Players who do and do not have options

SBNation has no link love for Jonathan…

Daily Gameball and Joker at GIANTSBOARD.COM
GB and JK also at Giantsboard Blog
Say Hey Say Willie, that Giant Kid is Great!

by merkin on Jul 3, 2009 12:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah I thought that was weird

Brandon Crawford: Your SF Giants 2011 Opening Day starting SS!

by Azmanz on Jul 3, 2009 12:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

What’s the point of these links anyway?

Adoptive parent of Noah Lowry.

:-(

by Cookyman on Jul 3, 2009 12:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

so with one click, Sabean can learn about his players

Daily Gameball and Joker at GIANTSBOARD.COM
GB and JK also at Giantsboard Blog
Say Hey Say Willie, that Giant Kid is Great!

by merkin on Jul 3, 2009 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

burn!

by sayheybk on Jul 3, 2009 3:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I need an option

by Lars The Wanderer on Jul 3, 2009 12:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

OK

Your choice: Send me $500 or $1,000

My adopted Giant: "Raptor Jesus" Guzman

by Goofus on Jul 3, 2009 12:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm sorry

Payment is only made after services are rendered.

by Lars The Wanderer on Jul 3, 2009 1:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why the change in policy???

Forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit... Maybe.

by Mayor of 311 on Jul 3, 2009 5:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

btw, thanks Natto

and cc the local media while you are at it

Daily Gameball and Joker at GIANTSBOARD.COM
GB and JK also at Giantsboard Blog
Say Hey Say Willie, that Giant Kid is Great!

by merkin on Jul 3, 2009 12:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks, Natto. This is very helpful.

Bonds stands alone.

Neal before Zod!
Official Sponsor of the 1997 San Francisco Giants

by nostocksjustbonds on Jul 3, 2009 12:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

Links included.

Duane Kuiper: Hall Of Fame broadcaster.

by Johnny Disaster on Jul 4, 2009 10:37 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So basically, calling up Bowker would mean we’d need to DFA (or trade) an outfielder or send a pitcher down.

Here’s my plan:
- Send down Sanchez as long as Sadowski is up
- Send down Downs and bring up Frandsen, who can backup 2B, SS, 3B
- DFA Aurilia and bring up Guzman
- DFA Torres and bring up Bowker (sorry Andres, but Lewis still has more upside)

My adopted Giant: "Raptor Jesus" Guzman

by Goofus on Jul 3, 2009 12:40 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

that’s a lot of left handed outfield :o

by jctGamer on Jul 3, 2009 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’d rather trade Winn.

Adoptive parent of Noah Lowry.

:-(

by Cookyman on Jul 3, 2009 12:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I broadly agree with you, however

- I’m okay with sending down Sanchez if he’s not starting; give him a shot at fixing in AAA, or let him start
- Definitely favor DFA’ing Aurillia
- Guzman is a nice RHB given Travis’ problems with left-handers

The team is very strongly LH at the corners – LF, RF, and 1b (Winn is for all practical purposes a LHB). A right handed corner bat given the struggles of both Nate and Fred (ie, a Josh Willingham) would be gold. In an ideal world, Bowker would be a RHB, and we’d dfa Torres, but it isn’t going to happen.

Jonathan Sanchez. He's left-handed, like Barry Zito. His fastball breaks 80, unlike Zito.

by Aadik on Jul 3, 2009 6:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It would be nice to get a real lefty-masher that could pinch-hit, occasionally start, and wouldn’t really interfere with giving playing time to the young OFers. Like Matt Diaz of the Braves.

by North Side Chicago Expatriate Giants Fan on Jul 3, 2009 10:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

HELL NO

keep torres, i think we can get something decent for lewis, DFA aurilia, love to see frandsen up here

by sfoakbay on Jul 4, 2009 3:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sabean has talked a lot lately about promoting Bowker very soon, almost as a call to the on-the-fence guys (Aurilia, Lewis and Torres) that they better start producing or they’ll be gone.

Look for Bochy to sprinkle these guys into the lineup up until the All-Star break to see who can handle the pressure, although I think Aurilia has an advantage because he plays multiple infield positions and you know Bochy/Sabean want his bat around to pinch hit in pressure spots (even though he’s like 1-for-12 pinch hitting this year).

by Bay Area Sports Guy on Jul 7, 2009 1:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tim Lincecum

has options

by jctGamer on Jul 3, 2009 12:48 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

SEND HIM DOWN FOR BOWKER

Judgment Day is coming
comics | art | Nattowear

by Natto on Jul 3, 2009 12:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So does Cain

GROUGTHINK ALERT

by groug on Jul 3, 2009 1:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

3 years in the minors from 2003-2005 means he’s out of options no? (more than 5 years of professional service)

by jctGamer on Jul 3, 2009 1:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No, because he wasn’t on the 40 man that whole time. In fact, I’m not entirely sure on this, but I think he might have been added to the 40 man when they brought him to majors in August of 2005, in which case he would have all his options remaining. If they added him to the 40 man in Dec. 04 (which is the earliest they possibly would have) then he would have used 1 option.

A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.

by Roger on Jul 3, 2009 2:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm fairly certain Cain wasn't added to the 40-man until his first callup

Under the old collective bargaining agreement, he would have been eligible for Rule 5 in December 2005— no reason he’d have been added before August 2004.

Most likely, he still has all of his options remaining. His service clock won’t hit 5 years until late in 2010.

He would be subject to “optional waivers” if he was sent down now, but our hardworking beat writers at the Chronicle assure us that those waivers are essentially a dead letter at this point, with no one actually putting in claims on them. If Cain somehow “lost it” and needed to be sent to the minors, the Giants could still do so without DFAing him.

Linda's in the cold ground, won't see her anymore
Somewhere out on the highway tonight, the drunken engines roar
It's just one of those things, one of those things
-- Al Stewart, "Accident on 3rd St."
In memory of Nick Adenhart and all victims of drunk driving

by PaulThomas on Jul 3, 2009 5:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

August 2005*

Linda's in the cold ground, won't see her anymore
Somewhere out on the highway tonight, the drunken engines roar
It's just one of those things, one of those things
-- Al Stewart, "Accident on 3rd St."
In memory of Nick Adenhart and all victims of drunk driving

by PaulThomas on Jul 3, 2009 5:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

8/26/05 – Purchased the contract of RHP Matt Cain from Triple-A Fresno, recalled LHP Jack Taschner from Triple-A Fresno, designated LHP Jason Christiansen for assignment and outrighted RHP Brian Cooper to Triple-A Fresno.

sounds like they added him the 40-man when they brought him up.

Bonds stands alone.

Neal before Zod!
Official Sponsor of the 1997 San Francisco Giants

by nostocksjustbonds on Jul 3, 2009 5:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Where did you find that btw? I have the hardest time finding accurate dates for when players were added to the 40 man.

A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.

by Roger on Jul 3, 2009 6:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Go to the Transaction page on the Giants website. From there you can go back until the 2001 season

by silentearth6 on Jul 3, 2009 6:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thank you, Natto.

Is there any info for which prospects need to be protected this winter on the 40-man roster?

by wilriv21 on Jul 3, 2009 1:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I don’t know if this is something that is readily available. We’d probably have to do the math on our own. I’d think that Angel is getting pretty close to having to be placed on the 40-man in order to protect him from the Rule V. Kevin Pucetas, Clayton Tanner and Thomas Neal, as well, just flipping through the handbook.

by deuce deuce on Jul 3, 2009 1:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

There’s the minor league and major league portions of the Rule 5 draft as well.

by North Side Chicago Expatriate Giants Fan on Jul 3, 2009 1:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

We’ll free up 4 spots on the 40 man roster after this year : howry, johnson, winn, and (presumably) molina.
possibly Medders and Miller as well.

by jctGamer on Jul 3, 2009 2:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don’t forget about Lowry, who I presume will not have his option picked up for next year. Aurilia and Uribe as well.

by deuce deuce on Jul 3, 2009 2:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lowry is currently on the 60-day DL and doesn’t count against the 40-man roster.

by North Side Chicago Expatriate Giants Fan on Jul 3, 2009 2:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yea, I realize that, but if his option was picked up and he was healthy, that’d be one less free spot for next season.

by deuce deuce on Jul 3, 2009 2:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

it’s not getting picked up for $6.25MM

by silentearth6 on Jul 3, 2009 6:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also, Velez, Bocock, Hinshaw, Whiteside, Aurilia, and Burriss are on the 40-man, so there’s PLENTY of room.

by North Side Chicago Expatriate Giants Fan on Jul 3, 2009 2:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

we will not give up Burriss for free, not after signing and paying him supplimental money

by jctGamer on Jul 3, 2009 2:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

We should pay someone to take him.

by North Side Chicago Expatriate Giants Fan on Jul 3, 2009 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Big V was signed at 16 and is only 18 so they has to be at least another year or two before he needs to be protected. Pucetas needs to be protected (or added to a trade for a bat).

by wilriv21 on Jul 3, 2009 2:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Clayton Tanner

shouldn’t need to be protected. He was taken as an 18 year old in the 2006 draft. That gives them four protection-free years. A decision won’t need to be made on him until after the 2010 season.

A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.

by Roger on Jul 3, 2009 2:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If I’m not mistaken, it’s basically any of the college guys from the 2006 draft who aren’t already on the 40 man, which would include Snyder, McBryde, Pill, Felmy, Pucetas, and Maday, or 18 year olds from the 2005 draft which is pretty much just Neal.

A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.

by Roger on Jul 3, 2009 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Keepers

Which one(s) would you protect?

Pucetas
Pill
Neal
Snyder?

Wouldn’t be surprised if Sabean took their status into account when making trade offers this summer

by wilriv21 on Jul 3, 2009 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Of those?

I would certainly protect Neal, who is better and younger than the others, and would probably protect Pucetas and Snyder. The pitchers are nearing the point where they better become at least big-league relievers though.

by North Side Chicago Expatriate Giants Fan on Jul 3, 2009 2:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, plus a couple of UDFA’s like Sharlon Schoop and Wilmin Rodriguez. All in all there probably aren’t a lot of difficult cases here. Pucetas is pretty obviously a yes from the org’s standpoint, as is Neal. Snyder, McBryde, Pill and Maday are the coin flips I suppose. I wouldn’t be surprised to see all of them added if they can make the space. Along with that goes the decision of whether to keep certain players who are already on the 40 man protected (Bocock, English, Hinshaw, Pichardo, Joaquin, and Velez all seem to have pretty tenuous positions on the roster to my mind, possibly Whiteside, too depending on whether they bring in a catcher bridge to Posey).

A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.

by Roger on Jul 3, 2009 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m beginning to think that Fred Lewis is not an option.

"Don't trust anyone under the age of 30" - Brian Sabean

by Smotheredinhugs on Jul 3, 2009 1:11 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

OR A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER

LOL

BURN

TAKE THAT JPONRY

GROUGTHINK ALERT

by groug on Jul 3, 2009 2:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

OH YOU REALLY GOT ME GOOD

Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.

by jponry on Jul 3, 2009 2:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

KLEWIS

Wait…

Judgment Day is coming
comics | art | Nattowear

by Natto on Jul 3, 2009 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

KFred?

by deuce deuce on Jul 3, 2009 2:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

FR3D KLEWLESS?

by sayheybk on Jul 3, 2009 3:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

LEAVE BRITTANY FRED ALONE

Jonathan Sanchez. He's left-handed, like Barry Zito. His fastball breaks 80, unlike Zito.

by Aadik on Jul 3, 2009 6:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Speaking of no options..

Taschner DFA’d

by ryanmiles on Jul 3, 2009 4:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I guess a change of scenery didn’t help old Jacky boy.

Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Jul 3, 2009 6:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

HEWAS A GRT CLUBHOUSE PRESENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11!!!!

Stupid is as Ruben Rivera does...

by bkrhater on Jul 4, 2009 9:37 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Presents?
I like presents!!!

by Merope on Jul 4, 2009 9:55 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

There are ways around the option problem

I don’t know about you, but FLew’s problems in the outfield sure seem psychological. I believe that it’s pretty obvious he has an “anxiety disorder” whenever he sees a ball headed toward him in the air. He just gets so anxious about whether he will fail to catch the ball. I believe he needs to be sent down to the minors for rehab until he can overcome this disorder, just like Khalil Green and Dontrelle Willis. Of course, it could also be attributed to his toe operation not healing properly.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jul 4, 2009 1:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

That’s seems like a bit of a stretch.

Giant Dirtbags: John Bowker, Steve Hammond. MIA List: Todd Jennings, Brian Anderson
Wronghanded Affeldt pitches right

by Giant among Angels on Jul 4, 2009 4:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Those are some pretty large assumptions.

Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Jul 4, 2009 5:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Obvioiusly joking

I thought it would be clear to everybody that this was a joke at the expense of all the teams/players that have been using their “mental disorders” as a way to get around the waiver/option clause. I was in no way casting aspersions on Fred Lewis. To his credit, he keeps trying tio go out and battle through this rough patch without resorting to those lame type of excuses.

I think the commish needs to step in and outlaw this type of abuse. Remember back 10 and 20 years ago when Chuck Knoblach and Steve Sax inexplicably got the yips and couldn’t throw to first base to save their lives? They weren’t able to call that a mental disorder, and neither should Greinke, Greene, Willis, etc. be able to do it nowadays. Unless it’s a physical injury, everybody should have to clear waivers (when they’re out of options) before being sent down. If there’s a team willing to take a chance that they’ll recover from their “mental disorder” then let the team claim them and put them on their payroll. If they don’t want to waive them then put them on the disabled list and let them go get their own counseling like evrybody else with a true mental disorder. In no way should they be allowed to just go down to the minors to work on their game.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jul 5, 2009 6:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No.

The only case where this has really happened – where someone got put on the DL for anxiety and then was immediately sent down to the minors to “work on their game” is Dontrelle Willis, the sketchiest of these situations.

Greinke? He took a significant time away from baseball entirely before he came back to rehabilitiate.

Greene? Has played all of four games in the minors this season, despite two stints on the disabled list for his anxiety disorder.

Joey Votto? Played three games on a rehab assignment after working through his own anxiety-related problems.

Sorry, but you’re seriously talking out your ass here. These are clearly not cases of players using the DL to work around the waiver/option clause, these are players who had legitimate problems and needed to be put on the disabled list to work through them.

Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.

by jponry on Jul 5, 2009 9:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

exactly

Its about time baseball got past its “OMG YOURE RETARDED” approach to this stuff, and accepted that these are issues; I don’t give the Royals props for much, but their treatment of Greinke was great.

Jonathan Sanchez. He's left-handed, like Barry Zito. His fastball breaks 80, unlike Zito.

by Aadik on Jul 5, 2009 10:53 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Double No (with some background)

Knowing a bit about the profession, I would be shocked if MLB doesn’t require a formal diagnosis of an anxiety disorder per DSM-IV before someone can be put on the DL with that, probably with proof of a pharmacological treatment as well.

The massive increase of stimulants for nominal diagnoses of ADHD could be an indication that they’re not, but my guess is it isn’t. ADHD is actually a lot more ambiguous on the surface – that is, a sketchy doctor can get away with an ADHD diagnosis to fit DSM-IV without risking their license, even though the formal process to really determine if someone does have ADHD is actually pretty involved. Anxiety actually does require some pretty substantial work (lots of CBT) to diagnose, so I strongly doubt it’s being used for roster moves.

And if Knoblauch had gotten treatment years back, he might have had a substantially more productive career. That’s the shame of the misunderstanding of a lot of people about mental health, and one reason why I’m really rooting for Greinke – because if he’s the poster boy for what can happen if you’re treated, a lot of lives are going to be changed for the positive.

That said, I do think Lewis’ head is all screwed up right now, but it wouldn’t meet DSM-IV standards. Asking a kid to hit home runs who has never done so, benching him when he swings and misses at everything, and then watching his defense disintegrate when it was decent before points out to someone who needs to get his head together – which is far different than having it taken apart.

by HaroldS on Jul 5, 2009 3:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It’s also worth pointing out that any rehab assignment is by rule a temporary situation. I believe the maximum a player can spend on a rehab assignment is 21 days (?) after which he must be recalled to the majors or reassigned to the minors and exposed to waivers. In Willis case he still had options available and certainly last year Detroit did option him to the minors. This year out of ST, too, I believe.

A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.

by Roger on Jul 5, 2009 6:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know it’s funny to make jokes about how the anxiety disorders for Greene, Willis, etc aren’t legitimate, but I don’t really like it.

Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.

by jponry on Jul 4, 2009 5:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t really either. You saw the same stuff a few years ago when Grienke was going through is issues.

Bay City Ball

by xanthan on Jul 4, 2009 6:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is it really a joke though? At this point, the guy is obviously having some mental issues – which could easily be attributed to anxiety. He’s been demoted to the bench, and is I’m sure struggling with some anxiety, as we all would be if put in similar circumstances at our workplace.

by zuma420 on Jul 4, 2009 6:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

There is a massive difference between being anxious and actually having a medical disorder.

GROUGTHINK ALERT

by groug on Jul 4, 2009 6:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well said.

by Dan from NM on Jul 4, 2009 7:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No, the joke is people suggesting that they don’t actually have disorders and are just using them as an excuse to get put on the DL while they aren’t playing well.

Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.

by jponry on Jul 4, 2009 6:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Chien-Ming Wang went on the DL for "suck"

can we do the same?

by jctGamer on Jul 4, 2009 9:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Are we to believe that all people who go on the DL for anxiety issues are seriously suffering it at that time? I know a few people who clearly have anxiety issues, but who admittedly use it from time to time for their advantage.

by Fresburg on Jul 5, 2009 9:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, Greinke, Votto and Greene have all given pretty detailed accounts of their suffering it at the time of having to go on the DL (go find the article where Votto talks about the terrible anxiety attacks he was having. Same thing goes for Greinke and Greene.)

Willis is a bit sketchy because from what I can tell, the Tigers doctors did a blood test and through that, found that he had anxiety and D-Train was like, “Wait, what?” and they were like, “Yeah, you’ve got anxiety, you’re going on the DL.” So I’m not sure what to think about that one.

But the rest, it sure sounds like it was legit and I’m not sure there’s really any reason to doubt it, outside of being an ass.

Matt Cain: He'll save children, but not the Dodger children.
PABLO SANDOVAL AM STEAL DEATH, DESTROYER OF WORLDS.

by jponry on Jul 5, 2009 9:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Didn’t Jim Eisenreich almost have his career ended by some kind of anxiety issue? I think the called in vertigo at the time, but I recall it had to do with the crowds. I think he also was later diagnosed with Turrets Syndrome? I’m a bit sketchy on it, but I have a recollection he was actually out of baseball for a few years while he searched for some way to treat his issues.

A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.

by Roger on Jul 5, 2009 9:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Eisenreich

Yeah, Eisenreich had Tourette’s but it wasn’t properly diagnosed and treated, which led to all sorts of problems. He was called up in 1982 and hit very well, then barely played in 1983 and 1984, and then was out of baseball until 1987.

He came back and had a pretty productive part-time career, including a .361/.413/.476 line in 337 AB for the Phillies at age 37. I think the medication made it tough on him, but without it, he wasn’t able to play at all.

by North Side Chicago Expatriate Giants Fan on Jul 6, 2009 9:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know people with anxiety disorders, and they are a REAL medical issue, usually treated with medication. Haven’t heard that there was a blood test to diagnose it, though.

by flyonthewall on Jul 6, 2009 12:42 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I actually did a bit more reading on Willis’ case, and I have a hunch I know what happened.

Basically, for something like this you do bloodwork to rule out an alternative organic cause of the symptoms. I’ll quote from this article since it provides a pretty good overview:

“Laboratory tests must rule out organic causes of the patient’s signs and symptoms, such as hyperthyroidism. pheochromocytoma, coronary artery disease, supraventricular tachycardia, and Meniere’s disease. For example, an electrocardiogram can rule out myocardial ischemia in a patient who complains of chest pain. Blood tests, including complete blood count, white blood cell count and differential, and serum lactate and calcium levels, can rule out hypocalcemia.”

Thyroids in particular can produce some really funky symptoms (as can sleep disorders, but unless you have someone with a lot of sleep experience they won’t snap their fingers and think about testing for them, unfortunately), so what probably happened is instead of telling him, “Ok, kid, your thyroid is working properly and the rest of your bloodwork came back clear, so those symptoms we talked about ain’t coming from someplace else. Therefore we’re comfortable diagnosing you” they probably said, “Yeah, the bloodwork confirms it, you have GAD.”

Basically no one explained to him why they were doing the bloodwork, he made the quote, and people have been scratching their heads ever since thinking there was something really sketchy going on about the original diagnosis.

One of the Detroit papers actually has an interesting quote, which is that “Major League Baseball has recognized anxiety disorders as legitimate reasons for players to be placed on the DL, provided team physicians provide certification.” I wouldn’t exactly trust an orthopedic surgeon to make a mental health call, but at least someone has to put their rear end on the fire for this to happen.

by HaroldS on Jul 7, 2009 10:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, there are also people in wheelchairs who use it for their advantage from time to time. That doesn’t mean that they don’t have a real problem.

Adoptive parent of Noah Lowry.

:-(

by Cookyman on Jul 6, 2009 1:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think people are exaggerating a bit – Lewis has always, always had terrible instincts. That’s why he only made the majors at age 26. This year it’s been worse than before, but nothing too drastic. I’m pretty sure that if he were still hitting .270/.340/.440 like last year, people wouldn’t mind it as much.

Adoptive parent of Noah Lowry.

:-(

by Cookyman on Jul 4, 2009 6:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

lewis was a late comer to baseball

He missed some critical early childhood baseball learning. So his instincts and learning curve were seriously delayed and some critical learning periods were missed. Hard to overcome, but he has done a good job. I say DL him for two weeks and bring up BOWKERMANIA.

by bradleybear on Jul 4, 2009 9:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

People way overstate that. He did play both football and baseball all the way through college, but he was not a latecomer to the game. He played as a child and he started in High School (in fact, he’s said in interviews that it was always his favorite sport).

A hot August weekday, before a small crowd, when the only thing at stake is the tissue-thin difference between a thing done well and a thing done ill. Insofar as the clutch hitter is not a sportswriter's myth, it is a vulgarity, like a writer who writes only for money.

by Roger on Jul 5, 2009 6:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs