Life's so unfair 

Posted 9:46 AM by Sean
Ramon Ortiz is making noises about demanding a trade if he's not returned to the starting rotation, and quick. Presumably this would be at the expense of John Lackey, whose last few starts have lacked that, shall we say, major league quality one likes to see in one's starting pitchers.

Yo, Ramon? Somehow I don't think the other GM's have been beating down Bill Stoneman's door trying to deal for you, ya smell me?

But I had to giggle like a little girl at this, from Ortiz's agent, Pat Roache:

"It just seems to me that some of the pitchers have been given preferential treatment to work through their struggles while remaining in the starting rotation, while Ramon, a 44-game winner over the past three years, has not been given the same opportunity," Roache said.

Ramon Ortiz is complaining about preferential treatment? Really? Gosh, you know, he's RIGHT! Now that I think about it, there was that time two starting pitchers were competing for one spot in spring training, and the one starter just totally kicked the other's ass in ever conceivable category, but Scioscia put the bad one in the rotation anyway! Man, what was that potzer's name again?

In other words, put a sock in it, Ramon.

News from the competition 

Posted 9:47 AM by Sean
Oakland 3B Eric Chavez broke his right hand in last night's game against the White Sox. Although the Angels seem to be committed to giving Chone Figgins a chance to play every day at third in Glaus's absence, it will be interesting to see what the A's do in this situation. Unlike Glaus, Chavez is expected to be out for "only" six weeks or so, so they're unlikely to provide any competition for Aaron Boone if the Angels decide they want him (Chavez should be back before Boone will be ready to play).