ORS

Already linked in the Gonzo or Lugo thread. My only question is, does he plan to put a hit out on Soriano? Soriano is the converted IF that played good OF defense last year, and he's got the makeup for CF, so Julio needs Alphonso to disappear if he's going to play CF in Wrigley, IMO.

On one year's player performance results, he gets a 1. That is without question, but they will play more games and we'll get a clearer picture of how good that offseason was in the future.

Loretta for Mirabelli was a good trade. I'm not in the "bring back Loretter" camp, but he was a solid player. As already discussed, getting the 'Belli back should have been avoided. Once the season was tanked, giving Wells for Kottaras was a good move because they, like previously mentioned, didn't have a catching prospect of note above A-ball. Scaling those moves is irrelevant without some reference for the scale. If 1 is giving up Kazmir for Victor Zambrano and 10 is the opposite, then I rate both of those about a 6, or just better than break even.

When you ridicule people for "loving" an idiot (your off-base post in another thread - the one that was the reason for this thread), are we to assume that you hold us in some high regard? He made one bad move in '06. Bard and Meredith for 'Belli. That was a panic move and took a young catcher from a system with nothing promising above A-ball. Meredith catching fire was just unfortunate. He came up last year, got bombed, and looked like he wouldn't ever get his confidence back as he struggled in the minors the rest of the year. Losing Bard was what troubled me with that one. Given the situation before the Beckett trade, I make that move ten times out of ten. Ramirez just finished a disappointing year in AA, and was looking like a kid with little focus. Sanchez ended '05 getting roughed up a couple of times and then getting shelved with a sore arm. Don't get me wrong, these guys were good prospects with very good tools, but they had serious concerns about them going into that offseason. Besides, it's not like Beckett retired after one year. The jury can still be out on this one.

Some here do think Epstein is above reproach. Go to the YES Network message boards and you will find that a large number of Yankee fans do the same thing with Cashman. In other words, like I've said numerous times, all fan bases have pretty much equal composition. Diehards, stat-heads, fan-boys, never-happy types, bandwagoners, front-runners, etc, etc. That's why this thread sucks. It was based on a misperception, one that comes from an attitude where one fanbase is different and better than another.

One, the article is from Mazz, who has been proponent of the whole, "they just posted that much to block the Yankees" line of thinking. It should come as no surprise that Mazz was able to find a "source" that supports his original theory. Since this source is unamed, we don't know if he actually works for the FO or if he just works at the gas station where John Henry fills up every morining. Two, the article is from Mazz. Three, virtually every negotiation with Boras starts with extreme offers from both sides. Four, the article is from Mazz. That about covers it.

This was really on topic. Grow up, master-baiter. This type of behavior in the real world, not the internet, means you leave the room with less teeth in your mouth and more in your stomach. Stop being a pussy and saying s*** you know is only meant to piss people off when you can hide behind the safety of your computer screen.

I think if they had their way, they'd love to keep both with WMP as the 4th OF. That said, they do need a closer - Shields is ready for that and expendable due to Speier - and a shortstop. My hunch could be way off and they keep both, but they will be close to the LT threshold with the addtion of Matsuzaka and Drew's salaries with an extra OF capable of starting and two holes to fill.

I don't see 5/$75M in the article, so I'm skeptical of this "speculation". Sounds like a good cover for, "Numbers I pulled from my rectum". But, given the market lately that wouldn't shock me. The only question that comes to mind in light of this (if true), is, who gets traded, Manny or WMP? And, who are they getting in return? I hope it doesn't happen, but it wouldn't surprise me to see Manny wearing a halo next year with a package including Shields and Aybar coming the Sox way. This would satisfy a couple of big needs and give them a little room to work with salaries.

Ok, so they can sign Joe Borowski and you'll shut up? Somehow I doubt it.

And that's why they keep stats. People's memories only remember what sticks out to them, which makes them subjective and jaded.

DRays? Looks like the DBacks to me. I figured Davis was on the block due to him being FA after next year.

I don't think so. One, Schmidt seems determined to stay on the west coast. Two, who would they trade? Beckett? Seems like buying high and selling low. Schilling? Pretty sure there's a NTC in there. Wake? Hard to find a cheaper innings eater than him. Papelbon? Don't see it happening.

We know about the needs in the pen, and nobody is denying it needs improving. However, it wasn't a topic that was brought up until you felt threatened by the prospect of the Sox improving their lineup. Here's a thought, the arbitration deadline hasn't passed yet. Is it possible, just a little, that they are waiting to see what kind of compensation is invovled with the players they target? Given the annual variation for RP (the list of consistently good RP doesn't get beyond my ten fingers), there are still plenty of capable arms to fill the, what - 2 open spots, in the Sox pen, and the quality of that pen will be determined by how many of them have a good year. The pen was very good in '04 (looks like it isn't every year), but with the same personnel it sucked in '05. And, the power bats are already off the market. I expect one of WMP or Manny to get traded if they get Drew.

Yet, Jimmy "the Greek" lost his job when he suggested that blacks were better athletes because they were bred for it during the slavery era of this country. Irvin said that his great-g-g-g-grandmother must have "pulled a stud out of the barn and took him out in the field to tend the garden". This is pretty much the same notion. One guy lost his job. He was white. Rush Limbaugh, who was a horrible idea as a football analyst, lost his job for saying that Donovan MacNabb only got all of the attention he gets because he is black. Irvin said the exact same thing, except this time it was the player only getting attention because he was white, about Chris Hovan. One guy lost his job. He was white. And, this was at the same network. Here's a racial comment for you, but it's true. If Michael Irvin is white, he no longer works for ESPN.

It didn't warrant a comment. None of it was false, yet none of it did anything to justify your double standard. Despite all the Padilla's of the world, there were 3 elite pitchers available this year. The Yanks lost out on Matsuzaka and Schmidt appears to be destined to stay out west. Lemme guess, Cashman is brilliant for not jumping the gun and going after Zito? Thought so. All the while, you did not - nor cannot - deny that my post about your motives was dead on.

It's OK, Theo has some pieces that other teams need and he'll get something done.[/jacksonian] See how easy that is? *It wasn't even definite good news for the Sox you needed to try and s*** on.

I'm a little confused as to what you are looking for. When players are arbitration eligible, that usually means they have finished their 3 years at league minimum, and they are in their 3 years of arbitration before they become FAs. From the gist of your post, it looks like you are looking for a list of players who are FA eligible and have been offered arbitration. That list should be fully avaiable after 12/2/06, as that is the deadline to offer arbitration to players from your team who's contract has run out and is eligible for FA.

Oh, but wait. You are even content if the Yankees don't get a big name FA, as you are confident that Cashman can Jedi mind-trick someone into trading them a top-flight young starter. Don't act like you haven't put out this notion. No, you don't need to point s*** out. I'm well aware of the different player markets. I'm also aware that you talk out of both sides of your mouth depending on what team you are talking about. That type of s*** is petty, weak, and pathetic. Have an opinion, but be consistent.

Can Zaun start? What I'm saying is, I love how you are so content with the notion that it's OK for Cashman to be patient and think something is "brewing" in regards to the Yankees need for SP, but the Sox better act now for a closer. The level of hypocrisy you display here is outright comical.

Why do people say this kind of stuff? It's not hard to look up. In 3 minutes, I discovered.... 54 out of his 100 HR in the past 3 years were solo shots, and 1004 of his 1884 ABs were bases empty. That means with the bases empty, he hit 54% of his HR in 55% of his ABs. Shocking. That, and, his bases empty BA was better by .005, OBP worse by .001, and SLG better by .008. He's the same hitter whether or not there are runners on base.

That's because no matter what happens with the Sox, Boras will subvert every agreement between MLB and NPB in order to get him here this year.[/yankeefan]

Wait. Now you are changing your track. It was injury before. Now it's less velocity and a procedure to "tighten" it up - which would occur in the offseason. That subverts your original prediction. Logic is a wonderful tool also.