Hosak8

Now some damn fool just offered me David Wright for Mariano Rivera. I now have ARod as a trading chip. I'm thinking of packaging ARod, Morneau, and Bronson Arroyo for DLee, Jason Bay, and Jake Peavy. Thoughts?

Give me a few details. I might be interested. Is it a live draft? That might cause problems, as I am out of pocket until at least 7, CST. Let me know some ino, and I might be available.

The beauty of the league is this: I am playing with guys who don't have the time for alive draft, so we do an automated draft. Of course, everyone thinks that if they draft a SP and a 1B right off the bat that they'll all get Pujols and Santana. Meanwhile, I load up in the infield and pick up hot start OF and trade them for guys who will produce all year (think Johnny Gomes last year, Juan Encarnacion from 3 or 4 years ago.) Works like a charm.

From CBS Sportsline: "Right-hander Thomas Diamond, taken by Texas with the 10th pick of the 2004 amateur draft, will have elbow-ligament replacement surgery Tuesday and miss the rest of the season. Diamond was the Rangers' minor-league pitcher of the year in 2005, his first professional season, when he led the team's farm system in wins (13), ERA (3.53) and strikeouts (169 in 150 1/3 innings). Last year, Diamond led the Double-A Texas League with 145 strikeouts and tied for the league lead with 12 wins, going 12-5 with a 4.24 ERA. The surgery will be performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala." Thought some of you might be interested.

10 team head to head league. My OF is below average, and my pitching is actually pretty decent, but my infield... C- Mauer 1B- Morneau 2B- Utley 3B- Arod SS- Reyes Yeah, I'll take that.

Borbon's injury may make him slip into the 2nd or even 3rd round. Both he and Arencibia have been injured, causing Tennessee to struggle badly, and likely causing a drop for all 3 of UT's 1st round hopefuls (Adkins, Borbon, and Arencibia) Adkins has been great so far this season plus he's a lefty, I don't see why he'd drop. I'd hardly call Adkins season so far "great". I'd call it solid or even good, but great is a stretch. His losses have come to a decent FSU team and Eastern Michigan. He pitched lights out against IPFW, not so well against UIC, and then very good against Siena. Point is, he's not beaten anyone so far this year, and his very good numbers have come primarily at the hands of teams that shouldn't be in games against UT. However, I acknowledge that he's done alot of this without his All American catcher and All American CF, and for a team that has struggled big time. Adkins is not a top 10 pick right now, as BA had him listed before the season. However, the season is young, and a great conference season should elevate him back near the top. Right now, he isn't quite there. By June, he may very well be. Arencibia's injury will cost him, as will Borbon's.

Borbon's injury may make him slip into the 2nd or even 3rd round. Both he and Arencibia have been injured, causing Tennessee to struggle badly, and likely causing a drop for all 3 of UT's 1st round hopefuls (Adkins, Borbon, and Arencibia)

See Sig. No chance, but see it anyway!

The intangible is not the reason for the trade, it's the thing that distinguishes between two players who some seem to think are comparable. If I can have a 7 footer who averages 20 and 10 with no effort, or a 6'11" guy who posts 20 and 10 and is the hardest worker on the team, give me him. If I can have a guy post a .750 OPS whom pitchers fear, I take him over a .750 guy who pitchers don't fear. Especially if the first guy is the much better defender, as Ichiro is. That initial package may have been an exorbitant amount to pay, but I'd take Ichiro over Murton all day. Maybe not in 2010, but in 2007.

I understand your win now attitude, but this statement is puzzling to me. While a number of people discard statistics beyond your typical AVG, RBI, R, and so on, I think a number of traditional people would have a problem with something like perception. Following what you sad, if you asked these same pitchers to name the Top 5 leadoff hitters in baseball right now, I'm willing to bet the vast majority would have Juan Pierre among those names. However, those of us who watched Pierre day in, day out all of last season would almost certainly exclude Pierre from that list. Perception does not get you wins. Perhaps those 90 some-odd pitchers would rather face Ichiro, but I'm willing to bet Murton would get better results against those pitchers than Ichiro would next season. Also, future and salary issues aside, this would not be a straight up trade of Murton for Ichiro. The original poster advocated Murton+J.Jones+Marshall+Gallagher as an opening package. Assuming the Mariners took the offer, you'd have the following OF (assuming Pie is in AAA to start the season): Ward/Floyd - Soriano - Ichiro That OF would be much less productive than Murton - Soriano - Jones (with Floyd and Ward on the bench). Given Floyd's fragile body, there's no guarantee that he would be able to play LF most days, leaving Ward as the everyday LF. Maybe Pie can come up and make the OF Soriano - Pie - Ichiro, but it's difficult to say whether Pie would be an improvement over Floyd/Ward, given that he has yet to play in the majors. Secondly, you'd be giving up Marshall and Gallagher. While both have their share of question marks, depth might well be a critical issue this season. After Prior's panic-inducing performance yesterday, a nagging doubt about his ability to start every fifth day is coming to the forefront. If the fifth starter spot becomes a legitimate issue, the Cubs might face some serious problems if they do not have any workable options. Lord help us if someone else goes down with an injury in that situation. In essence, by trading for Ichiro with that package, you run a substantial risk of reducing your outfield's total offensive output and reduce potentially critical pitching depth in the process. That's not a risk this team can afford to take. That outfield would be much better, defensively. Ichiro's "reputation" is a huge intangible. It means that he gets the pitchers best. It means that pitchers are more likely to make mistakes with him at the plate. His reputation means pitchers are more careful with Soriano and more spent while facing ARam or DLee. I just don't see it with Murton. Perhaps in 2 seasons, but not even close in 2007.

I don't think this as anywhere near as certain as you are claiming it to be. The implication here is that even if both guys have the same averages (and we all know that Murt will have a higher SLG%, no doubt) that Ichiros 200+ more at bats will equate to more base runners, etc.

First of all, how does the fact that our organization will most likely (wrongly) use Murton as a platoon player have anything to do with this argument? Furthermore, how does Ichiro provide "actual protection" while Murton obviously (by your logic) does not? They get on base at nearly the exact same rate! And yes, Ichiro has a better defensive game than murton, but is that worth giving up Jones, Gallager, and Marshall for? Roast... It has ALOT to do with it. Wrongly or not, Murton will be used in a platoon, causing his averages to not be as productive as Ichiro's. Also, despite what the stats tell you, perception is a very strong force in sports, and the perception (again, rightly or wrongly) is that Ichiro is a dangerous hitter. Ask 100 MLB pitchers who they'd rather face, and how many do you think would really say Ichiro? My guess is less than 10. Now, this argument harkens back to the Cubs.com days of Nowacrats vs. Dynastics. I realize that, just as I realize that those who would've been classified as "Dynastics" mostly migrated here. However, I think Ichiro gives us a better chance at winning in 2007 than Murton will anytime over the next couple of seasons. And, I'd really like to win now.

I dont think I can say no fast enough. really, wow, i understand the love of Murton's potential but you get a chance at a player of Ichiro's caliber you have to take it- i think you might be overvalueing Murtons Potential as well as Marshall and Gallagher- they are young unproven commodities- I think i couldnt say yes fast enough( if Ichiro wanted to sign an extension) I think you will find that potential is almost always valued above production when it comes to our prospects. Murton: .297/.365/.444, 103 OPS+, 25 years old, making 6 figures and under team control until the 2012 season Ichiro: .322/.370/.416, 109 OPS+, 33 years old, making 8 figures and a year away from Free Agency And we're adding Jones, Gallagher, and Marshall? Murton= platoon parter with Cliff Floyd. Ichiro= actual protection in the lineup for Soriano. Murton= average at best defense. Ichiro= actuall improves our outfield defense, which might very well be atrocious this year. Yeah, I see your point. You shouldnt be so rude when you make such a bad argument. And, perhaps you shouldn't when you offer nothing that concerns the topic?

I dont think I can say no fast enough. really, wow, i understand the love of Murton's potential but you get a chance at a player of Ichiro's caliber you have to take it- i think you might be overvalueing Murtons Potential as well as Marshall and Gallagher- they are young unproven commodities- I think i couldnt say yes fast enough( if Ichiro wanted to sign an extension) I think you will find that potential is almost always valued above production when it comes to our prospects. Murton: .297/.365/.444, 103 OPS+, 25 years old, making 6 figures and under team control until the 2012 season Ichiro: .322/.370/.416, 109 OPS+, 33 years old, making 8 figures and a year away from Free Agency And we're adding Jones, Gallagher, and Marshall? Murton= platoon parter with Cliff Floyd. Ichiro= actual protection in the lineup for Soriano. Murton= average at best defense. Ichiro= actuall improves our outfield defense, which might very well be atrocious this year. Yeah, I see your point.

I dont think I can say no fast enough. really, wow, i understand the love of Murton's potential but you get a chance at a player of Ichiro's caliber you have to take it- i think you might be overvalueing Murtons Potential as well as Marshall and Gallagher- they are young unproven commodities- I think i couldnt say yes fast enough( if Ichiro wanted to sign an extension) I think you will find that potential is almost always valued above production when it comes to our prospects.

I don't play on Yahoo, because I don't want to have to deal with it every day. I have a league on CBS Sportline that is a head to head league with all guys who will stick it out all year. Let me know if interested.

Ron, are there going to be any changes from what we're used to hearing in the past in regards to the format of the broadcasts? Good for you on the application and I hope it works out. Not only are you a great broadcaster, you know that my family has great respect for you as a person. Good luck! Chris... hey, where are we in regards to Smokies stuff? What do I need to do, in terms of finalizing some fo the things we've talked about?

BbB is right... Lou has stated that Soriano is his CF. Whether or not he's capable of making that swith remains to be seen, but Lou seems set on making it happen.

Was Broadway taken in the Major League draft?

Okay, remember the scene in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, when Clark finally gets the lights to come on, and his father in law remarks "The lights aren't twinkling, Clark"? That is what your comment reminds me of.

Yeah he's scary good for a freshman. I really really really hope the Sixers get the #1 pick. Of course, Billy King could say "we've already got Samuel Dalembert, we don't need another big guy!" Lord, I hope not, for your sake. But, this draft is going to be the best draft in 20 years, so even if you don't end up with Oden, there will still be guys like Durant, Brandan Wright, and Al Horford available.

Bummer for Tennessee. Lofton misses the front end of a 1 and 1, then Lewis makes a 3(his foot was on the line) with 14 secs left, Tennessee misses a couple tries, and OSU clears(Butler was out of bounds when he threw it out of danger.) Today was a case of Big 10 home cooking and ATROCIOUS free throw shooting by my Vols. UT should have won. Not often that your 80% free throw shooting, All American candidate misses the front end of a 1 and 1 in that situation. Oh well, that is still great experience for our young team. Should benefit us going tino the Tourney. Oh yeah, Oden is a BEAST. If he were at UT, we're 15-1 and ranked inthe top 3 in the country. Of course, lots of teams could perhaps say that. He EXACTLY what UT is missing though, a dominant inside presence.

I haven't seen this posted anywhere, and I couldn't decide if it belonged here or baseball discussions, but here it is anyway... This from CBS Sportsline. Colangelo, huh? Hadn't heard his name until now. How would that fit?

wow. for a guy who's barely major league material, he sure has a big mouth. you expect candid replies from good major leaguers, not the john thompson's of the world.

Another game, another win for the Vols today. It was an entertaining game, and Mississippi St. has some exciting young players. One more SEC game before a non-conference tilt with OSU. Oden should have his way with us, but guard play keeps us in that one.