=== M's Budget ===

I/O:  Locals, counting on our fingers, go "Hey!  Felix' deal gives us $3m extry, and Gutierrez' gives us $2m more!"

This is added to the $10m or so that we presumed was available in the budget.

I/O:  National rumors sites consistently quote external baseball sources as saying the M's don't have much money left.  This occurred again today on MLB Trade Rumors, which quoted a source saying that the M's have "a little, not much" left to spend.

I/O:  Prospect Insider forecasts at least one, very possibly two, more impact adds.

I/O:  Zduriencik, asked about it by a local reporter, simply refuses any and all comment about how much the M's have left.

I/O:  Prospect Insider also comments that the M's could run literally a $200 million payroll if they so desired, but don't so desire.  Dr. Detecto's firm assertion on the M's payroll has always been that they could easily expand payroll by $30-50 million any time they wanted, in part because (in contrast to common assumption) yearly cash flow isn't even the primary way that MLB teams make money.

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Crunch:  It has always been the case, under Lincoln and Armstrong, that the M's spend what they want to spend.  For example, with the offers to Junior and ARod.

I don't doubt that the Mariners, if they could get exactly the two players they wanted, would pay them.  I also don't doubt that if the perfect acquisitions don't come up, that they'll just pocket the cash again.

And this time, I have no problem with that.  The priority this winter is a good-faith effort to build a World Series winner, as opposed to providing a quality family experience at the ballpark.  Under those circumstances, I applaud the orientation that says, "We didn't get the deal we wanted, so we're not giving away money here."

............

The vibe nationally is that the M's aren't eager to take on money.  But these sources don't know any more about Zduriencik's intentions than we do.

Prediction here:  if the M's get the deal or two that they like, they'll pull the trigger.  And if they don't, they'll sit on the position until somebody cracks.

It sounds awfully sweet to say that, doesn't it?

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=== Angels "Get" Jo-El ===

Here again is our article on Pineiro's new game and here's the 2010 prognosis.

Remember, Jo-El's fastball went from -1.5 run value to +1.0 in 2010.  He's not posting 0+ walk rates because he has Harang-u-tang command.  He's doing it because he's getting Scott Erickson-type first-ball ground-ball results.

If Jo-El gets the tremendous movement in 2010, he will definitely be an above-average starting pitcher (and worth $10-15m in salary).  If he doesn't, he's still a craftsmanly innings-eater who will probably give the Angels 30 pretty decent starts.

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Here is an article by the 2nd-best pitching analyst on the internet :- ) and it also sees Pineiro's 2009 as mostly, but not fully, repeatable.  As to the interesting Mariner Central debate on the Angel infield, Allen comes down on the side of "should be no issue" for Pineiro.

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Think Jarrod Washburn in Seattle.  UP season, nice #3 pitcher. DWN season, he'll still go out there and battle and you'll have a 50-50 chance to win. 

Do you want a Washburn or Pineiro?  Depends how your #3-7 starters look.

The Angels know how to win.  They know how to go out there and make good things happen and win a game 5-4.  Provided their rookie SP's aren't losing the game right in the second inning.

I like the fit for the Angels.  It's a far cry from John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar and Nick Adenhart, though.

Cheers,

Dr D