Hot Stove thread

[goofhook]

What position does he play? If he is a pitcher, than the Angels might want him too. I also figured out why the Angels made that trade, they are looking to set up a package to trade for Miguel Cabrera.

[EPCOT84]

Yeah, read that too.

As for the guy in Japan, don't know much about him but I just couldn't resist after seeing that story . Looks like he's a first baseman but is trading within Japan and used to be with Arizona in 2000. No wonder the name sounded familiar.

[goofhook]

Well, according to ESPN Santana wants a 6-year/$150 million dollar deal. I think the twins are going to trade him for sure now, knowing he wants that kind of money.

[goofhook]

It looks like the Reds are very close to signing closer Francisco Cordero, and A-Rod's contract could total up to $305 million dollars, with home run bonuses which are $6 million for: Willie Mays (660), Babe Ruth (714), Hank Aaron (755) and Barry Bonds (762), and an additional $6 million for breaking Bonds' major league record.

[Scar]

The Mets just lost Tom McCarthy back to the Phillies.


Looks like the Mets are out of the Santana talks. He wants a 7 year deal and the Mets will only give a pitcher 5 years max. Can't say I blame them. Kevin Brown, Mike Hampton, Barry Zito (although I guess the jury's still out on him), 'nuff said.

[Hammer]

The Mets just lost Tom McCarthy back to the Phillies.


Looks like the Mets are out of the Santana talks. He wants a 7 year deal and the Mets will only give a pitcher 5 years max. Can't say I blame them. Kevin Brown, Mike Hampton, Barry Zito (although I guess the jury's still out on him), 'nuff said.

I am really glad the Tom McCarthy is coming back. I don't have any concrete info, but I wouldn't be surprised if Harry Kalas starts to not work a full season schedule (I think Harry is 72) and Tom does those games.

I think that a lot of teams are hesitant to giving really long contracts as so many teams have been burned by them. Only a couple of teams have the money to absorb the added salary if the deal looks bad in year 4 of a 7 year contract.

[Ian]

I am really glad the Tom McCarthy is coming back. I don't have any concrete info, but I wouldn't be surprised if Harry Kalas starts to not work a full season schedule (I think Harry is 72) and Tom does those games.

I think that a lot of teams are hesitant to giving really long contracts as so many teams have been burned by them. Only a couple of teams have the money to absorb the added salary if the deal looks bad in year 4 of a 7 year contract.

On Kalas, I hope not. Harry's the best. I'll miss him if he heads into retirement. We're so lucky to have had so many great broadcasters in Philly ... Merrill, Harry, Gene ... the best!

As far as long term deals, I'll be honest ... in any league with guaranteed contracts I have NO CLUE why any team would give any player a long term deal. I'd make everyone go year-to-year, so I didn't get burned by slackers.

[Jared]

I'm not too sure the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox are as close to acquiring Johan Santana as the Minnesota Twins want everybody to believe. Boston is steadfastly holding onto pitcher Clay Buchholz and outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, while New York is still hesitant about including pitcher Phil Hughes into a deal, despite recent reports the organization has changed its mind.

Minnesota does not have to move Santana before the season. He's still the best pitcher in the league and under contract until the end of the year. Unlike with position players, his value will not decrease in July. Barring an injury, it will only increase because every contender will be in the market for a starter, especially one of Santana's caliber. The Twins are hyping the rumors, hoping either New York or Boston blinks and trades a youngster it covets.

We're seeing the beauty of the rivalry once again during these last few weeks. Neither club particularly wants to make the deal, but neither can let Santana wind up with the other. Boston was the best team in baseball last year. Imagine a starting rotation with Josh Beckett, Santana, Curt Schilling and Daisuke Matsuzaka. Even if New York trades Hughes, it could still possibly enter 2008 with a staff of Santana, Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte, Chamberlain and Mike Mussina or Ian Kennedy.

At 12:01 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, I think the Yankees are more likely to land Santana than Boston. The Red Sox have less to gain from making a blockbuster deal and appear determined not to trade either of their top two prospects. The Yankees have always been reckless, despite General Manager Brian Cashman's wishes. Right now, the organization is divided, and Cashman is fighting to maintain the triumvirate of Hughes, Chamberlain and Kennedy to open the new ballpark in 2009.

It'll be an interesting couple weeks. Let's see what happens at the meetings.

[goofhook]

ESPN told me that Miguel Cabrera and Dontrel Willis are going to the Tigers. Tigers are giving up a lot of prospects, but I'd say it is worth it. Also, if the Red Sox keep Jacoby Ellsbury, I could imagine the Tigers and Sox playing for the AL Pennant.

[Jared]

Today's trade might have some sweeping effects on the rest of the offseason. Most importantly, the Detroit Tigers are now an absolute force in the American League, strong enough to compete with the Boston Red Sox.

Dontrelle Willis joins a rotation already with Jeremy Bonderman, Justin Verlander and Kenny Rogers. Assuming Boston does not acquire Minnesota's Johan Santana, Detroit might have the best starting staff in the league.

And Willis is the secondary player of the deal. Miguel Cabrera is truly an MVP-caliber player who was stuck in Florida for his entire young career. Critics question his work ethic, citing his growing belly and increasing laziness, but his offensive numbers haven't declined whatsoever. He's a poor third baseman, but Detroit will take his run production and overlook shoddy defense. Carlos Guillen is a strong enough shortstop to handle the left side of the infield, and now Cabrera will get the recognition he deserves. Maybe a ticket out of Miami is what he needs to stay in shape.

The Florida Marlins took the best package available, receiving better players than the Los Angeles Angels were offering. Cameron Maybin is arguably the best outfield prospect in baseball and Andrew Miller could soon be a 15-game winner in the National League. The Marlins will be a disaster next year, but that organization will be rebuilding until it builds a new stadium or relocates.

With Los Angeles out of the Cabrera sweepstakes, expect the Angels to jump into the Santana sweepstakes in full force. The New York Yankees say they are out of the race, but no one really believes them, especially after they resigned Alex Rodriguez after he opted out of his original contract. The same players the Angels offered the Marlins for Cabrera could be included in a package for Santana. I think the other American League clubs realize if Santana winds up with the Red Sox, it's doomsday for everybody else. If Anaheim trades for Santana, it joins Boston and Detroit at the top of baseball.

[Scar]

Rowand wants way too many years. I’ll be curious if any team gives him the 6 years, $85 million (which would have made him higher paid than Chase Utley).

Well the Giants just gave him 5 years, $60M.

[Hammer]

Well the Giants just gave him 5 years, $60M.

Just because the Giants gave him the years (which was what Rowand cared more about) doesn't make it a smart move. The Zito contract they gave isn't looking real smart right now...

[goofhook]

Well, with Miguel Tejada going to the Astros, would that make the Orioles rebuild a lot more and get Bedard on another team, or use the money now that Tejada is gone to sign him to an extention? If they could do this they would be competitive down the road in the AL Beast.

[Melanie]

Oh happy day! First Glavine and now Javy. Hope he has something left.

Javy Lopez back with Braves

Monday, Dec 17, 2007 5:06 pm EST


Popular catcher Javy Lopez is back with the Atlanta Braves where he enjoyed his greatest success the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

The Braves inked Lopez to a minor league free-agent contract with an invitation to spring training, where the 37-year-old will attempt a comeback and try to win a backup job behind Brian McCann.

Lopez hasn't played since being released by Colorado during 2007 spring training, but the Braves think the three-time former All-Star might have enough left to give them a power bat off the bench. He hit .251 with just eight homers and 35 RBIs in 94 games for Baltimore and Boston in 2006, then signed a $750,000 contract with the Rockies and got cut from the team in March.

Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution

[Scar]

{singing}

Oye como va
Mi ritmo
Bueno pa gosar
Mulata

Yes, let the singing and partying begin.

The Mets appear to be mere hours away from signing Santana.

[Hammer]

Yeah, I had a bad day at work, and this was just the topper upon which to end it ...

As Santana wouldn't even consider the Phillies to wave his no-trade clause (his list was quite short, only NY or LA teams need apply) I never had any dreams of getting him. We could have offered them Carrasco, Autmann (I think that is the AA pitcher's name) and Savery, but if Santana wasn't willing to even consider here, it is a moot point.

You still have to play the game, and he can't pitch every day. I would not want to be Brian Cashman today, though.

[Carol]

[Ian]

As Santana wouldn't even consider the Phillies to wave his no-trade clause (his list was quite short, only NY or LA teams need apply) I never had any dreams of getting him. We could have offered them Carrasco, Autmann (I think that is the AA pitcher's name) and Savery, but if Santana wasn't willing to even consider here, it is a moot point.

In fairness, Christine ... even if Santana had been falling all over himself to join the Phillies, they wouldn't have had any interest in signing him. There's no way he'd fit into their "budget."

Also, the Phils have no one to blame but themselves for having problems attraction good pitchers ... they're the ones who built that teeny-weeny, hitters ballpark.

[Hammer]

Trust Ian to be the WIP voice in this thread . The ballpark is small, but the dimensions are the same as the VET. The mistake that was made is they did not take into account the effects of an open stadium with those dimensions. They are fine if you are playing inside a bowl.

Oh and regarding your budget comment. This guy became too rich even for the Yankees! There are only 2 or 3 teams who operate with basically an unlimited budget and even they have limits (see my Yankees comment). You, and a lot of other people in Philadelphia, will always look for the negative when it comes to the Phillies (and people are starting to do now with the Eagles) but are quick to heap love on them when things are going our way and last September is a prime example.

[sportsguy2315]

Being a Twins fan, I have mixed feelings on the deal. I knew about as well as anyone that the Twins wouldn't give Johan the contract extension, and the fact that he isn't going to an AL contender comforts me some. However, while the Twins do have a history of getting good prospects out of trades (see Boof Bonser, Joe Nathan, Santana, and Francisco Liriano), I felt the Twins could have gotten more out of a deal with the Yankees or Red Sox.