R.J.

I have a spot open on my roster and want to fill it with a young hitter with some upside. I have a couple of big power hitters on my team (Dunn, Bonds) but I'm currently struggling in the HR, RBI, and TB department. It's a keeper league, so I'm looking at guys with the most potential to blossom. I'm not against picking up a hot hand and exchanging him a few weeks later though. Here's who I'm looking at: Jonny Gomes Brad Hawpe Nick Swisher Justin Morneau Josh Willingham Alex Rios

A re-enactment of the surreal 10th inning of game 6 of the 1986 world series (Boston vs. New York), done completely in Nintendo's RBI baseball. Link Awesome. Sorry if this has already been posted and/or if this is the improper forum for this.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Apr 8, 2006 -> 04:19 AM) If you have a finger the size of a 2 year old's I could have sold you mine. I have the finger of a 2 year old, what do you want?

That ridiculous traffic on Western today cost me my ring Someone in my row let me see his and they were abolsutely gorgeous.

The best thing this thread has shown is that we have options; even if we're just looking for guys to stash away at AAA as a (well necessitated) insurance policy. I don't see Hermy coming back, not without undergoing surgery and rehabbing for a year. If we need a replacement reliver or if one of our boys goes down, I want to have someone to turn to who isn't Sean Tracey.

We are sooooo ready.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Mar 31, 2006 -> 06:40 AM) Considering how bad the Reds pitching has been over the past few seasons as well, they should probably hang onto Wagner, and hope he can re-find his 2003 form, and become the dominant closer they thought they were getting when they made him the 14th pick. But stranger things have happened. See I agree with you, or at least, I don't see why a team with bad pitching and an admittedly weak farm system would try and trade a first round pitcher with good (really good) stuff, and especially try and trade him for what we'd most likely offer them, more offensive players. But hey, if they really have soured on him to the point that they'd move him at this moment when his value is as low as its been, let's give it a shot. Can't hurt. (Unless he costs us Sweeney, Fields, Owens, or Liotta.)

If we can go out and get Wagner without having to spare one of our last great prospects (Sweeney and... uh... hmm...) it'd be a great move. Keep him in AAA and he'll be there if Thornton or Logan can't hack it. I just have a feeling that no matter how much they've soured on him the Reds will be looking for a little more than what we have (he IS a 2003 first round pick), and as a result we might start looking at over-the-hill options.

I've always had a man crush on Wagner, but he probably doesnt fit with us right now. I'd suspect we'd rather sign a cheap guy than go after a potentially solid bullpen arm that costs a decent prospect in the process. What would be a cheap prospect to offer for Wags, Rogowski?

At this point, worrying about which of our relievers to send down is a luxury we don't have. In fact, if it gets to that, I'd be willing to bet that of that group someone would make it clear that they're the weak man, be it the unexperienced Logan, the aging Nelson (please?), or the just really awful Thornton (prove me wrong kids, prove me wrong). And I don't want to rain on any parades, but to be counting on Hermanson to make it back this year and actually be effective when he has shown absolutely no indications he can throw a baseball since last August seems really, really optimistic to me. We made a mistake in not finding a cheap free agent (or minor league contract) insurance policy for Hermy when there were guys readily available. Now we're in big trouble because plan A looks to have faltered. I'm confident McCarthy can be our innings eater guy as he works through possible first half struggles or the adjustment to working from the pen - what I'm worried about is having a guy who can come into the ballgame and get us out of a jam or work a scoreless frame when we need one. Nelson is a guy who can give you that. McCarthy might - we don't know for sure yet. But Hermanson? Hermanson won't. Not anymore.

Oh man, you can't have a guy like this fall into your lap, while we're in a situation like the one we're in, and pass it up. Really, we're sitting here hoping we can coax Antonio Osuna out of retirment or ressurect the career of the immortal JIMMY GOBBLE, this is a gift in golden wrapping paper. The bullpen is our only hole. Nelson isn't Mariano Rivera but he's what we need.

More roto news: Well, I would have to say that he's about as good of a scrap-heap option I've seen. Maybe the fact that we'd give him an opportunity to be a big part of our pen (and maybe get himself some jewelry) would get him in Chicago for some emergency help.

So another slugger from the 1990's is out of his gourd. You can make your own steroid joke here, fellas.

Any team that has 2 Jeff Fassero's on their roster isn't going very far. Kline I'd take. But with Hermanson down and Jenks looking shaky we should be more concerned with finding a decent right handed option than a LOOGY.

I'll say this: They're right about the odds. Really, ANY team at 4-1, that's giving them a lot of credit. It's a tough bet to make. But their complete disrespect of the Sox beyond that is remarkably stupid. And my biggest complaint, is FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST, THE TWINS??? THE TWINS??? YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME! WHERE are the Twins a stronger team? (Closer, Ace, CF, and farm system). It's a good pitching staff, but COME ON! And their offense, on paper, it doesn't even look like they're trying to seriously compete. Hey, they'll be a good team because they play good baseball and have good pitching, but BETTER THAN THE WHITE SOX? HOW??? Ridiculous.

It's been mentioned here several times, but if this thread is to examine all of our options keep Antonio Osuna in mind.

What's with people completely discounting prospects who haven't seen hitters above a High-A level when they get knocked around by major leaguers in spring training? What do you guys expect? First I hear that Lance Broadway should be released because he got hit hard by Vladimir Guerrero, and now "who needs this young left hander with plus stuff and a bright future! bah!" They're prospects guys. Give them their time to learn and improve and get better. If it doensn't happen, THEN call for their head on a spike (Joe Borchard).

QUOTE(Flash Tizzle @ Mar 8, 2006 -> 11:14 PM) I'll just envision Broadway as a bust (as I do all minor leaguers), and if he breaks our rotation in the future in the 4th/5th spot, it should be considered a monumental success. It would likely mean he improved his pitching peripherals dramatically. He did not look good. At all. But come on, already? Already you're calling for his head? Based on today's outing? He was pitching against Vlad Guerrero for christs sake. Broadway's no ace in the making but it's way too early to count him out. He's not gonna hurt anybody by learning to pitch for 2-3 more years.

That Colon trade was money in the bank.

Man, of all the arms to give a minor league deal to, there were like a dozen intriguing (not terribly good but intriguing) possibilities on the undervalued market a few months ago, and we get this guy? If you were going to throw away a minor league deal why not use it on someone with a little more upside you know?

Soriano is going to be a nice offensive pick-up for some contender with $$$ to spend. Probably the most that Bowden can hope for out of this situation is for some big name second baseman to go down with an injury early in camp so he can sell Soriano as the answer.

I'm sure this issue has been hammered to death so I'm sorry for asking again, but there are no MLB video games for the PC this season, right? No releases lined up? Has anyone downloaded that MVP2005 mod for '06? Is it worth it?

There's a lot of expendable players on their 40-man, so if theyve been reading this board and believe the idea that Borchard can be a good 4th outfielder they could go out of their way to grab him. But he really doesnt look much better than any of the other outfielders they have already. What I'm saying is, I fully expect the White Sox to have better options for their 25th roster spot, and I fully expect some team to grab Borchard when he goes through waivers. What I'm also saying is that not a big deal. If we really want a guy who will hit .190, strike out once every three at bats, and hit the occasional moonshot, we could give Sammy Sosa a call.

QUOTE(SSH2005 @ Feb 24, 2006 -> 06:48 PM) If we let Borchard go, I'm sure the Royals will jump on him. They would get the first chance in waiver priority. They probably would, though I think their 40-man is at 40 right now. The Marlins are probably the only team that has the uh... luxury... of being able to give a guy like Joe the kind of playin time he needs to prove he can hit the ball or prove he'll never hit the ball.

Its been said, but I'll reiterate it: if he was tipping his pitches against Texas and Boston, god help American league hitters now.