After 11-plus seasons in Seattle, Ichiro Suzuki has been traded to the Yankees. The Mariners responded to Ichiro’s trade request last night, sending the outfielder to New York for right-handers D.J. Mitchell and Danny Farquhar. Here’s the latest from the AL East, starting with some reactions to the big trade…
- Though Ichiro has been a star for his entire MLB career, he's now a role player on the Yankees, Joel Sherman of the New York Post explains.
- The Yankees asked about Shane Victorino and Denard Span before completing the deal for Ichiro, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com writes. The Phillies appear to have suggested a high asking price for Victorino (though they aren't yet committed to selling) and the Yankees believed the Twins’ asking price for Span was too high.
- The Red Sox were still listening to the Marlins about possible deals involving Hanley Ramirez last night, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports. The Marlins have never been more open to trading Ramirez.
The Hanley back to the Sox rumors are back!
I just don’t see what the Red Sox would want Hanley for. His numbers are barely better than Aviles’, and he doesn’t have a position. Ditching Crawford’s contract maybe. Stashing Hanley in left?
The only realistic spots for him now in the field would be LF or 1B. He has outgrown the left side of the infield. And he was never any good there to begin with when he was younger.
I wonder if he has the arm for RF? Being a SS/3B and a pretty serious base stealing threat I would think he has the range for it. (and being a 3B I would think he probably has the arm for it)
I think the Sox need to do something, but obviously they need pitching most. This Hanley Ramirez thing has me baffled. Maybe he’d come around if he came back to Boston and had Ortiz there, but where would they play him??
The Red Sox seem to to a lot of “listening to”, “checking in on”, “monitoring”, etc…first with pitchers now with a position player. Apparently that the new Red Sox modus operandi.
is that what every team does?
You know, that kind of is the purpose of this site. To put those sorts of rumors together. I’m just saying tho
Maybe the Dodgers should go after Hanley, instead of a pitcher like Garza. They need offense more than an arm, and could stick him anywhere Kemp and Either aren’t playing. He’s surely better than any of the cast of cast-off infielders they’re using now.
No, you should definitely go after Garza!
– Cubs fans
I like Hanley, but you have Gordon and you need 3rd base which Hanley is not. He needs to go to the AL where he can DH because he is not into playing the field this year
I was just checking out Hanley stats and I expected to see way more bigger numbers than I saw i have been trick. All this time I thought he wasa superstar all he is a great player.
I just can’t see a place for HanRam on the Red Sox. I definately think he needs a change of scenery but he seems disgruntled and lazy. He’s kind of a Manny 2.0
As a Red Sox fan, I would love another Manny Ramirez to come in, win 2 world series, assault some geriatrics, and be chased out of town. Those were the good ol’ days my friend.
Right on.
I was referring to his attitude when I made the comparison to Manny.
I guess if Boston did bite the bullet and make an attempt with Ramirez at 3b, they should go for it all and attempt to get JJ included in the deal and then send Middlebrooks back to the Marlins as part of it. The other pieces would be tricky and cost high, not for Ramirez, but JJ, even under performing this year and Boston would have to take into consideration his constant injury risk.
Then try and include lester and two of the Cecchini/Jacobs/Brentz/Britton/Workman class prospects.. Not sure they would want to lose Cecchini now if they moved Middlebrooks, but 5 more years of control might entice the marlins.
I hope not, seems like a mess waiting to happen if they go that route, and a lot of regrets watching Middlebrooks rake with some other team.
Are you suggesting Lester and 2 top prospects for JJ?
Wouldn’t consider the Britton/Jacocbs/Brentz class as top prospects in the Sox system, though they would be a LOT higher in a few others around the league with barren systems, including one that was rumored to have been chasing after Dempster a few days back and didn’t get him..
Middlebrooks not sold on, his bb/k spits still are awful, just like in the minors. he has some holes there and maybe selling high on him isn’t the worst thing they could do. wouldn’t be so easy to move him of course without both bogaerts and Cecchini a couple years away, like the time Ramirez deal expires.
Team could go in other directions also, was just something throwing out.
One thing Sox fans would like to see and i have (when he has been healthy and effective) is a JJ who throws 97-99 into the late innings and is every bit as tough on hitters as verlander.. no kidding. problem is? That JJ is always hurt, until this season.
Maybe JJ just needs out of Miami, like Beckett did with his blisters/finger recurring issue.
JJ *IS* a top of the rotation POTENTIAL type guy out there and probably why teams are asking on him. He also is Loria’s *other* buddy on the team, as Is Ramirez and Andrew Miller was. could loria stomach all his buddies being shipped to boston is another question.
Years ago I would cringe at the idea of the Red Sox reacquiring HanRam…..now….not so much.. I might even LIKE the idea of him being over the there. Just think it might add a little more complexity to the clubhouse drama.
He needs someone to tell him “no” with nobody to run to and cover his rear end. Mckeon told him “no” last season, but he still ran to Loria to get around him.
I think Valentine will (would) put a foot up someplace quick with him 1st time he pulled that BJ Upton, half jog out a ground ball, or walk after a ball he boots like Ramirez will pull on the Fish sometimes and you probably have seen this yourself some since u live in S/FL now and probably watch some of their games also on occasion.
It gets me also and i try to watch most of their games as well, whenever they aren’t on same time as Boston’s and then replay later on on F/sports if can.
Don’t think he would be that happy with a move to boston anyway, pulling those stunts in front 0f 5-10k people is one thing, but in front of 35k on a nightly basis, with a local media that LOOKS for a reason to roast players over?
Ramirez would have to change his ways and start using his talent quickly. it could be the spark to get him out of that nonchalant style of play he has been going with the last year plus.
Not saying that coming the the Red Sox would fix his attitude problems (I’m not sure that they can be fixed), but if anything can fix them it’s being around Ortiz all the time (the two are seriously almost like family).
Hanley is an enigma. Rapid incline through 25, then a rapid decline to now. Something has got to give with him.
I’m not trying to rag on anybody or anything, but I can’t understand why the asking price for Victorino is so high? If it’s a ploy to get a better return (in the “start high and negotiate down” mold) it’s failing — teams are just shrugging and picking up somebody else instead. And if it’s not, what is the justification? He’s having a mediocre year and he’s not cheap. Other teams won’t get compensation for him and I think he would be a dangerous person to consider making a qualifying to for the Phillies — I could easily see him accepting what amounts to a one-year, high-dollar contract in hopes he enters free agency coming off a better season next year. I honestly don’t get it.
Most players have both first and last names, but Ichiro Suzuki is always referred to in the sports media by just his first name. Is it because people like saying it, or is it more of a Madonna thing?
I believe it was due to the sheer amount of Suziki’s in the Japanese league.
Veryveryveryvery common name.
Like “Smith” or “Johnson”
I doesn’t happen with players named Smith or Johnson though. I don’t remember Randy Johnson being referred to by sportcasters or the media all the time as just “Randy.” That would have sounded weird. I also notice that sportcasters often recite players with one-syllable first and last names as though it was one name. Matt Kemp is always “Mattkemp,” hardly ever “Kemp” or even “Matt.” I think it’s done without giving any thought to the thing. Kind of amusing.
Or is it really his lastname?…Mindblown. Not really an expert on Japanese culture though. However, I’m from Kentucky…which stereotypically makes me not really an expert on any culture.
EDIT: Unless of course it’s, ‘Murica.
Someone can correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe in most Asian countries including Japan the family name comes first, so he’d be Suzuki Ichiro at home.
False, Ichiro is his first name.
You seem to be confusing the concept of first and given names. In Asia, the given name (what we call the first name) goes after the family name. Most Asians living outside of Asia adopt the western convention but that doesn’t change what they’d be called in their own countries.
Ichiro is his first name but in Japan is as treated as his last name. Hence why Ichiro is on his back.
Not quite the right story. In Japan the players normally wear their family name on the backs of their jerseys, just as in MLB (and in western not kanji characters). An exception was made for Suzuki when he played for Orix and he was allowed to wear his given name. After he came to MLB, the Mariners made a request of the commissioner that he be allowed to continue to wear his given name. A trivia question would be if anyone else has ever worn their given name on their MLB jersey. I don’t know the answer, but I’d bet not.
There are a millions of Suzukis in Japan so Ichiro went by his first name.
The use of his given name on his jersey was the team’s decision, more of a publicity stunt than anything else.
Like Dice-K
Which is a nickname, not a real one. A few other players have been referred to almost exclusively by first names or nicknames over the years, but not many by my recollection.
It’s his real name, just shortened. Daisuke I think it’s spelled.
I know his name, it is Daisuke, which only sounds a little like “Dice-K,” and his family name is Matsuzaka. That’s a total of seven syllables — in a foreign language yet — way too much for the average American sportscaster.
Apparently Mike Shannon jokes are frowned upon on MLBTR.
Unless we (Boston) can acquire Hanley for MAYBE two AA level prospects, I’d pass. Still would be willing to eat the contract for giving lesser prospects, either tha or we give a major prospect for major salary relief.
Honestly as a Twins fan, I don’t understand what our ownership, GM and coaching staff are doing. Its obvious this team needs to be almost totally gutted to rebuild the starting rotation. Liriano is a headcase and totally inconsistent, he has never been the same since TJ surgery. Baker just had TJ surgery and is at the end of his multi-year deal. Pavano is spent and a free agent. Blackburn was never that good and still has a couple of years on his deal. Diamond is the only worthy starter we have and he’s logged A LOT of innings for his first full season.
On top of that we traded away our ace (Santana) a few years back for garbage and gave away Garza for practically nothing.
All of this in addition to the recent loss of four power hitters (Young, Kubel, Cuddyer & Hardy). And for what? Cap space?
They just aren’t taking the right steps to turn this thing around and the team is now swimming in money from the new stadium. It makes you wonder if ownership even cares anymore. This mentality of overvalueing players to the point of being obsurd is a Terry Ryan(GM) thing and has got to end. We also need a new manager as Gardenhire has alienated a lot of these players and not given the younger ones the confidence and chances to prove themselves.
I understand it’s part of the game to play your cards as best you can, but this is yet another missed opportunity for Minnesota. Span is worth a couple of decent prospects. If the FO has any hopes of becoming a world series contendor in Mauer’s prime years, they need to move players NOW!
While I can understand your frustration, a couple of points need to be clarified. One, baseball doesn’t have “cap space,” because it doesn’t have a cap. Two, you said Garza was traded for nothing and then in the next paragraph you bemoan the loss of a power hitter (Young) who was the player the Twins got in the Garza trade. You can’t have it both ways. He’s either nothing, or a loss.
No chance on Ichiro being a role player. This guy will hit for them and wants to win. I see him doing quite well for them. Another steal by the Bankees, opps, Yankees. Good job for them.
I guess so. Ship out Aviles, then use Hanley as DH and bring up Iglesias if they don’t resign Ortiz next year? Doesn’t excite me.
Crawford & prospects for HanRam and JJ. Put Hanley in left field.
That would probably depend a lot on who the prospects were; depending on the prospects I could see it making sense for both teams though.
Why would the Marlins take on that albatross Crawford contract and give up something else to do so?
The Marlins came to the Red Sox last week and proposed a Hanley for Crawford swap, so they obviously don’t think it’s as unreasonable as you do.
I believe he meant IF the Red Sox ate 60+ million.
Still talking about a guy that in a healthy season will hit around .290-.300 with 15-19 bombs and 50+ steals. Overpaid? Yes. Would the Red Sox eat most of the salary? Yes. Would your Yankees have taken him any day of the week over Ichiro in a trade, given the opportunity? Yes.
This is where the rivalry sometimes gets in the way of better judgment. If they were in different divisions, the Red Sox and Yankees would actually match up really well in a deal for Crawford in 2012.
Edit: As does Tampa Bay.
Sox are stacked at 3B in terms of prospects. With Middlebrooks not moving, there is still Boegarts and Cecchini. Boegarts is perhaps the most exciting prospect that could break a major league roster in the near future. Cecchini is thought of as the best hitter for average in the Sox system and has a plus arm at the hot corner. I could see a Boegarts, Crawford and another mid-level prospect for Hanley and JJ. Remember JJ is injury prone and having a down year, so the Marlins can’t expect the world back for him if they want to get a deal done.
No way does Bogaerts go in a Hanley – JJ deal. He’s Boston’s #1 prospect and a potential top 10 overall prospect for 2013. Boston wouldn’t even consider it.
I agree with this, I’d personally rather see Cecchini go out of those two.
And I just saw the Hanley trade. nvm.