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On Deck: Just Win, Baby!

MulletPosted Aug 24th 2008 10:00AM by Mullet (author feed)
Filed under: Angels, Blue Jays, Rays, Red Sox, Twins, White Sox



On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

Boston Red Sox (74-55) at Baltimore Orioles (67-62) 1:07 PM ET

Daisuke Matsuzaka is the very case study of new breed vs. old guard. The old guard will see Matsuzaka's 15-2 record and his 2.77 ERA and tell you that he's gotta be one of the best pitchers in baseball. The new breed of fan will tell you that his 1.37 WHIP and his 77 walks in 126+ innings tell the future of a man who's been lucky to get out of jams that he created for himself against mediocre teams. Which side are you on?

Today, Dice K goes up against the Blue Jays ... and while everybody is talking about the job that Jerry Manuel is doing for the Mets after taking over mid-season, there's been a similar, quieter turnaround in Toronto, where Cito Gaston is 32-23 this season after taking over for John Gibbons, who started the season 35-39.

Continue Reading On Deck: Just Win, Baby!

Jose Bautista Is Out in Pittsburgh, Is Jack Wilson Next?

Pat LackeyPosted Aug 22nd 2008 12:26PM by Pat Lackey (author feed)
Filed under: Blue Jays, Pirates, AL East, NL Central, MLB Rumors, MLB Transactions

It seems likely that the bulldozer that Neal Huntington is using to rebuild the Pirates with will not rest until it's eliminated most of the ruins left behind by his predecessors. After trading away Xavier Nady, Jason Bay, and Damaso Marte for prospects, he shipped Jose Bautista (the team's former "third baseman of the future") off to Toronto yesterday for a player to be named. All indications are that he's not done. When the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette asked him about Jack Wilson's future in Pittsburgh, Huntington said this about the longest tenured Pirate:
"The reality is that we can't make emotional decisions on any player. Jack certainly has proven his worth again defensively, and we can see that the whole club solidified with him out there. But we always need to leave ourselves the ability to make the team better. Jack, hopefully, will be a big part of this turnaround going forward. But, as it was with Jason and Xavier and Damaso Marte, if the right baseball trade is out there, we'll have to entertain it."
In less than a year in Pittsburgh, Huntington has already turned over more than half of the Pirates' 40-man roster. That seems dramatic, but it was what needed to be done. Pittsburgh is still a long ways removed from contending again, but cleaning house is certainly a first step in the right direction.

On Deck: Rays of Light

MulletPosted Aug 16th 2008 10:00AM by Mullet (author feed)
Filed under: Blue Jays, Brewers, Dodgers, Rangers, Rays, Red Sox



On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

Tampa Bay Rays (74-47) at Texas Rangers (61-62) 8:05 PM ET

It's time to face facts, boys and girls: The Tampa Bay Rays aren't going away. They lose Carl Crawford. They lose Evan Longoria. They lose Troy Percival. Those are their two best hitters and their closer. Does it matter? No. They just keep on winning ... three out of four since both Crawford and Longoria have been out of the lineup. This team will be a team to watch not only tonight, but all this week, as they visit the Angels and then host the White Sox after this Texas series ends. It's a tough go without three of their best players, but the way the Rays have gone, doubt them at your own risk.

Continue Reading On Deck: Rays of Light

J.P. Ricciardi and Gregg Zaun Agree on One Thing: Zaun Wants to Be Traded

Eamonn BrennanPosted Jul 30th 2008 1:35PM by Eamonn Brennan (author feed)
Filed under: Blue Jays, AL East, MLB Rumors, MLB Transactions

The Star has a pretty good roundup of the verbal slapfighting going on between Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi, he of the tactless public disposition, and Gregg Zaun, 37-year-old catcher and mediocre hitter extraordinaire. Zaun wants to be traded, Ricciardi wants to trade him, but the two can't seem to agree on anything else:
"I'm just disappointed that he went to the media with this," general manager J.P. Ricciardi said when told of Zaun's comments. "We have a good enough relationship that he can talk to me."

"This shouldn't be a controversial moment for anybody. I just answered a simple question: `Would I welcome a trade,'" an exasperated Zaun said. "It's unfortunate that he feels like I'm addressing it through the media, because I really am not."

"We'll gladly move him if we can find someone who wants him and that's where we're at," Ricciardi said. "Right now, there's been no takers for him, there's been no inquiries about him."
It seems difficult to believe that nobody wants Zaun. Zaun is a switch hitter and he's a catcher with a decent bat and an average OBP. A few teams could platoon him -- say, the Yankees -- and get decent return for their trade. It doesn't help that Ricciardi seems bent on destroying Zaun's value before trading him. Saying "no one wants you, dude" is not exactly the best way to get people to, you know, want your player.

Rumor Mill Roundup: July 29

Andrew JohnsonPosted Jul 29th 2008 9:21PM by Andrew Johnson (author feed)
Filed under: Blue Jays, Braves, Dodgers, Mariners, Phillies, Red Sox, Rockies, Royals, Tigers, Twins, Yankees, MLB Rumors

With the trade deadline right around the corner, our MLB editor brings you the top five rumors every day until July 31.

- Mark Teixeira is off the board, leaving a bunch of lesser players in the rumor mill. The best non-Teixeira rumors continue to surround Manny Ramirez, despite the fact that he is unlikely to be moved before the July 31 deadline. The Red Sox might be more reticent than ever to deal Ramirez with Teixeira off the table. He was the most obvious replacement for Ramirez's production (with Kevin Youkilis moving to left field in a potential deal). But Boston seems so fed up with the slugger it might move him anyway. So the question is, where?


The Dodgers have moved to the front of the line for Ramirez, offering an outfielder in return -- believed to be either Matt Kemp or Andre Ethier and perhaps prospects. When Teixeira was still available, it was believed they would spin those players to Atlanta for the first basemen, but the Red Sox could hold onto someone like Kemp, who could equal Ramirez's value when you account for defense. The Diamondbacks are unlikely to make a move for Ramirez, especially considering GM Josh Byrnes' familiarity with the slugger (he worked under Theo Epstein in Boston). Ditto for the Phillies. The Mets are very difficult to read, with the team claiming they have no interest and media reports saying otherwise.

- The Royals could infuse some late life into the outfield market if they decide to make Jose Guillen available. Guillen signed a three-year, $36 million deal with Kansas City this winter, but there are rumors that he's unhappy with manager Trey Hillman. Guillen has denied the reports, but he is not known as a great clubhouse guy and he had a very public and messy feud with Mike Scioscia in his last days with the Angels. On the other hand, he is only 32 and is still productive. After hitting .183 in April, Guillen has hit .288 since.
Continue Reading Rumor Mill Roundup: July 29

Rumor Mill Roundup: July 28

Andrew JohnsonPosted Jul 28th 2008 5:54PM by Andrew Johnson (author feed)
Filed under: Blue Jays, Braves, Cardinals, Dodgers, Mariners, Mets, Phillies, Pirates, Red Sox, Tigers, Yankees, MLB Rumors

With the trade deadline right around the corner, our MLB editor brings you the top five rumors every day until July 31.

- The Blue Jays are back above the .500 mark and might not even be willing to deal right-handed pitcher A.J. Burnett at this point, but if they decide to move him, the Cardinals remain the most likely destination. Burnett, an Arkansas native, grew up rooting for St. Louis and Tony La Russa's club could use a pitching upgrade, particularly following Milwaukee's acquisition of CC Sabathia and Chicago's acquisition of Rich Harden.


For now, GM John Mozeliak appears resolved to wait and see what the rehabbing Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter can provide and pursue relief help. Still, it's hard not to wonder about Burnett, particularly as the Cardinals muse about converting Wainwright back to relief for the remainder of the season. Wouldn't St. Louis look a lot tougher to beat if on Aug. 1 Burnett was in the rotation and Wainwright was closing out games as he did when the Cardinals won the World Series in 2006?

- Other than the Rockies, the Braves have been the toughest team to figure out over the last few weeks as they vacillate between punting the season and going for it in the NL East. Even as they move closer and closer to dumping Mark Teixeira, the team has apparently been working on a deal for Pittsburgh's Jason Bay, which was only nixed when Pirates' ownership stepped into the fray. Bay has long been thought to be the Bucs' best trade chip, but that's made the price tag too steep for many clubs. Still, Atlanta was close to dealing a package of four prospects, including Brent Lillibridge and Brandon Jones, for the left fielder. For a team like the Braves, with little hope of contending this year, that might seem strange, but Atlanta expects to be back in the hunt in 2009 and Bay is already under contract for next season.
Continue Reading Rumor Mill Roundup: July 28

The Dugout's Wikipedia Report: the Toronto Blue Jays

Jon BoisPosted Jul 28th 2008 7:00AM by Jon Bois (author feed)
Filed under: Blue Jays, The Dugout

The Wikipedia Report unearths ballplayers' poorly constructed Wiki pages for craps and giggles.

Sorry, Red Sox and Tigers fans. I skipped your teams because their Wikipedia entries are largely well-written and free of vandalism. We're moving on to the Blue Jays. Serial murderers on Craigslist, an astral dream-scape, boogers, and farts can be found after the jump.
Continue Reading The Dugout's Wikipedia Report: the Toronto Blue Jays

Rumor Mill Roundup: July 24

Andrew JohnsonPosted Jul 24th 2008 6:27PM by Andrew Johnson (author feed)
Filed under: Blue Jays, Braves, Brewers, Marlins, Orioles, Rockies, Yankees, MLB Rumors

With the trade deadline right around the corner, our MLB editor brings you the top five rumors every day until July 31.

- The Braves continue to indicate that they won't move Mark Teixeira in hopes of contending for the NL East title, but if the team struggles over the next week, that could all change. Atlanta is already a bit of a longshot to make the playoffs, but two injuries to key players should push them over the cliff and turn them into sellers. Chipper Jones hurt his hamstring again last night in Florida and staff ace Tim Hudson left his start early with ominous-sounding elbow tightness.


If ever there was an omen that it might be time to let go of this season, wouldn't injuries to the team's best pitcher and hitter on the same night be it? Teixeira is certain to leave this winter and if Atlanta holds on to him all it will get is a pair of early draft picks. They stand to get much better talent in a deadline deal, even considering Teixeira's rental status.

- I got a chance to see A.J. Burnett's rain-shortened start last night in Baltimore. There were plenty of scouts in attendance, though some of them were probably there in hopes of seeing Orioles closer George Sherrill. Burnett has good raw stuff -- a fastball he gets to 95 mph with ease and a tough curveball in the low-80s. Still, Orioles hitters made good contact on him. He's a very good, but fragile No. 2 starter, who could help a number of contenders, but his uncertain contract status continues to make potential suitors cautious. Don't put too much stock into the Roy Halladay rumors, Burnett is still the most likely to get moved of any of Toronto's pitchers.
Continue Reading Rumor Mill Roundup: July 24

Blue Jays Gauging Interest in Roy Halladay

Tom FornelliPosted Jul 24th 2008 1:11PM by Tom Fornelli (author feed)
Filed under: Blue Jays, AL East, MLB Rumors

With the trade deadline coming up on us quickly, there's been plenty of talk surrounding a certain Blue Jays starting pitcher that may be available via trade this season. That pitcher is A.J. Burnett, who has the ability to opt out of his contract at season's end, and even if he doesn't the Jays aren't sure they really want to pay him the money still owed him on his current contract.

So they wouldn't mind trading him at all, and given the way he's talked in recent months, A.J. wouldn't mind it that much either. Of course, the Blue Jays have another pitcher on their staff who hasn't exactly been thrilled with the way things have gone in Toronto, and he's been letting management know about it too.

Which is why the Jays are calling teams to gauge their interest in 2003 Cy Young winner Roy Halladay.
The whispers just won't go away. Halladay is apparently unhappy in Toronto and has let management know it, and management has apparently responded by doing some quiet surveying of teams (such as St. Louis and the Dodgers) that are far, far away from the AL East in an effort to see what it could get for the 2003 Cy Young Award winner. Apparently, the returns other teams are getting for top-talent pitchers such as C.C. Sabathia, Rich Harden and Erik Bedard has inspired the Blue Jays to at least find out what it could get for one of the best pitchers in the American League. It remains unlikely that they'd deal him, but you never know.
I don't know if there's any way the Blue Jays would actually trade Halladay, but it could be a good way for J.P. Ricciardi to stick it to ownership. With John Gibbons being fired earlier this season in favor of Cito Gaston, and the Jays disappointing again, most believe that Ricciardi won't be the team's general manager next season.

Would there be a bigger "screw you" to the organization and fans than trading away the team's most important player before being fired?

Buy or Sell: Toronto Blue Jays

MulletPosted Jul 22nd 2008 12:00PM by Mullet (author feed)
Filed under: Blue Jays, AL East, MLB Rumors



July 31 is rapidly approaching. Buy or Sell lets each team know where they stand on the trade market with the deadline right around the corner.

This is the year that the Jays really thought they were going to take that step into the stratosphere of the Yankees and the Red Sox. Of course, you could probably say that about the Blue Jays every year for the last ten. But with the acquisitions of the likes of Scott Rolen and David Eckstein, this was really going to be the year.

Instead, not only were they passed by the Rays, but they've been passed by the Baltimore Orioles. And these are two franchises that haven't been known for great baseball decisions over the past ten years.

Continue Reading Buy or Sell: Toronto Blue Jays
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