MLB hot stove/ Free agency

[Sunstroke]

The Cubbies are probably the only potential "realistic" trade partner for Peavy that would allow me to still cheer for him after he's gone...so that'd be just fine by me.

Tell me of your farm system, Usul...

[StL FinFan]

Tell me of your farm system, Usul...

Water falls from the sky in my world.

[Sunstroke]

I actually wondered if "anyone" would catch that little reference...

[StL FinFan]

Do you give water to the dead?

[bsfins]

The Jake Peavy trade watch continues....
A source in San Diego expected that the Padres would ask the Cubs about top pitching prospect Jeff Samardzija, who has full no-trade protection. If Samardzija's name entered the equation, the answer would be no. The Cubs are said to be pushing a deal built around left-hander Sean Marshall. Right-handed reliever Kevin Hart also could be included in the package, and even lefty-hitting second baseman Mike Fontenot.

I don't like Giving up Samardzija,and it's rumored were trying to go after Brian Roberts again....
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/1267764,CST-SPT-cub08.article

I wasn't likeing seeing this...
The Cardinals are the Leading in the Hunt for Matt Holiday....
According to reports in three different newspapers, St. Louis is a serious player for Holliday, who is widely expected to be dealt before Spring Training. Reports indicate that Ryan Ludwick, coming off a breakout season that may garner him down-ballot MVP votes, would be the centerpiece of any Cardinals package for Holliday.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081107&content_id=3670839&vkey=hotstove2008&fext=.jsp

[EDGECRUSHER]

Ryan Ludwick is 30 years old and this was his first great season. It was so out of nowhere that I doubt he could pass a drug test. He is expendable if it gets you Matt Holliday.

I would not trade Jeff Smrazdahiajiarajizajija if I were the Cubs, even if he waived his no-trade, which I doubt he would. He is a real talent and cost controlled for 5 years. Peavy is great, but would he be $20 Million a year better? I don't know.

Then again, we said this about Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy about Johan Santana last winter and that turned out quite poorly.

[bsfins]

How the hell are you supposed to Get a good Juicy Internet rumor going when a team Kills it so Fast...

St. Louis
PostDispatch say the Holiday is Dead...
The Cardinals won’t be celebrating a Holliday before Thanksgiving.

Or for that matter, anytime, according to general manager John Mozeliak.

Mozeliak insisted Sunday that discussions involving Colorado Rockies left fielder Matt Holliday have ceased and that "nothing is imminent. That one’s not happening — at all."
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/C3ADED8E4103B66A862574FD000C8F58?OpenDocument

fixed the link

I prefer to go after Brian Roberts over Peavy Personally...If you're gonna lose Wood in the Bullpen,leave Jeff there another year,so you have atleast one hard thrower in the pen...I loved what I saw of him in his time with the Big boys....He still needs work,but he's one of those guys that we hear we've got in the minors(He's really good,blah blah,blah),and it's actually true...A rarity as a Cubs fan...

[Sunstroke]

I just want a couple of impact prospects for my Padres in any Peavy deal, and would prefer pitching prospects who can make the club this year or next. I do really like Samardzija though, and wouldn't mind seeing a deal around him at all. I think SD has a lot more quality hitting in their system than people think, and I think a few of them (Headley, Antonelli, Blanks, etc...) are "this close" to being MLB-ready. We need more pitching though...and we need a couple of blue-chippers at the front.

[StL FinFan]

How the hell are you supposed to Get a good Juicy Internet rumor going when a team Kills it so Fast...

St. Louis
PostDispatch say the Holiday is Dead...
The Cardinals won’t be celebrating a Holliday before Thanksgiving.

Or for that matter, anytime, according to general manager John Mozeliak.

Mozeliak insisted Sunday that discussions involving Colorado Rockies left fielder Matt Holliday have ceased and that "nothing is imminent. That one’s not happening — at all."
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/
C3ADED8E4103B66A862574FD000C8 F58?OpenDocument

I prefer to go after Brian Roberts over Peavy Personally...If you're gonna lose Wood in the Bullpen,leave Jeff there another year,so you have atleast one hard thrower in the pen...I loved what I saw of him in his time with the Big boys....He still needs work,but he's one of those guys that we hear we've got in the minors(He's really good,blah blah,blah),and it's actually true...A rarity as a Cubs fan...

Since the link does not work I will tell you the Rockies wanted Ludwick as well as Skip Schumaker and Mitchell Boggs.  No. Sorry.

[EDGECRUSHER]

I will let my favorite Yankee site nomaas.org explain why:

11.12.2008 Of all the options available, they chose the worst one

It was announced on Wednesday that the Yankees signed left-handed reliever Damaso Marte to a 3-yr, $12 million contract.  We hope this is not an indication of how the rest of the offseason will go, because this deal makes no sense to us. 

It makes no sense because there were two much better options available to the front office in their dealings with Marte.

First of all, it's not often that you have the opportunity to grab two draft picks in exchange for a player who will only contribute in about 60 innings per season.  The Yankees have the opportunity to make a killing in the next draft.  Keeping Marte reduces the potential plunder.

Next, if you believe the Yankees need Marte in 2009 (which is definitely a valid argument and one we originally advocated), why in the world would you sign him for 3 years when you only had to keep him for one?  While Marte is good, there is no need to sign him through age 36.  Relievers are notoriously volatile.  Signing one into his golden years doesn't seem very logical, especially when you have young arms in waiting.  The Yankees also lost the possibility of obtaining draft picks for him after the 2009 season, which likely would have been the case if they simply picked up his one-year option. 

A bullpen needs to be fluid and cost-effective.  We were under the impression that the front office understood that.  This blunder makes us a little less confident.

[MaineDolFan]

A couple lines of thought on Marte:

The Yankees HAD to sign him.  The bullpen is a pretty big weakness and Marte is a solid contributor to it.  And, right now, he's still young.  So we're taking the draft picks out of the conversation because letting a quality bullpen arm walk wasn't an option.

There are at least eight other teams out there that would have given Marte the exact same contract. 

Look at the state of the Yankees starting pitching and the realistic chance of landing a big name free agent.  CC has already all but said he doesn't want Yankee money.  Derek Lowe ain't going to NY.  Those are the only two reliable inning eater type guys on the market, everyone else is a toss.  So you're going into your season with a bunch of guys that could barely get into the 6th inning -- and you know you are going to be torching your bullpen again.

If you know that you are going to get 60-70 innings out of a proven reliever, and that he's not going to kill you while doing those innings, you have to. 

If the Yankees front end were built better and full of horses you can take your chance on building a cheaper bullpen.  Yankees are not in that position.  Even Tampa had some higher priced guys in their bullpen.  That is an area where you need to be smart.  Don't overspend like Baltimore did a couple years ago but don't underspend and go into a gun battle with a fork.

[CF DolFan]

I just want a couple of impact prospects for my Padres in any Peavy deal, and would prefer pitching prospects who can make the club this year or next. I do really like Samardzija though, and wouldn't mind seeing a deal around him at all. I think SD has a lot more quality hitting in their system than people think, and I think a few of them (Headley, Antonelli, Blanks, etc...) are "this close" to being MLB-ready. We need more pitching though...and we need a couple of blue-chippers at the front.

I read this on the Braves site this morning.


http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081113&content_id=3677434&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl

Report: Braves, Friars near Peavy deal


The Padres are on the verge of trading All-Star right-hander Jake Peavy to the Braves, CBS Sportsline.com reported late Wednesday night.
The deal, which has been in the works for more than a month, would reportedly net the Padres shortstop Yunel Escobar, Class A outfielder Gorkys Hernandez, one of two starting pitchers -- Charlie Morton or Jo-Jo Reyes -- and either reliever Blaine Boyer or one of two Minor League left-handers

[MaineDolFan]

I'm really bummed that San Diego is doing this.  I get it, but bummed.

[bsfins]

The Braves have had the most to offer,I think Towers was using the Cubs as a bargining chip against Atlanta.The Cubs were trying to get a third team involved so the Padres could get the pitching that they wanted in return....

[EDGECRUSHER]

Sabathia is going to be a Yankee. They are going to offer him the world and unless he hates NY more than Homer Simpson, he will be donning the pinstripes next season. They will also re-sign Pettitte, meaning they just need one more starter if Mussina does retire. So, they are in good shape there.

The bullpen was actually good last year and filled with guys Cashman either drafted or bought off of the scrap heap. Mark Melancon should be called up this season and he is the heir apparent to Mo. So, no need to go 3 years on Marte. If they were worried about this year, they could've picked up his option and then collected 2 draft picks next season.

The length of the contract is the issue I have because you just don't give middle relievers longer than 2 years, it always blows up in your face.