Carlos Beltran and Nelson Cruz
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This from MLBTradeRumors:
The Mariners have money to spend and a need for offense. Yesterday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post wrote that the team could be aggressive on free agents Jhonny Peralta,Nelson Cruz, and Mike Napoli. The latest:
- The Mariners' reported interest in Jacoby Ellsbury may be overblown, hears ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.
- Crasnick wrote earlier than the Ms are more immersed in the Carlos Beltran/Peralta/Kendrys Morales market than in Ellsbury's. The Mariners would like to find a way to add Cruz and Beltran, tweets Crasnick. If they are to pull that off, it could be another offseason of disregarding defense, in my opinion. Signing Cruz and Beltran requires the forfeiture of draft picks, but the Mariners' first rounder is protected. They would lose their second round pick as well as their Competitive Balance Round B pick (similar to the Indians last winter).
The Mariners' outfield cost them a remarkable number of defensive runs in 2013. However, in 2014, batters will not get to play Joe Saunders Tee Ball against Taijuan and K-Pax.
Gimme the 4-man rotation, and I'll play bats in the outfield. But that's just me.
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This from Bill James, on Dec. 15, 2012:
I love the All-Decade teams in the Historical Abstract. Do you have a New Millenium team?
Asked by: thomvan
Answered: 12/15/2012
1B--Albert Pujols. 2B--Not sure; maybe Utley? 3B--A-Rod (although there are many good candidates. . .Wood Chipper, Rolen, Wright.) SS--Dirty Rotten. LF--Bonds. CF--Carlos Beltran. RF--Bobby Abreu, or possibly Sheffield. DH--Papi. C--Open to Suggestions. SP--Sabathia, Pedro, Big Unit, Halladay. CL--Mariano.
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(Hmmmm... would you want Bobby Abreu over Ichiro in right field? Heh.)
Still, the point is, it's not "Carlos Beltran." It's "Carlos Blinkin' Beltran." Carlos Beltran would be a John Malkovich decision.
All-Millenium team. Think about it for a minute.
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"Flavor Text" department: James also points out that in 1999, "the Royals had an outfield of Jermaine Dye, Carlos Beltran and Johnny Damon, which I believe is the ONLY time in baseball HISTORY that a team has ever had three young outfielders who went on to careers of that quality. The Royals parlayed this into a string of 100-loss seasons."
Be Afraid,
Dr D