Friday Morning Closer

Because of there is a lot of stuff that I want to get to, some of which isn’t big enough to talk about in the usual free writing columns, today the Closer comes in for an extended outing.

Free Agent Gambles Ahead

If you’re a team in need of a veteran on the free agent market next year, there could be some vets that could help your team if you decide to give them a shot.  Here’s an early look at the market:

Kaz Matsui (2B/SS) – Won’t be earning the kind of money that he did with the Mets, but he might be a decent bench player.

Rich Aurilia (SS) – Not all that great with a glove, but can hit decently.  He’s an older player and could be a short term fix if you got a prospect in the over at Double or Triple A. 

Shea Hillenbrand (1B/3B) – If he’s not traded to the Angels, he’ll be a reasonably good pickup.  He’s go some power and get’s on base.  He’s also young enough where he could be kept around for 3 years as a position player, maybe 4 if he DH’s part time. 

Nomar Garciaparra (1B) – Will be on the market again next season, but this time Nomar will be in the driver’s seat as far as value.  He’s 33, but can still hit and field well and seems to have left his major injury troubles behind.  He’d be an exceptional DH and would probably do well in a DH/1B Platoon in order to keep the wear and tear on his body down.

Craig Wilson (1B/OF) – A good player on the wrong team, as the Pirates don’t play him nearly as often as they should.  He’s got good power and gets on base and isn’t a bad fielder.  He’s one of the most underrated players in the majors and would be a steal by any team that gave him a shot to be their everyday first baseman.

Gregg Zaun (C) – No longer an everyday catcher, but is a good backup guy who can hit decently.  Could be a good option for the Yankees, Dodgers, or Angels.

Bengie Molina (C) – Will be 33 next year and is likely headed for the market again because Molina will be 33 next year, usually the age when catchers start to break down.  Still has a potent bat, but making him the starting catcher for more than two years is dangerous. 

Mike Piazza (C) – Has proven that he can still hit over in San Diego, but at his age, it’s unwise to sign him as your starting catcher.  Is likely to be a backup catcher/Designated Hitter. 

Rod Barajas(C) – Is not going to be with the Rangers next year because Gerald Laird has done well.  He’s got a pretty good bat and is an average defender, but will be 32 next year and will likely begin to break down soon after.  Could be a backup next year, or play in tandem with a developing catcher. 

Sights and Sounds Around The Major League Draft

Here’s some thoughts about the Major League Draft that I felt I should note about:

·          Kansas City – As some expected, the Royals went out and chose Fort Worth Cats pitcher Luke Hochevar with the number one pick.  While part of the reason was that he was willing to sign for a smaller signing bonus than North Carolina pitcher Andrew Miller, Hochevar is still a solid signing.  He’s got the stuff to be a big time starter and could be ready for the bigs as soon as the end of next year.

·          Tampa Bay – The Devil Rays didn’t draft a pitcher, but in their defense, you couldn’t resist taking Evan Longoria at number three.  Arguably the best position player in the draft, Longoria is currently slotted at third base, a position of need for the Rays since Aubrey Huff is in his walk year and the Rays don’t have anyone in the system that could play there.

·          Detroit – Andrew Miller fell down to the Tigers are 6, a steal for the Tigres.  Miller’s got the second best stuff in the draft after Hochevar and he’s a big pitcher to boot.

·          Cincinnati – The Reds took Ken Griffey Jr’s successor, with Texas centerfielder Drew Stubbs.  He’s got great defense, but his strikeout ratios are going to get worse in the majors.  He’s not going to be Junior at the plate, but he should soar out in center.

·          San Diego – Matt Antonelli, who I really liked going in, fell to the Padres at 17.  He’s a good hitter, who makes contract and has extraordinary patience at the plate.  He’s also quick and athletic enough to play any position on the infield, though he’s likely going to have to move to shortstop, as he doesn’t have the power numbers to play at third.

·          Philadelphia – The Phillies took Kyle Drabek at 18, a steal at the pick.  Kyle arguably has the best arm in the draft, with a mid-90’s fastball and two solid breaking pitches.  However, Drabek has had off the field issues.  Nothing solid has appeared, but the fact that these rumors have not disappeared and in fact continue to grow appears to lend some credibility to them.  The one thing I was able to find out was that he is hard to coach and appears to be argumentative.

·          New York (AL) – The Yankees took a pitcher, USC’s Ian Kennedy.  Kennedy was rumored to be the top pick in the draft until he began to lose some velocity on his fastball.  But he still has good command and a hard curve that should make him interesting to follow.  Other teams shied away from Kennedy because of his agent, Scott Boras, and the fear of his high signing demands.  This won’t happen with New York.

·          Washington – The Nats drafted a pitcher and they got a good one, Cotton Willems from John Carrol H.S. (FL).  Willems has good height for a pitcher (6’4”) and while he’s thin, he can still fill out as he develops.  Willems has a good fastball, a good curveball and a great slider.  If he manages to put his work in, he could be a good middle of the rotation starter for the Nats come 2010.

Major League: Back To The Minors, Rocket – Part 1

Roger Clemens took the mound on Tuesday for the Lexington Legends, the High A affiliate of the Houston Astros, and also played with his son, something he’s wanted to do for a long time, being the first father-son combo since Ken Griffey Jr. and Sr. to play together on the same team.  Despite it being a minor league game, Clemens prepared seriously for the game, something that the Lake County Captains did not appreciate.  Clemens threw 62 pitches, 41 of those for strikes and only allowed one run on three hits, the one run being a homer, and struck out six with no walks.  Clemens has already left his mark on the franchise in one way.  Before Clemens arrived, the clubhouse had only one small television and an old, musty couch in the center.  By the end of the day, Clemens had furnished the clubhouse with four new black leather couches, two love seats, a 42-inch plasma television, a 20-inch television, a microwave, DVD and a VCR.

White Sox Looking To Make A Deal

I think that White Sox are regretting rushing Brian Anderson.

When the Sox sent Aaron Rowand to the Phillies, they decided that their young prospect was ready for the bigs.  After what we’ve seen so far in his performance, that was obviously an overstatement.  Anderson has played a solid centerfield as a defender, but his lack of offense has resulted in Anderson likely being sent back to Triple A – Charlotte for more work.

This isn’t the first time it’s happen, not even the first time this season, as the Angels know from their rushing of catcher Jeff Mathis before he was ready.  Because GM Kenny Williams would rather deal from the farm system (a dangerous prospect as the Yankees know) instead of dealing his veterans, the White Sox are now looking for a more offensive centerfielder, especially since there are no ready replacements in the system.  Here’s the available options at the moment:

·          Aaron Rowand, Philadelphia Phillies – The White Sox could offer the Phillies prospects in order to get their old man back, but the fact of the matter remains that the Phillies love Rowand and the leadership he brings to the team.  He’s not going anywhere.

·          David Dellucci, Philadelphia Phillies – The Phillies could be more inclined to listen to offers for Dellucci, who has the athleticism to play centerfield.  He can also hit, as his 2005 season with the Rangers indicated.  And he likely wouldn’t cost the White Sox the moon, as he could be had for a Class B Prospect pitcher. 

·          Torii Hunter, Minnesota Twins – The Twins are listening to offers for him at the moment, because it looks like the team may be willing to let him walk in 2007 rather than exercise his 2007 option.  General manager Terry Ryan has made it clear he would deal Hunter to a division rival, a clear indication that the Twins are getting ready to concede the division and begin rebuilding for the future.  This type of deal reminds me of the proposed Sammy Sosa trade to the Yankees in 2000, where the Cubs wanted 5 top prospects for the slugger.  The Twins are likely demanding the same type of deal for Hunter.

·          Joe Borchard, Florida Marlins – A slight improvement over Anderson at the moment, hitting .247 with four home runs and 14 RBI, but realistically, the White Sox are looking for something more.

Yankees Better Off Without Sheff

With all the bad contracts and All-Stars that are currently residing in the Bronx, the Yankees should probably wave goodbye to Gary Sheffield and proceed with Cabrera in his spot.  Cabrera has been great for the Yankees so far.  The move from centerfield to left field has done wonders for him and his improvement with his patience at the plate and his contact with his bat have helped keep the Crankees afloat for the meantime. 

And all of this was had for the major league minimum salary.

General Manager Brian Cashman wants a younger and cheaper team, and starting Cabrera would satisfy both goals.  The Yankees' lineup has managed fine without Sheffield and Matsui, ranking 10th in the American League in home runs but first in runs scored, a practice that has gone back to the Yankees’ days during their World Series run from 1996-2001.  If the Yankees do keep Cabrera, they will have a good young core of Cabrera, Cano and Wang to build their team of the future around.

Still, don’t count on the Yankees sitting still this off-season.  As of this moment, they will also have about $25 million coming off the books this year, with Sheffield’s and Mussina’s contracts finishing up and could have another $3 million of Jaret Wright’s deal is bought out (it’s starting to look less likely though, as Wright as actually been one of the more consistent starters this year.)  Mussina is likely to return next season at a rate of around $5 million or so a year.  Which leaves $20 million for the team to make other improvements.

Barry Zito’s ears must be burning already.

And no, I’m not a Yankee fan.  Just a lot of them read this blog for some reason.  And I guess posting my email from when I first started the blog wasn’t such a hot idea.

Stupid Person Of The Week

George #### Lucas.

Why?

The creator of the Star Wars franchise is releasing the original trilogy, unaltered, in a tandem set with the Special Editions.  However, Star Wars fans are disappointed to find out that these versions aren’t restored original cuts, but rather direct ports of the laserdisc versions from the early nineties.

Lucas has an explanation though.

He taped over the original films.

Even more alarming, is that he did it on purpose, in order to force fans to like his newer, spiffier versions.

I still got my tapes George.  #### you.

Programming Notes

I’ve got some good stuff lined up for you guys during All-Star week.  Stay tuned.