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Cheech Tremendous

The 2008 MLB Offseason Thread

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Boras came out saying Varitek deserves a basically ridiculous deal.

 

Interestingly enough, the Dodgers are supposedly quite interested in Varitek, and may consider trading Russel Martin. I think that's idiotic, but whatever.

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Shocking news: AJ Burnett opted out.

 

Just don't go to the Yankees or Baltimore, please.

 

I imagine the Os will overpay him just to land a decent starting pitcher even though I really doubt theres a lot of interest from many other teams.

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Boras came out saying Varitek deserves a basically ridiculous deal.

 

Interestingly enough, the Dodgers are supposedly quite interested in Varitek, and may consider trading Russel Martin. I think that's idiotic, but whatever.

 

Boras said that Varitek has earned a comparable deal to the one Posada signed last year (4 years, $52 million). He'll be lucky to get 1/4 that amount. Boras can say whatever he wants about Manny, Tek and Lowe. The market will determine what they get.

 

As for the Martin rumor, I've heard that one too. I just don't believe that it can be true. If he's really available, I'd encourage the Sox to go all in. I don't know what the cost would be (Youks? Buchholz?), but they should pay it.

 

Why is Boras taking credit for A-Rod's contract?

 

C'mon, we all know that Boras negotiated the actual contract. The media angle was just that, a media angle. This notion that he was left out of the meetings between Yankee management and A-Rod is totally false. The actual language was carved out by Boras.

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Wouldnt suprise me if he goes to Baltimore too. The Os need starting pitching desperately. Other than Guthrie, they've got no one. I hear they're in for just about everyone but Peavy and Sabathia, which includes the traitorous Mike Mussina of all people, as well as Burnett, Sheets, Vasquez and others.

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Identifying problems with the Baltimore Orioles.

 

1. They have a lot of useless players under contract. Melvin Mora, Ramon Hernandez, Danys Baez, Jamie Walker.

 

2. They lack a shortstop, and have nothing coming up in the farm system. Shortstop was a revolving door with five guys logging 25+ starts apiece.

 

3. Alex Cintron was particularly bad in the field. Melvin Mora also finished in the bottom five in plus/minus this season. That is the left side of the infield. Notice the abysmal hit rates of young lefty starters Garrett Olsen and Brian Burres.

 

It is much, much easier to buy gloves than to buy arms. If I were the O's front office, I would first look to sign either Adam Everett or Cesar Izturis. Also check on the availability of Joe Crede. Shore up that infield defense, and all the sudden the pitching they have looks a lot better.

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Identifying problems with the Baltimore Orioles.

 

1. They have a lot of useless players under contract. Melvin Mora, Ramon Hernandez, Danys Baez, Jamie Walker.

 

2. They lack a shortstop, and have nothing coming up in the farm system. Shortstop was a revolving door with five guys logging 25+ starts apiece.

 

3. Alex Cintron was particularly bad in the field. Melvin Mora also finished in the bottom five in plus/minus this season. That is the left side of the infield. Notice the abysmal hit rates of young lefty starters Garrett Olsen and Brian Burres.

 

It is much, much easier to buy gloves than to buy arms. If I were the O's front office, I would first look to sign either Adam Everett or Cesar Izturis. Also check on the availability of Joe Crede. Shore up that infield defense, and all the sudden the pitching they have looks a lot better.

 

Hernandez is relegated to backup duty and trade bait because of Matt Wieters that is pretty much a 99.999% lock to happen on Opening Day. Mora could be relgated to a bench/ part time DH role (or traded?) if they sign Teixiera (or anyone else) to play 1B and move Huff to 3B.

 

Sports Illustrated had an article suggesting they move Roberts to SS where he played 50 some games back in 2001, but they must have missed where he made 14 errors in those games because he had no arm then and certainly doesn't have any more of one 7 years later, and its not like they have any hot 2B prospects to fill in at 2B either.

SS is a hole, but I have heard they are interested in a few guys such as Kahlil Greene who can probably be had fairly cheap due to injuries.

 

The bigger problem is definitely pitching. Outside of Guthrie, they didn't have anyone who was Consistent, Good and Healthy the whole year. Towards the end of the season must have used 7 or 8 different guys picked up off waivers due to injuries for the 2nd straight year. They have a couple of promising pitchers in the farm system, but all signs point to them not being ready til 2010 at the earliest.

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The bigger problem is definitely pitching. Outside of Guthrie, they didn't have anyone who was Consistent, Good and Healthy the whole year. Towards the end of the season must have used 7 or 8 different guys picked up off waivers due to injuries for the 2nd straight year. They have a couple of promising pitchers in the farm system, but all signs point to them not being ready til 2010 at the earliest.

 

That's why I emphasize defense. With a competent shortstop, plays are made that should be made and all the sudden, Garrett Olsen is a solid rotation option.

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I thoughts the Orioles made positive strides with building and putting together a young outfield. I know the Cubs have been beating down their door for Roberts for two seasons; maybe they can find a way to make that deal happen and get a prospect or 3 from the Cubs.

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Guest C*Z*E*C*H

The Cubs don't have one prospect, let alone three. The Orioles aren't going to settle for the same old tired-ass message-board-conjecture shitpile of Ronny Cedeno, Felix Pie, Sam Fuld, and a minor league pitcher. The Cubs already did the shitpile trade. It got them Rich Harden.

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Did Manny already say no to the proposed deal from LA? I briefly heard Mark Francesca and Charles Barkley of all people talking about it this afternoon, but haven't seen anything else on it.

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The Cubs don't have one prospect, let alone three. The Orioles aren't going to settle for the same old tired-ass message-board-conjecture shitpile of Ronny Cedeno, Felix Pie, Sam Fuld, and a minor league pitcher. The Cubs already did the shitpile trade. It got them Rich Harden.

They have exactly one, Josh Vitters.

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Did Manny already say no to the proposed deal from LA? I briefly heard Mark Francesca and Charles Barkley of all people talking about it this afternoon, but haven't seen anything else on it.

If he didn't, it's merely a formality. The idea of a two year deal for Ramirez is even more far-fetched than a six year contract that Boras suggests.

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The Cubs don't have one prospect, let alone three. The Orioles aren't going to settle for the same old tired-ass message-board-conjecture shitpile of Ronny Cedeno, Felix Pie, Sam Fuld, and a minor league pitcher. The Cubs already did the shitpile trade. It got them Rich Harden.

I almost laughed out loud when I heard that ESPN report today indicating that the Cubs were now the frontrunners in acquiring Jake Peavy. How exactly do they plan to acquire him? Kevin Towers is one of the sharpest GMs in the game and I doubt he's going to move the face of his franchise for the Chicago poo-poo platter.

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Did Manny already say no to the proposed deal from LA? I briefly heard Mark Francesca and Charles Barkley of all people talking about it this afternoon, but haven't seen anything else on it.

If he didn't, it's merely a formality. The idea of a two year deal for Ramirez is even more far-fetched than a six year contract that Boras suggests.

Perhaps you are correct, but who will trump the Dodgers two or three year offer to Manny? The Yankees are moderately interested, but that would only be if they fail on the Teixeira front AND trade Matsui. The Mets don't seem too concerned. Philly would probably re-up Burrell instead. The Angels might be a fit, but $25 million + per year seems out of line with their approach. Boston... bahaha. I just don't see where Boras' elusive "mystery team" will come from this time. I say take the money and run.

 

This might be A-Rod 2009, where one team supposedly "wins" a bidding war that never actually occurred.

 

 

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In news that only Czech will find interesting, the Washington Nationals unveiled new road uniforms today. It changes the grotesque block letters from the previous incarnation with a cursive font. This makes loads of sense, seeing as how the cap always featured a cursive logo.

 

136701.jpg

 

They are also replacing the DC block logo on the alternates with the cursive W. Although not mentioned, it stands to reason that they are going with the red caps for road games now.

 

I like them. The Nats are one of the few teams in modern times to update their uniforms and get it right. No gawdy gimmicks, boring colors or strange fonts. Just a simple, traditional design.

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Perhaps you are correct, but who will trump the Dodgers two or three year offer to Manny? The Yankees are moderately interested, but that would only be if they fail on the Teixeira front AND trade Matsui. The Mets don't seem too concerned. Philly would probably re-up Burrell instead. The Angels might be a fit, but $25 million + per year seems out of line with their approach. Boston... bahaha. I just don't see where Boras' elusive "mystery team" will come from this time. I say take the money and run.

 

Remember the Angels just felt Torii Hunter was worth $18 million last season. I can see Toronto being a fit. The Cincinnati Reds just dumped Adam Dunn and should have some money to play with. I just can't see an elite hitter going for a two-year deal.

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Guest Vitamin X

I would love for the Rockies to trade Atkins instead of Holliday. For what they can get back, they can almost surely get something better for Atkins than they can for arguably the best player on the team. Ian Stewart is a natural fill in over at 3rd base for Atkins, and a hell of a good hitter, but there's no one out there that can match what Holliday brings to the club.

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I would love for the Rockies to trade Atkins instead of Holliday. For what they can get back, they can almost surely get something better for Atkins than they can for arguably the best player on the team. Ian Stewart is a natural fill in over at 3rd base for Atkins, and a hell of a good hitter, but there's no one out there that can match what Holliday brings to the club.

Matt Holliday is going to leave next year as a free agent. Why wouldn't you trade him now for something valuable instead of being left standing with your dick in your hand one year from now?

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Rumor has it that the Yankees could offer the Brewers Melky Cabrera, Wilson Betemit, and a pitcher for CF Mike Cameron. I kind of doubt it will happen, but would be interesting. I think it would all depend on if the Brewers could get any kind of decent pitcher in the deal.

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Guest C*Z*E*C*H
I like them. The Nats are one of the few teams in modern times to update their uniforms and get it right. No gawdy gimmicks, boring colors or strange fonts. Just a simple, traditional design.

Unequivocally wrong, Cheech; the Nationals bungled their perfect identity on Day Zero and moved backward every year. The design, as initially conceived, was perfect. When you're doing sports branding these days, you have to create a cohesive package. It's no longer enough to do what, say, the Dodgers do, where you have a script of your name as the main logo, then slightly different version of the script on your uniform, with a tired old LA monogram borrowed from te old PCL, and this is all in blue, except the front numbers, which are slapped on in red. The Dodgers have one of the best uniforms in sports, no doubt, but could they roll that out in 2004 or 2008? Absolutely not. It would be inconsistent, slapdash, and non-descript, connoting nothing about trolleys or southern California. (The trolley-dodging thing makes you wonder "what if" with the S.F. Dodgers and L.A. Giants, but that's not for now.)

 

The challenge for the Nationals' designers was to come up with something that suggested the city of Washington, which the original design did. What they have now suggests Washington, but only in the sense of bureaucratic craniorectal blundering. What was supposed to happen with the Nationals was navy and red, with hints of gold, done in a heavy and angular lettering style that throws back to old New Deal public-works post offices and posters and stuff like that. It could go on a battleship. You could rivet those letters on. It's a definite late '30s-early '40s style of lettering. The emphasis on navy blue was perfect for the prospective new ballpark at Navy Yards. However, people started meddling and tinkering with the design before it even got out of the gate. Selig and others had some hang-up with bringing out the old Washington Senators II hat with the curly W, and then to match that, they had to start emphasizing red where the navy should have been on the home uniforms, then they made a navy blue version of the hat to go with the greys, so they could sell two hats. The obvious aesthetic gaffe is obvious: everything is very professional, angular, modernist, gold-beveled, every single aspect of the uniform fits this idea, and then they slap an old hat with a big poorly-drawn loopy W on it, relegating the DC to the sleeve or elsewhere. Worse yet, the old W hat was worn by a team that had nothing going for it in ten years of existence except Ted Williams trying to manage for a few years before they were moved out to the Dallas 'burbs to eventually screw taxpayers out of money for a park they didn't need. (Here we go again.) Then the Lerners came in and decided they loved red and the W (maybe they're Republicans) and put that all over the new ballpark that they haven't bothered to pay for yet, so now you pretty much have to build around that flawed part of the identity. Now the "Washington" script doesn't match the "Nationals" script, the DC logo doesn't match the W logo, nothing matches anything. It's a total mess. There's also an American flag-themed alternate, which is, in fact, gaudy and bad. The Nationals are a failure at branding.

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Color me shocked by the news that according to Robothal, the A's are going to make a big push for Rafael Furcal. Could Bobby Crosby's reign of terror finally be over!?

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Color me shocked by the news that according to Robothal, the A's are going to make a big push for Rafael Furcal. Could Bobby Crosby's reign of terror finally be over!?

MLB Trade Rumors seems to think they are the front runners for Matt Holliday as well. Could the rebuilding phase be over already?

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I don't think there's any chance they make a real push for Holliday and I think its just media speculation trying to find a trade partner due to the A's having an assload of pitching prospects. The fact that Holliday wants to play for a team that's in the postseason on a regular basis, I don't think he'd be in a real rush to sign an extension with a team that just went through a rebuilding year. In turn it wouldn't make a whole lot of sense for the A's to suddenly give up a good chunk of the prospect surplus they built up over the past year for a one year rental when there aren't going to be a serious contender.

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