players that moved teams during the offseason in their new garb. We've seen all the new Orioles, of course, including the mini-fever that is Kojimania, but here's a look at some of the rest.

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Jason Giambi has returned to Oakland and with it has come his beard, though his old Rock N' Roll Semi-Long Hair hasn't grown back and given that Giambi is 38 years old and has been conditioned to the business class look the last seven seasons, it's probably not going to come back. I always quite liked the Oakland version of Giambi, and I think it's neat when guys return to their roots. Speaking of which...

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How right does that look? The Kid back in Seattle. I think with all the hullabaloo about Bonds and steroids and home runs over the years, and the fact that Griffey aged like a normal human being and his production tailed off in his 30s (though he could still hit when healthy), we are not as in awe of Griffey as he deserves. I don't know who did what or when or for how long, but Griffey's name has never been linked to steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs. Of the other modern players in the top 20, only Bonds has more homers (A-Rod will pass Griffey), and here's a comparison.

Has Been Linked: Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, Palmeiro, Rodriguez

Has Not: Griffey, Thome, Ramirez, Thomas

Those last four guys deserve so much by way of props. I can't even think of how to properly express what I'm trying to say, but I'm sure you get it. In largely condemning (or at least ripping) the steroids era, we have lost sight of the fact that there are four guys of this era in the 500-homer club that have never had their names dragged through the muck. Gary Sheffield (499) will join the club this season, and he's on Team Bonds. They're all great players regardless if you ask me; but some of them just have numbers more admirable than the others.

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Pat Burrell leaving the World Series champs for the AL champs might not have exactly been his decision, but he should be a nice upgrade to the Rays at DH. He gives them some more right-handed sock. Really, Tampa Bay could finish in third place this season with a team better than the one they fielded last year. The AL East is cruel. Welcome to the pit, Pat.

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One of the most overlooked acquisitions of the offseason, I believe, is Bobby Abreu going to Los Angeles. It's also neat to be behind the camera for those stupid press photo shots. Abreu isn't the player he was in Philadelphia, but he's still a contributor and a really good hitter. And talk about your Fantasy Baseball Halls of Fame. This dude should be in there. Every year since 1998 he's had a good average, good-to-great OBP, solid slugging, 20+ steals and decent-to-good power.

Star-divide

Capt

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Oh Milton Bradley, you curmudgeon. As good a player as he is when he's on, I don't get the move for the Cubs. Bradley's penchant for injury is such that he's by far best off DHing. Even though he played about 80% of his 2008 games as the DH of the Rangers, he still played just 126 games.

Capt

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Garrett Olson does love to puff his cheeks out. I watched him start against Australia last night. Looked like the same old Olson, but who knows. I've got nothin' against him and we still owe the Mariners for the Bedard deal, so I wish him all the best.

Capt

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Mark Teixeira has a really tall head. He doesn't look right in sunglasses. He's kind of a goober. That uniform is ugly.

"Now I really hate him."

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I've never liked Nick Swisher despite my admiration for Billy Beane and the fact that Beane had a, oh, how do you say...boner? for Swisher. The first problem comes from his Buckeye status. The second comes from the fact that he just seems like a meathead, which is typical Buckeye athlete. Now that he's a Yankee I don't feel so bad not liking him. He could be really valuable filling a lot of roles for them this year, though. So long as he doesn't hit like he did last year anyway.

Capt

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Couldn't care less about Brad Penny, and I understand why John Smoltz made the move, but damn it all it just ain't right. Does anyone dislike Smoltz, though? Is there anything not to like? Maybe Mets fans. But even then don't you have a hard respect for the guy?

Capt

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Randy Johnson is nomad. Despite his big run in Seattle, his two stays in Arizona, and his disappointing couple of years with the Yankees (disappointing for them, humorous for me), I just don't immediately connect Johnson with a team. Griffey spent many years with the Reds, but he's a Mariner. Rickey Henderson was a big wheel with the Yankees and played for lots of teams, but he's an Oakland guy to me. Johnson is a hired gun.

Capt

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Is it just me or does Daniel Cabrera look like he aged a lot over the winter?

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Is there really any possible way K-Rod isn't a disappointment with the Mets? Seriously.

Capt

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Nothing magic happens / In Toron-to...

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I saw an interview with Kevin Millar

He looked funny, but at least he’ll get his beard in Toronto. He was all, “this is a tough division, but this is a good team with a lot of good guys. We could surprise some people!” I implore the fans of Toronto not to believe his hype.

[Guthrie's] president of my heart. ~PhilR8

by Stacey on Mar 5, 2009 7:46 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

yes...

surprise is NOT a chief tactic of the toronto blue jays. they are who we think they are.

"When people ask me what my motivation is, I have a simple answer: Money."

--Jerry Reed, on acting

by j.q. higgins on Mar 5, 2009 9:47 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Johnson

I think of him as a Mariner. Probably just because that’s where he was when I was a little kid.

Smoltz in a PHN uniform is freaking wierd.

by punkrawka on Mar 5, 2009 8:24 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

Smoltz

I can think of a few reasons to dislike him. He’s a known homophobe, and he spent the entire offseason bitching about the fact that Atlanta wouldn’t pay him enough to stay there. I mean, I’m sure he was disappointed, but we get the point.

by Brotz13 on Mar 5, 2009 9:31 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

I'm guessing...

he and John Rocker made for a fun clubhouse back in the day.

"If you know how to cheat, start now." - Earl Weaver

by rebop on Mar 5, 2009 10:28 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Yikes

I remember watching an interview with a high-up editor of the Wall Street Journal where he cited the video of an Indian guy who marryied a dog as the next logical step after gay marriage. Now Smoltz says the same thing, and I just don’t get it. How do you go from gay marriage to bestiality?

by PhilR8 on Mar 5, 2009 11:07 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Once upon a time...

(not that long ago really) lots of folks said the same thing about interracial marriage. Todd Jones actually puts it pretty well in the same article admitting to his own homophobia: “It’s easy to be scared of something you don’t know anything about.”

"If you know how to cheat, start now." - Earl Weaver

by rebop on Mar 5, 2009 11:46 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

A homophobic jock obsessed with money?

Imagine that, it’s not like there are at least 1 or 12 of those in every MLB clubhouse

by oriolez on Mar 5, 2009 11:19 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

fuck, you ruined John Smoltz at me

Now I just think of him as Todd Jones II.

Bad Left Hook
Camden Chat

"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler

by SC on Mar 5, 2009 1:59 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Glad to help

Just remember: by and large, these guys aren’t that bright. The Doug Glanvilles are few and far between.

by Brotz13 on Mar 5, 2009 2:53 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Doug Glanville played Everquest with Curt Schilling

Bad Left Hook
Camden Chat

"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler

by SC on Mar 5, 2009 3:47 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

it was THE nerd MMO before World of Warcraft

It’s sorta like nerd MMO chess compared to WoW’s nerd MMO checkers. Everquest was a manly nerd’s game. You had to be a straight up fuckin geek to roll with Everquest, and I mean that in the best way. Way harder game. Schilling is a huge nerd MMO game fan.

Bad Left Hook
Camden Chat

"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler

by SC on Mar 6, 2009 3:52 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Famous for the box art, too


Because it’s well-known that female Nordic warriors always wore midriff-baring tupe tops and mini-shirts in the winter. It’s on Wikipedia and everything.

Duck Around - a progressive blog about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.

by duck on Mar 7, 2009 9:44 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Man that's a really a shame about Smoltz

I’ve always routed for him and he was always my favorite of the big three.

Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey

by jobe on Mar 5, 2009 5:31 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Hey...

I’ve never, ever been linked to steroids either…how bout some props for me dude? Mind you, I can’t hit a 20 mph softball, but I want some props. I typed this without any the aid of any performance ehancing drugs except cafinee adn I’m pretty sure their are only seven or eight tupos in this post. Gimme my props!

"If you know how to cheat, start now." - Earl Weaver

by rebop on Mar 5, 2009 10:27 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

By the way

Tombstone is an awesome flick

by PhilR8 on Mar 5, 2009 11:14 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

Why is there no recognition

given to the departure of the Great Fay-Fay?? I would love to see how he fills out those horrid Toronto throwbacks. We can only hope Brandon finds his way onto the big club and makes an appearance at the Yard. I personally would give him a standing o.

The blues have always been American, as American as apple pie. The question is...why?

by sickuvitall on Mar 5, 2009 12:03 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

Abreu and Loewen

Agree on Abreu. Definitely a signing that fell well under the radar.

Here’s a link to Loewen in Blue Jays gear: http://content.usatoday.com/topics/photo/People/Athletes/MLB/Aaron+Hill/0cVc3sU9ZxdKw/83.

by Roarfrom34 on Mar 5, 2009 1:50 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

I saw him hit a double the other day

He looks just horrid running.

Bad Left Hook
Camden Chat

"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler

by SC on Mar 5, 2009 2:00 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

And that f***in Dutchboy haircut!! Still its a shame though, wouldn’t mind if he had worked out.

The blues have always been American, as American as apple pie. The question is...why?

by sickuvitall on Mar 6, 2009 11:47 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

I just have to say

Jimmy Fallon is actually making me squirm. The guy is incredibly awkward, and he is currently sitting at his desk interrupting Donal Trump every three seconds.

I had to get that off my chest.

My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver

by Baltimo on Mar 6, 2009 1:05 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

Rickey

When people ID him as a MFY, it makes me grind my teeth into nubs. 4.5/25 seasons. I think the As resigned him more times than years he played on the Yanks.

Abreu is overlooked. He’s a born DH like Ortiz/Huff. Oh, he’s got a good arm, but man can he eff it up with a glove.

I hope GO has a decent career as a serviceable starter.

Younger writers, more attuned to the use of the Internet than their older colleagues, may not have a problem with the disappearance of the books. But in past years they didn’t have the Internet as an alternative reference site. They apparently just didn’t feel the need for any information the books provided.

by CoachOfEarl on Mar 6, 2009 1:27 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

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