Petagine vs. Matsuzaka

- Do you know how I could get Petagine's numbers vs. Matsuzaka?

If they ever faced each other, it was in an All-Star game. Yakult faced Kintetsu in 2001, the only Nippon Series Petagine participated in, so they didn't meet there. Finally, Petagine played in Japan before inter-league play, so they wouldn't have faced each other any other times.

Sure, here you go:

[insert blank space here]

I'm pretty sure they never faced each other in normal season games. There was no inter-league play before 2005, Matsuzaka's Lions were in the Pacific League, and Petagine only played on Central League teams (Swallows and Giants).

The Lions never faced a team Petagine played on in the Japan Series (the Lions-Giants Japan Series was in 2002 and Petagine joined the Giants in 2003.)

But if someone else knows otherwise, I'd be happy to be corrected.

They played in different leagues so the only time they faced each other would be the 1999-2001 All Star Series. Petagine left the Giants before the start of the inter-league games.

The Red Sox didn't give him a chance? When he was brought up from Pawtucket he did well. He then became a distraction with other players, especially Ortiz and Manny. His wife also got into the act. He then asked the Red Sox for a release, which they gave him. He went to Seattle and started off good there also. So what was his problem in Seattle? Could two Major League teams be wrong?

- He then became a distraction with other players, especially Ortiz and Manny. His wife also got into the act.

Wow, first time I've ever heard that statement. Care to cite this source? Or is this some kind of hearsay?

He was let go by Boston because there was no way he was ever play with Kevin Youkilis. He hit well in 2005 and didn't get playing time because there was no way he was going to play over Kevin Millar or John Olerud. Not to mention there weren't much DH opportunities with David Ortiz. Let's try and get some facts together first.

As for Seattle they have a history of making terrible roster decisions. Howard Lincoln and Chuck Armstrong have proven themselves completely incapable of even remotely knowing how to run a MLB franchise. I mean, they were the same team who signed Carl Everett who was so washed up to DH for them. Given the chance, Petagine would have easily out-hit Everett.

Like I said before, Lincoln and Armstrong get worse every year running a team. Do I have to look any further than this off-season to see the M's incapability to run a baseball team?

- Could two Major League teams be wrong?

Not exactly. It was known from the get go in Boston that he was never going to have a realistic chance there no matter how well he hit. Millar and Olerud were always going to get the first chance at first. They were the proven veterans, not to mention fan favorites. There was no way Petagine was ever going to get any realistic playing time at first. It was unreal to me that he got as much playing time with the Red Sox as he did.

Seattle, as I mentioned, barely gave Petagine enough time to even make a judgment on him. 31 games and 27 at-bats are hardly enough playing time to reserve judgment on. Also, Everett was and remains terrible and was a big waste of money by Seattle, as he didn't even last the whole season and he was released. He had a .297 OBP and .360 SLG which equals a paltry .657 OPS. [Carl Everett stats - Baseball-Reference]

Given a realistic chance with a team who would have given Petagine some real playing time, then we could have made a more accurate projection. However, since he never received any significant playing time, none of us are in a position to accurately judge what Petagine would or wouldn't do.

Some players get onto MLB clubs only to get stuck from playing, I totally agree. However, the Red Sox game him a minor league contract when no one else even game him a look, despite some talk that Baltimore was interested. He accepted the Red Sox deal. Furthermore, during spring training, he had knee surgery. So that didn't help.

He played about 70 games at AAA, had lots of home runs and averaged about a RBI per game.

There were people saying "bring him up." Kevin Youkiklis was playing third base plus some left field. He also suffered an injury. Kevin Millar was gone? John Olerud was hitting so-so, but his defense was good.

I remember Olerud pulled his hamstring and they called up Roberto. It was the first week in August I saw a Kansas City and Minnesota game. Olerud was put on the 15 day disabled list. Roberto did okay. Then all of a sudden Olerud started to get better.

Now I remember there was a big thing that Manny hit 30 home runs and had a 100 RBI season the same week Roberto was called up. A lot of Spanish-Latin newspapers and TV crew were all over Manny. Not a direct quote, but supposedly Roberto made a statement about Manny riding on Ortiz coattails.

A couple days later, his wife supposedly stated that the gringo newspapers were out to get him and she wished he never signed with the BoSox. Of course it was not a gringo paper. The Red Sox were somewhat upset.

Then during the New York Yanks series he asked for his release.

Seattle, I believe, signed him to a minor league contract, also in hopes to back up Richie Sexon. Any Major League team would sign him to a minor league for keeping him from Major League "B" list.

This is the best I could remember from 2005 plus what I heard on Talk Radio. Where is he now?

- Kevin Millar was gone?

Millar left Boston after the 2005 season as a free agent. He and Olerud got the bulk of playing time at first due to experience.

- Then during the New York Yanks series he asked for his release

Though he didn't get his release until the next spring. Boston only released him in February of 2006. Seattle later took a chance on him and signed him near the end of the month.

He was on Boston's 25-man roster for the remainder of the 2005 season, though he wasn't given any chance and virtually rotted away on Boston's bench. He stood no chance really of receiving significant playing time with Boston.

- Where is he now?

After being released by Seattle he hasn't turned up with any team, and with 2007 slowly crawling up on us, it's highly unlikely he will get signed. It looks like his career is over.