MLB: Questions About Ellsbury, Cabrera, Cashman, Jimenez, Dunn and the Wild Card

I Was Just Wondering:

What happened to Jacoby Ellsbury and Asdrubal Cabrera?

Until 2011, Ellsbury never hit more than nine home runs in a season. In 2008, he hit nine home runs in 609 plate appearances. In 2009, he hit eight home runs in 691 plate appearances.

In his first three years, Cabrera averaged about five home runs a season. He has already hit 19 home runs in 2011, with about one-third of the season remaining.

I Was Just Wondering:

Will Eric Bedard help the Boston Red Sox pitching staff?

Bedard hasn't worked 100 innings in a season since 2007, when he pitched 182 innings for the Baltimore Orioles.

When he is healthy enough to pitch, he has a career 3.69 ERA and a 120 ERA+. Pitching in Fenway Park shouldn't be much more difficult than pitching in Camden Yards. Tim Wakefield is not an answer.

I Was Just Wondering:

Will Brian Cashman be the Executive of the Year for signing Freddie Garcia and Bartolo Colon?

Much to the surprise of almost everyone, including Cashman, both Garcia and Colon have held up into August.

Thirty-four-year-old Garcia is making $1.5 million. He has won 10 games with a magnificent 3.22 ERA and a 132 ERA+.

Colon, who is four years older than Garcia, is making $900,000. He is 8-6 with a 3.30 ERA and a 128 ERA+.

Each of Garcia's and Colon's wins has cost the Yankees only $100,000 with one-third of the season remaining, which means they will become even more of a bargain.

Compare that to A.J. Burnett, whose eight wins have cost about $2 million each.

I Was Just Wondering:

Is Anything Wrong With Ubaldo Jimenez?

Jimenez won 19 games in 2010. He had several opportunities to get win number 20 but failed.

The Cleveland Indians' new ace has not dominated hitters this season and scouts report than he has lost some velocity on his fastball.

Jimenez is making a $2.8 million salary this season and will be paid a $4.2 million salary in 2012, which is reasonable enough to make one wonder why he was traded.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that the Yankees requested Jimenez take a physical but the Colorado Rockies refused the request.  Jimenez did pass a physical with the Tribe.

I Was Just Wondering:

Is There Any Hope for Adam Dunn?

Dunn never hit for a high average, but hitting .166 is ridiculous. The dubious distinction of posting the lowest batting average by a batting title qualifier belongs to Rob Deer, who hit .179 for the Detroit Tigers in 1991.

Speaking to USA Today, Dunn was completely baffled.

"The crazy thing is I feel good, I'm not hurt or anything,'' said Dunn, "but I can't get the results. I don't know what's going on. I don't feel like I'm putting pressure on myself, I really don't. Maybe subconsciously I am. I don't know.

Neither does anyone else.

I Was Just Wondering:

Why is the Wild Card So Great?

The Philadelphia Phillies lead the second-place Atlanta Braves by eight games and the New York Mets by 16 games.

The Braves have a slim chance to catch the Phillies while the Mets have a slim chance to catch the Braves (or the Arizona Diamondbacks or the St. Louis Cardinals).

Tomorrow, the Braves and Mets open a three-game series. Under present conditions, the games would be meaningful only to the Braves, but the Wild Card has made them somewhat important to the Mets.

A team 16 games out of first place could win the Wild Card, remain 16 games behind the first place team the rest of the season and win the pennant.

And that is what can happen with the Wild Card.