The Offseason

[PhillyBirds]

I know there's a few baseball gurus out there, so I guess I'll compile a list of teams and some of their important offseason acquisitions:

NATIONAL LEAGUE

EAST
Braves: SP Derek Lowe, SP Kenshin Kawakami, OF Garrett Anderson
Marlins: RP Scott Proctor
Mets: CP Francisco Rodriguez, RP JJ Putz, IF Alex Cora, SP Livan Hernandez
Nationals: LF Adam Dunn, LF Josh Willingham, SP Scott Olsen
Phillies: LF Raul Ibanez, SP Chan Ho Park, 2B Marcus Giles

WEST
D-Backs: SP John Garland, RP Tom Gordon
Dodgers: SP Randy Wolf, SP Jeff Weaver, 2B Orlando Hudson
Giants: SP Randy Johnson, IF Rich Aurilia
Padres: SS David Eckstein, OF Cliff Floyd, OF Emil Brown
Rockies: CP Huston Street, C Sal Fasano

CENTRAL
Astros: SP Mike Hampton, C Pudge Rodriguez
Brewers: CP Trevor Hoffman, SS Craig Counsell, SP Braden Looper
Cardinals: SS Khalil Greene
Cubs: RF Milton Bradley, RP Aaron Heilman
Pirates: OF Eric Hinske
Reds: OF Jacque Jones

AMERICAN LEAGUE

EAST
Blue Jays: 1B Kevin Millar, SP Matt Bush
Orioles: SP Rich Hill, SP Koji Uehara, 3B Ty Wigginton
Rays: LF/DH Pat Burrell, RP Brian Shouse, 2B Adam Kennedy
Red Sox: SP John Smoltz, SP Brad Penny, C Josh Bard, RF Rocco Baldelli
Yankees: SP CC Sabathia, SP AJ Burnett, 1B Mark Teixeira, RF Nick Swisher

WEST
Angels: CP Brian Fuentes, LF Bobby Abreu
Athletics: 1B/DH Jason Giambi, RF Matt Holliday
Mariners: SP Garrett Olson, CF Ken Griffey Jr.
Rangers: CF Andruw Jones, RP Eddie Guardado

CENTRAL
Indians: SP Carl Pavano, CP Kerry Wood, IF Mark DeRosa
Royals: CF Coco Crisp, 1B Mike Jacobs
Tigers: RP Brandon Lyon
Twins: RP Luis Ayala, 3B Joe Crede
White Sox: SP Bartolo Colon

NOTABLE UNSIGNED FREE AGENTS
2B Orlando Cabrera
IF Nomar Garciaparra

RETIREES
SP Greg Maddux
2B Jeff Kent
1B Sean Casey

I definitely forgot a good deal, so feel free to help me out here. I'll be updating it as necessary. Thoughts on the upcoming season?

EDIT: Updated, 2/24
Edited by: PhillyBirds

 

[LabMan]

Good info PhillyBirds,thanks,


The powers that be are doing their best to dismantle the Phillies,one of the most watchable and talented teams last year,due to the White players.

 

[PhillyBirds]

The powers that be are doing their best to dismantle the Phillies,one of the most watchable and talented teams last year,due to the White players.

Ruben Amaro Jr is making damn sure of that. Raul Ibanez is probably one of the dumbest signings of the entire offseason. Even though Ibanez is an American, born in Brooklyn, it's the ethnicity that drew Amaro to him. Coupled with Park, I'm not terribly enthused.

I wish I lived in Boston. All they did is sign low cost, high reward white players to bolster an already white-heavy squad. As has been noted here before, many talking heads have complained about this.

 

[jaxvid]

Adam Dunn is not signed! Anyone know why?

 

[PhillyBirds]

Adam Dunn is not signed! Anyone know why?

Good question. Unlike Ben Sheets, Dunn doesn't really have any reason why a team wouldn't want to sign him to a multi-year deal. He is consistently 40 HR, 100 RBI. He does strike out a lot, but the production is there.

Sheets has health issues, but why Dunn hasn't found a suitor is a total mystery. I believe the Nationals are the only team to offer him a contract.

 

[Don Wassall]

Nice compilation, PhillyBirds. Dunn being unsigned is hard to believe.

 

[mrjohnnynofear]

Teams are only offering up one year contracts to him. Adam is sticking to his guns to get a long term contract which pays him fairly. Adam is a good all around player that should be on a roster right now.

 

[Solomon Kane]

love the red sox acquisitions. hope big tex and swisher become a mantle/maris combo for the yanks, leave a-rod in the dust.

 

[PhillyBirds]

Apparently, people still believe uber-disappointing Andruw Jones is worth something. He signed with the Texas Rangers.

Ben Sheets will undergo shoulder surgery, sidelining him until at least July. It's also possible he will shut himself down for the entire 2009 season.

Also, Ryan Howard agrees to a 3-year/$54 million contract extension with the Philadelphia Phillies. Hell, I'd agree on that too.Edited by: PhillyBirds

 

[jaxvid]

Also, Ryan Howard agrees to a 3-year/$56 million contract extension with the Philadelphia Phillies. Hell, I'd agree on that too.

Ryan Howard and Adam Dunn are nearly identical players. 40 homers, 100+ RBI's, low average, lots of strikeouts, Howard has put up slightly better numbers but Dunn has done it for longer, he has hit 40 HR exactly the last 4 years in a row. And Howard has played on a much better team. Why is Howard such a hot property and Dunn goes begging for a long term contract???

 

[LabMan]

The talking heads on MLB network gushed about Howard's contract,they kept saying,"this is the really big news in baseball",as two gigantic posters of the chosen one were displayed behind them!

 

[Solomon Kane]

I hope the Orioles or Red Sox pick up Dunn.

 

[PhillyBirds]

Updated.

Brewers signed SP Braden Looper, adding another high innings, low strikeout guy to their rotation.

The Dodgers are still intent on signing Manny Ramirez, although discussions on an agreeable contract have not made much progress.

This news pales in comparison to A-Rod, though.

 

[whiteCB]

Not to nitpick but Mark DeRosa is missing from the Cleveland Indians' additions list.

 

[PhillyBirds]

Not to nitpick but Mark DeRosa is missing from the Cleveland Indians' additions list.

Thanks, whiteCB. Figured I'd end up missing someone

.

 

[Don Wassall]

Apparently, people still believe uber-disappointing Andruw Jones is worth something. He signed with the Texas Rangers.

Has there ever been a bigger free agent bust than Jones last year?

 

[PhillyBirds]

Updated.

The LA Angels have reached an agreement with free agent outfielder Bobby Abreu. 1yr/~$5 million.

Don, maybe Barry Zito? His lack of success is somewhat overblown, but for the kind of money he was paid...

 

[Don Wassall]

Don, maybe Barry Zito? His lack of success is somewhat overblown, but for the kind of money he was paid...

Zito has been a disappointment but he started to decline while he was still with Oakland. Jones fell off a cliff last year.


Mike Hampton comes to mind, but his was mostly injury related. He was one of the best all-around athletes in baseball.

 

[PhillyBirds]

To Hampton's credit, making the pitching transition to Coors Field wouldn't be easy on anyone.

 

[PhillyBirds]

BREAKING: Adam Dunn agrees to a two-year deal with the Washington Nationals. Monetary terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.

 

[Solomon Kane]

Hope Dunn becomes the next "Frank Howard" for DC.

 

[Riddlewire]

Apparently, people still believe uber-disappointing Andruw Jones is worth something. He signed with the Texas Rangers.

Has there ever been a bigger free agent bust than Jones last year?

Probably. But not in recent times.
However, the biggest free agent scam ever was Adrian Beltre. In the first six years of his career, Beltre was a .260/17HR guy (full, no-injury seasons). Then, in his contract year with the Dodgers, he hits .334/48HR. On the free agent market he gets a big deal from Seattle, then he immediately returns to his mediocre peformance numbers.
I guess the guy should be admired. He doesn't believe in steroids. He just needed them that one season to "help out his family". It's tough to survive on $8 million/year.

 

[PhillyBirds]

Updated.

The LA Angels have signed outfielder Bobby Abreu to a one-year deal.Edited by: PhillyBirds

 

[Van_Slyke_CF]

Adam Dunn signed for 2 years/$20 million, according to the report I saw earlier today.

There is quite a Cincinnati connection in Washington in the past few years.

 

[Van_Slyke_CF]

If the Dodgers sign Manny Ramirez-especially to a 2-year contract-they will regret it almost as much as the deal they gave Andruw Jones. I bet he'll hit more than Jones did, which isn't saying much, but his motivation will tail off to go along with his terrible defense and baserunning.