2005-2006 MLB Offseason thread

[The Czech Republic 0]

Empty numbers vs. empty skull

[C Dubya 04 0]

I like Bobby (and think that anyone who uses the empty numbers argument is basically full of shit), but I think that if that trade happened I would do backflips around my office.

[Cartman 0]

What sense would that make for Philly?

[C Dubya 04 0]

The same sense that it would make for just about any team to get Manny.

[the pinjockey 0]

They get a lot more pop in the bat with Manny, without sacrificing any OBP. Plus it would balance the heart of the lineup with lefties and righties, Utley-Manny-Howard-Burrell. I would like to see some money or a prospect (coughShoppachcough) come back, but in general I like Manny-Abreu.

[C Dubya 04 0]

If Rollins at the end of last year wasn't an illusion and he really has found a little more plate discipline and pop of the bat, I would really like the Phils line-up. Rollins, Utley, Manny, Howard, Burrell is a nice top five.

[the pinjockey 0]

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports that a swap of Bobby Abreu for Manny Ramirez is "highly unlikely," according to a baseball official who has spoken with both clubs.

 

The deal was proposed by the Red Sox but quickly shot down, the official said, for several reasons. The primary reason is that the Phillies have been telling teams they are only interested in trading Abreu for top-of-the-rotation starting pitching. The second is that there is a major money imbalance. Ramirez has $57 million coming over the next three years. Abreu has two years, $30 million left on his deal. Both players can veto any trades.

 

The only way this trade could happen, then, is if the Red Sox were interested in trading a starting pitcher along with Ramirez, AND evening out all the money.

 

Yeah, I don't see Boston throwing in the moon just to get rid of Manny. The Mets will cave in eventually.

 

ESPNnews reporting a deal being finalized, the Anna Benson Show goes to Baltimore for Jorge Julio.

[The Czech Republic 0]

ESPNnews reporting a deal being finalized, the Anna Benson Show goes to Baltimore for Jorge Julio.

Okay Al, I let a few of them slip past without a comment, so I can say it

 

Minaya traded Anna Benson for a Latino

[mike546 0]

Benson for JORGE JULIO? Are the Mets retarded?

[NYU 0]

If that rumor's true, that's just an awful trade for the Mets. I'm not a huge Benson fan, but he's certainly much more of a reliable pitcher than Julio, who had an ERA of 5.90 last season. I understand they need bullpen pitchers, but with their rotation as weathered as it is, they can't be giving up these starters who still have years ahead of them.

 

And besides, it's fucking Jorge Julio anyway. The guy sucks.

[devo 0]

This makes the rumored Vazquez trade look like sheer brilliance by comparison. Fuckin' Minaya.

[the pinjockey 0]

Hearing the report again, they said it was the NYT reporting that the deal was close to being finalized, not ESPN itself. With that I would put it back to being a rumor as much as anything else in the thread is.

 

Back to the Abreu-Manny deal for a second. I am hating the idea that they only want to trade Abreu for a top of the rotation starter. If they are willing to trade Abreu, they need to trade him in ANY deal that makes them better. Pitching or hitting returning. There is no such thing as scoring too many runs. If they aren't willing to deal him, then pull him off the market period.

[therealworldschampion 0]

It's time for today's Bobby Abreu trade rumor. Rotoworld is reporting that the Red Sox and Phillies are discussing a Manny for Bobby trade.

 

I know its not gonna happen, but if the WIP morons thought Bobby was lazy, wait until they see Manny...

[Failed Bridge 0]

Twins are trying to acquire Luis Castillo.

 

Red Sox aquired RHP Jermaine Van Buren from the Cubs for a PTBNL. Van Buren had 134 strikeouts in 112IP in the minors last season

 

I wouldn't mind the Red Sox aquiring Abreu at all but they would need another RH bat. Rumors here last month were that there were discussions of a Trot Nixon and Matt Clement for Abreu deal.

 

Moving Kris Benson for Julio is probably a way of freeing up cash to trade for Manny. Well...that and with the signing of Billy Wagner they went over their limit for white players.

[Guest Gathering Moss]

Well, the Mets are now looking to keep both Heilman and Milledge, which throws a wrench in any proposed Manny deal. The Mets are also taking a closer look at Tampa's Toby Hall, as they feel the production of Molina or Hernandez wouldn't warrant the high price tag.

[Failed Bridge 0]

I saw the news article where you got those statements G-Moss, and while a supposed "top ranking official" within the Mets said that, lets remember that the team is lead by Omar Minaya. The same man that gave up Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips, and Cliff Lee to get Bartolo Colon. Then when he traded him he got Jeff Liefer and Rocky Biddle in return. He can probably justify to himself that with Jorge Julio now in the fold he can afford to lose Heilman. Who knows, its Minaya.

[the pinjockey 0]

Phillies signed Sal Fasano to a 1yr/$425k deal. I guess Ruiz is not getting a shot at the backup job. Fasano has some pop in his bat, so there is a some upside to this. Not thrilled with the fact he only threw out 7 of 44 base stealers lsat year.

 

I love this shit spewed by Amaro, though.

"He's a winning player which is the kind of character we are trying to bring to our big club."

 

Here is his history:

Royals (1996-99, 2001) - Ah yes, the winning tradition of the late 90s KC Royals.

Oakland Athletics (2000-01) - 91-70 (127 ABs) in 2000, 102-60 (21 ABs) in 2001

Colorado Rockies (2001) - 73-89 (63 ABs)

Anaheim Angels (2002) - He had a whole 1 AB in 2 games for them.

Orioles (2005) - 74-88 (160 ABs)

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The only real sensible destination for Manny is the Angels. I think the Mets and Red Sox are fairly far apart on this. There's no deal the Red Sox can make that will actually improve the team unless they get Beltran, and the Mets giving up Beltran would negate any positive of acquiring Ramirez.

[Failed Bridge 0]

I'll cross my fingers for Ervin Santana and Casey Kotchman then. If they have to take back Erstad well...I'm ok with that. At least he can play solid defense and get on base better than Millar can nowadays.

 

Oh, and if Millar returns to the Red Sox as anything other than a coach then the rampage you hear about on the news in the future will have involved me.

[Guest OSIcon]

Phillies signed Sal Fasano to a 1yr/$425k deal. I guess Ruiz is not getting a shot at the backup job. Fasano has some pop in his bat, so there is a some upside to this. Not thrilled with the fact he only threw out 7 of 44 base stealers lsat year.

 

I love this shit spewed by Amaro, though.

"He's a winning player which is the kind of character we are trying to bring to our big club."

 

Sal isn't too great defensively. When he arrived in Baltimore they hyped him as being able to work with the young pitchers really well and I think he did that to some extent. He just wasn't all that great at blocking balls and throwing runners out.

 

If nothing else, he is a fun guy to watch because he has the look of any out of shape Italian guy. When he messes up, you can just picture him going off on his wife after the game to get his frustration out.

[Vern Gagne 0]

The Halos have never been too keen on trading away prospects.

[Guest]

The Angels won't do it. I can't explain why, but they won't.

[MikeJordan23 0]

Moving Kris Benson for Julio is probably a way of freeing up cash to trade for Manny. Well...that and with the signing of Billy Wagner they went over their limit for white players.

 

 

Apparently the Mets want to free up money for Javier Vasquez.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Oh, and if Millar returns to the Red Sox as anything other than a coach then the rampage you hear about on the news in the future will have involved me.

 

I'd take Millar. His 2005 line is completely out of context with the rest of his career. He could be a bargain.

 

As for Fasano, as long as Carlos Ruiz gets a fair chance, I'm fine with it. The Phils have no catching depth, and will need two AAA catchers in the system.

 

Today's dumb signing comes courtesy of the Giants, who signed Tim Worrell to a two year deal. Not that it's dumb to sign Worrell, who will bounce back, but the Giants give up their first round draft pick for the privilege.

[mike546 0]

ESPN is saying Farnsworth has chosen the Yanks, but Sweeney Murty said on WFAN today that Texas has entered the sweepstakes, offering him FOUR years.

[Big McLargeHuge 0]

I thought the Giants first round pick was protected. All this after Brian Sabean said he wouldn't throw draft picks away anymore.

[mike546 0]

Yankees also signed Dusty Bergman to a cheap contract. He can't be worse than Wayne Franykin, I hope.

[mike546 0]

Phillies sign Tom Gordon to a 3 year deal. While I'm sad hes gone, as he was a regular season savior, there was just no way we were going to give a 38 year old a 3 year deal.

 

Have fun with his post season SUCK though.

Edited December 2, 2005 by mike546

[therealworldschampion 0]

Errrgghh, 1 year too many on that deal. Had it been one or two years, I would've been happy.

[the pinjockey 0]

I can live with some postseason suck, as long as he is a key component in getting them to the playoffs. I would have preferred Hoffman though, especially after going to three years. I have more faith in him holding up, plus Hell's Bells with the big bell in the background would have kicked so much ass.

 

I am concerned about the number of appearances/innings pitched Gordon has had the last couple years. Combine that with Cholly's tendency to ride a reliever or two (dear god, please let Ryan Madson's arm survive the year) and that could spell disaster.

 

Hopefully they don't think that now they have Gordon, they can afford to not offer arb to Ugie.

Edited December 2, 2005 by the pinjockey