Links for Wednesday, before Pedro Alvarez makes his MLB debut…
- Jack Curry of the YES Network (via Twitter) hears from a baseball official that the Phillies are interested in adding a starting pitcher. Curry specifically names Cliff Lee, though I can't imagine the team re-acquiring him just a few months after shipping him to Seattle.
- The Orioles have contacted Buck Showalter about managing the team, according to Tim Kurkjian of ESPN.com.
- The Cubs hired a statistical analyst for the team's baseball operations department, according to ESPN.com's Bruce Levine.
- Jon Heyman of SI.com hears that it's an "extreme long shot" that the Rangers acquire Roy Oswalt.
- One GM told ESPN.com's Buster Olney that teams are now demanding big returns for players who will eventually be traded for less.
- DJ Bean of WEEI.com introduces us to Red Sox fourth rounder Garin Cecchini, who told every major league team he wouldn't sign for less than mid-first-round money. Specifically, Cecchini wants $1.75MM, according to Bean.
- White Sox GM Kenny Williams told Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune that he hasn't given up on his team and wants to see how it fares over the course of the coming week.
- Chipper Jones' agent, B.B. Abbott, told Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that Chipper will "absolutely not" retire during the season.
- The Yankees released David Winfree from their Triple A team, according to Donnie Collins of the Times-Tribune.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post points out that the Yankees won't have to pursue free agents Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth if Brett Gardner, Nick Swisher and Curtis Granderson keep playing this well.
So I guess Chippers home run last night changed his mind so quickly huh???That doesn’t mean diddly squat.He could easily suffer a career ending injury ect and decide to retire ya know??
I wanted Edwin Jackson on the Yankees ever since I saw him with the Rays. His stuff is nasty, he’s young, talented and under team control. Also, he has great experience in the AL East. I know the Yanks don’t need SP, but if they do trade for one, Edwin is a nice, cheap alternative to Cliff Lee or Dan Haren.
“great experience in the AL East”
What does that mean? His FIP while in the AL East was 4.52, 4.90, and 4.88
Edwin Jackson crashed and burned in the AL central last year
“One GM told ESPN.com’s Buster Olney that teams are now demanding big returns for players who will eventually be traded for less.”
That’s ground-breaking news Olney.
A revolutionary new negotiating tactic.
I always thought you started out asking for a minimal return that went from there… :/
*[then] went from there.
Well watching the way some GMs operate I understand the confusion
Regarding Crawford and Werth and the Yankees, I’ve been saying this all along. I firmly believe they will be watching, but neither comes to New York. I share the same concerns that others do with Crawford. I disagree with Swisher being the DH for the Yanks in 2011. He will be their RF’r. Everyone please stop with putting down Gardner. He is perfect for LF at Yankee stadium and he has all the tools to be an everyday player.
Going into 2011 the Yanks will have other issues to address. Jeter and Arod are getting older, although both are playing great. We’re likely to see Jeter get something in the neighborhood of 3 or 4 years. Arod probably, realistically has 3 more years of field playing time and then he is off to the DH spot. Posada is probably will spend 80% of his time in 2011 at DH and then he is done following that. DH for the Yanks will not be the problem for the next few years. They have ZERO need for this.
I see them making more of a play for Lee or another pitcher. You’d have to expect Pettitte packs it in after this season. I am in no hurry to rush him out the door, but the year after year I may retire discussion probably will come to an end this year. Vasquez, although pitching better, will probably not extend here. The draft picks the Yanks net alone will be great. AJ will be in yr 3 and lets face it, he is the “who is this guy” many times. He is a solid 3/4 in the next two years. So who do you have? CC and Hughes. Expect the Yanks to put a lot of emphasis on the left side of their infield and pitching for the next few years. Outside of that, they are deeper than any team in the league offensively and defensively.
Heyman doesn’t use his brain sometimes. It is entirely possible that the Rangers could trade enough payroll to the Astros to acquire Oswalt from them. Michael Young is getting $13mil this season…close to Oswalt’s salary. No, the Rangers wouldn’t want to trade Young, but if it comes to down to pitching vs a starter at another position who is making big bucks and you have to dump salary…And as far as the fans voting for Taylor Teagarden…well, the fans aren’t as stupid as Heyman thinks…I vote for my team’s players to represent. I don’t vote for opposing players just because they are atop the stats board somewhere. If media people don’t like how the vote shakes out, then go bug the Commish to end fan voting for the All-Star game.
You say Heyman isn’t using his brain. Then you suggest Young (48m after this year) for Oswalt (16m + 2m buyout after this year).
Pot, meet kettle.
The Cubs hired a statistical analyst? Welcome to the new milleneum, Cubbies. It’s better late than never, I guess.
Nice addition by Ricketts…much more significant than his Toyota sign.
It’s significant that the Levine piece also mentions that Ricketts has let it be known what direction he wants the team to be going. My guess is if he’s hiring a stat guy, he’s going to want to sell off overvalued players. He refrained from stepping in for 1/2 a season and let the baseball people do their job. Well, they haven’t done a good one so far. It’s a small move but I think the message is clear. The Cubs intend to do business differently from here on out and it’s likely that those who have done business the old way could soon find themselves on the outside looking in.
Ricketts has made it clear when the sale was finalized that he wanted a more balanced, stat orientated front office. He is following through with what he said months ago, which is a good thing going forward. The present day team…no stats are needed to determine bad.
I agree on the Toyota sign. Talk about a sore thumb out of place. Also, nice marketing timing on the crosstown series winner receiving the BP trophy. That gives both sides something to really strive to win. Not exactly Lord Stanley’s Cup coming from BP! But it fits with this year’s team and how they are a disaster! That goes for Hendry and Pinella, too!
Now they have some hideous corporate Kraft macaroni “sculpture” outside the building. One thing is for sure: the Ricketts know how to generate money for themselves. I just hope they are as wise hiring baseball people as they are at hiring marketing people.
Cubs season is over trade Nady, Fukudome, Silva (Sell on him while you can. 8-1 with a 2. something ERA get what you can) Gorzelanny, Theriot, Soto even I don’t care anymore. I mean really? You have one of the best biggest payrolls in baseball, a great fan base, a historic stadium and loved all across the country besides in St. Louis, 1/2 of Milwaukee and unfortunately the south side of Chicago.
I’d rather see Cashner start then in the bullpen, I want to see Colvin play more. I’m with Steve Stone you could have a left-handed run producer on the bench and we’ve been looking for that for how long??? 3-4 years now. Anyway I will still watch my Scrubbies and wait for them for next year. Also, I don’t they will trade Lilly. Too much of a fan favorite and good club house guy to let go. Him and Dempster are very good friends so I would hate to see him go.
SP- Dempster
SP- Lilly
SP- Z
SP- Cashner
SP- Wells
LRP- Marshall
RP- Stevens- Proving he should belong in the bigs
RP- Someone like Gaub/ Parker/Russell/ Berg, or Caridad could fight it out
RP- F/A
SU- Grabow
SU- Angel Guzman
CL- Carlos Marmol
I don’t want to see the Yankees do another high priced overhaul. However, Gardner, Swisher, and Granderson just aren’t in the same category as Crawford and I thought it was a great idea someone mentioned about playing Swisher as a rotation guy. The Yanks spend money and this spending makes sense. 1 guy can give them speed, power, average, and defense everyday and they could possibly keep the other 3 guys incase of injury.
Werth would hit 45 – 50 HRs if he got to play half his games at Yankee stadium with his oppisite field power. But not the overall appeal for the Yanks — plus he’d have to shave that man beard everyday!
No way Chipper retires mid season with a shot at the playoffs. Griffey would still be falling asleep in the clubhouse if the M’s had any sense and actually traded for or acquired a power hitter. Which might have given them a shot at the post season, its not exactlly like anyone is running away with the AL west — On paper the M’s look good.
No way Werth hits 45-50 HRs even in Yankee stadium. It isn’t like Citizen’s Bank Park isn’t a good HR hitting park and it has a shorter RF (where Werth hits most of his HR). Maybe if he moves from Petco to Yankee stadium I could see a jump by 15-20 HRs but Citzen’s Bank to Yankee Stadium? No way
If I’m reading his homerun chart correctly, about half of his homeruns went to left-center field last year and most of the other half were center-right (in Philly, . Looking at the dimensions comparison between Yankee Stadium and CBP, Werth moving to Yankee Stadium might cost him a few of those left-center to center-right homeruns. If Werth were more of a dead pull or a pure opposite field hitter, he would definitely pick up more at Yankee Stadium because its much shorter at the lines. But he seems to be more of a threat to hit them out in center field and if thats the case, Philly’s a much better situation for him.
Of course, there’s more to homeruns than just ballpark dimensions…
I agree it is a better situation but I adding 15-20 HRs? no way. And from hit tracker, 2 of his 10 HRs were to right, 2 to right center, 5 to what would be the expansive Yankee left center, and 1 right down the line.
Hopefully Winfree gets the chance with a club who will give him a shot. Maybe the Red Sox with all of the injuries they’ve had?