2008-09 MLB Hot Stove

[KCK_Halo]

HD_MM YOU GUYS JUST GOT A GEM!!!!

[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3802342"]Chicago Cubs deal Mark DeRosa to Cleveland Indians - ESPN[/ame]


I love DeRo! He is all balls and grit at several positions. Take good care of him. Make him feel welcome because I know he loved it in Chicago. Aside from a very good player he is one helluva human being.

 

[FIREBIRD81]

The Angels seem to be focusing on good players who WANT to play specifically for the Angels. Fuentes specificaly said he wants to be here, so I say give him a chance. A happy player tends to play better than one who is not.

 

[HD MM]

ESPN - Chicago Cubs deal Mark DeRosa to Cleveland Indians


I love DeRo! He is all balls and grit at several positions. Take good care of him. Make him feel welcome because I know he loved it in Chicago. Aside from a very good player he is one helluva human being.

Interesting. His stats appear to be similar to Casey Blake who we got rid of last year. I don't know much about him. Is DeRosa a good fielder? According to ESPN, he plays 2B, but they suggest that he can also play 3rd. I guess this will now give us options.

I don't know how much you pay attention to the Tribe, but we have a very young player by the name of [ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28671"]Asdrubal Cabrera Stats, News, Photos - Cleveland Indians - ESPN[/ame] who is primed to take over at SS for [ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5527"]Jhonny Peralta Stats, News, Photos - Cleveland Indians - ESPN[/ame]. Cabrera at 23 is already an amazing fielder. Plus he's from Venezuela and grew up idolizing Omar Vizquel (pretty awesome SS to model his game after)! Anyways, Jhonny Peralta has been instructed to play 3B down in winter ball. This now makes perfect sense! (Move Jhonny to 3rd and have Cabrera at his natural position at SS!!!)

1B- Ryan Garko
2B- Mark DeRosa
SS- Astrabal Cabrera
3B- Jhonny Peralta
C- Victor Martinez

If DeRosa can play a lick of defense, this is shaping up to be a VERY formidable infield!!!!!

 

[SabresRule]

If he can't play defense, then move him to DH!

 

[HD MM]

If he can't play defense, then move him to DH!

Cough. Pronk. Cough.

 

[KCK_Halo]

Interesting. His stats appear to be similar to Casey Blake who we got rid of last year. I don't know much about him. Is DeRosa a good fielder? According to ESPN, he plays 2B, but they suggest that he can also play 3rd. I guess this will now give us options. If DeRosa can play a lick of defense, this is shaping up to be a VERY formidable infield!!!!!

DeRo is a natural 2B. However when he played for the Rangers, he learned the outfield 1B and a tad bit of 3B. Piniella (along with all of his coaches from Bobby Cox on up) just love him because they can throw him out there almost anywhere and he can play. HE CAN PLAY! Plus, as he gets older, his fine attitude and clubhouse presence rubs off on the youngsters.

FYI, I watch the Tribe alot. With their earlier start times, they are among the teams I like to watch play before our 7PM round of West Coast games. I was huge fan of the '07 team and watched them almost as much as the Angels. That was some lineup. I will again watch the '09 season especially with DeRo in your lineup. And this will be the "make-or-break" year for Sir Pronk.l

 

[HD MM]

And this will be the "make-or-break" year for Sir Pronk.l

His injury riddled shoulder was an issue last year. We have a lot of our offense riding on whether or not his shoulder has regained the strength of past.

 

[HD MM]

Just read an interesting tidbit on DeRosa and the Tribe....

In only 149 games last year, DeRosa clubbed 21 home runs and drove in a considerable amount of runs (87).

The thoughts of DeRosa as our full-time second baseman work for me as well. When was the last time we had a second baseman club over 20 home runs?

Answer: Robby Alomar, 2001

Next up for Shapiro will be to land a starting pitcher to plug into the rotation.

*BTW, I'm liking the Cubbies. The Tribe and Chicago are becoming quite the buddies in the trade department! First Wood, now DeRosa!

 

[SabresRule]

A.L. Central will be interesting in 2009.

The White Sox don't strike me as a legit contender, the Twins are too young and don't have a big bopper, the Tigers need more pitching, and the Royals are the Royals.

I think Cleveland could rebound, but without CC, Carmona MUST rebound, and the closer must step up.

 

[SabresRule]

Word of advice, HD- hope the Tribe beat up on the Royals every time possible.

Teams need every win over the creampuffs over the long season.

Exhibit A- Last year's Mets lost an 11-0 game to the pathetic Mariners that ended up making a huge difference.

 

[HD MM]

A.L. Central will be interesting in 2009.

The White Sox don't strike me as a legit contender, the Twins are too young and don't have a big bopper, the Tigers need more pitching, and the Royals are the Royals.

Yet the Sox and Twins were fighting for 1st place in the AL Central on the last game of the year in '08. I agree with the Tigers needing more pitching, although I expect them to rebound nicely from last years disappointment.

I think Cleveland could rebound, but without CC, Carmona MUST rebound, and the closer must step up.

I agree on all counts. We need the Carmona of 2006 to show up. And we need Hafner to come back strong and healthy.

Don't forget, the Indians had the best record of any team in the Bigs after the All-Star Break last year. And this was without Hafner, Sabathia and Westbrook (Tommy John Surgery).

 

[HD MM]

Tribe could rebound in a big way in '09

Wonderful new article on ESPN's MLB Front Page!

[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/index"]Moved Permanently[/ame]

 

[SabresRule]

We need the Carmona of 2006 to show up.

Are you sure? 2006 was when Carmona was briefly their closer, and was as unlucky a closer as I've ever seen- seven games, 4 losses, 3 blown saves, 2 walk-off homers

I think you hve your years mixed up.

 

[HD MM]

Word of advice, HD- hope the Tribe beat up on the Royals every time possible.

Teams need every win over the creampuffs over the long season.

Exhibit A- Last year's Mets lost an 11-0 game to the pathetic Mariners that ended up making a huge difference.

The Royals are no stinker anymore. They ended up with 75 wins last year. That would've been good enough for 3rd place in the NL West.

 

[HD MM]

Are you sure? 2006 was when Carmona was briefly their closer, and was as unlucky a closer as I've ever seen- seven games, 4 losses, 3 blown saves, 2 walk-off homers

I think you hve your years mixed up.

I meant 2007. Woops

2007:

19-8, 3.06 ERA, 137 SO

 

[KCK_Halo]

DeRo has committed to play for the USA in the WBC. I hope that, along with a new team, doesn't set him off to a bad start in Cleveland. If he does, I can just hear the Tribe fans now.

 

[Jimbo]

A.L. Central will be interesting in 2009.

The White Sox don't strike me as a legit contender, the Twins are too young and don't have a big bopper, the Tigers need more pitching, and the Royals are the Royals.

I think Cleveland could rebound, but without CC, Carmona MUST rebound, and the closer must step up.

Is this the same Chi Sox and Twins that went on to tie for the division championship last year.
That alone should tell you the Twins are not too young and the Sox will be competitive again.

 

[HD MM]

DeRo has committed to play for the USA in the WBC. I hope that, along with a new team, doesn't set him off to a bad start in Cleveland. If he does, I can just hear the Tribe fans now.

Na. It'll just be a place for him and G-Size to bond. (Fellow Team USA Guy).

 

[Mets82]

Lowe Unimpressed By Mets' Offer

By Ben Nicholson-Smith [January 1 at 2:33pm CST]
Derek Lowe was "hardly overwhelmed" by the Mets' three year $36MM offer, Mike Puma of the New York Post heard from a baseball source. Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe heard from a source of his own that Lowe's "likely to continue shopping for a more desirable offer."
It's uncertain who would make such an offer, since Massarotti writes that the Yankees, Red Sox and Phillies are not currently interested in Lowe.
As a result, the Mets could end up in what Puma calls a "protracted stare down" with Scott Boras and his client.

Well excuse me.

 

[cjwct]

New Update on Lowe and the Mets from Cerrone at Metsblog.com:

Tonight on the MLB Network’s Hot Stove Live, SI.com’s Jon Heyman said Derek Lowe rejected Omar Minaya’s three-year, $36 million offer, because he is seeking $16 million per season.

According to Heyman, the Phillies and Braves are Minaya’s ‘biggest threat for Lowe,’ while the Red Sox and a ‘mystery team,’ like the Brewers, are showing interest as well.

Sheesh . . . we are at a tug of war over $12 million dollars . . . give me a break . . . sign him, split the additional 12 million with incentives