Hot Stove 2009-2010

[seawolf17]

I don't get it.

/googles "merkin"

Ooooh, I get it now.

[Fman99]

You can cross 'Merkin off' the free agent list

[ashie62]

maybe Madoff did steal most of Fred's money..Just don't tell Jeff!

[metirish]

Outfielder Rick Ankiel is in agreement on a $3.25 million deal with the Royals, SI.com has learned.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

He didn't want to play in New York? Well, then we didn't want him here.

On the other hand... Jesus Guzman DFAed by the Giants... that's 25-year-old Jesus Guzman, who's played 1B, 2B, 3B and both corner OF positions in his career... and has put up a career .299/.368/.470 line in the minors.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Don't fuck with the Jesus

[willpie]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: He didn't want to play in New York? Well, then we didn't want him here. On the other hand... Jesus Guzman DFAed by the Giants... that's 25-year-old Jesus Guzman, who's played 1B, 2B, 3B and both corner OF positions in his career... and has put up a career .299/.368/.470 line in the minors.

I am intrigued by your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

[ashie62]

The remainder of FA starting pitchers is coming down the lane and a motley crue it tis.

didn't realize Washburn was 37..Garland, Bedard (burp)

Pedro and Sheets were the only 2 that did anything for me.

Since its' Jeff's money go all in on Sheets...If it bombs Philip Humber is available

[metirish]

Bedard is only 30 and in 15 starts for Seattle last seaon sported a 2.82 ERA, so what's wrong with him?

[ashie62]

metirish wrote: Bedard is only 30 and in 15 starts for Seattle last seaon sported a 2.82 ERA, so what's wrong with him?

True..it seems he has arm trouble as often as he doesn't..

[MFS62]

I also read some writers a while back who pussy-footed around that Bedard might also have some head problems playing in NY. Nothing specific, just my reading between the lines.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

metirish wrote: Bedard is only 30 and in 15 starts for Seattle last seaon sported a 2.82 ERA, so what's wrong with him?

Injuries both above and below the neck.

He was a big-time prospect with the O's but they dealt him for OFer Adam Jones and others in what was probably the only good move during the Peter Angelos era for at least the last decade.
Bedard not only wound up oft-injured in Seattle but also got tagged as a head-case and a discipline problem.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Em, why-- given all the platoon-y/depth questions, hasn't there been more of a push to resign 3B/1B/LF/RF/2B/SS Tatis (paid $1.7M last year and worth 3-4 times that)?

Edited January 23, 2010 by Guest

[HahnSolo]

Garland to me would be a durable, and perhaps Trachsellian, addition to the rotation. Nothing to pop champagne corks about, but a guy I'd feel reasonably confident in every five days. And I'd be reasonably comfortable that he'd actually make it out there every five days.

[Guest Edgy DC]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Em, why-- given all the platoon-y/depth questions, hasn't there been more of a push to resign 3B/1B/LF/RF/2B/SS Tatis (paid $1.7M last year and worth 3-4 times that)?

He's on the radar.

Fangraphs' value-o-meter is fun but I just have trouble seeing what their numbers say was there.

He was worth $6.9 million last season? Really?

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Yeah, it's based on their yearly estimate of marginal win cost, and it seems a little fungible.

But, yeah-- a league-average bat with power attached to a player that plugs in to virtually any position on the diamond is, in essence, a budget version of DeRosa (who makes 5-6 million for virtually the same skillset, and about the same performance).

[metirish]

I read somewhere today that Tatis is being looked at as a platoon with Murphy .

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/the_first_option_iXNnHeav6mZQZesdWQNwfJ

[Ceetar]

Bringing Tatis back is one of the few moves that could be make that would make me severely consider cutting the number of games I go to next year.

that guy was a bum. I'm pretty confident that had they played with 24 guys last year (beyond when they did anyway) and Tatis was not on the roster they've have won a couple more games. at least.

[Vic Sage]

i have no idea what team you were watching, but Tatis played ok last year, and played better than that the year before. If Murphy is still the plan at 1b, Tatis would be a solid platoon partner, as well as a solid backup at the other corner IF/Of slots.

[Guest Edgy DC]

The problem I think folks may have with Tatis is that he brought most of his productivity after it might have helped change the difference in the season. While they were still trying to hang in there in May and June, and injury were forcing him into more action, he was at his low point.

Month	PA	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
April/March	27	.348	.407	.609	1.016
May	73	.227	.288	.318	.606
June	69	.233	.313	.317	.630
July	52	.229	.288	.563	.851
August	93	.310	.359	.452	.811
Sept/Oct	65	.373	.406	.508	.915

That kind of stinks, but I'm willing to be charitable enough to write it off as unfortunate timing, rather than bumminess. They faced a surfeit of righthanded pitching in April. Maybe his bat cooled from disuse and it took him a little bit to get going.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'm for flipping Tatis, and pretty much any player who does an unexpectedly good job off the bench. Bring 'em in, move 'em out. The key is to find the next guy with a good season in him in such a role.

[ashie62]

Try and find a player at the major league minimum to fill Tatis' role.

May not be fair to Fernando but players that can be removed from last season's suckage may not be such a bad thing

[Frayed Knot]

Miggy Tejada returns to Bal'mer, only this time as a 3rd baseman.

[Guest sharpie]

Follows Cal Ripken as shortstop/3b for Balmer.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Ashie62 wrote: Try and find a player at the major league minimum to fill Tatis' role.

PSST! MINOR LEAGUERS WHO CAN HIT SOMEWHAT CREDIBLY AND FILL 6 POSITIONS AREN'T AS AVAILABLE AS THEY USED TO BE!

And pardon me... but FUCK change for change's sake. I don't have a Tatis jersey in my closet either, but he does essentially what DeRosa does at 1/3 the price.

[ashie62]

Tatis & Derosa both stank

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

You're right. What the Mets oughta do is clone David Wright like, 14 times, and clone 9 of Johan. Boom! Roster filled!

Actually, that's a little unrealistic: let's just trade for Pujols instead. And Mauer. And Halladay, 'cause you need a number 2.

[ashie62]

No

Spend the money that would go to Tatis on starting pitching...

no need to be mean

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

A bit snarky, considering the provocation. Apologies... was in a bit of a snit yesterday PM.

I don't know what the Met budget looks like precisely, but I'd wager that spending on bench filler and 1-2 SPs aren't mutually exclusive. But then, what do I know, really-- if it does indeed exist, the team budget is a secret, and it ain't the open kind.

And speaking of secrets... did Freddy Sanchez just pull a Beltran?

[smg58]

Xavier Nady is a Cub for $3M. Ronnie Belliard is a Dodger again, for $825k -- he hits lefties well enough to platoon at first, and could have been an upgrade at second. The Twins land Jim Thome for $1.5M, which I think is a good deal for them. John Garland gets $4.7M for the Padres.