Someone alert Dr. Dre and the Beach Boys, since here's a rundown of news from the Golden State…
- The Padres are so high on Chase Headley that MLB.com's Corey Brock says the team once turned down a deal with Pittsburgh that would've brought Nate McLouth and Xavier Nady to San Diego.
- MLB.com's Lyle Spencer reports that the Angels will pay their five regular infielders a total of $8.05MM in 2010 — or, almost $1MM less than Chone Figgins by himself will make in Seattle.
- Tony Jackson of ESPN Los Angeles talks to Jeff Weaver, whose minor league contract with the Dodgers allows him to opt out and become a free agent if he doesn't make the club out of spring training. Weaver said the escape clause allows him to stay out of the minors: "I am here to make this team. If it doesn't work out…then I don't really want to do the Triple-A thing again."
- As part of a reader mailbag, Jackson said it's unlikely that Jamie McCourt's claim of half-ownership of the Dodgers will hold up in court. But if it does, then Jackson predicts Frank McCourt "probably will be forced to sell, whether it's to Jamie and the group she allegedly has lined up to buy the club or to someone else." One would think that if this divorce halves McCourt's fortune as many predict it will, he may have to sell the team regardless of the result of his ex-wife's claim.
- Scout X (who may or may not be ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski) previews the 2010 season. One of the more interesting tidbits in the piece is that Scout X would take Matt Cain over Tim Lincecum if he had to choose between the two Giants aces because "Cain pitches with such ease."
Headley for mcclouth AND nady???
Theirs a reason why the padres GM was fired..they could have been in contention these past 2 years!
Funny you say that. Towers was higher on Kouzmanoff than he was on Headley, it was Alderson and DePodesta (who has since gained a stronger role with the team) who like Headley.
Keep in mind in hearing these old rumors that we’re evaluating them based on information we know now, but what people knew when the decision was made.
I have to imagine the reason this wasn’t done is because of payroll or more likely this is a mis-communication. I could see McClouth OR Nady for Headley, but not both. Towers was a solid GM. Even with the most recent payroll restrictions he acquired some very good pieces. Peavy for Richard, Poreda, Russell and Carter is looking really good. Hairston for Gallagher, Webb and Italiano looks like a steal. Even Gwynn Jr. is a nice pick up. Draft picks like Headley, Blanks, Hundley, Latos and Venable will all be on the major league roster this year. Granted there were some cheap draft picks. Towers did a good job during his tenure and left the organization in solid shape for Hoyer. Too bad he won’t get the credit when this team surprises a lot of people this year.
Biggest scar on tower’s history: matt bush
Matt Bush was the fault of the owner. wNot Toers. The Padres wanted to draft Verlander/Drew with the first pick, but ownership didnt approve the money for the bonus. Plus ownership did not back out of the bonus money until a week before the draft. That tied Towers hands. You could say that it was Towers fault for not having a back up plan, but its still ownership who prevented the pick from going the way the scouting department wanted it.
Actually shortly after he was fired, Towers went on 1090 and took 100% of the blame for drafting Bush. He said that Moores asked him if Drew or Weaver were worth the money and he said “absolutely not, they are just amateurs. None of these guys are worth that much money”
Can’t find a Towers interview on XX1090 where he said that. Can you provide a link?
Nope, you can probably email Darren Smith if you are that seriously determined to verify
Headley for mcclouth AND nady???
Theirs a reason why the padres GM was fired..they could have been in contention these past 2 years!
and I thought I was the only one who valued Cain more than Lincecum. I wish the Phillies could trade Howard for Cain and move Werth to 1B and bring up Dom Brown next year, but that will never happen. The one-two punch of lincecum and cain is just insane. Throw in Bumgarner, Sanchez, and Zito (as a potential number 5) and you easily have the best rotation in baseball. But could you imagine Sandoval and Howard in the same line-up, haha. That’s just ridiculous.
Brown will be in the Phillies Opening Day lineup in 2011 if they can’t resign Werth.
I think you meant tobsay opening day ROSTER
Rollins
Polanco
Utley
Howard
Werth
Ibanez
Victorino
Ruiz
Halladay
Do the plan on playing dom brown on werth’s Jesus-beard?
No Ferraribro, I meant Opening Day Lineup in 2011 if they can’t re-sign Werth. I don’t understand what you meant there? Can you clarify?
He meant that he’s Tony Tag.
Easily the best rotation in baseball? A bit of a stretch to say the least.
Yea that’s a great idea. Lets move a RF who has an arm and speed to a relatively easy position like 1B where all of those tools are wasted.
Worst idea I’ve ever heard. If anything Ibanez should move in.
Move Werth to 1B? That may just be the worst idea ever. The guy has and arm and speed to cover alot of ground. Why would you want to waste all of that at a position like 1B?? If anything Ibanez should move in.
I agree, Ibanez should be moved for 1B soon anyway. Sometimes he makes Manny look like a decent outfielder.
and I thought I was the only one who valued Cain more than Lincecum. I wish the Phillies could trade Howard for Cain and move Werth to 1B and bring up Dom Brown next year, but that will never happen. The one-two punch of lincecum and cain is just insane. Throw in Bumgarner, Sanchez, and Zito (as a potential number 5) and you easily have the best rotation in baseball. But could you imagine Sandoval and Howard in the same line-up, haha. That’s just ridiculous.
man its hard to believe that the pads turned that down the only reason i can think of is salary issues
man its hard to believe that the pads turned that down the only reason i can think of is salary issues
Wow, that would be a hell of an outfield, but I think the financials probably had something to do with rejecting that deal. Mclouth has a decent contract, and so does Nady, but Headley does make the league min. Unless the Pirates were throwing in some money, the Padres couldn’t afford it and resign Adrian (Resigning him is hard as it is)
Wow, that would be a hell of an outfield, but I think the financials probably had something to do with rejecting that deal. Mclouth has a decent contract, and so does Nady, but Headley does make the league min. Unless the Pirates were throwing in some money, the Padres couldn’t afford it and resign Adrian (Resigning him is hard as it is)
Not only do I think that the divorice between the McCourts is affecting the Dodgers and it’s fanbase, but I don’t get this at all. I’d be amazed to see Jamie McCourt name one Dodger player. I really think she just wants to be able to tell people, “I own half of the Dodgers”. Obviously she doesn’t want to give in to Frank but enough is enough. This divorice could cause the Dodgers the post-season in the long run. Money issues prevented the Dodgers to improve their pitching issues and the money issues were because of the divorice.
On the Pirates side of the trade, if they had made that trade, Gorkys Hernandez, Jeff Karstens, Daniel McCutchen, Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Locke, and Charlie Morton would not be on the team. Instead, Chase Headley would have been the left fielder or 3rd baseman. Wow.
Is she still w/ the limo driver or was that just for fun?
Not only do I think that the divorice between the McCourts is affecting the Dodgers and it’s fanbase, but I don’t get this at all. I’d be amazed to see Jamie McCourt name one Dodger player. I really think she just wants to be able to tell people, “I own half of the Dodgers”. Obviously she doesn’t want to give in to Frank but enough is enough. This divorice could cause the Dodgers the post-season in the long run. Money issues prevented the Dodgers to improve their pitching issues and the money issues were because of the divorice.
On the Pirates side of the trade, if they had made that trade, Gorkys Hernandez, Jeff Karstens, Daniel McCutchen, Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Locke, and Charlie Morton would not be on the team. Instead, Chase Headley would have been the left fielder or 3rd baseman. Wow.
It was sad to see Figgins go (especially within the division) as a fan, but sometimes fans have to step back and look at the big picture, like the FO. Angels gave their offer to Figgy, the M’s offered more so he took it, can’t hate on Chone for that. Plus Wood was out of options, it’s his turn to show what he can do in the majors with CONSISTENT AB’s. He’s not going to lead off, but has the power that Figgins lacked and a solid glove. Good luck to you Chone and see you in Anaheim.
finally someone who knows what they’re talking about
Good job Padres by not making that foolish deal with Pittsburgh. Nady is an injury time bomb and even when healthy is not terrific, with the exception of the first half of a season that got him shipped to NYY. McLouth maybe could have gotten them some return in the trade market, but the Padres were smart to hold on to their young core, knowing that their players such as Brian Giles were getting older and it seemed likely that Peavy and Kouz were eventually going to be dealt.