The Bad News Bucs

Jason Bay fails to make a start for the first time in 307 games today with a "tweaked hamstring," which is Tracyspeak for "Let's end this streak before it gets out of hand." Taking his place in the cleanup spot is X-man Nady, who is capable. Victor Santos is taking Shawn Chacon's spot in the rotation for tonight against Dave Bush. The game already started, and Chris Duffy had a leadoff singled and scored off a Freddy Sanchez sacrifice. Speaking of Freddy, I stumbled across an interesting arcticle about him that was written when he still played for the Boston Red Sox. It implores the Boston ownership to hang onto Freddy because, it explains, he has unproven talent within him. The article compares Sanchez to a young Nomar Garciaparra, who Freddy ironically has battled for the NL batting title this year.

Five years Garciaparra’s junior, who knows what Freddy Sanchez will be when he reaches 30. It was thanks to Nomar’s rock steady presence at short that the Sox moved Sanchez around in the minors, trying him out across the infield.

The writer correctly predicts Freddy's future trade value:

Trust me, he is more valuable to the Boston Red Sox than any fourth or fifth starter, which might be all they can get for him.

The Pirates received Freddy Sanchez, Mike Gonzalez and cash from the Sox in exchange for Jeff Suppan and a couple others.

Also correctly predicted is Freddy's potential to be a batting champ:

Sickles went on to say, stressing it was merely a possibility, a strenuous if, that “a normal growth curve would make him a potential batting champion down the line.” Therefore, that is what Freddy Sanchez could be, a batting champ.

Read the article. It reminded me that sometimes, even the Pirates come out ahead in trades.