Now that I have your attention, this is Brian Gordon, the outfielder-turned-pitcher who appeared in 40 games for the IronPigs last season, not Tom, who saved 42 games for the Phillies between 2006-08. [Link]
Gordon, 32, raised his stock with in an impressive campaign out of the IronPigs bullpen, going 1-3 with a 3.46 ERA and a formidable 86/19 K/BB ratio in 78 innings. Lehigh Valley beat writer Jeff Schuler, the first to break the news of Gordon’s re-signing, says the right-hander will join Nate Bump, Dane Sardinha and Rich Thompson as committed Lehigh Valley returnees for 2011 (I’ve seen Thompson’s name surface in the winter league box scores, but I forget where). Meanwhile, veterans Melvin Dorta, Ozzie Chavez, Beerleaguer favorite Brian Mazone, Ty Taubenheim, Alex Concepcion and Ehren Wassermann will not return, according to Schuler. Beerleaguer: Look for Gordon to get a few looks in spring training. As for Tom Gordon, he reportedly attended the Winter Meetings in hopes of pitching again. The 43-year-old last appeared in three games for the Diamondbacks in 2009.
Bolsenbroek profiled: Dutch farmhand Mike Bolsenbroek was profiled today on the international baseball site Mister-Baseball.com. The 23-year-old, 6-8 right-hander went 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA and 23/18 K/BB ratio in 32 innings last season for the Lakewood Blue Claws, joining the team midseason from extended spring training. A native of Apeldorn, Netherlands, he also pitched for the German Bundesliga champion Buchbinder Legionaere Regenburg squad, where he posted a 2.13 ERA in the playoffs.
DAMNIT! I WAS ALL PSYCHED FOR THE RETURN OF FLASH GORDON!
Posted by: Scotch Man | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 05:51 PM
Talk about the bleak mid-winter...
Posted by: dlhunter | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 05:52 PM
A Beerleaguer classic!
Posted by: CJ | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 05:52 PM
Does anyone know who scouts the Buchbinder Legionaere Regenburg?
Posted by: clout | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 05:53 PM
The Brian Mazone Era has come to an end? Sad times! At least tell me Duckworth will be back! Or JW's favorite, R.J. Swindle!
Posted by: Scotch Man | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 05:56 PM
Clout: Yeah, I need to be able to put that 2.13 ERA in the Bundesliga playoffs in context. Pitcher's park or hitter's park?
Posted by: Jack | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 06:13 PM
Bait and switch.
Posted by: Andy | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 06:30 PM
Wie funktioniert Baseball
Posted by: joe l | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 06:43 PM
Everybody knows the Buchbinder Legionaere Regenburg Deutschebank Park is a bandbox and they play in a weak division. Good luck now that Johannes Werthe signed elsewhere.
Posted by: rauls grandpa | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 07:15 PM
Nice video joe l. I don't know what she's saying but she can say it all day if she wants.
Posted by: Andy | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 07:31 PM
Andy,
She got the job because she dated AJ Feeley.
Posted by: rauls grandpa | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 07:37 PM
This is first winter that I've followed/posted on Beer Leaguer... the 3rd week of February 2011 never felt so far away.
Right now, I could care less about R2C2, just as long as they stay injury-free. I'm just dying to find out how Jimmy, Chase and Ryan show up -- lean and hungry (one can only hope in the case of Big Piece) or laid-back, flabby and complacent.
What the heck, here's hoping Chase shows up 15 lbs overweight. Who knows? If he shows up overweight but stays injury free, an overweight Chase at the outset of the season might help with his end-of-season weight loss, and help him finish the season strong.
Posted by: cut_fastball | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 07:52 PM
You had me at hello Jason...you had me at hello.
Posted by: NEPP | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 07:56 PM
***This is first winter that I've followed/posted on Beer Leaguer... the 3rd week of February 2011 never felt so far away.***
It'll get worse before it gets better.
Posted by: NEPP | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 08:15 PM
This is about the previous thread but Aumont is one to watch in the minor league camp this year. Last spring training he was in the spotlight. In his very first appearance as a Phil in the major league camp he was ineffective even against Florida State and his season never got off the ground after that. He was coming off a poor performance out of the pen in the Arizona Fall League prior to the Lee trade. This ST he will start in the minor league camp under less pressure and coming off a strong performance for Canada against Cuba in the Pam Am qualifier tourney back in Oct. There he struck out the first four Cubans he faced in a start against the veteran Cuban team.
Posted by: Dull | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 08:26 PM
Thanks for this one. This guy is the grandson of my wife's godmother so there is a family interest. It was a big deal for us last year when he came into the Phillies system.
Posted by: BillM | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 08:30 PM
Missing an 's' there, JW.
/ducks snowball
Posted by: Unikruk | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 09:01 PM
Also, here's the translation of the previous video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kQ83_4RdkA&
Posted by: Unikruk | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 09:07 PM
I loved the slide.
Posted by: Nah-mah-stay | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 09:45 PM
Dull: The Cubans were lying about their ages, however.
Posted by: clout | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 10:37 PM
Everyone knows that Bundesliga is not what it used to be. The Phillies should be scouting the Finnish leagues.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_umyXoyXEkQ
Posted by: gobaystars! | Monday, January 03, 2011 at 11:31 PM
Is Finnish baseball like American football?
Posted by: Mister Zoomer | Tuesday, January 04, 2011 at 12:09 AM
Great find on the video. So I guess 'strikeout' is used by Germans also???? Kidn of confirmed on what English baseball words would be adopted & used by Germans.
Can only imagine this women in the video trying to examine a what a balk is to Germans watching this video . . .
Posted by: MG | Tuesday, January 04, 2011 at 12:25 AM
clout, thanks for trying to put Sackman's era chart for starters in context in the last thread.
jason.tp obviously never read the article or any of the additional research at THT or he would have understood that.
And for the record, I think it's up to Sackman to defend the chart and data. It's not my work so I don't feel a need to do so.
But FWIW, no study I have seen refutes the ERA ranges Sackman described, so I con only assume there is some validity to them.
If some of the posters here have a problem with the actual production out of the 3 - 5 starter slots, then I suggest they take it up with Bud Selig and MLB. If they contracted a fews team I'm sure it would improve.
Posted by: awh | Tuesday, January 04, 2011 at 01:23 AM
In Finland it kind of gives new meaning to "Coming in with High Cheese."
Posted by: Robby J | Tuesday, January 04, 2011 at 01:23 AM
cut_fastball,
Yeah, I think one of the big backstories we'll be following this year on this site is whether and how Rollins, Utley and Howard bounce back. Hopefully, some of the stat guys here may put forth some metrics that can factor in the injuries somehow, but I suspect that would be a pretty tough and subjective evaluation to make.
In any case, one prediction I can make with absolute confidence is that Chase Utley will not report to camp 15 pounds overweight. He does seem to wear down some over the course of the season, but the injuries that have caused him to lose significant time don't appear to be related to that.
My guess would be that he would say that being in top shape is what enables him to play the way he does, and has in fact kept him from being sidelined much due to injuries such as pulled muscles, strains, etc. I would also guess he evaluates his weaknesses pretty carefully and incorporates whatever steps he can take, training wise and on the field, to minimize them.
Posted by: Bob | Tuesday, January 04, 2011 at 08:06 AM
Goofy's funny; Finnish baseball is wierd; but the German chick is hot.
Posted by: Andy | Tuesday, January 04, 2011 at 08:12 AM
It looked like Ilkka Sinisalo was trying to get a fighting major in the middle of the game.
Posted by: Robby J | Tuesday, January 04, 2011 at 08:46 AM