A return to school and an increased workload at work due to sick leave has cut into my blogging time.  Not cool.

Ah well, time for a collective group of thoughts about baseball.

Scott Rolen and Troy Glaus Traded For Each Other

Kinda a odd deal, considering that both are high priced deals with huge landmines attached to them (Health) but overall the deal does work to the favor of each team in one way or another.

WIth Rolen, the Blue Jays gain a Gold Glove defender at third base, which would help compensate for the lead glove of David Eckstein, at the cost of some offense.  However, Eckstein is better than the shuffle at short the Jays had and there is the off chance that Rolen can prove himself to be semi-adequate with the bat.  More than anything, however, the Jays need some type of return from Vernon Wells, who disappointed last season after signing for superstar money with the Jays. 

In Glaus, the Cardinals get a big bat that is needed to help bolster the offense, which is, to be frank, pathetic outside of Pujols.  More than anything, however, the Cardinals needed to diffuse the situation between Tony LaRussa and Rolen, which was made all but irreparable after LaRussa poured gas on that particular fire this off-season.  The signing of Cesar Izturis does help improve the defense enough where the Cardinals can suffer through Glaus' hands of stone, and the move to natural grass and away from Toronto's turf should prove to be beneficial in the long run for Glaus.

All in all, it's a good gamble for both sides, but more importantly, it clears up some potential locker room disaster that would have exploded during the season had either player remained with their former teams.

Grade For Both Sides:  B

Thoughts On The Kotsay Trade

I was going to rant about how the Braves should have just offered Andruw Jones arbitration, keeping him around for one more year, as he would have accepted, and keeping the offense together.

Instead, they pull this trade.

To be honest, I gotta give Billy Beane all the credit in the world on this one, as I think Kotsay is done.  He's not the defender he once was and in terms of offense, he's not going to give you much in return.  In all honesty, the Braves would have been better off just giving the job to Josh Anderson for the season and just gone with it from there.  At least he's mostly paid for.

Oh wait.  Oakland got two prospects, one of which, Joey Devine, the Braves' first round pick from two years ago, will likely help out Oakland in the bullpen this season.  And they also got Jamie RIchmond, a right hander that could be a fifth starter.  That's quite a haul for a broken player.

Anyhow, that's my take on that.

Oakland Grade - B

Atlanta Grade - D

Lost A Bet

To my friend, who's an Astros fan, on the Cowboy Game on Sunday.

So, expect the first (and only) Astros Report sometime this week.

Ugh...

I had posted this earlier, but for some reason it didn't take, so here it is again.

On The Block – Jason Bay

Recent talk out of Pittsburgh has the Pirates potentially trading the face of their franchise, Jason Bay, in order to help replensish a impoverished farm system.  Bay is regarded to be the best moveable part not starting in the rotaiton right now, as he's due $13.25 million the next two seasons. 

Bay for the most part has accepted the fact, though he'd like to stay with the Pirates and help turn things around. 

The Why:  I've just said the why just now, but pretty much because the Pirates feel they have options, he's cheap and it wouldn't hurt to see what potential package you could get in return.

The Rumored Asking Price:  The papers have people predicting a Bartolo Colon/Mark Teixeira deal.  That won’t happen.  More likely, an average pitching prospect and a positional player prospect will get it done, though a third guy could be included.  Who knows?

Can A Trade Be Done:  Yes.  Bay doesn’t have a no-trade clause and with the market for outfield corners looking rather shallow at the moment, Bay would fetch a couple of decent prospects, should a GM have expendable prospects he’d be willing to deal. 

The Good:  Bay is coming off of an off year, but he'#### for power and has good speed on the basepaths.  His plate discipline is reasonably good and he's regarded to be a solid defender in left field.  He's also regarded to be a good clubhouse guy and would be a solid complimentry piece (not a star) to add to your lineup.

Potential Hang-ups:

• Performance In 2007:  Are you buying on the pre-2007 Bay or the 2007 version of Bay?  He's a gamble, but it's got to be asked what you're getting here.
• Health - Bay has also undergone some health issues this past year and you have to wonder if they'll creep back up again.
• Stupid Asking Prices - The Pirates have asked for absolutely stupid packages in the past for their players and have either been burned or shot down completely, the most recent of which was their offer for Jack Wilson (3B Troy Glaus) from the Jays, although, looking back, maybe the Jays should have taken it.

Potential Suitors – In Alphabetical Order

• San Francisco Giants – San Fran is going to need an outfielder and Bay could fit the bill.  The Giants could concievably decide to package Noah Lowry along with someone else, perhaps Nate Scherholtz, in order to get a deal done.
• Philadelphia Phillies – This could be done if the Phillies feel that they could have a deal for Pat Burrell, which could be done if they were to involve the next team bellow.  They could flip Burrell to the White Sox, provided he waives his no trade, and gain Bay, who is cheaper, and potentially Joe Crede, who would be a solid fit at third base, strengthening the lineup and making it a bit more fiscally flexible if they want to add anything else during the off-season.
• Chicago White Sox – Or, the White Sox could flip Bay for Crede and change and bypass the Phillies altogether, though the Pirates and White Sox would need to come up with a fit.  Perhaps Bay and Zach Duke for Crede and Lance Broadway?
• Texas Rangers – This is an interesting fit, from a non-homer perspective.  .Texas needs a left fielder and could use someone young to build around like Bay.  It would allow the Rangers to use Frank Cattalonotto at first base, limiting his defensive limitations and allow Texas to field a potential outfield of Bay, Centerfielder to Be Named Later, and David Murphy with Marlon Byrd as the utility outfielder.  The Rangers could trade for Bay, including Joaquin Arias, who could still be useful to the Pirates in the future, along with a couple of interesting arms in Robinson Tejeda, who could still be an effective starter and would be able to work in the pen for a bit to get his confidence up, and Gerald Laird, who needs to get the hell out of Texas and has experience to handle a staff.  If the Pirates want to sub, I'd give them the option of adding Luis Mendoza, who has become an effective groundball pitcher with some promise.  This could be overpaying a bit, but I'd be willing to give it a shot.
• New York Mets – The Mets are another organization that could potentially go after Bay, as they are in need of a left fielder.  However, it would almost certainly involve one of their talented young outfielders, likely Carlos Gomez, who needs another year, and a pitching prospect, likely Mike Pelfrey, who the Mets are quickly souring on.
• Minnesota Twins – Bucco Blog reported that the Twins may have some interest, with Matt Garza being mentioned in return.  I don't think it would be Garza, but another prospect, Kevin Slowley perhps, would be close enough to a deal.  The Twins in the past haven't been willing to make a trade, especially when it comes to their small horde of pitching prospects, but I would pull the trigger here, especially since the Twins need a big bat and much of their lineup is filled with defensive replacements.  I think it would benefit both sides. 

If I Had To Make A Trade Now:   It would look like this...

The Texas Rangers trade RHP Robinson Tejeda, RHP Luis Mendoza, SS Joaquin Arias to the Pittsburgh Pirates for LF Jason Bay

That's really the only deal that I can think of right now on short notice that would go through.  Thoughts?

I know I may be overreacting to the loss of B.J. Ryan to Tommy John Surgery, but you have to admit that the loss of the Jays closer kills Toronto's chances to compete in the always competitive AL East.

Ryan was the best closer in the league last year and showed dominance against the Red Sox and Yankees, two teams with a lot of left handed hitters and was all but unbeatable for much of the year.  And with the Blue Jays rotation and bullpen thin already, Toronto needed Ryan healthy in order to keep the pen together.

Now it's all gone to hell.

Jason Frasor is the temporary closer, though Jeremy Accardo may soon challenge him for the job.  The Jays have little in the farm system to deal and what was once their most valuable trade commodity, Vernon Wells, is locked up for the long haul.

So what do the Jays do?

They have Alex Rios, a excellent young outfielder that can play centerfield that could net prospects as well as free up a place for Adam Lind full time once Reed Johnson comes back, but such a move would leave the Jays shorthanded in the short term.  The rotation is a mess, largely because the Jays were outbid for their few free agent targets and have tried to rebuild a rotation mainly out of retreads and has beens.

The reality is that this team may have to blow itself up and compete for next year, as the pitching trade market is shallow and expensive. 

Aside from Rios, would could net a decent young pitcher and a average position player, the Jays could also move Troy Glaus, who is drawing interest around the league from teams needing another bat in the lineup.  Glaus can still capably handle third base and still has plenty of power, despite his nagging injuries.  The main sticking point is that Glaus has three years left on his deal AND a full no trade clause.  Hence, the Jays would have to hammer out a compromise with Glaus just to get him to waive the no trade. 

If they really want a Kings Ransom's worth of prospects, they could consider listening to offers for Roy Halladay, much as the Astros did when they were listening for offers for Roy Oswalt last year.  Offering up Halladay would generate a lot of buzz around baseball and would prompt many clubs to dip into their systems for the necessary pieces to make a offer.

Or, if the Jays are really willing to continue to compete, they could simply announce that they are willing to be partners in a salary dump, much as the Yankees did when they traded for Bobby Abreu and Corey Lidle last season and the result was that they got impact players in exchange for some average prospects.  Some teams willing to shed large contracts, such as the Giants with Armando Benitez, the Mariners with Jeff Weaver, the Rockies for some combination of Josh Fogg and Byung Hyun Kim, or the Nationals with Chad Cordero (a stretch, but not a large one) could make a deal for meager prospects in exchange for having the salary relief.  However, the result would be damaging in the long run as the Jays payroll would skyrocket and the impact on the bottom line might not be much.  Plus, team's may not be eager to deal with GM J.P. Riccardi, in light of the recent story that he deliberately lied about Ryan's injury in Spring Training to keep the injury a secret.

Whatever the result, the Blue Jays are a lesser team now that their closer has gone down.  And instead of competing for the division with the Red Sox or the Yankees, the Jays may instead find themselves competing to stay out of the gutter with the Orioles and Devil Rays.

Getting close to the end here.  Only seven left after this.  Where will the hat want to go?

Apparently, north to the border.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays' payroll has more than doubled since 2005, but it seems to be a fact of life int eh AL East.  Howver, this team isn't any closer to the postseason than it was two years ago. Though they do point to their winning record and second place finish ahead of the Boston Red Sox in 2006 as proof of improvement, this team still has a lot of holes to fill.

Starting Rotation

1. Roy Halladay (RHP) – For all the offseason changes and acquisitions, the Blue Jays will live and die on the health of their ace,  who hasn't put together a healthy season since winning the AL Cy Young Award in 2003.  Still, he did finished fourth in the league in innings pitched in 2006 despite forearm tightness and pitched quite well.  Halladay should pitch almost an entire season and should be able to last long enough to give the questionable bullpen enough of a lead to keep in the game.
2. A.J. Burnett (RHP) – Burnett wasn’t bad last year, but those numbers would look a lot better had Burnett pitched a full season and not spent part of it on the DL like he usually does.  With the departure of Ted Lilly, the Jays will be depending heavily on Burnett as he is their number two starter.  When Burnett is healthy, he’s a solid pitcher, especially when his stuff is clicking together.  When he’s not, or when he’s battling control issues, that’s when Burnett flames out like the Hindenburg. 
3. Gustavo Chacin (LHP) – Chacin was a disappointment last year, regressing from his solid 2005 performance and declining in wins and strikeouts, all the while suffering from a ballooning ERA.  He’ll have to get it together if the Jays hope to go into the playoffs.
4. Tomo Ohka (RHP) – Ohka is okay as a starter, able of putting together some reasonable performances whenever he’s healthy.  Ohka was one of the better starters available on the market and if he’s given a shot, he could surprise.  He did improve as the season went on last year after coming back from injury.
5. John Thompson (RHP) – This veteran right hander tried to dismiss possible indications of arm issues after his terrible year last year.  The Jays were willing to give him a shot.  Unlike Zambrano, I think Thompson is on his last legs.

Bullpen

• B.J. Ryan (Closer) – Ryan proved to be a worthwhile addition for the Jays, who needed a lights out stopper at the end of the pen, as Miguel Batista was better suited to be a starter.  Ryan put up all star numbers and finished third in the AL in saves and his ERA was second in the league.  He should be a solid stopper again this year.
• Brandon League (Setup Man) – The loss of Justin Speier hurts Toronto in the respect that they lack a proven setup man.  With that said, it’s hoped that League can suitably function in that capacity.  He looks like he’ll be fine, and he may even be able to spot close from time to time.
• Jason Frasor RHP) – Frasor will help split the setup load with League.  In spite of a mediocre record, Frasor was good after the All-star break.
• Scott Downs (LHP) – This capable swingman can start when he has to, but he’s far better as a middle reliever.
• Brian Tallet (LHP) – Tallet is a dependable lefty that can last for more than an inning when he’s needed to.
• Jeremy Accardo (RHP) – This enigmatic middle reliever imploded in September and will be relied upon to rediscover his rookie dominance.

Starting Lineup

1. Reed Johnson (LF) – Johnson has become an everyday player and has found his niche in the Toronto lineup, as a leadoff man, where his good approach to the plate have lead him to have a decent on base percentage and have allowed him to be productive.  Johnson, however, could be moved, as the Jays are trying to figure out a way to integrate Adam Lind into the lineup on a regular basis.
2. Alex Rios (RF) – Who is the real Alex Rios?  Is it the guy that hit .302 with 17 homers and 82 RBI’s last season, or is he the guy who averaged .293 with 3 Homers and 38 RBI’s in 7 seasons in the minors?  The Jays hope he’s somewhere in between that while continuing to be a solid performer who can get on base and set up some of the bigger bats in the lineup after him.  Rios has three years of service time left on him and just collected arbitration (he qualified for the exact amount of time needed to arbitration.  One fewer game would have resulted in an extra year of control left on him) this past offseason.  With top prospect Adam Lind ready for the lineup, the Jays have been shopping Rios, who can also play center, to other teams in hopes of getting pitching.  So far, no team has stepped up with a strong enough offer, though the Jays were reportedly hoping that the Marlins would give up a young starter in return for Rios.
3. Vernon Wells (CF) – I gotta give credit where credit is due, in this case, to the Jays for coming up with a long term deal for this solid centerfielder.  Wells appears to have returned to his 2004 form and he’s a solid hitter in the three spot, where his speed, power and excellent contact skills will result in a lot of opportunities for the middle of the lineup.
4. Troy Glaus (3B) – The Jays were able to trade for the veteran Glaus, who was also drawing interest from Boston, during the last off-season and he was effective for them.  Glaus is a solid middle of the order bat that can hit for power and can draw walks as well, all the while showing some solid plate discipline as well.  He’s a adequate defender and all in all should be good for another year.
5. Frank Thomas (DH) – GM J.P Ricciardi signed Thomas to give the team a regular DH, as last season, the Blue Jays used 14 different DHs, resulting in an overall production of 16 homers and tied for 12th in runs scored by their DHs.  Thomas had a terrific season last year with Oakland, putting himself closer to hitting 500 home runs and earning himself another payday in the process.  Thomas has said that he envisions himself playing until he's 42.  That may be a little too optimistic.  In spite of playing most of last season, he did miss 13 games with a quad strain.  If he stay’s healthy, he’ll hit fifth in the lineup and add another dangerous power bat. 
6. Lyle Overbay (1B) – Overbay is far from a huge power bat, but he’s not bad in the sixth spot, where his patient approach to the plate and his doubles power will work well.  Defensively, he’s got solid range and good hands. 
7. Gregg Zaun (C) – Zaun re-upped with Toronto after Rod Barajas inexplicably backed out of a deal.  Zaun set career highs in homers and slugging percentage at the age of 35, plus he’s a switch hitter.  However, Zaun is 35 and that’s usually when you start to lose your bat as a catcher. 
8. Aaron Hill (2B) – Hill is an excellent second baseman that many in the Toronto organization feel could eventually become a Gold Glove caliber second baseman.  He hits for a high average and works the count well for walks and reduces his strikeouts when he can.  He doesn’t have a lot of power but his excellent approach to the plate will keep his averages high and him on base.
9. Royce Clayton (SS) – Surely there were better options available than Clayton.  Clayton has never hit much and his best attribute, his defense, has slipped.  He’s got to be the backup, as I doubt he can start.  (Checks Roster) Never mind.  Clayton is the starter.  God help us all.

Bench

• Matt Stairs (DH) – I'm still wondering what exactly Stairs' role will be with the Jays considering that they have an established DH in Frank Thomas.  Stairs isn't the power hitter he used to be, but his on-base skills are still good and he's considered to be a clubhouse favorite.  This is one of the more questionable signings of the off-season.   The only way I can figure this out is that the Jays aren't completely sure that Thomas can stay healthy.
• Adam Lind (OF) – Lind is an outstanding offensive prospect who has never hit below .310 at any level while showing constantly improving power.  Lind also has some great plate discipline to go with his power as well.  The problem is that Lind isn’t an exceptional fielder, who he may be able to hold his own with some coaching.  Depending on what happens with Alex Rios, Lind will spend time alternating from the bench to the field to DH.
• Jason Smith (INF) – Smith is a decent lefty that can play all four infield positions, plus hit a little.
• John MacDonald (SS) – Strictly should be used as a defensive replacement.
• Jason Philips (C/1B) – Versatile young catcher is a solid defender and can play first as well.

Disabled List

• Victor Zambrano (RHP) – Zambrano has had control issues and durability problems and quite frankly, the Mets shouldn’t have traded for him back when they thought they were in contention, but weren’t.  He’s got average stuff that could make him a back of the rotation starter, provided that he improves his control and bounces back from TJ as expected.  Zambrano should improve as the season goes on, though if he recovers quickly (as Mets prospect Philip Humber did) he could be a steal for the Blue Jays.  I think he’ll begin the season on the DL, to allow him more time to get his control back.

Down On The Farm…

The Jays farm system has largely been crippled by their own GM.  Riccardi has had a very conservative approach to the draft and often selects college players, which is okay, but often times the result will be players with much lower ceilings.  To add further insult to injury, many potential impact starters were traded for veteran help and salaries.  The result is a lot of players that are nice role players, but almost no superstar quality talent.

• Ricky Romero (LHP) – This was one the more odd picks in the 2005 draft, as he was taken 6 over Troy Tulowitzki, who would look really good in Toronto.  Anyhow, Romero is barely going to be entering Double A, but going back to his draft status, his stuff didn’t justify the pick, as his fastball clocks in from 88-92 and his changeup is excellent, but his lack of an out pick creates problems for him and it’s awfully hard to be successful with just two pitches. 
• Curtis Thigpen (C) – A second round pick in 2004, Thigpen is a solid catcher with great plate discipline and some gap power.  He calls a great game and blocks pitches well.  The problem is that he won’t become much of a home run hitter and will hit late in the lineup.  In essence, he’ll be like the guy he’ll eventually replace, Gregg Zaun.
• Kyle Yates (RHP) – Yates is a smaller pitcher with average stuff that lives and dies by his curve.  His fastball is benign at 88 to 90 mph and he’s got a bit of durability issues.  Still, he may be usable as a fifth starter/swingman at some point.
• Josh Towers (RHP) – Towers is a command and control guy that has below average stuff.  He was destroyed throughout 2006.  He’ll be in the minors again where the Jays hope he can rediscover his command. 
• Casey Janssen (RHP) – Janssen is highly similar to Towers, though Janssen has a better arsenal, with another low fastball, but he’s got a slider, a change-up and a curveball that he throws very well and in turn induces a lot of groundballs. 

In Conclusion

This team will definitely mash, as Glaus, Wells and Thomas are all power bats that will certainly reign terror on opposing pitchers.  However, this rotation is far from solid and they are largely depending on unproven youngsters and chancy veterans to back up the rotation behind Halladay and Burnett.  With little prospect depth in the minors and the Wild Card likely coming out of the Central again this year, the Jays are almost certainly not going to make the playoffs, though they will compete and could finish as high as second.  I have them taking a slight step back to third this year, though if Boston continues to operate with that rather lackluster offense, they could finish higher.

Final Standings:  Third in The American League East.

Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim

For all the talk about the Angels' farm system, it's shown surprisingly little results as of late until Lackey, Santana, Saunders, and Kendrick all jumped to the majors.  However, almost no bats have made the transistion aside from Kendrick and Arte Moreno's big promised off-season move was bringing in Gary Matthews Jr.  Fortunately for the Angels, the divison lacks a true power and as it looks right now, they'll take it.

Starting Rotation

1. John Lackey (RHP) – Lackey was one of several young starters to step it up in the majors.  Lackey has all the makings of a solid ace and with him still having a few more years of control by the Angels, he’ll figure to be one of the bigger bargains of baseball.
2. Ervin Santana (RHP) – Santana is one of the more heavily shopped and heavily talented pitchers in the game.  He took a step forward last year, knocking out 16 wins and lowering his ERA, plus increasing strikeout totals as well.  There’s also the possibility that he could be getting better, but for some reason, LA just really isn’t sold on him enough where they seem inclined to declare him off limits.  What’s the deal?
3. Kelvim Escobar (RHP) – Escobar is a bit of an enigma.  On one hand, he’s got good stuff and can be an innings eater, plus has been quite solid since he’s been with the Angels.  On the other hand, elbow problems make me nervous, as there’s the chance that he’ll miss significant time at some point during the season.  Hmm, tough call.  I’d be tempted to move him down to the fifth starters role, but I’ve got some worries about the last two guys on the list.
4. Joe Saunders (LHP) – The lone lefty posted a relatively decent campaign last season in limited action and he’ll likely be placed into the rotation now that Bartolo Colon is on the DL.  Saunders has the potential to be very good in the future, provided he gets the starts he needs to.
5. Jered Weaver (RHP) – Weaver had about as good a debut as any pitcher has had in baseball history.  But is he really as good as he was last season.  Weaver is an extremely flyball pitcher that tends to work up in the strike zone, cutting his margin of error, plus his stuff is good, but not dominating and he relies a bit more on smoke and mirrors than does his closest contemporary, Justin Verlander.  Weaver will be likely slump this year, as he threw 200 innings last year, 56 more than his personal high, and he’ll likely suffer some fatigue, as well as an adjustment period when the league starts seeing more and more of him.  But I do think he’ll be a middle of the rotation starter and will be better than his brother. 

Bullpen

• Francisco Rodriguez (Closer) – Rodriguez is a dangerous closer with great stuff that can make hitters look foolish.  But long term, I’d worry about the health risk about him.  Rodriguez has a jerky delivery that wears on a player’s durability.  I’m surprised that he hasn’t already blown out something.  The Angels are hoping that he’ll prove to be durable, but you have to wonder if this is the year that his luck runs out.
• Scott Shields (Setup Man) – Shields is an excellent setup man that can also handle closing duties if need be.  Shields is also highly desired by other clubs to be a closer, a role that Shields himself has stated he would like to assume once more before his career is over.  Depending on how things go with LA, plus all their moves this past off-season, I wonder if this will be the year that the Angels finally decide to pull the trigger on a deal.
• Justin Speier (RHP) – This was a questionable acquisition, as the Angels already had a solid setup crew.  Adding Speier won’t hurt, but wasn’t there other options that the Angels could have gone to internally, allowing them to use the money spent on offense.  I can’t help but wonder if this may be laying the groundwork for a Shields departure.
• Darren Oliver (LHP) – The Angels saw a need for a lefty reliever after J.C. Romero imploded, but I’m not sure that Oliver is it.  The thing is, Oliver was all but washed up last season until a momentary rebirth with the Mets during the playoffs suddenly made him a hot item.  We’ll see if it really is a rebirth of just a momentary flash in the pan that earns Oliver another hefty paycheck.
• Hector Carrasco (RHP) – Carrasco was a dominant addition to the Angels last season, doing well in relief as well as in three starts.  He’s a more than capable swingman and should do well as the Angels’ defacto long reliever.
• Phil Seibel (LHP) – Acquired from Boston for the underwhelming J.C. Romero, Seibel gives the Angels another option in the pen.  Seibel has had an injury-filled pro career that included a brief stint with the Red Sox in 2004.  Seibel primarily lives and dies by the command over his 86-88 mph his fastball and his slider.  He should be okay if he stays healthy and gets some opportunities to prove himself. 

Starting Lineup

1. Gary Matthews Jr. (CF) – The Angels’ big acquisition, the Angels hope that Matthews can be the presence he was in Texas last season.  I doubt it.  Matthews had a hell of a year, but he’s 32 going on 33, not a great age for a centerfielder, and prior to that season he hit below .250 for his career with little pop.  He had been cut several times and joined the Rangers on a minor league deal.  While Matthews will improve the outfield defense, which was horrible last season, he’s not the impact player the Angels think he is and his contract will be an albatross on the Angels payroll for years.  He’ll hit leadoff in April, but will be hitting 7th come July.
2. Orlando Cabrera (SS) – Artie Moreno signed Cabrera a couple of years ago straight off of his run with Boston, then tried to trade him back when Cabrera wasn’t performing the way he planned.  In reality, Cabrera is a solid defender with enough pop to keep him as a regular.  He’s a natural fit for the second spot, at least until Howie Kendrick is ready to move down.  Cabrera is best at the top of the lineup, but his strikeouts tend to be frustrating.
3. Vladimir Guerrero (RF) – Vlad has again watched the Angels go through another off-season (and another trade deadline, for that matter) and not add a player that could help him produce in that lineup.  Even worse, Guerrero is getting older and many scouts are wondering if Vlad is playing hurt more and more often, as his back is becoming more and more of an issue as he ages.  One scout noted that Guerrero is more of a streak hitter now than he used to be.  With all of that said, I think Guerrero is still one of the most dangerous bats in baseball, as he has such a wide strike zone and such a great eye to recognize pitches.  I think he’ll continue to hit, but I do agree that Guerrero is losing range in the outfield and might have to move to the DH position in another two seasons in order to preserve him, as he does seem due for a breakdown.  If he does, the Angels, no matter how great their pitching, go straight into the ####.
4. Garret Anderson (LF) – Anderson is an above average player on the downslide of his career, nothing special.  He really shouldn’t be considered a middle of the order bat anymore, as the power is going quickly and he’s playing fewer and fewer games per season, but the Angels’ lack of moves at the deadline and in the off-season puts the onus on him to bat cleanup.
5. Shea Hillenbrand (DH) – Hillenbrand will be the Angels’ DH for the time being, until Juan Rivera returns from his injury or until they find someone better than the both of them.  Hillenbrand has some power, but he hasn’t shown a lick of plate discipline, strikes out far more than he walks, is a terrible defender and is a less than sunny personality in the clubhouse.  If you can handle all of that, the Angels got a great deal.
6. Howie Kendrick (2B) – Kendrick made longtime Angel Adam Kennedy expendable after Kendrick tore up the lower minors.  Kendrick has been compared to a right handed version of Tony Gywnn, but the ability wasn’t there last season, mostly because the Angels insisted on playing Kendrick out of position.  With second base now his, Kendrick should do well.  He’s going to be a special player.
7. Chone Figgins (3B) – I never got into the hype about FIggins, as I view the whole “sparkplug” of a player comparison to be overrated.  In reality, Figgins is nothing more than a glorified utilityman who for some reason is so attractive to some General Managers that they’ll deal a first class prospect in return for him, while the Angels secretly cackle in delight.
8. Kendry Morales (1B) – Until Juan Rivera returns, Morales will probably stay with the main club to give him a chance to push Casey Kotchman to perform better or to allow him to take the first base job permanently.  Morales has solid power potential, but after a promising start, he floundered, part of it being the pitchers adjusting to him, the other part being that much of his impressive minor league stats were based on the fact that he was probably playing at a lower skill level.  Morales will begin the season on the bench, but whether or not he stays in Anaheim or returns to Salt Lake is up to him.  The Angels hope Morales can provide some power.  The Angels haven’t gotten any production out of since Mo Vaughn was with the team back in 2000, when they were still the Anaheim Angels. 
9. Mike Napoli (C) – Napoli had a promising start after the catching situation imploded early on, but Napoli has good pop to his bat and has a solid glove behind the plate.  He’s also a huge threat to strikeout often, meaning that he’s going into the back of the order if he wins the starting job in camp, which I think he will.

Bench

• Jose Molina (C) – Molina is like all of the other Molina brothers in that he’s got an excellent glove and calls a great game.  Unfortunately, like all the Molinas save Benji, he can’t hit to save his own life.
• Macier Izturis (INF) – The brother of Cesar, Macier got worked out a lot last season, with all the juggling that the Angels did to try and find some offensive mix possible.  He’s a solid defender who’s real value in that he can play most of the infield, but he’s not good enough to start anywhere for long.
• Robb Quinlan (UTIL) – This solid utilityman can play both infield and outfield corners as well as hit enough to be a okay replacement for a game or two.
• Casey Kotchman (1B) – Kotchman offers less than to be desired production out of first base.  Kotchman has had a less than stellar career as a regular, but the general consensus is that he’s really not good enough to hang in the majors as a regular at any position, let alone a power position like 1B. 
• Erick Aybar (SS) – Aybar is a talented shortstop prospect, who makes good contact with some power, similar to an Orlando Cabrera.  He’s quick and he’s a solid defender on par with Omar Visquel back in his heyday.  In short, he’s the second coming of Hanley Ramirez.  The problem is that he’s still very raw in terms of his talent, but this is more to the fact that he’s really been neglected in the eyes of the organization and the Angels really haven’t worked on him as much as they have on Wood.  Aybar will likely be traded sometime this year, as shortstop is blocked for him in the near and distant future.  With Juan Rivera out for the near future, Aybar will likely make the big club to be showcased for a possible trade.

Disabled List

• Bartolo Colon (RHP) – Colon’s setback in his rehab will sideline him till at least May.  Before then, the Angels will likely have to make a decision on whether or not to keep the portly right hander.  The Angels rotation looks good already and adding Colon to the mix may or may not be the best idea, though moving Saunders into the bullpen will only add to the depth.  My gut feeling is that Colon will return to the team for a few starts, only to be moved at the deadline for offense.
• Juan Rivera (DH) – Rivera isn’t really as much of an outfielder as he is a pure bat.  Rivera finally had the breakout season so many were looking for since he was in the Yankees’ system, but now the pressure will be on for him to show that last season wasn’t a fluke.  Combine this with recovering from a leg injury and it’s going to be an intense few months for him.  On a side note, I wonder how many pitches Vicente Padilla will lob at his favorite HBP target this season.
• Dallas McPherson (3B) – McPherson was once viewed to be such a can’t miss prospect, the Angels declined to re-sign Troy Glaus.  Years later, they’re now kicking themselves for not making a competitive offer to Glaus as McPherson seems to be preparing for the familiar label of “Failed Angels Prospect.”   There’s enough to make a entire team out of them.

Down On The Farm…

• Brandon Wood (3B) – The former top shortstop prospect in the minors, Wood has scary power in his swing and could possibly get even more power if he adds more weight to his skinny frame.  He’s got a strong arm and is a decent fielder.  However, Wood is flawed in the respect that his swing is designed for power, and as a result he accumulates a lot of strikeouts.  He’s also not a threat on the basepaths and despite his excellent arm, he lacks the necessary range to stick a shortstop.  Long term, he projects as a third baseman, to which he has already been moved, and he could get a look in the majors as soon as this season.

In Conclusion

The Angels should at the very least win the division and maybe advance to the American League Championship Series if the pitching stays strong.  But there isn’t a great power bat on this team that can help the Angels and Gary Matthews Jr. isn’t the player LA thinks he is.  This team is very talented and should either do very well or very poorly if things burst into flames at the exact same time.

Final Standing:  American League West Division Winner.

Are The Yankees Really Close To Dealing Randy Johnson, Why The Mets Took The Allure Of New York For Granted, Why Bill Stoneman is Killing The Angels, And An Idea For The Next New York Giants Coach.

Yankees Possibly Close To Dealing Randy Johnson

Since it was announced that the Yankees were interested in dealing the aging lefty, he's been linked with the Diamondbacks.  Apparently, sources close to the negotiations said yesterday that the Yankees and Arizona could complete a trade to send Johnson back to the desert before next week.  

Before any deal can be completed, Arizona would want a 3 day window to negotiate a contract extension with Johnson, who is viewed solely as a gate attraction, allowing Arizona to profit off of Johnson attempting to go for win number 300.  

The Yankees, meanwhile, want to further increase their minor league pitching depth by asking for a package of Arizona's pitching prospets.  They have asked for all of the following pitchers (Dustin Nippert, Micah Owings and Ross Ohlendorf), but will likely have to settle for one, maybe two, with Nippert being the prime target of the Yankees.  Nippert is a 6-8 righthander who was 13-8 with a 4.87 ERA in Triple-A last season and lost both his major league starts. Owings, a 6-5 righty, was 6-2 at Double-A and 10-0 at Triple-A.  Ohlendorf, a 6-4 righty, spent most of last season in Double-A, going 10-8 with a 3.29 ERA, posting 125 strikeouts and only 29 walks in 177-2/3 innings.

The Diamondbacks need to watch their step around the Yankees.  With the Arizona system already thin on pitching prospects (but rich in positional prospects), perhaps it would be to the Diamondbacks' benefit to deal one of the combo of Nippert, Owings, and Ohlendorf and include soem other positional prospect that the Yankees are deficient on.  If there are any extra catchers lurking in the system, surely it would work to the benefit of the Yankees to deal for one, because after this season, Jorge Posada won't be a viable option as a primary catcher.

Why New York Overplayed The "Allure" Of New York

I gotta come clean with you all.

I think the Mets shot themselves in the foot here.

New York needed Zito, badly, especially with a rotation that will feature two 40 year olds (Orlando Hernandez and Tom Glavine), one solid young workhorse (John Maine), an unproven lefty (Oliver Perez), and a combination of young pitchers that might not be ready for the big time (Mike Pelfrey or Philip Humber).  Zito would have been able to provide some experience and depth to that rotation, all the white pitching in a pitcher's park and in a weaker league (lineup wise).

And all it would have cost was money, which the Mets have plenty of.

Instead, the Mets, surprisingly, showed fiscal restraint, instead relying on Zito's quirky personality and love of the big city lifestyle to draw him to New York.  And they seemed content to sit back and allow the contract negotiations for the lefty to take their course, as if they seemed to believe all the ESPN analysts' spin that Zito would end up in New York.

Hell, David Wright summed the Mets' belief best.

"This place sells itself."

"What is there not to like about this atmosphere? If you flipped on the TV during the playoffs, that sells itself. It's just an unbelievable experience, and I couldn't imagine somebody that didn't want to come and be a part of what we have going on right now.

"And the team that we have, you read all the articles about the chemistry and stuff. In my eyes, you'd have to be crazy not to want to come here and be a part of this."

In that case, Zito must have been crazy.

Bill Stoneman Is Killing The Angels

The signing of Shea Hillenbrand to play first base for the Angels is making it more and more clear that Bill Stoneman is killing the Angels.

Stoneman has advocated that the Angels hold the line, not spend too lavishly, and retain the depth of their farm system.

But the problem is that that same strategy has weakened the Angels and turned the division champs into a lesser team.

Since Stoneman has become the GM, he has allowed franchise players and the cornerstones of the 2002 Championship team like Jim Edmonds, David Eckstein, and Troy Glaus walk or be traded when it became clear that they would cost money to re-sign.

They have declined to deal from a position of strength (the farm system, which has several position players that are roadblocked) to make additions that would help the team compete.  Stoneman declined to deal pitcher Ervin Santana and shortstop Erick Aybar to the Nationals last season for Alfonso Soriano last season.  The Angels had the pitching depth to survive and Soriano would have given Vlad Guerrero, who is being walked more and more in key spots, the protection he needed to allow the Angels to contend.

One year earlier, Stoneman declined to deal Aybar, Santana, setup man Scott Sheilds, and another prospect for Manny Ramirez, who also would have helped the offensively.

Instead, Stoneman makes do with the likes of Juan Rivera, Hillenbrand, and other, lesser players that don't help the Angels accomplish their ultimate goal, winning the World Series.

The time is ticking on the Angels.  And I'm not sure Stoneman hears it.

Hey, Giants Staff, Here's A Recommendation For Your New Head Coach

If any Giants personnel are reading this (not likely, as this is primarily a baseball blog), I have a recommendation for you for your next head coach if you all do fire Tom Coughlin.

Tennessee Titans Offensive Coordinator Norm Chow.

Chow is a excellent football guy who has put in his years in the game and has great knowledge of the game.  Plus, he's also got a knack for developing quarterbacks, something you all need (along with getting rid of one of your cancers, Jeremy Shockey and Plaxico Burress).

Don't believe me.  Then check this little nugget out.

Here are the last four quarterbacks Chow has developed.

• Vince Young
• Matt Leinart
• Carson Palmer
• Philip Rivers

Happy New Year everyone.  Drink Responsibly.