Nothing. Nilch. Zilch. I cannot believe it is this slow. I've resorted to reading about Josh Banks' chances of cracking the team next year.

Who are some other Lincecum-like pitchers we can target?

i don't know do the Reds need another outfielder now?  Could some sort of a deal centered around Bailey and Rios be plausible, or is Bailey still too unproven at this point?  I could be way off base with this, I don't know much about Bailey, can any one fill me in.

Very interesting trade, Hamilton has a ton of potential but is injury prone and always has those voices in his head tempting him.  Volquez was one of the DVD pitchers that looked like the future for Texas a couple of years ago.  Now two have been traded and have yet to show their potential, Danks and Volquez, while Diamond is stalled.  Volquez is also a risk due to control issues so it's a risk for risk trade.  I like the Texas side a bit better (not knowing who is behind door number 2) but it shows the value of young pitching.

In reality, this trade leaves the Reds short one outfielder (unless they are planning on playing Dunn in LF, Bruce in CF and Griffey in RF,  which would be an absolute Gong Show defensively).  However, the Reds are not constrained by reality - they operate in Krivstopia, where up is down, black is white, and Coco Cordero is worth $46 million over 4 years.  In reality, Norris Hopper and Ryan Freel are a decent 4th outfielder (at best) and a solid super-utility guy, respectively.  In Krivstopia, they are perfectly reasonable starting CF options for a team that fancies itself a contender.

The saddest thing is that, in that division, they might still be contenders. 

I sort of doubt it, especially given that the cash-strapped Reds would being pay more for Rios in the next few years than they would be Bailey.

Either way, Bailey's stock fell a bit after last season. His MLB debut was rather disappointing as he is still having issues with control. In addition, Johnny Cueto has probably surpassed Bailey as the Reds' best pitching prospect. I'd rather stick with Rios at this point.

Although I would love for the Jays to swing a deal involving 3B Edwin Encarnacion. He was really tearing it up at the end last year. He's probably not available, but taking a chance on him might allow the Jays to trade Glaus to fill another need and save some cash. On the other hand, the money issue makes this move unrealistic as well.

Media reports say the minor leaguer in the deal is LHRP Daniel Herrera, of whom USA Today writes,

The 5-foot-8, 145-pound Herrera had a remarkable 1.35 ERA and a 61/12 K/BB ratio in 53 1/3 innings for Single-A Stockton after being drafted in the 45th round out of the University of New Mexico in 2006. He remained effective out of the pen last season, amassing a 3.69 ERA and a 75/25 K/BB ratio in 63 1/3 innings while spending most of the year in Double-A. With above average command and the ability to get grounders, he could prove to be fairly useful out of the bullpen..

Oddly, the sports radio guys here in DFW just apparently HATE the trade. They don't see the  Rangers in a position to trade pitching (Volquez is 3-11/7.20 over the  last three years, guys, though I guess the 2007 2-1/4.50 was a little better!) and they see Hamilton as a huge (drug/injury)  risk on a team that can't afford risks. I say this team just got markedly better, found someone to play CF -- what, Milton Bradley was going to do that? -- and needs to take MORE risks to have a shot to compete with LAA next year.

I think I've found my cause on this site, which is to defend the cream of the NL Central crop. The Brewers and Cubs have good, up-n-comin' teams. The prevailing thought seems to be that the NL Central will soon remind us of the embarassing '05 NL West -- where a .500 record is a crowning achievement.

Chicago has a nice collection of top-shelf talent, young players filling the gaps and live arms to send the visitors packing and the fans home happy. They aren't in a pitiful state of affairs where a hapless Reds team, or the NL's Orioles, can hope to piss away talent and still sneak into contention.

I like Milwaukee even more to win the division, despite their decision to try to revive the career of Jason Kendall. They need the pitchers they have to come through, like any team that can't afford to scoop up free agents and salary dumps. Where would the mighty Tigers be if a couple of their top arms go down? Would any AL central team be contending if their ace goes down for the year with injury and their 2 and 3 guys have up and down seasons?

From what I can tell, it's the offseason rite to slag the division that was won with the lowest winning percentage and declare that division sucks. Things aren't as bad as they seem.

I'd have lone to see the Jays gamble on Hamilton. Stairs to the Bench, Lind to AAA and 1B until next year at which time We deal Overbay (to the mariners?) and Lind steps in at 1B.

I don't have an answer for what you do when Snider arrives in 2010 though, but there are worse problems to have than too much talent.

Can anyone with a BP subscription summarize (without quoting!) Christina Kahrl's analysis of the latest AL East transactions (Toronto's especially)?

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=7014

All I want for Christmas is a real GM.

Oh, and a real shortstop.

"Oh, and a real shortstop."

Isn't Jovid Macstein a real shortstop?  I mean we got the gritty bust your gut stein and the slick fielding Mac so what could be better?

Alright, enough Christmas cheer and bring on the Grinch!

 

To all the Batter's Box Cabal (I know there is no Cabal), to all the hangers on (like me) and to all the lurkers (readers) - the very best of the Season to you and your families from me and mine.

Mylegacy

Well, during the holidays, while Ricciardi has been digesting his turkey, other teams have been busy snapping up bargains that might have fit nicely with the Jays: the Padres signed Mark Prior and the Royals just signed catcher Miguel Olivo.

I was kinda hoping to see those names pop up in Batters Box Breaking News posts connected to the Jays, but I guess that was magical thinking on my part.

Prior is a native of San Diego. There was very little chance he was ever going to go anywhere else, especially for $1M/year plus performance bonuses.

Wilner  opens his mail bag. Some good questions and answers ( compared especially to the crap Griffin produces).

Wilner opens his mail bag. Some good questions and answers ( compared especially to the crap Griffin produces).
I think that history will be much kinder to Richard Griffin than to Mike Wilner. i used to be unable to tolerate Griffin, because I saw him as using his column to grind a personal axe against Ricciardi. Now that Ricciardi has turned out to be such a disappointment in drafting talent, I find Wilner's Organization Man routine irksome. Older righthanded hitters typically develop greater splits. Pretending that last year's inability to hit righties was a one-year fluke, or that the Jays will win 92+ games, is simply noise.

I think that history will be much kinder to Richard Griffin than to Mike Wilner. i used to be unable to tolerate Griffin, because I saw him as using his column to grind a personal axe against Ricciardi.

The quality of questions and responses in Wilner's blog seems much higher than that of Griffin''s.

Now that Ricciardi has turned out to be such a disappointment in drafting talent

Well we're certainly far from any point that that can be determined.  I wouldn't make any conclusive judgements about the 2005-2007 draft classes yet.  And from the three years prior, Litsch, Janssen, Lind, Thigpen, Purcey, Hill, Marcum, Mastny and Bush collectively hardly qualify as "such a disappointment."

Pretending ...that the Jays will win 92+ games, is simply noise.

That was a deduction of the Pythagorean record from looking Bill James' projections, not a prediction.  It was hardly noise - rather, a useful observation based on highly regarded data sources.

I find Wilner's Organization Man routine irksome

I've accused him of this as well, but on his blog he's a pretty straight shooter. He actually states Ricciardi may be fired if the team repeats it's 2007 numbers, thats not really the company line.