Links for Tuesday, as Andy Pettitte and Tim Lincecum celebrate birthdays…
- A's assistant GM David Forst tells MLB.com's Jane Lee that the club would like to add depth to its lineup, even after the Conor Jackson trade (Twitter link).
- Reds GM Walt Jocketty tells John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer that the club would consider trading for or signing a reliever.
- The Hanshin Tigers will pick up Matt Murton's option for 2011, according to Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker (via Twitter). Jack Moore of FanGraphs recently updated us on Murton's success in Japan.
- Ben Badler of Baseball America hears that the Mariners will likely sign right-hander Jose Torres for $800K (Twitter link).
- MLBTR has an internship opportunity for a limited number of regular readers. Any skilled and experienced writers with an eye for detail should describe their experience as writers and editors in a couple sentences and e-mail mlbtrintern@gmail.com by the end of the day.
- Yunesky Maya was already unblocked, but he can sign with anyone now that he has been cleared by the FAC office, according to Enrique Rojas of ESPNdeportes.com (link in Spanish).
- Chipper Jones could announce that he will retire after the season, according to Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle says Nationals GM Mike Rizzo misread Stephen Strasburg and should have called him up early on in the season.
- From what Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog gathers, the Mets and Mariners have talked a lot about Cliff Lee.
- Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik declined to comment on whether the team would trade Lee now, according to Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Jay Greenberg of the New York Post says the Mets seem likely to keep relying on R.A. Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi, as tempting as Roy Oswalt may be.
- Buck Showalter and Phil Garner both told MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli that the O's have yet to contact them about managing the club.
- Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times suggests the Cubs could benefit from becoming sellers. – it just wouldn't be an easy sell to the fan base.
- David Ortiz tells Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he misses Manny Ramirez, though the two didn't socialize much beyond the ballpark.
cubs becoming sellers would be an easy sell to this cubs fan. there’s about 5 guys on that roster i’d keep.
Scott Ostler lobbying hard for moron of the day.
Yeah, how does a veteran sportswriter just ignore the fact that Washington obviously waited until they were Super Two safe, thus saving themselves millions?
Especially a guy in San Francisco. Did he miss that whole Lincecum thing over the offseason? I know he doesn’t cover the Giants directly, but it was going on all around him.
I’m not sure what Cub fans he’s referring to. Most Cub fans who follow the game are ready to blow this team up and start over. The people in the bleachers won’t care who you put out there as long as there is beer. Who’s left? The fans who are sober and don’t follow the game? The biggest obstacles may be Hendry and Piniella. Hendry needs to win to save his job and Piniella didn’t come to Chicago to rebuild. This team needs wholesale changes from top to bottom.
It’s not just painful, but how do they even go about dismantling this club if they could get rid of Hendry and maybe even Pinella? Soriano can’t be moved, Zambrano, Dempster, looks like Ramirez may even decide to pick up his own player option for 2011 after the season now his 2010 has been so out of sync. Fukodome has had his typical hot 1st half.
Just too many bad contracts and not many young guys that they can bring in (or up) with places available. Silva’s not going to bring much would think, still stage fright you would have to think over his past track record and what he has coming over the next season and a half.
We need Harry on TV to start dicing the FO and how this team is heading, cause it seems to continue sliding and it’s getting more painful every time i watch them.
Agreed. There just isn’t much we can do. We’re stuck with Soriano, Zambrano, and Ramirez next year so the Cubs will have to build “around” them. And I mean that in the sense that they are obstacles, not building blocks. We shouldn’t expect much from these deals other than opening spots for young players from our own farm system. If we can get a couple of useful players at all from the group of Lilly, Lee, Fukudome, Nady, Silva, and possibly Theriot, then I’d consider it a victory.
I think it’s time for Ramirez to start learning 1st base. Shift him over there and make him learn that position if he don’t want to. Make sure he knows he’s going there too. He may not want to stick around knowing he wouldn’t be a top 1st baseman and get paid vs a top 3rd baseman. He simply would not get paid a high dollar amount for that position. Also, would like to see them sign Tracy to a 2 year deal on the cheap to cover both 1st and 3rd depending on the route they take.
I’m not sure that would be enough to make him turn down 15M, though. There’s no way he’s going to get that on the open market no matter where he plays. We’re probably stuck with him no matter what. Who knows? If he plays first, stays healthy, maybe he’ll put up decent numbers knowing it’s his walk year. At any rate, the Cubs are probably looking at 2012 as the year they finally get the opportunity to significantly reduce their payroll. Unfortunately, knowing the Cubs, there’s no guarantee that they’ll re-invest those savings wisely. They’ve got to make sure they get a good GM to rebuild this team the right way this time.
I think “stuck with” is the better term than build around. The issue with the Cubs really is a bad management decision, they used a “win now” strategy and it didn’t work. Right now it’s kinda more like building around Castro, Soto, Marmol, etc. while hoping Zambrano has a Carlos Silva style turn around and Soriano finds a magic potion to stop the aging process. But yeah, right now sell what you can and wait for the next cycle of talent because the Cubs are outmatch by 2 teams in particular in Central. Looks like the drought will be a while.
I think you misunderstood. When I said “build around”, I said it tongue in cheek…the implication is that these players are impediments. They are in the way. Can’t get rid of them, we’ll just have to build around them. It wasn’t meant in the sense that they are a foundation to build on. I was just playing with words.
Sorry, but I did understand and for the most part was agreeing with you. I too was just being a little playful with words… problem with written language, you get none of that inflection that you can by speaking it.
Totally agree with your thought. I was just mortified that I may have given the impression that we need to build on Z, Sori, Rami, etc. 🙂
Anyway, you’re absolutely right. There is no quick fix here. It’ll be 2012 before we clear some serious room. But our Blackhawks have shown that, with the right people, you can turn things around in 2-3 years. That’s a little optimistic maybe but if we can get a good GM in place, it’d be a really nice start. I’m willing to be patient if we do things the right way.
The NHL is a completely different beast, my friend. A couple good drafts and one or two smart FA signings can completely change the scope of a team. The Pens will be gunning for you boys next year, so enjoy the Cup while you can.
True enough. Every league is different in that respect.
As for the Pens..we’ll be ready and waiting!
Good riddance to Chipper Jones along with his paltry hitting and crap defense.
Shame on you. Chipper may have lost his power but he still takes walks as good or better than any other hitter in the league and his defense while it is below average is not ‘crap’.
The man is a legend and I will support him as a Brave as long as he wants to stick around.
So, the average amount of errors last year was 22?
We now have better measures of quantifying defense than just counting errors. His UZR numbers are in the negative recently but they aren’t in the double digit negative that would denote a ‘crap’ defensive player.
Fair enough. However, he also watches plenty go right on by and his arm throws nothing but rainbows.
Ehhh, not a totally valid write-off here. The knock against errors in favor of UZR is usually used when people say “HE IS A GR8 DEFENDER HE ONLY MADE 1 ERROR”, to which a reasonable reply is “yeah, but he didn’t get to half of the balls he should have — so he still sucks” (Jason bay).
A guy with below average range who also makes a helluva lot of errors is just not a passable defensive player anymore by any metric. Jones was great for a long long time, but isn’t anymore. It happens.
errors are judgement calls
What’s your point here, that Chipper was just really really unlucky?
Ah the “fair weather” fan. I guess You don’t like HOF’ers retiring with one team huh? You should consider it an honor if Jones would hang ’em up this year, rather than try and hang on another year, either with Atlanta, or with another team as a PH/deefensive replacement.
Not too many people the last 30 years in the HOF played for just 1 team, can think of 3 right off: Yaz, Johnny bench and Jim Rice. wouldn’t you like to add Jones to that list?
I don’t know why that’s praiseworthy.
Always liked the player that had entire career with 1 team. used to happen a lot, but not much anymore. Dwight Evans played his 19th season (final) with the orioles and it was horrible as an example.
I get that you like it. I like it ok too I guess. I just don’t know why it’s praiseworthy, why it’s “better” than someone who switches teams once or ten times.
Because there’s more to the game than just statistics.
Even if that’s true, what does it have to do with anything. You seem to be implying something profound, but I’m gonna need it spelled out.
Loyalty is overrated.
A lot of it goes to early days (mine) as a BB fan with Mays, Mantle, Clemente, Yaz, Drysdale, Gibson. Being 1 team players and even great guys like Marichail, McCovey, Killebrew almost that, just playing the last year or 2 of their great careers for a different team other than which they came up with.
While Kaat, Frank Robinson, Orlando Cepeda all had great careers, being identified with 1 team to me (at least) was just better and still is in the case of Mike Greenwell, Rice, Yaz, Williams, Petrocelli etc.. i always liked that aspect of it, though with FA understand also it is a dying trend.
I am understanding all of the words you are saying, but still not understanding what about it makes it “just better”.
I mean I like it too I guess. But I have no reason to think less of a player who played with more than one team than one who stayed in one place his whole career. Is there a reason to?
Personal preference and thought described that above. The LAD were easily known for instance as “Drysdale and Koufax’s team” for years. The Giants? Mays and Stretch McCovey. Not taking anything away from the several team guys, i liked Jim Kaat also, one of my favorite pitchers of all time and Frank Robinson as well with both Cinci and those magical O’s teams of the 60-70’s.
Isn’t baseball all about the fans anyway? Teams used to sell it as such, but not now. Think am trying to explain something across a generation here that is just getting lost and either misinterpreted, or not understood how some teams marketed their marquee players.
Not trying to offend you by this and think there was a special a few months back on MLB that McCarver actually brought this subject up in. times have changed as has everything, not for the worse, the game has just evolved.
I’m not offended and still not even disagreeing, just trying to get an idea for the reasons for the preference instead of restatements of the preference.
I guess what I’m saying here is that I too like when players stay, but I don’t dislike it when they leave.
I agree with the sentiment 100%, just saying though, there’s two more that played for only one team that entered the HOF in the last few years in Gwynn and Ripken.
If Chipper really is retiring I wonder if we could revive our Royals-Braves ties and put an attractive package together for Alex Gordon. I think there is a fair chance the Royals are telling the truth and that they aren’t trading him but if they are I would consider trading some seriously legit prospect(s) for him.
I’m wondering if the Braves could put together an attractive enough offer for Glaus to stick around and move to 3rd, allowing Freeman to start at 1st next season.
I was thinking the same. $13 million coming off the books, Glaus should come around $7 guaranteed?
The whole reason Glaus moved to 1B to begin with was his shoulder didn’t allow him to make the throws necessary to play 3B anymore.
I’m pretty sure it was because the Braves already had a third baseman. But, if you can show me where that came from then I’ll believe it.
I really want Royals to consider trading Gordon especially since they seem kinda reluctant to playing him in the majors. Hopefully this happens and Braves makes a good offer that have him take over third after Chipper.
Because right now Gordon is at peak trade value and you’d get something slightly less than a washed up prospect?
Yeah, trading Gordon now would be a complete bullet through the foot. He’s never been less valuable.
I don’t see how Gordons value is raising much more playing in AAA, it’s pretty clear that he can hit at that level. So why aren’t Royals letting him play in the majors where he might regain some value? Now I didn’t say they should trade him I but I certainly would like them to do that. I think the Royals could have handled Gordon better.
Because the fact of the matter is he never properly developed in the minors. One of the biggest problems with the Royals farm is trying to rush their next best up so the fans can hear a George Brett reference. Leave him down their a year and you’re fully certain he’s learned and then start him next year… if he fails after that then trade him with a a couple of bats for a mop up pitcher. Right now, he’s not even worth the mop up guy and despite his recent AAA numbers, my bet is he’ll still be lost in the majors.
I would agree that they have a tendency to rush their prospects Luke Hochevar is recent example and you have a good point about them leaving him in the minors so he can fully develop and it seems like a smart thing to do.
Bing. Go.
Gordon is exhibit A for however many people still think every promising prospect should be thrown into the show as soon as he hits a couple of homeruns in the minors. Heyward and Strasburg (if he continues to succeed) are major exceptions that prove the rule.
It was pretty clear that he couldn’t hit in the bigs for the time being; that’s why he was sent down. It wasn’t to decrease his value, but to increase it. If he fixes his holes and gets some confidence back, in a year he’ll be very valuable again.
OTOH, had they let him stay with the club and swat breeze all season, his plummets just as hard if not harder and the slump could’ve last way longer.
Braves should resign Glaus and Hinske. Hinske is a decent 3B and Glaus needs to stay at 1B. They can use Chippers $$$ and go find a competent CF or LF
Even as a Mets fan, I’ll miss Chipper Jones. It’s hard not to admire a guy who’s putting up a 375 OBP when he’s clearly done.
As a Met fan, I think Chipper Jones is a great player. But I will not miss him. At all.
ok
Well, as a Braves fan, I’ll miss him beating up on the Mets.
But I won’t miss him limping around the clubhouse. Age has gotten to him, and it’s time to hang ’em up.
False alarm – David O’Brien is backing off the story.
Yankees better sign maya
Its gonna be weird seeing no Chipper in the line up for a year and for ever.He’ll be missed badly by Braves fans,can’t say the same for Mets fans ect.Hopefully Heyward will be the next Chipper Jones for us (except for SO MANY INJURIES) and continue to beat up the NL East.Its time to retire his #10 Jersey and hang’em up.
The A’s want more for their lineup? Trade for Prince Fielder. 😀
As for the Braves, sorry to see Chipper go. On the other hand, if you guys want a replacement for him, give the Brewers a call! We’ve got Mat Gamel just waiting to play in the Majors.
“A’s assistant GM David Forst tells MLB.com’s Jane Lee that the club would like to add depth to its lineup”
Don’t you need to have something on the surface before you can have depth? Just sayin’
Maybe not in the AL West