Lookout Landing

And, yeah, it's hard not to like this deal.

I love it.

This is exactly what Lee should be doing right now.

The day is going to get worse.

Enjoy the peak people.

I don't like needless unfunny pessimism.

We have enough of it already in reality.

I qualify “we’re going to trade Felix for Livan Hernandez” comments in the same bin as “Lets demand Hanley Ramirez for Arthur Rhodes”. Painfully unfunny and incredibly overplayed.

Washburn for Rasmus!

You wouldn't want to go into the box for the duration of deadline day now would you?

JI, does the box still threaten you?

Still?

Box the people who agree with you.

Sounds like a brilliant way to retain readership.

I was responding to your sarcasm with sarcasm.

Ah.

For all you know that was sarcasm.

This is sooooooooooo not sarcasm.

That must get confusing

Drinking helps.

Though sometimes it makes it worse too.

To alcohol!

The cause of and solution to all of life’s problems.

ralphie81 - July 31, 2008 reply

One of my fav

Simpson’s quotes

GhettoBear04 - July 31, 2008 reply

I'd bet that nothing more happens WRT the M's

This was it. We’ll try and push Washburn threw waivers next and trade to Yanks, but that won’t net us much in return.

Has anyone mentioned who is going to replace Rhodes?

Potatoes?

on the DL

along with Fear. RRS is the only lefty on the 40-man, though now with a spot open they could re-add Jake Woods and bring him back up.

Mystic Tan seems like the logical choice at this point

Odds of callup to replace Rhodes in bullpen

Jered Wells 2-1
Jake Woods 3-1
Oscar Villarreal 5-1
Jorge Sosa 7-1
Sean White 25-1
Rick White 50-1

(excludes RRS, who will soon replace someone in the rotation)

If it's not an over/under you're doing it wrong.

So I'll put you down for

$5 on Jorge Sosa on the under and $3 on Sean White against the spread.

Sure you don't want to lay a 2-bet parlay with that?

I think the going odds on a two-spot are 12 to 5.

True with a margin of 2/3 %

Woods makes the most sense, and it's not close

unless they wanted to abandon the RRS-as-starter experiment, even though he’s doing well.
If they needed a guy who’s been through the wars, they could take Huber, though Huber isn’t good and is getting pounded into the ground down there.
I just don’t think they can go with only Cesar Jimenez from the left side. Ergo, probably not Wells/Sosa/Villarreal.

Who makes the most sense

is harder to bet on than who actually gets called up.

OK

Is there any explanation for bringing up a righty? Yeah yeah, the M’s management is stupid, got it.
But seriously, their ONLY LH reliever has pitched 15 innings. Do you really think they’re just going to keep it at that when they’ve got a lefty reliever with MLB experience and an open spot on the 40 man?
If so, why?

I'm not really bashing the org

Just guessing that they’d take the quick road and do less paperwork by bringing up a guy already on the 40-man. I was thinking about it, though, and they don’t really have a true long man in the ‘pen, so maybe Woods makes more sense there, even though he’d be replacing a short man.

I don’t really think it hurts to have only one lefty in the bullpen (for a few days, anyway) when you’re in last place. Jake Woods is kind of a known commodity at this point. Won’t surprise me at all if he gets the call; I mean, I put him just behind Jered Wells on the hastily-compiled list. The 40-man roster is the only reason for that.

I also forgot to add Luis Munoz tongue-in-cheekily.

Whatever happened to Jake Woods

Was he determined to be AAAA fodder?

Fin - July 31, 2008 reply

We still have Rick White?

ralphie81 - July 31, 2008 reply

No.

I could imagine him being a line cook at some diner out in the middle of no where now.

Fin - July 31, 2008 reply

Not any diner I would want to eat at.

I can see him joining a militia, though.

Faux - July 31, 2008 reply

Mel's Diner

AZSEAfan - July 31, 2008 reply

Nanana-na, Nanana-na, hey hey hey

Goooooodbyeeeeee

Please do not come back this time.

I always kinda liked him.

Me too.

At Spring Training workouts, he was shagging balls in the outfield in RF. He saw a couple of really young kids running around, sorta oblivious to the idea that they were around MLB players. Rhodes just walk over to the fence, and gave them some baseballs under the fence. He might act like a thug (especially that strut), but what he did was cool.

Phil Hatzenbuehler - July 31, 2008 reply

Good work lee

now about washburn…

IceStormV1 - July 31, 2008 reply

Too many threads to follow...

Yes.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/07/yankees-eyein-2.html

Yanks are interested in Paul Byrd

Uhhhhh ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhssssssssssssssss

Forget getting Washburn off the books for next season if the Yanks go another way.

I'm just going to laugh/cry when we STILL have Washburn next year

I already did my back-flip like USSMariner told me too. Now we’ll have Washburn, and my back will now hurt.

Can you imagine Rhodes will be only trade

A last place team with no real hope of succeeding next year (sorry Jeff, not convinced) will still have ~100 million payroll and no one moved at trade deadline. Really unbelievable.

In a market where most teams are wise to the folly of selling off prospects to rent overpriced veterans, however...

I can easily see the M’s and a lot of teams still stuck with expensive trade chips.

But trading Washburn for a wet mop is a net plus

While not trading him at all is a net minus. If Lee misses his chance to get rid of that salary he has no excuses. Playing chicken runs the risk of someone taking it in the face.

But who will take on Washburn's salary if they can get someone else for cheaper?

And to be honest if all we're getting is Kei f-ing Igawa back, I'd rather just keep J-Rod

The deal with getting Igawa included us getting Gardner...

There were two options the Yanks presented the Mariners if you believe the rumors:

1. Straight salary dump: Yanks get Washburn, M’s get lack of Washburn’s contract

2. Igawa/Gardner: Yanks get Washburn, M’s get Igawa and Gardner

I’d take #1 personally. But at least with #2 you get a top prospect back and Igawa’s contract is spread out.

I'd do the salary dump deal

if I could get a PTNBL conditional to how Washburn plays.

Me too

Hence why I’m going to be soo disappointed when the deadline passes and we still have the same M’s minus Rhodes :(

That said,

I do like the shoot-for-the-moon effort that Lee’s been working, and you may still be able to get a salary dump deal tomorrow.

And there's always the chance that Igawa goes back to Japan anyway

or turns out to not completely suck

I don't think Gardner is really a "top prospect"

He's not someone to dismiss either

Especially with his play this year. Besides, I really like patient hitters. And patient hitters with a set of good eyes even better. I tend to believe Manny, one of the best hitters of all time, when he says the only thing that differentiates him is that, “I see the ball.”

I don't much demonstrable difference between him and Jeremy Reed.

Reed has had multiple shots at a Major League lineup

Gardner has not. That’s a big difference in my book.

But who else is available who would be better than Washburn?

Or at least, Washburn’s perceived value right now. If they’re serious about making a run they need to improve their rotation and there are very few pitchers out there who would give them actual improvement.

Who needs Washburn badly enough to eat that salary and give away good prospects?

A 3rd place Yankees team who is crippled by their pitching

Even mediocre helps them now, maybe just enough to snag the wild card.

They're not crippled by their pitching.

Their pitching has been solid actually. Their defense has been meh and their offense is only slightly above average.

Well, they seem to think they're crippled by their pitching

Thus the interest in Washburn.

Hard to believe with that line-up

That’s what you get when you constantly trade for aging players who are in decline..

The Yanks

They’ve already offered to take Washburn as a straight salary dump!

Do the M's know this?

I’m not convinced.

Yeah...not buying it.

Byrd is terrible, he’s not an improvement over Rasner, he might actually be worse.

He is worse.

Does Cashman know this?

Why are we taking mlbtraderumors.com seriously, people?

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8397286/Latest-news-and-rumors-from-around-MLB

Actually sourced to Ken Rosenthal at Fox Sports

12:36 p.m.: Yankees pursuing Byrd?
The Yankees, frustrated by their attempts to land Mariners left-hander Jarrod Washburn, are “kicking around” the idea of adding Indians righty Paul Byrd, according to major-league sources.
As of 12:30 p.m. ET, the Yankees and Indians had not yet exchanged names, but a deal could come together quickly if the Yankees decided to pursue it.
The Indians likely would not seek much in return from Byrd, who also has drawn mild interest from the Rockies. For the Yankees, Byrd would be a potential upgrade over right-hander Darrell Rasner.

Rosenthal isn't all that better

Still a rumor monger.

If we don't talk about the trade rumors on deadline day,

what do we talk about? We know most of the rumors won’t happen, but at least give us the satisfaction of having something to talk about.

MfaninAlaska - July 31, 2008 reply

Talk about them, sure

But to take them seriously?

If we talk about them,

then its going to come across as being taken seriously….. there’s no two ways around it, once you talk about something you give validity to it.

By the way, Rosenthal just said the Yanks are unlikely to land Byrd now, saying Cleveland’s asking price would likely be too high at this point. He’s a better bet to be moved during the waiver period as its unlikely he’d be claimed because of his salary.

MfaninAlaska - July 31, 2008 reply

Read it wrong

He said the Indians would not seek much in return for Byrd…. I read it as if he said they would seek too much in return for Byrd.

MfaninAlaska - July 31, 2008 reply

Responding to a trade rumor by stating a belief that your team is screwed indicates one takes it seriously

(Not you specifically but others)

Rosenthal's about as good as it gets as far as the deadline is concerned

Yes.

Name some trades he's called in advance

Why does he have to call trades in advance?

He’s usually the first to know when an official deal goes down. He’s worth reading if you’re going to follow the deadline at all.

Okay, so cite a few examples

If the evidence is irrefutable, you should be able to point it out.

I really can't be bothered.

His archives are freely available though. Knock yourself out.

I'll do a study one of these days

But I can’t just buy into posted rumors from sources with a scattershot accuracy rate.

Nobody's buying into them with complete faith.

It’s just something to talk about.

Take all of them with a grain of salt

All rumors are white noise until they officially come to pass.

Well duh

Obviously?

All children are children until they grow up

patsfan - July 31, 2008 reply

Unless

they’re dwarves?

AZSEAfan - July 31, 2008 reply

Clearly no one has told you yet that if it's posted on the internet, it MUST BE TRUE!

Buhh

Rumors are rumors

and should be taken as just that.

What Matthew said.

He’s the first one I link in rumor diaries.

It's still crap, there's no way Byrd is an upgrade over Rasner and the Yankees know this

Perhaps the Yanks put this out there to scare Lee

It sure as hell scares me. I’d make the salary dump. Or if they really want Gardner, take Igawa and be done with it.

Taking Igawa wouldn't help the salary dump.

Washburn is still owed $13+ million over the next year (including the rest of this season). Igawa still has 13+ million over the next 3 years. Yeah it’s spread out, but we are not saving any cash for future roster construction.

Wilder. - July 31, 2008 reply

Yah, but perhaps Gardner is worth it?

He seems to be a patient hitter who can work a count and it isn’t like we have many of those on the team.

He will actually be good now if this trade happens.

According to his son.

Fin - July 31, 2008 reply

Is anyone else as jazzed about the trade deadline stuff as I am?

I just love the chaos as teams frantically flip players. Besides, this looks to have been the biggest trade season in a couple of years, what with Sabathia, Harden, Griffey, and Teixera already having flipped and Bay and Ramirez and maybe Dunn likely also on the way.

By the way, I probably failed the Bar. Goddamn bar.

esoteric - July 31, 2008 reply

Tough luck man. Does anyone pass the bar the first time?

I love the trade deadline. I should take the day off from work next year. I love being obsessive.

I'll ask my friend Scott... who just took the bar here in WA

I don’t know if he got his results back yet, but he feels real good about his effort.

My boss is out of town in Chicago.. Guess who isn't going to work!

My boss just left for the day so I can stop all pretense of working and just follow this.

Well, for a little while longer anyway.

Atta girl!

My buddy passed the Alaska Bar on his first try.

And Alaska law is almost entirely case created, meaning he had to research hundreds of court cases.

thewyrm - July 31, 2008 reply

ESPN Trade Deadline Blog is

saying that the Blue Jays are starting to take a look at Raul

Little late in the day I think

And no names are involved.

It's only late in the day on the East Coast...

errrr…damn.

Fucking east coast bias

Rosenthal picking up on it now too..

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/rt/rt.php?rtId=9&nocache=1217527429#new

Baseball Prospectus has a "live" roundtable for the rest of the day

If anyone is interested:

C'mon, c'mon, c'mon

No whammies no whammies no whammies.....

PLEASE YOU GUYS HELP EACH OTHER OUT I LOVE YOU BOTH DO IT FOR ME

Keith Law was just on ESPN2's trade-deadline special, and he complimented the M's on the deal.

That's a first...

I have effing ATP tennis on ESPN2. WTF

ESPN News, rather. My bad.

90 minutes left..

I have a bad feeling that Lee is completely finished today.

Unless the Blue Jays do something completely nuts

I’m starting to think the same…

What on earth could the Jays possibly offer us of interest for Raul

Adam Lind, Travis Snider? Not sure how they’d part with those guys. Wilk + pitching prospect for Raul?

Brett Cecil+

draft picks?

would Ibanez stay in Canada?

If he wants a raise he will.

They'd also get two high draft picks if Ibanez declines arbitration

If they pencil that in, perhaps they’d give up some of their young OF??

Remember though, sometimes deals finalize after the deadline, so just because it's exactly 1:00, doesn't mean we're done.

Cardinals are in on Bay?

I like it.

DRB is going bat shit crazy.

The people at DRB are always bat shit crazy

http://www.draysbay.com/2008/7/31/583769/trade-deadline-open-thread#7785306

Proof:

Jesus Christ

This freaked me out.

Their rec threshhold is lower!

Comments go green at 2 recs!

That’s cheating!

1 rec at RR

I wanna sign there!

We couldn't get anything done at the deadline this year, sorry.

Maybe over the winter. We don’t think the prospects RR sends back would get through SBN waivers.

Sometimes I leave here to remind myself I would be mod worthy at most SBN sites.

According to DRays Bay

I am the Felix of LL

They have low standards.

Unfortunately, it was an LL'er that called him that.

Bannable offense.

Truth.

Only in the sense that he's untradable.

You, on the other hand...

I wouldn't oppose a trade to DRB.

I’d miss you guys a lot, but at least I’d get to feel smart more often.

It's not that hard there.

BIG FISH! BIG FISH!

See ya.

That's insanity!

Yeah I already pointed out the lowered standards.

How no one posted furries in response to this I don't understand.

Don't suggest.

♥ NOLA

Shucks.

This team even sucks at making interesting trade rumors

This whole deadline seems like all talk and no happening

maybe that’s how it always works

Rays land Bay?

Rotoworld:

A source told MLB.com that the Rays will get Jason Bay from the Pirates for Reid Brignac and Jeff Niemann.
It’s a very good trade for the Rays if true. Brignac is one of the game’s top infield prospects, but the Rays were able avoid surrendering a second top-notch talent for a player they’d have under control at a very modest price through the end of 2009. If the Pirates trade Bay without getting an outfielder, they could call up Nyjer Morgan to help out. Andrew McCutchen is another possibility, but there’s little reason to think he’s ready

...And someone just 50 fiddlecatted DRB

First impression is to agree.

That would be a great deal for the Rays.

Yes.

Buh? The Blue Jays interested in Raul Ibanez?

ThundaPC - July 31, 2008 reply

WHAT???

Manny isn’t going to get traded?!...NO WAY

If there is enough time, it sounds conceivable that Raul goes to Toronto

They were in on Bay and with him going to Tampa, maybe they will get desperate to make a move and give in to the high demands? One can hope

Travis Snider would look really good in LF...

Lefty bat AND a hometown guy? Cmon now..

Travis Snider is a fucking asshole who shoved me into a gym locker in middle school.

Really?

Haha

I'm dead serious.

Dude

Not cool then

Still funny.

Think of the heckling you could do if we got him on the M’s!

Good point

Just imagine the GTE I'd have for all of you.

The only big leaguers I have ever met were Travis Lee and Jared Sandberg.

Travis Lee was an awesome guy and Jared Sandberg was kind of a douche, but mostly harmless.

I met Jamie Moyer and Dan Wilson at a little league camp once

unsurprisingly, they were really nice guys

He did go through anger management

I hear he is a kinder, gentler person now. He might even say sorry.

Sec 108 - July 31, 2008 reply

Personally, I hope this lights a fire under the Yanks to improve

As the Rays have just really helped themselves. The Red Sox especially are in trouble now as they’ve helped themselves the least.

Caroll is saying Jays real close on Ibanez.

Carroll has no red here

but DO. WANT.

*cred

Has Carroll been right once today? It seems like everything he says is off..

That being said – DO WANT AS WELL

Replace today with ever

and the answer is still no.

I think BP is just trying to keep people from FOX and ESPN

BP thinks it's something that it isn't and baseball teams know this

I doubt it's still the first thing Billy Beane reads in the morning.

Billy Beane reads LL and steals our ideas

So Billy Beane only dates chicks who dislike "White Girls?"

Would you date someone who liked the movie White Chicks?

I won't comment on this for fear of ruining whatever reputation I might have with you

And where the hell did "White Girls" come from

seattlebruin has JItis as well apparently

Thought you were being politically correct.

Nope, just JItis

It's contagious.

I blame my facebook wall

I felt fine until this morning!

That is how it's transmitted, yes...

This is what I get for being nice.

It's OK, you're still cool

it could be worse, you could have had Robert Stalker Syndrome

I'm a better stalker than Robert will ever be.

Them's fightin words!

He used "chicks" earlier in the same sentence.

JItis makes it impossible to notice such things.

It would hurt their prospects.

So okay there was a slight element of truth in that post

Major Payne is terrible

I

Major Payne !=terrible

dbroncos31 - July 31, 2008 reply

I had to sit through "From Justin to Kelly" as a relationship test

No way

I later found out that she hated that movie and just wanted to see if I would stick with her

Not worth it

The fact that she didn't know what the word cunt meant provided me with a week of endless amusement.

bwahahahahaha

I don't want to know how you figured that one out

Sounds like a crazy

What a bitch

You should have made her watch a Rockies - Pirates game with you

Nick S - July 31, 2008 reply

This seems a strange test.

better have been worth it

In all honestly the random hoverboat chase scene was kinda cool

Kind of like Tim Ruskell reads Field Gulls and steals all of John Morgan's ideas?

Yes, but this is worse for us

haha

NB: note source.

I just hope Rhodes isn't the only move we make.

Although that was a good one IMHO.

Seems Stark is the one talking this up

27 minutes left.. Comin down to the wire!

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

It's all over, isn't it.

That would be:

tick.tick.tick.tick… BOOM!!!

It's too late, it's too soon

Or is it?

Are we getting Lind for Ibanez??

I hope it's Lind and not lint.

Lind?

Holy Taco

Globe and Mail

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080731.WBbaseball20080731145820/WBStory/WBbaseball/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080731.WBbaseball20080731145820

With one hour left to the expiration of the non-waiver trade deadline, the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners are in on-going talks on a trade that would move outfielder Raul Ibanez to the Blue Jays, according to multiple sources. One source with another Major League team believes the acquisition, if it were to happen, might open the doors for the Blue Jays to put together a deal involving Adam Lind.

Although, this makes it sound like Ibanez would give them room to move Lind somewhere else…

I feel like we would have to give more than Ibanez to land Lind

Yes, that would be Lind elsewhere, not to here.

Unless we are giving them more than Ibanez??

Hey.

Screen name.

I guess the Marlins want Stairs too

This is looking promising

Ibanez for Stairs

Why???

God why?

haha no

Seattlebruin's note

this is a joke. This is a joke. I wouldn’t trade Jake Woods for Matt Stairs.

I might do that.

Not a fan of Mystic Tan.

Ibanez for Stairs, then we flip Stairs/Gabby Hernandez to florida for Rhodes.

What about lillibr.... uhhh....

STAB

Seriously, if you're gonna keep mentioning this lillibrstab, I want to see some stats/scouting on this guy

And...USSM is dead.

Who had 12:35?

Wins the Trade Deadline pool.

Christian - July 31, 2008 reply

Posted by Jayson Stark
With an hour left until the trading deadline, two major deals are still alive - Jason Bay to the Rays and Raul Ibanez to the Blue Jays. Sources say Toronto has been officially eliminated from the Bay sweepstakes, and the Cubs are out of the Ibanez derby - a sign that the remaining clubs are zeroing in on one another. The Mets also have been linked to both hitters. But there has been no indication Thursday that they’ve made any progress on either.
Despite persistent reports that Tampa Bay has a deal for Adam Dunn waiting as a backup plan, a source that spoke with the Rays’ brass says that trade is dead.

If this is true (if)

that means there’s actually bidding going on? Or have the Cubs come to their senses?

Stark now says the M's backed out of a 2-1 deal.

GODDAMMIT

I want a trade.

Did he mention any names?

Only said it was a 2-1 deal involving all major leaguers.

2-1 our way or theirs?

Sounded like we were getting two, but he didn't actually specify that.

Rotoworld speculates Purcey and League.

Which one is Purcey

League is the one that throws 99 mph right

The really white one

Nick S - July 31, 2008 reply

There's 22 really white ones...

meh

agreed.

Not worth it.

It was probably Ibanez and Vidro for Halladay

all major league players?

I wonder who it could have been. If it was anyone actually good, there’s no way we back out of that.

Stark said all 3 players invloved were major leaguers

I dunno?

Eckstein would have been hilarious.

Ibanez and Reed for Lind

The Rays need Adam Dunn like I need a kick in the tentacles.

...tentacles?

That's right.

Excellent usage.

I was hoping you'd catch that NOLA.

I know my John Cusack.

I saw that in the other post.

He'd be a good DH

and would net them two picks.

I forgot about the draft picks.

Disagree.

Stark says the Ibanez/Toronto deal is dead

?!Q??Q??QWQJOIWUR*POQWYRPIUNHUnav ;z

AKDJFLARJ ARGH

I HATE THE TRADE DEADLINE

Eh probably for the best.

GODDAMN IT

GOD. DAMN. IT.

If it were two current major leaguers, I'm fine with passing on it.

Provided we offer arb, he declines, and we get the picks.

Is GTE allowed on trade deadline day?

I would think.

Good, 'cause I have some a-brewin'.

So a terrible team with a 100-plus million dollar payroll

Trades nobody but Arthur Rhodes. W-T-F

No floor.

Remember when you said that my tradition of birthday trade deadline disasters would stop?

Did you at least get cake?

Not yet...

I got Stone’s 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout though!

Better than cake.

much much better

Better than cake.

much much better

Wierd.

Almost as good.

You really need both though.

Ibanez is understandable, he'll net two compensation picks.

Washburn can still be dumped via waivers.

You assume he declines arbitration

And we are assuming Washburn clears waivers and the Yanks don’t just decide to let their young guys heal

Ibanez is 95% likely to decline arb

Washburn it doesn’t matter if he clears wiavers or not.

Churchill thinks he'd accept.

So he won't accept

Who's the last guy that accepted arbitration?

Boone?

Don't care

Neither do I

checks and balances

Ehh?

Say he clears and the Yanks have decided to pass? That matters.

The Yankees may not be the only team that would be interested in him.

No guarantees

It is entirely possible that Washburn and Raul are both on ‘09 roster.

That has nothing to do with Washburn actually clearing waivers

and everything to do with the Yankees deciding they don’t want him.

Those are different things.

Trades for the sake of trades are no smarter than big signings for the sake of big signings

They just couldn’t come to terms on suitable deals. A lot of teams looking to trade couldn’t. It happens every year.

Griffey trade official

Rotoworld says Bay -> TB deal is not happening.

Gamons says the Red Sox are taking one last shot wither sending him to LA or FLA

*either

Damn.

DRB isn't a happy place right now.

They shouldn't accept that it's done base on a blurb from rotoworld

Excitement overrides rationality sometimes.

If they didn't get Bay because of not parting with Brignac I think that's a mistake

I heard Hellickson was the hang up.

If Hellickson was the hang up then the Rays were right not to back down. If it was Brignac, that was a mistake.

esoteric - July 31, 2008 reply

I would love to buy low on Brignac....

In the context of a pennant run, and if it stops a deal for someone like Bay, eh, maybe.
But I think Brignac could be a damn good player…

Brignac is a good prospect, but the Rays have some depth at SS.

Bay helps them a LOT.

True

but the Rays owe it to themselves to get a lot of value for Brignac.

Brignac’s value right now isn’t terribly high, so I can see them waiting a while. Again, if that’s what stopped this deal, then yeah, I take the point. I just want the M’s to buy low on the guy… wish we’d have swapped Ibanez for Niemann/Brignac….

Trade deadlines are stupid

You're stupid

You're silly...JeffClown

why

Cause I'm stupid.

At least you're coming to terms with it.

Well this is the worst Christmas ever

Oh yeah fuck Roger Cle- I mean Brett Favre

Well that's that

That's it. All trades have to be in to the office by now.

Looks like no more big trades went through.

4:00! Fuck you Lee.

You’re not hired.

He did ok.

No.

The Rhodes deal was fantastic.

"Fantastic" is a bit much.

I expected him to kept or dealt for broken down junk.

Yea, but failing to move the other pieces that could have been moved

in my opinion, depreciate the fantastic-ness of the Rhodes deal.

Quality yes, fantastic no

Fantastic would have been like Jeremy Hermida for Rhodes

What we don't know is that was the Marlins first offer and Lee bartered down from there.

The Rhodes deal was good and he didn't fuck the team up with any other deals

I’d say he did okay. There are many, many more variables to making a trade than meets the eye, and other teams have wants, needs and demands themselves… so you can’t just say he failed just because no deals were made. There may not have been a worthwhile deal to be made aside from the Rhodes deal.

Dumping Washburn's salary is worthwhile.

But they can still do that going through waivers.

And...we're done.

Well that was stupid

Graham MacAree - July 31, 2008 reply

Our only hope for getting rid of Washburn is waivers now.

So much for seeing Hyphen and Morrow as starters next year.

I'm not sure why you ever had hope for that

I like to think now that Kenji started that rumor of Washburn to the Yanks

That was the most anti-climatic trade deadline since last year's

When was the last time we actually made a big deadline deal?

Or even a noticable one at all? Mabry for Al Martin??

Goddamn it!

Randy

Man, that was bitchin'.

The city was prepared to burn down the Kingdome when that went down

This is a good strategy considering the Kingdome was 99% concrete.

Burn down the rats!

Yeah thats what I suspected

Butch Huskey and David Segui

And Fassero!

unless we actually paid someone to take him. Which would still be a good deal.

Damn. Here's hoping something's pending we haven't heard about yet.

http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2008/7/28/580984/the-clumsy-giant-is-a-gent

Thanks Jeff!

http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2008/7/27/580494/39-65

http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2008/7/27/580100/7-27-open-game-thread

http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2008/7/26/579981/38-65

http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2008/7/26/579907/rumor-thread

You know, ESPNEWS...

Brett fucking Favre chartered that plane like hours and hours ago.

IT IS NO LONGER BREAKING NEWS IT NEVER WAS SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP

I give us a C

The Trade Deadline sucks when nothing happens

So, you're saying the trade deadline sucks?

At least bad things didn't happen to the Mariners.

Gotta count that as a victory.

Other than handcuffing ourselves to overpriced players for next year.

Not completely handcuffed yet but we definitely overplayed our hand

True, we're not 100% stuck yet.

But we should have jumped on some of these offers.

The Trade Deadline is 90% media hot air and 10% substance

BOOOOOOOOO

dbroncos31 - July 31, 2008 reply

How long until Washburn is claimed on waivers?

Exactly one year.

discovolante - July 31, 2008 reply

That would be brilliant.

Just let him go.

Here's my GTE:

How the fuck can an old overpriced team, that isn’t anywhere close to contention only make ONE (pretty minor) move at the deadline?

You gotta be shitting me.

That was a fairly small amount of GTE.

I'm a fairly mellow person.

But this sucks. I was at least hoping for a couple of moves. And this pretty much screws poor RRS unless Washburn leaves through waivers.

The same reason..

...that we’re an old, over priced team that isn’t anywhere close to contention.

See front office and organization’s skills (or lack thereof…)

rtang - July 31, 2008 reply

Sorry Lee

You’re not GM come 2009.

He lost my vote.

Although the Rhodes move was a pretty good one.

He probably wasn't going to be either way

Don't count him out.

Having extensive experience in working for this management team, he probably knows JUST what to say to butter them up. “No, really, I’ll work on a one year deal… and we’re not that far from making this work, I’ll bring back Junior and we’ll have great veteran chemistry and be in contention.”

eponymous_coward - July 31, 2008 reply

The fact that we couldn't move a team loaded with high-priced gritty veterans

when we are this far out of contention is really a terrible indictment.

Boston Globe says Manny is traded.

Dodgers? and Bay is involved?

I', starting to think Coletti is Sabean-level dumb.

He may be dumb but at least he ain't no goddamn nerd

And myself as well, apparently.

You caught it too.

Here's the deal, per Heyman.

Manny -> LA
Bay -> Boston
4 Minor Leaguers, unnamed -> Pitt

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/07/31/manny.sweepstakes/index.html?eref=T1

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8397286/Latest-news-and-rumors-from-around-MLB

Updated 4:28 p.m.: Manny traded to Dodgers

Manny Ramirez has been traded to the Dodgers in a three-team blockbuster, pending the approval of the commissioner’s office, according to a source with knowledge of the deal.

Pirates outfielder Jason Bay is headed to the Red Sox. The Pirates will receive Andy LaRoche and right-hander Bryan Morris from the Dodgers and outfielder Damien Moss and releiver Craig Hansen from the Red Sox.

The Red Sox will pay all of the approximately $7 million remaining on Ramirez’s contract.

Pirates made out like fiends.

Meh

Graham MacAree - July 31, 2008 reply

spoke rashly

It’s not as big a haul as I first thought.

It doesn't seem like the Pirates got anyone with a real high ceiling.

I know they need a lot of ~~cheap, averagish~~ players at all levels. It looks like Huntington is trying to get depth. Maybe the real high ceiling guys weren’t available.

Yeah, this is a bit odd

given what Bay was supposed to be commanding from the Rays. I guess Niemann isn’t really high ceiling either, but… Craig Hansen?

LaRoche should be a good MLB player.

Didn't they have LaRoche before??

Adam LaRoche, not Andy.

Now they have both!

It's a sad day for baseball now that one team has cornered the market on LaRoches :(

All this parity talk is bullshit.

Ad. LaRoche An. LaRoche and what do you get?

The Pirates!

Okay.

Isn’t the other LaRoche somewhere else now then?

No, they're both in Pittsburgh.

Crazy.

I think that's a different LaRoche from the Braves.

The Dodgers outfield is fucking retarded now

Ethier and Kemp sit?

Well maybe Manny can show Andruw how to not suck at hitting.

Or maybe Andruw can show Manny how get visibly fatter and then tell people it's not being in bad shape that's your problem

I could do that for $16M/yr

I'd do it for Yuni's salary.

what the fuck

Lord almighty; put DRB on mass suicide watch.

Bay to the Red Sox?

craig3410 - July 31, 2008 reply

`

“The Pirates will receive Andy LaRoche and right-hander Bryan Morris from the Dodgers and outfielder Damien Moss and releiver Craig Hansen from the Red Sox.” per Rosenthal

TBH, that's a heck of a return for the Pirates.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8397286/Latest-news-and-rumors-from-around-MLB

Details of Manny -> Dodgers and Bay -> Red Sox

Manny Ramirez has been traded to the Dodgers in a three-team blockbuster, pending the approval of the commissioner’s office, according to a source with knowledge of the deal.
Pirates outfielder Jason Bay is headed to the Red Sox. The Pirates will receive Andy LaRoche and right-hander Bryan Morris from the Dodgers and outfielder Brandon Moss and releiver Craig Hansen from the Red Sox.
The Red Sox will pay all of the approximately $7 million remaining on Ramirez’s contract.

Not to be a bitch, but look above. Like four minutes ago.

I think Boston really helped themselves here

They get out from under Manny and get a nice replacement in Bay. And it cost them mostly money.

How do they get out from under Manny?

They’re paying his 08 salary and could always have declined his options.

I guess he means they don't have to deal with his antics anymore.

Note:

That is Brandon Moss, not Damian.

Brian Sullivan - July 31, 2008 reply

God how was Steve Phillips ever a MLB gm?

this trade means that the gap between the sox and yanks is a little smaller

seatownsports - July 31, 2008 reply

The Sox aren't any worse.

They might actually be better.

Agreed.

Factoring in defense, they may have just improved.

Similar hitter, better defense

I’d say they got better.

Is Bay really a similar hitter to Manny?

Manny must have slipped more than I noticed. Or Bay is better than I think he is.

PNC is a tough place to hit

Bay contact is a favorable one.

Bay's not quite as good offensivley, but his defense more than makes up for it.

And he’s signed through next year.

Yes, though Bay's defense is not good either from what I've read.

I've heard the same thing but when you're replacing Manny all you need to be is not castrophic in the field.

JItis

catastrophic

Better?

Comparison

Manny 2008: .299/.398/.529
Manny Career: .312/.409/.590

Bay 2008: .282/.375/.519
Bay Career: .281/.375/.515

Bay sucked last year but he plays in a pretty severe pitcher’s park and Manny plays in Fenway. I think this is a clear upgrade for the Sox as long as Bay doesn’t go all 2007 on them

Bay has definitely bounced back this year.

He’s going to be 30, but it’s looking like 07 was an outlier and he’ll be a productive hitter.

Don't forget NL to AL swap.

Manny’s clearly a better hitter than Bay. He was ~20 runs more valuable in each of 06 and 07 and though they’ve been pretty similar to date (though again, Manny’s better), you have to factor in league adjustment.

The Sox got better for 2008, but not in any significant way.

They blocked him from going to Tampa.

Which apparently is all they were trying to do.

And they got better for this year and next so

A+

Seems like if they got even 1 run better and get a LF that can play for a few years with a smaller contract it's still an upgrade

Maybe not huge but any upgrade is one a GM should be trying to make.

A year.

And yes. I’m not arguing otherwise.

Of course, they also had to pick up Manny's 08 salary and dole out two prospects

in order to accomplish that upgrade.

Doesn't the NL to AL swap affect pitchers more?

I’d say the difference depends entirely on defense considering they’ve been worth pretty much the same on offense this year. Anybody who’s watched Bay: would you say he’s -15 < x < -5 on defense?

You cannot just ignore 2006 and 2007.

Yeah, obviously. On the other hand so far this year Manny's BA has been luckier than Bay's

Manny’s K% is the highest it’s been since 2001 while Jason Bay has a K% ~4% below his career average. (I’m not sure if any of these are valid points)

I'd like for someone smarter than me to confirm this

but it seems like the Red Sox did decently, the Pirates did well and the Dodgers got hosed

That was my amatuer assesment.

thewyrm - July 31, 2008 reply

They just got worse for the low low cost of prospects.

How the hell has no one managed to pry Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, James Loney, Chad Billingsley or Clayton Kershaw away from Coletti??

Give it time. It will happen.

Or Russell Martin or Jonathan Broxton, for that matter

And the Mariners fail... again.

Coach Owens - July 31, 2008 reply

oh well..better playing it safe and waiting for the new gm then making a mistake we'll regret

seatownsports - July 31, 2008 reply

Not quite fail...

...but not too great, either.

Failure to complete the assigned project.

No reason...

..why they couldn’t sneak Washburnout through waivers with that price tag. Hold the throwing-up-a-little-bit-in-your-own-mouth for another few weeks.

Brian Sullivan - July 31, 2008 reply

Here's the thing on that, though.

Washburn isn’t good. If he regresses (and it’s only a matter of time) he doesn’t look as tempting to the Yankees. They could have gotten rid if him and his salary already. I’m not saying the front office is stupid for pursuing this strategy, but I’m not a fan of the thought process that went into it.

If the Yankees bought that he was actually good, they would have paid something for him.

I think they think he's better than he is.

We don't know what other teams were offering/demanding

Unless we assume rumors are absolutely true.

Doesn't matter.

They could have been offering a free breakfast at the Grand Lux Cafe during the Vegas winter meetings, and the correct response would have been “As long as you pay his salary, we’ll take it. Make sure the eggs are over easy.”

eponymous_coward - July 31, 2008 reply

If Jeff is correct

We can still dump Jarrod via waiver trade.

So how much of an epic disaster will Griffey be in CF?

Though the White Sox gave up pretty much nothing according to Sheehan.

Like Raul in center but slightly less bad.

I thought Griffey was worse?

Coach Owens - July 31, 2008 reply

I assume since I wasn't told I was wrong that this is an accurate guess.

Junior's going to play CF for them?

Oh shit.

This should be amusing.

eponymous_coward - July 31, 2008 reply

Pirates did great on the Bay trade

To go along with what a previous poster said, here’s hoping that our next GM will be able to fleece Coletti this winter.

Washburn’s gone in August anyway. A prospect for Rhodes + Washburn being gone = C+.

I'm never counting my chickens early again.

Those eggs just keep hatching doom.

Nice Gammons just said we will finish in last in the division the next 3-4 years.

Truth.

Coach Owens - July 31, 2008 reply

Not unlikely.

If only the Nationals would suck slightly less.

Not at all

Not for the reasons he believes, though. The problems are more fundamental than, The M’s didn’t make enough deals boo.

I like Gammons less and less.

He did say he liked the Griffey move so I think hes losing it.

I think he lost it a while ago.

Gammons is senile

What a ridiculous assertion. The entire baseball landscape will be different in 2011 and 2012, just like how it has changed since 04 and 05.

Never listen to anyone who works for ESPN.

You know what's the same about 04 and 08... :(

Manny trade rumors every 4 seconds?

although I guess they came true this year.

I didn't want to bring that part up

But that’s what we get for refusing to take part in any sort of rebuilding effort.

I don't see Edgar anywhere

I like John Clayton.

Steve Philips also typically has valuable insight...

but yeah, for the most part, talking heads are just “talking heads” and don’t do any real analysis at all…

Don't forget Sando

Actually, I like a lot of people that work for ESPN.

It’s their programming I have a problem with.

John Kruk ruins everything he does

I dislike a lot of people that work for ESPN, too.

Skip Bayless is at the top of my hate list.

God that guy is insufferable.

He was atop mine for a while, but now I just don't care anymore. He's become humorous to me.

He’s like a kid arguing something he doesn’t care about just to be a dick. It’s like your annoying little cousin or something. I find him harmless.

But that may be a case of me just getting tired of being angry and giving up.

Skip Bayless is truly stupid

and truly stupid people who think they’re brilliant deserve all the scorn given to them. I don’t find him argumentative for the sake of being argumentative – I find him argumentative because he’s an idiot

I'm argumentative because I'm drunk, usually.

Yes, but this is a good reason to argue

Especially if you won't give me more beer.

I'm no longer convinced that he takes himself seriously.

1st and Ten is on sometimes when I’m getting ready for work, and when I see his asshole-ish smile after saying something, I’m pretty sure he’s just doing it for a paycheck.