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Blyleven in the HOF?

By Brent LaBathe | January 8, 2009 | Twins Killings

There was an interesting article written by Jim Caple on the Hall of Fame credentials of Bert Blyleven and it got me thinking about whether the man with a wicked curve ball will one day be honored in Cooperstown, NY. The case for Blyleven is an easy one. He won 287 games and was notorious for going late into games while picking up the 5th most amount of strike outs in MLB history. But no matter how impressive Blyleven's numbers are and regardless the reputation he carries around the league, the case against him making the Hall of Fame is just as easy. First off, you can't simply look at the dozens of 1-0 losses Blyleven threw and give him the benefit of the doubt. If you are not going to hold credibility to a 'benchmark,' if you want to call it that, then why was Greg Maddux out there...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Bert Blyleven, Carlos Gomez, Delmon Young, Hall of Fame, Minnesota Twins, MLB

Gammons: Red Sox to sign Baldelli this week

By bottomlinesox | January 8, 2009 | The Bottom Line

Rocco Baldelli - imagesbyferg

After spend the first part of the week analyzing all the player the Red Sox could have signed to a bench role, EPSN's Peter Gammons is now reporting that the Red Sox are close to signing Rocco Baldelli: "The Boston Red Sox were close to signing free-agent outfielder Rocco Baldelli on Wednesday night. It is expected to be announced at the Boston Baseball Writers Dinner, where Baldelli will be honored. Baldelli, 27, has been limited to 155 games the last three years because of a mitochondrian disorder, a condition that leaves him feeling extremely fatigued after just a brief workout. Baldelli recently underwent a series of tests as Massahusetts General Hospital and the results were positive. The Red Sox were struck by Baldelli's persona and are optimistic he can be a significant contributor in 2009." Bottom Line: I have said from the beginning that Baldelli's health concerns me, but the...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Boston Red Sox, Peter Gammons, Rocco Baldelli, Tampa Bay Rays

Vance Wilson lashes elbow together with twine, tries to play baseball again

By Samara Pearlstein | January 8, 2009 | Roar of the Tigers

photo by Samara Pearlstein Blast from the highly injured past! It looks like Vance Wilson, backup catcher extraordinaire, sometimes known about these parts as "44th Round" in mostly-fond reference to his 1993 draft position, has signed a minor league deal with the Royals. We all have warm memories of this old friend and his 2006 season, which was the last time he appeared in the majors. Yes, 2006, that heady year, when even the backup catcher batted over .280. Delicious. Following the '06 season, of course, Wilson's elbow exploded, requiring Tommy John surgery on the same elbowy bits TWICE, in rapid succession. You have to admire it. Most 36-year-old catchers who had to undergo massive arm surgery and have been out of the game for two full seasons would probably figure it's about time to hang up the good ol' sneezeguard, but Vance Wilson will not be denied. Hilarious...

Read more | 2 Comments | Tags: Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, MLB

Battle for the Bench: Wiggington, Millar and Hinske

By bottomlinesox | January 8, 2009 | The Bottom Line

Kevin 'El Bencho' Millar - Keith Allison

This is part three of Battle for the Bench. Click HERE to read the other entries. Note: Jerry Hairston, Jr. re-signed with the Reds this week, and since it is becoming more and more likely that the Red Sox will simply use Lugo and Lowrie to cover the infield in 2009, we're going to take a look at Ty Wigginton and a few other players that could end up on the bench in Boston come April. Ty Wiggington - 1B/2B/3B/OF If you play fantasy baseball you know all about Ty Wiggington. He's a career .270 hitter with some pop and is usually eligible at every position on your fantasy roster. It's for this reason that the Red Sox should consider snatching this guy off the free agent market. If Mike Lowell's return from hip surgery does not go well - Wiggy can fill in at third and enable Tito to...

Read more | 3 Comments | Tags: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Eric Hinske, Jason Bay, Kevin Millar, Kevin Youkilis, Mike Lowell, Tampa Bay Rays, Ty Wiggington

Cafardo's Latest: Baldelli, Smoltz close

By Ryne Crabb | January 7, 2009 | Fire Brand of the American League

H/T to MLBTR, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe is reporting that Rocco Baldelli and the Boston Red Sox are close to agreeing on terms for the Rhode Island native to become the fourth outfielder for 2009. The St. Petersburg Times reported earlier this evening that Baldelli was likely to sign soon, and Peter Gammons later reported that Rocco and the Red Sox "close." it seems the biggest competition for Boston was the Pittsburgh Pirates, who were also interested in the 27 year old Baldelli. Click here tor read the Fire Brand profile we did on Rocoo last week. Although i haven't been able to find any concrete reports of likely terms for a deal, Dejan Kovacevic of the Post-Gazette noted his agent is looking for a short-term, heavy bonus variety contract.Speaking of incentive-laden contracts, Cafardo is also reporting the team is likely to announce a deal with 42-year old...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, MLB, Pittsburgh Pirates, Tampa Bay Rays

What About Mike Flanagan?

By Anthony Amobi | January 7, 2009 | Oriole Magic

On Sunday night, Orioles Vice President of Baseball Operations, Mike Flanagan appeared on the MLB Network's "Hot Stove: show and had brief discussion with host Harold Reynolds about the Baltimore Orioles. After a few moments talking about his past before baseball -- believe it or not, apparently Flanagan had run-in with future NBA Hall of Famer Dr. J -- he finally got down to talking about the Birds.Watching the program, let's just say Flanagan didn't instill a lot of confidence in me. I don't know if he's privy to as much information before MacPhail arrived, but he didn't seem to know an inordinate amount of detail about the Mark Teixeira deal which really raised my eyebrows.Yes, he said the team could sign Mark and be "flexible" in talks, but as we all know, the slugger didn't want to come here. As well, he also mentioned the financial disparity between the...

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Questionable Assumption - Would Barry Have Been a Good Hitter in 2008?

By bheikoop | January 7, 2009 | The Outsiders Look at the Insides of Baseball

As promised, yet another follow up to the Barry Bonds saga.Jack Marshall writes,...[S]igning Bonds in order to make the playoffs would have been a dubious and foolish deal for any team, even if one buys the questionable assumption that he would have played well enough to hold up his end of it.Questionable assumption? I'm sorry, but did I miss something?While Marshall is accurate in asserting that Bonds would have been an injury risk had a team signed him for the 2008 season (or even for half of the 2008 season), sometimes the risk outweighs the reward. The risk involved in this scenario would be signing Barry to the league minimum and getting zero at bats out of him.The reward? Signing Barry to the league minimum and getting close to the season Barry put up in 2007.On the surface, to someone who is simply a fan of the game, that might...

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Return of Fun?

By Melissa Lockard | January 7, 2009 | Athletic Supporters

The Oakland A's made it official today, announcing that they had come to terms on a one-year deal plus an option with their former MVP Jason Giambi. Giambi will reportedly make only $4 million next season. The option reportedly is worth $6.5 million with a $1 million buyout. For that kind of price, it is hard to think of a scenario where the A's would not have wanted to sign Giambi. Four million bucks for a player who gets on-base at a terrific pace and hit more than 30 homers last season seems like a bargain, even in this depressed market. Pat Burrell's signing may have set the bar low for Giambi in terms of what he reasonably could look for on the open market, although the speed with which the A's made this deal with Giambi after Burrell's was announced suggests that the parameters were in place before...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Billy Beane, Free Agency, Jason Giambi, Oakland A's, Oakland Athletics

MLB Crystal Ball: Burrell Keeps Rays in Contention in East

By Jaymes Langrehr | January 7, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Pat Burrell will provide a big bat in the middle of Tampa's order -- Scott Ableman/flickr

With the Yankees doing their best to ensure they'll never miss the playoffs again and the Red Sox looking as strong as ever, you couldn't help but feel that the Rays may be left behind, unable to keep up with the spending of their bigger AL East brothers. After all, at most only two teams from the division can make the playoffs.That's not to say the Rays were a fluke -- you certainly don't win the AL East by a decent margin by mistake. They found ways to win close games, were nearly unbeatable at home, and had good pitching throughout the year. Unfortunately for Tampa Bay, they play in the only division in baseball where every other rival doesn't have a problem spending money. In order to keep their spot atop the division, eventually they had to start (smartly) spending money.That's exactly what they did when they signed Pat...

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: MLB, MLB Crystal Ball, Tampa Bay Rays

Alan Smodic on the MLB Network: An Instant Hit or Let Down?

By Brandon Rosage | January 6, 2009 | MVN Outsider

MLB Outsider's Alan Smodic joined MVN Radio Tuesday to take some opening shots and throw praise on the MLB Network in its debut week. Smodic and host Brandon Rosage discussed the expectations set by the NFL Network and NBA TV, and assessed where MLB fell short and where they are winning. The guys also compare MLB's XM Radio 24-hour presence to its new television presence, and take jabs at the young channel's on-air personalities. The discussion serves as a companion to Smodic's MLB Outsider editorial "Initial Thoughts of MLB Network."...

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Initial Thoughts of MLB Network

By Alan Smodic | January 6, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Much like DirecTV's MLB Extra Innings package, the MLB Network is more baseball than one can handle. -- programwitch/Flickr.com

On January 1, Major League Baseball followed in the footsteps of the NFL and NHL by unveiling its own channel -- the MLB Network.If you don't already know what this exactly is, MLBNetwork.com's about page helps:MLB Network stands for Major League Baseball Network, which means access to more baseball than America's ever seen! This new 24-hour network delves into the world of baseball, going far beyond the field. Fans can tune in at any time for fresh perspectives, current news, the latest trade rumors, pre and post-game banter, highlights and more.Again, if you've seen the NFL or NHL networks, just picture those and think baseball. I wasn't sure if I'd receive the channel (I get the NFL network, but not the NHL), so I was surprised to see it coming in through my satellite. Obviously, I checked it out.I was impressed with my first viewing. The first show I saw...

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Fantasy Baseball 2009: Rays Sign OF Pat Burrell

By Brad Berreman | January 5, 2009 | MVN Outsider

phillymads63/Flickr.com

On Monday, the defending American League champion Tampa Bay Rays signed former Philadelphia Phillies OF Pat Burrell to a two-year, $16 million deal. Burrell should serve as the Rays' primary DH and provide a powerful right-handed bat in the middle of their lineup. Last year for the Phillies, he had 33 HR and 86 RBI along with a .507 slugging percentage. 2008 was the fourth straight season Burrell had slugging percentage over .500. Burrell joins a potentially very good Tampa Bay lineup that includes 1B Carlos Pena, LF Carl Crawford, CF B.J. Upton and 2008 AL Rookie of the Year 3B Evan Longoria. He looks likely to bat fifth in the order, behind Crawford, Upton, Longoria and Pena. 2B Akinori Iwamura is in the mix as well to possibly bat first or second, which would change things slightly above Burrell. But no matter what, Burrell should be in a position to be...

Read more | 1 Comment | Tags: Fantasy, MLB, Pat Burrell, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays

Fantasy Baseball: Evaluating Pitchers

By Jeff Freels | January 5, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Ricky Nolasco - ac4lt/Flickr.com

Fantasy baseball newbies often wonder why pitchers are not drafted more highly. In a typical serpentine draft it is not unusual to see the first pitcher taken as deep as the late first or early second round. From there a slow trickle will ensue until all the first and second tier pitchers do not leave the draft board until the early middle rounds. By contrast, there will not be a first tier batter available after the early second round. Why the discrepancy?The problem with pitchers from a fantasy perspective is that they are more injury-prone than batters and their performance is more unpredictable. Despite the fact that the top pitchers will often finish the season as the highest-scoring components of many fantasy teams, we continue to draft them lower than batters. Apart from their fragility and unpredictability, the biggest reason for this is the ease with which pitchers may be...

Read more | 3 Comments | Tags: Fantasy, MLB, Ricky Nolasco

MLB Top 10: Best Offseason Acquisitions to Date

By Jaymes Langrehr | January 5, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Oakland won the Matt Holliday sweepstakes in November -- bryce_edwards/flickr

It's hard to believe that baseball's offseason is nearly over, but pitchers and catchers report to spring training in just over a month. A struggling economy and penny-pinching GMs have led to a somewhat slow offseason, but that doesn't mean good deals were made. With all the publicity the Yankees' spending spree is getting this winter, it's easy to lose track of some of the better deals that flew under the radar. Here are 10 smart transactions (made at a sensible cost) that you may have forgotten about.10. Jeremy Affeldt to the Giants -- signed for 2 years, $8 millionThe first free agent signing of the offseason wasn't very glamorous, but it's turned out to be one of the better (read: sensible) signings of the offseason. Affeldt may not light the world on fire, but he's a very solid lefty reliever that will make San Francisco's bullpen better. Give credit...

Read more | 5 Comments | Tags: Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Angels, MLB, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, Top Ten, Washington Nationals

Fantasy Baseball 2009: Trade Rumor-Orioles' 2B Brian Roberts

By Brad Berreman | January 5, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Orioles' 2B Brian Roberts - Phil Romans/Flickr.com

In what has become a regular occurrence, Baltimore Orioles' 2B Brian Roberts is on the trading block once again. Rumors have suggested that both Chicago teams are in the mix, but a report suggested that the White Sox and Orioles are discussing a trade. White Sox P Gavin Floyd would go east to Baltimore in the deal. Roberts has been a consistent performer over the past few years, In 2008, he hit .295 with 9 HR, 57 RBI and 40 SB. He also had 51 doubles last season, which was good for second in the American League in that category. Since 2005, he has hit at least .286, had at least a .410 slugging percentage and stolen at least 27 bases every season. Roberts has also been durable, playing in 159, 143, 138, 156 and 155 games since 2004. However, the White Sox lineup does face some uncertainty with the...

Read more | Discuss | Tags: Baltimore Orioles, Brian Roberts. Gavin Floyd, Chicago White Sox, Fantasy, MLB

Top Fits for Andruw Jones

By Evan | January 5, 2009 | MVN Outsider

Andruw Jones - kla4607/Flickr.com

With word that the Los Angeles Dodgers have restructured outfielder Andruw Jones' contract to an affordable $5 million deal (with the rest of the $15 million deferred over the next six years without interest) and a pledge by the Dodgers to release or trade Jones so he can land with a new team, which teams seem like fits for Jones?There are a couple criteria that need to be met to fit for Jones. One is that Jones is primarily a centerfielder, although we won't let that play too much into our fits -- outfielders, centerfielders most notably, tend to move around the outfield corners more often than infielders do.Secondly, Jones has expressed a desire to start and will control his fate if he is released. Only through the trade market would a team be able to secure him as a fourth outfielder if they promised to give him ample playing...

Read more | 4 Comments | Tags: Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, Texas Rangers

And Every Cowboy Sings a Sad, Sad Song

By Mike Scioscia's tragic illness | January 5, 2009

No, I didn't miss Andruw Jones restructuring his deal to get the hell out of Dodge(rtown). After a long weekend away and a short coma at the shock of not having to see that fat sack of crap in a Dodgers uniform in 2009, I'm back and beyond thrilled. That said, I'm not going to dwell on it too much right now - he's not officially been dumped yet, everyone else in the world has...

16 recommendations | 11 Comments

Hells Bells in Los Angeles?

By Mike Scioscia's tragic illness | January 7, 2009

Not that this isn't an idea that hasn't already been kicked around for months, but Yahoo's Tim Brown says that the Dodgers have actually acted upon it... The Los Angeles Dodgers have offered Trevor Hoffman a one-year contract with a club option for 2010, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. Hoffman, the all-time saves leader, also has discussed a contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, and is likely to have received a formal offer...

7 recommendations | 5 Comments

Does it Matter if the Pirates Win in 2009?

By Cory Humes | January 7, 2009

For the past few weeks at Pirate Revolution, we have been considering the Pittsburgh Pirates' depth chart heading into 2009. With my first Wednesday column in the series of posts, I advocated trading Ryan Doumit, who I argued is at or near his peak and isn't likely to retain top value until the Pirates next field a winning team. The week after, I speculated on a scenario in which Adam LaRoche would be dealt. LaRoche...

4 recommendations | 1 Comment

the true story of the Gerald Laird trade

By Samara Pearlstein | January 6, 2009

This is the true story, exactly as it happened. I mean, let's be honest, it's precisely this sort of piercing insight into front office maneuvers that brings you here to Roar of the Tigers again and again, or at least once and then very occasionally thereafter. Two pages, pure lazy refusal to use a ruler, 100% of FACT! Click for bigger, as per usual. And, for no particular reason, here's Guillermo Moscoso, aka the old...

4 recommendations | 12 Comments