You know, I thought about going over the second basemen of the NL East this week, but like some of the other positions, the Phillies would be the only one with a firm idea of who they'd have at second. I mean, the Braves now have Dan Uggla, so the Marlins have nobody, unless they want to start Omar Infante, or maybe Emilio Bonifacio, and the Nats don't really have an idea for second right now, except maybe the young and inexperienced Danny Espinosa, and the Mets have to be able to dump Luis Castillo first, before they can have a converted first baseman Daniel Murphy take up second. And most organizations don't really have many second baseman prospects, as much as they just convert shortstops to second or third, based on arms and range.
So it's back to the links for you guys, this weekend. Welcome to another week of Things Read in Other Moms' Basements.
Dan Uggla traded to Atlanta Braves for Omar Infante and Michael Dunn - Miami Herald
Unless you've been living under a rock, the Braves wasted no time in the off-season to make the biggest splash, and acquired the All-Star slugging second baseman, Dan Uggla, for Omar Infante and Michael Dunn. As excited by this move I am, it is legitimately sad to part with Infante, who was the consummate perfect teammate.
Uggla sad to leave Marlins, excited to be Brave - Fish Bytes
I'm not just saying it since he's one of us now, but I do like Dan Uggla. I think the respect stemmed from yeah, how he beat the snot out of Rafael Soriano all the time, but from friends who work at restaurants who claimed to have seen him, and he was an awesome tipper. Celebs/athletes that tip well are almost always okay, in my book. But anyway, he's sad that the Marlins thought so poorly of his abilities, but he's excited to be reunited with Fredi, and his upcoming year as a Brave.
Chris Coghlan moving to play third-base - Fish Stripes
I don't like to toot my own horn or nothing, but . . . toot toot. Called it.
Marlins sign John Buck to three-year deal, worth $18M - MLB
In a surprise use of money, the Marlins quickly patched up their most essential need by picking up a free agent. The yearly breakdown is unknown at this point, but being the Marlins I have to imagine that it is slightly backloaded, but it doesn't really matter because $18M for John Buck is pretty ridiculous (Career OBP .301 OPS .724). He will make more than Carlos Ruiz and equal money as Brian McCann, but good for him, for capitalizing on the contract year of career highs in 2010. The stat-savvy Michael Jong of Marlin Maniac breaks it down better than I ever could.
Cameron Maybin dealt to San Diego Padres for two Minor Leaguers - Miami Herald
All the potential in the world is meaningless if it never comes to fruitiion, and the Marlins were not hesitant to jettison their potential every day centerfielder to the Padres for two RHPs. Ryan Webb and Edward Mujica are the pitchers received by the Marlins, with the latter being 26, but already seen 176 major league games.
The good 'ol scenery change for Andrew Miller - MLB
Let's see if the results makes everyone feel the Marlins reamed the Red Sox again, as the teams made a zero-value trade by sending underperforming 26-year old LHP Andrew Miller, for slightly less underperfoming 26-year old LHP Dustin Richardson. Watch Richardson blossom in Florida, and Miller burns out.
Brett Carroll leaves Marlins for the Royals - Fish Stripes
Remember my tentative idea of the Marlins outfield going into 2011? Well, with Maybin and Carroll gone, it's safe to say that such ideas are effed.
Marlins discussing three-year deal with Ricky Nolasco - Fish Bytes
A fitting reward for the most consistent and durable pitcher that the Marlins have had in almost five years.
Jeffrey Loria renegs on promise to give red Ferrari to NLCS MVP - Fish Bytes
Prior to the 2010 season, Jeffrey Loria said to a group of men which included at the time, Cody Ross, that he would give a red Ferrari to whomever won the NLCS MVP. Well, Cody Ross won the NLCS MVP, and now Jeffrey Loria is giong back on his word. Sure, he won it for a completely different team, but still, it's a matter of interpretation that makes you think he deserves it or not. To a go-zillionaire like Loria, it's hard to think a mere $190,000 Ferrari would put a dent in his wallet, but then we remember that it's Jeffrey Loria.
lol - MetsBlog
Sometimes a lion will plow into a herd of gazelle, but then simply be so overwhelmed by the potential for a gigantic feast, that they simply cannot focus on taking down a single gazelle, and run around haphazardly, and before you know it, every single gazelle has gotten away, and the lion is sad. Well, that's kind of how I feel about the Diamondbacks offering Omar Minaya a job - I can't think of just one smarmy remark!
Bob Melvin, appearing to be front-runner for Mets manager - MetsBlog
It's either down to him, or Wally Backman, who led the A-ball Cyclones to a title in 2010. It's a battle between intellectual management versus True Grit, but with the direction the Mets are heading, intellectualism might win out.
Carlos Beltran willing to waive no-trade clause if asked nicely - MLB
Don't look too far into this, it more or less means he's willing to be a team player, and with free agency impending for him, and especially since he wants to land one last free-agent deal before he fully deteriorates, he needs all the good PR he can get.
David Wright seems to think he knows Carlos Beltran - NY Daily News
For starters, he wants, and thinks he's going to stay beyond free agency. Secondly, he believes that he would graciously accept a move into RF if asked to do so, when the link above quotes Beltran as feeling capable of playing CF still, despite the injuries and aging. Seems to have some clashing opinions here.
Johan Santana not expected for Opening Day - MetsBlog
Hopefully he travels with the team when the season starts, because apparently nothing good can come out of Santana staying in Florida and playing golf and other extracurricular activities.
Daniel Murphy down in the DR working on second base - NY Daily News
The epitome of a good organizational guy here, Murphy is doing whatever he can to be whatever the Mets need the most, in order to get himself back to the big leagues as soon as possible, regardless that his native first-base position was usurped by Ike Davis whilst out on injury.
It's a tie! Mets hire ALL managerial candidates! - The Apple
Not going to lie, the second I saw a Voltron image, I had already copied the link. But the managerial responsibility cheat sheet is pretty darn golden too.
The Saber Friends - Metstradamus
I really just love the picture, but other than that, every single Moneyball reunion joke out there has pretty much been made
Josh Willingham will not receive multi-year extension - WaPo
One of the few bastions of consistency for the Nationals prior to his injury, the Nationals deny his vocal preferences to remain in Washington for multiple years.
Danny Espinoza hits the reverse cycle in Winter Ball - MLB
The guy who will very likely be starting in 2011 be it at second or short, hit for the cycle in Puerto Rico. A reverse cycle, by going HR, 3B, BB, 2B, 1B in that particular order.
Ryan Zimmerman tells is how it is - The Bog
I like Ryan Zimmerman a lot. It's not often that anyone is envious of the Nationals, bust most baseball fans would give a kidney to have Zimmerman on their team, and I like to drink. I need that second kidney. But I'd still give it up to get the kind of caliber player as Ryan Zimmerman to succeed Chipper Jones.
Zombie Jesus Flores might be ready for 2011 - WaPo
The Nationals might have a convenient problem going into 2011, with three capable catchers, with the revived health of Jesus Flores, who missed pretty much a year and change with shoulder troubles. The likely solution is to keep Wilson Ramos in AAA, and go with a Ivan Rodriguez and Flores to backup, or there could be a trade in the works.
Redskins' Clinton Portis just "felt like wearing red" oops - The Bog
When defending his choice to wear a Phillies had during the same week in which the Redskins would get humiliated by the Philadelphia Eagles, he said just wanted to wear red. Bad excuse, the Nationals have about 62 hats with a red base available for sale. Naturally, he tries his best to put the fire out.
Roy Halladay, unanimous Cy Young winner - MLB
In a season that saw Ubaldo Jimenez start off so hot, Josh Johnson dominate the opposition, and Adam Wainwright quietly have another monster season, could there possibly been any less opposition for an obvious pick for the NL Cy Young award than Roy Halladay? Mind-boggling.
Ruben Amaro insinuates Raul Ibanez's presence makes up for losing Jayson Werth lol - Philly.com
This would be like telling Braves fans that because because Matt Diaz had a good year and was (paraphrased) signed for two more years, it was okay to unload Jason Heyward.
Jose Contreras signs two-year deal with Phillies - Philly.com
"The Big Truck," he's known now, which seems kind of a drop off from the days he was the highly-touted Cuban defector known in Haiti as "The Bronze Titan." But anyway, it $5.5M for the two years, and an option for 2013.
Ryne Sandberg to manage AAA-Lehigh Valley - Philly.com
The Phillies snag HOFer, and one time Phillies farmhand, before he became one of the all-time greatest for the Cubs, to manage their AAA club, the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. Just last year, he led the Iowa Cubs to an 82-62 record, the best in the Northern Division, winning the Pacific Coast League's Manager of the Year honors.
Phillies sign former champion - Beerleaguer
Champion of CONNECT FOUR, that is. Pete Orr, the undisputed champion of the Braves locker room Connect Four tournament signed a minor league deal with the Phillies. Also mentioned is the re-signing of career backup catcher, Dane Sardinha.