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Chat Reel: SI's Tom Verducci
Posted: Monday July 09, 2001 6:23 PM
Sports Illustrated senior baseball writer Tom Verducci joined users on July 9 to recap the first half of the year, discuss the All-Star Game and make some predictions for the remainder of the season. A transcript follows.
CNNSI Host: Welcome to our chat with Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci. Thanks for joining us, Tom.
Tom Verducci: It's good to be here. It's beautiful in Seattle.
From Joe: Can you size up the Cliff Floyd/Bobby Valentine situation? Publicly these two are professional and the exchange of platitudes between them is seemingly never-ending. But what is really going on here? Is Valentine genuinely happy that Floyd is on the roster now?
Tom Verducci: I think he is happy that Floyd is on the roster because it might finally end the controversy. I think Valentine is clearly at fault here for not making himself absolutely clear with Floyd.
I don't think Valentine did so intentionally, but I don't know how you can give someone the impression they're going to the All-Star Game when they're not, It's just too bad that the misunderstanding happened at all.
From ChiTOM: After watching Bobby Valentine for the past few seasons, is there any doubt that this guy is just a big jerk? What's his deal?
Tom Verducci: Bobby Valentine is a brilliant baseball man who seems to have a knack for turning people off and, I think, most times, that's not even his intention.
From Don: Do you think Joe Torre went too far with the selection of seven Yankees for the All-Star team?
Tom Verducci: I think he went too far with seven Yankees and eight Mariners. I understand why he took all the Yankees, after all, they are his players, and this is another reason Torre is so well-respected in the Yankee clubhouse. But I think it's another reason the manager shouldn't be picking All-Star players. It's a job that has to be done objectively and it's too much to ask for a manager to be objective when it comes to his own players.
From gurugary: What do you think about the decision to leave Greg Maddux off the NL roster?
Tom Verducci: You can thank Greg Maddux for that. He had an opportunity to go, but told Valentine that John Burkett deserved to go before he did and that he preferred to use the break as a rest.
From Kevin: I can understand Seattle fans booing A-Rod during regular season games, but what do you think the chances are that on Tuesday night they will show him the appreciation that a starting All-Star player should get?
Tom Verducci: I think it starts with the home run derby Monday night and I believe he will be cheered. He deserves it. The All-Star Game and festivities are celebrations. For Monday and Tuesday he's not the enemy. I'm glad he changed his mind and will participate in the derby and I think the fans should applaud him.
From Scott: Which players do you think are going to break out in the second half of the season?
Tom Verducci: I look for a big second half from Johnny Damon. He started to heat up over the last few weeks. He's a much better offensive player than what he's shown so far in Oakland. I also think Luis Gonzalez is going to stay hot. It's amazing to think he has a chance to break the all-time record for total bases.
From Jim: Please tell me that you anticipate the Cardinals making some roster moves. This team has too many players underachieving to just stand pat. What do you think?
Tom Verducci: First the Cards need to get healthy and they need to get Mark McGwire back on track. But I do agree, they need to make some additions, especially in the bullpen. Tony LaRussa has always liked veteran pitchers and someone like Todd Jones would make sense for the Cards.
From How: How can Joe Torre not pick another member of the Red Sox? Boston has been in first place almost all year.
Tom Verducci: I think the Red Sox as a whole are greater than their individual parts and I don't see anybody else on their roster who absolutely should be at the game. If anything, I would have put Ellis Burks of Cleveland on the roster before I would have added Mike Cameron of the Mariners.
From Neil: As a lifelong Blue Jays fan I have never been more disappointed in the team than this year. This is a starting lineup that should be scoring seven runs a game. Who should be first against the wall? Is a fire sale in the works?
Tom Verducci: The Blue Jays will consider moving players. I don't think it will be a total overhaul, but it wouldn't surprise me to see them listen to offers for Shannon Stewart.
From Izaak: Do the Mariners have any interest in trading for Shannon Stewart? Also, are there any No. 1 starters available out there for Seattle. As G.M. Pat Gillick has mentioned, the M's need one for the playoffs.
Tom Verducci: The Mariners would love to get Shane Reynolds from Houston but have been told he's not available and I don't think the others guys on the market such as Woody Williams or Pedro Astacio are the kind of pitchers Seattle is looking for. Stewart is an ideal fit for the Mariners, who are looking for someone to play left field and bat near the top of the order.
From Allen: Which team not currently in first place do you see winning a division this year?
Tom Verducci: I'd have to go with the Atlanta Braves. The Phillies have impressed me with the way they've hung in, despite their young players up the middle. But I still think Atlanta is the class of the division and now that Tom Glavine seems to be on a roll, I could see the Braves taking off on a run.
From Howard: The Braves are, and have been, in decline. Is this their own fault for neglecting to groom players within their own organization or is there another reason? I think they would be better off if they had kept Jermaine Dye, Ryan Klesko, etc. If I recall correctly, they rose to prominence originally with a young team they brought up through their own farm system with only minor free-agent additions.
Tom Verducci: I don't think the Braves are in decline. They still have a very productive farm system. I like the futures for Jason Marquis and Odalis Perez.I think the success they had with position players coming up through their system in the early '90s was remarkable. The next one to keep your eye on is shortstop Wilson Betemit. With Rafael Furcal out, perhaps for the whole year, the Braves might put this kid on the fast track to the big leagues, just as they did with Furcal.
From Kurt: What's the latest on Pedro Martinez's status?
Tom Verducci: It looks as if Pedro will miss the entire month of July, or close to it. The soreness in his shoulder seems to be a little deeper than what he experienced the previous two seasons. Pedro has been hurting for a long time, and I think he wants to make absolutely sure he's 100 percent when he comes back.
From Brian: Can the Twins get a big bat and a top-shelf relief pitcher? Do they have a legitimate shot at the postseason?
Tom Verducci: The Twins definitely have shot at the postseason on the strength of their big three starting pitchers. I agree, they should get a veteran hitter and a veteran reliever, but don't look for them to get a high-salary player. They won't make any blockbuster deals.
From Adam: I saw your top three candidates for AL Cy Young and I was dismayed, no pun intended, that you had Joe Mays ranked third and not Andy Pettitte. Any comments?
Tom Verducci: Mays has more wins and has taken his turn in the rotation all season, whereas Pettitte spent two weeks on the DL.
From Dwayne: Will Jason Giambi be traded?
Tom Verducci: I say no because I think the A's will get very hot in the next three weeks and they will be within range of the wild card by the time we get to the trading deadline. The only way they move Giambi is if they're out of it.
From Sam: Has Jimy Williams done a good job? Everybody says yes, but the team didn't take advantage of the Yankees when New York was down and now the Yankees are again going to go all the way, leaving Boston behind. What are your thoughts?
Tom Verducci: It's very difficult to evaluate a manager when a team has as many injuries as Boston has had. I think Jimy is a very good strategist and he has one of the best pitching coaches in the business in Joe Kerrigan. But I don't think he communicates well enough with his team to inspire loyalty the way Joe Torre does.
From cpm: After seeing the Cubs pitching get hit hard in Detroit this weekend, do you think they are wearing down? Also, do you think their bats are warming up?
Tom Verducci: I don't think they're wearing down. Don Baylor has not allowed any of his starters to throw more than 120 pitches. And I think the relief pitchers have shared the load pretty well. But I don't see the Cubs' bats really heating up until Rondell White, Bill Mueller and Todd Hundley are healthy again.
From Buff: Do you see a lot of deals going down before the trade deadline? Every year we hear about a ton of trades that are supposed to happen but then only a handful take place.
Tom Verducci: I don't think this year will be any different. You'll see a handful of deals, but no blockbusters. In other words, you'll see teams tweaking their rosters, but I don't think you're going to see a team turn up a player who is going to make the difference in getting to the postseason or not.
From Vince: Can you shed some light on the motivations of Mets G.M. Steve Phillips? The team is downright horrid, but he still can't justify making a move for a big bat. Where was his head this past winter? Quite frankly, I feel cheated as a Mets fan. What should I expect -- a fire sale or some fight?
Tom Verducci: I think the Mets blew it by not going after A-Rod, but I would blame ownership, not Steve Phillips, for that one. And the Mets are not going to overhaul this team in the next three weeks. You might see a minor deal, such as trading Todd Zeile, or maybe Benny Agbayani, to clear playing time for Alex Escobar. But the Mets have decided that in New York they have to field a competitive team with big-name players. They will not give up on the season.
CNNSI Host: That's all the time we have for today. Thanks for joining us, Tom.
Tom Verducci: Thanks for all the great questions.
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