Brad Lidge Could Be Available
I first heard the Astros might consider trading Brad Lidge a few days ago, when Dayn Perry tossed it out there. Perry mentioned that Lidge could go to Atlanta, and here’s what I said:
"Could the Braves somehow emerge with the best closer on the market? One who no one even knew was on the market? I wouldn’t put it past Schuerholz. I can’t see Houston doing the deal for anything less than catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia or shortstop Elvis Andrus."
I still feel that the Braves are the frontrunner. Lidge doesn’t become a free agent until after the 2008 season, so it’s not like the Astros would make this deal to snag whatever they could get before Lidge departs for the big bucks. Whatever team gets Lidge gets him for three solid years and will pay a below-market salary for it.
Given that, it makes sense that the Astros would look to improve their team now and not in two years. So Saltalamacchia and Andrus might not be the right kind of players for this deal. Major League ready lefty starter Chuck James might be a start in a Lidge deal. Anthony Lerew would also fit the bill. The dealbreaker, though, might be Marcus Giles. Giles will be a free agent after 2007, and the Astros can’t expect to run Craig Biggio out there forever.
John Lopez wrote about trading Lidge in an article for the Houston Chronicle yesterday. Lopez’s logic against the Orioles and Reds makes sense. Those teams are not a top-flight closer away from competing. But Lopez also dimisses the Boston Red Sox simply because Manny wouldn’t fit with Houston.
I think the Red Sox could become major players for Lidge, but Ramirez doesn’t have to be involved. Even outside of Andy Marte, the club has enough young talent to at least get a meeting with Astros GM Tim Purpura. Pitchers Jon Lester, Jonathan Papelbon, and Craig Hansen can be contributers in 2006 and beyond, and Boston would love a rock-solid alternative to Keith Foulke.
Lopez goes on to write that the Phillies look like the only legitimate possibility for a deal. Obviously I disagree with that. It doesn’t make sense for the Phils to leave a gaping hole in their offense in order to craft a Yankee-like bullpen.
What other teams have a strong need at closer and the talent to swing a deal for Lidge?
Scanning the Closer Watch, I don’t see any. The Orioles and Reds remain dark horses, but the Red Sox and Braves seem to be the best fits.
What do you think?
Miguel Tejada Wants Out
I had received a few tips from readers about Miguel Tejada possibly being traded. I didn’t print anything because I couldn’t substantiate them. Turns out those readers were on target; today Tejada said, "I think the best thing will be a change of scenery." You can bet Tejada’s proclamation will get the hot stove buzzing once again.
It’s a strange thing for Tejada to say, given that the Orioles have several months left to improve their team. He said that the Orioles "have not made any signings to strengthen the club." If I were Ramon Hernandez, I’d be slightly offended by that remark. And to think the two were teammates for so many years.
Anyway, let’s begin with Tejada’s contract. He’ll make $10MM in ’06, $12MM in ’07, $13MM in ’08, and $13MM in ’09. That’s $48MM over four years. He’d certainly snag more than that on the open market. Tejada isn’t even 30 yet, and you know all about his offensive accolades and durability. One mild sign of a possible decline is that Tejada slugged only .416 after the All-Star break in ’05, hitting seven home runs. Still, that’s only 300 ABs and he may have felt uninspired.
Here’s what we’re all wondering: where might Tejada end up?
Boston Red Sox. Of course, they have a huge need for a shortstop and plenty of cash. There’s even an article circulating saying that Tejada might want to play for the Red Sox. The Sox could offer up Jon Lester and Dustin Pedroia for starters. The one little problem is that the Orioles still consider themselves competitive, and would probably be reluctant to trade within the division. Back when the Red Sox dealt Curt Schilling and Brady Anderson to the Orioles for Mike Boddicker, the O’s were completely out of the race.
Chicago Cubs. I’m thinking that if Jim Hendry removes Felix Pie from the "untouchables" list, the Orioles would seriously consider shipping Tejada their way. If the Cubs included Ronny Cedeno to take Tejada’s vacant spot, a deal could get done quickly. (This is all speculation, of course).
New York Mets. The Mets seem willing to give Jose Reyes all the time he needs to develop into a leadoff threat at shortstop. But Omar’s been mortgaging the future this winter like it’s going out of style, so you think he’d at least inquire. The Orioles’ response would probably include the words "Lastings" and "Milledge."
Toronto Blue Jays. If the Orioles do decide to deal within the AL East, the Blue Jays could get involved. Russ Adams is OK, but Ricciardi might have interest anyway.
Houston Astros. If ownership doesn’t mind the commitment, the ‘Stros might try to allocate some of that now-available Clemens cash for a marquee shortstop. Not sure if they’ve got the prospects to cut it, though.
What do you think? Any teams I’ve left out? What players would it take to get a deal done?
Thanks to Tom and Dennis
Andy Marte’s Boston Projection
For all of you fantasy baseball geeks, I’ve got a 2006 projection up for Andy Marte.
Keith Foulke On The Block
33 year-old closer Keith Foulke was battered around in 45 innings in 2005. He’s undergone surgeries on both knees and was said to have lost some velocity near season’s end. Adding insult to injury, the Red Sox are now thinking about trading him.
My Boston source is telling me Foulke will get some attention as a setup man this offseason after the free agent market runs dry. Despite the surgeries, several teams feel that Foulke’s problems in 2005 were largely mechanical and can be fixed. The Sox are looking to shed Foulke, and may be willing to pay half of his $7.25MM 2006 salary. Foulke has a $7.5MM option for 2007 that could vest with a strong 2006 performance (53 games finished would do the trick). The recent of Guillermo Mota makes Foulke slightly more expendable.
Despite the signings of Scott Eyre and Bob Howry by the Cubs, there are still a handful of set-up men on the free agent market. Al Reyes, Hector Carrasco, and Julian Tavarez all had decent seasons in ’05.
On a related note, the Padres are looking at 39 year-old Japanese left-handed specialist Toyohiko Yoshida. Yoshida limited lefties to a .218 average in ’05. However, the real prize among Japanese relievers may be 28 year-old lefty closer Hirotoshi Ishii. Ishii saved 37 games for the Yakult Swallows this year with over 11 strikeouts per nine innings. If not this winter, Ishii should become available following the 2006 season.
Thanks to Gary Garland of Japan Baseball Daily.
Josh Beckett Boston Projection
Personally, I think the Josh Beckett trade is decent for the Red Sox. Beckett will probably never be a workhorse, but maybe a change of scenery will help. He should bring the team a couple of extra wins over David Wells in 2006. Anibal Sanchez will be very good in a few years, but Hanley Ramirez didn’t exactly master Double A in 2005. I’m skeptical that he’ll even become an average shortstop in the Majors.
Anyway, I’ve done some extensive projections over at RotoAuthority for Josh Beckett’s 2006 season as a member of the Red Sox. The main purpose is fantasy baseball, but casual fans might be interested to see the numbers as well.
Read Josh Beckett‘s Boston Red Sox Projection at RotoAuthority.