Odds and Ends: Riske, Bedard, Wolf

I don't think tony would be signed to replace Loney, more so to replace tomatoe (seanez)

good to see the yankeees gettin relievers now

Riske had a very good year last year, although his WHIP was a tad high, but sitll decent....much better than bruney's

but achilles17, i'm with you on percival, i think it would be good to get him, but it might be a risk

I know Clark wouldn't replace Loney, but he'd presumably cut into his PT. Clark is looking for 300-400 ABs.

The Orioles should get more for Bedard than Minny should get for Johan, no?

Maybe Kemp, Kershaw and Loney?

http://mlbfleecefactor.com/2007/11/27/rumor-bedard-to-dodgers-stalled/

Why just stop with Clark? If Colletti isnt extremely careful, he might just create a core group of young star players. Sign Jenkins to play rightfield, sign Lo Duca to be the catcher, sign Shawn Green to play left, and there you have it. They would have now filled the holes they have and sent the scrubs like Loney, Kemp and Martin back to the bench where they belong.

Riske picked the right season to have his ERA outpace his actual performance.

nrmax88:

Haha :) I don't know what Colletti is thinking. Maybe he'll take Matsui for LF and Damon for CF from the Yankees. Two vets who're Joe's guys! Haha

@Mr.Punch:

Bedard's younger, under control for a year or two and has nasty stuff.

He's not as good a pitcher, but a better value for the money compared to Santana.

If you're willing to give up the pieces for Blanton, you might as well throw in another guy or two and try to make the deal for an impact pitcher like Haren or Bedard or Santana. With Penny, Lowe, and Billingsley, Blanton will be your number 4 if not number 5 guy, yet Beane is trying to shop him like a # 2, and I just dont see what everybody see's in Blanton. He is okay, has a nice curveball but has no velocity on his fastball and doesnt strike guys out, not to mention he pitched in cavernous oakland with a great defense behind him like every year. He is sure no star and he definitely is not a number 2 guy.

whoa, blanton a #2 guy...

I just see Kemp as a lock, Loney as a lock, Chad as a lock for Dodger 2008 roster.

These teams have to ask for available players...after all santana is out regardless.

@henry14theking

Ummm...Bedard is a week older than Johan and he is only under control for two years as opposed to Santana's one. Plus with Santana you get to work out a long term deal before the trade is completed, while you just have to hope Bedard doesn't want to test the FA market. Oh and on top of that, Bedard's last season, the best of his career, was only marginally better than Santana's 2007, which was his worst since 2001.

@ the two comments above:

Sorry, the age difference is negligible you're right :D, but in terms of miles on his arm, he's got half the innings of Santana.

Oh come on guys, we will not see both Loney and Tony-the-Tiger in LA next year. The only reason the Dodgers would be interested in Clark would be to replace Loney if he is dealt in a trade…

Since Loney was a Top-50 prospect in all of baseball entering 2007 and did nothing more than live up to expectations completely in one of the most extreme pitchers parks around, his value is pretty high. Its likely the Dodgers are getting close to making a trade for either Cabrera or one of Johan/Haren/Blaton (unlikely Bedard though) if they are really pushing to sign Tony.

There is also the slim possibility that the Jeff Kent news is the underlying factor though. Kent doesn’t get along with a couple of the prospects at all; if Loney is one of them then they could almost be in “we need to dump him” mode, which Tony again would be the semi-replacement. Its an ass-backwards way of going about business (Kent 1YR/Tony 2YR instead of Top Prospect Loney for 5-6), but it is the Dodgers so has to be considered…

Bedard had better K, GB and HR rates than Santana last year. While the injury concern is valid, I'd say those numbers (especially the HR rate which is scary for Johan) plus having the extra cost controlled year makes Bedard the choice.

@phl903:

Haha I missed that nugget. That's hilarious. Would they like Pavano or Mussina?

I'm sure the Yanks will throw in Igawa and a bag of doritos to sweeten the deal.

Mmmmm... doritos.

NJM,

"Bedard had better K, GB and HR rates than Santana last year. While the injury concern is valid, I'd say those numbers (especially the HR rate which is scary for Johan) plus having the extra cost controlled year makes Bedard the choice."

...Two things to that.

1) Wasnt it just 1 year? I mean, this guys stats went from fair to fair to pretty damn good to great (all without going over 200IP) ~ its a risk he will even sustain “great”…

2) The problems Johan experienced in 08 can largely be attributed to one thing ~ the Cleveland Indians. Take out his numbers vs the one team who seemed to just have a fluke run against him in 07 and he is even more amazing... Can they do it again? I doubt it ~ it was one team getting into his head for one season the way I see it (and I'm a Tribe fan, so...)

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/11/27/santana.tradetalks/index.html

"The Twins have opened trade discussions for Johan Santana by asking the Yankees for a package of at least three young players that would include one of their three top starters -- Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes or Ian Kennedy -- plus center fielder Melky Cabrera.

The Twins are talking with several teams and are asking for a large return for their two-time Cy Young winner. From Boston, they asked about one of two top young pitchers -- Clay Buchholz or Jon Lester -- plus center field prodigy Jacoby Ellsbury, league sources told SI.com."

Kennedy and Melky? That's what they want?

Press the button Cashman. PRESS THE BUTTON!

Darkstar: Bedard was strong in 2006 as well although, as you pointed out, not 2007 level great. I'm admittedly biased against picking up Santana for no super tremendous reasons, more just a bunch of little things. I don't like the 7 year commitment, I don't like the power pitcher in a (relatively) small frame and I really don't like his drop in GB rate and jump in HR rate. Granted, the guy is awesome, I just wonder how much longer he'll be awesome for. I'd rather the Yanks make a move for either Bedard or Haren (because of the years) and then go for Sabathia in the offseason. But that's just me.

(That's all out the window if a deal can be made that doesn't cost us Hughes, Joba or Cano. I'd still rather focus on one of the other 3 but I certainly won't complain. Lots of pitching out there.)

The Cards have been awfully quiet. What do you think it would take to get Haren back? He's exactly what they need. Do they have enough to get him?

http://mlbfleecefactor.com/2007/11/27/cardinals-to-pursue-rotation-help/

Mike Hampton injured again.

Heh.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7495802

I don't think the Cardinals will trade for Haren. If anything they won't do it because that will only remind people that Haren, Daric Barton and Kiko Carelo were sent to the A's for Mark Mulder. At the time it seemed like a great trade, Barton is a first baseman (hello Albert!), Haren was struggling and well Kiko Carelo is Kiko Carelo, but in retrospect it didn't work out so well.

Now if you are a fan of the chaos theory you could argue that Mulder not only helped the Cardinals in 2006 with his April starts, but his injury prompted the need for the Cards to aquire Jeff Weaver who so clutch down the stretch. One could argue if not for Mulder (and all of his bumps), the Cardinals very well could have never even reached the World Series to begin with. Today though, the Cards were certainly be better in 2008 if they had Haren and Barton as a trading piece.

As a fan of the Cubs, I would take Mulder and the WS trophy over Haren and Barton and WS uncertainity anytime.

That being said, Cards will finish 5th or 6th in 2008 so suck it!

@Not Joe Morgan

Wait so the seven year commitment to Santana scares you off? Does that mean you'd give up more for 2 years of Bedard at arbitration prices and then let him walk as opposed to having the opportunity to lock up Santana at lower than free market price for 7 years? If not, you're going to have to lock up Bedard in 2 years anyway (when he's 30) to at least a 5 year deal, probably longer.

Nixa: More or less. I don't like the level of risk associated with any pitcher on a 7 year deal but especially not Santana. If we're looking to trade, I'd rather Bedard or Haren knowing we'd get 2 or 3 cost controlled years and that if they ask for $20MM+ at the end, they can walk with Type A compensation. If we're just talking about a long term contract (2008 offseason), I'd pick Sabathia over Santana. Like I said, the GB & HR rates of Santana scare me and I'd rather go with a guy Sabathia's size if I need to gamble on 6 years.

(Someone insert a cliched joke about C.C.'s size)

Harden's risky but would come cheap. Much cheaper than Santana/Haren/Bedard.

He's also expensive so Beane would have to take a hit there as well.

A smart team would start out by asking for Haren, negotiate down the package to get to Blanton and then keep whittling away the package to get Harden.

In terms of pure stuff, only Santana is comparable.

@Not Joe Morgan

You make some good points, but your opinion seems predicated on the belief that Sabathia will become a FA, which is by no means guaranteed. Also, you are going to have to overpay to get Sabathia on the open market as opposed to signing Santana when there aren't any other bidders, as well as give up Type A compensation. I also see no reason to think that Santana is going to significantly regress over the next 7 years. He has had no health problems (which in my mind is far more important than his size) and it seems far more likely that last season was aa slightly down year as opposed to a sign of continued regression to come. I disagree with your opinion, but it is obviously a very informed one and I won't try and tell you that you're wrong. Obviously we'll just have to wait and see.

Johan Santana is 28 right. Thats when Hampton signed the record contract for a pitcher and he was 28. Not saying it would happen Johan but something to think about.