Rosenthal Tidbits

Ken Rosenthal has recent columns up here and here, as always they are excellent reads.  Ken always manages to get some intriguing quotes from scouts and provide his own insight.

• Rosenthal makes a strong case for Roger Clemens joining the Red Sox.  He describes a Catch-22 - a team's need for Clemens increases as its pitching struggles, but Clemens doesn't want to join a struggling team.  If he really wants to play for the team most likely to win a World Series, the Astros might be out.
• Although Eric Gagne looked strong in his inning against Seattle, it'd take a lot to pry away Akinori Otsuka from Texas.  Otsuka is signed through 2009.  Rosenthal thinks the Rangers would only deal him for a young center fielder.  Not too many teams have young center fielders to spare.  The Devil Rays, maybe, but they don't need Otsuka right now.
• Rosenthal doesn't see the sense in a Brad Lidge to the D-Rays type of deal, and expects the Astros to try to restore the reliever's confidence somehow.
• One of Rosenthal's scout friends contends that Chad Cordero would not hold up in the American League.  Fantasy leaguers, take note.
• The two April trades that seemed likely to go down, involving Jose Capellan and Byung-Hyun Kim, seem unlikely currently.  I'm surprised about Capellan...maybe Doug Melvin's demands are too high.

Comments

[quintjs]

I would really like to know the Red Sox's actual level of interest in signing Clemens when it comes time.

They have Schilling, Beckett, Matsuzaka, Wakefield and Tavarez. Lester is coming back before Clemens, and Kason Gabbard and Devorn Hansack are doing well in AAA. And there is Kyle Snyder.

The need really isn't there to justify 12-14million for a 6inning pitcher.

Couldn't they just give the 14million to another ballclub with a player or two, and get another bat, which is pretty much what they really need? Or another reliever, or both?

If the Twins fall off, would they turn down some cash for Hunter? Cash, Santana, Nathan?

And isn't there a whole most likely to make a World Series component to this? If the Astros go on a bit of the run in their division/WC race, the NL playoffs would probably be easier to win than the AL version, without factoring in making it to the playoffs.

[quintjs]

And on Otsuka, I never understood why Texas would even want to trade him.

[ArodSucksAtLife]

"Rosenthal doesn't see the sense in a Brad Lidge to the D-Rays type of deal, and expects the Astros to try to restore the reliever's confidence somehow.
One of Rosenthal's scout friends contends that Chad Cordero would not hold up in the American League. Fantasy leaguers, take note. "

Holy crap are you saying that Ken Rosenthal actually uses or knows people that use common sense??? No f*&king way.... that is crazy.

[RotoAuthority]

Eh come on, that stuff is only common sense to you because you've heard it in the media.

Quint - I believe the Commissioner's office places a limit on the amount of cash in a deal. Like a few mil or something.

[quintjs]

Tim, i assumed the same thing, I still think you can use some money though.

Can you really see the Twins turning down a million or two this year?

My point really was is Clemens the best use of Boston's time and money at this stage.

[DunkinDonuts]

I know of one team that can spare a young centerfielder. Red Sox .

[NYCBaseball]

Clemens wants to be in the spotlight, and yes, he would be in Boston, but I can't see him sharing the stage with Dice-K, Beckett, and especially Shilling.
Furthermore, though he wants to win, I think he'd like the challenge of doing it in NY this year.
There's the whole Pettite thing also.
Of course, Steinbrenner would have to allow use of the jet between starts but...

[Ripwa]

Being a Red Sox fan, my point is jaded but I never got the whole "Pettite thing." Ultimately, i see the decision coming down to Houston or NY, but this guy is not going to go to the Yankees because Pettite is there. If that was a factor, how could Houston not win. His damn son is there. He isn't going to make this decision based on friendshsip, he'll have friends no matter where he goes. He is going to make a decision based on money and likelyhood of winning, that simple.

[nrmax88]

Agreed rip, but didnt you know that every yankee fan is required by law to publicly state they are the favorite to land (insert F.A. name here)? I think if they dont they have their membership revoked or something but hey what do i know.

[dudewheresmygrl]

Saying Houston is still the favorite is untrue. Clemens did the whole family thing already, and it hasn't resulted in another World Series. The Yankees would be stingy in what they allow him to do, family wise. Although, if you look at Daisuke's contract, there are a lot of perks that give Daisuke the ability to go to Japan and have a house of his own here. The Red Sox are very accomidating for superstars, so it wouldnt be surprising to see him go to the Red Sox.

[NYCBaseball]

Look, Im not saying that the deciding factor is Pettite, and I certainly didn't say that the Yankees are favorites to land any free agent. Pettite being on the staff is an asset, but not the end all be all. I think the Yankees know that they would have to accommodate his travel requests. To me it can go either way, but then again, didn't you all know that every Yankee hater has to make it a point to bash on Yankees fans.

[tradekevintowers]

I agree with dunkindonuts.

Coco Crisp for Akinori Otsuka would make for an interesting trade.

J.D. Drew could man CF allowing Wily Mo Pena and Eric Hinske to platoon in RF.

[matsuzakasan]

Forget Otsuka.... and forget clemens....we dont need either...with Jon lester pitching as well as he is and all the arms we have....as long as there are no injuries this will be the most solid rotation in baseball

Schilling
Beckett
Matsuzaka
Lester
Wakefield

Mark my words...By the trade deadline the sox get Ichiro if seattle is out of the race but only if the sox can negotiate a contract....I say something like Crisp, Delcarmen and maybe murphy.

[Ripwa]

Did you really just say we don't need Clemens or Otsuka? Obviously the Sox don't need them, but if the Sox got them they would be MUCH better off. Are you comparing Lester to Clemens in any way. Lester has been pitching in A ball, if he wasn't doing well than we would have big problems. Clemens may not be a stud in the AL East but he will put up much better number than Lester.

Otsuka is a great arm. I'm looking at the Sox pen and seeing names like Timlin, Snyder, Piniero, and Romero. He is better than all of those guys combines. If the Sox got him he would immediately be the second best arm in that pen.

In summation, if you are saying the don't need them, you are right. They can still field a team and possible win a good amount of games. But if you are say we are in anyway close to as good we would be with those players that you're crazy.

P.S. Crisp and MDC is not going to get Ichiro, even with Bill Bavasi running the show.

[matsuzakasan]

Clemens---not worth the money

Otsuka---good for a setup man but not better than papelbon and u are not getting him away from texas for cheap soooooo.....

forget them both!!!!!

And yes those guys WILL get ichiro... a cheap CF contractand a great young pitcher ....and if not he signs with the sox in 08'