Stag5

link * Friedman said they are also discovering ?a tremendous amount of interest? in their young players. Outfielders Rocco Baldelli and Carl Crawford - whose modest long-term contracts make them even more attractive - are primary topics of conversation, but trade talks may also include B.J. Upton (whom the Marlins have asked about) and Jorge Cantu.

Let's make a deal? Dec 4 - Trading first baseman Richie Sexson may be an option for the Mariners, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. Raul Ibanez, the current left fielder, could be moved to first base as part of the shakeup if Sexson is dealt to lure an upgrade in Seattle's starting rotation. Some possible trade partners include the Giants or Braves. San Francisco might be willing to part with lefty Noah Lowry in the right deal, and Atlanta would have no trouble dealing Tim Hudson. A long shot is acquiring Dontrelle Willis from the Marlins. For that kind of a trade, Florida would almost certainly want the Mariners to pick up a hefty part of the $14 million coming to Sexson in 2007. While the idea of Richie Sexson and maybe a Jeremy Reed headed this way sounds interesting I doubt Seattle would pick up much of the $28M(owned Sexson the next two seasons) - Willis salary the next two seasons. I assume that would be about $13MM in total. Also, why would the Marlins deal Willis for a player they would be likely to lose after two seasons? This is a wild one for ESPN to come up with....one not too thought out is my guess.

The other teams will offer a gauranteed longer term contract (2/3 years). We will offer a one-year base salary + incentives. I believe Dotel is headed elsewhere.

I've heard that Mesa would like to play for teh Marlins somewhere that I can't pinpoint, and personally I'm all for it, he'd do great here! I agree about Mesa but I also read recently somewhere that the Marlins have no interest. He seems to be the kind of pitcher we have brought in the past few seasons. As for Dan Kolb, no. Please no.

Kenny Lofton, did he not sign with someone already, am I missing something here? A source told the Chicago Tribune that the Cubs are working to sign free agent Kenny Lofton. The Rangers are also believed to be in the mix for Lofton. That the Cubs are trying to sign him could be taken as an indication that they don't expect to land Julio Lugo. Source: Chicago Tribune

Maybe Jack will do prep work for deals...you know offer around Nicky Rolasco and Alfred Agmeza. In all seriousness I'm glad to see Jack a part of the Winter Meetings. Okay, free agent prediction(shocker)..Kenny Lofton to the Marlins. Look around, where is he going to go? White Sox? Rangers? Nats? My thinking is Beinfest knows two things happen by midseason. First, Kenny Lofton is tradeable on a one-year deal. Secondly, someone on the Marlins staff will develop into our # 6 starter at which time one becomes tradeable for the young CF'er we want as opposed to the one others want to trade us. ----------------------------------------- McKEON'S ROLE While the Marlins are locked up in their hotel suite discussing deals at next week's winter meetings in Orlando, former manager Jack McKeon will be working the hotel lobby on the team's behalf. ''He's our lobby rep,'' Beinfest said of McKeon, who remained in an advisory role with the Marlins after stepping down as manager after the 2005 season. Said McKeon of his assignment: ``I'll go down there and see what I can find out.'' McKeon brings experience working the lobby. When he was general manager of the San Diego Padres, McKeon said he remembers one winter meeting when he set up in the lobby with a sign reading, ``Open for business.''

If we keep him we better get a Helms type to platoon with him and/or start there in case he hurts himself again. If he can be packaged for a good CF (Baldelli)...do it. If we're thinking of trading him for a Duffy type...do not...unless we're getting a reliever as well. I don't see Mike getting much better, but with a platoon partner like Helms our 1B situation isn't a weakness. Someone that can play 1B and some RF against tough lefties and is good off the bench? Someone like, Jeff Conine?

Dontrelle Willis-S- Marlins Nov. 29 - 11:54 am et The New York Post believes the Yankees could acquire Dontrelle Willis with a package headed by Melky Cabrera and Humberto Sanchez. It's too bad the Yankees don't still have Bubba Crosby to offer up, too. Because there's just no way the Marlins could turn that down. Right? Cabrera has a lot of trade value, but a lot of teams don't see him as a center fielder and a true center fielder is what Florida needs more than anything else. It's hard to believe the Marlins would think about a Willis deal with the Yankees that doesn't include Philip Hughes. pretty much agree with what rotoworld.com has to say about the rumor. Hughes absolutely has to be in the conversation. Sorry NY Post. Offer up Hughes, Sanchez and Procter and we can talk. If we want a CFer we will hit up another team.

For anyone not liking or seeing the Dontrelle Willis/Steve Avery comparison... Steve Avery 1990-1994 IP: 918 W: 58 L: 39 ERA: 3.57 BB: 279 K: 588 Hits: 869 WHIP: 1.25 K/BB: 2.11-1 Dontrelle Willis 2003-2006 IP: 817 W: 58 L: 39 ERA: 3.43 BB: 257 K: 611 Hits 805 WHIP: 1.30 K/BB: 2.38-1 Avery at this age had 100 extra innings but as you can see ERA/WHIP and K/BB ratio are all very similar. Steve Avery for those that may be too young to remember was a highly touted Braves prospect. Being compared to him at this time stats wise does not bring Willis down, it just shows that Avery was that good. What happened to Avery? (1991 210IP) (1992 233IP) (1993 223IP) followed by arm problems And where is Willis? (2004 190IP) (2005 236IP) (2006 223IP) ????

According to http://www.baseball-reference.com: Mike Jacobs at age 25 = Josh Phelps/Rico Brogna Derrek Lee at age 25 = John Mayberry/Kent Hrbek Seems pretty accurate to me. Other comparisons at their current age(purely stats-wise) Hanley - Jimmy Rollins Cabrera - Hank Aaron Sanchez - Ben McDonald Johnson - Matt Morris Olsen - Melido Perez Willis - Steve Avery Nolasco - Danny Haren

I'd rather have Baldelli, Coco Crisp or Brian Anderson simply on a skill level. But if Mike Jacobs alone is the bait that won't fetch Rocco or Crisp and the Sox are are not looking to add Mike Jacobs. Chris Duffy would look great batting second behind Hanley and moving Hanley to the #5 or $6 spot. And if one of our pitching prospects interests them I'd love to see John Grabow head this way too. These two teams can definitly put together a deal that helps each team.

The Pirates reportedly could make a deal for Florida first baseman Mike Jacobs if they are willing to give up center fielder Chris Duffy. While Jacobs hit .262 with 20 homers and 77 RBIs in 136 games as a rookie last season, the Pirates are scared off by the fact he batted just .203 with six homers in the final two months. Beaver County Times

Spike, Too often we go gaga over what we see in a few games or one season. - Jeremy Hermida has been written off by many on this board yet he was BA's # 4 and Baseball Forevasters # 2 prospect at the start of last season. - Josh Johnson was tabbed as a # 4 pitcher by BA and ranked as the 80th top prospect yet some on this board talk about him as if he is greatness. - and...Jason Vargas. How many of us saw Vargas as a stud last season...and now? Time will tell.

As a fallback plan, Alfredo Amezaga has shown he can handle the position for the short term. Reggie Abercrombie and Eric Reed may also get chances. This position once again may be shared, but the organization is working hard to find a more stable answer. Is this a joke or simply a nightmare? Amezaga, Reggie and Reed again? We have TWO holes that must be addressed this off-season, CF and the Pen. Alfredo, Reggie and Reed are not addressing the issue.

Felix Pie for Yusmeiro Petit Two prospects ranked with similar values. Both have the potential to be quality ML'er but neither has proven it yet. Both give the other what they are looking for and trade from strength, The question is do we want to go after Pie, Milledge, Tavares, or someone else. I don't know how you can put Felix Pie and Yusmeiro Petit in the same sentence, nevermind attempt to construct a legitimate argument they are of equal value. Pie still has a future with Cubs,if not 2007, then 2008. Pie is an everyday player. Petit is a guy trying to find a niche. Uh huh! I guess we'll just have to wait and see how valued Pie is to the Cubs. Just keep in mind that Petit is a highly valued pitching prospect and Pie has yet to prove anything either...except that he can hit .287 at AAA.

Felix Pie for Yusmeiro Petit Two prospects ranked with similar values. Both have the potential to be quality ML'er but neither has proven it yet. Both give the other what they are looking for and trade from strength, The question is do we want to go after Pie, Milledge, Tavares, or someone else.

Milledge crumbled under the bright lights of NY....he will be back. Hermida as it turns out was hurt for much of the season w/o really letting on. I'd take Milledge in the right deal and I have am very confident we will see Hermida take a step forward in 2007.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/marlins/conte...notes_1115.html Marlins like Dukes: General Manager Admin Beinfest said the front office has made a trade proposal to another team. The details are not known. What is known is that the Marlins, who are trying to fill holes in center field and the bullpen, have interest in Tampa Bay Devil Rays outfield prospect Elijah Dukes. The Devil Rays have interest in right-hander Ricky Nolasco, but it's unclear if the Marlins would part with Nolasco for Dukes. Dukes was hitting .313 with two home runs and eight RBI in 32 Arizona Fall League at-bats before being shut down because of a sore left knee. Dukes is scheduled to have surgery today to remove "loose bodies" in his left knee but is expected to be ready for spring training. Now projected to be a fourth outfielder or backup first baseman for the Rays, Dukes was suspended five times this season at Class AAA Durham for incidents on and off the field.

AJ Burnett

Interesting topic. I never realized that Sheffield had accumulated the most stats as a Marlin. Is there another player that is less associated with one team than Sheff? Most games, at bats, HR's, etc and his only ring....makes him go in as a Marlin.

retractable roof is why ours is so EXPENSIVE Bingo. I stand corrected.

I post this because I think it's relevant to our situation. - Privately funded - $300MM Why is our stadium now over $450M and they will announce one being built for $300M? It seems to me land outside of San Jose would be just as expensive if not more than our area. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Report: Athletics will build stadium in Fremont -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ESPN.com news services The Oakland Athletics are expected to announce next week they will build a new stadium in suburban Fremont, Calif., the San Francisco Chronicle reported Tuesday, citing sources close to negotiations for the deal. The newspaper reported the team wants to acquire a 143-acre site near the former Baylands Raceway Park and build a privately-funded 36,000-seat ballpark at an estimated cost of $300 million. The property is currently owned by the city of Fremont and is leased to high-tech firm Cisco Systems. The Chronicle reported Athletics managing partner Lew Wolff and baseball commissioner Bud Selig -- who were fraternity brothers at the University of Wisconsin -- are expected to make the announcement at a news conference in the Bay Area next Tuesday. A's spokesman Jim Young told the Chronicle he would not confirm the timing or content of the announcement. He did tell the newspaper "From an organizational standpoint, we are getting closer to announcing some concrete plans that will significantly impact the future of the A's in the Bay Area and plans that the owner has been working very hard on for more than two years." Fremont is about 27 miles from Oakland and 18 miles from San Jose. Major League Baseball has always recognized San Jose as part of the San Francisco Giants' market under its territory rules, but the Fremont site is just short of the Santa Clara County line and would not trigger a territorial dispute. During the American League Championship Series, Selig said he didn't have a problem with the A's moving to Fremont because "that's their territory." The Athletics are in a year-to-year lease at McAfee Coliseum through 2010, with a team option to renew on a year-to-year basis through 2013, the newspaper reported. The team has called the Coliseum home since moving to Oakland in 1968, but has not been happy with the stadium since it was refurbished to accommodate the return of the NFL's Oakland Raiders from Los Angeles. This past season, the A's didn't sell tickets for the Coliseum's upper deck and covered those seats with a green tarp. Oakland City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente said he wasn't surprised by the development, and told the newspaper it was unlikely the city would get into a bidding war to keep the A's in the city limits. "Teams and team owners look for the best deals for themselves, and that's understandable,'' he told the Chronicle. "There's nothing we can do about it.'' Outgoing Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown told the newspaper he had spoken with Wolff several times, but that Fremont had a crucial advantage on Oakland: "Fremont has the land."

I think they would want Sanchez/Willingham. I think the Marlins would offer Willingham, Nolasco + Petit or Pinto.

For those that think Hutton's seat in the FSN/Sun Sports booth is gauranteed, think again. Do you really think the FSN/Sun Sports management is pleased with Tommy constantly telling their PAYING audience that they are bad fans for not showing up at games? I have no insight and I am not trying to spread rumors. But in my opinion FSN management has one of two paths to take. Either rid themselves of Tommy or remind him that their audience is a paying audience(FSN is not free) that spends money at their paying sponsors and he needs to tone down his anti-fan talk. If not enough people are not showing up at games for Tommy then he should preach less and ask more questions.

Everyone is so psyched by Kranitz return. I am happy but even moreso for the return of Presley. I think Kranitz return will ensure a steady, consistent learning pattern from last season though this one. But he did have pitchers that we were told were very talented and many would be ML ready. At bat however we feared what we had. Olivo was much better than expected. Uggla, amazing. Hanley and Willingham bounced back after a sever slump. Cabrera became a hitter when teams wanted to pitch him away. In previous seasons I was not a fan of Bill Robinson because it seemed we had more prolonged slumps than other teams. Last season I thought we had far less long slumps and was amazed at how many players were taking pitches the other way. I am thrilled to have Kranitz back but I am even more happy to see Presley return.