Baseball Blogs Weigh In News & Rumors

On this date in 1992, Tom Seaver was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame along with Rollie Fingers. Seaver received 425 of 430 votes (98.8%), still the highest percentage in baseball history. Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar joined the pair in Cooperstown earlier this week. Congrats to both.

Here is this week's batch of links from around the web…

• Baseball Time in Arlington writes about the impact Adrian Beltre will have on the Rangers.
• Pine Tar And Pocket Protectors also discusses what Beltre brings to Texas.
• Monkey with a Halo has some options for the Angels now that Beltre is off the board.
• The Sports Banter asks if there's something wrong with Anaheim.
• True Grich is still waiting for the Halos to get to work this offseason.
• Purple Row breaks down the Carlos Gonzalez contract extension.
• Capitol Avenue Club does the same for the Dan Uggla contract extension.
• Talking Chop, meanwhile, calls the deal an overreaction on Atlanta's part.
• True Blue LA looks at a pair of arbitration-eligible Dodgers, Hong-Chih Kuo and James Loney (Kuo, Loney).
• Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness asks if the Dodgers should be looking for a lefty reliever.
• Feeling Dodger Blue believes the Dodgers are still missing one piece.
• Prospect Insider looks ahead to next year's version of Zack Greinke.
• The Process Report talks about Matt Garza and the endowment effect.
• Camden Crazies isn't thrilled about the Kevin Gregg signing.
• We Should Be GMs tries to figure out where the Phillies can trade Joe Blanton.
• Friarhood says Brad Hawpe brings stability to the middle of the Padres' lineup.
• Examiner wonders if Edwin Jackson's success with the White Sox is sustainable.
• Beyond The Box Score breaks down the Mets' options at second base.
• Some Thoughts On Baseball is curious to know who will serve as the Blue Jays' fifth starter.
• The Biz of Baseball explains why Kevin Brown's contract with the Dodgers shouldn't be mystifying.
• Blogging From The Bleachers projects each team's 2011 starting rotation (part one, part two).
• MLB Depth Charts debuted their position battles tracker.
• THT Fantasy introduces the next generation of WHIP.
• SB Nation compiled the best animated sports .gifs of 2010.

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On this date in 1972, Roberto Clemente was killed when a plane carrying him and relief aid for people affected by a earthquake in Nicaragua crashed into the ocean off the coast of Puerto Rico immediately after takeoff. Clemente, 38 at the time of his death, was a .317/.359/.475 career hitter in 18 seasons with the Bucs, picking up 3,000 career hits on the nose. He was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973 after voters elected to waive the traditional five-year waiting period. MLB honors Clemente's charity work each year by presenting the Robert Clemente Award to the player "who combines a dedication to giving back to the community with outstanding skills on the baseball field."

Here's the final batch of links for 2010…

• Amazin' Avenue re-lives Benny Agbayani's baseball life.
• Pirates Prospects tells us what we should expect from each of the five rotation spots.
• Camden Crazies says Adrian Beltre would be a fine addition to the Orioles.
• Baseball Time In Arlington makes a case for the Rangers to sign Jim Thome.
• Capitol Avenue Club takes an early look at the Braves' depth chart.
• The Nats Blog breaks down Baseball America's projected 2014 Nationals lineup.
• River Ave. Blues looks back at the Yankees' recent history of January and February moves.
• We Should Be GMs projects the Phillies' 25-man roster.
• Beyond The Box Score looks at multiyear deals given to free agent starters during the 2009-2010 offseason.
• SPANdemonium examines Brian McCann, one the game's more underrated players.
• Splice Today jumps in and names three other underrated players.
• Dodger Dugout suggests Jermaine Dye for the Dodgers' left field vacancy.
• Yankeeist calls Brad Penny the best of the scrap heap starters on the free agent market.
• The Sports Banter offers up a unique first base solution for the Padres.
• The Friarhood evaluated San Diego's projected offense.
• Phoul Ballz writes about how minor leaguers spend their offseasons.
• The Baseball Opinion speculates about the Angels acquiring Vernon Wells.
• Splashing Pumpkins has some thoughts about the Hall of Fame.
• THT Fantasy breaks down Zack Greinke's fantasy impact with his new team and league.
• M.C. Antil, meanwhile, offers up some random thoughts on the Greinke deal.

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On this date five years ago, the Nationals and lefty reliever Mike Stanton agreed to a one-year contract worth $1MM, making him the first player in Washington Nationals history to have two stints with the team. Stanton made 30 appearances with the club in 2005 before being traded to the Red Sox, and his second stint in 2006 lasted 56 appearances before being traded to the Giants.

Here is this week's collection of links, with a healthy dose of Zack Greinke talk…

• Improve Conditions says the Greinke trade tells us a lot about what small market teams can do in baseball's current economic climate.
• The Summer of Jeff asks (and answers) if the Brewers gave up too much to increase their odds of winning in 2011.
• Disciples of Uecker compares Greinke to the Brewers' recent aces.
• Royals Review says that Billy Butler, not Joakim Soria, is the player Kansas City should trade next.
• FanSpeak thinks Butler makes sense for the Orioles.
• Royal Revival provided 48 hours of Greinke trade thoughts.
• SPANdemonium interviewed the newest Pirate, Corey Wimberly.
• Baseball Time In Arlington posted a two-part series looking at the trade value of Rangers prospects, explaining why the team can afford to deal from depth (part one, part two).
• The Sports Banter tries to find Adrian Beltre's mystery team.
• Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness looks at Mike Morse as a possible trade target for the Dodgers.
• Motor City Bengals believes Carl Pavano makes sense for the Tigers.
• U.S.S. Mariner breaks down David Aardsma's trade value.
• Yankeeist tells Yankee fans to step back from the ledge.
• Cubs Billy Goat Blog put together a composite top ten prospects list for Chicago's north siders.
• More Hardball creates a team from the remaining unsigned free agents.
• The Hardball Times makes an example of Ted Lilly, from a fantasy baseball perspective.
• Bottom of the Fourth recreated Sandy Koufax's perfect game … in gingerbread form.

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On this date six years ago, a three-team trade that would have sent Randy Johnson and Kazuhisa Ishii to the Yankees, Shawn Green and Brad Penny to the Diamondbacks, and Javier Vazquez plus prospects to the Dodgers fell apart when Los Angeles backed out. The Big Unit ended up with the Yanks and Green with the D'Backs anyway, but Penny stayed with the Dodgers while Vazquez went to Arizona. Ishii ended up with the Mets in a separate deal.

There's no backing out of these links, here's the best from around the web…

• Long Drive tells us how the animosity towards Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has changed in the last year.
• Purple Row explains what Troy Tulowitzki's contract extension tells us about Todd Helton's original mega-deal.
• Caught Looking wonders what would have happened if Cliff Lee had signed with the Pirates.
• Capitol Avenue Club looks at Dan Uggla and the aging process.
• True Blue L.A. says it's time for the Dodgers to sign Clayton Kershaw long-term.
• Wahoo Blues wonders where Fausto Carmona will be on Opening Day.
• U.S.S. Mariner examines Seattle's current 25-man roster.
• Rays Index looks at the Rays history of signing under-the-radar free agents.
• SPANdemonium attempts to figure out what it would take to sign Josh Willingham long-term.
• FanSpeak, meanwhile, doesn't like the Willingham deal for Washington.
• Blogging Mets tries to figure out which is the best expansion team in baseball history.
• The Sports Banter isn't a fan of the Pirates' Lyle Overbay signing.
• Bleacher GM takes a comprehensive look at the pitching market.
• Meanwhile, Blogging From The Bleachers evaluates the Mets' pitching options.
• Monkey With A Halo has some issues with the Angels and their recent moves.
• The Nats Blog looks at Matt Stairs by the numbers.
• The 5th Starter takes a brief look at the history of $100MM contracts.
• We Should Be GMs explains why Ryan Howard's contract extension is still undeserved.
• Phoul Ballz spoke to Phillies prospect Jarred Cosart about his preparation for the future.
• River Ave. Blues breaks down some risky pitchers the Yankees could gamble on.
• Beyond The Box Score built an interactive trade map.

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On this date in 1973, the late Ron Santo became the first player in baseball history to invoke 10-and-5 rights, blocking a trade that would have sent him from the Cubs to the Angels. Santo instead consented to a trade to the White Sox, where he spent the final season of his great career. 

Here are this week's batch of links…

• Baseball Time In Arlington writes about the comparison between Cliff Lee and Alex Rodriguez, with regards to the Rangers' budget.
• Prospect Insider thinks the Mariners should go get Zack Greinke.
• Red Sox Beacon takes a look at Carl Crawford in Fenway Park while Yankeeist drums up some preliminary statistical notes for the left fielder.
• Cubs Billy Goat Blog compares Jayson Werth's contract to Alfonso Soriano's. 
• Pittsburgh Lumber Co. looks at Kevin Correia and the Petco Park effect.
• Disciples of Uecker calls the Shaun Marcum–Brett Lawrie swap a win-win.
• The Process Report created a template for a trade that would send Matt Garza to the Cubs.
• Royals Review writes about the inevitable, Jeff Francoeur signing with Kansas City.
• Amazin' Avenue says a recent Sandy Alderson quote is the smartest thing they've heard out of the Mets front office in years.
• Pine Tar And Pocket Protectors thinks the White Sox are going all in this year based on their recent moves.
• South Side Sox provides a brief summary of the AL Central offseason.
• MLB Depth Charts looks at the market for the remaining free agent first basemen.

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On this date two years ago, the Red Sox signed then-reigning AL MVP Dustin Pedroia to a six-year contract worth $40.5MM. The deal bought out all of his arbitration eligible years plus two free agent years with a club option for a third. Given the contract just signed by another middle infielder at a similar age (Troy Tulowitzki), it sure looks like Boston saved themselves a boatload of money with Pedroia's deal.

Here are this week's links, which aren't looking for a long-term contract…

• Speaking of Tulo's deal, Red Reporter wants to know if you'd give Joey Votto a ten-year contract.
• The Captain's Blog, meanwhile, evaluated baseball's longest and most lucrative contracts.
• SPANdemonium interviewed Phillies' prospect Jiwan James.
• Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness talks about the Dodgers' catching situation in the wake of Russell Martin being non-tendered.
• The Process Report believes the Rays should give the non-tendered Bobby Jenks a call.
• U.S.S. Mariner explains why it would be okay for Seattle to trade top pitching prospect Michael Pineda.
• Baseball Time In Arlington wonders how much Cliff Lee will be worth.
• Red Sox Beacon is concerned about Boston's fall-back options.
• The Nats Blog wants the Nationals to sign Lance Berkman.
• The Friarhood thinks it's time to blow up the Padres.
• Wahoo Blues says goodbye to Andy Marte, the Indians' best pitcher.
• 1 Blue Jays Way wonders if J.P. Arencibia is being overvalued.
• Amazin' Avenue looks at Terry Collins' managerial tendencies.
• Meanwhile, Flushing Faithful writes about the small market Mets.
• Rooftop View wants to see the Cubs pursue Brandon Webb.
• Crashburn Alley comes up with some baseball one-liners, CSI: Miami style.

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.