Burke non-tendered. Dancing in the streets to follow

"Lopez passed his physical exam, the final step before executing a one-year, $3.5 million contract... His signing means the D-Backs will not offer a contract to Chris Burke at today’s deadline. Burke will become a free agent."

6 months ago Jim McLennan Comment 64 comments 0 recs |

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::cue the singing of joyful hymns by the socos::

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 12, 2008 6:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

THIS TIME YOU GO TO FAR KENDRICK

First you don’t sign Randy and then Dunn, who’s next? CC SABATHIA!?

You keep on rowin', and I'll keep on smilin'.

by soco on Dec 12, 2008 6:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

YOU ALSO GO TOO FAR

You keep on rowin', and I'll keep on smilin'.

by soco on Dec 12, 2008 6:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I say

he doesn’t go too far enough!

"We...probed them all the way through. They're completely meat." — Terry Bisson

by Scrbl on Dec 12, 2008 9:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Just got Schoenewies

Not earth shattering, but he’s got a very nice split against lefties. Nice little pick-up, I think.

by Counsellmember on Dec 12, 2008 7:34 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Full Story.

Schoeneweis for Connor Robertson. Mets will pay $1.6 mil of Schoeneweis’ $3.6 mil salary.

Of note:

Schoeneweis went 0-3 with a blown save and a 5.40 ERA in September as the Mets collapsed down the stretch for the second straight year.

and:

Schoeneweis was 2-6 with a 3.34 ERA in 73 games — including 1-4 with a 4.66 ERA after the All-Star break.

Good — he should fit right in with Jon Rauch.

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 12, 2008 10:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Across the nation, around the world…

by Azreous on Dec 12, 2008 8:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Can't talk!

Dancing.

"We...probed them all the way through. They're completely meat." — Terry Bisson

by Scrbl on Dec 12, 2008 9:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Uh oh

you just put up the “DbacksSkins Spotlight.” He’s going to come in and bust yo chops.

You keep on rowin', and I'll keep on smilin'.

by soco on Dec 12, 2008 9:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

DON’T YOU KNOW??

“No sane man will dance.” – Cicero

I always include “sober” in there too, though.

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 12, 2008 10:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I am drunk!

Drunk on the absence of Chris Burke. Does that count?

"We...probed them all the way through. They're completely meat." — Terry Bisson

by Scrbl on Dec 13, 2008 1:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Nah.

That’s like being high on life. It’s a myth.

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 13, 2008 4:02 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But life happens all the time

in one continuous streak. Our happy absence of Chris Burke was interrupted for a whole season. Now, thankfully, we have the absence of Chris Burke again.

Maybe intoxication is the wrong metaphor. Maybe instead, we’ve come back to life after a year in the grave. Only without all the lurching, and screaming and hungering for brains.

And even if there is a little brain nibbling, maybe that’s not so bad. (Warning: mildly NSFW)

"We...probed them all the way through. They're completely meat." — Terry Bisson

by Scrbl on Dec 13, 2008 1:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

OK

maybe a little more than mildly NSFW. Zombie bites are gross.

"We...probed them all the way through. They're completely meat." — Terry Bisson

by Scrbl on Dec 13, 2008 1:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, yes...

I like that. I like that a lot.

by Jim McLennan on Dec 13, 2008 1:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sweeeeeeet......

That’s going on de olde Facebook prof.

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 13, 2008 10:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

NO ONE CARES

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah

hahahahahahahahaha.

ha.

You keep on rowin', and I'll keep on smilin'.

by soco on Dec 13, 2008 1:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

YOU DON'T CARE

THAT ONE OF THE GREAT ROMAN ORATORS THINKS YOU’RE INSANE??

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 13, 2008 4:02 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No?

You keep on rowin', and I'll keep on smilin'.

by soco on Dec 13, 2008 10:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well.....

now, that’s just silly.

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 13, 2008 12:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sure?

You keep on rowin', and I'll keep on smilin'.

by soco on Dec 13, 2008 12:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Halleluja!

Arizona expatriate in Missouri

by Snakebitten on Dec 13, 2008 12:42 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

OUR BIGGETS OFFSEASON MOVE!

;)

Wikipedia is accurate. (citation needed)

by Muu on Dec 13, 2008 1:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

biggets? =X

biggest

Wikipedia is accurate. (citation needed)

by Muu on Dec 13, 2008 1:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I, for one, will almost miss Burke

As I will have no one to insult when everyone else is beating up on other players. I mean, really, I can beat up on his memory but in the long run we will hopefully forget this mark on the teams history.

For old time sakes though I will scream one last time, “SCREW YOU BURKE!”

We're having a renaissance, so stick around.

by mrssoco on Dec 13, 2008 1:32 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I feel bad for Burke.

I think he really liked the team. He just sucked, but he recognized it. When they interviewed him, he said he hoped the Dbacks offered him a contract, and that he’d like to make up for last year.

Now, if making up for last year meant playing for free…. I wouldn’t exactly be opposed to that.

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 13, 2008 3:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

NO! I mean, making up for his down fall is one thing

But EVERY TIME he came up my stomach would fall. We need runs something fierce and did he ever get ONE in?

We're having a renaissance, so stick around.

by mrssoco on Dec 13, 2008 5:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He hit two HRs I believe, so yeah.

I don’t quite understand the vast gulf you see between Eric Byrnes and Chris Burke, though. One was only marginally better than the other.

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 13, 2008 9:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think

if you can’t see the difference that says more about you.

You keep on rowin', and I'll keep on smilin'.

by soco on Dec 13, 2008 9:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

OPS+ of 51 vs. 62?

Numerically, there’s a difference.

Also, Burke hasn’t yet learned the art of flipping before you throw in from LF.

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 13, 2008 9:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Do I need to be rational?

You forget I am a woman. We reserve the right to change our mind with out telling anyone. Beyond that I think Eric Byrnes has been a positive and calming influence on our team, has boosted morale and has helped to mold the young ones into having the right attitude about the game. Even with the fact that he only played a fraction as much as Burke this season he had 23 RBI versus Chris’s 12. People rag on Byrnes cause he made money and he is silly so if you don’t have to have reasons to hate him I will choose instead to love him unconditionally.

(When I first started ragging on Burke it was actually a joke cause I chose a random player to hate on. Then he just grated on my nerves after that.)

We're having a renaissance, so stick around.

by mrssoco on Dec 13, 2008 9:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

In light of

Byrnes’ comments on the radio about LF, CoJack, NTC, etc., I think I might disagree with some of those intangibles you mentioned. I also have to think that Byrkes would have had fewer RBIs batting in the 8 spot, as well.

I don’t hate Byrnes. And I’ll admittedly watch the Eric Byrnes Show. I just don’t really dislike Burke. More than hating Burke, I’d have to get annoyed at BoMel for the ways in which he was used.

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 13, 2008 10:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Errr.... "Byrkes"=Byrnes :-P

Freudian.

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 13, 2008 10:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Okay, I'm curious

What did he say about CoJack? (I thought they were friends! They do adorable not-at-all-subtexty Starsky and Hutch rip offs!)

We're having a renaissance, so stick around.

by mrssoco on Dec 13, 2008 10:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh yeah.

And the woman stuff? Eh…. not gonna go there.

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 13, 2008 10:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

To be fair

Byrnes had more at-bats than Burke did. And RBIs are generally accepted as a pretty lousy way to evaluate a batter.

"I'm here to advise you on dispensing horror in this modern military climate. I understand you're a demigod, that's fantastic!"

by kishi on Dec 13, 2008 10:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

To be fair

I have no actual knowledge about baseball outside of what I read and you have watched games with me so you shouldn’t be that shocked. ;)

(Again, not claiming to be logical here!)

We're having a renaissance, so stick around.

by mrssoco on Dec 13, 2008 10:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well

I have an incessant need to correct people and you have posted on the internet with me so you shouldn’t be that shocked. =)

"I'm here to advise you on dispensing horror in this modern military climate. I understand you're a demigod, that's fantastic!"

by kishi on Dec 13, 2008 10:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

What is this INTERNET you speak of?

;)

We're having a renaissance, so stick around.

by mrssoco on Dec 13, 2008 10:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

See

When a daddy computer and a mommy computer love each other very much-

Wait, that’s where graphic calculators come from. I’m not sure about this whole internet thing. I’ll get back to you.

"I'm here to advise you on dispensing horror in this modern military climate. I understand you're a demigod, that's fantastic!"

by kishi on Dec 13, 2008 10:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Pssshhhht.....

it’s the Google Machine. Who are you, John McCain??

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 14, 2008 12:21 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Now

I have it on good authority that if you type “Google” into Google, you can break the internet. So, please, don’t do it, even as a joke.

"I'm here to advise you on dispensing horror in this modern military climate. I understand you're a demigod, that's fantastic!"

by kishi on Dec 14, 2008 12:22 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I feel bad for him too

As terrible as he was at the plate, didn’t he also put up some solid, in unimpressive, defense for us?

"I'm here to advise you on dispensing horror in this modern military climate. I understand you're a demigod, that's fantastic!"

by kishi on Dec 13, 2008 5:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not only that,

but he was willing to play any position he was asked. (As opposed to some players, who seemed to think that starting at a certain part of the field was their God-given right)

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 13, 2008 9:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

True

The fact that he played every position for us except catcher, pitcher, or center fielder, and played them pretty well- one error all season- should earn him some respite from our taunting.

"I'm here to advise you on dispensing horror in this modern military climate. I understand you're a demigod, that's fantastic!"

by kishi on Dec 13, 2008 10:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jebus....

this is starting to sound like a collective eulogy for the guy.

(Except for Mrs. SC)

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 14, 2008 12:25 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Don't worry.

We still have Eric Byrnes for that.

Make sure the TVs are extra secure.

by Azreous on Dec 13, 2008 4:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This place

would become a ghost town if he left.

You keep on rowin', and I'll keep on smilin'.

by soco on Dec 13, 2008 4:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I am glaring at you from Phoenix

And the TV is now on the fire place permanently so no worries there.

I have developed a good blocker for the Byrnesie hate, and it means when he comes back and is AWESOME I will get to do the “I told you so” dance at the next SnakePit Fest. Be excited, its choreographed and I don’t want to spoil anything but lets just say, “spirit fingers”! (Well, at least one. ;))

We're having a renaissance, so stick around.

by mrssoco on Dec 13, 2008 5:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, don't worry.

None of us WANT Byrnes to do badly. We’re just worried that he was awarded a contract based on two career years in ‘06 and ’07, and it’s all downhill from here.

His attitude doesn’t really make it easy, though.

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 13, 2008 9:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I am getting my jazz shoes ready

and I will join you in the “I told you so” dance.

It's like living with a six-year old.

by 4 Corners Fan on Dec 13, 2008 11:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This may be the best move Josh Byrnes has ever made….

by J Up on Dec 13, 2008 2:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

No, the BEST

move would be to DFA Eric Byrnes.

That will be the day I do the happy dance from sun up to sun down!

It's a job that's never started that takes the longest to finish.

by unnamedDBacksfan on Dec 14, 2008 5:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm with J Up on this one

It’s not that Eric Byrnes isn’t useful. It’s just that he’s really expensive. If we DFAed Byrnes, wouldn’t we still be on the hook for his salary? Then we’d get all the expense of Eric Byrnes without any of the benefits.

What makes the Chris Burke move so wonderful is this: it makes Bob Melvin a better manager. With Burke out of the lineup, there’s no way Bob Melvin can bring him in to pinch hit, even by accident. If we’re gonna keep BoMel around for another year, it’s a great idea to keep dangerous things like Chris Burke, kitchen knives, and matches well out of his reach. It’s a masterstroke of damage reduction.

"We...probed them all the way through. They're completely meat." — Terry Bisson

by Scrbl on Dec 14, 2008 6:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well said there!

It's a job that's never started that takes the longest to finish.

by unnamedDBacksfan on Dec 14, 2008 6:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If we’re gonna keep BoMel around for another year, it’s a great idea to keep dangerous things like Chris Burke, kitchen knives, and matches well out of his reach. It’s a masterstroke of damage reduction.

Then why the Hell are we re-signing Tony Clark??

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 14, 2008 7:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

baby steps

or Bomel will go into severe withdrawal symptoms

It's a job that's never started that takes the longest to finish.

by unnamedDBacksfan on Dec 14, 2008 7:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

"withdrawal"

That’s EXACTLY how I was thinking…. re-signing Tony Clark is like the roommate of an alcoholic buying a 6-pack of beer and ‘accidentally’ leaving it sitting out on the counter.

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 14, 2008 7:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So that when he gets made a coach next year, there’s a sense of continuity? So he’s around to do voice-overs for ads? To balance out Augie when they measure average height of the team?

All three reasons that probably make more sense than why he’s really being kept around.

"I'm here to advise you on dispensing horror in this modern military climate. I understand you're a demigod, that's fantastic!"

by kishi on Dec 14, 2008 8:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So they feel less like jerks

For using his phrase on all their merch?

We're having a renaissance, so stick around.

by mrssoco on Dec 14, 2008 9:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, looky here:

Dave Cameron of FanGraphs has some mostly nice things to say about Chris Burke.

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 15, 2008 6:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Some good points there

but even if Burke was a good defensive option, my heart sank every time he stepped to the plate. And, thanks to the squirrels who live inside Bob Melvin’s hat, we got to see him at the plate waaaay to often. Burke seems like a decent player with a bit of potential, but I’m grateful we won’t see him pinch hitting for the D-Backs with runners in scoring position again.

"We...probed them all the way through. They're completely meat." — Terry Bisson

by Scrbl on Dec 15, 2008 11:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

In the comments for that article,

somebody makes the valid point that Burke should probably end up in the American League, where he can be a defensive replacement but it’s less likely that he’ll be needed as a pinch hitter. (Because of the DH and all that bullcrap)

Fire Vinny Cerrato, the raquetball partner.

by DbacksSkins on Dec 16, 2008 12:44 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

and thanks for linking that article. I didn’t realize that there were blogs at FanGraphs (I assumed it was just a place to get that widget we see in Snake Pit’s great post-game articles). Now I have more baseball reading for the off-season :)

"We...probed them all the way through. They're completely meat." — Terry Bisson

by Scrbl on Dec 16, 2008 9:00 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs