Around The League Offseason moves and discussion thread

[zilby]

why no logical reason?

millwoods a decent pitcher who can help the crappy rotation.

[Modern_epic]

why no logical reason?

millwoods a decent pitcher who can help the crappy rotation.

It is a bit of hyperbole, but I don't really get it either.

Sure, Millwood might be worth 4 or 5 wins over over the 30 starts he will be replacing in 2010. The issue being that that gets them all the way to 70 wins next year, for an extra $9 million.

Really, it is good value, compared to the open market so far. For the cost of a decent bullpen arm, I expect he will be a better pitcher than Randy Wolf next year. And Wolf is being paid about the same with two more guaranteed years. But they are still paying him 9 million to maybe finish fourth in the AL east.

[zilby]

eh, true. whatever.

anyways, so now that millwood is traded, the rangers pick up rich harden.

and right after that, they pick up mike lowell.

[Michael Bradley]

Man, even though I knew it wouldn't happen, I was hoping the Jays would get Harden. Unfortunately we are too busy "building" or whatever AA is calling it. Harden is a very good pitcher when he is healthy, which isn't too often, but a one year deal with a 2nd year option is solid value. Exactly the type of short-term risk a team devoid of assets (i.e. us) should be taking, IMO. Oh well.

[The_Hater]

Man, even though I knew it wouldn't happen, I was hoping the Jays would get Harden. Unfortunately we are too busy "building" or whatever AA is calling it. Harden is a very good pitcher when he is healthy, which isn't too often, but a one year deal with a 2nd year option is solid value. Exactly the type of short-term risk a team devoid of assets (i.e. us) should be taking, IMO. Oh well.

While I also hoped the Jays would look at Harden, I can still see why they passed.

As for Millwood? The only reason this deal makes sense for the Orioles is if they figure he'll pitch well enough to bring back a couple of quality prospects from a contender at the deadline.

[Relentless88]

Man, even though I knew it wouldn't happen, I was hoping the Jays would get Harden. Unfortunately we are too busy "building" or whatever AA is calling it. Harden is a very good pitcher when he is healthy, which isn't too often, but a one year deal with a 2nd year option is solid value. Exactly the type of short-term risk a team devoid of assets (i.e. us) should be taking, IMO. Oh well.

I was thinking about Harden that last little while too. Would've been a great low risk high reward pickup. One year deal, if he can stay healthy he'll have a big year no doubt. And at worst we get draft picks, or deal him at the deadline.

[zilby]

white sox pick up putz. rays get rafael soriano. and KC signs kendall.

[Relentless88]

Bay rejects Boston's 4 year 60 million offer. Looks like he's done in Boston??

[-MetA4-]

Boston reportedly bringing Lackey in for a physical.

Implications if he signs:
-We lose their 1st round pick and get their 2nd instead as Lackey is rated higher than Scutaro.
-Boston officially out of Halladay running (although they're pretty mch already out IMO).
-Angels will have to step up pursuit of Halladay. They were still trying to get Lackey back, but if they lose him, especially to another AL team, they will feel pressure to replace him.
-Phillies will feel more pressure with added Angels pressure.

[zilby]

lackey signed.

matsui picked up by LAA.

Doc traded.

damn. this sucks.

but at least we have a bundle of prospects now.

[The_Hater]

lackey signed.

matsui picked up by LAA.

Doc traded.

damn. this sucks.

but at least we have a bundle of prospects now.

Actually, I'm pretty excited about all this. I was sick of JP and his short term thinking sticking us on the 82 win treadmill every year.

[Schad]

Actually, I'm pretty excited about all this. I was sick of JP and his short term thinking sticking us on the 82 win treadmill every year.

I don't mind the team that JP built, which was done in by factors beyond his control (namely, the division in which we play) but yeah...I'm really excited about the fact that we're rebuilding from the ground up, and just as importantly have convinced the people with money to throw their weight behind doing this right. We might lose quite a bit over the next three years, but we're one excellent draft away from having a pretty good nucleus in the future.

[SharoneWright]

Actually, I'm pretty excited about all this. I was sick of JP and his short term thinking sticking us on the 82 win treadmill every year.

I don't mind the team that JP built, which was done in by factors beyond his control (namely, the division in which we play) but yeah...I'm really excited about the fact that we're rebuilding from the ground up, and just as importantly have convinced the people with money to throw their weight behind doing this right. We might lose quite a bit over the next three years, but we're one excellent draft away from having a pretty good nucleus in the future.

^
100%. That's our strategy now and the right course to take. You're right about securing the money for this type of play. The dollars spent this year, including the 6mil to dump RH, are all about investment for the future and not for immediate returns. Pretty good foresight by the people who hold the strings to hitch their wagon to 2013 rather than the here and now if it means giving TO a shot at a winner.

Wells was Godfrey's doing. Overbay trade was a good gamble at the time. Glaus trade was good at the time. Getting Rolen for Glaus was a decent save. JP's mistake was his draft strategy of low ceiling college guys.

In terms of our current strategy of building from the ground up, we need to sacrifice a few years at the MLB level to succeed. My priority for the next couple of year is to ensure we can re-sign Lind to go with the youth that is following a few years behind. AA had better be willing to let guys like Encarnacion, Ruiz and Downs go, along with contracts like MacDonalld's in order to retain Lind, so he can be a piece of the future with our new crop of minor leaguers. Short-term respectability must be jettisonned in order to target our future core. This is the way to go until 2014.