Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

[texans]

Re: Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

The Astros needed a big bat and an arm to replace Clemens. So far they have done nothing but resign a couple of arbitration eligible players.

[Karlos05]

Re: Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

Pirates.

The Owner stated he wanted 2 power bats in the offseason. Of course he's delusional and has no clue what he's doing, but that was the big request in the offseason. The 2 biggest holes were RF and 3B.

1. Power hitting 3B. They signed Joe Randa.
2. Power hitting RF. No changes made.
3. Upgraded with Sean Casey at 1B.
4. Traded for Damaso Marte and signed Roberto Hernandez for the bullpen.

Did they address everything they needed? Not even close. They still have very little power aside from Jason Bay, but did get a little stronger with the addition of Casey and that also gives power hitting 1B Brad Eldred a little more seasoning in AAA.

In all fairness there wasn't much out there at the two positions the Pirates needed to upgrade the most (RF and 3b). After seeing what they were looking at in RF I'm not too angry at having C. Wilson out there. If he wasn't going to be traded I'd be happy to see him out there over someone like Byrnes or Burnitz.

I'm a little disapointed some trade couldn't be made to fill the 3b. With C. Wilson, Kip Wells, and all the lefty relievers something should have been able to get done. Having Randa back is nice, but he doesn't offer much over Freddy Sanchez. At least DL didn't give him a multi-year deal.

Plus there's always addition by subtraction. Bye bye Mark Redman

[remix]

Re: Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

Giants -

SP - Signed Matt Morris to be our #2 guy behind Schmidt, still some questions about our #5 (Hennessey).

RP - Lost our workhorse lefty in Eyre, but managed to add a lefty in Kline. Benitez should be fully healthy come next season

1B - lost Snow, question marks with Niekro; maybe Finley or Alou can handle switching positions once in a while. I'd rather Alou do that as it'd rest his legs and Finley is definately a better fielder

3B - Traded Alfonzo so Feliz is our go-to-guy. He should do better with Bonds in the lineup, seriously needs to cut down on strikeouts.

Bench - Added vets Finley, Sweeney and Vizcaino. Should help keep Alou/Bonds fresh.. or atleast we hope. Still questions on who will actually backup Matheny at C.

[SPTO]

Re: Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

I'm a little disapointed some trade couldn't be made to fill the 3b.

They're very close to signing "smilin'" Joe Randa. OK not the greatest player around but he's a solid guy at 3rd.

[TRASHMAN2K]

Re: Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

The Astros needed a big bat and an arm to replace Clemens. So far they have done nothing but resign a couple of arbitration eligible players.

And I feel your pain we have done nothing

[Karlos05]

Re: Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

They're very close to signing "smilin'" Joe Randa. OK not the greatest player around but he's a solid guy at 3rd.

I believe he signed the other day just waiting for the physical to make it official.

Like I said in the first post, it's nice to see him back and he's a good guy but he doesn't offer that much or an upside over Freddy Sanchez. It would have been interesting to see what he couple have done full time at 3b. On the bright side at least Randa didn't get a multi-year deal so he'll only be here a year at worst.

[Miles_Yuhas]

Re: Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

At the end of the season, I was all for the Red Sox trading Renteria for pitching and leting Hanley Ramirez have a shot at the shortstop job. But then they trade him after they already traded away Ramirez, like they forgot that they traded Ramirez. Our GM by commitee has no idea what there doing IMO.

My hometown M's didn't solve any of there problems as usual.

[mjb2124]

Re: Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

In all fairness there wasn't much out there at the two positions the Pirates needed to upgrade the most (RF and 3b). After seeing what they were looking at in RF I'm not too angry at having C. Wilson out there. If he wasn't going to be traded I'd be happy to see him out there over someone like Byrnes or Burnitz.

I'm a little disapointed some trade couldn't be made to fill the 3b. With C. Wilson, Kip Wells, and all the lefty relievers something should have been able to get done. Having Randa back is nice, but he doesn't offer much over Freddy Sanchez. At least DL didn't give him a multi-year deal.

Plus there's always addition by subtraction. Bye bye Mark Redman

I agree there wasn't much out there. However, I thought it was a little naive of Kmac to state he wanted 2 big bats right after the season ended last year. Then again, what does he mean by 2 big bats? IMO that's 2 30+ HR hitters.

Yep, no more Redman or Fogg! Fogg's a good guy, but he just never seemed to have "it". I hope the new coaching staff can turn Kip around. Otherwise, he needs to go as well.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

How's Kip Wells? How's his stuff and command? Is he a competitor. If he's available this season I would love for the Padres to try an acquire him. IMO he's better than Woody Williams and Chan Ho Park.

[dkgojackets]

Re: Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

Cant stand threads like this....greedy bastards be thankful if you kept half the players you already had

[mjb2124]

Re: Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

2. Power hitting RF. No changes made.

This might change.

It looks like the Pirates are finalizing a deal with Jeromy Burnitz that would pay him 12 MIL for 2 years.

Blah... Lot of money for a 37 year old RF'er on the decline. Way to go Bucco's!!

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

2 years to is too long for someone his age.

[mjb2124]

Re: Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

2 years to is too long for someone his age.

I agree.

Now regarding Kip Wells. He's got very good stuff, but doesn't know how to use it. His biggest problem is that he nibbles too much and gets behind a lot of hitters. Then he ultimately grooves one because he doesn't want to give up a walk and gets shelled. He just doesn't trust his stuff.

He's one of the most maddening pitchers I've ever watched pitch. One day he'll pitch a 9 inning shutout and the next he'll go 2 innings and give up 8 runs.

[dust247]

Re: Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

Well lets see -

Minnesota Twins :

ADDED -

3B Tony Batista (free agency/Japan)
*INF Alexi Casilla (trade/LAA)
2B Luis Castillo (trade/FLA)
*CF Jason Pridie (Rule 5/TAM)
OF Rondell White (free agency/DET)

Minor-league contracts
C Shawn Wooten

LOST -

2B Brent Abernathy (free agency/MIL)
RHP Travis Bowyer (trade/FLA)
#OF Jacque Jones (free agency/CHC)
RHP Joe Mays (free agency/KAN)
LHP J.C. Romero (trade/LAA)
*RHP Scott Tyler (trade/FLA)

I'd say we remained about the same. I'd like to see us sign Mike Piazza so he can DH!

[BatsareBugs]

Re: Has Your Team Addressed it's Needs?

I agree.

Now regarding Kip Wells. He's got very good stuff, but doesn't know how to use it. His biggest problem is that he nibbles too much and gets behind a lot of hitters. Then he ultimately grooves one because he doesn't want to give up a walk and gets shelled. He just doesn't trust his stuff.

He's one of the most maddening pitchers I've ever watched pitch. One day he'll pitch a 9 inning shutout and the next he'll go 2 innings and give up 8 runs.

Thanks. With that said, I think I'd rather have him than whoever will be pitching behind Peavy and Young. Woody Williams is bad, was amazingly disguised by a great St. Louis offense and CHP isn't worth the money he's being paid (I'll be it we're pretty much paying the same amount Nevin would've made if he was still on the team).

If I were the Padres I would consider this guy.