Hot Stove Thread 08-09

[MOtorboat]

No, this is not about some pregnant chick (for clay).

This is the Hot Stove baseball thread.

I posted this earlier in the Holliday thread, and it was probably the wrong place for it.

These are the free agents MLB has labeled as worth a compensatory pick if they are signed away from their current team:


FYI...

A
Bobby Abreu
A.J. Burnett
Orlando Cabrera
Juan Cruz
Adam Dunn
Brian Fuentes
Trevor Hoffman
Bob Howry
Orlando Hudson
Raul Ibanez
Derek Lowe
Mike Mussina
Darren Oliver
Oliver Perez
Andy Pettitte
Manny Ramirez
Edgar Renteria
C.C. Sabathia
Ben Sheets
Russ Springer
Mark Teixeira
Jason Varitek
Kerry Wood

B
Jeremy Affeldt
Moises Alou
Garret Anderson
Luis Ayala
Joe Beimel
Casey Blake
Milton Bradley
Paul Byrd
Alan Embree
Eric Gagne
Jon Garland
Luis Gonzalez
Ken Griffey, Jr.
Mark Grudzielanek
Jason Isringhausen
Randy Johnson
Jeff Kent
Paul Lo Duca
Braden Looper
Mark Loretta
Greg Maddux
Dennys Reyes
Ivan Rodriguez
Brian Shouse
John Smoltz
Frank Thomas
Juan Uribe
David Weathers
Randy Wolf

[MOtorboat]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3713851


Source: Mussina to retire after 18-year career

By Jayson Stark
ESPN.com

As expected, New York Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina has decided to retire, according to a baseball source with knowledge of the situation. Mussina informed the Yankees last week he would give them a decision by the end of this week.

Mussina, who turns 40 next month, spent the last eight seasons with the Yankees after pitching for the Baltimore Orioles for the first 10 years of his career. His 270 wins rank second among all active right-handers, behind only Greg Maddux. In the final start of his career, he pitched six shutout innings against the Boston Red Sox to finish off the first 20-win season of his career.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he's just the fifth pitcher since 1900 to win 20 games or more in the final season of his career -- and the first since Sandy Koufax in 1967. He's the only pitcher in that group to win his 20th game in his final start.

The Yankees had indicated they were interested in bringing Mussina back if he wanted to keep pitching. But they had also suggested they might need to wait to see if they could accomplish their goal of signing at least two other free-agent starters this season -- an indication they weren't counting on Mussina to return from the beginning.

His retirement was first reported by FoxSports.com.

Jayson Stark is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

[MOtorboat]

And the one I'm interested in...

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3712531


Red Sox send Crisp to Kansas City for Ramirez

Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Royals picked up the leadoff hitter they had been seeking, acquiring center fielder Coco Crisp from the Boston Red Sox for reliever Ramon Ramirez on Wednesday.

Kansas City was 12th among 14 AL teams in runs last season and added power last month, obtaining first baseman Mike Jacobs from Florida.

The switch-hitting Crisp gives the Royals speed at the top of the lineup and a superb defender in center field who has World Series experience.

"The speed aspect of it was very important," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. "I've talked many times about the importance of a balanced lineup, speed at the top and the bottom, and Coco certainly gives us that."

The 29-year-old was the subject of trade rumors for much of last season following the emergence of rookie Jacoby Ellsbury.

The two split time in center, with Crisp hitting .283 with seven homers and 41 RBIs in 98 games. He also stole 20 bases in 27 attempts, the third straight season he's reached the 20-steal mark.

Ellsbury hit .280 with nine homers and 47 RBIs last season, proving to the Red Sox that he's ready to be an everyday player. Boston also gains financial savings by trading Crisp, who's due to make $5.75 million next season in a deal that includes an $8 million club option for 2010 with a $500,000 buyout.

"He played through injuries. He played hard," Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said of Crisp. "With the emergence of Jacoby Ellsbury, we felt like we would be able to find a [backup] outfielder on the market easier than we would find a valuable member of the bullpen."

The Royals got Ramirez, a 27-year-old righty, in a trade with Colorado before last season. They were so impressed with his stuff that they projected him to be their closer.

With a fastball that reaches the mid-90s mph, Ramirez is a power pitcher who seems suited for the late innings. He was one of the primary set-up men for closer Joakim Soria and flourished in that spot, going 3-2 with a 2.64 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings.

"He's very quietly had a tremendous amount of success in the major leagues over the last 2½ years," Epstein said.

Ramirez figures to play a set-up role for closer Jonathan Papelbon and could send Justin Masterson back to the rotation, where he feels more comfortable.

"It's a new experience for me to be able to play on a contending club. I know that Boston is going to be in it, as they have in previous years," Ramirez said, speaking through a translator on a conference call. "I couldn't be happier right now. I'm ecstatic."

Masterson was 6-5 with a 3.16 ERA in 36 games as a rookie last season -- 4-3 with a 3.67 ERA in nine starts. As a reliever, he was 2-2 with a 2.36 ERA and worked nine postseason games with a 1.86 ERA and no decisions.

"[He] gives us the flexibility to start Masterson," Epstein said. "Ramirez potentially could replace Masterson in the 'pen."

Boston traded for Crisp after his breakout season -- .333, 15 homers, 69 RBIs -- with Cleveland in 2005. But a broken finger derailed Crisp's first year in Boston and Epstein said his offense never fully recovered.

Crisp has always been a superb fielder and picked up his offense the last half of 2008, hitting .315. He also hit .417 (10-for-24) in the playoffs, driving in the tying run in the eighth inning to complete Boston's comeback from a 7-0 deficit in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series against Tampa Bay.

"I play hard and pretty much stay within myself," said Crisp, a career .280 hitter. "I know what I can and cannot do, and with that I think it makes me a pretty good ballplayer. And to help the team, besides stepping on the field, I can hopefully bring a presence into the clubhouse that will help us win, the attitude of winning."

Epstein said the Red Sox hope to replace Crisp with a right-handed fourth outfielder who can play center. He probably will look outside the organization.

The addition of Crisp could signify more moves for the Royals, as well.

Crisp is expected to be the starter in center and Jose Guillen, the highest-paid player in franchise history, is locked in at right. That means Kansas City will have to find a way to get enough playing time for David DeJesus and Mark Teahen.

The loss of Ramirez also creates a hole in the middle of the bullpen that will likely need to be filled from outside the organization.

"I think it's safe to assume there's possible changes, but if we have to begin the season with the core group we finished the season with, it can be managed easily," Moore said.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

[Buff]

Ramirez always had a live arm when he was here... That guy was either lights out unhittable, or he walked 3 and gave up 7 earned runs. There was no middle ground.

I'd rather have an everyday guy like Crisp.

[MOtorboat]

Ramirez always had a live arm when he was here... That guy was either lights out unhittable, or he walked 3 and gave up 7 earned runs. There was no middle ground.

I'd rather have an everyday guy like Crisp.

The only problem the Royals have is that they have now given up both of their middle relievers/set up men worth a crap for every-day fielders.

Nunez for Mike Jacobs
Ramirez for Coco (Fruity Pebbles) Crisp

[MOtorboat]

The potential lineup for the Royals now looks like this, and it's better, but its at the expense of decent bullpen pitching:

CF - Coco Crisp
LF - David DeJesus
SS - Mike Aviles
RF - Jose Guillen
1B - Mike Jacobs
DH - Billy Butler
3B - Alex Gordon
C - Miguel Olivo
2B - ?

[Timmy!]

Heh. Coco Crisp. Always made me laugh lol.

[CoachChaz]

Just let Baltimore sign it's home town boys and I'll be happy.

Burnett and Teixiera

[MOtorboat]

Just let Baltimore sign it's home town boys and I'll be happy.

Burnett and Teixiera

That would be two really good signings for the O's.

[CoachChaz]

That would be two really good signings for the O's.

Well, McPhail openly said they were heavily pursuing those two. For McPhail to use a name...it gives me a good feeling. He rarely says anything so specific and convicting.

I'm sure those two would like to play for their "favorite" team, but I never assume anything when it comes to Angelos.

[MOtorboat]

Well, McPhail openly said they were heavily pursuing those two. For McPhail to use a name...it gives me a good feeling. He rarely says anything so specific and convicting.

I'm sure those two would like to play for their "favorite" team, but I never assume anything when it comes to Angelos.

Burnett will probably have to take less money to play for the O's and spurn the Sox and Yanks. Not sure if I see that happening. Teixeira, maybe.

[CoachChaz]

Burnett will probably have to take less money to play for the O's and spurn the Sox and Yanks. Not sure if I see that happening. Teixeira, maybe.

The O's wont go into the Sox/Yanks range, but they'll be aggressive. I expect both guys to use the Yanks and Sox offers to drive up the offers, but hopefully it doesnt get out of hand and Angelos is willing to spend.

After 10 years of bad decisions, the O's will have to overpay for guys like this, but at some point they have no choice but to pay the money to attempt being a little successful.

[Medford Bronco]

what a class act Coco Crisp is :salute: Good luck to him in KC, MB support
him well, he is definitely different than most of todays athletes.

link http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basebal...pth_in_bullpen/

Boy was he classy leaving Boston, here are some of the quotes.

“It’s kind of bittersweet,” Crisp said on a conference call. “I enjoyed playing in a city where the fans are pretty much crazy about the Red Sox. The sweet part comes in where I’m going to an organization where I know I can go out and play pretty much every day, which is what I wanted to do my whole entire life.”

With the trade, they cleared $6.25 million off their 2009 payroll. Epstein conceded that Crisp’s offensive contributions with the Red Sox in his three seasons did not meet expectations, but defensively he “became an elite defender. . . . He’s a pretty darn good player.”

“I would classify (my time with the Red Sox) as a great experience for me,” Crisp said. “I learned on the field and off the field, which helped me grow. I think the one negative aspect that came out of the whole thing was that I was plagued by nagging injuries primarily the whole time I was there with the exception of a month here, a month there and toward the end of this season when I was fully healed. It’s been an up-and-down ride.”

Crisp wishes nothing but the best for Ellsbury.

“(He’s) a guy who needs that opportunity to play every day for everyone to get a sense of what he’s going to bring to the table,” Crisp said. “I think with the year coming up with him playing every day, hopefully he’ll have a great season and be able to show everybody he’s going to be in the big leagues a long time as a starter.

“It’s nice for me to move aside, get out of his way to allow that. The Red Sox [team stats] are allowing that to happen by trading me, and now I have an opportunity to play every day instead of being a filler guy.”

[MOtorboat]

The O's wont go into the Sox/Yanks range, but they'll be aggressive. I expect both guys to use the Yanks and Sox offers to drive up the offers, but hopefully it doesnt get out of hand and Angelos is willing to spend.

After 10 years of bad decisions, the O's will have to overpay for guys like this, but at some point they have no choice but to pay the money to attempt being a little successful.

You'd hate to sign the guy and for him to get injured again...I'm sure Angelos is thinking about that...Its not like he's ever been out for major stretches of time, but he's only got 30-some starts in three times, once of course, was last year.

[MOtorboat]

I'm a little surprised to see the Nationals in the running for Teixeira.

[CoachChaz]

You'd hate to sign the guy and for him to get injured again...I'm sure Angelos is thinking about that...Its not like he's ever been out for major stretches of time, but he's only got 30-some starts in three times, once of course, was last year.

There isnt a pitcher in baseball that is worth his contract, so it's all the same to me. I'm okay if we dont get Burnett, but I REALLY want Tex

[CoachChaz]

I'm a little surprised to see the Nationals in the running for Teixeira.

Mainly because of location. Tex is from Maryland. When he was playing with the Rangers I remember alot of his team got pissed when he made a comment that he is a big Orioles fan still and always roots for them except when he plays against them. not sure why that created the media stir it did, but it works in my favor right now

[Requiem / The Dagda]

Go Mariners. Somebody sign Ibanez.