Rosenthal On Dunn, Angels, Garland, Roberts

The Dodgers have already been waiting 3 months on Manny. Go ahead and sign Dunn before it is too late. He will cost 50% of what Manny would.

Plus it would be interesting to see where Manny would go and for what money, if the Dodgers were out.

Would a Jeff Suppan/Eric Byrnes swap make any sense?

As an Angels fan, this is so frustrating. When the apparent need is to sign a FA bat....they just stand pat. They let go of Tex (which I understand), but Burrell goes for a steal and they are not going to entertain looking at Dunn or Manny.

Hello McFly, do you remember what happened last year? If you trade for a Matt Holliday or another potential 2010 FA, the player they trade for will want to explore the market (with a weak FA class next year).

I'd like to see the Dodgers sign Dunn instead of Manny too. In fact I'd like every major league team to come out and say they aren't interested in Manny. I'd love to see Boras deal with that. Sorray Manny, but if you act the way you did you don't deserve a damn thing.

What would the Orioles be looking for in return for Roberts? People are going to hate it if the Cubs are mentioned as a suitor but I don't see it as likely that they are. They've got the bat they were looking for this offseason and I think they'll be content to go into the season with Fontenot as their starter and Miles as the platoon partner / backup. Everyone talked about the DeRosa deal as possibly a prelude to a Peavy deal but now that Moorad is buy the Pads I'm guessing they hang on to Peavy. Surely Hendry had knowledge of that so maybe he made the DeRo deal with the Orioles in mind? Possible but I doubt it, more likely he was just clearing salary for Bradley.

bleacher-i and a couple other cub fans here have speculated that larussa's gone after this season, unless of course they contend. they always manage to do so, but i really get the impression larussa's just about had enough of the penny pinching. as for pujols, 2011 is still a little too far away to really think seriously about him. of course, all this penny pinching now might be to re-up with him after 09 or sometime thereafter. if that's the case, i can't blame them too much, but i still think they have more money to spend than they're letting on, they just don't want to actually spend it. personally, i think this is larussa's last year in st. louis.

Angels should offer Dunn a one year deal... even if it's just for the OBP and slugging boost. Put him in front of Vladdy in the order and the Angels might contend... or go after Holliday at the break if the A's darkhorse status wears off. Side note: anyone else think Holliday will be a huge bust this year? His career OPS difference between home and road is over 250 points.

As for a Roberts trade... well it only makes sense if they trade now for guys who are major league ready. On paper, a core of hitters like Markakis, Jones, and Wieters could be competitive if they have a leadoff man to replace Roberts, and of course much much much better pitching.

"What would he stand to gain anywhere else? He already won a world series and i'm sure the cardinals will throw whatever money at him he wants to keep him in st louis"

Meanwhile both New York teams, Boston, and maybe a few other teams could offer a blank check as well as a competitive team.

Competative team, for christs sake, what makes a competative team? The Cardinals were 10 games over last year. They won a World Series two seasons ago! Maybe all the Cubs players should go somewhere else since they haven't won a world series in 100 years. Gimme a break.

The cardinals will always have a competetive team, i mean you got the pirates, the reds, the astros and even now the brewers with all evenly matched teams with the cardinals always in the hunt, and i dont think the cubbies will be as good next year, zambrano is on the decline, dempster pitched way over his head, and you cant count on lilly, and harden is injury prone. the bullpen without wood closing i feel will blow alot of games and the cubs will come back to medocracy this year. The cardinals with the division they are in will always be in the hunt year in and year out, because 1/3 of the division wont be able to keep up with the payroll the cardinals can have.

Dunn should definitely opt for a 1 year deal. NY and Boston will BOTH be in the market for an OF type, as will several others. Dunn would be the 2nd best OFer on the market (assuming Crawford's option gets picked up), behind only Matt Holliday. Dunn will be in his prime, and will easily get a lucrative deal in next year's market.

i'm ok letting TLR walk... we have a very capable replacement waiting in the wings... THE SECRET WEAPON. my concern is letting dave duncan walk with him, because that would be a blow. as far as albert is concerned, we have time. they will consider an extension before the contract is up, and i expect that to start next offseason. if pujols says the team needs to be more competitive than it already is, than either they let the greatest baseball player of our generation walk without putting up a fight (doubtful) or they spend a little more money. Regardless, pujols understands, or i'd like to think he understands after playing baseball in STL for so long, that if you create a legacy here, you don't just 'die' once you retire... you become revered. hell, if someone sees joe buck in STL its a big deal. if pujols stays, he will be the greatest cardinal since stan the man, and will be worshiped like a god.

If you can get the Aubrey Huff of 2008 then yes, he can mash.

Previous years (2005-2007) he was just average at best. In today's market he wouldn't come close to sniffing his $10m salary based off those years.

John, try again. Lilly has won 15+ games 4 years in a row, Zambrano is a STUD, Harden has the best stuff in baseball, Dempster fixed his issues, proved it, and he will probably win about 15 games again. How can you honestly say with a straight face that Cubs wont be as good with the pitching staff they have, the outfield defense is better (Bradley is above average) you know what fukudome will give you in the field. His hitting will come around, he is way to good to have back to back brutal seasons. O and did you forget about the offense that, even though right handed heavy and unbalanced, still was top 3 in MLB in almost every offensive category. No way is the current cardinals team in the same class as the current cubs team.

Posted by: BlueCatuli | January 07, 2009 at 11:46 AM

Cause wins are what shows how good a pitcher is...yeah...

Also, do you realize because the Cards kept on using terrible closing options instead of the young relievers like Motte and Perez they blew over 30 saves? If they had been around league average in blown saves, they could have very much rivaled 100 wins with the cubs.

bjsguess: completely agree.

Recap on FA lost
1. Angels sign to Fuentes to replace K-Rod.

2. Resigned Juan Rivera

3. Jon Garland has not been replaced, however, they will look internally

4. Garrett Anderson has not been resigned (Rivera is take over spot)

5. Tex signed with Yankees (replace with Kendry Morales)

Are you freakin serious? It would be nice to see that internal replacements compensate for key offensive components lost, however, will it be enough? It's tough to be optimistic considering their track record in the playoffs. Yeah, lets revisit at the end of 2009.

"They will have to rename Yankee Stadium to Pujols Stadium in a clause in the contract to get him to sign, hahaha.

Posted by: Ivdown | January 07, 2009 at 11:59 AM"

HeHe, dude if they really somehow signed in two years I would have a stroke.

"They will have to rename Yankee Stadium to Pujols Stadium in a clause in the contract to get him to sign, hahaha.

Posted by: Ivdown | January 07, 2009 at 11:59 AM"

HeHe, dude if they really somehow signed in two years I would have a stroke.

Posted by: 661dodgerblue | January 07, 2009 at 12:41 PM

You're tellin me. If Pujols leaves ST Louis the only place i would want him to go is LA, but I just cant see that happening.

Whats not too like?

Posted by: 661dodgerblue | January 07, 2009 at 12:42 PM

Plenty. An 870-900 OPS in the minors. Age 25 in AAA. Terrible 2008 season in the bigs. Absolute refusal to take a walk.

Now, he might turn out just fine. However, there are plenty of reasons to explore another big bat - especially when the price is $10m or less AND it won't cost a draft pick.

If you are still stuck in the steroid era then you probably won't agree with this comment...

The Angels playoff history in recent years has sort of been a revolving circle between (or even a catch 22) between them, Boston, and New York.

Angels can't beat the Red Sox, the Red Sox can't beat the Yankees, and the Yankees can't beat the Angels!

Think outside the box and maybe you will discover that getting another big bat doesn't make any difference, for any team.

That was proven when the Angels acquired Mark Teixeira and STILL didn't get past the ALDS!

The Angels inability to beat Boston in the playoffs has nothing to do with a need for a big bat.

Its a confidence issue!

The Angels beat the Yankees in the ALDS AGAIN in 2005 with an even weaker starting lineup and starting rotation as well!

Its just one of things. And people who can't just let it go and accept it have to point the finger, and the easiest thing to point to is lack of offense.

Its a joke!

As long as the Angels have their pitching and Mike Scioscia as their manager, contending won't be a problem at all.

If the Angels want to get past Boston they need to start showing the same confidence the Red Sox suddenly came out with and took the 2004 ALCS after being down 3-0, as if they were fighting as the 300 Spartans! LOL

That's how the Angels will beat Boston in the ALDS.

If the Angels faced any other team, including the Yankees, in 2004, 2007, and 2008 they probably would have made it to the ALCS every one of those seasons and probably at least one more World Series.

Need for offense is just another cliche.

Its about wanting it!

IV down... how many games did they actually lose that were blown and how many games had 2+ blown saves in them? your argument is terrible and bogus and to say lilly is unreliable was just false... and yeah wins matter because last time i checked it wasnt era or holds or ops or ba or sb or hr that matters it is wins...

Posted by: BlueCatuli | January 07, 2009 at 01:15 PM

Do you really think that 30 plus blown saves is irrelevant? If so, then please do us all a favor and use your brain. To think that it wouldnt have cost the Cardinals at least 10-15 wins is moronic.

I look at Albert Pujols the same way I used to look at Mike Piazza when he was with the Dodgers...

He is the only player in Major League Baseball that is worth the high price he is asking for.

Even A-Rod isn't worth his asking price.

And I'll take Ted Lilly to be the Angels' fifth starter any day, if he were a free agent.

What would the Orioles be looking for in return for Roberts?
Posted by: pageian

If you go by the deals Bedard and Tejada deals, McPhail will be looking for as much as he can get talent-wise regardless of positional need. In each deal he got a position player, a quality pitching prospect, and three organizational guys with potential. The O's don't have to get a 2B back in the deal. They traded Tejada with nothing to play behind him.

I think that the Tejada deal is a good judge of what the O's would like in return. Although Tejada is has more power and plays a more "important" position, Roberts is a better player who has not yet entered the downside of his career like Miguel has. I think they would be looking for a major-league ready position player (particularly someone blocked by an established player), a top pitching AA or higher pitching prospect, and 2-3 organization guys (either major league role players or B+ prospects at the A-ball level). IMHO of course.

the cards IMO made a huge mistake by letting Walt Jocketty leave. To cards Management : Please spend the money you have! If TLR walks.. so does duncan. But i pray to God jose oquendo ( who is the absolutley best kept secret in baseball) will lead our cards to a prosperous future.. just like our past. GO CARDS