If, in fact, Santana wanted out because of the Twins' poor offense, then playing Nick Punto at third really cost the Twins big time. Then again, maybe he just wanted to hang out with slappy.
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When the (Williams) Wall Comes Crumblin' Down...
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I knew that Punto was somehow responsible.
And, by extension, it means we all knew that Gardy was responsible.
I was going to comment about how, after this trade, Gardy has no choice but to give the young pitchers a chance, but I suppose there is still time to sign some over priced mediocre veterans.
There's also plenty of money in the payroll budget for that now. And don't think it won't happen. Here's the list BS has to choose from (according to Cot's):
Tony Armas Jr., Kris Benson, Roger Clemens, Bartolo Colon, Casey Daigle, Matt DeSalvo, Josh Fogg, Freddy Garcia, Livan Hernandez, Justin Jones, Randy Keisler, Byung-Hyun Kim, Kyle Lohse, Rodrigo Lopez, Mike Maroth, Eric Milton, Mike O'Connor, Russ Ortiz, Odalis Perez, Heath Phillips, Sidney Ponson, John Thomson, Josh Towers, Steve Trachsel, Jeff Weaver, David Wells, Victor Zambrano.
I'm hoping for
KrisAnna Benson, myself.I think Benson is now divorced, but Daigle is still married to Jennie Finch.
Did that divorce actually happen? I remember she filed, then retracted her filing, and then they were all lovey dovey again for a while. Benson is trying hard to get picked up with a major league contract, but so far has had not takers. This was on Rotoworld today:
No word on whether the Twins were one of those nine teams.
I think the problem was that Anna got The Seven Week Itch.
Maybe. But penicillin usually clears that right up.
Which reminds me of a great line from Ball Four (but I don't remember which player said it). The question was asked, what's the toughest thing about being a major league baseball player? The answer was, "Explaining to your wife why she needs to get a penicillin shot for your bladder infection."
LOL. One of my faves is when the Pilot's team bus is driving through the city (NY?) to the stadium. Someone points out a building that was "erected in 1880." Someone responds, "That's quite an erection."
Now there's a book that should be in our library...
Yep. A great book. I know that several of us have read it.
Unfortunately, it's over 32 pages.
I think Benson is now divorced, but Daigle is still married to Jennie Finch.
which makes Daigle the second-best pitcher in his family.
Lohse would be my pick. Maybe Maroth or Freddy or Weaver.
I find BHK entertaining, and as long as the Twins aren't planning on contending, it could be fun to have a guy that might pitch a two-hitter or might only get 2 outs. Which one is it gonna be? Use one of the young guys as a long-reliever.
And I want Kenny Lofton in CF!
I thought the Twins signed Daigle to a minor league contract before Christmas
Actually, they did. I had about that forgotten that. Wonder why Cot's still has him listed as a FA.
Their list seems to be imperfect. Also, Josh Towers has been signed by the Rockies.
The boys at USSM have been begging the Mariners to sign
Butthole, em, Colon.Drake is a 4 point favorite at home over Creighton tonight. I'll take the home team and give the points.
A few cups of coffee back you asked where you could buy Japanese baseball merch (in reference to Lew Ford), and yesterday I got a postcard in the mail from YakyuShop. I bought a Buffaloes jersey there a few years back.
Oh, and be careful with sizes. A japanese "large" isn't very.
Oh, and the postcard had a 5% discount code that's still good for the next couple days:
JAN2008
CarterHayes directed me to that site as well. Thanks to both of you.
Thanks for the link. There are a few that I really like. That powder blue Nippon Ham Fighters throwback is especially nice.
It is very hard to judge a trade when you are trading established talent for potential. However, even if these guys turn out to be good, it seems unlikely that any of them will turn into a multiple All-star/Cy Young winner. It seems to me that you win pennants by acquiring Santanas, not by trading them away.
For all I know, this may have been the best that Smith could do under the circumstances. I just don't like the circumstances.
Lot's of lukewarm reactions around the web... two so far from BP:
"Considering that the Mets managed to achieve this without giving up a single top-tier prospect, this is a happy day for Mets fans." - Nate Silver
"I've just been informed in the last few minutes that this trade is 99.9% official, and as listed. I'm stunned by this trade, and as a Royals fan, I'm thrilled. You trade the best pitcher in baseball and don't get a single can't-miss guy in return? Way to play your cards, Bill Smith. This is great for the Mets, and great for the National League." - Rany Jazayerli
...without giving up a single top-tier prospect...
From what I've read, we got the Mets' #2, #3, #4, and #7 prospects, with Martinez being their #1. How is that not giving up a single top-tier prospect?
Could be tiers of 5-star, 4-star, 3-star, 2-star and 1-star prospects? No.s 2,3,4,7 are all relative to the Mets.
BP hasn't rated the Mets farm system yet, but I'm sure they'll chime in one of these days (and soon, they are plowing through the NL alphabetically and LAD is next).
Those 2, 3, 4, and 7 rankings were specifiically for the Mets and came from Baseball America, via Gleeman and others.
Prospectus just redid the Twins system. Goldstein backs up Silver's statement of not getting a top tier (Five-Star) prospect:
Five-Star Prospects
None
Four-Star Prospects
1. Carlos Gomez, CF
2. Deolis Guerra, RHP
3. Ben Revere, CF
Three-Star Prospects
4. Anthony Swarzak, RHP
5. Philip Humber, RHP
6. Jeff Manship, RHP
7. Tyler Robertson, LHP
8. Kevin Mulvey, RHP
9. Nick Blackburn, RHP
10. Brian Duensing, LHP
11. Trevor Plouffe, SS
Peter Gammons said that none of those prospects would rank in the top 10 of Yankees or Red Sox prospects.
Peter Gammons is also old and losing it. I'm hoping he meant a Top 10 of combined prospects from the two teams rather than each team's own list. If he meant the latter, than he really has lost his touch (and is really just completely swallowing the Sawks party line).
Yeah, there is no way that could be true.
According to a rough look at Sickle's ratings:
http://minorleagueball.com/story/2008/1/30/12215/6969
Guerra - B+
Gomez - B
Mulvey - B
Humber - B-
Yankees Top 20
The Yankees have
1 Grade A (Joba)
2 Grade B+
1 Grade B
4 Grade B-
So clearly, all of them would be top 10 yankees.
Red Sox Top 20
They have
1 Grade A (Buchholz)
2 Grade A- (Ellsbury, Lowrie)
1 Grade B+
4 Grade B
4 Grade B-
A much better system, and Humber would probably not be top 10, but all the rest clearly would be, with Guerra at worst #5.
Peter Gammons is also old and losing it
I think this has the makings of a good name for a blog..
From what I've read, we got the Mets' #2, #3, #4, and #7 prospects, with Martinez being their #1. How is that not giving up a single top-tier prospect?
Also, as I argued today, I don't think the difference between Gomez and Martinez is really all that big.
Hey did anyone else see that Golden State released T-Hud to make room for C-Web? Given Ricky Davis and Marc Blount's stinking up in Miami, Phoenix rueing the day they signed Jackson, and Mike James riding the pine in Houston(?), T-Wolves bad mojo infecting a good percentage of the NBA.
Yep, that was one bad operation in Minnesota.
Is the Boston Sports Guy still claiming that Tim Duncan could have carried that pile of crap team to the NBA playoffs?
I wouldn't bet the farm that SA makes it this year.
particularly now with Parker out indefinitely with a bone spur in his foot.
BrianS - what's your preferred beer pairing with Jambalaya?
Sausage and shrimp jambalaya is the best. The best!
mmmm. Well, Dixie or something from Abita would be fairly authentic.
But I'd probably go for an American Pale or an IPA. Or even (gasp!) a Pilsener. Something clean and with a bit o' hop crispness to cut through the strong flavors.
I don't think bigger, maltier beers (porters, stouts) are a great match for most jambalayas, although they work ok for, say, a chicken-and-sausage gumbo made with a really dark roux. Although an amber would be fine. A little grain roastiness would complement the ham.
I'll second that.
The Menu:
Chicken, Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya
Succotash
Corn Muffins
I think I'll follow your recommendation on the IPA
A family on the block is in the midst of a run of horrible (medical related) luck and we're putting on a little weeknight get together.
What a swell thing to do. Cheers!
If you can play baseball or basketball, there's no way you should play in the NFL. Peter King is guessing (yeah I know, quoting him is a dicey proposition) that Randy Moss will be offered a four year, $25 million contract by the Pats in the off season. Is that all? Top line talent in the NBA and MLB gets almost that every year.
That, and probably only the first year is guaranteed, as NFL teams can waive players freely, correct?
On the other hand, football has more players per roster, so if you can play 2 sports (one being football), you have about twice the chance of making the football roster than an MLB roster, and 4 times as many as making an NBA roster. (More if you consider that NFL careers are shorter on average).
That and contracts being guaranteed in baseball. Although, if you're Jeff Samardzija, flanker has to start looking like an attractive position change in the near future.
Must be some sort of come-play-for-the-greatest-team-evar discount?
I think Samardzija (Did you know that one of his former college teammates is a boxer? Really it's true!!!!!) has to return most of this $7million signing bonus according to a clause in his contract if he gives up baseball.
Not to mention the risk of chronic, debilitating, and life threatening injury is higher
Pos on the trade:
Pos is the man. Great post.
I would amend that to say that nobody knows anything for sure. In the aggregate, it's really pretty amazing how well teams can draft. If they really didn't know anything, a 6th round pick would be as good as a 1st round pick, but the decrease in value from even the top half of the first round to the bottom half of the first round is astounding.
Man stops to help victims in a car accident. One of the victims steals his car and totals it. Surprise, alcohol was involved.
Rick Anderson, Twins pitching coach:
I don't think you can argue that Nathan's value to the Twins is greater now. But, when Johan was still a member of the Twins? Come on.
I sure hope Nathan is traded soon. Closers can be made! Remember a few years ago when Nathan couldn't even start the ninth inning if the leadoff batter was a lefty? He's going to get $10 to $12/million annually from someone next winter, so we might as well cash in before we get two draft picks.
Trade Nathan in June or July. All the contending teams already think they have their closers. Wait for one of them to falter or get injured and Nathan's value will be even higher at that time.
Exactly.
Cubs => Kerry Wood.
Braves => Rafael Soriano.
Tigers => Todd Jones.
Indians => Joe Borowski.
Brewers => Eric Gagne.
D-Backs => Tony Pena.
All of those teams are at this point contenders trying to count on guys who may or may not be reliable. By the trading deadline, one of those teams will believe that shoring up the closer position will be the difference maker and will gladly part with some top talent.
I like Soriano, but, yeah.
Don't forget that even the closers who will perform well can get injured, too.
But so can Joe Nathan.
True, but:
Odds of Joe Nathan injured < Odds of two or three closers injured from 10-12 teams in contention
Also, even if Nathan gets injured around the ASB, he could still wind up as a Type A free agent.
I'd have to think the Tigers would be able to fill an injury to Jones internally. They've had some injuries in the pen, but I don't think it a stretch to say he isn't their best reliever.
Well, isn't Zumaya injured? And they don't have really anything left for prospects.
But I do agree that the Tigers and the Indians are much less likely trade suitors than others, given the general league-wide reluctance to trade within the division.
(Actually, the Indians are the team that seems to be the most capable of replacing their closer with in-house options, given their solid Rafael bullpen.)
Just in case you were wondering what a real solid columnist is, Joe Posnanski is the real deal. Another brilliant entry in his blog today.
Anyone know what his beef with Marino is? He implies he has one in the article.
From what I've gathered, he had an interview set up with John Daly at a given time at some golf course. He shows up and Daly is there, about to tee off in a pro/am with Marino. Daly postpones the round to give the interview. This pisses off Marino, who's apparently paid to play with Daly and makes that known. Daly says, in effect, lighten up, Francis.
I don't know if there's more than that, but I do recall him telling that story.
If I recall the story rightly, Daly let him walk along and do the interview while they played. So when Marino said something like "Some of us payed to play with John," Daly told him, "You are playing with me, Dan," and went right on with the interview and the round.
Great line.
John Ryan has a funny column up from a couple days ago.
Christina Karhl gets out the shiv.
I certainly dont know how to do it, but the Johan trade got me thinking: how have former higher-profile Twins faired since they left the organization (Shannon Stewart/Joe Mays/Kyle Loshe/ect) going back to about 2000/2001
Of course David Ortiz comes to mind, but after that, has there been anyone that has been good?
I can't think of anyone that the Twins wish they had back (prior to this current off-season) other than Ortiz.
Todd Walker?
My only thought is Kenny Rogers, who has been surprisingly good since leaving the Twins. He would have been a fine back-end of the rotation guy, but not someone you really regret losing.
A good quote from BP's Kevin Goldstein:
"My second point is more of an indictment of my own industry, baseball journalism, which during late July and the winter meetings finds itself guilty all too often of running everything up the flagpole to see what draws a salute. I don't like the trade in the least from the Twins standpoint, but at the same time, I'm also pretty certain that General Manager Bill Smith is not an idiot—in fact, I'm quite sure of it. I'm far more sure that the rumored offers from the Yankees and/or Red Sox were not as good as we think they were."
I'm rather disappointed that Rifding Hokme hasn't weighed in on the trade yet. There must be some international repercussions!
It would be quite a sparkling treat if Sverige ban could get the Johan Santana to trow pitches for the Karlskoga Bats, har. I am in wonder how many Krona this would require?? Uti Var Hage, Karl!
See ya Hall of Fame game