The Padres have traded outfielder Ben Johnson and right-handed reliever Jon Adkins for two bullpen arms, lefty Royce Ring and righty Heath Bell. Although not as interesting as, say, Don’t Fear the Reaper performed on ukelele, this is one of those minor deals that could help both clubs.
With the apparent departure of Dave Roberts, there had been some talk of Johnson taking over as the everyday left fielder in San Diego next year. But Johnson — despite my enthusiasm for him many moons ago — really is more of a fourth outfielder, and Terrmel Sledge, Paul McAnulty, and others are already available to take on that role.
Seems to me this just sharpens the focus on acquiring a big bat to play left field. Whether that would be one of the many free agents (Moises Alou, Barry Bonds [shudder], Frank Catalanotto, David Dellucci, Cliff Floyd, Luis Gonzalez, Carlos Lee, Alfonso Soriano, Shannon Stewart) or possibly making some kind of trade (Pat Burrell? Adam Dunn?) is anyone’s guess.
Adkins and Bell look like fairly interchangeable parts to me. Both are 29 years old, both have ERAs over 4.50. Adkins has more experience, Bell has better control. Bell is from Oceanside, which seems to work in a guy’s favor these days. Bell also has a much stronger minor-league record, although some of that could be due to the fact that he’s worked almost exclusively in relief, while Adkins spent much of his career as a starter.
| IP | ERA | H/9 | HR/9 | BB/9 | SO/9 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adkins | 733.2 | 4.53 | 10.00 | 0.79 | 2.71 | 6.19 |
| Bell | 569.2 | 3.34 | 8.19 | 0.79 | 2.42 | 10.23 |
| Stats courtesy of the Baseball Cube. | ||||||
Gotta like those strikeouts.
As for Ring, he’s another local product. Born in La Mesa, Ring was selected 18th overall in the 2002 draft by the Chicago White Sox. A year later, he was dealt to the Mets as part of a package for ex-Padre Roberto Alomar. Although he doesn’t have much of a big-league track record, Ring’s minor-league numbers aren’t too shabby. The ERA is nice, but I’d like to see the walks a little lower and the strikeouts a little higher.
Will this deal help the Padres? I don’t know, but as reader Richard notes in the comments, it is pretty cool to acquire a guy named Ring and a guy named Bell in the same trade.
I wonder if either of them can play the ukelele…
220 Comments
Ring my Bell-el-el… Ring my Belll…
Re: #1 now that was just uncalled for!
In other news, Matty’s back in a one-year deal.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/padres/20061116-9999-1s16posner.html
I am NOT a Tony Muser fan, but he’s a classy guy…
“What a strange series of events the last couple of months produced,†said the former Kansas City manager who helped Bruce Bochy with tactics since 2003. “It was a great ride, and I had fun. Buddy Black (the Padres’ new manager) needs to have a couple of his own people on the staff. The only tough thing is that the timing was not good. Most major league slots are filled.â€
http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/padres/20061116-9999-1s16padres.html
Great news but I wish it was for more than one year.
#4 – The last line in that UT article gives me some comfort, but of course what you read in the paper (or your monitor) and what reality is are often times different! Let’s hope it is true.
I’d take Barry for a year if it gets us a championship.
I would take barry as long as that is not the only “big name” that the padres get.
So what are the odds that Piazza will be back this year?
I would not take Barry for any amount of time, even if he were for free and he hit 50 HR’s for us.
I don’t like the guy, period. I think he would destroy the clubhouse.
Im wondering how many more relief pitchers the pads are going to add to the roster? As far as I can tell they have 11 relief pitchers and no LF, 2B or a number 4 or 5 starter, I know its just the beginning of the off season but im not sure why they are working on an already solid bullpen, I would Hope KT would be thinking more about a shakey lineup and how he is going to replace woody and Chan ho.
Talked to a Met fan about this deal. He said Ring was decent but Bell had basically a straight fastball (although it was good). Also that Bell was kinda thick headed in that they couldn’t “teach” him the necessary things to make him successfull above AAA.
He liked Ring, and said that he kills lefties.
Reaper on ukele…. Worst. Link. Ever?
Nice deal if the Pads aren’t going to keep Embree. Ring is good against lefties, has average stuff against righties, although he did fine against them in a brief major-league look last season. I’d like two lefties in the pen if we could, Embree is tough against both Lefties and righties (although, strangely enough, he was far better on the road than at Petco last year). Bell is a lot like Brown, the pitcher we got from Cleveland. Throws hard, gets K’s, but has better control than Brown. Also gives up too many homers, but has more experience in the bigs. Petco might suppress the homers aenough to make Bell more effective.
Adkins was just minor-league free-agent filler anyway, although he pitched better than he ever had before in 06. Johnson is a 4th outfielder, and those are a dime a dozen.
I think it’d be cool to have Barry here for a year because it would be fun to see everyone in San Diego (namely Ted Leitner) go absolutely crazy.
Re #15 on the XX this morn Ted said that he would resign as the Padres broadcaster if that happened, I think he was bluffing but I mean what else can he do.
#16 Being a lifetime Pads fan, I wouldn’t resign, but I would not be able to root for Pad’s with him in the lineup. I might even boycott games (Radio, TV & Petco) for as long he is employed by the Pads.
#15 Where are you from? Why would you want to see people go crazy?
Re: #17 Teddy would not resign because he would probably not be able to get the job again after barry leaves so he would just have to suffer through it for the year that he is here.
I hate the doggers, and the gigantes (as teams), but I wouldn’t even wish Barry Bonds on them! Maybe, just maybe, I would wish him on the Raiders (if BB played football), but not ANY other baseball team. I think he is bad for the sport. I love SD, the Pads, and the sport of baseball too much.
OK, so I missed the switch to a new thread…Olney had some interesting things in his blog that I copied into the end of yesterdays running dialogue – go check them out:
– why ManRam is such a bargain all of a sudden
– why the Sox (Lucchino specifically) think $1.1MM is chump change
And no Barry Bonds in SD. I don’t want to win that much.
Oh, the other thing about Bell is that he’s supposedly an extreme ground ball pitcher.
WOW!!! I guess they took Linebrinks name out of it and now it’s just PEAVY to the Braves…
Oh crap I forgot the link. SORRY!
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com
From http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/
from Jerry Crasnick on ESPN radio…Padres are close to sending Jake Peavy to Atlanta for Marcus Giles, Horacio Ramirez and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. This would make some sense: Schuerholz has never been afraid to deal top-drawer prospects (of which Saltalamacchia used to unquestionably be, if he isn’t after a weak 2006 at the plate) for impact players. And this does a lot of things for the Padres: fill their 2B hole, replace Peavy (kind of), and put another potentially solid catcher in the system now that George Kottaras is property of Boston. It also allows the Padres to keep Scott Linebrink or use him in a trade with the Red Sox.
I have to say, if they deal Peavy for a guy who hit .230/.353/.380 in AA, a major league starter who is below average and a 2B who is 1 year away from FA…….I may cancel my season tickets because the front office has lost their minds.
Not sure why Saltalamacchia is considered a prospect. Hit .230/.353/.380 in AA last year (only 21 yrs. old).
The Jake rumor is back, this time it’s Horacio Ramirez + Salty + Marcus Giles for Jake (by himself)…
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2006/11/jake_peavy_to_t.html
This makes MORE sense, but I still have trouble believing it…
Jake clearly regressed some last year, but are the Padres willing to give up on him? Wow…
PF, #25
Speaking as a fan of both the Braves and Friars, I think it fair to say Salty is Kottaras with more power. He’s not the best defensive catcher ever, and DH’ed on the Olympic qualifier team, but he can absolutely mash the baseball.
So there’s that.
Mark, please don’t go there. The front office cannot be held hostage by the season ticket holders. Is Jake popular? Without question? Is he valuable? Absolutely. Should the Padres deal him if they think the return will perform better than he will? Again, yes.
Like you however, I do find the trade interesting (not in a good way)… But I have to acknowlegde that the front office has made a series of good trades of late and that they know more than I do regarding players’ health, statistical trends, etc. If the Padres elect to trade Jake, then I’ll miss him, root for him to do well when he’s not facing us, and hold the front office accountable IF we don’t fare-well as a result of the trade.
27.
Coming into this year he was there #1 prospect. He had a down year but I know BA is planning on this kid being a stud. I still don’t know that I would make the trade but Saltalamacchia is very highly reguarded as prospect. Well at least he was before this season.
I dunno, the proof is in the puddin’. His stats don’t bear out his mashingness.
Peter-I think there is a difference between over reacting to dealing of Barfield who looked to become an above average regular and a true #1 starter.
Dealing Peavy for what amounts to a top prospect and 2 spare parts is going to be significantly selling everyone short.
Wasn’t it like 3 weeks ago that Peavy was going to be dealt for Manny Ramirez or Arod? What happened, how did he lose so much value?
Well, he did go for .565/.655/1.000, 3HR in 23 AB in the AZFL.
I’m not sure I buy that rumor. Why would you trade Peavy now? They have him signed for below market value and he’s not a free agent for a couple of more years. I won’t be surprised if they trade him right before he becomes a free agent but why now? And if you are going to trade him, you aren’t going to trade him for that package I wouldn’t think. However, if there was a way to put him, Linebrink and others in a package for A-Rod….
With the success the front office has had w/ trades (with the admitted exception of the Wells-Kottaras trade – though after that trade we did kick but in Sept. – possible psych boost?) I have to trust that the front office knows what it is doing even if it confounds me.
Re:36
Without being able to measure the psych boost, being able to measure Wells performance(no better then Thompson) and looking at the depth chart right now at catcher- Kotteras for Wells was a bad, bad move.
Sorry, the reason you trade him now when he’s a bargain is because right now is when he has his greatest value. Jake Peavy with two affordable years left on his contract is better than Jake Peavy with one year. Honestly, I doubt Jake would be too upset. He would be back in the south, able to tutor under Bobby Cox, and they have traditionally paid their pitchers. I just am not sure we’re getting enough value. Saltalamacchia, Ramirez, and Giles….eh.
Last I checked Peavy doesn’t have a no trade clause, so it doesn’t matter if he is happy with the destination or not
We should have them throw in Francour, and we’ll include B Giles. That would even it out a bit (or tilt it completely in our favor…either way).
34.
Let’s try to be a little objective for a few seconds…
1. AROD and Manny for Peavy were RUMORS. I’m sure if either one of them could have been had for Peavy the deal would have been made in nano-seconds.
2. Peavy has not exactly been the most durable and reliable pitcher a lot of people seem to make him out to be. At times he looks like there is nobody better at other times he looks like me on the mound. He had a crappy year and has also been rumored to be stubborn when he’s got the ball.
3. This trade would fill 3 holes. Above average 2nd baseman and leadoff hitter. Back of the rotation type of starter and an elite catching prospect.
Now obviously we know the cons in loosing a potential #1 ace but before you go crazy lets look at Peavy for what he is. He is a good pitcher with AMAZING potential but with a lot of inconsistacy and an injury prone history.
I’m not saying it’s a great trade but just look at it first.
41
Wasn’t trying to imply he had a no trade clause. I was just saying the loyal SD Peavy fans won’t have to worry about hurting their boy’s feelings.
Not a big fan of this potential move, unless there is something wrong w/ Peavy we don’t know about. A rotation of Young-Hensley-Ramirez-?-? doesn’t inspire much confidence.
Someone help on Ho-Ram…is he the sort of SP who would benefit extra from going to Petco?
You realize that Francour had a .293 OBP last year right? He’s looking a lot like Preston Wilson these days.
Peavy has always seemed like a big injury risk to me, his motion is very violent and he whips his arm across his body rather than driving through the ball. I’d hate to see him go though, and I would think we could do better than that alleged ATL deal if KT just let it be know Peavy is available to the highest bidder. Would dealing Peavy mean we pretty much have to sign Zito, or at least Meche?
Wow, if Peavy is dealt for anyone less than ARod I don’t want to even turn on 1090 for at least a week. And if we end up with Bonds too…
I bet if Peavy goes, Zito comes.
re 43: Peavy has thrown 200+ IP each of the past 2 seasons, you make it sound like he is Mark Prior
Oh, great idea. Let’s trade our staf ace for three players I would have no interest in if their names were mentioned individually in trade talks.
“Let’s lump three mediocre players together and see if they’ll bite” is what Schuerholz must be thinking.
I can’t wait to watch Horatio Ramirez start on Opening Day against the Bochy and the Giants. I can’t picture him telling Bud Black “just give me the ball and I’ll guarantee a win”. One Giles in the everyday lineup is one too many, but two is unbearable. A borderline catching prospect. Just what the doctor ordered.
Give me a break!
Sorry you’re right he’s not Mark Prior but it seems like everytime he has a bad game it’s because of his messed up elbow or his broken rib or because he got sick or he needs glasses. There is always excuses as to why he pitched badly and it’s really kinda annoying after a while. I like Peavy I like him a lot but at times all the excuses about his poor performances just wear me out.
50 – so….which side are you on? C’mon man, quit speaking in riddles – how do you really feel?!?!?
46.
You do realize he’s 22, right? .293 OBP is not good, but I’d rather it be coupled with a 22 yr old than a .320 OBP a 27 yr old SS (Khalil). I dunno.
Bill Shanks of The Braves Show reports that he traded emails with Jerry Crasnick, who states that he said nothing of the sort on ESPN Radio.
Settle down, folks.
I agree with KRS1, totally.
Every single game that he pitched badly, you just had to wait, because there was always a reason he was “just not right”. Those things all add up to a crappy season (understanding that his stats were actually pretty good outside of W/L) due to his propensity to not stay healthy.
Yes he’s 22- and his BA is going to go up to around .280 most likely. He’s still a below average offensive player for a corner outfielder.
I’d rather have Greene because of defensive position.
Look at it this way-there is only 1 FA ss that could reproduce Greene’s numbers, while there are at least 15 outfielders better then Francour.
54: You mean mlbtraderumors.com reported something that’s not going to happen. I’m shocked!
Re: 52
Me thinks Peavy is could bring this “big bat” they love to talk about.
How weird would it be if Barry Bonds and Mike Piazza were Padres?
Baseball – Reference
Most Similar Batters to Jeff Francouer through Age 22
Oh, and by the way, he’s a gold glove caliber fielder (top 3 in baseball)
Duke Snider (967) *
Curt Blefary (963)
Ellis Valentine (962)
Jack Clark (959)
Darryl Strawberry (959)
Willie Davis (958)
Willie Horton (955)
Grady Sizemore (952)
Max West (951)
Gus Bell (949
#13: Hey dprat, glad you “enjoyed” the tune.
The Peavy rumors continue to amuse me. They always follow the same formula: [team with money, tradition, or both] will send [player(s) that team no longer wants] to Padres for Peavy.
Honestly, these deals might make sense if the trading partner happened to have a team in, say, Columbus, Pawtucket, or Richmond.
re 60…through age 22 is a pretty small sample size, right? I mean, there are certainly a lot more divergent outcomes from comparables at age 22 than at age 28, right?
Salty:
2006: .230/.353/.380 w/ 18 2B, 1 3B, 9 HR and a 55/71 BB/SO ratio
2005: .314/.394/.519 w/ 35 2B, 1 3B, 19 HR and a 57/99 BB/SO ratio
He was injured a bit in ‘06 and I read somewhere that he “unlucky” as well (BA/BIP or something)…
He would immediately jump in as our #1 prospect (or at least #2)…
I’m not a big fan of this proposed Peavy rumor. You trade a star, you should get back a star. Not a good prospect, a crappy pitcher and a good ML player.
And I don’t care what anyone says about a “down” year in ‘06, the guy is a stud.
54: Even if Crasnick didn’t say this, it’s a nice to get fired up about something on an otherwise unremarkable Thursday in November.
Why is there a Jon Adkins add at the bottom of my page? I mean, how many jersey’s do I need with my favorite AAA relievers’ last names on the back?
The rumor is not true if Jerry Carsnick reported this is would be in ESPN’s Rumor section. I think someone posted this on the braves board a few days ago and people just ran with it.
I’m not opposed to trading Peavy but the return better be outstanding. You don’t trade him for potential (or prospects) when he’s under contract for a reasonable amount. That’s what makes him such an asset. Now if you could get A-Rod or someone like that, go ahead and do it. But to take a guy a year away from free agency, a Double A catcher who had a terrible year and a league average starter — that doesn’t make any sense.
I understand that Peavy has his issues — has been somewhat injury prone and isn’t exactly the greatest big game pitcher out there — and he probably looks better than he is because of the stadium — but that’s no reason to trade him. However, Horacio Ramirez is exactly the kind of pitcher they need to go after. Young, league average guys who look great since they pitch here then you turn around and trade them to fill holes on your team.
I think Salty-God how many terrible last names can one team have? would be a very good guy to look into. I’d certainly do Linebrink for Salty and Giles.
53: Khalil’s a shortstop, not a corner outfielder, though.
On another note, I’m in the process of evaluating every trade KT has made since becoming GM in Nov ‘95 (top and bottom 5 will make it into the book). I’ve gotten through calendar year 1999, and so far, using win shares as the primary basis for analysis, he’s looking real good.
I’m going on vacation next week, but I’ll try to put together a little something before then so we can have a better idea of what we’re talking about when we praise or criticize Towers for his past deals.
68
Sounds good to me. That’s pretty fair.
68: Now that would be a great trade.
Imagine having 2 Giles on one team?? Holy crap — the lockerroom would probably be nuts.
If I could bring the discussion back to Barry for a second…
I’ve lived in San Diego my whole life and have been a Padres fan for just as long, but I never villified Barry like other people have. I don’t know why. I don’t think the steroid accusations he’s had to endure are very fair, and he gets a lot of extremely harsh treatment from the media for being a jerk. True, nobody likes a jerk, but to a certain extent you just let people be who they are. I also think there are a lot more likely players, name players, who have used steroids, and for the most part they get off scot free. I just think Barry gets treated really badly by most people, and it’s no surprise that he’s a jerk back. And having him in San Diego would definitely make for an interesting season.
70: better you than me!
Geoff, are you independently wealthy or what?
If I tried a project like that I’d be fired and divorced, simultaneously.
70: Did you find a list of trades made by KT or are you scanning over years of “transactions?”
#74 – What is not fair about the accusation of someone who admits to using two prohibited substances, but claiming he didn’t know what they were? This from the one person in sports who knows the most about exactly what goes into his body. Just because he has never tested positive, doesn’t mean he isn’t guilty. Yes, there are all sorts of players who have used (are are probably still using) performance enhancing substances. When and if they are outed, I will just as vigorously decry them. I loved what Cammy did for the Padres until I found out he was a huge user of ‘roid’s. It broke my heart and made what he did seem meaningless to me.
I too was born and raised in SD and was Padre’s fan back when Freddy Kendall, Clay Kirby, Sixto Lezcano and number11Enzo….Hernannnnndezzzz were playing. I have suffered through alot of extremely bad teams, and bad management decisions. I just hope BB is not another one of them.
61: Geoff, I understand the Braves and the Red Sox, but who do you want from the Nationals? ^_~
re 77: We lived next door to ‘ol Sexto Lezcano in Tierrasanta back when we lived in SD…nice guy. Garry Templeton used to come over to his house to hang out – true story.
Bonds is a piece of crap. With or without the steroids. I don’t want to see him in a Padre uniform. I’d rather they bring Greg Vaughn out of retirement.
77
I’m not a Cammy apologist, but at least the guy was a good teammate. The fact that he owned up doesn’t make what he did any better, but . . . he did own up to it.
#80 – I agree that he did fess up and that says alot about the guy plus his teammates loved him. Still, that does not excuse his actions as you said. I was equally sad that he slid back into his dark pit and started (or continued) using crack and ultimately paid the eternal price for it.
Barroid on the other hand is about as arrogant and high-n-mighty (and reportedly dis-liked by most of his teammates) as they come.
http://www.metsblog.com/blog/_archives/2006/11/16/2504918.html
“There has been some confusion today over a rumor that was said to have started on ESPN Radio.
“However, according to ESPN Radio, no guest announced a potential deal between the Braves and Padres involving Jake Peavy during today’s broadcast.
“Also, I swapped e-mails with Jerry Crasnick, who states he did not report any such information, as well.”
…interesting… The deal actually made sense in a lot of ways. I wouldn’t be surprised if the two teams were working on something like that.
#83 – I like the “Fan Confidence Index” on the Metsblog..sort of like the Consumer Confidence measure. If we had something like that, you could have watched fan confidence crash right after the trade deadline, then slowly rise through Aug/Sep…fun stuff.
I can imagine KT calling Crasnik and yelling at him saying “Crasnik, I told you not to publish that yet. I said you would get first crack at the news, but not until I tell you it’s OK. Now, you may have jsut screwed up the deal I was trying to push through!”
82: Your favorite D-Ray, Baldelli, is supposedly being shopped for “premium” young pitching.
re 82-how does trading Peavy for those 3 make any sense at all?
Is Giles really that different from Walker?
Is Ramirez really that different from Thompson?
It makes a ton of sense for the Braves-would you expect the Twins to trade Santana to the Padres for Greene, Carillo and Hensley?
86: Giles is a good bit better than Walker.
86: And Peavy is no Santana.
Peavy is no Santana, but considering salaries I would think their values are closer then you might think.
86.
Like I said before… I LOVE Peavy but you’re out of your F-ING MIND if you think he is on the same level as Johan Santana! IMO and I am pretty sure there are some others that would agree with me but Santana is the best pitcher on the planet without a doubt. I think Jake definitely has the talent to become a top teir pitcher but he has a LONG way to go!
Let’s see….the proposed Peavy for Atlanta deal doesn’t give us an impact bat, doesn’t solve 2b for longer than this year, and makes our rotation substantially worse. Oh, and the players we receive cost more than Peavy, further reducing our ability to get the impact bat, solve 2b, or radically improve the rotation.
Sounds like a winner!
90: The comparison is simply to show how outrageously lopsided the Atlanta deal is. Peavy’s not Santana, but he is one of the 10 best pitchers in baseball, under control for the next 3 years. He’s easily the best player in the deal. Giles was bad this year, which means its a good time to buy low on him, not overpay. There’s no guarantee he’ll sign with us for what we want to pay a 2b, even with his bro in town. Ramirez is a generic 4th/5th starter. Salty has the same defensive question marks as Kottaras, with more power in his bat, but if he’s a corner OF he’s not that special and he’s a couple of years away.
You don’t use $100 bills to paper over holes in your walls.
Re #91 & 92 exactly
Well said, Tom.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that the Padres have offered Alou a one-year contract.
thats odd that cleveland is reporting that.
95: That works.
http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061116&content_id=1741979&vkey=hotstove2006&fext=.jsp
92.
I wasn’t saying I would do the trade. I just don’t buy the whole Peavy is the greatest thing argument that people keep making. He’s coming off of a bad year and starting to show some wear and tear at a pretty young age which I think makes his stock drop a lot more than people think.
98 – wonder for how much.
Do you think Alou can get a 2-year deal? I would expect a Piazza-like 1 yr w/ big option on yr #2 type deal.
Do the Padres really only have 18 players on the active roster?
6 starting position players, 1 extra catcher, 3 starting pitchers, 8 relief pitchers…
re 102 – we’re a very efficient team. Who needs the extra 7 guys taking up seats on the team plane, eating all the sunflower seeds, wasting all the hot water in the showers, etc? This is the wave of the future. Innings Played per player way up. Much more productive.
Id like to see Alou in a Padre Uni next year I just hope he is not the “big bat” I keep hearing about.
104: We could do worse.
Alou’s park-adjusted wOBA was the same as Cameron’s.
106: By the way, they both had a higher wOBA than Soriano.
#74: I really, really hope Bonds doesn’t come here. In the end, it probably wouldn’t make much difference, but I’d have a hard time cheering on the Padres while he wore their uniform.
#75: Independently wealthy? I wish.
#76: I used Baseball-Reference, starting here.
#78: Ah, the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate is moving. Learn something new every day, whether you want to or not.
With Alou, we have a pretty solid ineup:
RF Giles
CF Cameron
LF Alou
1B Gonzalez
C Bard
3B Kouzmanoff
SS Greene
I dunno. That looks like a pretty weak lineup to me. Who plays 2B for you? Loretta? Giles? Jody Reed?
What’s your B. stand for Richard?
Last year we had:
Roberts
Cameron
Giles
Piazza
Gonzalez
Greene
Castilla
Barfield
For Comparison
TEAM – # on Active Roster
Angels – 34
Astros – 30
A’s – 22
B-Jays – 26
Braves – 34
Brewers – 29
Cards – 21
Cubs – 35
D-Rays – 32
D-Backs – 31
Dodgers – 22
Giants – 26
Indians – 31
Mariners – 35
Marlins- 29
Mets – 25
Nationals – 33
Orioles – 27
Padres – 18
Phillies – 26
Pirates – 33
Rangers – 24
Red Sox – 28
Reds – 29
Rockies – 28
Royals – 33
Tigers – 27
Twins – 23
White Sox – 31
Yankees – 19
We’re even beating the Yankees!
111: Brian
110: It seems better than last year.
Giles is better than Roberts
Cameron is Cameron
Alou is better than Giles
Gonzalez is even with Piazza
Bard is a dropoff from Gonzalez
Kouz is an improvement from Greene
Greene is an improvement from Castilla
It wouldn’t be that hard to have an improvement over Barfield batting 8th.
So at least the Pads and Yankees are similar in one way. They both have a lot of signings to make this off-season.
113: That’s the 40 man roster.
117 No, this is the active roster. Info taken from each teams website.
40 man is always bigger than this but didn’t get that data.
117
So we can infer then, that the teams with upwards of 35 players on their rosters believe themselves to have pretty stocked farm systems?
For instance, for the Padres, Terrmel Sledge is on the 40-man, but not on the active roster, meaning he is not on the Major League squad at this point in time.
I don’t think there is a restriction on how many players a team can have on the active roster in the off-season.
118: I believe you, then.
Pads have 28 on their 40 man roster.
I think what it really shows is how weak the Padres are when it comes to depth for trading purposes. Compared to the Yankees who are super deep considering most of their players are big-name stars.
Re: #113 the padres roster is incorrect, Branyan is not on the active or 40 man roster.
Looking at the roster The padres have to gearing up to trade linebrink, there are 8 relivers on the roster at the moment not including Cassidy and Sweeny. I still think the Giles / Linebrink deal is still being looked at KT is just trying to get another player.
I’d love to see a Linebrink + LeBlanc/Ramos or another young arm for Giles and Saltamacchia. We need a young catcher and Linebrink is worth more than Giles. Towers would have to eat some crow to have come out in the paper two days ago and said “We’re not going to trade Linebrink for Giles” and then come back and do it. We need something else in that deal.
GM’s lie to the press all the time, its thier job, they cant show thier hand like that.
BTW, Brian Sweeney elected to become a free agent, so I don’t think he’s coming back.
Meanwhile, down on the Farm … Will Venable is hitting .325 in Hawaii … just hit his 1st HR yesterday (per email from BA) … Jared Wells, meanwhile, has a 5.28 ERA in the AFL …
Paul, stealing my idea on the Salty-Giles trade…
Paul & I also discussed Giles or Durham for 2B… And yes FF (110) that is a lot better lineup…
You know what I like down on the farm? Sheep.
Y’know, Alou had a considerably higher wOBA than Soriano…
133: Among available outfielders, Alou had the highest park-adjusted wOBA (and his was adjusted down).
What is Alou’s park-adjusted wOBA while he’s on the Disabled List or on the bench? I bet it’s pretty low.
I’ve always liked Alou, but when talking about possible acquisitions for starters, it would be wise to consider their chances of ending up on the DL and the depth the Pads have at that position.
Fun fact … well, it’s not fun that Johnny Sain died recently … but the fun fact I learned about him is that he was the last pitcher to face Babe Ruth … that’d be fun to have your resume, wouldn’t it?
(note: this is per Time magaine … which said this in their most recent issue …
Johnny Sain, 89, right-handed pitcher for the Boston Braves immortalized in a rhyme turned national catchphrase; in Downers Grove, Ill. Sain, the last pitcher to face Babe Ruth, and Braves left-hander Warren Spahn were deemed so crucial to the team’s successful campaign for the 1948 National League pennant that a lyric was born: “Spahn and Sain, pray for rain.” Sain later became a visionary teacher, stressing the mental side of pitching and inspiring accolades from players like Jim Bouton, who dubbed him “the greatest pitching coach who ever lived.”
… but it’s not obvious what it means … since Ruth’s last MLB season was 1935 and Sain’s first was 1942 … anyone understand this???)
135: I don’t recall saying that I thought he was overall more valuable than Soriano. Relative to what we’d likely have to pay them, he probably is though.
137: Agreed. For the contract Soriano wants, I’d much rather take a chance on a short deal with Alou — even if he is 39 and prone to injury. The chances the Pads will seriously pursue Soriano are almost non-existent, anyway.
The bigger question is if Alou (or Bonds) does get injured — and the chances are pretty good they’ll spend some time on the bench or DL — how much will another vacant power slot (like 3B last year) affect the Pads? Or is Branyan-Sledge a viable option to play LF for 3 months? To me, Alou-Branyan-Sledge doesn’t sound that bad. The price is right, and we’d have money to go after a starter or 2B.
If you were a betting man, who do you see in LF for the Pads next year? My guess is Alou.
138: I expect Alou and barring the ability to sign a bigger name to a reasonable contract, it’s the move I want to see.
Branyan and Sledge are capable of holding down left field for a couple months.
How about this for a realistic & high-upside lineup:
Durham
B. Giles
Alou
Gonzalez
Cameron
Bard
Kouzmanoff
Greene
???
The way to beat Bruce Bochy is to take the players he inherits.
…only the good ones…
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/baseball/mlb/san_francisco_giants/16034357.htm
“…[Durham] is seeking a contract in the two-year, $18 million range.”
That’s incredibly reasonable for a guy who put up a .293/.360/.538 season at 34 years old.
I don’t expect him to maintain the power spike, but he has hit 17, 12, and 26 the last three years and his career numbers are .281/.354/.443
http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=MLB&id=2312&line=196772&spln=1
The Padres are reportedly interested in Nomar Garciaparra, Ray Durham and Todd Walker to fill their second-base vacancy.
144: That’s good news.
I like Alou and Nomar but the Pads had better hit a lot of 2Bs. With their overall lack of speed, it might take 4 singles to get a run home next year.
Durham at $9 mil., even if it is only two years, sounds steep. Walker and Meche (or similar) might be a better choice.
BTW, any news on Chan Ho? I wouldn’t mind seeing him as the 4th starter. I’d love for Woody to come back, but sounds like he’s in Houston already. Estes will get a shot in the spring, but who knows how that’ll turn out. If he makes the team, would be nice to have him as a #4,5.
On baseball prospectus today:
Top 5 2006 NL Catchers, by VORP (2006-11-15)
Player Team EqA VORP
Brian McCann ATL .321 54.8
Michael Barrett CHN .295 31.3
Josh Bard SDN .328 29.7
Paul Lo Duca NYN .276 27.2
Mike Piazza SDN .292 26.7
Last year might have been a one year fluke for Bard, but it sure as hell was a good one.
I don’t care if it’s a ukelele or a sousaphone, I gotta have more cowbell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
144: I would be very, very worried about Nomar’s health and durability at 2B.
136: In 1943 Sain was pitching for a military team that played an exhibition game at Yankee Stadium against a team of major leaguers managed by Ruth. In the fifth inning, Ruth decided to pinch hit. ^_^ He walked. ^_^
150 – now THAT’S a value-added post! Nice job Kelly.
Sullivan’s column today on Bonds…only interesting piece is that Bonds and Bud Black have a cordial relationship dating to their time as teammates on the Giants in ‘93-94. News to me.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/sullivan/20061117-9999-1s17sullivan.html
I honestly don’t think I can cheer for the Pads if Bonds comes here. Since he would likely be on a one-year deal, I could probably take a year off and come back in ‘08. Might be good for me, who knows?
#146 I think I remember reading that Estes isn’t expected back until mid season next year due to the surgery. If he is signed by the Pads and he comes back, it won’t be right away.
Any free agents that Black might have close ties to?
Weaver, I guess…
http://www.latimes.com/sports/printedition/la-sp-dodgers17nov17,1,7454248.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-sports&ctrack=1&cset=true
Garciaparra likely to re-sign w/ the Dogs today. Strike one for the 2B hole…
I bet it’s going to be Walker at 2b. But I’d rather have Loretta.
I guess the fair-skinned Giles would be nice too, assuming we’re not doing some ludicrous trade involving Peavy.
I bet you’re right. We already know the KT loves the guy’s bat, and despite his defensive shortcomings last year he did hit alright I believe. At least not poorly enough to change KT’s perception I would think.
I would still rather have Ray Druham. Sure, he probably won’t hit anywhere near .293/.360/.538 next year…the power #s probably taking the most severe dip of course, but he’s been remarkably durable, only logging one season (2003) with
Ringolsby reports that the Giants have a pair of 3 year/30 million dollar offers out—to Gary Matthews and Juan Pierre. I hope that one of those guys accepts (they’d seem to be crazy not to). The Giants have the potential to be awfully bad next year if one of those two is their prize free-agent acquisition.
(ok, last post got cut short somehow)
end of that should have been:
…he’s been remarkably durable, only logging one season (2003) with fewer than 500 PA’s in 12 years in the bigs.
Walker isn’t bad I suppose, but his range sucks.
I can live with Walker if we sign Counsell as a infield backup though. I could live with it then. Would be nice to have a plus defender to plug in at either SS or 2B when necessary.
I do worry about all of the lefties we have. We need a right handed power source either in the lineup or off the bench. Maybe Knott would get consideration as a backup 1B/LF/RF, since at the moment all of our starters there are lefty.
Clayton (152), “I honestly don’t think I can cheer for the Pads if Bonds comes here.” – I’m with you 100% on that one. Paul R. brought up a good point on the phone w/ me yesterday. Baseball is such a “soul” game (not in a soul-music kind of way, but in its links to history) that getting a guy w/ the negative baggage that Bonds has would be bad for our “soul.”
I’ll be honest, I want to do what it takes to win. However as a parent to raise kids in today’s society. I don’t want kids to deduce that it’s ok to cheat to win.
Oops. Should be:
I’ll be honest, I want to do what it takes to win. However as a parent trying to raise kids in today’s society. I don’t want my kids to deduce that it’s ok to cheat to win.
re 161 – yep. Luckily Bonds isn’t 27 anymore. If he blights the Padres dugout, it will only be for a year, though erasing the stain from our collective memory would take a lot longer…
161: Agreed. Now try to explain to kids why Orange-Giles’s power has dropped since steroid restrictions have tightened….
164 – and “Why is Brian Giles’ skin orange, Daddy?”
re 164-Because he moved from a ballpark that increases LHB HR by 40% to one that suppresses it by 40% combined with the fact that as people age they become worse baseball players?
re 166: correct me if I’m wrong, and I’m too busy to go look this up, but aren’t his road power #s significantly down as well? Would that be the much-discussed “Petco effect” forcing him to change his swing altogether?
Tracy Ringolsby, who is never wrong, writes today that the Pads are seriously pursuing Bonds.
• San Diego is making a serious run at free-agent outfielder Barry Bonds, but club officials are convinced Bonds eventually will return to San Francisco, comparing it with right-hander Trevor Hoffman last year when Hoffman flirted with the Indians before re-signing with the Padres.
168: I hope this is just KT trying to drive up the price for a division rival. I understand that Bonds has been singled out on the steroids issues where so many others have been allowed to skate by both media and fans. So it’s not so much that issue that bothers me. It’s the verbally abusive, chip-on-his shoulder, arrogant, bad teammate rap – and I don’t think all of that is a media invention. Great ballplayer, maybe best batter I’ll ever see – still would hate to see him in a Padres uni ’cause I don’t want to be hoping that a player on my Padres goes 0-4 and makes two errors every game ’cause he’s a jerk and deserves it.
wow the Astros have been buys.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2665078
Offers out to both Lee and Sorianio, and are talking to Woody.
#167: You are correct, Clayton:
2005:
home: .289/.403/.440
road: .306/.431/.501
2006:
home: .263/.378/.384
road: .264/.369/.410
re: 150 … THANKS, KELLY!!!
Another topic that facinates me is the Rox Humidor … here’s an update … http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Atup2I00Zv53qJ7n4NNPOjURvLYF?slug=jp-humidor111606&prov=yhoo&type=lgns … hmmm, humidors all around? A steroid-combatant? Pitchers revenge?
I’m a little surprised to see so many of you who would have trouble rooting for Barry if he were a Padre. I really couldn’t care less. I root for whoever has an S and a D on their hat, regardless of anything else.
re 172: my favorite conspiracy theory in baseball is the humidor one…it says that when the Rockies play a team they know they have a power advantage over, they use balls that were not in the humidor (since they’ll win a shoot-out), and use the humidor balls when they are at a power disadvantage (weaken the opponent’s strength). You can’t prove this isn’t happening unless MLB starts monitoring the humidor 24/7…and they are investigating whether to require this of all teams?
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’ve given my reasons for disliking Bonds over at Knuckle Curve. That kind of insubordination isn’t needed in anyone’s clubhouse.
173: Me, too. I’m a Padres fan first and a fan of individual players second. A distant second. I’ve never hated Bonds because of his use of steroids. I don’t care about steroids. I hated him because he plays for the Giants and regularly beats my Padres. If Alderson, Towers & DePo think Bonds is the answer in left, then I’d accept him being there.
I never liked Piazza, but I didn’t boo when he hit home runs this year.
174: That’s clever. That’s “good” cheating right there. Imagine the humidor being used at PetCo. The deadball era all over again.
Peter: how is Bonds different from Sheffield for you? It does seem like a different case for me, but, outside of Bonds playing for a division rival and killing us for so long, their cases aren’t particularly different. Sheffield used steroids, is a horrible teammate, and is old and fragile.
178: Bonds is a four-letter word around here.
Ben B. First, Sheff isn’t that fragile. He was hurt in a way anyone would be hurt, when he was tripped at first and crashed onto his wrist… Other than last year, he played 154-5 games the last 3 years…
But beyond that, you got me…
180: Maybe it’s because you fear that Leitner really would resign.
Speaking only for myself, Bonds occupies a whole other realm of distaste. If my personal second most-hated baseball player (I’m not even sure who that is to tell you the truth) signed with the Pads, I’d be ok with it, be interested to see how he meshes with the other guys, be interested to read the treacly Canepa or Sullivan columns talking about how reformed he is and how misunderstood he’s been in the past, etc.
Not Bonds
Those same things would induce in me a need to vomit and take a shower. He is, by leaps and bounds, the most repugnant athlete outside of OJ that I know of. I can see myself taking a one-year hiatus from the Padres on principle for this, and I’ve been a loyal Padre fan since I was old enough to know what baseball was, staying true through over 20+ years of not even living in San Diego!
He can’t sign with another team fast enough. I don’t care if he re-ups with Giants or signs with LA, Colorado or Arizona, just get him off KT’s radar screen, pronto!
re: 173, 176
I would not have much of a problem with Bonds coming to the Padres either. As Jerry Seinfeld says, we’re cheering for laundry.
Of course, in the past, this hasn’t been true for me. I switched from the Dodgers to the Padres when Garvey switched teams. If the Padres would have let Gwynn finish his career elsewhere, I would have disowned them.
But the villianization of Bonds is a little much. He is not the problem. The fact that baseball was poorly run and had no testing was the problem. Plus, steriods were not against the rules for some time (I forget when they finally made that a rule.)
The last thing I want to do is start a steroid discussion on here, but steroid-users are trying. Players like Soriano aren’t trying when their in the outfield. And when people call Bonds the anti-christ and other extreme things, their argument becomes out of proportion and thus makes it look like a witch hunt and works against them because it makes Bonds the good guy. Not really, but much closer to one.
I have pondered the steroid issue for a while now. It raises it over-sized head again, looking at the potential of a Bonds to the Pads signing.
The first question I thought about was whether it was cheating since there was no baseball “rule” against it. I think, given the fact that steroids were illegally controlled substances, you’d have to agree it’s cheating. Second, though, cheating has always been acceptable in baseball, with stealing signs, doctored baseballs, even the humidor issue discussed in #174. Ty Cobb and his sharpened cleats and Gaylord Perry and his vaseline are HOF’rs. If cheating in baseball is an accepted practice, then why is the steroid issue the big deal?
The only thing I can come up with is that steroids is the type of thing that alters the person playing the game, as opposed to it implements. It taints the records of the game, long held hallow, by changing a person’s physical abilities, as opposed to say, corking a bat.
Two of my sons have come down on the two sides of Barry Bonds. The oldest saying, “I hate Barry Bonds and he’s ruined baseball.” My youngest, on the other hand, said, “Dad, if I could take a pill that would make me the best batter in the history of baseball, I don’t doubt that I would do it.”
Given that, would I give a Ted Leitner rant about Barry Bonds’ coming to San Diego? Probably not, although I would feel pretty squeamish and uncomfortable.
183: I would argue that the fact that MLB did not have an explicit steroid policy is not the same as saying “steroids were not against the rules.” I doubt MLB has a rule about gunning down an opposing relief pitcher–that doesn’t make it “not against the rules” because it’s just plain old illegal. Taking controlled/prescription drugs without a medical prescription is illegal, in or out of MLB.
I agree that not having appropriate testing–blood testing–is part of the problem. Not gonna touch the “trying” comment though…
Here’s the thing about the “It’s illegal” argument. Drugs like cocaine have always been illegal. But in the 1970s and 80s, baseball had a big drug problem. Dave Parker, Keith Hernandez, Dwight Gooden, Steve Howe, etc. Baseball had a very soft drug policy, giving Howe eight chances or something. They didn’t care that it was illegal.
Those players weren’t distorting the game by increasing their numbers, but they were hurting it by decreasing their numbers. Wouldn’t baseball have been better off had Parker not derailed a Hall of Fame career or if Gooden had won 20 games a few more times?
184: Not controlling for steroids creates an uneven playing field where individuals have to consider illegal substances with possible long-term health consequences if they want to compete. That’s what I’ve got against it. Plus, you can “catch” most other forms of cheating, but without better testing you can’t catch steroid use.
#187: If I gave a different impression, I apologize. I am glad for the testing that exists and glad that it evens the playing field, except for the HGH issue. I am fine with the existing penalties. It would have been nice to have those in place years ago. But, I think the cheating issue with corked bats and doctored baseballs have the same sort of uneven playing field effect, since those who adopt the purity of the game have an uneven playing field with those that use a brown pine tar spot on the palm of their pitching hand while pitching in the post-season or corked bats.
On top of the ‘roids things, he’s beyond just a jerk. Look at how he’s letting his “good friend” Greg Anderson rot in jail on his behalf. From reading “Game of Shadows” plus the hundreds of articles basically saying the same thing, Bonds is despicable.
The 24/7 news cycle just makes it visible…if you could switch places between Bonds and Ty Cobb, but keep their offenses the same somehow, Cobb would be the one vilified for his racist points of view and intent to injure on the field (can’t you just see those 2 idiots on Cold Pizza arguing for weeks on end about Cobb’s latest racist comments?). Bonds would probably skate by, since the other players wouldn’t rat on him and the sportswriters of the day were enablers, not exposers.
188: Oh, no apology–I wasn’t disagreeing, just expounding a little on the statement that it alters the person instead of the implements. I’m sure it’s frustrating to pitch clean and see guys out there who use pine tar, but the boost that steroids give you is both so comprehensive and so dangerous that I find it a lot more worrisome. Until reading Game of Shadows I hadn’t really thought as much about the effects on players other than the Bonds-like figures. The most eye-opening part of that book for me had nothing to do with Bonds; it was the description of a pitcher using steroids and achieving something previously impossible for him: waking up the day after pitching and not being in pain.
No Bonds in Padres’ uniform, please.
It’s part of the fun to be able to boo him on an opposing team.
Late to the conversation…the baseball coverage in Panama is very light, outside of Carlos Lee, and all in Spanish. Makes it hard to keep up.
Baseball’s Commish Bart Giomatti sent a letter to all teams/players in 1990 letting everyone know that the use of anabolic steroids were against the rules. Seems to me that would make them, well, against the rules. Just because they did not have a testing policy does not mean that they were okay to use.
Couple that with Bonds being a potential distraction and I would have a tough time cheering for him.
OTOH, he has a chance to break 755 (Unfortunately) and would be wonderful exposure for the Padres. Might actually be able to generate a national following of some sort. Overall might be great for the organization. No such thing as bad press, right?!!
Off topic…but how GREAT is this offseason already? I am sitting in the airport in Houston, talking with 3 different people about the Padres. Enjoy this winter boys and girls. We probably won’t have another one like it in a while.
181 – You mean if we sign Bonds we lose Lietner? SIGN BONDS NOW!!! I’ll worry about how to explain it to my kids later. Thanks I hadn’t thought of that!!!
Wo-hoo!!!
The last word on Barry Bonds for me has little to do with his cheating. He has ZERO respect for others yet demands respect for himself. He is ego-centric and selfish to a ridiculous degree. He is racist without reason to be; Bonds never lived under ghetto conditions; he grew up in a solid middle class white neighborhood yet lays claim to be as disadvantaged by the prejudice of others as though he grew up in Cabrini-Green.
He has NEVER shown coinsideration for the majority of his teammates or benefactors. He regards what Greg Anderson is doing for him as his right and his due…he barely shows gratitude to a man that is literally going to jail for him.
The issue of steroids does not create my dislike of Barry Bonds…it merely gives it a focal point to use for nicknames.
Anyone hearing/reading any buzz on Randy Wolf? Are the Phils going to re-sign him? He’s a pretty good amount of time removed from TJ surgery, so he should be back to being a solid lefty starter next year. Wondering if the Pads can get him for cheap…
Here’s the latest of Padres.com on the Arizona league performance of our new 3rd baseman.
“Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3B — Kouzmanoff came over to the Padres’ organization on Nov. 8 as part of the trade that sent second baseman Josh Barfield to the Cleveland Indians. Kouzmanoff was playing for the AFL’s Peoria Javelinas at the time of the trade, and he will remain with the club through the remainder of the season (although he will now wear a Padres uniform as opposed to an Indians one). This week, the California native went 3-for-11 with a double and an RBI and is now batting .382 (21-for-55) on the season.”
I don’t know that Wolf would come cheap, but I would like to see the Padres take a flyer on him if they can’t get Zito. I would imagine that he will be in the same price range as Eaton, Padilla, etc.
#175 – That is exactly why I think he would ruin our clubhouse and the main reason I do not want in a Padres uniform.
#183, #192 – I thought ANY performance enhancing substance was against the rules whether specified or not.
#194 – Peter, I hope that was TIC
#195 – My sentinents exactly.
Keep da bum outta here!
195.
Rich Campbell… Let me start off by saying that I HATE Barry Bonds but just because Bonds grew up in a “solid middle class white neighborhood” means nothing. “Middle class white” people don’t exactly have a clean record when it comes to racism if you know what I mean. Just as the same goes for growing up in ghetto conditions does not make you a racist or give you more cause to be nor would that be a viable excuse for me to understand why someone is racist. In trying to make a point about Bonds you made yourself look more than just a little ignorant.
Other than that I agree with you Bonds is an ass. I could really care less about the steroids though. But I also think there is no way Anderson is not collecting checks from Bonds every time he gets spooned by a new cell mate. He’s got to be paid off!
#200 – how much $ would it take for YOU to go to jail for me and have your name absolutely trashed for the rest of your life?
Do you make $18 million a year?
I don’t know what my number would be PF4L but being paid to have my name trashed sounds better then not getting paid to have my name trashed.
re: 200
KRS1…I suggest you check my background before you assume knowledge of my intentions.
Mr. Bonds makes statements as though he has faced great challenges due to the circumstances under which he was raised and he exhibits behavior based on his “credibility” in that area. But his childhood is far from the typical experience for a person of color in his generation. For him to act otherwise is insulting to those who actually overcame the barriers that were moved out of his way because of where he grew up and who his father was. That is the relevance of the neighborhood he grew up in. I
You reacted to one adjective in my post. Strongly, I might add. I don’t feel I deserved it. You are assuming an awful lot there…
200: I would need about $7M.
LOL @ Richard -
Yes, tongue in cheek – showing dislike for “Uncle Teddy”
Wolf or Eaton, hopefully not Padilla…don’t really think that guy has his head on straight. I do think we’ll end up with one of those first two rather than someone like Zito.
204.
Things often appear to be a certain way from the outside but when it really comes down to it you know nothing about his personal life or the way he grew up. Yeah it’s easy to say he was a rich kid and everything must have been perfect but how do you really know. Everyone has problems reguardless of their social class or the neighborhood they grew up in.
I would rather not see Bonds in SD, but a one-year deal wouldn’t be the end of the world. He’s going to play for someone next year, so it may as well be the Pads. It would make the year very interesting, if nothing else. And if Leitner and his Hummer have to go, all the better. Still, the chances of Bonds coming to SD are very slim. I’d say about they’re about the same as Zito signing with the Padres.
So, so far this offseason the Pads have got a 3B with a good bat, so-so power and below average defense, and they have strengthened the bullpen marginally. They traded away BJohnson and their starting 2B, both guys other clubs were happy to get their hands on.
How would we like the $30 mil. to be spent?
Me: Alou, Schmidt and Meche, maybe pick up Counsell. All short deals (2-yrs. or less), with Meche maybe getting 3 yrs. Gives us Branyan, Sledge, and Alou as LF options, two starters and an ace in the 4th spot if Schmidt stays healthy, and back up at 2B for Walker. And it doesn’t tie the Pads hands long-term or to go after someone at the All-Star break.
re:208. Very true. I’m reacting to second hand knowledge, and that is always dangerous. I could be way off base.
My gut reaction to either Wolf or the return of Adam Eaton is pretty positive. It would be interesting to see if Adam’s experience of being traded away mad an impact on his psyche as regards to listening to coaching. Certainly you would think that either of them would just love having Petco as their home park.
Also…if Adam returns as a free agent, that makes the trade with Texas last winter possibly the most lopsided deal in franchise history.
I can’t imagine that Schmidt will sign less than a 4 yr deal, maybe, in this market, even five.
I don’t think anyone gets Jason Schmidt on a two year deal without it being a large difference in the yearly salary. Very large.
Enough people need pitching, he can get a longer deal…
I like the idea of Alou. I think he could be a great fit, depending on who else we get…
Re 211-12:
You are right about the value of starting pitching, but it sounds like Schmidt only wants to play on the West Coast, preferably Seattle (or SF). The Angels seem to have other plans for their money (Zito, a bat), SF may let him walk if he wants a multi-year deal (he isn’t going to bring them the Series with their current team) , and I haven’t heard anything on the Dodgers wanting to pick him up. That leaves Seattle, and they have some big contracts already and a long-term deal on a pitcher with health issues doesn’t seem like the move that will bring them the division title.
So two years (maybe an option with a buyout) at 10 mil. might entice Schmidt to sign with the reigning division champs. SD is a nice place to play and live during the season, Petco is a pitcher’s park, and the Pads have a much better chance of winning next year than the Mariners — and Schmidt is not getting any younger. May be his last chance to get a ring. Then again, I’m kind of talking out of my a**, so he could sign a 5 yr. deal with the Mets.
If the Pads even have to go three years, no way we will sign him.
Re: Schmidt (From SI.com)
OK throw LA in the mix, too.
“It looks like the Mariners will have serious company in their pursuit of top right-handed free-agent Jason Schmidt. The Dodgers are expected to join in the hunt, and the Yankees are another possibility.
Schmidt’s handlers have been fighting an uphill battle to dispel the notion that he very much wants to remain on the West Coast. The Mets aren’t convinced and are focusing elsewhere (Barry Zito), while the Yankees, said by one official to “love” Schmidt, also are skeptical as to whether Schmidt would move 2,500 miles. This perception could end up costing Schmidt and making him the one true bargain among front-line starters in a free-agent market that’s been described as “white hot” by excited agents.”
Interesting discussion of free agents and “market price.”
210 – concerning Eaton returning and how that Texas trade looks – I totally agree, but we would have to factor in the higher cost for Eaton on the return swing, but still it nets out to basically:
Akinori Ostuka +
(1 year w/o Eaton) +
several million dollars
-for-
Adrian Gonzalez
Chris Young
Adam Eaton
I’d do that 7 days a week and twice on sunday.
From mlbtraderumors.com, this article is claiming that Alou is about to sign with the Mets on a 1 year/$8 million deal:
http://www.listin.com.do/cuerpos/deporte/dep8.htm
If true that’s another LF option off the market. Our options seem to be:
Lee (too risky)
Soriano (too expensive)
Burrell
Dunn
Drew (Boston bound)
Bonds (ugh)
Burrell and Dunn would be ok if we don’t have to give up the farm. Who else is available?
Trot Nixon? David Dellucci? Peavy and Linebrink to ATL for Giles and Jones?
My choice for LF for next season is Burrell – let’s face it, with the 40 year old Alou signing for 8 million, 13 million for Burrell is a bargain. The market is just way out of wack right now. If we could get him for a spare part – say, Mcanulty or Mike Thompson – I would do it in a minute. His numbers last season, which was widely viewed as a disappointment : 29HR/ 95RBI 98BB .258/.388/.502, with an OPS of 124 – his OPS was 24%better than the league. And the Phils want to give him away. I say we take Burrell, even if it costs us Linebrink, then go after Zito with Meche or Eaton as the fallback. (I know, Eaton…ugh). I don’t trust Meche or Padilla, and I really doubt Estes will ever be a decent major league pitcher ever again. The history of junkballers who have had TJ surgery coming back and being successful is pretty meager. This is my ideal lineup right now:
C:Bard (But, boy, that Piazza option looks better every day, doesn’t it? I just hope he doesn’t end up on a division rival)
1B:Gonz
2b:Durham (but I’d be fine with Loretta or Counsell if we get Burrell)
ss:Greene
3B:Kouzmanoff/Branyan
LF:Burrell
CF”Cameron
RF:Giles
SP:Peavy, Young, Hensley, Zito, Thompson
1B:
Re: 217 wow the mets over paid
I forgot Manny Ramirez in my list.
I agree on Burrell. I don’t understand why Philly is so down on him but then again Philly fans are not the most rational people sometimes.
Good point on the Piazza option, I bet he’ll sign for more than that with some other team. Word is Oakland is after him as a DH. I’d be really surprised to see him back.
No one seems to want Bonds but Bud Black had good things to say about him recently. If we sign him, foam rubber syringes could replace the inflatable shillelagh as next year’s hottest gimmick.