I guess Jovanny Rosario gained a step on Trayvon Robinson from last year to this year.

To Canuck from last thread. Yes, I've queued up my questions. I've found that if you send an email after any chat to the moderator and thank them for their time, they remember your name when the next chat comes up.
I tend to ask obscure questions because I want to find out information I don't have. I don't expect to find out anything new about the top ten guys. They already gave us their scouting reports when they did the top 20 for each league. Maybe some extra data on Withrow who didn't pitch enough innings to quaulify for the league lists but then he didn't pitch enough innings for anything to change from the time he was drafted.

1 -- Rosario was faster than Robinson last year too. I guess Matthews just didn't get the news. In spring training in 2006, the Dodgers lined up their fastest minor legauers for a foot race, with a cash prize, a hundred bucks or so, promised to the winner of the race. Rosario won, with Robinson placing second.

Recount!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/12/04/odd.misscalifornia.ap/index.html

4

I have lost all faith in the pageantry system.

Seriously, that would be horrible for the woman who needs to step down.

Bob, from last thread, don't get your niece a Webkinz if she doesn't have a computer with internet. (That seemed like a possibility if they don't have cable.) If she can't get on the internet, then it's just a stuffed animal.

If internet isn't an issue, then she'll probably love it.

4

No pictures? Aw man!

---

Speaking of "aw man," would you believe the Red Sox are about to trade for Santana? That's a bit disappointing, since after all they are giving up Crisp and Lester, but not Ellsbury. To me it seems like a win for the Sox.

http://www.courant.com/sports/baseball/redsox/hcu-santanasox-1204,0,5628344.story?coll=hc_tab01_layout

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3140668

7

A few other prospects were listed in the trade as well, so it's more than just "Crisp and Lester" for Santana

I'm really hoping Greg Miller turns it around, if for no other reason than the fact that he and I went to the same high school.

10 - Also, it would be good for the Dodgers.

I was confused by the newspaper today. So Ozzie Guillen, the manager for the White Sox, was telling the press that Miguel Cabrera, the player for whom the White Sox are hoping to obtain via trade, that Cabrera is looking better than ever and he's more valuable than they think?

"I told the Marlins he's going to be in the best shape you've ever seen him in"
"Whoever gets this guy is going to have a heck of a ballplayer with a different mentality. He's a big man and he has to take care of himself. . . . He has the power and talent to be one of the best players ever."

Interesting strategy. Remind me not to hire Mr. Guillen to represent me in a negotiation.

The 2008 Red Sox with Santana might be the best baseball team of all time. Their rotation:

Santana, Beckett, Schilling, Buchholz, Matsuzaka, with Wakefield as their 6th and Papelbon closing.

Meanwhile they also have a top five offense with plenty of opportunity to improve on last year. As much as I admire Theo, maybe he could be a little less intelligent so some other teams have a chance?

As much as I admire Theo, maybe he could be a little less intelligent so some other teams have a chance?

I wonder if Depo ever gets jealous. I doubt Theo does anything Depo couldn't.

Santana to the Red Sox for players NOT named Ellsbury or Buchholz? This is unbelievable. Randy Moss for a draft pick, Garnett for a bunch of stiffs, and now this? What spell did the city of Boston cast on the rest of the country that makes GMs in other cities bend over backward for Boston sports teams???

13 All-time? Will 4 of their starters win 20 games each? Will they have 3-4 HOFs in their lineup.

Probably the best team I saw play was the 1970's Reds with Morgan, Rose, Bench, Perez, et. al. though they did not have a standout starting staff, they still won a lot of games.

I'm not saying they won't be very good but all-time greatness is something that needs to be assigned only after the fact not before the games are played.

13

Yea, if they pick up Santana, I don't know how they don't repeat as World Series winners, barring any injury or J.D. Drew normality.

14 - Didn't Theo quit the job on his own once? That proved to be savvy in its own way.

15 - Is someone again getting upset over something that hasn't happened?

If Theo ends up pulling off this Santana-for-nobody deal, the Sox could win 120 games next year.

19 Jon, I'm trying to be hysterically irrational here. Please don't interject common sense into my delirium.

Looks good on paper. Some are calling it the best rotation in history. If they are all still pitching in Sept it might just be.
I would have taken the Yankee package until Hank opened his mouth. Then I would have traded him to the RedSox since the deals were about equal and no one is going to tell me what to do if I'm the Twin GM. I'm liking the guts of the new Twin GM. It is interesting how the two most complacent franchises(Twins, Angels) have come out smoking since they switched GM's even though they were both replaced in-house.

per Jackson's article

"Unless either Jones or Rowand reduces his asking price -- or the Dodgers' tepid interest in free-agent Mike Cameron increases dramatically -- the club apparently will go into next season with an outfield of Andre Ethier, Juan Pierre and Matt Kemp, something Colletti has repeatedly said he is comfortable doing."

I am very comfortable with that possibility if we improve on pitching and let LaRoche fight for the job.

Paging Mr. Kent, Mr. Kent...are you coming back?

Logik,

Did you have the name WETPETS on Xbox live? I think I saw you logon last night/

Speaking of GMs, so what are the chances of Logan White eventually becoming the Dodgers' GM? Especially if he has a special relationship with Colleti. Are we willing accelerate this promotion since delaying it could cause his departure? What is the track record of success of talented scouts becoming talented GMs? Bueller? Anyone?

16 - I said they might be the best. Santana isn't even on that team yet and anything could happen. However, I am putting it out there that the over/under on wins for the 2008 Red Sox with Santana is, conservatively, 105. Even without Santana I think they will be around 100.

24

Me? I don't even have an xbox... Interesting though, some guy took my identity and went on Xbox live!

Just kidding. What gave you that impression?

22 - They won 96 games last year with Lugo and Crisp providing replacement level offense and ERA's of 4.40, 4.76 and 5.15 from 3 of their top 5 pitchers. Ellsbury and Buchholz will replace Crisp and Taverez so already I see a 2-3 win improvement. Santana pushing Wakefield into long relief (a job he is uniquely suited for) could make the season historic.

Great another Boston dynasty. If someone hypothetically asked me what it would take for me to not be interested in baseball anymore, Johan Santana to the Sawx would be the answer.

So ESPN claims if your anyone but Boston your giving up your best pitching prospects and best young OF prospect, but if your Boston a few B pitching prospects, Coco Crisp ( who was benched for Ellsbury ), and MINF prospect get it done? I know Im delving into obvious territory here, but I guess I have a bigger question. If this situation is so dire, and I have no doubts we can put together a better package than that, does it come down to only Boston and NY having the cash?

To make a long story short, why arent we at least interested in the best pitcher in the game?

24 IIRC thats Fanerman.

29 - No, it comes down to the Dodgers thinking that the better package is too much to ask for. But it's not as if the Dodgers aren't interested.

26 Yeah, I know but I guess as someone who looks at things in the big picture and certainly baseball has the longest history of any of the major sports, with some qualifications, if that deal takes place, Boston could have a very good shot at being one of the better teams since the Free Agent era began.

But with Lugo at SS, Youk, a good but not classic 1B, and Drew's numbers on a downward trend, I think that without the DH, Boston's offense does not match other teams that get thrown into that discussion.

29 - Lester, Lowrie, Crisp, Masterson, and Lars Anderson is the potential package right now. That's a pretty good mix of youth that can contribute right now, plus some building blocks that are 1-2 years away.

And they still have to give Santana his $200M.

ToyCannon: I can't make the Clips game tonight but truly appreciate the invite.

While I prefer weeknights, with two small ones in diapers, it's proving a bit more difficult this year than past years to get down there. My children seem to be a tag team as far as spreading coughs and colds.

As a teacher, I'll have a three week break. I'm eyeing the game on the 27th against the Suns. I'll score some tickets on eBay and if you are at the game, I'll buy you a cold one.

After the 4-0 start, they are starting to really collapse. Tonight is a big game. They have to stay near .500 until they get a bit more healthy.

29 I think that the Dodgers are in a spot where their best tradeable parts (not the Abreus, Hus, McDonalds, etc.) are players that are being counted on to play next year.

Now, would they deal Elbert, sure but with his injury, he probably does not have value and besides teams are going to ask for Kershaw or Chad.

In a way, we are punished by having really good young players because if this was another year from now and we had Withrow as a top prospect with Baez becoming a top position player, then we could deal them for vets that could help now. But to trade any of young players in multiples to fill one need just opens up another.

Toy: Please let me know you read my post so you aren't holding a ticket for me.

Happy Hannukah to all my tribe members in DT land.

4
"Yeah, how many of those gals with the crown owe everything to me. I made them. Yeah, I made 'em, just like a-like a tailor makes a suit of clothes. I take a nobody, see, teach her what to say, get her name in the paper, pay for her fashion expenses. Dish out a lot of groceries and coal, get my boys to bring the voters out, and then count the votes over and over again till they added up right and she was named Miss California."

27

I mistook you for someone else. I imagine there will be a comment later on today with the real identity.

Sorry about that

35 Im pretty sure we can put something together comparable to that without leaving any holes. Some package of Elbert/McDonald, DeWitt/Bell, Meloan/Broxton, or even Abreu/Hu is not going to leave any major holes this year.

38 see 30

39

They want Bills or Kershaw and Kemp and/or Loney. They want some major league ready talent and some blue chips prospects.

If they would consider our Coco Crisp (Slappy), we'd have a better shot at the deal. We don't have a desirable discard like Crisp to include.

39 But that's the problem, I am sure the Dodgers are telling teams what they are willing to trade but from a PR stance, if you do a deal with the Dodgers and you trade a Santana or Cabrera and you do not get two or three of our top guys, you will look like the loser in the deal.

That is why the Dodgers are in the position they are in.

Rosenthal is reporting that Florida is in talks with Detroit to send both Cabrera and Willis for a package of prospects including Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller.

http://tinyurl.com/yqb95y

i like how our most athletic athlete is elbert, a pitcher.

also, what happened with Mattingly that caused him to fall from grace?

41 Coco Crisp is not, in anyway, Juan Pierre.

44 Sucking for two years straight does that.

36
No problem. I appreciate the offer but 20 games will be punishment enough this year.

45
How did he suck in 2006? Most thought his initial season was a success. It is what got him on the prospect lists in the 1st place.
2007 is another story.

40

You are correct. Thank you

47 Suck was probably a harsh term, his season was better than I remembered, but he still struck out four times more than he walked and displayed very little power.

42 I understand teams dont like budging. I just refuse to believe that the Twins best deals are coming from the Sawx. According to Peter Gammons the Twins are deciding between a 3 for 1 with Ellsbury, Lowrie and Masterson or a 4 for 1 with Lester, Crisp, Lowrie, and Masterson. Money or has to be a factor, the Dodgers could trump that easily without selling the farm, and mortgaging the future.

Restoring margins....

Now...

That didn't work. Hmm...

50 Yikes, I think I'll start editing a little more.

36 Mazel Tov, bro.

I've been trying to compile a list of good Hanukkah movies for work today and there are like... 3. If you consider "The Hebrew Hammer" good. Sigh.

43 My Tigers fan friend is hoping Rosenthal is reporting incorrectly.

50 -- The Dodgers would be stupid to try and top that, though. Forget about Santana. He doesn't even want to play on the west coast so he really would be a one-year rental for L.A.

The Hebrew Hammer would be a great nickname.

Kevin Lewis,

I'm WETPETS. You're Lyle Hutz, right? I was playing Halo3 campaign with my roommate.

If the Red Sox didn't have ManRam, I'd start to be hating that (assuming they get Johann).

them, not that.

55 How would they be stupid trying to snag one of the best pitchers in the game for a few prospects, and B prospects at that? Do you have a link to confirm that?

Stephen A. Smith on bloggers:

And when you look at the internet business, what's dangerous about it is that people who are clearly unqualified get to disseminate their piece to the masses. I respect the journalism industry, and the fact of the matter is ...someone with no training should not be allowed to have any kind of format whatsoever to disseminate to the masses to the level which they can. They are not trained. Not experts."

I stand corrected. My Tigers fan friend would be excited about that trade, he just told me.

61 Other expertise from Stephen A. (paraphrasing): " Look out for the Denver Nuggets! If Kenyon Martin's healthy, lookout Western Conference! LOL!

since when is Stephen A. Smith an expert...
he is a blubbering idiot that turns any issue he can into a someone being racist matter.

Now the Angels are involved in Santana talks, too:
http://tinyurl.com/2oogzy

Jered Weaver and Brandon Wood... for starters? Wow. You go Twins.

61 So many jokes flooding me all at once...

From ESPN:

The Orioles and Dodgers may be close on a deal that will send left-hander Erik Bedard to Los Angeles, a baseball source said. The O's are in need of a center fielder and a closer who can play at the major league level, and the Dogders seem willing to part with outfielder Matt Kemp and reliever Jonathan Broxton, who could come in a close in lieu of Chris Ray, out for the year after Tommy John surgery. "They want Bedard bad," said the source.

60 -- We're not getting "one of the best pitchers in the game" for "a few B prospects." I mean, come on. Minnesota is just taking what they have to from Boston because with the Yankees bailing out Boston is the only place that Santana is willing to sign long term.

67

bleh!

54 You can tell your Tigers friend that he/she can relax as I neglected to mention that the report noted the talks between the two teams as "preliminary". Also, on the ESPN Winter Meetings blog, Peter Gammons reports at 12:30pm ET today that the Florida GM doesn't think the talks are serious. I, myself, would like to snag Maybin from the Tigers, especially if the topic of my next paragraph is true.

http://tinyurl.com/2n5nyv

However, there may be some cause for celebration for some and worry for others as Amy Nelson (who?) from the same blog at 2:56pm ET is citing a baseball source that claims the Dodgers want Erik Bedard bad and that a deal may be close to happening where Broxton and Kemp go over to Baltimore.

High price to pay, though Bedard would be a studly addition to the pitching staff. Man, I can give up Broxton, but Kemp... not the Bison!

67 It's nice to see that rumors are actually becoming reasonable.

67 - That is pretty fair. I wish it wasn't Kemp but you gotta give something to get something. The Dodgers would have to sign a FA outfielder to replace some of the lost offense.

67
Rotoworld:

WFAN is reporting on a possible trade of Erik Bedard to the Dodgers for Matt Kemp and Jonathan Broxton. It's a fair return, though we wouldn't be surprised to see the Orioles hold out for a fairly valuable third piece. Broxton would close in Baltimore, while Kemp would be an option both in center and left. Dec. 4 - 3:09 pm et

I have an Orioles fan friend (he grew up in Charm City so he gets a pass) asking who this Matt Kemp is. I gave him my take, but does anyone have a good link -- has Jon written a good Kemp post I can link?

I will give him the True Blue Matt Kemp at 22 but it makes a narrow point and doesn't quite have the scope/detail I'm hoping for.

65 And Torii and Santana are re-united!

61 - What's interesting about that is how his opinion completely subverts the most fundamental principles of our society. "Someone with no training should not be allowed to have any kind of format whatsoever"... Well, why don't we just eliminate the ability to report news of any kind without an official license? Who's supposed to decide who's "trained" and "expert" and who's not? I am sure many bloggers (especially ones like Jon) are more "trained" than many reporters--and Jon IS trained as a reporter! In Stephen A.'s 2-D world, free speech and free press should be limited on the internet because "the masses" are too stupid to separate the wheat from the chaff. Some people are willing to say the most outrageously silly things.

Over-under on number of days Kent waits to announce return after Kemp is traded:

1

The Bison! I suppose it's fair.. but, The Bison!

If its just Kemp and Broxton, it would be a fair trade but I still don't want to do it. Its going to make our offense even less powerless.

62 Well, in that case, tell him not to get his hopes up.

67 Beat me to the punch.

77 It's Stephen A. Smith. The word "logic" isn't in his dictionary.

Our BP wouldn't be as strong either...who would replace Broxtasaurs in the pen?

Cue NPUT headline:

Bye, Son

Beat me to the punch, too.

Here's a link from ESPN's winter meeting blog.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3140986&name=winter_meetings

"2:56 p.m. ET, from Amy Nelson
• The Orioles and Dodgers may be close on a deal that will send left-hander Erik Bedard to Los Angeles, a baseball source said. The O's are in need of a center fielder and a closer who can play at the major league level, and the Dogders seem willing to part with outfielder Matt Kemp and reliever Jonathan Broxton, who could come in a close in lieu of Chris Ray, out for the year after Tommy John surgery. "They want Bedard bad," said the source."

83 Meloan, eventually. Until then, ugh, Proctor or something like Ron Mahay.

79

I don't think it's fair. You're about to trade the man with one of the highest OPSes on the team for a pitcher who will only start every 5th day.

Ok, the rotation is suddenly nice, but for what? What if Kemp will piles up biger numbers in Baltimore?

83 Meloan? Plus we have McDonald and Kershaw coming, they could potentially start in the pen. Plus Proctor, etc. I'd hate to lose Meloan, too, but for Bedard I'd do it in a sec. Kemp, I'm less thrilled about, and "a third piece"? You've got to be kidding, Baltimore.

Okay, I call moratorium on posting blurbs about this possible trade for awhile, eh?

If this is true, when was the last time we got a superstar in a trade? Green for Mondesi, or is Bedard better than that?

84 "Bye Bye, Son" would make more sense as a phrase, while keeping the pun intact.

I dont like any deal that has Matt Kemp going to another team.