Rodrigo Lopez named D'backs 4th Starter

[Icterus galbula]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/2010-03-30-554869731_x.htm

Lopez, a non-roster invitee to spring training, outpitched Billy Buckner and Kevin Mulvey for the job. The 34-year-old right-hander underwent Tommy John elbow surgery in 2007.

Good for him. I'll be rooting for Rodrigo.

[Moose Milligan]

Rowdy Roddy still hangs on.

Man, it must be nice to be an NL team.

[Sanfran327]

Rowdy Roddy still hangs on.

Man, it must be nice to be an NL team.

This is exactly why Halladay will in 25 games with 12 CGSOs.

Halladay may be the first pitcher to ever record a NEGATIVE ERA.

[Who's On 1st]

Rodrigo Lopez.......... I wish him the best.

[DrungoHazewood]

I will be rooting for him too.

This is a great example of how far the Orioles have come in the last 5 years. Heck, the last two years. Can you imagine Rodrigo Lopez getting a sniff of our rotation this year? Or Daniel Cabrera who got a look? Or Sydney Ponson?There are a lot of Orioles alumni floating around that can no longer get on the field with our current crew. The quality of the pitching in this camp is SOOOO much better than I used to see.

Oh, I don't know. If he's healthy there isn't much (if any) difference between Rodrigo and Millwood and Guthrie. Ponson had a major league season where he went 17-12 with a 118 ERA+. And Cabrera, at 24-25, was a league-average pitcher with over a strikeout an inning.

It wouldn't surprise me if several of the O's currently promising young pitchers ended up with careers less impressive than some of those now-maligned pitchers. There aren't too many teams that wouldn't have given some kind of chance to any of those three guys.

[MurphDogg]

Oh, I don't know. If he's healthy there isn't much (if any) difference between Rodrigo and Millwood and Guthrie. Ponson had a major league season where he went 17-12 with a 118 ERA+. And Cabrera, at 24-25, was a league-average pitcher with over a strikeout an inning.

It wouldn't surprise me if several of the O's currently promising young pitchers ended up with careers less impressive than some of those now-maligned pitchers. There aren't too many teams that wouldn't have given some kind of chance to any of those three guys.

I think you misinterpret what he was saying. He was talking about the Cabrera and Ponson of today getting a chance in the O's rotation. Both were in Major League camps this spring with at least a theoretical hope of cracking the rotation. Ponson of '02-'03 and Cabrera of '05-'06 were certainly worthy of rotation spots on most if not all Major League team. It is a shame how few posters remember how good Ponson was for those two seasons (and how exciting he was when he first came up).

[DrungoHazewood]

I think you misinterpret what he was saying. He was talking about the Cabrera and Ponson of today getting a chance in the O's rotation. Both were in Major League camps this spring with at least a theoretical hope of cracking the rotation. Ponson of '02-'03 and Cabrera of '05-'06 were certainly worthy of rotation spots on most if not all Major League team. It is a shame how few posters remember how good Ponson was for those two seasons (and how exciting he was when he first came up).

Ponson and Cabrera wouldn't (and didn't) get any kind of realistic shot with any MLB team today. I mean I guess I could see them getting a shot with a 2009 O's team, but even that's a stretch. The 2009 O's actually cut Cabrera before spring training, and Ponson is in his "maybe we can get him to sober up" magical mystery tour of MLB clubs phase.

[berto]

I will be rooting for him as I always have since he left. He was easily one of my favorites while he was here.

[Mad Mark]

I guess I'm in the minority in not wishing Ponson or Cabrera ill...and I suppose in the majority in hoping Rodrigo has himself a fine season with the D-backs. At least he knows he won't have to pitch through any snow squalls at home!

[Catch 8]

Back when I could get into the players' lot, I would wait by my car after the game until my friend arrived out of the club house. Rodrigo signed more than anyone. He was also always very cordial. One thing I will never forget: RL got shelled for 8 runs in 2+ innings of work against the White Sox back in like June 2005. He had a horrible outing, yet, after the game, he must have signed by the fence enclosing the players' lot for over 45 minutes. I was absolutely incredulous. Classy classy individual. Of course, I wish him the best!

[scOtt]

Ponson and Cabrera wouldn't (and didn't) get any kind of realistic shot with any MLB team today. I mean I guess I could see them getting a shot with a 2009 O's team, but even that's a stretch. The 2009 O's actually cut Cabrera before spring training, and Ponson is in his "maybe we can get him to sober up" magical mystery tour of MLB clubs phase.

Kind of a sad farewell tour of "the bars I left behind"....

[O's are Legends]

Kelly Johnson just cost Rodrigo Lopez a win. With the Diamondbacks up 4-2 in the bottom of the 8th; Johnson booted a routine groundball to 2nd only to pick it up and throw the ball which ended up in the crowd. Two unearned runs on two errors by Johnson have tied the game up at 4.

The game is on MLB Network if anyone is wondering.

Arizona loses the game in the 9th as Esmerling Vasquez was called for a balk.