More Ken Rosenthal

Ken Rosenthal has been working overtime, posting a second column tonight.  To summarize:

• The Astros plan on keeping their relief core of Brad Lidge, Chad Qualls, Dan Wheeler, and Trever Miller, despite interest from the Red Sox in Lidge and Qualls.
• In Marcus Thames, Chris Shelton, and Ramon Santiago, the Tigers appear to have a surplus of players.  However, Rosenthal spoke to another team's exec who thinks the trio will stay with the club.  It's nice to have depth.  Speaking of which, top pitching prospect Andrew Miller will start his season in A ball but could make an impact in the second half.
• The Cubs and Rangers would like to add shortstop Clint Barmes as a utility man (might even make sense for the Cubs to start him).  The Rox still like Barmes though and may keep him around as a 2B option for '08.  Rosenthal mentions the Royals as another fit for Barmes.  The Royals need a shortstop like the Marlins need a center fielder.
• The Dodgers want to add a right-handed slugger.  Assuming the price tag on Rocco Baldelli remains too high, L.A. could go after Kevin Mench or Reggie Sanders.  The Royals would love to get rid of Sanders or Emil Brown.  The O's have some mild interest in Sanders.  I guess the offseason helped the Dodgers and Orioles forget that Sanders is 39, makes $5MM, and posted a .729 OPS last year.

Comments

[Guitar Hero]

WHy do the dodgers want to waste their farm system? THey could play Loney, Laroche, Kemp, Ethier...yet they sign Garciaparra, Luis Gonzalez, and look for another OF?

[grumpy3b]

I seriously doubt that Rosenthal knows dick about that the Dodgers are up to...an example is how he states that because the Dodgers were "interested" in Reggie Saunders in 2005 they are still interested in him. GOOD GAWD...that was when the PUDster was in charge and we all know how well that went.

And Kevin Mench? Ummm, why? He brings NOTHING they do not already have.

The same goes for the other article where he mentions Kim. Unless it is a swap for Hendrickson then he is of no use either. Plus that is one seriously over rated player.

While it would make sense to try and bring in an establish bat, maybe, this is not the spreadsheet version play by the PUDster...Colletti wants REAL players not over the hill cling-ons or your guys he can have a man-crush on as the PUDster did with Hee-Sop Choy...and as a fan I not worried that Colletti has any of these asinine deals in mind.

[DG]

Rosenthal has been super quiet this winter at least in comparison to last year when he seemed to have every player move pegged before it happened.

I don't get why the Dodgers don't play their prospects at this point either. But it seems generally hard for most higher payroll teams to give over major league starter spots to rookies these days. As if major league adequate somehow trumps untested but higher potential!

[bravesbeast]

The idea to bring an established veteran bat is your simple make-an-attepmt-to-win-now-to-satisfy-the-fans-yet-not-put-the-future-in-jeopardy-move, one in which the dodgers have routinely done. If the dodgers could find one more bat, and i think Rios,Baldelli, or Dunn would be the most enticing, they have a legit of winning the west. I mean the dodgers did it last year as well, when some of the trades they made were smart (getting wilson betemit for willy aybar) and some of the trades were questionable (Julio Lugo, when they already had enough infield pieces, for joel guzman). I am one who says if the dodgers are gonna make a move, make it for a guy who you can bank on being a part of your outfield in the future, and baldelli or rios will not the farm, but will require more than of course reggie sanders would. Trading for baldelli, rios, dunn makes sense to me when I consider that mindset, while trading for sanders or mench does not seem to favor the Dodgers at all.

[OPERATIONSHUTDOWN]

As an observer of the Astros FO in the Purpura era, I can tell you this much:

1. The Astros aren't afraid to play a pat hand, they seem to prefer it and deal at the deadline.
2. They can be unpredictable (shopping Oswalt? trading Hirsh?) and that makes media speculation somewhat worthless.

I wouldn't rule out a trade of Lidge, but Houston doesn't see itself as having many needs right now and is expecting to be overwhelmed.

[OPERATIONSHUTDOWN]

As an observer of the Astros FO in the Purpura era, I can tell you this much:

1. The Astros aren't afraid to play a pat hand, they seem to prefer it and deal at the deadline.
2. They can be unpredictable (shopping Oswalt? trading Hirsh?) and that makes media speculation somewhat worthless.

I wouldn't rule out a trade of Lidge, but Houston doesn't see itself as having many needs right now and is expecting to be overwhelmed.

[boomshwa12]

i would think the astros would be inquiring about clint barmes as well. even after a so so year he'd be better than adam everett offensively. idk if there's anybody who is everett's equivalent defensively r/n but i'm sick of watching him suck at the plate. if barmes is a capable shortstop then why couldn't they ship maybe qualls to the rox for barmes?