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« Gammons On Varitek, Teixeira | Main | Heyman's Latest: Yankees »
Pirates Still In On Baldelli
7:53pm Marc Topkin of the St. Pete Times says Baldelli could be close to signing, saying "there were indications Wednesday that a deal could be completed very soon." It is not clear whether this is based on reading other reports or if he has inside information. Topkin does write that a return to the Rays "doesn't seem likely" noting that the Rays have very limited funds available after signing Pat Burrell.
1:44pm Dejan Kovacevic talked to a source directly involved in the Rocco Baldelli negotiations who believes the field may be down to the Pirates and two AL teams at this point. The Rays and Reds seem less likely to sign Baldelli given their recent signings. I imagine the Red Sox are one of the remaining AL clubs.
Kovacevic says all of the contracts being discussed are short term and heavy on bonuses.
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Hope the other AL team is the White Sox.
Posted by: astralpanda | January 07, 2009 at 01:49 PM
Really hope that the Reds are still involved. Signing a couple of hacks like JHJ and Taveras shouldn't block them from anyone.
Posted by: schellis | January 07, 2009 at 01:53 PM
I hope Tim's right and the other is the BoSox. Theo should just sign Rocco, go get another catcher and cash it in until we see where we are in early July. Everybody is always one injury away from going from first place to third anyway, so it will be the in-season moves that make the difference in the AL East this season.
Posted by: Mattyc44 | January 07, 2009 at 01:53 PM
i think if the red sox are really going to take on Rocco, then they would sign a backup plan as well, maybe something like cliff floyd (since the rays most likely are done with him) or Luis Gonzalez. Theo loves backup plans
Posted by: 04Forever | January 07, 2009 at 01:56 PM
Would the Yankees be in on him, especially if they're planning to trade either Swisher or Nady?
Posted by: cmac1973 | January 07, 2009 at 01:58 PM
"Would the Yankees be in on him, especially if they're planning to trade either Swisher or Nady?"
no, doesnt fit. why need to trade someone due to an overload in the outfield to refill the overload, doesnt make sense
Posted by: 04Forever | January 07, 2009 at 01:59 PM
If Rocco's illness is easily treatable as said, he would be a solid pick-up.
Posted by: 55saveslives | January 07, 2009 at 02:04 PM
"why need to trade someone due to an overload in the outfield to refill the overload, doesnt make sense"
Posted by: 04Forever | January 07, 2009 at 01:59 PM
Well, both Nady and Swisher are regular, full-time players. Rocco is not, at least no one is sure he can be right now. I know the prognosis was more optimistic but no one seems to think he's going to play every day. I assume Swisher or Nady are being shopped as everyday players.
Just because I said "Yankees" there's no need to jump down my throat. I'm probably the biggest Rocco Baldelli fan on this site. Trust me, the last thing I want - as a Red Sox fan - is for him to go there.
Posted by: cmac1973 | January 07, 2009 at 02:04 PM
Curse you Dayton Moore for not being patient and trading a good reliever for a below average center fielder!
Perhaps they can trade Crisp?
Posted by: CSL | January 07, 2009 at 02:06 PM
nobody jumped down your throat, you asked and question and i gave you my opinion
Posted by: 04Forever | January 07, 2009 at 02:08 PM
An incentive laden deal would be best for him.
Posted by: dailysportspages.com | January 07, 2009 at 02:15 PM
nobody jumped down your throat, you asked and question and i gave you my opinion
Posted by: 04Forever | January 07, 2009 at 02:08 PM
But, like always, your opinion comes with a bias toward the Red Sox. I was asking an objective question. You seem to think it's a preposterous notion for any good to come to the Yankees, or for any bad to come to the Red Sox in many of your posts. Do you not agree that Swisher and Nady are full-time guys and Rocco is a part-timer? By the way, if you think that just because he grew up in New England, he's a Red Sox fan, trust me, it's not true. I talked to him in person a few months before the draft and asked him if he was hoping to get drafted by the Sox and he said no because he was (at that time anyway) a Yankees fan. I haven't talked to him lately, but I assume he's sort of gotten over the being a fan of any team at this point and will go where he thinks he's getting the best opportunity, which may be in Boston since Drew gets hurt all the time and Ellsbury hasn't proven he can do it for a full season.
Posted by: cmac1973 | January 07, 2009 at 02:18 PM
K'mon, CSL!
Crisp is a great center-fielder. He's just a below average hitter.
Posted by: Mattyc44 | January 07, 2009 at 02:20 PM
I hope the Reds will sign him.
Posted by: Tigers Baseball | January 07, 2009 at 02:21 PM
How did he "jump down your throat?"
"no, doesnt fit. why need to trade someone due to an overload in the outfield to refill the overload, doesnt make sense"
Sounds like a response to your question to me.
If you'd like a second opinion I would also say there was basically a zero chance of Baldelli to the Yanks, remember they have Swisher, Matsui, Nady, Cabrera, Damon, and Gardner. Even if they traded Swisher I would expect Gardner to back them up.
Posted by: the lowercase zach is better | January 07, 2009 at 02:21 PM
I actually think that the JHJ and Taveras signings show that the Reds need Baldelli even more.
If JHJ is indeed the everyday SS then the Reds only have 4 outfielders on the 40 man. Bruce is a lock for RF and it appears Taveras is in CF, but I don't think the Reds are sold on Dickerson being an everyday player just yet.
Baldelli could come in and compete for the starting LF job, leaving Dickerson and Hopper available in case he is not able to go everyday.
Posted by: carolina03 | January 07, 2009 at 02:22 PM
I think it would be a good match for him to go to the Pirates.....
Posted by: fearthechant | January 07, 2009 at 02:23 PM
Even if they traded Swisher I would expect Gardner to back them up.
Posted by: the lowercase zach is better | January 07, 2009 at 02:21 PM
Wouldn't it make more sense for Gardner to play every day than to rot on the bench? I know they sent Melky down last season, but I don't expect him to be in the minors again. All I was saying is Rocco is a nice complementary piece and I'm never surprised anymore when the Yankees swoop in at the last minute and grab someone I was hoping would go to the Red Sox. At the same time, I still expect the Yankees to sign Manny so there would be even more of a glut in the outfield. OK, I feel better now. :)
Posted by: cmac1973 | January 07, 2009 at 02:27 PM
wow, you really have taken this very personally. sorry im a red sox fan and that i answered your question i guess?
and if you didnt jump down MY throat, you could have asked if i even want baldelli on the red sox, you would then find out that i dont want him on the red sox because of his ailments, hes not worth the risk even as a fourth outfielder in my honest opinion. i think the pirates is a great team for him to join because he gets the chance to prove health, play more the 40 games a year and major even prove me wrong, but hey im just a red sox fan, what the hell do i know right?
Posted by: 04Forever | January 07, 2009 at 02:34 PM
re: theo loving backup plans...I'm sure he wants to sign rocco and kotsay. i'm not sure if kotsay would go for it, but he would find playing time at first and in the outfield if rocco can't play on a certain day.
Posted by: ilikebaseball | January 07, 2009 at 02:42 PM
Wouldn't it make more sense for Gardner to play every day than to rot on the bench? ...
Well... no. Sure you would like your young players to all play everyday, but the Yanks have too many OFs. Gardner can play everyday in AAA or at best beat out Melky which would still mean Melky would be on the bench. There's only 3 spots somebody's not going to get to play.
"I still expect the Yankees to sign Manny so there would be even more of a glut in the outfield. OK, I feel better now."
So they're going to add even another OF? I just don't see it. That would be 7 OFs, and best case scenerio they can play 4 of them with the DH. With so many aging, injury-prone players I think they need to keep that DH spot available for guys like Posada and Matsui in particular. I'm not saying Manny wouldn't help them, but 7 OFs is a mess.
Posted by: the lowercase zach is better | January 07, 2009 at 02:45 PM
i honestly think that if the red sox were honestly players for baldelli that this board would not be posted because he would already be on the team. I think kotsay has a better chance of being on the team then baldelli at this point although i think theo is trying to avoid him because he wants a righty instead. baldelli is going to repeal just about every team he can because of his condition, a condition that makes him tired for no reason is a hard thing to sell if your his agent, id dont care how good you are at your job
Posted by: 04Forever | January 07, 2009 at 02:46 PM
I love the fact that the title of this post is "Pirates sill in on Baldelli" and there are 20 comments and only one person, fearthechant, even mentions them.
Posted by: steelcurtain2 | January 07, 2009 at 02:48 PM
My bad, "Pirates still in on Baldelli", I said sill instead
Posted by: steelcurtain2 | January 07, 2009 at 02:49 PM
i think the pirates is a great team for him to join because he gets the chance to prove health, play more the 40 games a year and major even prove me wrong, but hey im just a red sox fan, what the hell do i know right?
Posted by: 04Forever | January 07, 2009 at 02:34 PM
With J.D. Drew still slated to play RF for the Sox and Ellsbury in center, I think Rocco would play a lot more than 40 games in Boston.
Posted by: cmac1973 | January 07, 2009 at 02:49 PM
actually i talked about the pirates being the favorite if you read my comments, but in fairness, other teams are mentioned
Posted by: 04Forever | January 07, 2009 at 02:50 PM
cmac1973, whatever, im not going back in forth with you all day, its childish. if you "talk to baldelli" again, tell him to stay away from the red sox for me
Posted by: 04Forever | January 07, 2009 at 02:52 PM
I don't get everybody's appeal with Rocco Baldelli (ie I hope we pick him up!!). He's not very good, even when healthy. His real disease is his severe allergic reaction to walks. .325 OBP in the majors. .320 in the minors. He's a 4th-5th outfielder.
Posted by: Teetz1 | January 07, 2009 at 03:01 PM
"Curse you Dayton Moore for not being patient and trading a good reliever for a below average center fielder!"
Interesting.. The amount of CF's in the game that can field the position better than Coco can be counted on well less than the fingers of 1 hand..
As a Sox fan, I would love to have Crisp back as a 4th OF as well, the guy plays GG caliber defense, has excellent speed, hits for decent average and is one of the better bunters in the game. Many of his groundballs will find the way through the infield on that phony grass in KC during the 2009 season which should lead to an increase upon his respectable .280 Avg from 2008 even... So what's not to like? Baldelli still can't be counted on to be regular and though would like to have Baldeli in Boston as a 4th OF, would much prefer the dependable Crisp back.
Posted by: johns | January 07, 2009 at 03:03 PM
My bad 04Forever, it was a lowercase 'p' in Pirates so I didn't see it. It's just that, as a Bucs fan, it is depressing to see such little representation of them in comments even with their name in the title of the post.
Posted by: steelcurtain2 | January 07, 2009 at 03:06 PM
Calling that disease easily treatable is a joke. Hes a once or twice a week player.
Posted by: rockraines | January 07, 2009 at 03:08 PM
Ay Rocco!!! Welcome to Da Burgh!!
Posted by: BuccoNation | January 07, 2009 at 03:09 PM
red soxs have the upper hand,
he a new england native, and people in NE love him.
bucco, nation
idk that they were any hispanics in pitts
Posted by: marlinsman1120 | January 07, 2009 at 04:18 PM
I am pretty sure he was using Pirate slang not trying to sound hispanic.
Posted by: BucSox | January 07, 2009 at 04:38 PM
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3817433
Gammons says the redsox got him. To be announced at the Boston Baseball Writers Dinner.
Any other info???
Posted by: Bernie Brewer | January 07, 2009 at 08:20 PM
crap, i hope thats not true...
Posted by: 04Forever | January 07, 2009 at 08:28 PM
Lol...Not Hispanic fellas... Italian...
Posted by: BuccoNation | January 07, 2009 at 09:02 PM
And this sucks he's goin to the Sox.... thought we were gonna get em.
Posted by: BuccoNation | January 07, 2009 at 09:03 PM