Links For Wednesday; Mariotti, Red Sox, Zorilla Interview

Ladies and gentlemen, here are your links for Wednesday. And, since we took off yesterday, you get double the fun…

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jeff Suppan, due to make $12.75-M this season, has struggled so far in 2009. Suppan is currently 5-6 with a 4.86 ERA and 1.66 WHIP, a performance that has hovered near replacement-level.

So how are Brewer fans taking out their frustration, you ask? By attempting to auction off Suppan on eBay.

Tom Verducci published his All-Star ballot yesterday. You can compare his picks to the staff of Around the Majors‘ by following the link.

Eric Seidman had an interesting post over the weekend about why we need to consider sample sizes before making conclusions about a player’s hot streak or slump.

Friend of the site Sarah Green produced her All-Hot Team over at UmpBump.

This next link deserves its own post, really. Tommy Rancel, who attempted to unlock the Zobrist Code earlier this spring, returns with Part Two. This time, though, Rancel went straight to the man, the legend, Zorillia himself.

Richard Justice had a nice profile on reliever LaTroy Hawkins.

FanHouse blogger (and former hated Sun Times columnist) Jay Mariotti says that steroid guessing is bad journalism, becoming yet another writer from the ”old guard” to call out Midwest Sports Report blogger Jerrod Morris. It didn’t take long for Morris, the blogger who penned the infamous Raul Ibanez post, to fire back.

I, of course, side with Morris here, but ATM is fair and balanced, so I present you with both sides.

Crazy contest between the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox last night. I turned the game on when I got home from work. After watching the Boston offense light up Camden Yards in the early innings, I left the broadcast on in the other room while I took care of some chores around my apartment. A few hours later, it dawned on me that the announcers had stopped talking. Thus, I assumed the game was over, with the Red Sox taking a win in dominant fashion. When I heard the voice of Dennis Eckersley again about an hour later, I just assumed that NESN was airing a replay of the earlier game. It turns out, though, there was a lengthy rain delay and the Boston bullpen, among the best in the game, imploded when play resumed, allowing the Orioles to get back in the game. Baltimore eventually came out victorious, winning 11-10.

The Orioles made history, writes Jeff Zrebieck.

Ozzie Guillen to the Cubs down the road?

Brian Cashman told reporters that the Eric Hinske deal made sense for the New York Yankees.

Pulling a Buster Olney here: Matt Garza was the man for the Tampa Bay Rays, writes Joe Smith.

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Troy Glaus is ready to begin rehabbing in Florida, writes Joe Strauss.

Colorado Rockies right-hander Jason Marquis shut down the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jim Peltz says that Marquis is the Rockies’ ace. While that may be a stretch, the veteran has been huge for Colorado, leading the charge in their hot streak. No promises, but he may be the topic of a future post.

The Cincinnati Reds are definitely looking for a bat, according to general manager Walt Jocketty, whose not afraid to make a deal.

Dave Cameron had a different take on the Nats-Pirates swap.

In an absolute must read, Joe Posnanski and Bill James (what a team, by the way) discuss the age-33 falloff phenomenon.

Mike Axisa, our guest on Minor League Notebook Weekly this week, did a Q & A with Ben Badler of Baseball America.

Jerry Crasnick discusses the Indians’ fall in his latest. The Cleveland offensive woes even prompted one SB Nation poster to come up with a short play: Dysfunction at the Bat.

Get ready, America: Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel are set to make their minor league debuts.