BigbadB

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/sports/Former-Padre-Marcus-Giles-Arrested---63687012.html

Week 5 = BYE. http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091004/capt.606178d9d89a487ebad6930d84a458a2.lions_bears_football_cxb720.jpg http://static.nfl.com/static/content/catch_all/nfl_image/canon_wk_4_2009_04.jpg

It's going to be real interesting to see how Tampa does this year. A rotation of Kazmir, Shields, Garza, Sonnanstine and Price is pretty solid. Last year was sort of a down year for BJ Upton, Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena. Between Longoria's late arrival and injury, they didn't get a full year out of him. Crawford showed up to camp in excellent shape. Is this the last year in Tropicana, or are they moving into their new park this year?

Swisher's stock sure did fall quite a bit over a one year period.

I'm not going to be around much at all tomorrow, Saturday or Sunday.

And with that, maybe we need to get this back to an Andy Marte discussion, since this is really his thread.

Are we sure that Byrnes signed that contract after Quentin was traded? I could swear he signed it before Quentin was traded, and also before Justin Upton got his first call to the majors. I kind of thought Quentin was traded because Byrnes already had a long term deal, Young already had CF locked up, and Upton had the brighter future. IIRC, Upton was called up for a cup of coffee in 2007. He's on the 07 roster on the BR page with minimal at bats. Byrnes signed the extension in August. So yeah, they traded Quentin in the offseason (December, for Cris Carter, who was sent over to complete the Haren deal). Perhaps they intended on trading him after his poor showing to make room for Upton? So in reality, they had already signed Byrnes, so they had a logjam in RF. Either way, they made the right decision at the time. I'd have traded Quentin as well You'd give up on a stud prospect early so you can lock up a below average LF just because of clubhouse presence and intangibles? They didn't do that. They signed Byrnes before they traded Quentin and once Byrnes was signed, it became a bad contract that they weren't going to be able to move. Quentin got them Haren, which in my mind is a pretty good deal. They probably never should have given Byrnes a long term deal, but since the damage was done, they made the best of the situation by trading one of their young stud outfielders for a stud pitcher, which they needed. With Byrnes hurt last year, they were able to move Conor Jackson back to the outfield, so it's not like they were left with no options. What? Eric Byrnes was extended on August 7, 2007. Carlos Quentin was traded on December 3, 2007. So they locked up Byrnes and then 2 months later realized he wasn't worth it? I think it's pretty clear that when they signed Byrnes they had a plan to trade Quentin in the offseason. I think it's pretty clear that they had designs on Byrnes in LF, Young in CF, Quentin in RF and Upton in AA. When Upton impressed with his September call up, they decided to trade outfield depth for a stud starting pitcher. He went .221/.283/.364 in his September callup. So what? You said they planned on Quentin in RF for 2008 and that those plans changed when Upton impressed in his September callup. So his .221/.283/.364 made Josh Byrnes go "man, I really wanted Quentin in RF next season, but I don't see how we can deny Upton that job after his 62 OPS+ in his callup. Screw it, I've gotta trade Quentin... it's the only way". Which is more likely... that scenario, or the fact that they had planned on Upton in right all along and trading Quentin? I'd think a GM has a plan when giving out a 3 year contract. I think it's obvious the plan was to trade Quentin. I don't see any other reasonable theory. They knew Upton was close to being ready and they knew Upton was locked in at center. There was nowhere for Quentin to play. Upton put up those numbers at the age of 19. He was their poster boy draft pick. The fans took to him very quickly with his hot start. He hit a home run in his first game at home. Quentin didn't do anything with the club. Maybe there weren't plans for him to play RF, but he was a back up plan there if Upton wasn't ready. The D'Backs decided Upton was ready. Quentin helped net Haren. Upton is a RFer, not a CFer. If Arizona was my ballclub, Quentin would be in LF, Gonzalez would be in CF and Upton would be in RF, while Young would have been peddled off for a stud SP. Oh, and Byrnes wouldn't be on the team.

Are we sure that Byrnes signed that contract after Quentin was traded? I could swear he signed it before Quentin was traded, and also before Justin Upton got his first call to the majors. I kind of thought Quentin was traded because Byrnes already had a long term deal, Young already had CF locked up, and Upton had the brighter future. IIRC, Upton was called up for a cup of coffee in 2007. He's on the 07 roster on the BR page with minimal at bats. Byrnes signed the extension in August. So yeah, they traded Quentin in the offseason (December, for Cris Carter, who was sent over to complete the Haren deal). Perhaps they intended on trading him after his poor showing to make room for Upton? So in reality, they had already signed Byrnes, so they had a logjam in RF. Either way, they made the right decision at the time. I'd have traded Quentin as well You'd give up on a stud prospect early so you can lock up a below average LF just because of clubhouse presence and intangibles? They didn't do that. They signed Byrnes before they traded Quentin and once Byrnes was signed, it became a bad contract that they weren't going to be able to move. Quentin got them Haren, which in my mind is a pretty good deal. They probably never should have given Byrnes a long term deal, but since the damage was done, they made the best of the situation by trading one of their young stud outfielders for a stud pitcher, which they needed. With Byrnes hurt last year, they were able to move Conor Jackson back to the outfield, so it's not like they were left with no options. What? Eric Byrnes was extended on August 7, 2007. Carlos Quentin was traded on December 3, 2007. So they locked up Byrnes and then 2 months later realized he wasn't worth it? I think it's pretty clear that when they signed Byrnes they had a plan to trade Quentin in the offseason. I think it's pretty clear that they had designs on Byrnes in LF, Young in CF, Quentin in RF and Upton in AA. When Upton impressed with his September call up, they decided to trade outfield depth for a stud starting pitcher. He went .221/.283/.364 in his September callup. So what?

And I don't know why you have to turn every baseball discussion into this dramatic episode of "As the World Turns". Seriously, it's a baseball discussion. It's not life or death.

Are we sure that Byrnes signed that contract after Quentin was traded? I could swear he signed it before Quentin was traded, and also before Justin Upton got his first call to the majors. I kind of thought Quentin was traded because Byrnes already had a long term deal, Young already had CF locked up, and Upton had the brighter future. IIRC, Upton was called up for a cup of coffee in 2007. He's on the 07 roster on the BR page with minimal at bats. Byrnes signed the extension in August. So yeah, they traded Quentin in the offseason (December, for Cris Carter, who was sent over to complete the Haren deal). Perhaps they intended on trading him after his poor showing to make room for Upton? So in reality, they had already signed Byrnes, so they had a logjam in RF. Either way, they made the right decision at the time. I'd have traded Quentin as well You'd give up on a stud prospect early so you can lock up a below average LF just because of clubhouse presence and intangibles? They didn't do that. They signed Byrnes before they traded Quentin and once Byrnes was signed, it became a bad contract that they weren't going to be able to move. Quentin got them Haren, which in my mind is a pretty good deal. They probably never should have given Byrnes a long term deal, but since the damage was done, they made the best of the situation by trading one of their young stud outfielders for a stud pitcher, which they needed. With Byrnes hurt last year, they were able to move Conor Jackson back to the outfield, so it's not like they were left with no options. What? Eric Byrnes was extended on August 7, 2007. Carlos Quentin was traded on December 3, 2007. So they locked up Byrnes and then 2 months later realized he wasn't worth it? I think it's pretty clear that when they signed Byrnes they had a plan to trade Quentin in the offseason. I think it's pretty clear that they had designs on Byrnes in LF, Young in CF, Quentin in RF and Upton in AA. When Upton impressed with his September call up, they decided to trade outfield depth for a stud starting pitcher.

How is it a no brainer to hold on to the worst of your 5 OFs? The ink was dry on his contract. As I said, the crowded OF didn't all of a sudden come up in October. They knew what they had when they signed that moronic contract. Whether it was pressure from Moorad as rumored, or Byrnes falling in love with the grit, it was a terrible decision. You probably won't find anyone willing to argue with you that it was a horribly moronic contract. But, as it was stated above, Byrnes signed it in August. It's possible that Quentin was going to get the RF job, but when they promoted Upton in September, he played well enough to create the logjam. Realistically, DBack's brass probably didn't envision Upton sticking with the big club at such a young age. And Quentin didn't exactly set the world on fire with his first two promotions to the bigs.

How is it a no brainer to hold on to the worst of your 5 OFs? The ink was dry on his contract.

Are we sure that Byrnes signed that contract after Quentin was traded? I could swear he signed it before Quentin was traded, and also before Justin Upton got his first call to the majors. I kind of thought Quentin was traded because Byrnes already had a long term deal, Young already had CF locked up, and Upton had the brighter future. IIRC, Upton was called up for a cup of coffee in 2007. He's on the 07 roster on the BR page with minimal at bats. Byrnes signed the extension in August. So yeah, they traded Quentin in the offseason (December, for Cris Carter, who was sent over to complete the Haren deal). Perhaps they intended on trading him after his poor showing to make room for Upton? So in reality, they had already signed Byrnes, so they had a logjam in RF. Either way, they made the right decision at the time. I'd have traded Quentin as well You'd give up on a stud prospect early so you can lock up a below average LF just because of clubhouse presence and intangibles? They didn't do that. They signed Byrnes before they traded Quentin and once Byrnes was signed, it became a bad contract that they weren't going to be able to move. Quentin got them Haren, which in my mind is a pretty good deal. They probably never should have given Byrnes a long term deal, but since the damage was done, they made the best of the situation by trading one of their young stud outfielders for a stud pitcher, which they needed. With Byrnes hurt last year, they were able to move Conor Jackson back to the outfield, so it's not like they were left with no options.

Are we sure that Byrnes signed that contract after Quentin was traded? I could swear he signed it before Quentin was traded, and also before Justin Upton got his first call to the majors. I kind of thought Quentin was traded because Byrnes already had a long term deal, Young already had CF locked up, and Upton had the brighter future.

How many years has it been now that Marte was minor league player of the year? Seems like 5 or 6, but he's only 25 now? :shock:

I'm taking a huge gamble on Kendry Morales, but man, he looks like he could tear the cover off the ball if given an everyday chance. We need more guys to defect from Cuba. He'll be OF and 1b eligible as the season wears on. I just need some relievers now, and I'll be all set. C- Geovany Soto 1b- Carlos Pena 2b- Alexei Ramirez 3b- Alex Gordon SS- Stephen Drew OF- Matt Holliday OF- Jacoby Ellsbury OF- Kendry Morales U- Ian Stewart SP- Brandon Webb SP- Roy Oswalt SP- James Shields SP- Johnny Cueto SP- Randy Johnson SP??- Max Scherzer SP??- Carlos Carrasco RP- RP- Pitching was my strength last year and probably will be again this year.

I'm back.

I have to leave for an hour again. I PM'd Bukie my next pick.

I don't need no stinking closers. My SP's throw complete game shut outs.

I have found who I will be picking next. Hurry up, people!

I still kind of like Wolf. This would be a good spot for Raisin to take Wolf. :grin:

Closet Sox Fan!

I can't help but pick for the 3rd time a player that I had on my team last year. Can't be all bad, the team finished in first place in the standings....... Randy Johnson

You all blew it. I have to leave now. I'll be back in an hour.

He definitely likes to give up the long ball. If he pitched in Petco last year, his ERA probably would have been closer to the 2's rather than the 4's. I'm hoping he keeps the ball down this year. Someone in that organization is smart enough to explain this to him, right?