Jayson Stark's Latest

So the Royals are resisting offers for their bullpen. Hmmm. Does that mean Soria's transition to the rotation is close to a foregone conclusion and their hedging their bet by keeping all the others?

I think the Indians have a better chance of resigning CC than people think, but that still doesnt mean it's any more than a 50/50 shot.

If the Tribe keep losing this way, and the Yankees, Red Sox, or another team starts feeling desperate, I could definately see someone giving up some prospects for CC. And then hopefully he comes back to Cleveland :)

I think the biggest issue with Blanton is his home road splits over the last couple of years. It'd likely go away after a year when Blanton gets used to a new ballpark and a new mound... but he's not an immediate impact.

Right now Oakland is still a competitive team... not sure how... but I'm betting the price tag is more of a "well we can use him to make a run, but hey if someone's stupid enough to give up the farm..."

"…That’s always Beane’s price tag. He doesn’t exactly shop guys like everyone else ~ its “we are ready to let you met our demands now” not “what will you give us for so&so”; and if no one meets those demands then he has no problem holding onto the guy and taking the draft picks. Mastermind really…"

Thats how you trade Nick Swisher and Dan Haren and manage to get Carlos Gonzalez, Brett Andesron, Gio Gonzalez, Dana Eveland, Greg Smith, Fautino De Los Santos, Ryan Sweeney, Aaron Cunningham and Chris Carter. That is FUCKINGG NUTS. Then again you have to argue that Jon Daniels and Texas did at least equally as well in the Teixeira trade, adding Salty, as well as Andrus, Harrison, Feliz and Jones, was a massive haul.

I hope the Tigers don't trade Bonderman. He is still only 25 and the rotation is already crap. One guy I could see them trading is Nate Robertson. He isn't as good as Bonderman, but he will give teams soild innings. I would like to see Robertson traded to the Yankees for Johnny Damon.

what combination of prospects from the sox would it take to get CC?

You know there are certainly some good pitchers that SHOUD be available.... I hope the Brewers can grab one of them...they have the Double A prospects to do it..even for a CC Sabathia, I just dont think the Brewers go after CC because there would be no chance the brewers can afford him with out saying good bye to future signings of some of ther young stars

But a guy like Harden who has a injury history thus hurting his value slightly... or Burnett.. Would love to see Bonderman in Milwaukee

With the Drafting of Lawrie a guy that Jack Z thinks will stick at Catcher that makes the Brewers 2 good Catching prospects very Tradable options(Salome and Lucroy)

The BRewers have Laporta and Gamel both raking and if Gamel cant stick at 3rd base then Gamel and Laporta would be fighting over a corner OF spot or Firstbase...unless Prince is traded(which its very possible he will be after the 2009 season)

Also have Short Stop Alcides Escobar who is hiting great and has GG ML ready defense at the age of 20

Its just sick how crazy that Double A lineup is at Huntsville

"Tigers: One AL executive says the Tigers don't have any prospects of value left, but wonders if they won't do something crazy in the trade market because of their "all in" payroll."

Then "one AL executive(read Bavasi) was fired for being a completely f'ng wetarded.

"WOW nrmax88 Smoak was just drafted and you are already to hang a Tex sign on him no pressure there"

Yeah I know, fair enough. I mean I dont like texas so I dont really care whether I am right or not, I just think he will be better then Tex and will put up extremely similar numbers there sooner rather then later. Its not like I am a Ranger fan explaining why they will win the WS. Just an opinion, and I never cared for Texeira much either. My main point was that they brought in a massive haul for Tex, wait a year, and draft a guy that is very much like him and has huge upside. Its a great strategy.

"Yeha but Scribble...some of those guys were just throw ins.... Dana Eveland when in the Brewers Farm was considered a good prospect but nothing special...in fact he was traded to Dbacks as part of the trade that sent Doug Davis there and got us Claudio Vargas and Estrada....

Hey we owed the Dbacks a losing trade for how much Doug Melvin fleeced them with the Sexson deal
that deal just kept on giving for years after...

I think Dana Eveland will be a pitcher that benefits from that Huge ball park in Oakland"

Yeah, all this post does is prove Scribble's point even more. It doesnt take a good GM to look at BP tops 10 prospects and choose who you want back in a trade, a great GM gets value out of a guy that the other team doesnt see any value in. I hate wehn people say things like "Minaya got lucky bringing in Maine, he was a throw in". Or "Dana Eveland wasn't very good, so Beane doesnt get the credit for that." Yes they do, they should get even more credit for making moves like this. Its funny how everytime a guy makes a good move and brings in a guy that nobody knows about or is forgotten about people say the GM was lucky. But this is what makes great trades. I am not saying it was a bad move for Arz. to trade Eveland, or for Baltimore to trade Maine, or for NYM to trade Heath Bell. There was no reason to believe that these guys were important parts at the time of the trades. But at the same time, you do have to giver credit to Beane, Minaya, and Towers in those respective deals for seeing something in a guy that other people didnt see.