Leonard Washington

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 21, 2010 -> 01:10 AM) I just don't see any way that we could be bad enough for Kenny to throw in the towel....something dreadfully wrong would have to happen. I guess I could forsee a scenario by which Kenny gets someone he really likes that is close, and another very, very good player. But otherwise, given the commitment we've made in dollars this season, I just don't see the team being in a position where trading a player like Danks for salary relief and to go younger would happen. That simply isn't the direction we are going in anymore. I agree with this. It isn't impossible, but I can't imagine it being for salary relief.

I think we take a "wait and see approach" for the time being. There's really no way to say when we trade him at this point. Even if we're out of contention by the All-Star break, the reasons might be injury related and a 2012 push might still be realistic. Really, who knows. I'm confident a deal will get done. From all I can tell the Sox and Danks have a good relationship, and the Sox have a good history of extending players they want to.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=5940103

Hearing Cooper say good things makes me feel better than Peavy giving his usual routine. Coop's a pretty straight shooter. I'm kind of hoping his extremely rare injury will result in a Henry Rowengartner type of recovery (minus the Cubs uniform).

QUOTE (joeynach @ Dec 19, 2010 -> 10:05 PM) From Ranking the Ballparks article on ESPN Does the rather cozy dimensions, short fences, small outfield, create extra difficulty in generating hits and allowing line drives to fall? I think this has a lot to do with it. I also think our pitchers have something to do with it. Guys like Buehrle and Danks don't necessarily K a ton of guys, but they get a lot of weak contact.

I think he'll rebound next year, but it's not as though the Red Sox "bought low". It looks like they paid him assuming he'll bounce back.

On the subject of Pierre, he actually led out team in "clutch factor" and led the team with a .379 AVG in high leverage situations (and he slugged .483 in high leverage situations too, ranking just above David Ortiz, Michael Young, Albert Pujols, and David Wright.......this is shocking). As for Crain helping out with knowing how to beat the Twins...maybe. But I don't really think there's a secret strategy. Just play better baseball than them and you should win. I think a lot of it comes down to situational hitting...that's an area we could stand to improve upon. You don't see the Twins wasting too many leadoff doubles. I feel like we waste a lot of them. Those 1 runs that you don't get that you should have can make all the difference.

QUOTE (pktmotion @ Dec 16, 2010 -> 11:01 PM) Wow Billy Beane is absolutely enamored with OBP. Between DeJesus/Barton/Willingham they should have an overall OBP pushing 400! OBP is great, but when you're relying on Matsui as your main power source. I'm afraid all that hard work has gone to waste. If they only had a legit slugging threat... Regardless Im always happy to see Oakland do well, their teams/players are always fun to watch. I find the last comment surprising. They've been more athletic recently, but the traditional type of team usually associated with Oakland (under Beane) is probably the most boring team to watch I could imagine.

MLBTR

Wood to Cubs is the new word.

Sometimes I think Cowley is far too trusting/gullable. One of us should contact him as an anonymous source that the Sox are close to doing something and see if he reports it.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 15, 2010 -> 11:07 PM) This is what I got: Per Ken Rosenthal, it's $4 million in 2011 and $4.5M in 12, with a $6.5 million club option for 2013, or a $1.5 million buyout. So, either $10 million for two years or $15 million for three. Apparently Putz lives either in Phoenix or close. That's probably the reason he's there right now. Yup, you're bang on. Misread the numbers. My bad. So much for clearing things up..

To clear things up a little bit, Putz signed for 2Y/$11.5MM. The first two years are worth $10MM, and he has a $1.5MM buyout for the 3rd year option. So he's guaranteed $11.5MM.

Sale can't be traded anyways so it's a moot point.

QUOTE (klaus kinski @ Dec 15, 2010 -> 12:23 PM) The pressure of wearing a number once worn by Brian Anderson will be immense 44 was also once worn by Anderson....eerie...

I dunno....I don't think its worth the money and a pick for a 7th inning guy, which is all we need. Also, he's a pretty extreme flyball pitcher with a declining fastball. He's also turning 33 this month.

The downside to Balfour is he'll cost us our 2nd rounder.

I don't think they'd be silly enough to ask for Santana. But why would the Indians want to trade for Greinke anyways. It's not like they're a frontline starter away from contention.

He's a definite change-of-scenery candidate.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 15, 2010 -> 12:09 PM) He wore the number during his brief stint with Arizona. That makes a little more sense.

Odd choice?

Antholpoulos is another crafty guy, which is good because he'll need to be.

You can cross Guerrier off the list. He's going to LA. This, to me, is just another reason why we should look to the Dodgers for relief help. They were already loaded with high-upside, young RHR's (some in the majors, some in the high minors), and with Padilla and Guerrier signing on, they can afford to use them as trade bait.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 15, 2010 -> 08:52 AM) No one has noted yet that Crain is a type A Free agent and thus would cost us our 2nd round draft pick? Pretty sure he's a type B. He'd net the Twins a pick, but not one of ours.

My suggestion was to trade two of our players for more cost effective players of similar elk (OF, SP) based on the different needs of the two teams, and then to use the saved money on relief help. But again, all these trade ideas are just to pass the time anyways.