It would be an obvious mess. I think the other question to ask is what if the baseball regular season was only 10-15 games long. Someone in BP did something showing what the playoffs would be like based on the first 16 games of the season (to show how MLB competitive balence is fine even when compared to the NFL).

Several Red Sox writers would probably rank the Yankees the 30th best team in MLB.

Joe Cowley would have the White Sox both 3rd and 7th and leave the Jays out entirely.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050107/JAYS07/TPSports/TopStories
New Update from Jeff Blair

J.P. seems to confirm the existence of a now dead Arizona deal

Millar would cost more than Shea - in fact, it seems to belinked with a comment that J.P. would move one of his top prospects!

If J.P. is moving top prospects, I sure hope the "right hitter" isn't Millar

Baseball BCS in 2003:

The 8 'BCS' teams would be the 8 teams making the playoffs this past year. (As each of the 6 'major conference winners' would be represented by their 'conference champion', plus 2 'at large' teams).

So you'd have 4 matchups:

The 'BCS Championship' would be the Yankees v Cardinals

And then you'd have:

Boston v Atlanta
Anaheim v Houston
Minnesota v LA

As this exercise again proves to me, the current college football system is terrible (not that I needed any help).

Millar would cost more than Shea - in fact, it seems to belinked with a comment that J.P. would move one of his top prospects!

The quote was that he'd trade a pitching prospect for the 'right' hitter. I can't imagine that Millar (or Hillenbrand) is the right hitter. Millar would be good to have this year, especially at his contract ($3.5 million), but he'll be 34 and a free agent at the end of this season so it's not worth giving up a top 10 prospect for IMO.

If I were to guess I'd guess that the Rockies sign Burnitz and the Hillenbrand trade goes through.

Which makes you think, depending on the years on the contract (I wouldn't want to go over 1), why not just sign Burnitz and don't trade anyone away?

Burnitz has been pretty consistent the last few years, with the exception of 2002.

Year, OPS+
2000, 107
2001, 116
2002, 83
2003, 104
2004, 115

I think it'd be reasonable to expect .250/.350/.500.

I agree Pistol, no way do I give up a top pitching prospect for Millar if he's a free agent after this year. Only way I do it is if an extension can be worked out ahead of time.

Personally, I'd much rather have Millar then Hillenbrand, but I think the possibility of aquiring Shea is still greater at this point.

Which makes you think, depending on the years on the contract (I wouldn't want to go over 1), why not just sign Burnitz and don't trade anyone away?

IIRC, Burnitz has stated he won't come east again

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/features/050107debate.html
For the past two years, the scouting and statistics communities have feuded like members of rival families. Baseball lifers who evaluate players with their eyes are derided as over-the-hill beanbags who don’t understand the next frontier. Numbers-oriented people are cast as cold, computer-wielding propellerheads with no appreciation for scouting intangibles. Not surprisingly, the camps have grown so polarized that they have retreated to their respective bunkers rather than engage in open and intelligent debate.

Until now.

Instead of continuing to report on the gulf between the two sides, Baseball America is bringing them together. For the first time since the great “Moneyball” debate began two years ago, we have gathered two longtime scouts and two statistics experts to discuss all the great issues in this arena: the risks of high school pitchers, the use of minor league statistics, plate discipline as a tool and much more.

The four participants were Gary Hughes, the Cubs’ assistant general manager and a scout for more than 30 years with many clubs; Eddie Bane, the Angels’ scouting director and a former top pitching prospect himself; Gary Huckabay, one of the lead analysts for Baseball Prospectus and a statistical consultant for the Athletics; and Voros McCracken, another top numbers man who also consults for the Red Sox. All four were eager to finally sit down with the other side, debate these issues and—most importantly—let Baseball America readers listen in afterward.

We now invite you to pull up a chair as BA’s Alan Schwarz moderates . . .

COMN.

The BA article that Pistol is referring to is really an interesting read and they even mention Jays minor league reliever Steve Andrade in it.

Actually, now that I think about it; there is no way that Boston is asking for a top pitching prospect for either Doug or Kevin. They would have to be insane!

If J.P. is saying that giving up top pitching prospects is something they may have to do, I imagine it would be for a much bigger bat than either Hillenbrand or Millar.

Ooooh...my mind is racing with the possibilities.

From the BA round table...

Eddie Bane: I want to read a book by Pat Gillick. Or Brian Sabean. Or Terry Ryan—but we can’t get him to brag about himself. These guys won’t do it. When they write a book, I want to read it.

Another guy who apparently thinks Billy Beane wrote Moneyball.

The BA article that Pistol is referring to is really an interesting read and they even mention Jays minor league reliever Steve Andrade in it.

25 minutes later I just finished it. It's well worth the time to read it.

Glad you posted it Pistol. It was a very good read. If I'm a Cubs fan, I think the wait for the next WS ring is a few years off yet, at least if Gary Hughes' hard line position reflects that of the entire organization.

I noticed this Gregg Zaun quote in the Canadian Press story about his new deal: "We're going to have to figure out ways to scratch out and manufacture some runs. Some of our free-swinging guys will have to become more disciplined."

I now have the delicious image in my mind of Gregg Zaun getting in Vernon ("From now on he can free-swing in the five spot"*) Wells' face after he swings and pops out on the first pitch one too many times. I'm glad to have this guy on the team.

* (approximate Carlos Tosca quote)

Burnitz is a LHB, the Jays are looking for a RHB.

I assume Millar is more expensive than Mienkiewitz, and more expensive than Hillenbrand. Also the Jays would be interested in Millar because he is a RHB.

Why don't the Jays make a pitch for Mienkiewitz, he's a better defensive 1B and his offensive numbers are not that appalling. Comparable in fact to those of Shea Hillenbrand.

Am I the only one having a problem linking to the article Pistol referenced?

Could some supply a URL so I can cut and paste.

Thanks.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/features/050107debate.html

I fail to see much significant difference between Kevin Millar and Shea Hillenbrand:

Millar 2004
508 AB, .297/.383/.474, 36 2B, 18 HR
Hillenbrand 2004
562 AB, .310/.348/.464, 36 2B, 15 HR

Millar 2003
544 AB, .276/.348/.472, 30 2B, 25 HR
Hillenbrand 2003
515 AB, .280/.314/.468, 35 2B, 20 HR

Except that Millar posts about 30 points more OBP, and Hillenbrand is 3 1/2 years younger. I don't see why the Red Sox should demand much more for Millar than the Snakes are asking for Hillenbrand, and I don't see why the Jays should pay it.

After looking closely at Hillenbrand, I'm softening my original stand against his acquisition. True, he's pathologically incapable of taking a walk, so all his OBP is bound up in batting average, a risky proposition. But he makes very consistent contact: his strikeout totals have dropped from 95 in 2002 to 70 in 2003 to just 49 in 2004. How many players had more extra-base hits than strikeouts last season? Not many, and certainly no one on the Blue Jays, but Hillenbrand (54 XBH, 49 K) did. Not striking out isn't a great virtue in itself, but not striking out while hitting 30+ doubles and 15-20 HRs is pretty impressive. I think Hillenbrand is actually improving as a hitter.

Adam Peterson for Shea Hillenbrand? Peterson's star fell dramatically this past season, not least because the Jays overpromoted him, but there's still a legitimate question of whether he's actually going to be a solid big-league reliever or whether he's just a good arm that can't get it together. After his struggles in 2004, Peterson's trade value is low, and I wouldn't want to deal him now; still, there's a possibility it could be lower again after a poor 2005.

I'm still not much interested in paying $4M a season for Hillenbrand, and if the Diamondbacks ponied up about half that salary, that would be very good. But that salary relief would come at a cost, and Peterson may be the price. You never want to give up on a promising arm, but the Jays do have plenty more where he came from. More importantly, Hillenbrand offers the promise that he's more than just a one-year stopgap to plug a hole and provide respectability.

Here's one last quick-and-dirty comp for you, setting aside defensive considerations:

Shea Hillenbrand, career
.288/.322/.448
Vernon Wells, career
.289/.333/.486

If the Jays can get Hillenbrand and between $1M to $2M for Peterson, I'd say go for it.

I assume Millar is more expensive than Mienkiewitz, and more expensive than Hillenbrand

Millar and Mientkiewicz are both $3.5 million for 2005. Mientkiewicz has an option for 2006 for $3.75 million.

At least according to Dugout Dollars.

I fail to see much significant difference between Kevin Millar and Shea Hillenbrand

Can Shea dance?

Not me for Hillenbrand-Peterson. Brian Reed and $2.5M maybe, although frankly I'd prefer to just let Hinske and Crozier work it out at first if there are no other reasonable options.

The Wells/Hillenbrand comparison doesn't say too much. Aside from the position and performance difference, Vernon just turned 26 and should be entering his peak 3 years, whereas Hillenbrand turned 29 in July and has passed through them already.

Anyone aware of the site people use to check on the contract status of MLB players?

Thanks,

Ryan

http://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/shownews.jsp?content=s010721A
Hijack - COMN for an article about the ball used to clich the Red Sox WS. Does this ring of pettiness or what? I lost a little respect for Dougie M. after reading it.

Mientkiewicz: I went through hell and back this year.

Unless he truly suffered through something awful in his personal life, and he's not just yapping about having to change teams all while drawing a $3M paycheque, he might be better served to hold off on the "hell and back" comments while a great many people half a world away experience true suffering.

tada ?

Something happened to Mendoza, who I trusted in pinstripes completely, but Boston fans practically nicknamed him "gascan." I wonder if the Jays could get Millar for less if they agreed to take Mendoza's (not insignificant, I think) contract?

Or is he a free agent these days?

I think Mendoza is a free agent. Boston declined arbitration.

So if MLB went to a BCS-type system, which team(s) would get jobbed? This year, in the NCAA, Cal and Auburn (and, to a lesser degree, Utah), got hosed. In MLB, the A's and Rangers would have had cases. And the A's, for all their faults last year, were overdue for a short-series victory, so it's conceivable that they could have emerged as champions. Even the Rangers could have thumped their way to a series win or two.

As Pistol says, it would be a mess, much like the collegiate system is. One of baseball's appeals is its duration. As they say, there's always tomorrow. In college football, if you're a top-ranked team and your kicker misses a field goal on a rainy day in September, your chance at a national is literally over that day. Same thing for the NFL, of course, with "January" substituted for September. There's a far greater chance for the inferior team to squeeze out a win in the playoffs, which is part of the game, yes, but sucks nonetheless.

Tired points, it is true, but it's nice to remember that baseball is virtually perfect in rewarding the best teams come playoff time. (Not IN the playoffs, where, like the NFL, anything can happen, but getting to the playoffs.)

One of the big problems with the college football polls is that the order is determined before you play a game, so if you are undefeated, and start the year ahead of undefeated team #2, you would likely stay ahead of them.

The basketball polls are somewhat more comparable to baseball, those teams play a lot of games and do not go undefeated. Basketball teams often are misranked due to misconceptions of conference strength. That is the issue that could hit baseball polls.

Some voters would mark down Minnesota because of a perceived weak division. Similarly Oakland in 2004 might have picked up votes because of the perceived strength of the AL West.

Also what are the voters voting on, the best team? Lets assume Randy Johnson and A-Rod are injured in 2005 and the Yankees finish behind the Red Sox. Voters would put the Yankees ahead of the Sox as they consider them the better team who just had some injuries.

Ay Caramba, it would be a mess.

Tired points, it is true, but it's nice to remember that baseball is virtually perfect in rewarding the best teams come playoff time

The 1987 Blue Jays' fan in me would disagree! :)

(Oh, heck, the 2005 Blue Jays fan in me would disagree too, though I suspect it won't become an issue this year.)

Thanks Pistol for the BA round table discussion link. Reading it I couldn't help think that it may be another 97 years before the Cubbies ever win the series given the dismissive attitude of Gary Hughes.

I must admit my background is in both camps (ironically the guy who largely taught me about baseball got his first ever Sporting News from Pat Gillick and is a former Dodger employee). Its all about getting the most information from all possible sources, then correlating the data to make an informed guess. Both camps can co-exist, and I think Riccardi is a product of both sides of the dispute, so that makes me optimistic.

I think Mendoza is a free agent. Boston declined arbitration.

Menodoza does indeed show up on ESPN's free agent tracker.

Pointless brush with fame: when I was growing up, I played baseball with Gary Hughes's son, Sam, and met Mr. Hughes (I can't bear, even now, to call him by his first name!) while he was a scout for the Yankees. He got me a Dave Winfield autographed baseball, which I still have.

http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/primer/discussion/25452/
As good as the Roundtable is, check out the subsequent discussion at Baseball Primer (COMN). This is what Primer used to do best: draw in some of the smartest sabrmetric minds and watch them do their stuff. Tango, MGL and Walt Davis in particular make fascinating points.

I liked the car analogy -- it reminded me of my favourite fake internet argument: Which is better, the hammer or the screwdriver?

The screwdriver. It can get you drunk.

But can it win you the M&M Meat Shops Skins?

A screwdriver can get you hammered?

check out the subsequent discussion at Baseball Primer (COMN). This is what Primer used to do best: draw in some of the smartest sabrmetric minds and watch them do their stuff. Tango, MGL and Walt Davis in particular make fascinating points.

I'll second that. Every time I read something by Tango I can't believe that there isn't a team out there employing him (unless it's a big secret and he already does, or he doesn't want to).

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=1960725
COMN A great article by Jayson Stark that should be read by everyone who hates the Yankees.

Gary Hughes: "Oakland, all this stuff, and the two best players they had were the Latin shortstop and the high school third baseman. To eliminate that . . . it's arrogant. It's foolish."

He definitely comes across as the most hard-headed in the BA conversation. He's criticizing Beane for refusing to draft high schoolers by pointing out that his best draft pick was a high school player? What smashing logic. Perhaps he might also want to check his scouting records to see what school uniforms Giambi, Hudson, Mulder, and Zito wore at the time Beane drafted them...

Huckaby and Bane seem the most reasonable and understand, as JP constantly professes, that performance analysis is supposed to help traditional scouting be better, not become obsolete.

Eric Hinske will be on the Fan 590 at 3:05.

I have no doubt Tango could help a MLB team. But really, many people could. If pressed, I could conceivably help Enron. (OK, that's hyperbole.) But it's obviously more than knowing your stuff. In the days when I actually visited Primer, this was said all the time. It's having a personality, it's having a clue how to work with others, it's being flexible, it's being open to criticism. In short, it's all things a "regular" employer would look for in a prospective employee, and there's no reason to think an MLB team wouldn't think exactly that. Anyone who has had the good fortune to chat with Keith Law understands that he is much more than a stats guy; he's a quality human being.

No doubt Tangotiger is the same way, and we all hope he gets his chance.

Nit-pick: I'm pretty sure Giambi was drafted under Alderson, but I could be wrong there. At any rate, Beane was working for the club then. So I've nit-picked my own nit-pick!

I'm glad this Green trade didn't go through if that means the Jays land Millar instead of Shea. I'm worried about Millar's age though (33), he's at the point where it's not unusual to see performance decline.

I have TEN Grand Funk dollars that say Hillenbrand has a vastly superior statitical 2005 at the plate than Miller or Menk-e-witz or any of the other donkeys being talked about in here.

Anyone want to take me up on it?

Grand Funk out.

Do you have to spend Grand Funk Dollars at the Grand Funk store, or are they good anywhere in the mall?

They're accepted anywhere you see the Grand Funk logo.

Apparently Hinske didnt make it.

http://tsn.ca/mlb/news_story.asp?id=110406
COMN.

It might be Mienkiewitz moving rather than Millar now.

They're accepted anywhere you see the Grand Funk logo.

We finally resolve the "Grand Funk Out" issue, and now there's a logo to deal with?

http://www3.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3114803
Jays sign Chad Mottola. COMN.

Apparently Hinske didnt make it

Yea. Swirsky said at 2:00 that he'd be on there.

Let me know if he comes on.....

He's on right now.

What did I miss?

Hmm that's something I didnt know. Hinske played first base in college and with the Cubs, so he's not worried about making the transition. Im almost turning this off because Swirzk is so friggin' annoying though.

You haven't missed anything.
Chuck Swirsky is such an idiot, he can't come up with one good question.
Man, Swirsky is annoying.

Pretty much a worthless interview....Hinske wanting to hit 20 homers, drive in a 100, I can play first, go packers....thats about the sum of it,

Swirsky is so awful. He's kissing Hinske's ass after he said back in August it was time to trade everyone on the team, time to blow up the whole works.

And he talked about the Packers too much.

Did I say Swirsky was annoying?

Man, Swirsky sucks.

Yea, I don't think Eric liked that interview too much either.

We finally resolve the "Grand Funk Out" issue, and now there's a logo to deal with?

We're big on brand recognition here at Grand Funk Headquarters.

Grand Funk out.

After the game, Mientkiewicz said he put the ball in his locker, then gave it to his wife, Jodi, who put it in her purse.

The BoSox can kiss that baseball goodbye. If Jodi's purse is like most handbags I've seen, the ball is safely hidden in another dimension. They're like Bags of Holding, except not remotely as geeky.

Hinske seemed a little annoyed at Swirsky's act, especially the "Big Mac" comment.

I turned it off after about 15 seconds. I mean how difficult is it to ask a decent question? Let's try.

"Eric, why do you think you struggled so much last season?"
or
"Do the Jays have a certain philosophy they teach their hitters"

I'm sure htere are tons of other questions that could have been asked.

The BoSox can kiss that baseball goodbye. If Jodi's purse is like most handbags I've seen, the ball is safely hidden in another dimension. They're like Bags of Holding, except not remotely as geeky.

I don't think that can be true. Isn't there some kind of rule about keeping a Sphere of Annihilation in a Bag of Holding?

Yikes! I don't like Kevin Millar's home/road splits from last year. I have to agree with Grand Funk, I would prefer Hillenbrand over Millar, especially if it cost the Jays more to get Millar.

The BoSox can kiss that baseball goodbye. If Jodi's purse is like most handbags I've seen, the ball is safely hidden in another dimension.

Plus it's probably got a Cert from like 1987 stuck to it.

Hmmm. "A cert"? Isn't "Certs" both singular and plural?

And chuckle chuckle over "Sphere of Annihilation." Are those in aisle six, next to the sympathy cards?

Are those in aisle six, next to the sympathy cards?

They're between the Portable Holes and the Wands of Wonder.

I'm not yet a dirty old man, but I'm pretty sure the "portable hole" I'm thinking of has little do with yours . . .

http://media.ebaumsworld.com/birdball.mpg
Did somebody say Sphere of Annihilation? COMN.

They're between the Portable Holes and the Wands of Wonder

PG-13 please, Matthew :).

I missed the Hinske interview, but I take it there were no questions about the state of his hand injury, and approach at the plate last year (nor harder ones about Mike Barnett's hitting philosophy).

Gitz, as you can see, I'm rapidly approaching dirty old man status.

Interesting posting on Chad Mottola, Rob. I guess he will be forever known as the guy who got drafted just ahead of Jeter.
I had to bite when the site told me I was the millionth visitor and "click here to win a prize." It's a Cancun resort hustle, of course. "Look, Jane, see the big wave. See Spot run."

Da Box has sunk to a new low.

That actually came out a lot dirtier than I intended it. I was just trying to think of two 1st-edition magic items that alphabetically bracketed the S of A.

the Portable Holes and the Wands of Wonder

Isn't that just Skydome and the CN Tower?

Hmmm. "A cert"? Isn't "Certs" both singular and plural?

Nah.. they're like Tic-Tacs. The package is plural because you get a bunch of them.

What worries me more are M&Ms. Is a singular piece of candy an M&M or just an M?

What worries me more are M&Ms.

M&Ms are a ripoff. They're supposed to be all 'M's but in fact you get all kinds of '3's, 'W's, and 'E's in there too.

M&Ms are a ripoff. They're supposed to be all 'M's but in fact you get all kinds of '3's, 'W's, and 'E's in there too.

you idiots.. those nails are for the other side of the house!

Sphere of Annihilation

Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

you idiots.. those nails are for the other side of the house!

Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

My people.

http://me.woot.net
What the hell is going on?!

Ricciardi better trade for someone soon. People are getting just a wee bit stir crazy around here.

You'd think we could've done something with "Happy Fun Ball" in the "Corey of an Ad Campaign" brainstorm thread a while back.

HUDSON: Don't taunt the O-Dog, Wheatfield.

Can we still find this in the Grand Funk store?



Memories, memories (or really scary flashbacks...)

Anyway, I'll take Millar over Hillenbrand in 2005.

Da Box has sunk to a new low.

I don't know, I'm just getting warmed up.

I am willing to give up 50 points of OPS and accept Hillenbrand over Millar if it means we are spared a summer replete with Cowboy Up references. And if it means we don't have to see the stupid frat dance again even once.

if it means we are spared a summer replete with Cowboy Up references.

Good point.

There's news on Roto World regarding our former firstbaseman. It sounds to me as if he really, really wants to play in Texas (he knows about that ballpark) and if the Rangers would just cough up at least five dollars more than Sexson got out of Seattle it would happen...

And Roberto Almomar thinking about St Louis (who just signed Grudzielanek, and do I get a gift certificate for spelling that correctly?) and also considering... Tampa? How many infielders does Tampa have now?

Sanchez is a FA and he was TB's 2B last year, wasn't he? Perhaps Lugo or Cantu will take over. Someone mentioned that they read that Upton would start the year in AAA, presumably to work on his defense at SS, so all of a sudden, there ain't so many IF kicking around, even with the Gonzalez signing.

Can you picture Alomar and Gonzalez as the keystone combo? Maybe scare up Olerud for one final season with his old boss?

Lots of Canadian snow birds retire to the St. Pete's area, but not all of them get to play professional baseball. Well, professional lite anyway.

Delgado seems insistent on playing 1B and not DH, so choosing Texas over Baltimore and the Mets would seem odd. Do the Rangers have plans of turning Texeira into a corner outfielder?

Do the Rangers have plans of turning Texeira into a corner outfielder?

I doubt it, but its not a bad idea. Teixeira came up as a 3B, and has played a little LF and RF in Texas.

But the Rangers have a lot of outfielders. Of course, none of them are exactly all-star material. I would think they expect to start Mench in LF, Nix in CF, and Hidalgo in RF. And they still have Dellucci and Mathews Jr kicking around.

They could use a DH, actually.

Mench could very well be moved to DH, Delgado to 1B, Teixeira to LF. Mench isn't a very good LF, but would definately make one heck of a DH.

Mench is surprisingly adept defensively. He has even played some CF. You wouldn't want him there every day, of course, but he's not terrible.

I think Texas would prefer to keep Teixeira at first, and signing Hidalgo reinforced that preference.

I'm just shuddering at the thought of that line up with Delgado.

Soriano (2B) - 28 HR
M.Young (SS) - 22 HR
Teixiera (LF) - 38 HR
Blalock (3B) - 32 HR
Delgado (1B) - 32 HR
Mench (DH) - 26 HR
Hidalgo (RF) - 25 HR
Nix (CF) - 14 HR
Barajas (C) - 15 HR

Another option is to just Skip Delgado all together and get their AAA all star Adrian Gonzalaz in the mix. Who has some absolutely amazing AA, AAA numbers at only 22.

What a scary scary scary line up.

the good thing about texas is they seem to have a scary linup every year but most of the time still manage to suck.
go Chan-Ho!!!!!

most of the time still manage to suck

Buck Showalter will put an end to that. And everybody seems to forget that they won 89 games last year.

well, you cant suck all the time, but their history gives me faith - it's like the yankees making the playoffs, the minnesota vikings late season collapse, vince carter crying over a bruised pinky, wayne gretzky doing a tv commercial - it's just destined to happen, and happen often.

Earlier Chris Hammond signed for $750K. Gabe White just signed for $600K. The price tag for sometimes useful LH relievers appears to be low. Any of 'em left on the market?

AP reports that Derek Lowe and the Dodgers are coming close to a
4 year/$36 million deal. COMN.

Wow, that seems like an incredible amount of money for a pitcher with a 5.42 ERA. However, playing with the Dodgers is going to help his overall stats alot, at least ERA and the like...though he might win the same number of games.

This was definitely the free agent season to be a mediocre starting pitcher.

If this Lowe deal goes through ....... hmmmm I thought Paul DePodesta would be a "smart" GM in terms of giving out contracts or aquiring players after working with Beane all those years.

ESPN is reporting that Shawn Greens agent has requested and obtained an extension to negotiate with the DBacks until Monday. This deal is still very much alive, and given this deal with Lowe, you'd think the Dodgers are confident Green will be moved. Maybe Hillenbrand will be a Jay after all.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1962054
Comm for the appropriate link. The Dodgers also finalized the Perez deal, something has to give.

An interesting player just hit the market. Jamie Burke after the White Sox signed AJP.

Only 133 AB's lifetime going 333/379/398, bats right, catches. Nice little MLB time there. In AAA he isn't as good at 271/330/359 over 1745 AB's. In AA he was good at 321/396/463 over 613 AB's. Is he for real? At 33 he is a bit old, but dang those are nice for the MLB minimum wage. I'd take a flyer on him as he'd, at worst, be a decent AAA backup.

Sorry for the hijack, but check out http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1962014.

Vince Carter admits to "dogging it" and not attacking the basket this year in Toronto.

The other day, I overheard a student calling another a f****** p****. He readily admitted to telling the student to "f.o." I find that many times when someone admits guilt on something big too readily, they did worse.

I would be looking for some money back if i were the raptors.

They should just be thankful that pile is gone. Who was bemoaning that trade here at that time again?

Who was bemoaning that trade here at that time again?

I think many, myself included, were bemoaning specifically what the Raptors got in exchange, not the fact that Carter was dealt. That moaning should increase now that new Vince is looking a lot like old Vince and NJ appears to have landed a grade A player (if not quite a grade A person).

I suspected Carter dogged it on occasion, but to have it confirmed so off-handedly is disapointing and revealing about Vince's personality. I still don't think it's a good trade, but there's no doubt Carter needed to go. Also, I agree that it's quite possible that Carter did worse while in Toronto, if he'll admit to giving lacklustre effort some of the time. I used to like Carter as a person, given his charity apperances and so forth, but now I have nothing but disdain for the guy.

Also, it's time for Mitchell to end his not starting Jalen Rose experiment.

If anyone would like to relive the moment, the free baseballchannel.tv on mlb.com is just about to get to the GOMEZ HIT GRAND SLAM NOW moment, I believe.

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story.asp?id=110499
COMN for a story about the Marlins offering Delgado 10 million for one year.

After looking at tsn.ca, I am very glad that the box exists. I would not want to try to navigate their ridiculous forum, or have the type of discussion that goes on there.

Last month, the Orioles made Delgado a three-year offer for less than $30 million.

Since they didnt offer him arbitration are the Blue Jays able to still negotiate with Delgado? If these offers are indicative of the money he's likely to get, and seeing as how the Jays seem to have cash to spend at the moment, is he possibly becoming an option again? If the Orioles and Rays offers are legit ($10 mil a season) is that something the Blue Jays could afford?

Sorry not Rays, but Marlins.

Guy hits a grand slam off Curt Schilling, has to take a minor league deal the next year. Sad.

The Jays can't officially negotiate with Delgado until May 1,2005. The money Delgado is being offered does seem rather low, the Mets apparently offered 3 years at 10 million and the Delgado camp was insulted by this. We'll see what the final numbers are, Texas, the Mets, Florida and Baltimore appear to be the teams in the hunt. If he signs for 10 million a year I think its legitimate to question why he's not a Jay. My guess if Florida gives him competetive money he'll be a Marlin. Latin guys love Miami with its close proximity to home.

The Jays couldn't anticipate Delgado being offered so little. In order to be able to keep negotiating with him, they would have had to offer arbitration. Given the low offers, it's likely he would have accepted, and the Jays would be on the hook for $16 million or more.

If he winds up signing for, say, $11 million a year, we'll have to look at it as a crying shame, for us and him, but no one's fault.

If the Mets don't land Beltran, I think Minaya is going to dump a whole pile of the money burning a whole in his pocket into Delgado's lap. 3 years, $40M wouldn't shock me.

I had previously pegged Baltimore as the favourite but we're not hearing much from them.

Interesting to see what is happening with Delgado. I wonder if he is getting the same sinking feeling Tony Fernandez must've felt in the '93 off-season when he rejected an offer from the Jays and ended up taking 1/2 the money to play out of position for Cincinati. I figure someone will sign Delgado for a good chunk of change, but it seems GM's might be getting smarter and figuring out a 32 year old first baseman/DH who is coming off an off-season (his worst Avg, Slg, OBP, HR, and RBI totals since '97) is not a good investment at over $10 million a year. A one year deal with Toronto (as hitters heavens Colorado and Houston both have solid first basemen already) would've been a great idea for Carlos unless someone was foolish enough to give him a big multi-year deal.

Where's my no prize?