The Manny Ramirez era in Boston has come to a close. Manny has been traded to the Dodgers in a 3 team deal.
Boston receives Jason Bay
Los Angeles receives Manny Ramirez
Pittsburgh receives Andy LaRoche, Bryan Morris, Craig Hansen, and Brandon Moss.
I'd expect LaRoche, Hansen and Moss to be with the big league club right away.
Earlier, Manny was reportedly headed to Florida, but the Marlins would not budge one the prospects they would trade. Pittsburgh then worked a deal with Tampa, to have it fall apart shortly before the deadline. Los Angeles swooped in to help complete the deal.
I think each team came out alright on the deal; LA has a big name for a penant run, while Boston has moved a head ache and a got a suitable replacement, while Pittsburgh got a slew of players that can help now.
7.31.2008
Bay staying in Pittsburgh
Jason Bay is staying in Pittsburgh. Apparently the Rays never agreed to dealing Brignac. Once that deal was declared dead, the original 3-way deal was back on. 10 minutes after the deadline, Ken Rosenthal reported that the deal was officially dead...again.
I think Tampa was dragged in the discussions and the prospect names were leaked before the deal was really negotiated. It could have been a way for Pittsburgh to increase what the Red Sox and Marlins were offering.
Manny could still be dealt if he clears waivers (a deal could still come - just because it hasn't been reported yet doesn't mean it hasn't been agreed to and submitted to the Commish for approval); most teams will pass on him due to the $7MM left on his contract this season. Look for Manny's response in the next few days.
I think Tampa was dragged in the discussions and the prospect names were leaked before the deal was really negotiated. It could have been a way for Pittsburgh to increase what the Red Sox and Marlins were offering.
Manny could still be dealt if he clears waivers (a deal could still come - just because it hasn't been reported yet doesn't mean it hasn't been agreed to and submitted to the Commish for approval); most teams will pass on him due to the $7MM left on his contract this season. Look for Manny's response in the next few days.
Manny Deal in Jeopardy
Update 2:40 pm: The proposed 3-team deal is dead. Jason Bay has just been traded to Tampa Bay for prospects Reid Brignac and Jeff Niemann. Manny is still in Boston with 20 minutes left before the trade deadline.
[End Update]
The deal is in jeopardy right now. Some in the Red Sox front office don’t want to trade Manny.
Also, Pittsburgh wants prospects Mike Stanton and Ryan Tucker from the Marlins; Florida is not wanting to include Stanton in the deal.
The Chances of this deal going down are said to be 50/50. Pittsburgh could still deal Bay and Grabow to the Red Sox if the Marlins aren’t involved.
[End Update]
The deal is in jeopardy right now. Some in the Red Sox front office don’t want to trade Manny.
Also, Pittsburgh wants prospects Mike Stanton and Ryan Tucker from the Marlins; Florida is not wanting to include Stanton in the deal.
The Chances of this deal going down are said to be 50/50. Pittsburgh could still deal Bay and Grabow to the Red Sox if the Marlins aren’t involved.
Transactions: 07/30/2008
Transactions
Detroit Tigers
Kyle Farnsworth Traded From NY Yankees for Ivan Rodriguez; Dane Sardinha Purchased From Minors.
Florida Marlins
Daniel Barone Called Up from Minors - Not to Report; Barone Outrighted to Minors.
Houston Astros
LaTroy Hawkins Traded From NY Yankees for 2B Matt Cusick.
Minnesota Twins
Alexi Casilla Placed on 15-Day DL (Torn tendon, right thumb-out for season); Adam Everett Removed From 15-Day DL (Right shoulder tendinitis).
New York Yankees
Ivan Rodriguez Traded From Detroit for Kyle Farnsworth.
Oakland Athletics
Wes Bankston Sent to Minors; Eric Patterson Sent to Minors.
St. Louis Cardinals
Randy Flores Sent to Minors; Chris Carpenter Removed From 60-Day DL (Recovery from right elbow surgery).
Detroit Tigers
Kyle Farnsworth Traded From NY Yankees for Ivan Rodriguez; Dane Sardinha Purchased From Minors.
Florida Marlins
Daniel Barone Called Up from Minors - Not to Report; Barone Outrighted to Minors.
Houston Astros
LaTroy Hawkins Traded From NY Yankees for 2B Matt Cusick.
Minnesota Twins
Alexi Casilla Placed on 15-Day DL (Torn tendon, right thumb-out for season); Adam Everett Removed From 15-Day DL (Right shoulder tendinitis).
New York Yankees
Ivan Rodriguez Traded From Detroit for Kyle Farnsworth.
Oakland Athletics
Wes Bankston Sent to Minors; Eric Patterson Sent to Minors.
St. Louis Cardinals
Randy Flores Sent to Minors; Chris Carpenter Removed From 60-Day DL (Recovery from right elbow surgery).
7.30.2008
Manny Ramirez to Florida?
Apparently Manny Ramirez is being dealt to the Florida Marlins in a 3 team deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox. Each team would receive:
Pittsburgh - Jeremy Hermida, 3 prospects (2 from Florida, 1 from Boston)
Florida - Manny Ramirez, 1 prospect (from Boston), Cash (most likely covering the rest of Manny's deal)
Boston - Jason Bay, John Grabow
The deal will be finalized and signed off on tomorrow; the prospects are probably still being talked about.
Check back tomorrow for an update.
Pittsburgh - Jeremy Hermida, 3 prospects (2 from Florida, 1 from Boston)
Florida - Manny Ramirez, 1 prospect (from Boston), Cash (most likely covering the rest of Manny's deal)
Boston - Jason Bay, John Grabow
The deal will be finalized and signed off on tomorrow; the prospects are probably still being talked about.
Check back tomorrow for an update.
Transactions: 07/29/2008
Transactions
Arizona Diamondbacks
Jailen Peguero Called Up from Minors; Micah Owings Sent to Minors.
Atlanta Braves
Casey Kotchman Traded From Los Angeles with Stephen Marek for Mark Teixeira.
Cincinnati Reds
Jerry Hairston Jr. Sent to Minors For Rehabilitation.
Colorado Rockies
Alberto Arias Designated for Assignment; Cory Sullivan Purchased From Minors; Scott Podsednik Placed on 15-Day DL, (Fractured hand).
Los Angeles Angels
Mark Teixeira Traded From Atlanta for Casey Kotchman and Stephen Marek
New York Mets
Willie Collazo Sent to Minors; Pedro Martinez Reinstated from Bereavement List; Juan Padilla Released.
New York Yankees
Phil Hughes Sent to Minors For Rehabilitation.
Philadelphia Phillies
Pedro Feliz Placed on 15-Day DL (Lower back inflammation); J.A. Happ Called Up from Minors; Mike Cervenak Called Up from Minors.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Brian Bixler Called Up from Minors; Adam LaRoche Placed on 15-Day DL (Right intercostal strain).
San Diego Padres
Kevin Cameron Removed From 15-Day DL (Right elbow sprain); Cameron Sent to Minors; Chris Young Removed From 15-Day DL (Fractured nose); Chip Ambres Designated for Assignment.
Texas Rangers
Jason Jennings Transferred to 60-Day DL (Right elbow surgery - out for season); Ryan Roberts Purchased From Minors; Hank Blalock Placed on 15-Day DL (Right shoulder inflammation).
Arizona Diamondbacks
Jailen Peguero Called Up from Minors; Micah Owings Sent to Minors.
Atlanta Braves
Casey Kotchman Traded From Los Angeles with Stephen Marek for Mark Teixeira.
Cincinnati Reds
Jerry Hairston Jr. Sent to Minors For Rehabilitation.
Colorado Rockies
Alberto Arias Designated for Assignment; Cory Sullivan Purchased From Minors; Scott Podsednik Placed on 15-Day DL, (Fractured hand).
Los Angeles Angels
Mark Teixeira Traded From Atlanta for Casey Kotchman and Stephen Marek
New York Mets
Willie Collazo Sent to Minors; Pedro Martinez Reinstated from Bereavement List; Juan Padilla Released.
New York Yankees
Phil Hughes Sent to Minors For Rehabilitation.
Philadelphia Phillies
Pedro Feliz Placed on 15-Day DL (Lower back inflammation); J.A. Happ Called Up from Minors; Mike Cervenak Called Up from Minors.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Brian Bixler Called Up from Minors; Adam LaRoche Placed on 15-Day DL (Right intercostal strain).
San Diego Padres
Kevin Cameron Removed From 15-Day DL (Right elbow sprain); Cameron Sent to Minors; Chris Young Removed From 15-Day DL (Fractured nose); Chip Ambres Designated for Assignment.
Texas Rangers
Jason Jennings Transferred to 60-Day DL (Right elbow surgery - out for season); Ryan Roberts Purchased From Minors; Hank Blalock Placed on 15-Day DL (Right shoulder inflammation).
Rankings
Disclaimer
Here are the new and updated Baseball Rankings. Instead of just taking the record, pythagorean record, and farm system, I've given each part a weighed score:
- The Record accounts for half of the score. Since the standings are based of record, I thought it deserved more weight than the other parts.
- The Pythagorean Record is based off of Bill James theory that you can somewhat predict a team by runs scored and runs allowed. The Pythagorean Records accounts for a third of the score.
- The Farm System is worth a sixth of the scoring, since it will impact the team, but maybe not now.
- The Standard Deviation is 3 wins.
All stats and records are prior to games on Wednesday. I'm going to start putting each teams score up; max score is 90 points.
Here are the new and updated Baseball Rankings. Instead of just taking the record, pythagorean record, and farm system, I've given each part a weighed score:
- The Record accounts for half of the score. Since the standings are based of record, I thought it deserved more weight than the other parts.
- The Pythagorean Record is based off of Bill James theory that you can somewhat predict a team by runs scored and runs allowed. The Pythagorean Records accounts for a third of the score.
- The Farm System is worth a sixth of the scoring, since it will impact the team, but maybe not now.
- The Standard Deviation is 3 wins.
All stats and records are prior to games on Wednesday. I'm going to start putting each teams score up; max score is 90 points.
7.29.2008
The 20 Worst Trades of the Last 15 Years
With the trade deadline days away, here are the 20 worst trades of the last 15 years.
20. The Los Angeles Dodgers trade Mark Grudzielanek and Eric Karros to the Chicago Cubs for Todd Hundley and Chad Hermansen (12/04/2002) - The Dodgers were tired of Karros and Grudzielanek fell out of favor with the manager. The front office felt it was better to move them and take on the salary of the corpse of Hundley. Hundley spent most of his time on the DL, while Karros and Grudzielanek his over .300 for the Cubs. Hermansen never developed into the hitter anyone thought.
19. The Houston Astros trade Willy Tavares, Jason Hirsh, and Taylor Buchholz to the Rockies for Jason Jennings and Miguel Asencio (12/12/2006) - Colorado, knowing that they couldn't resign him, put Jason Jennings on the market. The Astros, fresh from running Andy Pettitte out of town and missing out on better pitchers, decided to go for broke. Broke was the key word, as Jennings spent most of the season on the DL, while the 3 new Rockies helped get them to the World Series. Asencio spent most of the season in the minors and became a free agent after the year.
18. The Boston Red Sox trade Cla Meredith, Josh Bard, and cash to the San Diego Padres for Doug Mirabelli (05/01/2006) - Boston traded back up catcher Doug Mirabelli after acquiring Bard from the Indians. The problem was Bard couldn't catch Tim Wakefield's knuckleball. Boston had to trade to get Mirabelli back, giving up more than what they dealt in the first place. Meridith was pretty good out of the bullpen while Bard is emerging as a starting catcher. Mirabelli was released by the Red Sox earlier this season.
17. The New York Mets trade Brian Bannister to the Kansas City Royals for Ambiorix Burgos (12/06/2006) - The Mets had a full rotation and needed help in the bullpen; the Royals were the opposite. Bannister was the odd man out in NY, after missing most of the previous season; when he did pitch, he was pretty good. Burgos was closer at one point for the Royals, but he could never over come his wildness. The swap was made and Bannister has been phenomenal while Burgos has seen little time in the Majors.
16. The Chicago Cubs trade Jon Garland to the Chicago White Sox for Matt Karchner (07/29/1998) - This cross town swap was a second thought for the White Sox. They were giving up a MLB reliever and were getting a struggling prospect. After being patient, the deal paid off. Garland broke out and was a star for the Sox during their World Series season, while Karchner faded quick.
15. The Arizona Diamondbacks trade Junior Spivey, Craig Counsell, Lyle Overbay, Chad Moeller, Chris Capuano, and Jorge de la Rosa to the Milwaukee Brewers for Richie Sexson, Noochie Varner, and Shane Nance (12/01/2003) - The Brewers were dumping Sexson because they knew they couldn't afford him. The D'backs paid for, what they thought, was one of the missing pieces that would get them back to the playoffs. Instead, Sexson missed the full season. The Brewers used their pieces to help do nothing, but they still got more than Sexson was worth. Capuano even was a top pitcher for a season.
14. The Los Angeles Dodgers trade Paul Konerko and Dennys Reyes to the Cincinnati Reds for Jeff Shaw (07/04/1998) - The Dodgers needed a closer and gave up their best prospect for a declining one. Konerko would move on to become a solid MLB hitter, while Shaw struggled with closing out games and retired at a relatively young age (for a reliever).
13. The Pittsburgh Pirates trade Jason Schimdt and John Vaner Wal to the San Francisco Giants for Ryan Voguelsong and Armando Rios (07/30/2001) - The Giants gave up 2 guys who aren't playing affiliated baseball for one of the most underrated pitchers, at that time. Schmidt wasn't going to stay in Pittsburgh and his days in San Fran were pretty impressive (when healthy). Vander Wal was one of the top pinch hitters in the game, so he was a nice throw in.
12. The Toronto Blue Jays trade David Cone to the New York Yankees for Marty Janzsen, Jason Jarvis, and Mike Gordon (07/28/1995) - Cone was a good pitcher still at this point, so it was puzzling to see him traded, especially to a division rival. Cone would go on to have his career years in NY, while the 3 that the Blue Jays got did nothing.
11. The Florida Marlins trade Derrek Lee to the Chicago Cubs for Hee Seop Choi and Mike Nannini - Fresh off a World Series, the Marlins began to unload players that would have their salaries go up. Lee was one of the casualties. They received Choi, who was supposed to be the heir to Mark Grace; instead he couldn't hit lefties and could barely hit righties. He made it half a season in Florida before being shipped to the Dodgers. Nannini never saw MLB action. Lee, on the other hand, has become a superstar.
10. The Toronto Blue Jays trade Michael Young and Darwin Cubillan to the Texas Rangers for Esteban Loaiza (07/19/2000) - Loaiza was an innings eater at this point; he would later be a much better pitcher, but way after the Jays had him. They gave up a future All Star Shortstop, something they have been searching for the last few years.
9. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays trade Bobby Abreu to the Philadelphia Phillies for Kevin Stocker (11/18/1997) - This move sums up the first 10 years of the Rays. Abreu was selected in the expansion draft (so Houston receives part of the blame for leaving him un-protected) and instantly traded to the Phillies for Stocker, who was supposed to be a decent player. Stocker didn't last long in the league, while Abreu became one of the better hitters in baseball.
8. The Los Angeles Dodgers trade Pedro Martinez to the Montreal Expos for Delino DeShields (11/19/1993) - The Dodgers went throught a large period where they were in a win now mentality. The had the better Martinez brother still on the team and added a known commodity. Pedro would end up becoming one of the better pitchers of the last 20 years, dominating for the Expos, then the Red Sox.
7. The Seattle Mariners trade Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek to the Boston Red Sox for Heathcliff Slocumb (07/31/1997) - Slocumb was a decent closer at the time, while Lowe was stuggling through his rookie season. Varitek was the main part of the deal, although Seattle never saw him as the player he would become. Slocumb never pitched as well as he did the previous few seasons, while Lowe and Varitek became All Stars.
6. The Pittsburgh Pirates trade Aramis Ramerez, Kenny Lofton, and cash to the Chicago Cubs for Bobby Hill, Jose Hernandez, and Matt Bruback. (7/23/2003) - The NL Central was one of the tightest races in baseball this season, and the Cubs sealed it by stealing Ramirez and Lofton from the Pirates. Cardinal and Astro fans still wonder what pictures Jim Hendry had of the Pirates front office people. The Cubs would also get Randall Simon for nothing later on.
5. The San Francisco Giants trade Joe Nathan, Francisco Liriano, and Boof Bonser to the Minnesota Twins for A.J. Pierzynski (11/13/2003) - Pierzynski wore out his welcome in Minnesota; he was considered a club house cancer. The Giants needed a catcher and had thought they weren't giving up much. Nathan was a struggling starter, Liriano was coming off a major injury, while Bonser was a top prospect. Nathan was thrown in the closer role after LaTroy Hawkins and Eddie Guardado walked. Bonser is currently a key set up guy after having on and off success as a starter. Liriano had an amazing 2006, dominating hitters before having another TJ surgery. AJ was traded after 1 season in San Fran.
4. The Oakland Athletics trade Mark McGwire to the St. Louis Cardinals for T.J. Mathews, Eric Ludwick and Blake Stein (07/31/1997) - The small market club trades it's slugger, who they wouldn't be able to sign. This was before Billy Beane was ravaging systems for prospects, so the A's pretty much got nothing from the deal (Stein was moved later in the deal for Johnny Damon - that could be looked at as a bright spot). The Cardinals got a ton of revenue from McGwire's home run circus, plus became a yearly playoff favorite.
3. The New York Mets trade Scott Kazmir and Jose Diaz to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Victor Zambrano and Bartolome Fortunato (07/30/2004) - I hear Daniels signing already. The Mets thought they could fix Zambrano's mechanical problems; I don't know how they thought they were upgrading the team by adding an under-performing starter for one of the top pitching prospects in the game. This was the begining of the end of the Steve Phillips Era.
2. The Arizona Diamondbacks trade Curt Schilling to the Boston Red Sox for Casey Fossum, Brandon Lyon, and Jorge de la Rosa (11/28/2003) - The Red Sox got their ace and all it cost them was a highly touted prospect and a couple of extra pieces. Of course, the prospect couldn't stay healthy in his time in Boston (Fossum). Lyons have been alright when healthy in the closer role, but he's not worth the price of Schilling. De la Rosa was traded shortly after this deal in the earlier mentioned Sexson deal.
1. The St. Louis Cardinals trade Dan Haren, Kiko Calero, and Daric Barton to the Oakland Athletics for Mark Mulder (12/18/2004) - Mentioning Mulder in St. Louis is like mentioning Zambrano in New York. Haren by himself would have been too much for Mulder, who hasn't had a healthy season since coming to St. Louis (in fact, he’s attempting his third comeback this season and has only pitched 1/3 of a MLB inning). While the Cardinals wait to see if Mulder will ever pitch again, the A’s are sitting on a bounty from trading Haren with Barton their starting first baseman (Calero was recently released).
20. The Los Angeles Dodgers trade Mark Grudzielanek and Eric Karros to the Chicago Cubs for Todd Hundley and Chad Hermansen (12/04/2002) - The Dodgers were tired of Karros and Grudzielanek fell out of favor with the manager. The front office felt it was better to move them and take on the salary of the corpse of Hundley. Hundley spent most of his time on the DL, while Karros and Grudzielanek his over .300 for the Cubs. Hermansen never developed into the hitter anyone thought.
19. The Houston Astros trade Willy Tavares, Jason Hirsh, and Taylor Buchholz to the Rockies for Jason Jennings and Miguel Asencio (12/12/2006) - Colorado, knowing that they couldn't resign him, put Jason Jennings on the market. The Astros, fresh from running Andy Pettitte out of town and missing out on better pitchers, decided to go for broke. Broke was the key word, as Jennings spent most of the season on the DL, while the 3 new Rockies helped get them to the World Series. Asencio spent most of the season in the minors and became a free agent after the year.
18. The Boston Red Sox trade Cla Meredith, Josh Bard, and cash to the San Diego Padres for Doug Mirabelli (05/01/2006) - Boston traded back up catcher Doug Mirabelli after acquiring Bard from the Indians. The problem was Bard couldn't catch Tim Wakefield's knuckleball. Boston had to trade to get Mirabelli back, giving up more than what they dealt in the first place. Meridith was pretty good out of the bullpen while Bard is emerging as a starting catcher. Mirabelli was released by the Red Sox earlier this season.
17. The New York Mets trade Brian Bannister to the Kansas City Royals for Ambiorix Burgos (12/06/2006) - The Mets had a full rotation and needed help in the bullpen; the Royals were the opposite. Bannister was the odd man out in NY, after missing most of the previous season; when he did pitch, he was pretty good. Burgos was closer at one point for the Royals, but he could never over come his wildness. The swap was made and Bannister has been phenomenal while Burgos has seen little time in the Majors.
16. The Chicago Cubs trade Jon Garland to the Chicago White Sox for Matt Karchner (07/29/1998) - This cross town swap was a second thought for the White Sox. They were giving up a MLB reliever and were getting a struggling prospect. After being patient, the deal paid off. Garland broke out and was a star for the Sox during their World Series season, while Karchner faded quick.
15. The Arizona Diamondbacks trade Junior Spivey, Craig Counsell, Lyle Overbay, Chad Moeller, Chris Capuano, and Jorge de la Rosa to the Milwaukee Brewers for Richie Sexson, Noochie Varner, and Shane Nance (12/01/2003) - The Brewers were dumping Sexson because they knew they couldn't afford him. The D'backs paid for, what they thought, was one of the missing pieces that would get them back to the playoffs. Instead, Sexson missed the full season. The Brewers used their pieces to help do nothing, but they still got more than Sexson was worth. Capuano even was a top pitcher for a season.
14. The Los Angeles Dodgers trade Paul Konerko and Dennys Reyes to the Cincinnati Reds for Jeff Shaw (07/04/1998) - The Dodgers needed a closer and gave up their best prospect for a declining one. Konerko would move on to become a solid MLB hitter, while Shaw struggled with closing out games and retired at a relatively young age (for a reliever).
13. The Pittsburgh Pirates trade Jason Schimdt and John Vaner Wal to the San Francisco Giants for Ryan Voguelsong and Armando Rios (07/30/2001) - The Giants gave up 2 guys who aren't playing affiliated baseball for one of the most underrated pitchers, at that time. Schmidt wasn't going to stay in Pittsburgh and his days in San Fran were pretty impressive (when healthy). Vander Wal was one of the top pinch hitters in the game, so he was a nice throw in.
12. The Toronto Blue Jays trade David Cone to the New York Yankees for Marty Janzsen, Jason Jarvis, and Mike Gordon (07/28/1995) - Cone was a good pitcher still at this point, so it was puzzling to see him traded, especially to a division rival. Cone would go on to have his career years in NY, while the 3 that the Blue Jays got did nothing.
11. The Florida Marlins trade Derrek Lee to the Chicago Cubs for Hee Seop Choi and Mike Nannini - Fresh off a World Series, the Marlins began to unload players that would have their salaries go up. Lee was one of the casualties. They received Choi, who was supposed to be the heir to Mark Grace; instead he couldn't hit lefties and could barely hit righties. He made it half a season in Florida before being shipped to the Dodgers. Nannini never saw MLB action. Lee, on the other hand, has become a superstar.
10. The Toronto Blue Jays trade Michael Young and Darwin Cubillan to the Texas Rangers for Esteban Loaiza (07/19/2000) - Loaiza was an innings eater at this point; he would later be a much better pitcher, but way after the Jays had him. They gave up a future All Star Shortstop, something they have been searching for the last few years.
9. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays trade Bobby Abreu to the Philadelphia Phillies for Kevin Stocker (11/18/1997) - This move sums up the first 10 years of the Rays. Abreu was selected in the expansion draft (so Houston receives part of the blame for leaving him un-protected) and instantly traded to the Phillies for Stocker, who was supposed to be a decent player. Stocker didn't last long in the league, while Abreu became one of the better hitters in baseball.
8. The Los Angeles Dodgers trade Pedro Martinez to the Montreal Expos for Delino DeShields (11/19/1993) - The Dodgers went throught a large period where they were in a win now mentality. The had the better Martinez brother still on the team and added a known commodity. Pedro would end up becoming one of the better pitchers of the last 20 years, dominating for the Expos, then the Red Sox.
7. The Seattle Mariners trade Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek to the Boston Red Sox for Heathcliff Slocumb (07/31/1997) - Slocumb was a decent closer at the time, while Lowe was stuggling through his rookie season. Varitek was the main part of the deal, although Seattle never saw him as the player he would become. Slocumb never pitched as well as he did the previous few seasons, while Lowe and Varitek became All Stars.
6. The Pittsburgh Pirates trade Aramis Ramerez, Kenny Lofton, and cash to the Chicago Cubs for Bobby Hill, Jose Hernandez, and Matt Bruback. (7/23/2003) - The NL Central was one of the tightest races in baseball this season, and the Cubs sealed it by stealing Ramirez and Lofton from the Pirates. Cardinal and Astro fans still wonder what pictures Jim Hendry had of the Pirates front office people. The Cubs would also get Randall Simon for nothing later on.
5. The San Francisco Giants trade Joe Nathan, Francisco Liriano, and Boof Bonser to the Minnesota Twins for A.J. Pierzynski (11/13/2003) - Pierzynski wore out his welcome in Minnesota; he was considered a club house cancer. The Giants needed a catcher and had thought they weren't giving up much. Nathan was a struggling starter, Liriano was coming off a major injury, while Bonser was a top prospect. Nathan was thrown in the closer role after LaTroy Hawkins and Eddie Guardado walked. Bonser is currently a key set up guy after having on and off success as a starter. Liriano had an amazing 2006, dominating hitters before having another TJ surgery. AJ was traded after 1 season in San Fran.
4. The Oakland Athletics trade Mark McGwire to the St. Louis Cardinals for T.J. Mathews, Eric Ludwick and Blake Stein (07/31/1997) - The small market club trades it's slugger, who they wouldn't be able to sign. This was before Billy Beane was ravaging systems for prospects, so the A's pretty much got nothing from the deal (Stein was moved later in the deal for Johnny Damon - that could be looked at as a bright spot). The Cardinals got a ton of revenue from McGwire's home run circus, plus became a yearly playoff favorite.
3. The New York Mets trade Scott Kazmir and Jose Diaz to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Victor Zambrano and Bartolome Fortunato (07/30/2004) - I hear Daniels signing already. The Mets thought they could fix Zambrano's mechanical problems; I don't know how they thought they were upgrading the team by adding an under-performing starter for one of the top pitching prospects in the game. This was the begining of the end of the Steve Phillips Era.
2. The Arizona Diamondbacks trade Curt Schilling to the Boston Red Sox for Casey Fossum, Brandon Lyon, and Jorge de la Rosa (11/28/2003) - The Red Sox got their ace and all it cost them was a highly touted prospect and a couple of extra pieces. Of course, the prospect couldn't stay healthy in his time in Boston (Fossum). Lyons have been alright when healthy in the closer role, but he's not worth the price of Schilling. De la Rosa was traded shortly after this deal in the earlier mentioned Sexson deal.
1. The St. Louis Cardinals trade Dan Haren, Kiko Calero, and Daric Barton to the Oakland Athletics for Mark Mulder (12/18/2004) - Mentioning Mulder in St. Louis is like mentioning Zambrano in New York. Haren by himself would have been too much for Mulder, who hasn't had a healthy season since coming to St. Louis (in fact, he’s attempting his third comeback this season and has only pitched 1/3 of a MLB inning). While the Cardinals wait to see if Mulder will ever pitch again, the A’s are sitting on a bounty from trading Haren with Barton their starting first baseman (Calero was recently released).
Transactions: 07/29/2008
Transactions
Atlanta Braves
Jeff Bennett Removed From 15-Day DL (Subluxated right shoulder); Atlanta Braves Clint Sammons Called Up from Minors; Atlanta Braves Jo-Jo Reyes Sent to Minors; Atlanta Braves Charlie Morton Called Up from Minors; Chipper Jones Placed on 15-Day DL (Left hamstring strain); Tim Hudson Placed on 15-Day DL (Tightness in right elbow).
Baltimore Orioles
Jamie Walker Removed From 15-Day DL (Left elbow inflammation).
Colorado Rockies
Ryan Speier Sent to Minors; Valerio de los Santos Purchased From Minors.
Florida Marlins
Taylor Tankersley Called Up from Minors.
Houston Astros
Roy Oswalt Removed From 15-Day DL (Left hip adductor strain); Runelvys Hernandez Sent to Minors.
Philadelphia Phillies
Adam Eaton Sent to Minors.
St. Louis Cardinals
Mitchell Boggs Sent to Minors; Nick Stavinoha Called Up from Minors.
Toronto Blue Jays
Aaron Hill Transferred to 60-Day DL (Mild concussion); Brian Tallet Placed on 15-Day DL (Fractured small right toe).
Atlanta Braves
Jeff Bennett Removed From 15-Day DL (Subluxated right shoulder); Atlanta Braves Clint Sammons Called Up from Minors; Atlanta Braves Jo-Jo Reyes Sent to Minors; Atlanta Braves Charlie Morton Called Up from Minors; Chipper Jones Placed on 15-Day DL (Left hamstring strain); Tim Hudson Placed on 15-Day DL (Tightness in right elbow).
Baltimore Orioles
Jamie Walker Removed From 15-Day DL (Left elbow inflammation).
Colorado Rockies
Ryan Speier Sent to Minors; Valerio de los Santos Purchased From Minors.
Florida Marlins
Taylor Tankersley Called Up from Minors.
Houston Astros
Roy Oswalt Removed From 15-Day DL (Left hip adductor strain); Runelvys Hernandez Sent to Minors.
Philadelphia Phillies
Adam Eaton Sent to Minors.
St. Louis Cardinals
Mitchell Boggs Sent to Minors; Nick Stavinoha Called Up from Minors.
Toronto Blue Jays
Aaron Hill Transferred to 60-Day DL (Mild concussion); Brian Tallet Placed on 15-Day DL (Fractured small right toe).
7.28.2008
Trade Deadline Rumors
I'm going to wait to look at the trades from over the weekend until after the deadline.
Here's the latest rumors coming into the trade deadline:
Manny Ramirez - Manny has claimed that he'd waive his no trade clause if the Red Sox could find a trade partner; he'd also required that his $20MM option be declined. The Phillies and Mets could be interested, but most reports having him cost a top prospect with money in return - a steep price for a rental. The Diamondbacks and Dodgers have also been mentioned.
Brian Fuentes - Peter Gammons is claiming the Cardinals are the front-runners, but GM Dan O'Dowd has said that since his team in closing in on the Diamondbacks/Dodgers, Fuentes and Matt Holliday are not available. Holliday is off the table, but most think that Fuentes will still be dealt. The Rays and Dodgers are still in the hunt too. The Marlins won't give up Annibal Sanchez and the Mets won't give up Aaron Heilman.
Jarrod Washburn - The Yankees and Mariners are close to a deal, but there are many conflicting rumors. The Yankees don't want to give up anything more than a mid-level prospects; they'll willing to deal a better prospect if Kei Igawa is included. The Mariners want Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner. Some say that the Mariners are waiting until Hank Steinbrenner steps in and demands they acquire a pitcher.
George Sherrill - No news on this front. The Cardinals, Tigers, Dodgers, Marlins, Dodgers, and Phillies are still involved.
AJ Burnett - The Blue Jays are discussing giving Burnett an additional $2MM a season to not opt out of his contract. The Cardinals are the favorites to get him, if he's dealt. The Yankees could inquire about him if the Washburn deal falls through, but it's unlikely the Jays will deal him in the division.
Justin Duchscherer - The Rockies recently called the A's about Duchscherer.
Mark Teixeira - The Braves have 4 players in mind that they'd want deal built around: Kevin Youkilis (Red Sox), James Loney (Dodgers), Conor Jackson (Diamondbacks), or Casey Kotchman (Angels). The Rays and Yankees have also been linked to the slugger.
Huston Street - Quiet on this front. If he's moved, it'll probably be in the off-season.
Smaller stuff: The Cardinals will not be trading Kyle Lohse before the deadline...The Tigers are looking at Jack Taschner and Scott Schoeneweis...Pudge Rodriguez could be dealt in August if the Tigers are out of contention...There is a 50% shot that the Rangers deal a catcher...The White Sox could be looking for relief help...The Yankees have gotten a lot of calls on Phil Hughes...The Mets are focusing on Raul Ibanez...The Marlins will move Mike Jacobs or Cody Ross for a reliever...Arthur Rhodes is an alternative to Fuentes and Sherrill...The Rays would consider Jeff Kent an upgrade...Benige Molina is an option for the Yankees and Marlins...The Cubs are standing pat...
Here's the latest rumors coming into the trade deadline:
Manny Ramirez - Manny has claimed that he'd waive his no trade clause if the Red Sox could find a trade partner; he'd also required that his $20MM option be declined. The Phillies and Mets could be interested, but most reports having him cost a top prospect with money in return - a steep price for a rental. The Diamondbacks and Dodgers have also been mentioned.
Brian Fuentes - Peter Gammons is claiming the Cardinals are the front-runners, but GM Dan O'Dowd has said that since his team in closing in on the Diamondbacks/Dodgers, Fuentes and Matt Holliday are not available. Holliday is off the table, but most think that Fuentes will still be dealt. The Rays and Dodgers are still in the hunt too. The Marlins won't give up Annibal Sanchez and the Mets won't give up Aaron Heilman.
Jarrod Washburn - The Yankees and Mariners are close to a deal, but there are many conflicting rumors. The Yankees don't want to give up anything more than a mid-level prospects; they'll willing to deal a better prospect if Kei Igawa is included. The Mariners want Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner. Some say that the Mariners are waiting until Hank Steinbrenner steps in and demands they acquire a pitcher.
George Sherrill - No news on this front. The Cardinals, Tigers, Dodgers, Marlins, Dodgers, and Phillies are still involved.
AJ Burnett - The Blue Jays are discussing giving Burnett an additional $2MM a season to not opt out of his contract. The Cardinals are the favorites to get him, if he's dealt. The Yankees could inquire about him if the Washburn deal falls through, but it's unlikely the Jays will deal him in the division.
Justin Duchscherer - The Rockies recently called the A's about Duchscherer.
Mark Teixeira - The Braves have 4 players in mind that they'd want deal built around: Kevin Youkilis (Red Sox), James Loney (Dodgers), Conor Jackson (Diamondbacks), or Casey Kotchman (Angels). The Rays and Yankees have also been linked to the slugger.
Huston Street - Quiet on this front. If he's moved, it'll probably be in the off-season.
Smaller stuff: The Cardinals will not be trading Kyle Lohse before the deadline...The Tigers are looking at Jack Taschner and Scott Schoeneweis...Pudge Rodriguez could be dealt in August if the Tigers are out of contention...There is a 50% shot that the Rangers deal a catcher...The White Sox could be looking for relief help...The Yankees have gotten a lot of calls on Phil Hughes...The Mets are focusing on Raul Ibanez...The Marlins will move Mike Jacobs or Cody Ross for a reliever...Arthur Rhodes is an alternative to Fuentes and Sherrill...The Rays would consider Jeff Kent an upgrade...Benige Molina is an option for the Yankees and Marlins...The Cubs are standing pat...
7.23.2008
Trade Deadline Part 1
It's a little over a week until the trade deadline and we are already busier than the past couple of years. I'll look at what has happened so far and what is currently rumored to happen.
Rankings
Disclaimer
Here are the new and updated Baseball Rankings. Instead of just taking the record, pythagorean record, and farm system, I've given each part a weighed score:
- The Record accounts for half of the score. Since the standings are based of record, I thought it deserved more weight than the other parts.
- The Pythagorean Record is based off of Bill James theory that you can somewhat predict a team by runs scored and runs allowed. The Pythagorean Records accounts for a third of the score.
- The Farm System is worth a sixth of the scoring, since it will impact the team, but maybe not now.
- The Standard Deviation is 3 wins.
All stats and records are prior to games on Wednesday. I'm going to start putting each teams score up; max score is 90 points.
Here are the new and updated Baseball Rankings. Instead of just taking the record, pythagorean record, and farm system, I've given each part a weighed score:
- The Record accounts for half of the score. Since the standings are based of record, I thought it deserved more weight than the other parts.
- The Pythagorean Record is based off of Bill James theory that you can somewhat predict a team by runs scored and runs allowed. The Pythagorean Records accounts for a third of the score.
- The Farm System is worth a sixth of the scoring, since it will impact the team, but maybe not now.
- The Standard Deviation is 3 wins.
All stats and records are prior to games on Wednesday. I'm going to start putting each teams score up; max score is 90 points.
Site Update
As you've noticed the Daily Update hasn't been around for the last week or so. My work schedule has made it temporarely impossible to continue it. If there is an outcry, I may start it up again (and if there is a demand, I may finish the mid-season reports and AL award winners - e-mail me or post something on this post).
7.18.2008
Daily Update: 07/18/2008
The trades continue...
Joe Blanton was sent to the Phillies for prospects Adrian Cardenas, Josh Outman, and Matthew Spencer.
Oakland has added a few more top prospects to their system (Cardenas was 2nd in the Phillies system, and Outman was fourth).
San Diego has sent Tony Clark back to Arizona for prospect Evan Scribner. Paul DePodesta has a scouting report of Scribner here.
Joe Blanton was sent to the Phillies for prospects Adrian Cardenas, Josh Outman, and Matthew Spencer.
Oakland has added a few more top prospects to their system (Cardenas was 2nd in the Phillies system, and Outman was fourth).
San Diego has sent Tony Clark back to Arizona for prospect Evan Scribner. Paul DePodesta has a scouting report of Scribner here.
7.17.2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
