Q. Could Tommy Everidge platoon with Casey Kotchman in 2010?
A. Geoff Baker took this possibility seriously. Zduriencik has said that the M's are "not done," so presumably Everidge is a stoploss idea.
Sure, Everidge could have a big spring and break camp with the club:
- Wakamatsu is open-minded about March competitions. Remember Mike Wilson and Matt Tuiasosopo last year? Mike Sweeney?
- If the M's don't acquire a 1B, obviously the roster spot is open.
- Everidge has some talent.
Whether the M's should be using Everidge as a stoploss, when they have Mike Carp and Mike Saunders and umpteen young players who could do that, is a bit melancholy for me.
I mean this Jack Zduriencik hardcase does NOT give playing time away to kids. You will play after you show that you can. Until then, we'll go grab stuff off the waiver wire and make them equal to you, mister #1 Org Prospect.
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Q. Could he help?
A. I like Everidge's swing. It's kind of in the Mike Schmidt template, head locked down, RH fairly short to the ball with a nice shoulder load, and good, level extension on the followthrough.
Think Bryan Lahair from the other side, in terms of talent level. Funky college-pro transition, late developer, good size, jells at 26-27 instead of at 23-24. (Everidge finally solved AAA and hit something like 320/400/600 last year; you could look it up.)
Both Everidge and Lahair could have a couple of years as Geronimo Berroa, hit for a 110 OPS+ in the bigs or something.
G-Money points out that Everidge has wide career platoon splits, though those simmered down as he actually learned to hit. I'd be giving the AB's to Mike Carp. Both sides.
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Q. What's with Kouzmanoff to the A's?
A. The writers have always assumed that the Pads would trade one or the other, Kouzmanoff or Adrian Gonzalez. I guess now we'll see that put to the test.
With Capt Jack's attitude towards the young players he inherited, I'm guessing the Pads wouldn't mind fielding 4 talented young M's in their 25-man roster, even after the Kouz trade...
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Q. Do you buy the idea that Omar Minaya is out with the Mets, the first big losing streak they hit?
A. You'll have to ask SABRMatt, but I could see it. Unfortunate that stuff like Beltran happens. But he's been given the green light on every aging $$$$$ free agent around, and it hasn't paid off the way he had in mind.
It's situations like the Mets', firing away guns blazing in the FA market every year, and seeing so little in the standings, that reinforce Sandy's firm conviction that you add big FA's only as the last piece of the puzzle.
But you can sympathize with the extra $$ and years given to a guy like Jason Bay. Put yourself in a GM's shoes -- win right now or else go look for another $500,000 per year job. Are you going to pass on the cleanup hitter?
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Q. How about that? Looks like Felix's deal is going to get done!
A. M's fans have figured that the M's could only keep one or the other, Lee or Felix, but I've always figured Lee was a probable keep either way.
It woulda made a lot of sense to me -- whether I agreed with it or not -- to keep Lee and deal Felix in a Herschel Walker deal.
What doesn't make any sense at all, is to keep Felix and then trade three of your best-and-brightest for 30 starts of one pitcher. You've got to figure the M's are going to try their usual "look how wonderful the org is!" shtick with Cliff Lee.
Dr. D is sunshine and roses about this righty-lefty Cy Young combo. Let's see just what two guys like this can do in Safeco Field with seven fast guys playing behind 'em.
Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.