On this date in 1995, the Orioles acquired David Wells from the Reds for Curtis Goodwin and minor leaguer Trovin Valdez. This marked the second time Boomer was traded that year as he was shipped from the Tigers to Cincinnati at the July deadline. Today's links..
- As Prince Fielder continues to look for his next home, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch takes a good look inside agent Scott Boras' infamous binder to see how he is framing his client. The book on Fielder not only compares him to the best sluggers from today but also puts him side-by-side with some of the best hitters of all-time.
- Richard Justice of MLB.com takes a look back at some of Boras' best deals and tacticts that the agent has used in years past. Justice wonders aloud if the agent will employ "mystery teams" to drive up the bidding.
- Even though the Rangers have a great deal of rotation depth with the expected addition of Yu Darvish, it's not a certainty that they will deal one of their starters, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider req'd). Even after the departure of C.J. Wilson, Olney rates the club's rotation as the sixth-best in baseball.
- The John Danks extension seems to indicate that the White Sox aren't ready to rebuild, but MLB.com's Scott Merkin isn't yet sure of the club's intentions. Merkin says that the futures of Carlos Quentin, Gavin Floyd, and Matt Thornton will be telling.
Well since I can’t get to Buster’s Blog because you gotta pay the lady and I did not. That’s a reference to Storage Wars, BTW.
Anyway here’s my top Ten and in no particular order.
Atlanta Braves
Philadelphia Phillies
Tampa Bay Rays
St Louis Cardinals
Milwaukee Brewers
Detroit Tigers
LAA Angels (2011)
San Fran Giants
Chicago White Sox
Yankees/ Red Sox (Tie)
Also, maybe the A’s in 2011, but they couldn’t stay healthy and underachieved.
I would have all those teams ahead of the Texas Rangers, even if they still had CJ Wilson. While I don’t dislike the Ranger rotation, I do think their talent lies in their line-up not the rotation. I can’t believe Buster Olney has them 6th. That is as outrageous as my “French” Accent!
I’d like to hire Boras to be my agent for a day just to see what the folder would look like.
“Has eaten EXACTLY the same number of live human beings as Babe Ruth.”
“Projects well to turn 40 at some point, much as Sandy Koufax did.”
“Nearly always remembers to flush the toilet, approaching Trevor Hoffman’s times remembered percentage.”
You sir, are funny!
Rays should be #2 after the Phillies but the Angels might of topped them. Not sure if Olney went by potential or more established but older guys. I mean a top 4 of Price, Shields, Hellickson and Moore should only be topped by the Phillies and their big 3.
My top 10
1. Phillies
2. Rays
3. Angels
4. Giants
5. Braves….health plays a huge role here
6. Brewers (another strong top 3 but not as strong as the others)
7. Cardinals
8. Tigers
9. Rangers
10. D’Backs….this might be a lack of memory pick but I like Kennedy – Hudson – Cahill
angels are obviously better than the rays starters. the angels have Weaver, Haren, Wilson, and Santana. thats better than all the rays “rookies”. but the Phillies still have the best with their big 3
Price and Shields are far from rookies, Hellickson never looked like a rookie even when he was one last year and if we go down to the 4 slot, would you rather have Ervin Santana or Matt Moore?
id rather have Santana because he’s expierenced and Moore’s only pitched 3 games, you never know what he’s gonna be like
I would rank them differently, but I agree with those 10 teams.
I’d also stick in the Nats as well as potentially tied for 10th. Their top 3 (health is a huge issue here) is better than the DBacks’ and both teams have issues in the back.
giants rotation > angels/rays
Brewers, Cardinals, and Tigers? Really?
Gallarado, Greinke and Marcum.
Carpenter, Wainwright and Garcia
Verlander (best SP in the game should count for 1.5 pitchers), Fister and Scherzer
I didn’t know you could count more than one for one person, my mistake……….
nats are very close to the tigers…..stras,zimmermann,gonzalez/verlander,fister,scherzer?? and before you bring out porcello ill bring out detwiler…..
Can anyone that has insider post his rankings?
1.phillies
2.rays
3.angels
4.giants
5.dbacks
6.rangers
7.tigers
8.nationals
9.mariners
10.braves
10b.dodgers
Can’t fathom how teams like the Rays, Yankees and Angels that the Rangers have beaten in the past 2 seasons have supposedly better pitching??? You guys need to update your records on the Rangers pitching staff.
I know right!!! its not like the Rangers offense had anything to do with it…
c’mon seriously.. Find me 1 person who isn’t a texas fan who would take the rangers staff over the Angels or Rays staffs..
Doesn’t mean that Texas isn’t a better team, just means their pitching isn’t as strong
I don’t think Texas’ pitching is better than the Angels or Rays. But take a look at the stats of our current guys, then factor in the t-ball park they play in, then add in Yu Darvish, this is a top 10 rotation. I’d say maybe 9th or 10th.
I didnt suggest otherwise
That’s what Lunchbox was saying. We have a very good, a very underrated rotation.
I would put the rotations in this order:
Phils
Giants
Rays
Angels
Braves
Rangers
Cards
Tigers
Brewers
Red Sox
Rays and Angels do have better pitching. They’ve added new guys who improve the rotation a lot, but the Rangers are an obvious top 10 rotation (I’d say about 8-10 area) and are much better than CHW, BOS, and NYY.
The stats disagree
Apparently people think that if a team has one great pitcher, an ace, that that makes you a better rotation overall.
The Rangers have a really solid rotation all the way 1-5. Even Scott Feldman would be a #4 on most teams.
Having an ace is great, and I do believe it’s the difference maker in winning a championship, but the Rangers made it to the WS twice having no true ace; just a bunch of 2’s and 3’s.
Phillies, Giants, Rays, Braves, Angels. Everyone else
Pretty much
Does Boras have the comparison of Mo Vaughn and Prince’s father Cecil in the binder? Those are the likely comparisons for Prince. The guy doesn’t work out! His body will balloon if the next few years. It’s genetics! Any team giving him more than 3 years will deeply regret it down the road.
Since I am winning friends and gaining popularity among all fans tonight, especially Ranger Fans. I was watching PTI tonight (good show!) actually one of my favorite shows. Anyway, what’s the deal with Yorvit Torrealba? Hitting an umpire like that in a Venezuela league no less! It’s meaningless winter ball! At the very least he least he should make a sincere apology for being a balloon head. In addition, the Rangers should do something, but I don’t think they can.
I can’t stand Kornheiser and Wilbon. Also, the Rangers have the power to do something, but why should they? He did it in Winter ball. As long as he doesn’t do it here who cares?
The reason they should do something about it is because it makes the Rangers look like idiots for employing him. What he did was assault an individual and had he done that on a street, in a club or any other public venue he would have charges brought against him. Saying “who cares” is tantamount to letting another star skate by without consequences for his stupid activities.
Yea, I bet if Yadier did it you’d sing the same song. Give me a break.
He pushed the umpire and nobody knows the circumstances of what was said between the two men. We all know that umpires can say and do things that are questionable.
I’m not a big fan of Torrealba. I think he’s a hot head at times. He pouts when he has a bad at-bat, but i’m not for weakening our team because of something he did in Venezuela that isn’t that big of a deal. You act like he got caught selling cocaine or something.
This does not make the Rangers look like idiots for employing him. I think steroids are an irrehensible part of baseball, but as far as I know A-Rod is still wandering out there next to third base every night for the Yankees.
So is taking steroids, and tarnishing the great game of baseball, worse than Torrealba pushing an umpire in Venezuela.
This is why I say, “who cares?”.
No, i’m not acting like he got caught selling cocaine or something. I’m acting like he assaulted another person. If it had been Yadi, i would be saying the same thing i’m saying now. You don’t know how i am as a person, but i’m getting a very good idea how you are as one. You are one of those enablers that have turned a blind eye to athletes that cause problems and get in to trouble, on or off the field.
No hes only enabling him because hes on the rangers, if arod did this im sure it would have been. A bigger story.
Yea, you really know me J.A.
You said feldman is a number 4 on most teams i’m sorry if i took that as you being extremely biased toward the rangers.
I hate when atheletes get away with something like that. The umpires attorney in Venezuela can take whatever action they want to. I hate that people that take steroids are allowed to still play the game. I hate that Michael Vick was allowed back into the NFL after all that he did. I hate that Donte Stallworth was drunk and killed somebody while driving, yet he’s back in the NFL. When you compare what these people have done, how can you say that what Yorvit did was on this level, and that he should be kicked out of the league?
I’ve been waiting for a way to get Yorvit out of Texas. JD should jump on this opportunity.
Texas is a beast team overall!! They play in a hitters ballpark!! If we don’t have good pitching then how did holland shutout the cardinals at home?!?!?!?