TWiB 7/24 - 7/30

[Bored 0]

Oh boy it's that magical time of year where your favorite team will trade it's top prospect for a 5th starter or a mediocre middle reliever. Because you can never have enough pitching, dontcha know?

 

ESPN/Fox Games

 

Monday

Yankees (Randy Johnson) at Rangers (Kevin Millwood), 7:00/4:00 PM ESPN

 

Wednesday

Tigers (Justin Verlander) at Indians (C.C. Sabathia), Noon/9:00 AM ESPN

Yankees (Jaret Wright) at Rangers (John Rheinecker), 8:00/5:00 PM ESPN

 

Thursday

Cardinals (Jeff Weaver) at Cubs (Neifi Perez), 8:00/5:00 PM ESPN

 

Saturday

Mets at Braves, 1:00 PM EST, Fox

Angels at Red Sox, 1:00 PM/10:00 AM, Fox

 

Nationals at Dodgers, 4:00/1:00 PM, Fox

Cardinals at Cubs, 3:00 CST, Fox

 

Sunday

Angels at Red Sox, 8:00/5:00 PM, ESPN

[devo 0]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Heilman and maybe someone else go for a starter the White Sox don't want anymore.

[Vampiro69 0]

This is a big week for the Twins as they go on the road to both Detroit and Chicago. If the Twins come out of this week with a .500 record that will be a success.

[vivalaultra 0]

Hey...if Neifi Perez is pitching on Tuesday for the Cubs, which is entirely possible, who's gonna play 2nd? They'll have to call up a 2nd baseman or something.

 

Big series for the Astros coming up with the Reds and then after with the D-Backs. They can get right back into the Wildcard race...and maybe the division race...if they do well. Despite Ken Rosenthal's comments, I suspect at least one more semi-major move will be made, probably not for Tejada, but certainly for somebody.

[Guest]

I'm shooting for Soriano. Hopefully he can switch clubhouses during the middle of the series. The Dodgers are supposedly in the market for Maddux and Aramis too.

[Bored 0]

Dodgers just made a BLOCKBUSTA DEAL!!!

 

Traded Sandy Alomar Jr. (isn't he a Sr. by now?) to the White Sox for some 25-year old Double-A pitcher. Because it wouldn't be a real trade deadline if Kenny Williams didn't reacquire a former White Sox player. I'm assuming he'll trade for Carl Everett soon.

[Guest]

They traded Alomar because they said that he was the odd man out when they were about to make their move. So, they're about to make a move.

[Open the Muggy Gate 0]

Sandy Alomar Jr is still in the league? Holy shit!

[Vern Gagne 0]

This is a big week for the Twins as they go on the road to both Detroit and Chicago. If the Twins come out of this week with a .500 record that will be a success.

 

They need to do better than .500.

[Slayer 0]

Sandy Alomar Jr is still in the league?

Hah, that was my same thought when I heard the trade news on the radio today

[Vern Gagne 0]

I never would have thought Sandy would play longer than Roberto.

[Mik 0]

Marlins said something earlier about not making ANY trades, which I am hoping is false, because Joe Borowski and Wes Helms can bring back some minor value and I'm of the opinion that they need to go. Especially Borowski, with the way the Marlins bullpen has filled up with dependable young arms with killer stuff (Messenger, Kensing, Tankersley)

 

But yeah... Willis is going nowhere.

[Vampiro69 0]

This is a big week for the Twins as they go on the road to both Detroit and Chicago. If the Twins come out of this week with a .500 record that will be a success.

 

They need to do better than .500.

 

Well I hope they do better then .500, but with the way the Twins play on the road I will be happy with a .500 road trip for the week. It would keep them in the thick of things in the Wild Card race.

[tominator89 0]

Wonder who the first Phillies player to be traded will be.

[Vern Gagne 0]

You're right. I'm worried about this White Sox series. Radke is horrible on the road, Santana isn't the same pitcher away from home, and Silva is just awful. They'll need to score alot of runs to win the series.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

The Os are probably going to trade Tejada and Javy Lopez, although Im guessing anyone not named Erik Bedard is tradable.

 

I dont obviously mind Javy getting traded, its rediculous not to considering hes a FA anyway and theres probably some interest in him that would bring back something..but trading Tejada will pretty much kill the franchise off for good, I dont care who they get back in return. I mean, I cant get excited over a trade that sends Tejada to Houston for Adam Everett, pitchers Fernando Nieve, Jason Hirsh and outfielder Hunter Pence..maybe an Astros fan can come in here and tell me they're the next great players ever or something..but bleh, it just means at least 2 more years of not going anywhere but 4th place..yee-fucking-haw.

[jwest27 0]

Apparently, the Cardinals are interested in everyone from Bobby Abreu(doubtful) to Pat Burrell to Dave Dellucci. I'm not so sure that they should be so quick to replace Chris Duncan in left field, he's been doing pretty well so far, and you don't have to give up Wainwright or Reyes to use him.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Apparently, the Cardinals are interested in everyone from Bobby Abreu(doubtful) to Pat Burrell to Dave Dellucci. I'm not so sure that they should be so quick to replace Chris Duncan in left field, he's been doing pretty well so far, and you don't have to give up Wainwright or Reyes to use him.

 

The Cardinals have supposedly expressed interest in Kris Benson although I didnt know he was available..and if he is, Id think he'd immediately be the Top pitcher available and thered be a flood of offers for him..so I dunno..

[vivalaultra 0]

I mean, I cant get excited over a trade that sends Tejada to Houston for Adam Everett, pitchers Fernando Nieve, Jason Hirsh and outfielder Hunter Pence..maybe an Astros fan can come in here and tell me they're the next great players ever or something..but bleh, it just means at least 2 more years of not going anywhere but 4th place..yee-fucking-haw.

 

I can't get excited about that trade, either. Adam Everett is a career .250 hitter that could probably boost his average to about .270 or so if he wouldn't try to "Craig Biggio" every ball and pull it to left field. However, there's no questioning his defense. He's made 4 errors all year and, in my opinion, the only reason he doesn't get on WebGems more and probably won't win a Gold Glove this year is because he has such amazing range and grace that he makes 90% of the plays that other shortstops wouldn't even get to look routine. He catches some shit from Astros' fans due to his lack of ability at the plate, but if the Astros were able to score consistent runs, his defense would more than make up for that. And, he's Corey Patterson's best friend!

 

Fernando Nieve has plus stuff and can be used either as a starter, where he had rookie struggles but looked downright filthy at times, or as a reliever, where he was starting to come into his own before he got sent down to AAA on Saturday. Right now, he's going to be used as Round Rock's closer. Personally, I think that's the role he'd succeed in best, since he can throw a 95+ mph fastball and a hard breaking slider with consistancy for an inning or so, but his lack of a third pitch makes him have difficulties going through a lineup more than twice. The last few times he worked out of the pen in Houston, he did show a good changeup. If he can work on that a little bit, he could probably be a very good 3rd starter.

 

Jason Hirsh is the crown jewel of the Astros' farm system and they'd be ridiculous to trade him. Right now, he's riding a 41 inning scoreless streak in AAA. He's 11-2 with 106 K's in 121 innings. He's given up 86 hits and walked 49. He's given up 4 HRs. He projects as an ace starter and is the closest thing to a 'sure bet' that the Astros have in their farm. If he's not traded, he'll probably be in the rotation in 2007.

 

Hunter Pence started off this season hitting .330 or so at AA Corpus Christi. He went into a minor slump that saw his average dip to about .270, but has surged in recent weeks to get his average up to .301 with 22 HRS and 74 RBI in 95 games. He has great speed, too, with 13 SBs and 7 triples. I think he's currently playing as a RF, but projects to make it to the majors as a CF. He's got good range in the outfield and a plus throwing arm. Realistically, he could be major league ready as soon as next season, but the Astros probably would make him toil in the minors for several more years.

 

Seriously, if this is the deal in place, I hope like Hell it doesn't go down. If Houston gives up that much and get just Tejada, that would be a trade totally lopsided towards Baltimore.

 

The trade that I see going down, if one were to go down, would be something like Everett/Qualls or Lidge/either Hirsh or Pence or Matt Albers (our best AA pitcher...haven't heard much about him, but he's our #2 pitching prospect). The reason for this is that Nieve got sent down to work as a closer in AAA, which means he could be being groomed to take over the role on the big club, and Matt Albers was called up from AA and was not sent down when Brandon Backe came back from the DL despite being the candidate that made the most sense to be sent down. Perhaps, the Astros are looking to "show him off" for the O's, to prove that he is major league ready.

 

I just really think the Hirsh/Pence/Everett/Nieve for Tejada trade is waaaaaaaaay ridiculous, especially if Tejada doesn't first sign an extension of some sort. It'll be a trade that haunts Houston for years to come.

[treble 0]

Ken Rosenthal said something about the Jays trading a young bullpen arm to Tampa for Julio Lugo since someone's expendable after getting Accardo from the Giants. I'm thinking Brandon League, that's why he's up right now and being put in big situations.

[Guest cardsfan31]

I dont think that the Cardinals are going to be giving up Reyes anytime soon.

 

He's got to big of a future

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Articles keep popping up about A-Rod to the Cubs, but that's a pipedream. The only way you do that deal on the Cubs' end is if Zambrano is not part of it.

 

And here's your Cubs fun fact for today...

 

Number of wins from starters not named "Zambrano" since May 1: 11.

[Guest Felonies!]

Why would the Dodgers want Maddux? He's been terrible.

[Guest Posada20]

Articles keep popping up about A-Rod to the Cubs, but that's a pipedream. The only way you do that deal on the Cubs' end is if Zambrano is not part of it.

 

And here's your Cubs fun fact for today...

 

Number of wins from starters not named "Zambrano" since May 1: 11.

 

Well as a Yankee fan Carlos Zambrano and Derek Lee would be the only Cubs I'd want but I'd rather they don't trade AROD at all and I don't think they will anyway.

[Guest Princess Leena]

I wouldn't want Alexander to replace Neifi and that other guy at short. Neifi is more consistent.

[bob_barron 0]

Alexander?

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Anyone interested in having a separate thread for trade rumors? There will probably be a lot of discussion this week and it might clog up the thread if certain rumors get out of hand.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Alexander?

 

Alexander Rodriguez.

 

I would think his name would be Alejandro, but I guess he's not an angry spic like Ozzie says.

[Guest Felonies!]

Anyone interested in having a separate thread for trade rumors? There will probably be a lot of discussion this week and it might clog up the thread if certain rumors get out of hand.

Brilliant! Really smart idea.

[Guest Princess Leena]

BRS...?