Rosenthal's Latest: Cashman, Fuentes, Braves, Fielder

Brian Roberts is to 2007 offseason as Prince Fielder is to 2008 offseason.

I don't think the two are even comparable. Fielder = head and shoulders > Brian Roberts.

As for Teixera, I am one of the few O's fans against his signing. He'll cost too much money, and his production was a product of playing in Arlington, not because he's amazing. He's a solid 30-HR player, which is good production, and his defense is amazing, but I feel like this signing will turn out just like the Tejada signing, but more expensive. He's not a true #4 hitter, just like Tejada wasn't, and if the O's sign him, he'd be protected by someone like Aubrey Huff. We need a true #4 hitter - someone who could go off for 40+ on a regular basis, in addition to Tex. Hopefully we learned that from Tejada.

Oh, and getting rid of Jamie Walker and Chad Bradford would be nice too...

Bradford is looking like the best he ever has, and should be worth at least a B prospect. He'd be a great pickup for any playoff team who likes ground balls.

Walker, on the other hand, isn't looking so hot, but if he can get the HR rate down, he'll look a lot better.

I wouldn't mind Bradford on the cubs - give Marmol more days off and insurance in case Howry doesn't pick it up in the 2nd half. Cedeno and Cotts get him? Maybe get him and a c prospect?

TEIXERA-It's not often that a player like TEX. would consider playing here in Baltimore. The O's have put a 100 million on the table only to be turned down (LEE). I say go for broke with Tex. the 20 mil. per season would be very reasonable, 25 to 30 a yr. then I would have to pass. Could you imagin Markakis,TEX,Weiters as the 3 threw 5 hitters and Reimold 6th? keeping Roberts would be smart if signing Teixera.Jones could fit in the 2 hole and I'm interrested in seeing Jones progress the second half on the season.Markakis rookie season is simlar to Jones right now.With a solid line-up along with the promising pitching could only lead to success.30+ home runs per season is ideal for a clean up hitter it being after the roids era.Tex. come to Baltimore!

Tim,

"I'd like to think I am not a crazed Cubs fan...I still really like Cedeno though"

May I ask why? He seems to be doing everything possible to yet again prove himself the weak hitter we all saw in 2006 and 2007. The only real success he has ever enjoyed has come at Iowa, and he’s generally been more than a tad questionable everywhere else. This year, other than his one week in April, he has been the same 240-ish BA guy with the same sub-650 OPS. I’m curious if there is anything which can be given to begin to provide reason for the Cubs fans love of the guy; nearly everyone else seems to see a weak-hitting utility type. Considering you are not one of those which will just try to cram over-the-top fluff down our throats, would like to hear your thoughts…

I mean, “Straight up for Randy Wolf for example” would have to indicate someone fairly talented, yet most probably see him somewhere in the range of a slightly younger Alex Cintron…

Rosenthal needs to do some research on Adam Dunn. If you go back over the last eight years and read articles where Dunn has been interviewed, all he seems to want to talk about is FOOTBALL. In one of those articles, it said that Dunn carried around a football in his gym bag and would GLADLY get it out and throw with anybody who cared to play catch.

Also, if you look at Dunn's stats in September, he isn't that great. For his career, Dunn has gone 97 for 443 (a .219 Batting Average) with 18 Home Runs and 55 RBI's.

Part of this could be attributed to Dunn being a big guy and he is tired. Part of it could be that the Reds were out of contention (though in 2006 THAT was NOT the case). However, another part of this could be because September is the start of COLLEGE FOOTBALL season and Dunn is distracted by that and is thinking about what "might have been" if he had stayed at Texas and WORKED at getting better so that he could have been the Quarterback.

No, make no mistake about it, FOOTBALL is Dunn's PASSION and BASEBALL is just a JOB to him.

If that weren't the case, then Dunn coming out of Spring Training EVERY year saying that "this year is going to be different" and that he is going to try and Strike Out less and hit the ball to the opposite field more would actually happen and NOT just be lip service.

CTOWNBOY

That is quite possibly the most idiotic logic I've ever heard...

dorf outstanding post. Tex is going to be the lucky winner in the "who is the best player on the market lets sign him to an absurd amount of money" disease this winter. He is a good hitter, but a 1B, and not even a top 5 1B in MLB. The argument could be made not even top 10. Albert, Lee, Berkman, Howard, Prince, A-Gonz, Miguel Cabrera, Pena, etc. Some of these guys may be better, some of them may not be, but the point is they play 1B and 1B seem to grow on trees. The league is filled with either old 1B close to retirement after good careers, very good 1B in their primes, and the young up and coming studs. Point is, for as nice of a player as Tex is, he isn't that much better then a lot of other 1B in the league, and this leads you to believe that through smart drafting or trading, or even a waiver wire pickup you could get more value out of a 1B. Kendry Morales will give some great production at 1st and will do it for crumbs. Only 1B I am paying 20 mil per for is a guy named Albert. He is on his own level though. I feel this way about all the 1B, I wouldn't give a 8/160 deal to any 1B in baseball besides Albert, you can find good 1B options too easily to lazily spend that much money there.

For example, I am not a big fan of ballroom dancing, or playing chess, but if I was a prodiguous chess player, or a top notch ballroom dancer, with enough talent to make an 8 digit salary, you bet you're a$$ that I would try to make a living one of these ways.