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Baseball Primer Newsblog— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand
Thursday, June 26, 2008
While it almost seems like a given that [A.J. Burnett will] opt out of his contract at the end of the year, not everybody is so sure that a guy with a 5.07 ERA will rake in more as a free agent than the $12 million a year he has coming through 2010 in his current deal. “Let’s put it this way,” said an official of one team. “He has a lot of motivation to have a good second half. Doesn’t he?”
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“If you trade for him thinking he’s a rental, you’d better be careful,” said an official of another interested team. “You could take him, and he might go 2-5 and say, ‘I’m not going to opt out. I’ll just stick around and take my $24 million.’ And then you’re stuck with him.”
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All that stay-the-course talk notwithstanding, there might be one prominent Met on the market any minute now—Oliver Perez. An official of one team who spoke with the Mets’ brass this week reports the Mets are so fed up with Perez’s inconsistency, they’re about ready to listen to offers for him. On deck to replace him in the rotation: Tony Armas Jr., currently leading the Pacific Coast League in ERA (2.50).
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Here at World Rumblings Headquarters, we’re hearing the same noises that our buddy Buster Olney has been hearing—that the Brewers loom as one of the most serious potential bidders on Sabathia, even if he’s just a rent-a-starter. The Brewers have a deep system. And principal owner Mark Attanasio has made it clear to his baseball operation that it’s time to go for it. So if Sabathia winds up somewhere other than Milwaukee, said one baseball man who has spoken with GM Doug Melvin, “it won’t be because they’re afraid to give up their prospects.”
NTNgod
Posted: June 26, 2008 at 06:49 PM | 42 comment(s)
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If you're the receiving team, would you rather have Burnett as a 2 to 3 month rental or another 2 years at $12M?
You hear talk of Nady/Bay et al, but I would think Payton would be equally valuable at a lower price.
I don't know; it probably would depend on which specific team I was. I tried to leave my comment open ended to indicate that the team could either drop the next two years, or make them guaranteed, whichever suited their fancy.
I'm kind of pleased that Stark is joining me on the Bay/Nady-to-Atlanta bandwagon.
The NL went 4-0 a week or so ago.
I wonder if the releasing of Vargas and the Perez talk means that the Mets are confident that Duque will pitch in the second half.
1. Not in contention - you're not going get a contender to give him a rotation slot, and I don't think he can be sent down.
2. Who thinks they can resign him.
I dunno. How about Burnett for Perez?
ERA 5.07, FIP 3.55, xFIP 3.82
Two straight years of sub 4 ERA in the AL East, and a half season where his ERA looks like it's a bit unlucky....to me, he still looks like a guy that easily worth 12 million if you can just get 200 innings out of him. Thats been the hard part of course.
That and that Burnett is a knucklehead. Florida waited for ages for him to figure it out. Now Toronto is. At some point, you have to just throw your hands up.
He has a hard sinking fb at 95, a snappy curve and a change which he has been working on for 8 yrs. But unfortunately, he is the ultimate 12 cent head, 12 mil arm.
As I think Tolaxor used to say, "TOE KNEE ARM ASS".
This guy is Carl Pavano with less talent and less glamourous ( slutty ? ) gfs. And realistically, who is going to trade for Oliver Perez? the Yankees? The Tigers? The Mets are just 3 games out, and Phillies/Braves/Marlins are floundering. Perez, for all his warts, is their best chance.
Is he really? He's been atrocious 2.5 of the last 3.5 years and even in his good season he was just a 110 ERA+ pitcher. In the last month, he has been rocked by San Francisco and Seattle.
You're probably right but I wouldn't mind more certainty out of that spot in the rotation.
He has been atrocious if you expect him to be Sandy Koufax. He is a perfectly acceptable #4/#5 starter...
I second this. Please Jesus, send CC and the playoffs to Milwaukee.
1) Sabathia - Marson/Carrasco/Cardenas. Maybe not all, but certainly two of these three plus someone else in the B-C level range.
2) Bedard - Golson/Carrasco. I think Seattle is the only team that might bite on Golson. Shapiro and Riccardi will stay away.
3) Burnett - Marson or Carrasco + two B-C level prospects.
Note: Victorino's name has been thrown around as trade bait, but this makes zero sense for the Phillies. If they traded him, their only signed OF for next year's team are Werth and Jenkins. Jenkins seems close to toast, and Werth, while a good player, is simply too fragile to give a starting spot. The Phillies are shallow at OF at both the major and minor league level (see: Taguchi and T.J. Bohn), and even if they did re-sign Burrell (or a comparable FA outfielder) it would still be a very thin position.
If it took Victorino to get C.C., that would indicate an all-in move (which I'm game for). Kenny Lofton, come on down. But why would CLE find Victorino tempting unless they think Sizemore would benefit from playing an easier position?
For a team with serious playoff aspirations, that's (obviously) not going to get it done unless someone takes a step forward.
Speaking as a Nationals fan with experience in these matters, here's one way to articulate exactly how bad an idea it is to put Tony Armas, Jr. in your rotation:
31-pitch scoreless first inning.
If Doug were to offer LaPorta and change I understand. Even some of the major league roster should be considered.
Ah, but then Prince would have to bat third, and you know how well that's going to go over again.
31-pitch scoreless first inning.
He also had a 30-pitch scoreless 3rd inning in that game. Wow.
107 pitches, 5 IP, no rune. That's...something.
Brutal game. It was hot (BBRef says 87, but it was a very sunny day and felt much hotter), and Armas took forever to surrender nothing.
107 pitches, 5 IP, no rune. That's...something.
Perhaps, but not even the most amazing event in the game. Nick Johnson was not on the disabled list, actually played and played the whole game without getting hurt.
I should have mentioned that while there has been talk about Sabathia...and talk about Victorino...I haven't heard those in combination. Vic is much more attractive to Seattle than the Tribe. Cleveland will start with Marson and Carrasco, the Phils will counter with Happ and Jaramillo, and Sabathia will head elsewhere.
107 pitches, 5 IP, no rune. That's...something.
... that Daisuke Matsuzaka is good for about 10 times a season. Luckily, Lester seems to be over this type of pitching performances.
Be careful when offering him arb.
Tuned into the Cleveland radio broadcast last night on XM, and the Nasally Screamer Guy (Tom Hamilton, I guess) proposed making World Series home field advantage based on whichever league does better in IL play. I'm not sure that's much better than This Time It Counts, but I do think it is at least somewhat better. At least the participants in every one of the IL contests (presumably) care who wins the day's game.
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