Let's round up some assorted Sunday links….
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney tweets that the A's finished second to the Reds in the chase for Aroldis Chapman.
- A major league source tells Alex Speier of WEEI.com that the Red Sox tried hard to sign Chapman earlier in the offseason. They pulled their initial offer after Chapman switched agents and never offered another formal deal.
- Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic finds it hard to imagine Brandon Webb returning to the D'Backs after 2010.
- Jamey Newberg wonders if Vladimir Guerrero will "revive his pinball numbers by playing half his games in his favorite arcade." Vlad has a career 1.175 OPS in Texas, but Jack Moore of FanGraphs suggests this stat is overblown.
- Within his Sunday blog entry, ESPN.com's Buster Olney addresses the persistent rumors about a potential reunion for Johnny Damon and the Yankees. Olney says that a few executives around the league "are absolutely convinced" that Damon will end up in the Bronx, but that it would require Damon significantly lowering his asking price and initiating contact with the Yanks.
- FOX Sports' Jon Paul Morosi reports that the Dodgers avoided arbitration with Jason Repko, signing him to a one-year deal worth $500K. Repko should compete for the team's fourth outfield spot.
- Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe writes that injuries have slowed the development of Red Sox prospect Ryan Westmoreland, whose name frequently pops up in trade rumors.
- Pittsburgh's 2004 first-round pick, Neil Walker, could be without a position at Triple-A this year, and is a candidate to be traded, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer says the Indians hope that at least one of Austin Kearns and Shelley Duncan makes the 25-man roster, to add a right-handed bat to their lefty-heavy outfield.
If Niel Walker doesn’t have a position I can’t imagine him having a starting job on a Major League ball club.
From the linked piece:
Management may sound reluctant to trade Walker (or LaRoche) but only until Oakland steps up and offers some prospects that the Pirates might want. Get ‘er done, Billy!
I really hope the Pirates don’t give up on LaRoche already. His defense at third was great last year, and his bat finally showed some promise in the last month of the season. I don’t necessarily think Sweeney and Gonzalez is a terrible return for Andy, but the Bucs need infield help far more than they need more outfielders, and I’m worried Gonzalez will never truly show the promise he once had.
I can’t imagine Billy Beane, or any GM for that matter, giving up too much for Walker. At this point I think he projects to be no more than a utility guy with some pop.
Would you care to provide a link to Sizemore’s statements about being unhappy in Cleveland? I didn’t think so. Also he belongs to the Tribe until 2013.
The Indians must be confused. Austin Kearns isn’t a “bat,” he’s a glove without a bat to match. I watched him hit a home run once, actually, but this is a guy who hit .195 last year, .217 in 2008, and over those two years has 49 RBIs in 166 games.
Kearns has been a disappointment but so was Ryan Ludwick until a couple of years ago. Both players are about the same age, were well regarded prospects and suffered nagging injuries. Obviously, the Indians are hoping to catch lightning in a bottle with Kearns, and why not? He is signed to a cheap minor league contract that they can throw away if the results aren’t there.
I hear ya on the low risk of Kearns getting a MiL deal, but I am skeptical about him having very much impact, much less coming anywhere near Ludwick’s 2008. I can’t even see Ludwick reaching even a 370 wOBA ever again much less 400
I can, quite easily actually. Just a few things wrong with his swing. If he can fix those, he will be back to 2008 levels.
In before the Sox haters arrive to tell us how overhyped Westmoreland is.
There is a difference in being a hater and just having questions. Saying Buchholz sucks and his peak is a #5 is being a hater, questioning why a soon-to-be 20 year old, who will be starting the season in low-A ball and had 2 pretty big injuries in back to back years is ‘untouchable’ doesnt make you a hater.
But then again, I’m sure I’m just a hater.
There is a pretty big difference in the way these 2 organizations run with “over hyped” prospects. Boston for the most part over the last decade has protected and promoted them to the MLB, or they have washed out in the minor system, rather than became nothing but trade bait for failed AL starters like Vazquez types, multiple othe FA signings and such.
I much prefer to bring players up through the farm system, for better or worse, then 400M free agent signing splurges every other year are well beyond the means of every team, save the NYY anyway.
You’re absolutely right.
Why would teams trade for other team’s talent and come up with names like A-Rod, Swisher, Vazquez, Granderson and Abreu? Those names have never helped anyone win anything.
I’d prefer guys like Donnie Sadler, Brian Daubach, Jed Lowrie, or guys like Craig Hanson, Anibel Sanchez and others so I can see them flourish as major league players because my organization likes them….Oh wait, what happened to the next closer and ace of the Sox? They were traded for something useful? Weird.
Why do fans always have to get irrational whenever someone takes a shot at their team? Vmmercan take off your yankee pajamas and get rational. I agree with your first point, the Yankees have done very well trading minor league talent for good major leaguers. But you should have left it at that. Donnie Sadler, Brian Daubach…really? Those guys were never big prospects and were from the 1990’s…and those are the guys you bring up?
Hmmm, lets see… Sadler, The Dobber, even Sanchez who will probably be a #2 at the least for the Fish now that he is back from major arm surgery, those are people signed/drafted by the PRIOR ownership, then imagine you would no nothing about that huh?
Then the Yankees did manage to hanfg onto Cano and Chamberlain, Hughes, so they deserve credit for those 3.
Now.. Papelbon, Pedroia, Lester, Delcarmen, Bucholz.. why did you fail to at least mention those when you mentioned the others? Such a NYY homer perhaps?
John,
do you even have any idea what the original disagreement was about?
In fact,
Do you know how to read?
The weirdest thing about your incoherant, error-filled response is that you were the original poster and don’t understand your own point.
Who is arguing the Sox don’t have successful MLB players?
Did anybody, anywhere, including yourself even mention that?
Jeter, Rivera, Posada, Cano, Gardner, Robertson, Aceves, Pettitte, Chamberlain, Hughes, Cervelli, Johnson
-12 of 25 players homegrown and guaranteed a spot on next year’s team.
You can bet at least 1-2 more relievers and 1-2 more bench players. Likely, a minimum of 13 and the potential for around 17 players on the Yankee roster will have been Yankee developed in the minor leagues.
Swisher, A-Rod, Granderson, Marte and Vazquez are four more guys who originally came from traded Yankee farm talent (Marquez, Tabata, Soriano, Johnson, Kennedy, Jackson etc.).
So that could be around 21 out of 25 roster spots (definitely not Tex, Burnett, Sabathia) in some way having a direct connection to the Yankee farm system, half of the roster actually being developed all the way through to the majors.
So what is your point, exactly?
Pedroia, Ellsbury, Lester, Papelbon, Youkilis, Lowrie, Bard, etc. Good for you. You have three position players homegrown in your 2010 starting lineup. You have another one (Varitek) from trades with your farm talent. The Yankees are at 4 and 3 currently.
You have at least three relievers (Delcarmen), and a whopping two starters (Buchholz) from the farm. The Yankees are at a minimum of 4 and 2 respectively.
The Yankees match you homegrown-wise in every category. The difference is they’ve put together blockbusters to land guys like Granderson, A-Rod, Vazquez (twice), and made solid deals to get guys like Swisher and Marte, and you’re on here criticizing the Yankees?
For what? Making a talented roster with their prospects?
Seriously, what is your point?
Overhyped Yankee prospects get them good players?
Yeah, sorry, theyre such a bad franchise for not letting their guys play out all of the time, only did it with half of their roster and only used the farm to develop a minimum of 75% of it.
I’m sure you must hate having Beckett and Lowell on your team the last three years, they really didn’t pay any dividends.
I’m sure you miss Anibel Sanchez (and two starter for the Marlins? Are you smoking crack? You’re lucky if he makes the rotation with Johnson, West, Verstad etc. already healthy and developed over there), Craig Hanson (the college superstar future closer), Argenis Diaz (BEST SHORTSTOP GLOVE EVER MADE!!!) Kelly Shoppach, and Brandon Moss.
At least you have future hyped up superstars: Will Middlebrooks, Michael Almanzar, Oscar Tejeda, Michael Bowden, Lars Anderson, Nick Hagadone and Kris Johnson to be the wave of the future according to the mainstream media.
Oh wait, that’s right, every organization has top prospects who for whatever reason don’t pan out. Every organization trades prospects for talent and every organization occasionally holds onto their talent and they end up helping the big league club.
So both you and Larry can get off your little Red Sox high horse and come back to earth.
Or were those names not recent enough for you?
I’m sorry I didn’t originally want to waste the energy to prove to you there have been overhyped Sox prospects in the recent past.
Sox and Yankees hater here! I like Westmoreland and do not think he’s over-rated. Bowden and Anderson? Well, that’s another thing.
I wouldn’t mind the Phils picking up Walker if cheap.
Tough going at age 19 and 2 shoulder surgeries already. Good think he is not a pitcher. As both a Sox and Yanks ‘hater’, you never want to see a kid hurt before he gets a chance, regardless of organization. Sounds like 2 successful surgeries, so we might get to see this kids upside continue to develop.
Patriots and getting spanked! I am shocked it is getting so out of hand this early.
Despite the fact that the Yanks are in the drivers seat AND the fact that Damon/Boras misread the market for Johnny, I think Cashman has to realize that the Yanks are a much better offensive team w/ Damon than w/o. Defensively, Gardner is an upgrade and they COULD go w/ run prevention as opposed to run creation but signing Damon would be the right move in my opinion. Cashman should be the bigger man and reach out to Damon one last time. Put a 1 year 7 mil offer on the table w/ incentives and a 1 year option for the same and see what he says. If he turns it down then you close that chapter and focus on rounding out the team w/ Hairston and maybe Randy Winn, Reed Johnson or Rocco Baldelli. I’d rather have Cash reach out and try to save Damon from having to grovel back for a job. He’s probably going to be a little disgrunteled for not getting the deal that he wants but no need in making him embarras his self further.
Johny Damon taking less money? Hahahaha
the yanks should sign damon now for their first offer…maybe a little lower because he and boras were being stubborn.
why would you give a guy 15-20m when no other team wants him?
Who says give him $15-$20 mil? Offer him the same 2/$14 but w/ only 1 year guaranteed. The lower he gets the more appealing he might become to other. JD is worth 7 mil.
They have reply buttons here now to keep conversations in the same placeFine 14m instead of 15m, way to split hairs. That is still 10m than anyone else is offering. Teams know he’s bad defensively, teams know his power is not there outside of YS, no bad team is going to give him 5-7m, and that’s all he’s worth now- and where else is he going to go? I cant even think of a team. 1yr/5-7m sounds fine, but Molly said they should sign him for their first offer, not that offer.
I’m not having any luck getting the reply button to work.
same here
Greatest…..name….ever
Agreed
I thought his name was Westermold….
nice one.
Absolutely not to whoever said that the Yankees should give Damon their first offer. This guy played his own market against him, and now he’ll suffer the consequences, just like Andy Pettitte did a year ago. He should take a note from A-Rod did in 07 and take over his own negotiations if he wants to come back to the Bronx.
True. The Yankees would be unstoppable offensively with Damon instead of Gardner. Although Hoffman is a darkhorse candidate to snag the job from Gardner.
Billy Beane is truly doing a great job this off-season. He’s been second in the running for Beltre, Scutaro, and Chapman. The only reason the A’s are left hanging is because of their small market. For Chapman I suppose it’s a different story.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I have a hard time finding justification for paying an unproven pitcher $30 million…almost double of Steven Strasburg. Yes, he has a rocket arm, but what about his breaking pitches? What about his control? The Reds are going to have to put in a lot of effort to get their money’s worth, in my honest opinion.
Strasburg had one team to negotiate with and Chapman was on the open market. BIG difference. Obviously Chapman is going to get more.
Plus it’s looking like 25M over five and 5 per for dominant starter upside and servicable reliever downside isn’t that much. I mean Lyon got 5 per and Chapman isn’t worth that?
Oh I agree, but since they are both rookies around the same age, I would have thought that teams would base their offers around what the #1 pick in the draft got not only this year, but in previous years. I based my comments on the many scouting reports on him from this site that say he’s not Major League ready right now and it just surprises me that he got this much money.
I agree with your statements on Lyon vs. Chapman. I just found it surprising because, after all, Lyon’s deal was after he has been in the Majors for several years. Ardolis hasn’t even thrown a Major League pitch yet.
The A’s came in second!? man that would of been a great fit to the rotation. But honestly where did the reds come from? lol
Jim Callis over at BBA mentioned the Reds where a serious stealth team in the bidding over a week ago in a chat … in all honesty he was the first one to even mention the Reds & Chapman in the same breath. If you go to the Reds Forum you will see where I posted that rumor on New Years eve.
Westmoreland isn’t overrated. He’s having a little injury trouble, yeah, but you know what his last injury was from? Going all out for a fly ball and crashing into the wall. Know what that’s called? Effort. He is the best hitter we have in the system(because we all learned how Anderson can handle AA) and that is why he’s untouchable. Stop saying he’s gonna have a bad career because of injuries. He’s had a couple in A ball, OK. But why don’t you wait and see how he’s doing when he makes it to AAA before you make assumptions about the kid’s career. I mean, come on, he’s 19 years old and you’re already saying he’s a bust. Gimme a break.
Damon better pick up the phone and call Cashman and take a 1 year 7 million dollar deal from the Yanks. I dare anyone to name me a single other team in the major leagues that will give Damon that deal. Just name me one, it is more than Vlad will get, Matsui will get, Huff will get, etc, etc.
Damon needs to realize he is 36, not 26, the Yankees paid him for years as a starting CF when he couldn’t even play the position any longer at 13 million per year, more than he was getting in Boston when he left. Wake up Johnny you are a defensive liability and only a truly dominant offensive team will tolerate that. I don’t see where Damon goes other than back to the Yankees.
They have the available spot and are willing to dish out 6+ million for 1 season. If he resigns with the Yankees it would be
Jeter – SS – R
Damon – LF – L
Teixeira – 1B – S
Arod – 3B – R
Posada – C – S
Granderson – CF – L
Johnson – DH – L
Cano – 2B – L
Swisher – RF – S
Its now up to Damon to wake up to reality. If Vlad and Matsui are getting 6 million at 35-36, why should you get more.
cuz he’s a former yankee with an undeserved sense of entitlement. he won’t call.
Jamey Newberg wonders if Vladimir Guerrero will “revive his pinball numbers by playing half his games in his favorite arcade.” Vlad has a career 1.175 OPS in Texas.
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Too bad his favorite “pinballs” won’t be served up on a platter like they were by ranger pitching back in the day.