2007-2008 MLB Hot Stove (1 Viewer)

[Shane Martin]

Schilling signs his deal 1 yr 8 million with incentives pushing it to 14 million

Gold Gloves announced:
2007 Gold Glove winners AMERICAN LEAGUE
C Ivan Rodriguez, DET 1B Kevin Youkilis, BOS 2B Placido Polanco, DET 3B Adrian Beltre, SEA SS Orlando Cabrera, LAA OF Ichiro Suzuki, SEA OF Torii Hunter, MIN OF Grady Sizemore, CLE P Johan Santana, MIN NATIONAL LEAGUE
C Russell Martin, LAD 1B Derrek Lee, CHC 2B Orlando Hudson, ARI 3B David Wright, NYM SS Jimmy Rollins, PHI OF Carlos Beltran, NYM OF Andruw Jones, ATL OF Jeff Francoeur, ATL OF Aaron Rowand, PHI P Greg Maddux, SD

Also, the Marlins are listening to offers on Dontrelle Willis and Cabrera. Cabrera is IMHO a cheaper A-Rod with just as much skills
http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/ne...=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

[Mike Frezon]

Just as much? That's really sayin' something!

I'm glad Schilling is back for another year. I think he's turned the corner on his new pitching "persona." It sure looked like it in October.

 

[Shane Martin]

His stats are gaudy

 

[Mike Frezon]

Gaudy, no doubt.

The Red Sox are considering a 6-man rotation, says Theo.

 

[Scott_J]

I've been asking for it for quite some time and the Astros have finally traded Brad Lidge.

They sent him and Eric Bruntlett to the Phils for a trio of minor leaguers.

 

[Mike Frezon]

MLB wants the Red Sox and Athletics to open the '08 season in Tokyo with a three-game series (starting March 22).

Such a trip has to be approved by the players. Thankfully, some of the players are saying that they don't want any part of it.

 

[Jason Seaver]

I assume those games would come out of the Athletics's home schedule, right? Because there's no way Boston gives up three Fenway sellouts.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I would suspect so...if it is even thought through that far. I just hope they go away.

I believe any benefit those games might have for the MLB community are not worth the toll they take on the players at the beginning of the season.

To be truthful, I'm not even exactly sure they are scheduled as regular-season (and not spring training) games. Either way, the miles, time differences and shortened spring training are all enough reasons to say, "forget it."

 

[Walter C]

I hope the Lidge deal doesn't blow up in the Phillies' face, like the Freddy Garcia deal.

 

[Mike Frezon]

These GM meetings have been pretty quiet so far.

I guess teams may be concerned about the pending Mitchell report before dropping a lot of dough on players who are about to gain "instant controversy" status.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

I say no way to the Japan trip. We don't want Kevin Youkilis to end up with a mystery intestinal virus that keeps him out of the lineup (and out of drug testing) for months on end.

 

[Shane Martin]

Walter,
This is the last image of Lidge I have

 

[Mike Frezon]

Ouch!

There are so many things to see in that capture.

 

[Scott_J]

IIRC the GM meetings are usually pretty quiet. It's the winter meetings (in January?) that generally have more activity going on.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Lidge takes a dump on the mound.

 

[Walter C]

Shane, I think that was my memory of him as well. And I hope that won't be a foreshadow of what is to come next season.

If MLB opens the season in Japan, I think it would be only for 2 games, and that will cost each team a home game, just like before.

 

[Shane Martin]

I could make a cheap philly choke joke but i'll hold off

I think MLB playing in Japan is not the right thing to do. Overseas travel and the planning and prep for that doesn't seem worth it.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I thought the NFL playing a game in London was dumb, too.

Let's see. MLB has been played recently in Japan, Puerto Rico, and Mexico, right?

Here's an article from Forbes on the attempt to globalize baseball by MLB.

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The Boston Globe is reporting today that the names of 11 free agents this off-season will be among those players named in the Mitchell Report. Do you suppose one of the eleven might be Barry Bonds?!

 

[Mike Frezon]

And, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are no more.



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I heard THIS on the radio this afternoon--MLB is going to have first-and third-base coaches wear helmets when on-the-field because of what happened to Mike Coolbaugh in Tulsa this year.

I understand the idea of advocating safety first. But this seems a little extreme. Arguments could certainly be made that if you are going to require this because of one tragedy...what will be required next? Maybe everyone in the first ten rows behind the dugouts at ballparks will be required to wear helmets during games. I wonder what Don Zimmer thinks of the rule?

And I suppose in this PC environment, there will be little opposition to the rule.

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And any baseball fan should look at these photos by Neil Leifer featured on SI.com.

Here's an example:

 

[Walter C]

I wish that meant no more baseball team in Tampa Bay.

I think playing any regular season games of any sport overseas is a dumb idea.