T1B

The moves are starting up with a few days left before the deadline (this coming Tuesday)...

Phillies act quickly in response to losing Utley to a broken hand by picking up Tad Iguchi from the White Sox
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

Kenny Lofton goes back to the Indians (again)
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

Padres acquire Jerry Hairston Jr.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

Teixeira to Atlanta nearly a done deal...

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

They haven't really had a top hitting first baseman probably since McGriff and Teixeira has the tools to be a whole lot more. With McCann in the fold, the Braves afford to trade a highly thought of catching prospect in Saltalamacchia. The Braves farm system has been blessed with lots of infield prospects but they've not had a first baseman of the caliber of Teixeira. LaRoche was a solid bat but Teixeira can hit and field. Considering how close the race is in the NL East and the wild card, a trade like this shift power quite a bit.

The Angels were in the hunt for him and were offering Kotchman and Saunders according to many but they beat the living shit out of the top offensive club in baseball this past weekend. Considering the Angels have some pitching issues with Santana down in AAA and Colon on the DL, keeping Saunders isn't a bad idea. Plus, with the emergence of Figgins after a slow start, the Angels offense looks a lot more imposing than it did in the beginning of the season.

Unwar waiving Figgins from my fantasy team when he was hitting below .100 :x

...and the Cubs still can't pull the trigger.

Dog wrote:...and the Cubs still can't pull the trigger.

What moves do they need to make? Seems like they just got off to a slow start but they appear to be playing well. Phillies/Cubs should be a great series.

jiminphilly wrote:

Dog wrote:...and the Cubs still can't pull the trigger.

What moves do they need to make? Seems like they just got off to a slow start but they appear to be playing well. Phillies/Cubs should be a great series.

They need bullpen help, desperately. But trades for middle relievers just aren't exciting. Kerry Wood will be joining the bullpen in a few weeks, but I definitely do not want to rest my playoff hopes on Kerry Wood's arm. Been there, done that.

Offensively, the Cubs got it. Starting pitching is doing great as well...but the bullpen just can't cut it.

Dog wrote:

jiminphilly wrote:

Dog wrote:...and the Cubs still can't pull the trigger.

What moves do they need to make? Seems like they just got off to a slow start but they appear to be playing well. Phillies/Cubs should be a great series.

They need bullpen help, desperately. But trades for middle relievers just aren't exciting. Kerry Wood will be joining the bullpen in a few weeks, but I definitely do not want to rest my playoff hopes on Kerry Wood's arm. Been there, done that.

Offensively, the Cubs got it. Starting pitching is doing great as well...but the bullpen just can't cut it.

Virtually every contending team is looking for bullpen help and the supply.. well sucks and so teams are going to have to offer some decent young talent for a middle of the road reliever.

I don't fault the Cubs for not making a move based on what they did in the offseason.. the Phillies on the otherhand..

Yeah, I agree. As a fan, its always exciting when your team pulls the trigger and lands the big bat at the deadline, but the Cubs don't need another bat.

And there really isn't a middle reliever out there that just makes your mouth water. So I don't blame them either, but its also nice to see them make a move just to show that they're taking this year seriously.

Mets pick up Luis Castillo from the Twins

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

Gagne to the Red Sox?

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

Dotel to Atlanta, done deal...I'm going to assume the Teixeira deal is official as well.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

The Giants unload Morris and his mega sized contract onto the Pirates. He was off to a 7-2 start this year but has slumped horribly of late. I guess this cat we got for him is pretty good, too.

Pretty good reviews for Rangers GM John Daniels on the Teixiera trade after giving away Chris Young to San Diego for a used puck bag last year. This time around, he got the Braves top 3 prospects while unloading a guy that turned down an 8-year, $140M deal. No joke....turned down. Teixiera would've been the 4th highest paid player in the game. Hey, he's a good player but turning down that kind of dough is a pretty good indicator he didn't want to play in Texas any more. A few more prospects in the Boston deal for Eric Gagne and the Rangers farm system just got a big shot in the arm.

Daniels reportedly want the Tigers top prospect (Cameron Maybin) for Gagne but I had heard Gagne wouldn't waive his NTC to go to Detroit so screw him anyways. He's been very good this year but he's not worth a potential franchise player in Maybin. The Sox have a great pen with the addition of Gagne but it's still going to be a dogfight to just get in the playoffs. The Yankees are catching fire now like they usually do.

The Tigers are hoping and praying Rodney and Zumaya can return to form and shorten the game like they did last year, they can hopefully pull out of this tailspin and they won't have to rely on C and D-level relievers to be setup men. Rodney could be back this weekend at the earliest...he's been touching the mid-90s on the gun in his rehab stint in Toledo and Zumaya is progressing quite well according to reports.

Nice return on that Teixeira trade already for the Braves...they lit up Houston last night. He really fills out that lineup hitting cleanup behind the Joneses.

Mustang wrote:while unloading a guy that turned down an 8-year, $140M deal. No joke....turned down. Teixiera would've been the 4th highest paid player in the game.

Jeter, A-Rod, Manny, and Giambi are all scheduled to be making over 20 mil per over the next few seasons. He would have been fifth, at best, at 17.5 mil per.

Furthermore, it's SOP for all Boras clients to turn down any and all offers without hitting the free agent market first.

The offer rejection should have come as no surprise, or joke, to anyone familiar with the situation.

I remember when NOMAH turned down 5 years for 60 million. BWAHAHAHAHAA!!

ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2 wrote:

Mustang wrote:while unloading a guy that turned down an 8-year, $140M deal. No joke....turned down. Teixiera would've been the 4th highest paid player in the game.

Jeter, A-Rod, Manny, and Giambi are all scheduled to be making over 20 mil per over the next few seasons. He would have been fifth, at best, at 17.5 mil per.

Furthermore, it's SOP for all Boras clients to turn down any and all offers without hitting the free agent market first.

The offer rejection should have come as no surprise, or joke, to anyone familiar with the situation.

Exactly. But when you think about it, it's still amazing that someone could somehow turn down $17 1/2 million....per year...and your name isn't Jeter, A-Rod, Manny, Giambi. Good point though, about Boras.......baseball's anti-christ. For whatever reason, Tom Hicks used to have a pretty good relationship with him and signed a couple of his clients....A-Rod, Chan Ho Park....to HUGE money. Worked out nice, eh? But everyone in DFW knew Tex wasn't into playing for the Rangers and would've done anything (or give up anything) to get out. Some in the media there called Hicks' offer a bluff, just to appease the fans. Please. $140M is an awful lot of money to bluff with.