Bored

Uh nope. Mulder completely collapsed the last two months of the season and overall for the year was a league average pitcher. He wasn't even the 2nd best starter on the A's, Rich Harden was.

Yes I know this was mentioned in the Winter Meetings thread and the trade actually isn't 100% official but this deserves it's own thread. This is first time Beane has ever made a trade where he seemed forced to do so which is why I never thought he'd deal Hudson. He let the likes of Jason Giambi and Miguel Tejada leave when he could have traded them the previous offseason. It's very hard to get equal value for a player in a walk year. My only guess is either Hudson and his agent demanded a trade or Beane doesn't feel even with Hudson that the A's have the team going into 2005 to win the A.L. West so it's better get get something to help for the future. I'm severly dissapointed with this deal. Edwin Jackson should step into the rotation and I expect Antonio Perez to win the second base job but neither of them will become a superstar overnight. With the A's situation in Oakland always being delicate with an ownership that constantly tells their fans that we're not good enough for them, this trade is going to be a p.r. nightmare. It's going to be impossible to sell the average fan on Edwin Jackson and Antonio Perez no matter how much potential they have. You've just traded your ace who's call up in 1999 sparked the turn around of this franchise and that is going to make no one happy. A's will need a lot of things to break their way now in 2005, starting with Mark Mulder and Barry Zito both returning to their former Cy Young calibar selves.

I believe you have John Halama mistaken for another pitcher. 2002: 101 innings, 3.56 ERA (Seattle) 2003: 108 2/3 innings, 4.22 ERA (Oakland) 2004: 118 2/3 innings, 4.70 ERA (Tampa Bay)

Just three days left. My picks December 14th New Orleans: North Texas vs. Southern Miss December 21st Champ Sports: Georgia Tech vs. Syracuse December 22nd GMAC: Memphis vs. Bowling Green December 23rd Fort Worth: Cincinnati vs. Marshall Las Vegas: Wyoming vs. UCLA December 24th Hawaii: UAB vs. Hawaii December 27th MPC Computers: Virginia vs. Fresno State Motor City: Connecticut vs. Toledo December 28th Independence: Iowa State vs. Miami University Insight: Notre Dame vs. Oregon State December 29th Houston: UTEP vs. Colorado Alamo: Ohio State vs. Oklahoma State December 30th Continental Tire: North Carolina vs. Boston College Emerald: Navy vs. New Mexico Holiday: California vs. Texas Tech Silicon Valley: Northern Illinois vs. Troy December 31st Music City: Minnesota vs. Alabama Sun: Purdue vs. Arizona State Liberty: Louisville vs. Boise State Peach: Florida vs. Miami January 1st Outback: Wisconsin vs. Georgia Cotton: Tennessee vs. Texas A&M Gator: West Virginia vs. Florida State Capital One: Iowa vs. LSU Rose: Michigan vs. Texas Fiesta: Utah vs. Pittsburgh January 3rd Sugar: Auburn vs. Virginia Tech January 4th Orange: USC vs. Oklahoma Tiebreak #1: How many total points will be scored in the Orange Bowl? 50 Tiebreak #2: How many total yards of offense will there be in the Liberty Bowl? 848

Considering his career best is 3.56 and his career is 4.52....

Jon Garland? Damn, he is that good? Ironically enough #2 on Garland's most smiliar pitcher through age 24 is Javier Vazquez.

Tim Hudson. I'd rather have an age 30 Jason Schmidt than and age 29 Jack McDowell but that's why these things probably mean nothing. Closer for the Brewers who has mastered the art of not striking out anyone.

Now this might not mean anything at all but looking at baseball-reference.com's similarity scores for Carl Pavano and Matt Clement: Pavano: Clement: Oil Can Boyd or Jason Schmidt? You make the call!

I'm still not convinced Hudson is going anywhere, especially with the Braves refusing to trade Giles. It's just not Beane's style to feel forced to trade a player in a walk year.

The A's have no use for Mientkiewicz so I wouldn't buy any of these rumors.

Gammons was on ESPN News so that's where it's coming from. $10 million/year for Renteria? $11 million/year for Pavano? This whole offseason has just a model of stupidity across the board. I'd say 90% of all players signed so far have been overpaid. Though after the "market correction" of the last two years I have a feeling this over spending by the owners is so they can cry poor again for the next CBA after 2006. Then we can look forward to a possible strike or lockout yet again.

Texans - 21 points Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Green Bay Indianapolis New Orleans N.Y. Giants Oakland Minnesota Miami N.Y. Jets San Francisco Carolina Tampa Bay Philadelphia Kansas City

Peter Gammons is reporting that the Diamondbacks have signed Russ Ortiz to a 4-year, $34 million deal. The D-Backs have a $55 million debt this upcoming year and that was before the signings of Glaus and Ortiz. $55 million

Taking a look at the Angels and Dodgers transactions today. Steve Finley 2 years, $20 million 40 years old in 2005 OPS+ last three years: 109, 112, 110 Jeff Kent 2 years, $17 million 37 years old in 2005 OPS+ last three years: 152, 118, 124 Okay they do play different positions and I know the Angels have the money to spend but don't you think they feel a little silly tonight after the Dodgers signed Kent?

Okay already an update off of rotoworld.com:

There's speculation that the A's/Cardinals deal will become a three-way deal with the Braves in which Giles comes to Oakland. It looks like I'm going to be wrong about the A's not trading Hudson.

White Sox have signed Jermaine Dye to a two-year, $10.15 million deal.

Diamondbacks have signed Troy Glaus to a 4-year, $45 million deal. Aren't they trying to dig out of a huge debt? They are going to pay $10 million+/year to a guy who's played 149 games the last two years and who's long term future is probably as a DH but won't be able to DH in the NL. Pure insanity.

It was the anniversary of John Lennon's death. Maybe it was some fucked up obsessed fan.

I still don't think that the A's will trade Tim Hudson. Beane is unlikely to get equal value for him in his walk year so by trading Hudson the A's immediately will make themselves worse for 2005 to maybe make themselves better for 2006. I think Beane is putting out feelers just in case a gem of a deal falls in his lap.

Poor White Sox fans:

Wow the Yankees are really banking on a couple of guys who may have had fluke years. Womack had his best year last season at 34 so it's pretty much a lock his numbers will go down. Wright will be 29 next year so it's possible his resurrection last year wasn't a fluke but we'll see how he does without Leo Mazzone.

I haven't seen it mentioned in the thread but Jerry Rice passed Brian Mitchell last night to become the all-time net yardage leader at 23,351 yards. Net yardage includes receiving, rushing, and kick/punt returns. That is just insane for a player who's never been a kick returner (he had one return his rookie year) to be the all-time leader let alone a wide receiver who isn't going to get too many rushing attempts. It's now Rice's 35th NFL record.

The player's union is going to step in on this one no doubt. If Neagle was healthy and still a decent pitcher there is no way the Rockies would void his deal over this.

Okay I'm blind...here's the full ballot. • Dick Allen • Bobby Bonds • Ken Boyer • Rocky Colavito • Wes Ferrell • Curt Flood • Joe Gordon • Gil Hodges • Elston Howard • Jim Kaat • Mickey Lolich • Sparky Lyle • Marty Marion • Roger Maris • Carl Mays • Minnie Minoso • Thurman Munson • Don Newcombe • Tony Oliva • Vada Pinson • Ron Santo • Luis Tiant • Joe Torre • Smoky Joe Wood • Maury Wills