Odds and Ends: Pitt, Manny, White Sox

I'd disagree with Jackson's assertion that Teixiera would "marginally" outperform Giambi. According to the plus/minus system, Teixiera was 42(!) plays better than Giambi at 1B last year. +24 to -18. Easiest, most obviously way to tighten up a weak defense, even if it is 1B.

So Mets sign K-Rod for like 15m per and Manny to 25m per and then two 'second/third tier' starters...that could be another 8-10m...so the Mets should have a 160m payroll?

I see where Jackson is going with this.

Jeter and A-Rod will begin to show signs of aging before their contracts end. I think they will be adept with their bats through their careers, but I'm skeptical that their gloves will be as skilled, especially with the demands of their respective positions.

The Yankees could sign Teixeira, and not put a long-term commitment in LF, so one could move to LF and the other to DH if necessary.

Andrew- I agree with you, although Swisher shouldn't be traded.

BONDERMANNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They should get Jeremy Brown to play himself, seeing as it's not like he's too busy in professional baseball or anything like that.

I think there is almost no doubt that one of Konerko, Thome, or Dye has to be moved. The Sox simply can't keep Swish in center and that leaves five guys for four spots with Quentin.

Ideally they would be able to move Konerko and push Swisher to first base, but Konerko probably has the least value of any of those guys and he has a NTC.

As for Dunn on the Cubs, my main reason for saying no would be defense. Having Soriano and Dunn on the corners would give the Cubs awful defense, especially if they played Fukudome in center some. He's a lefty power bat that would definitely look nice in the lineup but I would look at other alternatives first.

And this was discussed last night, and now I've slept on it and decided it's a move I would be in favor of making:

Soriano (6/106 left), Felix Pie, and one of Mike Fontenot and Chad Gaudin to the Blue Jays for Vernon Wells (6/100 left).

The Cubs get an elite CF with a contract nearly as brutal as Soriano's, while greatly improving their defense and pushing Soriano out of the leadoff spot. The Cubs have their hands tied with Soriano leading off and I really think they need to look into moving him.

The Blue Jays can either move Rios to center and Snider to right or move Snider to first and put Pie in center. Soriano would give the Jays a powerful bat for their lineup as well as some speed that they're lacking. They also land a future CF replacement for Wells and either a guy to get time at second since Hills coming back from injury or a solid youngish reliever who can start in Gaudin. The Cubs may have to shift around some guys in the deal to make it work but a Soriano/Wells swap seems very interesting to me.

Scribble-
I'm sure the Jays would jump at that in a second. I know I would. They would slide Gaudin into that rotation and Soriano would give them a serious power upgrade and fontenot would look real nice in that infield if they moved Hill back to short. I just think the cubs would be getting too little return. Wells has been injured and playing way below his old self.

Yea i agree Lowe and Giambi won't be back with their teams and the Cubs won't be signing Dunn...I don't think Manny will go to the Mets either i think the Dodgers will resign him because they got guys like Lowe,Nomar,and Kent leaving and they can take the money and resign him and the Mets more need pitching.

I am okay with the deal for Soriano for Wells, BUT i do not agree with other players in that deal? Why cant it just be a evan swap if anything? Toronto is getting one hella of a deal with all those players; therefore, i dont see that deal ever happening unless they take those players out.

(Wells' numbers in CF last season absolutely sucked. -16 and a bad RZR.)