San Diego Padres 2007

[TheTruth916]

Re: San Diego Padres 2007

Same old, same old.

Punchless lineup, no speed, questionable trade practices, barren farm system. Same results, boring baseball, and yet again, a mediocre team hovering around .500 with little hope of improvement.

This is not what John Moores and crew promised when the new stadium went to vote. We were promised a commitment to winning a title. Not lining the ownerships pockets, while getting a degraded in stadium experience, and the same mediocre team we've had to watch for the last decade. And don't get me started on the Cox only local television deal. Another brilliant plan by the most inept management in all of baseball.

Why did we trade Barfield for Kouzmanoff again? How did those moves guys like the Truth were touting improve this team? This looks like the exact same type of team we've had here for the last 4 years. How is this team any better than last year, or the year before, or the year before that?

What it must be like to be a fan who's leadership is committed to putting a championship caliber team on the field. This team is a joke.

Most NL teams play boring ball and the more exciting games come from the AL. Your right Moores and his people promised a commitment to winning a "title" not to get technical or anything...but you can take that any way you want, most people are going to want to believe it meant winning the world series, but maybe the whole time Moores just meant a commitment to winning the NL West "Title".

Wait till the end of the yr and then judge the Kouzmanoff for Barfield trade, because despite Kouzmanoff struggling really bad it cancels out each other because Marcus Giles is doing far better than Barfield would be doing at 2nd base this yr. So, I still do not see this trade a big deal if anything its nothing more than a wash and again keeping Barfield or a chance at Marcus Giles...I would go with Marcus any day of the week. While I like Barfield he will never reach his full potential.

If you want to talk about bad cable deals...The Angels have a crap cable deal as well with Foxsports. So why that was thrown in there is beyond me.

Yeah, the farm is no where near what it needs to be in terms of talent but there are people down there that are talented just sadly a few yrs away from ever making it to the show.

This team is better than last yrs team outside of Cameron playing bad, Kouzmanoff struggling, and lack of speed. But the rotation and bullpen are better than what the Pads had last yr...the only bad piece has been David Wells on a normal basis, but Hensley has been turning it around before his injury. So, to say this team is a joke is comical.The Pads are not a bad team, they are just a average team and nothing more.

At least I have come to the realization that this team will always be average and why people can't get use to it after all these yrs is just funny.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: San Diego Padres 2007

It's funny how bad the farm system keep getting mentioned but that's only for people looking at AAA. In AAA, all we have are Adam Shabala, Mike Thompson, Jared Wells, Leo Rosales, Andrew Brown (has gotten his stuff together), and Royce Ring as depth, but no promising prospect because of lack of returns from the 2003 and 2004 draft (which is why Moores hired Alderson, Fuson, and DePodesta so Towers wouldn't screw up the drafts and that's when they started investing in the Domincan and they have a very interesting prospect in Yefri Carvajal who should be eligible to come over pretty soon.

In Fort Wayne (A), there's the 19-year old Cedric Hunter who Baseball America thinks is our best prospect. He came away with a nice rookie season after being drafted last year. Kyler Burke, the team's third round pick last year, is off to a slow start. SP Drew Miller is also another guy they're looking to develop too. He's got some nice stuff but like the other two mentioned, he won't be around for a couple of years (Obviously).

In Lake Elsinore (High-A), this is probably the most talented team in our minors. 20-year old 1B Kyle Blanks is one of a handful of power hitters who is in his third year of professional baseball. The only drawback is we already have a power hitting first basemen. 1st rounder from the 2006 draft Matt Antonelli (who is playing 2nd base in Lake Elsinore) is having a nice season, surprisingly showing some power, which was a huge quesitonmark and was the reason why they wanted to move him to second or outfield. He has 10 stolen bases so far as well. 3B David Freese has been a surprise last year and is still continuing to hit well. Should 3B Chase Headley be called up to AAA, David Freese will follow him to AA. The other guy having a nice season is OF Chad Huffman. I can't remember if he was drafted last year or 2005, but he's also got some nice numbers. SP Wade LeBlanc and Manny Ayala lead the rotation for the Storm.

The Double-A affiliate San Antonio, there are two players worth noting not named Drew Macias (who has been there for a while) and C Nick Hundley. 3B Chase Headley, drafted in 2005 I believe, came into this season looking to add more pop in his bat. Before the Kouzmanoff trade, he was (and still maybe) our projected future third-basemen. A switch-hitter, he has always had good BB and K numbers. He should be called up AAA in the middle of the season as AAA Portland lacks a true third basemen.

The other player is Will Venable, son of Max Venable. Will spent his all of last season in Fort Wayne (I think Max Venable was one of the coaches there... or something like that was the reasoning). Some were surprised that he bypassed Lake Elsinore. The only "knock" on him is he is a little too old.

The only starting pitcher worth noting is Sean Thompson, a lefty. Cesar Ramos has mediocre numbers and reliever Neil Jamison is struggling.

As for AAA Portland... uh, yeah.

Carrillo is out... there are no prospects there worth noting I think.

Another player in the farm system is Luis Durango, who had a comparable season to Cedric Hunter (Cedric got all the attention because he got on base or hit safely in all but one game I think). Luis Durango is probably the fastest player in the Padres farm system and hopefully unlike Freddy Guzman/Pedro de los Santos, they actually teach him how to hit.

It's a start, and for wishful thinking I'm hoping Chase Headley, Luis Durango, and Matt Antonelli make it up here. I'm tired of the farm system producing bust-after-bust with a Jake Peavy and Khalil Greene in between. SP-wise I was hoping Cesar Carrillo would get a shot this year, but it looks like pitching too many innings in 2005 is finally taking its toll. His season is done with Tommy John Surgery (When was the last time that happened to a Padre prospect? Seems like forever).

Anyways, carry on. In a year or so the Padres will start climbing the ranks in the minors once the 2003 and 2004 classes are done away with.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: San Diego Padres 2007

I actually think this team is underachieving. They could be playing better but they're not and that's where my criticism towards this team is going. You have Jake Peavy who has pitched well enough to merit a near perfect record, then you have Justin Germano who pitched a hell of a game against Atlanta only to get a no decision over it. You have balls dropping left and right of Mike Cameron and Terrmel Sledge. Then there's the black hole in third base with whoever starts the season there cannot hit worth a lick. You have Mike Cameron hitting worse than Jay Payton/Terrance Long circa 2004 then you have days where the offense only gets 4 hits and only 2 runs...

The team is outhomering the opponents for once, but that's more attributed to the work of Peavy and Young. Outside of A-Gon, the Giles bros. and Cruz, no one else in this lineup is hitting save for Branyan when he gets a spot start.

Pitching and A-Gon can only take you so far.

[bkrich83]

Re: San Diego Padres 2007

Most NL teams play boring ball and the more exciting games come from the AL. Your right Moores and his people promised a commitment to winning a "title" not to get technical or anything...but you can take that any way you want, most people are going to want to believe it meant winning the world series, but maybe the whole time Moores just meant a commitment to winning the NL West "Title".

Wait till the end of the yr and then judge the Kouzmanoff for Barfield trade, because despite Kouzmanoff struggling really bad it cancels out each other because Marcus Giles is doing far better than Barfield would be doing at 2nd base this yr. So, I still do not see this trade a big deal if anything its nothing more than a wash and again keeping Barfield or a chance at Marcus Giles...I would go with Marcus any day of the week. While I like Barfield he will never reach his full potential.

If you want to talk about bad cable deals...The Angels have a crap cable deal as well with Foxsports. So why that was thrown in there is beyond me.

Yeah, the farm is no where near what it needs to be in terms of talent but there are people down there that are talented just sadly a few yrs away from ever making it to the show.

This team is better than last yrs team outside of Cameron playing bad, Kouzmanoff struggling, and lack of speed. But the rotation and bullpen are better than what the Pads had last yr...the only bad piece has been David Wells on a normal basis, but Hensley has been turning it around before his injury. So, to say this team is a joke is comical.The Pads are not a bad team, they are just a average team and nothing more.

At least I have come to the realization that this team will always be average and why people can't get use to it after all these yrs is just funny.

The Angels can still be seen on sattelite. Their deal isn't cable only for local viewers. Sandy Alderson himself has said the Cox exclusive deal was a bad move. Just another move by the Padres to further alienate their fans.

As far as Kouz, guy simply has no clue at the plate, who the hell swings at a first ball breaking ball, every single at bat? I could get this guy out. Not to mention he's got a slider speed bat. He's the Kevin Maas of this decade.

How is this team better than last year? They basically have the same type of record that they've had the last 3 years, with the same flaws, and the same style of play.

Why should we accept mediocrity? Wasn't the rallying cry from ownership, if you pay for the stadium, we'll spend the money to build a championship contender?

Do you honestly believe winning NL West title was what Moores was selling when asking the taxpayers to front $300 million? Are you really that naive, or are you really that desperate to defend every thing this team does, even if it insults our intelligence?

[bkrich83]

Re: San Diego Padres 2007

It's funny how bad the farm system keep getting mentioned but that's only for people looking at AAA. In AAA, all we have are Adam Shabala, Mike Thompson, Jared Wells, Leo Rosales, Andrew Brown (has gotten his stuff together), and Royce Ring as depth, but no promising prospect because of lack of returns from the 2003 and 2004 draft (which is why Moores hired Alderson, Fuson, and DePodesta so Towers wouldn't screw up the drafts and that's when they started investing in the Domincan and they have a very interesting prospect in Yefri Carvajal who should be eligible to come over pretty soon.

In Fort Wayne (A), there's the 19-year old Cedric Hunter who Baseball America thinks is our best prospect. He came away with a nice rookie season after being drafted last year. Kyler Burke, the team's third round pick last year, is off to a slow start. SP Drew Miller is also another guy they're looking to develop too. He's got some nice stuff but like the other two mentioned, he won't be around for a couple of years (Obviously).

In Lake Elsinore (High-A), this is probably the most talented team in our minors. 20-year old 1B Kyle Blanks is one of a handful of power hitters who is in his third year of professional baseball. The only drawback is we already have a power hitting first basemen. 1st rounder from the 2006 draft Matt Antonelli (who is playing 2nd base in Lake Elsinore) is having a nice season, surprisingly showing some power, which was a huge quesitonmark and was the reason why they wanted to move him to second or outfield. He has 10 stolen bases so far as well. 3B David Freese has been a surprise last year and is still continuing to hit well. Should 3B Chase Headley be called up to AAA, David Freese will follow him to AA. The other guy having a nice season is OF Chad Huffman. I can't remember if he was drafted last year or 2005, but he's also got some nice numbers. SP Wade LeBlanc and Manny Ayala lead the rotation for the Storm.

The Double-A affiliate San Antonio, there are two players worth noting not named Drew Macias (who has been there for a while) and C Nick Hundley. 3B Chase Headley, drafted in 2005 I believe, came into this season looking to add more pop in his bat. Before the Kouzmanoff trade, he was (and still maybe) our projected future third-basemen. A switch-hitter, he has always had good BB and K numbers. He should be called up AAA in the middle of the season as AAA Portland lacks a true third basemen.

The other player is Will Venable, son of Max Venable. Will spent his all of last season in Fort Wayne (I think Max Venable was one of the coaches there... or something like that was the reasoning). Some were surprised that he bypassed Lake Elsinore. The only "knock" on him is he is a little too old.

The only starting pitcher worth noting is Sean Thompson, a lefty. Cesar Ramos has mediocre numbers and reliever Neil Jamison is struggling.

As for AAA Portland... uh, yeah.

Carrillo is out... there are no prospects there worth noting I think.

Another player in the farm system is Luis Durango, who had a comparable season to Cedric Hunter (Cedric got all the attention because he got on base or hit safely in all but one game I think). Luis Durango is probably the fastest player in the Padres farm system and hopefully unlike Freddy Guzman/Pedro de los Santos, they actually teach him how to hit.

It's a start, and for wishful thinking I'm hoping Chase Headley, Luis Durango, and Matt Antonelli make it up here. I'm tired of the farm system producing bust-after-bust with a Jake Peavy and Khalil Greene in between. SP-wise I was hoping Cesar Carrillo would get a shot this year, but it looks like pitching too many innings in 2005 is finally taking its toll. His season is done with Tommy John Surgery (When was the last time that happened to a Padre prospect? Seems like forever).

Anyways, carry on. In a year or so the Padres will start climbing the ranks in the minors once the 2003 and 2004 classes are done away with.

Really, where do most experts have the Padres farm system rated? When was the last time this team developed a true top of the order big time position player? The system is widely considered one of the most talent depleted systems in all of baseball, and has a horrible track record for developing top notch position players.

Best position player they have developed in the last decade is playing in Pittsburgh.

[bkrich83]

Re: San Diego Padres 2007

I actually think this team is underachieving. They could be playing better but they're not and that's where my criticism towards this team is going. You have Jake Peavy who has pitched well enough to merit a near perfect record, then you have Justin Germano who pitched a hell of a game against Atlanta only to get a no decision over it. You have balls dropping left and right of Mike Cameron and Terrmel Sledge. Then there's the black hole in third base with whoever starts the season there cannot hit worth a lick. You have Mike Cameron hitting worse than Jay Payton/Terrance Long circa 2004 then you have days where the offense only gets 4 hits and only 2 runs...

The team is outhomering the opponents for once, but that's more attributed to the work of Peavy and Young. Outside of A-Gon, the Giles bros. and Cruz, no one else in this lineup is hitting save for Branyan when he gets a spot start.

Pitching and A-Gon can only take you so far.

In other words, it's basically the same team it's been. As I said, a boring, punchless team, that can't hit with runners in scoring position, and little hope of being much better than a .500 team. In other words mediocre.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: San Diego Padres 2007

In other words, it's basically the same team it's been. As I said, a boring, punchless team, that can't hit with runners in scoring position, and little hope of being much better than a .500 team. In other words mediocre.

I disagree, this team should be doing better than the 2006 team given that the pitching has been better and that Adrian Gonzalez is establishing himself as a legit cleanup hitter. The problem? The people around him aren't hitting. The numbers for the No. 3 hitter and the No. 5 hitter aren't pretty and that's a much bigger problem than not being able to hit with RISP.

Now what would be a viable solution? 3B? Aramis Ramirez in the offseason was re-signed by the Cubs, the only 3B worth a damn in free agency. Trades? It was either Kouzmanoff or Josh Fields without having to trade Peavy, or the Red Sox with their ridiculous Peavy for Lowell trade and the Yankees with their Kouzmanoff and Peavy for A-Rod rumor.

LF? The only guy I hoped they would've gotten was Alfonso Soriano. Yes he had a bad start, but he's pretty much the only guy they had a shot with since Carlos Lee flat out rejected any NL West team's contract offer (San Francisco offered him much more than the Astros). And you know that I was hoping that they'd make some noise. So far the signings of Maddux and Giles have paid off nicely, but the unexpected dropoff of Cameron and having Bard set back with a groin injury negates that.

Right now, if the Padres want to improve themselves, they stick with their guns and work from within. Send down Kouzmanoff if he can't string together a few good games in AAA. Sadly there is no immediate remedy.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: San Diego Padres 2007

Really, where do most experts have the Padres farm system rated? When was the last time this team developed a true top of the order big time position player?

Right now, I can tell you we're in the bottom mainly because we have little MLB-ready talent in the upper levels, but these "experts" see potential in the lower levels possibly saving this horrid farm system.

The last time they developed a big time position player... you'd have to go back to Derrek Lee. Ben Davis was a bust, Sean Burroughs was a bust, Xavier Nady lacked consistency, but still can hang with a major league club. Ben Johnson never got his chance and neither did Jon Knott.

The system is widely considered one of the most talent depleted systems in all of baseball, and has a horrible track record for developing top notch position players.

Yes, that is why John Moores ended up hiring Fuson so Towers wouldn't mess up the drafts anymore. So far with Fuson we've avoided the Matt Bush's and Tim Stauffer's of the drafts... although the verdict is still out there since the 2005 class is just barely reaching the top levels of our farm system.

Best position player they have developed in the last decade is playing in Pittsburgh.

Correction bkrich83, we did not develop Jason Bay. He was originally the Mets property. However, if the Padres did not trade Ollie, Cory Stewart (Never made it) and Jason Bay to the Pirates, the Giles for Bay/Perez/Stewart trade wouldn't be the lopsided trade... it'd be Steve Reed and Jason Middlebrook for Jason Bay, Bobby M. Jones and Josh Reynolds (I have no clue who the heck the last person is). Jason Bay only spent a couple of months with our AAA club.

The best player they've developed in the past decade honors would have go to Derrek Lee, even though we got Kevin Brown for a year and we have Adrian Gonzalez at 1B.

A lot of what ifs with the Jason Bay trade and it's a touchy subject. I, for one, did not want to see Ollie traded so I was against the Giles trade. I would rather have seen them kept Jason Bay and thrown him out in CF instead of Jay overPayton and kept Ollie (and hopefully had his 2004 season) and had rather signed Vladimir Guerrero.

Had we gotten Vladimir, who knows what could've been? Maybe Kenny Lofton signs with us instead of the Yankees and Trevor doesn't blow that game against the Yankees. Maybe Sean Burroughs career wouldn't be ruined because they tried making into something he's not. Maybe I would've gotten those freakin' peanuts I wanted.

Oh well, wishful thinking.

[bkrich83]

Re: San Diego Padres 2007

I disagree, this team should be doing better than the 2006 team given that the pitching has been better and that Adrian Gonzalez is establishing himself as a legit cleanup hitter. The problem? The people around him aren't hitting. The numbers for the No. 3 hitter and the No. 5 hitter aren't pretty and that's a much bigger problem than not being able to hit with RISP.

Now what would be a viable solution? 3B? Aramis Ramirez in the offseason was re-signed by the Cubs, the only 3B worth a damn in free agency. Trades? It was either Kouzmanoff or Josh Fields without having to trade Peavy, or the Red Sox with their ridiculous Peavy for Lowell trade and the Yankees with their Kouzmanoff and Peavy for A-Rod rumor.

LF? The only guy I hoped they would've gotten was Alfonso Soriano. Yes he had a bad start, but he's pretty much the only guy they had a shot with since Carlos Lee flat out rejected any NL West team's contract offer (San Francisco offered him much more than the Astros). And you know that I was hoping that they'd make some noise. So far the signings of Maddux and Giles have paid off nicely, but the unexpected dropoff of Cameron and having Bard set back with a groin injury negates that.

Right now, if the Padres want to improve themselves, they stick with their guns and work from within. Send down Kouzmanoff if he can't string together a few good games in AAA. Sadly there is no immediate remedy.

It should be doing better than it is, yet it isn't. In fact the results and the play of team is virtually identical to what it's been.

You honestly believe those were the only moves they could have made to improve 3B and LF? Never thought I'd say this, but I long for the days of Jack McKeon. At least he made an attempt to improve the team when things weren't working.

Right now, you're right, they have to stick to their guns, due to their own ineptitude to build a quality roster and their lack of abiltiy to develop quality talent on the farm.

[bkrich83]

Re: San Diego Padres 2007

Right now, I can tell you we're in the bottom mainly because we have little MLB-ready talent in the upper levels, but these "experts" see potential in the lower levels possibly saving this horrid farm system.

The last time they developed a big time position player... you'd have to go back to Derrek Lee. Ben Davis was a bust, Sean Burroughs was a bust, Xavier Nady lacked consistency, but still can hang with a major league club. Ben Johnson never got his chance and neither did Jon Knott.



Yes, that is why John Moores ended up hiring Fuson so Towers wouldn't mess up the drafts anymore. So far with Fuson we've avoided the Matt Bush's and Tim Stauffer's of the drafts... although the verdict is still out there since the 2005 class is just barely reaching the top levels of our farm system.



Correction bkrich83, we did not develop Jason Bay. He was originally the Mets property. However, if the Padres did not trade Ollie, Cory Stewart (Never made it) and Jason Bay to the Pirates, the Giles for Bay/Perez/Stewart trade wouldn't be the lopsided trade... it'd be Steve Reed and Jason Middlebrook for Jason Bay, Bobby M. Jones and Josh Reynolds (I have no clue who the heck the last person is). Jason Bay only spent a couple of months with our AAA club.

The best player they've developed in the past decade honors would have go to Derrek Lee, even though we got Kevin Brown for a year and we have Adrian Gonzalez at 1B.

A lot of what ifs with the Jason Bay trade and it's a touchy subject. I, for one, did not want to see Ollie traded so I was against the Giles trade. I would rather have seen them kept Jason Bay and thrown him out in CF instead of Jay overPayton and kept Ollie (and hopefully had his 2004 season) and had rather signed Vladimir Guerrero.

God call on Bay. I forgot he was a prospect of the Mets. So it's even worse, Derek Lee. (Although that trade propelled this team to a WS appearance).

You know as well as I do, much like with Soriano, or any other big time FA who can swing the bat, this team never would have made a serious run at Vlad Guerrero.

The Jason Bay trade will go down as one of the biggest mistakes in Padres history, and that's not an easy accomplishment.

[TheTruth916]

Re: San Diego Padres 2007

Great that the Angels are on Satellite, but that still his crappy because that is the only way to see a Angel game or get Extra innings...so I guess it balances.

Kouz, doesn't get it? Are you serious that last like 2 series he is starting to get it by trying to get the outside pitches to the opposite field rather than trying to pull it and he's not that late anymore on fastballs (ie: see last nights game). This kid is getting it but for some reason he has been a little slower than most have thought.

I told you how this team is better than last yr, but like Rags said this team right now is underachieving.

Why should we accept mediocrity, that's a good question BK but sadly this is the Pads ownership its been that way for something like 7 yrs now of the same stuff over and over again. So, I just don't care what they do or whatever. They are going to do what they do its just that simple. So to continue all this complaining about mediocrity, how bad this lineup is and all that stuff is just beating a dead horse. Because as long as Moores is in SD and until they build a quality system you have to suck it up and just deal with it.

[bkrich83]

Re: San Diego Padres 2007

Great that the Angels are on Satellite, but that still his crappy because that is the only way to see a Angel game or get Extra innings...so I guess it balances.

Uh, that's because the Angels are out of market. They have the exact same TV deal that everyone else in the league has. Only the Padres shut out their local Satellite viewers.

If you are in the Angels market, you can see the game on TV either via Sat or Cable. Just like everyone else. The same is not true for the Padres. I didn't think that kind of info was a secret. This is a pretty well known issue for Padres fans. And as I said, even your boy Sandy Alderson has admitted so.

As far as Kouz. He's getting it? Has nothing to do with taking pitches the other way, but everything to do with terrible pitch selection and no plate discipline. Please.. Stop insulting my intelligence.

Underachieving? If you say so. I still see the same type of team with the exact same results. This team is no better than it's been for the last 4 years. Proof is in the pudding.

[bkrich83]

Re: San Diego Padres 2007

Because as long as Moores is in SD and until they build a quality system you have to suck it up and just deal with it.

Actually I really don't have to suck it up and deal with it.

[TheTruth916]

Re: San Diego Padres 2007

Uh, that's because the Angels are out of market. They have the exact same TV deal that everyone else in the league has. Only the Padres shut out their local Satellite viewers.

If you are in the Angels market, you can see the game on TV either via Sat or Cable. Just like everyone else. The same is not true for the Padres. I didn't think that kind of info was a secret. This is a pretty well known issue for Padres fans. And as I said, even your boy Sandy Alderson has admitted so.

As far as Kouz. He's getting it? Has nothing to do with taking pitches the other way, but everything to do with terrible pitch selection and no plate discipline. Please.. Stop insulting my intelligence.

Underachieving? If you say so. I still see the same type of team with the exact same results. This team is no better than it's been for the last 4 years. Proof is in the pudding.

I live 30 mins away from Anaheim and can't get them on Cable without them being blocked out.

Yeah, Kouz is getting it watch the last like 3 series he's played in from Marlins, Atlanta and so on. He is starting to take pitches at the plate more so than what he was doing earlier in the season, but yeah he still swings a lot at the first pitch. But where as earlier all he was doing was swinging at everything trying to pull it and not trying to work the count. But he is slowly starting to do it if you have watched the games.

Actually I really don't have to suck it up and deal with it.

Well, your constant complaining about the padres are not going to go anywhere and is just here say. Nothing is going to change its been this way for yrs ever since they made there World Series run.

[BatsareBugs]

Re: San Diego Padres 2007

It should be doing better than it is, yet it isn't. In fact the results and the play of team is virtually identical to what it's been.

Yes it has been with the only difference being the production out of our cleanup hitter and the lack of speed on the team.

So seriously, what's the deal with the RISP? I know it's tough to "teach" clutch hitting, but it's been a lingering problem this year magnified by the poor production by the No. 3 and No. 5 guys around Adrian.

You honestly believe those were the only moves they could have made to improve 3B and LF? Never thought I'd say this, but I long for the days of Jack McKeon. At least he made an attempt to improve the team when things weren't working.

I would be willing to have them package a deal involving Hensley, but I have no clue who they should go after. In the 2007 offseason on the free agent side outside of Soriano and Ramirez, there was no one I wanted at LF or in 3B on the market. Through trades, I'll be honest the Kouzmanoff trade was out of LF and I did not know the Indians 3B was one of the ones they were targeting. The other guy was Josh Fields from the White Sox.

Now, for LF they had a deal with Linebrink for Aaron Rowand. Sledge/Cruz production aside that's a bad non-move.

If there's anyone else that you would've liked them go after, please mention them. Probably Lastings Milledge if they threw in Linebrink with the Ben Johnson/Jon Adkins for Heath Bell/Royce Ring trade since I have no clue what the Mets plan on doing with him.