Morisato’s Blog 2.0
Just another Realsportsbloggers.com weblog
August 25, 2008 at 9:52 pm · Filed under Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Baseball, Detroit Tigers, Greg Maddux, Horacio Ramirez, John Smoltz, Kevin Millwood, MLB, NL East, New York Mets, Tom Glavine
Where is the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing? They have passed like rain on the mountain, like wind in the meadow. The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow. How did it come to this?
- Theoden, The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers
We can officially bury one of the dynasties of the past twenty years in baseball.
The Atlanta Braves are now toast.
To again quote Theoden, how did it ever come to this?
The Atlanta Braves of the 90’s were built on the mantra of pitching, pitching, and pitching. When you have Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Greg Maddux pitching in front of you, that is a hard series for you to win. However, the Braves had other starters that pitched effectively to help out the Bravos as well, with pitchers such as Steve Avery, Denny Neagle (before prostitution), and Kevin Millwood being the most well known of the other 90’s Braves.
What this did cover up, however, was the fact that Millwood was essentially the last pitcher actually developed by the Braves.
Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz all provided the Braves with a security blanket. All were in their prime during their time with the Braves and all three were able to average 200 innings or close to that during the duration of their time with the Braves. And because the club was flush in cash thanks to Ted Turner, it was easier to keep that blanket together. However, after Millwood’s arrival, the Braves pipeline of young pitchers began to run dry. None of the other pitchers that seemed to come up could seem to even compare to Millwood. Odalis Perez, Jason Marquis, Bruce Chen and other pitchers all saw their time in the starting rotation of the Bravos, and time and time again, neither was really anything dominant, and in time, none was really even servicable as a fifth starter.
The issue didn’t become anywhere near as pronouced until the Big Three began to fracture apart. Smoltz would disappear after needing Tommy John Surgery around 2002, if I believe. That loss put the need for the Braves to now find another option for the fourth and fifth starters. Lesser pitchers, such as Horacio Ramirez, Paul Byrd, and others began to sprinkle into the rotation. Glavine’s depature in 2003 to New York would cost the Braves another of their dependable 200 inning options. Smotlz would return, but would have to become a reliever because he was unable to stand up to the pounding of 200 innings. THe Braves would also exile Millwood in 2002, when he unexpectedly accepted salary arbitration, resulting in the arrival of Johnny Estrada. Maddux accepted arbitration that same year, causing him to return and then depart Atlanta in 2004.
The loss of the Big Three was a devistating blow to Alanta, who now lost their long term starters for nearly a generation. The loss of Millwood as well resulted in the need to find other capable pitchers that would be able to help stave off the decay of the pitching staff. The result was the arrival of more mercinary pitchers, with Russ Ortiz taking over the role of staff ace and being followed by Paul Byrd, Jaret Wright, John Thomson, and other quick patches. The Braves continued to seek out workable options, bringing in Tim Hudson and looking around for any pitching that would fall into their laps.
The Braves seemed more and more to rely on Leo Mazzone continuing to keep the pitching staff afloat instead of actual talented, long term options for the rotation to become stable. And while Mazzone did his job extremely well for Atlanta, none of the Braves’ attempts to stave off the growing problem of a lack of pitching seemed to provide a long term fix. In a way, the team may have felt that as long as Mazzone remained a Brave, the option could simply be worked upon until something better came up.
Which makes the eventual depature of Mazzone to Baltimore all the more disasterous, in my opinion. Debate what you will about the usefulness of pitching coaches, but Mazzone was one of the best and was really one of the only things keeping the Braves’ staff from collapsing. With the depature of their long term coach, the Braves really were gambling on borrowed time, as the last cog that made the machine run as well as it had was gone.
In the end, the Braves simply weren’t able to continuing to put patches to keep the dam together, and the staff collapsed in 2007 and hasn’t rebounded since. The Braves have tried to conjure up the glory years in recent times by bringing back Glavine and having Smoltz pitch back in the rotation, but neither one really was anything close to their former selves once they returned to the Braves rotation. Add in the fact that Maddux is near the end and MIllwood is quietly flaming out in Texas and it marks an even sadder end to a era in the Braves.
Ultimately, what the Braves really need to do is rebuild their staff from the minor leagues on down. Their overall pitching depth isn’t impressive and the best arm the system has produced in years, Adam Wainwright, is currently a St. Louis Cardinals. Perhaps this can be fixed in the upcoming drafts for Atlanta, which is how they initially acquired Glavine. Perhaps shedding unnecessary salary in replacable players such as Kelly Johnson, Jeff Francouer and others could allow them to bring in a top young talent, as they did with Glavine.
Perhaps the rebuilding is already beginning. In 1987, the Braves traded Doyle Alexander to the Tigers for a young prospect from the area, one whom they had high hopes for, but ultimately deemed disposable.
That was John Smotlz.
In 2007, the Tigers, hoping to make a run at the World Series, traded two prospects that they deemed replacable to the Braves for Edgar Renteria.
So far, Jair Jurrgens is doing a pretty fair imitation of a Braves legend. We’ll see how well he can keep it up.
August 17, 2008 at 10:25 pm · Filed under 1
Some random thoughts tonight:
Rebuilding The Yankees
The Yankees are pretty much done as far as the playoffs and will likely be staying home for the first time in over a decade.
However, getting the Yankees back to the playoffs is a hard road in itself.
For starters, the division is going to get much tougher. While Toronto continues to flounder thanks to the wonderful work of JP RIccardi, the Red Sox and Rays have created deep farm systems and have enough talented young players on the current roster to sustain their winning. Baltimore itself also has rebuilt their farm system, and could begin seeing some fruit from their effort next season, when it’s expected that Matt Wieters will arrive to the majors.
New York, however, despite nearly $70 million leaving the books in the forms of Mussina, Rodriguez, Giambi, and other small contracts, doesn’t have that luxery. The farm system is largely a mess thanks to ineffective drafting as well as some prospects that just haven’t panned out. Whatever Yankee fans may say about Eric Duncan’s cieling when he was a prospect, the Yankees’ attempt to rush him through the system ruined his career. In fact, taking a quick look at the Yankees’ farm, aside from Austin Jackson, who could be New York’s centerfielder next year, the system is strongly lacking in positional players for the short term.
And, while the Yankees could attempt to fill holes by signing Mark Teixeira to play first, the draft pick losses, plus the contract, makes it an unhealthy way to run a railroad.
The Yankees need a complete rebuild. However, such a rebuild is a long and complex matter. We’ll talk about it after I’ve given it some thought. It could take a while.
Oddities In The Draft
It’s always wierd to see draft picks not get signed. THis year, a pair of first rounders went unsigned, which is odd until you consider the circumstances. Then it becomes unfortunate on one case and disasterous on the other.
New York failed to sign Gerrit Cole, a right handed prep pitcher from California. However, this wasn’t so much as money as it was the fact that Cole really did want to attend UCLA> Should the Yankees be chastized for their failure? No. They went after the best player available. The fact he wanted to go to school instead isn’t something that could have been forseen.
As for the Nationals’ failure to sign Aaron Crow, Missouri’s ace who has just signed a contract with the Fort Worth Cats, that is a whole different story. The fact that Washington and the Hendricks Brothers were so determined to stick to their guns no matter what happened is a failure for Crow as much as it is a black mark on both sides. Washington looks stupid for having not signed their top pick, and in spite of the fact they get the 10th overall pcik next year as compensation, that is going to be an expensive pick and one that they’ll have almost no leverage to sign, less they lose the pick forever. For the Hendricks’, this whole negotiation process, where both sides refused to budge from their dollar amounts, was a pissing contest. Really the only loser here was Crow, who now heads to Indy Ball to test his fate. One things for certain: in a stronger year for college arms, Crow won’t be anywhere near where he was picked, if a first rounder at all.
Catcher’s Market Looking Bare
The catcher’s market next year is looking fairly pitiful.
It’s essentially Ivan Rodriguez, Jason Varitek, Paul LoDuca and Johnny Estrada.
That’s not what you want when you are needing a backstop badly.
With Boston, New York, and several other clubs in need of a backstop, it’s becoming more and more obvious that, like pitching, the only way to get a quality catcher is to develop or trade one.
That will likely make Texas’ Gerald Laird and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Cleveland’s Kelly Shoppach, San Francisco’s Bengie Molina, and Los Angeles’ Jeff Mathis very high priced.
It’s a sellars market, and one that will almost certainly have to commend a good prospect haul to the trading team.
IN any case, it goes to show you, what a franchise catcher is worth almost as much as a starter.
August 11, 2008 at 12:43 pm · Filed under Adam Dunn, Arizona Diamondbacks, Baseball, Cincinatti Reds, MLB, NL Central, NL West
The Arizona Diamondbacks Have Traded RHP Dallas Buck and 2 Players To Be Named Later To The Cincinatti Reds for LF Adam Dunn.
That’s it?!
You’re kidding me.
The Reds traded away Dunn, knowing full well he’d bring in two prospects, for a package that barely reaches that.
I’ll admit that Dallas Buck isn’t a bad prospect. He pitched for Oregon State, but suffered a velocity drop that required Tommy John. His offspeed stuff is good, but reports are mixed right now as to just how good he’ll develop.
I know the batting average sucks on Dunn, but his on base percetange and power are valuable assets for any team to have. How is it that Adam Dunn gets so much vitrol while Ryan Howard, virtually a Dunn clone, doesn’t? I don’t get it.
As for the Diamondbacks, it’s a good move, as they now add an impact bat to their lineup, plus will reap the draft picks that are likely to be better than Buck or any of the players to be named later. You better believe that their two prized commodities, Max Scherzer and Jarrod Parker, aren’t going anywhere.
Overall, it’s a good move by Arizona, but a bit questionable by the Reds, who I feel made this move out of an attempt to try and show that they are doing something.
It should be interesting to see the Reds for the rest of the season, as they try to plug in players from their minors to find the best fit. Look for the Reds to also be active in this Winter’s Rule 5 Draft, in hopes of further restocking a talent base that has seen Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn, longtime fixtures in the Reds’ outfield, moved within a month of each other.
Update: Apparently, the Reds will be recieiving two players on the 40 Man Roster, which includes a major league ready starter.
The Diamondbacks were offering Micah Owings and Chad Tracy to the Braves for Mark Teixeira.
I’d say it’s a safe bet that Owings will be moved. Tracy is expendable in Arizona, but there’s about a 50/50 chance it’s him getting moved.
All in all, this is a upgraded package for the Reds and actually does have some upside. Owings slots in the rotaiton as the Number Four and makes the rotation interesting with a Volquez-Cueto-Harang-Owings-Arroyo rotation. If it is Tracy, perhaps he’ll force the move of Joey Votto back to left field.
All in all, interesting.
August 5, 2008 at 4:11 pm · Filed under Boston Red Sox, Curt Schilling, MLB
Curt Schilling is done for the year.
As far as we know, he hasn’t been in any contact with his Red Sox teammates, hasn’t even been to Fenway Park this season, and for the most part, is being paid $8 million to sit at home.
You would think he would just ride it out and come back next season.
Nope.
From Rotoworld:
Curt Schilling revealed Tuesday that he had a physical altercation with Manny Ramirez in 2005.
According to Schilling, they “had to be broken up” after Ramirez took offense to Schilling commenting on his sitting out a game when the Red Sox’s outfield was thin due to a Trot Nixon injury. “When you look at what happened and how it went down, and how much effort was expended to make sure that Manny wasn’t here at the end of the trading deadline, you have to kind of trust the fact that it wasn’t working,” Schilling said. Meanwhile, Ramirez is hitting .615 with two homers and five RBI through three games with the Dodgers.
For the love of God Curt, please stop talking.
What was the point of releasing this? To boost the Red Sox’s goodwill among the fans? To help justify a trade that really didn’t make sense in terms of the Dodger Side or the Red Sox side of it, when you think about it.
Did the Red Sox brass ask Curt to release this? Did they expect this response from the average Red Sox fan?
Manny hit Captain Curt?! Fuck him, let’s trade him!
Maybe I’m giving Schilling too much credit. Maybe all this was was just one more attempt of Schilling trying to keep the spotlight on himself one more minute before it goes away forever once the season is over.
And it brings the point back to the common flaw about Schilling.
When it’s all said in done, what will you remember Schilling as the post-season ace that he was for much of his career?
Or the loudmouth that tooted his own horn one too many times?
July 29, 2008 at 5:57 pm · Filed under AL West, Atlanta Braves, Baseball, Casey Kotchman, MLB, Mark Teixeira, Scott Boras
Manny, Bay On The Move? Jon Hayman and NESN are reporting the Manny Ramirez has indeed been traded as part of a three team trade between the Pirates, Dodgers and Red Sox. Right now, it’s believed Boston will get Jason Bay, Pittsburgh gains four prospects, and that Dodgers would land Bay.
The prospects headed to Pittsburgh are Andy LaRoche (LAD), Bryan Morris (LAD), Craig Hansen (BOS) and Brandon Moss (BOS) to PIT
Three Way Trade Dead, So Pirates Now Talking To Tampa: According Ken Rosenthal, the deal is dead, leaving Boston pretty pissed off at the Pirates and Marlins. However, according to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus, it was the Marlins that killed the deal, as the Pirates were happy with their prospect package, but Florida wanted more than just Ramirez. The Pirates have moved on, now discussing trading Bay to the Rays.
Tampa is now offering a package of Reid Brignac, a shortstop that still has some promise, but is more and more looking like he’ll be something of a average regular at shortstop, and Jeff Niemann, a towering right hander that has good stuff, but is inconsistent. The holdup is the Pirates demanding one of Tampa’s elite pitching prospects (David Price, Jeremy Hellickson or Wade Davis) in return.
If I were Tampa, I’d see if maybe the Pirates would bite on Mitch Talbot being tossed in. If not, then I’d say sayonara and ask the Reds if the Niemann-Brignac package is enough for Adam Dunn.
The Marlins Trade Gaby Hernandez To The Mariners For Arthur Rhodes: This is a GOOD trade for the Marlins, who gain a good pitching prospect for one of their lesser bullpen arms. Wth Rhodes, the Marlins gain an experienced lefty for their bullpen. In Hernandez, the Mariners gain a solid young pitcher that could develop into an innings eating starter for them. Hernandez isn’t an ace, but he’s good and his earlier problems for the Isotopes (of which I saw one of them), was less about him being awful and more of just him pitching in arguably the best hitters park on the continent.
And To Answer A Stalker’s Question: Kendry Morales would likely get a shot at first if the Angels fail to sign Teixiera. It would also signify the beginning of the end for the Angels, who would be entering the year with a lot of questions and not many reinforcements on the farm.
Who’s Ready For A Three-Way? According to MLB.com, it’s looking like a three way trade involving Boston, Florida and Pittsburgh is underway. According to the terms of the deal, Boston would gain Jason Bay, Florida would get Manny Ramirez, and Pittsburgh would gain Jeremy Hermida, with prospects being tossed around all around. I’m hoping that Pittsburgh gains the most of the prospects, as it would continue to add more to a farm system that is a bit depleted and in need of a further talent infusion.
Pudge Rodriguez To New York - Well, Pudge is now with New York, and he was acquired for Kyle Farnsworth to boot. Not sure how much this improves the Tigers, but Pudge is a solid improvement for the Yankees, and he’ll bring draft pick compensation as well.
Mark Teixeira has been traded again, this time to the Los Angeles Angels.
Teixiera was sent from the Braves for two players, Casey Kotchman and Stephen Marek.
This is a weaker package than what the Braves sent to Texas to acquire Teixiera in the first place, as Neftali Feliz, the young right hander in the deal alone is making it seem like a steal for the Rangers.
That’s not to say that the Braves didn’t do well for themselves here either. Kotchman is a decent young star, likely not a run producer, but a solid player, a la John Olerud, who should give them an impressive defensive presence at a fraction of the price. The second prospect in the group, Stephen Marek, is a relief prospect that is okay, but nothing special. Kotchman alone makes up for the draft pick compensation, however.
As for the Angels, this is a solid trade, as it gives them another run producer, one who could be a legitimate cleanup hitter behind Vlad. Currently, this is my guess as to how the Angels’ lineup will look:
- Figgins (3B)
- Izturis (SS)
- Guerrero (RF)
- Teixeira (1B)
- Hunter (CF)
- Anderson (LF)
- Rivera (DH)
- Kendrick (2B)
- Napoli (C)
That’s a better lineup than what the Angels have been running out, and one that’s much better for October. Whether or not they’ll advance past the first round remains to be seen.
The Angels are almost certain not to re-sign Teixeira after the season, as Boras will likely be waiting with bated breath to see how Teixeira fares in the playoffs. If he does well, Boras will likely spin it as evidence that Teixeira is the greatest post season performer since Reggie Jackson. If not, he’ll throw the Angels under the bus.
July 25, 2008 at 4:45 pm · Filed under AL East, Baseball, Brandon Morrow, Casey Blake, Dunn, Jarrod Washburn, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, Xavier Nady
The Jarrod Washburn Story Nearing It’s Inevitable Conclusion
Sindey Ponson may not pitch tomorrow, as it looks like the Yankees will merely assume Washburn’s contract obligations and give Seattle virtually nothing in terms of a prospect of consequence. Overall, this is probably the best Seattle could have hoped for (though I still think that Washburn is worth four outfielder Brett Gardner, whom the Yankees seem to have an unhealthy fetish for.) Washburn does want a little something-something for waiving his no-trade clause, which is coming from Seattle. I wonder what it is?
The Cleveland Indians Trade FC Casey Blake To The Los Angeles Dodgers For RHP Jonathan Meloan and C Carlos Santana, Acquire Anthony Reyes In A Seperate Deal.
Not a bad haul for the Indians, who get a potential closer in Meloan. Santana is the other big name prospect that the Indians get. Santana was just moved to catcher not too long ago, but looks good behind the plate thus far and has a nice swing. He’s got some power potential in him and overall looks to be quite a solid player.
As for Blake, the Dodgers get a Four Corner Reserve, as Blake can fill in at first, third, left and right field. He’s got decent pop, but is probably not all that great of a bet to be a starter, in my opinion. He’s not that great of a third baseman and the other teams after him, the Rays and the Mets, were going to use him into the outfield. Honestly, the Dodgers probably could have gotten Hank Blalock for Andy LaRoche alone. This deal likely spells the end of LaRoche in LA, which is a puzzling affair as the front office never seemed to believe in him.
The day gets better for the Indians as they get Anthony Reyes, who likely needed to get the hell out of St. Louis. Reyes has looked good in Triple A, likely because he’s away from Dave Duncan, whom he conflicted with a lot. If Reyes’ recovery is for real, the Indians have a solid rotation option bought for virtually nothing. The Cardinals get Luis Perdoma, a minor league reliever, who is okay, but not a closer or even a setup man. Again, good deal for the Indians, who are now likely to give up on Jeremy Sowers, who’s been awful for nearly three years running.
The New York Yankees Trade For Xavier Nady And Damasto Marte
One of the group of Ian Kennedy, Austin Jackson and Philip Hughes had to have been involved. There’s no way that the Pirates would have agreed to anything without one of them. My guess is that an Ian Kennedy Plus Melky Cabrera swap has been agreed to, which would result in Nady playing left field, Johnny Damon playing center, and Bobby Abreu at right.
Update: Okay, never mind, I assumed too much that the Yankees would be willing to break up one of their triad of pitchers. Instead, the deal is Marte and Nady to New York for Outfielder Jose Tabata and Right Handed Pitchers Ross Ohlendorf, Phil Coke and George Kontos.
My first reaction was “That’s Fucking IT?! WHAT THE FUCK?!:
After some thought and two Bud Lights, I’ve come to the conclusion that, while it’s disappointing, it’s an average haul.
Marte’s value has been depressed thanks to the Washington Nationals, who traded John Rauch for Emilio Bonifacio, a decent prospect, but not an elite one. That, of course, hindered the value that could be gained on Marte. We can probably assume that Marte brought the two young pitchers, Kontos and Coke. Well, young should be used in quotations for Coke, as he’s 26 and still in Double A. His long term ceiling isn’t great and he likely won’t ever make the majors. Hell, he’ll probably be playing for the St. Paul Saints next season. As for Kontos, he’s a middling prospect, possibliy a fifth starter or middle reliever. In other words, it’s a bag of nothing for a dominant middle reliever. The Pirates probably should have kept him.
As for Nady, we could probably assume that Tabata and Ohlendorf are the return for him. Ohlendorf is what he is, a 7th inning reliever that can eat some innings as a two or three inning long reliever. Tabata is the big prize, so lets go in depth on him.
Tabata ranked Number 4 on the Yankees’ Top Prospect List on Baseball Prospectus. There is a lot to like on him. He’s fast, plays a solid right field, and has a good eye for hitting, excellent bat speed, and could become an above average right fielder and leadoff man. He’s not a bad thing to have.
The problem with Tabata is that he has a history of hand injuries, which have kept him off the field. He’s also recently begun to struggle in the higher minors and debated about leaving baseball after a particularly tough day. In other words, there’s questions as to just how stable a prospect he is.
Tabata is a highly regarded prospect, and indeed is worthy of being called one of the top 100 prospects in baseball. But of the four top Yankee prospects (Hughes, Kennedy, Tabata and Jackson), he was the one they were going to miss the least and may have felt that they sold high on him.
So, in the end, while the Pirates did succeed in getting a top prospect for Nady, he is an unstable one at that. I think the Pirates may have been better off on calling up the Dodgers and trying to structure a package around Andy LaRoche, who the Dodgers are intent on trading. Overall, they did okay on the trade, but could have done more, especially on Marte, who could have gotten a better piece had he been sold seperately.
Update - Saturday Morning: According to the New York Post, the Nady Deal has been changed with the Pirates getting Daniel McCutchen and Jeff Karstens instead. Tabata and Ohlendorf are still in the deal.
This is a much better deal for the Pirates. McCutchen is a better prsopect than Kontos or Coke, and should be at the most a dependable Number Four starter or so. Think of a Kyle Lohse type of player, though then again, Lohse has better stuff than McCutchen does, he just doesn’t play up to it. Karstens is a middle reliever, same as Coke. All in all, this is probably the best the Pirates could do and for the most part, I like it.
Takes On The ESPN Live Blog
ESPN’s got the rumor mill blog going, so here are my takes on a few tidbits that are there.
Even with the trading deadline less than a week away, the Reds have had very little action on Adam Dunn. But one club that spoke with the Reds says the Yankees have explored what it would take to plug Dunn into their revolving outfield/DH vacancies. The Reds, however, are continuing to ask teams for one top-of-the-line prospect and one second-tier prospect. And that’s probably more than the Yankees are inclined to give up for Dunn.
Hmmm, interesting offer, but I would wonder what exactly the definition of “elite prospect” the Reds are using. I’d be tempted to make a play for Dunn if I were Texas, if it were to revolve around a package of, say, Jose Vallejo and Omar Poveda (who is maintaining a decent K to BB ratio, but is struggling because of the California League’s hitter’s paradise), plus a third prospect, I’d be tempted to inquire on Dunn. Then again, if Dunn’s price is, say, Eric Hurley or Chris Davis, I’d tell Walt Jocketty to fuck off too. I’m inclinded to believe the Yankees were asked for Phil Hughes, to which they probably scrambled away from as fast as possible.
Another Yankees update: Despite all sorts of reports about the likes of Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner being included in a deal for Jarrod Washburn, indications are that the Yankees view acquiring Washburn strictly as a good-will mission to take Washburn’s money (over $14 million) off the Mariners’ books. So the Yankees aren’t even willing to offer low-level prospects unless Seattle A) agrees to eat some of the money and/or B) is willing to take Kei Igawa. So far, there’s no sign that the Mariners are interested in either option. The Yankees also have deflected all Scott Boras efforts to extract an extension or relocation bonus if Washburn waves his no-trade clause to the Bronx.
Well, to be honest, Kei Igawa isn’t a bad contract. His contract is pretty much what you would get out of a fifth starter, and would be an easier contract to shed than Washburn’s. Hell, the Padres might even be willing to give up something of some value for Igawa, which they were interested in doing last season.
As for the Yankees, this is typical of them, trying to get something for nothing. Though Washburn isn’t an elite player, he’s got some value as an innings eater, which should at least count for the Yankees maybe sending off Brett Gardner, a fourth outfielder, in the deal. The fuckers.
One final bit of comedy: i just love that the Yankees are telling Boras that he gets dick for waiving the no trade clause. It’s not often someone tells Boras that.
With J.J. Putz back throwing well, the Mariners are contemplating sending down Brandon Morrow and turning him into a starter.
Good to see the Mariners brain trust finally using some. Morrow had no business in the majors and should be in Double A right now, preparing to be a starter. Not serving as a setup man on an irrelevant team thanks to a stupid decision by an incompetant general manager to sacrfice everything in a misguided attempt to contend. Congradulations Seattle!
July 22, 2008 at 4:33 pm · Filed under AL Central, AL West, Arizona Diamondbacks, Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Bullpen, Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Joe Blanton, MLB, Matt Murton, NL Central, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Rich Harden, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays
Here are my takes on the most recent trades in baseball.
The San Diego Padres Trade LHP Randy Wolf To The Houston Astros For RHP Chad Reineke. I don’t get this trade at all, as Wolf has been horrific away from PETCO. He’ll eat innings and perhaps provide Shawn Chacon-esque production, but that’s about it. As for Reineke, he is a decent little prospect who has been starting for the Express, but is more likely to head to the bullpen. Many feel that Reineke could be the second coming of Chad Qualls, in which case the Astros just got fucked. Kudos for San Diego for getting something of value, even if it isn’t what the hoped for initially. As for the Astros, this is just another attempt to try and save a sinking ship that already had several holes drilled into it when the season started. Astro Grade - D, Padre Grade - B
The Washington Nationals Trade RHP Jon Rauch To The Arizona Diamondbacks For 2B Emilio Bonifacio. This was an outstanding trade by Arizona, who gets a quality setup man in Rauch for a pittance. Bonifacio isn’t a great prospect, more of a speed and defense guy that legs out singles, but has little power or hitting skill. Jim Bowden got outsmarted on this deal. Rauch was worth so much more and would have gotten at a pair of prospects that were better than Bonifacio from any other contender, such as Boston or Tampa Bay. This trade could get Bowden fired. Snake Grade - A, National Grade - D-
The San Francisco Giants Trade 2B Ray Durham To The Milwaukee Brewers For LHP Steve Hammond and OF Darren Ford. This was a fairly solid trade for both sides. The Giants get rid of a player that wasn’t helping them really, in the grand scheme of things, and get something of value, even if it’s a fourth outfielder in Ford and a future middle reliever in Hammond. As for the Brewers, they get some insurance in the event that Rickie Weeks continues to disappoint. I understand the allure of tools and all, but really, Weeks has been a collosal disappointment since he came up. Giant Grade - B, Brewer Grade - B
And, just for laughs, here are my toughts on two of the big three pitching trades that went down.
The Philles Acquire Joe Blanton From Oakland For Three Prospects. The Phillies needed another pitcher, but to be quite frank, Blanton wasn’t all that hot and they overpaid slightly. Of the three prospects they acquired, the only real one of consequence is Adrian Cardenas, a solid second baseman offensively that will likely be Eric Chavez’s successor at the hot corner. Josh Outman, a left hander, is kind of a lefty specialist right now that could evolve into a quality middle reliever. Then again, I was wrong about Greg Smith, who has been rather successful for Oakland thus far. Overall, it’s a quality trade that makes up for the next one… Philly Grade - C, Oakland Grade - A-.
The Cubs Acquire Chad Gaudin and Rich Harden From Oakland For Eric Patterson, Sean Gallagher, Matt Murton, and Josh Donaldson. This trade I found out with my buddy in Chicago and it made us both go “Wow.” Oakland could have gotten more. Gallagher is the best prospect of the bunch and is essentially Gaudin, but younger. Patterson is looking more and more likely the next Mark DeRosa and Matt Murton finally gets a chance to start (and his jerseys at the Cub gift show were marked down to $70). Donaldson is the wild card prospect, but is thus far looking like the next Brad Ausmus. Good job for the Cubs by acquiring Harden, who while delicate is still good, for their pocket change. Cub Grade - A, Oakland Grade - C.
July 1, 2008 at 1:13 pm · Filed under AL Central, AL East, AL West, Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, Baseball, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Eric Bedard, Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, Matt Murton, NL Central, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers
There is some thought put into this in terms of players traded, so here me out before I get flamed.
The Brewers Get: LHP C.C. Sabathia
The Indians Get: 1B Prince Fielder, SS Alcedes Escobar
Okay, put down the knives! Let me explain.
The Brewers are nearing arbitration with Fielder, who has shown no interest in a contract extension with Milwaukee. Complicating matters is Scott Boras, who is likely hard at work on finding vague quotes, Hall of Fame comparisons, and any other things to fill a thick, leather bound tome to be passed around at the 2011 Winter Meetings.
Complicating matters is the fact that Brewers already have a stable of potential replacements in the organization. Ryan Braun isn’t great out in left field, and could be moved to first if need be. Even if you’re not thrilled about that option, you have two first baseman types in the minors. The first, Matt Gamel, shows great pop, but is a terrible third baseman that will need to move to first eventually. The other, left fielder Matt LaPorta, is ready to play in the majors now, and could be promoted to fill in Fielder’s current role.
As for the Indians, they would gain a solid run producer for the next three years, allowing them to replace Ryan Garko at first with Fielder. The inclusion of Escobar, an all glove, some bat shortstop, would allow the Indians to move Jhonny Peralta to third base, preparing them for the depature of Casey Blake.
If the Indians really want to be sticklers, a Player To Be Named could be added in there, but not much else. In fact, this may be the best they could do. Of the teams six games or so from their division lead, we can eliminate the three NL Central Teams (White Sox, Tigers and Twins) because of the unlikelyhood of the Indians dealing within the division, plus because of the states of the White Sox and Tigers’ farm systems. On that note, we can also eliminate the New York Teams and Giants, though if the Giants offered up Matt Cain, I’m sure the Indians would listen.
That leaves Boston, Oakland, Both LA Teams, Texas, Milwaukee, The Phillies, Marlins, Cubs, Cardinals and Diamondbacks. 11 teams. From that bunch, the Angels, Marlins and Athletics can be eliminated (all three are looking for offense.) Arizona seems more likely to add an impact bat instead of a pitcher as well, plus they themselves have enough depth in the major league rotation with Webb/Haren/Johnson/Owings/Davis. The team on that list with arguably the best farm system, the Rangers, are also likely out. If the Rangers make a move, it would be for more prospects or for an established pitcher that is under club control for several years (there’s an arguement for a Matt Cain trade here.)
That leaves six teams:
- Boston - The top contender remaining with a good farm system now that Texas is eliminated under this scenario. You could begin around Michael Bowden, Boston’s top pitching prospect now named Clay Buchholz, and work from there. I’d push for Jason Place, a slugging centerfielder who will likely have to move to right field as he develops. You could try to ask for Jed Lowrie, though I don’t think that the Red Sox would be willing to do it. Asking for Brandon Moss might work, though he’s a bit stretched as an everyday player. All in all, Boston has the best package of talent available, should they choose to deal. They may just choose to stand pat and allow Bartolo Colon and Buchholz to help them down the stretch, which would be a big blow to any Indians chance for a deal.
- Dodgers - Hard to see a fit here, considering that Clayton Kershaw is likely to be blocked from being a part of a deal. The Dodgers could try to put together a package around Matt Kemp, who could play right for the Indians right now. They have enough lower level prospects to offer to make a potential three for one deal, which would be a solid one, especially if one of the prospects was their catching jewel, Carlos Santana.
- Brewers - Already stated.
- Phillies - Philly has relatively few prospects to deal. They could offer Carlos Carrasco, their top pitcher, and Adrian Cardenas, their top positional prospect (slugging second baseman). Aside from that, there’s not a whole lot to work for, and besides, the Phillies are more likely to go after a pitcher that is more controllable for more years, such as Eric Bedard, who could perhaps come cheaper.
- Cubs - The Cubs have little to work with in terms of impact prospects, as they’ve done a rather poor job of stocking their organization in the past few years. Donald Veal has the Dontrelle Willis starting kit, he just lacks command. From there, Jose Ceda could be ready to close next year. After that, what the hell else can you do? You could try and toss in Tyler Colvin and Matt Murton, both outfielders, and maybe a PTBNL, but beyond that, you might be better waiting for other stuff to open up.
- Cardinals - St. Louis wouldn’t mind another top starting pitcher to go with Adam Wainwright, and they do have some prospect depth to deal from. They could offer their top prospect, Colby Rasmus, a centerfielder with star potential, as well as Chris Duncan, and their top catching prospect Brian Anderson. Beyond that, there’s not much more you could offer of interest. The Redbird’s system is deeper, but lacks a lot of upside.
So there you have it. Fielder and change might be enough to convince the Indians to go for it. In fact, Fielder alone would be better than any draft pick that the Indians could make (their history isn’t very promising, I’ll discuss that at a later date.) If you wanted quantity over quality, you could go with the Cubs offer. However, more likely, the Indians will go with the best offer, which may be more or less than what I’ve put out.
June 24, 2008 at 9:05 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
FIve years ago, I first became introduced to college baseball in a big way.
I had heard of Texas, the longtime powerhouse of the College World Series. However, a newer team was now in the mix: my cousin’s alma mater, the Rice Owls.
It was the beginning of what would be one of the WAC’s powerhouses, part of what made Rice so attractive to Conference USA during the conference reallingment of 2005.
However, what attracted my attention was the trio of young arms that headed the rotation. From their performances during the CWS, I was sure that all three of them would head for stardom.
- Philip Humber - The Ace Of The Staff
- Jeff Niemann - The Dominant Sidekick
- Wade Townsend - The Final Member Of The Deadly Triangle.
All three amazed with dominating performances, all three looked like men among boys and held solidify Rice’s first CWS title.
And all three have fallen so heartbreakingly short.
Of the trio, only Niemann remains similar to that 2003 form, though that has come at the expense of injury and inconsistency. Humber lost his dominant fastball and bite off of his slider thanks to Tommy John. Townsend’s career was destroyed after long contract negotations, injuries suffered thanks to Rice’s meatgrinder of a coaching and medical staff, and rest resulted in him losing that promise. He’s now a relief prospect in Tampa Bay, but resembling a bust.
Still, it’s hard to forget 2003, and their dominance of the College World Series.
And that, friends and neighbors, is the best and worse part.
We’ll never forget our heroes, no matter how time fades.
But we’ll never forget how short some may come to our expectations.
And that, unfortunately, is how Humber, Townsend, and potentially Niemann will remain.
Forever incomplete.
June 16, 2008 at 2:58 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
The Mariners have finally fired Bill Bavasi today, after years of watching him turn the Mariners into a disaster area.
To be honest, last year’s success was probably the worst thing that could have happened to them. Not only did it encourage management to give Bavasi a bit of an extension from which he could further screw with the franchise, but it also encouraged management to become a buyer, even though it was plainly evident that last season’s record was largely a fluke. The Mariners also waited too long on Bavasi in terms of the draft, as seen from the club’s top pick, Josh Fields, a reliever that could help a contending team right now.
With that in mind, the Mariners need to figure out just what they have on their roster, start evaluating talent in the minors and just starting over.
Here are some suggestions to the new Mariners’ brass to try and improve the current team.
1 - Hire Logan White As The Next GM
White has the ability to not only build a team from the ground up, but also pushes for those players to get their shots when he can. Through White, the Dodgers were able to obtain key pieces, such as Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, James Loney, Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Jonathan Broxton, Andy LaRoche, and others. You want a GM that can not only get talent, but ensure it will be played. White should get the chance.
2 - Send Down Brandon Morrow To Become A Starter
There is no reason to further this crazy ass experiment that Morrow is a reliever. He’s got a starters repitoire and with his stuff, he could easily be a top of the rotation starter if he’s given a chance to do so. The fact that Bavasi kept Morrow in the majors for as long as he did is a mistake.
3 - Promote Jeff Clement Back To The Majors
Next, bring back Jeff Clement to the majors. Clement has the best power potential in the minor leagues right now and there is no reason to leave him in Triple A, where his power does no good but pad guady minor league numbers. You could even use him in a catcher tandem with Kenji Johjima, who never should have been extended in the first place.
4 - Release Jose Vidro And Richie Sexton
Neither guy is producing and both are looking very much finished. Cut bait and get rid of them.
5 - Trade Eric Bedard, Adrian Beltre and Cash to the Brewers For Matt Gammel, Alcides Escobar, and Conor Gillepsie.
Here is the first move I would make if I were the Mariners. Bedard and Beltre have no place in the future of the Mariners and they are the pieces that have the most value. Pay off Bedard for the rest of the season and take on half of Beltre’s contract. In return, the Mariners would get Gammel, a power hitter that will likely play first, Escobar, a defensive wizard of a shrotstop, and Gillespie, a prospect that should be an average left fielder. It really is the best deal that can be swung at this point, as there aren’t any other contenders that would be willing to even match this offer, which is pretty mediocre, but likely the best the Mariners could get.
Or…
5B - Trade Eric Bedard to the Atlanta Braves for CF Gorkys Hernandez, Brent Lillibridge, and a Player To Be Named Later.
Atlanta needs another pitcher and would likely be willing to give up Hernandez, who could be a very good leadoff centerfielder, and Lillibridge, who should be starting at shortstop for someone. It’s a decent deal for a some players that have upside and could help the Mariners shortly. If they really wanted to make a deal, ask for Brandon Jones, who could play left field right now, along with the deal.
6 - Trade Raul Ibanez To Toronto For Adam Lind
Toronto has got absolutely nothing in left field and Ibanez, even in his depleted state, would be an upgrade over the dreck that they’re running out there. Lind, meanwhile, has never gottena shot to play everyday for the Blue Jays, who seem to be determined to have more and more veteren mediocrities playing in left field than they are in terms of trying to develop a player that could help them now and in the future. Might as well give it a shot.
7 - Avoid Signing Anyone This Offseason
The last thing the Mariners need is to add more salary to what is already a bloated payroll. Whatever players you can trade as they gain value, do so. Whatever you can’t, just let it expire and hope for the best. And begin scouting heavily for next season’s draft as well. The Mariners will be high enough in picks that they’ll be able to acquire some solid talent through round 5.
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