We know it's been quite the busy day for New York baseball, but let's see what else is happening in both the AL and NL East…
- The Yankees' big acquisitions of Hiroki Kuroda and Michael Pineda could mean the Red Sox may have to counter by signing Roy Oswalt or getting involved in the Matt Garza trade market, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
- The Red Sox were interested in Kuroda but couldn't sign him without finding payroll space via another roster move, reports WEEI.com's Rob Bradford. Bradford also notes the Sox wouldn't have been able to outbid the Yankees for Pineda since the Mariners didn't value any of Boston's prospects as much as they valued Jesus Montero.
- The Red Sox and Yankees were both talking to the Mariners about a Felix Hernandez trade but the M's weren't interested, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (Twitter link).
- Joe Maddon's increasingly likely contract extension with the Rays may not be worked out until the manager returns in late January from a European vacation, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link).
- Mets third baseman David Wright said "it's going to be a pain" listening to his name come up in trade rumors all summer, during an interview with Cliff Floyd and Mike Ferrin of Sirius XM Radio. ESPN New York's Adam Rubin has a partial transcript of the interview.
- The Orioles have not had "substantive talks" with the Cubs about Alfonso Soriano, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.
- Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun looks at some of the Orioles' remaining free agent possibilities.
- Braves GM Frank Wren tells David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link) that he doesn't expect to make a trade before Spring Training. "Every day that goes by it’s probably less likely. It doesn’t mean you stop trying," Wren said.
much rather have garza at this point, but oswalt is a bargain.
Maddon going Clark W. Griswold I guess
Well out of all the free agents listed by the Baltimore Sun I would really like the O’s to go after Solar, I think he fits the long term plan better and would cost alot less than Cespedes.
I’d think Soler is going to be out of their price range.
fingers crossed that he’s not out of the a’s price range
Ummm…he’ll go for more than IOUs.
Ok . Wren says that he doesn’t see a trade happening until spring training . But then says that he is still trying . Something tells me he is targeting something big . Who knows .
I think you’re reading that incorrectly. I read that as though once spring training begins, he won’t be trading anyone until just before the trade deadline in July.
That way you’re getting a half-season’s use of the player (Prado/Jurrjens) and could be driving their trade stock up higher.
Latos/Gonzalez/Pineda are all better options for teams, so I really don’t think teams are desperate enough right now to want to overpay for Jurrjens. When you hear that some teams are looking at Garza, thinking about paying the king’s ransom, then you’ll know it’s time. Garza might be more attractive to some teams, but he really shouldn’t be.
the red sox need to trade for garza AND sign oswalt to get even.
I just hope the Red Sox don’t make an impulse decision. If we preserve our future (not trading for Garza) or save our funds for future acquisitions (not signing Oswalt) but we have a “meh” season, I’d be okay with that. Honestly the roster as it is now is talented and they could make a run with that roster.
I don’t see any reason not to sign Oswalt (unless his medicals are really bad), it’s not like they don’t have the money to sign him and still make moves at the deadline if they wanted to. The idea for them is to get under the luxury tax (likely) for 2013, so signing Oswalt for one year has absolutely zero effect on that. I agree about not trading for Garza, I just don’t see any reason not to sign Oswalt at this point.
A Rotation of Lester, Beckett, Buchholz, Oswalt, Bard/Aceves/whoever looks a whole lot better than a rotation of Lester, Beckett, Buccholz, whoever, whoever. Piecing together one rotation spot is doable; two is unnecessarily risky.
I am jacked up now on them getting Padilla **if** he actually is hitting 95 again fairly consistent, then they had BETTER as you suggested counter Kuroda with Oswalt, then can move Bard back to the pen in a perfect world.
That leaves them with 1 shut down pen of Bard, Bailey, Melancon, Albers, Acebes and WOW.. a pen I have never, ever seen in all my years following this team with jenks even maybe showing up later on..
Padilla will end up with an ERA around 5.00 or 6.oo like he did with Texas. Not my cup of tea.
You’re getting excited about that bullpen? Bard will be moved to the rotation. Bailey with his 3.24 ERA in that park and division will go up to 3.75 as a closer. Melancon is alright, and Albers is nobody. Aceves, when healthy, is a very underrated and great piece to any team’s bullpen.
Well if you’re just going to assume he’s going to copy past performances, I’m going to pull his 1.47 ERA from 2 years ago when he wasn’t hurt. I’ll be happy with a 1.97 ERA.
I was hesitant about it at first, but now I actually really want to see what Bard can do as a starter. I’d prefer they sign Oswalt and give Bard a shot in the rotation and use the other guys as back-up in case Bard doesn’t work out; Bard definitely has more upside than any of the other options.
There is absolutely no way Bard could go a whole season as a starter. His arm would explode going from pitching 70 innings a year to 200+ innings. However, If they signed Oswalt, the Sox could use Bard as a starter part of the year and Aceves as a starter part of the year and not have to scramble for another starter when Bard gets near his inning cap for the season. That sounds like a pretty nice situation to be in, rotation wise.
He doesn’t need to pitch 200+ innings to be a starter all year. They can use off days to skip him, they can give other guys spot starts here and there to skip him, they can limit him to 5-6 innings per start, etc. If they can get 150-160 innings out of him (not at all unheard of), they can get through an entire season on that. Particularly out of the #5 pitcher.
Rays and Yankees are both better IMO
Man, Frank Wren that has got to be the most fatalistic quote from a GM I have ever heard.
I picture that quote coming from him in pieces over an hour and a half while he’s nursing his last scotch and soda.
If the Orioles are going to gamble, why not call up Sandy Alderson to see if David Wright is available and if Johan Santana is as well (if healthy)? The Oriole rumors have been nothing short of lame! Some examples:
1.) Alfonso Soriano
2.) Manny Ramirez
3.) Aramis Ramirez
4.) Johnny Damon
5.) Any trade involving the Braves
6.) Dan Duquette’s affinty for any remaining “Boxcar Willie” out there!
I think that the Duke has been spending a lot of time building up the front office. He is smart enough to know that without a good front office in place, the O’s will never be contenders.
Kuroda and Pineda locked up with the Yankees for next year really kill the Sox’s chances of making the playoffs. They looked like they may have before this happened, but they are now the third (maybe even the fourth, depending on Buchholz’s health) team in that division. I can’t imagine them signing Cook and Padilla. They HAVE to go after Oswalt at least.
You have to give it to the Yankees:
1. They value Prospects as just that Prospects.
2. They have the two pitching Prospects sitting in AAA to trade for Garza; exactly
what Theo wants for Garza.
Personally I don’t think the Sox need to over-react–but I would make it known the one guy that may bring them something–Ellsbury, may be available.
Make it known throught the pundits he’s available and move him to the team that’s most agressive. It may be the Yankees, Rangers, Phillies, Angels, Giants, Nat’s, Marlins, Braves, Tigers, Reds. These teams have a heavy investment in this season.
Other clubs may feel they are a player away. There are only so many spots. In addition Ellsbury is very marketable even for two years.
Good luck Red Sox. This isn’t BenC’s or Tom Werner’s decision–but something needs to be done because I feel they may end up #4 in the East trailing the Yanks, Ray’s and Jay’s.
The Yankees aren’t trading for Garza, and Banuelos won’t be dealt. They have too many starting pitchers. They need to get rid of two, not add another.
Not that I wanted Kuroda to sign with the Red Sox, but they can’t afford $10M? Looks like they’re back to being cheap. I guess Oswalt’s out of the picture, too.
Red Sox need to save their money this year to land Hamels next year.
Hamels will be on the Yankees.
Just like Lee.
The Red Sox have just as much chance to sign Hamels as the Yankees do. In fact, if the Yankees are serious about getting under the luxury tax by 2014 I would say the Red Sox have a better chance to sign him than the Yankees do. Even if the Red Sox and Yankees both are trying to get under it, the Red Sox have a lot less salary to cut and would have more flexibility to sign a top free agent pitcher.
Lefties to Fenway are a nono.
Someone needs to tell Lester that he’s supposed to suck then.
Garza and Soriano for Dice-K and Crawford.
Garza and Soriano for Dice-K and Crawford.