Reds slugger Joey Votto could be on his way to a second-straight MVP award, writes ESPN.com's Buster Olney. Pitchers now work around Votto with extreme wariness and the 27-year-old can no longer predict what's coming. Because of that, the first baseman has adapted and learned to work with what he's given. Here's more from Olney..
- The Rangers bullpen has taken a major blow after losing closer Neftali Feliz to the disabled list. This is a difficult time to land a reliever, especially a closer, because other teams will have a skyhigh asking price. For example, Olney writes that if Texas were to call the Padres about Heath Bell, the Padres would ask for a great deal in return, even though Bell is likely to be dealt this season.
- In the highest offices of a handful of other teams, there is heavy speculation that Brewers owner Mark Attanasio would be the most likely candidate to move from one team to the Dodgers. This can only happen, of course, if Major League Baseball maintains their hold on the club and if they decides to have an established owner take over the Dodgers. Such a scenario, Olney writes, would take months to play out.
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Feel free to explain yourself.
He appears to be laughing.
About what?
I’d be curious to see how big of a budget Attanasio would have for the Dodgers if he ended up buying them. He seems to have struck a good balance with the Brewers payroll relative to market size, I wonder if he would do the same with a market like LA.
Brewers have been drawing around 3 million fans three years in a row, payroll keeps going up. Team is competitive and just re-signed their star player to a big long term deal. Also, Attanasio and his family just finished a home in the Milwaukee area. I really don’t see any scenario where he sells the team in the near future.
Justin Grimm (SP), Mark Hamburger (RP) and David Paisano (OF) for Heath Bell
I am sure that offer was sarcastic. But no. If the Padres are going to deal their closer this early in the year its going to take a hell of a lot more then that to make them do it. They either are going to have a get a major piece, or someone that will help at a position of need soon. For the Padres, it has to make long term sense, and honestly the players you named really are not adding much to the system. Bell at the deadline could fetch more form a desperate team or 2 picks which the Padres might value more then that package.
And before you say they are good prospects, I am not saying they are not. I like Grimm alot, but he has plenty of question marks, and scouts don’t see him more then either back of the rotation or bullpen arm. Thats just not something the Padres are short on. Also I am not saying that its a bad package per se, its just doesn’t fit the Padres needs.
The Padres are never going to get a Martin Perez, Engel Beltre or Jurickson Profar type prospect for Bell. If they do then a team must be way too desperate. But getting three good, young prospects with good upside would go great for a team that probably needs to start building for the future.
I wasn’t even saying that the Rangers would have to give up that kind of talent. The package just has to make sense for the Padres more then that one does. Grimm is talented, but he doesn’t project to fill a need nor does he have better upside then arms already in the Padres system. Paisano is a lite hitting corner outfield who may play passable defense CF, Hamburger is a reliever. It has nothing to do with the players you named and everything to do with that the Padres would want. And factor in the fact that the Yankees/White Sox/Red Sox/ and others are rumored to be in the market for relief help this summer and you start to get why it doesn’t make sense to move Bell for that package now.
Agreed. I don’t see the Rangers giving up much more than that for a temporary closet though. I doubt he’s even traded to Texas because Ogando will be back in the pen in a few weeks and Feliz will be back in two weeks. We’d just be regretting that trade later if it happened.
A team won’t trade for Bell unless they plan for him to be their closer for the forseeable future. So, if the Rangers did obtain him it would have to be with the idea of moving Feliz into the rotation, something I don’t see happening. It just wouldn’t justify the talent you’re giving up to have Bell as a set-up man, though what a combo he and Feliz would be! Now, perhaps you could get Jonathan Broxton from the Dodgers a little cheaper and he could serve as a set-up guy when not closing. But I don’t know if they would trade him, number one, and two, if the McCourt thing would even allow it to happen.
You guys can take broxton but don’t expect him to convert saves too often, he’s not a true closer. That’s something the Dodgers need to realize.
Not a Rangers fan, just felt like talkin’ baseball on Easter, HA. Broxton did convert 36/42 in 2009, which is about 86%. He slipped to 22/29 last year and generally had a much worse year. So far this year he’s a perfect 5/5. So which is the real Broxton?
Attanasio has already said he has no interest in selling the Brewers or buying the Dodgers right now. He just stated this earlier this week.
Why does the media keep putting out this crap? “Oh, this guy owns a team and lives in LA…obviously he’s going to be interested in buying a team that’s a total mess right now.” Olney and these other reporters are being irresponsible in putting this stuff out there.
As Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness puts it, “First of all, forget Attanasio’s public denials. Of course he has to say that, because no sale of the Dodgers is imminent, and he’s obviously not going to firebomb his own club when it’s no guarantee that he’d get the Dodgers any time soon. That’s not to say he does or doesn’t have any interest in reality, just that he can’t possibly say anything different right now either way.”
I take it you’re a Brewers fan and are happy with your owner. But you can’t get mad at the reporters, they’re doing their job. How do you know he’s not intersted, have you talked to him? Yes he already denied it but he has to because deny it because if he is interested in buying the team it isn’t a sure thing to happen so If he said he was interested how would that make him look to brewer fans like yourself and the whole orginazation?
So just for clarification, the hypothetical situation would be Attansio owning both the Brewers and the Dodgers, or buying the Dodgers and selling the Brewers? I’ve always wondered if you can theoretically own more than one franchise.
I don’t think you can. I know when Greenberg was in the group to buy the Rangers, he had to sell a minor league team that he owned.
I would have to imagine he would sell the Brewers. That’s part of the reason why he wouldn’t show any interest in buying the Dodgers at this time – (1) they’re not currently for sale, and (2) what does that show your currently owned team, when you’re making public statements about wanting to own a different team?
Exactly. This type of scenario playing out seems incredible unlikely.
There are some big money people out there not mentioned, currently or in the past, that could come out of nowhere and put a bid in for the team.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a similar scenario such as what played out in Texas. A former elite athlete with deep ties to the game (such as Ryan) which will win the approval of the MLB, with contacts to various (credible) investors. I mean one of the largest mutual funds in the world (Pimco) is based out there. There is so much money flowing at the top end, I don’t see raising $400mm/50% of current market value, as a down payment, being an issue. To be honest, in terms of closing, I don’t know how the financing and transfer is done and if there is any commercial involvement.
Yea just like the padres asking price for Agon was sky high. 2 middle of the road prospects and a “top level” guy who had an over 5 ERA.
Ummmmmmm…..
i got you an avatar for easter
I didn’t know that apples and oranges were the same exact thing….
The Rangers will go a closer committee until one particular guy stands out. I’m not worried about Feliz being on the DL.
Um, he’s a pitcher; it’s his shoulder. Are you sure you aren’t just a bit worried about Feliz? I don’t root for the Rangers, and I’m a tiny bit concerned because I like his game.
Minor inflammation after pitching 4 or so days in a row a week ago. I’d say he’s gonna be fine. It’s actually not too surprising.
I wouldn’t mind if the Tigers dealt Texas Ryan Perry. I don’t expect to get a top prospect in return but I think we could get a top 10 in the organization especially if the asking price is as high as led to believe. The Detroit could move Brayan Villerial into that 7th inning role and have a nice piece in the minors. Maybe Perry and cash for Engel Beltre or Jake Skole?
Haha our top 10 prospects would be considered top prospects in most other systems. Jake Skole and Engel Beltre wouldn’t be moved for a Ryan Perry. You can have Craig Gentry for him though.
Man, talk about a cocky fan. Craig Gentry will be 28 in a few months. That is OLDER than Ryan Perry.
Not so much cocky as it is the truth. Throughout the system we have guys that are DOMINATE but aren’t recognized because they’re young. Then there’s are 15 or so guys that are highly regarded prospects. But no, I wasn’t serious about the Gentry thing.
Most of your top prospects are in the majors or were traded last year. You guys still have a good farm, but it’s not elite anymore.
The only top prospect traded was Smoak. The rest of the traded prospects were mid-tier guys like Beavan and Main or lower rung guys like Poveda. The system is still stacked with guys like Martin Perez, Jurickson Profar, Engel Beltre, Neil Ramirez, Jorge Alfaro, Luke Jackson and Mike Olt.
Mark Cuban will buy the Dodgers.