Let the 2009-2010 MLB Offseason Begin!
1-liner, Baseball November 5th. 2009, 12:15pm2009-2010 MLB Offseason: Before Chris Rose bricked for FOX during the Yankees postgame celebration, a GM somewhere was on the phone with Scott Boras about St. Louis free agent outfielder Matt Holliday. There may not be a more impactful bat on the market. Boston free agent Jason Bay would be a close second. The Phillies would be insane not to offer Cliff Lee a contract extension. Would the Cubs trade Carlos Zambrano? How hard will Boston try to acquire Felix Hernandez and Adrian Gonzalez? For a day, or at least this week/month, Johnny Damon and World Series MVP Hideki Matsui seem like locks to return to the Yankees.
77 Responses to “Let the 2009-2010 MLB Offseason Begin!”
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November 5th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
For the amount of time it took Matsui to hold up the MVP, he’s a Yankee. Less than 2% chance he’s in pinstripes next year.
Damon… maybe. The Yankees are getting younger. They want that DH spot open for older players and people who can actually throw from left field to the cut-off man to play OF.
Only if the team they traded him to would take Milton Bradley as well. Ricketts isn’t adding more than $7.5M to the payroll this year.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
doubt lee signs an extension. imainge the yankee/red sox bidding war
November 5th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Anyone else notice how Tex bolted directly for ARod after the final out, and pretty much ignored Rivera?
November 5th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
Phils will extend Lee. They’d be stupid to say outright that they will. It’s only going to drive up his pricetag.
That guy will be a Philly for a long time.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
All Eyes are on Kenny Williams.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Biggest name this winter has to be Doc. I have to imagine that the Red Sox will bid, but not get him. I think a dark horse picks him up like Atlanta, Texas or the Dodgers. Teams with a loaded farm system that need an arm.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Tampa… Kenny already made his first move today. White Sox got Mark Teahen. That man doesn’t waste any time. Looks like Missile is back to 2B and Beckham will probably get moved to SS.
I like the move.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
public execution?
November 5th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Atlanta needs a bat, not a starting pitcher.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
I’d say something about how the Dodgers will be players in the offseason market, but given the McCourt divorce battle that’s coming, everything that isn’t nailed down is gonna get split in two.
“Mr. McCourt keeps the stocks, the bonds and Andre Ethier. Mrs. McCourt keeps the mansion, the Italian villa and Matt Kemp with a player to be named later.”
November 5th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Bet they’d give you Vernon Wells’ bloated contract, lefty. The Bravos couldn’t be hurt by the acquisition of a true ace like Doc though. Especially in a division that hosts the bats of the Phillies and (healthy) Mets.
I agree with you though. They need a bat. One that plays middle infielder.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
I think it was Ken Rosenthal who said it last night, that the Yankees will keep EITHER Damon or Matsui but not both.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Says the fan of Abortions.
SC- yea I saw that KenDog is gonna make something big happen…He better.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
God I hope they put Beckham at short and Ramirez at 2nd. I can’t imagine a worse up the middle combo defensively.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Halladay would be a nice addition, no doubt, but I’m not sure he makes the Braves that much better. Lowe, Jurrjens, Hudson, Hanson, and Vazquez is a pretty solid starting rotation. They need a long term solution at 2nd, and a 1st baseman that can hit.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
It’s odd this article says Damon is a lock to return, because everything this morning I’ve heard says that’s very very doubtful.
/dunno
November 5th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Nobody wants that clown.
Biggest story this offseason will be the Twins trying to lock up Mauer to avoid the apocalypse in Minnesota.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
I love how on MLBTR Buster Olney says talks aren’t far along, then the next link is that it’s a done deal.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
what time is the willie aames post?
November 5th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
At second base Orlando Hudson?
November 5th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Now that Ricciardi is gone, I actually have a little faith that we’ll get a decent return for Doc. He deserves to go to a contender.
I suspect he’ll be going to the National League as the AL big guns don’t have the prospect that it will take to land him. Yankees have next to no prospects and the ones Boston has are vastly overrated.
Personally, I’d love to see him go to Tampa since their system is absolutley loaded. I’d love to land a package that includes Wade Davis & Desmond Jennings.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Grammar went on vacation in that last comment but you get the point.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Why would the Jays trade him within the division? Much more likely he’ll end up in the NL.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
I would love to see him in Chicago.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Damon was so clutch in Philly that you can’t just dump the guy. right?
November 5th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Beckham is a top defensive shortstop. He played third and did an average job there considering he’d never played there before.
Missile is terrible anywhere. But he played a decent 2B in 2008.
/goes ahead… show me your fangraphs
//doesn’t give a shit
November 5th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
I’m not opposed to him in Atlanta, either.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Will that make the 50 Best Damn Sports bloopers?
November 5th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
I agree that they’ll likely move him to the NL (said so in my comment).
I was just saying that I would personally have no problem if they moved him to Tampa based on the potential prospects they could receive. I think the whole ‘don’t trade within the division’ thing is stupid. You make a deal for the best players available regardless of where they’re coming from.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Damon was so clutch in Philly that you can’t just dump the guy. right?
Pedro Martinez and the entire 1998 Florida Marlins team are laughing hysterically right now
November 5th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
I loved him in Arizona. I still don’t know why he got nothing last year except a 5 million dollar contract from LA.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
i cant find video of this Chris Rose business anywhere.
if this were the NFL or NBA, it’d be all over youtube.
weak.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
TBL – Making decisions like that are in the same school of thought that got Carl Pavano $44M over 4. Damon is only back if he takes a discount and a two year deal at most. You can’t give a guy a huge contract just because of one series.
See Beltran, Carlos as well. Good, but not great.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
If thats the deciding factor Philly should get him.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
haha what? Not according to about 90% of the scouts who saw him at Georgia. And Ramirez was actually better at short this year than he was at 2nd last year, which is weird.
Also, it’s too bad the Sox won’t put Teahen at 3rd. That would make me overjoyed.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
the cubs are such a fucking mess. our “ace” is a headcase and too lazy. our leadoff hitter should be batting 6th and oh yeah, we gave him a contract that he didnt deserve. and fukudome is a bust of epic proportions and derrek lee had a good year but is aging quickly.aramis plays like he just doesnt give a shit sometime. then theres milton bradley.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Damon is going to end up playing for the A’s.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
if the yankees are smart he’s a class A free agent and the draft pick compensations will be worth more than the memory of him being clutch in philly.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Another fucking terrible move by Ricciardi. He never should have been moved from the Jays but J.P. had an issue with him. Went all over the radio saying he was an all glove, no bat player after he moved him.
Ricciardi – WORST. GM. EVER.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
may i introduce you to Randy Smith?
November 5th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
He’s hitting 5th this year. Already been decided. About that leadoff spot… yeah, it’s a black hole.
We’ll see what kind of garbage Hendry can get for Milton. The Cubs won’t blow it up and start over no matter how bad the fans want them to. They’ll give it one more shot with the roster this coming season.
Which… is dumb. Considering the Phillies have pretty much won the 2010 NL Pennant.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Im suprised you didnt metion one of the owners is a dyke.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Can someone explain what happened? I didnt watch, of course.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Um, no.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
J.P. wins. Smith was only an abortion for six years in Detroit. J.P. was given seven years to totally drive this franchise into the ground.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
couldn’t care less. if she brings a ring to the cubs she can scissor bitches in the middle of downtown chicago
November 5th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Barring a catastrophic injury season (see New York Mets 2009 season), the Phillies are so much better than every team in the NL. They’re an AL roster playing in the NL.
And… they have Cliff Lee. Cole Hamels might actually care next year and won’t be coming off a 260 IP season. Please don’t tell me you think the Mets or Braves are contenders in that division if health isn’t a factor…
November 5th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
ew.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
if she’s scissoring bitches in the middle of downtown it doesn’t matter whether or not they win a ring. the old lovable cubbies.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
SG says shes interested
November 5th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
I’m with cracker jack. What did/didn’t Chris Rose do? I need details.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
November 5th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
They haven’t even won the East. If Atlanta finds one more outfielder and/or Heyward is half of what he’s supposed to be they’re going to be a beast. Plus what happened to the Mets isn’t going to happen again.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
TST – That’s why the Yankees won the WS. The Phillies lineup is better than any AL Central lineup and outside of Boston (maybe), Anaheim and Tampa… is there really a better lineup in the AL. This is all without a DH.
Whoever said Howard was as good as A-Rod in that piece is fucking retarded. Rodriguez hits .300 while hitting for power. The only 300 that Ryan Howard might approach is strikeouts.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Given the starting pitching, the Braves are absolutely a contender in the NL East next year. However, that matters very little given that you said the Phillies would make it to the World Series for a 3rd (!) year in a row. That’s just not happening.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Orlando Hudson couldn’t keep his starting job in the playoffs out of the hands of Ronnie Belliard.
/pours out a forty in memory of Orlando Hudson.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Woah. Calm down now. Lets not forget LBS
November 5th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
I’ll take the Marlins to finish higher than the Braves in the East next season. We can make a simple bet out of it. Avatar or whatnot.
Marlins have a good pitching staff too. And, they play in a stadium the size of the Indian Ocean. Oh… they can hit, too.
Mets need a solution at 1B and in the corner OFs. Wouldn’t hurt if they had pitchers 2-5, either. They’re far from a complete team right now.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Happily, happily make this bet. Avatar change for a month at the end of the season?
November 5th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
That was all contractual incentive. Orlando gets paid alot per plate apperance. Dodgers didnt think he could stay healthy. Look at his stats last year he was above average.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
I like Orlando but he started out hot as fuck and hardly did shit after the all star break. I think his defensive numbers were down this year too.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Keep in mind they play in a park the size of a person’s backyard. They had the same wOBA as the Rockies, and were just .02 points ahead of the Twins
November 5th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
As a team the Phillies OPS+ was 102, same as Milwaukee (?!), and five other teams all had a 100. They aren’t exactly as head and shoulder above as it seems like.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Sure. What the hell. I never get to make bets like this and I don’t really have any skin in the game.
Hopefully they don’t go and trade Josh Johnson or Ricky Nolasco on me this offseason.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
oh, and obviously Torre was just trying to win playoff series, so he (and this might well be insane) genuinely thought Belliard was his best shot at this.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
I don’t know what Rose did earlier, but people are calling it/him the worst thing in the history of Fox. That’s amazing when you think of the list of Fox TV shows, Favre Cam, and the 3,692,194 shots of the bands during every BCS bowl game.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
So do the Astros and they suck. The Cubs when the wind blows out… and, they were awful. White Sox play in a bandbox too. Don’t know what wOBA is, but I bet theirs wasn’t that good.
Build your team around your park. Home field advantage is an advantage for a reason.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Dear McPhail,
Pickup Lackey this offseason and do not trade anyone. Next offseason we make our big move for a corner infielder and win the East!
Thanks,
November 5th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
What was so bad about Chris Rose? I didn’t think it was much different from any other post-celebration interview setup.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Just not happening? Really? You are that definitive? I’m not saying I think the Phillies will repeat, but they are certainly in the mix. Period.
As for TBL’s comment about Damon…dude, what happened in the WS will haev ZERO effect on the Yankee’s decision regarding his future. By your logic, the Phillies would have absolutely re-signed Pat da Bat.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
yeah, not sure what was the big deal.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
@wilhelmreems
They would have to offer Damon arbitration to get the compensatory picks (see: Abreu 2008). Considering how much he’d make in arbitration vs. how much he’d command on the free agent market, Damon would be stupid not to accept.
Yanks either offer him 2-years on a discount or let him walk. I’d go with the latter.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
@titowa: I wouldn’t be so sure with that. Arbitration would be one year while there would be multi year deals out there at a higher dollar value for him. Don’t forget, Boras is his agent, and he’ll push for the multi year deal anywhere as long as the total value is more than the one year arbitration deal b/c if damon gets hurt, or his role is reduced next season, bye bye payday.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
Damon is perfect for that short porch in the Bronx. Two year deal at most.
As for Matsui, he won Game 6 of the World Series. That’s deserving of a 1-year thank you deal if he’s willing.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
How old is Matsui, really? He looks older than my dad
November 5th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
/5th grade
November 5th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I don’t necessarily disagree with you, especially with Boras in the mix. I just meant the compensatory picks aren’t automatic and Damon won’t/shouldn’t get $13mil a year on the market where he could get that or more through arbitration.
Last year, it was Abreu and Dunn not offered and Varitek declining arbitration, and all three suffered because of it. As always, it’ll be interesting to see how this offseason plays out.