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Odds & Ends: Cubs, Podsednik, Giants

By Zach Links [November 8, 2009 at 9:35pm CST]

Let's close out this Sunday evening with a few links...

Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune runs down the Cubs' offseason wish list. Unsurprisingly, getting rid of Milton Bradley is the top priority.
The agent for Scott Podsednik claims that the lines of communication with the White Sox are still open, despite GM Ken Williams' reluctance to re-sign the 33-year-old, writes the Tribune's Mark Gonzales. Scotty Pods' chances of returning decreased after the club took on salary in the trade for Mark Teahen.
Giants prospect Angel Villalona is out on bail, says ESPN's Enrique Rojas (via Twitter). Villalona was charged with murder back in September.

Comments

That is seriously, seriously irresponsible for Enrique Rojas to post that on Twitter.

It is even more irresponsible for this site to carry that.

I have no idea if it's true or not, and wouldn't doubt it if it was, but this isn't a free agent signing rumor. It's a criminal investigation of murder and to post twitter feeds where a guy basically just says "Hey I heard this" and offers nothing in the way of evidence is just irresponsible.

Posted by: withpower | November 08, 2009 at 09:44 PM

I hope instead of pods, The White Sox use Jordan Danks.

Posted by: kcatlantis | November 08, 2009 at 09:49 PM

"I hope instead of pods, The White Sox use Jordan Danks."

You mean the guy who spent half a season in AA this year looking like he was in over his head? He needs more seasoning in the minors, best case scenario for his time line should be September call up.

Posted by: start_wearing_purple | November 08, 2009 at 09:59 PM

the more i think about it (and, man, does that hurt!), the cubs may just have THE WORST lineup in all of MLB

Posted by: crash | November 08, 2009 at 10:00 PM

so what are the the real chances of a Rowand for Bradley swap?

I know its been discussed here before. I personally would like to see it happen, change of scenery could be good for both guys

Posted by: Bleacher_bum_SF | November 08, 2009 at 10:04 PM

the giants, padres, pirates, reds, and mariners all had a team wOBA 10 points worse than the Cubs did last year.

Posted by: CubFanRaysaddict | November 08, 2009 at 10:11 PM

"so what are the the real chances of a Rowand for Bradley swap?"

Well there's always the change of scenery argument. But I only see this happening if the Giants throw in money, something like $10M.

Posted by: start_wearing_purple | November 08, 2009 at 10:14 PM

He's been absolutly dominant in the AFL. Beckham was last year and look at him now.

Posted by: kcatlantis | November 08, 2009 at 10:19 PM

Jordan Danks has had a nice AFL, but he also had a .693 OPS in less than 200 AA at-bats. He's simply not ready.

Posted by: vtadave | November 08, 2009 at 10:23 PM

withpower - this is a rumor site, so posting tweets is and has been the norm. That's not the issue. Considering Villalona's prospect (some would argue for "former" prospect) status, this is legitimate news. Sure, the news could turn out to be incorrect, but that would just put Rojas alonside the Heymans and Rosenthals of the world.

Posted by: vtadave | November 08, 2009 at 10:25 PM

How does getting a 3B make an OF expendable?

Posted by: Grant77 | November 08, 2009 at 10:26 PM

Not that it really needs to be said again, but I'd prefer if Kenny stay far, far away from Pods. There is absolutely no reason for me to believe we'll get the "good" Pods again this season. Yes, his K% was down this season, but so was his BB%, and his K/BB ratio has been pretty consistent throughout his career.

One look at fangraphs should tell anyone all they need to know.

http://www.fangraphs.com/comparison.aspx?playerid=1095&playerid2=&playerid3=&position=OF&page=0&type=full

His years of high AVG and OBP line up exactly with a high BABIP- in fact, the graphs of his AVG, OBP, and BABIP are nearly identical, as one might expect. He's never really had back-to-back good years and nothing indicates to me that he'd start now. All teams should stay away, though maybe he can sign another cheap contract and give some team an emergency season filled with below-average fielding and base-running.

Posted by: mechanicalTurk | November 08, 2009 at 10:30 PM

vtadave,

If you can't see how it was irresponsible for Rojas to do that, I'm not sure what to tell you.

I'm not going to sit here and try to say I don't understand why he did it, or that it has no interest to some baseball fans.. but I really think discretion would have been the better part of valor regarding hearsay on an as yet unresolved murder case.

Posted by: withpower | November 08, 2009 at 10:32 PM

vradave: There was more on the topic about him paying money that was deleted now that I believe withpower was referring to.

Posted by: stlcards16 | November 08, 2009 at 10:32 PM

I think Danks will be ready to start by 2011. For now we need to get a 1 year rental in the OF. That being said, I would take Pods back for the right price on a one year contract.

Posted by: Rock&RollGangsta | November 08, 2009 at 10:41 PM

I hear you WP...perhaps I'm making too much of a leap here, but I have to hope that someone that works for ESPN wouldn't post that without a REALLY good source.

Posted by: vtadave | November 08, 2009 at 10:46 PM

It's not that I don't believe it. In all honesty, I do believe it. The whole deal with Villalona took place in a really bad, very poor neighborhood in the DR and it wouldn't shock me one bit that hush money would be offered and accepted.

I'm just not sure he SHOULD have reported it.

Posted by: withpower | November 08, 2009 at 10:50 PM

If the Giants can somehow keep Uribe around, with Villalona coming up, that SF offense can be real scary... not scary good, but scary-we-might-shoot-you.

Sorry, sorry, I tried my hardest not to do it. These jokes write themselves.

Posted by: agonzo23 | November 08, 2009 at 11:04 PM

agonzo23, you should be ashamed of yourself... there are hundreds of better jokes you could make. He's a killer prospect, he'll be a dangerous man at the plate, pitchers will be afraid to pitch him inside because they know what he's capable of, he'll be murdering more than just the ball, he won't be the first Giant to have the nickname "Shooter," he may not be in video game MLB: The Show but I heard they're naming a first person shooter after him, etc.

Posted by: start_wearing_purple | November 09, 2009 at 06:15 AM

"so what are the the real chances of a Rowand for Bradley swap?

I know its been discussed here before. I personally would like to see it happen, change of scenery could be good for both guys"

That would be fun - if it happened what's the over/under on the date Rowand crashes into the ivy covered brick wall and ends his season. I'd say April 22 (before the ive is even ion bloom).

Posted by: southsider | November 09, 2009 at 09:17 AM

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Odds & Ends: Cubs, Podsednik, Giants

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