Hot Stove 2009-2010

[Guest Edgy DC]

Carlos Silva --- there's a mistake we had every opportunity to make and didn't.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Another left fielder shopper has left the building.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

And, on another note, Jeff Passan takes a look at Scott Boras' use of mystery teams.

Because the Mystery Team creates the illusion of a market, a neat bit of trickery that forces the truly interested � in this case, the Cardinals � to reassess the strength of their bid and turns confident executives into second-guessers. Whether the Cardinals are offering Holliday a five- or eight-year deal � both have been reported � matters not anymore. The implied interest of the Baltimore Orioles (really, now) and the fray-joining Mystery Team turns an amicable Cardinals-Holliday slow dance into an elaborate waltz.

[Guest Edgy DC]

"Fuckit," thinks Omar, "I'm tempted to sign sign 'em both, and shove it. Up. Harper's. Ass."

[metirish]

By Jon Heyman, SI.com

The trade sending Mike Lowell to the Rangers has been called off after a medical examination showed he needed thumb surgery, sources comfirm.
Texas canceled the deal in which Lowell was being traded for hitting prospect Max Ramirez. Lowell also had hip surgery last winter.
The Rangers might consider Lowell for a lesser price later but more likely will look elsewhere for a righthanded bat. Boston had agreed tp pay $9 million of Lowell's $12 million salary.

[nymr83]

the Yankees have now agreed to terms with 1B/DH Nick Johnson. Johnson will receive roughly 5.5 million dollars for his services.

[Frayed Knot]

That Lowell deal getting slam-dunked (I had a feeling that might happen) not only throws a wrench into the BoSox overall plans but probably takes them even further out of the Bay sweepstakes, assuming they weren't already out to begin with.

[ashie62]

I would be surprised if Murphy was NOT the 1B next season for no other reason I don't see any other alternatives for this season.

Bay looks like the closest thing to a lock...one SP please? Gil Meche..

Off topic but the Jets and Mark Sanchez suck it hard

[RealityChuck]

Ashie62 wrote: Off topic but the Jets and Mark Sanchez suck it hard

That's unfair. The Jets have a serious long-term commitment to mediocrity, and have been outstanding in achieving it.

[smg58]

Darren Oliver appears headed to Texas for a year and $3.5M, plus a possible option. Coco Crisp is getting $5M plus an option from the A's.

[Guest 86-Dreamer]

I have not read any chatter at all about Adam LaRoche, but wonder if the Johnson and Matsui contracts will limit his ability to get more than 2 years or more than $8 million per year. For two years or less, I think he would be a great fit for the Mets offensively and defensively until Ike Davis is ready. Would gladly pass on Molina to make that happen.

[Vic Sage]

I don't think LaRoche is comparable, in that NJohnson and Matsui got the contracts they got only because they are damaged goods that can't play every day. LaRoche is 30, healthy and relatively productive, with a decent glove. His career OPS is around .840 (OPS+ over 120). I bet he can get a 3-5 year deal, at around $8-$10m/yr. He's not a .300/30hr guy, but a .275/25hr guy with a decent glove, in the prime of his career, who plays every day, isn't going to get a low-end deal. I'd prefer him to Murphy, though. And Ike can play the OF.

[metirish]

This seems like a sensible deal by the Reds and creative too

Scott Rolen agreed Saturday to a two-year contract extension with the Cincinnati Reds that guarantees him an additional $13 million while converting almost half of his 2010 salary to a deferred signing bonus.

The deal, which runs through 2012, clears a little bit of payroll room for the Reds and shows how much they value the 34-year-old third baseman as a clubhouse leader. Rolen missed time with a concussion last season, batting .305 with 11 homers and 67 RBIs in 128 games with Toronto and Cincinnati.

A seven-time Gold Glove winner and five-time All-Star, Rolen had been due to make $11 million next season, the final one in an eight-year, $90 million deal he got from St. Louis. Instead, he gets a $5 million signing bonus that will be paid over the next three years, a $6 million salary next season and $6.5 million in each of the following two seasons.

AP

[ashie62]

And Rolen will blow his back out by the end of April

[ashie62]

Per Rosenthal...Braves being shown Uggla to play LF

Is he an option at Citifield? anyone, anyone?

[Vic Sage]

i would think his value is as a 30hr 2bman. If he moves to LF, his value becomes greatly diminished.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Vic Sage wrote: i would think his value is as a 30hr 2bman. If he moves to LF, his value becomes greatly diminished.

He's a younger DeRosa, except worse at fielding significantly fewer positions.

[ashie62]

and the Nationals win the Jason Marquis derby

The Nats seem to be taking this whole "baseball thing' seriously now..euch

[metirish]

A two-year, $15 million deal from what I can gather....

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I wanted no part of Jason Marquis, YLDB.

[Gwreck]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Vic Sage wrote: i would think his value is as a 30hr 2bman. If he moves to LF, his value becomes greatly diminished. He's a younger DeRosa, except worse at fielding significantly fewer positions.

30 HR guys have value no matter where they play. Maybe not the megabucks he could get if he was a slick-fielding middle infielder but there's still a lot of value there.

[Benjamin Grimm]

metirish wrote: A two-year, $15 million deal from what I can gather....

Is it possible to assume that Piniero's value falls somewhere between Wolf's and Marquis'?

[metirish]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: metirish wrote: A two-year, $15 million deal from what I can gather.... Is it possible to assume that Piniero's value falls somewhere between Wolf's and Marquis'?

I'd think so but I bet his agent wouldn't....IIRC there was patter about 4 year deals worth $44 million not that along ago.

[ashie62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: metirish wrote: A two-year, $15 million deal from what I can gather.... Is it possible to assume that Piniero's value falls somewhere between Wolf's and Marquis'?

Darn Tootin! sic em Omar!!

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Gwreck wrote: LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Vic Sage wrote: i would think his value is as a 30hr 2bman. If he moves to LF, his value becomes greatly diminished. He's a younger DeRosa, except worse at fielding significantly fewer positions. 30 HR guys have value no matter where they play. Maybe not the megabucks he could get if he was a slick-fielding middle infielder but there's still a lot of value there.

Value? Yes. But not the same value.

There were 4 2B who hit 30 homers last year. There were 16 such corner outfielders.

He's in the upper third of 2B, value-wise. He'd be middle-of-the-pack-- assuming he hits his upper-20-percentile CHONE productions-- in LF, assuming he plays the position reasonably well.

[DocTee]

MFY send Melky Cabrera to ATL for Javy Vazquez, as per ESPN.

[metirish]

DocTee wrote: MFY send Melky Cabrera to ATL for Javy Vazquez, as per ESPN.

Touted MFY prospect Arodys Vizcaino goes in the deal.......good trade for the MFY , hell of a rotation

[Guest Edgy DC]

Wow, the Yanks traded Arod.

[HahnSolo]

Remind me about the Braves outfield again, does Melky become an everyday player? They have McLouth for center, I think.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Before the trade, the outfield looked to be Diaz/McLouth/Infante.