If JP Riccardi was in your fantasy football league, and offered to trade Petersen. Then acted the way he was acting(Michael Turner, Chris Johnson -and- Anquan). I don't think anyone would mind if he wasn't invited back the next year.

The Soriano contract is ugly for the Cubs, but he still kind of produces. He'll still end up with close to 30 homers a year despite his crappiness in the field.

The Vernon Wells contract is the worst in my eyes since it's for a team without a huge payroll. The Cubs can absorb a bad contract or two, but not the Jays.

Finally. A list of "bad" things in MLB that doesn't include the Nationals. :)

Well there is the $8 million that Austin Kearns is getting to put up Jeff Francouer numbers. But at least that isn't going midway through the next decade.

I wouldn't mind if JP was gone next year too. But this is strictly in a fantasy football hypothesis.

And thanks for bringing up Wells' contract guys. Made my day. :mad: There was an article on some Jays' blog (have to find the link) that basically summarized in order for a team to take Wells' contract, it would have to be Halladay and Wells for nothing in return, and even then they'd have to get lucky. There were some formulas behind it.

Since I got a sense of humor about Barry Zito, his ugly contract really doesn't bother me anymore. That he is putting up decent back-of-the-rotation numbers helps.

Nice point in the article that Zito's deal ends at the same time Lincecum is scheduled for free agency.

Guzman is also getting $8mm to have an OBP only 15 points higher than his BA (dude never walks) and play sub-par SS. But neither of those numbers compare to the ones on the above list.

Don't get me wrong, their are crap contracts in the organization, it's just nice to have a piece in the national media about bad baseball decisions that does not continue to make the Nationals the laughing stock of MLB. :)

I was interested so I did a quick spreadsheet. I used the payroll numbers on mlb.com, which only take into account the active 25-man roster.

Great.

Now he'll end up in Knoxville working as a consultant to Ed Orgeron.

Took two lines to see that your numbers are wrong: you're not using the active roster if that's the Mets salary.

A) The Padres can easily be "beaten out" for 2nd-worst record by the Royals, Pirates, Orioles or a couple of other teams.
B) That's tampering and illegal.
C) Strasburg has so much to risk by waiting the year. Does he sit it out and let teams start to doubt him, or does he pitch in an independent league and risk injury?

So it's a nice conspiracy theory, but I wouldn't go putting any money on it yet.Precisely, but if we're going to be giving up multiple top prospects, go for the 27y/o cleanup hitter over the 32 y/o pitcher you'll have to give a crippling extension to (Simply put, we're going to be paying a 3-year younger Beckett ~20m a year starting in 2 years - no way we dish that out to Halladay too in a contract that goes until he's ~40). fwiw, here's one man's list of the top 50 players in terms of trade value 2009 MLB Trade Value: Recap | FanGraphs Baseball The relevant members

Apparently here's a lot of rumors that Bronson Arroyo is headed to the Yankees soon.

Please, please, please be true.

Pete Abraham did some checking and wrote on his blog that it's not true.

I used the numbers at Washington Nationals Salaries - MLB Baseball - ESPN (looks like it wasn't mlb.com)

On the Strasburg situation: what if the Nationals somehow move into 29th place? Does San Diego (or whoever?) take Strasburg or Harper (presuming Harper is still considered the phenom he is expected to be)?

TATIS!!!!

Freddy Sanchez is not in the lineup tonight

Dunno if he is injured or to be traded. Just had an off day too.

I'm curious if Luis Castillo has played himself into having trade value now. Never thought I'd be saying that...

Omar would then replace him by signing someone to an equally stupid contract.

Good thing he's about to be gone.

Great Twitter quote:

"here's a list of things the Wilpons and Minaya don't understand : 1) P.R., 2) journalism, 3) ponzi schemes, 4) baseball."

Allright Sack, 1 down, 3 to go!

Pitcher with a limited (albeit very impressive) track record and a violent arm motion or a catcher? You go catcher every time if it's close - much less downside risk.

What is the status with Ackley or Tate?

And how were the Rays able to get Beckham signed quickly last year?

How does Omar Minaya still have a job? I can't believe that stunt he pulled at the press conference today. What an embarrassment to the organization.

Because Omar has a contract extension that kicks in after this season and Fred Wilpon lost $700 million in the Madoff scam

San Diego takes Harper, and the Gnats wind up without either wunderkind. Though I would assume that if the Nationals wind up failing to sign Strasburg, ownership lays down the law and any Washington player who as much as legs out a double the rest of the season gets his kneecaps broken.

Tim Lincecum. 15 K's. Just wow.

I was listening to the radio, but I don't understand how the Giants got the 4th run. Something to do with there not being a 4th out appeal?

Pirates continue to frustrate, but Timmah is pretty freaking good.

A)True-The Padres can get beaten out. I don't think that Strasburg wouldn't sign with the Nationals because of the off chance to go to San Diego.
b) Tampering/Schmampering-The Padres can't directly negotiate with Boras till the draft is over, but I wouldn't doubt there might be a few "hypotheticals" discussed during coffee. Perhaps. The Pirates had a deal with Sanchez before the draft(and they were picking #4). The rays signed Tim Beckham really freaking fast the year before(June 19th). Matt Bush signed on freakin draft day.
C. I agree there is a risk to Strasburg.

I think you were reading too much into my post. If the Nationals don't sign Strasburg, it will be because of his agent, or the Nats being unwilling to meet the price.

San Diego, in their current draft position, looks like a very realistic landing spot for Strasburg if the Nats drop the ball.

Without seeing the game, I can't say how it was, but generally, a 4th out appeal situation is like follows:

2nd and 3rd, 1 out: Batter hits a fly ball to the outfield. The Runner on 3rd leaves his base before the ball is caught in an attempt to score. Meanwhile, the runner on 2nd tries to tag up and advance to 3rd base.

The runner who was on 3rd crosses home plate successfully, while the runner who was on 2nd gets caught in a run down and tagged out (after the base runner has scored).

If the defensive team appeals that the runner on third left early, the fourth out is recorded, and the run does not count. However, if the defensive team steps off the field of play (generally, if everyone steps over the foul line on their way to the dugout), the chance to appeal is lost, and the run will count.

EDIT: I looked up the game review: In this case, the radio got it wrong. What happened is the ball deflected off one player trying to make a shoe string catch, and went straight to another player. The umpires blew the call and ruled it a base hit. If they had ruled that the catch had been made, and the runner left early, they could've gotten him out as well.

It was awesome. Watch a replay. :D

Nah, they didn't say 4th out appeal, I didn't understand what the hell they were talking about though.

So, because the guy calls something a hit, and then gets overturned by another ump, the run stands? Is that what happened?

-nevermind, didn't see the pickoff.

Is it possible to play the game under protest when something like that happens?

Man. A feat more rare than a perfect game and it's not even mentioned!

Josh Willingham with two grand slams last night. He was the 13th player ever to do so.

I mean, I didn't expect his own thread, but at least throw him a bone. :)

Did you know that Bill Mueller is the ONLY player in Major League history to hit his two grand slams during the same game from opposite sides of the plate?

Sorry...had to pimp Billy M there!

edit: and 4/13 have been Red Sox!

Unfortunately Willingham's feat came at the expense of my beloved Brewers who are absolutely reeling right now.

Fuck going after a good pitcher when the rest of the staff sucks too (or in the case of the relievers very overworked).

Isn't one of their relievers starting tonight?

Indeed, Carlos Villanueva. His June ERA was 7.94 and his July ERA is a sparkling 10.80.

Tee off on him for three innings and then get into the Brewers bullpen once again. I have a feeling that we may see a position player pitching tonight for the Brewers if everything falls into place how I think it will.

I would love for you to be correct. :)

So it is being reported the Red Sox are now offering Buckholtz, Bowden and a single A outfielder for Halladay. I would love to see this happen. Pitching rotation of Beckett, Halladay, Lester, Wakefield, Penney for this year and next year with Dice K the number 5 next year along with Okajima, Bard, and Papellebon in the bullpen:)

That would definitely kick ass, but it doesn't seem any better than the Phillies offer.

Prospects in general are incredibly overrated at this point, the Red Sox really have the chips to do this if they wanted (and if J.P. really wants to)

It would suck to trade Westmoreland (he'd have to a PTBNL) because he only signed out of high school since he's local. I would hope that they would get his blessing/find another part instead. That's a pretty good package, I'd say on par with the Drabek/Happ package the Phils were haggling over.

If the Jays need to trade Halladay, I of course want them to get the most for him. But if he stays not only in the AL, but in the division too... holy crap. I think fans would not like that one bit. And with the Sox already having Jason Bay, some Canadian Jays fans might transfer to that team?

Agreed.

At least football season kicks into gear pretty quick...

Yes.

Its important maintain some depth in your minor league system in order to have cheap alternatives when players leave for free agency, get too expensive, or to cover injuries but teams have taken things too far.

Isn't Boston's problem hitting though?

In the playoffs, everyone's problem is hitting once they face great pitching.

Mark Buehrle's first gift to the team : here is DeWayne Wise' personalized: