Here's a look at some highlights from today's column by Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe..
- One National League GM said that Roy Oswalt's desire to pitch closer to home has some teams wondering if the hurler might not be enthused about pitching this season. "Everyone knows he has back issues, but the thing that bothered teams was that all of a sudden, he wanted to be closer to home and wanted to start picking and choosing where he wanted to be. A lot of people felt he lost that desire he used to have to pitch, and now we’re seeing him say, ‘Maybe I’ll show up somewhere around midseason and make just as much as I’d make if I signed now,'" said the GM.
- The Angels are unlikely to outright release Bobby Abreu as they owe him $9MM, but their efforts to deal him have been fruitless so far.
- Peter Bourjos, meanwhile, is still prominent on the Nationals’ wish list for center fielders, but the Angels want considerable value back if they deal him. With Torii Hunter in the final year of his contract, there is room for the Halos to keep both Bourjos and Mike Trout.
- Astros left-hander Wandy Rodriguez will be a top "go get" guy before the deadline for teams needing an extra piece. Astros people remain surprised at the lack of interest in Rodriguez, even with the club willing to pick up about half the $36MM owed to him.
- Indians pitcher Derek Lowe has strong interest in returning to the Red Sox after this season as a starter or reliever. Cafardo writes that the veteran could have been an interesting solution as the BoSox's fourth or fifth starter, but picking up a large chunk his salary from the Braves didn't interest Boston.
- Jason Varitek's friends still insist that he is leaning toward retirement as he can’t envision himself in a non-Red Sox uniform. However, he feels that he can still play and at least be a backup catcher somewhere.
Astros people remain surprised ? When you are to eager to drop a LHP you are signaling that something is rotten in Denmark
“something is rotten in Denmark”
Well.. Something *was* rotten in Denmark from ’40 until Spring of ’45…
If the only the Angels didn’t have Wells clogging up a spot with that .248 obp
Dear Nats,
You’re not getting Bourjos. Stop trying.
Love,
The Angels
Why should they give anything up for him? After the season they can sign Upton (who they have wanted forever for some reason) as a FA, when they find there is no market for high K people with a glove and speed for probably less than the 7-8m AAV Upton is getting now and get the same thing as Bourjos.
You had me until “get the same thing as Bourjos.”
Same type of ball player. good defense (Upton has a better arm) both have some power, swing at anything with upton being older the difference and more cost after the season as a FA.
Go read stat line before posting.
What? look.. I am no big Upton fan either.. But Bourjas OPS? .765 Upton .759 and Upton has been in that area his entire career. Nothing flashy, just gets on base and steals, with one of the best throwing arms around.
OBP? Bourjas .327 Upton .331 and once again, Upton has been if anything a little higher over his career. Upton is 3 years older.
Why should Washington give up prospects when they (Rizzo) has coveted Upton in the past and probably will be able to sign him to an AAV in the range (or less) than the 7m he is making now?
These guys are mirror images.
Like you posted.. GO read the stat lines..
It seems a little ridiculous to say they are “mirror images” when Bourjos has one year of ML experience under his belt. You’re essentially asserting that Bourjos will not grow, improve, or make any adjustments from ages 25-29…something he’s already managed to do from ages 23-24.
And anyone who has watched both of them in person knows that Bourjos is a superior defender with every bit as good of an arm as Upton. Yeah, Upton is good…but Bourjos is the best defensive CF in baseball. Just ask Torii Hunter.
I like how Upton’s arm went from better than Bourjos’ to “one of the best throwing arms around.”
I like how Upton’s arm went from better than Bourjos’ to “one of the best throwing arms around.”
Upton for @$7 mill per year? I would think he would want and receive at least 10-12 million per year in a multi year deal. Crisp got $7 million!
Bourjos covers more ground, is a better defensive CF, is younger, faster, hits for a higher BA and is under team control for 6 more years.
But sure, you know other than all of that they’re basically the same guy. Have fun trying to sign Upton for what looks to be 12+ million a year to deliver a lower WAR than Bourjos whom the Angels will be paying less than a million a year to.
Honestly, if the Nats want Bourjos, they’d have to WAY overpay for his services, because the Angels have literally no reason to get rid of him. I mean you can start that conversation with Jordan Zimmerman and en it by throwing Rendon on top of it. Otherwise, have fun overpaying Upton or getting below average defense in center from Werth or Harper.
Sounds like some Anaheim fans are getting like another teams fans and prop up their prospects on a pedestal.
Nobody said anything (or i didn’t) about acquiring bourjas, just saying rizzo should wait out Upton, because it wasn’t worth the prospects to get him.
Upton has the range (maybe more if anything) and a better arm than borjas if you had ever watched him play btw, not to mention blazing speed and is only 3 years older..A ripe “old” 27 and will be 28 when he hits FA.
“prop up their prospects on a pedestal.”
No? Hes a 5 WAR player under team control whos only getting better. Not a Angel fan BTW
Bourjos is the fastest CF in baseball and it’s not close. Upton doesn’t have NEARLY Bourjos’ range. Completely silly of you to say that, I mean clearly you’ve never seen Bourjos play this game before.
And yes, Upton is 3 years older than Bourjos, and will be 10 times more expensive and not be nearly as valuable. Pretending like he’s Bourjos’ equal in terms of defensive capability or value is completely absurd on your part.
” Pretending like he’s Bourjos’ equal in terms of defensive capability or value is completely absurd on your part.”
So assuming that is true (and I still think Upton is one of the best defensive CF in the game over a much longer period) Rizzo should give away a couple of TOP prospects to get him, rather than just wait out Upton??
it makes -0- sense.
Dude, I am one of the biggest Bourjos fans around, but saying that the conversation would start with Jordan Zimmermann and Anthony Rendon is absurd.
Agree
Agree
Exactly, which is why such a trade simply wouldn’t occur.
“Why should they give anything up for him?”
When did the Nats become a charity?
“When did the Nats become a charity”
Well.. You must have chosen not to bother reading either post.. So will spell it out again..
BJ Upton will be a FA after the season and can sign him..The same type player as Bourjas.. so why trade prospects for bourjas when they can get Upton, for just cash and rizzo has tried the last 2 years to get Upton anyway??
Why not get Upton now then and leave Bourjos alone? By your reasoning they wouldn’t have to “give anything up for him”.
LOL. How long will it take for this to get through??
TB wants too much for Upton also, rizzo talked with Feldman last season when Upton had one of his ‘tantrums” and they called up one of their best prospects in desmond jennings..Who also is a “complete package” guy..Like Bourjas.. Upton and ready to play big time.
anyway.. Rizzo and feldman couldn’t swing a deal, because TB wanted too much in a deal, like Anaheim am sure wants right now and Regins for Bourjas..
THAT is why am making post after post here to say that there just isn’t going to be a deal..
Name the last deal Rizzo made and didn’t come out way ahead.. Not FA, but trade? he is as shrewd as they come and not known for over paying..
That’s why am saying he is going to wait for BJ Upton after the season and be his #1 target after the season, someone he has been after for 2 solid seasons and TB already has their CF of the future in Jennings.
” he is as shrewd as they come and not known for over paying.”
Umm wrong again? the Gio trade is a pretty great example of a massive over pay
Really? Tony Reagins is the Angels GM? Quit pretending you know anything about the Angels. You don’t know who’s in their front office, you’ve never seen their players and you can’t even spell their names correctly.
try to remember the names of 30 gm’s.
nice to meet polite fans here also…
Try better the next time won’t you?
Let me help you here johnsilver.
1. Bourjos is a better player today that Upton.
2. In the off-season you will be competing with 29 others team.
3. Upton might be traded and signed to an extension before he hits FA.
4. BIGGEST REASON – COST. Upton may be earning $12m+ and require a 5-8 year deal (depending on how 2012 goes). Bourjos is under control for 4 more years. He will be lucky to earn $15m that entire time.
Bourjos is the better player AND he will cost a fraction of what Upton costs. Additionally, trading for him guarantees that you can acquire him (vs taking a risk in FA).
All that said, the Nats don’t have much that interests me. The big name guys are off the table. What’s left isn’t super inspiring.
The Angels should give him away because BJ Upton is gonna be a FA. Makes sense buddy
Didn’t Cafardo have Bourjos going to Nats for Lannon short time ago What a joke
Yup. That’s all you need to know about the guy. Anytime he mentions Bourjos and a trade to the Nats you can just tune him out.
“Cafardo writes that the veteran could have been an interesting solution as the BoSox’s fourth or fifth starter, but picking up $10MM of his salary from the Braves was too rich for Boston’s blood.”
Well the Indians are only paying $5MM of Lowe’s salary, so I’m not sure why Cafardo thinks the Red Sox would have had to pay $10MM.
im wondering the same thing
I would assume that maybe Boston bowed out of the discussions early, and at that point Atlanta was looking for more around 10mm. And also it’s possible that Boston was only interested if they only needed to pick up 2-3m, in which case Atlanta would reasonably not bother to call them again when the price went down.
Lowe wanted to head back to Boston after his LAD deal expired and has said publicly many times he wanted to go back, but he is at this point (and has been) an NL pitcher if that and should finish his career in an NL park or just retire when the season is done.
Have doubts the 2012 season is going to be very kind to him with the Tribe and if he did want to go back next year as a shot with Boston, after his last couple of seasons in Atlanta, in a huge pitchers park no less it would be some kind of minor league deal. he is no better than the people they brought in on minor league deals this year at this point of his career.
Lowe was the main reason the Braves fell apart in Sept. He lost every game he pitched and was really terrible in most too. But Fredi refused to remove him from the rotation, oh well. I expect him to get knocked around a lot again this year too, maybe more so.
Personally, I wouldn’t even want him on a minor league deal. He’s done.
Alberto Callspo ,Bobby Abreu ,Peter. Bourjous for:Zimmerman and money
Did you really just miss the news that Zimmerman signed a 6 year extension??? Not too mention this trade favors the Nats big time.
Wrong Zimmerman?
callspo-4.5 war, bourjos-5 war and zimmerman-6.5 war. it would be a huge mistake for the angels to make that trade.
Even if Zimmerman didn’t sign his extension, that’s an absolute steal for one of the best 3rd basemen in the game.
too injury prone. no thanks.
I was in Chicago for work last year around this time and I read a column on spring training and a scout who wanted to remain nameless was quoted as saying that Bourjos was the best center fielder that he had ever seen. Bourjos is the type of player who could win 5-10 GG ‘s depending on his offense(stupid right? but true) Bourjos led the league in bunts and triples last year, and once he figures out how to read pitchers he will be a 50+ SB guy. This guy is going to be special and I would like to see him be special in Anaheim, I like this crop of youngins they have going.
Bourjos doesn’t get the respect he deserves. The guy is crazy good defensively and is showing strides on the offensive side. To project him out as a 5 WAR player for the next 4-6 years is pretty reasonable given his defense and baserunning skills.
If Tek can catch on somewhere as a backup for a few mil, do it. It’s bucks in his pocket.
He should, but there’s no way anybody will even give him a major league contract.
Dear Tek,
can you play 3rd?
sincerely,
Beane
Hey! You stole my bit. 😛