MLB Off-season

[PhillyBirds]

One of my favorite sports seasons of the year is now in full swing: MLB hot stove trade season! Figured we could use a thread to keep track of the myriad transactions that occur in the off-season. Feel free to post anything I miss, as there are going to obviously be some that slip under the radar. That means you, Deadlift...

-The Kansas City Royals sent RF/3B Mark Teahen and $1 million to the Chicago White Sox for infielders Chris Getz and Josh Fields. (Can't find a link?)

-The Boston Red Sox traded for outfielder Jeremy Hermida for a pair of minor-league lefties, Hunter Jones and Jose Alvarez. Hermida has been erratic in Florida after being one of the top prospects in baseball a few years back. (LINK)

-The Minnesota Twins acquired former All-Star shortstop J.J. Hardy from the Milwaukee Brewers for center fielder Carlos Gomez. Gomez was previously the centerpiece of the deal that sent Johan Santana to New York. (LINK)

-The Philadelphia Phillies picked up SP Cliff Lee's $9MM option for 2010, keeping him under team control for next year, though they may wish to sign him long-term. (LINK)

-The Arizona Diamondbacks exercised their $8.5MM option on ace righty Brandon Webb. Webb missed almost all of 2009 after shoulder surgery. (LINK)

 

[PhillyBirds]

Older news, but worth highlighting:

-The Tampa Bay Rays traded 2B Akinori Iwamura to the Pittsburgh Pirates for rookie RHP Jesse Chavez. Tampa unloaded some payroll and added a high-upside arm. (LINK)

-The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim signed OF Bobby Abreu to a two year deal worth $19MM guaranteed. (LINK)

(Sorry about the Twitter link. I hate Twitter, but it's the end-all-be-all for some people's lives...)

 

[Jack Lambert]

Don't know if the blurb on Rotoworld is there anymore, but I read that the Phillys are looking for a replacement third baseman, as they probably won't pick up Pedro Feliz's option.

 

[PhillyBirds]

LINK for that story, Jack.

The two names being tossed around to replace him, however, are both black fellows; Chone Figgins, formerly of the Angels, and contract-year All-Star Adrian Beltre. Personally, I'd like to see a trade for Garrett Atkins or Kevin Kouzmanoff, both good defensive thir basemen with some pop.

 

[Van_Slyke_CF]

The interesting thing this offseason is going to see how many FAs aren't able to cash in on their status with the ongoing economic uncertainty that even affects MLB, especially in light of the fact that football is this nation's pastime now.

There will probably be a few guys getting big money offers as always, but I think many others had better take the first decent contract that comes their way.

 

[Van_Slyke_CF]

Chris Coghlan of the Marlins and Andrew Bailey of the A's win the NL and AL Rookie of the Year awards.

 

[jaxvid]

Matt Holliday and Jason Bay are on the market. A team could sign both those guys and immediately be a favorite for the pennant, not to mention becoming many CF'ers favorite team!

 

[Jack Lambert]

I'm hoping the Red Sox are able to pick up Holliday after Bay left.

 

[PhillyBirds]

Congratulations to Tim Lincecum and Zach Greinke on their NL and AL Cy Young awards, respectively! It's refreshing to see voters look past the less important win-loss records, and dig deeper into the statistics that make these guys go. Greinke is a great guy, and I'm happy for him. Lincecum is going to cost the Giants a ton of money in a couple years, though.

MVP thoughts? I think it's pretty cut-and-dry, with Albert Pujols winning in the NL and Joe Mauer in the AL.

 

[Van_Slyke_CF]

Joe Mauer wins the AL MVP!

 

[LabMan]

A solid season for our folks V.S.,we are instrumental!Edited by: LabMan

 

[Deadlift]

Braves' sign Billy Wagner to 1 year - 7 million dollar contract.

Their Afro-Carib closer, Rafael Soriano, blew several games last year so they definitely needed help. I don't know if they just got that "help" though. That's a lot of money as well...

 

[PhillyBirds]

The Red Sox have signed 34-year-old free agenst SS Marco Scutaro to a 2-year, $12.5 million contract, pending a physical. The Red Sox had discussed moving Dustin Pedroia to SS, the position he played in college at Arizona State. They obviously don't need to anymore.

In retrospect, I probably could have included Scutaro in my racial rundown of the majors earlier this year. He was born in Venezuela, but to an Italian father and a Spanish mother.

Older news, but the Phillies have welcomed back former 2B Placido Polanco to play 3B for them in 2010 and beyond. The deal is for three years and $18 million. (LINK) Polanco has played some 3B in his career, but non since 2005. Polanco was originally dealt from the Phillies to make room for Chase Utley at 2B.

EDIT: Wanted to apologize for the Twitter link. I absolutely hate it, but some of these stories only have links to peoples' Twiter pages as confirmation.Edited by: PhillyBirds

 

[jaxvid]

The Tigers are REALLY trying to trade Curtis Granderson and Ed Jackson. I can't figure this one out. Trade the two highest profile black players on a Detroit team??? Probably they will get whiter for it, while the centerfield position will most likely be given to someone not white the pitching spot is certain to be taken by someone lighter.

Also Jackson was endlessly praised as a team and local leader, the next "Bob Gibson" and neither of the players have been arrested on any felonies (yet). So I'm surprised they are on the block and almost certain to go.

BTW my favorite minor leaguer, Mike Hessman has been traded to the New York Mets. I've always liked this guy, he has great power, but strikesout a lot and his average has been low. I never got why Brandon Inge and his low average, high K's, and much less power, blocked Hessman from the parent club. Anyway Los Mets isn't a great place to go but maybe he gets a shot.

 

[PhillyBirds]

Three-team blockbuster is complete, between the Yankees, Tigers and Diamondbacks:

Yankees receive: CF Curtis Granderson, from Detroit.

D-Backs receive: SP Edwin Jackson, SP/RP Ian Kennedy from the Yankees.

Tigers receive: SP Max Scherzer, RP Dan Schlereth (ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth's son) from the D-Backs and RP Phil Coke, CF Austin Jackson from the Yankees.

Truly a blockbuster. Yankees receive a solid CF in Granderson, while the D-Backs have bolstered their already formidable starting rotation. The Tigers got a ton of youth and upside. Max Scherzer is a young power arm with sky-high potential, while Jackson was considered the top prospect in the New York system.

 

[Van_Slyke_CF]

The Mariners have traded for idiot OF Milton Bradley.

Why would they want such a cancer in their clubhouse?

The Mariners' GM is a fool.

 

[Van_Slyke_CF]

The Mets have signed Jason Bay to a 4-year/$66 million contract.

Bay will make huge money over the next several years, but he will regret this move as a player.

His knees are bad; his throwing shoulder is bad, too.

As he continues to age, he will find that playing in the NL again is not best for him.

The only reason I can see for him signing with the Mets is the almighty dollar because playing for a team that is committed to using as many blacks and Hispanics as possible seems foolish for Bay after so many years with Pittsburgh and Boston.

 

[LabMan]

The Bay situation has been interesting from the start V.S.,I was surprised to find out that he wanted out of Boston,we don't know what goes on behind the scenes but he seemed to be a very good fit there,and not the type to make unrealistic contract demands,there may be more to this story than we know.

 

[PhillyBirds]

His knees are bad; his throwing shoulder is bad, too.

As he continues to age, he will find that playing in the NL again is not best for him.

Which certainly makes him a strange choice for the Mets. He'll go from one of the smallest left fields in the majors in Boston, to an absolutely gargantuan one in Citi Field. His fielding has been deteriorating as it is, and this move certainly won't help his defensive woes.

That being said, best of luck to him. Perhaps his contract will be the framework for an extension for Jayson Werth, one of my favorite ballplayers.

 

[LabMan]

Jayson Werth may be the best player in the game today but the media plays down his talent,and we here know why,also I have always appreciated Eric Bruntlett as a player,and believe that if he were given a shot at shortstop or second base "and left there"he would do well,of course these are middle infield positions and they are "reserved"!,PhillyBirds,I believe Eric Bruntlett has been moved to the Nationals,and will get an "invitation" to spring training,can you verify?
LabMan

 

[PhillyBirds]

Sure thing, Labman. Bruntlett and former Expos/Diamondbacks 1B prospect Josh Whitesell receive minor league invites from the Nats. LINK

 

[Don Wassall]

What's wrong with this picture? I can only follow baseball by blocking out the salaries the players make as much as possible.

"Right-hander Dave Bush and Milwaukee agreed to a one-year contract for $4,215,000 to avoid arbitration. Bush can make an additional $110,000 in bonuses.

"Bush went 5-9 with a 6.38 ERA in 21 starts and one relief appearance last season, when he made $4 million."

The guy sucks and gets a pay raise of nearly a quarter million dollars.

 

[Don Wassall]

The Pirates' ownership ranks with that of the Royals and L.A. Clippers as the worst in pro sports, and the Nutting family will never changeits m.o. of making a lot of money by keeping the payroll very low by getting rid of good players as they near free agent status.


<DIV =story_line _counted="undefined">Lemieux, Penguins co-owner offer to buy Pirates
<DIV =story_subline>Pirates downplay recent meeting; Nutting repeats: 'Team not for sale'

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10030/1032299-63.stm#ixzz0e4wkyb8u