Griffey trade to non-Mariners team rumored
Wow, because what the White Sox need is less defense and less offense? Kenny Williams strikes again.
Hey, Team Executive
From Hickey’s piece today:
“Lee has been talking to everybody about making a deal,” one member of the Mariners front office said Wednesday. “He’d like to get something done if it make us a better team.
“But I think he’s prepared to not do anything. He isn’t going to give anyone away. We aren’t a club that has to do things based on money. I’m not sure everyone knows that, but that’s the way it is.”
You’re not a club that has to do things based on money? Then please explain to me why you didn’t try to sign Vladimir Guerrero when he was a free agent. I asked Bavasi that question personally, and you know what he told me? “I was out of money.”
Or, if you don’t have to do things based on money, why didn’t you sign Miguel Tejada (thank God, but that’s not the point) or Barry Zito (ditto) or Carlos Lee (again, phew) or Carl Pavano (holy crap you guys tried to sign a lot of bad players) or Carlos Delgado (this is getting tiresome) or Hiroki Kuroda (hey, someone who isn’t totally awful!). Why did you go into this season with Brad Wilkerson in right field?
Why didn’t you keep Jose Guillen? Or Alex Rodriguez? Or Randy Johnson?
I’d keep going, but these are rhetorical questions. I already know the answer. You do make decisions based on money, just like every other franchise in baseball. You have a budget, and you don’t get to spend whatever you feel like spending on any player you want. Any money you spend on players is money you can’t spend on other players. If you’re giving $10 million to Jarrod Washburn, that’s $10 million you can’t give to C.C. Sabathia.
So, Mr. Team Executive, stop patronizing your fan base. We’re smarter than that. We understand cost/benefit analysis – do you?
The Manny Deal
In case you’re curious, I’ve written up my take on the rumored Manny Ramirez deal over at fangraphs. The long and short of it – the Marlins are making an unbelievably horrible deal. This is worse than the Bedard trade. This is the worst deal any team has made since the Bartolo Colon for Cliff Lee/Brandon Phillips/Grady Sizemore debacle. Okay, I take that back – the Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano deal was worse. But this is up there.
The Marlins are reportedly giving up three years of Jeremy Hermida, solid pitching prospect Ryan Tucker, and one or two more minor leaguers in exchange for Manny Ramirez. The problem, though, is that Manny Ramirez isn’t appreciably better than Jeremy Hermida. He’s a great hitter, but a horrible fielder, and Hermida’s a pretty decent player in his own right.
At absolute best, this move will add a couple of runs to the Marlins ledger over the rest of the season, and that won’t be enough for them to leap over the Phillies and Mets. Manny’s going to leave at years end, and they’re going to have given Hermida and some good young talent away for nothing.
If Theo Epstein can really turn Manny and some cash into Jason Bay, he should go right into the hall of fame. The deal makes sense for Pittsburgh, too, with the Marlins just taking it in the shorts.
Hopefully someone in Miami wakes up and realizes that they’re about to make a franchise crippling move, because this deal is awful from their perspective.
Game 107, Mariners at Rangers
5:05
General trade tomfoolery thread
I think the M’s should get in on that hot Barry Zito action. Trade Vidro for him, get Vidro back in the NL where he thrived, give up Silva, maybe…
The Move Washburn Campaign
We’ve only gotten one place to bite on the “Jarrod Washburn is awesome and has a new splitter and it’s great” story. Get out there and keep pushing, we need this guy moved in the next day!
Can Ichiro Get 3,000 Hits in MLB?
Last night, Ichiro recorded his 3000th hit as a professional, of which 1,723 of those have come since he joined MLB in the 2001 season. That’s impressive, but what are his odds of getting 3,000 as a major leaguer? A lot better than you might think.
Ichiro needs 1,277 hits to get to 3,000 for his major league career. If he hits any higher than .290 and averages 600 AB a season, he’ll get his 3,000th MLB hit sometime in 2015, his age 41 season. Think that’s impossible? Kenny Lofton hit .293 in his age 35-40 seasons. Despite the myth that holds the opposite to be true, fast players age exceedingly well.
Ichiro has never gotten fewer than 647 at-bats in a season, partly because he never walks and he is so fanatical about his stretching routine that he doesn’t get hurt. By setting an average of just 600 at-bats per season over the next seven year, we’re building in an injury decline that very well might not strike a player in this good of physical condition. But, if you think that sounds too high for a guy heading into his mid-30s, we can set the average season ABs to just 500, and he’d still be able to get to 3,000 MLB hits in 2017, his age 43 season.
Is it a stretch to think Ichiro can still be productive in his early 40s? I don’t see any reason to believe so. 43 is probably pushing it, but I’d argue that a 500 AB per season average is a far too conservative projection.
Essentially, Ichiro doesn’t have to do much besides stay healthy and play until he’s 41 or 42 and he’ll get 3,000 major league hits. I’m betting on Ichiro.
The Onion continues to mock our misfortune
Mariners Improve To Eight Games Over .300
You’re a terrible pitcher, Carlos
…
Dave adds sarcastic comment about Silva’s new grip giving him more sink here.
Game 106, Mariners at Rangers
5:05