Try to be plausible, but if you do your job right, you too can get MLB Rumors to cite the random firings of your synapses!
107 thoughts on “Official make stuff up thread”
“In the Past GM meetings, it became a place where seeds were often planted for trades finalized during the December winter meetings. ”
So it looks as if we might have to wait until the Winter Meetings, which are Dec 4-7 in Orlando.
My friend is a friend of Busty Olney and he told me that Mr. Olney told him that the Orioles will trade the Braves Chris Ray sometime during the December winter meetings for two prospects, one of which must be considered a top prospect.
It really sucks that every team is signing this guy, trading this guy or having this guy’s contract extended while the Braves seemingly do nothing. After all the AJC stories about trades, it now looks like diddly squat will happen until December.
I like Schuerholz, but when he retires, let’s get an active general manager. Please.
I will be happy just to hear that we’ve resigned Ward now or to hear that weve extended Smoltz until 08 with an 09 option. Just something
Same here. I know it’s just me not being having the ability to wait, but I want something to happen. Even if it’s completely nothing. Trade Langerhans for a draft pick. Sign Darryl Ward to a one year deal. Something.
I’d love to see Smoltz’s contract extended to the end of the 2008 or 2009 season. If Smoltz retired at the end of 2007, it would hurt but I’d live with it. If Smoltz runs away to some other team after 2007 because someone didn’t get on the ball and give Smoltz whatever the hell he wants, I’d be pretty angry.
Dan, agree. Smoltz deserves to play w /us until he reaches Franco’s age if he wants..If he’s pitching it had better be for us. If not, Ill be angry also.
From earlier this year….
The Dodgers win the Betemit sweepstakes, giving up Danys Baez, Willy Aybar, and “cash considerations”.
what were the cash considerations that we received?
Wasn’t it $2m???
I think we have enough money to give Glavine a respectable offer.
Yeah absolutely…don’t we still have a couple mill leftover from the trade deadline?
Braves: Scratch Dave Roberts off the Braves’ list of potential free-agent acquisitions. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that the Braves are no longer interested in Roberts, who could command a three-year, $15 million contract.
Padres: With the price of relievers expected to be high, the Padres are reluctant to pull the trigger on a trade that would send right-hander Scott Linebrink to the Braves for second baseman Marcus Giles. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that the Padres have offered Alou a one-year contract.
I want to get something for Giles, but now I’m wondering if the Braves will just nontender him (no way he comes back in my opinion.) Only the Indians, Padres and Reds were said to have interest in Marcus Giles. The Indians are off that list, and unless the Padres run out of other options, they probably are too. What can the Braves get from the Reds?
Coffey and Freel?
Dan, there is a good point to be made there. Only three or four teams have shown a lot of interest in Giles. The main two being Cleveland and San Diego and dont think that Towers hasnt thought about that. He’s probably using that against us and trying to lower Giles’ value. I think he’ll be back if we cant move him and maybe we’ll try moving him somewhere at the deadline. I cant see us just non-tendering him, but who knows…
Keith Lockhart to come out of retirement to man 2B for the Braves. Cox sees Braves championship season in ’07 as a result.
To all the people who are complaining that JS isnn’t doing anything:
Remember when you complained about waiting on Smoltz’s option, like, a month and a half ago. Then the two day span where we picked up the option and resigned Wickman. That’s likely what we would be doing now if we hadn’t already done it.
Astros have offered deals to Carlos Lee, Alfonso Soriano, and Woody Williams. They might get one of them. Does anyone think the higher the contracts that these average pitchers get, the better our chances become of trading Hudson to someone else? Or do you think we are better off seeing what he does this year?
If the right deal comes along then trade him….but since were not getting Peavy, we might as well see if he can rebound.
this was from another site, dont hold me to this….
According to Philadelphia’s 610 WIP Radio station, the Phillies have offered another contract to Soriano. According to the source, this offer is 6 yr/ 98m contract with a 7th year club option.
dont worry..i wont be holding it to you..but i no longer trust radio stations for sports rumors. :)
I figured someone would say that!
I have heard that the Phillies were going after Soriano hard, but I wasn’t sure.
You guys crack me up. Peavy? Please……. Non tender Giles? no way. They’ll trade him for Dan Kolb before they non tender him. If no offer comes around the Braves will get one more year out of him. Years before FA are usually the most productive.
Sparky Anderson said “Just give me 25 guys on the last year of their contracts, and I’ll win you a pennant every year.”
If there’s no market for Giles now, why not wait until July?
I have a reliable source (a friend of a hot dog vendor’s supplier) who tells me the Braves are looking to trade Giles for Furcal, get JD Drew and talk Detroit into charitably donate Sheffield to us to be the designated hitter for Jeff Francoeur.
I have no problem with JS not making a move this week. It’s not like many other big moves were made, mostly just small ones.
You can’t forget the big move that the Phillies are making to get Wes Helms. This is definitely a blockbuster – almost as big as the Braves picking up Mondesi in 05!
If anyone is in the mood for a good laugh at my expense, I decided to post about the whole Jake Peavy thing…
Nov 15 – The Giants, in the market for a center fielder, are moving along in discussions with Juan Pierre, the National League leader with 204 hits last season, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports.
The word at the GM meetings in Naples, Fla., is that Pierre could get a deal for three years and about $30 million — if not from San Francisco, then somebody else.
I think I’m going to vomit…
Rob,
I just threw up in my mouth…what is wrong with baseball when a player of Pierre’s “caliber” can pull in $30 mil….wow.
If anyone wants a good laugh at my expense, I decided to post about the whole “Jake Peavy thing”
What? Is that a problem? Does that ensure the Braves can’t sign a left fielder? Okay then.
Notice the pattern. Type B free agents and guys like the big Hurt signing a new market level contract. The top of the line players have the most to gain by watching their price go up and up with every lesser player’s contract. Marginal guys like DeRosa take the money thats offered and thank the Lord that they chose to be base ball players. I’m ok with the John Schuerholz’s patience. I don’t want him to take our tradeable assets and just make a deal for the sake of making a deal. I want him to fully assess the available talent, the market conditions and make a decision even if it means doing nothing.
There’s no way that Juan Pierre gets 30 million dollars.
Jay10, again dude, I love your enthusiasm. I’m afraid that I’m a cynical old fart that trys to put the color of reality on everything.
I want him to fully assess the available talent, the market conditions and make a decision thats best for the Atlanta Braves, even if it means doing nothing.
I’m old, cynical and I can’t type worth a damn.
What’s unfortunately amazing is that while everyone else is taking advantage of all the additional revenue in baseball to up their budgets, Atlanta continues to slide down (from 100 – 90 – 85 – 80). And while 80-85 is a bunch of money, in this seemingly new baseball economy where players like DeRosa, Pierre, and Thomas get huge contracts, that 80-85 million is starting to feel a lot like the budget of a small market team. Are we really a small market team?
We’re mid-market. We’re not Tampa Bay, Minnesota, Florida, Oakland or any teams like that. We seem to be more Cincinnati, Milwaukee, San Diego-type teams.
I guess I’m old and cynical too. I don’t want JS signing guys like Pierre to $10M per year contracts. I’d rather go into the season with the team we have now than sign crap players to ridiculous contracts. Now Peavy, on the other hand, splurge a little with tradeable talent (read: Salty)…
Also, when the market becomes more like it has been the past 3 or 4 years, these Pierre/DeRosa/Thomas contracts, although smaller, will look like Hampton/Park/Dreifort contracts that have or are murdering their teams because those kinds of players won’t be getting them in the current market.
Instead, all the free agents will get paid later, when the owners admit they’ve colluded again!
I share the same frustrations with many on this list; by now I had hoped we see some improvements in our pitching staff. However, I am glad that we have not shelled out money that some clubs have. Unfortunately, I fear that Boras is again casting his evil shadow over JS and the Braves’ management. The potential price of keeping Andruw means that JS may well have less cash available than in previous years. I hope that this is not the case.
So, I noticed that Chien-Ming Wang got the most second place votes for the AL Cy Young. I didn’t think he was that good, so I went and checked out his stats and I’ll-be-darned he was 19-6 with a 3.63 ERA. Was that smoke and mirrors is he really a top-of-the-rotation starter? Ububba? His WHIP and BAA seem pretty high so I dunno.
“From earlier this year….
The Dodgers win the Betemit sweepstakes, giving up Danys Baez, Willy Aybar, and “cash considerations”.
what were the cash considerations that we received? ”
400,000 Confederate dollars, and a pile of dog crap.
John Schuerholtz after putting his head inside the bag and sniffing it quickly turned aruund to the Dodger trade delegation and reportedly said, “Good Deal”…..
We’re Doomed.
How does colluding work again? Doesn’t the Union do that? Doesn’t Boras do that?
In these bidding wars do the Yankees go to the Red Sox and sit down and George says to Epstein hey the caps 20 million both of us can’t go over that?
Isn’t that defeating considering other teams may pay more…PLUS the other team can offer more…..etc.
Its impossible…Meanwhile Donald Fehr is still out there, protecting at every turn his dirty roid teamsters….
10 million dollars a year….52 million just to talk to a Japan Club’s pitcher who ahs never thrown a major league pitch, 13 million for Suzuki was somewhat understandable…..52 freakin million for the “rights” of a players…Boras you evil little snot nosed b@st–….
Thats what i want to call him…..
What did he do, kidnap Theo Epstein’s calculator?
What the heck is going on here….???
The “cash considerations” were to cover Baez’s contract. That money is gone.
We may be acting like a mid-market team, but we are the 8th biggest city with a new stadium the team didn’t have to pay for and a great TV market. WE also do not have any team near us, geographically (i.e. Philly next to new york, next to Baltimore, next to DC…).
If baseball can be separated into 3 tiers-those teams that can buy players (NY; Boston); those teams that cannot buy players but can sign the ones they have; and those that have to let their good players go when they reach the 5 year mark (KC; Pittsburgh), by demographics and all other factors, we are in the first tier.
How we slid to the 3rd tier(letting Sheff; Drew; Furcal; Glavine walk away in the last 3 years alone) mystifies me.
In five years, when the owners are crying poverty and the commissioner is talking contraction, when they’re called before Congress to defend their anti-trust exemption while refusing to open their books, I hope everyone remembers this winter, and that all this money is being thrown around in November, when nobody has a gun to the owners’ heads.
Went to the barber shop and there is a three team deal about to go down.
Tor gets-Langerhans, Salty, and Russell Branyon SD gets- Troy Glaus, Giles, and HoRam Atl gets- Brian Tallet(Tor), Peavy, and Cla Meredith (SD)
JS doesn’t have the money to get involved in the free-agents dealing because he (through no fault of his own) structured the payroll on the assumption it would remain at $100 mm. Then TW decided that a multi-billion dollar corporation couldn’t afford that payroll (they would have had to reduce some of the executive stock options based on their astute running of TW). So, now he is stuck. It’s frustrating, but let’s face it, its us on this blog that are generating unrealistic thoughts of what the Braves can do. Trades are difficult enough in baseball today because of the contracts and so forth and when you have little payroll flexibility, they are even harder. I think JS is doing the best he can but it’s not so easy. And, I would rather he wait until later and do a good deal than rush into something now just to say he is busy. Some of the recent trades have not turned out so well anyway (can anyone say Drew-Wainwright?)
Today’s rumors if you care to believe any of this crap…
Dallas Morning News (registration required): ” While those efforts came up empty, the Rangers legitimately put themselves in the running for free agent Barry Zito… The Rangers are also expected to explore more serious talks with Atlanta, which could be willing to move Tim Hudson or Horacio Ramirez.”
New York Post: “All-Star left-hander Tom Glavine, who isn’t signed yet and who has said he’ll pitch for the Mets or Atlanta, told The Post yesterday he is not leaning toward Shea Stadium or Turner Field…
But Williams always likes to aim high, and sources say the Sox have strong interest in Atlanta Braves center fielder Andruw Jones, who might be willing to waive his no-trade protection to play for Ozzie Guillen.”
In other words, nothing going on worth writing about!
I’m ready to head to Tuscaloosa – Mac, should be a great game – I’m curious who gives a more raucous celebration during the announcement of Mike Shula as head coach – Auburn or Alabama fans.
I’m sitting in section 420 – will people smoke pot around me? I’m confused.
Marc,
You’re an enlightened cat, and I really dig that about you.
@45 I have to disagree with you on the Drew trade. Wainwright has put up exactly one half of a good year if that much. The one season that we got from Drew was an exceptional one that helped propel us to another post season. I call it a wash. If Wainwright turns out to be an ace so be it. You can’t get something for nothing.
Johnny,
You are right about that trade; it’s too early to call it a disaster and, for the most part, JS has not been burned too much by trading off young pitchers. The only that concerns me, though, is if JS and BC start to focus on winning now (they are in their sixties) now and making trades to benefit the team in the short-term that hurt in the long run. I think the Drew trade (in retrospect, anyway) might have been an example of that. But, in fairness, a lot of analysts will say there is a lot to be said for trading prospects for established players. The problem with the Drew trade, though, is that JS must have known it was going to be a one-year deal–there was no way they could afford a Scott Boras client, especially Drew who seems offended by the possibility that there is a dollar on the table that he doesn’t get. So, depending on the evaluation of Wainwright, which I don’t know, it seems like a poor deal in the long-run. But I acknowledge that that’s second guessing
I just dont like the “win now” or the “one year rental” trades. I wish our focus could be on trying to keep players that we have traded for, more than one year. We have traded a lot of our young players and prospects at deadlines for what seems to be half year rentals, that’s discouraging. Sometimes I feel that we should have let go of our attempts for division streaks and tried to focus more on the bigger goal. I would say now that the Farnsworth trade was probably a bad one. Some will disagree…
A little bird whispered to me the Braves will trade Diaz and Giles for Manny Ramirez.
Which line-up would you rather have….
Potential Lineups 1.Braves Johnson or Orr Renteria Jones Jones McCann LaRoche Francouer Diaz or Langerhans or Johnson
or
2. Phillies Rollins Utley Soriano Howard Burrell Dellucci Helms Lieberthal or Coste
or
3. Mets Reyes Lugo Beltran Delgado Floyd or Chavez Wright Green Lo Duca
@53
Hmmm…good question. If you showed just 1-4, I’d take the Phillies. If it was 2-7, I’d say us. But 1-8…..(sigh)…I gotta say the Mets.
While we’re posting ridiculous trades and signings, why don’t the braves just sign Barry Bonds to a 4 year deal and keep him on the bench so he can’t break Hank Aaron’s record…
Mets. Leadoff hitter is the difference. I want Willy Aybar to lead off.
@55
*sniffle* What a waste of good money. :(
Ridiculous trade proposal from sunny Atlanta
Andruw Jones to the White Sox for
Brandon McCarthy Brian Anderson Matt Thornton
Horacio Ramirez/Matt Diaz to the Reds for Ryan Freel
I think the Farnsworth trade was ok because JS thought he would be able to sign Farnsworth and by all rights he should have. That’s different than trading for a guy that you know is a rental.
Rob,
When Chien-Ming Wang is on, he’s totally bad-ass. You can’t hit him.
He’s like Kevin Brown in his prime, but without the strikeouts. When that heavy-hard sinker is biting, it’s like an old Maddux game—lotsa ground balls & speedy game.
He doesn’t give up HRs & he generally goes deep in games because he’s all-econo—strike one, ground ball, over & over.
When he does get hit, it usually all comes in one inning. Remember how Millwood would occasionally to breeze through 3 or 4 inning & then blow up? That’s what happens with Wang. He’ll get his pitches up a little bit & bang, bang, bang.
He’s been good since his first game and for a year & a half I’ve been telling Yankee fans that he’s their best pitcher. I love to go to his games because they’re fast & all the Chinese show up to the Stadium with all their crazy signs & it’s real festive.
#58- I think we could explore a trade with them. I like McCarhty, but dont want Anderson. If they could throw in another 3 or 4 pitchers with that, then lets do it.
#59- true
Anderson is getting lot of undeserved flak. He is just a rookie, hit well in the second half and certainly is a good defnder..Anderson/Langerhans platoon in CF would be awesome IMO
Wang is really good, I live is in New York too and watch him a lot, he throws great stuff, he can be real nasty when it is working, which is often.
Do we have any legitamate pitching prospects in the minors anymore? I know we have some hitters, but our pitching seems suspect.
Blue Jays just signed Big Hurt to 2yr/18mil
#62 – you may be right, I really shouldnt have said I dont want him. I really dont know that much about him
Oldtimer, we have a couple, but they have all had their struggles.
Chuck James MLB (will start) Kyle Davies AAA (probably an emergency starter or season call up) Matt Wright AAA (dont know) Matt Harrison AA (dont know) Will Startup AAA (probably 08) Joey Devine AAA (might see him this year) Phil Stockman AAA ( might see him this year) Jo Jo Reyes A or AA (could be with us by 08-09)
@50 Oh I don’t know if Schuerholz ‘knew’ that Drew was going to be a one year rental. Recall that Drew is a local Ga boy and that JS had already had some success in getting a very talented outfielder and Boras client to accept a below market contract. Recall also that the 2003 market had seen a ‘correction’ and that salaries had grown at their slowest rate since the FA era. And finally please recall that the one year status could have worked in our favor. Drew up to that point (and really still is) had been an enigma. A highly talented player that couldn’t stay healthy so taking him for one year made the gamble palatable. I think that the Drew trade was one of JS’s more shrewd moves. #51 CSG, we are the Atlanta Braves. We have a chance every year. I applaud JS for using the organizations strengths, our percieved strength in the minors, and our stable core of veterans to try to win every year. Re building will come at some time but as long as we have that strong core of players JS should be trying to win the World Series.
Interesting look at Hudson. Jeff Albert / Carlos do great work !
Matt Wright is no longer here..Kelvin Villa may see sometime with the Braves if he survives Richmond…
well thats about it short term. We got lots of hard throwers wayyyyy down in rookie and A ball
Bo Schembechler just passed away at the age of 77.
Maybe Drew isnt going to get the 5 year deal, that Boras told him he could get….
Two Year Offer For Drew? Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News has overheard a few possible offers to free agents.
He says that J.D. Drew is “expected to sign a two-year, $30 million deal with Boston.” It makes sense for the Sox to pay an extra $2MM or so annually to keep the years down on this deal. Meanwhile, in a separate article, Larry LaRue writes, “Boston has offered J.D. Drew a huge contract – and Lou Piniella’s Cubs have matched it.”
What are the chances Will Startup has a good impact for the Atlanta Braves in 2007? For some reason, I feel he is going to be the Braves bullpen savior next season.
Dan, you might be right, but by the looks of these numbers. He needs more time
LHP Will Startup — Startup pitched one shutout inning for the Javelinas, pitching around a hit by the Grand Canyon Rafters on Nov. 10. However, the left-hander’s ERA stands at a robust 14.63.
Kevin Villa may pitch in Atlanta and Richmond, but I am sure that he has to go through Mississippi first.
Went to a rock show last night with a big Met fan. Of course, I was riding him on a variety of topics—Lastings Milledge’s relative trade value, the new Mets stadium name (it’s named after a bank—surprise!—Citi Field).
He was trying to justify it by saying, “Yeah, but you can spell it City Field.”
But, in keeping with the “tradition” of Shea Stadium, I offered some other alternative names:
The Ed Kranepool Dome $8.50-a-Beer Stadium ChopShop Park at Swirling Garbage Field
He was less than amused, but most Met fans (as we know) have a boulder on their shoulder anyway.
matt wright signed as a 6 year minor league free agent with the royals org.
also, in the AFL article, moises hernandez’s listed age isn’t even close to right. he’s felix hernandez’s older brother (and felix was 20 last season), yet moises is just 19? whatever.
I think ESPN killed Bo Schembechler so they could have something else to talk about regarding Ohio State and Michigan.
I think they should talk about it until game time also!
I think they should talk about it until game time also!
Watch out for the Dodgers. They just picked up Travis Smith (per Ben Maller, Fox rumors).
@83
AHAHAHAHAHAHA
Travis “I live in AAA” Smith……NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!
The Dodgers’ tradition of stockpiling former Braves continues.
By the way, I just made up a rumor that the Dodgers are thinking of trading Rafael Furcal to the Braves for Edgar Renteria.
I heard a rumor on the local radio station that the Braves are close to trading Chad Paronto and Scott Thorman for Carl Crawford. John Schuerholz said he’s holding out for another prospect from Tampa Bay.
Kei Igawa has officially been posted and teams have until Nov 27th to make their bid.
Mark Bowman’s thoughts….
I checked with two different Braves officials and both said the club isn’t in the mix for this 27-year-old left-hander, who registered 184 strikeouts in 200 innings with Hanshin this past year.
Because the Braves have a working agreement with the Hanshin club, many have believed they’d be a good suitor for this Japanese hurler. But it appears that is simply speculation.
Extra! Extra!
This just in: According to a high official in MLB, the Braves and Barry Bond are reaching to a deal in which Bonds will admit he used steriod and also used Sammy Sosa’s corked bat.
After Sosa heard this “rumor” he reacted quickly saying that that was a BP bat and he also said that he was almost 38 MLB teams trying to sign to a long term deal.
Did you guys knew that this isn’t an official make up stuff
I bet GMs don’t even discuss 50% of those proposed trades on mlbtraderumors.com. They get almost nothing right. It’s fun to discuss and ponder, but my expectations about making an exciting trade/free agent signing are tempered—–especially after we started 2005 with Raul Mondesi and Brian Jordan in the outfield as our two big “acquisitions.”
I recently acquired Raul Mondesi and Derek Bell for my company’s softball team. I’m expecting them to shore up my corner outfield defense.
AAR, teach Mondesi to hit the cut-off man
AAR, does Bell have to compete for a starting spot?
#89
No GM would hold out on a trade like that for one more prospect. Carl Crawford for Thorman and Paronto is a steal no matter how you look at it.
#98
Check out the thread title, Jared….
Fluornoy, Derek Bell brought his agent into my office during the negotiations, and it was a pretty heated couple hours before I agreed to give him $50 guaranteed over 2 years, with a $5 million bonus provided we make the regional all-star game and he has 400 plate appearances on the season.
Of course, the joke’s on him: we only play 15 games all year.
That is a pretty good deal for you guys.
Remember, we want to be plausible, though. Like the trade I heard about from Lance Cormier’s dry cleaner, which has him (Lance, not the dry cleaner, New York has plenty of dry cleaners) going together with Hudson and Langerhans to the Yankees for Abreu and cash.
I’ll repeat what I said before:
BAL — Hudson, Thorman ATL — Ray, Patterson
Well, my doctor says we’re working on this one:
Atlanta trades Francoeur, Renteria, Salty and cash to Tampa Bay for Jeff Kazmir. Aybar will play SS for the Braves next year.
Or that’s what I heard before the anaesthetic got me…
Hey Brian J., that would be a BAAAAAAAAAAAD trade since their best pitcher is SCOTT KAZMIR. Why trade for Jeff Kazmir when you can get the other Kazmir. Tell your doctor to retire!!!
I don’t know if you guys knew this but my great-great-grandfather was the scout that discovered both Babe Ruth and Cy Young.
Have you heard this rumor: Mac Thomason 50% Robot /50% Peter Gammon.
“In the Past GM meetings, it became a place where seeds were often planted for trades finalized during the December winter meetings. ”
So it looks as if we might have to wait until the Winter Meetings, which are Dec 4-7 in Orlando.
My friend is a friend of Busty Olney and he told me that Mr. Olney told him that the Orioles will trade the Braves Chris Ray sometime during the December winter meetings for two prospects, one of which must be considered a top prospect.
It really sucks that every team is signing this guy, trading this guy or having this guy’s contract extended while the Braves seemingly do nothing. After all the AJC stories about trades, it now looks like diddly squat will happen until December.
I like Schuerholz, but when he retires, let’s get an active general manager. Please.
I will be happy just to hear that we’ve resigned Ward now or to hear that weve extended Smoltz until 08 with an 09 option. Just something
Same here. I know it’s just me not being having the ability to wait, but I want something to happen. Even if it’s completely nothing. Trade Langerhans for a draft pick. Sign Darryl Ward to a one year deal. Something.
I’d love to see Smoltz’s contract extended to the end of the 2008 or 2009 season. If Smoltz retired at the end of 2007, it would hurt but I’d live with it. If Smoltz runs away to some other team after 2007 because someone didn’t get on the ball and give Smoltz whatever the hell he wants, I’d be pretty angry.
Dan, agree. Smoltz deserves to play w /us until he reaches Franco’s age if he wants..If he’s pitching it had better be for us. If not, Ill be angry also.
From earlier this year….
The Dodgers win the Betemit sweepstakes, giving up Danys Baez, Willy Aybar, and “cash considerations”.
what were the cash considerations that we received?
Wasn’t it $2m???
I think we have enough money to give Glavine a respectable offer.
Yeah absolutely…don’t we still have a couple mill leftover from the trade deadline?
Braves: Scratch Dave Roberts off the Braves’ list of potential free-agent acquisitions. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that the Braves are no longer interested in Roberts, who could command a three-year, $15 million contract.
Padres: With the price of relievers expected to be high, the Padres are reluctant to pull the trigger on a trade that would send right-hander Scott Linebrink to the Braves for second baseman Marcus Giles. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that the Padres have offered Alou a one-year contract.
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061116&content_id=1741979&vkey=hotstove2006&fext=.jsp
I want to get something for Giles, but now I’m wondering if the Braves will just nontender him (no way he comes back in my opinion.) Only the Indians, Padres and Reds were said to have interest in Marcus Giles. The Indians are off that list, and unless the Padres run out of other options, they probably are too. What can the Braves get from the Reds?
Coffey and Freel?
Dan, there is a good point to be made there. Only three or four teams have shown a lot of interest in Giles. The main two being Cleveland and San Diego and dont think that Towers hasnt thought about that. He’s probably using that against us and trying to lower Giles’ value. I think he’ll be back if we cant move him and maybe we’ll try moving him somewhere at the deadline. I cant see us just non-tendering him, but who knows…
Keith Lockhart to come out of retirement to man 2B for the Braves. Cox sees Braves championship season in ’07 as a result.
To all the people who are complaining that JS isnn’t doing anything:
Remember when you complained about waiting on Smoltz’s option, like, a month and a half ago. Then the two day span where we picked up the option and resigned Wickman. That’s likely what we would be doing now if we hadn’t already done it.
Astros have offered deals to Carlos Lee, Alfonso Soriano, and Woody Williams. They might get one of them. Does anyone think the higher the contracts that these average pitchers get, the better our chances become of trading Hudson to someone else? Or do you think we are better off seeing what he does this year?
If the right deal comes along then trade him….but since were not getting Peavy, we might as well see if he can rebound.
this was from another site, dont hold me to this….
According to Philadelphia’s 610 WIP Radio station, the Phillies have offered another contract to Soriano. According to the source, this offer is 6 yr/ 98m contract with a 7th year club option.
dont worry..i wont be holding it to you..but i no longer trust radio stations for sports rumors. :)
I figured someone would say that!
I have heard that the Phillies were going after Soriano hard, but I wasn’t sure.
You guys crack me up. Peavy? Please……. Non tender Giles? no way. They’ll trade him for Dan Kolb before they non tender him. If no offer comes around the Braves will get one more year out of him. Years before FA are usually the most productive.
Sparky Anderson said “Just give me 25 guys on the last year of their contracts, and I’ll win you a pennant every year.”
If there’s no market for Giles now, why not wait until July?
I have a reliable source (a friend of a hot dog vendor’s supplier) who tells me the Braves are looking to trade Giles for Furcal, get JD Drew and talk Detroit into charitably donate Sheffield to us to be the designated hitter for Jeff Francoeur.
I have no problem with JS not making a move this week. It’s not like many other big moves were made, mostly just small ones.
You can’t forget the big move that the Phillies are making to get Wes Helms. This is definitely a blockbuster – almost as big as the Braves picking up Mondesi in 05!
If anyone is in the mood for a good laugh at my expense, I decided to post about the whole Jake Peavy thing…
http://my-sport-talk.blogspot.com/ (thats mine)
http://hokiesandcanes.blogspot.com/ (this is one that I share with a fellow braves fan)
It’s on both.
Nov 15 – The Giants, in the market for a center fielder, are moving along in discussions with Juan Pierre, the National League leader with 204 hits last season, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports.
The word at the GM meetings in Naples, Fla., is that Pierre could get a deal for three years and about $30 million — if not from San Francisco, then somebody else.
I think I’m going to vomit…
Rob,
I just threw up in my mouth…what is wrong with baseball when a player of Pierre’s “caliber” can pull in $30 mil….wow.
If anyone wants a good laugh at my expense, I decided to post about the whole “Jake Peavy thing”
http://my-sport-talk.blogspot.com/
@26
What? Is that a problem? Does that ensure the Braves can’t sign a left fielder? Okay then.
Notice the pattern. Type B free agents and guys like the big Hurt signing a new market level contract. The top of the line players have the most to gain by watching their price go up and up with every lesser player’s contract. Marginal guys like DeRosa take the money thats offered and thank the Lord that they chose to be base ball players. I’m ok with the John Schuerholz’s patience. I don’t want him to take our tradeable assets and just make a deal for the sake of making a deal. I want him to fully assess the available talent, the market conditions and make a decision even if it means doing nothing.
There’s no way that Juan Pierre gets 30 million dollars.
Jay10, again dude, I love your enthusiasm. I’m afraid that I’m a cynical old fart that trys to put the color of reality on everything.
I want him to fully assess the available talent, the market conditions and make a decision thats best for the Atlanta Braves, even if it means doing nothing.
I’m old, cynical and I can’t type worth a damn.
What’s unfortunately amazing is that while everyone else is taking advantage of all the additional revenue in baseball to up their budgets, Atlanta continues to slide down (from 100 – 90 – 85 – 80). And while 80-85 is a bunch of money, in this seemingly new baseball economy where players like DeRosa, Pierre, and Thomas get huge contracts, that 80-85 million is starting to feel a lot like the budget of a small market team. Are we really a small market team?
We’re mid-market. We’re not Tampa Bay, Minnesota, Florida, Oakland or any teams like that. We seem to be more Cincinnati, Milwaukee, San Diego-type teams.
I guess I’m old and cynical too. I don’t want JS signing guys like Pierre to $10M per year contracts. I’d rather go into the season with the team we have now than sign crap players to ridiculous contracts. Now Peavy, on the other hand, splurge a little with tradeable talent (read: Salty)…
Also, when the market becomes more like it has been the past 3 or 4 years, these Pierre/DeRosa/Thomas contracts, although smaller, will look like Hampton/Park/Dreifort contracts that have or are murdering their teams because those kinds of players won’t be getting them in the current market.
Instead, all the free agents will get paid later, when the owners admit they’ve colluded again!
I share the same frustrations with many on this list; by now I had hoped we see some improvements in our pitching staff. However, I am glad that we have not shelled out money that some clubs have. Unfortunately, I fear that Boras is again casting his evil shadow over JS and the Braves’ management. The potential price of keeping Andruw means that JS may well have less cash available than in previous years. I hope that this is not the case.
So, I noticed that Chien-Ming Wang got the most second place votes for the AL Cy Young. I didn’t think he was that good, so I went and checked out his stats and I’ll-be-darned he was 19-6 with a 3.63 ERA. Was that smoke and mirrors is he really a top-of-the-rotation starter? Ububba? His WHIP and BAA seem pretty high so I dunno.
“From earlier this year….
The Dodgers win the Betemit sweepstakes, giving up Danys Baez, Willy Aybar, and “cash considerations”.
what were the cash considerations that we received? ”
400,000 Confederate dollars, and a pile of dog crap.
John Schuerholtz after putting his head inside the bag and sniffing it quickly turned aruund to the Dodger trade delegation and reportedly said, “Good Deal”…..
We’re Doomed.
How does colluding work again? Doesn’t the Union do that? Doesn’t Boras do that?
In these bidding wars do the Yankees go to the Red Sox and sit down and George says to Epstein hey the caps 20 million both of us can’t go over that?
Isn’t that defeating considering other teams may pay more…PLUS the other team can offer more…..etc.
Its impossible…Meanwhile Donald Fehr is still out there, protecting at every turn his dirty roid teamsters….
10 million dollars a year….52 million just to talk to a Japan Club’s pitcher who ahs never thrown a major league pitch, 13 million for Suzuki was somewhat understandable…..52 freakin million for the “rights” of a players…Boras you evil little snot nosed b@st–….
Thats what i want to call him…..
What did he do, kidnap Theo Epstein’s calculator?
What the heck is going on here….???
The “cash considerations” were to cover Baez’s contract. That money is gone.
We may be acting like a mid-market team, but we are the 8th biggest city with a new stadium the team didn’t have to pay for and a great TV market. WE also do not have any team near us, geographically (i.e. Philly next to new york, next to Baltimore, next to DC…).
If baseball can be separated into 3 tiers-those teams that can buy players (NY; Boston); those teams that cannot buy players but can sign the ones they have; and those that have to let their good players go when they reach the 5 year mark (KC; Pittsburgh), by demographics and all other factors, we are in the first tier.
How we slid to the 3rd tier(letting Sheff; Drew; Furcal; Glavine walk away in the last 3 years alone) mystifies me.
In five years, when the owners are crying poverty and the commissioner is talking contraction, when they’re called before Congress to defend their anti-trust exemption while refusing to open their books, I hope everyone remembers this winter, and that all this money is being thrown around in November, when nobody has a gun to the owners’ heads.
Went to the barber shop and there is a three team deal about to go down.
Tor gets-Langerhans, Salty, and Russell Branyon
SD gets- Troy Glaus, Giles, and HoRam
Atl gets- Brian Tallet(Tor), Peavy, and Cla Meredith (SD)
JS doesn’t have the money to get involved in the free-agents dealing because he (through no fault of his own) structured the payroll on the assumption it would remain at $100 mm. Then TW decided that a multi-billion dollar corporation couldn’t afford that payroll (they would have had to reduce some of the executive stock options based on their astute running of TW). So, now he is stuck. It’s frustrating, but let’s face it, its us on this blog that are generating unrealistic thoughts of what the Braves can do. Trades are difficult enough in baseball today because of the contracts and so forth and when you have little payroll flexibility, they are even harder. I think JS is doing the best he can but it’s not so easy. And, I would rather he wait until later and do a good deal than rush into something now just to say he is busy. Some of the recent trades have not turned out so well anyway (can anyone say Drew-Wainwright?)
Today’s rumors if you care to believe any of this crap…
Dallas Morning News (registration required): ” While those efforts came up empty, the Rangers legitimately put themselves in the running for free agent Barry Zito… The Rangers are also expected to explore more serious talks with Atlanta, which could be willing to move Tim Hudson or Horacio Ramirez.”
New York Post: “All-Star left-hander Tom Glavine, who isn’t signed yet and who has said he’ll pitch for the Mets or Atlanta, told The Post yesterday he is not leaning toward Shea Stadium or Turner Field…
But Williams always likes to aim high, and sources say the Sox have strong interest in Atlanta Braves center fielder Andruw Jones, who might be willing to waive his no-trade protection to play for Ozzie Guillen.”
In other words, nothing going on worth writing about!
I’m ready to head to Tuscaloosa – Mac, should be a great game – I’m curious who gives a more raucous celebration during the announcement of Mike Shula as head coach – Auburn or Alabama fans.
I’m sitting in section 420 – will people smoke pot around me? I’m confused.
Marc,
You’re an enlightened cat, and I really dig that about you.
@45 I have to disagree with you on the Drew trade. Wainwright has put up exactly one half of a good year if that much. The one season that we got from Drew was an exceptional one that helped propel us to another post season. I call it a wash. If Wainwright turns out to be an ace so be it. You can’t get something for nothing.
Johnny,
You are right about that trade; it’s too early to call it a disaster and, for the most part, JS has not been burned too much by trading off young pitchers. The only that concerns me, though, is if JS and BC start to focus on winning now (they are in their sixties) now and making trades to benefit the team in the short-term that hurt in the long run. I think the Drew trade (in retrospect, anyway) might have been an example of that. But, in fairness, a lot of analysts will say there is a lot to be said for trading prospects for established players. The problem with the Drew trade, though, is that JS must have known it was going to be a one-year deal–there was no way they could afford a Scott Boras client, especially Drew who seems offended by the possibility that there is a dollar on the table that he doesn’t get. So, depending on the evaluation of Wainwright, which I don’t know, it seems like a poor deal in the long-run. But I acknowledge that that’s second guessing
I just dont like the “win now” or the “one year rental” trades. I wish our focus could be on trying to keep players that we have traded for, more than one year. We have traded a lot of our young players and prospects at deadlines for what seems to be half year rentals, that’s discouraging. Sometimes I feel that we should have let go of our attempts for division streaks and tried to focus more on the bigger goal. I would say now that the Farnsworth trade was probably a bad one. Some will disagree…
A little bird whispered to me the Braves will trade Diaz and Giles for Manny Ramirez.
Which line-up would you rather have….
Potential Lineups
1.Braves
Johnson or Orr
Renteria
Jones
Jones
McCann
LaRoche
Francouer
Diaz or Langerhans or Johnson
or
2. Phillies
Rollins
Utley
Soriano
Howard
Burrell
Dellucci
Helms
Lieberthal or Coste
or
3. Mets
Reyes
Lugo
Beltran
Delgado
Floyd or Chavez
Wright
Green
Lo Duca
@53
Hmmm…good question. If you showed just 1-4, I’d take the Phillies. If it was 2-7, I’d say us. But 1-8…..(sigh)…I gotta say the Mets.
While we’re posting ridiculous trades and signings, why don’t the braves just sign Barry Bonds to a 4 year deal and keep him on the bench so he can’t break Hank Aaron’s record…
Mets. Leadoff hitter is the difference. I want Willy Aybar to lead off.
@55
*sniffle* What a waste of good money. :(
Ridiculous trade proposal from sunny Atlanta
Andruw Jones to the White Sox for
Brandon McCarthy
Brian Anderson
Matt Thornton
Horacio Ramirez/Matt Diaz to the Reds for
Ryan Freel
I think the Farnsworth trade was ok because JS thought he would be able to sign Farnsworth and by all rights he should have. That’s different than trading for a guy that you know is a rental.
Rob,
When Chien-Ming Wang is on, he’s totally bad-ass. You can’t hit him.
He’s like Kevin Brown in his prime, but without the strikeouts. When that heavy-hard sinker is biting, it’s like an old Maddux game—lotsa ground balls & speedy game.
He doesn’t give up HRs & he generally goes deep in games because he’s all-econo—strike one, ground ball, over & over.
When he does get hit, it usually all comes in one inning. Remember how Millwood would occasionally to breeze through 3 or 4 inning & then blow up? That’s what happens with Wang. He’ll get his pitches up a little bit & bang, bang, bang.
He’s been good since his first game and for a year & a half I’ve been telling Yankee fans that he’s their best pitcher. I love to go to his games because they’re fast & all the Chinese show up to the Stadium with all their crazy signs & it’s real festive.
#58- I think we could explore a trade with them. I like McCarhty, but dont want Anderson. If they could throw in another 3 or 4 pitchers with that, then lets do it.
#59- true
Anderson is getting lot of undeserved flak. He is just a rookie, hit well in the second half and certainly is a good defnder..Anderson/Langerhans platoon in CF would be awesome IMO
Wang is really good, I live is in New York too and watch him a lot, he throws great stuff, he can be real nasty when it is working, which is often.
Do we have any legitamate pitching prospects in the minors anymore? I know we have some hitters, but our pitching seems suspect.
Blue Jays just signed Big Hurt to 2yr/18mil
#62 – you may be right, I really shouldnt have said I dont want him. I really dont know that much about him
Oldtimer, we have a couple, but they have all had their struggles.
Chuck James MLB (will start)
Kyle Davies AAA (probably an emergency starter or season call up)
Matt Wright AAA (dont know)
Matt Harrison AA (dont know)
Will Startup AAA (probably 08)
Joey Devine AAA (might see him this year)
Phil Stockman AAA ( might see him this year)
Jo Jo Reyes A or AA (could be with us by 08-09)
AFL Update…Holt, Escobar and Others
http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061116&content_id=1742033&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl
Forgot to mention
Anthony Lerew and Paul Bush as other prospects
@50
Oh I don’t know if Schuerholz ‘knew’ that Drew was going to be a one year rental. Recall that Drew is a local Ga boy and that JS had already had some success in getting a very talented outfielder and Boras client to accept a below market contract. Recall also that the 2003 market had seen a ‘correction’ and that salaries had grown at their slowest rate since the FA era. And finally please recall that the one year status could have worked in our favor. Drew up to that point (and really still is) had been an enigma. A highly talented player that couldn’t stay healthy so taking him for one year made the gamble palatable. I think that the Drew trade was one of JS’s more shrewd moves.
#51
CSG, we are the Atlanta Braves. We have a chance every year. I applaud JS for using the organizations strengths, our percieved strength in the minors, and our stable core of veterans to try to win every year. Re building will come at some time but as long as we have that strong core of players JS should be trying to win the World Series.
http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2006/11/restoring_the_b.php
Interesting look at Hudson. Jeff Albert / Carlos do great work !
Matt Wright is no longer here..Kelvin Villa may see sometime with the Braves if he survives Richmond…
well thats about it short term. We got lots of hard throwers wayyyyy down in rookie and A ball
Bo Schembechler just passed away at the age of 77.
Maybe Drew isnt going to get the 5 year deal, that Boras told him he could get….
Two Year Offer For Drew?
Tracy Ringolsby of the Rocky Mountain News has overheard a few possible offers to free agents.
He says that J.D. Drew is “expected to sign a two-year, $30 million deal with Boston.” It makes sense for the Sox to pay an extra $2MM or so annually to keep the years down on this deal. Meanwhile, in a separate article, Larry LaRue writes, “Boston has offered J.D. Drew a huge contract – and Lou Piniella’s Cubs have matched it.”
What are the chances Will Startup has a good impact for the Atlanta Braves in 2007? For some reason, I feel he is going to be the Braves bullpen savior next season.
Dan, you might be right, but by the looks of these numbers. He needs more time
LHP Will Startup — Startup pitched one shutout inning for the Javelinas, pitching around a hit by the Grand Canyon Rafters on Nov. 10. However, the left-hander’s ERA stands at a robust 14.63.
Kevin Villa may pitch in Atlanta and Richmond, but I am sure that he has to go through Mississippi first.
Went to a rock show last night with a big Met fan. Of course, I was riding him on a variety of topics—Lastings Milledge’s relative trade value, the new Mets stadium name (it’s named after a bank—surprise!—Citi Field).
He was trying to justify it by saying, “Yeah, but you can spell it City Field.”
But, in keeping with the “tradition” of Shea Stadium, I offered some other alternative names:
The Ed Kranepool Dome
$8.50-a-Beer Stadium
ChopShop Park at Swirling Garbage Field
He was less than amused, but most Met fans (as we know) have a boulder on their shoulder anyway.
matt wright signed as a 6 year minor league free agent with the royals org.
also, in the AFL article, moises hernandez’s listed age isn’t even close to right. he’s felix hernandez’s older brother (and felix was 20 last season), yet moises is just 19? whatever.
I think ESPN killed Bo Schembechler so they could have something else to talk about regarding Ohio State and Michigan.
I think they should talk about it until game time also!
I think they should talk about it until game time also!
Watch out for the Dodgers. They just picked up Travis Smith (per Ben Maller, Fox rumors).
@83
AHAHAHAHAHAHA
Travis “I live in AAA” Smith……NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!
The Dodgers’ tradition of stockpiling former Braves continues.
Oh Travis Smith. Why hath thou forsaken us?
More Braves Rumors, if you care to look
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2006/11/braves_rumors.html
By the way, I just made up a rumor that the Dodgers are thinking of trading Rafael Furcal to the Braves for Edgar Renteria.
I heard a rumor on the local radio station that the Braves are close to trading Chad Paronto and Scott Thorman for Carl Crawford. John Schuerholz said he’s holding out for another prospect from Tampa Bay.
Kei Igawa has officially been posted and teams have until Nov 27th to make their bid.
Mark Bowman’s thoughts….
I checked with two different Braves officials and both said the club isn’t in the mix for this 27-year-old left-hander, who registered 184 strikeouts in 200 innings with Hanshin this past year.
Because the Braves have a working agreement with the Hanshin club, many have believed they’d be a good suitor for this Japanese hurler. But it appears that is simply speculation.
Extra! Extra!
This just in: According to a high official in MLB, the Braves and Barry Bond are reaching to a deal in which Bonds will admit he used steriod and also used Sammy Sosa’s corked bat.
After Sosa heard this “rumor” he reacted quickly saying that that was a BP bat and he also said that he was almost 38 MLB teams trying to sign to a long term deal.
Did you guys knew that this isn’t an official make up stuff
I bet GMs don’t even discuss 50% of those proposed trades on mlbtraderumors.com. They get almost nothing right. It’s fun to discuss and ponder, but my expectations about making an exciting trade/free agent signing are tempered—–especially after we started 2005 with Raul Mondesi and Brian Jordan in the outfield as our two big “acquisitions.”
I recently acquired Raul Mondesi and Derek Bell for my company’s softball team. I’m expecting them to shore up my corner outfield defense.
AAR, teach Mondesi to hit the cut-off man
AAR, does Bell have to compete for a starting spot?
#89
No GM would hold out on a trade like that for one more prospect. Carl Crawford for Thorman and Paronto is a steal no matter how you look at it.
#98
Check out the thread title, Jared….
Fluornoy, Derek Bell brought his agent into my office during the negotiations, and it was a pretty heated couple hours before I agreed to give him $50 guaranteed over 2 years, with a $5 million bonus provided we make the regional all-star game and he has 400 plate appearances on the season.
Of course, the joke’s on him: we only play 15 games all year.
That is a pretty good deal for you guys.
Remember, we want to be plausible, though. Like the trade I heard about from Lance Cormier’s dry cleaner, which has him (Lance, not the dry cleaner, New York has plenty of dry cleaners) going together with Hudson and Langerhans to the Yankees for Abreu and cash.
I’ll repeat what I said before:
BAL — Hudson, Thorman
ATL — Ray, Patterson
Well, my doctor says we’re working on this one:
Atlanta trades Francoeur, Renteria, Salty and cash to Tampa Bay for Jeff Kazmir. Aybar will play SS for the Braves next year.
Or that’s what I heard before the anaesthetic got me…
Hey Brian J., that would be a BAAAAAAAAAAAD trade since their best pitcher is SCOTT KAZMIR. Why trade for Jeff Kazmir when you can get the other Kazmir. Tell your doctor to retire!!!
I don’t know if you guys knew this but my great-great-grandfather was the scout that discovered both Babe Ruth and Cy Young.
Have you heard this rumor: Mac Thomason 50% Robot /50% Peter Gammon.