The Braves played their first ever game in Atlanta on this date in 1966. The contest featured two home runs from Joe Torre, but the Pirates won 3-2. Here are today's links…
- Ian Kinsler recently signed an extension with the Rangers, even though he was already under team control through 2013. How about Dustin Pedroia, who’s under contract through 2014 with an $11MM club option for for 2015? Pedroia tells Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he wants to stay in Boston and play for the Red Sox. His agent, Seth Levinson, says "Dustin's value far transcends his statistics."
- Manager Jim Leyland said the Tigers were "quietly interested" in Fernando Rodney before he signed with the Rays, MLB.com's Jason Beck reports. The former Tigers reliever has yet to allow a baserunner in four outings with his new club.
- Former Expos GM Omar Minaya explained to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that the deal that sent Brandon Phillips, Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore to Cleveland occurred under highly unusual circumstances. “Long-term, we were going to be contracted,” he said. “And if you were going to be contracted, the No. 1 priority was to be as competitive as you can.” Minaya, now the Padres’ senior VP of baseball operations, and Mark Shapiro of the Indians completed the fateful Bartolo Colon trade ten years ago.
- Jim Bowden of ESPN.com couldn’t find any GMs interested in trading for Justin Morneau. The Twins first baseman earns $14MM per season in 2012 and 2013, but Bowden wonders if the Rangers or Yankees could show interest later this summer.
So Pedroia is under contract for 3 more years for $31MM and we’re already talking extension? What is with this sport? It’s like if you’re remotely good at your job you get employment security for a decade to go along with a premium salary guaranteed half a decade in advance. Does anybody see something dangerous about this system?
I highly doubt that the Sox and Pedroia are actually talking about an extension at this point. Bradford simply needed something to talk about, and in light of the Kinsler and Phillips extensions he naturally went to Pedroia.
I would like to see them both sit down and just do away with the 11m option for ’15 and go w/3 years from 2015-17 @15m a season. It would send up the Boston annual season payroll for tax purposes of course even before then, but would sure knock down any chance of having to deal with Pedey until his stats and defense even begin to slip.
Adam Lind for Justin Morneau, we take on a bulk of the contract and get decent protection for bautista and they get an avg 1B and salary relief. Canadians at both corners in the infield, i like it.
I have a feeling you only want him because he’s Canadian, eh?
Hes one of the best we’ve produced.. Wouldn’t mind watching him on a daily basis.
Why would either the Yanks or the Rangers want a injury riddled 1st baseman?
He certainly can’t be worse than Moreland, but I can’t see them taking a chance on him anyway.
Omar Minaya: Worst GM of all time?
Dave Littlefield was pretty bad. You could ask Pirates fans.
Bill Bavasi made some pretty bad trades for the Mariners (The Eric Bedard Deal).
Randy Smith was pretty terrible
How about Bill Smith? He might not be the worst of all time, but he’s near the top of a short list. Most GMs wouldn’t be able to wreak havoc like Smith if they tried.
Trading Santana for garbage instead of Ellsbury and/or Lester, lowballing and burning bridges with Torii Hunter, Garza for Delmon Young, JJ Hardy for a stale ham sammich, Mauer’s crippling deal, the Twins current starting pitching crisis and depleted farm system, dealing Delmon Young to division rival Tigers for low-minor league caliber relievers instead of selling high 6 months earlier, etc.
He wasn’t even the Mets worst GM of all time.
Rodney couldn’t save a game to save his life the last two seasons with LAA and now he’s lights out? What’s up with that?
See Farnsworth, Kyle.
Also played for the Tigers.
*grumble*
Tampa does some wondrous things with their bottom-of-the-barrel bullpen pickups.
On that note, I hope he has success with them. And I will still be happy that the Tigers did not sign him even if he does have a great year.
Oooooo wiiiiiii. What’s up with that? What’s up with that?
Jim Bowden of ESPN couldn’t find any GMs interested in trading for Justin Morneau.
Why stop at GM’s? How about Oriole fans? I’d be interested! At first I thought the Twins were trying to shop Morneau, then I realized this is Jimmy’s little survey that he conducted himself. If the Twins are trying to shop him, then the O’s should kick the tires. If healthy and he passes “Lefty’s” agility test to prove that he really hasn’t lost that vaunted athletic ability of his, I would love to see him at 1st base in “Charm City”. The thing is I don’t have the foggiest idea what the Twins would want. Although, I have to say this survey of Bowden’s is kind of silly, because I doubt the Twins will trade him regardless.
For Morneau. I am sure the Twins would want at least one pitcher with Ace potential and ttwo other high end prospects.
But right now, I doubt the Twins are actually shopping Morneau.
Lefty, I see you post all the time about how the Orioles could use this guy or that guy, etc. And while I agree, Morneau would bring a much-needed boost to the Orioles’ offense (or the Cubs’, for that matter), you guys need to develop some con-sarned pitching first.
Also, note to the mods: I will continue to curse in 1890s prospector terms until morale improves.
Unless he suddenly gains the ability to pitch 30+ games a year as a league average 3rd starter, why? The Orioles need pitching before they even begin to worry about acquiring ANOTHER (they already have like 4) 1B/DH type. Their lineup is already probably capable of pulling off 80-85 wins if they could only find the pitching.
Of course no one is going to want Morneau at this point. But the question is, why would the Twins want to trade hime anyways. It looks like he is finally getting his swing back (homered at Target Field today) and the reality is a healthy Morneau, which he is right now, is better than anything the Twins have in their system at the high levels. Even if Morneau is only a DH.
I agree. No way the Twins are trying to deal Morneau at the moment. He will have to prove himself again in order to be worth anything at all in a trade.
And having him DH keeps Parmalee in the game…who looks like he might be the real deal..
Why would the Yankees be interested? Morneau is being paid the big bucks to play 100 or so games a year of mediocrity. Also the Yankees are fine on the offensive side of things scoring 5 or more runs in five of their first six games.
That Colon trade really is one of the strangest baseball happenings of all time. Three years after the trade Colon-Sizemore seemed reasonable enough of a deal and Lee and BP showed glimpses of their abilities but were more or less accepted as AAAA players.
Low and behold, BP gets traded away and instantly becomes a perennial all-star and Lee figures himself out at age 30 and does the same. All while Sizemore becomes one of the biggest disappointments in baseball. Strange world.
Speaking of lousy GM’s, the Reds still haven’t recovered from the Bowden amazing he landed with the Nats after that. Can’t think of one thing he accomplished besides talking up a good game. Kinda what he’s doing now, plenty of sizzle – no steak…
Makes no sense the talk of trading Morneau. I know the perception is the Twins are a ways away from contending, but as last nights game showed, when healthy, the Twins have a lot of pop at the bat. Mauer, Morneau, Span and Willingham are a pretty potent core. Doumit and Carroll have above average bats, and Parmelee is showing he may be the real deal. The bullpen doesn’t look anywhere near as bad as feared. The big problem is the rotation. They won’t contend without addressing that, but trading Morneau isn’t the answer.