NL East winter moves 2011-12

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Two years of cost-controlled Volstad-plus-$3 million might be worth it just for his hitting-- toss in 125-150 innings of at-least-league-average-ish pitching (which seems probable) and he's a steal.

[Edgy MD]

Plus he's got Guillen's temper with a younger man's strength and testosterone. Good times.

Gar the Batting Stance Guy says he looks forward to Zambrano taking a bat to one of those giant aquariua behind home plate.

[Frayed Knot]

Excerpts from BP:

Over the past two seasons, Zambrano accrued 2.4 WARP, much of it due to his performance at the plate. Chris Volstad was worth 2.2.
That doesn�t mean the two are equally talented; for one thing, Zambrano put together that total in about 65 fewer innings (albeit because he was so often unable or unwilling to pitch). But even if Volstad isn�t the pitcher Zambrano was and perhaps could be again, he�s five years younger, under team control through 2014, and much less likely to punch someone in the face before then.

[Edgy MD]

I'd like to see the data on that in a graph.

[Guest attgig]

seems like a win win.

Marlins possibly getting a front line starter slotted in at #5 if all goes well for 3 mil and their old number 5.
Cubs getting a headache out of their clubhouse and someone who'll slot in at #5 for a couple years at a decent salary.

[Ceetar]

MORE new hitters for the Marlins?

@joecapMARLINS: Elephants from Ringling Bros will take batting practice Thu at new Marlins ballpark

[Edgy MD]

PETA must hate this team.

[nymr83]

Fuck PETA, who are they to say that hitting a ball off a tee with a bat isn't this elephant's dream come true?

[seawolf17]

And for all we know, the elephant's already a better hitter than Jason Bay.

[Edgy MD]

Nymr83 wrote: Fuck PETA, who are they to say that hitting a ball off a tee with a bat isn't this elephant's dream come true?

Ouch. Harsh negotiator.

[Fman99]

Nymr83 wrote: Fuck PETA

Tried that once. The key is to fill it up with sprouts and maybe some hummus.

Wait, what?

[Ceetar]

Fman99 wrote: Nymr83 wrote: Fuck PETA Tried that once. The key is to fill it up with sprouts and maybe some hummus. Wait, what?

Wasn't that a banned Super Bowl commercial?

[Edgy MD]

Jack Wilson, Atlanta Brave.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy DC wrote: Jack Wilson, Atlanta Brave.

I guess if you combine Betancourt & Wilson they've got one decent SS in there somewhere.



Meanwhile, the Nats take recently acquired Gio Gonzalez - already under club control for the next four years - and ink him to a 5-year extension with options thru 2017 & 2018, avoiding all the arb years that would have started next season plus the first year or three of FA-gency.

[Edgy MD]

I was thinking the Braves were going with Pastor Nicky as their shortstop.

[MFS62]

Edgy DC wrote: I was thinking the Braves were going with Pastor Nicky as their shortstop.

I think he dropped out of the running to throw his support behind Rick Santorum.

Later

[Edgy MD]

Phillies ship former Mets scrubbie subbie Wilson Valdez to Cincy for relief help.

It won't be much longer that Valdez has any trade value at all, so I guess it's a good time to move him, but I'm glad to see any depth taken away from the Phils' infield.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: Phillies ship former Mets scrubbie subbie Wilson Valdez to Cincy for relief help. It won't be much longer that Valdez has any trade value at all, so I guess it's a good time to move him, but I'm glad to see any depth taken away from the Phils' infield.

seems odd given the health issues with Utley and Rollins.

[Edgy MD]

And Howard and Polanco, also.

Unless you believe Chief Wiggum can still fake it in the middle of the diamond, the new backup at short and second is Michael Martinez, who hit .196 last year as a 28-year-old rookie.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: And Howard and Polanco, also. Unless you believe Chief Wiggum can still fake it in the middle of the diamond, the new backup at short and second is Michael Martinez, who hit .196 last year as a 28-year-old rookie.

I forgot about Wiggum.

[seawolf17]

Brad Lidge to the Nats for one year, $1M plus incentives.

FUCK YOU WILPONS FOR RUNNING OUT OF GODDAMN MONEY.

[Ceetar]

seawolf17 wrote: Brad Lidge to the Nats for one year, $1M plus incentives. FUCK YOU WILPONS FOR RUNNING OUT OF GODDAMN MONEY.

Something about Lidge has always rubbed me the wrong way. Don't trust him. also, his injury history.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I wouldn't like him either if he was always rubbing me.

[Ceetar]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I wouldn't like him either if he was always rubbing me.

Think about how the baseballs feel.

[Frayed Knot]

Lidge on the Nats may be nothing more than their 7th inning guy with Clippard & Storen backing him up.

[Edgy MD]

Phillies, terrified that the Mets were sniffing around Juan Pierre's door, beat them to the punch and sign him to a minor league deal first.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Yes, hindsight is 20/20, yadda yadda yadda. But considering how many guys were out there, Sandy really might've been best served waiting until the after-Christmas sales, no?

[Edgy MD]

Sometimes. It's not like he hasn't let the market come to him in other regards.

[Frayed Knot]

"I think [Opening Day is] more than a reach ... If [Ryan Howard] is back by sometime in May, I'll be happy." -- Ruben Amaro Jr.

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: "I think [Opening Day is] more than a reach ... If [Ryan Howard] is back by sometime in May, I'll be happy." -- Ruben Amaro Jr.

Sounds like what Omar was saying about Beltran in 2010.