2005-06 MLB Offseason Thread

[mike546 0]

Have fun with Millwoods arm problems for 4 or 5 years.

[Failed Bridge 0]

I don't believe they'll end up going after Millwood since they have alot of starting pitchers as it is right now. That's just what Olney was saying and he hasn't been right about anything like that for quite awhile. I imagine they'll be doing everything in their power to fill the void in CF now and possibly hold on to the money should they have to take back a bad contract in order to do that.

 

Personally I would love to see them make a deal for both Joey Gathright and Julio Lugo. D-Rays wanna get rid of both.

[randomguy 0]

Bleah, way overpaying for Damon.

 

His defense gets worse every year, his arm is terrible, and he usually ends the year in a slump.

 

Not that he is bad, and he is a big upgrade from Bernie, but it's just too much money when they need pitching.

[Cowboy Battlenuts 0]

I guess I'm the only one who doesn't want Damon in pinstripes simply because he was on the '04 Sox. I think we're gonna go 90 years without a title for signing anyone from that team....

[Mole 0]

I heard Arroyo for Jeremy Reed.

Yeah I heard that too. That would be a horrible trade. Reed is a sub-par player and not worth a straight up trade for Arroyo. Even though Arroyo didn't have a good season last year, he still has the stuff.

 

And Damon a Yankee? I don't even know what to say about it. It sucks, yes. Seeing him in pinstripes? Going to be really sucky.

 

But the fact WE lost a great lead off hitter really sucks. I still had some hope he would be re-signed. That is what you get for having Scott Boras as your agent.

[mike546 0]

Everyone says the Yankees need to focus on starting pitching. WHERE IS THIS PITCHING COMING FROM!?!?

 

And Arroyo had some troubling signs last year. His K rate was worse than Wang's in the 2nd half, and he doesn't have a sinker like Wang does.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

this is great

 

and the yanks don't want dotel. he was fairly unreliable with the a's in his season & a half there. nothing great, kids. nothing great.

As a closer. Guy's great elsewhere.

 

The Damon move doesn't really surprise me. It's odd it actually went down, but it's been reported for weeks that it was basically between the Sox and Yanks and I was under the impression the Sox weren't going to do much to keep him.

[mike546 0]

Its suprising to me because during this whole saga, all the NY papers said the Yanks were talking to Damon for the single reason to just make the Sox pay him a lot more money.

[Failed Bridge 0]

I was afraid for a moment that Bruiser Chong was going to suggest the Red Sox go after Corey Patterson.

 

Yankees could have had Josh Beckett if they had been willing to give up both Wang and Cano. That's quality pitching.

 

Barry Zito is available although he'll likely cost the Yankees Wang and a prospect as well. Just because there isn't much in the FA pool doesn't mean there isn't quality pitching out there.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I was afraid for a moment that Bruiser Chong was going to suggest the Red Sox go after Corey Patterson.

Wo-wo-would they do that? Actually, I can see him finally breaking out if he were dealt.

[The Man in Blak 0]

The reactions of Red Sox fandom over this deal are really intriguing. You've got one sect of fans that is waxing nostalgic about Damon and the '04 Sox, which were already gutted the second that Pedro put on that Mets uniform. Then you've got the Boston fans with the sabermetric bent over on BTF, guffawing about the financials on the contract, completely oblivious to the fact that the Red Sox now have gaping holes at SS, 1B, and CF. What a dichotomy.

 

For the Yankees, this really is just an average signing to me. They overpaid for a guy who's in decline, but his immediate value (2006/2007) is more valuable to the Yankees, who have a short window of contention, due to payroll issues and the minor league cupboard being virtually cleaned out. New York is going to have some major crazy PR to deal with, as Damon is symbolic of that hated '04 Red Sox team but, on the other hand, signing Damon helps the Yankees just by virtue of the damage they do to Boston; Boston's already turned over some of their bigger trade pieces this offseason, leaving them with the likely alternative of dealing somebody like Clement for pennies on the dollar.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Everyone says the Yankees need to focus on starting pitching. WHERE IS THIS PITCHING COMING FROM!?!?

[The Man in Blak 0]

I don't quite understand why the Yankees should be emphasizing starting pitching: the rotation is already set, with Mussina/Johnson/Pavano/Chacon/Wang out there. In fact, with Aaron Small and Jaret Wright in the wings, one could argue that they had a surplus of starters.

[The Czech Republic 0]

[boston]Good. We never liked Damon anyway. I'm glad he's gone. Over-the-hill stupid asshole throws like a girl! Have fun in New York. We never liked you in the first place. We can't wait to replace you with someone better. This was a great move for the Red Sox.[/boston]

[randomguy 0]

The Yanks had plenty of pitching last year two, and everyone was either terrible or injured.

 

Moose has been in decline for years. RJ is not the RJ of 2 or 3 years ago. Both are a year older. Pavano was injured last year. I think at one point last year all five of the original Yankee started were on the DL. Age and durability are real problems.

[Cartman 0]

[boston]Good. We never liked Damon anyway. I'm glad he's gone. Over-the-hill stupid asshole throws like a girl! Have fun in New York. We never liked you in the first place. We can't wait to replace you with someone better. This was a great move for the Red Sox.[/boston]

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

He won't be able to play a competitive CF after 07. Everybody hated on Bernie's defense, watch Damon's in the next couple years. Carl Crawford scored from second base on a fly out to Damon this past season.

The Yankees scored a "shitload" of runs last season and so did the Red Sox. Neither team won because they didn't have the pitching.

 

Another reason Damon left apparently is because the Red Sox weren't going to keep Kevin Millar. I hope that means Millar will be following Damon to NY.

 

If the Yankees win a WS in 06 and/or 07, I doubt Yankee fans will care that much hes the next Bernie Williams in 08.

They won World Series in 1996, '98, '99 and 2000, and yet they still seemed to care about the first Bernie Williams.

 

I guess I'm the only one who doesn't want Damon in pinstripes simply because he was on the '04 Sox. I think we're gonna go 90 years without a title for signing anyone from that team....

Signing members of a championship Red Sox team is a bad omen? Tell that to the '23 Yankees, who won the Bombers' first World title with TWELVE former Red Sox on their roster.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

As for the non-tenders, a few thoughts.

 

-The Florida Marlins continued dumping good players by non-tendering Joe Dillon.

 

-The Phillies cut loose Endy Chavez, ending the vestige of a trade that causes me to shake my fist in rage to this very day. Still, thanks to Chavez's 10 RBIs, 23 hits and three triples, he was singlehandedly responsible for 1/267th of the team's success this season!

 

-Junior Spivey and Eric Byrnes are now available, and have Cardinal-bait written all over them.

 

-The Orioles cut loose Eddy Rodriguez. Rodriguez is still 24 and has a live arm. He could put it together.

 

-Other notables include Willie Harris, Bo Hart, Ken Harvey, Dan Kolb, Chad Bradford, and Wade Miller.

[MikeJordan23 0]

I don't quite understand why the Yankees should be emphasizing starting pitching: the rotation is already set, with Mussina/Johnson/Pavano/Chacon/Wang out there. In fact, with Aaron Small and Jaret Wright in the wings, one could argue that they had a surplus of starters.

 

I'm pretty sure Jaret Right will be in the rotation and not Chacon. He makes too much money. Same reason they played Giambi.

[mike546 0]

Giambi can actually produce. And Torre has stated that Chacon will definitley be in the rotation, and Wrights going to the bullpen. I'd guess it will be RJ/Moose/Pavano/Chacon/Wang.

 

And the Cardnials have signed Sidney Ponson. I think thats gonna end up being a good move.

Edited December 21, 2005 by mike546

[Failed Bridge 0]

according to the Providence Journal the Red Sox are actually trying to get younger so they're in a quasi-rebuilding phase. It explains why they were so willing to trade Renteria with the lack of quality SS on the market.

 

I'm curious as to how this team is going to look on opening day now.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

2006 RED SOX

 

C- Jason Varitek/Kelly Shoppach

1B- Kevin Youkilis/Roberto Petagine (platoon)

2B- Mark Loretta

SS- Alex Cora or Dustin Pedroia

3B- Mike Lowell

LF- Manny Ramirez

CF- Adam Stern

RF- Trot Nixon

DH- David Ortiz

 

SP- Josh Beckett

SP- Curt Schilling

SP- Matt Clement

SP- David Wells

SP- Tim Wakefield

 

If I were to list the starters in the order of their projected ERAs, it would come up Schilling, Beckett, Arroyo, Wells, Papelbon, Lester, Dinardo, Clement, Abe Alvarez and Wakefield. If you're carrying Wakefield he needs to start, because most knuckleballers lose effectiveness in a relief role.

 

Looking at the lineup, center field is the big question. They should be able to easily flip an extra starter for a player there. Dustin Pedroia projects as a league average shortstop already. He's the reason the Sox dealt Hanley Ramirez. Pedroia's only 22, and all he's done is produce in the minors. Before this season, John Sickels compared Pedroia to David Eckstein. In the year since then, Pedroia zoomed past Ramirez in AA and posted an above average OBP in the International League. If the Sox make a move at SS, it should only be a one year stopgap.

 

First base is fine with the Youkilis/Petagine platoon. This team is certainly a playoff contender.

[KingPK 0]

Get ready for those Michelle Damon fashion and style reports on YES next season. At least she'll be in an area where people give a shit about that stuff.

[Failed Bridge 0]

Its looking more and more as if Jeremy Reed is going to be coming to Boston. Seattle wants Bronson Arroyo and now they're trying to acquire Corey Paterson.

 

I'd take Reed. Defensively he's better than Damon and if he can come close to doing what he did in the minor leagues then we'll be fine at the leadoff position.

[mike546 0]

Didn't Wells say he wouldn't report to ST if he isn't traded? Or retire?

 

And fuck yea, YES needs some new shows. Watching the same damn reruns of Yankeeography makes my head hurt.

[Failed Bridge 0]

your enthusiasm won't last when you see what PK is talking about.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Its looking more and more as if Jeremy Reed is going to be coming to Boston. Seattle wants Bronson Arroyo and now they're trying to acquire Corey Paterson.

 

I'd take Reed. Defensively he's better than Damon and if he can come close to doing what he did in the minor leagues then we'll be fine at the leadoff position.

I don't get why the Mariners would seek Corey Patterson. The reason they can trade Reed is because they have Shin-Soo Choo, who posted a .382 OBP at AAA Tacoma, with 20 steals, and is just 23.

[Slayer 0]

Somewhere (provided he's still alive) Anglesault is laughing about Johnny D having to "clean up his look"

[mike546 0]

Yankees non tender Wayne Franykin. You know, since Stanton left the first time, we've experimented with atleast 10 left handers as lefties out of the bullpen, and they've all sucked. Franklyin was no different.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Rotoworld's reporting that the Cards are set to sign Sidney Ponson to a one-year deal.