Starting Pitching Market Starts Moving

Looks like the Phillies waited too long to add a pitcher. Now we're probably going to get stuck with someone like Kris Benson.

I kind of doubt the Rockies are either, actually, but definitely not the Giants. They have a very good chance to have the best rotation in the NL this year, as bad as that offense will be.

I gotta say, as a Twins fan I'm pretty excited right now. They have immense leverage with Johan now. They are a decent CF away from being a competitor (and Lofton/Cameron are still out there, plus trade candidates like Crisp/Willits/even Matthews) so they could go into the year as is, or they can deal Johan for a great package.

And now that Johan is the Yanks' only chance this year (Bedard's not going to be traded inside the division) the package has to be great. Same for the Mets. And this is the Sox chance to block them, and they can, with superior prospects.

Of the five guys mentioned as cheaper trade options, guess the pitcher's 2007 numbers:

4.60 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, .256BAA
5.12 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, .291BAA
5.10 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, .286BAA
4.89 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, .302BAA
5.16 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, .301BAA

I'll give you a hint, the Brewers don't actually have some nice cards to trade.

I added the Giants in that they contacted Carlos Silva's agent as a contingency for a Lincecum trade. I wonder if a Lowry trade would put them back in the market.

Disagree on the Brewers, their extra guys should generate plenty of interest since they are not far off from Silva/Lohse.

Agreed there. Santana's in a class by himself.

That's an interesting point on Lowry, Tim. I suppose if the Yanks don't get Johan they could fall back on Lowry (Bedard ain't happening) for Matsui, picking up some of his contract. And Matsui could maybe play 1b or something for the Giants? Just a thought.

Ya, it is amazing.

That's why I think the Twins should just tack on the extra 2 years from their offer and sign Johan. $20 M really could look like a bargain for him in about 2-3 years.

And I thought Sanchez would be their 5th starter WITH Lowry? Am I wrong there?

Ya, maybe they like Sanchez in the pen, where his stuff translates even better.

Will be interesting.

"I gotta say, as a Twins fan I'm pretty excited right now. They have immense leverage with Johan now."

Do they?

1) He wants out of Minnesota, he is as good as gone one way or another, the only question is has he already played his last game or will he next year?

2)There are only a handful of teams that he will play for.

3) The team acquiring Santana should be paying whatever 20 wins, 200 strikeouts, and 200 innings of sub 3 era ball should cost for ONE season. Not for his past. The twins are asking for too much.

4) Johan is demanding an extension of somewhere around 7/140. Any team willing to pay the prospects will have to do that and also offer up an awful contract that is incredibly risky and can really crush a franchise for years if anything ever happened to him.

They would be better off just signing him.

There is a mounting tide in Baltimore that the Os will extend Erik Bedard at the current market rate believing that it might be a bargain in future years. Supposedly MacPhail is exploring this direction since in spite of the high value of rumored trade proposals for Bedard, no trade offers are matching the Orioles' value of Bedard which is admittedly high.

...it looks like the Orioles are suddenly thinking what the Pads thought about Peavy, or the Brewers thought about Sheets, that is, if you have a high quality SP, you have to extend him...it will be interesting to see how this will affect the trade market for pitchers since, once Bedard is off the table, teams will be left out of the cold...

Has anybody heard anything about Colon? Before the Bedard thing, I thought the Reds should really go after him. I haven't heard a word about potential suitors or teams he has interest in.

The Cubs should go after Blanton. Our rotation after Z and especially after Lilly suffers a drop off. Hill is still young and inconsistent, and the 4 and especially 5 holes are largely revolving doors.

Blanton is not a true #2, at least not yet, but he would go a long way toward stabilizing the Cubs' rotation.

Blanton's numbers from last seasons:

34 Gs 230 IP 14-10 3.95 ERA 140 Ks 40 BBs 1.22 WHIP

His ERA was higher in '06 and '04. but was lower in '05

he be a solid addition to our rotation, who also happens to be right-handed. that would split up our lefties nicely:

1. Z
1. Lilly
3. Blanton
4. Hill
5. Marquis, Demp, Marshall, Petrick, Hart, Gallagher, ect.

I'm not sure what we'd have to give up for him, but probably one of Marshall or Gallagher, plus a position prospect, ect.

I wonder if the A's/M's would trade within the division?

Problem for the Twins is is Haren trade hurt far more than it helped.

Haren got traded for only 1 really good prospect.

It is more reason for the Sox not to go past Lester/ Lowrie/ Masterson (3 top prospects) and the Yankees Hughes/ Melky.

I wish KW could have held onto Garland. He could have gotten so much more for him if he just waited. I can't begin to tell you how much that bothers me.

quintis, I strongly disagree on the Haren trade hurting the Twins. The A's DID get a good haul (I like Gonzalez better than any single player reportedly offered by the Sox/Yanks). And not only that, but the only viable alternative to Santana just went off the market. Because no way is Bedard being traded inside the division.

So the price for Santana just went up.