HOT STOVE LEAGUE 2K4/2K5

sure pedro's past his peak, but then his peak was a level on par with anything in the history of baseball, so...

Pedro lookin' like Glavine 2 winters ago. The issue is he's likely to be WAY past his prime halfway through a 4-year contract, and/or a 170-inning pitcher.

Recommendation: A trade for Johnson, who may request an extension past 2005 in exchange for approving a trade to Boston, would likely preclude the Red Sox from re-signing Pedro Martinez, who has received a three-year offer from the Mets.

i hope this is bogus.

Other problems - what happens to the bullpen if their 2nd best guy goes west?

I hope the rumor's bogus, but I also hope it's not (for obvious, gleeful reasons) (tee hee).

Doc OTM re Pedro. A fair offer, IMO, is 2Y/25M guaranteed, with a third year extension to kick in automatically if he pitches more than 200 innings in 2006. I'm glad I'm not Theo Epstein -- how would YOU like to explain to Pedro "we think you're a risky signing because of your injuries so we have to offer you less". I'm pretty sure Pedro would balk at an offer like the one I proposed.

(Stop thinking that, you pervs.)

'A baseball official told MLB.com that Arizona is asking for Javier Vazquez and cash considerations to put toward his three-year, $34.5 million contract, as well as prospects Eric Duncan and Chien-Ming Wang. In addition to the three players and the cash, Arizona wants the Yankees to deal for one of Oakland's "Big Three" of Barry Zito, Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder, and include that pitcher in the trade as well.'

haha!

Where was this ball-busting when the Red Sox came acallin' for Schilling?

like ... wha???

http://www.nj.com/sportsflash/baseball/index.ssf?/base/sports-8/1101953654167491.xml&storylist=baseball

don't be surprised if he's traded to boston for bronson arroyo and a prospect.

RUMOR HAS IT the yankees offered JON LIEBER a 3 year 21M contract and are close to netting ERIC MILTON. cuz (mediorcre) PITCHING WINS!!!

According to Andrew, the last 17 days of posts have been unfortunately lost ...

this reminds me over the weekend on sportsradio i heard some jackass going on in the wake of the mulder trade (btw wow) about how 'moneyball doesn't work' and how 'when theo epstein finally tossed all that bill james nonsense aside the red sox finally won' and how 'oakland isn't committed to winning' and, wait for it, 'they need to be like the mets and show their fans they're willing to spend what it takes to win'

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Shawn Green didn't want to leave LA, so him holding up that trade probably got his wish not to leave. Appearantly the sports talk radio and local writers were frying DiPodesta over this potential trade and losing Beltre, so the Dodgers got cold feet.

Considering how poorly Mulder pitched down the stretch, maybe there is something they know and are getting rid of him while he has high value. Danny Haren looked like he had pretty good stuff in the playoffs, whether or not that will translate into being a good starter, I don't know.

The A's could be like the Reds, who give away all of their spare talent for people that do nothing. The Reds big moves this off season are getting Ramon Ortiz, signing Shawn Estes and Kent Mercker. They need pitching, but oh well...someone has to pitch.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/gammons/story?id=1949178

Mulder and Hudson are due a combined $3.8 million more in '05; between that and TH's impending free agency, end of story, nearly.

The Minaya-Sosa relationship is well documented, but the Mets' strategy summarized in today's Times is Beltran + budget 1b (Olerud or, sigh, Minky) OR Delgado + Alou.

Jay Payton takes Kapler's spot as Fenway's Body Beautiful.

anybody know what his re-hab outlook is like? might not be a bad pitcher for someone to take a flyer on.

"...the New York Daily News has reported that the Dodgers would then spin Vazquez to the Chicago White Sox for a package consisting of first baseman Paul Konerko, starter Jon Garland and lefty reliever Damaso Marte. Sox GM Kenny Williams has denied his team's involvement in the deal, while Dodger GM Paul DePodesta has said that his team's role is contingent on subsequent moves being in place."

Nah, that would be crazy. It's just a dumb rumor, and kw laughed it off a couple of days ago (in local Chicago media).