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Re: The MLB Thread
Yeah I didn't mention anything about that. Corpas is old news, and so is the VERY average Andy Sonnestein.
When I read that, "to shore up their bullpen", I just laughed.
Both of those guys are bullpen guys for a Kansas City Royals-type. Big deal.
Those are two total throwaway signings, no different than the Cubs trading for Ian Stewart.
"Just to give them a shot to see if there's anything there"
It's a good trade for both teams. If OAK got prospects that were closer to the big leagues I would say the trade would have favored them.
Off topic (a little): Why doesn't Bud do anything about the Mets ownership situation? It's getting embarrassing reading about their money problems. I guess the Wilpons are friends of Bud so they get a longer rope to figure out their problems.
You pretty much said it. Selig makes sure of that. If your his boy, it doesn't matter the situation.
Tom Hicks had been running the Rangers into the ground for YEARS, and Selig turned a blind eye. The McCourt's were also an awful choice to own the Dodgers, but Selig pushed it through.
But of course tho...
"No Mark Cuban"
Selig knows Cuban has enough brains he'd eventually be commish of MLB.
Re: The MLB Thread
Yeah I didn't mention anything about that. Corpas is old news, and so is the VERY average Andy Sonnestein.
When I read that, "to shore up their bullpen", I just laughed.
Both of those guys are bullpen guys for a Kansas City Royals-type. Big deal.
"Just to give them a shot to see if there's anything there"
Yeah, but that's the thing with bullpens. They're so unpredictable. You could go out and sign what appear to be can't miss setup guys and they turn out to be terrible. You sign a retread and he pitches lights out. Happens all the time. Last year the Red Sox signed Bobby Jenks, and while he wasn't great the previous year, I figured he'd be ideal as a 7th inning guy. The guy a) couldn't stay healthy, and b) sucked when he was healthy. Then they signed Alfredo Aceves, whose health was such an issue that the pitching hungry Yankees didn't even want him back. He turned out to be Boston's most consistent reliever.
You just never know with relievers. Guys are great one year, suck the next. It's all a gamble.
Re: The MLB Thread
A's trade Andrew Bailey, Ryan Sweeney to Red Sox
by Howard Ulman / AP Sports
BOSTON (AP)—For Andrew Bailey, coming in from the bullpen at Fenway Park is a special feeling.
He’ll experience that a lot more next season.
New manager Bobby Valentine found his new man for the back end of the Boston bullpen on Wednesday when the Red Sox obtained the All-Star closer and outfielder Ryan Sweeney from the Oakland Athletics for outfielder Josh Reddick, infield prospect Miles Head and minor league pitcher Raul Alcantara.
In the deal, first reported by ESPN, Bailey gives the Red Sox a reliable ninth-inning guy to replace the departed Jonathan Papelbon, who signed a $50 million, four-year contract as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies in November.
The 27-year-old Bailey has three saves in four appearances at Fenway Park in his three major-league seasons.
“The one that sticks out the most was my first save opportunity this year was against the Red Sox,” Bailey said in a conference call. “I actually blew that save. From what I remember, there’s nothing like the atmosphere of running into the game from the bullpen at Fenway Park.”
A New Jersey native and offseason resident of Connecticut, Bailey is excited about coming back east.
He already knows Valentine, who lives in Stamford, Conn., and hosted several events for the pediatric cancer foundation of Bailey and former teammate Craig Breslow.
“Bobby and I are good friends,” Bailey said. “It just kind of helps knowing someone going in.”
Bailey—the 2009 AL Rookie of the Year, who made the All-Star team that season and again in 2010—had been the subject of trade talk this offseason.
The right-hander went 0-4 with a 3.24 ERA and 24 saves in 41 2-3 innings and 42 appearances this year. He spent time on the disabled list for the second straight season, pitching for the first time in 2011 on May 29 after being sidelined with a strained right forearm.
“I’m feeling good,” he said. “This is my first healthy offseason I’ve had since I’ve been in the big leagues.”
In his career, he is 7-10 with a 2.07 ERA and 75 saves in 84 opportunities. In 2010, Oakland led the AL in ERA (3.56) and shutouts (17) while holding opponents to a .245 batting average.
Bailey becomes the fourth key pitcher traded this month for the rebuilding A’s, who dealt starter Trevor Cahill and reliever Breslow to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Dec. 9 and then sent left-handed starter Gio Gonzalez to Washington last week.
Still left in Oakland’s depleted rotation are Dallas Braden, Brett Anderson and Brandon McCarthy.
Braden, who pitched a perfect game on May 9, 2010, received a $3.35 million, one-year contract Dec. 13. But he made only three starts last season before being sidelined by a shoulder injury that required surgery.
“That organization is heading down a different road where they’re trying to get younger and build for a future in San Jose,” Bailey said.
Oakland general manager Billy Beane is retooling his roster for the future in hopes of the franchise getting the go ahead to build a new ballpark some 40 miles south in San Jose despite the San Francisco Giants owning the territorial rights to technology-rich Santa Clara County.
Beane and owner Lew Wolff have said they expect to hear soon from Commissioner Bud Selig, and Beane said the unsettled stadium situation would affect him being able to sign his own and other free agents this winter. He has gone the trade route yet again, a common practice for the low-budget franchise that has watched its superstars leave for big money elsewhere over the past decade.
The A’s (74-88) haven’t posted a winning record or earned a playoff berth since being swept in the 2006 AL championship series by Detroit.
The Red Sox missed the playoffs the past two years, but won the World Series in 2004 and 2007.
“I think every kid playing T-ball out there strives to pitch in the postseason and meaningful games in September and, ultimately, the World Series,” Bailey said. “So I’m going to welcome that with open arms.”
On Dec. 14, Boston traded for Houston closer Mark Melancon, who had 20 saves last year in 71 relief outings but may be a setup man for Bailey.
“We believe both are fully capable of (closing),” Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said. “Bailey’s been doing it for a little bit longer so perhaps he goes in with the leg up.”
Sweeney is in the mix for Boston’s right field job now that J.D. Drew is a free agent. He’s an outstanding fielder who can play all three spots. In six seasons, he has a .283 batting average after hitting .265 with one homer and 25 RBIs in 264 at bats last season.
Reddick, who began last season at Triple-A Pawtucket before being promoted in late May, will look to fill a big void in Oakland’s open outfield.
The 24-year-old Reddick batted .280 with seven homers and 28 RBIs in 87 games for Boston in 2011. He can play any outfield spot and likely will get immediate action for the A’s, who already lost outfielders David DeJesus and Josh Willingham in free agency. Center fielder Coco Crisp isn’t expected to return either.
At last summer’s trade deadline, the A’s and Red Sox were near completion on a deal that would have sent Oakland right-hander Rich Harden to Boston for Triple-A first baseman Lars Anderson, but it fell through late because of Harden’s lengthy list of injury issues.
Former Red Sox pitching coach Curt Young returned to the A’s this offseason to work under manager Bob Melvin.
Head, a first baseman, batted .299 with 22 home runs and 82 RBIs in 129 games with the Red Sox two Single-A affiliates, at Greenville and Salem.
The right-handed Alcantara, 19, combined for a 1-4 record and a 2.20 ERA in 13 starts with Single-A Lowell and the Red Sox affiliate in the Gulf Coast League. He struck out 50 and walked just 12 while holding opponents to a .208 batting average.
Re: The MLB Thread
Axlin12 wrote:Yeah I didn't mention anything about that. Corpas is old news, and so is the VERY average Andy Sonnestein.
When I read that, "to shore up their bullpen", I just laughed.
Both of those guys are bullpen guys for a Kansas City Royals-type. Big deal.
"Just to give them a shot to see if there's anything there"
Yeah, but that's the thing with bullpens. They're so unpredictable. You could go out and sign what appear to be can't miss setup guys and they turn out to be terrible. You sign a retread and he pitches lights out. Happens all the time. Last year the Red Sox signed Bobby Jenks, and while he wasn't great the previous year, I figured he'd be ideal as a 7th inning guy. The guy a) couldn't stay healthy, and b) sucked when he was healthy. Then they signed Alfredo Aceves, whose health was such an issue that the pitching hungry Yankees didn't even want him back. He turned out to be Boston's most consistent reliever.
You just never know with relievers. Guys are great one year, suck the next. It's all a gamble.
Yeah but this is the Chicago Cubs man.
I've spent my whole life with this team... it NEVER works out like that for them. NEVER.
If it does, i'll be the first to love it and admit I "called it wrong".
But I know the Cubs... it'll be more of the same with guys like this. I can't believe they're too busy signing this JUNK, and yet Kerry Wood hasn't been invited back.
Huh?
I don't know what the fuck Epstein/Hoyer are doing. Fielder should've been signed WEEKS ago.
Re: The MLB Thread
This is a GREAT pickup for the Red Sox. I think Bailey will be a perfect replacement for Papelbon.
Agreed, but I refer to my previous post about bullpens. It looks good on paper, but who knows how it will really work out. Pretty much assures the plan is to have Daniel Bard in the rotation next year behind Lester, Beckett, and Buchholz. And they're apparently still working on getting another SP to fill out the rotation. Seemingly Aceves would remain in the 6th/7th inning role he dominantly served last season, Melancon to setup, Bailey to close.
Again, it LOOKS good, but they have to get more quality innings from their starters this year. You can't have your bullpen working 3-4 innings a night and expect them to holdup over an entire season. Just doesn't work that way.
As for Theo in Chicago, maybe he's scared off a little by his past busts as far as big ticket free agent signings. As good as Fielder is, he's not exactly the body type that I'd be thrilled to give a long term contract to.
Re: The MLB Thread
Yeah I seem to remember the Red Sox getting another closer from Oakland (Keith Foulke) on paper at the time seemed like a great idea. Foulke had a good 2004 with the Sox, but never quite lived up to the "40+ saves a year" closer they wanted him to be. After 2004, he flat out sucked.
As for Epstein, the problem with Fielder is that even if you give him a long-term deal, he's so young that by the time it's an issue, he'll still be 32 years old.
Fielder has ALWAYS been fat, and that hasn't stopped him from being super-productive. I don't see why weight is an issue. Fat hasn't slowed him down yet, and he's about to enter the zenith of his career.
Granted Fielder is a destined DH down the line (just like his daddy), and is definitely a better fit for the Rangers, but ultimately the Cubs should still be able to get the best years out of his career.
BUT, if Fielder & Boras are pushing an 8-year deal, I would be hesistant too with Fielder's size.
I would probably give him an 8-year deal, but insist on a mutual buyout after the 6th year.
Re: The MLB Thread
In fairness to Keith Foulke, he pitched his ass off in the playoffs in 2004 and was hugely instrumental in coming back from 3-0 down to the Yanks. He pitched multiple innings on consecutive days. He was just nasty. That overuse, while necessary at the time, could have done a number on his arm for the future. It sure seemed that way, as he didn't appear to have much left after that. It was well worth it though, and I'm sure he'd agree.
On Fielder, there certainly seems to be something making teams hesitant to sign him. I can only assume that teams are weary about giving him the long term deal he's seeking, and with good reason. It's not as if the Cubs are alone on that front. It's easy for you or I to say, give the man his money, whatever it takes, when we're not the ones signing the checks. Obviously there's been some trepidation about what he's actually worth, especially in the long term.
