Im pretty sure they'd go with Michael Young over Utley...Bonds is definitely out, and Berkman looks out also...Bonds being out leaves DH open, which I bet probably goes to Lee since Tex has been pretty much flawless in the field.

1/26/2006 3:38:43 PM

PEACE

1/26/2006 3:46:50 PM

Bonds should rot in hell. He had zero intentions of playing, but only committed to make himself look better to fans.

Also as I'm sure everyone knows by now, Frank Thomas signed a one year contract with the As for half a million (with ~$2.6 million in performance bonuses). I think half a million for Big Frank is a decent gamble. I mean if he is injured all season, oh well you out just a bit more than the league minimum, but if he stays healthy and hits and gets his bonuses, then you paid $3.1 million for a solid DH and backup 1B. I think it is a decent gamble for an AL team.

1/26/2006 5:22:59 PM

Definitely agree on your Bonds and Big Hurt thoughts...500k is nothing for a potentially big bat in the AL

Anyone hear that Bonds is getting a reality TV show about his quest to break Aaron's record?

1/26/2006 5:38:28 PM

What happens to the show if he goes down with injury and never gets close to Aaron's record?

1/26/2006 7:36:00 PM

hopefully we will never hear anything about him ever again

On a different note, I saw that Mota failed his physical w/ the Indians...I thought this pretty much never happened, does anyone know what can cause a pro baller to fail a physical?

1/27/2006 8:57:34 AM

well I wondered the same thing, remember, he did pass a physical in the trade to the Red Sox. I guess certain teams just have more strenuous physicals and require a higher performance score or whatever than others

1/27/2006 10:15:29 AM

Durazo might take a deal with the Yankees to be the DH

1/27/2006 10:19:52 AM

If a physical is something put in place by the team, that seems kind of counteractive to me...if you trade for a player you are trading based on the fact that you want him for what you think he can do...not whether he passes your physical tests...

I suppose I understand that it can catch injuries or other things you arent aware of, but I guess my point is this: If Randy Johnson had failed his physical don't you think the Yankees would still have signed him?

1/27/2006 10:30:12 AM

^Not for what they gave him.

Mota probably just didn't want to leave & flunked on purpose.

1/27/2006 10:37:38 AM

Gotcha...wasn't aware they did that

1/27/2006 11:40:56 AM

Piazza signs one year deal with the Padres.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2311295

1/30/2006 1:23:58 PM

^ Piazza's career is over. He should have signed for less with an AL team so that he could get some ABs as a DH. Signing with the Padres might give him a few more chances to catch some games, but he'll still be the worst defensive catcher ever and I bet he ends up on the DL more than once this year.

1/30/2006 2:20:29 PM

I was very surprised that he wasn't offered more money to DH, and maybe backup catch, for an AL team. He still has a decent bat (although his numbers werent there last year).

I have no idea why any team would want him to catch full time...he is a complete liability out on the field no matter where he is

1/30/2006 2:26:50 PM

^ That would have come from the Orioles, but then they'd have gotten absolutely nothing in trade for Javy Lopez

1/30/2006 3:50:21 PM

And why would they get anything for Lopez? They would still have to pay his rediculous salary for anyone to even consider taking him.

1/30/2006 5:09:46 PM

Alex Gonzalez to the Red Sox for a 1-year deal pending a physical. Shapes us up defensively he will be the 9 hole hitter.

1/31/2006 11:10:00 AM

^Is that the good Alex Gonzalez from the Marlins or Alex S. Gonzalez, a career backup?

1/31/2006 11:50:37 AM

good Alex from the Marlins

1/31/2006 12:03:02 PM

Quote :

"good Alex from the Marlins"

Ha ha "good" Alex. That is funny. Neither one of the Alex Gonzalez's are worth a shit. Both play like SS from the 80s. Good glove and no bat.

1/31/2006 4:30:52 PM

^Don't be ignorant. 2003 Alex hit 18 homeruns and 77 RBIs. 2004 he had 23 homeruns and 79 RBIs. Those are pretty damn good for a SS.

1/31/2006 5:06:47 PM

Quote :

""...the Red Sox as we speak are preparing to make a serious offer to one Roger Clemens, who will turn 44 in August. According to sources, the Sox’ pitch will include a slick video presentation that features a number of Red Sox fans imploring the Rocket to finish his career where it began. " -- 2.7, Gerry Callahan, Boston Herald (subscription)"

http://www.bostondirtdogs.com/

2/7/2006 10:46:24 AM

Has there been anything recent at all on what Clemens would actually want to do...as far as I can tell, he showed up to pitch BP for the Astros, which could mean something or everything...obviously the big guys are all going to push hard for him (Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers, and Astros)

Do you think he'd want to go the way of Nolan Ryan or would that be too...I dunno, cliche?

2/7/2006 11:00:00 AM

it would be a great story if he returned to boston. 10 years since he left, 20 years since his best season in a boston uniform, and he's tied with cy young for the most wins in Boston at 192. Plus he would be on a rotation with schilling and beckett(and would also be huge for the development of papelhorn).

Boston has money and then they could deal wells and his 9 mil somewhere for prospects.

2/7/2006 11:08:28 AM

I read a good article earlier today, can't find it now though...basically saying that Clemens, due to increased ticket sales, merchandising, etc...is actually worth $18 or more for one year, as long as he goes to a team that wasn't previously in the playoffs.

I.E. The Yankees or Sox would have to pay money for him, whereas the Astros (before) or the Rangers pretty much don't lose anything on the deal.

I know that Texas is one of the worst ballparks for a pitcher to play in, but imagine their rotation if Clemens signed. Clemens and Millwood (each had a league best ERA last year), Eaton, Padilla, and someone else (Benoit?)

What is the latest on Schilling? Completely healthy?

2/7/2006 11:19:53 AM

Quote :

"I read a good article earlier today, can't find it now though...basically saying that Clemens, due to increased ticket sales, merchandising, etc...is actually worth $18 or more for one year, as long as he goes to a team that wasn't previously in the playoffs."

Yeah, I heard a similar discussion on Pedro Martinez and the Mets last year. The increases in attendance for his games paid most of his salary. When you factor in increased beer/food sales and merchandise, his contract is actually a steal.

2/7/2006 12:48:45 PM

Quote :

"What is the latest on Schilling? Completely healthy?"

I've heard he is. He said he's in perfect shape, he's lost a lot of weight too. The sox have 7 potential starters right now in Schilling, Beckett, Wells, Matt Clement, Tim Wakefield, Bronson Arroyo, and Jonathan Papelbon. Take out Wells and insert clemens, and that's pretty nasty.

2/7/2006 1:20:57 PM

Who are they planning on having Wakefield throw to? I like 'Tek and all but he is horrendous at catching the knuckler

2/7/2006 1:48:12 PM

did the sox oust mirabelli? i heard tony pena or ivan cauldron were looking for somewhere to go. dont count on ron karkovice, bc karky's gonna stay with the sox.


ps. clemens isnt leaving houston if he comes back at all, and with koby in the farm system it would be good incentive for him to stay with the organization that hes gonna be working with after he retires. just hope he doesnt get hurt in the wbc, and that he wears the american flag tattoo face wherever he goes from now on.

2/7/2006 7:58:16 PM

^yea they traded Mirabelli to SD for Mark Loretta. Kinda funny, I went to his player page on espn.com just to double check, and under transactions it says "Doug Mirabelli has not been involved in any transactions this season." yet at the very bottom is a link to the story about the trade. Guess they mean this coming season

2/7/2006 8:07:43 PM

yeah and then the padres got stupid and got piazza

2/7/2006 8:20:03 PM

Well aaaaaawally if I were the Sox i would definitely be going after Ivan Caulderon...but really if you think about it, there is one they could get who would solve every hole they have...in fact he solves every hold on every team ever...his name...Jose Oquendo

Back in the fake world though, Benji Molina just got signed by the Blue Jays Monday

2/7/2006 9:33:13 PM

white sox:

trade your #6 starter for something useful. this shit is driving me nuts. most good teams will win despite whatever their #5 starter does, so the argument for keeping a quality starter in the 6-hole makes 0 sense. and it's taking up roster space. just. do. something!

2/10/2006 11:48:50 PM

id say a CF would have been nice

Anderson isnt that great

2/10/2006 11:51:14 PM

Anderson will either prove himself to be a complete failure or a genious GM decision. I'd rather K-W (sox GM) not let those two choices be his only. All things considered though, for the Sox to be sitting passive with a dealable #6 starter says a lot about the expected competition in the AL central this year.

2/10/2006 11:53:05 PM

I believe my tigers will provide a good challenge

2nd place is attainable

2/10/2006 11:55:02 PM

Enough with the Herb shit...Baseball season is here.

Bronson Arroyo traded to the Reds for Wily Mo Pena. Prolly a good trade for both teams. Reds need pitching. Sox need a bat.

3/20/2006 9:44:50 PM

I'd like to see Wily Mo breakout this year...but only because I like to say his name: Wily Mo Pena

3/21/2006 2:35:04 PM

^

3/21/2006 2:44:17 PM

pena is the best .245 hitter in baseball

3/21/2006 4:08:04 PM

pena is a flyball hitter who, if he started, could hit 50 homeruns in fenway. but he'd stike out 215 times at least.

3/21/2006 4:20:50 PM

Pena will benefit from the dimensions in Fenway and the tuteledge (sp?) of Rice. He is still young (24) and has a big upside. The downside for the Sawx is that cheap, reliable, injury-free pitchers are hard to come by.

3/21/2006 5:21:54 PM

A's in '06, baby.... Finally got all the pieces together even if Big Hurt stays hurt!

3/21/2006 6:22:34 PM

So what does everyone think that Clemens is going to end up doing?

I still think he comes back to the Astros.

5/3/2006 11:48:13 AM

I guess the stuff I've been seeing is that the Astros have the inside track assuming they match the Yanks and Sox's offers. They were floating numbers like 3 million a month for the remainder of the season. You'd figure that the money wouldn't matter that much to the Rocket at this point, but whatever. I hope he ends up on the Sox just to piss off the Yankees some more.

5/3/2006 11:58:36 AM

sawks

5/3/2006 12:15:27 PM