Winter Meetings thread

[bravosfan]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

More from Dave O'Brien of the AJC:

Soriano for Horacio is a DONE DEAL. Hasn’t been announced yet, but done. Gonna write story and wait for announcement.

Don’t know if the other deal for Gonzalez will get done. Conflicting stuff I’m hearing, some saying that Littlefield’s dragging feet, others saying it’s Braves. I think the former….

And the Seattle Times:

A Mariners team in desperate need of starting pitching is to announce soon that it has acquired left-hander Horacio Ramirez from the Atlanta Braves.

A major-league front-office source confirmed that a deal to bring Ramirez to Seattle, in exchange for relief pitcher Rafael Soriano, has been agreed to and that all that remains is the announcement.

"There were physicals, but they're all done and it's going through," the source said.

[bravosfan]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

Just further confirmation, also the Pittsburgh deal appears to be off...

The Braves got the elite setup man they wanted Wednesday when they agreed to trade injury-plagued starting pitcher Horacio Ramirez to Seattle for reliever Rafael Soriano, who has a 2.89 career ERA and 177 strikeouts in 171 innings.

The deal, expected to be announced late Wednesday or Thursday, was confirmed by an official with one of the teams. It doesn't guarantee that the Braves will keep first baseman Adam LaRoche, but the Braves withdrew their offer of LaRoche for Pirates closer Mike Gonzalez.

http://www.ajc.com/braves/content/sports/braves/stories/2006/12/06/1207ramirez.html

[Sedihawk2K5]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

Just further confirmation, also the Pittsburgh deal appears to be off...



http://www.ajc.com/braves/content/sp...07ramirez.html

I've watched Soriano since he was a rook, and let me tell Braves fans, you are getting one hell of a pitcher, IF he's healthy! Electric stuff, nasty demeanor, you name it. Some compared him to a young Rivera when Rivera used to set up for Wetteland back in the mid-90's.

But, I say IF with a capital I-F he's healthy. The guy has battled injuries the last few years, and he's even had TJ surgery. That liner off the noggin against Vlad was brutal, too, and while he's been in the Dominican in the off-season and the reports are positive, you just never know when he takes the ball again in a big league game.

Mariner nation is sad tonight, no question.

[mjb2124]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

Just further confirmation, also the Pittsburgh deal appears to be off...



http://www.ajc.com/braves/content/sp...07ramirez.html

Looks like your reporter was correct. Littlefield dragged his feet. Exactly what I was afraid of, but it doesn't come as a surprise as Littlefield has done this before. If it's not the cheap ownership with the Pirates, it's poor decisions by the GM.

[Coug00]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

I've watched Soriano since he was a rook, and let me tell Braves fans, you are getting one hell of a pitcher, IF he's healthy! Electric stuff, nasty demeanor, you name it. Some compared him to a young Rivera when Rivera used to set up for Wetteland back in the mid-90's.

But, I say IF with a capital I-F he's healthy. The guy has battled injuries the last few years, and he's even had TJ surgery. That liner off the noggin against Vlad was brutal, too, and while he's been in the Dominican in the off-season and the reports are positive, you just never know when he takes the ball again in a big league game.

Mariner nation is sad tonight, no question.

Agreed, if Rafi is healthy and can regain his velocity this is a lopsided trade. He was good last year, but still not throwing in the mid to upper 90's before the surgery. Looks like Ramirez is Jarrod Washburn Jr. Ugh.

However, the deal is not done. Medicals records are being reviewed and both players must pass their physicals according to both teams.

<A HREF="http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/archives/109437.asp">Seattle PI blog</A>

Guess this news completely squashes the 3-way trade rumor with SF & Atlanta to pick up Hudson and LaRoche and get rid of Sexson's contract.

[bravosfan]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

At one point Wednesday, there was some speculation that Atlanta was close to completing a trade that simply needed medical clearance. With knowledge that the Gonzalez-for-LaRoche talks were heavy, it wasn't realized that the deal actually was the one that involved Soriano and Ramirez.

The Braves are believed to have already provided medical approval in regards to Soriano, who had Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery in 2004 and experienced a short stint with shoulder soreness this past season.

But the Mariners' medical staff left the meetings on Wednesday and its cross-country flight didn't land in Seattle until around 6 p.m. ET. Three hours later, it still wasn't clear if Seattle's doctors had reviewed the medical records of Ramirez, who missed the final seven weeks of this season because of a partially torn pulley tendon in his left middle finger.

Barring any unforeseen setbacks, there's a strong belief that this Ramirez-for-Soriano deal will be announced sometime Thursday morning. With it, the Braves will be acquiring a powerful 27-year-old right-hander who can serve as Bob Wickman's primary setup man.

Late Wednesday evening, another Braves source indicated that the club could be ready to make a big trade on Thursday. There still hasn't been much of a market for second baseman Marcus Giles, and it's almost certain the club won't be trading Hudson.

http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061206&content_id=1752752&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl

[WazzuRC]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

Fire Bill Bavasi.

[Brandon13]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/NASApp...=.jsp&c_id=atl

Do you think this could involve Andruw?

[Sabercatsfan]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

Fire Bill Bavasi.

I 2nd that idea. He just traded our setup guy and one of our best relief pitchers for a injury plagued #3 starter whose last good season was 2003. Great trade

[bravosfan]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

Do you think this could involve Andruw?

I dunno... possibly. Boras made an interesting comment on Tuesday that there was "new information" that indicated Andruw might consider waiving his no-trade clause.

There was a 3-way trade rumor going around today; Andruw to the Dodgers, Baldelli to the Braves, and prospects to Tampa.

I don't know about that deal, but it does appear that the Braves have serious interest in Baldelli. I wouldn't be surprised if the big deal rumored involved Baldelli, either a 2-team or 3-team deal.

Reportedly, the D-Rays want something like Chuck James, Kyle Davies and Jarrod Saltalamacchia just for Baldelli - which is insane. The Braves might have to get a 3rd team involved to make it work.

Then again, the big deal could perhaps be rekindling the talks with the Angels for LaRoche. Perhaps trying to pry one of their starters away...

Or it could just be a whole lot of nothing. I guess it should make for an interesting day, either way.

[bravosfan]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

Luis Gonzalez agrees to deal with Dodgers

[Dregur]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

I 2nd that idea. He just traded our setup guy and one of our best relief pitchers for a injury plagued #3 starter whose last good season was 2003. Great trade

Good lord Bavasi is a moron. Why? Why not just let Soriano become the starter like he wanted to? Same value, and if it doesn't work out, put him back in the bullpen where he's awesome.

I'm living in a nightmare right now because Bavasi is as dumb as a rock.

-The Grinman

[GBrushTWood]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

So it looks like Schuerholz is finally realizing that you can't put together a bullpen by slinging crap against the wall and seeing what sticks.

There's no question that a bullpen led by Wickman and Soriano will be a gigantic improvement over Reitsma + puke like they've had going into 2005 and 2006.

My question is, how does Schuerholz continue to pull off these moves? Does he spike the other GM's beverages, then convince them into making terrible deals? I just don't get it. I know Bavasi is rumored to be a dope, but this trade has very little upside for Seattle. Is he thinking: Well, we are in a pitchers ballpark, so let's acquire borderline slop throwers who take advantage of their surroundings?

With this trade and the news that King Felix is allegedly eating pork rinds on his couch this off season, there's not much to be optimistic about in Seattle. If I was a Mariners fan, I'd probably stop following the team until new ownership came in. Same with Orioles fans.

[bravosfan]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

The Soriano-for-Ramirez deal is finally official.

[aukevin]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

The Soriano-for-Ramirez deal is finally official.

That's good I guess. Bullpen definitely needed help. Who do you think will be a lefthander in the rotation to take HoRam's spot?