jacksonianmarch

I have a feeling picking up Hunter's option is a good way to get something for him at the deadline.

but he is gonna cost 20 mil a season on a team that hardly breaks 40mil in total payroll. He can thank Zito for completely pricing himself out of 2/3's of the teams in the MLB's league.

I will go on record as saying the opposite. Actually, let me be bold here. I am 75% sure he is in another uniform by Jan 1, 2008.

well, you are comparing players on either side of the hill and it doesnt work that way. Alvarez and DiNardo have cemented their AAAA status. They were some of those prospects who fell on the wrong side of the 50/50. Cup of coffee nothing more. I think the B's are nice prospects to have, but at the same time, injury, ineffectiveness, etc is likely to hit 2 of the 3. The job is to pick which one will make it and which ones will not.

until they found out that Murphy kinda sucked.

well, like I said, if Johan is dealt in 08, then I dont see Hughes being a part of the equation as I think Hughes will have already won a rotation spot. If Johan were put on the block right now, then Hughes is certainly on that block. By 2008, we might have Hughes in the starting rotation with 4 other top 10 talents in AAA and Chamberlain in AA. That would make us be able to send them a package of 2-4 top tier pitching prospects while sparing the need to send Hughes.

i think spider may be a watcher more than a poster. I know I was one of those for awhile too. Once you cross the line though, there is no turning back baby!

I saw this too a day or so ago. No sources and apparently this guy is a bad source.

it wouldnt be a couple mil. They are at max salary. Santana will double his current salary on the open market (10 mil right now). Minny has no prayer of inking him when they'll have Mauer and Morneau to worry about.

Duchs still has 3 yrs of control. Beane likes to deal guys when he has one yr left on them. Duchs will likely hit arbitration this yr, so he is due for a moderate increase, but it is against Beane's MO to deal guys with multiple yrs of control under his belt. Now if he were available, I would caution you. He has been great, but in 04 and 05, he pitched a combined 182IP of relief. That led to breakdown last season as he had an elbow problem that landed him on the DL. He only pitched 55.2IP last yr. Hence, if he were available, he is the kinda guy who should be approached with caution.

Not sure, I am new in town as well. Probably because of dead time in baseball plus the holidays. The hot stove has cooled as well. If you want to see it lively, come on when a big yankee or sox move gets done. If the sox nab a closer, if the yankees finalize a Unit move, when Clemens signs in NY, etc. Come back and a lot of people will be here, I would assume.

Take a look at this. http://www.startribune.com/508/story/905897.html

Murphy has more potential as a 4th OFer though because he can play all 3 OF positions.

no problem my friend. Just wonderin.

am I eligible?

Moss kinda stagnated. His power still has not developed and for a corner OF prospect, that is death. He'll turn 24 at the end of the season, so he has 2 yrs left to crack the bigs or it is a career in AAAA for him.

If not Cordero, then who do you like Kilo?

I think it will be what is on the table and where the Twins are. By the time Santana will be on the block (potentially this trade deadline but most likely next offseason) Hughes may already have established himself in the rotation. He may also be on the shelf with injury or another guy will have outshone him etc. Also, if the twins fall like a rock (which is possible without Radke and Liriano) then Santana will be dealt. If the twins rise, then santana doesnt need to be dealt. If the twins suck, then the return on a deal for him will be smaller. Also, Kilo, there was a report in Minnesota that Johan may find his name on the block this season as Minnesota knows that after 08, Johan will likely get a MONSTER deal.

It is not a stupid one. The hardest thing in professional sports is hitting a baseball. Hence, when new professionals hit the low levels of the minors, lots of them fizzle out cause they cannot hit the best of the best. Hence, the pitchers have the huge advantage early on. As the hitters mature, they concentrate, as do the better pitchers. By the time the prospects hit AA, most of them have developed some sort of plate discipline and most of them can handle good pitching. This is where the best sort themselves out. There are plenty of top prospects who hit AA and stalled. At the same time, the AA litmus test is a mark for just taking time. Lots of young pitchers come out of college or high school never throwing over 100IP in a year. Then they come to the minors and are coached, prodded, retooled and tinkered with in a short amount of time. This leads to many injuries. For example, the yankees have a starting pitcher who was a top prospect. Christian Garcia. Did well in both rookie and A ball, but upon stretching his arm out, he got injured. Shoulder, then Tommy John to the elbow. His career is likely sidetracked and may never get off the ground. He never made it to AA. A wise man once told me (actually a writer for one of the prospect sites) that pitchers in the minors are very hard to predict. Of all the top prospects below AA, figure that 80% of them will either fizzle, get injured, or be nothing more than cups of coffee MLB players. Of those that surpass AA, the numbers approach 50/50 for success (sticking with the big league club) or failure. That is why I like the AA litmus test.

2004 8HR in 83IP 2005 9HR in 75IP 2006 13HR in 74IP could be a fluke, but his WHIP, BAA, and BB/9IP jumped significantly and the ERA jumped nearly 1.4 runs per 9.