Little Slide Rooter

Seems like people keep hoping to sneak him through waivers so they can hold on to him in the minors. Our 40-man situation is all kinds of weird. I think that pretty much every team's claimed him by now, so maybe it will work. He has some nice minor league career K rates though. As for our 40 man, as of now, Clevenger and Campana are the most expendable. Unfortunately, we have Soler, Szczur, and Concepcion occupying spots with no hope of contributing at the big league level this season. There could be a roster clearing trade on the horizon, but I feel that I've been thinking that for weeks.

Whether we like it or not, most of us have come to terms with the fact virtually every move that Theo and Co. make will be with 2015 and beyond n mind. Like Jack in the final season of Lost, Kyle seems to be the last to accept this fate. This being said, moves such as trading a productive big league player for a prospect with a rapidly fading star with minimal, if any salary relief, which once would have made no sense will likely be the norm over the next few years. Soriano for someone like Dom Brown would be one of those moves. Is Brown likely to match Soriano's 2012, or even 2010 or 2011 production? No. Does he have a chance to come close, or at least give us some type of useful production?Yes. The difference being that whatever he does manage to do, he's more likely to continue to do so for the next 5-8 or even 10 years. And yes, the same can be said about Ian Stewart vs. any other realistic 3B options. Best case scenerio, Dom Brown is a major piece of the Cubs future. Worst case scenerio: Soriano gives the Phillies a year or two of solid production, Brown ends up in Japan. While Soriano's value in July may not drop from whatever it is today, I really can't imagine it going up. There's also the NTC, so even if we do get an equal or better offer next summer, there's no guarantee that he'll accept it. If we have a fish on the line, we need to reel it in.

With Youkilis in the fold, and Petitte, Ichiro, and Kuroda back, the Yankees may never lose another game between 2005-2010.

Sifting throug the blockbuster, it certainly makes the Reds a better team immediately, but the Indians seem to come out the winners in the long run. We must have something that will entice someone to throw stud prosects at us.

Choo would join a lineup featuring Votto, Bruce, Phillips, Frazier, and Ludwick, not to mention Cozart and Mesorasco, each of whom could come into their own offensively next year as well as a very capable pitching staff. As long as the Cubs arent goign anywhere, I'd rather the Reds than the Brewers or Cardinals.

Are you sure that none of them were actually Todd Wellemeyer?

There's really not much else I like on the bullpen market. Mike Adams could complete our Coming Off Of Surgery bingo card with "neck." Otherwise, I guess we'll get a guy who can compete with Beliveau to be the second lefty. Someone like Gorzelanny or JP Howell. Did SCS hijack your account? WSR, I mean SCS would be more inclined to seel high on Russell, use Beliveau as the primary lefty, and invite Gorzelanny, Howell, and a handfull of others else to spring training to fill the 2nd lefty spot.

There's Watkins, though he doesn't meet the RH guideline. We'll likely load up on Tolberts, E Gons, and Amezagas at AAA too.

As of now, Shields is a better asset. However, this time last season, Garza was 2 years younger and had two years under team control, as Shields has now. This being said, we'll likely never know the offers that we were receiving for Garza this time last year when he was seemingly confimed traded to a different team every other day. I actually wonder if Shark+Wood could have enticed the Royals to give us a massive package. Not quite as good as the one the Rays got due to Shields track record and Davis' 2012, but something big. Shark may not have Shields' track record, but he's 3 years younger with 3 years of team control. The funny thing is, after their rotation overhaul, Shields-Santana-Guthrie-Chen-Davis/Hochevar doesn't look any better than ours, though Santana and Davis are pretty big X-factors.

Maybe I truely don't know what I'm talking about, but I maintain my stance that Amaro was given a win now team, and his job is to win. Now. When the time comes to break down this particular Phillies team, then we'll see what he's made of as a GM.

They should've gotten a legitimate ace like Price for Myers. Not sure if it's sarcasm, but they should have at least used him as the headliner for a guy like Price. Maybe not Price, but that package should have been good for Shields and Hellickson.

When you're a GM with an open checkbook and a weak division, it's pretty easy to wing it. Job description for 2013: win in 2013. Job description for 2014: worry about in in 2014. ??? Yeah it's a weak division... outside of the Nats and Braves, who else is there? Between 2007-2011, it was pretty much a two horse race between the Phils and Braves. Amaro took over in I believe '09, and really didn't have to do much general managing, so to speak. 2012 was the first turbulence he's run into, a big deal of which was injury related. They still have a team that's too expensive and aging to attempt to break down, so the answer is throw money at it and keep trying to win now.

The Dodgers are making me feel like Charlie Buckets peering on through the window as Veruca Salt has daddy's workers rip open thousands of Wonka bars for no other reason than that they can: as much as I want them to fall on their face, part of me wishes it were us.

When you're a GM with an open checkbook and a weak division, it's pretty easy to wing it. Job description for 2013: win in 2013. Job description for 2014: worry about in in 2014.

Not really. BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox made a two-year, $25 million offer to free agent right-hander Ryan Dempster but were turned down by the pitcher and his agent, Craig Landis, according to a source. Dempster is believed to be seeking a three-year deal and reportedly is being wooed by the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers. From MLBTR: The Brewers, Red Sox and Royals are the "three main teams" looking at Ryan Dempster, reports Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). This would seem to eliminate the Cubs, who we recently heard weren't negotiating with Dempster Don't you just love conflicting rumors. Welcome to the Twitter era. The second a "journalist" spots a GM and Agent discussin a player at any capacity, they want to be the first to break the news. The result is an island of news surrounded by an ocean of rumors.

Not really. BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox made a two-year, $25 million offer to free agent right-hander Ryan Dempster but were turned down by the pitcher and his agent, Craig Landis, according to a source. Dempster is believed to be seeking a three-year deal and reportedly is being wooed by the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers. This type of thing happens. Some guys will be willing to sign a lesser contract with either their desired team or location, and for them to get out of that comfort zone, it will take a much better deal. I remember the end of Jermain Dye's career came when he was offered a deal by the Giants but it wasn't enough for him to move his family and the Cubs were reported to have made him as offer, but he didn't feel as though he'd get enough playing time. I'm betting that if the Brewers of Cubs made that same offer he'd take it. I'd probably take him back on that deal.

Let's not forget Daniel Hudson. He's been quite good when healthy. The bottom line is that these guys are loaded with young pitching and I want some of it.

Together, but I'm not sure on separately. Will wait for scs to let us know. I was basically stating that I don't know who the hell the Mariners have these days, but I'm sure we can work something out if they're interested.

Had to be auto correct? Yup.

Anybody should have topped 2/15. Injury issues or not, that's one amazing deal. Jesus.

If I'm the White Sox, I keep Viciedo and DeAza and try to sell high on Alex Rios. A lot of teams are looking for outfielders with big bats and The White Sox need to start getting younger, or they're going to be looking up at the rest of the division in the next few years.

I guess we did this as well. From what I understand, Andrew Carpenter is a guy who has pitched professionally over the past several years, floating between the majors and minors.

They have King Felix, Tijuana Walker, and I think 1-2 more really good pitching prospects. We can forget about any of them for DeJesus. Not sure what else the Mariners have. My guess is that we're mainly in the hunt for guys who won't require a spot on the 40 man.

You don't get nicknamed The Cuban Tank by being built like a super model.

Beyong Baez, Soler, Almora, Vizcaino, Vogelbach, and Maples, it might just be easier to subcatagorize them: Run as prospects dwindling. 2013 could decide whether or not their with the organization beyond: 1. Jackson 2. Vitters 3. Cabrera 4. Rondon: figured I'd include him. Similar situation Guys that could be on the big league team as early as 2013 to bridge the gap between now and when Soler, Baez, and Almora arrive, and be used as building blocks around them. 1. Villanueva 2. Szczur 3. Lake 4. Zyche 5. Alcantara 6. Ha Similar to above, could fill spots the first two groups fail to a few years down the line. 1. Candelerio 2. Amaya 3. Torreyes 4. Golden 5. Hernandez Young, raw pitchers 1. Underwood: from what I've read, while Johnson's the safer bet, he has the higher ceiling 2. Wells 3. Johnson 4. C.A. Rodriguez: likely to come stateside in 2013. Could rocket through the rankings. 5. Blackburn 6. Daury Torres: 4/50 BB/K in 75 IP. Another possible Mesa bound DSLer. 7. Concepcion: too early to Hayden Simpson him. Not quite as young, but equally as high ceiling pitchers 1. Loux 2. Paniaqua 3. Whitenack Others who could be supporting cast members for Castro, Rizzo, Baez, Soler, and Almora: Dunston, Shoulders, Martin, Bruno, Saunders, Chen, Peralta(if returned) Love the depth all around. A handful of potential superstars, and a ton of guys that could be used to build around them. Whether or not you agree with Epstein's plan, it's hard to argue against the fact that it's definitely off to a great start. Side note: while skimming rosters to see who I left off, I checked the Peoria Chiefs and wondered who the hell are these guys? Oh, yeah.