midseason 2008 trading and rumor mill

Millar haha. Who do they even have to trade at this point? I'd gotten the impression the cupboard was pretty bare after the Santana deal.

They should look at VMat.

have heard Holiday to just about everyone.

Can't believe that'll happen give his H/R splits and what I would assume would be the Rockies' asking price.

i know

haha just kidding

someone needs to free joe koshansky from being stuck behind helton

Dan (Buffalo, NY): Jayson, don't you think the Yankees will be more desperate for Sabathia come July and therefore overspend for him? What are your thoughts on a Sabathia/Peralta for Cano and two mid level hitting prospects deal?

Jayson Stark: (1:05 PM ET ) Brian Cashman would have to completely change philosophies to make that deal. For one thing, Robinson Cano and two "mid-level" prospects wouldn't do it. It's going to take three high-level young players. And if the Yankees wouldn't make that trade for Johan Santana, whom they at least would have had around for years, why would they make it for a rent-a-player? And while the obvious response is, they could negotiate and sign him, what would Sabathia want to give up free agency? He'd want (ta-taa) the Santana contract. So if he gets traded, how can it be to the Yankees?

D'oh with ACTUAL logic.

"Ta-taa" indeed

sa da tay

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=905

Griffey to TB?

god that sounds like an awful idea

will carroll is such a fucking clown

a guy writes an article about a player liking another team so he can generate copy then wc spins it even further with some bullshit analysis of a trade that isnt going to happen

great job everyone

Fact is, Jon’s one of the best in the biz and if he’s hearing things, things are there to be heard.

--------------
THIRD SENTENCE OF JON'S PIECE:
Griffey, 39, has a no-trade clause but has told intimates that if the Rays stay in the race, he'd consider waiving his veto power to go home.
-------------

** UPDATE: Reader C.B. points out that Griffey holds 10/5 rights and could hold up the deal if his option is not picked up. That’s definitely a complicating factor, especially with no money deferred. My guess would be that this kind of demand would be a dealbreaker for Tampa, leaving Griffey with a decision about how much winning and being close to home really mean to him.

my guess would be that YOU ARE AN IDIOT SIR

Jeez I hope when Will Carroll dies you wait at least two hours before pissing on his grave.

deez only upset about trade rumors, not media-enabled wars

will Rox put Holliday on the market?

http://cokin.wordpress.com/2008/06/24/dave-cokins-hardcore-baseball-062408/

I think I check MLBTradeRumors about 10x a day, hoping the Padres have traded away their vets for chum.

OK, how can the A's be looking to move Harden, given where they are?

A's always be rebuilding. Would they give him up for Ryan Ludwick (sell high!!!)?

Beane doesn't think they can really compete in the playoffs, and I kinda don't blame him. Plus, Harden is never healthy, so if you can get even close to full value for him, you've got to take it when you can. Maybe he'll stay healthy long-term, but it would be a surprising development.

Harden for Ludwick isn't happening (unless he's a throw-in for a bigger prospect-laden deal).

how can anyone who saw the '06 Cardinals think any team "can't compete in the playoffs"?

if ever there's a time to move harden, you'd think this is it. you'll never get better value for him than now, and there's no way he's still healthy by october imo~

ya but the cardinals at least had the best baseball player in the world on their roster

http://www.joesportsfan.com/jsfpics/columns/weaverNirvana.jpg

how can anyone who saw the '06 Cardinals think any team "can't compete in the playoffs"?

The 06 Cardinals were a very decent team that went into a nonsensical slump at the end of the season. They finished near .500, but that didn't represent the kind of season they were having prior to that. If you want to pick a team that represents "anything can happen," the Rockies seem like a better example, especially knowing what we know now.

But you can't make this sort of judgment based on the most unlikely occurrence. Sure, it's possible that the Giants will make the playoffs this year, and maybe they have the starting pitching and veteran leadership (ha) to win in the postseason. But it isn't likely. The A's are not going to catch the Angels, and they don't match up well on paper with a number of other AL teams.

I don't think the A's will trade Harden until the deadline, and if they've closed the gap by then, I'm sure they'll keep Harden and trade him in the offseason. But it's hard to look at this team and think they're a playoff contender.

Also, their attendance yesterday was 11,129. The attendance this year has been pretty bad. If the fans don't believe, why should management?

Cyrus (San Francisco, CA): Rob, Even if the A's can contend, wouldn't Beane likely unload Harden? It seems to me this is the time of year where Billy Beane pits every contending team against each other and fleeces one of them for half their farm system. Harden is great, but he's on a 95 pitch count and is bound to get injured. Either way I can't see the A's winning the WS, so why not get everything you can while his stock is so high?

Rob Neyer: (12:54 PM ET ) I don't know that I can argue with your logic, but I can't recall Beane making a single mid-season deal in which he gave up a lot of talent. Usually he gets talent in the middle of the season, and trades it after the season.

I don't think the situations are the same though. The A's moves have been pretty budget-conscious since they announced the Fremont relocation. I definitely agree that Beane won't make a move unless he thinks the package is very good. He won't settle.

I have a feeling that the move to Fremont will be financial suicide.

What percentage of fans take BART to Oakland games? I have been to over 100 A's games and have never driven even once. So now that gas is $5+, the idea to move to a location FURTHER from Oakland/SF and not anywhere close to public transportation does not seem to be the wisest move possible (aside from re-signing Eric Chavez to 6 years or whatever).

It's an interesting question. I'm thinking that they'll offer some sort of shuttle system from the Fremont BART, something akin to the MUNI line that runs from Embarcadero to AT&T. But Fremont is definitely a bad spot for a team, and especially bad for people who don't live in Oakland. Ever tried making the drive from Castro Valley to Hayward during rush hour? It's about two miles, and takes like 45 minutes. Pure hell.

That said, if they can leverage the South Bay, and maybe find a way to get fans from San Jose to come to the games instead of supporting the Giants, those are fans that simply have more money to spend than your average Oakland fan. The Giants make a lot more money per fan than the A's do.

(07-08) 15:39 PDT -- The A's traded away Rich Harden today, sending him and Chad Gaudin to the Cubs for four players.

I don't understand the Harden/Gaudin deal at all.

Me either.

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland A's today traded right-handed pitchers Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin to the Chicago Cubs for right-handed pitcher Sean Gallagher, catcher Josh Donaldson, infielder Eric Patterson and outfielder Matt Murton. The A's have also recalled left-handed pitcher Dallas Braden from Triple-A Sacramento and transferred Mike Sweeney to the 60-day disabled list.

I mean, I wouldn't do that trade for Harden, and certainly wouldn't THROW IN Chad Gaudin.

No Vitters makes even less sense.

Gaudin for Gallagher is about a wash so it's basically Patterson, Donaldson and Murton for Harden which sounds completely wacky unless another PTBNL is involved (and presumedly is Vitters.)

wow

amazing trade for the cubs wtf

???

esp after the haren trade, which made total sense

this seems borderline criminal

Harden's velocity has been down lately. If I'm Hendry, I'm conducting a thorough physical.

Guys, Harden has pitched one full season out of 5 and a half, and that was a LOOOOONG time ago.

This is a huge gamble for the Cubs. Do you honestly think Harden has the stamina and strength to make 30+ starts this year? He's surpassed 19 GS only once in his career. Billy Beane is selling high on a highly-prone-injury-risk player of which he has many (Chavez, Crosby, Thomas, etc.)

The problem with that argument is that selling high generally involves getting something of ya know value back. Patterson and Murton aren't valuable (esp. to the A's) and Donaldson is no one's idea of a FUCK YEAH prospect.

Now if the A's are getting Vitters then again it makes more sense.

if youre going to sell high on an ace itd be nice to actually get something of value in return instead of giving it

this is a ridiculous trade - btw i suggest everyone check out how harden faired against the NL this year xps

the worst case scenario for the cubs this season is harden isn't a factor because of injuries and they have to rely on what pitchers they've had up to this point, minus gallagher. the worst case for the long run is gallagher turns into a perennial cy young candidate and harden goes further down the route of mark prior. murton and patterson, eh.

What gamble? We need another SP, there is huge upside even if a potential risk to Harden and we weren't really using those other players much anyway.

Sean Marshall just smoked the Cardinals anyway so we still have backup #5.

Glad to see Murton will get some playing time as an A.

PLUS Gaudin.

I don't really see the gamble here. They weren't using Murton, Patterson is meh, Donaldson is years away and they have a catcher anyway and Gaudin at worst should be able to replace Gallagher. Even if Harden doesn't pitch a game they mostly are no worse off than they were before.

JINX

I guess if the trade was Harden for Vitters, there's no way Beane gets much of anything else in return, and that's a much harder trade to rationalize in the middle of a pennant run. Instead he got three dudes who can contribute now, and still has five serviceable starting pitchers in Blanton, Duke, Smith, Gallagher and Eveland, and I think the A's are also pitching deep in the minors if I remember right.

If your team is fucked if you lose Sean Gallagher your team was already fucked, felicity.

i have hopes that even if harden misses some time he comes back like a motherfucker in october!

What are you saying Alex? Gallagher's done a heck of a job but I don't think anyone thought he was indispensable.

What I'm saying is that Harden actually pitching is gravy on this deal. The only thing which the Cubs were actually using and lost was Gallagher and he's more than adequately replaced by Gaudin.

That's some mighty rich gravy.

Yes, we agree. I meant "jinx" like "you owe me a coke" not the Cubs kind.

xp

OCTOBER gravy.

I misread your "What gamble?" as "What a gamble!" so haha nevermind. Reading comprehension is not my friend.

Breaking News: St. Louis Cardinals acquire Tim Lincecum for Brian Barton

SHORTSLEEVED October gravy

xpost

also you gotta factor in that a) if he does pitch well, the cubs retain him (probably) & he destroys the NL & that b) if they don't absolute worst case is they get 1-2 high picks in the next draft

We're all a little verklempt. Alex you can visit Rich on your upcoming trip to Wrigley.

When was the last time Beane got hosed on a trade (note: not a free agent signing or extension)?

Breaking News: St. Louis Cardinals acquire Tim Lincecum for Brian Barton

-- polyphonic, Tuesday, July 8, 2008 11:36 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

WAHT

Harden's not getting them any draft picks unless he pitches well and healthily this year and next year. And if he does that they'll probably sign him for $90M and his arm'll fall off.

"When was the last time Beane got hosed on a trade (note: not a free agent signing or extension)?"

Uh the Tim Hudson trade?

WAHT

;-)

does he still have another yr? i was told different but i was kinda surprised at that

btw thats a very negative view of things - he'll get way more than 90M & his arm'll fall off very soon if it's going to

lol @ hudson trade WTF, could that have been any worse?

Not really. They got no value from Meyer, Cruz, Thomas (maybe even negative.) And they might have won the division with Hudson. A terrible deal.

Carlos Gomez thinks Harden could be something special, could be injury prone:

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/bringin-some-serious-cheese-rich-harden/

but his arm won't fall off quite in the same way as Prior's.

"btw thats a very negative view of things"

You haven't been an A's fan for the last four years. It's easy to be negative about Rich Harden.

ouch, wasnt aware

sorry bout this one alex :/

Haha it's okay. I wish we got better players out of this one, but I was for trading Harden (let someone else follow his DL days haha) and I'm not in love with Gaudin (he's a good 4/5 starter, but not much more) and I was increasingly resigned to not being able to catch the Angels this year anyway.

dude, pythag would suggest otherwise, unless it's that secret sauce being factored in.

Yeah yeah I know, but I still think the Angels are underachieving and the A's are overachieving despite that.

looking at this trade as rationally as possible - maybe harden is truly shot, with an off chance of making it back next year or the year after, on which chance the cubs are gambling?

does it make any sense whatsoever otherwise?

If Harden is truly shot (or the A's believe he is truly shot and a deal for him won't be doable in 5-6 days because he'll be back on the DL by then) then yes this deal (hell practically any deal) makes sense for them. And if the A's think that Gallagher is a good 3/4 starter (and he might be--the A's tend to make pitchers better) and Murton is a good starting LF option and Donaldson is the next coming of Johnny Bench then the deal makes sense on that level too, I guess.

Also Harden is owed something in the neighborhood of $12-14M for next year, I think. If the A's don't think they will see much return on it then it makes sense to try to get something else for that money (2-3 Dominican wunderkinds perhaps) rather then just flush it.

i think gallagher could be a potential 3/4 yeah

just sayin, throwing in gaudin is pretty suspicious - if beane (& the cubs) werent pretty sure harden's shoulder is about to give i dont think this trade gets made (or to be more accurate, i dont see why this trade gets made - the hudson deal wasnt close to as suspect as this on a superficial level)

Breaking News: St. Louis Cardinals acquire Tim Lincecum for Brian Barton

-- polyphonic, Tuesday, July 8, 2008 11:36 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

SHUTUP WE HAVE MARK MULDER OK SHUTUP

Braves sign that burn-victim-looking dude.

"the hudson deal wasnt close to as suspect as this on a superficial level"

The Hudson deal wasn't suspicious at all except that Meyer fell apart and Cruz didn't pitch well for the A's at the MLB level. That's what happens when you trade for prospects sometimes.

cruz was a prospect?

I don't get the trade, but not as much as I don't get "the A's are overachieving" as a rationale for throwing in the towel on this season. It's BASEBALL, overachievers do it all year sometimes.

you should study regression analytics.

homework assignment #1: 2007 Mets

d-backs and redbirds in hunt for jason bay. Cards fans also hot for Jack Wilson b/c of his high HWG (hustling white guy) rating.

Man there's been too many trade rumors for Jack Wilson and his career 79 OPS+.

And the Sox are rumored to have passed on Hansen and Youkilis for Texeira.

Phils pursuing Blanton?

Phils get Blanton

The Phillies sent infielder Adrian Cardenas (.309, 4HR, 23RBI @ A), outfielder Matt Spencer (.249, 6HR, 41RBI @ hi-A) and LH pitcher Josh Outman (5-4, 3.20 ERA @ AA) to Oakland in exchange for Blanton (5-12, 4.96 ERA).

"LH pitcher Josh Outman"

AFAICT given the little I've read on this, most people think this is a good deal for the A's.

getting ANYTHING for that fat fuck is pretty much a minor coup imo

http://www.hbo.com/larrydavid/img/episodeguide/slideshow/ep13/ep13_jeff_shrugging.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2361/2527550954_6321d513e8.jpg?v=0

The ESPN crawl said the A's got the Phils' #2 and 4 prospects (per Baseball America rankings).

http://blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/archive/2008/07/19/did-brewers-trade-ford-for-street.aspx

Did Brewers trade Ford for Street?
By Tom Haudricourt
Saturday, Jul 19 2008, 06:25 PM

San Francisco - I just got a call from a contact in Brevard County who told me that word was circulating there that outfielder Darren Ford had been involved in a trade for Oakland closer Huston Street.

Then, Ford was pulled from Brevard's lineup before its game against Clearwater. Players often are pulled from the lineup when they've been put into a trade. The Brewers did the same thing with Matt LaPorta in Huntsville before trading him to Cleveland in the CC Sabathia deal.

The fact that Ford was pulled from the lineup makes me believe something could be up. He has no injury that I know of.

GM Doug Melvin is here with the club, so I'll go ask him if it's true and get back to you.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/19/SPDN11S5MI.DTL

"Not true, totally false," A's general manager Billy Beane said by phone. "There is nothing going on, zero. That is 100 percent inaccurate."

DARREN FORD IS ALL OURS (i.e. Giants').

i know nothing about him. is this good (for you guys) (i.e. Giants)?

Ks out a lot, but real fast, and good glove. The key thing though is that we got something for Ray Durham, which frees space for um our 2b prospect to start.

I figure that Griffey will stay put and finish the year out with Cinci then become a free agent as the Reds will decline his huge option year. I've got a feeling he just might retire.

Adam Dunn is the one that I am curious where he will end up. I think the ownership would like to perhaps sign him and keep him around. I'd think that Dunn would be a potential good fit for the Angels or definitely the Diamondbacks. Putting Adam Dunn behind Vlad in a lineup could be a pretty big boost for the Angels who really need another power hitter. The D-Backs or the Dodgers need power hitters, but I think Dunn would be a better fit for an AL club where he could DH at least part of the time.

yeah too band the angels don't make trades

I can understand wanting to get rid of Durham, but I can't understanding coveting Darren Ford. 2nd time through High-A and dude is still not hitting (@ 22!) That's bad news.

They had to get someone. It's not like he was going to be worth draft picks.

Yeah, I don't know who's footing the rest of Durham's salary, but the guy was going to walk after this year and, just a guess, wasn't going to qualify for a compensatory sandwich pick. This was more about getting something for Durham, not so much about who that something is.

SF and Milwaukee are basically going half and half on the remainder of his contract.

Aren't compensatory picks based on the last three years of service?

last 2 seasons

durham will be a type b = sandwich round pick

of course last year epstein sac'd beltre under the confidence that gagne would be a type a (=1st round pick + sandwich round) at the end of the season so we all know how that can turn out

durham will be a type b = sandwich round pick

Only if they offer arbitration.

I think.

wow, you guys actually memorize those rules...

Will Carroll (who also says that jays haven't gotten a decent offer for Burnett yet and that mMrte looks like the first Buc to go):

A lot of teams are looking at Casey Blake. The top suitors are the Mets with a clear need and prospects, while the Rays and Twins are two others that have taken a look. Blake plays multiple positions, shouldn’t cost top prospects, and will be a free agent at the end of the year. The Indians are said to be “laying back and listening on everyone,” as one FOT put it.

Kevin (Redding, CA): Are the A's done trading? It appears that everyone is cooling off on Street. As an A's fan, I think we should keep him anyway. Thanks.

Joe Sheehan: Ellis and Duchscherer are in play, and should be. Duke's been fantastic, but the innings jump is going to be massive, and he'll lose value from here forward. If the A's make zero transactions by Thursday, I'll be surprised.

The Yankees agreed Friday evening to a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates that would give New York left-handed pitcher Damaso Marte and right fielder Xavier Nady.

The Pirates will receive four minor leaguers including right-handed pitcher Ross Ohlendorf, right-handed pitcher George Kontos, left-handed pitcher Phil Coke and right fielder Jose Tabata in return. The trade is tentative pending physicals.

PHIL COKE

luckily for us, the consumers, he was traded to a team that has names on the backs of their uniforms.

aww p.coke is out of the trade :(

Dodgers get C Blake

I guess Mets will try Ibanez still

"Casey Blake is a gamer," Dodgers GM Ned Colletti said. "His experience and character will be a plus as we head down the stretch in the final two months of the regular season."

The Indians received minor league catcher Carlos Santana and right-handed pitcher Jon Meloan. Santana is hitting .323, with 14 homers, for Inland Empire, in the Class A California League. The hard-throwing Meloan is 5-10, with a 4.97 ERA, at Triple-A Las Vegas -- but has piled up 335 strikeouts in only 262 innings in his minor league career.

oye como va!

that quote is some goofus and gallant shit.

haha awesome quote

Apart from all that nonsense, Blake is a pretty good player.

That's part of what makes the quote so ridiculous -- especially if that was all he said about Blake. Nothing like "He can play several positions, gets on base, and has been hitting for power this year as well as any of his new teammates." But no. He likes to play baseball and has played a lot of it. Awesome.

BP: Angels "strongest contender" for Teixeira, Chisox "most aggressive team" in market

oh, last night's update:

"the Braves seem to have made up their minds to sell. Mark Teixeira is the big name, with six teams in and two solid offers in and one more likely on the way, and he should be moved by tomorrow, though the more teams get in, the more complex it will get with bidding. The D'backs are in, but the Braves will have to take Chad Tracy (coming off of knee surgery) and one more B-level prospect instead of Conor Jackson. The Angels continue to hold their prospects dear and may not even make a solid offer. The third team is unconfirmed, though I heard that the Orioles inquired and the the Dodgers did as well."

Byrd blanks Detroit last night. Look for him to be gone soon enough.

Preferably an NL team.

Posted by Jayson Stark

Add the Dodgers and Yankees to the list of teams that have expressed some level of interest in Mark Teixeira.

According to clubs that have spoken with the Braves, the bulk of their conversations continue to be with the four primary teams identified Monday -- the Diamondbacks, Angels, Rays and Red Sox. However, there are indications now that the Dodgers and Yankees have "flirted" with the Braves on Teixeira in the past 24 hours, said an official of one team that spoke with the Atlanta brass.

Clubs involved in these discussions believe the Braves plan to take much of the day Tuesday narrowing their focus with each of the clubs involved and zeroing in on which available names make the most sense. They would then try to close in on a deal with the team, or teams, they think provide the best fit over the next 24 hours.

According to teams in this mix, the Braves aren't necessarily insisting on getting a first baseman back, but they've made it clear that's their preference. And if they don't get a first baseman in return, they still are prioritizing a big league-ready bat as the centerpiece of any trade.

Shelly Duncan

Noise about Manny to the Dodgers for someone like Kemp. This is going to be a crazy couple days.

Manny/Jones/Pierre would be the most hilarious outfield of all time.

Plaschke on Manny

Jeff Kent on Manny!

Kotchman for Teixeira in works

Tuesday, July 29, 2008 | Print Entry

Posted by Jayson Stark
Angels first baseman Casey Kotchman was pulled off the field during pregame warmups this afternoon at Fenway Park. And there are strong indications he is about to be traded to the Braves for Mark Teixeira, according to a source with knowledge of those discussions. Details are still being finalized, and additional, lesser names are expected to be involved. But Kotchman for Teixeira is the core of this deal.

"Eat it, Stark!"

Angels land Teixeira

Tuesday, July 29, 2008 | Print Entry

Posted by Keith Law
Confirmed: Mark Teixeira to the Angels for Casey Kotchman and Double-A left-handed pitcher Stephen Marek.

http://209.85.62.26/12257/100/emo/emot-smithicide.gif

Huh. Who gets to be the first one to tell Frank Wren how sandwich picks work?

That's a good deal for the Braves if you ask me. Kotchman's worth a lot more than three months of Teixeira and a couple of middling sandwich picks. Don't know much about Marek (he's 24 in AA) but if he's halfway decent well all the better.

Kotchman is nice enough, but he seems pretty run-of-the-mill, not the hardest thing to replace. There's never a shortage of dudes who can play 1B. There aren't a lot of great ones, though, and Tex is definitely in the top or second tier of 1B guys. If he chooses to leave, they get draft picks.

Great job by Frank Wren, though. In a bad market, he got a reasonable return.

Yeah, but those draft picks are not necessarily premium picks. Extra picks between 25 and 60 are nice to have, but it's nicer to have an actual ya know replacement for the guy who you are losing. Kotchman's also better than you give him credit for. He's a good fielder and could easily manage 300/370/450 when healthy.

I think that given Stoneman's unwillingness to ever made trades (and Reagins as well, until today), the Angels have plenty of ammo to make a trade this offseason if they need to replace Tex. Kendry Mo is a reasonable short-term replacement, and arguably they could put Anderson there if he's willing.

Oh don't get me wrong this is a great deal for the Angels too. Teixeira's better than Kotchman offensively and anything that helps them win this year is a big big deal. I'm just saying that there is something to be said for the present/future of Kotchman vs. the potential upside of some sandwich picks next year.

How many more seasons until Kotchman becomes a free agent? It looks like he was up parts of three years and two complete seasons. Would this mean the Braves would have one or two seasons until Kotchman could become a free agents.

Marty Brennaman was talking about the Angels/Braves trade during the Reds game tonight. He was using this was an example how the Atlanta front office has changed in that Teixeira would have been someone that they would have tried really hard to sign up for a long term deal a few years back.

The old Braves had deep pockets.

Huh, so it only took the Angels six years to figure out that they can't get by in the playoffs with a lineup of high BA singles hitters.

my friend texted me this last night:

LOL ENJOY ADAM LAROCHE V 2.0 YOU FUCKING NIGGER FAGGOT

;_;

You sure you didn't text that to yourself, cank?

Will Carroll:

The Red Sox have made a lot of inquiries, most of them through back channels, to teams that would be willing to take Manny on, but they won't make the deal just to get rid of him. Discussions of three-way deals involving the Dodgers and Braves seemed to fit this pattern, but no one would confirm these discussions. There's a lot of conflicting reports, but the fact is that very few teams could take on Ramirez and return the kind of even-up players that the Sox would need to make the deal. One good source told me that he had heard that the Marlins were involved, willing to give up Jeremy Hermida and Boston-area product Jeff Allison, but I couldn't confirm this. I just don't see this deal getting done.

Man that was a great fucking trade by the Angels--they are locked and loaded right now. BOS apparently turned down Youkilis/Hansen for Texeira which would have been a way better haul for the Braves--Youk has been more productive than Kotchman (he's older of course) and Hansen still has serious upside.

fwiw, 3 years until kotchman is an FA...so the braves enjoy his services for a few months before he hits arbitration.

Mike (New Jersey): Pick a player you expect to get dealt within the next 6 hours.

John Perrotto: Arthur Rhodes

espn: Mets passing on Ibanez

irod > yanks

For Farnsworth!

fuckin a

They're gonna get Street I bet.

i do not understand why the Tigers would do this.
(the Farnsworth part)

Need to sit down.

Oh, wait, I'm seated.

Throw something, then.

Weak trade for both teams, really. Both FAs at end of year, both having reasonable but not thrilling seasons. Yankees fill a need but Farnsworth has definitely done well out of their pen, which is hardly a lock going forward.

lollll

A wave of grief is filling my body.

My hatred of Farnsworth is partially irrational but very very real.

looollll at this trade

Have a gut feeling Zaun will go to Detroit.

:0

I-Rod hasn't sucked quite as much as I expected when I picked him as my Hacking Mass catcher.

Detroit's catching options are now Inge and Vance Wilson on the DL. They are 5.5 games out of first.

I don't get it.

but nows they gots bullpen hellps yayayayyaayay

fucking christ

"Weak trade for both teams, really."

You are crazy. This is a steal for the Yankees. I-Rod's still got a great arm and isn't a total waste of space at the plate like whichever Molina they are currently throwing up there. Kyle Farnsworth OTOH is basically an average right-handed middle reliever.

Rodriguez's SB-against numbers are kinda deceptive (at least if you're looking strictly at the SBs, not the attempts as well). Hardly anyone runs off Verlander or Rogers, and I'm pretty certain that reputation is a significant factor.

18 CS vs 32 SB is still pretty good stuff. His reputation won't change just cuz he's changed teams.

They love the 36-y.o. catchers.

their puerto rican, 36 year old catchers.

Jason Kendall is 27 CS/35 SB this year...

No, I wasn't intimating his reputation would change. I was intimating his actual ability might not be exactly what it seems.

Would not deny that the Yankees are getting a far greater instant benefit from this trade.

Jason Kendall is weird. He couldn't throw out a ham sandwich when he was with Oakland a couple of years ago.

Cashman: Executive of the year for that trade alone.

They should probably sit him every fifth game if they want the production the Tigers were getting from him this year.

Is the Brewers pitching staff exceptionally better than last year's A's staff at holding runners? I haven't looked into the numbers that much.

Sounds like maybe Manny to the Marlins is a done deal?

If they get Willingham or Hermida back for Manny (plus Stanton, I guess) that's a good deal for Ramirez. Pro-Player stadium is an offensive death zone. I could see either of those guys putting up great stats at Fenway.

They may be getting Jason Bay back for Manny in a 3-teamer.

I'd rather have Hermida.

id have to imagine that the sox would be looking for immediate help back if they traded manny in which case they'd be better off with willingham (or bay :/). hermida's crazy inconsistent, strikes out nearly as much as he gets a hit and isn't about to win a gold glove. the marlins would be crazy not to give up either, esp. willingham (though i havent seen that name thrown around) considering they made the huge move up into the standings while he was on the dl. hermida would be less expendable but i think they expect maybin to be in the league by next year, and if he was ready, maybin + ross + willingham is interchangeable with maybin + ross + hermida

Neither Willingham or Bay is going win a GG either. Hermida is five years younger with decent pop and plate discipline. Bay's one year off nearly falling apart and he'll be arb-expensive.

eh hermida would be better in the long term for sure but dude has 3 more strikeouts then hits right now and a 3:1 k to bb ratio

otoh willingham hasn't really picked it up since he got off the dl

in any event i think they'd demand hermida

"Officials from teams around the sport are beginning to hear details about the structure of the Manny Ramirez deal. According to one of them, the three players the Red Sox are seeking from the Marlins for Ramirez are Jeremy Hermida, pitcher Ryan Tucker and big-time outfield prospect Mike Stanton. However, the two sides also have discussed substituting Josh Willingham for Hermida."

cashman must have dirt on every gm out there

no clue why Florida would make the Manny deal either

yeah i dont get why they'd want to do it either. would be a shot in the arm yeah but i don't think they need any more home runs

Is Hermida cock-blocking some AAA stud?

this headline made me shudder: "Manny, Bay, Hermida threeway in works"

man i need to grow up.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3511905

lolhouston

The Yankees pull off this sort of trade every July. They are truly the Satanic overlords of MLB.

uh, white sox acquired ken griffey, jr.?

why?

...yes, the latroy hawkins trade is ridiculous. does it show how sharp cashman is or what a dolt ed wade is?

Griffey is an upgrade over a struggling Nick Swisher. Plus, he's a proven veteran who knows how to win.

Oh wait, Griffey has never won anything. Funny how nobody ever mentions that, but fellow Seattle turncoat ARod hears it all the time. Whatever, I'm sure Griffey reaaaaally wants to win, and that must count for something.

Swish in CF! (Not Griffey in CF, please!)

well the corners are pretty solid w/ quentin/dye, right?

Swisher to first. Konerko to bench.

yeah, quentin in left and dye in right according to this.

COMMENTS SECTION

As a Reds fans, may I be the first to say: HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH!!! Good luck with this too-old, no-hustle stiff!
Posted by: Greg | Jul 31, 2008 7:58:15 AM

i don't care, you could put griffey sr. in the lineup and it would be an offensive upgrade over konerko.

As a Reds fan, that moron should know what happens to Griffey's hammies when he hustles.

Yeah I had no idea Konerko was blowing so hard. I guess Griffey at 103 ops+ is an upgrade. They probably didn't give up much but I'm curious as to the return.

I've softened slightly on the Pudge trade too--Yankees had a need to fill and did so.

This Sox thing is a total mess. To me the main reason not to gun for Hermida is that he's left-handed. It's pretty silly to even speculate at this point as I've read approx. 10341 variations on this trade.

last night konerko swung at a curve that bounced IN FRONT of the plate. it was embarrassing. the pitcher threw him another dirt ball on the next pitch but pk, to his credit, was able to check his swing on the 54 foot pitch.

dude just looks lost at the plate.

I also didn't realize that Konerko was playing so badly this year (even worse than Swisher, wow).

Take away Swisher's April & May & July, though, and he's an All-Star! :D

The Twins’ current plan is to use utilityman Nick Punto as Casilla’s replacement, but they are shopping pitcher Boof Bonser and outfielder (slash reigning stolen belt champion -- ed.) Craig Monroe in efforts to find an alternative.

GOOD LUCK WITH THAT

("-- ed." = me, Cantu)

Stop shopping @ the Dollar Store, Twinkies.

Tho I hear Shannon Stewart might be available.

stolen belt?

LOL @ the BP / Will Carroll rumor that Jarrod Washburn is attracting attention from the Yankees and THE ROCKIES

also LOL @ USS Mariner's shameless "Washburn is so hot right now operators are standing by" that supposedly got picked up by The Big Lead

shameless shtick, that is

stolen belt?

Stolen belt.

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (AP) -- Craig Monroe of the Detroit Tigers is facing a theft charge in Florida after authorities say he stole a belt from a department store.

The 27-year-old outfielder wrapped a $29.99 belt around his waist and tried to leave a store Friday without paying, according to arrest reports. He posted $500 bond and was released from county jail later that day.

It was not immediately clear if Monroe had hired an attorney. He is scheduled to face arraignment on the second-degree misdemeanor on Dec. 15.

Monroe hit .293 with 18 home runs and 72 RBIs in 128 games last season for the Tigers.

Will Carroll (12:15:23 PM PT): Still confirming, but looks like Jason Bay to Tampa for Reid Brignac and Jeff Niemann.

Brin-yak or Brig-nak?

Go Rays! And Pirates!

Not sure that's as good a deal as the Manny Extravaganza, but it beats nuthin'.

Rico Brogna for who?

Eric Plunk & a 1990 Score Barry Sanders

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/pics/eric_plunk_autograph.jpg
Best pose of 1987.

pre-pube stache = A+

Wow Niemann is 6'9/280 according to B-R. That's mighty large.

sorry, that Pudge trade is a big shrug to me. He really sucked at the plate til the last 4-5 weeks and he may very well go back to that.

Jon Rauch is 6-11, 300#

http://www.joesportsfan.com/jsfpics/cards/Johnson.jpg

Milwaukee 1987 = Williamsburg 2002? Just lookit them bedroom eyes.

xp That's even larger.

also Rapozer, never got an ILX email from you, but I found yr geemail addy and sent you a Mets mssg.

sup
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Jon_Rauch.jpg/469px-Jon_Rauch.jpg

Jonah Keri claimed in his espn chat today that the Red Sox are exploiting the Manny trade talk just to cockblock the Rays from getting Jason Bay (his words, not mine). It makes sense!!

when's he due xpost

No one mentioned Arthur Rhodes to the Marlins for RHP Gaby Hernandez yet? It's done.

Will Carroll (1:03:49 PM PT): Wait, wait ... Bay to Boston? Is the Manny deal something out of a George Romero movie?

Not Monkey Shines, I hope!

Maybe the Pirates & Sox are involving the Dodgers & Kemp?

haha

The Yankees talked about trading infielder Alberto Gonzalez to the Nationals for pitcher Jhonny Nunez, SI.com has learned. No word if the deal was done.

http://pawatercooler.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/siren.gif

RIP the next Derek Jeter?

I think Alberto Gonzales the attorney general had a better chance of being the next Derek Jeter.

Edes on NESN: "I'm being told that a trade has gone down with Manny Ramirez. No details yet, but something is in the commissioner's office."

Will Carroll (1:22:15 PM PT): Manny to Dodgers?

Kevin Goldstein (1:22:15 PM PT): It's 3:21 and people are telling me Manny may have been traded. It just . . . won't . . . die.

Will Carroll (1:22:51 PM PT): Yep, I have two sources on this one, plus Jon Heyman. NO idea on particulars.

how many years left on bay's contract?

Signed through 2009 at $7.5MM.

whoa wtf jason bay better produce like a motherfucker in boston or he's gonna get the '07 regular season drew treatment 10x worse.

now I DEF have to get dodgers tix for august

i really can't wait to see bill plaschke's first manny column

manny = winner. this even plaschke can't deny (I think)

Manny Ramirez. Great player. Hall of Famer.

But what else are we getting?

A troublemaker.

A clubhouse divider.

A player who doesn't hustle. Who clogs up the bases. Who takes breaks in the outfield.

In short, not a Dodger. Not the Dodger we need.

Not now.

Not when this team is so close.

hahaha thats about perfect

lool

people who dont want manny ramirez on their team should stick to cricket

YANKEES
VICTOR ZAMBRANO
TOGETHER AT LAST
in the minors

"small sample size" and all the bullshit but jason bay's home/road splits in '08:

home: .290/.359/.571
road: .273/.393/.455

krukhead edition:

15 HR/45 RBI at home
7 HR/19 RBI on the road

In Los Angeles, they are celebrating, the big bat they need has finally arrived

In Boston, they are celebrating, the clubhouse cancer removed once and for all

In Los Angeles, it's Manny being Manny

In Boston, Manny isn't being Manny anymore

Manny Ramirez has been acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and will bring many impressive numbers with him; 510 home runs, 1672 RBIs, a .312 batting average, and other numbers that Stat Boy DePodesta would be happy to talk to you about. But numbers don't play the game; people do. And Manny Ramirez is not a person who will bring the heart this Dodger team so desperately needs.

This Dodgers team has been full of players with no grit, no hustle. Guys like Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, and Andruw Jones have only served to block from the lineup the heart this team needs from its emotional core, Juan Pierre. Factor in the injuries to Nomar Garciaparra and Rafael Furcal, and this is a team playing on no emotion.

Now add to the mix Manny Ramirez. Sure, he'll hit the ball a long way. Might even drive a few guys in. But he doesn't give this team what it really needs; dirty uniforms, taking the extra base, smart baseball. This Dodger team already has enough compilers like Kemp and Ethier. What this team needed was a sparkplug. Instead, they got Manny Ramirez. Good luck with that, Dodger fans!

This Dodger team already has enough compilers like Kemp and Ethier.

Fun fact that's really hard to find on the internet: the Dodgers are 4th from the bottom of the NL in runs scored.

Please tell me this is fake.

Plaschke:

Perhaps nobody in baseball history has performed better in a more pressure-filled World Series, as he was the MVP of the 2004 Series that broke the Red Sox's 86-year title drought.

Yet a couple of weeks ago, during a sixth-inning pitching change at Fenway Park, he momentarily departed left field to make a cellphone call.

These two events really do cancel each other out.

why bother keeping track of runs? team w/ the most # of and dirtiest uni's gets the W!!

lol yeah my friend wrote that

tho plaschke's real column aint much better: http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-plaschke1-2008aug01,0,4821970.column

Unofficially, it doesn't take a Laker fan to understand that they were given a gift the size of Pau Gasol.

lol way to instill the dodger fans with confidence, bill

Milwaukee 1987 = Williamsburg 2002? Just lookit them bedroom eyes.

I actually had a conversation on another message board about the most hipster-looking baseball team. Someone mentioned the 1985 Phillies; I countered with the 1982 Brew Crew.

http://www.go4thestars.com/10282gt.jpg

http://www.joesportsfan.com/jsfpics/cards/Moose.jpg

http://graphics.jsonline.com/graphics/sports/brew/img/aug02/jg815.jpg

those dudes are too athletic and confident lookin to pass for hipsters

find the most depressing sad-sack team ever and u got ur hipster all-stars right there

FASANOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

See Bad News Bears Go to Japan, then.

Better yet, don't.

I'm pulling for a waiver-flavored Jarrod Washburn NYY merger, BTW.

http://www.mopupduty.com/rance.jpg

When did "hipster" become "mid-80s state cop"?

HAHAHAHA~~~

or "early '90s physics professor"

Odds on a "GNC customer in Zubas" shift?

i blame Napoleon Dynamite.