Winter Meetings thread

[stripmallp]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

Best deal of the Winter Meetings! The World Champions sign Chris Carpenter to a 5 year $65 mil deal. At an average salary of $13 mil a year, that is a serious bargain in this market. Vincente Padilla makes 2 mil less than Carp. WTF? Bet Zito and Schmidt get more money and win less games than Carpenter in the next 5 years.

[jmw1137]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

Padilla's not worth that in a year with a lot of FA pitching but I do think he had a pretty good year. According to the Rangers website:

Padilla established career-highs in several categories, including wins (15), games started (33), quality starts (20) and strikeouts (156) in his first season with Texas in 2006. He ranked second on the club and tied for fifth in the American league with 20 quality starts. Padilla has until Dec. 7 to accept the offer of salary arbitration.

I'll take a pitcher with 20 quality starts...especially in Texas.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

Best deal of the Winter Meetings! The World Champions sign Chris Carpenter to a 5 year $65 mil deal. At an average salary of $13 mil a year, that is a serious bargain in this market. Vincente Padilla makes 2 mil less than Carp. WTF? Bet Zito and Schmidt get more money and win less games than Carpenter in the next 5 years.

I would hardly call this contract a bargain.

The Cardinals already had Carpenter locked up for a combined 15 million over the next 2 season. They basically signed him to a 3yr/50 million extension with a club option of 12 million in year 6 of the deal. Carpenter will be 32 years old next season.

The Cardinals are taking a big risk he will stay healthy and productive in his mid 30's.

On a totally un-related note, I wish Carpenter was still a Jay. Just imagine a 1-2 of Doc and Carpenter.

[bravosfan]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

• As of late Monday night, the Orioles had made the best offer to Luis Gonzalez, but the Dodgers remained a possibility for the free-agent outfielder

• Gonzalez, 39, is expected to make a decision Tuesday. If he signs with the Dodgers, it almost certainly would mean the end of the team's trade discussions involving Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez.

• The Dodgers view Ramirez as a "longshot" even though owner Frank McCourt, a Boston native, is believed to be pushing for a deal.

• The Mariners are listening to trade offers for first baseman Richie Sexson, who almost certainly would be part of any package for Ramirez.

• The A's are focusing on signing free agent Mike Piazza to be their designated hitter.

• The Pirates and Orioles are among the teams expressing interest in trading for Braves first baseman Adam LaRoche.

• The Padres are waiting to hear whether infielder Todd Walker accepts their offer of salary arbitration before moving forward with other second-base possibilities.

• Free agent Darin Erstad's first choice is to remain with the Angels, but he also is receiving interest from the Rockies, who would play him in center field, and the Orioles and Devil Rays, who would play him at first base.

• Free-agent right-hander Joe Borowski continues to draw interest from the Phillies, Indians and several other clubs despite lingering medical concerns about his right shoulder.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6239558

[WazzuRC]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

[The Mariners are listening to trade offers for first baseman Richie Sexson, who almost certainly would be part of any package for Ramirez.

Oh god, please get Sexson out of Seattle...and give Hargrove away too.

[chippered]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

If Sexson gets traded, it'll be for pitching, from what I'm hearing.

[bravosfan]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

According to several industry sources, the Orioles have had serious discussions about a deal that would send second baseman Brian Roberts and pitching prospect Hayden Penn to the Atlanta Braves for power-hitting first baseman Adam LaRoche and second baseman Marcus Giles.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-sp.orioles05dec05,0,6371035.story?coll=bal-sports-baseball

The article says the O's aren't likely to agree to the deal, which is funny 'cause I don't really like it from the Braves perspective...

[BGarrett7]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

I'm calling BS on the supposed Orioles deal. An article on the AJC this morning said that if Giles and Rochy end up going somewhere, it will be for a marquee setup man, since that is JS's top priority right now, not a leadoff hitter.

Roberts and Penn do interest me though, not nearly enough to unload the right side of out infield, however.

[mjb2124]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

• The Pirates and Orioles are among the teams expressing interest in trading for Braves first baseman Adam LaRoche.

Would be nice as the Pirates could really use a power LH bat in the lineup........however, this is still the Pirates and they'll wind up with some washed up has been instead of a guy like Laroche.

[GBrushTWood]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

*Red Sox fan rumblings ahead; if you do not care about them, you probably shouldn't read this*

I'm a little bit concerned once again at all of the rumored Manny Ramirez deals. I'm not concerned because I don't want to see Manny leaving (I don't), but rather because it seems like Theo Epstein and his staff seem to be spending all of their time concocting exotic 3 and 4 way deals. I don't understand why they seem to be spending all their energy on moving Ramirez. He's under contract for 2007, and there are tons of other holes on the team that need attention.

They did this during the 2006 July trading deadline, and failed to address holes that were addressable (i.e. - Craig Wilson, who the Yankees acquired).

I really wonder how much additional progress they would be making if this Ramirez sideshow wasn't taking place now, and in the past. As of now, there is no starting shortstop, closer, set up guys, backup catcher, and Matsuzaka is still not signed.

So, in conclusion, another "opportunity cost" (you have no idea how much I cringe at the usage of that business terminology) of Ramirez being a fruitcake is that team management has to waste time that could be better spent addressing other needs.

[stripmallp]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

I would hardly call this contract a bargain.

The Cardinals already had Carpenter locked up for a combined 15 million over the next 2 season. They basically signed him to a 3yr/50 million extension with a club option of 12 million in year 6 of the deal. Carpenter will be 32 years old next season.

The Cardinals are taking a big risk he will stay healthy and productive in his mid 30's.

On a totally un-related note, I wish Carpenter was still a Jay. Just imagine a 1-2 of Doc and Carpenter.

Well the Cardinals couldn't very well start offering mediocre pitchers like Padilla more money than Carpenter was getting paid and not worry that he was gonna be insulted. How would you feel if you'd been 1st and 3rd in the Cy Young voting the last 2 years and your team offers a guy like Padilla more years and more money than your getting paid. Maybe not a straight-up bargain, but in the market that is going right now, its a steal.

[bravosfan]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

I'm calling BS on the supposed Orioles deal. An article on the AJC this morning said that if Giles and Rochy end up going somewhere, it will be for a marquee setup man, since that is JS's top priority right now, not a leadoff hitter.

Roberts and Penn do interest me though, not nearly enough to unload the right side of out infield, however.

fwiw, the Washington Post reported the same O's rumor, also describing it as unlikely.

And the LA Times says the Angels believe they could get LaRoche without dealing pitching. They mention the Braves having interest in Chone Figgins and Casey Kotchman.

[Chip Douglass]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

The Red Sox have expressed interest in Matt Kemp and Johnathon Broxton, along with Chad Billingsly and James Loney, in a possible trade for Manny Ramirez with the Dodgers per LA Times.

[BGarrett7]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

And the LA Times says the Angels believe they could get LaRoche without dealing pitching. They mention the Braves having interest in Chone Figgins and Casey Kotchman.

I think they are going to have to throw in Shields or Santana in order to get that deal done. As much as I want Figgins, throwing in Kotchman just isn't going to be enough if we have to part with Rochy and I'm assuming either James, Salty, or Giles, as well.

[cjonesfan921]

Re: Winter Meetings thread

I would not want any part of the O's deal. Figgins on the other hand, that's interesting. I'm assuming that moving LaRoche means that Salty could play 1st? Anyway Figgins and a decent RP, doubt they move Shields, would be good imo.