Gary Gillette: (4:01 PM ET ) Hello everyone. Ready for batting practice?
Kevin (Baltimore, MD): Gary, what's going on with Doug Davis? He sure is off to a rough start. I'd appreciate any insight you could provide.
Gary Gillette: (4:02 PM ET ) I have always been skeptical of overachieving pitchers like Davis.
Gary Gillette: (4:03 PM ET ) He really doesn't have a plus pitch, and he needs almost perfect command to get good hitters out. That's a dangerous line to walk, and very few pitchers can do it successfully for long.
Flemming, Copenhagen, Denmark: Well, what do you know.....the Reds finally got a clue and released Womack. What on God's green earth were they thinking in the first place?
Gary Gillette: (4:03 PM ET ) Asked and answered!
mark (nj): What team do you think Roger Clemens would help the most? Yankees, Boston, Astros?
Gary Gillette: (4:04 PM ET ) Astros, which is still the most likely place he will pitch. However, given that he seems to want to get paid for a full season while pitching only half a season, the Astros might well be outbid by the big boys.
Gary Gillette: (4:06 PM ET ) While the Astros may have better pitching than the Yankees, they also have fewer resources to patch up major problems as the season progresses.
Gary Gillette: (4:07 PM ET ) Of course, at this point, Houston's ERA is higher than the Yankees, so go figure.
Jamie (san francisco: hey gary! love your work...whats your take on Nick Swisher this april? his swing looks shorter and quietly has 8 bombs.
Gary Gillette: (4:08 PM ET ) That Swisher realized the big leagues aren't just Quad-A and has made the necessary adjustments to deliver on his promise.
Franco (Hoboken): Gary, is it time for the Mets to cut ties with victor Zambrano?? Maybe jsut sending him down to AAA to work on his "craft"?
Gary Gillette: (4:09 PM ET ) I was at the Mets-Braves game in Shea last week that Zambrano started, and I thought Victor might need a police escort for his own safety after the game.
Gary Gillette: (4:11 PM ET ) Essentially, I agree. It's time for the Mets to demote Zambrano to the bullpen and see if he can get straightened out.
Adam (Atlanta): Gary: really enjoy your chats! Any chance we see Maddux or Glavine back in a Braves uniform? If so, when?
Gary Gillette: (4:12 PM ET ) I do not see any scenario where either of those two end up back in Atlanta. Either they will pitch so well they will be too expensive for the Braves, for they won't be good enough for the Braves to want them.
Nick (Cleveland): Why is Mark Shapiro so overrated? The Paul Byrd signing, keeping Vazquez over Phillips, re-signing Broussard. This guy is two trades away (Colon, Hafner trades) from being Allan Baird.
Gary Gillette: (4:13 PM ET ) Nick, do you really believe that? I picked the Royals to lose 108 games this year, and that's looking too conservative right now. Do you think Shapiro is even on the same GM planet as Baird, even allowing for the differences between the two teams in terms of resources?
Matt (Sacramento, CA): So when to the Angels start bringing up their young guys (Morales, Kendrick, and Weaver)? Or will it wait until September or next year?
Gary Gillette: (4:15 PM ET ) With the Angels in first place, I doubt they're going to make many dramatic moves soon. They have shown a real reluctance to promote prospects when they have veterans hanging around, and I don't see that changing this season unless they panic.
Gary Gillette: (4:16 PM ET ) Mind you, I'm not saying I agree with that pattern...
Jim (Harrisburg): Gary, did you catch Ryan Howard's first home run yesterday? Wow.
Gary Gillette: (4:17 PM ET ) Yes, but on the radio. Howard has done what he needed to do to keep away from a sophomore slump, and he looks poised for a big year. Thank you, Ed Wade, for keeping him in the minors for so long.
Chris Ray (Baltimore, MD): Can I get some love please? 6 Saves, 0.00 ERA, 11 strikeouts & 3 hits in 8 innings and all anyone wants to talk about is (the older) Jonathan Papelbon!
Gary Gillette: (4:18 PM ET ) Well-put. Ray is definitely overlooked, but Papelbon still has the bigger upside.
Will (Watertown, MA): How about Johny Gomes? His bat is looking Sheffield quick. What do you see his numbers being at the end of the year?
Gary Gillette: (4:20 PM ET ) Sheffield-quick is an overstatement, as Sheff had once of the best bat speeds of the past 15 years. But Gomes is a legit hitter and should be good for 30-35 HRs and a 900-950 OPS over the full season.
Jon Papelbon(Boston, Ma): I'm an inch away from having an era over 4, a blown 3-run save, and a loss. Adam Stern made my stats better than they should be with a lucky catch.
Gary Gillette: (4:22 PM ET ) Uh, what about the 6 Hits plus 2 Walks in 11.1 IP? Stern must be Superman if he's propping Papelbon up.
Roger Clemens: Do the Red Sox have a prayer to sign me?
Gary Gillette: (4:24 PM ET ) Yes, a prayer, but the Astros, Rangers, and Yanks have better chances.
pete (philly): Were you being serious or sarcastic about the Ed Wade comment?
Gary Gillette: (4:24 PM ET ) Pete, what is the emoticon for sarcasm?
Kevin (Minnesota): How soon do we see Liriano out of the bullpen and into the rotation. The kid is absolutely NASTY!!!!
Gary Gillette: (4:26 PM ET ) I think pretty soon. Lohse shows no sign of being worth giving 20 GS, and I'm not overly excited by Baker anyway. Plus I didn't agree with putting Liriano in the 'pen in the first place.
Campbell (Philly): Even reading the name Ed Wade makes me sick....
Gary Gillette: (4:27 PM ET ) As a former resident of Philly, I have enormous sympathy for the fans there.
David Wells: I actually hate the Red Sox, and I'm just doing this to torture them.
Gary Gillette: (4:29 PM ET ) Or maybe Wells is a train-wreck as a person and his personality has finally caught up to him. People will forgive almost anything if you're winning or producing, but if you're not...
Luke (Statesboro, Ga.): What can/will the Cubs to while Lee is on the DL?
Gary Gillette: (4:30 PM ET ) Personally, I think the only solution if they want to contend is to swing a trade. But Walker/Restovich might work in the short run.
Trent (Irving, TX): How impressed have you been with Craig "I am 40 years old" Biggio lately? I mean seriously, over the weekend went something like 10 for 13, scoring a ton of runs and starting to hit the long ball.
Gary Gillette: (4:31 PM ET ) Biggio's stats for the full 2005 season--esp. his road numbers--impress me a lot more than his stats for the first 3 weeks of 2006.
steve (cinci): who should the cubs target in a trade? Tony Clark? Mike Sweeney? Someone else?
Gary Gillette: (4:33 PM ET ) Clark has been bandied about, and they could do a lot worse. But why would they want Sweeney, an injury-prone immobile slugger with a huge contract and an OPS south of 600 right now?
MJ (CT): How good can Liriano actually be THIS season if he were to be in the rotation, say, from June on?
Gary Gillette: (4:33 PM ET ) Hey, he was my pick for AL ROTY.
Dave (IL): If Maddux wins 20 games and gets another Cy Young this year, is there a chance he could go into the Hall with a Cubs hat?
Gary Gillette: (4:34 PM ET ) Doubtful.
Biggio: Why do Biggio's road numbers impress you, he was brutal on the road last year?
Gary Gillette: (4:35 PM ET ) I guess I really do have to find that sarcasm emoticon before my next chat.
Jamie, Helena MT: You were being critical towards the Angels and there prospects, but did you know they called up Howie Kendrick today?
Gary Gillette: (4:36 PM ET ) I had not seen that, and I checked the wire stories just before my chat. If they did so, good for them and for the club's chances.
Robert (Washington): Why is MLB so bad at dealing with payback situations? First the Nats got punished while the Mets and Pedro didnt and now it appears that Jose Mesa will just keep trying to kill Vizquel without MLB even really caring?
Gary Gillette: (4:37 PM ET ) Alan Schwarz and I talked about this in the ESPN.com Baseball Today Podcast this morning.
Gary Gillette: (4:38 PM ET ) My opinion, which I know isn't popular, is that the umpires should be empowered to eject immediately any pitcher that hits a batter in the head, throws a pitch behind a hitter, or in the ump's judgment deliberately throws at a hitter.
Gary Gillette: (4:39 PM ET ) Because MLB only allows the umps to punish those who retaliate and not the instigators, things quickly get out of hand.
Tony (Chicago): I know Clemens is great, but isn't Maddux's career the more impressive. He has done what hes done with out a 95mph+ fastball.
Gary Gillette: (4:40 PM ET ) Both are among the top 6 starting pitchers of all-time, but I don't think how you do it matters. What matters are the results. Besides, Clemens is also a smart pitcher and a pitcher with great control.
Matt (Sacramento, CA): You may have more recent info but they called up Willits and I cannot find anything on the Angels' website or on the ESPN.com wire link that says they called up Kendrick...
Gary Gillette: (4:41 PM ET ) I can't check while I'm chatting. As I said, I didn't see any story about it when I looked at 3:45 ET before my chat.
Paul: Grand forks : Howie wasn't called up Erick Abyar was.
Gary Gillette: (4:42 PM ET ) I guess I'll find out who was really called up after the chat...
Hende (OH): I'm not trying to defend Shapiro, but they gave Phillips every chance possible to succeed in Cleveland before finally giving up. These hindsight hackers are being a little too aggresive.
Gary Gillette: (4:43 PM ET ) I thought my answer was pretty clear. Shapiro has made mistakes (and that's not saying that the Phillips deal was a mistake--it's too early to tell). ALL GMs make mistakes.
Gary Gillette: (4:44 PM ET ) But Shapiro is certainly a good GM, even if you don't believe he is a great GM. As for my opinion, I think he's done a great job rebuilding the Tribe, but greatness comes with winning, and the future isn't known to us.
Larry (NJ): Since you seem to have some perspective on how to interpret a sample size of just 3 weeks, how about giving us your evaluation of the red sox? 12-7 record, with the writers seemingly gushing about them and their pitching, but a meager +7 run differential (90/83). Can they really keep up a .600 clip all year like this or will it catch up with them? Seems like the yankees will fare better over the long run (106/71, #1 in runs scored and #3 in runs allowed, per game).
Gary Gillette: (4:47 PM ET ) I picked BOS to finish first, so I'm guessing that the Sox will play better than that over the long haul. Obviously, the Yanks have a strong offense, but I don't think it will score 1000 runs as some believe.
Tommy (green bay): You think Carlos Zambrano will come around?
Gary Gillette: (4:48 PM ET ) Yes, and I think he'll win a Cy Young award before Prior or Wood ever does.
Gary Gillette: (4:48 PM ET ) BTW, Alan Schwarz said in our Podcast this a.m. that he thinks Zambrano will throw a 2- or 3-hitter tonight against the Fish.
casey (San Mateo): why does it seem that randy johnson takes a 2nd seat in discussing the best pitchers of this era?
Gary Gillette: (4:49 PM ET ) Because, as great as he is/was, he ain't/wasn't The Rocket or The Surgeon.
Denny Flushing: Any chance the mets call up Pelfrey or Milledge before the all-star break? mainly Pelfrey tho
Gary Gillette: (4:50 PM ET ) Yes, a chance for both. But more likely both will be promoted in the 2nd half.
Matt (Baltimore, MD): Where's the love for the FIRST place rockies in the NL West. Not a single question answered about them in Buster's chat or yours so far. Do you think they have ANY chance of winning the division?
Gary Gillette: (4:52 PM ET ) Matt, I don't read other chats so I can pull makeup questions. I think the Rox are playing way over their purple heads and won't be able to sustain anything like their current record.
casey (San Mateo): will vizquel make the hall? worse hitting short stops with less gold gloves that werent nessicarily leaders are in. Does Omar not make it because of the Offensive era?
Gary Gillette: (4:53 PM ET ) Casey, I think no one--and I mean NO ONE--can predict right now how the great players of the so-called Steroids Era will be evaluated by the HOF voters.
Gary Gillette: (4:53 PM ET ) I think we're at least 5 years away from having any realistic assessment of how HOF voting will be impacted in the long run.
Jose Mesa: He won't make it to the hall because I'm going to kill him
Gary Gillette: (4:54 PM ET ) Ouch!!! But possibly true.
Larry WEST ISLIP,NY: How long do you think before Carlos Pena replaces Andy Phillips on the Yankee roster?
Gary Gillette: (4:55 PM ET ) Larry, I haven' t looked to see how well Pena is playing in the minors, but I don't think it will be long before he's in the Bronx. He would have to be completely awful to not get a shot in New York.
Jeff (Colorado): While we are on the subject, where is the love for Todd Helton? This guy is easily one of the top 10 hitters in the game today, yet nobody talks about him. Coors Field doesn't help you be selective at the plate.
Gary Gillette: (4:57 PM ET ) Helton has been a great hitter, but playing in a small market--and, more importantly--for a dreadful club has hurt his reputation. Plus people (including the media) don't take hitting in Denver seriously, even though they are perfectly willing to swallow all sorts of other ballpark effects without any dyspepsia.
Erik Bedard, MD: Maddox who? Pedro who? I'm 4-0 with a 2.77 era!
Gary Gillette: (4:58 PM ET ) And if you can do that for the rest of the season plus another 15 years, people will talk about you, too.
Dave (NY,NY): Howie Kendrick was promoted - says so as of 4:39PM EST
Gary Gillette: (4:58 PM ET ) Late word from the media capital...
Paul (Detroit): Is Justin Verlander anywhere near Felix Hernandez's level?
Gary Gillette: (4:59 PM ET ) Verlander is a great prospect with enormous potential, but I'd rate him a bit below Hernandez. And I would have started him at Toledo this year, but I'm very conservative about young pitchers and very skeptical of desperate clubs.
Jim (Detroit): Does any team have more young pitching talent then the Tigers? Verlander, Zumaya, Bonderman, Tata.
Gary Gillette: (5:00 PM ET ) Tata is WAY too raw of a talent to mention in that group, but I think the Tigers have a great assemblage of young talent and it might even gel this year.
Goose (Chicago): Official, Kendrick was called up. Will he get PT right away?
Gary Gillette: (5:02 PM ET ) I gotta believe the Angels aren't calling him up to let him sit. He should play regularly if he's in the bigs.
Greg (Boston): What's your opinion of Theo? Seems he gets a free pass here for winning the WS but look at the overall track record including: Renteria, Clement, Suppan, Sauerbeck, Kim, Williamson, Mendoza, Remlinger, Stanton, Giambi, etc
Gary Gillette: (5:03 PM ET ) A good GM with a great future, esp. if he stays with a club like Boston with almost unlimited resources. See my previous comments about all GMs making mistakes.
Josh (Madison, WI): Simple question: do you think Frank Thomas, Bobby Crosby, and or Mark Ellis will come around?
Gary Gillette: (5:03 PM ET ) Thomas, no. Crosby and Ellis, yes.
Sean (San Jose): How about the O's young talent...Cabrera, Bedard, Ray, Penn, Loewen, etc.
Gary Gillette: (5:04 PM ET ) I have been touting the O's young pitchers consistently since early in 2005.
Gary Gillette: (5:04 PM ET ) 3 more quickies, then I'm off to see the world premiere of a new documentary on Tiger Stadium.
Tim (St.Paul, MN): How would you rank King Felix, Liriano, McCarthy, and Verlander?
Gary Gillette: (5:05 PM ET ) King Felix, LIriano and Verlander (tied), McCarthy is not even in their league, though I like him.
Marcos (Chicago): One of your co-workers picked the White Sox to finish third in the AL central...How foolish does he look right now?
Gary Gillette: (5:06 PM ET ) Marcos, I don't know who you are hammering, but it's only 3 weeks into the season for god's sake.
Ron Burgandy: Tigers Stadium documentary? What's it called?
Gary Gillette: (5:07 PM ET ) "Stranded at the Corner" written by Richard Bak, directed by Gary Glaser. Check out StrandedAtTheCorner.com for more info.
Rob (Ft Worth): Astros... best record in MLB (despite Pettite with 3 L's). Lowest ERA of any starting 5 in NL... Scoring like 7-8 runs a game. Are you pretty suprised, or (like every other analyst) think it's only a matter of time till the Cards and Cubs catch them... which by the way is what the "analysts" have said the last 2 seasons...
Gary Gillette: (5:07 PM ET ) I picked STL to win the Central, with Houston finishing 2nd. I don't take the Cubs seriously as a contender.
Gary Gillette: (5:08 PM ET ) Thanks, everyone, for a fun chat. See you next week.
