Category: MLB (Page 56 of 448)

      Was Jose Bautista nearly a Red Sox?

      January 26, 2011 /

      The most active team this offseason nearly got its hands on the 2010 home run king according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.

      Rosenthal writes that before the Red Sox signed Carl Crawford, they explored a trade for Jose Bautista. Boston made “multiple” offers for the Blue Jay’s slugger, but in the end Toronto wasn’t willing to pull the trigger.

      Toronto Blue Jays Jose Bautista waits to bat against the Los Angeles Angels in the 2nd inning at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California on August 15, 2010. UPI/Lori Shepler.

      Other clubs pursued Bautista as well. The Jays, however, preferred to keep the slugger, who has one year left of arbitration before becoming a free agent.

      The Jays are not exploring multiyear deals with Bautista, according to his agent, Bean Stringfellow, who spoke to Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com.

      All of the preliminary trade talk involving Bautista eventually could lead to a move — not with the Red Sox, but another interested club if the Jays fall out of contention by July.

      If they do decide to deal him, it won’t be hard for the Jays to find a trade partner for a guy who hit 54 home runs and drove in 124 RBI last season. Perhaps the most interesting part about Bautista’s 2010 season was that he was bothered by a sports hernia which required offseason surgery) since May. Obviously Toronto is leery that it was a fluke year for their outfielder.

      Bautista requested $10.5 million and was offered $7.6 million from the Blue Jays in arbitration, so one would think that the two sides would reach an agreement and avoid a hearing. But it’s almost February and no deal has been worked out yet so maybe the two sides are headed for arbitration.

      External Sports, MLB

      Albert Pujols to command $300 million?

      January 26, 2011 /
      St. Louis Cardinals Albert Pujols sits in the dugout watching the scoreboard in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on September 4, 2010. Cincinnati won the game 6-1. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

      The St. Louis Cardinals were hoping to retain Albert Pujols with a hometown discount. The only problem is that Pujols and his agent feel they’ve already given the club a discount and now want to cash in.

      According to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark, Pujols and agent Dan Lozano opened the negotiation process with the Cardinals by asking for $300 million over 10 years. The first baseman is coming off a seven-year, $100 million contract that was club-friendly given his production, so now Pujols is hoping the club will return the favor.

      As Stark points out, there has never been a $300-million man in baseball history, which includes Alex Rodriguez (who signed a 10-year, $275 million contract in 2008). But given what Pujols has accomplished throughout his career and what he means to the Cardinals’ organization, what’s to say he shouldn’t become the first player to receive a $300 million deal? If there were only one player to make that much, shouldn’t it be Albert Pujols (the best pure hitter in the game)?

      The Cardinals have built their team around Pujols, so losing him really isn’t an option. And if they’re not willing to pony up the $300 million, that doesn’t mean another team won’t.

      Now obviously, we have no idea whether the Cubs’ new ownership is ready to start signing off on $300 million contracts. But the Cardinals can’t be sure of that. And even if the Cubs don’t drive the auction, does anybody honestly think Pujols won’t have a market, just because the other big spenders — the Yankees, Red Sox, Tigers and Phillies — appear all set at first base for years to come?

      Let’s just tick off a few teams: Rangers … Nationals … Orioles … Blue Jays. Maybe the Dodgers, or Angels, or even the Mets if they can get their finances straight.

      “I wouldn’t even rule out the Red Sox and Yankees,” said one executive. “We’re talking about Albert Pujols. I could see them looking at first base, looking at DH and moving people around. I don’t think they could let that kind of talent go by.”

      The clock is ticking. Pujols said he wanted a new deal done by the time players had to report to spring training, which is now less than 30 days away. They have to make a decision and it looks like Pujols’ side isn’t willing to comprise just to stay loyal to the organization. It’s time for the Cardinals to either put a giant-sized hole in their bank account or fill a giant-sized hole in their lineup.

      External Sports, MLB

      Derek Jeter move to the outfield? It would be unprecedented.

      January 25, 2011 /
      angers Ballpark in Arlington in Arlington, Texas USA, 16 October 2010. This is the second game of the best of seven of the 2010 American League Championship Series. The New York Yankees lead the series 1-0. EPA/PAUL BUCK fotoglif764240

      On Monday, Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman told the media that he could envision Derek Jeter moving from shortstop to the outfield before his new contract runs out in 2014. But as Craig Calcaterra of Hardball Talk writes, that kind of move would be unprecedented for a 37-year-old shortstop.

      * Exactly 16 players who have played as many as 100 games at shortstop and 100 games in left field. None of them did both after the age of 35;

      * Exactly 17 players who have played as many as 100 games at shortstop and 100 games in center field. None of them did both after the age of 35;

      * Exactly 17 players who have played as many as 100 games at shortstop and 100 games in right field. None of them did both after the age of 35.

      Maybe Jeter could be a utility guy who can cover the outfield from time to time, but there is no precedent whatsoever for a guy his age moving from the everyday shortstop position to an everyday position in the outfield. And no, Robin Yount — everyone’s favorite go-to guy on this subject — didn’t do it either. His last game at shortstop came when he was 28. Past the age of 30 he was an outfielder/DH with some occasional starts at first.

      And that’s before you factor in Jeter’s bat, which unless he bounces back to 2009 form and stays there for the next four years, will not be stout enough to justify a position in the outfield.

      I can’t see Jeter moving to the outfield either, although my reasoning is way more subjective than Calcaterra’s take.

      Jeter won’t move to the outfield because he’s Derek Jeter. He’s the New York Yankees shortstop and will be the New York Yankees shortstop until he finally gives way to a protégée. For as classy as Jeter is, he still has an ego and I highly doubt he would OK a move to the outfield – even as his defensive numbers continue to decline.

      I’m not suggesting that Jeter is too pompous to help his team, but for the life of me I can’t see him sauntering out to left field when his time is up at short. I could see him moving to third if the Yankees figure out what to do with Alex Rodriguez. But the outfield? Nah.

      External Sports, MLB

      FSTA Fantasy Baseball Experts Draft

      January 25, 2011 /

      I don’t follow baseball, but I snapped this photo of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association fantasy baseball experts draft and thought a few readers might get some use out of it.

      Click on the picture for a bigger version.

      Anthony, maybe you can comment about this?

      Anthony’s Take: I sure as heck can, John. Nice work on the photo.

      The first thing that jumps out to me is Braun being selected with the second overall pick. With guys like Miguel Cabrera, Hanley Ramirez and Carl Crawford on the board, I’m a little surprised to see Braun taken that early, although he certainly contributes across the board (he hit .304 last year with 25 HR, 103 RBI, 101 R and 14 SB). It’ll be interesting to see what Car-Go does for an encore after hitting .336 with 24 home runs, 117 RBI, 111 runs and 26 SB in a breakout 2010. He plays at a shallow position so I can see why he went early, although taking him ahead of Longoria and Crawford may have been a stretch. The team I really like is “Team 3,” which scooped Hanley Ramirez in Round 1, Matt Holliday in Round 2 and then went back-to-back young pitchers in Lincecum and Kershaw in Rounds 3 and 4. He also added some solid contributors in Ichiro and Swisher, and if Morales can bounce back from the injury he suffered last year, then he might be a steal in Round 5. In a 13-team draft, the talent gets watered down quickly, but he did well with his first five picks. “Team 8” looks strong too, with Tulo, Josh Hamilton, King Felix, Morneau (if he can stay healthy) and Hamels. He did very well to nab Matt Cain in the 8th round, although he needs good seasons out of Hudson and Jurrjens if he’s going to finish in the money this year.

      This is a great peak at an insider’s board. It’s interesting to see who the so-called experts picked in the first couple of rounds.

      External Sports, Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      What was Angels’ GM Reagins thinking?

      January 22, 2011 /
      Toronto Blue Jays Vernon Wells backs off a pitch during an American League MLB baseball game in Toronto in this September 6, 2010 file photo. The Blue Jays have traded the three times All-Star outfielder to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for catcher Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera, the MLB teams said on Friday. Wells has spent his entire 14-year career with the Blue Jays who made him the fifth selection overall in the 1997 draft. REUTERS/Fred Thornhill/Files (CANADA – Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      In a stunning move, the Angels traded Mike Napoli and Juan Rivera to the Blue Jays in exchange for outfielder Vernon Wells, who is due a whopping $86 million over the next four seasons. The deal frees the Jays of one of the worst contracts in baseball.

      For Toronto, this trade gives the Jays financial flexibility for years to come. What’s shocking is that the Halos got almost no cash in return. There have been reports that Toronto will send L.A. $5 million, but that’s nothing when you consider what Wells will receive over the next four years. This was basically a get-out-of-jail free card for Jays’ GM Alex Anthopoulos.

      I guess the hope is that Wells, Torrii Hunter and Peter Bourjos will give the Jays a solid outfield to go with their strong starting pitching. But not only is that asking a lot, even if Wells puts up good offensive numbers over these next couple of years, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which he lives up to his contract (nevertheless outperforms it). Chances are he will decline and then what? The Halos are still left holding the bill.

      As Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wrote, most teams are trying to get younger, cheaper and better. The Angels just got older, more expensive and possibly even worse. It’s almost like GM Tony Reagins hit the panic button as soon as Carl Crawford signed with the Red Sox and Adrian Beltre agreed to terms with the Rangers. I can see him sitting in his office saying, “We’ve got to do something! We’ve got to do something!!”

      External Sports, MLB

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