A's turned down a deal for two minor leaguers where the Marlins would pick up half the salary. Wonder if it was the minor leaguers, the cost or Hanley's negative reputation that did it in (or maybe Beane simply didn't think Hanley was good enough any more).

Beane was distracted preparing for his fantasy football draft.

Hanley had a season-ending shoulder injury last year. It seems weird to me that everyone is ignoring this in favor of "he doesn't care".

Yes, his decline seems to precede the injury, but he also seemed to be heating up when he got hurt. His batting lines don't look like a guy not trying, to me, they look like a guy who lost bat speed.

This kind of reminds me of the Cubs Nomar trade of 7-8 years ago --

'Stunning' in the sense of a one-time (and certain quarters thinking "may be again") superstar getting shipped out, a largely 'meh' return going the other way -- but under the covers, the trade not likely to mean much to anyone once time settles the dust.

EDIT: Yeah, I know that was technically a 3-teamer... but all above still pretty much stands.

the astros are paying all but 200K of the 8 mill that was left on carlos lee's salary.

they paid ALL of lyon/happ's salary

they paid ALL of brett myers salary

they paid ALL of wandy rodriguez' next year's salary.

no i am not kidding - and they didn't get anyone who is a top prospect.

yet the marlins get the dodgers to take most of hanbley ramirez salary.

astros are gonna have a payroll under 20 mill next year

yet the marlins get the dodgers to take most of hanbley ramirez salary.

Everybody knows it's useless and potentially dangerous to ask the Marlins for money.

If there was any doubt Colletti needs to go, this should quash those.

let's be honest here: his schtick was basically designed to puncture the egos of people like Hanley Ramirez.

Nah. I think it was basically designed to get him some eyeballs in the digital age and because he's too lazy (or not smart enough) to come up with creative column ideas. Like I said in the last Simers thread, it seems pretty likely from his career timeline and history that that is what happened. Simers covered the Chargers here in SD back in the day and was just another guy; I remember reading him. The current Simers is almost certainly the result of getting a column and of the digital media culture. Being widely disliked is better than being generally ignored.

But yes, I am sure that he will go after Ramirez immediately, and will start off with a reference to the surname and by asking Ramirez some Simersish questions about Fredi Gonzalez and about his (Ramirez's) injury history.

I like the Marlins dumping guys in the first year of the new stadium. The Padres actually started doing that right PETCO was approved and before they had even began construction.

On 54:

Why are the Astros are paying all this salary!
Why are the Astros are paying all this salary!
Why are the Astros are paying all this salary!
Why are the Astros are paying all this salary!
Next year, they won't pay much salary!
I'm angry!

Josh Johnson is better than Ryan Dempster, Frank.

A fire sale?

If there was any doubt Colletti needs to go, this should quash those.

Not seeing it.

Man, I can't wait for Simers to sink his teeth into him.

don't get me all hot and bothered.

So I guess that means the A's are going after Escobar?

[61] Not seeing how this deal is completely idiotic on Colletti's part? Given Hanley's recent play, there no way anybody would give him a 2 year $31 mil contract if he were a free agent. Colletti gave up BA's #96 prospect who had pitched servicably in the majors to acquire a bad contract. Given the Dodgers current position and needs, I could understand overpaying Hanley the next two years to address the current black hole at short stop. But to give up a quality player in exchange for that?

Not seeing how this deal is completely idiotic on Colletti's part?

Hyperbolize much?

On 54:

Why are the Astros are paying all this salary!
Why are the Astros are paying all this salary!
Why are the Astros are paying all this salary!
Why are the Astros are paying all this salary!
Next year, they won't pay much salary!
I'm angry!

I thought the point was that they are paying all that salary and because they are paying all that salary aren't going to have money for the payroll next year so their payroll of players on the roster is going to be nothing (while their actual outgoing payroll is going to be fairly high)

A fairly salient point, although I'm not sure I agree about them getting nothing in return. There was no way they were going to get an A+ prospect but they did get a lot of B+ talent.

The Nomar trade comp is a good one.

As to Hanley, I don't expect him to return to stud status ... but I'll admit that I thought he was an average 3B these days. And here we've got another fWAR-bWAR disagreement although it's not just defense. As noted above, over the last 2 seasons (just 780 PA), bWAR puts him at .4 WAR ... but fangraphs puts him at 2.7 WAR. Fangraphs has him as a slightly above-average 3B overall, bWAR puts him at replacement level. This is not good.

A big chunk is defense -- bWAR at -23, fWAR at -10. But bWAR also gives him -2 Rbat while fWAR puts him at +3. They seem to also be using different playing time adjustments -- 22 Rrep from bWAR vs. 26 from fWAR.

Can we please get these to at least agree on average and playing time adjustments?