The Official Second Annual Hot Stove League

[Sausy]

Baseball is between seasons but the awards are being given out,trades and free agent signings are being planned and lots of action is expected.So let's keep talking the sport we love so much all through the winter....and dream of what could be on the baseball landscape for 2009.

First up.....I am SO happy Gold Gloves went in the NL to David Wrightand Carlos Beltran of the New York Mets!David really deserved it this year(not sure about last year)and he was often briliant inthe field.....great reactions and timing and an improved thrower,though he would even admit he needs to keep bettering himself in consistency there.Carlos simply is beautiful to watch out there...graceful and aggressive,he plays the hell of of center field.

Manny....six years?WTF?i'm thrilled the Mets have really cooled on him as a priority...he won't be able to play the field after a couple of more years,anyway so he's going AL if he doesn't re-up with the Dodgers.But if someone gives him more than three years,they deserve the exploding contract in the face they'll get.

 

[Sausy]

Mike Jacobs of the Marlins has been traded to the Royals(yawn)for someone I really don't know much about.(Announced the day after the WS ended)Decent player but has lots of not exactly going to holes offensively....got to do better than a .240-.250 average,even with his solid power(32 homers with the Marlins this past season)Not exactly something that's going to change the balance of power in the AL Central.

 

[sonny10305]

Great to have the Hot Stove thread back
We can share ideas and thoughts about the '09 season

I will continue to post Mets news in the Mets thread and continue to post in
Cory's thread as well.
A place for everything and everything in it's place. Very cool.

Please. all you baseball lovers who read posts in all three baseball threads,
lets hear from you. Please contribute.

 

[Absolut]

Matt Holliday a Cardinal?

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8770300/Value-of-Holliday,-Atkins-questioned

but not at the expense of my hubby Skip!


Oh and YAY to the Hot Stove thread! woot!

 

[sonny10305]

Matt Holliday a Cardinal?


Oh and YAY to the Hot Stove thread! woot!

I dono dude, It won't be easy for that to happen.
I mean think about it.The Rockies are lookin for a package of Ludwick, Schumaker and Boggs for Holliday.The Cardinals, then, would risk keeping Holliday for only one season while giving up three years of Ludwick, four years of Schumaker and six of Boggs.
I hear Oakland wants him. and Philadelphia was interested as well but The Rockies want Victorino,
so that ain’t happin.
I mean every time I read anything about him another team is looking to get him.
I have heard Boston, Tampa Bay and Yankees are all interested in him.
Here’s the deal, since the Rockies can’t seem to agree on any kind of contract extension,
the Cardinals would prolly make a strong push to sign Holliday to a contract extension with them. But then there is the evil Scott Boras factor to get in the way of that. Scott ya know prefers his guys to establish their values on the open market.

Good luck babe, you know I only want good things for you and your Cards,
as long as they are not playin the Mets

 

[Absolut]

^ He is damn sexy too!

But alas, it's all a moot point now. Reports are saying he went to Oakland.

 

[Sausy]

Great to have sonny,Abs,and Gumby here,and hope to see lots of other baseball lovers as well...Scrub,Brad,Shepherd2,Chance,Zhu Wong,Doc Wellington,flyingfree,etc.Yeah sonny,I''ll also keep posting in yours and Abs threads as well,looking forward to your new 2009 editions in spring training!Thanks Abs for the woot!

Holliday won't stay in Oakland....they are using him for another trade I think.Can't believe he'd sign long term with them,especially as a potential free agent after next season represented by Scott Boras.I'm hoping if there is a St. Louis destination for him yet,it doesn't include Skippy but Ludwick.

Lots of fun coming up for baseball fans in the next couple of months!

 

[sonny10305]

Holliday won't stay in Oakland....they are using him for another trade I think.Can't believe he'd sign long term with them,especially as a potential free agent after next season represented by Scott Boras.I'm hoping if there is a St. Louis destination for him yet,it doesn't include Skippy but Ludwick.

Lots of fun coming up for baseball fans in the next couple of months!

Yup Sausy things are sure gonna get interesting now that Players have filed the paperwork, teams have drawn up their wish lists. So let the dance begin, It all starts Friday, clubs will be able to start talking money with all the free agents on the market.

So it looks like the As gobbled up Holliday, A little bit of a surprise.
But if it goes through, and we should know for sure soon,at least he won’t be in the NL East.
It was a surprise cause aren’t the As the team that always seems to be getting rid of guys instead of adding them? Interesting to see what the Rockies get, I have already heard names like Street, Smith and Gonzalez.
Holiday will of course improve the A's offense and is a power bat that the A's have not had since Giambi.
BTW don’t be shocked to hear Giambi may return to the A's as well.

But no mater what I totally agree, Holliday will prolly spend only one season in Oakland before landing somewhere else after 2009, when he will be eligible to become a free agent.

 

[sonny10305]

Tim “the franchise” Lincecum has won the NL Cy Young
Here is how the voting went, pretty much as I expected.
I wrote more about it this morning here:
http://www.justusboys.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4467618&postcount=477

How it went down
Lincecum 137 points
Webb 73 points
Santana 55 points
Lidge 10 points
Sabathia 9 points
Dempster 4 points


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr9R7z28zME[/ame]

And for those of you who gotta have a shirtless pic
(you know who you are)

 

[sonny10305]

Nats get:
Scott Olsen
Josh Willingham

Marlins get:
Emilio Bonifacio
Jake Smolinski
P.J. Dean

The Nats are in dire need for change. The played really sucky ball last year.
Not sure they gained much here.
Olson had better to continue to can keep his nose clean, remember his 2007 season when he was arrested on a drunken-driving charge, drew a fine for making an obscene gesture toward fans in Milwaukee and served a two-game suspension following a confrontation with an other player.
After that his pitching suffered, and he finished with an ERA of just under 6 which I think was the highest in the NL among starters. That would be with like 160 innings.
Then there is Willingham, h did have something like 15 homers and bout 50 RBIs this year, but how's his back? he missed a mess of games with a herniated disk.
I'm not clear on where they are gonna play Willingham, I'm hearing left field but then I also heard first base now that Jacobs is gone.

I hate to see any team play as badly as the Nats did last year, it's just painful to watch and not very much fun. They need to make a lot of moves and this first step is a baby one at best.

 

[sonny10305]

Ok, so the Cy Young award has ben announced and today is the day for Managers of the year.

Starting with the AL, I guess Joe Maddon has to be high on the list after leading the Rays to 97 wins
and the first AL East title in team history.
Then ya gotta consider LA Angels manager Mike Scioscia or maybe white Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.
My money for the Al is on Madden.

The NL is a tough one to call, but you gotta figure Joe Torre and Lou Piniella are the main guys for that award.
Torre got LA to their first NL West title in 4 years and got them into the NLCS for the first time since,
what was it, 1988.?
Piniella, led the Cubs to an NL-best 97 wins and their second straight NL Central title, but then again they were swept by LA in the Division Series.

If I had to choose a third candidate I'd have to say Charlie Manuel

I'm going with
Pinella, but I ain't puttin any money on it.

 

[phoenix99]

What a surprise that Holliday went to Oakland!

Not sure what my D'Backs are gonna do at 2nd base since Orlando Hudson is as good as gone. I'm surprised they didn't keep Eckstein, he's the type of player Bob Melvin seems to like. I just hope the GM Byrnes doesn't fuck it up again. I will never forgive him for trading Carlos Quentin! NEVER.



I think Manny should stay in LA, (even though he kicked our ass last season), but he might want to go back to the east coast.

I think Manuel should win manager of the year and Maddon in the AL.

 

[Sausy]

I've been neglecting my own thread!Bigtime props to Mike Mussina,a classy professional who decided to reire while on top,after winning 20 games for the first time in a solid career.He ends up270-153 and with at least borderline Cooperstown credentials.Respected for his workmanlike demeanor and great character,very honest and candid.....he put family before personal goals by rejecting the opportunirty to go for 300 wins,going out on top rather than just hanging on for money and statistical inflation.Mike,you definitely carried yourself with the best of Yankee tradition.The best of luck in your new endeavors,getting back to spending more time with your family...you will be missed.

 

[sonny10305]

I've been neglecting my own thread!Bigtime props to Mike Mussina,a classy professional who decided to reire while on top,after winning 20 games for the first time in a solid career.He ends up270-153 and with at least borderline Cooperstown credentials.Respected for his workmanlike demeanor and great character,very honest and candid.....he put family before personal goals by rejecting the opportunirty to go for 300 wins,going out on top rather than just hanging on for money and statistical inflation.Mike,you definitely carried yourself with the best of Yankee tradition.The best of luck in your new endeavors,getting back to spending more time with your family...you will be missed.

Seriouisly where have you been?? I was getting worried you did not love us any more

I jus want to say I liked your comments on Mussina, I only hope Mikes move willl give Pedro the modivation and wisdom to do the same thing.

 

[Sausy]

Seriouisly where have you been?? I was getting worried you did not love us any more

I jus want to say I liked your comments on Mussina, I only hope Mikes move willl give Pedro the modivation and wisdom to do the same thing.

I really am sorry,sonny....luv you all of course!Thanks about the Mussina comments.He's definitely someone to respect though right now I'm not sure of his Hall of Fame credentials...he's been good,real good at times but is he a great?Can't say right now...dominance has been lacking.I guess if you want to say consistency can get rewarded,maybe so.He was always a professional,always honest and frank in his dealings with themedia.He wanted to end his career with class and dignity and not hold out for a magic 300 wins he wasn't sure how long would take.Spending time being a father to his children tear round meant more to him than another big money score and ego trip of being in the 300 wins club.

I don't respect Andy Petitte.After his reputation took a hit in the cheating scandal,Yanks stood by him and didn't blast him for not revealing his usage of banned substances until after he re-upped for a year at$16 mil.He had a really disappointing season,got hit hard late and yet will not take a pay cut to remain with the Yankees,and hasn't denied an interest in the Dodgers after saying he would only play with the Yanks in finishing his career.He really has gone down in my eyes as a person,especially with his holy family man image.

Great job by the Red Sox to sign Dustin Pedroia,the little big man,to a six year,$40 mil extension(really seven years,with a club option in 2015 for just $11 million,a bargain if Dustin continues his to match his skills with unparalleled effort and grit)He is the heart and soul of the Red Sox now,and with the way they are already constituted plus GM supreme Theo Epstein's outstanding talent evaluation skills will be the on the field and clubhouse leader of a contending power for years.

 

[sonny10305]

Great thoughts Sausy,
Next week Kevin Burkhardt's Hot Stove report will be on four days instead of just on Thursday. You can see him Mon thru Thurs keeping us up to date on the winter meetings. That's SNY 7PM

Hopefully (K-Rod)something will happen soon (K-Rod)cause as Kevin puts it,
so far it's been the "cold stove report" (K_Rod)

 

[Sausy]

Great thoughts Sausy,
Next week Kevin Burkhardt's Hot Stove report will be on four days instead of just on Thursday. You can see him Mon thru Thurs keeping us up to date on the winter meetings. That's SNY 7PM

Hopefully (K-Rod)something will happen soon (K-Rod)cause as Kevin puts it,
so far it's been the "cold stove report" (K_Rod)

Thanks for the update,sonny.Yep,things are really slow now especially regards to the free agents holding up movement ...maybe the meetings in Las Vegas next week will move things along and we can start seeing things moving regards to the big free agent players and larger scaled trades.Next week should be fun for baseball fans,especially Mets ones.

 

[Sausy]

Mets get K-Rod!that cold stove is just blazing hot now!!!Lots of other rumors going on too...won't be liking it as a Mets fan if Jake Peavy wound up in Philly or Chicago.Though I love all the talk about three and four ways!

Atlanta got Javier Vazquez....he's had some good years,is a real power arm but should be so much better.Maybe going from the White Sox to the Braves will give his career a kick start.
So St. Louis got Khalil Greene.Two words...ho hum!!!

 

[sonny10305]

The New York Yankees were "very close" to a preliminary agreement with CC Sabathia this morning, following an in-person meeting between Cashman and Sabathia. What we here is, the deal offered by the Yankees is now worth $160 million over seven years which is the most money ever paid a pitcher in major league history. The team had originally offered six years and $140 million.

Supposedly there are zero major road blocks that would prevent the Yankees from reaching agreement with Sabathia. Not all terms of the deal are agreed to yet, and of course like A-Rod, CC would need to take a physical.

I guess I am not surprised by this although I thought CC did not want to play in NY, but for that kind of cash I guess he will.
It should be announced today and congrats to the Yankees.
Now the Mets need to get Lowe.

 

[Sausy]

The New York Yankees were "very close" to a preliminary agreement with CC Sabathia this morning, following an in-person meeting between Cashman and Sabathia. What we here is, the deal offered by the Yankees is now worth $160 million over seven years which is the most money ever paid a pitcher in major league history. The team had originally offered six years and $140 million.

Supposedly there are zero major road blocks that would prevent the Yankees from reaching agreement with Sabathia. Not all terms of the deal are agreed to yet, and of course like A-Rod, CC would need to take a physical.

I guess I am not surprised by this although I thought CC did not want to play in NY, but for that kind of cash I guess he will.
It should be announced today and congrats to the Yankees.
Now the Mets need to get Lowe.

I'm telling you sonny....Yanks basically bribed C.C to play in New York.Added a seventh year...an escape clause after three years.No other team was going to come close,they bid against themselves because they badly needed an ace.I was thinking C.C. had too much character and pride to come to a club he really wasn't crazy about just because of the incredible money offered....guessed wrong and I hope he is up to that contract,because there is going to be a lot of pressure now.

And the thought of five years,over$80 million for a good but never consistently dominant A.J. Burnett...there are a lot of pissed owners who in this economic downturn wouldn't elsewhere but the Yanks have dreamed spending that kind of money.Well,money is everything if you have a bottomless pit of it and the Yankees have by far the most to offer even if moneyball has rarely proven in and of itself to win World Series,let alone pennants.

I wrote my reactions to the late Wednesday night three way Mets-Seattle-Cleveland trade in your thread,keeping it Mets specific news.Deliriously happy with that one,and one more day at the Winter meetings more may come...anyway,in the next couple of weeks if not right away I believe the bulk of the Mets needs,including starting pitching,will be taken care of.