The 2008 MLB Offseason Thread

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The Phillies signed Chan Ho Park after he had a revival year in Los Angeles. Let's see. Home, 2.18 ERA. Away, 4.50 ERA. Doesn't anyone ever learn anything?

[Guest]

We should've brought him back. It's ridiculous how he pitches at Dodger Stadium in comparison to every other park.

[garfieldsnose 0]

Phillies also re-signed Jamie Moyer (finally) to a two-year deal.

[Boon 0]

That man will pitch until he's dead.

[the max 0]

Wonder if Moyer's contract sets the bar for Randy Johnson.

[YourKock'sReallyGreat 0]

That man will pitch until he's dead.

 

 

Well he is 46 with 246 career victories. I picture him pitching til 50 when he gets to 300.

 

 

Andy Pettitte and his agents are claiming that he has a 3 year 36 million dollar offer on the table from a mysterious team. I call bullshit on this one. Pettitte was horrible in the second half last year and was even more horrible against every playoff team he faced.

[Bored 0]

Rafael Furcal is returning to Atlanta

 

Man he really didn't want to sign with the A's as they were the only team offering four years. *sigh* Still stuck with Bobby Crosby.

[YourKock'sReallyGreat 0]

Rafael Furcal is returning to Atlanta

 

Man he really didn't want to sign with the A's as they were the only team offering four years. *sigh* Still stuck with Bobby Crosby.

 

 

NO need to sigh over him for being stupid. Atlanta isn't going to finish any better than third in the NL East. Phillies, Mets and the Marlins are all much better teams. Oakland could have provided him being on at least a second place team and some years battling for the division/wild card.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I don't get the fascination with Rafael Furcal. He's miles better than say, Julio Lugo, as far as starting shortstops are concerned, but I wouldn't be breaking the bank for him. He's 31 years old and has injury concerns. He has a career OPS+ of 96, which is good for a SS, but not special. He's an average, at best, defender. Don't see why that'd be worth $10 million or more a year.

[jimmy no nose 0]

Are the Braves planning on trading Yunel Escobar? Maybe Kelly Johnson? I assume if you have Escobar Furcal has to play second base, maybe Johnson moves back to the outfield?

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Are the Braves planning on trading Yunel Escobar? Maybe Kelly Johnson? I assume if you have Escobar Furcal has to play second base, maybe Johnson moves back to the outfield?

They'll probably move Furcal to second base and put Kelly Johnson in left. Alternatively, Escobar could be used as trade bait to get another starting pitcher. I know the Royals are looking for a SS and would consider trading Zack Greinke. That's a deal that makes a lot of sense on paper.

[Guest Czecherbear]

Joey Gathright! Pennant!

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The Braves could be dangerous next year if their pitching holds up.

[Guest Smues]

I found about about the Furcal signing when I got an e-mail from my wife that basically said "Braves returns to Braves. WOOOOOOOOOOO YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY"

 

My reaction was a bit more subdued, but I'm still glad he's back, depending on how much we're paying for him.

[YourKock'sReallyGreat 0]

Tex is supposed to make up his mind within the next 24-48 hours on what team he wants to play for.

[Precious Roy 0]

Furcal is a good player but that signing looks like as much a PR move as it is a baseball decision. Kelly Johnson's bat is far more valuable at second, so unless there's a trade in the works for a Peavy or Greinke I think they would have been better off putting that $10 mil towards an outfielder like Dunn, Burrell or Abreu.

[garfieldsnose 0]

Now apparently the Furcal deal with Atlanta is not finalized, and the Dodgers are back in the mix, according to ESPN.com.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

So, as it turns out, Rocco Baldelli does not have have mitochondrial disease. He was misdiagnosed by the Rays team doctors. Apparently he has channelopathy, which is far less severe and easily treatable. He should be able to make a full return to baseball.

 

Below is a transcript from a Providence radio report regarding Rocco.

 

We begin tonight with some potentially great news for Rhode Island's Rocco Baldelli: the Tampa Bay Ray who is currently a free agent has discovered his health condition was misdiagnosed.

 

Baldelli, who has spent nine months being treated for mitochondrial disorder, which causes extreme fatigue and was likely career-threatening, has now been diagnosed with channelopathy.

 

The word came after Rocco was tested at the Cleveland Clinic. It's a far less debilitating disease that is treatable.

 

Rocco's dad told me tonight that the doctors have changed Rocco's medications and in about two weeks he should know for sure if the new treatment plan will work and allow him to return to baseball as a full-time player.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Tex is supposed to make up his mind within the next 24-48 hours on what team he wants to play for.

 

News at the OH is he's signed sealed and delivered to the Orioles, but Im not going to hold my breath til I hear officially and then when I do Im gonna scream like an 8 year old on christmas morning probably until Christmas morning.

 

Signing Tex means hes at 1B, Huff moves to 3B, Luke Scott and Mora share DH and Freel and Scott share LF. Jones in CF, Markakis in RF, Izturis at SS, Roberts at 2B, Wieters catching. They will score a ton of runs but with no pitching it wont matter. Hopefully, signing Tex is an indication to the remaining FA pitchers (Sheets/Wolf are the two Id be looking at) that the Orioles intend to be a contender in 2009 and it will help them sign pitching which they desperately need.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Putting Aubrey Huff at third base certainly won't do wonders for that defense.

[CanadianChris 0]

Teixeira to the Orioles looking dead:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3775042

 

I'm stunned that the O's wouldn't break the bank to get him. Isn't this a guy you consider breaking the bank for?

[2GOLD 0]

Teixeira to the Orioles looking dead:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3775042

 

I'm stunned that the O's wouldn't break the bank to get him. Isn't this a guy you consider breaking the bank for?

 

You kidding? The Orioles already made a big free agent splash when they signed CEASAR!!! to a two year deal. Tex was just one of those guys they were considering in case things didn't work out with that huge blockbuster.

 

To be fair, 10 years was a lot to offer the guy and I guess they are just going to call his "I've always wanted to play for Baltimore" bluff by giving him the years but lower cash (course now their years have been lapped as well). Woulda thought an extra 10 mil would have been worth it to finally seal that 3 or 4 slot in the line-up and get someone to hit behind Nick but guess not.

 

Plus they need pitching and this was a bad year for it. I think Sheets would have been worth the risk but apparently he's in worst shape injury wise than I thought possible. At the very least if he held up until the All-Star break and was having a strong year, perhaps he's trade bait to snag a few quality young pitchers from a desperate team. But with the way teams are avoiding him like the plague, something tells me he is about ready to go full on Mark Prior.

 

It doesn't help the Orioles that most of their young arms are seriously injury prone or fail to develop until they are trade. D-Cab will probably go somewhere else now and turn into a god damn 15 game winner stud.

[YourKock'sReallyGreat 0]

When the Yankees throw money everywhere and are willing to pass up on Sheets, that says something.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Putting Aubrey Huff at third base certainly won't do wonders for that defense.

I bet hes better than Mora.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I'm guessing Sheets will end up with the Rangers...it's close to his home, and they need pitching, so a two or even three year deal might not be out of the question.

 

The Yankees won't sign him since they'd like to stay in the Manny or Tex chase. If they sign Sheets, that's all the type A free agents they would be allowed to sign this off-season.

[jimmy no nose 0]

Furcal to the Dodgers 3 years $33 million looks like a done deal. Apparently he had the Braves completely believing his contract was all but signed, had an agreement faxed to him, then used that to pull a new offer out of the Dodgers. And his agent isn't even Scott Boras.

[Guest]

Good. We have to come out this season with a lineup similar in stature to that of last season's club. I don't care about the dollar figures. It isn't my money.

 

One problem solved. On to the left field problem.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Furcal to the Dodgers 3 years $33 million looks like a done deal. Apparently he had the Braves completely believing his contract was all but signed, had an agreement faxed to him, then used that to pull a new offer out of the Dodgers. And his agent isn't even Scott Boras.

From the same guy that pulled out of negotiations with the A's because he didn't think they were being up front enough about their offer? What an asshole.

 

I'll say it again: Furcal's not that special. I guess he got fair market value, but Orlando Hudson's better anyways. Go sign him instead. No one will be sweating the fact that they missed out on the Furcal sweepstakes in a year or two.

[Precious Roy 0]

D-Cab will probably go somewhere else now and turn into a god damn 15 game winner stud.

 

St Louis

 

On Manny, I personally think the Yankees need to do whatever it takes to sign him. A lot of people have the attitude that the Yankee offense is still stacked or at least in good enough shape that they don't need him, and it really isn't. They performed well below expectations last year and have lost two of their best hitters in Giambi and Abreu. Giambi had an OPS+ of 128, Abreu 120. It's unreasonable to expect Swisher and Nady to replace that production. Really the only sure things in the Yankee lineup are Damon, Rodriguez and probably Jeter to have a bounce back year at the plate. Posada and Matsui have serious injury concerns and who knows which Robbie Cano will show up.

 

Pitching should obviously be much improved this year, and while I'm all for the idea of putting a good defensive club on the diamond, the reality is that they could add a gold glove defensive wiz to the outfield rather than a power bat and it wouldn't make that much of a difference when the team is at best average at the other 8 positions and has to live with the shortcomings of Jeter, Damon, Posada etc.

 

I could live with an outfield of Manny/Damon/Nady for one year. I believe both Damon and Matsui are in walk years. In the offseason you can spend some of that money to replace them with better defensive players in center and left, and move Manny to DH for the remainder of his contract. You'd probably have to let Manny play the field a couple games a week to keep him happy, but so be it. Or if Posada can no longer catch and has to be DH'd at least they can put someone with range in center field.

 

[Guest Smues]

Furcal to the Dodgers 3 years $33 million looks like a done deal. Apparently he had the Braves completely believing his contract was all but signed, had an agreement faxed to him, then used that to pull a new offer out of the Dodgers. And his agent isn't even Scott Boras.

 

Well if that's true than fuck him.