And So it Begins

[Hektik 0]

The word out here in San Diego is that the Padres have signed Woody Williams. The Padres might also sign David Wells to a contract before the Winter meetings. The Padres are not exactly getting younger are they.

 

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Padres today agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Woody Williams on a one-year contract plus an option and infielder Geoff Blum on a one-year contract. Executive Vice President/General Manager Kevin Towers made the announcements.

 

Williams, 38, made 31 starts for the St. Louis Cardinals last season, going 11-8 with a 4.18 ERA (88 ER/189.2 IP). The 6-0, 200-pound right-hander started the season 2-5 before winning 10 of his last 13 decisions, going 10-3 with a 3.75 ERA (57 ER/136.2 IP) over his final 22 starts dating back to May 29. Williams, who made 18 quality starts last season, started Game 1 in all three postseason series for the Cardinals last year, going 2-0. In three seasons with St. Louis, he went 45-22 with a 3.50 ERA, including a 25-8 record with a 2.88 ERA in 47 career outings at home.

[the max 0]

Super extra bonus: Starting next season, the Marlins will have one of the best color announcers in baseball.

they're replacing Tommy Hutton?

[Precious Roy 0]

I'm kind of pissed off right now.......

 

Womack is the next Lofton, though probably better in the clubhouse. I'm crossing my fingers that he gives us 350 productive at bats and keeps his wheels in working order. We still need an everyday 2B though, so letting Cairo walk isn't making much sense to me. I'm still championing a 2 year deal for Jeff Kent, because this team is built to win now.

 

Which leads me to the pitching staff. Jaret Wright, I can't say whether he's a fluke or not, but he seems to be the kind of guy you take a risk on if you've got a 3-4 year plan, not when you're trying to win before 1/2 the team is eligible for social security.

 

And I'm pissed about Lieber walking. Our best pitcher in the playoffs, a guy we spent a full season just paying him to get healthy, and we discard him. If we sign Milton I will break things.

[Guest Smues]

The Braves offered arbitration to Julio Franco, so huzzah for that. No I'm not joking. I wanna see him play until he's 50.

 

Apparently we also offered arbitration to Jaret, so at least we get some draft picks out of the deal.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

I think Wright was a Type C free agent. You get a third rounder or some shit.

[mike546 0]

I'm also pissed about Lieber.

 

After we signed him for two years, knowing he wouldn't pitch for one of them, for him to come all the way back and be our postseason ace, I grew attached to him.

 

Tis a sad day.

[Guest Smues]

How do they classify free agents? And after remembering that Boras is Drew's agent I'm not surprised we lost him.

[The Man in Blak 0]

How do they classify free agents? And after remembering that Boras is Drew's agent I'm not surprised we lost him.

After the season is over, the Elias Sports Bureau ranks all of the players at each position according to their performance over the last two years. Then, once they have all of the position rankings sorted out, the free agents fall into the following categories:

• Type A - A free agent in the top 30% of their position
• Type B - A free agent in the 31-50% range of their position
• Type C - A free agent in the 51-60% range of their position

Two important details to remember:

- the last two years of performance are under scrutiny (which is why Eric Milton, who had an injury-shorted 2003, would not have fetched any compensatory draft picks)

- the players are ranked by position, rather than by rank. That's why somebody like Rheal Cormier is a Type A free agent - though he may not necessarily be in the upper third of all players in terms of performance, he's undeniably in the upper third of all relievers, given his outrageous 2003.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Also, they use traditional counting stats, rather than advanced statistics.

[Fökai 0]

EDIT: Inadvertedly confused the "Type C" rule with the supplemental draft pick condition, which I DID read.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I think Wright was a Type C free agent. You get a third rounder or some shit.

I read that he was an A based on the shallow pitching market this year.

He's a type C. The Braves simply receive a supplemental draft pick (between the first and second round).

[Bruiser Chong 0]

So I guess Florida's letting by gones be by gones with Alfonseca?

[Mik 0]

HA! Well, the Demon is not around to kick his ass anymore, so perhaps all can be forgotten.

 

Although, I have a hard time trusting any very large pitcher who would lock himself in a room to save himself from a beatdown.

 

That... and he sucks.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Alfonseca can give you league average innings. He shouldn't be the closer, but he's an acceptable middle reliever.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

They didn't sign him with intentions of making him their closer, did they?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

So far they haven't officially signed him yet. I have to think though that Guillermo Mota has first shot at the closer's role.

[Guest Smues]

Did Eric Gagne sign a contract that I missed? I didn't see his name mentioned as being given arbitration, or as one of the Dodgers not given it. Did they already lock him up?

[The Czech Republic 0]

I didn't know his contract was up.

[Guest Smues]

I'm pretty sure it was. I thought he just had a 1 year 5,000,000 deal because he went to arbitration last year.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

He's not eligible for Free Agency yet. He can only recieve arbitration at this point unless the Dodgers do lock him up. I believe after the 05 season he'll be a Free Agent should they not get him locked up long term.

[Guest Smues]

He's still not eligible for free agency? Wow.

[Mik 0]

So far they haven't officially signed him yet. I have to think though that Guillermo Mota has first shot at the closer's role.

Well... it's Mota's job to lose, but some people think that's exactly what he will do. I hope not, because I can't stomach having Alfonseca as the closer again.

 

Hopefully Guillermo will snap out of the funk he was in at the end of last season and return to his Dodger form... or there will be problems at the end of the games.

 

The Marlins are looking damn good for next year.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Don't worry, they'll still lose to the Braves.

[Mik 0]

I think this is the year the Braves string will end. Sure, I probably would have said the same thing last offseason, if asked... but miracles can't happen twice in a row, can they?

 

I'm more worried about the Phillies getting their head on straight.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

The Marlins are looking damn good for next year.

If you don't consider the fact the back of their rotation is no good right now, they have no bench, no first baseman, and still need one corner outfielder then sure...they're looking damn good.

[Mik 0]

Can you name one team that DOESN'T have any holes? No, such a team doesn't exist.

 

You're correct about the bench, not disputing that fact for a second. For some reason, Jack McKeon loves Lenny Harris and I'll never quite figure out why. They did convince Easley to stay, which was a positive. But they need help on the bench.

 

Corner outfield... well if you believe the Miami papers, the reason Encarnacion was the worst player in the National League last year was because he had a terrible shoulder injury he wasn't telling anyone about. Not sure I do believe it, but he was passable in the 03 WS campaign. Maybe the shoulder thing is true and he can contribute.

 

I disagree about 1B. Conine hurt himself playing raquetball recently, but he'll be ready for Feb and I think he's a good 1B. He plays great defense and can hit a bit out of the 6 or 7 spot.

 

I totally disagree about the rotation. They might not have a great 5, but in my estimation they have the best 1 through 4 in the NL, maybe the ML.

 

The reasons I'm excited: LoDuca for a full year, and a 1 year older Miguel Cabrera to tear up NL pitching again.

 

We'll see what happens.

[Precious Roy 0]

Conine hurt himself playing raquetball recently

 

[Mik 0]

?

 

He's world ranked. Or at the very least used to be.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I wouldn't rely on Conine. After a resurgence after the trade in 2003, he really fell back to earth last season.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

I totally disagree about the rotation. They might not have a great 5, but in my estimation they have the best 1 through 4 in the NL, maybe the ML.

Josh Blisters, A.J. Burnedout Elbow, SeaBiscuit, and Al "5 innings" Leiter is not a good rotation.