Night 1 Notes from the GM Meetings

[JDsDirtySox]

1. Hoffman close to signing a 3 year deal with the Tribe. Some are saying a physical could be taken as soon as tomorrow.

 

2. Talks are that Milton Bradley has been traded to the A's for Kirk Saarloos and Minor Leaguer Mario Ramos.

 

3. The Padres are the only teaming currently interested in Nomar as an infielder. My guess is thats where he will end up.

 

4. The Washington Nationals are now getting in on the AJ Burnett bidding.

 

These are some of the important notes I noticed tonight... what caught your eye.

Edited December 6, 2005 by JDsDirtySox

[Rowand44]

1. Hoffman close to signing a 3 year deal with the Tribe.  Some are saying a physical could be taken as soon as tomorrow.

 

2.  Milton Bradley has been traded to the A's for Kirk Saarloos and Minor Leaguer Mario Ramos.

 

3.  The Padres are the only teaming currently interested in Nomar as an infielder.  My guess is thats where he will end up.

 

4.  The Washington Nationals are now getting in on the AJ Burnett bidding.

 

These are some of the important notes I noticed tonight... what caught your eye.

Is the Bradley thing official, JD? I thought it was still just a rumor.

[JDsDirtySox]

I have been told that its a done deal.

I have also been told that the Hoffman and Tribe deal is pretty much done too.

 

The AJ Burnett sweepstakes will go for awhile.

[3E8]

I have been told that its a done deal.

I have also been told that the Hoffman and Tribe deal is pretty much done too.

 

The AJ Burnett sweepstakes will go for awhile.

Can you post any insider information you hear in the future into this thread? Thanks.

Edited December 6, 2005 by 3E8

[CWSGuy406]

Rosenthal has an article up that pretty much says Hoffman will be taking a physical on Tuesday/Wednesday. Three years, $21-24 -- does that sound right, JD?

[Rowand44]

Rosenthal has an article up that pretty much says Hoffman will be taking a physical on Tuesday/Wednesday.  Three years, $21-24 -- does that sound right, JD?

Wow, some nice money there for Trevor. Still a very solid pitcher, so a nice move for this year but it might bite them in the behind in a few years.

 

So does Bradley play left next year for Oakland?

[JDsDirtySox]

Rosenthal has an article up that pretty much says Hoffman will be taking a physical on Tuesday/Wednesday.  Three years, $21-24 -- does that sound right, JD?

 

 

That must be it. Maybe I am biased, but I think this is a DUMB Move by the Tribe. Why give more money to Hoffman than a younger more effective Bob Howry? Why not let the Cabrera kid (your closer of the future) try to close games... and use 8 million a year on a decent 1b/dh.

[JDsDirtySox]

Couple new things from Rotoworld.com:

 

Free agent Bill Mueller has narrowed his choices to the Dodgers and Pirates, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

If the money is at all similar, there's not much reason for Mueller to choose Pittsburgh over Los Angeles. Dec. 6 - 12:20 am et

Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

 

The Tacoma News Tribune is also reporting that the Mariners have offered Kevin Millwood $44 million over four years and says the two sides could be close to a deal. The deal may include an option for a fifth year and added incentives. Just one year ago, Millwood signed a deal that guaranteed him $3 million. If the Mariners thought he was such a good bet to stay healthy, where were they then? Dec. 6 - 12:10 am et

 

WOW. 4 years 44 million for Millwood> YIKES. No wonder Garland rejected our first offer. The money for pitchers is going through the roof.

[Rowand44]

That must be it.  Maybe I am biased, but I think this is a DUMB Move by the Tribe.  Why give more money to Hoffman than a younger more effective Bob Howry?  Why not let the Cabrera kid (your closer of the future) try to close games... and use 8 million a year on a decent 1b/dh.

Well...that's definitely a lot of money but I think Cleveland thinks they're ready to compete for a championship this year(though I don't) and having a rookie closer step in at the beginning of the year isn't exactly the best way to go about things if you want to win this year. The Bobby situation last year was a bit different cause he came onto the roster as the last man and earned the closer spot or atleast proved he was capable. Very much agreed though that it was a bad move to let Howry go.

Edited December 6, 2005 by Rowand44

[JDsDirtySox]

Well...that's definitely a lot of money but I think Cleveland thinks they're ready to compete for a championship this year(though I don't) and having a rookie closer step in at the beginning of the year isn't exactly the best way to go about things if you want to win this year.  The Bobby situation last year was a bit different cause he came onto the roster as the last man and earned the closer spot or atleast proved he was capable.  Very much agreed though that it was a bad move to let Howry go.

 

 

I understand what you are saying... but Cabrera pitched for the Tribe's bullpen throughout the second half of last year. I think he is damn good.

[CWSGuy406]

The Tribe will have their pitching staff set. Sabathia - Lee - Byrd - Westbrook - Sowers (or some other in-house option), along with their bullpen. It'll rank up their near the top of the league, but I'd bet on our staff, Oakland's, and Minny's being better.

 

I hope they can't grab someone offensively. They're good at it is, but I'd be much happier if they had to open the year with Boone at third, Broussard at first, and Blake in RF.

[Gene Honda Civic]

Just one year ago, Millwood signed a deal that guaranteed him $3 million. If the Mariners thought he was such a good bet to stay healthy, where were they then? Dec. 6 - 12:10 am et

I said the same thing after the Loaiza signing. You look terribly foolish a year later offering a huge deal when you could have had the same pitcher the year before for next to nothing, comparably. -- I'd be interested to see what Rotoworld had to say RE: the Loaiza signing. I wonder if they were busy slobbing Billy's knob, for such an obviously foolish deal.

[3E8]

I said the same thing after the Loaiza signing. You look terribly foolish a year later offering a huge deal when you could have had the same pitcher the year before for next to nothing, comparably. -- I'd be interested to see what Rotoworld had to say RE: the Loaiza signing. I wonder if they were busy slobbing Billy's knob, for such an obviously foolish deal.

Loaiza's mediocre numbers outside of RFK Stadium last season give us pause, but compared to what some of the other free-agent starters could get, $7 million per year might not be so bad. At least he's a good bet to stay healthy.

 

Terms haven't been revealed, but the earlier report of $21 million is believed to be accurate. While it needs to be remembered that Loaiza had a 4.71 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP outside of RFK Stadium last season, his 173/55 K/BB ratio in 217 IP was very good. He doesn't give up a lot of homers and he's durable. We're not thrilled with the signing, which will cost the A's their first-round pick, but it is reasonable.

 

If the Sox made a deal like this there would be some little quip about how stupid we are as an organization.

Edited December 6, 2005 by 3E8

[qwerty]

That must be it.  Maybe I am biased, but I think this is a DUMB Move by the Tribe.  Why give more money to Hoffman than a younger more effective Bob Howry?  Why not let the Cabrera kid (your closer of the future) try to close games... and use 8 million a year on a decent 1b/dh.

 

I see no reason to believe howry is more effective than hoffman. Would you care to explain why you think so?

Edited December 6, 2005 by qwerty

[SSH2005]

If any other team had given Loaiza that same contract, they would have bashed the signing. Even if it was a team like the Padres with a huge ballpark.

Edited December 6, 2005 by SSH2005

[SSH2005]

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...tesox-headlines

DALLAS -- White Sox general manager Ken Williams reaffirmed Monday that the Sox were unlikely to make any deals at the winter meetings.

 

Williams planned to conduct internal meetings Tuesday with his staff.

 

Williams did disclose that the proposed lineup move of Juan Uribe to second in the batting order with No. 2 hitter Tadahito Iguchi dropping to sixth or seventh would not be permanent. Williams said those moves would be dictated by the rest of the Sox's batting order and which lineup would give them the best chance to succeed.

 

Williams added that the Sox's bullpen is likely to stay intact for now.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

Recall that Kenny had supposedly been coveting Hermanson and Hernandez for a long time too. Same logical problem, why did he have to pay millions when he could have had them the year before for nothing. You hear that a lot though. Maybe we shouldn't trade Mac. If this is the new pitcher market, even more overblown than a year ago, then we will struggle to retain more than two of the Garland-Buehrle-Contreras-Garcia unit. Keeping Brandon is making more sense I suppose

[JDsDirtySox]

I see no reason to believe howry is more effective than hoffman. Would you care to explain why you think so?

 

 

Howry is 6 years younger... could have been had for half the price... and was absolutely lights out last year. I am not saying Trevor Hoffman is garbage, but as an Indians Fan I would rather have Bob Howry and a new 1b/dh rather than Trevor Hoffman.

 

2005

Howry WHIP 0.89 BAA.191 ERA2.47

Hoffman WHIP 1.11 BAA .235 ERA 2.97

 

Then factor in Hoffman is 38 with a bad shoulder. He may be effective this year... but they are supposedly giving him a three year deal?

 

This is just my opinion.

[JDsDirtySox]

Howry is 6 years younger... could have been had for half the price... and was absolutely lights out last year.  I am not saying Trevor Hoffman is garbage, but as an Indians Fan I would rather have Bob Howry and a new 1b/dh rather than Trevor Hoffman.

 

2005

Howry    WHIP 0.89 BAA.191  ERA2.47

Hoffman WHIP 1.11 BAA .235 ERA 2.97

 

Then factor in Hoffman is 38 with a bad shoulder.  He may be effective this year... but they are supposedly giving him a three year deal?

 

This is just my opinion.

 

 

Let me also add... if Howry's arm problems are gone for good... he is the best bullpen arm on the Cubs period.

[qwerty]

Howry is 6 years younger... could have been had for half the price... and was absolutely lights out last year.  I am not saying Trevor Hoffman is garbage, but as an Indians Fan I would rather have Bob Howry and a new 1b/dh rather than Trevor Hoffman.

 

2005

Howry    WHIP 0.89 BAA.191  ERA2.47

Hoffman WHIP 1.11 BAA .235 ERA 2.97

 

Then factor in Hoffman is 38 with a bad shoulder.  He may be effective this year... but they are supposedly giving him a three year deal?

 

This is just my opinion.

 

Career wise they are no even close. I know if i want to be a championship caliber team i want hoffman closing my games out over bobby howry. I don't see a reason for them to need a big time 1st/dh... their offense will likely not start off so slow again ( martinez was jsut awful for the first couple months). They were a top five offense after the first month of the season and i see them repeating that again this year. I personally think hoffman is a better pitcher than howry. Now if you asked me who the better pitcher of value? Different answer.

[SSH2005]

Ken Rosenthal's winter meetings rumors:

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5141070

[Rowand44]

Ok this from are good friend Dayn Perry, I just found this stuff funny as he's giving out report cards for the offseason so far:

 

This about the Dodgers: Great move in signing Furcal to below-market contract.

 

This little part about Paul:Overpaid for Konerko

 

-------------------------------------------------------

 

Then he cries a little bit about pods as usual but still gives us a B+. I Just found the parts about Furcal and Paul quite funny.

[Leonard Zelig]

Ken Rosenthal's winter meetings rumors:

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5141070

 

 

Is non-tendering Crede really a possibility? Unless his health is worse than we know, I would not like that move.

[Rowand44]

Is non-tendering Crede really a possibility?

No.

[Gene Honda Civic]

Is non-tendering Crede really a possibility?  Unless his health is worse than we know, I would not like that move.

Rosenthal's on crack.

 

Seriously, the guy writes like 9 articles a day. He's got to be on something.