Courtesy of MLBTradeRumors, I read that Jason Varitek may decide to:
very seriously consider sitting out the 2009 season and/or retire rather than accepting the contract offer made to him last week
That contract offer, by the way, is reported as being $5M.
Apparently $5M is insulting.
Let us talk about the tale of 2 catchers for a moment here, both late 30's and lets discuss their last 3 seasons, on average (450 AB per season).
Catcher 1:
Has hit for a .238 BA, with an average of 107 H, 15 HR, 20 2B, 61 RsBI. Has a career OBP of .346 and a career SLG of .439
Catcher 2:
Has hit for a .251 BA, with an average of 113 H, 14.5 HR, 28.5 2B, 63 RsBI. Has a career OBP of .344 and a career SLG of .386
Catcher 2 (Gregg Zaun) signed for 1 year at $1.5M (to back up when super-rookie Matt Weiters is ready).
Catcher 1 (Duh, Jason Varitek) is insulted at a $5M offer (to start on a championship caliber team).
Sure, he's "the Captain" and "the Leader of the Pitching Staff" and you can't put a price on that, can you? Maybe not, but he is a shitbag with the bat. He is no better than Gregg Zaun in the box, and doesn't dress nearly as sharp.
I hope this cock-sucker doesn't retire and signs on with someone else. And I hope when he watches the Red Sox contending deep into September, his team of choosing (for a lot less than $5M) is way out of contention.
Congratulations, Asshole, you just ruined your legacy. Because you were only worth something because those Mass-Holes thought you were God's gift to game-calling. When Josh Bard or whoever ends up out-producing you leads this staff as well as you ever did, it will expose just how over-rated everything you are is.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
The New Obsession In My Life
Actually, It will be 2 obsessions soon enough.
The first one, titled "Front Office Manager" is a video game coming out on Monday which allows a person to do pretty much everything a GM does into a video game, from Scouting to Posting Bids for Japanese imports. This is my dream game. I know there is an NFL version called Head Coach, but never before has this much access been given to a baseball game.
The second, future, obsession is the PSP. I know what you're thinking: "What is this? 2002?" But hear me out. MLB 09: The Show will be the first video game that allows rosters to expand to 40 for Spring Training and September call-ups. Also, the Entry Draft will take place in June, not the off-season. Rule 5 drafts, waivers, options, arbitration....I think I just creamed my pants.
And MLB 2k9 comes out in March, so I am going to be up to my nutbag in baseball video games for a while.
I am pretty jacked up for this.
The first one, titled "Front Office Manager" is a video game coming out on Monday which allows a person to do pretty much everything a GM does into a video game, from Scouting to Posting Bids for Japanese imports. This is my dream game. I know there is an NFL version called Head Coach, but never before has this much access been given to a baseball game.
The second, future, obsession is the PSP. I know what you're thinking: "What is this? 2002?" But hear me out. MLB 09: The Show will be the first video game that allows rosters to expand to 40 for Spring Training and September call-ups. Also, the Entry Draft will take place in June, not the off-season. Rule 5 drafts, waivers, options, arbitration....I think I just creamed my pants.
And MLB 2k9 comes out in March, so I am going to be up to my nutbag in baseball video games for a while.
I am pretty jacked up for this.
Fuck Keith Law
OK, that is a little harsh. I actually really enjoy Keith Law. He seems like a smart man, who really knows his shit when it comes to baseball, prospects, and the Blue Jays.
But come the fuck on Keith. Brett Wallace gets a virtual rim-job and Cooper gets shut out of the top 100 all together? He has Cooper as the 6th best Jays prospect. After Snider (#5), Cecil (#43 - Even with similar numbers to #1 David Price), Arencibia (#99), And then saying the next 2 Jays would be Jackson and Mills.
Lets compare Wallace and Cooper and see what it looks like. Because maybe I'm just a giant asshole.
Cooper (6'0'' - 175 LBs):
Low A: .341 BA, .411 OBP, .553 SLG, 13 Xtra Base Hits (85 AB)
A: .354 BA, .415 OBP, .521 SLG, 12 Xtra Base Hits (96 AB)
High A: .304 BA, .373 OBP, .435 SLG, 10 Xtra Base Hits (92 AB)
Overall: .333 BA, .399 OBP, .502 SLG, 35 Xtra Base Hits (273 AB)
Wallace (6'1'' - 245 LBs):
A: .327 BA, .418 OBP, .490 SLG, 14 Xtra Base Hits (153 AB)
AA: .367 BA, .456 OBP, .653 SLG, 8 Xtra Base Hits (49 AB)
Overall: .337 BA, .427 OBP, .530 SLG, 22 Xtra Base Hits (202 AB)
Now, Judging by numbers, Wallace was a little more impressive. And I will admit that I wanted the Jays to draft Wallace last year, but Cooper was a great choice a few picks later. Wallace is a bad-body player, and will end up playing 1B until he physically can't play in the field every day. He will then be a DH in the AL. His value is mostly in his bat. Cooper on the other hand is a pretty small guy for a 1B, and should get bigger, and therefore stronger. Cooper is also a year younger.
I really don't see enough of a gap in numbers (and, admittidly, they both have small sample sizes) to say that Wallace is a top 20 prospect while Cooper isn't even Top 100 or, most likely, Top 150 to Keith Law.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
The Triple-A Slugger
Out of boredom, I went to Baseball Reference. I decided to check out some Minor League stats from last season. I noticed a couple things.
1. Some "failed prospects" of the past few years fucking shit up in AAA.
2. TEAMS ARE FUCKING RETARDED.
How the fuck the Rockies cannot find room in their line-up for Joe Koshansky is mind-bottling. I'm talking about a guy who is still young (26) and who has put up back-to-back .380 OBP seasons. How is that not a skill that the Rockies could use? Or any other team? How hard would it be to get him away from the Rockies? The Royals go out and trade for Mike Jacobs. Why not Koshansky? Mike Jacobs couldn't even OBP .380 with a .321 AVG. Koshansky is a walk machine, with considerable power. I would take him over a whole bunch of 1B right now, Lyle Overbay included.
A couples other guys of note:
Josh Phelps: 2 straight .370 OBP and 20+HR. A career minor league average of .283 should at least get you a real shot at a major league team. He has always even performed well when given MLB playing time. Sometimes players get the "4-A" label put on them and no matter how they perform after that label has been slabbed onto a 1B/DH type, it's damn near impossible to shake.
Scott McClain is a 36 year old 1B/3B who has bounced around the minors like a fucking pin-ball, and never given a REAL chance to play in the majors, despite incredible AAA numbers. He could be the real-life version of Crash Davis. The dude hasn't hit less than 20 HR in AAA since 1996. He has a gap in his stats, and I believe he played in Japan for a few years. That is now a common trend among "4-A" players, earning their worth in Japan. Why he doesn't get a chance to be a platoon bat at minimum is fucking infuriating to me, so I can imagine what he thinks he must do to catch someone's eye.
Val Pascucci has a career OBP in the minors of .392 and yet hasn't sniffed the majors since 2004 with Montreal, so that doesn't really even count. He can play 1B/OF and yet can't find a team willing to at least give him at-bats as a pinch hitter, when Mark Sweeney seems to find a team at 49 hitting .200 and not playing the field at all. Val put up good numbers until AA, where he had 2 chances and failed to impress 2 straight years. Something must've clicked when he hit AAA because he has been excellent since. Come on, someone give the guy a shot.
Josh Whitesell is yet another 1B/DH type who puts up big minor league numbers, but gets fucked in the dick when it comes to a real shot. A former Expos/Nationals farm-hand, they inexplicably let him go and he proceeded to fuck shit up in AAA, putting up a .425 OBP (for the second straight year). The Nationals could sure use that type of production from the black hole they call 1B.
John Lindsey is a guy I don't think I have ever heard of, but given his track record, I'm shocked. The 31 year old has never even been given a taste of the majors despite 2 straight season of great numbers. He struggled his first few season early in his career, but hit 23 and started hitting.
Dan Johnson is a name I am very familiar with, as he is a guy I always wanted the Jays to try and scoop up. He was a top prospect with Oakland, and performed well his rookie MLB season, but really struggled in a couple partial season afterwards. He was, unlike most of these guys, given chance after chance. He just couldn't stay consistant enough to justify prolonged MLB at-bats. My issue is with the news that he has signed to play in Japan. Not 1 team though he was worth a chance? The Jays couldn't use a LH bat with his ability to get on base? I could have sworn that they have an opening at DH (I hope Snider starts in AAA to develop a little more)? There aren't other teams who could use a DH or 1B capable of getting on base at a near .400 clip? Fuck it, teams must rather be making outs.
Jamie D'Antona is a little different than most of the other players I am discussing, as he is a 3B, and has a very athletic frame. He has spent the last 3 season fucking shit up in the D-Backs system, finally getting a 17-AB "chance" in 2008, before being released. He has also signed on to play in Japan, so I guess there won't be any teams giving him the "Minor League contract with an invite to Spring Training" in the coming weeks. Now, I know the D-Backs had a surperior player in Mark Reynolds allready at 3B, but that doesn't excuse other teams like the Blue Jays who trade for Jose Bautista instead of this guy when they need a replacement for an injured player.
Finally, possibly the most frustrating example:
Brian Myrow was a former Yankee farm-hand. Being a 1B, it is easy to see why he failed in an organization that has, in recent years, bought up the biggest hitters to play 1B. He went on to the Dodgers (via trade) then to the Red Sox and Padres (both via Minor League deals) and now he has signed with the White Sox. The worst possible team to sign with would've been the White Sox, with 2 guys are can't play 1B (Thome & Konerko) and a hot shot Cuban (Viciedo). Myrow should've looked for a team like Cleveland who has a guy who could be supplanted with great production in the Spring and the beginning of the Minor League season. He is doomed to a year of AAA and another Minor League deal next off-season after putting up yet another OBP of .400 in AAA.
I don't really know why I decided to turn this into a blog post, but I couldn't shake the disbelief I had when looking at some of those numbers. I just needed to vent.
1. Some "failed prospects" of the past few years fucking shit up in AAA.
2. TEAMS ARE FUCKING RETARDED.
How the fuck the Rockies cannot find room in their line-up for Joe Koshansky is mind-bottling. I'm talking about a guy who is still young (26) and who has put up back-to-back .380 OBP seasons. How is that not a skill that the Rockies could use? Or any other team? How hard would it be to get him away from the Rockies? The Royals go out and trade for Mike Jacobs. Why not Koshansky? Mike Jacobs couldn't even OBP .380 with a .321 AVG. Koshansky is a walk machine, with considerable power. I would take him over a whole bunch of 1B right now, Lyle Overbay included.
A couples other guys of note:
Josh Phelps: 2 straight .370 OBP and 20+HR. A career minor league average of .283 should at least get you a real shot at a major league team. He has always even performed well when given MLB playing time. Sometimes players get the "4-A" label put on them and no matter how they perform after that label has been slabbed onto a 1B/DH type, it's damn near impossible to shake.
Scott McClain is a 36 year old 1B/3B who has bounced around the minors like a fucking pin-ball, and never given a REAL chance to play in the majors, despite incredible AAA numbers. He could be the real-life version of Crash Davis. The dude hasn't hit less than 20 HR in AAA since 1996. He has a gap in his stats, and I believe he played in Japan for a few years. That is now a common trend among "4-A" players, earning their worth in Japan. Why he doesn't get a chance to be a platoon bat at minimum is fucking infuriating to me, so I can imagine what he thinks he must do to catch someone's eye.
Val Pascucci has a career OBP in the minors of .392 and yet hasn't sniffed the majors since 2004 with Montreal, so that doesn't really even count. He can play 1B/OF and yet can't find a team willing to at least give him at-bats as a pinch hitter, when Mark Sweeney seems to find a team at 49 hitting .200 and not playing the field at all. Val put up good numbers until AA, where he had 2 chances and failed to impress 2 straight years. Something must've clicked when he hit AAA because he has been excellent since. Come on, someone give the guy a shot.
Josh Whitesell is yet another 1B/DH type who puts up big minor league numbers, but gets fucked in the dick when it comes to a real shot. A former Expos/Nationals farm-hand, they inexplicably let him go and he proceeded to fuck shit up in AAA, putting up a .425 OBP (for the second straight year). The Nationals could sure use that type of production from the black hole they call 1B.
John Lindsey is a guy I don't think I have ever heard of, but given his track record, I'm shocked. The 31 year old has never even been given a taste of the majors despite 2 straight season of great numbers. He struggled his first few season early in his career, but hit 23 and started hitting.
Dan Johnson is a name I am very familiar with, as he is a guy I always wanted the Jays to try and scoop up. He was a top prospect with Oakland, and performed well his rookie MLB season, but really struggled in a couple partial season afterwards. He was, unlike most of these guys, given chance after chance. He just couldn't stay consistant enough to justify prolonged MLB at-bats. My issue is with the news that he has signed to play in Japan. Not 1 team though he was worth a chance? The Jays couldn't use a LH bat with his ability to get on base? I could have sworn that they have an opening at DH (I hope Snider starts in AAA to develop a little more)? There aren't other teams who could use a DH or 1B capable of getting on base at a near .400 clip? Fuck it, teams must rather be making outs.
Jamie D'Antona is a little different than most of the other players I am discussing, as he is a 3B, and has a very athletic frame. He has spent the last 3 season fucking shit up in the D-Backs system, finally getting a 17-AB "chance" in 2008, before being released. He has also signed on to play in Japan, so I guess there won't be any teams giving him the "Minor League contract with an invite to Spring Training" in the coming weeks. Now, I know the D-Backs had a surperior player in Mark Reynolds allready at 3B, but that doesn't excuse other teams like the Blue Jays who trade for Jose Bautista instead of this guy when they need a replacement for an injured player.
Finally, possibly the most frustrating example:
Brian Myrow was a former Yankee farm-hand. Being a 1B, it is easy to see why he failed in an organization that has, in recent years, bought up the biggest hitters to play 1B. He went on to the Dodgers (via trade) then to the Red Sox and Padres (both via Minor League deals) and now he has signed with the White Sox. The worst possible team to sign with would've been the White Sox, with 2 guys are can't play 1B (Thome & Konerko) and a hot shot Cuban (Viciedo). Myrow should've looked for a team like Cleveland who has a guy who could be supplanted with great production in the Spring and the beginning of the Minor League season. He is doomed to a year of AAA and another Minor League deal next off-season after putting up yet another OBP of .400 in AAA.
I don't really know why I decided to turn this into a blog post, but I couldn't shake the disbelief I had when looking at some of those numbers. I just needed to vent.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Offseason Recap Action: Some Randomness: All Transaction As Of January 14 Included in Discussion.
Atlanta Braves
The Braves recently signed Derek Lowe to a big contract, to go along with their newly signed Japanese pitcher and Javier Vazquez acquired earlier in the offseason. Their rotation is now pretty solid, with no ace, but really good depth. David Ross & Boone Logan were also brought in to help out as well. Ross will back-up awesome Brian McCann, while Logan will be a decent LOOGY.
Arizona Diamondbacks
The D-Backs have been super quiet this off-season, with the exception of epic signing, Felipe Lopez (ex-Jay). Lopez will likely play 2B next season.
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles added 2 catchers in the last few days, in Robby Hammock & Gregg "Blank Check" Zaun. Hammock could back-up if Weiters isn't ready, while Zaun will start until Weiters is ready, then move into a back-up/mentoring role. Good signing, as Zaun is an OBP machine with decent power. Also added recently was OF Justin Christian, ex-Yankee, who will have a shot to be a 4th OF this spring. The O's have also added IF Chris Gomez (likely back-up IF), Jolbert Cabrera (AAA insurance), Chad Moeller (AAA insurance), Mark Hendrickson (possible 5th starter/definite LOOGY), Cesar Izturis (starting SS), Brad Hennessey (possible solid reliever), and Donnie Murphy (possible utility IF). Big names added were OF/IF Ryan Freel (from Cincinatti for C Ramon Hernandez) and SP Koji Uehara. Freel could see plenty of action in LF with Luke Scott DHing if a big bat isn't acquired, while Uehara may be the #2 of the staff.
Boston Red Sox
The Sox have been really busy, and it seems unfair the talent they are bringing in as reserves. Rocco Baldelli is the 4th OF, Mark Kotsay is the 5th OF/Back-Up 1B, Brad Penny & John Smoltz will be rotation fillers/big bullpen arms, Takashi Saito will be a late-inning option, and Josh Bard will battle for a spot behind the plate. The minor moves this offseason are: P Enrique Gonzalez, 1B/OF Paul McAnulty, P Billy Traber, P Wes Littleton, and P Ramon Ramirez. Ramirez & Littleton are solid bullpen options, while the rest are AAA insurance.
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs added Milton Bradley to play RF (potential huge mistake on a 3 year deal), which is their big move so far. Aaron Miles will get a shot at 2B, while Luis Vizcaino (acquired for Jason Marquis' dead weight) will help out the pen with Kevin Gregg (acquired for Jose Ceda from Florida). Joey Gathright may splitt CF with Reed Johnson, or be a really good bench player. Ryan Dempster was re-signed to solidify the rotation. C Mark Johnson (AAA insurance) and Chad Fox (potential bull-pen arm) were also added.
Chicago White Sox
The Sox recently made a slew of minor league signings including P Franklyn German, C Chris Stewart (potential back-up), IF Elder Torres, P John Van Benschoten (former 1st round pick), 1B Brian Myrow (potential bat for when Konerko/Thome are injured/uneffective), and Jason Nix (potential 2B platoon partner). They have made 2 pretty big trades this offseason, bringing in some prospects (Tyler Flowers the big one), Wilson Betemit (posible 3B or 2B), and Brent Lillibridge (possible 2B candidate) for Nick Swisher, Boone Logan, and Javier Vazquez. Bartolo Colon was signed to compete for a rotation spot as well.
Cincinnati Reds
Jerry Hairston was re-signed to either play SS or LF or general utility. Other re-signings were relievers David Weathers and Mike Lincoln and OF Norris Hopper. Willy Tavares will come in and play CF and lead-off, while Ramon Hernandez was acquired to catch (for Ryan Freel). 1B Wes Bankston, OF Laynce Nix, and C Ryan Jorgenson will compete for bench jobs in the spring, while Ron Flores (I think he is the shitty one, well, I guess Randy sucks cock too) may snag a AAA LOOGY slot, While Arthur Rhodes is still alive and will get a spot in the pen as a late-inning lefty.
Cleveland Indians
The Indians have used this off-season to pick away at some weaknesses, and improve their club in small ways. Their involvement in the JJ Putz trade got them a solid reliever (Joe Smith) and a middle infield prospect close to contributing (Luis Valbueno) for extra OF Franklin Gutierrez (who I think could be an Alex Rios clone if given a solid shot). Jack Cassell (brother of douchebag Mass-Hole favourite Matt), Greg Aquino & Kirk Saarloos were brought in to compete for the last bullpen spot, while Carl Pavano could be a comeback player of the year candidate and Kerry Wood was signed to close.
Colorado Rockies
They just announced their minor league signings, which include C Paul Phillips (AAA depth), OF Dan Ortmeier (AAA depth), Ps Matt Belisle & Cedrick Bowers (could compete for a bullpen slot), and OF Scott Podsednik (could be a good 4th OF). Glendon Rusch was re-signed and could win a spot in the rotation or bullpen. Alan Embree will be the go-to lefty, and Jason Marquis was acquired to fit into the rotation (good luck, douche). The big movement from the Rockies was the Matt Holliday trade, acquiring rotation piece Greg Smith (going to get shelled), OF stud Carlos Gonzalez (big numbers coming in Colorado), and closer candidate Huston Street. Street could also be dealt for more pieces now that the market is less saturated with closer types.
Detroit Tigers
My candidate for biggest disappointment in the last decade goes to Detroit last season. Pathetic. And they follow it up by being useless in the free agent market as well. They have too many bad contracts on their hands, and they would be better off swapping terrible contracts with teams, just to shake things up a little. They signed Matt Treanor to back-up Dusty Ryan, or to start ahead of also-signed Dane Sardinha behind the plate. Adam Everett will be the SS next season, which is a terrible idea (he is a worse hitter than Johnny Mac). They traded Matt Joyce (one of the few things positive to say about the state of their offense) for erratic Edwin Jackson, who will slot into their rotation. I hope they have more planned for the off-season.
Florida Marlins
The light spending Marlins have unloaded some dead weight this off-season in some great trades. Gone are 1B Mike Jacobs, P Kevin Gregg, SP Scott Olsen, and OF Josh Willingham. In are 2B Emilio Bonifacio (speedster who could push Dan Uggla to 3B or to another team for a big bag of good prospects), Leo Nunez (electric bullpenner, who could make the Royals regret an allready bad trade), Jose Ceda (relief prospect who is probably better right now than Gregg), and a slew of prospects. Ps Brian Sanches, Willie Collazo, John Koronka, IF Andy Gonzalez, and OF/1B Jay Gibbons will battle for roster spots in spring, while P Scott Proctor will ease the loss of Joe Nelson a bit.
Houston Astros
Ah, the Astros. One of the worst run teams in baseball, they cannot find a direction that works for them. They need to decide a direction and stick to it, because this shit isn't going to be pretty when Hunter Pence hits big money time and they can't afford him. They have been really quiet so far, with only a few signings, and a surprising move letting go of Wigginton. C Toby Hall will compete for the catching job, P Jose Capellan will try to crack the veteren heavy bullpen, Ps Mike Hampton & Clay Hensley should get rotation spots, 3B Aaron Boone will platoon with Geoff Blum at 3B, and OF Jason Michaels should be the 4th OF, playing for Bourn against lefties. They re-signed a couple relievers, LaTroy Hawkins & Doug Brocail who are over-paid, but solid. The Astros need some serious help. Oh yeah, they signed tubby shit-bag Russ Ortiz & epic failure Danny Graves. Is this 2000? Bombs Away!
Kansas City Royals
The phrase "I like what your saying, now I need to like what your doing" has never been as perfect as it is in references to Dayton Moore's strategy. He claimed to want OBP, yet signs IF/OF Willie Bloomqvist & trades a solid bullpen arm for Mike Jacobs, when they have a walk machine in the minors who plays the same position. I do like the Coco Crisp acquisition, and he & DeJesus could be a really solid top 2 in the batting order and a great defensive tandem in CF/LF. C Vance Wilson has been signed as depth in case of injury, and will share AAA with fellow newcomer JR House. IF Luis Hernandez has been brought it to compete for a back-up role, while Bloomqvist will compete for the starting job at 2B. Pitchers galore have been signed, as Kyle Farnsworth will continue being over-rated in obscurity, Horacio Ramirez will continue to be a shitbag (while adding in over-paid), Lenny DiNardo & John Bale will compete for the 2nd lefty role, and Doug Waechter & Franq Osoria will probably be released in March. The AL version of the Astros.
Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim
Brian Fuentes will replace K-Rod in the 9th inning. OF Juan Rivera returns in a signing that confuses me (unless Vlad is DHing). Darren Oliver re-signs. Very active this off-season.
Los Angeles Dodgers
As inactive as the Angels have been, the Dodgers have been non-stop with little signings. The pitchers they are bringing in: lefties Shawn Estes, Stephen Randolph, & Erick Threets. Righties Guillermo Mota, Claudio Vargas, & Yhenzy Brazoban. Estes & Vargas will compete for the 5th spot in the rotation, while the rest will compete a bullpen spot or 2. They re-signed Casey Blake & Rafael Furcal, keeping their IF intact. Juan Castro, Luis Maza, Hector Luna, and Mark Loretta will compete for back-up jobs, with Loretta likely in a platoon with Blake DeWitt at 2B. More could be coming with Manny still out there.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brew crew have been pretty quiet, although they picked up legendary closer Trevor Hoffman. Jason Bourgois, Trot Nixon, & Chris Duffy will compete for a bench job, while Mike Lamb was re-signed to play 3B? Jorge Julio, Chris Smith, & Chris Capuano will be in camp trying to win a spot in the pen (Capuano may be in line for a rotation spot if healthy).
Minnesota Twins
Nick Punto was re-signed for at least triple his value to be the starting SS. The pitching depth was added to with minor signings Sean Henn, RA Dickey, and Mike Gosling. They need a 3rd baseman still. Very quiet so far for the Twins.
New York Mets
The Mets have been very active, improving their bullpen tremendously with K-Rod and JJ Putz (acquired from Seattle for 4 prospects, Endy Chavez, Joe Smith, and Aaron Heilman). Also added in that deal were P Sean Green (good bullpen arm) and OF Jeremy Reed (4th OF option). Tim Redding was signed to serve as back-of-rotation starter, and Conner Robertson was brought in (in a trade for Scott Schoen-douche) to compete for a bullpen spot. Alex Cora will be the back-up IF and 2B in case Jose Castillo eats himself onto the DL.
New York Yankees
The Yanks have been really busy trying to improve their rotation, signing CC Sabathia & AJ Burnett to huge contracts. Mark Teixeira will replace Jason Giambi at 1B. Angel Berroa will compete for the back-up IF spot. Nick Swisher was acquired (for Wilson Betemit & Jeff Marquez plus a prospect for a prospect) to do something that is not quite clear yet (hopefully to play LF every day). DaMaso Marte was re-signed to be the primary lefty in the pen & Jason Johnson is veteran AAA insurance for the rotation. John Rodriguez & Todd Linden will show up trying to win the 4th OF spot, but will be a really good AAA OF in the end. Kevin Cash was also brought in for insurance behind the plate.
Oakland A's
Since the Holliday trade, which brought over the All-Star LF, the A's have been quiet. The only other moves they have made have been signing Ps Kevin Cameron & Chris Schroeder, who will compete for bullpen spots. Matt Holliday should see an overall decrease, moving from Coors Field to spacious McAfee Colliseum. They also signed former steroid user and mustache wearer, Jason "Date Rapist" Giambi. If this signing brings back bad-ass long-hair Giambi, then I am so for it.
Philadelphia Phillies
The defending World Champs, the Phils have tinkered a bit with their winning formula. Raul Ibanez will be the LF next season in a lefty-skewed line-up. Jamie Moyer has been re-signed to complete the rotation, and Chan Ho Park was signed to pitch in relief, but could start. The Phils have also made a bunch of minor moves. Mike Koplove & Gary Majewski could be 2009 versions of Chad Durbin, meaning surprisingly good relievers. Yorman Bazardo, Jake Woods, and Dave Borkowski will provide AAA pitching insurance. C Paul Hoover, OF Jason Ellison, 3B Terry Tiffee, C Ronny Paulino, and IF Mike Cervanek will provide depth in AAA in the case of injury.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates are a joke. They someone almost failed to sign the top hitter in the 08 draft, and have, seemingly, the worst luck when it comes to 1st round pitchers in the draft. They need to start over-slotting in the draft and making big International signings. Their off-season has sucked a lot of cock as well. In are C Jason Jaramillo, 1B Andy Phillips, OF Jeff Salazar, IF Ramon Vazquez, OF Craig Monroe, and Ps Chris Bootcheck, Denny Bautista, and Brian Slocum. Vazquez should be the utility IF, Bootcheck will be allright in the pen, and the rest will be lucky to see any significant playing time.
San Diego Padres
The Friars have been pretty busy in talks this off-season with Jake Peavy, but nothing came to fruition. San Diego will be working with a very modest budget the next few years. Still, the Pads have made some moves so far. They traded their SS (Khalil Greene) for a reliever, Mark Worrell, who should be solid. They also signed Chris Britton, Kevin Correia, and Mark Prior to help out the pitching. Chris Burke could be the 2nd baseman, while Eliezer Alfonzo could be the C.
San Fransisco Giants
The city of gay love struck first (I think) when they signed Jeremy Affeldt to help the pen. Also signed to pitch were Bob Howry, Justin Miller, Randy Johnson, Brandon Medders, and Francis Beltran. The Big Unit & Howry will see plenty of time. They signed SS Edgar Renteria as well, to help the offense (but not really). Josh Phelps & Scott McClain will mash AAA pitching, but won't get shots to play in the majors. They will go on to sign Minor League deals next winter with the same results.
Seattle Mariners
The Mariners have quietly (with the exception of the JJ Putz trade) acquired a decent amount of guys this off-season. Added have been: 1B Mike Carp, 1B/3B Russell Branyon, 1B Chris Shelton, IF Calix Crabbe, IF Chris Woodward, OF Franklin Gutierrez, OF Endy Chavez, OF Freddy Guzman, and C Jamie Burke. Also added were pitchers Tyler Walker, Aaron Heilman, and Jason Vargas. Gutierrez will be the CF, Chavez the 4th OF, Branyon the likely DH, Shelton could get a platoon role, Carp could be the 1B, and Heilman could either start or relieve. A nice off-season so far for a rebuilding team.
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cards haven't done much, although their acquisition of Khalil Greene was a nice one at SS. Trever Miller & Royce Ring could be decent LOOGYs. IF/OF Joe Thurston & C Jason LaRue provide nice depth.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays have tried to make moves to improve the team, and I think they improved it a great deal. Pat Burrell will be nice as DH, Matt Joyce solid in RF, and Gabe Kapler as 4th OF are all upgrades over last years options at those spots. Gone is Edwin Jackson and replaced by David Price, an upgrade as well. They upgraded their bullpen as well by signing Joe Nelson. A force to be reckon with.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers have been really quiet, and haven't filled holes left by departing free agent Milton Bradley (at DH or in the middle of the line-up). Derrick Turnbow is the only new face so far, as he will be fighting to regain his career in a tough park & division (good fuckin luck). Pitching will be their problem until their slew of arms comes up from A/AA in 2 or 3 years. But banking on young pitching prospects is like fucking your step-daughter; sure, it feels good, but it will come back to make you pay.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Jays have made a few little moves. Michael Barrett will probably back-up Rod Barajas at C. Matt Clement and Mike Maroth could be in the rotation (scary thought). And Raul Chavez & Randy Ruiz were signed to help in AAA.
Washington Nationals
Tha Nats made, in my opinion, the fleecing of the off-season when they stole Josh Willingham & Scott Olsen from Florida for spare parts. Anderson Hernadez was going to be the 2B, so Bonifacio (sent to Florida) was likely to be in AAA. Willingham gives them a power bat, although the line-up is very righty skewed. Daniel Cabrera was also brought aboard, and should improve in the NL in Washington's rotation. IF Freddie Bynum, OF Corey Patterson, C Gustavo Molina, IF Jose Castillo, P Jorge Sosa, and P JOSH TOWERS will try and make the roster as well. I like what Washington is doing, and I see them as a serious sleeper for 2009/2010.
The Braves recently signed Derek Lowe to a big contract, to go along with their newly signed Japanese pitcher and Javier Vazquez acquired earlier in the offseason. Their rotation is now pretty solid, with no ace, but really good depth. David Ross & Boone Logan were also brought in to help out as well. Ross will back-up awesome Brian McCann, while Logan will be a decent LOOGY.
Arizona Diamondbacks
The D-Backs have been super quiet this off-season, with the exception of epic signing, Felipe Lopez (ex-Jay). Lopez will likely play 2B next season.
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles added 2 catchers in the last few days, in Robby Hammock & Gregg "Blank Check" Zaun. Hammock could back-up if Weiters isn't ready, while Zaun will start until Weiters is ready, then move into a back-up/mentoring role. Good signing, as Zaun is an OBP machine with decent power. Also added recently was OF Justin Christian, ex-Yankee, who will have a shot to be a 4th OF this spring. The O's have also added IF Chris Gomez (likely back-up IF), Jolbert Cabrera (AAA insurance), Chad Moeller (AAA insurance), Mark Hendrickson (possible 5th starter/definite LOOGY), Cesar Izturis (starting SS), Brad Hennessey (possible solid reliever), and Donnie Murphy (possible utility IF). Big names added were OF/IF Ryan Freel (from Cincinatti for C Ramon Hernandez) and SP Koji Uehara. Freel could see plenty of action in LF with Luke Scott DHing if a big bat isn't acquired, while Uehara may be the #2 of the staff.
Boston Red Sox
The Sox have been really busy, and it seems unfair the talent they are bringing in as reserves. Rocco Baldelli is the 4th OF, Mark Kotsay is the 5th OF/Back-Up 1B, Brad Penny & John Smoltz will be rotation fillers/big bullpen arms, Takashi Saito will be a late-inning option, and Josh Bard will battle for a spot behind the plate. The minor moves this offseason are: P Enrique Gonzalez, 1B/OF Paul McAnulty, P Billy Traber, P Wes Littleton, and P Ramon Ramirez. Ramirez & Littleton are solid bullpen options, while the rest are AAA insurance.
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs added Milton Bradley to play RF (potential huge mistake on a 3 year deal), which is their big move so far. Aaron Miles will get a shot at 2B, while Luis Vizcaino (acquired for Jason Marquis' dead weight) will help out the pen with Kevin Gregg (acquired for Jose Ceda from Florida). Joey Gathright may splitt CF with Reed Johnson, or be a really good bench player. Ryan Dempster was re-signed to solidify the rotation. C Mark Johnson (AAA insurance) and Chad Fox (potential bull-pen arm) were also added.
Chicago White Sox
The Sox recently made a slew of minor league signings including P Franklyn German, C Chris Stewart (potential back-up), IF Elder Torres, P John Van Benschoten (former 1st round pick), 1B Brian Myrow (potential bat for when Konerko/Thome are injured/uneffective), and Jason Nix (potential 2B platoon partner). They have made 2 pretty big trades this offseason, bringing in some prospects (Tyler Flowers the big one), Wilson Betemit (posible 3B or 2B), and Brent Lillibridge (possible 2B candidate) for Nick Swisher, Boone Logan, and Javier Vazquez. Bartolo Colon was signed to compete for a rotation spot as well.
Cincinnati Reds
Jerry Hairston was re-signed to either play SS or LF or general utility. Other re-signings were relievers David Weathers and Mike Lincoln and OF Norris Hopper. Willy Tavares will come in and play CF and lead-off, while Ramon Hernandez was acquired to catch (for Ryan Freel). 1B Wes Bankston, OF Laynce Nix, and C Ryan Jorgenson will compete for bench jobs in the spring, while Ron Flores (I think he is the shitty one, well, I guess Randy sucks cock too) may snag a AAA LOOGY slot, While Arthur Rhodes is still alive and will get a spot in the pen as a late-inning lefty.
Cleveland Indians
The Indians have used this off-season to pick away at some weaknesses, and improve their club in small ways. Their involvement in the JJ Putz trade got them a solid reliever (Joe Smith) and a middle infield prospect close to contributing (Luis Valbueno) for extra OF Franklin Gutierrez (who I think could be an Alex Rios clone if given a solid shot). Jack Cassell (brother of douchebag Mass-Hole favourite Matt), Greg Aquino & Kirk Saarloos were brought in to compete for the last bullpen spot, while Carl Pavano could be a comeback player of the year candidate and Kerry Wood was signed to close.
Colorado Rockies
They just announced their minor league signings, which include C Paul Phillips (AAA depth), OF Dan Ortmeier (AAA depth), Ps Matt Belisle & Cedrick Bowers (could compete for a bullpen slot), and OF Scott Podsednik (could be a good 4th OF). Glendon Rusch was re-signed and could win a spot in the rotation or bullpen. Alan Embree will be the go-to lefty, and Jason Marquis was acquired to fit into the rotation (good luck, douche). The big movement from the Rockies was the Matt Holliday trade, acquiring rotation piece Greg Smith (going to get shelled), OF stud Carlos Gonzalez (big numbers coming in Colorado), and closer candidate Huston Street. Street could also be dealt for more pieces now that the market is less saturated with closer types.
Detroit Tigers
My candidate for biggest disappointment in the last decade goes to Detroit last season. Pathetic. And they follow it up by being useless in the free agent market as well. They have too many bad contracts on their hands, and they would be better off swapping terrible contracts with teams, just to shake things up a little. They signed Matt Treanor to back-up Dusty Ryan, or to start ahead of also-signed Dane Sardinha behind the plate. Adam Everett will be the SS next season, which is a terrible idea (he is a worse hitter than Johnny Mac). They traded Matt Joyce (one of the few things positive to say about the state of their offense) for erratic Edwin Jackson, who will slot into their rotation. I hope they have more planned for the off-season.
Florida Marlins
The light spending Marlins have unloaded some dead weight this off-season in some great trades. Gone are 1B Mike Jacobs, P Kevin Gregg, SP Scott Olsen, and OF Josh Willingham. In are 2B Emilio Bonifacio (speedster who could push Dan Uggla to 3B or to another team for a big bag of good prospects), Leo Nunez (electric bullpenner, who could make the Royals regret an allready bad trade), Jose Ceda (relief prospect who is probably better right now than Gregg), and a slew of prospects. Ps Brian Sanches, Willie Collazo, John Koronka, IF Andy Gonzalez, and OF/1B Jay Gibbons will battle for roster spots in spring, while P Scott Proctor will ease the loss of Joe Nelson a bit.
Houston Astros
Ah, the Astros. One of the worst run teams in baseball, they cannot find a direction that works for them. They need to decide a direction and stick to it, because this shit isn't going to be pretty when Hunter Pence hits big money time and they can't afford him. They have been really quiet so far, with only a few signings, and a surprising move letting go of Wigginton. C Toby Hall will compete for the catching job, P Jose Capellan will try to crack the veteren heavy bullpen, Ps Mike Hampton & Clay Hensley should get rotation spots, 3B Aaron Boone will platoon with Geoff Blum at 3B, and OF Jason Michaels should be the 4th OF, playing for Bourn against lefties. They re-signed a couple relievers, LaTroy Hawkins & Doug Brocail who are over-paid, but solid. The Astros need some serious help. Oh yeah, they signed tubby shit-bag Russ Ortiz & epic failure Danny Graves. Is this 2000? Bombs Away!
Kansas City Royals
The phrase "I like what your saying, now I need to like what your doing" has never been as perfect as it is in references to Dayton Moore's strategy. He claimed to want OBP, yet signs IF/OF Willie Bloomqvist & trades a solid bullpen arm for Mike Jacobs, when they have a walk machine in the minors who plays the same position. I do like the Coco Crisp acquisition, and he & DeJesus could be a really solid top 2 in the batting order and a great defensive tandem in CF/LF. C Vance Wilson has been signed as depth in case of injury, and will share AAA with fellow newcomer JR House. IF Luis Hernandez has been brought it to compete for a back-up role, while Bloomqvist will compete for the starting job at 2B. Pitchers galore have been signed, as Kyle Farnsworth will continue being over-rated in obscurity, Horacio Ramirez will continue to be a shitbag (while adding in over-paid), Lenny DiNardo & John Bale will compete for the 2nd lefty role, and Doug Waechter & Franq Osoria will probably be released in March. The AL version of the Astros.
Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim
Brian Fuentes will replace K-Rod in the 9th inning. OF Juan Rivera returns in a signing that confuses me (unless Vlad is DHing). Darren Oliver re-signs. Very active this off-season.
Los Angeles Dodgers
As inactive as the Angels have been, the Dodgers have been non-stop with little signings. The pitchers they are bringing in: lefties Shawn Estes, Stephen Randolph, & Erick Threets. Righties Guillermo Mota, Claudio Vargas, & Yhenzy Brazoban. Estes & Vargas will compete for the 5th spot in the rotation, while the rest will compete a bullpen spot or 2. They re-signed Casey Blake & Rafael Furcal, keeping their IF intact. Juan Castro, Luis Maza, Hector Luna, and Mark Loretta will compete for back-up jobs, with Loretta likely in a platoon with Blake DeWitt at 2B. More could be coming with Manny still out there.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brew crew have been pretty quiet, although they picked up legendary closer Trevor Hoffman. Jason Bourgois, Trot Nixon, & Chris Duffy will compete for a bench job, while Mike Lamb was re-signed to play 3B? Jorge Julio, Chris Smith, & Chris Capuano will be in camp trying to win a spot in the pen (Capuano may be in line for a rotation spot if healthy).
Minnesota Twins
Nick Punto was re-signed for at least triple his value to be the starting SS. The pitching depth was added to with minor signings Sean Henn, RA Dickey, and Mike Gosling. They need a 3rd baseman still. Very quiet so far for the Twins.
New York Mets
The Mets have been very active, improving their bullpen tremendously with K-Rod and JJ Putz (acquired from Seattle for 4 prospects, Endy Chavez, Joe Smith, and Aaron Heilman). Also added in that deal were P Sean Green (good bullpen arm) and OF Jeremy Reed (4th OF option). Tim Redding was signed to serve as back-of-rotation starter, and Conner Robertson was brought in (in a trade for Scott Schoen-douche) to compete for a bullpen spot. Alex Cora will be the back-up IF and 2B in case Jose Castillo eats himself onto the DL.
New York Yankees
The Yanks have been really busy trying to improve their rotation, signing CC Sabathia & AJ Burnett to huge contracts. Mark Teixeira will replace Jason Giambi at 1B. Angel Berroa will compete for the back-up IF spot. Nick Swisher was acquired (for Wilson Betemit & Jeff Marquez plus a prospect for a prospect) to do something that is not quite clear yet (hopefully to play LF every day). DaMaso Marte was re-signed to be the primary lefty in the pen & Jason Johnson is veteran AAA insurance for the rotation. John Rodriguez & Todd Linden will show up trying to win the 4th OF spot, but will be a really good AAA OF in the end. Kevin Cash was also brought in for insurance behind the plate.
Oakland A's
Since the Holliday trade, which brought over the All-Star LF, the A's have been quiet. The only other moves they have made have been signing Ps Kevin Cameron & Chris Schroeder, who will compete for bullpen spots. Matt Holliday should see an overall decrease, moving from Coors Field to spacious McAfee Colliseum. They also signed former steroid user and mustache wearer, Jason "Date Rapist" Giambi. If this signing brings back bad-ass long-hair Giambi, then I am so for it.
Philadelphia Phillies
The defending World Champs, the Phils have tinkered a bit with their winning formula. Raul Ibanez will be the LF next season in a lefty-skewed line-up. Jamie Moyer has been re-signed to complete the rotation, and Chan Ho Park was signed to pitch in relief, but could start. The Phils have also made a bunch of minor moves. Mike Koplove & Gary Majewski could be 2009 versions of Chad Durbin, meaning surprisingly good relievers. Yorman Bazardo, Jake Woods, and Dave Borkowski will provide AAA pitching insurance. C Paul Hoover, OF Jason Ellison, 3B Terry Tiffee, C Ronny Paulino, and IF Mike Cervanek will provide depth in AAA in the case of injury.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates are a joke. They someone almost failed to sign the top hitter in the 08 draft, and have, seemingly, the worst luck when it comes to 1st round pitchers in the draft. They need to start over-slotting in the draft and making big International signings. Their off-season has sucked a lot of cock as well. In are C Jason Jaramillo, 1B Andy Phillips, OF Jeff Salazar, IF Ramon Vazquez, OF Craig Monroe, and Ps Chris Bootcheck, Denny Bautista, and Brian Slocum. Vazquez should be the utility IF, Bootcheck will be allright in the pen, and the rest will be lucky to see any significant playing time.
San Diego Padres
The Friars have been pretty busy in talks this off-season with Jake Peavy, but nothing came to fruition. San Diego will be working with a very modest budget the next few years. Still, the Pads have made some moves so far. They traded their SS (Khalil Greene) for a reliever, Mark Worrell, who should be solid. They also signed Chris Britton, Kevin Correia, and Mark Prior to help out the pitching. Chris Burke could be the 2nd baseman, while Eliezer Alfonzo could be the C.
San Fransisco Giants
The city of gay love struck first (I think) when they signed Jeremy Affeldt to help the pen. Also signed to pitch were Bob Howry, Justin Miller, Randy Johnson, Brandon Medders, and Francis Beltran. The Big Unit & Howry will see plenty of time. They signed SS Edgar Renteria as well, to help the offense (but not really). Josh Phelps & Scott McClain will mash AAA pitching, but won't get shots to play in the majors. They will go on to sign Minor League deals next winter with the same results.
Seattle Mariners
The Mariners have quietly (with the exception of the JJ Putz trade) acquired a decent amount of guys this off-season. Added have been: 1B Mike Carp, 1B/3B Russell Branyon, 1B Chris Shelton, IF Calix Crabbe, IF Chris Woodward, OF Franklin Gutierrez, OF Endy Chavez, OF Freddy Guzman, and C Jamie Burke. Also added were pitchers Tyler Walker, Aaron Heilman, and Jason Vargas. Gutierrez will be the CF, Chavez the 4th OF, Branyon the likely DH, Shelton could get a platoon role, Carp could be the 1B, and Heilman could either start or relieve. A nice off-season so far for a rebuilding team.
St. Louis Cardinals
The Cards haven't done much, although their acquisition of Khalil Greene was a nice one at SS. Trever Miller & Royce Ring could be decent LOOGYs. IF/OF Joe Thurston & C Jason LaRue provide nice depth.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays have tried to make moves to improve the team, and I think they improved it a great deal. Pat Burrell will be nice as DH, Matt Joyce solid in RF, and Gabe Kapler as 4th OF are all upgrades over last years options at those spots. Gone is Edwin Jackson and replaced by David Price, an upgrade as well. They upgraded their bullpen as well by signing Joe Nelson. A force to be reckon with.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers have been really quiet, and haven't filled holes left by departing free agent Milton Bradley (at DH or in the middle of the line-up). Derrick Turnbow is the only new face so far, as he will be fighting to regain his career in a tough park & division (good fuckin luck). Pitching will be their problem until their slew of arms comes up from A/AA in 2 or 3 years. But banking on young pitching prospects is like fucking your step-daughter; sure, it feels good, but it will come back to make you pay.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Jays have made a few little moves. Michael Barrett will probably back-up Rod Barajas at C. Matt Clement and Mike Maroth could be in the rotation (scary thought). And Raul Chavez & Randy Ruiz were signed to help in AAA.
Washington Nationals
Tha Nats made, in my opinion, the fleecing of the off-season when they stole Josh Willingham & Scott Olsen from Florida for spare parts. Anderson Hernadez was going to be the 2B, so Bonifacio (sent to Florida) was likely to be in AAA. Willingham gives them a power bat, although the line-up is very righty skewed. Daniel Cabrera was also brought aboard, and should improve in the NL in Washington's rotation. IF Freddie Bynum, OF Corey Patterson, C Gustavo Molina, IF Jose Castillo, P Jorge Sosa, and P JOSH TOWERS will try and make the roster as well. I like what Washington is doing, and I see them as a serious sleeper for 2009/2010.
JOSH TOWERS SIGHTING!!!111!!!
TOWERS LIVES!!!!
Everyone's favourite punching bag will be getting lit up in spring training wearing a Nationals jersey this year.
I actually hope the fuck does well enough to earn a spot in the rotation, that way his shitbagness will be even more epic when he is in AAA after 2 or 3 starts.
God Bless Jim Bowden for this historic day.
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