MLB - 2010 Spring Training!

[Ming]

Thanks for pointing out the trade... I missed it since I wasn't really hunting down MLB news today.

And yes, what is Arizona thinking...

[Guynemer]

Granderson is my favorite player, but I can't deny that the Tigers are getting their money's worth. He'll probably never be worth more on the trade market than he is right now; probably also true of Jackson.

[Arrian]

I like the trade. Granderson should bounce back next year (BABIP regression, plus Yankees Stadium seems like a good fit), making him a solid upgrade in CF. His D is solid (though seems to have slipped some), his baserunning good. He's signed to a reasonable contract the Yankees can easily afford.

Austin Jackson is a good prospect, but: a) he's not ready (3 times as many Ks as walks in AAA, with nearly no power); and b) most people project him as a roughly average major league CFer. Maybe more if he develops some power. Right now, he hits for average and that's about it.

Ian Kennedy is the least of the "big three" (Hughes, Joba, IPK) young Yankee starters. He needs to have excellent control in order to get guys out with his stuff. He has shown good, but not excellent control. This, at the major league level, resulted in far too many BBs (in the minors, guys would chase). He's moving to the NL West, so he could do well there (though AZ's park is homerrific, no?). He's young enough to improve on the command/control, so he could still reach his projected ceiling (#3 starter). I'll miss him.

AZ... apparently doesn't think their young pitchers will stay healthy. That's all I can figure here. They took on two guys who seem to have less health risk. I could also see them convincing themselves that Jackson took a real step forward least year, despite the 1/2 half slide. Move him to the NL...

-Arrian

p.s. You may note that I failed to mention Phil Coke. That's because he's not really worth talking about. He's a LOOGY who hands out HRs like candy. I rooted for him least season, and he has his uses, but he's your typical specialist reliever: count on nothing.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Rumors are swirling all about that the Phillies are trying to make a play for Halladay (and basically sew up the NL pennant already).

[Ming]

Rumors are swirling all about that the Phillies are trying to make a play for Halladay (and basically sew up the NL pennant already).

Halliday would be HUGE for the Phillies (or pretty much any other team that got him), but as far as basically sew up the NL pennant already...

Sure, they would probably be the favorite... but that's why they play the games. Anything can happen, and usually does. The game isn't about who is the best on paper... it's all about who actually wins the games

[Arrian]

Not yet official, but sounds like it will get done:

Lowell (and $9MM to pay most of his salary) to Texas for Max Ramirez.

I'm not really sure what Texas is doing here...

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

Texas has a ton of young catchers. So they figured they could deal one for a few decent, cheap years of Lowell.

[Ming]

Yeah... you can see what they had in mind, and it will interesting to see if they can get what they expect out of the deal. It's a good/inexpensive move that could help them without really giving up anything they will miss.

[Imran Siddiqui]

That and interestingly enough Texas's hitting last year was the issue. 95 OPS+ for the team. Hamilton had, of course, a down year with injury and not hitting as well as he did last season and Chris Davis was abyssmal at 1B. I think they'll make Lowell the DH in place of Andrew Jones (who was actually servicable).

[Imran Siddiqui]

Interesting news:

http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/mlb/news/story?id=4741437

John Lackey is in Boston for a physical according to "sources" and it is rumored that a deal is being worked on.

[Imran Siddiqui]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4742072

Halladay to Phillies, LEE TO MARINERS, and some people to Toronto.

The interesting part is Cliff Lee getting dealt. The way he pitched last season for Philly, it almost seems like the Phillies didn't get all that much more in this deal. Everything was pointing towards Halladay and Lee for the Phils next season... guess not.

[Ben Kenobi]

Let me put it this way. Halliday is one of the top 5 all-time winningest pitchers for a .500 team at best.

He's pitched on average about 140 points above the team.

This is nothing short of blasphemy.

[OzzyKP]

Very interesting trade today involving Curtis Granderson to the Yankees. Detroit would get Austin Jackson and Phil Coke from New York and Max Scherzer from Arizona. Arizona would get Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy.

Looks solid from Detroit's perspective. Not sure what Arizona really gained.

Grandy!!

This trade makes me very sad.

It was bad enough having to watch (briefly) Fielder and Pudge in pinstripes, but Granderson? Nooooooo.

[Stuie]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4742072

Halladay to Phillies, LEE TO MARINERS, and some people to Toronto.

The interesting part is Cliff Lee getting dealt. The way he pitched last season for Philly, it almost seems like the Phillies didn't get all that much more in this deal. Everything was pointing towards Halladay and Lee for the Phils next season... guess not.

Talk is that Lee wouldn't talk long term contract - wanted to "test the waters" next off-season. Whereas Halladay WANTS to play for the Phillies and sign a multi-year deal. I'll take the even-better pitcher that wants to play for us, thank you.

[Stuie]

The other rumor is that Blanton and Happ are in the mix instead of Lee. I'll take that, too. Halladay/Lee/Hamels/whoever/whatever would be a good rotation.