Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Twins, Mets, Rockies, Delgado, Nady, Butler
On this date six years ago, Aaron Boone ended the ALCS with an 11th inning home run off of Tim Wakefield. Yesterday we learned that Boone is likely to retire, ending his 12-year career. With this season's LCS underway, 26 teams are already in the Hot Stove season. Let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- Twins Geek examines the Twinkies '10 payroll.
- Jorge Says No! wonders if the Twins should trade Joe Nathan.
- The Ghost of Midnight Graham looks at the trade market for Brad Hawpe.
- Around the Majors looks at the Rockies big off-season question marks.
- The 'Ropolitans breaks down which Mets pitchers should not be back next season.
- The Blue Jay Hunter puts Carlos Delgado on the Blue Jays free agent wish list.
- MLB Notebook makes a case for Xavier Nady as possibly the biggest bargain this off-season.
- Palehosed takes a look at what the White Sox roster might look like next season.
- Royals Authority examines whether the Royals should try to sign Billy Butler to a long-term contract.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Bradley, Burrell, M’s, Jays
On this date 43 years ago, Frank Robinson accounted for the only run in game four of the World Series with a home run, completing a four game sweep. It was Robinson's first season with the Orioles, having been traded to Baltimore the previous winter for Jack Baldschun, Milt Pappas and Dick Simpson. With the regular season over, rumors of trades that could impact next season's World Series have already begun. Let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- Jorge Says No! sees the Mariners as a nice fit for Milton Bradley.
- Blue Jay Hunter looks at what it might take for the Blue Jays to land Bradley.
- Trop Talk breaks down the arguments for Bradley, and yet still wants the Rays to stay away.
- Dock of the Rays explains why the Rays are so eager to rid themselves of Pat Burrell.
- Rays Index notes that the Burrell-for-Bradley rumor still has a number of unanswered questions, even if the deal comes down to just money.
- The Rays Party is not thrilled with the idea of the Cubs dumping a player on the Rays because of personality issues.
- Cubs Locker wants Bradley out of town, even if it takes cash and a relief pitcher.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Bradley, Burrell, M’s, Jays
On this date 43 years ago, Frank Robinson accounted for the only run in game four of the World Series with a home run, completing a four game sweep. It was Robinson's first season with the Orioles, having been traded to Baltimore the previous winter for Jack Baldschun, Milt Pappas and Dick Simpson. With the regular season over, rumors of trades that could impact next season's World Series have already begun. Let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- Jorge Says No! sees the Mariners as a nice fit for Milton Bradley.
- Blue Jay Hunter looks at what it might take for the Blue Jays to land Bradley.
- Trop Talk breaks down the arguments for Bradley, and yet still wants the Rays to stay away.
- Dock of the Rays explains why the Rays are so eager to rid themselves of Pat Burrell.
- Rays Index notes that the Burrell-for-Bradley rumor still has a number of unanswered questions, even if the deal comes down to just money.
- The Rays Party is not thrilled with the idea of the Cubs dumping a player on the Rays because of personality issues.
- Cubs Locker wants Bradley out of town, even if it takes cash and a relief pitcher.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Webb, Soria, Red Sox, Pirates, Verlander, Felix
On this date five years ago, Carlos Delgado hit his 300th career home run. He would go on to hit three more home runs that game to become just the 15th big leaguer to hit four in one game. Now in the final year of a five-year, $60MM contract, Delgado has a season average of .298 with four homers and 23 RBI in the 26 games he played before his hip surgery. Jon Heyman reported that the Mets are open to bringing him back next year. However, Adam Rubin wrote that the Mets will not offer Delgado arbitration. With one week remaining before the off-season starts for most teams, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- MLB Notebook looks at where Brandon Webb could end up if the D'Backs decline his option.
- Royals Authority wonders if the Phillies would be a good trade partner to land Joakim Soria.
- The Bottom Line writes that the Red Sox either have to re-sign Jason Bay or pick up Matt Holliday.
- Bucco Fans says the Pirates have money to spend this off-season and speculates on where that money might be spent.
- Jorge Says No! speculates on what it might take to sign Justin Verlander to an extension.
- Prospect Insider looks at what it might take to sign Felix Hernandez to an extension.
- Blogging Mets lists Omar Minaya's worst moves.
- Sports: A Game Of Inches compares Jonny Gomes to Adam Dunn. Gomes will be arbitration-eligible after the season.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Zambrano, Johnson, Fielder, Felix, Braves
On this date 39 years ago, the Mets purchased the contract of Dean Chance from the Indians. At the time, the Mets were 1.5 games back in the NL East. The former Cy Young winner would make only three relief appearances down the stretch and the Mets finished six games back in third place. Chance would subsequently be traded in the off-season and play just one more season. With only two weeks remaining before the start of most team's off-season, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- Goat Riders of the Apocalypse feels the reports that Carlos Zambrano is largely responsible for the Cubs' failures this season are just PR by the Cubs to make it easier to move Zambrano this off-season.
- Fangraphs makes a case that Nick Johnson's injury history could increase the number of teams that are interested in his services this off-season.
- Dodgers Rumors wonders if Ned Colletti will be back next season as the Dodgers' GM and whether he deserves to be.
- MLB Notebook breaks down the possibility of Prince Fielder being traded this off-season.
- Jorge Says No! writes about the Mariners' inability to sign Felix Hernandez to an extension.
- DC Sports Plus looks at some free agent starting pitchers that could help the Nationals next season, with John Lackey, Jason Marquis and Joel Pineiro at the top of the wishlist.
- The Ghost of Midnight Graham suggests that teams avoid Pineiro this winter.
- UmpBump takes a look at who might be playing first base for the Braves next season.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Papelbon, Jeter, Jurrjens, Braves, Nats
On this date 11 years ago, the Dodgers hired Kevin Malone to be their General Manager, replacing Tommy Lasorda. Three months later, the "new sheriff in town" signed Kevin Brown to a 7-year/$105MM contract, making Brown the first $100MM player in baseball history. The deal would cover Brown's age 34-40 seasons. Malone also avoided salary arbitration with Carlos Perez that off-season, giving him a 3-year/$15.5MM deal. Perez would spend the final year of the deal in Triple-A and never signed another big league contract. As most teams start looking to the off-season, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- Jorge Says No! revisits the worst contract extensions from the past off-season.
- Fire Brand of the American League takes a look at what it would mean to the Red Sox if they traded Jonathan Papelbon.
- River Ave. Blues takes a look at what it will take to re-sign Derek Jeter.
- MLB Notebook can see Jason Bay signing with the Mariners this off-season, but suggests it is not a good fit.
- Talking Chop argues that trading Jair Jurrjens this off-season would be more beneficial for the Braves than trading Javier Vazquez or Tim Hudson.
- Capitol Ave. Club previews the Braves' free agent class.
- DC Sports Plus projects the Nationals' roster for next season, including the addition of Aki Iwamura.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Scott Kazmir
On this date 34 years ago, Rod Barajas was born. Barajas has played 11 seasons with four different franchises, hitting .241/.286/.411. This year, he is in the final year of a two-year deal that pays him $2.5MM this season. With less than a month remaining in the season, many others will see their contracts expire and look forward to free agency. Let's take a look at what is being written in the blogosphere…
- The Hardball Times says Scott Kazmir may be injury-prone moving forward, but he still has the arm to be an Ace.
- Rays Revolutionary has no problem with trades that help the Rays budget, but are upset at the timing of the Kazmir deal.
- The Rays Party looks at what the Kazmir deal means for the Rays now and down the road.
- Jorge Says No! is not a fan of the timing of the Kazmir trade, but says the Rays got a good package, and in the end, it is Pat Burrell's fault.
- The Bottom Linewonders why the Red Sox did not claim Kazmir and block his move to the Angels, a potential playoff opponent.
- UmpBump says the Kazmir deal makes sense, but maybe the Rays should have waited until the off-season.
- The Baseball Opinion likes the Kazmir deal for the Rays noting they dumped the salary and that there is likely more wrong with his arm than we know.
- Around the Majors loves the Kazmir deal for the Rays, noting that Kazmir no longer has a fastball to live up to his reputation.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Strasburg, Cordero, Swisher
On this date 25 years ago, B.J. Upton was born. The second overall pick in the '02 draft, Bossman Junior made his big league debut in 2004, but will be arbitration-eligible for the first time following this season. The Rays prefer to lock up their young players to long-term deals, but there has never been an indication that Upton is willing to sign long-term. With the signing deadline for most draft picks now past, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- The Biz of Baseball looks at how the slotting system held up with this year's draft (not very well).
- Capitol Avenue Club declares the winners and losers of this year's draft.
- Nationals Pride notes that the Nationals are two-for-two in their decisions affecting Stephen Strasburg.
- Center Field Gate likes the Stephen Strasburg deal, but wants to see what Strasburg can do before getting too excited.
- Sully Baseball notes that Stephen Strasburg needs to get past Betty White before he is worth $50M.
- Around the Majors looks back the Reds' decision to give Francisco Cordero a $46MM contract.
- 6 Pound 8 Ounce Baby Joba revisits the deal that brought Nick Swisher to the Yankees.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Deadline Deals
On this date nine years ago the Rangers traded Dave Martinez to the Blue Jays. It was the third time Martinez had been traded since the beginning of the season. That night, Martinez would tie a big league record by playing for his fourth franchise in one season. He also appeared with the Devil Rays and the Cubs. Martinez' current club, the Rays, did not make any trade deadline deals, but plenty of other teams did. Let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- MLB Notebook hosted a round-table discussing the trade deadline winners and losers.
- Sully Baseball says declaring winners and losers this soon is meaningless.
- Zells Pinstripe Blog says the trade deadline was not as bad for the Yankees as many think.
- Rays Revolutionary explains why it was not important for the Rays to make any deadline deals.
- UmpBump wonders how Adam LaRoche makes the Braves better in 2010, as some have suggested.
- Capitol Avenue Club explains the reasoning behind the Adam LaRoche deal for the Braves.
- Talking Chop looks at what the Adam LaRoche trade means for Chipper Jones' future in Atlanta.
- Dodgers Rumors looks at some August waiver-wire trade targets for the Dodgers.
- MLB Insights makes a case that J.P. Ricciardi's tenure has been a successful one.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Overbay, Halladay, Peavy, LaRoche
On this date 45 years ago Barry Bonds was born. And even though he hasn't played in a game since September 26, 2007, Bonds has not yet retired. We are one week from the trade deadline, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…
- Statistician Magician makes a case for the Braves going after Lyle Overbay.
- The Oriole Report lists the players most likely to be dealt by the O's before the deadline.
- The Phrontiersman feels the Phillies can win without Roy Halladay but still feels Philadelphia should make the deal.
- The Fowl Balls says the Mets made the right decision in passing on Roy Halladay.
- We're The Team To Beat looks at how Jake Peavy's injury is impacting the current trade market, driving up the price for Roy Halladay.
- SoxSpace dissects what the Adam LaRoche deal means for the Red Sox.
- Around the Majors takes a look back at Oakland's offseason moves and what went wrong.
- Hot Foot examines the Mets' expiring contracts.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com. If you have a suggestion for this feature, Cork can be reached here, and followed on Twitter here.