The Brewers won the Aoki posting at 2.5 mill. 2.5 million! I'd love to hear what Rizzo thought "fair market value" was for Aoki. 300 yen and a Cleveland Indians jersey signed by "Isuro Tanaka"? A Hello Kitty backpack with a copy of "Mr. Baseball" inside?
If you try to build a team through only fair deals, you end up with only a fair team.
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Great post. Loved the 'Isuro Tanaka' pix.
Kind of puzzled by the Nats too, although continuing to give them the whole offseason before concluding anything. My guess is that they are struggling mightily with current market prices. There must be a lot of heated conversations going on internally, usually starting with 'did you see what [insert team] paid for [insert free agent/trade candidate]? Goddam, SOB ...'
Kind of reminds me of those conversations with my wife, where she starts with 'we need a new furnace', and I go 'ok, shouldn't cost more than $500, let's go look ....'
It's not going to get THAT cold this winter. Let's just use the oven like a fireplace.
You have to give them the whole off season just because but you can't say you're trying to do something and then do nothing. You just look bad. It would have been preferable for Rizzo just to say "We're staying the course" in October than watch this team flop around as also-rans.
But again... we'll see. Rizzo doesn't have to get a pitcher, CF and fix the bench, but he sure as hell better do more than just the last one.
and don't get me wrong, I don't think Aoki was THE ANSWER or anything, but 2.5 mill (that might be refunded!) should be throwing around cash for a major league team
Yeah, 2.5 million isn't that big a gamble, unless they really feel like last year's batting average was a red flag and he won't be able to hit a good fastball. Maybe his arm really is too lousy to be in center field. They're picking up minor league depth right now, so that makes me wonder if a trade is coming. Arizona just signed Kubel, maybe making a run at Parra from the D-backs could work. It's small potatoes, but they're not even talking about the OF right now.
On Aoki, I assume that it isn't the cash, but that their scouts just don't think that he is any good, not even Bernadina good. I feel pretty sure that $2.5m is below their radar for a useful 25 man guy.
I think it is less than 50/50 that they do anything substantial this offseason*. I think that Rizzo subscribes to the 'pay up for the stars, but the middle market guys are the most overpriced segment of the market', so they aren't that interested in anyone still on the market.
* I am going for the reverse jinx here, since I am ALWAYS wrong when I make these kinds of statements. C'mon Prince o' DC. I think he'd be great if you can get him for 7 years (although I'd throw 5/$140m out there to see if he bite at the highest AAV for a 1B). Young enough to be an elite hitter through the Nats window of opportunity. But I wouldn't go 10 years for my 5 yr old son, let alone a 5'11", 285 lb man.
blovy8 - I hope (1) they think he's terrible and (2) he is. That's the only way a team with a huge CF need that claims to be a legit player could avoid putting a few mill on the table to kick the tires a bit more closely.
Wally - well I'm sure they like Bernadina better but that's only because they have some sort of blinders on when it comes to Bernadina. The guy is the "7" of all trades.
Yeah - Fielder, some time from 33-35, is going to go from OK to out of baseball in a year. Each year beyond 7 should be noted in the contract with a picture of a guy shoveling cash into an old-timey locomotive engine.
But why spend it if they don't want him? Are you saying they should just blow money for the sake of blowing money?
If they don't think he's the answer in CF, then they shouldn't try to bid to sign him, that's just common sense.
Focus on Cespedes. He's actually going to be good.
That meteor-from-nowhere-big-splash Werth Deal of a year ago has left things very quiet going into 2012. Very quiet.
Trying to figure out what silent-running Rizzo has up his sleeve. Very quiet....
Gio Gonzalez? What would you be willing to give up for him? Guessing it includes Norris and either Detwiler or Peacock to start, but it's rumored to be a 4 for 1 trade.
Anon - ok if you think he's that bad, sure. If they want Cespedes, sure. I don't think he's THAT bad though and I don't think they'll seriously go after Cespedes. (and the posting fee only gets paid IF he signs)
Nattydread - let's just hope the sub didn't go too deep and is know lying on the bottom of the ocean crushed like a bug
Donald - for Gio I wouldn't go too far past your "start". Sooo many walks. I'd find out what the A's want then start shopping around that for better starters like Jurrjens (I know, i know) or Price
Gio Gonzalez is better than Jair Jurrjens...
BTW, Give me one sabermetric stat on this issue and we will have a problem.
Anon - like what type of problem? Are we going to have to step outside? It's kind of cold out there.
Jair's best is better than Gio's best. When Jair is on his game he's unhittable AND in complete command, something Gio can't say.
Jair's worst is not as bad as Gio's worst. When Gio is off his game he can't hit the side of a bus and can be riding pine before the second inning is over. Jair can muddle through for a few.
This is all while Gio pitches in a park that favors pitchers. On the road Jair is Jair, on the road Gio is John Lannan with more K's. (Yay Lannan!)
Jurrjens pitches in the NL, Gonzalez in the AL.
Can't compare their numbers. Gonzalez is a better pitcher, also more reliable health-wise.
Also, good lefties are much more valuable than good righties.
Gonzalez is better. Sorry.
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