Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Braun, Holliday, Kouzmanoff, Greene, Sabean

Let's take a look at what is being said about some recent rumors, trades and signings in the Blogosphere... Right Field Bleachers sees the signing of Ryan Braun and Corey Hart to long-term deals as a "must" for the Brewers. Brewers Nation sees the Braun deal as evidence that Prince Fielder will not sign an extension even if the two situations are very different. Oleanders and Morning Glories thinks that if Nats' management was hoping to sign Ryan Zimmerman to a Troy Tulowitzki-type deal, Braun's deal may have raised the bar. Squawking Baseball sees the recent trend in giving long-term...

Blocked Prospects: Joe Koshansky

25 year-old first baseman Joe Koshansky played for the same University of Virginia team as Ryan Zimmerman and Mark Reynolds. Like Reynolds he was drafted in 2004, falling (to the surprise of some) to the sixth round (pick 190). He's moved steadily through the Rockies system and in 2005 was named Baseball America's Rockies Minor League Player of the Year after hitting .291/.373/.603 with 36 home runs in 453 A ball at bats. He's maintained similar averages at Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Colorado Springs, although his power has steadily declined. On top of that, Koshansky plays at the highest elevation...

Odds and Ends: Zimmerman, Lohse, Quintero

The Nationals renewed Ryan Zimmerman's contract and will pay him $465K in 2008, but still hope to sign him to a longer deal. Zimmerman will be eligible for arbitration in 2009. According to the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles recently discussed free agent pitcher Kyle Lohse with his agent, Scott Boras. Lohse was originally seeking a five-year deal for approximately $50 million, but word is his price has come down drastically. The Detroit Free Press says the Tigers "have mild interest in Houston's Humberto Quintero but are giving strong consideration to Dane Sardinha, the starting catcher at Triple-A Toledo last year."...

Ryan Howard Fallout

Ryan Howard winning a $10MM salary yesterday was kind of a big deal. Let's examine this first-year arbitration record. A source of Jayson Stark's thinks the Phillies would've won had they submitted above Miguel Cabrera's $7.4MM. Seems that even slightly above would've done it, because then Howard losing would've still set a record. Tom Haudricourt talks about how Prince Fielder is now in line for the same $10MM for his '09 salary. And he doesn't see Scott Boras relenting and doing a multiyear deal. Stark adds Ryan Braun, Ryan Zimmerman, and Hanley Ramirez as other young stars who will be...