Josh Fogg

by em3 on Jan 8, 2008 8:53 PM EST

The Reds are apparently interested in Josh Fogg.
Story here:

http://mlbfleecefactor.com/2008/01/08/report-reds-interested-in-fogg/

This is a horrible idea, in my opinion. Fogg's career ERA is almost 5! Krivsky will have gone from teasing Cincy with Haren, Willis and Bedard to ruining Cincy with Fogg.

I hope this rumor is false. you?

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John Fay reporting

It may be true that the Reds talked to Josh Fogg. But it may also be true that the Reds were calling Dominos, and Fogg answered.

by Brian B on Jan 8, 2008 11:23 PM EST reply actions

it could even be that Wayne Krivsky's

flight was delayed by fog.

The Dusty path to the World Series!

by justin0070000 on Jan 9, 2008 12:20 AM EST up reply actions

Yay

I only use HGH in the postseason, but everything else is the real me-Mike Stantons Conscience

by Zach K on Jan 9, 2008 8:29 AM EST reply actions

In my neighborhood, when there is a new house being built, a lot of valuable SCRAP wood is thrown away in a dumpster. When we salvage it to use for fireplace kindling or something like that, we call it dumpster diving.

When Wayne Krivsky searches the FA wire for someone like Josh Fogg, ........

Yogi Berra said: "predictions are tough, especially when they are about the future".

by Lonesome George on Jan 9, 2008 9:16 AM EST reply actions

To be fair.

you can get delicious and edible bagels out of dumpster diving. There's nothing wrong with it.

Everybody's a jerk. You. Me. This jerk.

by andromache on Jan 10, 2008 2:30 PM EST up reply actions

I believe kimchi was invented that way

Someone found some three day old sauerkraut in the garbage, was not above eating it, and voila!

by Brendanukkah on Jan 10, 2008 3:23 PM EST up reply actions

And kimchi is delicious!

BTW, that's racist!

(actually, that does come off as somewhat offensive.)

Everybody's a jerk. You. Me. This jerk.

by andromache on Jan 10, 2008 6:47 PM EST up reply actions

To be fair

He pitched for Colorado last year. His ERA+, a stat which adjusts for ballpark effects, was 97 last year. (A pitcher with a league-average ERA would get a 100.) His performance over the past few years could probably be described as better than Brett Tomko but not as good as Kyle Lohse.

by LooseCannon on Jan 9, 2008 9:32 AM EST reply actions

But if you look at the last 3 years

He's pretty much dead even with Tomko as both have an ERA+ over that span of 90. The problem is that Fogg has also walked more hitters and struck out fewer than Tomko.

He's also pretty much the same pitcher as Josh Towers (though Towers walks about 1 fewer batter per nine innings), who just signed an incentive-laden deal with the Rockies. The only guaranteed money that Towers gets is $400k, but he'll make $1.8M once he's added to the 25-man roster. I think a similar deal for Fogg is practical, but I would hope the Reds would seriously think about whether it's worth it to spend that $1.8M just to get experienced sub-mediocrity. If Fogg comes into Spring Training and gets outpitched by the youngsters, hopefully the Reds will be smart enough to go young.

I'm not superstitious...but I am a little stitious.

by Slyde on Jan 9, 2008 10:02 AM EST up reply actions

I think you have me convinced...

That the Reds should stay away from Josh Towers, because if he is around and has cost Waynerhead $1.8 million, there is no doubt he makes the 25-man roster (See People's Exhibits 1-3, filed under "Cormier, Rheal," "Stanton, Mike," and "Castro, Juan").

At least it wasn't Grady Little.

by Paul Householder on Jan 9, 2008 8:28 PM EST up reply actions

Well

It's actually Fogg that the Reds would go after. Towers has already signed, and he doesn't make $1.8M unless he makes the 25-man roster. Otherwise he only costs the Rockies $400k. I think that's a pretty sweet contract since it gives the Rockies a chance to kick the tires on Towers before paying full price. Towers is also a bit more of a groundball pitcher, so he'll look nice in front of that shiny Rockies defense.

I'm not superstitious...but I am a little stitious.

by Slyde on Jan 9, 2008 8:32 PM EST up reply actions

Fogg is younger than Tomko

That's one point in his favor. Really, I don't think that the enthusiasm that some have had for signing Tomko is justified, which is why I made that comparison (plus Tomko is Fogg's second comp through age 30). If I had to guess, I would say that Fogg is probably more predictably mediocre, while Tomko has a greater chance of being both above average or very bad. With some young pitchers potentially breaking into the rotation, I would guess that consistent useful suckiness might be worth more than inconsistent unpredictability.

by LooseCannon on Jan 9, 2008 8:54 PM EST up reply actions

I've spoken for adding Tomko

not because I think he is any good, but that I think we need a temp. #5 starter for half of this season. Come July, Cueto should be ready for the show, plus waiting until July allows us to control Cueto for an extra season. Only reason I advocate Tomko is out of the FA starters list he is the only one who: wants to play in cincy, could be signed for reasonable $, would only require a 1yr deal, won't go off the handle when he becomes a swingman/long reliever mid season. No other FA starter fits the bill, many wanting to avoide half their starts being at GABP.

Also we're talking about a #5 starter. Someone who is just expected to keep you in the game, and will likely have an ERA in the 5-6 range. I would say just use someone in house as a half season patchwork until Cueto arrives. But the only option I see is Shearn, whose season last year may have been a complete fluke. Times like these remind me of how sad it is that Livingston will not be ready to start the year.

by jacob brumfield on Jan 10, 2008 9:20 AM EST up reply actions

Fogg would be a mistake

he would get a multi-year deal, blocking our great young arms.

What we need is a starter who would accept a one year deal.
What we need is a veteran who can bestow endless amounts of wisdom on our young guys.
What we need is a guy who can throw a shut-out while being legally drunk in 48 states.
What we need is someone who will share 2 girls 1 cup with Dusty Baker.
What we need is David Wells.

by jacob brumfield on Jan 9, 2008 10:34 AM EST reply actions

Thanks for picking away the mental scar tissue

I'm trying my damndest to repress 2G1C, and you go throwing Boomer and Dusty into the mix. I'm never getting a decent night's sleep again.

by Brendanukkah on Jan 9, 2008 11:36 AM EST up reply actions

ERA+

Do you know where to find a listing of pitchers ERA+? Sounds like a really interesting stat.

Thanks..

by em3 on Jan 9, 2008 10:46 AM EST reply actions

Baseball Reference

Every pitcher has ERA+ listed on their personal pages (ex. Josh Fogg). You can also see the league leaders here at the bottom of the page. And this week only, you can run queries on the site for free to see how players did over multiple years, like this one.

I'm not superstitious...but I am a little stitious.

by Slyde on Jan 9, 2008 10:55 AM EST up reply actions

David Wells is oooooold....

Older than most, though not as old as me.

Stick a fork in him, I think he is done. If he can't cut it in Petco (pitcher friendly), I shudder to think of him in GABP.

Yogi Berra said: "predictions are tough, especially when they are about the future".

by Lonesome George on Jan 9, 2008 12:31 PM EST reply actions

Maybe we can Wells in 2010

For the Fifteenth Anniversary of the last time we were in the playoffs.

by Brendanukkah on Jan 9, 2008 1:15 PM EST up reply actions

Mark Portugal is probably also available

by Brendanukkah on Jan 9, 2008 1:15 PM EST up reply actions

they weren't traded for mid season

but I would rather have Schourck (who is still my hero) and Smiley.

The Dusty path to the World Series!

by justin0070000 on Jan 9, 2008 5:16 PM EST up reply actions

Shhhhh!

Don't give Wayne any ideas. Wells will have off-the-charts Veteran Presence by 2010!

At least it wasn't Grady Little.

by Paul Householder on Jan 10, 2008 9:20 PM EST up reply actions

n

What's Juan Guzman doing now? Has anyone talked to him lately?

by Snake the Jake on Jan 9, 2008 9:03 PM EST reply actions

reply to this...

it's too difficult

by Snake the Jake on Jan 9, 2008 9:04 PM EST up reply actions

What a fuckin' name Josh Fogg...

Foghorn Armhorn, Fogman, The Fogster, He throws the high hard FOG, etc. A peripheral pitcher but we could have a little fun with his name.

"Statistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by Madville on Jan 11, 2008 10:21 PM EST reply actions

Why?

He's a slop pitcher who will be reduced to a batting practice pitcher if he comes over here. I think someone else mentioned he's not as good as Kyle Loshe. Do we need to know anything to realize the man should not be occupying space on our roster?

by tonywf on Jan 14, 2008 2:32 AM EST reply actions