As Alex Rodriguez takes a step closer to the 600-homer club, here are some news items…
- Barry Shlachter of the Star-Telegram reports on Nolan Ryan's testimony about the Rangers' money problems. The most notable item from Ryan's testimony was that Texas may not be able to afford Josh Hamilton's inevitable arbitration raise this winter. This seems hard to believe, since you'd figure that Texas would cut corners anywhere else to find the money to pay Hamilton or to negotiate a long-term deal with their star.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com tweets that the Rangers have excess pitching and could make Scott Feldman and/or Rich Harden available in a trade.
- Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Jamie Moyer's recent elbow injury might end the 47-year-old's amazing career.
- The Cardinals feel more confident about their chances of signing draft pick Austin Wilson after the 12th-round selection and his family visited Busch Stadium, reports Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The highly-regarded Wilson has a full scholarship waiting for him at Stanford and thus the Cards' selection was thought to be a longshot.
- Tom Krasovic of the Inside The Padres blog writes that the Friars are looking for "a hitter adept at reaching base against right-handers."
- Holden Kushner of CSNWashington.com examines a potential Adam Dunn deal against the situation the Nationals faced in 2005 when they didn't trade Alfonso Soriano.
- Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com discusses some Indians prospects and more in a fan mailbag.
- David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune thinks the White Sox should resist the urge to trade Gordon Beckham for a rent-a-player. Haugh proposes that the Sox should instead offer up Bobby Jenks, whose closing job is up in the air.
Nooo! I really want to see a 50 year old play! Julio Franco let me down and I don’t see anyone else making it that far into their career (of course who saw those guys playing as long as they did).I suppose I’ll just have to wait until the players are replaced by biotic zombie robots.
Man, if the Cardinals signed Austin Wilson and Zach Cox, that alone would vault them quite a few spots up the farm system rankings. It’s not a sure thing I know, but the thought is really cool to think about.
not to mention sanchez, matias, and miller.
zack cox is a stud and never should have dropped out of the top 10
Haugh must not be a mental colossus if he thinks Bobby Jenks and Gordon Beckham are in the same value universe.
i was thinking the exact same thing.
As far as trading for Prince Fielder (assuming that’s what he was alluding to), I doubt the Brewers would have any interest in Jenks. John Axford has developed into a pretty darn good closer this season, after Hoffman faltered.
Fielder to Rangers for their excess pitching?
Out of curiosity…could the Phillies acquire Hamilton in exchange for Werth and Dominic Brown?
thoughts…
There is no way there going to let Hamilton go.
my dream is to see Hamilton in pinstripes. i wish this could happen!
ya because beckhams and jenks trade value is on the same level..
I think you mean 2006 for Soriano. Washington only had him for the 2006 season.
The article it links to also swings and misses a bit on the compensation picks.
The Nats lost both Alfonso Soriano (Type A to the Cubs) and Jose Guillen (Type B to the Mariners) to free agency. They used pick #31 (Compensation for the higher player, Soirano) on Josh Smoker. They used pick #49 (Compensation for the lower player, Guillen) on Michael Burgess. They used pick #67 (The other compensation for Soriano’s Type A Status… The Cubs’ second round pick) on Jordan Zimmermann. The tone of the article almost certainly would have been a bit different had the author been using Zimmermann (the actual compensation pick from the Cubs) as a reference point rather than Michael Burgess (who was picked higher than Zimmermann, but wasn’t the guy taken with that Type A return).
I still say Rizzo would be foolish not to accept a fair market trade for Dunn if Rizzo feels he can get one before the deadline, as the draft picks would be both risky and likely take a lot longer to develop. They have Ryan Zimmerman under contract through 2013, Stephen Strasburg under club control through 2016, and Bryce Harper under club control six years from the time he reaches the majors. They have to field a contender by the end of Zimmerman’s contract if they want to have any hope of keeping their young stars. The Nats need players who can contribute by 2012/2013 at the latest.
Amen, but I seem to be saying much of the same things you say elsewhere on the interwebs. Kushner is a knucklehead talk show personality on WJFK and really does not know baseball. FJB’s article on Soriano (firejimbowden.blogspot.com/2009/07/learning-all-wr…) does a much better job of stating the trade Dunn pose. I hope that Rizzo is just doing some awkward posturing in preparation for a trade or an extension with his frequent “painful” comments because the lack of a deal means that it would be more “painful” for the Nats if someone calls his bluff and they don’t sign Dunn.
Yes, I’m sure the Brewers/Nationals want a deal centered around Bobby Jenks for their legitimate lefty bats. I bet they’re just holding out to see if they can get Manny Corpas or Octavio Dotel first…
I’m a huge Hamilton fan! I wonder if an Ellsbury, Kelly, Dubrount, and Kalish deal for Hamiton and Salty would work?
Nope. You are not getting the best outfielder in baseball that easily. Have fun with JD Drew out there.
It seems like Josh LOOOOVES playing for the Rangers, and he seems like the kind of guy who would take a massive pay cut to stick with a club he likes, especially a club who gave him a chance…and he has done nothing but make it look aquiring him was the best baseball related decision ever
You really believe that? I’d think like just about everyone else on the planet, sure you’d like to play for a team you love, but you would want to get the most money possible.
I think the Rangers better win the World Series and get them some cash.
Kinda like, black gold. Texas tea.
Not that good but winning is quite profitable sure enough. 🙂
That may be their best bet in keeping Hamilton.
Josh Hamilton will come back to cincy!!
Is this team owned by Wayne Huizenga? the guy who won a WC back in ’98 with the Fish, then proceeded to dismantle the team because he didn’t want to pay them? then, this team almost certainly won’t get past the NYY for the ALCS even, so no reason to get that far ahead, but the not wanting to pay (or flat out can’t pay in Hick’s case) comes in here.
Nice move getting Lee to maybe win the AL West, bit short sighted though when now you can’t keep your best player after the year and also lose Lee in the bargain isn’t it, plus also gave up Smoak to get Lee? brilliance abounds in Texas these days…
The Marlins won in ’97, and one has to consider the length of time the Rangers have been away from the playoffs to put their moves into perspective. Yes, these are risky moves, but just making the playoffs can rev-up baseball in a place like Arlington.
Think about that price paid for a potential even playoff spot. traded future slugger in Smoak. Might have to trade best power hitter on the team also and have -0- chance of resigning Lee anyway. Even if can win the division, would seem pretty plain that with the holes created from losing the biggest offensive force can count on next year (with Vlad’s injury history and FA) plus Smoak will probably develop into a productive bat in Seattle.. This just seems like a lose-lose situation, even if they do win the AL West long term.
Hamilton is a FORCE on this (or any) team and his loss would be almost impossible to make up.
double post
Considering the Rangers only gave up Smoak and none of their top pitching prospects (see Holland, Scheppers, Perez, etc.) and the fact that they get not one, but two compensation first round picks if Lee signs elsewhere, I’d say the Rangers didn’t lose too much in the Lee trade. And Nolan said that about Hamilton to convince the judge to not delay the auction. The Rangers will be sold on Aug. 4th and whoever the new owner is (Mark Cuban or Greenberg most likely) will have enough money to offer Hamilton arbitration and maybe sign a free agent or two in the offseason. Hamilton is not going anywhere.
Its a shame about Jamie Moyer. He has been better from ages 40 – 47 than most pitchers are their whole careers.
I really hope it isn’t the end for him. I know its a long shot (he’s 33 away), but I would LOVE to see someone like him get to 300 wins. We may not ever see that again…
Eh.. Hamilton is a guy who is going into free agency and arbitration a bit late for a high level hitter. I don’t see any discounts, not massive ones anyway.
Besides.. the last year when he was injured, didn’t he have issues with photos showing up of him at a bar drinking and such? Maybe it’s me, but I’d imagine it’s probably better for someone who had a pretty serious crack/heroin/whatever habit to not drink. And I sure wouldn’t trust that person to drink responsibly when they did drink.
It was probably a one time slip up, since he’s back to absolutely mashing the ball this year.. I’m just saying. I don’t think you could fault either side if a big contract doesn’t get worked out.
Talk of Hamilton taking a discount to stay in Texas is simply misguided. He took a loooonnggg time to make it to the majors, what with his ‘ol crack habit and all, and this is his one shot at financial stablity for his family for the rest of their lives. Hamiliton is going to get as much money as he can when the time comes, and frankly, he is one of the few guys in the Majors I would love to see take a team to the bank — score one for all the down-on-their-luck second-chancers in the world.
What is probably smarting all Cubs fans out there is that they picked up Hamilton in the Rule 5 and GAVE HIM AWAY to Cincy, because they had no space for him in their outfield. Now, that alone should get Jim Hendry fired!
dopefein, ur an idot