Your teams 3 untouchable players

[Vern Gagne 0]

Wouldn't trade them, wouldn't leave them availabe in any expansion draft.

 

 

The Twins

 

C-Joe Mauer-The knee injury is keeping him out. But, in the 6 week period he was playing he showed maturity both behind at the plate, and behind the plate. He's got the best eye on the team, a beautiful swing, and he's only 21.

 

LSP-Johan Santana-Simply put. He's got awesome stuff. A hard throwing lefty, with a nice mix and maybe best of all he's becoming a smart pitcher. Knowing how to limit his pitch count and still rack up the K's. The last 7 or so starts he's been the best starter in the AL.

 

RRP-Joe Nathan. The toughest choice. Nathan barely beats out Justin Morneau. He's older, but he's been nasty this year. Arguably a Top 5 in the Cy Young in the AL this year. The fastball tops in at 96. He's still young enough...where he can be the shutdown closer ala Rivera, or Gagne for 5 years.

[MrRant 0]

Are we talking currently on the roster or people also down on the farm?

 

Because it's open season on the M's roster outside of probably Ichiro.

[Guest Olympic Slam]

A's:

 

P - Mark Mulder

P - Tim Hudson

3B - Eric Chavez

 

If Zito were in 2002 form, then I'd swap him for Chavez.

[Drury37 0]

Yankees:

SS-Jeter

3B-A-Rod

RF-The Shef

Thanks.

[Precious Roy 0]

Yankees

 

1. Jeter

2. Rivera

3. A-Rod

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

ChiSox

 

1. Magglio Ordonez - A no-brainer. Too bad he's as good as gone.

2. Jeremy Reed - With a good eye and a quick bat, this - what? Aw fuck.

2. Mark Buehrle

3a. Freddy Garcia

3b. Carlos Lee

 

 

Frank Thomas and Paul Konerko are good but overpaid, and thus touchable.

[Guest Anglesault]

Jeter

Posada

Rivera

[Vern Gagne 0]

Are we talking currently on the roster or people also down on the farm?

 

Because it's open season on the M's roster outside of probably Ichiro.

Either. I just kept mine to players with some major league experience.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

Royals:

 

Um..

 

hmmm

 

Greinke

 

and..

 

umm...

 

idk

[King Kamala 0]

Red Sox:

 

 

Manny Ramirez

 

Curt Schilling

 

Pedro Martinez

[Guest Soylent Green Is People]

Texas:

 

1. Hank Blalock

2. Michael Young

3. Mark Teixeira

 

I hope the Rangers are saving up, because these three are going to be drawing some big bucks in a few years.

[Jorge Gorgeous 0]

Jeter

Posada

Rivera

Yup.

[the max 0]

Red Sox are already done, so....

 

Marlins:

 

Miguel Cabrera

D-Train

Josh Beckett.

 

I'd say Penny and Pavano were untouchable since they've been the better pitchers on the team, but D-Train and Beckett (once healhty) are a BIG 1-2 punch in the future. It's like a younger Schilling/Johnson a few years ago.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

RRP-Joe Nathan. The toughest choice. Nathan barely beats out Justin Morneau. He's older, but he's been nasty this year. Arguably a Top 5 in the Cy Young in the AL this year. The fastball tops in at 96. He's still young enough...where he can be the shutdown closer ala Rivera, or Gagne for 5 years.

 

Joe Nathan?! He's a good pitcher and all, but he's 29. What you're seeing is how good he is going to be.

 

Texas:

 

1. Hank Blalock

2. Michael Young

3. Mark Teixeira

 

I hope the Rangers are saving up, because these three are going to be drawing some big bucks in a few years.

 

Blalock is paid through 2008 with an option for '09. Young is signed through 2007.

 

As for the Phillies.....

1. Bobby Abreu

2. Jim Thome

3. Gavin Floyd

[CanadianChris 0]

Blue Jays:

 

Roy Halladay

Vernon Wells

Alexis Rios

[DerangedHermit 0]

Mets:

1) David Wright

2) Mike Piazza (he's untouchable because nobody can assume his contract and he's Mike Piazza)

3) Jose Reyes

[The Man in Blak 0]

Cardinals:

 

Albert Pujols

Scott Rolen

Edgar Renteria

 

Edmonds probably has one or maybe even two years left, I'm not quite sold on Wainright yet, and Isringhausen has had more than a couple of injury issues.

 

 

I'll even do one for the Royals, since Rob was having difficulty (and rightfully so):

 

Zack Greinke

Jeremy Affeldt

David DeJesus

 

Honorable Mention: Matt Stairs, Ken Harvey

 

Greinke's obviously a keeper and Affeldt has ridiculous stuff that would be best suited for the closer position (where his finger wouldn't combust every other outing). Once DeJesus learns how to, you know, hit, he should be a decent CF (though the "heir apparent to Beltran" insanity has got to stop immediately). Harvey's not amazing, but he's decent and, even though Stairs doesn't seem like a worthy option, he's got plenty of value as a hitter and (most importantly for Kansas City) he's CHEAP.

 

Sweeney's an unmitigated disaster - the contract was a great show of loyalty, but it may set the franchise back at least two years. As for the others, it's ain't much better: Gobble might as well be called Captain Mediocrity, the Real Angel Berroa was last seen playing cards with Bob Hamelin, and MacDougal's too busy shooting the next entry in the Major League series.

 

The Royals are an absolute mess...and the last decade has been decidedly L.A. Clipper-esque for the team. Here's to 2024, I suppose.

[Dr. Tom 0]

Orioles:

 

Miguel Tejada

Eric Bedard

Daniel Cabrera

 

Really, I think anyone else is touchable. They have some decent young players at other positions, but those three are the ones I'd never expect to see moved. Personally, I'd like to see the O's dump some of their FA signings from this offseason, like Palmeiro, Ponson (good luck on anyone taking that worthless tub of shit... who signs him to a $22m contract, anyway? Oh yeah...), and maybe Javy Lopez. Without the salaries of Segui and a couple others next season, the O's will have some money. Now all they need to do is spend it intelligently.

[Gert T 0]

You're dead on with the Cardinals, and re-signing Renteria better be the number one priority.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

Yankees fans: Where's A-Rod?

[Big McLargeHuge 0]

Giants:

 

1)Bonds

2) Schmidt

3) ...uhhhh... Jerome Williams???

[Brett Favre 0]

NY Yankees:

 

Derek Jeter

A-Rod

Mariano Rivera

 

There's a couple of more though.

[2GOLD 0]

Orioles:

 

Miguel Tejada

Eric Bedard

Daniel Cabrera

 

Really, I think anyone else is touchable. They have some decent young players at other positions, but those three are the ones I'd never expect to see moved. Personally, I'd like to see the O's dump some of their FA signings from this offseason, like Palmeiro, Ponson (good luck on anyone taking that worthless tub of shit... who signs him to a $22m contract, anyway? Oh yeah...), and maybe Javy Lopez. Without the salaries of Segui and a couple others next season, the O's will have some money. Now all they need to do is spend it intelligently.

 

Agreed on those guys and they have to quit making trades for guys with no upside to them. If they are going to give up good players, they need to start grabbing good ones and not ones who are a crap shoot on whether an injury or surgery they are coming off will work out.

 

As for my other team, the Cubs...I'd say:

Sosa

Wood

Prior

 

Alou is hitting the ball well but he's not the best arm in left, Aramis is coming around but he still needs work on his fielding, Patterson won't hit the damn ball on the ground instead of swinging for the fence, Lee is very good at first but he can get into massive slumps, Clement is great but he's still a starting pitcher and the Cubs are still loaded down on the farm at that position every year it seems. And Carlos needs to get some mental control cause he is close to breaking down and slugging an umpire.

 

Sosa is the money star/ Hall of Famer (even though Wrigley doesn't need one), Wood and Prior are still the guns of the staff and core of the pitching future.

 

But the Cubs better not deal Todd Wellmeyer, I think that kid could be a future closer for them.

[Guest two_tuff_toddy]

Chicago Cubs

 

1. Mark Prior

2. Sammy Sosa

3. Kerry Wood

 

Honorable Mention: Carlos Zambrano,Moises Alou,Aramis Ramirez

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Orioles:

 

Miguel Tejada

Eric Bedard

Daniel Cabrera

 

Really, I think anyone else is touchable. They have some decent young players at other positions, but those three are the ones I'd never expect to see moved. Personally, I'd like to see the O's dump some of their FA signings from this offseason, like Palmeiro, Ponson (good luck on anyone taking that worthless tub of shit... who signs him to a $22m contract, anyway? Oh yeah...), and maybe Javy Lopez. Without the salaries of Segui and a couple others next season, the O's will have some money. Now all they need to do is spend it intelligently.

Im pretty sure the Orioles 3 would be:

 

Tejada

Mora

Cabrera

[HarleyQuinn 0]

I honestly don't think anybody on the Red Sox is "untouchable"...

 

- Manny was placed on waivers in the off-season, don't forget.

- Pedro's contract is running out and as far as I know the Sox haven't come to a deal yet.

- Nomar's contract is also running it and some could say he's almost good as gone. Also was considered in a trade to the ChiSox for Magglio.

 

Only one who "may" be untouchable is Curt Schilling(I'd put my money more on Keith Foulke though since the Sox have never had a "dominant" closer ala Rivera levels)

 

You could also argue that David Ortiz is another untouchable candidate due to the love that he gets from the organization as well.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

My choices on the Red Sox would be

 

1.) Curt Schilling - I haven't been worried at all when he's taken the hill this season. If the Sox score some runs in that game in Cleveland and that GS in Toronto doesn't happen then he's got 14 wins.

 

2.) Jason Varitek - Calls a solid game, hits the ball well, and is really one of the major clubhouse leaders of the team.

 

3.) David Ortiz - Tied up for the next 3 years at a very reasonable price for somebody who has the potential to hit 40+ homers and drive in over 100. His hitting style was built for Fenway.

 

As far as prospects go

 

1.) Kevin Youkilis - I don't see him being the future 3rd baseman of this team, but the future 1st baseman. He's got great plate discipline right now and the power will come with age. Right now he's mainly a line drive hitter.

 

2.) Kelly Shoppach - Varitek isn't going to last forever and the Red Sox can't trade future prospects for a position that may be vacated after this season. He doesn't hit well for average right now or get on base much, but he does hit for power and has 16 doubles and 13 homers in 77 games at Triple A.

 

3.) Matt Murton - He's not going to be ready until about Sept of 2006 or the start of 2007, but I'm psyched about this guy. In his first full season of High A ball he's hitting .298 with 16 doubles, 11 homers, 50RBI, and he's got 41BB. He's also an excellent RFer with an above average arm.

[treble 0]

Blue Jays:

 

Roy Halladay

Vernon Wells

Alexis Rios

I thought about putting Rios on my list, but the Jays have a bunch of good outfield prospects that they might trade him if the right offer came along. They're obviously not going to give him away and I'd rather they didn't move him, but I wouldn't be shocked if he was eventually dealt away.

 

And if David Bush keeps pitching the way he is, he's not going anywhere for a while.

[Vern Gagne 0]

RRP-Joe Nathan. The toughest choice. Nathan barely beats out Justin Morneau. He's older, but he's been nasty this year. Arguably a Top 5 in the Cy Young in the AL this year. The fastball tops in at 96. He's still young enough...where he can be the shutdown closer ala Rivera, or Gagne for 5 years.

 

Joe Nathan?! He's a good pitcher and all, but he's 29. What you're seeing is how good he is going to be.

 

Texas:

 

1. Hank Blalock

2. Michael Young

3. Mark Teixeira

 

I hope the Rangers are saving up, because these three are going to be drawing some big bucks in a few years.

 

Blalock is paid through 2008 with an option for '09. Young is signed through 2007.

 

As for the Phillies.....

1. Bobby Abreu

2. Jim Thome

3. Gavin Floyd

So far that's been pretty good.

 

Some minor leaguers

 

OF-Jason Kubel

P-Jesse Craine

P-Scott Baker

[The Man in Blak 0]

You know, the Cubs aren't my team, but I've absolutely got to play dissenting opinions on the choices thus far:

 

My keepers:

 

Mark Prior

Carlos Zambrano

Matt Clement

1. You can never have too much pitching. Prior, Zambrano, and Clement can easily form an NL version of "The Big Three." You may not have noticed it, but Matt Clement has absolutely turned the corner this year, Zambrano's continuing his breakout, and Prior is Prior.
2. Kerry Wood may never play a full season ever again. The early years of his career were plagued with arm injuries and then Dusty Baker decided it would be a phenomenal idea to run him out there for 217 innings last year. He's hurt (again), they have three other pitchers, and Wood still has the name recognition as being one of those Texas fireballers. As insane as it sounds, I'd say trade him for a big bat and put Glendon Rusch (or Sergio Mitre or another pitching prospect) in his slot. The only way he supplants Clement on that list...is if the Cubs put him in the bullpen and let him close games out.
3. Sammy Sosa? What about him? The man is going to be 36 later this year, his outfield work is bordering on embarrassing, and he's on pace to have his worst offensive numbers in 10 years. The guy has been a great player and one of the franchise's cornerstones for a decade, but the end is coming, and it's coming in a hurry.

Just my opinion, though, and no - I'm not trying to sabotage the Cubs for my own benefit.