Comments on: M’s sign Pokey Reese

By: darrin

darrin — Fri, 07 Jan 2005 21:27:35 +0000

I’m a big Lopez believer, but I have to admit I think this is a good signing. It was clear the infield stunk last year and was their biggest need. They have upgraded big time.

The pitching is still a big question which I think will keep them around .500.

Also, no one is really mentioning it, but they currently have a catcher (Olivo) who can’t catch the ball. My bet is that Wilson plays a lot, since they will be just close enough to be in it, but not quite bad enough to be out of it.

By: darrin

darrin — Fri, 07 Jan 2005 21:24:55 +0000

I’m a big Lopez believer, but I have to admit I think this is a good signing. It was clear the infield stunk last year and was their biggest need. They have upgraded big time.

The pitching is still a big question which I think will keep them around .500.

By: Bela Txadux

Bela Txadux — Thu, 06 Jan 2005 08:51:16 +0000

Deanna, thanks for the hawkeyes there on Jolbert’s impending venue. Always nice to see the scoop. And it _does_ sound not only like it’s a good outcome for Cabrera but that he actually will have some significant positives for his new team as well given his talent matrix.

By: Bela Txadux

Bela Txadux — Thu, 06 Jan 2005 08:18:45 +0000

Reese’s the piece, that’s fer sure. I’m psyched to have him on board. He’s not as good offensively as McLemore (who got on base), but his glove makes him about as valuable. Definitely the right move for the middle of the infield, AND the FO got him for one-and-an-option, just what might be hoped. That’s what comes from waiting the market out (even if I’ve been cursing under my breath watching for just exactly this sign to finally come down).

The subtraction of Cabrera is a plus as well. Jolbert’s not useless, particularly in view of his defensive positives brought to the surface by earlier insight on this blog. JolCab is the perfect Japan sign, though: good athlete, above average defensively at more than one position, makes decent contact at the plate, but insufficient power or plate discipline preclude him from holding down a regular MLB job. If GMs on this side of the water valued him accurately he’d never see half of what he’ll make in the contract he signs over there, so for Jolbert this is really the right move, and I’ll bet he knows it. For once, things work out well for everybody.

—Now the next move for Bavasi: trade to reacquire Mike Cameron. Come on, let’s make a bandwagon. Cammy is clearly no longer ‘the answer’ as far as Wilpon is concerned. If he’s seriously throwing offers Beltran’s way, it has to figure that Cameron could be shaken loose. I’d far rather have Mike back in center than Winn, and, who knows, perhaps this could be wheedled together even if the Mets don’t come up aces on Beltran.

. . . I’m starting to like this offseason. (How’s the shoulder, Richie??)

By: Jon Wells

Jon Wells — Thu, 06 Jan 2005 08:10:52 +0000

Cross another name off the list of potential backup shortstops. Alex Gonzalez is signing with Tampa Bay to be their starting third baseman (never mind that he hasn’t played the position in the majors in 10 years!). He’s getting $1.9 million — that Pokey Reese deal is looking better and better! Gonzalez hit .225 last year w/ 7 HR’s and is a career .242 hitter with some power (but actually has a lower career OBP than Pokey and is not the defensive whiz Pokye is).

HERE’S LOU PINIELLA’S TAKE:
“He’s a good athlete, a hard worker and a player we tried to recruit when I was in Seattle after Alex Rodriguez signed with Texas,” Rays manager Lou Piniella said in a statement. “He’s got a chance to give us 20 home runs out of the third base position. I’m excited to have him.”

By: my two cents

my two cents — Thu, 06 Jan 2005 05:11:23 +0000

Re #114 and others:
I like the list. IF nothing else it will be very entertaining. However, I think if they traded Winn that would really hurt us. Like it or not we need Winn and Spezio and Ibanez, especially with this newest aquisition of Reese which I do like ( although another INTERESTING injury risk). We need some left hand hitters, Winn CAN hit. In streaks. Ibanez CAN hit. And believe it or not Spezio CAN hit. In fact he usually does hit the ball somewhere (last year usually straight up in the air). If he can avoid that he may come through as a useful back up. It is possible he could bounce back somewhat and be a clutch hitter off the bench as he doesn’t strike out much. He did hit ten plus homeruns in not that many at bats and can drive the ball. Just so many pop ups.

Anyway, I can’t think of who they could really could get in exchange for any of them (pitching, defensively or offensively). Moving Winn and batting Reese 2nd would be the biggest mistake. It would undo everything good the team has done so far. We need power (Beltre, Sexson,Boone,Ibanez,Bucky, Olivo?), hitting (Ichiro, Beltre, Winn, Reed,Spezio) and more than one or two speed guys, especially if one of them is injury prone like Reese, (therefore: Ichiro, Reed, Olivo?, Reese AND Winn.

By: John

John — Thu, 06 Jan 2005 01:49:41 +0000

Re # 114: Some of those “ifs” are really stretches. If all those “ifs” come to pass, then the Ms should win 100-150 games.
Re # 116: The over-valuing of hometown players is par for the course. Some of those homers really get carried away. I was in Minneapolis (’59) when one of the local sportswriters pronounced the Minneaspolis Lakers backcourt as good as any in the NBA. At the time, the Boston Celtics had COUSY, SHARMAN, KC JONES, and SAM JONES.

By: Deanna

Deanna — Thu, 06 Jan 2005 01:25:40 +0000

#73, and anyone else who cares: The team Cabrera has apparently been sold to is the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks (formerly known as the Daiei Hawks). There’s an article on Nikkan Sports about it (sorry, no English translation that I know of)

http://www.nikkan-kyusyu.com/view/da_1105017488.htm

It basically says “we’ve acquired a new foreigner! Cabrera of the Mariners is negotiating a contract with us and we’ll post the exact details and put him in our official lineup when we finish working it all out.”

This is a great team for him to be joining, honestly — the Hawks have been the #1 or #2 team in the Pacific League for the last several years and are managed by baseball legend Sadaharu Oh. They have several amazing players, and are losing one of their best infielders, Tadahito Iguchi, to MLB this year. So I think it’s awesome and I look forward to seeing him play with them next year!

I have no idea whether anyone will actually see this comment since it’s so far down. I guess the American papers will report it in a few days anyway, in theory.

By: Shoeless Jose

Shoeless Jose — Wed, 05 Jan 2005 23:34:30 +0000

Am I the only person humming the “tinkers to evers to chance” thing as “Pokey to Buckey to Boone”? (say it fast a couple of times) I’d love to put Sexon and Beltre in there but it just doesn’t come off the tongue as cleanly. And yeah, I know a 6-3-4 double play isn’t the way it usually goes…

By: msb

msb — Wed, 05 Jan 2005 22:52:32 +0000

#115– Cora is still out there, and mentioned as being a back-up plan for Tampa or St Louis…