Winter 2011-2012 FAs

[Frayed Knot]

TransMonk wrote: [Alex Gonzalez gives the Brewers] More Ks, but more defense [than Betancourt]

And considerably more power.
He's hardly the ideal guy you want but that was the Brews' weakest position last year and he'll do as a stop-gap to someone else.
In fact, AG is frequently a one-year stop-gap to someone else: Florida - Boston - Cincy - back to Boston - Toronto - Atlanta - and now Milwaukee all since 2005. Four times a FA plus two trades during that span.

[Frayed Knot]

HahnSolo wrote: It's the 03 Marlin, not the 03 Cub.

And you know what the cool part about these two is?
If you go Alex Gonzalez (the Venezuelan-born '03 Marlin and still active one) at BB-Ref his most similar player is ... Alex S. Gonzalez (the now retired '03 Cub from Miami)
Going to Alex S. Gonzalez you find Alex Gonzalez as only his third most similar player for his career although both were each other's most similar every year for at least a five year stretch from age 26 thru 30

[TransMonk]

Frayed Knot wrote: [Alex Gonzalez gives the Brewers] More Ks, but more defense [than Betancourt] And considerably more power.

I'm not seeing that:

Betancourt in 2011: 13 HR, 68 RBI, .381 SLG in 556 ABs

Gonzalez in 2011: 15 HR, 56 RBI, .372 SLG in 564 ABs

[Edgy MD]

Octavio Dotel to the Tigers for a one-year deal with a team option for a second. The Tigers won't confirm any deal until a physical is passed. An official announcement could come by Monday. Ducky: Keeping the 1999 Mets active.

Upon his first appearance for the Tigers, Dotel will set a record, representing his 13th franchise.

Mike Morgan, Matt Stairs, and Ron Villone, along with Dotel, have all played for 12 teams,

The Dotel Itinerary

1999 New York Mets
2000-2004 (April-June): Houston Astros
2004 (June-October)-2005: Oakland Athletics
2006: New York Yankees
2007 (April-July): Kansas City Royals
2007 (August-October): Atlanta Braves
2008-2009: Chicago White Sox
2010 (April-July): Pittsburgh Pirates
2010 (August-September): Los Angeles Dodgers
2010 (September-October): Colorado Rockies
2011 (April-July) Toronto Blue Jays
2011 (July-October): St. Louis Cardinals

[Frayed Knot]

Not official yet, but Aramis Ramirez is heading to Milwaukee for 3 years.

Prince who? Ryan who?

[Edgy MD]

Heck of a career Ramirez has had himself in his tour of the NL Central.

[TransMonk]

Signing Ramirez wipes out any microscopic dream that Milwaukee fans had of re-signing Fielder.

In a related move, the Brewers flipped 3B Casey McGehee to Pittsburgh for RP Jose Veras.

[MFS62]

No word as to whether Maddie had to pass through waivers before being claimed:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/He-gone-Joe-Mauer-is-engaged-after-proposing-to?urn=mlb-wp28503

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

So how much did the Mets bid for Darvish, d'ya think? $30M? $40M? Some Chick-Fil-A coupons and a regifted Perfect Egg Cooker?

[smg58]

They found a place in Corona that makes halfway decent spring rolls?

[Edgy MD]

ND Chavez, Baltimore Oriole.

[Frayed Knot]

Jason Kubel -- 2 years -- Arizona

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Frayed Knot wrote: Jason Kubel -- 2 years -- Arizona

They have a really good defensive/good-to-great offensive OF, don't they? They needed an outfielder?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Rangers win Darvish rights

[Edgy MD]

Go, Rangers.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Shocked that it wasn't the MFYs, despite the drumbeat of a modest offer. I'd have bet they'd have done something radical about their pitching by now.

[metirish]

$51.7 million just to talk.....crazy.

[Frayed Knot]

Rumors all week had it that the Jays were going to wind up as the high bid.
Rangers offer reportedly topped $51 mil - and now they have that minor little problem of working out a contract.
I hope some stadium has the foresight to play 'Getting to Know You' (from 'The King and I) over the PA when he first enters a game. Of course an organist playing a few snippets of it would be even better.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Shocked that it wasn't the MFYs, despite the drumbeat of a modest offer. I'd have bet they'd have done something radical about their pitching by now.

they're cutting payroll and lowering ticket prices. not in the budget.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

metirish wrote: $51.7 million just to talk.....crazy.

Well, they only owe it if they come to a deal.

The real crime here is the posting system itself. Darvish gets nothing and NPB owners get rich because they've rigged the system so as to screw their Darvishes.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Erstwhile Nat, Card, Rockie, and Staten Islander/MFY fan Jason Marquis is feelin' Minnesota's offer of 1 yr/$3M.

(Am I the only one here who breathes a sigh of relief every year when he signs someplace else?)

[Edgy MD]

Yup. Don't know why. That's the reasonable scratch he should have been making all along but something about his francophonic name makes him that guy people always overpay for.

Everybody thinks he's the last piece of their puzzle or something.

[Ceetar]

Beltran's attempting to replace Pujols' production amidst the 'if you can't beat them, join them" jokes to the tune of 2/26.

Here's hoping he solidifies his Hall of Fame candidacy, in which he'd go in as a Met. This puts a damper in any hope he can absolutely destroy the Cardinals in the postseason again though.

[G-Fafif]

I guess this makes them The New Cardinals.

[Frayed Knot]

Apparently Oliver wants more

The now 41 y/o Darren Oliver (y'know, the one who the Mets talked out of retirement seven years ago) has signed a one-year deal with the Blue Jays.


And in other LH-reliever news: George Sherrill goes to the Mariners.

[smg58]

Ceetar wrote: Here's hoping he solidifies his Hall of Fame candidacy, in which he'd go in as a Met. This puts a damper in any hope he can absolutely destroy the Cardinals in the postseason again though.

He could always go 0 for 25 with 6 errors. That would be pretty destructive.

[ashie62]

Maybe Beltran will find the fountain of Youth like Berkman.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Or maybe Jason Bay will!

[Frayed Knot]

Ashie62 wrote: Maybe Beltran will find the fountain of Youth like Berkman.

As opposed to the bad season Carlos had this year?

[Edgy MD]

Timothy Dolan signed by Cardinals.