Winter Meetings Chit-Chat

[caulfield12]

8:44 am: According to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times, the Angels are "believed to have offered at least $160MM." This would match the Washington offer and put pressure on Boston to match or exceed the offer.

 

12:03 am: Angels GM Tony Reagins said this evening that he has made an eight-year offer to free agent Mark Teixeira. Yesterday we learned the Orioles are around seven years, $140-150MM and the Nationals are at eight years, $160MM. We're not sure about the Red Sox.

 

There goes the Konerko for Figgins deal!!!

[ThunderBolt]

"He should come back here," Bruce said. "He'd play center and lead off and we'd win."

from mlbtraderumors

This just in Jay Bruce has an insane amount of faith in Jerry Hairston.

[caulfield12]

But the most intriguing free-agent starter left might be John Smoltz, who had seven teams looking at his medical records this week amid rumors he's open to leaving Atlanta. Smoltz has been a Brave for so long that he was once a teammate of Bruce Sutter and Ken Griffey Sr. So can he really leave? Can Atlanta really allow him to leave? Might be the most riveting story line of the whole offseason.

 

from espn.com

[SkokieSox]

if asked to pick right now, i wonder who the prognosticators would pick to win the AL CENTRAL in '09. My guess is that it will be CLE again. Sizemore and company, Lee, now Wood. A healthy Hafner (maybe).

 

Well, division wagers aren't posted yet, but for the 09 AL pennant Sox, Indians, and Tigers are tied at +1100, with the Twins at a very slight favor at +1000.

[caulfield12]

I can see the Indians and Twins being ahead of us, but Detroit? Based on what, exactly?

[ThunderBolt]

Joe is gonna have to go to a Pittsburgh-type .

That would actually be a good move for Crede. Weak Division, developing team, clear void on the infield, not a bad choice.

[caulfield12]

Joe Crede will be lucky if the rest of his career (30+) goes like Joe Randa's career trajectory.

[Swingandalongonetoleft]

I can see the Indians and Twins being ahead of us, but Detroit? Based on what, exactly?

 

Well, based on guys like Granderson, Magglio, M. Cabrera and such being in their lineup. As an afterthough, Owens/Getz v. Granderson/Polanco?

 

Further, after watching our rotation last year there is also really no reason to count any staff out, expecially one that at one point held some promise. You can all but count the Royals out, but other than that, an injury here and there, a bit of overachieving, and all of a sudden you're losing the ALDS 4-1.

 

I like our team, but the play of Floyd, Danks, Quentin, and Ramirez, all essentially enjoying their first year of success, helped us make the postseason. One year means very little. I'll be just as worried about each and every one of these guys on opening day '09 as I was in the early part of '08. I believe they can do it, but wouldn't be my car on it.

[caulfield12]

The Royals will surprise some people.

 

Gil Meche, Greinke, Bannister, Davies and Hochevar/Torres is going to be a very formidable rotation, and they have Soria at the back end. Didn't they just bring back Horacio Ramirez for depth (along with Duckworth) or am I imagining things?

 

They could also be a player for Furcal if they can dump Guillen on another team, somehow.

[bigruss]

The Royals will surprise some people.

 

Gil Meche, Greinke, Bannister, Davies and Hochevar/Torres is going to be a very formidable rotation, and they have Soria at the back end. Didn't they just bring back Horacio Ramirez for depth (along with Duckworth) or am I imagining things?

 

They could also be a player for Furcal if they can dump Guillen on another team, somehow.

If that scares you then you have issues.

 

But yes, the rotation could be good. The lineup will have to come through. Gordon, Butler, those guys need to step up. Theyre OBP will be awful though, with Guillen and Jacobs there. I read somewhere that Jacobs wanted to get up to .320 OBP, sad.

[caulfield12]

I think it's safe to say with Ramirez, Duckworth and Torres all on the outside looking in, they have a lot more depth than the White Sox in their rotation.

 

If Torres=Poreda, they also have Davies/Hochevar for the 4th/5th spots and Ramirez and Duckworth as insurance. We don't have anything approximating that now. Egbert and Van Beschoten? Broadway?

[eickevinmorris]

I think it's safe to say with Ramirez, Duckworth and Torres all on the outside looking in, they have a lot more depth than the White Sox in their rotation.

 

If Torres=Poreda, they also have Davies/Hochevar for the 4th/5th spots and Ramirez and Duckworth as insurance. We don't have anything approximating that now. Egbert and Van Beschoten? Broadway?

It's Cortes.

[caulfield12]

Okay, Cortes/Torres, whatever the hell his name is...if he's rated 50-something in the entire minors by MLB, then somebody out there likes him a lot, not just Sox minor league fanboys and Aaron Miles/Aaron Rowand groupies.

[eickevinmorris]

Okay, Cortes/Torres, whatever the hell his name is...if he's rated 50-something in the entire minors by MLB, then somebody out there likes him a lot, not just Sox minor league fanboys and Aaron Miles/Aaron Rowand groupies.

It's Cortes. I didn't take issue with his ranking or position on prospect lists, but rather your inability to correctly use his name.

[Lemon_44]

I like our team, but the play of Floyd, Danks, Quentin, and Ramirez, all essentially enjoying their first year of success, helped us make the postseason. One year means very little. I'll be just as worried about each and every one of these guys on opening day '09 as I was in the early part of '08. I believe they can do it, but wouldn't be my car on it.

I would think they would continue to get better and improve on their last year's performance. To me, that's the natural progression,not taking a step back.But it could happen.

[witesoxfan]

That would actually be a good move for Crede. Weak Division, developing team, clear void on the infield, not a bad choice.

 

The Pirates have Andy LaRoche. That's not a very clear void as far as I can tell.

 

I could still see Crede ending up in Minnesota.

[ThunderBolt]

The Pirates have Andy LaRoche. That's not a very clear void as far as I can tell.

 

I could still see Crede ending up in Minnesota.

Laroche can play second too. They're looking to deal Freddy Sanchez.

[witesoxfan]

Laroche can play second too. They're looking to deal Freddy Sanchez.

 

LaRoche has played 11 games at 2B in his entire professional career. I don't think that means he can play it.

[ThunderBolt]

LaRoche has played 11 games at 2B in his entire professional career. I don't think that means he can play it.

Doesn't mean he can't does it? How does telling me he only played a 11 games there, refute my point? Clearly. the Pirates think he can play the position, as he has played that position, 11 times.

Edited December 15, 2008 by Thunderbolt

[G&T]

I guess this is as good a place as any to post this:

 

Sources: A's offer deal to Furcal

 

By Buster Olney

 

With Rafael Furcal moving closer to making a decision on where to sign, the Oakland Athletics appear to be in the lead to sign the free-agent shortstop, with an offer of four years and $40 million, according to sources.

 

The Los Angeles Dodgers, who declined to offer Furcal arbitration earlier this month, have remained engaged but do not appear to be close to Oakland's proposal. The Kansas City Royals have interest and need but may not have the flexibility to make a deal. The Toronto Blue Jays have had interest -- and need -- in Furcal, but they have dropped out of the bidding entirely.

 

Earlier this month, the Athletics had offered about $9 million per year over a four-year deal for Furcal, but at that time, talks broke off; Furcal's side requested $13 million annually -- which was Furcal's salary last season -- over four years. But the market for shortstops, like the market for relievers and corner outfielders/designated hitters, seems to have been impacted by the number of teams that are either holding payrolls in place or making cuts in anticipation of the worsening economy.

 

If the Athletics land Furcal, he will likely hit at the top of what should be an improved Oakland lineup. Last month, the Athletics traded for All-Star left fielder Matt Holliday.

 

Furcal, 31, has missed 150 games over the last two seasons but makes an impact when he does play -- he batted .357, with a .439 on-base percentage, in 36 games for the Dodgers last season, after hitting .270 with 25 steals in 2007.

 

ESPN

 

Seems like a lot of money for a guy with a bad back.

[RockRaines]

I think you'll see a signing by the Sox by thursday at the latest.

[witesoxfan]

Doesn't mean he can't does it? How does telling me he only played a 11 games there, refute my point? Clearly. the Pirates think he can play the position, as he has played that position, 11 times.

 

he never played 2B with the Pirates

[BaseballNick]

I think you'll see a signing by the Sox by thursday at the latest.

 

Hopefully it's something of significance.

[RockRaines]

Hopefully it's something of significance.

depends on your definition

[longshot7]

I think you'll see a signing by the Sox by thursday at the latest.

 

spoilers please?