By Tim Dierkes | at
SI.com’s Jon Heyman ranks his top ten GMs thusly:
1. Theo Epstein
2. Billy Beane
3. Dave Dombrowski
4. Mark Shapiro
5. Brian Cashman
6. Pat Gillick
7. Josh Byrnes
8. Omar Minaya
9. Dan O’Dowd
10T. Kenny Williams
10T. Kevin Towers
I haven’t given a ton of thought to my own top ten, but I’d probably have Beane, Gillick, and Cashman lower with Byrnes and Towers higher and Doug Melvin in there. What’s your top ten? No ties.
By Tim Dierkes | at
I’m going on ESPN 1580 KTGR out of Columbia, MO in a couple of minutes. You can listen live here.
By Tim Dierkes | at
Do you have a baseball blog? Consider adding the MLBTR Widget to your sidebar. Over 400 blogs are keeping their readers up to their date on the hot stove by displaying a constant feed of our posts via the widget.
I’d like to give a shout-out to Mets 4 Life and The Stat Pack, the top widget users so far.
By Tim Dierkes | at
Do you have a baseball blog? Consider adding the MLBTR Widget to your sidebar. Over 400 blogs are keeping their readers up to their date on the hot stove by displaying a constant feed of our posts via the widget.
I’d like to give a shout-out to Mets 4 Life and The Stat Pack, the top widget users so far.
By Tim Dierkes | at
MONDAY: The Jays will pass on Nixon. The D’Backs liked what they saw.
SUNDAY: According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, four teams watched 33 year-old outfielder Trot Nixon audition in Tucson today: the D’Backs, Blue Jays, Mariners, and Dodgers. Nixon earned $4MM in ’07 while hitting .251/.342/.336 for the Tribe in 354 plate appearances. He was pretty much injury-free.
Nixon’s calling card had typically been his ability to rake right-handed pitching. He hit .256/.352/.345 against righties in ’07, drawing plenty of walks but displaying no power. Rather than a platoon he seems in line for a bench job this year.
By Tim Dierkes | at
I noticed a John Hickey article from three days ago that hasn’t been mentioned here at MLBTR. Hickey notes that the Mariners like to sign players to extensions during spring if possible. He assesses the chances of extensions for Felix Hernandez, Erik Bedard, Kenji Johjima, Raul Ibanez, and Richie Sexson in the article.
Johjima, Ibanez, and Sexson are all set to reach free agency after the ’08 season. Johjima seems the most likely to stay, though prospect Jeff Clement may be close to big league ready. Sexson is as good as gone, while the decision on Ibanez will likely hinge on ’08. I’m not sure how Jose Vidro’s vesting option for ’09 works; Ibanez may be best served filling his DH spot.
Hickey expects to see Felix locked up before the season begins. A deal would buy out his three arbitration years (2009-11), at least. The Ms could also incorporate the ’08 season into the contract. The Angels bought out John Lackey’s three arb years for $17MM, but that was two years ago. Chris Young’s deal covered his final four years of team control for $14.5MM; that was signed a year ago. Matt Cain’s contract may also be a comparable.
Hickey does see Bedard getting an extension; he can become a free agent after the ’09 season. Bedard recently signed at $7MM for ’08. His deal could be massive, in the $18-19MM per year range.
By Tim Dierkes | at
Shortstop Khalil Greene recently signed for two years and $11MM, a deal that bought out his arbitration years. Padres GM Kevin Towers said in January that Greene might prefer to play near his family on the East Coast.
However, MLB.com’s Corey Brock quotes Greene as saying today, "There’s nowhere else where I would want to play than San Diego." So maybe Greene will re-sign following the ’09 season, after all.
By Tim Dierkes | at
I don’t have enough for an odds and ends post at the moment, so it’s Bret Boone’s lucky day. The Nationals have signed the 38 year-old second baseman to a minor league deal. The organization is already home to Bob and Aaron Boone.
Bret comes out of retirement in an attempt to crack Washington’s roster as a utility guy. They’ve already got Ron Belliard and Felipe Lopez competing for time at second base. The Nationals hope Boone can reprise his 2001 line: .331 average, 37 home runs, 141 RBIs. Man I wish he was on my fantasy team that year.
By Tim Dierkes | at
Aside from my own websites, I’ve been a regular contributor of fantasy baseball columns for RotoWorld over the past few years.
This year, I have joined forces with them for their Draft Guide, contributing a ton of articles and analysis. At just $14.99, this is hands down the best way to spend your fantasy baseball dollar. I know, because I’ve tried practically every $8 magazine and online service out there over the years. Those magazines go to press in early December – they’re mostly useless.
Projections, cheatsheets, player comments, AL/NL-only values, custom scoring, updates, feature articles, closer info, mock drafts, sleepers, busts….need I go on? The 2008 RotoWorld Draft Guide has it all. Get a jump on your league and buy the guide today.
By Tim Dierkes | at
Minor signing this morning, as the Cubs inked shortstop Alex Cintron to a minor league deal according to ESPN 1000 Radio’s Bruce Levine. Does this have implications for Ronny Cedeno, who’s been a rumored piece in the Brian Roberts discussions? And since Cintron had been on Baltimore’s radar, will they now focus on Juan Uribe?
Cintron, 29, hit .243/.281/.324 for the White Sox in 185 ABs last year. He dealt with bone spurs in his elbow, a bruised thumb, and time spent on the bereavement list for his grandfather.
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