Stark: Rumblings and Grumblings

Links (123)

Stark's Latest: Bonds, Howard, Vargas
Published 4/3/2008 by Tim Dierkes at MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com
ESPN's Jayson Stark has a new Rumblings and Grumblings up; let's take a look. Stark surveyed execs from three teams about why Barry Bonds remains unemployed.  They provided the answers you'd expect, and collusion isn't one of them.  One of the team officials believes a major injury to one of the 14 DHs could very well result in a Bonds signing.  ...

Buzz: Interest in Vargas Continues
Published 4/3/2008 by Regis Courtemanche at MetsBlog.com
According to Jayson Stark at ESPN.com, the Mets continue to show interest in RHP Claudio Vargas. Stark writes: “Their plan would be merely to add him to their Triple-A inventory, along with Tony Armas Jr. and Brian Stokes.” “There are no indications, meanwhile, that the Mets are pursuing any of the other unemployed or dfa’d starters out there: David Wells, Jeff Weaver, Robinson Tejada, etc. “ …a pedro contingency plan should be the highest ...

Stark's on Vargas
Published 4/3/2008 by Ed Ryan at Mets Fever
Jayson Stark of ESPN is reporting that the Mets are pursuing Claudio Vargas but not to plug into the rotation. Omar is apparently attempting to land Vargas as another arm in the pool of starting pitchers in New Orleans. The organization definitely needs to build depth after the Santana trade, it takes approx. 10-13 starters to make it through a season; ...

Stark's Life After Pedro
Published 4/4/2008 by NYteamsWin at Mets Prospects Minors Blog | MetsProspectus.com
Over at his blog Jayson Stark has a 3 part segment on what the Mets are going to due now that Pedro is done for at least a month. Here is his outtake on the situation: "• Life after Pedro: The Mets continue to pursue one of GM Omar Minaya's old pitchers from Montreal, Claudio Vargas, in the wake of Pedro Martinez's injury. But contrary to popular assumption, they're not interested in plugging Vargas right into their rotation, a week and a half after his release by the Brewers. Their plan would be merely to add him to their Triple-A inventory, along with Tony Armas Jr. and Brian Stokes. ...

Jayson Stark says Money Wasn't Only Reason Marlins Traded Cabrera
Published 4/4/2008 by photi at Fish Chunks
"We've been hearing that the Marlins' baseball people have long debated whether it made sense for a National League team to take the risk of laying a contract that long (and rich) on a player who had already had a major weight issue at such a young age. The Tigers can always slide Cabrera over to DH someday. The Marlins wouldn't have had that option. The Brewers, in fact, are having almost the same conversation about Prince Fielder as we speak." (ESPN ...

Stark: Phils Will Trade Howard
Published 4/4/2008 by Tim Malcolm at Phillies Nation
In his latest rumblings on ESPN.com, Jayson Stark discusses the impact of the Miguel Cabrera deal on Ryan Howard; in short, the Phillies probably won’t be able to match the Tigers. Stark says the Cabrera situation is influencing the Howard situation — because Cabrera was the measuring stick for the Howard arbitration case — and while Cabrera and the Tigers were able to come to terms, Howard and the Phils haven’t talked yet about any money. Says Stark: “Which means that eventually, the Phillies’ biggest decision almost certainly isn’t going to be what to pay Howard. It’s when to trade Howard.” ...

Baseball Today: Friday, April 4
Published 4/4/2008 by Art Martone (amartone@projo.com) at Projo Sox Blog
Journal photo / Glenn Osmundson EYEING THE BIG TIME: Granted, it was the Indianapolis Indians and not, say, the Toronto Blue Jays or Detroit Tigers. But while Bartolo Colon's performance last night at McCoy Stadium doesn't guarantee he's ready to step into the Red Sox' starting rotation, it also did nothing that would lead you to believe he isn't. Jim Donaldson has the details of a dominating performance that ended with Colon blowing a 95-mph fastball past Kevin Thompson for the third strike and final out of the fifth inning. The final line: 5 innings, 1 hit (a second-inning single by Adam Boeve), 0 runs, 1 walk (to, again, the pesky Boeve) and 5 ...

Men Behaving Badly
Published 4/4/2008 by Apryl DeLancey at Women Like Sports
Spring is in the air and that apparently means that sports figures are becoming restless! This week it seems like a higher number of individuals were put into the spotlight for less-than-ideal situations. Larry Bowa, third base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers, was ejected from the second game of the season and subsequently suspended for three games. He must have really insulted that umpire to get that much for stepping outside of the line. Chris Henry was arrested for the fifth time since 2005 and was finally cut by the Cincinnati Bengals. The wide receiver was charged with punching a guy in the face and ...

Vargas Unlikely To Sign With Mets
Published 4/4/2008 by Tim Dierkes at MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com
David Lennon of Newsday talked to Claudio Vargas' agent, Bean Stringfellow.  Stringfellow indicated that the Mets are not the right situation for his client.  That may be because the Mets want to send Vargas to Triple A, as Jayson Stark suggested yesterday. The Mets are not completely out of the picture, but Stringfellow is looking for better ...

Note To Ollie
Published 4/4/2008 by mr. met at the metropolitans
I briefly went over Oliver Perez yesterday morning, but there was no game today and nothing new has entered my mind regarding the Mets. I do not really care that A-Rod is all grown up these days and realizes he has made mistakes by listening to Boras for some coin, but it actually has a lot to do with this situation that is going to happen between the Mets and Perez. ...

Read: Figueroa’s International Resume
Published 4/4/2008 by Matthew Cerrone at MetsBlog.com
In his latest Rumblings & Grumblings column for ESPN.com, Jayson Stark writes the following about Mets RHP Nelson Figueroa, who recently replaced Pedro Martinez on the team’s roster: “Don’t be shocked if the Mets give Nelson Figueroa a shot to stick around. Minaya seems to have a soft spot for Figueroa, a guy whose itinerary alone makes him a great story…Just in the last year, Figueroa has been A) the winning pitcher in the Mexican League all-star game last summer, B) the MVP of the Taiwan Series last fall, C) the MVP of the Dominican Series this winter and D) the MVP of the Caribbean Series in January. We guarantee no ...

Barry Bonds in a Blue Jays Uniform?
Published 4/4/2008 by Dave Rouleau at Baseball Digest Daily
Barry Bonds in a Blue Jays uniform? Would that fly north of the border? (pun intended) Joel Sherman had the follwing to say on the New York Post blog this morning (tip of the hat to MLBtraderumors.com) about the reasons Bonds could find himself North of the border: A)Lyle Overbay and Matt Stairs are nice complementary pieces, but Toronto lacks a lefty difference-maker within their lineup. B) It was only one series, but Frank Thomas followed a poor spring training with an opener three-gamer against the Yanks New York Yankees in which he hardly looked spry. If Thomas is ticking toward done, it gives the Jays a DH spot in which to plug Bonds. C) Many teams claim they are shying away from ...

Ryan Howard’s Days in Philly: Numbered?
Published 4/4/2008 by Bill Baer at crashburnalley.com
Ryan Howard’s Days in Philly: Numbered? April 4th, 2008 Posted in Media , Philadelphia Phillies , MLB ESPN’s Jayson Stark describes the Ryan Howard situation in Philly: For one thing, the two sides haven’t spent 10 seconds talking about a deal since the arbitration hearing. For another, Howard and agent Casey Close continue to position him as an unprecedented player, who therefore deserves an unprecedented contract. It shouldn’t be surprising that Howard is going to ask for so much money. He’s been a premier offensive threat in all of baseball since he won the NL MVP in 2005. However, if Stark’s description of Howard’s desires — “an unprecented contract” — are true, ...

Jayson Stark: Ryan Howard Ready to Rumble
Published 4/4/2008 at BBTF's Baseball Primer Newsblog
Jayson Stark: Ryan Howard Ready to Rumble For one thing, the two sides haven’t spent 10 seconds talking about a deal since the arbitration hearing. For another, Howard and agent Casey Close continue to position him as an unprecedented player, who therefore deserves an unprecedented contract. So there’s no sign they view the Cabrera deal as being any more applicable to Howard’s situation than, say, what Mark Teixeira will get in free agency this winter or what Matt Holliday will rake in the winter after that. Which means that eventually, the Phillies’ biggest decision almost ...

Robinson Tejeda Trade Unlikely
Published 4/8/2008 by Tim Dierkes at MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com
We discussed 26 year-old starter Robinson Tejeda here.  Imagine Carlos Silva with poor control and mid-90s heat (hmm, doesn't sound too much like Silva actually).  Anyway, the Rangers designated Tejeda for assignment last week and have until Wednesday to trade him.  Jon Daniels doesn't expect a deal, meaning Tejeda may simply be plucked off ...

Nelly Figs
Published 4/16/2008 by mr. met at the metropolitans
I had posted this quote the other day about Nelson Figueroa. "He pitched his butt off in front of Omar at the Caribbean Series," says one scout. "And he pitched like that all winter long. I know people see the name and wonder. But you see a guy pitch like that, and you say to yourself, 'Why isn't this guy in the big leagues?'" He first appeared in the big leagues at 26 with Arizona and put up a 7.47 ERA in 15 innings with an ERA+ of 64. He followed that up with an 89 innings performance with an 108 ERA+. He got bounced around yet again and put up an 81 ERA+ in 93 innings, 132 ERA+ in 35.3 innings, and a 75 ERA+ in 28.3 innings. In 11 minor league seasons, he put up a 3.47 ...

THE NEWS
Published 4/17/2008 by mondesishouse at Mondesishouse.com
--The Dodgers blew out the Pirates 8-1 last night, which means they've outscored the Pirates 19-3 in the past two games. In other words, here we go again. --Aaron Gray's line in last night's Bulls-Raptors game: 35 minutes, 22 rebounds, 19 points. --Nate McLouth is on pace for 162 RBI, and ESPN proclaims he's "more real than not". Glad we cleared that up. ...

Jayson Stark - Fumblings and Bumblings
Published 4/17/2008 by Matt at Chuckie Hacks
In a breathtaking piece of ground-breaking journalism, Jayson Stark's Rumblings and Grumblings piece polled 10 scouts and baseball front office-types and discovered that: Huh. And I was counting on Gabe Kapler to pull a Ted Williams with Ryan Howard power this year. Scrolling down a little, here's what an unnamed scout said about everyone's favorite free swinging shortstop turned centerfielder turned third baseman: "I'm big on Bill Hall," said another scout. "He's such a good athlete. And he's learning what he can and can't do. His plate coverage and pitch recognition are getting better all the time. And he's playing surprisingly well at third base." Pitch recognition getting better? Plate ...

Jayson Stark Rumors: Jackson, Snyder, Stanton, Hamels
Published 4/18/2008 by McFleece at MLB Fleece Factor
ESPN’s Jayson Stark has a few good MLB rumors up in his Rumblings and Grumblings column today.  Let’s check ‘em out: Stark reiterates that the Tampa Bay Rays, of all clubs, may actually be forced to trade away pitchers when Scott Kazmir and Matt Garza return from the DL in early May.  On March 28, Fleece Factor mentioned that Edwin Jackson or Jason Hammel are the prime candidates to be dealt, and could probably be acquired for a respectable corner outfielder.  It’ll be interesting if the Rays deal Jackson now, after his hot start.  If they do trade him, would it be selling high?  Or has Jackson finally discovered his potential? Fleece Factor ...

Stark's Latest: Stanton, Hamels
Published 4/18/2008 by Tim Dierkes at MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com
ESPN's Jayson Stark has a new Rumblings and Grumblings column up. The Rays may have a pitching surplus when Scott Kazmir and Matt Garza return in May.  Teams will probably be eyeing Edwin Jackson, Jason Hammel, and Andy Sonnanstine - not that the Rays are anxious to give them up.  Jackson ...

Lazy CCunday (the C's are soft...so far)
Published 4/20/2008 by Paul Cousineau at The DiaTribe
As the Indians’ attempt to take the series in the Twin Cities today after, once again, being shut down by a pitcher that they’ve never seen before, let’s take a twirl around a Lazy Sunday: Ken Rosenthal weighs in on the “What’s Wrong with C.C” conversation with a piece that was written PRIOR to his clunker against the Motor City Kitties on Wednesday. Jon Heyman from SI does the same. With the national media descending on this story and nobody from the big boys (ESPN, SI, Fox, etc) coming up with anything substantial, can they all just say that they don’t know what in the world has happened to the reigning Cy Younger and move on? On the local C.C. front, ...

The Big Hurt Will No Longer Need His Passport
Published 4/20/2008 by Richard McPlenty at SPORTSbyBROOKS
The Blue Jays and slugger DH Frank Thomas have parted ways, a decision that came one day after Thomas balked at a reduced role with the Jays. Frank Thomas and Barry Bonds (Hold me, Barry . Hold me, Frank .) Thomas was released Sunday by the Blue Jays, just a year after hitting 26 home runs and knocking in 95 runs for Toronto. The big sticking point was a plate appearances clause that would have triggered a $10 million option next season. He’s hitting just .167 but does have three homers and 11 RBI this year. From TSN :“When told of his benching yesterday, the Big Hurt said it was an attempt by the club to limit his at bats in order to make sure he didn’t get the 304 plate appearances ...

A Virtue
Published 4/24/2008 by Chuck at Ivy Chat
From Jason Stark's latest: Sori You're Gone Dept.: In the Cubs' first eight games without Alfonso Soriano they averaged 8.4 runs a game. They looked so good, in fact, that some scouts say they like this lineup better without Soriano than with him. "Soriano is a first-pitch hacker, and that goes against everything Lou [Piniella] has been preaching to that club about patience," said one scout. "They're the most patient team in the big leagues right now. What they've been doing is grinding down starters and getting into ...

Super Top Secret Exclusive Scouting Reports
Published 4/25/2008 by larry b at Fire Jay Mariotti
I almost wasn't going to write anything tonight, but then I stumbled onto this hilarious piece by Jayson Stark in which he polls a combination of managers, execs, and scouts and asks them who the "scariest" hitter in the game today is. For starters, it's probably an article that didn't need to be written. Even if the interviewees actually had really poignant and insightful things to say about the subjects (they don't, but if), it still just comes down to the fact that Pujols/Guerrero/Ramirez are really good hitters. But as bad as that concept is, its awfulness completely overshadowed by horrific execution. Check out these quotes Stark managed to pick up; I'm surprised I ...

Stark's Latest: Oswalt, Tejada, Upton, Burrell
Published 4/25/2008 by Tim Dierkes at MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com
Check out the latest column from ESPN's Jayson Stark. Stark talked to one exec who believed the Astros' baseball people might consider a Roy Oswalt trade, but owner Drayton McLane never would. The exec also questioned whether the Astros would've given up a bounty of five players to acquire Miguel Tejada if they'd known the player's true ...

THE SATURDAY MORNING REVOLUTION: Joe Maddon's Crystal Ball Is Smarter Than You
Published 4/26/2008 by Devil Ray Guevara at Rays Index
DRG here again to get you through the weekend. I can be reached here... Yesterday: Tampa Bay Rays. The Good: In what might be the biggest series to date in the history of the franchise, the Rays played the best defense I have ever seen. The diving catches. The diving stops. Stops in the hole. Double plays. Nobody went for a potty break without calling time with a runner on third base....Joe Maddon's crystal ball that predicted Nathan Haynes would win the game in the 11th. Inexplicably Maddening Maddon ...

Baseball Today: Tuesday, April 29
Published 4/29/2008 by Art Martone (amartone@projo.com) at Projo Sox Blog
AP Photo TAKE A BEAT: And on the 21st day, they rested. Or, shall we say, most of them rested; Joe McDonald reports that Bartolo Colon somehow threw a bullpen session through the raindrops at Fenway, and six other Sox came in to work out. (Projo Sox Blog) But the remainder were elsewhere, enjoying (we presume) a day away from the ballpark for the first time since Monday, April 7. Which for those us who write baseball for a living, or read baseball as a vocation, means . . . it's off-day story time! Today's batch includes . . . -- McDonald's piece on Jacoby Ellsbury, whose base-stealing prowess (as evidenced above) led the Rays' Carl ...

Read: Stark’s Grumblings
Published 5/1/2008 by Brandon Eddy at MetsBlog.com
In his latest Rumblings & Grumblings column at ESPN.com, Jayson Stark reviews the month of April, which he dubbed “a month that really defied logic.” According to Stark, the Lastings Milledge for Ryan Church and Brian Schneider trade was the “best deal of the winter that got ripped at the time.” A scout, as quoted by Stark commented: “Hell, Ryan Church is that team’s MVP so far,” said one scout, “offensively and defensively. And Schneider is in a system now where his talents are accentuated, because there’s so much emphasis on ...

Wrong Church, Wrong Pew
Published 5/1/2008 by Jeff Kallman at The MLB Source
Legendary New York City mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia: “When I make a mistake, it’s a beaut.” I made sort of a beaut back in November, when I had something to say about the Lastings Millege-for-Ryan Church/Brian Schneider deal between the New York Mets and the Washington Nationals: . . . while it’s refreshing to see that there’s as much room for clubhouse cohesion as statistical analysis in cobbling or securing a baseball team, after all, it’s difficult not to think that maybe the Mets got the lesser of a deal for an outfielder who could have (should have?) been packaged in a bid for at least one more proven starting pitcher. ...

Stark's Latest: Zito, Anthony Reyes, Varitek, Inoa
Published 5/2/2008 by Tim Dierkes at MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com
ESPN's Jayson Stark has been working the phones, and the result is his latest Rumblings and Grumblings column. Stark talked to an official from a "pitching-starved" team.  This person said the Giants would have to eat at least $80MM of Barry Zito's remaining $112.5MM if they want to trade him.  One scout suggested Zito's only chance at revival is ...

Zito needs Peterson
Published 5/2/2008 by Ed Ryan at Mets Fever
In what will go down as one of the worst contracts, if not the worst; Barry Zito is now the most expensive middle reliever in the league. In Jayson Stark's latest column he takes a look at the plight of Zito and what can be done to resolve the situation. Speaking with scouts and other major league sources the only way the Giants can move him is if they eat 80 % of his contract. When asked if Zito can rebound one source said only if he was re-united with Rick Peterson. Unless Peterson is moving on I can't see these two re-uniting, can you image laid-back, sensitive Zito dealing with Shea the way it's been this year. Although, former mets hitting coach Rick Downs was seen by SNY Kevin Berkhardt ...

ESPN: Stark - April was a month that really defied logic
Published 5/2/2008 at BBTF's Baseball Primer Newsblog
ESPN: Stark - April was a month that really defied logic We also asked high-ranking officials of two clubs what they would do if they had a big-buck disaster like Zito on their team. The first replied: “I’d cry.” The second had a more innovative proposal. “Here’s what they should do,” he said. “They should go to Zito and say, ‘Look, it’s clear this is not going to work. Let’s put together an NBA-type deferral package. We’ll take the whole contract, defer it over 30 years with no interest and then we’ll release you, to let you start fresh somewhere else.’ “The club could get significant cost savings that way. You take $112 million over 30 years, that’s $3.7 million a year. You’re better off paying ...

TDIB 2 May 2008
Published 5/2/2008 by Anders at Batter's Box Interactive Magazine
Whew. AJ Burnett, perhaps with a nod to the Jays last two performances at Fenway, decided that he would just shut the door himself as the Jays actually scored and took this one 3-0. This ended an ugly road trip in which the club went 2-7 and got outscored 36 to 24. They now head into a four game set with the resurgent White Sox this weekend at the Rogers Centre. The Jays record right now stands at 12-17. Through these 29 games they've scored 119 runs and allowed 112, suggesting that they should be somewhere closer to one game over .500 as opposed to five below. Its not really something to put a lot of stock into at this point, as this early in the season a few blow outs knock everything ...

Baseball Today: Friday, May 2
Published 5/2/2008 by Art Martone (amartone@projo.com) at Projo Sox Blog
Journal photo / Mary Murphy THIRD TIME'S NO CHARM: There was no late-night magic at Fenway Park last night, even though it seemed for a moment that -- thanks to umpire Bruce Dreckman -- there might be. (Which, as Sean McAdam notes, would have been the last straw for the stumbling Blue Jays.) But Paul Kenyon has the details of a comeback, minor as it might have been, snuffed out in what wound up being a 3-0 Toronto victory. So the stark reality that's been somewhat masked by the ninth-inning miracles of the previous two nights is now staring the glum Red Sox (above) in the face: They ain't hittin' (Boston Herald). (Check out the ...

Braves, Angels Scouting Cardinals
Published 5/2/2008 by Tim Dierkes at MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com
Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch mentioned in a Wednesday chat that the Braves are scouting the Cardinals heavily and the Angels have also been watching recently. One rumor that's been floating about consistently is that the Cardinals are willing to trade pitcher Anthony Reyes.  Yesterday Jayson Stark relayed that John Mozeliak wants "an upper ...

Links: Vocal Leader, Bat Church 2nd, Zito
Published 5/2/2008 by Matthew Cerrone at MetsBlog.com
According to Johnette Howard in Newsday, the time has come for David Wright to step up and become the vocal leader in the team’s clubhouse. Also in Newsday, David Lennon explains why Willie Randolph should return Ryan Church to batting second in the lineup. Kristin from We’ve Got Heart provides a Q&A with Nationals C Paul Lo Duca, who says he was disappointed that he missed playing against the Mets at Shea Stadium in April. Lastly, in his Rumblings & Grumblings column for ESPN.com, Jayson Stark suggests that if a team were to trade for Barry Zito, the Giants will have to eat at least $80 million ...

Radio And Web Notes
Published 5/2/2008 by Peter Wade at Hot Foot
Took a look around the interwebs and some sports talk radio and this is what I found. First up, Brian Schneider visited with Benigno and Roberts on their midday show on WFAN. Scheider told them even though he “hasn’t swung a bat yet” if they need him in an emergency he would “go out there”. Asked if he had any thoughts on Oliver Perez, Brian said “I just want to see an adjustment” when struggling with control. “I’ll go out there”, to the mound, “and tell him I don’t care if you throw the next two pitches in the dirt or if you hit this guy”… ...

5/2 Game Thread: Bring On the Reds (and Hopefully Hudson’s Velocity)
Published 5/2/2008 by Alex Remington at Chop-n-Change
After a horrible 1-4 road trip that saw John Smoltz go on the DL and relinquish his spot in the rotation for the foreseeable future (which I emphatically denied could ever happen), I couldn’t be happier for the Braves to be back at home. They should be feeling a bit better-rested, after an off day on Monday and an off day yesterday, and they’ll soon be able to enjoy an off day next Monday too. Bobby Cox may have many failings, but he is generally good at getting a team to be able to shake off a loss — he doesn’t put fire in the belly, but he usually can keep his guys on an even keel. But even keels won’t matter if we don’t have 5 guys to trot out in a starting ...

Stark Mortifies Barry Zito
Published 5/2/2008 by Bronx Liaison at
Bronx Liaison
Jayson Stark reached out to "high ranking officials" from two ballclubs to get their opinions and exit strategies regarding the now-infamous Barry Zito predicament. The response was unflinchingly real and rather ugly to be honest: “Here’s what they should do,” he said. “They should go to Zito and say, ‘Look, it’s clear this is not ...

The Week In Quotes: April 28-May 4 by Alex Carnevale
Published 5/5/2008 at Baseball Prospectus
REPEAT UNTIL UNDERSTOOD: IT'S EARLY "They're the best team in the National League. I don't think anybody else is even close." -- Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd, on the Arizona Diamondbacks . (Jayson Stark, ESPN.com ) "I've changed my mind about them. … I don't think they're going to be historically bad anymore." --Anonymous AL executive, on the Baltimore Orioles "We just can’t win one out of five games, every time Wang pitches. It’s not going to work. It’s not a good win percentage. Starting pitching is where it’s at, especially in the postseason. At this point, we’ll see if we even make the postseason." -- Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner (Peter Abraham, ...

Cards Showcasing Reyes In Triple A?
Published 5/5/2008 by Tim Dierkes at MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com
Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch suggests that Anthony Reyes' demotion to the Triple A rotation increases his trade value.  Interested teams view him as a starter, and want to see him in that role before acquiring him. Last week, ESPN's Jayson Stark heard rumblings that the Cards want "an upper echelon prospect back, plus another ...

Cards Win! Cards Win!
Published 5/5/2008 by Cardinal 70 at C70 At The Bat
Let's take a quick look at the Heroes and Goats of the successful series against those Cubbies before moving on to the Rockies series that starts tonight. Friday's game should have been a lot less stressful than it was.  I don't think anyone would argue that the latest Jason Isringhausen meltdown would give him Goat status again.  Allowing two runs in the ninth to a divisional rival, risking a game that was won, is not good at all.  And it raised worries that he's hurt again, which would be pretty bad for the Cardinals, though LaRussa would probably move Kyle McClellan into that role.  Honorable mentions: Troy Glaus (0-5, 2 K, 4 LOB) and Cesar Izturis (1-5, 1 K, 5 ...

Said better...
Published 5/15/2008 by noreply@blogger.com (Jason) at It is about the money, stupid
Jayson Stark has a wonderful piece on the path Clemens chose, the scorched Earth approach, and how is could have been different for him had he chose the "Pettitte Path" instead. It's worthy of a print-and-read, so here's the link. Reason why Jayson's so good at what he does: he says things better than most, in a way we can all understand. Like this: ...

Jayson Stark's Latest
Published 5/15/2008 by Cork Gaines at MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com
Jayson Stark has a new column up today with several interesting notes. Rafael Furcal may be willing to begin talks about an extension with the Dodgers and forgo testing the free agency waters at the end of this season. Furcal is making $13MM this season and is still owed an additional $4MM after the season. This would be a good time for Furcal to engage in negotiations considering he has an OPS of 1.045. Stark notes that the Brewers made a very serious push for Julian Tavarez this past week, but may be willing to settle for Jeff Weaver, who is in AAA. The Sox apparently also made Javier Lopez and ...

Yankees Battle for Teenager
Published 5/15/2008 by Mantlemurcer (noreply@blogger.com) at My Pinstripes
Jayson Stark of ESPN is reporting that the Yankees are very much into trying to sign 16-yr old pitching phenom Michael Inoa. A scouting director said the Yankees and Mariners have prepared $3-$4 million proposals for the teenager. Bidding cannot begin until July 2. Inoa is 6'7", 200 pounds with a 91-94 mph fastball that he mixes with off-speed stuff and a splitter.

Friar Sale?
Published 5/16/2008 by scott (noreply@blogger.com) at Friar Forum
The San Diego Padres have become a hot topic in baseball's front offices as ESPN's Jayson Stark reported that one AL executive feels that the Friars may open their doors early stocking players like Khalil Greene, Kevin Kouzmanoff, and Randy Wolf on their shelves. FF was a bit surprised to see Kouz on this list, although opening a spot for Chase Headley doesn't seem too far fetched ~ FF still would be shocked to see the 3rd baseman moved this summer. Other players that FF could see being dealt include a myriad of free agents to be; Brian Giles, Greg Maddux, Michael Barrett, and Tadihito Iguchi. If Estes ...

Baseball Today: Friday, May 16
Published 5/16/2008 by Art Martone (amartone@projo.com) at Projo Sox Blog
Journal photo / Glenn Osmundson TWO TO GO: Let the countdown really begin. Manny Ramirez is two home runs away from 500, something he could accomplish in a single night. The anticipation began building during the last homestand -- the Sox stuck that '496' banner on one of the left-field light towers, but never got to update it as he went homerless against the Blue Jays and Rays -- and it'll be a nightly (or daily) thing now, starting this evening when the Brewers come to town. Joe McDonald looks at Ramirez' career and talks to ex-Red Sox pitcher Ken Ryan about facing Ramirez. "I thought I was Superman," Ryan said when recalling a long battle in ...

Trade Rumor Mill
Published 5/16/2008 by Fenway West (noreply@blogger.com) at Fenway West
Jason Stark of ESPN is reporting that the Brewers have shown some interest in Tavarez. He also reports that the Sox have been discussing dealing Aardsma and Javier Lopez as well. Boston has to free up some roster space if they want to bring Colon up and keep Buchholz on the team when he returns from the DL. The bullpen has not been great this season so they may want get some new blood or some pitching prospects for the future. It seems that Theo has been charging a high price for Sox players so I would not expect to see teams lining up to make offers but as the injuries pile up around the league the offers may start to trickle in. ...

Furcal Extension Rumors Healthier Than Furcal Himself
Published 5/16/2008 by Orel (noreply@blogger.com) at Sons of Steve Garvey
From Jayson Stark at ESPN.com: ATTENTION, FREE-AGENT SHOPPERS: Will Rafael Furcal ever make it to the free-agent auction stand? Maybe not. There are indications his agent, Paul Kinzer, has told the Dodgers that he and Furcal have interest in talking in-season about an extension. And clearly, the Dodgers would share that interest, considering that Furcal leads their team in runs, hits, doubles, batting average and even homers. Furcal was also slugging .597 when he headed for the disabled list this week. The only Dodgers shortstop who ever even got within 140 points of that was Glenn Wright -- in 1930. Rafael Furcal will be 31 at the beginning of next ...

Buzz: D’Backs could trade 1B Tracy
Published 5/16/2008 by Matthew Cerrone at MetsBlog.com
In his latest Rumblings & Grumblings column for ESPN.com, Jayson Stark writes: “We continue to hear talk that Arizona will look to move Chad Tracy once he comes off the disabled list and gets back in the big league flow. But one NL executive says he can’t see why the Diamondbacks would trade a guy who helps fill one of their few needs.” The 27–year-old Tracy has spent time playing first base, third base and left field during his four-year career, while hitting .288 with 62 HR and 240 RBI in 518 games played. ShareThis

1B Chad Tracy Available ?
Published 5/17/2008 by Ed Ryan (noreply@blogger.com) at Mets Fever
Matt Cerrone of Metsblog reported on a Jayson Stark report that the DBacks may make Chad Tracy available when he comes off the disabled list. Tracy is a 27 y/o, left handed 1B/3B/LF with a career BA .288. Tracy is out of options and the DBacks who have the best record in the league may not want to mess with the team chemistry by moving a player to make room for him. Tracy is an up and coming player who before his injury last year was battling for playing time with Jackson and Reynolds. He would now be replacing super utility and club house favorite Chris Burke. While I'd like to have the Tracy on the bench this year and then replace Delgado next year, I'm not sure if we could come up with the ...

Russell Martin's Agent: Playing A Little Greed(o)y?
Published 5/22/2008 by Steve Sax (noreply@blogger.com) at Sons of Steve Garvey
Okay, the Star Wars theme of today's post is starting to stretch a bit...nevertheless, Jayson Stark says that Russell Martin's agent is not entertaining any of the Dodgers' overtures to sign a contract: Russell Martin: You might be surprised that many people now casually refer to Martin as the best catcher in baseball. But though the other young contenders for that honor -- Victor Martinez, Joe Mauer, Brian McCann -- all signed multiyear deals early, Martin has had other ideas. Dodgers GM Ned Colletti told Rumblings the club approached Martin's agent, Bob Garber, last fall and again this spring about a contract that most likely would have stretched ...

Answering Jayson Stark's Detroit Tigers rumblings & grumblings: 4 questions that won't go away edition
Published 5/23/2008 by Big Al (noreply@blogger.com) at The Wayne Fontes Experience
Mike pointed me towards Jayson Stark's latest "Rumblings & Grumblings" column at the 4 letter, as he talks Tigers within. Stark brings up 4 questions that not only we Tigers fans have been asking, but those around the nation as well. I can't say much for his answers, as they are on the flippant side, so I'll give it a shot... Q: Why aren't they playing Brandon Inge at third, considering what a massive defensive upgrade he is over either Carlos Guillen or Miguel Cabrera? Stark: Sheffield's presence in the DH hole makes that impossible. Big Al: Short answer? Inge is hitting all of .233. (Thanks to 3 hits over the past 2 games, raising ...

Stark's Latest: Young Players, Giles, DeJesus
Published 5/23/2008 by Tim Dierkes at MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com
Jayson Stark's latest Rumblings and Grumblings column is chock full of information. Stark rattles off Dan Uggla, Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, B.J. Upton, Justin Upton, Russell Martin, Zack Greinke, Prince Fielder, Felix Hernandez, ...

SBs a thing of the past?
Published 5/23/2008 by Peter Abraham at The LoHud Yankees Blog
The numerically inclined Jayson Stark of ESPN.com had a great stat in his recent column. The Yankees stole 139 bases in 2006. They had 123 last season. They’re on a pace to steal 56 this season. It would be the biggest single-season dropoff in franchise history. To add to Stark’s research, the Yankees were 140 of 163 last season (.858). They’re 16 of 37 (.432) this season. So what’s up? It’s pretty simple. Under Joe Torre, the Yankees used the stolen base to build on leads. So far this season, the Yankees haven’t had many leads. Joe Girardi would probably like to be more aggressive but has lacked the opportunities. It also ...

Answering Jayson Stark's Detroit Tigers rumblings & grumblings: 4 questions that won't go away edition
Published 5/23/2008 by BigAl at Bless You Boys: Front Page Posts
...   Jayson Stark's latest "Rumblings & Grumblings" column at the 4 letter, as he talks Tigers within. Stark brings up 4 questions that not only we Tigers fans have been asking, but those around the nation as well. I can't say much for his answers, as they are on the flippant side, so I'll give it a shot... ...

Friday afternoon linkaliciousness
Published 5/23/2008 by Adam J. Morris at Lone Star Ball: Front Page Posts
Jon Heyman's column reviews last offseason's big trades, and discusses at length the Josh Hamilton/Edinson Volquez deal...Heyman says Krivsky was dead set on getting Volquez if he gave up Hamilton, and rejected various other combinations and offers, and the deal is now looking pretty good for both teams. SI has a feature piece on Volquez's resurgence, and Volquez says ...

Identifying more young players who could cash in
Published 5/23/2008 at BBTF's Baseball Primer Newsblog
Identifying more young players who could cash in Just s’more of the usual mumblings and stumblings from our man Stark. “If you’re a team that’s out there signing a bunch of players to long-term deals,” said an official of one club that isn’t sold on that practice, “then you’d better be a team that’s winning multiple championships. If you’re not, then all that money you’re guaranteeing is committed to the wrong players.”

Igawa wanted out?
Published 5/29/2008 by Brent Nycz at The Bronx Block
Ted Striker: Surely you can’t be serious. Rumack: I am serious… and don’t call me Shirley. All Airplane! quotes aside, in ESPN’s Rumblings and Grumblings, Jayson Stark reports that Kei Igawa wanted to get the hell out of Dodge. Via ESPN.com: Kei Igawa isn’t quite as buried on that Yankees’ depth chart as Carl Pavano, but it’s close. And he’s already homesick. We’ve heard from two different baseball men recently that Igawa asked the Yankees over the winter if there was any way he could return to Japan. The Yankees ...

Stark's Latest: Braves, Robertson, Igawa
Published 5/30/2008 by Tim Dierkes at MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com
Jayson Stark has a new Rumblings and Grumblings column up.  Let's take a look. While Greg Maddux is not out of the question, the Braves are more interested in a younger starter they can control for multiple years. One possibly available starter who hasn't gotten much buzz: Nate Robertson.  The 30 year-old southpaw hasn't pitched ...

Rangers Link Dump: 5/29 Edition
Published 5/30/2008 by Joey Matschulat at Baseball Time in Arlington
If the season ended today, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim would take home the AL West divisional crown by a 2½ game margin over the second-place Oakland Athletics with a 32-23 record - good for a .582 winning percentage. Extrapolated out over the entirety of a 162-game schedule, that’s equivalent to a 94-win season. Not coincidentally, the Angels won 94 games in 2007, 95 games in 2005 and 92 games in 2004. In fact, they’ve won fewer than 90 games just once since a mediocre 75-win campaign in 2001. They’re not going away. For the 27-28 Texas Rangers to meet that 94-win threshold (and several other benchmarks along the way), here is how they would have to perform ...

Braves Bandwagon Part I
Published 5/30/2008 by Daniel Jarratt (noreply@blogger.com) at Baseball Playoffs Now
Jayson Stark's Rumblings and Grumblings on ESPN: "Which team this year is most likely to come from even a couple of games back in the pack and show up in October? ... [O]ur pick would be the Braves. They have a better run differential (plus-48) than six of the eight teams that would make the playoffs if the postseason started today. They rank first or second in the league in batting average, ERA and rotation ERA. And the biggest reason for their .500-ish record (28-25) is their 2-14 record in one-run games. "I'm going to predict this right now," said one NL scout. "I think Atlanta wins that division." Jayson and unnamed NL scout, welcome to Baseball Playoffs Now, where ...

Stark Rumors: Maddux, Robertson, Batista and More!
Published 5/30/2008 by McFleece at MLB Fleece Factor
ESPN’s Jayson Stark has come through with some pretty decent updates and additions to the rumor mill.  His rumors can be found at the end of his column.  Here’s a rundown: Stark says that while a return to Atlanta for Greg Maddux “isn’t impossible,” he’s heard that the Braves are more focused on finding a young pitcher that they’d be able to control longer.  Stark speculates that Joe Blanton, Rich Harden, Bronson Arroyo, Daniel Cabrera, Jeremy Bonderman could all be candidates depending on their current team’s fate. Detroit’s Nate Robertson could also be made available.  ...

Kobe Gets the Kill Shot
Published 5/30/2008 by Sturminator (noreply@blogger.com) at Bob's Blog - Live from Lewisville
Kobe is ridiculous. There is no stopping him. In the 4th Quarter, you better score every time down, because he is planning on it at the other end. What a closer. Not Jordan, but the closest we have seen since. Rejoice. As the Spurs will not win the NBA Title. If your two favorite teams are a) the Mavericks and b) whoever is playing the Spurs, then hello Win Column. Plaschke on the Lakers amazing season … Months after they began a season with one whining diva and seven dwarfs, the Lakers are bringing a legitimate fable into the NBA Finals. From Shock to Awe. With a 100-92 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, the team that ...

Read: Valentin, Delgado & the Trade Market
Published 5/30/2008 by Brandon Eddy at MetsBlog.com
In his latest installment of Rumblings & Grumblings on ESPN.com, Jayson Stark discusses how the Mets clubhouse sorely misses Jose Valentin. Stark quotes a baseball insider as explaining: “Not having Jose Valentin might be the biggest difference between this team and the 2006 team … He not only played well. He’s a tough guy. He kept other players in line. And he added to the toughness and the winning attitude of that team. You look around that clubhouse now, and there’s not one guy like that.” In regards to Carlos Delgado, Stark reports that two different NL scouts said it is time for the Mets to ...

Delgado Doesn’t Want To Be Here
Published 5/30/2008 by Dave Doyle at The Mets Report
Delgado Doesn’t Want To Be Here When Carlos Delgado signed his four year contract with the Florida Marlins prior to the 2005 season, he spurned the Mets because he didn’t like Tony Bernazard’s pitch . Even Carlos Beltran talking to Delgado about what a great opportunity they could have with the Mets couldn’t get Delgado to sign here as a free agent. Prior to the 2006 the Mets traded Mike Jacobs and Yusmeiro Petit for Delgado even though Omar Minaya knew that Delgado didn’t want to be here. Wouldn’t it be nice to have Mike Jacobs back? Hindsight is 20/20. In this case, foresight should’ve been too. That was a bad deal by Minaya. Fast forward to last night. Delgado has two hits after sitting on the ...

Is Nate Robertson soon to be on the block?
Published 5/30/2008 by BigAl at Bless You Boys: Front Page Posts
Jayson Stark claims in his latest "Rumblings and grumblings" column the Tigers are telling teams "they might have a left-hander available in a few weeks."  As Stark notes, the available left hander sure wouldn't be Kenny Rogers or Dontrelle Willis. The Gambler won't be traded for obvious reasons (age, only on a 1 year deal, would likely retire if dealt), and ...

Is Nate Robertson soon to be on the block?
Published 5/30/2008 by Big Al (noreply@blogger.com) at The Wayne Fontes Experience
Jayson Stark claims in his latest "Rumblings and grumblings" column the Tigers are telling teams "they might have a left-hander available in a few weeks." As Stark notes, the available left hander sure wouldn't be Kenny Rogers or Dontrelle Willis. The Gambler won't be traded for obvious reasons (age, only on a 1 year deal, would likely retire if dealt), and the D-Train's control issues, let alone his expensive multi-year contract, make him essentially untradable. Thus, if you do the math, Nate Robertson is the unnamed left hander on the trading block. Why would the Tigers think about trading someone they signed to a multi-year contract just this past off season? ...

Now is the time to see what Valentin can do!
Published 5/31/2008 by Dom DiFucci (noreply@blogger.com) at Dom D's - Mets Fan Blog
After the fall of last night's game there is really no time to panic. The Mets are still one game under .500 with two games to play at home. The Mets must focus on winning the next two games and try to come out of this one game over .500 before the west coast road trip. The Mets had some bad news last night about Luis Castillo who is listed day to day with a hip flexor problem that might lead to a trip to the DL. The Mets have insurance in the minors with Jose Valentin. According to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com, In his Rumbling and Grumblings MLB Report :It may sound crazy, but the ex-Met we keep hearing that his old team misses most is Jose Valentin. "Not having ...

Published 6/5/2008 by El Guapo's Ghost (noreply@blogger.com) at El Guapo's Ghost Rambles on about the Red Sox
INDIANS COULD SHIP C.C. SABATHIA TO THE SOX ESPN is reporting that... Our spies say the Indians have "got their soldiers out, looking at other clubs with depth and prospects," just in case they decide to put their ace on the market. And one organization they've been scouting most heavily is (yep) the Red Sox. Too early to comment but thought I would pass it along.

Open Thread: Cubs vs. Dodgers, Thursday 6/5, 9:10 CT
Published 6/5/2008 by Al at Bleed Cubbie Blue: Front Page Posts
Next Game Chicago Cubs @ Los Angeles Dodgers Thursday, Jun 5, 2008, 9:10 PM CDT Dodger Stadium Ryan Dempster vs Chad Billingsley --> Clear. Winds blowing out to right field at 5-10 m.p.h. Game ...

Jayson Stark's Latest
Published 6/6/2008 by Cork Gaines at MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com
Jayson Stark's latest column is up and as usual he dips into the rumor-mill several times... Indians: According to other clubs, Cleveland is starting to float C.C. Sabathia's name, but are making it clear that they are not ready to trade him. Stark says the Indians are scouting the Red Sox heavily. One executive says that it is hard to imagine somebody giving up prospects for a guy that will almost certainly test the free agency waters. That same executive says they would have a hard time giving seven years to a pitcher as big as Sabathia. Tigers: One AL executive says the Tigers don't have any prospects of value left, but wonders if they won't do ...

Jason Stark Rumors, Notes
Published 6/6/2008 by Patrick Dorsey at The Transaction Guy
There are four names I think of when I hear MLB rumors: Buster Olney, Ken Rosenthal, Jon Heyman, and Jason Stark. The latter has a new one of his rumblings and grumblings columns out on ESPN.com. Here are a few pieces of information he shares: Stark notes that Ozzie Guillen does have a deal in place through 2012 and that the White Sox may not fire him with so many years left on his contract. I still think they could if he goes out of control, but if he keeps winning he’s fine.  The Tigers don’t have anymore great prospects left, so Stark and a AL executive wonder if they could make a big trade before the deadline, possibly giving up Jeremy Bonderman. They are ...

High Five
Published 6/6/2008 by Fornelli (noreply@blogger.com) at Foul Balls
A quick look around the interweb while preparing for tomorrow's Pants Party at The Cell...oh and also while congratulating my friend Vu who is getting married this weekend....oh and remembering all those kids who died storming the beaches of Normandy on this day all those years ago Screw the Presidency, vote in a real election. [ Home Run Derby ...

Friday Notes
Published 6/6/2008 by E.L.M. at El Lefty Malo
* The second day of the draft rolls on. The Giants have taken lots of pitchers. Maybe one of them will be the next Jonathan Sanchez, a 27th round pick in 2004, or Brian Wilson, a 24th-rounder in ‘03. If you’re curious, here are the other lower-round draftees by the Giants currently on the staff or nearly so: Jack Taschner (1999–2nd) Kevin Correia (2002–4th) Billy Sadler (2003–6th) Pat Misch (2003–7th) Erick Threets (2000–7th) Alex Hinshaw (2005, 15th) To round things out: Tyler Walker, Mets (1999–2nd) Vinnie Chulk, Blue Jays ...

Has The Injury Bug Knocked The Tigers And Indians Out Of Contention?
Published 6/7/2008 by Alejandro Leal at MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com
Frustration continues to mount as both the Indians and Tigers have lost a key starter to injury this week. Jeremy Bonderman is out with a blood clot, and Jake Westbrook will undergo Tommy John surgery; both pitchers are likely out for the season. Since these two teams where once considered favorites to contend for the AL Central crown, it seems highly in plausible ...

Lazy Sunday in The D
Published 6/8/2008 by noreply@blogger.com (Paul Cousineau) at The DiaTribe
If golf is a good walk spoiled, I’m not sure how to feel about the trip I took to Detroit yesterday that was enjoyable…if you don’t count the actual game. Chatting up some Detroit fans in front of us during the game, we discussed with them which team was more disappointing, what has happened this year, and argued about which team’s bullpen would ultimately blow the game. Unfortunately, I “won” the last point of contention as Kobayashi surrendered the lead and Betancourt served up a pitch to Renteria that cleared the fence and wrecked what was a very winnable game. Alas we trudged on through the night, hitting Chris Chelios’ bar after the game, where I had a chance encounter with the ...

Big CC Sabathia to join the Red Sox?
Published 6/10/2008 by Cormac (noreply@blogger.com) at BOSTON IRISH
The always enjoyable Jayson Stark of ESPN had this fascinating piece in his weekly rundown, suggesting the Indians might be thinking about shopping their ace, reigning Cy Young champ CC Sabathia, to the Boston Red Sox; C.C. Sabathia to the Red Sox? Our spies say the Indians have "got their soldiers out, looking at other clubs with depth and prospects," just in case they decide to put their ace on the market. And one organization they've been scouting most heavily is (yep) the Red Sox. As we mentioned earlier in Rumblings, the Indians are still traveling down duel paths, hoping to charge back into the race but also letting teams know that if ...

Griffey Jr. & Latin America
Published 6/13/2008 by R.J. Anderson at DRaysBay: Front Page Posts
Let's start with Jayson Stark's latest column which involved two Rays related tidbits. First up: Whither Junior, 2009 edition: But if you're looking for a destination Griffey could land in next year, once there are no worries about surrendering prospects or picking up a $16-million contract, here's a club we've started to hear some guesswork about: Tampa Bay. The ...

Report: Randolph Not Getting Fired
Published 6/13/2008 by Dave Doyle at The Mets Report
ESPN’s Jayson Stark is reporting today that a source that regularly speaks to Mets front office personnel told him that Mets manager Willie Randolph is not going to be fired. From the column: Minaya "has made his decision," said the same baseball man. "And the decision is, this is Willie’s team. And he’s not going away." Reading this column made me wonder: What does Randolph have to do to get fired? As I’ve said before, I know that all of the teams problems aren’t his fault. But he has to be held accountable for the overall on-field performance of the team. It’s obvious that the Mets need to ...

Willie on Thin Ice
Published 6/13/2008 by Andrew Beaton at Hot Foot
According to the always informative Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Willie Randolph’s job status has become so unsafe that it essentially “day-to-day.” Rosenthal cites that there are large amounts of criticism out there for Randolph for having Billy Wagner come in the middle of an inning on Wednesday, rather than just pulling Mike Pelfrey after eight innings.  However, at ESPN in his column “Rumblings and Grumblings” Jayson Stark thinks that while his job is by no means secure, Willie is safe for now: But the fellow who has to make this call, Minaya, isn’t giving in to that talk. ...

“Charlie Manuel Is An Ass…toundingly Capable Manager!”
Published 6/13/2008 by Chamomiles Davis at The Fightins'
Local boy/ESPN baseball beat reporter Jayson Stark examines the always-mercurial relationship between baseball fans and managers. Naturally, one of those managers is Charlie Manuel, who since mid-2007 has risen from the rank of “shitty” to “not bad.” (Hey, around here that’s as good as it gets.) From Stark’s article… In the offseason between the 2006 and 2007 seasons, the people who run the Phillies seriously debated whether to bring their manager back, even after two consecutive seasons in which Manuel’s team stayed in the race into the final weekend… You sure don’t hear that old “Charlie from ...

[Ken Griffey Jr] Floyd To Retire After Season; Griffey To The Rays?
Published 6/13/2008 by noreply@blogger.com (The Professor) at Rays Index
According to John Heyman of ESPN.com, Cliff Floyd indicated that he will likely retire following this season. The Rays don't have a set starting right fielder, but the lefthanded-hitting Eric Hinske (11 home runs, 31 RBI) has done a nice job as part of a rotation, and a righthanded hitter might actually be a better fit. Veteran Cliff Floyd (.250, 5 HRs) has been solid serving as the lefthanded DH for the Rays but is injury prone and has been held out of the lineup in recent days. Floyd said earlier this year he's pretty sure this will be his last season.Floyd signed with the Rays as a free agent this past off-season with a 1-year, ...

No trades of Bay or Nady?
Published 6/13/2008 by GhostofBigRoy at Bucs Dugout: Front Page Posts
Jayson Stark has an interesting article up over on espn.com about the whirlwind life of managers like Ozzie Guillen and Ned Yost.  The pertinent information about the Buccos comes near the bottom: • Pass the Bucco: The Jason Bay/Xavier Nady rumors continue to percolate. But an official of one team that investigated ...

GameDay #68 at Orioles
Published 6/13/2008 by Brian McElhinny (noreply@blogger.com) at Raise the Jolly Roger!
Pirates (33-34) at Orioles (32-33) 7:05--Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore Phil Dumatrait (3-3, 3.44) vs. Brian Burres (4-5, 4.96) [Preview] -------------- This could be the night. The Pirates could get to that hallowed mark with a victory over the unfamiliar Orioles. The Birds are in the same situation, sitting at a relatively surprising 32-33. About that .500 thing: there's ...

Phillies, put in their place by Red Sox, seek pitching help
Published 6/19/2008 by EnriqueFed (noreply@blogger.com) at ALL THINGS PHILLY SPORTS
(AP Photo/Tom Mihalek) After leading the Phillies to an impressive victory over the Red Sox in the first game of the series, Cole Hamels suggested that a Red Sox/Phillies World Series is destined to happen. Hamels said that the Phillies could compete with the Red Sox "any day of the week". He should have rephrased that to "any day of the week I am pitching" ...

Mets Looking At Freel- Phillies At Pitching
Published 6/19/2008 by Dave Doyle at The Mets Report
Jayson Stark’s Rumblings and Grumblings column today contains a few Mets references: The list of managers that the Mets will be looking at for 2009 The Mets have some interest in the Cincinnati Reds’ Ryan Freel He also talks about the Phillies desire to bolster their starting pitching via trade.  He says that they’ve looked at C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Bronson Arroyo, Jared Washburn, and will be looking at Erik Bedard. Their problem is that they don’t have much left in the minors for a trade. So they’d have to “empty the tank” to make a deal. Ryan Freel would be a nice fit with the Mets.  His scrappy play and ...

McLaren Sunk
Published 6/19/2008 by Jeff Kallman at The MLB Source
Breaking: Just days after giving general manager Bill Bavasi the shove overboard, the Seattle Mariners sent manager John McLaren to Davy Jones’ Locker Thursday, enlisting bench coach Jim Riggleman (former Chicago Cubs manager—career managing record: 486-598, one postseason appearance in 1998—and Los Angeles Dodgers bench coach) to run the sinking ship for the rest of the season at least. We hadn’t shown any improvement for the last couple of months. In fact, we were probably regressing.—Interim general manager Lee Pelakoudas. Figure that out by himself, did he? The Mariners launched a season with postseason designs ...

This Week's Links (6/16-6/20)
Published 6/20/2008 by Vegas Watch (noreply@blogger.com) at Vegas Watch
I don't even want to talk about what happened yesterday. Cruel timing. Even Wall Street was watching Tiger on Monday. Does it make sense to take third when down multiple runs in the 9th? Everybody's talking about Seattle's GM search--USS Mariner, Beyond the Box Score, and Stark. "Kaz: Brings the heat" This is the height of stupidity: I am sick of linking to everything Posnanski writes, but: on Ricciardi, Kobe vs. Jordan, and Tiger. Fun with screen grabs. What is Jerry Manuel thinking when he says this?

Young’s Walk-Off Saves Rangers From Latest Bullpen Meltdown
Published 6/20/2008 by Joey Matschulat at Baseball Time in Arlington
C.J. Wilson’s last four outings, listed chronologically: June 15th: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 25 pitches June 17th: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 11 pitches June 18th: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 28 pitches June 19th: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 21 pitches Total: 3.1 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 85 pitches Wow. I mean, wow. It would be a lot easier to write this off as nothing more than a brief, albeit horrific rough skid if Wilson hadn’t already been struggling with baserunner and pitch count woes for the better part of the 2008 season. Instead, you have to begin to wonder if something far more sinister is in play. Did manager Ron ...

Orioles a blueprint for the Rangers
Published 6/20/2008 by noreply@blogger.com (Chip's Moody Blues) at Uwe Blog
ESPN's Jayson Stark does nice weekly column called Rumblings & Grumblings. It's a pleasant baseball read for my baseball eyes. Most interesting is a little sidebar about the Baltimore Orioles, who, if you remember, were destined for 100+ losses and are now on pace for 80+ wins. ...

TDIB 27 June 2008: AL Superiority
Published 28 days ago by Anders at Batter's Box Interactive Magazine
The Jays whomped the Reds to take the series as Cito evens his record with the 2008 Jays out at 3-3. Now they just have to keep hitting for the rest of the season. Going into today's game, Edinson Volquez had the best ERA in baseball. As I covered earlier in the advance scout, in his worst start of the year he went six innings and allowed three runs with five strikeouts and five walks. It was the only time he allowed three earned runs in a start all season. Until today. I was going to make some snide remarks about the NL-AL gap, though Volquez pitched well against both the Red Sox and Yankees previously. However, the lack of a straightforward and ultimately artificial narrative device ...

The Subway Series is a Welcome Distraction
Published 28 days ago by Matthew Artus at NJ.com: Always Amazin'
It's a strange time for another Subway Series. The luster of an intra-city brawl between the Mets and Yankees wore off a long time ago. We've seen a lot of these games and already experienced our share of exciting moments. It's more of a distraction than a novelty nowadays. But maybe a distraction is what we need. The Mets certainly haven't played inspired baseball as of late. They're trapped in suspended animation with an aging roster that no one believes in to stay healthy, let alone compete. Minaya's busy defending his roster moves, like defending Luis Castillo ...

Pregame Thread: Cubs vs. White Sox, Friday 3/27, 3:05 CT
Published 28 days ago by Al at Bleed Cubbie Blue: Front Page Posts
Next Game Chicago Cubs @ Chicago White Sox Friday, Jun 27, 2008, 3:05 PM CDT U.S. Cellular Field Ryan Dempster vs Jose Contreras --> Partly cloudy with a 50-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing ...

Lazy Sunday with a Familiar Topic
Published 26 days ago by noreply@blogger.com (Paul Cousineau) at The DiaTribe
If you feel like Lazy Sunday has turned into a dumping ground for discussion on the “Whither C.C.?” party, you’re not alone. But, it being the most written and talked about topic, I would be remiss if I didn’t take it head-on, regardless of the fact that the Trading Deadline is about a month away and with the Indians heading to Chicago tomorrow to see if they can take care of some divisional business themselves. First and foremost is the new report of what would likely constitute a final offer to C.C. from the team, which conspiracy theorists would have you believe is a way for the Indians to save face when C.C. turns it down. Without getting into how skeptical of everything in ...

In the News (6/29)
Published 25 days ago by Jared (noreply@blogger.com) at Right Field Bleachers
Tonight's Game: Twins 5, Brewers 0 Record: 44-38, Third Place Games Behind Cubs: 4.5 So, one out of three against the Twins is a little disappointing, but the Brewers have still gained a game and a half on the Cubs over the last four days as the Northsiders got swept on the South side. - The Brewers ...

Interleague Recap and Tidbits
Published 23 days ago by Robby O'Daniel at Hot Foot
When interleague play started back up around three weeks ago, I posted my argument against interleague here at Hot Foot, and I still feel much the same way. However, a Jayson Stark column at ESPN.com provides an interesting look at interleague play, not only this year but in years past, and how it corresponds to success in October. What Stark and ESPN found was that teams don’t simply do poorly in interleague play, brush off the dust, and do well against their own league foes. Only about one-fifth of playoff teams in the interleague era have had losing interleague records, Stark said, and almost half of that twenty was just one game under .500 in interleague. ...

Trade Talk: Scouting Bedard, Sabathia; Victorino
Published 22 days ago by Tim Malcolm at Phillies Nation
has been reported numerous times that the Phillies have scouted CC Sabathia and Erik Bedard. Of course they have — they’re looking at them both. Nothing new on Carlos Carrasco, though one thinks if he’s injured for a long period of time it wouldn’t bode well for trading prospects. And speaking of those … Jayson Stark has the dirt on two Phillies that probably won’t be going anywhere soon. He writes: “Despite persistent rumors that the Phillies would trade Shane Victorino for a starting pitcher, an official of one club says: ‘I don’t know where that’s coming from.’ He said the Phillies have ...

Pregame Thread: Cubs vs. Giants, Thursday 7/3, 6:05 CT
Published 22 days ago by Al at Bleed Cubbie Blue: Front Page Posts
Next Game Chicago Cubs @ San Francisco Giants Thursday, Jul 3, 2008, 6:05 PM CDT AT&T; Park Sean Gallagher vs Tim Lincecum --> Partly cloudy. Winds blowing out to center field at 5-15 m.p.h. Game ...

ESPN: Stark - Rumblings & Grumblings - Deadline deals don’t match the hype
Published 21 days ago at BBTF's Baseball Primer Newsblog
ESPN: Stark - Rumblings & Grumblings - Deadline deals don’t match the hype Here’s an interesting development: Clubs that have spoken with the Mariners report they’re back-burning their attempts to deal Erik Bedard, for the moment at least, because they have more pressing priorities. And what might those priorities be? Moving the likes of Richie Sexson, Jarrod Washburn, Miguel Batista and Adrian Beltre. That’s what. Not surprisingly, unloading Sexson heads that list—not that they’re getting anywhere. Seattle is even expressing reluctance to deal Raul Ibanez—at this point, anyway. One club reports the Mariners would like to package Ibanez with someone like Washburn or Batista, in hopes of ...

Start Scratching Your Heads . . .
Published 19 days ago by Jeff Kallman at The MLB Source
Here’s whom the fans voted to start the All-Star Game, with those who should have been starting in parentheses with a quick justification, and a rather distinct whiff of Boston and Chicago in the wind: AL 1B–Kevin Youkilis, Boston. (No argument, really.) 2B–Dustin Pedroia, Boston. (Ian Kinsler, Texas: he’s earned the start, Pedroia should still be on the team.) 3B–Alex Rodriguez, New York. (Who stuffed his ballot box? [Probably not his wife.] Mike Lowell or Evan Longoria, anyone?) SS–Derek Jeter, New York. (Apparently, people outside New York really aren’t paying much attention ...

Ideas on how to make the All-Star Game even better
Published 15 days ago at BBTF's Baseball Primer Newsblog
Ideas on how to make the All-Star Game even better Pulling the plug on interleague play to restore its fabled “mystique;” dumping the fan voting; dumping the player voting; dumping internet voting; or telling all those pesky sponsors to take a hike so we can restore the “purity” of the game. Sorry, gang. It’s the 21st Century. And we’re going to have to continue living in it. But what can we do? How about these ideas: .. We’ve always wanted the All-Star break to feel more like a summertime version of that week between Christmas and New Year’s—a week to kick back, evict all other sporting distractions from your brain and celebrate what baseball means to summer in America. “I want the ...

“Play hard, play fearless, have fun”
Published 14 days ago by Jeff Kallman at The MLB Source
This is getting nerve-wracking. The hottest team in baseball over the past ten games isn’t the Tampa Bay Rays. They’re a mere 6-4, and the four losses are consecutive (to the Royals once, the Yankees twice, the Indians once) through this writing. It isn’t the Chicago White Sox, though 7-3 in the past ten isn’t exactly something to warm the cockles of Ozzie Guillen’s Rant-o-Matic, either. Until the Royals (of all people) waxed them 4-1 Thursday, or should that be waxing them 4-1 in the eighth inning, when the Royals scored all the runs including on Mark Teahen’s inside-the-park homer, the White Sox had won four straight, including a pair each from ...

The Kiss of Death
Published 14 days ago by woziszeus (noreply@blogger.com) at Chuckie Hacks
From Jayson Stark's latest column:• LaPorta authority: As we surveyed various clubs about the CC Sabathia deal, it was interesting to hear the split among AL and NL teams about the centerpiece player, Matt LaPorta. Most AL teams see him as the middle-of-the-order, next-Travis-Hafner-type bat the Indians envision him to be. NL teams, on the other hand, focus more on his lack of a true position. And one NL executive said he isn't even sold on LaPorta's bat. "I've seen him since college, and I've never been a Matt LaPorta guy ," the scout said. " I think he's just going to be a Kevin Mench type . Stiff actions, with power obviously. But not real athletic. I sure don't see him the way they see ...

MLB Trade Rumors: A.J. Burnett To Philadelphia
Published 14 days ago by faketeams at FakeTeams: Front Page Posts
According the Jeff Blair of the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Blue Jays have dispensed GM J.P. Riciiardi's top advisor to check out the Reading Phillies, the Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.  Of particular interest is RHP Carlos Carasco, C Lou Marson and CF Greg Golson, who Mr. Blair says the Jays particularly covet.  Additionally, the Double-Phils have a couple of middle infielders who the team likes in Jason Donald and Brad Harman. Harman is doing very well, but the other four certainly are.  I agree with Keith Law's take on Golson and Donald. Corey (Philadelphia): Are the Phillies going to actually be a player in the trade deadline for once? ...

Pregame Thread: Cubs vs. Giants, Friday 7/11, 1:20 CT
Published 14 days ago by Al at Bleed Cubbie Blue: Front Page Posts
Next Game San Francisco Giants @ Chicago Cubs Friday, Jul 11, 2008, 1:20 PM CDT Wrigley Field Matt Cain vs Jason Marquis --> Partly cloudy. Winds blowing out to center field at 5-15 m.p.h. Game Time ...

The Mark Teixeira asking price
Published 14 days ago by Adam J. Morris at Lone Star Ball: Front Page Posts
From Jayson Stark: The sad part is Teixeira is a guy [the Braves would] love to keep, and Teixeira never acts like a player who wants to leave. But Scott Boras has already sent signals that the free-agent asking price on Teixeira this winter will start at $23 million a year (theoretically for eight to 10 years). So the Braves know the one thing certain about Teixeira's trip through free agency is that it won't end with a return to Atlanta. Which will only make them more prone to hit the "ejector" button in this month if they think they can't win. I like Mark Teixeira.  I think he's a very good player...probably not great, but on that very good/great ...

Fantasy Futures Game Rosters
Published 14 days ago by Mike A. at River Ave. Blues
In yesterday’s Rumblings column about possible tweaks to the All-Star festivities, Jayson Stark mentioned something that grabbed my attention and sounded pretty damn cool. Take it away, Mr. Stark: An entirely new Futures Game, matching a team of great minor league prospects against a team of first-year and second-year big leaguers. Look at that. It’s simple, easy to implement, and much more interesting than the current USA vs The World format. Now don’t get me wrong, I understand the marketing importance of the current format, but as a fan, I think the MLers vs MiLers format would be much better entertainment. Think about it, ...

How to improve the All-Star Game
Published 12 days ago by Ed Valentine at Bugs & Cranks
After today, the All-Star break will be here. With that in mind, let’s discuss a recent column by ESPN’s Jayson Stark in which listed ideas for improving the All-Star Game. I like a couple of his ideas. Stark wants to change the Home Run Derby to two rounds instead of three, and make the final round a nine-inning “game.” I love the idea. The first round of the derby is great, but it always goes downhill from there. I also agree with Stark that the Home Run Derby should not just be confined to players on the All-Star Teams. Invite the best home run hitters. Seriously, would you rather watch Ryan Howard and Adam ...

Howard's Snub
Published 10 days ago by Jake (noreply@blogger.com) at Motown Sports Revival
Jayson Stark wrote a piece on ESPN last week that included one of my “pet peeves.” He wrote, “Complaining about the All-Star Game sure is fashionable these days. Maybe not as fashionable as hanging out with Lenny Kravitz. Or hugging the nearest Wimbledon runner-up. But in serious vogue nonetheless. Well, here at World Rumblings Headquarters, we don't want to get lumped in with all those other All Star Game malcontents. Heck, we love the All-Star Game.” Then, of course, he goes on to “complain” about the All-Star game by listing three ways the game could be improved. Just because you preface a complaint with “we don’t want to get lumped in with all those other All Star Game malcontents” ...

Three Things That Will Make MLB All-Star Week Look Really Attractive
Published 10 days ago at FanIQ Blog
Over the past week, I've read and heard many opinions about the All-Star Week for baseball.  I've had people tell me it's too boring.  I've read others argue that it's really meaningless.  In all, I think I've heard more people complain about it than ever.  This guy doesn't deserve to be there.  That guy shouldn't be in the starting outfield.  Let Mariano start the game.  Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah. I agree that the All-Star weekend has some issues.  Honestly, I really liked some of Jayson Stark's ideas on how to tweak the All-Star Game.  There are plenty of big-name players not in attendance this week.  And ...

Deadline Talk: Rays Will Not Trade Top Prospects for Rent-A-Player
Published 31 hours ago by Tommy Rancel at Outs Per Swing
Oh boy the deadline is a week away from today and the rumors are just cranking one after another. Excellent piece today from Jayson Stark of ESPN about the deadline. Stark outlines a few great points about the Rays so here they are… You’ll be hearing lots of relief pitchers (primarily Fuentes and Marte) and right-handed bats (primarily Nady and Blake) connected to Tampa Bay in the next week. But they’ve been telling teams they’re not trading their top tier of prospects (Wade Davis, David Price, Jeremy Hellickson) for a rent-a-player — and they’d rather turn to Price and ...

Today's Braves Trade Who's and What's it's
Published 29 hours ago by gondeee at Talking Chop: Front Page Posts
First up from Jayson Stark. He says that the D-Backs may match up the best with the Braves: Every indication is that the Braves have at least touched base with the Rays, Red Sox, Dodgers, Angels and Yankees on Teixeira. But Arizona appears to be the team to watch. The Diamondbacks quietly made a big run at Teixeira last July, and they're in just as serious need of some major thump now. An official of one club that spoke with the Diamondbacks describes them as having "definite interest." But while the Braves would love to wrest away Conor Jackson, it's tough to imagine Arizona dealing away a player it likes that much for two months of Teixeira. The Braves also ...

Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before
Published 27 hours ago by Charlie at Bucs Dugout: Front Page Posts
Jayson Stark: The Pirates are this year's winners of the Team Most Grumbled About Before the Deadline award. You name a contender. They've all made a run at somebody in the Pirates' display case (Jason Bay, Xavier Nady, Damaso Marte, John Grabow, Jack Wilson). And all those clubs have come away complaining that the price tags are way out of line. For instance: Bay: The Pirates are asking for four players back -- two sure-thing young players, one good prospect and a fourth prospect with upside. Nady: A similar package, except they want three players instead of four -- one sure thing, one good prospect and a third, more ...

Deadline Countdown: Eight Days
Published 27 hours ago by Will Schaffer at Chop-n-Change
No game today but a couple rumors flying around the internet. Here’s the latest from Jim Molony of mlb.com. Frank Wren is listening to offers Will Ohman and Jeff Francoeur but is not interested in trading Mike Gonzalez. Kansas City is one of the teams said to have interest in Francoeur (Not surprising with Dayton Moore at the helm). Mark Teixeira isn’t on the trade block right now but could be depending on how the next week goes. and Jayson Stark from ESPN.com… Stark also says that this next week will decide the direction of the team. The Braves have at least contacted the Rays, Dodgers, Red Sox, Angels, and ...

Trade Deadline Looming- M’s Could Impact Several Contenders
Published 20 hours ago by Bryan Osborn at Caffeinated Confines
With the trade deadline a week away many contenders will be looking to stock their roster for a playoff push and one of the first places they will stop to take a gander is Seattle. With Seattle all but done for the year and their GM declaring that no one is safe it looks like it could be an exciting time again to be a M’s fan. Several players have been rumored to be on the move to dozens of clubs, but will many actually get traded? I think Rhodes and Washburn are pretty sure things to be living somewhere else and Ibanez is likely 50/50. But Beltre, Bedard, and company are most likely to be here come September. Lets start with some rumors: From Jayson Stark, ESPN ...

Road of Perdition
Published 19 hours ago by Nick N. (noreply@blogger.com) at Nick & Nick's Twins Blog
On its own, the Twins getting swept at the hands of the Yankees in New York is not overly troubling. Yet, since the start of June, the Twins have been swept in the stadiums of the White Sox, Red Sox and Yankees -- three contending teams. This is a problem. This Twins team needs to start beating good opponents on the road. The three losses in New York were particularly damaging, since the ...

Texas Trade Wind Anemometer & Miscellaneous Rangers Notes
Published 17 hours ago by Joey Matschulat at Baseball Time in Arlington
I originally set out this evening with the intention of publishing two items - the first on Triple-A Oklahoma’s Nelson Cruz, and which uniform he is most likely to don on the evening of August 1st (which I’ve since pushed back to tomorrow evening), and the second on the plethora of trade rumors and miscellaneous notes swirling around the team whose last six disillusioning games have dealt an excruciating blow to its already dim playoff hopes. Well, one out of two ain’t bad. ● Dan Graziano of the Star-Ledger reports that the New York Yankees have checked into the availability of not only catcher Gerald Laird, but also Washington’s Paul Lo Duca, Kansas City’s Miguel Olivo and ...

Baseball Today: Friday, July 25
Published 14 hours ago by Art Martone (amartone@projo.com) at Projo Sox Blog
Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach WELCOME HOME: Tonight the Red Sox return to Fenway Park to open a nine-game homestand and what better opponent could there be, asks Steven Krasner, than the Yankees? And what better time could there be to offer new amenities to the patrons (ProJo Sox Blog), such as opening the Player's Club behind third base and the Left Field Deck to all fans during the game? But most importantly . . . what better news could there be than David Ortiz returning to the lineup? (Boston Herald) The Sox, writes the Globe's Gordon Edes, did a marvelous job holding serve in the nearly two months Ortiz was ...

That's what you need, man, and you need it bad
Published 11 hours ago by Pat (noreply@blogger.com) at Where have you gone, Andy Van Slyke?
What do you believe at this time of year? Do you believe Jayson Stark's story about teams getting frustrated with the Pirates high asking prices? That thing might as well be cut and pasted from a story about Dave Littlefield. Do you believe Danny Knobler's story at Sportsline that teams should be knocking down the door for the Pirates' players, if only Neal Huntington and Frank Coonelly could just get along? (Incidentally, do you believe that there's a bald sportswriter named Danny Knobler? Because I'm skeptical) Do you believe either of them? Or neither of them? Is the truth somewhere in the middle? Is it more extreme? I don't know the answers to those questions. The trade ...

Friday Morning Rockpile:
Published 10 hours ago by Rox Girl at Purple Row: Front Page Posts
So everybody was abuzz yesterday about the whispers that Roy Halladay might be available. Halladay is certainly in a camp of player that is worth giving up a lot of talent for. Everything seems to be pointing that the Jays will look more intensely at moving him during the winter, so there's time, but I just want to say that I certainly wouldn't mind if the Rockies were a little more in on those discussions than they were with Danny Haren this past offseason. Tracy Ringolsby breaks down where each team is at in the trade deadline dance, and he brings up a good point that a lot of the apparent surprise by the rich contending teams about the small market clubs asking for too much ...

[THE HANGOVER] Garza Loses His Control
Published 10 hours ago by noreply@blogger.com (The Professor) at Rays Index
THE GOOD: Akinori Iwamura's defense. We can't stop praising how seamlessly he has moved to his new position. If he does not win the gold glove, it would be a bigger injustice than Evan Longoria not winning the rookie of the year. Last night, the Rays turned 2 double-plays in the first two innings. Most teams would have only been able to get the lead out. Not with Aki. Aki's turns at second base are as quick as anybody we have ever seen and he always has zip on his throws to first. Those double-plays probably saved Matt Garza at least 1, and maybe more, runs. It ...

Trade stuff to watch
Published 7 hours ago by Kurt at Mack Avenue Tigers
Dave Dombrowski says the Tigers won’t be sellers and probably won’t be buyers. Sellers Can they improve by selling? The Dodgers’ meddling owner may be targetting Edgar Renteria, according to SI’s Jon Heyman. Is it really selling if the team improves by trading away an underperforming shortstop? Heyman’s report brings up the names Jack Wilson and Orlando Cabrera. I’m guessing Cabrera is unavailable, as the White Sox seem to be doing pretty good right now. So do ou want Renteria or Ramon Santiago? This year, you want Santiago. But can he keep it up his fine play at the plate when he’s playing daily? I guess ...

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