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Hot Stove Hysteria

AL West Notes: Norris, Luhnow, Athletics, Profar

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The Mariners dominated headlines around baseball today, agreeing to an extension with Felix Hernandez, agreeing to terms with Joe Saunders, finalizing a one-year deal with Kelly Shoppach and designating Shawn Kelley for assignment.  While the bulk of the news from the AL West came from Seattle, here are some more items from around the division…

  • In an interview on the MLB Network (video link), Astros GM Jeff Luhnow said he was looking forward to having Bud Norris in the rotation next season and that he wasn't currently talking to anyone about trading the right-hander.  Luhnow noted, however, that the Astros' recent history has shown "we're willing to talk to any club about any player if we feel the deal furthers our strategy to develop the best young talent in baseball….We'll continue to look at all options."  FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported on Tuesday that Norris was available and that the Cardinals, Padres and Orioles were all interested in Norris during the Winter Meetings.
  • Speaking of Houston's recent moves, Luhnow's trades as Astros general manager are recapped by MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.
  • "Our currency is not cash.  Our currency is young players," Athletics GM Billy Beane tells CBS Sports' Danny Knobler. While the A's won't see a major payroll increase in 2013, the team has been dealing young talent in exchange for more expensive veterans this offseason since Oakland feels it can contend next season.  
  • The topic of a Jurickson Profar-for-David Price deal was recently posed to ESPN's Keith Law during a radio appearance, and ESPN Dallas' Richard Durrett goes further in-depth in analyzing the specifics of such a trade between the Rangers and Rays.  Durrett would make the trade since it would give the Rangers a proven ace, while Law wouldn't make the deal one-for-one since Texas would be giving up too many years of team control.  Law, however, doesn't think Tampa Bay would consider such an offer anyway since, "it would be very hard for the Rays to justify a deal like that with the perceived value of Price."

Odds and Ends: Giles, Chacon, Durbin

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Here are today’s random rumor tidbits.

  • The Rox are interested in Marcus Giles for their second base opening.  Giles was awful last year, they should just try something internal.  Other Rockies notes: contracts with Kip Wells and Luis Vizcaino aren’t quite finalized, and they may ink Victor Zambrano to a minor league deal.  UPDATE: Wells, plus Mark Redman, are done deals.
  • The Pirates still have their eye on Shawn Chacon and Chad Durbin.  That”ll put butts in the seats.  Also, Jake of Bucco Blog weighs in on a new Pirates hire.
  • Speaking of Durbin, did he comment on this blog and suggest he’s headed to the NL?  I’m not sure.
  • Drays Bay talked to Gerry Hunsicker.  Seth Speaks talked to Pat Neshek.
  • New prize added to our Hot Stove Hysteria contest – three months free of Scout.com access.
  • Things are mostly quiet with the Brewers, but this Tom Haudricourt blog post notes tepid discussions for Scott Rolen, Hank Blalock, and Andre Ethier.

Odds and Ends: Hot Stove Hysteria

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Anyone else ready for the Winter Meetings?  It’s going to be a crazy four days.  I’ll be blogging all of it nonstop.  Here are some links to consider in the meantime.

Odds and Ends: Glavine, Kent, Kuroda

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Picking up some rumors and tidbits that haven’t been otherwise posted during this busy day…

Hot Stove Hysteria

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I saw MLB.com and Bleed Cubbie Blue doing their free agent frenzies, and I felt a strong need for an MLBTR version of that contest.  I’m calling it Hot Stove Hysteria, which sounds like some sort of disease from the early 1800s.  I’m not technically minded or incredibly creative, so this contest will be a synthesis of the ones at MLB.com and BCB (but with an MLBTR twist).

As MLB.com does, you’ll choose the teams 15 pre-selected players will end up with.  You’ll also assign a confidence level to each player, ranking from 15 to 1.  So if you’re most confident Curt Schilling will sign with the Cardinals, use your 15 on that.  You then tally up all the points for the correct choices only.  You can only use a number once – you can’t assign two 7s, for example.

I wanted my version to be extra tricky, so I left out a few big names whose options are already limited to 2-3 teams.  So, no Mike Lowell, Jorge Posada, or Mariano Rivera.  Sorry.  My other twist is that I’m including trade candidates in Hot Stove Hysteria. 

Below are the 15 players. 

Alex Rodriguez
Torii Hunter
Barry Bonds
Aaron Rowand
Carlos Silva
Kyle Lohse
Andruw Jones
Kosuke Fukudome
Francisco Cordero
Jose Guillen
Hiroki Kuroda
Johan Santana
Miguel Cabrera
Miguel Tejada
Coco Crisp

You can include Retirement instead of a team name, and you certainly choose a player’s current team for free agents or trade candidates.  Make your entry in the comments with in this format:

Alex Rodriguez – Angels – 15.
Torii Hunter – Rangers – 14.
Barry Bonds – Padres – 13.

Remember, you assign the numbers based on your confidence level.  The deadline is November 12th at midnight CST; enter in the comments.  The prize?  Big-time bragging rights and a baseball book to be determined. 

By the way, if you own/work for a company and would like to sponsor Hot Stove Hysteria by offering up a prize (deemed cool by me) then drop me a line.  Any sponsors will be recognized, linked to, and thanked in at least two posts.

Note: Curt Schilling was removed in favor of Jose Guillen, since he seems about to sign already.  This will be the only replacement.   

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