Saturday Morning Single-Shots
=== Two Impact Players? ===
In the non-subscription portion of Jason's Prospect Insider article, his teaser suggests the M's would still like to add two more impact players.
Which reminds me of the cheap shot that writers used to take at the ca.-1990 Mariners -- they only need two players and they're right in it. Those two players being Christy Mathewson and Lou Gehrig. Ba-dump-bump.
This team certainly does need two players, both of them with lumber in their hands.
(Nice to see Jason's career blossoming, with the ESPN work and the subscription base. Always cool to see independent business, as opposed to having three or four choke-points control who gets jobs and who disseminates information. Even those who have tussled with PI in the past, should be delighted to see that Radio M's Minors is on the air loud-and-clear.)
SSI absolutely loves Zduriencik's stealth attack. It beats the tar out of the old days when they'd use Bob Finnigan to "manage" fans' expectations. This is one exec who is very secure in what he does.
.....
Here as in other places, the M's are rumored to be most interested in another star pitcher. Slap me silly. And with three aces, Ryan Rowland-Smith is a true championship-level #4, a quality tough guy a la Millwood in Atlanta, El Sid behind Doc, Cone and Darling, etc.
I get to chuckling at all the run prevention -- Hannahan at 1B, now Kotchman at 1B, Wilson's 60 OPS+ at SS, Chavez starting in LF, signalling a problem at second base because Lopez' glove is only middle-of-the-pack, etc.
But hey, :SHRUG:. At least it's fresh. If this team wants to try to run a 125 ERA+, well, I'll enjoy the ballclub for what it is.
.
=== Chavez ===
MLB Trade Rumors says that Chavez is ahead of sked, should be 90% by March, etc.
I think that Michael Saunders renders Chavez obsolete and then some. But assuming they want a full year in AAA from Saunders, of course Chavez is a quality #4 OF.
Simply amazing that this guy might be ready by April. I thought they might have to amputate :-[ ... major credits for rehab effort...
.
=== Aroldis Chapman ===
Perhaps the Angels aren't slam-dunks after all. The Jays have offered like $23m and are the frontrunners du jour, if the Yanks decide against.
This guy could conceivably be a Randy Johnson comp, but the makeup issues OUT OF CUBA are enough to make anybody squeamish.
We knew it was a roll of the dice. That's why he's $25m and not $125m. The kid is a 10-2 half season away from being one of those >$100m types. We'll see.
.
=== Wash Me ===
Jarrod Washburn's best offer so far is reportedly 1 year, $5MM to play in a bandbox on artificial turf. Given that he wants to come back to Seattle so badly -- who wouldn't want to have a good season? -- it's interesting that the M's don't top that.
Pitching confidently in Safeco with Rick Adair by his side, Washburn in 2009 logged a 5.3 / 2.2 / 0.7 k/bb/hr line, with a 2.64 ERA. There's room for a whale of a lot of regression at 1/$5MM.
Must be tempting,
Dr D