Sad news in baseball today, as the Blue Jays announced the passing of player development senior advisor Mel Queen and Harmon Killebrew announced that his esophageal cancer has developed to the point that doctors don't expect a cure. MLBTR extends its sincere condolences to Queen’s family and Killebrew and his family. Here are today's links…
- Astros manager Brad Mills was optimistic regarding the overall future of the organization after learning Drayton McLane Jr. had reached an agreement to sell the team to a group led by local businessman Jim Crane, according to Stephen Goff of Examiner.com.
- Tom Singer of MLB.com takes an entertaining look back at some deals that didn't happen, including a possible trade that would have sent Tim Lincecum to Toronto.
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he would like to add a southpaw to his team. “I’m just not going to get one right now,” Cashman said. “And I don’t know if I’ll get one this summer.”
- Rosenthal says the Yankees shouldn't rush lefty Manny Banuelos to the Majors. "Let Manny become Manny … No sooner than 2012," Rosenthal writes.
- Matt Klaassen of FanGraphs examines Carlos Beltran's trade value and says "it is hard to imagine the Mets getting more than a couple of C prospects in return for Beltran if they send a few million dollars along."
Never before, have I would’ve thought I could dislike J.P. Riccardi any more then I do now. I have been proven wrong. The 1-2-3 of Halladay, Burnett, and Lincecum in 2008 could’ve been the Blue Jays in the playoffs. But hindsight is 20/20.
What makes you think they would have made the playoffs? I doubt Lincecum would have added 10 wins.
the way i look at it, if the jays had dealt for lincecum, they would have had maybe the best rotation in the AL, and had the potential to get the jays to the playoffs. If this had been the case, ricciardi might still be with them and we wouldn’t have AA. Call me a fanboy but i would rather have AA than lincecum.
HAHA
Riccardi being fired was inevitable. He scouted poorly, routinely made bad decisions, and he was untrustworthy.
while i could sit here and bash JPR all day, his scouting was and still is one of his better attributes.
I disagree to a certain extent. There were a few years at the start where he drafted pretty badly with a bunch of duds, but near the end of his tenure he drafted a lot of very good players.
his refusal to admit brad Emaus was a bust proves a certain amount of Hubris. I know there is much more significant examples, but the fact that even after being let go by the Jays, he is stuck on the same old.
considering AA was already with the team ?
I’d trade AA for Lincecum right now. lol
I think everyone in San Francisco owe Aaron Rowand a big thank you for signing with the Giants and shelving trade talks involving Lincecum…
R.I.P Mel Queen ! Thank you for Doc and for everything else you did for the Jays org!
I remember Mel Queen when he pitched for the Reds, way before they were the ‘Big Red Machine’. Can remember going to Shea Stadium to watch him pitch againist the Mets. He wasn’t a great pitcher, but he had a lot of balls, a guy who got the most out of his abilities, and would battle every hitter on every pitch.
May the Good Lord keep his sole.
How could I forget Killebrew… Great slugger, not a great defender… came up as an outfielder and couldn’t play there. Played some third, but again, was not a good fit, wound up at 1B. A humble man, a real class act and an all-star when that meant something. I understand he is going to a hospice to await the final verdict. Hope he does not suffer too much.
I’m so glad the Giants never traded Lincecum, I’m also glad Lincecum decided to stay in college instead of signing with the Cubs in 2003 or the Indians in 2005.
Please stop bringing up the Timmy for Rios trade, it gives me shivers all the time. At the time I didn’t mind keeping Rios, but then to give him away for nothing, that was the worst. I am sure glad JP is gone for good.
If we fact check I think at the time Blue Jays asked for Lineceum and the Giants offered Cain (almost as absured) and the Jays turned it down. Lineceum who was under team control for a longer period of time was proposed by the jays and rejected
thats how i remember it too…toronto wanted tim…giants said no…and said will give you cain!
This is how it went. After 2007 the Giant desperately needed some good hitters in their lineup and took a deep look at Alex Rios because of the amount of potential he offered as a big league hitter. Having been just 26 at the time and coming off two productive seasons, Rios looked as if he was the real deal and the Giants knew that having someone of his caliber would be a huge addition to their depleted lineup, especially since Barry Bonds wasn’t returning to them for the 2008 season. The Giants figured, with their abundant amount of pitchers, that they could sacrifice one of their pitchers in order to balance out the team. And for the Giants, this philosophy was not new. The Giants, from 2006-2009, looked everywhere for hitting and figured they could take advantage of their huge pitching depth by trading one of their premier starters and trading them for a power hitter to help balance the lineup. Besides this trade rumor, other trade proposals leaked out such as Cain-Fielder, Sanchez-Cantu, and Lowry/Sanchez-Matsui at the time.
However Rios looked like a perfect choice for the Giants because of his youth and five-tool potential. The Giants needed an outfielder, especially one with power. Not only did Rios offer power, but he offered speed too which would have been a plus for the Giants considering how they ranked among the lower half in baseball for stolen bases the previous season. However, the Giants knew Rios was going to be expensive, considering how he was cost controlled for the next few years while looking as if he was about to enter his prime in the majors. Hence came the return talks for Lincecum and Cain. The Giants knew that it was going to be either Cain or Lincecum, or that there would be no deal at all, especially considering how at the time, the Giants ranked among the worst farm systems in baseball. The Giants took a long look at this proposal, but eventually turned it down as they knew losing either Cain or Lincecum would be a huge loss for the club. The Giants also eventually signed Aaron Rowand to a five year deal which also played a huge role in trade talks ending among the two clubs. Hate the Rowand deal as much as you want, but if the Giants didn’t sign Rowand, then there would have been a much higher chance of this deal actually happening. And as much as Rowand is overpaid, I would much rather have Rowand and both Cain and Lincecum then I would just Rios.
If the Yankees are looking for a lefty, I’m sure the Braves will part with Sherrill. He’s slightly redundant with Venters and O’Flaherty in the bullpen.
Ron Mahay and/or randy flores…nice little lefty bullpen piece they desperately need.
or sherrill…Cashman is full of you know what…I don’t believe anything hes says anymore…just playing with the press i think..
If yanks want a lefty take zito when comes off the dl. Giants fans won’t mind.
The player the Sox requested in the Guillen “trade” was Logan Morrison not Mike Stanton.
*Cough* Bedard *Cough* Montero.
That cough sounds really serious, you need to see a doctor real quick! While you’re there, seek a psychiatrist as well.
The Yankees couldn’t land Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay or Joakim Soria for Montero.
What makes you think they can land Erik-friggin’-Bedard with him?
Excuse me while I LOLOLOL
Wait…you were serious?
Let’s play a game..Halladay, Lee, Soria…..Bedard
(Cue the music) “one of these things is not like the other…”
Yeah, Soria’s a Closer! Lol!
What makes you think the Yankees even want Erik-friggin’-Bedard?
It seems everyone’s sarcasm meter is broken.
The Russian judge gave you a 2 for your attempt at sarcasm. Even the US judge felt it was a poor attempt but gave you a sympathetic 3.
i hope that cough is not contagious…dont be spreading it around mlb traderumors…lol
I remember after hearing the Lincecum-Rios rumor I thought for sure Lincecum would be traded by Sabean since he made several other bone head trade decisions getting rid of young talent. I was so happy when Lincecum wasnt traded. If that trade happened Giants would never have won the 2010 world series and as a die hard giants fan, I would have had to still remember the 2002 world series.
Gosh, that would have been really tough for you. Our deepest sympathies.
Sincerely,
Every Cubs fan
“Five months later, Rivera nailed the first of his record 572 saves.”
Trevor Hoffman disagrees.
Exactly, I still get mad when they call him the greatest closer ever, it is such an insult to Hoffman, I mean I am a realist and realize Rivera will get the saves record but I find it highly disrespectful to Hoffman to just hand it to him. (no pun intended)
But does most saves all time = greatest closer ever? Think you have to factor dominance into it as well, and frankly, Mo > Hoffman in that regard.
Not bashing Hoffman though. He was fantastic.
he only throws 1 pitch thats why
Hoffman’s Reg Season Career: 3.08 FIP-77% LOB%-34.2 GB%-0.83 HR/9-1.06 Whip-23 WAR
Rivera’s ” ” ” : 2.77 FIP-80% LOB%-53.5 GB%-0.48 HR/9-1.00 Whip-37 WAR
Hof Post Career: 4.13 FIP w/ 4 saves and 0 WS
Mo’s ” ” : 2.24 FIP w/ 42 saves and 5 WS
That’s why Mo is the greatest closer of all time.
I remember Mel Queen’s baseball cards from the sixties. I used to get them in a nickle pack with that hard gum. I traded my gum to my little brothers for their cards. I still have them all.