MLB offseason chatter thread

[I Are Baboon]

So Iain, are the Jays going to trade Halladay or what?

[tucker01]

Halladay's agents demand no trade offers will be considered during the season. So he is either traded by Spring Training. Or they lose him like they lost Burnett.

[I Are Baboon]

It wouldn't make sense to me if they held onto him. He's going to walk after the 2010 season, so if they trade him now, at least they'll get something more than a draft pick.

[tucker01]

Yep... Only team I don't want to see him go to is Boston.

[I Are Baboon]

Well you're fat.

[tucker01]

Well you're fat.

U r correct... morbidly obese.

The Yankees will always try and put the best team on the field that money can buy. Why would I give another team in our division an opportunity to be that much better then us.

For the Jays sake let the Yankees buy the division, and hope we can be competitive with Boston.

[I Are Baboon]

I would not be surprised if the Yankees get Halladay and Bay or Holliday.

[tucker01]

I would not be surprised if the Yankees get Halladay and Bay or Holliday.

I am still thinking the Angels are the key buyer for Halladay.

Time will tell.

[min0 lee]

Ex-New York Mets closer Billy Wagner returns to NL East

Read more: Ex-New York Mets closer Billy Wagner returns to NL East, signs one-year deal with Atlanta Braves


Why would they let him go??
I thought he found a home there.

[min0 lee]

Halladay is believed to favor the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies and Angels, four of the teams that would be able to give him a hefty contract extension.

Read more: Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay sets deadline for possible trade to New York Yankees, other clubs

[min0 lee]

World Series MVP Hideki Matsui, Andy Pettitte, Johnny Damon denied arbitration by New York Yankees

Read more: World Series MVP Hideki Matsui, Andy Pettitte, Johnny Damon denied arbitration by New York Yankees

[min0 lee]

Can we change the headline to the Yankee Offseason chatter thread?
You both know it's all about the Yankees...don't make me go over your heads mods.

[soxmuscle]

placido polanco signs a 3 year/$18 million dollar deal with the phils.

[soxmuscle]

Mariners Blog | Oh Canada! Mariners seriously looking at Jason Bay and Rich Harden | Seattle Times Newspaper

The Mariners are going hard after Jason Bay.

[soxmuscle]

Ex-New York Mets closer Billy Wagner returns to NL East

Read more: Ex-New York Mets closer Billy Wagner returns to NL East, signs one-year deal with Atlanta Braves


Why would they let him go??
I thought he found a home there.

He wants to close.

[soxmuscle]

The Blue Jays were dumb not to trade Halladay in-season.

They won't get nearly the return they anticipated and they're probably best off either trading him for a realistic return or viewing it as their final year to compete and sign/trade for players knowing Halladay's salary will be coming off the books at the end of next season.

It's sickening that they'll be keeping Vernon Wells in center field for next season:

"In addition to being owed $107 million over the next six years, Wells was one of the worst center fielders in the majors last season, according to UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating)."

[soxmuscle]

The Braves appear likely to trade Cy Young runner-up (shameless promoting is necessary with how big of a stickler Min0 is) Javier Vasquez for an outfielder.

[tucker01]

The Blue Jays were dumb not to trade Halladay in-season.

They won't get nearly the return they anticipated and they're probably best off either trading him for a realistic return or viewing it as their final year to compete and sign/trade for players knowing Halladay's salary will be coming off the books at the end of next season.

It's sickening that they'll be keeping Vernon Wells in center field for next season:

"In addition to being owed $107 million over the next six years, Wells was one of the worst center fielders in the majors last season, according to UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating)."

Good ole JP.... thinking he can dictate the demand for Halladay

If they could get rid of Vernon they will. Look at the numbers for his contract, they are disgusting... no one will want that.

[soxmuscle]

It's amazing to me how bad J.P. was at his job. I was blinded by his east coast upbringing and Red Sox connections, but man oh man, he was brutal as a general manager.

The Wells and Rios contracts are two of the worst handed out in the sport over the last decade.

Wells' is a team crippler that likely has already set the Jays back for years to come.

[tucker01]

or BJ Ryan or Frank Thomas or Cory Koskie or AJ.

[soxmuscle]

Those four pale in comparison to the Rios and Wells deals, but I certainly understand where you're coming from.

The Jays were always competitive in the best division in the sport and it clouded my ability to objectively grade him as a result.

I cringed when this thought came into my brain, but IMO, the Jays would be smart to entertain offers from the Yankees.

They've smartened up lately and would rather overpay on the free agent market if it means hanging onto their elite young talent, but it seems as if Halladay is the one exception to this rule.

There are rumors afloat stating that the Yankees would have no problem trading one of Hughes or Joba in addition to some other youngsters in a possible Halladay deal; they also have no problem with taking the draft picks if he chooses to leave via free agency at seasons end.

It's a better package than what the Twins got for Santana and I don't see many other teams having not only the caliber of players to strike a deal but the finances to be able to trade high quality players for a one year rental.

It's the big market teams that can afford to take a chance on him and the longer this goes on, the leverage begins to shift more and more in the oppositions favor.

If I were a Jays fan, I'd prefer a package centered around Phillip Hughes, but that's based solely on the fact that ability wise their 1a and 1b in terms of what the Yankees have to offer and Joba Chamberlain is a mega douche bag.

[soxmuscle]

If they could get rid of Vernon they will. Look at the numbers for his contract, they are disgusting... no one will want that.

The Braves appear likely to trade Cy Young runner-up (shameless promoting is necessary with how big of a stickler Min0 is) Javier Vasquez for an outfielder.

Derek Lowe is also on the market, but the Braves haven't found any teams willing to give up anything of value with three years and $45 million dollars still left on his deal.

The Jays would need to add more money, but at least they could get some salary flexibility and an effective innings eater who's proven capable of pitching in the American League East in the process.

[soxmuscle]

Latest buzz from the MLB offseason - MLB News - FOX Sports on MSN

The Red Sox are going after Rich Harden.

[soxmuscle]

The Red Sox have expressed interest in Kelvim Escobar:

Others not offered arbitration include former Milwaukee right-hander Ben Sheets, who is coming off major elbow surgery, and Kelvim Escobar, who won 18 games in 2007 but has barely pitched the last two seasons because of shoulder surgery and subsequent complications.

"The Red Sox expressed early interest [in Escobar] and yes, it would be a place that would interest Kelvim,'' wrote Greenberg, his agent. "We have been in the process of obtaining his medicals and Kelvim is planning on pitching winter ball in Venezuela, so we are waiting on that for now.

"There have been many teams who have expressed interest in Kelvim, but Boston would be at or near the top of that list for Kelvim.''

[min0 lee]

Mets close to catcher deal

The Mets appeared to be closing in on a deal with free-agent catcher Henry Blanco. The Venezuelan newspaper "El Nacional" reported Blanco had left that country Sunday for a physical with the Mets.

New York Daily News

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Red Sox moving Pedroia to shortstop?

The Red Sox have a big enough hole at shortstop that they are weighing a big move to fill it. That move would be to switch Dustin Pedroia from second base to short, a position change a team source said yesterday was "unlikely" but an idea that will not be dismissed, either. For his part, Pedroia is all in.

Boston Herald

Guess he'll hit lead off also.

[I Are Baboon]

Red Sox moving Pedroia to shortstop?


Guess he'll hit lead off also.

You seem to be rolling your eyes a lot tonight.

[min0 lee]

Dye drawing outside interest

The New York Yankees denied a report that they had interest in Jermaine Dye, but that was seemingly the Bronx Bombers trying to work under the radar, especially because a source familiar with the talks said the Yankees already had asked for medical reports about Dye. The Texas Rangers were an early favorite, but they would want Dye to take a majority of his at-bats as the designated hitter. That's a scenario he has said is unappealing. The Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants also have shown interest.

Chicago Sun Times

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Yankees think they can re-sign Damon

The Yankees want to bring back both Andy Pettitte and Johnny Damon next season - on their own terms. The Yankees don't think Damon can get a deal bigger than the two-year, $19 million pact Bobby Abreu signed with the Angels last month, so an arbitration offer would have been tempting for the 36-year-old outfielder.

New York Daily News

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Why Mets want Delgado in 2010

The Mets remain interested in bringing back Carlos Delgado as a one-year bridge to top prospect Ike Davis at first base if Delgado can show general manager Omar Minaya that he is healthy again when Minaya goes to Puerto Rico this month to watch him play winter ball.

New York Post