Late Innings

Baseball America has its Top 10 prospects up for the Orioles up now. I know it’s a subscriber-only link (for now, until it gets formally published next year), however they project the team’s rotation for 2012:

1. Chris Tillman
2. Brian Matusz
3. Jake Arrieta
4. Jeremy Guthrie
5. Radhames Liz

That’s an intriguing top three (especially how highly they regard Tillman, though he’ll be further along by 2012 than Matusz or Arrieta will.) One name left off the list however is Danys Baez. He signed that repulsive three year, 19MM deal back in 2006, and will make 5.5MM in 2009 in his walk year. He got the money he got simply because of the fact that he padded his resume with some “closer experience.”

A couple of days ago, Baez informed team officials that he would like to start again. Since we’re not in 2012 yet, and the team’s rotation is currently a mess, it never hurts to listen to this from an open ear. The last time he started was in 2002, when he made all 26 of his career starts. The results that season weren’t anything spectacular, he was essentially an “innings eater", and Baltimore needs two or three of these now.

My opinion: give him a chance to start, I’m not opposed to it. He’ll eat innings, and could preserve a potentially solid bullpen. Besides, 5.5MM would be better spent on a mid-tier starter than it would be on a middle reliever.

Baez was 10-11, 4.41 in that 2002 season (mlb.com.)

More “no-brainer” option decisions

I’ll summarize these up rather quickly.

• The Rangers picked up the 6.2MM 2009 option on Hank Blalock. His second half was strong and he might make a good trade chip come next July. This decision was easy.
• The Yankees declined Damaso Marte’s 2009 6MM option. Too much money for a middle reliever, however he’s in high demand this winter.
• Brian Giles (finally) had his 9MM 2009 option picked up by the Padres. Again, the front office shouldn’t have even had to think about this choice, he was easily one of the best corner outfielders last season.

One free agent signing occurred yesterday, with the Astros agreeing to a 3.5MM contract with reliever LaTroy Hawkins. He was lights-out for the team after coming over from the Yankees mid-season last year (2-0 with an 0.43 ERA in 24 appearances), and this isn’t that bad of a contract.

Wow, thanks to the Orioles and their shitty September play, I’m now an alcoholic. I actually came up with a new drink which I’ve called “The Jamie Walker“. Ironically it has no Johnnie Walker, but it has a strong shot of whiskey in it. When watching the Orioles play, if you ever want to make a “Jamie Walker” do the following:

1. Take a bottle of Miller Lite.
2. Pour in a shot of Chivas Regal.

Bam motherfucker! Before you know it, after a few of these you’ll be watching good baseball, regardless of whether you’re watching the Cubs or the Nationals. And on the good side, you’ll be going through fewer cases of beer. Speaking of good baseball… I’m watching the Brewers and the Pirates play right now. At any other point of the season, this game would be a yawn-fest, however it’s a good one tonight.

So the Brewers made the oddball move and decided to start Yovani Gallardo. I honestly thought he’d be in the bullpen, but then again these are the Brewers. They’re tied at 1 with the Pirates in the eighth. Meanwhile, the Cubs are tied with the Mets in extra innings. The Astros are also winning, but after tonight should have zero chance of making the playoffs whatsoever. The Philies are off.

On an aside Gallardo looked rock solid. He struck out six of his first seven, and pitched four innings of one-run ball. That’s exactly what the Brewers were expecting. So now they can put Ben Sheets and his crutches on the mound on Friday, C.C. Sabathia pitching on two days rest on Saturday, and have Cal Eldred come out of retirement to pitch the finale on Sunday in that final crucial series against the Cubs. Yes these are the Brewers. They do good, choke, then do good again. And for some reason I still see none of these teams making the playoffs.

I wish I had a healthy Gallardo on my fantasy team, at least one of them (I think my best team will finish fifth this season in the one CBS Sportsline league I’m in.) My strategy year in and year out is draft starters early and often. Good hitting can be found on the waiver wire as the season progresses. I’m partially right. On average my teams were hitting .280 (good), but we were pitching to an ERA of 4.20 (bad) with a WHIP of 1.40 (worse.) I’ll try to get a new strategy for next year, however I’m a huge fan of Gallardo.

Earlier on this season, I said that Gallardo would post similar numbers to Tim Lincecum. Does that mean that Gallardo’d have 17 wins, a 2.60 ERA, chance at Cy Young, dead arm and case to file a claim of abuse on his manager like Lincecum does? Not exactly. However if healthy, he’s good. He’s very good.

A healthy Gallardo will mitigate the blow of Sabathia and Sheets leaving as free agents this offseason. He’s got ace potential. Seriously. If you’d take his 2008 numbers (over 4 starts) and pattern them across a full-season’s worth of starts (35 starts), you’d have the following line: 0-0 record, 1.88 ERA, 175 strikeouts in 210 innings, with a solid 1.25 WHIP.

(Note to Late Innings readers: the author is currently wasted.)

Soon to crack the Brewers rotation: Yanni Gallardo.

Wow, today was exciting. I love baseball, and I especially love the trading deadline. I’ve recollected before about how the deadline was more fun when it was later in the evening, however 4pm deadlines have their advantages. It’s really fun watching the headlines as they come across in my cubicle at work.

So leaving work today, I was under the impression that Jason Bay was a Ray. Going from the word of RotoWorld, I thought this was true. The Reid Brignac, Jeff Neimann deal makes sense for both clubs, and if I was Pittsburgh I would have made it in a heartbeat. Any ways I get in the car after work, turn on ESPN Radio, and I hear that Manny Ramirez was traded. At this point I was confused, since I thought that the Manny/Marlins thing was “dead", as Peter Gammons put it. And to compound the confusion even further, Bay was then said to be the latest member of the Red Sox Nation???!!!

Up until this point, the only moves that I heard until this were Arthur Rhodes going to the Marlins for Gaby Hernandez (he could pan out for the Mariners down the road), LaTroy Hawkins going to the Astros for a minor league second baseman who probably won’t see the light of day, the Yankees dealing a backup shortstop of the future to the Nationals, and Ken Griffey Jr. officially agreeing to be traded to the White Sox (the two players then being named later in the afternoon.) The Nationals later shed some dead wood, releasing Felipe Lopez and Paul LoDuca.

I love the three team trade between the Pirates, Red Sox and Dodgers. Looking at the winners, I like the Dodgers. Manny will bring some life into that lineup. Maybe Andruw Jones will now start hitting because of this, however coupled with the doubles machine Casey Blake, they could finally make some noise in a dead NL West (as we’ve all been hoping.) Granted Manny is all bat, no glove, however he’s now motivated for something more important: a monster contract. Will he get it at 35? Not sure. However he made an agreement with the Dodgers to decline their arbitration so that he can become a free agent (Scott Boras probably doesn’t like this, since this will thin out some teams, having to give up a draft pick and such.)

Who are the losers now? I’m reading ESPN now, and they are listing the Red Sox as a loser. I don’t quite get this move. They gave up very little to get Bay, and got rid of a disturbance in Ramirez (ask Curt Schilling.) Bay is a talented player, and note to The Nation, the team will be much better in the future with Bay than they will with Manny. Still the argument that ESPN gave was that the Red Sox are giving away their memories. Right. Brandon Moss, as talented as he his, will never see the light of day in that crowded outfield. Same thing goes with Craig Hansen. There are other AAA hitters they have that are in the same position as well.

The Pirates bomb out in my book. I would have loved to seen them get Brignac and Neimann, however apparently the Rays pulled the rug on that offer (they don’t need either player by the way, with their top pick from this summer’s draft Tim Beckham being ready for the 2010 season.) Granted three of the players they received today are MLB ready, however there really isn’t anyone in their set of recently received prospects that jumps out (in looking at their Xavier Nady give-away from last weekend.) Any ways today’s a bad day to be a Pirates fan. They still have Pedro Alvarez coming, but they got to sign him first. Any ways some more winners and losers from the recent dealings:

Winners

• Florida. They avoided “huge mistake” by not selling the farm on Manny. Jeremy Hermida, Mike Stanton and Ryan Tucker is a package that should have been offered for Matt Holiday, but the Rockies wouldn’t offer any buyer’s assistance here. Still with this talented lineup, and the pitchers coming back from injuries, they have the bats to make a run for it in the NL East.
• Yankees. They gave up very little for their two main trades, and received exceptional value. Brian Cashman did his job. Enough said.
• Angels of Anaheim. Tex is huge, great move by Tony Reagins.
• Cubs and Brewers. They made their noise earlier in the month.

Losers

• Tampa Bay. They needed a player like Bay to make some noise in the AL East. And to acquire someone like Bay, Brignac is required, since they weren’t going to give up David Price or any of their other arms. Then again, I’m doubtful that the Rays are even looking at this year to make their run for it. We won’t see the full fruits of their labor until 2010, which could be scary if you’re an AL East team.
• Seattle. Granted they’re not beggars, but they have a ton of dead wood, and they should have been more aggressive in moving it. I expect a good portion of it gone by September though.
• White Sox. Junior will bring the fans, but not the wins.
• Braves. The Teixiera deal they made with the Rangers now looks bad in retrospect.
• Houston. They should stop attempting to “make a run for it.”
• Diamondbacks. They’re fucked.

Idling

• Toronto. Didn’t give up Marcum or Snider for Bay. It’s smart to sit pat here.
• Baltimore. Kudos to MacPhail for holding out for the best deals.
• Oakland. See above with Baltimore, and what Billy Beane did.
• Mets. Omar sold the farm last winter to the Twins.
• Kansas City. Their only chip is Ron Mahay, but he’s a very good chip to have on their table nonetheless.

A busy day indeed in the MLB world, and I want to run down my thoughts on everything that happened today. Yes, we are also a week away from the July 31st trading deadline…

• Jim Bowden and the Washington Nationals (finally) agreed to a two year/16MM deal with (their lone All-Star) Christian Guzman. He’s leading the team in hits, with a solid .310 average. He’s not the stolen base threat that he was when we came up with the Twins, but he’s still a solid bat in an otherwise weak lineup. The shortstop market this winter is very soft, so this deal isn’t too expensive or long term for the Nationals. Bowden should look at extending other players however, like third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, in my opinion.
• In more Nationals news, the Diamondbacks acquired closer Jon Rauch for minor league outfielder Emilio Bonifacio. Considering the fact that closers are a hot topic right now (see what the Orioles are asking for George Sherrill), Bowden should have got more for their closer, who’s under control modestly until 2010. Luis Ayala’s value just shot up, and that sound you just heard? That was the sound of the large contract hopes for Brandon Lyon this winter just crashing.
• The Astros acquired Randy Wolf from the Padres for minor league pitcher Chad Reineke. Again I don’t get this move on the Astros’ behalf. Granted they’re built to “win", but that’s hardly happening now. Wolf will eat innings, something that Runelvys Hernandez isn’t doing. However the Astros are only taking on more salary here. Ed Wade already sold the farm last winter, he doesn’t have anything else left to move.
• Lastly, on Sportscenter this evening, there was talk about the Yankees going after Jarrod Washburn. Washburn does eat innings, and out of Safeco however he might get lit up, especially in the tough AL East. And since the new regime took place in Seattle, they’ve been asking for the moon when dealing each of their players (just ask the Twins what they asked for Adrian Beltre.) I’m not sure personally what they could expect. Ian Kennedy or Phil Hughes, I highly doubt it (Kennedy is only two years from being drafted in the Amateur Draft in 2006, he’ll be good in due course.) I heard Kei Igawa’s name being mentioned today. I like this move, and I DO think that Igawa needs to get out of New York. He does have two years and 10+MM left on his four deal contract, however if he pitches well in Safeco, it would look wise on the M’s behalf.

Tampa Bay’s talented third baseman Evan Longoria got a monster deal on Friday. To recap some of the great recent stories:

The Longoria Lockdown

When news came out on Friday about Tampa Bay having a big press release coming, many people expected them to sign free agent Barry Bonds. However that wasn’t quite the case. The Rays awarded their young third baseman Evan Longoria with a 6 year/17.5MM contract extension, where the total compensation could be worth 44MM over nine seasons. In other words, even though Longoria only played six games when the contract was signed, this deal could turn out to be a steal for the Rays, especially if his defense and offense are as good as many have been touting for some time now.

Longoria, the third overall pick in the 2006 Amateur Draft, was hitting .300 at the time of the extension. When this extension is over, he’ll be 31 years old, and in his prime. If all stays well for the hitter, he should have a monster contract coming his way as a free agent then. Longoria clearly traded away some dollars here for security. And when Tampa Bay put him in the minors at the start of the season, they said they weren’t doing this to delay his service time. Apparently they weren’t lying here.

Regardless this is a great move by the Rays, another victory in the leverage of the small market teams against the large market franchises. Hopefully Cincinnati now will follow the same thing by extending outfielder Jay Bruce once he makes his debut (the same thing goes with first baseman Joey Votto and their wealth of young pitchers.) San Diego should do the same with Chase Headley when he arrives this summer.

The “No Homers” Club

Speaking of Cincinnati, everyone is well aware of what Jonny Cueto and Edison Volquez are doing in the Reds rotation currently. However are people forgetting about Homer Bailey?

Cueto is a great talent, however Bailey has #1 potential. People remember him last season, walking one hitter for every hitter he struck out in his rookie season. However when he came back in September, he appeared to have everything together. Cincinnati put him in Triple-A at the start of the season, and he’s been dominating. In all fairness, Homer’s ready. It’s time to pull the plug on the Josh Fogg experiment.

By the way, has anyone noticed how well Votto is hitting right now?

Also from the 2006 Amateur Draft…

Speaking of Longoria, the pitcher selected two spots above him at #1 by the Royals made his Major League Debut this afternoon. Luke Hovechar had a five run fourth, and then a rough fifth inning this afternoon against the A’s, which pushed him out early. He’s filling in for John Bale, who’s on the disabled list now with dead arm. With Brett Tomko pitching as well as he is right now, it’ll be interesting to see who gets the last spot in the Royals’ rotation.

Enough of Kyle Farnsworth

Yankee reliever Kyle Farnsworth throws behind Boston hitter Manny Ramirez last week, and now has a suspension coming his way. Farnsworth is appealing this one, and had the following to say:

It wasn’t my intention to hit him. I don’t understand it. I didn’t hit him. No one was ejected. So I don’t know why he ruled the way he did.

He backed this by saying that the ball “slipped” out of his hand on that pitch. Right. Farnsworth has a history of incidents like this, being suspended for three games in 2003 and five games in 2005. In all fairness, Major League Baseball needs to implement a three strikes rule, and rid the league of players like this. It’s about time that baseball gave up on Farnsworth, the same way that the Cubs did a few years back.

Tejada’s Overnight Aging Problem

As many people saw this week, news was revealed that Miguel Tejada will be turning 34 next month, instead of 32. The Astros and the Orioles apparently don’t care, since he’s hitting regardless. Tejada could become a free agent at the end of the season, however this news is the latest shock making the December trade between the two teams look more and more strange.

Many fans in Baltimore think that Tejada was just like Albert Belle, probably the most surliest player to play the game in the past twenty years. That’s not the case however. Tejada, though unhappy playing on a losing team in Baltimore, at least hustled and played hard. The time he was in Baltimore was much better than the time that Belle was. It’s a shame that both marriages ended up on sour notes.

With about one week to go, I wanted to cycle through the remaining list of players and how their arbitration cases panned out. So far there have been four hearings, and the clubs have defeated the players in all four of their cases. I’ve personally never sat through an arbitration hearing, though I’ve talked with people who have (Paul White from USA Today in particular.) On the whole it’s not a nice process, and clubs try their hardest to avoid arbitration hearings since it generally leads to bad relations between the player and the clubs. Any ways my thoughts about what’s going on, starting with the four settled cases:

• Jose Valverde gets 4.7MM from the Astros: This case was interesting since Valverde and the club were roughly 1.5MM apart in figures. The case could be made why Valverde didn’t get his 6.2MM since his 2006 season was horrid. 2007 was his first breakout season as a closer, however he was hoping to get a figure that Washington’s Chad Cordero got a month back. Cordero has a better history as a closer, however it won’t be long before Valverde gets his 10MM per season payday.
• Chien-Ming Wang gets 4MM from the Yankees: I didn’t understand why the team and the player couldn’t meet in the midpoint, considering the fact that they were only 600K apart. Wang has won 38 games the last two seasons, however struggled for the Yankees in his playoff starts. Going forward for the Yanks, Wang should be projected to be a #3 starter, falling in after Joba Chamberlain and Phillip Hughes. Still the whole process most-likely hurts any relations that existed between Wang and his team.
• Brian Fuentes gets 5.05MM from the Rockies: He lost his closer job last season, however on the whole he is still a very good middle reliever. He could get save opportunities in 2008, building up his case when he hits the free agent market to hopefully get closer’s salary.
• Felipe Lopez gets 4.9MM from the Nationals: His 2005 season was outstanding, and he started running well in 2006, stealing 44 bases. He swiped 24 last season, however his numbers were down on the whole. If he rebounds, he should get a nice payday come 2009 when he’s a free agent.

With Erik Bedard agreeing to the midpoint at 7MM with the Mariners, and Brandon Phillips signing a 4yr/27MM deal (great move by the Reds), there aren’t too many remaining players who have cases impending. There will be at least two more in particular (and maybe two more on top of that):

• Francisco Rodriguez - LAA He’s seeking 12.5MM for 2008, while the club is offering 10MM. It’s unlikely that the midpoint will be reached before this week’s hearing. I expect Rodriguez to walk after the season as a free agent.
• Ryan Howard - PHI For a first-year player eligible, Howard is seeking 10MM while the club is offering 7MM. Howard should attempt to settle at the midpoint, since he will most likely lose his case before the panel this week as well.
• Oliver Perez - NYM Perez and the Mets are about 1.8MM apart in figures. There has been rumors of him seeking a long-term deal with the Mets, however he’s a free agent come season’e end, and he would probably be best to wait until the season is over to sign anything, assuming he repeats with good form in 2008.
• Mark Loretta - HOU Houston is waiting the outcome of this case to determine how much money they’ll have remaining to sign another starting pitcher. Loretta is seeking 4.9MM, while the club is offering 2.8MM. Like all the cases, I see the arbitrators siding with the club here, unless Loretta can state the same argument that got David Eckstein his absurd 4.5MM contract from the Blue Jays.

Recapping some of the news from today (some major, most small):

• The Royals and free agent pitcher Brett Tomko agreed on a 1yr/3MM contract. All offseason, I was praising the Royals for the deals that they made… this one I don’t quite understand. Tomko had horrible numbers last year, working in a pitching-friendly division. I honestly don’t see him doing any better throwing against the AL hitters, especially those in the AL Central. Tomko should win out the fifth starter spot, since his only major competition is Hideo Nomo. Still, a more sensible move would have been for the club to sign Bartolo Colon, he has higher upside based on his recent track record. I don’t project anything more than seven wins and a 5.10 ERA for Tomko in 2008.
• The Astros avoided arbitration by agreeing to terms with reliever Geoff Geary on a 1yr/1.1MM deal. That’s the going rate for middle relievers. I was always high on Geary, especially when he pitched for the Phillies. For some odd reason, Geary usually ends up between five and seven wins, more than the average reliever.
• I was hoping that this would be finalized by now, but apparently the Rockies are close to locking up shortstop Troy Tulowitzki for a 6yr/30MM deal (this rumor from Friday is apparently coming true.) The terms might not be exact at close, however it should buy out two years of free agency for him. I love deals like this, especially on behalf of the club. In the end, it’s much cheaper to lock up a player to a deal like this than to go year to year with contracts. Tulowitzki brings a great glove and bat, plus will be a fan favorite for years to come. He should be a perennial 30 home run hitter for the length of this deal and for years to come.

With the new year fast approaching, and the Winter Meetings now weeks past us, and with most of the marquee free agents being signed, I thought I might put together a series of top five lists to share with everyone, at least in regards to my reactions with all the happenings. Please note that this list could change (pending on the Kyle Lohse signing.)

The Five Best Free Agent Signings

1. Alex Rodriguez inks a 10yr/275MM deal with the Yankees— Out of all possible signings, this one is the most important. Rodriguez was the team’s MVP in 2007, putting up one of the greatest statistical seasons in baseball history (it was the baseball equivalent of the season that Tom Brady is currently enjoying.) Granted it’s a great deal of money, but judging by the rate that player salaries rise it could be a good deal. Regardless ARod is a constant producer, and he’ll be a New York Yankee until he retires.
2. Andruw Jones signs for 2yr/36MM with the Dodgers—Yes this move did push Juan Pierre from CF to a corner spot, but Dodger fans can only hope that Matt Kemp and Andre Either can push Pierre from a corner spot to the bench.
3. Aaron Rowand signs a 5yr/60MM deal with the Giants—Many people vilified this contract, I love it. The Giants need an experienced bat in their lineup, which has more holes than Swiss cheese (especially at the corners.) Rowand, though he didn’t get the money that he was seeking, gives them veteran leadership that’s needed heavily on the young team. I wouldn’t be surprised if he hits 25 HR again.
4. Ron Mahay signs a 2yr/8MM deal with the Royals—He got the hefty money, but he’s left-handed, he has great numbers, and he can be easily dealt again in two years for prospects (a la Octavio Dotel.) This signing is good for the Royals for so many reasons, one it complements their already strong bullpen.
5. Jose Guillen signs a 3yr/36MM deal with the Royals— Granted he has a suspension coming, but he will put up monster numbers in 2008 for the Royals (along with Alex Gordon.) .300/30/115 is not out of the question for him. Honorable Mention: Mike Lowell’s resigning in Boston

The Five Worst Free Agent Signings

1. Torii Hunter for 5yr/90MM with the Angels—The Angels outbid their opponents by about 15MM for Hunter. 90MM for a player with (albeit slowly) declining numbers, into a position where they have a plethora of talent (outfield), I see no sense in this signing.
2. Carlos Silva signs for 4yr/48MM with the Mariners—I’ve made my statements about this signing; the M’s could have better spent the money.
3. Scott Linebrink gets 4yr/19MM from the White Sox—The Pale Hoes need to get younger fast. This is not how to do it. Linebrink got off to that great start last season, then collapsed after the trade to Milwaukee. Yet he still gets the money, go figure.
4. Kaz Matsui gets 3yr/15MM from the Astros—Way too much money here. This still doesn’t bring in starting pitching.
5. David Eckstein gets 4.5MM from the Blue Jays—Toronto has a glut of infielders, so what do they do, they bring in a more parts. It’s hard to believe that Eckstein was originally seeking a 3yr/27MM deal at the start of the offseason. Yikes. Honorable Mention: Any team that gives Kyle Lohse more than 35MM

The Five Best Personnel Moves

1. San Diego extending Jake Peavy—This move shows the team that if players want to stay here, the front office will do whatever it can to keep them here. This mentality is a win-win for both sides, showing that small-market teams can compete.
2. Kansas City not signing Carlos Silva—They had a 3yr/30MM deal out there, but it was rejected by Silva. They should be glad that this happened.
3. Baltimore signing pitching coach Rick Kranitz—He was the most sought-after coach on the market, working well with the young Florida pitchers. He now has a huge task on his hand.
4. New York Yankees in General—They retained their core nucleus, minus Joe Torre, but they bring in Joe Girardi, who could potentially be the best thing that happened to the team recently.
5. Bob Melvin getting his contract extended—A wise move by the Arizona brass. This team has the talent to easily compete through the length of his extension, and they couldn’t have a better manager at the helm to lead the charge. Honorable Mention:Kansas City’s new energetic manager, this team could surprise

The Five Biggest Trades

1. The Arizona/Oakland Dan Haren trade—The Diamondbacks have a scary one two punch now, but the A’s will be very happy that this trade was pulled two years down the line (I can’t wait to see Carlos Gonzalez play.)
2. Florida and Detroit’s blockbuster—Detroit wins now, Florida wins later. That’s how the story always goes with the Marlins.
3. The Delmon Young Deal—On paper, both Tampa Bay and Minnesota made out well. However the Twins get the better end of this deal. Though Matt Garza will be good for the Rays, Young will make the Twins fans want to forget about Hunter.
4. Mildedge being traded to the Nats—Something tells me that the Nats will have a nice #2 hitter in 2008. Nothing against Ryan Church or the catcher involved in the salary dump.
5. Miguel Tejada traded to the Astros—Tejada’s value has dipped, and give Baltimore credit for getting what they could for him. Scott will be a beast going deep, and if any of the other pitchers break out this trade will look nice for Baltimore. The first thing Houston needs to do now is extend Tejada’s contract ASAP. Honorable Mention:Edgar Renteria going to the Tigers, Josh Hamilton to the Rangers (opening up Jay Bruce for the Reds), Orlando Cabrera to the White Sox (I don’t understand this deal on the Angels’ behalf)

The Five Biggest Trades that Didn’t Happen (yet)

1. Johan Santana— In regards to all the complaining about the Yankees and Red Sox only getting richer after this trade will be made, it should be noted that these two teams have the talent to satisfy the Twins front office’s appetite. It’s not a matter of “if” anymore.
2. Erik Bedard—Equally as hyped as Santana, if not as in some markets, Baltimore will also command a hefty package for their left-handed ace. Kudos to Andy MacPhail for waiting for the best package to come in.
3. LA Angels acquiring Cabrera, or Tejada,…— or anyone for that matter. This team got a little older during the offseason (literally.)
4. Alex Rios for Tim Lincecum— Kudos to Toronto for at least attempting this trade proposal, it never hurts. If Ed Wade was out in San Francisco, he would have definitely pulled the trigger.
5. Brandon Inge— Immediately after Miguel Cabrera was acquired, Inge immediately demanded that he be traded. Many teams have glaring third base problems. Sure he might look good playing the hot corner for the Phillies or the Giants, but many would think that he’ll look good catching again for the Tigers in 2009, after Ivan Rodriguez departs as a free agent. Honorable Mention:Joe Blanton or any Athletic with trade value

The Five Teams with the Best Offseasons

1. Detroit Tigers— They’re built to win, now. Their lineup is scary. D-Train will be back in ace form, just watch.
2. New York Yankees— No real subtraction, the core talent is still there and was retained (albeit a high cost.) It will be exciting to watch their young pitching triumvirate perform in Hughes, Kennedy and Joba (whether or not all three of them are in New York.)
3. Minnesota Twins— Given tight expenses, they continue to make smart move after smart move to counter this. They’ll have a new-look infield in 2008, and Delmon Young will be a 30HR stud.
4. Arizona Diamondbacks— Their rotation is even more solidified, bullpen strengthened (I’d take Qualls over Valverde) and they gave confidence to the team by extending their manager’s contract. Let’s watch this young offense now grow.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers— New manager who knows how to win, talent all around the outfield, infield and rotation. They don’t really need a front-line starter, they have a few. It will be fun to watch the young talent blossom (Looney, Kemp, Billingsley, et al.) This team will surprise and win. Honorable Mention: San Diego Padres, Kansas City Royals

The Five Teams with the Worst Offseasons

1. Florida Marlins— It will be a long year down in Miami.
2. New York Mets— Still haven’t made any major move, and currenlty have question marks in the rotation and outfield (with the departures of Mildedge and Glavine.)
3. Los Angeles Angels—They got older in the outfield and the rotation, and did little to address the power-outage at the hot corner (as they’ve been hyping for some time now.)
4. Oakland Athletics— The white-flag was risen. I’d hate to be a fan now. If this was 2010 this would be another story.
5. Houston Astros— Bad signings and trades of their pitching will have this team buried in their division come May, especially with the rest of the NL Central improving. Honorable Mention: Atlanta Braves

Hopefully everyone had a nice holiday. There were three more signings recently that I’d like to weigh-in on:

Houston inks Oscar Villarreal to two-year, $2.85 million deal

What’s not to like about this deal for the Astros? They add some more depth to their bullpen, having Villarreal now in to replace the role once held by Chad Qualls. With the addition of him and Chad Paronto, the Astros have some depth to lead up to the ninth inning for Valverde to close the door.

Overall this is a great low-budget, low-risk signing. Had Villerreal’s ERA been under 4 last season, he might have gotten the going-rate reliever’s salary of 3MM per year (as mentioned by RotoWorld.) Still this move doesn’t address the main issue for the Astros, unless Villerreal can turn around and start for them.

Royals add C Miguel Olivo for roughly 4MM

Like most people, this move surprised me. I personally thought that Olivo would have better benefitted a team such as Toronto, however he should fit in well in Kansas City. The team is now equipped with two powerful backstops (including incumbent John Buck, who led the team in HRs in 2007.) Olivo will hit his share of homers and throw out runners, but I’m hoping that this move will light a fire under John Buck, who needs to improve on his .222 average from last season.

Padres add Mark Prior for a 1MM deal

As I predicted earlier, Prior did end up choosing his hometown club. The terms of the deal were surprising, seeing that he only gets 1MM guaranteed (there are incentives which could push the deal over 4MM.) Even though he won’t be back until May or so, this signing is a great move for the Padres, that is he’s a low-risk, potentially high-reward acquisition. I could see him winning 5-7 games in 2008, not bad for a 1MM signing at all.