Categories

Mugshot Purgatory: Corner OFs and Rays

Today, we start off with our two leftfielders (D-SPAN2 was considered a centerfielder for my purposes). Jason "the Dude" Kubel is typically the DH, while Delmon "_elm_n" Young has no D and no O.
kubel_jason_2009kubel_jason_2008kubel_jason_2007kubel_jason_2006
young_delmon_2009young_delmon_2008young_delmon_2007young_delmon_2006
(Kubel '09, '08, '07, '06; Young '09, '08, '07, '06)
I don't know how the Dude got his nickname. Could anyone fill me in? I don't know what's up with Del's 2008, it's clearly a photoshop, but I don't know of which year. And it's not like he was traded after '08 pictures were taken, or missed spring training.

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Mugshot Purgatory: Some Ps and BoSox

Up from AAA: Anthony "50-Game" Swarzak, and Sean "Pea" Henn
swarzak_anthony_2009aaaswarzak_anthony_2009
henn_sean_2009aaahenn_sean_2009henn_sean_2008
(Swarzak '09AAA, '09; Henn '09AAA, '09, '08)
Swarzak doesn't look any more likely to be a pothead than many other players, like, say, Denard Span or Mark Kotsay.

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Mugshot Purgatory: IF and Ms

With roster changes in the middle infield, I thought I'd highlight a few of the relevant players.
Demoted: Alexi "Laddy" Casilla, the second best second-baseman named Alexi in the Division.
casilla_alexi_2009casilla_alexi_2008aaacasilla_alexi_2008casilla_alexi_2007
(Casilla '09, '08AAA, '07, '06)
Laddy's beard assymmetry disturbs me. My high school job was grocery bag-boy. One of the other bag-boys was a semi-retired farmer who went by "Laddy." He didn't look much like Casilla.

Recalled: Matt "2-hole" Tolbert, and Waiting in AAA: Luke Hughes and Trevor "The Blogger" Plouffe.
tolbert_matt_2009aaahughes_luke_2009aaaplouffe_trevor_2009aaa
tolbert_matt_2009hughes_luke_2009plouffe_trevor_2009
(Tolbert '09AAA, '09; Hughes '09AAA, '09; Plouffe '09AAA, '09)
I have no photos before this year for any of them.

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Mugshot Purgatory: Centerfielders and Orioles

Last year, I had all but written off Denard "Wing" Span as a high draft-pick washout. I am very happy to be wrong about that.
span_denard_2009span_denard_2008aaaspan_denard_2008span_denard_2007span_denard_2006span_denard_2002hs
(Span '09, '08AAA, '08, '07, '06, '02)
'02 is a high-school picture that I found on a pre-draft scouting website. Looks like he was not happy in Rochester.

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Mugshot Purgatory: Catchers and Tigers

Two years and two months ago, I wasn't taking actuarial exams (a break in the process), and I thought I would go over what the players' official mlb.com mugshots looked like. Here is the first post in the series, with some of my reasons behind it. Unfortunately, it looks like the pictures were lost in the server transition or something.

It seemed to me that people liked looking at mugshots, but my exams came back, and I've basically had to mothball the idea since midsummer 2007. I took a brief respite in Spring '08 -- When I ended up failing my exam with a 5 (passing is a 6). Well, I took what I hope was my final exam last Friday (score comes in July), and I want to get back at this. I'll slowly work through the Twins' roster and also touch on a few of the current opponents.

First... Catchers! Jose Morales just got sent to Rochester.
morales_jose_2009morales_jose_2008aaamorales_jose_2008morales_jose_2007
(Morales '09, '08AAA, '08, '07)
I really don't like the use of the Goalie's helmet, but he makes up for it big time by actually wearing the cap under it. The smile he shows there in '09 looks really good... I want this kid to succeed. Maybe he can play 2b/3b?

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Mugshot Purgatory: New Faces #2

In the offseason, there were a few free-agent signings, and minor trades.

Don't know how former Royal Brian Bass came to the team, but he's here now, as a NRIT. Former Astros Adam Everett and Mike Lamb were signed in succession.
bass_brian_2008everett_adam_2008lamb_mike_2008
bass_brian_2006everett_adam_2007_min
(Bass '08, '06; Everett '08, '07-PS; Lamb '08)

Also, the team got Livan Hernandez, Craig Monroe, and Matt Macri (NRIT). Macri came late last season via the Ramon Ortiz trade.
hernandez_livan_2008monroe_craig_2008macri_matt_2008
(Hernandez '08, Monroe '08, Macri '08)
I saw Monroe play CF for a few innings at a Cubs game last September. Jaque Jones played CF in that game, too. He looks really happy, as if someone made a $2 Million error in his favor.

Mugshot Purgatory: Old Faces with New Caps

As I have commented, my professional education obligations prevent me from doing as much on the MPs as I did last year, but I'll be looking at this year's mugshots, so I might as well post them.

Here are the players that aren't with the team this year (and are with another team). First, starting pitchers Johan Santana, Carlos Silva, and Matt Garza.
santana_johan_2008.jpgsilva_calros_2008.jpggarza_matt_2008.jpg
(Santana '08, Silva '08, Garza '08)
So, the Twins have basically lost their 1-2-3 pitchers from last year? Awesome! Johan looks very Johan-ny in this pic, happy and relaxed, and just said "Happy Birthday!" to the photographer.

Starting position players Torii Hunter, Jason Bartlett, and Luis Castillo.
hunter_torii_2008.jpgbartlett_jason_2008.jpgcastillo_luis_2008.jpg
(Hunter '08, Bartlett '08, Castillo '08)
My feeling is that we'll miss Bart the most.

Backup catchers Chris Heintz and Matthew LeCroy.
heintz_chris_2008.jpglecroy_matthew_2008.jpg
(Heintz '08, LeCroy '08)
Oakland is still giving players New Era replica caps. LeCroy has always looked happier in his Twins photos.

Backup outfielder Lew Ford.
ford_lew_2008.jpg
(Ford '08)
That's from the Hanshin Tigers of Japan's Central League. They look like the Yankees with Gold highlights. (I re-sized and cropped the photo myself).

There, that wasn't so bad (for me). I guess I can do a dozen or so photos a morning, provided I wake myself up early enough.

Mugshot Purgatory: 2007 NL Champion Colorado Rockies

This is obviously who I'm cheering for, even though as of Sept 30, I knew like 5 of these dudes. If you need to know who is on the AL champs, the loathed BoSox, well, I looked at them in early May. [Note: Roster may not be the same. [Subnote: I may not care.]]

Look, this is the first step in preventing a Boston sports apocalypse: BoSox win WS, Pats go 19-0, BC wins BCS championship, Celts win NBA. The fans would be so insufferable, it would blot out the sun. I'm hoping the Rox stop it before it starts. So, for about a week here, the good guys will wear black.

Note how much these "home whites" mugshots look like ChiSox mugshots.

Rotation: Jeff Francis, Ubaldo Jimenez, Josh Fogg, and Aaron Cook (just activated!).
francis_jeff_2007jimenez_ubaldo_2007fogg_josh_2007cook_aaron_2007
francis_jeff_2006jimenez_ubaldo_2006fogg_josh_2006cook_aaron_2006
francis_jeff_2005jimenez_ubaldo_2007aaafogg_josh_2005cook_aaron_2005
(Francis '07, '06, '05; Jimenez '07, '06, '07AAA; Fogg '07, '06, '05; Cook '07, '06, '05)
AAA is Colorado Springs SkySox unless I say otherwise. Francis looks very young, and Cook has been quietly giving Mark Kotsay competition in the saddest-looking major-leaguer race.

Former Royal Jeremy "The one the White Sox didn't take" Affeldt and Former Twin LaTroy "I'm only bad when I'm closing" Hawkins are staples in the Rox bullpen, but there have been other former Royals and Twins on the roster during 2007, all pitchers. One-time all-star and former Twin and former Royal Mark Redman, former Twin Ramon Ortiz have both been released by the team. (I never saw a transaction for Ortiz, as he did pick up the win in game 163, but he's not on the 40-man now).
affeldt_jeremy_2007affeldt_jeremy_2006affeldt_jeremy_2005
hawkins_latroy_2007hawkins_latroy_2006hawkins_latroy_2005hawkins_latroy_2004
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Mugshot Purgatory: Anaheim Angels of Los Angeles

Allright, you're an LA team, I get it. I actually liked the fact that this team claimed Anaheim as a home, the Green Bay of MLB. The small town with a bona-fide major league ballclub. Eh, no more. I'm over it and this is the last time I make a joke about it and see if I ever cheer for your club over the Giants in the World Series again. Not sure where this team lands in the continuum of teams I despise, they must not bother me that much, seems like I heard about most of these players for the first time when pulling this together (not the starters though!).

Anyways, los Angeles were the first team to adopt black underbills, they've been doing that at least since the year they won the World Series. Given that these guys seem to take identical photographs year-to-year, it was harder to date the pics as I didn't have my standard black underbill = 2007 guideline working for me. Luckily, 2005 had peach colored backgrounds.

Starters: Lohn Lackey, Jered "The Good" Weaver, Ervin Santana (All Probables), Bartolo "2005 CY, 2007 ERA over 6" Colon, and Kelvim "Absolute Zero" Escobar. One day off for a Santana-Santana matchup. Damn.
lackey_john_2007weaver_jered_2007santana_ervin_2007colon_bartolo_2007escobar_kelvim_2007
lackey_john_2006weaver_jered_2006santana_ervin_2006colon_bartolo_2006escobar_kelvim_2006
lackey_john_2005santana_ervin_2005colon_bartolo_2005escobar_kelvim_2005
escobar_kelvim_2001
(Lackey '07, '06, '05; Weaver '07, '06; Santana '07, '06, '05; Colon '07, '06, '05; Escobar '07, '06, '05, '01)
Weaver's aging a bit, if I squint I can see some of his older brother's scuzziness.
(Update: Santana has been optioned to the AAA Salt Lake Bees, and catcher Mike Napoli has been activated. I have no idea who starts on Sunday. Bullpen guy, I'm guessing.)(Update 2: It's Joe Saunders, a lefty. Below in "Minor Leaguers." I assume Mathis will be sent down after the game on Saturday.)

Catchers: Jeff Mathis, Jose "Molina Brother #2" Molina, Mike Napoli (15-day DL), and Bobby Wilson (AA).
mathis_jeff_2007aaa
mathis_jeff_2007molina_jose_2007napoli_mike_2007wilson_bobby_2007
mathis_jeff_2006molina_jose_2006napoli_mike_2006
mathis_jeff_2005molina_jose_2005
(Mathis '07AAA, '07, '06, '05; Molina '07, '06, '05; Napoli '07, '06, Wilson '07)
I very much approve of Molina Brother #2's mugshots, nicely groomed beard.

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Mugshot Purgatory: Yanquis 2

I did an MP of these guys before, but that I was before I found my resources. Here are some more details.

Probable Starters: Roger Clemens, Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina, Kei Igawa.
clemens_roger_2007Wang 2007Mussina 2007Igawa 2007
clemens_roger_2005wang_chienming_2006mussina_mike_2006igawa_kei_2006
90spacer.jpgwang_chienming_2005mussina_mike_2005
(Clemens '07, '05; Wang '07, '06, '05; Mussina '07, '06, '05; Igawa '07, '06)
Clemens had an '06 photoshop that looks like the '07 photoshop, but with the grey underbill. Igawa '06 is from the Hanshin Tigers. That's awfully close to a Yankees uniform. The cap even looks like it's salty-tire off-black (Yankees bruiseBlue).

Improbable Starters: Andy Pettitte, Carl Pavano, Darrell Rasner, Phil Hughes.
Pettitte 2007Pavano 2007rasner 2007hughes_phil_2007
pettitte_andy_2006pavano_carl_2006rasner_darrell_2006hughes_phil_2007aaa
pettitte_andy_2005pavano_carl_2005rasner_darrell_2005
(Pettitte '07, '06, '05; Pavano '07, '06, '05; Rasner '07, '06, '05; Hughes '07, '07AAA)
Pettitte pitched yesterday and the other 3 are on the 60-day DL. The Yanquis have 8 players on the DL, of which 6 are pitchers on the 60-day. Dougie Baseball and Giambi are on the 15-day. The Hughes AAA is from the Scranton-Wilkes Barre Yankees. Ugh, what a name.

Also, here is Ron "Morneau Concussor" Villone.
villone_ron_2007villone_ron_2006villone_ron_2005
(Villone '07, '06, '05)
Something is funny about that '05... photoshop?

Sorry, that's all I got for this series. I covered them pretty thoroughly last time (albeit without minor-leaguers or many old photos).

Mugshot Purgatory: Detroit Tigers #2

I did a half-baked look at the Tigers earlier this season. This didn't feature the whole roster, just a few select players. Here's a few more.

Probables: Verlander (featured before), Andrew Miller, and Bonderman (featured before).
miller_andrew_2007
(Miller '07)

The Tigers swapped their guy Wilfredo Ledezma for former Brave Macay McBride
ledezma_wilfredo_2007atlledezma_wilfredo_2007ledezma_wilfredo_2006
mcbride_macay_2007detmcbride_macay_2007mcbride_macay_2006mcbride_macay_2005
(Ledezma '07PS-ATL, '07, '06; McBride '07PS-DET, '07, '06, '05)

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Mugshot Purgatory: Toronto Jays #2

I already did a Mugshot Purgatory for the Jays, (see here). However, I've got a few more resources now, and they've had a lot of roster moves.

Probables: Roy "ALCY03" Halladay (who was on the DL last time with appendicitis), Shaun Marcum and Josh Towers (who were missed because their spots in the rotation didn't come up), and AJ Burnett (who the Twins faced previously and who is slated to come off the DL for this game).
halladay_roy_2007.jpgmarcum_shaun_2007.jpgtowers_josh_2007.jpgburnett_aj_2007.jpg
halladay_roy_2006.jpgmarcum_shaun_2006.jpgtowers_josh_2006.jpgburnett_aj_2006.jpg
halladay_roy_200590spacer.jpgtowers_josh_2005burnett_aj_2005
(Halladay '07, '06, '05; Marcum '07, '06; Towers '07, '06, '05; Burnett '07, '06, '05)

Lyle Overbay is on the DL and Gregg Zaun is off.
overbay_lyle_2007.jpgoverbay_lyle_2006.jpgoverbay_lyle_2005
zaun_gregg_2007.jpgzaun_gregg_2006.jpgzaun_gregg_2005
(Overbay '07, '07, '05; Zaun '07, '06, '05)

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Mugshot Purgatory: Florida Marlins

Castillo goes home... This team has had so many roster ups and downs this year that a lot of the 25-man roster wasn't even on the 40-man in spring training and so there are a lot of ad hoc 2007 mugshots. I'll state right here that the AAA pics are from the Albuquerque Isotopes (name inspired by "the Simpsons"), and the AA pics are from the Carolina Mudcats.

I picked the wrong team to do an MP a week ahead of time for. The below is accurate except that Vanden Hurk was optioned to AA Carolina, Brett Carroll has been added to the team from AAA, Kim is now allegedly the fifth starter, and De Aza is now on the 60-day DL.

Starting Pitchers: Scott Olson, Josh Johnson, and Dontrelle Willis are the series probables; plus Sergio Mitre and Rick Vanden Hurk.
olsen_scott_2007olsen_scott_2005
johnson_josh_2007johnson_josh_2006johnson_josh_2005
willis_dontrelle_2007willis_dontrelle_2006willis_dontrelle_2005
mitre_sergio_2007mitre_sergio_2006
vandenhurk_rick_2007
(Olson '07, '05; Johnson '07, '06, '05; Willis '07, '06, '05; Mitre '07, '06; VandenHurk '07)
The current Mitre is probably the best of the Marlins. That would have never happened with Girardi as manager. (He had a clean-shaven policy.)

Catchers: Miguel Olivo and Matt Treanor.
olivo_miguel_2007olivo_miguel_2006olivo_miguel_2005
treanor_matt_2007treanor_matt_2006treanor_matt_2005
(Olivo '07, '06, '05; Treanor '07, '06, '05)

Former Twins: Travis Bowyer and Scott Tyler were both traded for Castillo. Bowyer's been on the DL since the trade.
bowyer_travis_2007bowyer_travis_2006bowyer_travis_2005
tyler_scott_2007aatyler_scott_2007tyler_scott_2006tyler_scott_2005
(Bowyer '07, '06, '05; Tyler '07AA, '07, '06, '05)
The '06 Tyler is a photoshop of the '05.

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Mugshot Purgatory: New York City Metropolitans

Black underbills for all.
   Boo
Very well, no black underbills for anyone.
   Boo
Black underbills for some, miniature American flags for others.
   Yay
miniature_american_flags
(Flags)

Probable Starters: John "the Smirk" Maine, Jorge Sosa, and Oliver Perez.
maine_john_2007sosa_jorge_2007perez_oliver_2007
maine_john_2006sosa_jorge_2006perez_oliver_2006
maine_john_2005sosa_jorge_2004perez_oliver_2005
(Maine '07, '06, '05; Sosa '07, '06, '04; Perez '07, '06, '05)
I miss Perez's beard.

Other Starters: Tom Glavine and former ChiSok Orlando "Le Duc" Hernandez.
glavine_tom_2007glavine_tom_2006glavine_tom_2005
hernandez_orlando_2007hernandez_orlando_2006hernandez_orlando_2005
(Glavine '07, '06, '05; OHernandez '07, '06, '05)
As Le Duc was not on the team to start the season (Jose Lima hadn't yet heated up in Mexico), his '06 was photoshopped for '07.

Catchers: Paul Lo Duca and Ramon Castro.
loduca_paul_2007loduca_paul_2006loduca_paul_2004
castro_ramon_2007castro_ramon_2006castro_ramon_2005
(LoDuca '07, '06, '04; Castro '07, '06, '05)
Watching sportscenter earlier this season, they were interviewing players about Clemens or something (knowing ESPN, it was probably the NFL) and I could tell that Lo Duca waxes or plucks his eyebrows. Can kindof see it in the '04.

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Mugshot Purgatory: Philadelphia Phillies

The Twins host the Brewers for an interleague series, but I already previewed them and their roster hasn't changed much. I didn't go over their minor-leaguers, but those aren't really that important, I just thow them in for fun.

However, before we get to the Phillies, there have been three roster moves for the Brewers.
1. Former Royal Elmer Dessens to the DL, and Ryan Braun to the club (position player replaces relief pitcher). 2. Rickie Weeks to the DL, Jose Capellan to the club (reliever replaces position player). 3. Chris Capuano to the DL, "top prospect" Yovani Gallardo to the club (righty starter replaces lefty starter).
braun_ryan_2007aaabraun_ryan_2007
capellan_jose_2007aaacapellan_jose_2007capellan_jose_2006
gallardo_yovani_2007aaagallardo_yovani_2007
(Braun '07AAA, '07; Capellan '07AAA, '07, '06; Gallardo '07AAA, '07)
Gallardo looks a bit like Joakim Soria, and they are both Mexican.

Okay, now why the Phillies? Well, the Twins are in the middle of playing everyone else in their division (and they're in the middle of playing the rest of the Twins' division). Also, despite their silly number font, they're the only team that does something special for interleague, that being wearing their alternate interleague cap, with the blue bill, blue bead, and blue star in the "P". I've noticed that the MLB.com recaps even have replaced the "P" in their game recaps.
hamels_jersey_closeupinterleague_cap
(Silly Number Font, Interleague cap)

They've finished playing the ChiSox, will face the Tigers this weekend, and the Hafners next week. Also: Gray underbills.

Rotation: Jon Lieber, Jamie Moyer, Adam Eaton, Cole Hamels, Kyle Kendrick.
lieber_jon_2007moyer_jamie_2007eaton_adam_2007hamels_cole_2007kendrick_kyle_2007
lieber_jon_2006moyer_jamie_2006eaton_adam_2006hamels_cole_2006kendrick_kyle_2007aa
lieber_jon_2005moyer_jamie_2005eaton_adam_2005
(Lieber '07, '06, '05; Moyer '07, '06, '05; Eaton '07, '06, '05; Hamels '07, '06; Kendrick '07, '07AAA)
Wow Moyer does look old. Eaton '05 is a photoshop from the Padres. Kendrick just got added to the 40-man and was called up straight from the AA Reading Phillies, and didn't have a major-league mugshot.

Catchers: Carlos Ruiz and Rod Barajas.
ruiz_carlos_2007barajas_rod_2007
ruiz_carlos_2006barajas_rod_2005
(Ruiz '07, '06; Barajas '07, '05)

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