Clem Fandango

Blame IMB. I drive an E Honda Cammy Am I doing this right? I tried to figure out how to get Sodom in there, and there's just no way. The amount of money the Dodgers bid on this guy is sodom stupid?

http://i.imgur.com/IuTZ6.jpg

Nate Silver did a write up making a case for Trout over Cabrera http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/14/the-statistical-case-against-cabrera-for-m-v-p/?smid=re-share

This past season is a huge aberration. Most WAR he's put up in his entire career. First time he's hit over .300 his entire career. A .389 BABIP (2nd highest behind Fowler's .390) sure helped. EDIT: More nutty aberrations stats: - Lowest BB% since 2007 and 3rd lowest since 2002. - Highest K% in his entire career (not counting 19 game 1998) - Lowest XBH% he's had since 2001. - Highest K/BB since 2001. - Lowest AB/K in his entire career (not counting 1998) Yet he had the highest oWAR in his entire career.

I seriously doubt Miami values LoMo as much as people are thinking. They have a history of issues with each other and he hasn't exactly been a tremendous player... 2.4 fWAR in 3 seasons. And if you want to take defensive metrics into consideration, whether it's UZR or dWAR, he's pretty terrible out in the field as well. Oh, also in regards to the trade: http://i.imgur.com/g8TvC.gif

There's some Grade-A meatballin' going on in there

Andrus doesn't have the room for improvement to develop into a 20-20 hitter, though, and will likely remain a swifty, light hitting, slick fielding shortstop throughout the majority of his career. Also, I agree Upton is overrated. I posted this back in August when SCS was going on about trading Castro for Upton or something: http://www.northsidebaseball.com//forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=61227&p=2841767&hilit=justin+upton#p2841767 Also, if you want to see some pretty hilarious comments made by folks about Mike Trout back in 2010, prepare for some lulz: http://www.northsidebaseball.com//forum/viewtopic.php?p=2530323#p2530323

Texas already said they aren't trading Andrus for Upton. 1) Whoops, didn't see that 2) Why the hell not?

I guess that also means Arizona isn't interested in Olt then (or Andrus for that matter).

Harper and Trout win.

Same here. Aramis was the last 3B cornerstone they've had since Santo and it's been a historically difficult position for the Cubs to fill long-term. Villanueva does not strike me as that type of player. I'd prefer someone who brings more to the table than a guy who has a ceiling of an OK bat with a plus glove. Don't get me wrong that's all fine and dandy, and would be valuable in its own right... but I think there are players/prospects out there that could be within the Cubs' reach who can fill that position better than Villanueva.

To be fair, Castro's walk rate in 2010 was not indicative of his plate patience whatsoever because when he first showed up they were batting him 8th and he would be pitched around to get to the pitcher. In 31 games hitting out of the 8-spot as a freshly called up rookie he drew 17 walks. When he moved up to the 2-spot he drew 10 walks in 71 games. He had a 14.6% BB% hitting out of the 8th spot in the batting lineup which is, according to FanGraphs, excellent. His BB% out of the 2-spot was 3%. His BB% in 2010 probably would've been much worse than 4.9% had he not been hitting in front of the pitcher for a 1/4 of his season, and in that situation, this year actually would've marked an improvement over years past. That being said, the numbers are there so technically they don't mark an improvement over years past, but 2010 was an aberration IMO.

Olt would be great, but I'm not sure what we can offer that is expendable on our end that Texas would be particularly fond of. Yeah, I don't see Olt happening. I don't think we have anything they need that badly, nor do I think they have any intent to move him. I think we're looking at Baez or Villanueva as our long term 3B. If things go well for both, I could see Villanueva in 2014 and then him moving to 2B in 2015 to make room for Baez. If Garza were healthy I could see a deal with Texas for Olt, but yeah I think they may be content with Villanueva. I think the speculated Olt + Andrus for Upton deal could actually happen. If it did, Matt Davidson would become available from the DBacks I'd assume, and he'd probably cost substantially less than Olt.

Olt would be great, but I'm not sure what we can offer that is expendable on our end that Texas would be particularly fond of.

Excellent move for Haren. His only statistical flaw last year was an above average HR rate. Moving to Petco will certainly help him reestablish value on the market. They're moving the fences in. He should go to Seattle, then! =D>

He's wrong, they're all signing with the Dodgers.

Got 91. Yeah, I totally spaced on him. I was like "Who the hell was so good on the Red Sox in the late 80's?"

I don't know that it's bad, but it's probably the worst of the available options. This. Liriano is fine, but there are better options available. I kinda view him as a consolation prize for missing out on McCarthy or Marcum. Nice to have at the end of the day, but not what you really wanted. Understandable. But if there are better options, it also means there is a bigger market for those options. The most difficult part in getting guys like Marcum or McCarthy to come here is not really the money. It's trying to convince them to sign for just one year while also just being a 3-month rental. They can sign where they want for one year and go to a good team. So, it can be a tough sell. That's why it's too bad Haren was injured. It was perfect. The Cubs wouldn't be actively trying to sign any of those guys to one year deals. It'd be a waste of time to even try. I can't imagine the Cubs would be offering anything less than a 2 year guaranteed contract to McCarthy or Marcum. For their talents I'd have to assume they may attempt a 2 year w/ 3rd option year at a minimum. That style of contract seems to make the most sense for the Cubs, IMO. They can bounce back this season and have an attractive pitcher with 2 possible years left of control, or they struggle this year, bounce back the following year and then you've got qa guy who could still be under control for another season (or could be let go minimizing the risk of obtaining that pitcher). Or they're terrible both years and you cut ties after the 2nd year of the experiment. From the Cubs standpoint, that type of deal makes the most sense with the way they're building the team right now. If they're handing out 1 year deals those are going to filler like Joe Blanton who provide no remarkable upside whatsoever.

I don't know that it's bad, but it's probably the worst of the available options. This. Liriano is fine, but there are better options available. I kinda view him as a consolation prize for missing out on McCarthy or Marcum. Nice to have at the end of the day, but not what you really wanted.

Yeah, he's fell of a cliff but still shows flashes of what could be. He's an ideal buy low candidate, though I like him less than McCarthy or Marcum. I'd have to think 2 years with a club option 3rd year (that could kick in with incentives met) would be an appropriate contract length for him.

My guess (which is just a hunch) is a posting fee between $15-$20 mil and a Cespedes like contract of 4/36, whcih would bring the total cost of contract + posting fee around what the price was for for either Darvish's posting fee or his contract total

Liriano has been one of my favorite players since before he debuted in the majors and even I'm a little apathetic about signing him. Wouldn't be against it by any means, but I'd really hope they get someone better than him as the supposed 2nd pitcher we're trying to obtain. If he's the best one they're targeting that would be kinda lame.

Didn't see anyone post it yet... from the latest MLBTR update on Chicago...

Honestly, I'm not. The Dodgers may need a LOOGY. They need a new BP pitcher

Jeremy Guthrie weighs in on the Grandal suspension...