nilodnayr

Did someone tell Infante to start hitting homers? Geez, 3 in a week for him.

Maybe to find out if he will need to spend time next week finding a CF in Nashville. Just speculating. Good speculation...Pie's had a pretty nice couple of days.

I love when Bruce paraphrases us. Also, why was Hendry in the DR?

Bruce, you're m' boy!

So, the word is that the BoSox are in the lead with Lester, Crisp, Lowrie, Masterson/Bowden. Thats not that great of a package. Certainly not insurmountable by any team who really wants Santana. Although, considering you are acquiring him for one year at 15M. And most likely that will be wiped out by the extention you sign him to you can pretty much think of it as equivalent to a posting fee for players from Japan. I guess its not too bad, but certainly other proposed deals sound a lot better. I'd rather have Kemp and LaRoche (and no Kershaw) than the BoSox deal. Plus, how important of a piece is Crisp now that the Twins have Pirdie?

He'll get an invite to ST from someone.

So the twins would prefer Pie, Marshall, Patterson, and Gallagher over Reyes? I don't think so.

Antonelli, Matt I'll be shocked if he's with the big club opening day. None of our 2b's are guys who block Antonelli. I think I heard the Padres lost Blum also. Infante would be a guy they could use to hold down 2b until Antonelli is ready and then as a back up later. Obviously, Infante would not be one of the major trading chips for Peavy, however. So, yes you admit they do not have a huge hole at 2b. And why even bring up 2b in a trade for Peavy when its not a need for them and we don't have anyone of worth to trade. Its really not worth arguing over and this will be my last post about it, so be my guest to get in the last word, but I'll spell the comparison out for you a bit more Melky is a 4th OF, yet Yanks fans think that every other team out there is dying to get him and want him to be a part of the package to get Santana Any of our 2b, range from possibly average starters to average utility men. You said Infante (for ex.) wouldn't be a major part of a deal for Peavy after you state that you believe SD has a huge hole at 2b in what I was assuming was a thought on us acquiring Peavy. Its not a huge hole and we don't have 2b worth a crap (besides DeRosa).

The Tigers are not Fukudome's old team but I think your reasoning otherwise is spot on. I know its more of a feeling, but if Fukudome makes the decision to stay in Japan, what benefit would it be for the Tigers to come out and say now that they are out of the race for him? Even if they don't think they can get him, wouldn't it be best for them to not acknowledge that and try to drive up the price for the Giants? I don't know if that type of gamesmanship happens over there, and frankly it doesn't happen here sometimes either, but it just seems odd that they would come out and declare that. Like I said, just a feeling.

Instead of sitting back and making smart ass comments, how about reading the entire posts rather than just skimming? Where in my post did I say anything about one of our 2b's being a valuable trade chip? Where? Quote me on it and post it here. Please. I'm dying to see it. Where in my post did I say anything about you saying anything about one of our 2b's being a valuable trade chip? Where? Quote me on it and post it here. Please. I'm dying to see it.

If the Rays do make the commitment to their pen (ie Percival, relievers from Japan), I don't really think its going to be too bad of a downgrade.

Jason Bartlett is a nice pickup too. The Rays terrible run prevention last year wasn't just bad pitchers. The defense behind those pitchers was just awful. Bartlett is a very good to elite defensive SS. Even if he isn't any better than replacement level on offense, he has a lot of value for Tampa. And if Brignac shows he's completely ready, Bartlett isn't so good you can't bench/trade him for the new guy. As a Rays fan, I like the deal. Trade from a source of depth to get lots of value where we're weak. I hate to lose the potential of someone like Young, but I feel it's worth it. I don't think Garza will ever be a #1, but that's not what the team needs. A solid #3/possible #2 is exactly what the team does need. Another good thing, in my opinion, is this deal reinforces what I've believed for a couple years: There's almost 0 chance the Rays will trade Crawford for prospects. It never made any sense to me that people thought the team would trade him unless it was for an elite pitcher(Oswalt, Santana, Zambrano. etc.). He signed a below market deal to stay in Tampa. He's been an all-star and the face of the franchise. Only way it'd make sense to trade him is if 1) he was in the last year of his deal and 2) he refused to sign an extension. Neither of those things are anywhere close to being true. I agree with you. Delmon Young is young and he will likely improve. However, he has a long way to go to be an elite player. His patience at the plate makes Rocco Baldelli look like a patient hitter. Young was promoted too quickly, and an argument can be made that the Tampa outfield will be better with Crawford, Upton and one of Dukes, Gomes or Baldelli out there rather than Young. And when you couple in the fact Longoria could end up being better offensively than Young, where is the drop off in offensive production when you exclude Young from the picture? What Tampa needs more than anything is pitching. And they just got a solid arm to add to the youth. Tampa can start this coming season with Kazmir, Shields, Garza and fill the last spots with Sonnanstine and possibly one of the prize young prospects coming through the ranks. I don't disagree here. This deal makes them better for 2008. But I would argue 2009 and beyond they would have been better off holding on to Young.

We have a spot open at 2b!!!

That Santana guy sucks. And what is your point? Did they Twins deal Santana when he was in the minors. My point is that the Twins have probably the best scouting in baseball, and have a good idea of Morlan's ceiling in the majors. Yeah and the organization thats produced Carl Crawford, BJ Upton, Delmon Young, Rocco Baltelli, James Shields, Elijah Dukes, acquired Scott Kazmir, acquired Carlos Pena, AND has arguably the best minor league system in baseball is chopped liver. Puhlease.

I love these two intermingled conversations... a)hating on everyone for thinking Melky is anything but a 4th OF (which is absolutely true) b)talking about a Peavy trade and how the pads could use one of our 2b as a stopgap for Antonelli The irony is delicious.

Isn't the reported twins asking price Kemp, LaRoche, and Kershaw? No need to add Hu or upgrade from Kershaw to Billingsley to get it done. And the dodgers aren't willing to do that. I'm guessing Kershaw will be the sticking point for both teams. This would have been a whole lot easier if Elbert didn't have shoulder surgery.

I don't know why I feel this, but if the Tigers are dropping out based on "information gathering", its because they think hes going to hop the pond.

So basically Pie for Crawford? Yeah, thats a horrible trade.

But but but Lee is going to bounce back and Soriano will be healthy!!!!!!!!

I think BTC was using a hyperoble. His point is that in a trade for Santana, those players have very little value.

I would think that the Twins would want as good a pitcher as they could get, and Hill would most likely be the centerpiece of the deal. I don't think Marshall or Gallagher have the appeal that Rich Hill does. I would not trade Hill unless in was for a better pitcher. Also, the Twins have like 17 ready-now young pitchers that are better than Marshall.

That Santana guy sucks. Yeah, this isn't the org that released David Ortiz or anything.

Um, no. They had to do what they had to do to make this deal happen. Morlan is one of the best reliever prospects.

So, Hill, Pie, and who else?

Which one of their pitchers has Garza's upside? currently? Kaszmir. Definelty Price down the road. Definitely McGee too. Probably Davis. I'm higher on Niemann that most, IMO he's not too far back. Frankly, I think the Rays are trading the wrong players. Trade Upton, whos peripherals are the definition of the term "unsustainable". Trade Crawford as hes getting expensive and closer to the end of his deal. I don't even think their rotation is going to be that bad next year. I did analysis somewhere else, but they had over 1/4 of their starts come from starters who gave them something around a 7 ERA. Their rotation of Kazmir, Shields, Niemann, Sonnanstine, and Jackson wasn't going to be too terrible. It coiuld use an upgrade for sure, but McGee/Davis have 2009 ETAs, Price probably 2010. If I were the Rays I would have been talking to the Dodgers and the Twins about a possible three way deal....something like this Rays get Garza, Billingsley, Kemp Dodgers get Santana, Crawford Twins get Kershaw, Upton, LaRoche, Davis A rotation of Kazmir, Shields, Billingsley, Garza, Niemann would be pretty freakin sweet. And an OF of Kemp, Dukes/Pirdie, Young wouldn't be too shabby. I guess I just think its selling short on Young. While he did have a pathetic year, he was 21 and has all the talent in the world as well as the minor league #s to back it up.