2006-07 MLB Offseason Thread

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The Phillies announced their 2007 Spring Training NRIs (Non-Roster Invitees.

 

C Tim Gradoville

C Jason Hill

C Jason Jaramillo

C Lou Marson

C Dusty Wathan

1B Randall Simon

3B Brennan King

IF Andrew Beattie

OF Ron Calloway

OF Greg Golson

SP J.A. Happ

SP Kyle Drabek

SP Brian Mazone

RP Joe Bisenius

RP Ryan Cameron

RP Jim Crowell

RP Kane Davis

RP John Ennis

RP Jeff Farnsworth

 

The NRIs are interesting because they give you a good idea of what a team's AAA roster will look like. I like the acquisition of Farnsworth. Joe Bisenius is a darkhorse to make the bullpen. Randall Simon could be an excellent bench bat. The reason there are five catchers on the list is that teams carry extra catchers to handle all the pitchers.

[Mik 0]

Let's see if Kyle Drabeck can refrain from embarrassing himself or the organization between now and then. I suppose he's been on his best behavior since being drafted, but it's only a matter of time.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

C Dusty Wathan

Is that former Royals manager John Wathan's kid?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

C Dusty Wathan

Is that former Royals manager John Wathan's kid?

Yes he is. John Wathan holds the MLB single season record for steals by a catcher (36). Dusty has stolen 21 in thirteen seasons, and is one of the more awkward baserunners I've seen. He's got a career .361 OBP in the minors though, and is a good professional player. There's another Wathan (Derek) who's kicked around the PCL as an infielder.

[Precious Roy 0]

RP John Ennis

 

Is that THE John Ennis?!!?

[Vern Gagne 0]

Kenny Lofton signs with the Rangers.

[Guest "Go, Mordecai!"]

RP John Ennis

 

Is that THE John Ennis?!!?

I took a balloon up my ass to Spain.

[2GOLD 0]

RP Jeff Farnsworth

 

Kyle's brother or no relation?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

RP Jeff Farnsworth

 

Kyle's brother or no relation?

He is Kyle's older brother.

[Guest NYankees]

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that Jeff Bagwell is going to announce his retirement next week. It's funny to think that Biggio is going to be the one who goes to the Hall of Fame.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

-Eric Gagne signs with the Texas Rangers. I've heard $6 and $8 million thrown around. One's probably Canadian. I was for the Sox taking a look at him because they are so desperate for a closer, but that's a lot of money to throw at a guy who basically hasn't played in two years. I wonder what they plan on doing with Otsuka now.

 

-Scott Boras is really becoming a pain with the Matsuzaka negotiations. He had a press conference last night to announce that his client deserves a five year, $100 million deal. The Red Sox flew to Los Angeles and plan to meet all day Tuesday as the 30 day window is nearly over. They offered a second contract, even though Boras never gave a counter to their first. I still think they get a deal done, but it's getting dicey (no pun intended).

[Guest NYankees]

We all knew Boras was going to be a pain. After the Red Sox paid 50 million for the posting, can you blame him. How can the Red Sox pay all of that money for the posting and then just low ball an offer? It is like they think that they paid all of this money just to talk to him and now they are only going to want to pay 4 years 28 million for him to pitch.

[geniusMoment 0]

Well, if they don't sign him they get the 50 million back and he's not with the Yankees. A good situation all the way around. I'm all for screwing the Yanks.

[vivalaultra 0]

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that Jeff Bagwell is going to announce his retirement next week. It's funny to think that Biggio is going to be the one who goes to the Hall of Fame.

 

Bags is a Hall of Famer...no doubt. As soon as his retirement is announced, they're going to announce a personal service contract similar to the one that Nolan Ryan and Clemens have with the 'Stros. They're expanding the annual spring "Nolan Ryan Elite Pitcher's Camp" at Minute Maid this year to include a "Jeff Bagwell Elite Hitter's Camp" as well. I just hope that all future Astros' prospects learn to do the "Bagwell Crouch" at the plate. I wish they would just make Bagwell the third base coach, but his arm isn't able to wave runners in. I'd move Jose Cruz to third and make Bagwell first base coach. He was one of the best baserunners of all time. Put Baggy on the coaching staff and that would give em Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, Jose Cruz, Phil Garner, Jeff Bagwell, etc. as coaches. That's a coaching staff that could win 85 games right there.

 

Also, the 'Stros have made an offer to Jeff Suppan, who will probably be another in a long list of player's that make buckets of money this offseason based on one good year. Also, it's becoming quite clear that Jason Lane is going to be the starting CFer for the Astros next season. Supposedly he's lost 20 pounds and is working with a flexibility coach. That's why he hit .200 last year...he wasn't flexible enough...

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Well, if they don't sign him they get the 50 million back and he's not with the Yankees. A good situation all the way around. I'm all for screwing the Yanks.

 

Except that they would lose the guy who is supposed to anchor their staff for the next 5-6 years and they'd severely damage the chances of making the playoffs next year with all the good starting pitchers off the market. But most importantly, they'd lose their chance at the guy who is supposed to be the centerpiece to their expansion into Asia, which would derail their plan before it ever got off the ground. It would probably set them back ten years in player development and visibility in the Pacific Rim. They cannot let Matsuzaka get away. It really has nothing to do with the Yankees at all.

[Guest NYankees]

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that Jeff Bagwell is going to announce his retirement next week. It's funny to think that Biggio is going to be the one who goes to the Hall of Fame.

 

Bags is a Hall of Famer...no doubt.

 

 

DING DING DING DING DING. We have the winner for the biggest Homer on the boards. Sorry but Jeff Bagwell is not a Hall of Famer. There are a ton of better players who aren't even in the Hall. Jeff and his 450 career homeruns and 1500 rbi's are not going to be getting into the hall.

[bob_barron 0]

Black Ink: Batting - 24 (78) (Average HOFer ≈ 27)

Gray Ink: Batting - 157 (75) (Average HOFer ≈ 144)

HOF Standards: Batting - 59.0 (31) (Average HOFer ≈ 50)

HOF Monitor: Batting - 149.5 (78) (Likely HOFer > 100)

 

Got that from baseball-reference.com on Bagwell

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that Jeff Bagwell is going to announce his retirement next week. It's funny to think that Biggio is going to be the one who goes to the Hall of Fame.

 

Bags is a Hall of Famer...no doubt.

 

 

DING DING DING DING DING. We have the winner for the biggest Homer on the boards. Sorry but Jeff Bagwell is not a Hall of Famer. There are a ton of better players who aren't even in the Hall. Jeff and his 450 career homeruns and 1500 rbi's are not going to be getting into the hall.

 

Jeff Bagwell is as sure a Hall of Famer as you can get, and I could care less about the Astros. He was one of the elite hitters in the game for 14 consecutive seasons. He may not get in on the first ballot, but there is no way he doesn't get in.

 

Check out his page at baseball-reference. Even I was astounded at how good he was.

[Guest NYankees]

I know Jeff Bagwells numbers. If you let him into the Hall, you are going to have to let in Rice, Dawson, Mattingly, Rafael Pelmeiro, Fred McGriff and every other boderline Hall of Famer.

[the pinjockey 0]

Remeber, though, Bagwell played the prime of his career in the Astrodome. Otherwise he would likely have the almighty 500 HRs. He has the 30th highest OPS+ of all time at 150. Of your borderline list (excluding Palmeiro who was in before his troubles, IMO), McGriff has the next highest OPS+ at 134.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Every single player above Bagwell on the HOF monitor who's eligible is in the Hall, and most of the hundred or so guys below him are as well. He's quite a bit ahead of those other fringe candidates that were mentioned (Dawson, Mattingly, McGriff, etc.). He's not really borderline at all.

[Guest Posada20]

Anyone want to tell me why Bert Blyleven isn't in the Hall? Bagwell won't get in btw, if he gets in so does Fred McGriff.

[Guest NYankees]

Breaking news. Kabe Kapler is going to retire.

[hyperchord24 0]

Well, if they don't sign him they get the 50 million back and he's not with the Yankees. A good situation all the way around. I'm all for screwing the Yanks.

Yeah, b/c the yanks are evil and taking over the baseball world and the red sox are winning championships the old-fashioned way with a team and don't buy mercin -- oh wait

[Cartman 0]

Breaking news. Gabe Kapler is going to retire.

 

 

Boras is clearly not interested in letting Dice sign with Boston because he wants to disrupt the whole posting system so that he can put his Japanese client(s) on the free agent market with several teams bidding for him instead of 1 team exclusively bidding on him. Boras doesn't see a penny of the 51.1 Million that goes to Dice's team in Japan as it is this year.

 

The Sox could offer $16 mil per year over 6 years and I bet he would still reject it despite what Dice wants. It's all about Scott Boras when it comes to Scott Boras.

 

I believe the Yankees comment by Geniousmoment was only because it would be bad for their direct competition if they got this guy. Not because the Yankees are supposedly ruining baseball by spending insane money on their payroll. If anything the Yankees are helping since it's making those cheap ass "small market" teams' Owners spend some money for a change.

[vivalaultra 0]

Burt Blyleven's not in the HOF because most of the voters are dumb. Fred McGriff should be in the Hall in my opinion as well. Bagwell passes every single test in regards to being Hall of Fame worthy. Was he the best player at his position during the era in which he played? Yes. Was the "franchise player" for the team he played for? Yes. Then look at his numbers. 449 HRs in the cavernous Astrodome (as mentioned). Over 200 career stolen bases. 1401 career walks. 2314 career hits. A career .993 Fielding %. 4 time All-Star. 41st place all-time career RBI. 28th all-time place in Power/Speed Number. The statmonkeys (Al and cheech) argree that Baggy's a Hall of Famer. I doubt he'll make it in in the first year of eligibility (if only because he played on a mid-market team and he doesn't have the greatest postseason stats), but he'll be in the Hall by 2014.

 

Oh, and did anybody mention that Miguel Batista signed with the Mariners? He got Jason Marquis money!

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Like others pointed out, Bagwell's numbers are clearly superior to the borderline candidates. Bagwell is 44th all time in OBP, 35th in slugging, 24th in OPS, 54th in runs, 52nd in doubles, 34th in OPS+, 33rd in runs created. Contrast that with Fred McGriff, who's not top 100 in OBP, 75th in slugging and OPS, etc. And McGriff's not a bad candidate himself. On top of that, Bagwell played in a tough hitters environment, was speedy and had a decent glove. Unless steroid acquisations emerge, I can't see leaving him out.

 

NYankees, of the players you mentioned, Rafael Palmeiro has HOF numbers. He'll be excluded because of other factors. The rest besides McGriff had OBPs 50 points lower than Bagwell. They're not comparable.

[vivalaultra 0]

Sonofabitch! I don't know how I feel about this...

 

The Astros have acquired right-hander Jason Jennings from the Rockies, FOXSports.com has learned.

 

The Rockies will receive center fielder Willy Taveras and right-handers Jason Hirsh and Taylor Buchholz for Jennings and right-hander Miguel Asencio, major-league sources said.

Jennings, 28, will replace left-hander Andy Pettitte in the Astros' rotation. Pettitte, 34, signed a two-year, $32 million free-agent contract with the Yankees last Friday.

 

The Astros, who still could re-sign free-agent right-hander Roger Clemens, paid a steep price for Jennings, a pitcher with a 4.74 career ERA and only one season of more than 12 wins.

 

The package is similar to the one that the Astros discussed last week with the White Sox in a proposed trade for right-hander Jon Garland.

 

The quality of the players going to the Rockies will increase the pressure on the Astros to sign Jennings — a free agent at the end of next season — to a long-term contract.

 

I'm not sure Jennings is a certifiable #2, especially considering the 3 players the Astros are giving up. Oh well, something had to be done. See ya, Willy.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Jason Hirsh? Taveras is way overrated and Buchholz is nothing special, but that's a big chip to lose. Jason Jennings will do well though.

[vivalaultra 0]

Does anybody know anything about that Asencio cat? I checked his stats on 'Tha Cube and baseballreference, and they looked pretty shitty...

 

And I'm pretty sure the only reason Hirsh was traded was because, supposedly, when he got called up last year, he went around the clubhouse acting like a rock star.