And So it Begins

[Fökai 0]

If Atlanta wants to move Furcal I would love for Cincy to try to get him. We need a good leadoff hitter and a shortstop. However, Uncle Carl would not even be willing to pay for his plane flight to Cincy, much less his contract.

He could make as much as $6 million through arbitration.

 

I think if arby undervalues him, Atlanta will just hold onto him.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The Mariners declined Eddie Guardado's mutual option, so its up to him to decide to pick up the option or become a free agent.

[Fökai 0]

So if he picks up the option, what happens?

 

edit: That DOES mean they both have to agree to it, no?

[Bruiser Chong 0]

As for LaTroy sucking, come on. Two blown saves with 2 outs and 2 strikes? Inexcusable, especially because those games cost us the wild card.

I seem to recall losing plenty of games we should've had in the bag that didn't involve him in the least. It didn't help we couldn't hit worth a lick that last week of the season.

 

I'm telling you, Smoltz is a good closer, but his numbers are too similar to Hawkins' to make such a big fuss about. I watched plenty of games he closed that he either blew or came very close to doing so. He's effective, but he's quite far from flawless.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

So if he picks up the option, what happens?

 

edit: That DOES mean they both have to agree to it, no?

A dual option is where both sides need to agree. A mutual option gives both sides a decision. In this case, Seattle's option was for $6 Million. Guardado's side of the option is for $4 Million.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

And Guardado indeed exercised his player option, meaning he'll stay in Seattle, at $4 Million.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

As expected.

[Stephen 0]

Down to three for the NY mets manager position

 

Willie Randolph

Rudy Jaramillo

Terry Collins

[mike546 0]

According to the Newark Ledger, the Yankees might use Posada in a deal to get either Johnson or Hudson/Mulder/Zito.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

In a chat yesterday, Gammons refuted the Oakland rumors. He stated the Athletics told the Yankees they have nothing that interests them.

[mike546 0]

I know Posada's on the decline, but if the Yankees ate his contract, doesn't Posada fit the moneyball style?

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

keep in mind that catchers age in dog years.

[Stephen 0]

Latest rumor has Nomar wanting to move to second base so he can sign with the yankees. Anyone see this happening?.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

I can see myself laughing long and loud.

 

wait...it's happening now! HAHAHAHAHA

[Stephen 0]

Giants exercised options on J.T. Snow, Marquis Grissom and Brett Tomko

 

Giants also signed Devi Cruz to a one year contract.

 

Jason Christiansen 05 option was declined.

[sfaJack 0]

Astros remove the interim tag from Phil Garner's title.

 

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2883021

[Mik 0]

Because I like you guys....

 

Sammy Sosa:

Interested Teams:

Mets

Rockies

Marlins

Nov. 3 - Cubs GM Jim Hendry has been instructed by ownership to move Sammy Sosa. Although it might be difficult to unload Sosa because of his huge price tag -- his contract immediately becomes guaranteed at $18 million for 2006 and $19 million in 2007 if he's traded -- teams would be interested if the Cubs pick up a portion of the slugger's salary and take a bloated contract off of their hands, the Daily Southtown reported.

 

Sosa endured much critcism last season and already has poured gasoline on the fire this offseason. Upon returning to his winter home in the Domincan Republic, he complained that he was "poorly treated" by manager Dusty Baker and the organization, the Tribune reported. He also said he wants to play "at least another five or six seasons" so he can hit more than 700 home runs.

 

Hendry was mum on Sosa's tirade, but did say he had not heard from the disgruntled star since he walked out early on the final day of the season, refuting Sosa's assertion to a reporter for the Spanish-language newspaper Hoy that "I can assure you that I've asked for forgiveness."

 

The situation in Chicago might be beyond repair. Besides righting things with fans, Sosa will have to make amends with his teammates for bolting early, according to the Southtown. Pitcher Kerry Wood reportedly destroyed Sosa's boom box in the Cubs clubhouse after Sosa's early departure, and Mark Prior publicly said Sosa owes the team an apology.

 

Troy Percival:

Teams Interested:

Cubs

Giants

Nov. 3 - Troy Percival is an Angel no more. According to the Los Angeles Times, the team informed him that Francisco Rodriguez would be their new closer, and Percival rejected their offer to return as a setup man. "We don't want to hold Frankie back," GM Bill Stoneman told the newspaper. "He's ready."

 

Percival, 35, a four-time All-Star, earned $7.5 million last season. He joined the 300-save club in July and ranks 12th on the all-time list with 316. "As much as I would love to finish my career with the Angels, I realize a club is best suited with only one closer," said Percival, who has saved 30 games in each of the last seven seasons.

 

Agent Paul Cohen said six teams have expressed interest in signing Percival as a closer. The Angels are eligible to receive two top draft picks as compensation for losing him, but they might have to gamble to get them. If Percival remains unsigned Dec. 7, the Angels must offer him salary arbitration or forfeit the compensatory draft picks.

 

Carlos Beltran:

Teams Interested:

Yankees

Cubs

Phillies

Astros

Mets

Nov. 3 - The Astros enjoy a small window (until Nov. 12) during which they have sole negotiating rights with Carlos Beltran, the Houston Chronicle reported. While Beltran and agent Scott Boras have made it clear they will listen to offers into December, this window remains the Astros' only exclusive opportunity -- and will be open only so long.

 

Upon his offseason arrival in Puerto Rico, Beltran said he wanted to listen to the Astros, but they gave him no indication they'd travel to visit him. The teams that have made it known they'll do everything possible to sign the superstar center fielder are the Cubs, Yankees and Phillies.

 

Beltran sent his price tag soaring with remarkable play and uncommon poise during the playoffs. He hit .435 with eight home runs (tying Barry Bonds' record for a single postseason) and 21 runs (setting a new record for a single postseason) in 12 games.

 

According to the New York Post, Mike Cameron won't stand in the way if the Mets want to make a run at Beltran. Cameron has told Met brass he would be willing to switch from center field to right if the team wants to sign Beltran to play center.

 

Carlos Delgado:

Teams Interested:

Orioles

Dodgers

Marlins

Devil Rays

Mariners

Mets

Rangers

Yankees

Nov. 3 - After spending 12 seasons in Toronto, Carlos Delgado is hopeful of staying put -- but it's a longshot. Delgado made $18.5 million on a team with a $50 million payroll in 2004, and the Blue Jays likely won't meet his contract demands again. Delgado's powerful lefty bat (.269, 32 HR, 99 RBI last season) hasn't slowed, making the slugger a hot commodity.

 

He could end up in Baltimore, where the Orioles need a regular first baseman. "I would think that's one of the things we'd like to try to get accomplished, to get someone who can play there every day," executive VP Jim Beattie told the Baltimore Sun. "As we look to next year, our thought is for (Rafael Palmeiro) to play mostly at DH …."

 

If the Orioles are serious about Delgado, he certainly will be serious about them, the Washington Post reported. "Baltimore, we are most significantly interested in," his agent David Sloane told the newspaper. "It's a great place to hit. Hitting in that batting order is very interesting to us."

[mike546 0]

I can't take any of that ESPN stuff seriously.

 

I mean, they put A-Rod on the rumor list, only to talk about him still being upset about how the Yankees lost.

 

Oh, damn. You typed all that?

[Stephen 0]

Copy and paste is your friend.

[mike546 0]

ESPN Insider doesn't let you C and P.

[Stephen 0]

I Just can't see someone typing all that out. There has to be some form of C & P involved.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Usually you can get the printable version, and then copy and paste from that. Or utilize the Source button in your browser options. Not that I'd condone copying stuff off Insider or anything...

[Mik 0]

Nah, I just straight up copied and pasted. No work involved. I have FireFox though so maybe that has something to do with it?

[Fökai 0]

IE doesn't allow you to 'CnP' the articles from Insider.

 

Mozilla Firefox does.

[Bored 0]

http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0%2C...13098%2C00.html

OAKLAND -- The A's will be in the market for a catcher again this off-season, as the team won't pursue free agent Damian Miller, and Colorado's Charles Johnson is a possible replacement.

The Rockies are desperate to unload the 33-year-old catcher, and a baseball source said they are willing to eat around 75 percent of his $9 million salary for 2005.

 

The A's have shown previous interest in Johnson, and a team source confirmed he's one of a handful of catchers they have targeted either on the free-agent market or through a trade.

 

Johnson would provide a one-year stopgap at the position before one of their heralded catchers from the minors --John Baker, Kurt Suzuki or Landon Powell -- could be ready for the majors.

 

The Rockies are seeking middle relief, and a source said they have interest in Arthur Rhodes. The A's would welcome trading Rhodes, who lost his job as closer with the acquisition of Octavio Dotel, and is owed $6.2 million the next two years.

Johnson is nothing special and is no longer the great defensive catcher he once was but as a one year fill-in he'd be fine for the A's. Dumping Rhodes in the process would make this a pretty good deal.

[The Man in Blak 0]

ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals pitcher Woody Williams filed for free agency Thursday after the team told his agent it will decline his $8 million option and pay him a $900,000 buyout.

 

Williams went 11-8 with a 4.18 ERA last season, helping St. Louis to the best regular-season record in the major leagues and the NL pennant before the Cardinals were swept by the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.

 

The 38-year-old right-hander had the fewest wins of any member of the rotation during the regular season, but he wound up being St. Louis' No. 1 starter in the postseason because of Chris Carpenter's arm injury and Matt Morris' inconsistency.

 

The Cardinals won 16 of Williams' last 19 regular-season starts. He won twice in the playoffs but lost Game 1 of the World Series.

 

Williams has also pitched for Toronto and San Diego during a 12-year major league career, going 103-84 with a 4.05 ERA. St. Louis acquired him from the Padres in August 2001 and he went 7-1 down the stretch to help the Cardinals win the NL Central.

 

He had a 2.53 ERA in 17 starts in 2002, then went 18-9 with a 3.87 ERA in 2003. Last month, he said he wants to pitch at least a few more years and that he "most definitely" would like to stay with St. Louis.

 

I suppose that, if we could resign him on the cheap, that bringing Woody back would be a good deal.

[Stephen 0]

Picked this up at fanball.com

 

Alfonso Soriano could be a Bronx Bomber once again. The Yankees have talked to the Rangers about acquiring Soriano for pitcher Javier Vazquez, a source told the New York Times.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Ugh. Javy Vazquez would be an utter disaster at Texas.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Why would Texas do that deal?

[Brett Favre 0]

I like that deal. Of course if this means no Randy Johnson, then no to the deal. But if we can still manage to trade for Johnson, thumbs up. Also resign Cairo, he'd be a great backup for the infield.