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According to mlbtraderumours.com
Adrian Gonzalez would be a great pickup.
OBP_Train
What's News
A Red Sox writer states that three other teams are into Bay right now, alongside his own Sox. He bases this on "a source familiar with the negotiations." That's Bay's agent, in writer-speak. Apparently, news of the death of the M's interest in Bay has been overstated.
Red Sox - pole position, though also supposedly hot on Holliday
Mariners - jemanji is hopin'
Angels - Sending signals that they have other priorities, but would be ok with a bargain
Mets* - Could be, but with the Mets specifically, this is often Eastern media
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Epstein gave an annoyed quote that implied that the Red Sox badly want Jason Bay, but that the agents are kinda stiffing them. Wowza! Because Bay has directed his agents to pursue Seattle first, perhaps?
The Angels want Bay at a discount, but Bay has already said that he wants to come to Seattle -- and therefore any discount he'd give the Angels, he'd give the M's as well ...
Sounds like Bay is the M's for the taking, particularly that Epstein quote. But who knows -- perhaps Zduriencik's strong interest in Bay is akin to his strong interest in Harden.
..............
We don't know what the budget is for 2010. We don't know how Figgins' contract would be backloaded, or not. And we don't know whether the Glam Rock offseason of Lackey-Bay-Figgins is theoretically possible...
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=== John Lennon stRange Days Indeed Dept. ===
The Rangers had this rotation:
SP1 ... 127 ERA+ Kevin Millwood
SP2 ... Feldman - Flashy W/L ERA, terrible K/BB of 5.4 and 3.1
SP 3 ... 6.12 ERA youngster
SP 4 ... McCarthy, perpetual disappointment but stronger last year
SP 5 - 22-year-old Holland, 5.1 strikeouts, 2.7 walks
............
And as soon as they signed Rich "125 IP" Harden, they felt like they were good to powerflush Kevin Millwood. As well as Vicente Padilla.
Looks fine on paper. They axin' for it tho, brother.
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Adrian Beltre is gravitating towards Fenway. Tolja the Red Sox were smart.
What would be interesting, would be to hear Boras try to sell them Green Monster and 48 homers. And what the Sox' reply would be. Boras would be selling Beltre's potential with a short LF fence, complete with scattercharts, AVG/OBP/SLG scaled up with "injury" 2009 edited out, etc.
Wonder what the Sox would say, and how James and Boras would get along with James now The Man.
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If Lackey falls through, you want to hear something funny ... in 2009, Jo-El Pineiro found a new magic swerveball.
Seriously. Pineiro throws this for a strike every blinkin' pitch (therefore tiny BB ratios), and the batters chop it into the ground again and again and again.
He throws the swerveball over 70% of the time and it has a huge run value (in the context of its being used so much).
In 2009, Pineiro was a 100% legitimate 40-run pitcher, worth every inch of $20m, and the only question is whether (or how much) he'll regress now. Expect him to get $12m x 2-3 years from somebody. He's in effect the #2 pitcher on the market right now behind Lackey.
Dave Duncan taught Pineiro some kind of magic pitch, and Jo-El has used it for one year to detonate the NL. I wonder what's next for him.
Comments
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I have had the feeling that lurking the background of all Z's moves was the possibility of a blockbuster for Gonzalez.
For one thing, Z wants to hire Kevin Towers as an advisor. Towers had been the Pods GM forever, but he gave credit to Z for giving him his first big break (interesting in that it points out how long Z had been kicking around important scouting jobs before finally getting the top spot).
Anyway, Towers obiviously knows every detail of the Pods situation, and I have a feeling he's telling Z that AGon will be made available eventually, and Z is keeping his powder dry, so to speak.
It could be part of the lack of the laser-focus-full-court-press to get Bay that we saw with Figgins. If you're gonna spend mondo bucks on a bat, spend it on one that's a better fit for your park and doesn't block any of your young talent.
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I can't see Gozalez coming to Seattle. Think of what you would want in return for Felix - that's pretty much what San Diego will want for Gonzalez.
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Guys in their 20s who have already put up MVP/Cy-worthy seasons -- that's who you build teams around.
I want Felix and AGon both on long-term deals, then I build from there. Don't tell me the Ms couldn't afford to go that route.
I would not hesitate to give:
Morrow + Lopez + Triunfel (or Saunders or Tui, but I think Carlos would be most valued in a trade) + Any combo of Lowe, Kelley, Fields or Aumont + Any combo of the A-ball SP graduates: Robles, Pineda, Ramirez, Hensley, Kasparek, etc.
If the Pods don't like those specific players, then work a 3-way deal.
But would I blink on going 5-for-1 or 6-for-1 for a lefty who slugs .500 every single year and just drew 119 walks? No. (And, don't forget, it also frees up your "Branyan money" to go out and fill whatever short-term gaps you create.)
The fact that the rumor hasn't died says to me that the Pods aren't just looking at what Z can offer and going "no way." There's some level of dancing going on. Sure, it still could be far-fetched, but for a 27-year-old left-handed version of Edgar I would do what it takes.
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Folks are always going "the M's don't have the pieces," and then when you list the pieces, it's "no way I want to give up that much" :- )
Don't forget when you deal a handful of prospects for an Adrian Gonzalez, you completely solidify a major-league position for years to come... that's three or four generations of prospects at 1B he makes moot, all by himself...
IIRC, Gonzalez slugged .600 on the road last year. That's tall cotton.
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Speaking of which, Johnny Gomes is now a FA. Red's didn't renew his option at 1 million. Gomes would be another good pickup. I mean he's already compiled ~1800 plate appeareances in the majors and has proven power with 86 hr in the same time span.
Honestly Gomes becoming a FA agent I think is quite the surprise. And for his skillset he's CHEAP.
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Sorry should mention the Gomes post was done by me.
OBP_Train