Links for Friday, before Cardinals host the Reds in a must-win series…
- Tyler Kepner of the New York Times profiles Reds GM Walt Jocketty. Former Padres GM Kevin Towers has some amusing observations about trading with his longtime rival.
- If you haven't done so already, visit our Reverse Standings page to see how the 2011 draft order is shaping up.
- Pirates president Frank Coonelly repeated to Bob Nightengale of USA Today that he is "extremely disappointed" in his team. Asked how safe GM Neal Huntington and manager John Russell are, Coonelly said he is “evaluating every aspect of [the team’s] operation in order to determine how [to] get the club moving in the right direction immediately.”
- As Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports, the Red Sox want 2010 draft pick Anthony Ranaudo to get accustomed to pro ball, but they don't want him to pitch just yet.
- I previewed the Indians 2011 rotation last month; now Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer makes some predictions of his own right here.
I have been on the NH bandwagon for some time and still am. Now however I think its time to do a few win now moves to add to the young talent that is blooming now in Pit. McCutchen, Alvarez, Walker and Tabata are all legit pieces to a contending offense but they can’t do anything as long as OBP drains like Cedeno, Jones and to an extent Milledge. Doumit and Snyder make up a good offensive/defensive combo at C with Doumit seeing time in RF. Cedeno should be kept around as a utility infielder and Jones as a versitle pinch hitter. That leaves SS, 1B and RF to upgrade via acquisitions. Getting a veteran 1B who in the 34-35 yr range might like a full time role would add some legitimacy and hopefully OBP and power to the lineup like Lee, Berkman, Konerko, Huff or Overbay. RF seems like a perfect place for Kearns to find a full time spot and a team willing to take a chance that his 2010 was not a fluke. Short will be much harder but I would be willing to give up some nice minor league pieces to get either Bartlett or Brignac depending on who comes cheaper – but I would perfer the longer control of Brignac. Then you can add some fairly costly but not long term damaging contracts to La Rosa and Vazquez (while trading both Maholm and Duke for whatever minor league talent you can) and you have yourself a team that could compete with continued growth from your young players and doesn’t do any long term financial or net prospect damage.
You mean the career minor leaguer they dug up out of the Twins’ scrap heap and tried to make into their middle-of-the-order thunder didn’t pan out? Say it ain’t so Garrett Jones!
No offense to the guy, I was happy for him with the run he went on last year after seeing him struggle in the Twins system, but relying on him to be a legitimate offensive threat was a mistake.
That said, I don’t think the Pirates’ offense is where they need to be concerned. Their rotation has been dreadful for years, and it’s a lot to ask to overhaul the whole thing as well as the bullpen in one offseason.
I think Vazquez and De La Rosa are reasonable targets, but luring two free agent SPs there may be a difficult task. I think looking at guys who need to re-establish their value but could also turn out solid seasons in Pittsburgh is the way to go though, agreed. I think Jeff Francis can be added as a legitimate target, along with Brandon Webb and Rich Harden. Webb may want too much money for it to make sense though. Ben Sheets is another name to add to the list, as he can’t look to sign for anywhere near 2010’s $10MM.
Worst case scenario is that they up and move these guys at the trade deadline to continue to stock up on the farm system and hopefully get some nearly MLB-ready players as they did with the Dotel trade.
I’d say left-handers in general are better as PNC favors left-handed hitters a bit. Francis and De La Rosa could be reasonable options, and trying to hit a home run by bringing in a Vazquez, Webb, or Harden type as a potential ace isn’t a bad thought either.
Branyan is another low-budget move to add power and OBP to the mix, and probably more realistic than Konerko or Huff given the seasons they’ve had.
While I agree their pitching has been dreadfull so has parts of their lineup. They have more pitching than hitting coming up from the minors so that is why I would invest in those spots. 3B, CF, LF, and 2B could be locked up by young impact players and 1B and corner oufield are the easiest places to upgrade offensively considering the glut of aging former stars playing musical chairs for starting spots. I have a feeling at least one of Lee, Berkman, Konerko, Huff, Branyan, Overbay, and Glaus will be looking for work wherever they can find it considering premium options like Dunn, Pena and Fielder (via trade obviously) will be available and that most of the big boys have star firstbasemen or are turning to in house options like Freeman, Davis, Carter, Sanchez etc.
Also I like some of the talent in the Pitsburg rotation going further. Marginal innings-eating pitch to contact lefties have value but don’t need to be in their rotation any longer. Ohlendorf has outpitched every starter on the staff and his peripherals indicate he can be a steady ~4.00 ERA guy going forward. I like the strikeout ability and raw ‘stuff’ of both McDonald and Resop and they should be allowed to earn a rotation spot with Lincoln and Owens as prospects who should get a shot with injury or inneffectiveness on the staring five. If Pittsburgh can find two veteran arms better than Maholm/Duke out of the Vazquez, De La Rosa, Francis, Sheets, Webb type of class then again they can fill out a very competitive rotation.
Cross Berkman and Konerko off the list. Berkman might go back to Houston and Konerko is a southside legend. Branyan and Overbay are certainly options….but with Branyan, atleast, they’ll have to find a platoon partner.
Wow….the Pirates books fly open and now Coonelly is all about taking charge. Going after washouts kept this team down for years…but it’s not like they are going to be a major play for a big arm or bat.
Frank Coonelly: “I am extremely disappointed that this team, which I assembled with money from a yard sale, and some lint in my pocket, has not won 120 games. I had thought that stars like Lastings Milledge and Ronny Cedeno would put this team over the top, and that we’d have clinched the NL Central weeks ago. The only option I have is to slash payroll, and begin a 10-year rebuilding project. We are currently scouting Pee Wee leagues for future talent that we may one day trade to the Yankees.”
Seriously, what a joke. Get dead, Coonelly.
Frank Coonelly needs to just keep his mouth shut. He hired Huntington to revamp the organization and that must be done thorugh the minors.
Man…..you talk about Saks Fifth Avenue taste on a Wal-Mart budget. Here’s a nickel, kid! Bring me back a winner!
Jocketty would be a great fit for the Mets if they could pry him away from Cincy, a proven winner in small to mid markets who knows how to build a program with staying power. Not afraid to make bold moves, he should still be with the Cards but lost a power struggle with DeWitt and co.
Actually Castellini coaxed Jocketty to Cincinnati. Castellini used to be a minor owner of the Cardnals before he bought the Reds. Bob was a very smart man to talk Jocketty to come to the Reds. All his moves are not perfect but he sure seems to make well thought out moves most the time.
Jocketty would be a great fit for the Mets if they could pry him away from Cincy, a proven winner in small to mid markets who knows how to build a program with staying power. Not afraid to make bold moves, he should still be with the Cards but lost a power struggle with DeWitt and co.
Huntington absolutely deserves to see this out, but Russell will undoubtedly be fired.
A friend of mine told me Pittsburgh could be a really good team in about 2 to 3 years. Assuming they keep their prospects and continue to throw in a few mid level free agent signings here and there.
Based on what went down last offseason, I assume that means Coonelly just extended Huntington and Russell for 3 years.