guapo34

I didn't see this mentioned anywhere so I wanted to post this quote from Olney's blog: "Anybody who has struck rock while using a shovel could relate to the next trade tidbit. Heard from two talent evaluators yesterday that Boston is very active in trying to come up with a large and creative deal, involving more than two teams. Smart thinking, one of them said, if it all works. Crazy stuff you wouldn't normally think of, said another. An executive with an AL team reports that he's heard that a scout was rushed off his area coverage to go scout Boston minor leaguers." The two key phrases I see here are "Smart thinking," and "crazy stuff you wouldn't normally think of." Olney then goes on to speculate this could involve julio lugo and pitching. I don't see how aquiring lugo fits either of those quotes. I think Theo is trying to do something crazy that would be a big move. I think it would be dumb to think Theo isn't trying to do something big. Of course, I also think he'll walk away if he can't get what he wants for the right price.

His ERA is 2.45 and 2 of his 7 starts were against american league teams that are in the playoff hunt, detroit and Minnesota. He had 3 other starts at home in one of the most hitter friendly parks in baseball. He's averaging 6 innings over his last 4 starts, so I don't think its fair to say hes been struggling to throw 6. I can understand people not wanting to give up Hansen. I can agree to disagree on that. Arguing that Clemens would be anything other than a huge pickup is rediculous though.

I don't think its desperate. Its desperate if the only goal is to make the playoffs. I think getting Clemens makes us the favorite to win the world series, and I think thats worth Hansen. Doesn't matter because Houston wouldn't trade him probably, but this is a thread to throw random stuff out there.

Raven, I agree with alot of what you are saying, but comparing clemens contract from back then to contracts today is pretty pointless.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2529688 ESPN posts a story on their baseball page about the firing, and in the article it says, "ESPN offered no further comment." Umm guys...you are ESPN. Does that seem weird to anyone else? Its not even listed as an AP story, its credited to espn.com news services and says information for the AP was used.

I probably won't get any support on this, but I'd offer Hansen and Murphy for Clemens. Pitched well again tonight while the Astros got shut out. They're 6 back in the wild card and 10 back in the division and can't score any runs. They probably still wouldn't do it, and Theo probably wouldn't either, but I'd offer it. Hansen's control continues to be a problem and I'm not sold that he'll be a shut down closer. Murphy got hot for a couple months but hasn't shown sustained success in the minors.

Arod DHing. Its a good thing his defense "won" him an MVP last year.

The fans are probably being optimistic, like when people around here started talking about peavy. Boone is awful and Marte is the future 3b of the Guardians. Unless one of these players I don't know is another good young 3b prospect.

I know nothing about these players, so maybe it is enough to get marte, but wouldn't boone and westbrook or mota be more likely?

While slugging % may not be the absolute stat to judge power its certainly an indicator for it. FWIW Freddy Sanchez is on pace for 72 extra base hits this year, but part of that slugging percentage is obviously his very high batting average this year. An of course you don't need big power to be a corner outfielder. However, if you don't have power you better be very good at something else. For example, Ichiro makes up for it by being the best hitter for average in the league, along with great speed and defense. Whats more important than all of this, at least for this thread, is that it seems David Murphy seems to have re-established himself as a legit prospect this year since his promotion to AAA. A .913 OPS in 180 AAA at bats is impressive. I would not like to see him thrown in as filler to aquire a minor improvement at the deadline.

2/3 with a double and a HR tonight. Slugging .533 in 180 AAA at bats so far this year at the age of 24. I'm not sure its fair to say he doesn't have enough power to be a corner outfielder.

Theo is unlikely to make a big move because there are so many contenders that the price for an available player is high. Also, the players that seem to be available are aging players, usually about to be free agents. Abreu would cost way too much in both prospects and money. Any decent pitcher, starting or relieving, to hit the market is going to be bid on by 5 or 6 teams at least. If Theo does make a big move I wouldn't be surprised to see a major league regular as a part of it.

If you have to pick up his option hes not worth it unless the phillies take a bad contract(Matt Clement) in return. 31 million over the next 2 years plus whatever he has left on his contract this year. His home run power has disapeared since last years all star break. I think he's hit 15 home runs in a full year since then. In the off season you can get carlos lee for the same average annual salary, maybe less. It would take 2 extra years on the contract but also not cost any prospects, except the draft pick we'd lose. Or you could spend the money on a pitcher.

Laporta probably won't even get an offer until after the cape season to see if his slow start this year was due to an injury or a sign of his actual ability. Plus they have another tough sign 1b out of high school, lars anderson. If they feel equally about these two the goal is probably to sign one, and it might be the one willing to take less money.

Anibal Sanchez and Hanley Ramirez were both latin signings, but those were a few years ago. Soto is the most recent of note, but isn't exactly a top prospect. Maybe they haven't like what they've seen recently, until this year. It is definately good news we're getting more active in the latin market. As for Montero signing with the yankees, its definately disapointing. At least we got our 2 guys for 900,000 less than he got. If he has to move to 1st then maybe he won't be anything special. Definately has potential to be a star though. Maybe we can sign Laporta for around that difference and have Laporta, Tejeda, and Beltre for the amount Montero got. I'd take those three over one guy any day. I'm glad everyone liked my typo. I guess I'll leave it.

from rotoworld quoting espndeported they also signed 16 year old moises tejeda. Tejeda was ranked 4th on espn's top international prospects. Beltre was ranked #2. The yankees signed Jesus Montero who was ranked #1 but gave him more money than Beltre and Tejeda got combined. ESPN's comments on Tejeda:

Also at the game tonight. I think one reason the ovation was as loud as it could have been was because he got 4 standing ovations. First when he started walking out to warm up, again when he headed back to the dugout, again when the lineups were announced, and again his first time out to the mound.

We got rid of RAEF!! thats huge. I know Ratliff was good. Not sure if he's fallen off in Portland.

It did happen. Its on espn.com.

Not alot of draft talk going on here but I thought I'd give my opinion on this crazy draft. One of the top 6 players are going to fall to the Celtics, and I don't think anyone can say with any certainty that any one player has no chance to make it to the Celtics. So no one can really say what the Celtics are going to do until we know who is going to be there. I'm sure what YankeeHater says is right. Ainge claims there are some consensus top players that if they fall to us he will pass on. I'm not sure I agree that Brandon Roy is on that list. I think if hes there they take him, but thats not very likely. The most likely guy to fall to us out of the group of Morrison, Gay, Aldridge, Thomas, Bargnani, and Roy I think is Rudy Gay. He could go 3 or 6. I think we pass on him if hes the one that falls. He seems similar to Gerald Green but not as good. If Aldridge, Morrison, Roy, or Bargnani are there I think we should take one of them. I think Ainge could pass on Bargnani but I think that would be a mistake. The three guys I think we're most likely to take if its not one of the top 6 that fall are Marcus Williams, Randy Foye, or Cedric Simmons. I don't see Rondo as an option simply because he isn't a very good shooter. I believe he shot free throws at 63% his senior season and his jumpshot isn't very good either. Randy Foye is the guy I like the best out of this group. I don't see any big trades. If the Celtics make a trade it will be to move down 3-6 spots and pick up a role player in the process, and that doesn't seem very likely because I'm not sure what position we'd be looking to add a role player at other than pg, and we can probably draft a better point than we could get from moving down.

Maybe Wake can go from getting the least amount of run support on the team to the most in one start.

Theo had similar comments to francona, but said he clearly fell apart after hitting a batter. His fastball was the best it was all year and he was locating it well. this great stuff only lasted 2.5 batters though. I'd just like to say that you can't cut Tavarez, but you certainly can move him to lower leverage innings. Relief pitching is streaky, and theres a chance this guy can turn it around.

Murphy also started out slow last year before becoming very hot in the second half. It looks like his surge has started earlier this year, which is an encouraging sign.

I'd suggest letting the person pick at that point, like contest winners sometimes get to.

putting threw at in quotation marks gave me that impression. I was just clarifying for those who may not have seen it.