yandro

Mariners and Braves exchanged pitchers. Soriano is going to the Braves for Horacio Ramirez. Seems to me the Braves came out winning on this one.... http://braves.scout.com/2/598302.html

My guess.... Hanley SS Uggla 2B Hermida RF Cabrera 3B Jacobs 1B Hammer LF Denorfia CF Olivo C Pitcher I have not seen much of Denorfia and I can only go by stats.

I would surely do it for Petit. That way we move Mitre in to the 5th spot and Nolasco to the back of the pen.

I honestly believe Beinfest is not gonna rip apart the rotation to acquire Baldelli or Upton. I think he's more interested in Chris Denorfia, who would not require a top of the line starter. Check out the link from the Palm Beach Post.... http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/conten...rlins_1206.html

Should have drafted him when we had the chance QFT He was the one guy I really wanted that year and we had at least 2 opportunities maybe 3, I can't remember, to draft him and chose not too. We had 2 opportunities. We had the 16th and 22nd pick of the 2005 draft. He went #23 to the Red Sox. We then picked #29 as well and two other picks in the supplemental round.

Very well deserved!

Agreed. We picked Aaron Thompson (#22) just ahead of Jacoby (#23). Although we did great with our #16 pick (Chris Volstad)

Nice article :thumbup

Just noodling around I realized that some of us may have already seen Owens pitch. July 7th and 8th (in NYC so it was probably on tv) he pitched a total of three scoreless innings against the Fish - 2BB, 1 SO. I was looking for video (couldn't find any) as I've heard he pitches like he was a catcher throwing to second, short armed. I'm thinking Miguel Olivo throwing a bullet to 2B. He only pitched in three games last year. Two were vs the fish and one game vs. the Cubbies in July also. I went to MLB.COM to see the highlights for that Cub game, since the Cubs gave a nice whooping to the Mets and I saw Owens gave up four runs in that game. I figured maybe there were some Cubs highlights but no luck. By the way, after the game Owens was sent down to AA Birmingham.

On the Licey team there is only one guy with better numbers than Owens, his name is Oneli Perez, who it turns out is in the White Sox organization. His MiLB stats so far in his short career (went through three levels in 2006) are mind-blowing, .960 ERA over 77+ innings with 91 strikeouts and 19 BB. http://thebaseballcube.com/players/P/Oneli-Perez.shtml Seems to me he's a reliever. He had 9 saves for the year. This guy is something else! At every level he was at, he had a sub 1.00 WHIP. That's amazing! He allowed 46 hits in 77 2/3 innings for the season...WOW! I know it was only A and AA, but I'd be interested in tracking him throughout 2007 and see how far he goes in the White Sox's system. By the way, those of you wondering....he was protected on their 40 man roster on Nov. 20th. http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...sp&c_id=cws On the Licey team there is only one guy with better numbers than Owens, his name is Oneli Perez, who it turns out is in the White Sox organization. His MiLB stats so far in his short career (went through three levels in 2006) are mind-blowing, .960 ERA over 77+ innings with 91 strikeouts and 19 BB. http://thebaseballcube.com/players/P/Oneli-Perez.shtml By the way, I'm going down to Santo Domingo next friday to see a game. I'm hoping to get a few autographs....now that I know about Oneli, I'll make sure to get his!

Does anyone know if the Marlins asked Henry to leave the Licey team of the Dominican Winter League? He was dominating and I have been checking his stats regularly since the trade and they remain the same. I was wondering if anyone had an official press release stating the Marlins FO did not want him participating in the DWL. I noticed this as well. The same is true of Jason Vargas and Shane Costa (a KC outfielder I've been following) on another team (Escogido) in the league. I don't speak spanish so I haven't been able to determine why but it does seem like a significant number of MLB/MiLB players are not playing any longer. None of the three have seen their stats change in at least a week and maybe two. Owens numbers can be found here Licey. BTW, thanks for posting originally the link to this league. :thumbup No problem! Yea, I was going through the box scores and his last game pitched was 11/17. He was traded on the 20th.

Does anyone know if the Marlins asked Henry to leave the Licey team of the Dominican Winter League? He was dominating and I have been checking his stats regularly since the trade and they remain the same. I was wondering if anyone had an official press release stating the Marlins FO did not want him participating in the DWL.

Going to throw a name out there who i know can be drafted via rule V. Ricardo Nanita from the White Sox Organization, he's currently playing LF for Tigres del Licey, but he spent time in CF for Birmingham(AA). Ricardo Nanita LH 25yrs old(06/12/81) .286/.372/.407 8HR 3.3B 42RBI 11SB/6CS 51BB/56SO @ AA I saw Ricardo play at FIU. He was an RBI machine, leading the team in RBIs and homeruns his senior year, along with a batting average close to .400 but he has not moved through the White Sox's system very rapidly. I would say if he makes the majors one day, he would be about average.

Oh, the irony. Yesterday, Joe Girardi was recognized as being the best skipper in the National League for doing a job he no longer has. After his first season as a major league manager (a season in which he somehow kept a bunch of snotty-nosed kids expected to easily wind up with triple-digit losses in the Wild Card race into late September), Girardi was canned and replaced in a matter of hours because of an irreparable relationship with owner Jeffrey Loria. For the job he did in guiding the Marlins to a surprisingly competitive 78-84 record, Girardi has been lauded almost universally except, of course, by the man who signed his checks. So next season, Girardi will have a different view of the field, returning for a second stint as a broadcaster for the Yankees. Meanwhile, Atlanta coach Fredi Gonzalez takes over as manager of the Marlins and inherits a club brimming with young talent. It's an organization filled with players at or near the top of most keeper league fantasy owners' wish lists. It's also a team with surprisingly few holes to fill. Young, talented and cheap: yep, the Marlins have it all right now. And with Loria apparently willing to let payroll climb from under $20 million to the $25-million range next season, Florida will be able to keep one of its most sought-after assets Dontrelle Willis. Check out this lineup: Catcher Miguel Olivo. He wasn't able to build on his excellent late-season run with the Padres last year, and his already horrible batting eye is regressing, but he still managed to stroke a career-high 16 homers. Olivo, a veritable old man on Florida at age 28, is arbitration eligible. First base Mike Jacobs. Jacobs, who turned 26 last week, hit 20 homers in his first full season, but tended to strike out a fair bit, especially against lefties. He's entering his prime power years, so could be capable of 30 homers soon, but Jacobs may be dangled in the offseason as Florida seeks help in center field. Second base Dan Uggla. What a steal it was snagging Uggla as a Rule 5 pick from the D'Backs. He didn't win the MLB hardware, but the players picked him as the NL's outstanding rookie after he scored 105, drove in 90 and displayed some very nice pop for a middle infielder. Uggla will turn 27 during spring training next year. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez did take home the NL ROY honors after doing it all this season. He hit for average and power, showed off his tremendous speed and was pretty good at getting on base. The sky's the limit for Ramirez, who won't be 23 until next month. Third base Miguel Cabrera. The boost in team payroll will also allow the Marlins to keep arbitration-eligible Cabrera, at 23, already a grizzled four-year vet. While his home run total dipped, Cabrera continues to mature as a hitter and his improving strike zone judgment could portent a batting title in the near future. How about that .430 OBP? Florida is talking about trying to sign Cabrera to a long-term deal this offseason. Left field Josh Willingham. He'll be 28 by the time spring training gets underway, so there's only so much room for growth, but 26 homers and ROY voter recognition capped a fine season. Center field This was a bit of a revolving door situation for the Marlins last year. Alfredo Amezaga, their speedy, super-utility man, handled the role for much of the later part of the season. Reggie Abercrombie also saw plenty of action there and at various times, Eric Reed and Cody Ross also manned the spot. This is an area the club will address this offseason and some of the names being bandied about as possibilities are discussed below. Right field Jeremy Hermida. Hermida's rookie season wasn't horrible, but seemed disappointing when compared to many of his teammates. The fact that he was perhaps the most hyped of the Marlins' rookies heading into 2006 didn't help. The talented 22-year-old battled injuries that helped keep his expected power in check and he struck out too much, but there's too much upside to Hermida for his owners to give up. He exhibited solid plate discipline in the minors, so I expect Hermida to improve his contact rates dramatically in 2007. Everything else should follow, as long as he's healthy. Bench The Marlins got key contributions from several players. Wes Helms enjoyed a fine season as a back-up corner infielder, working his way into a platoon at first late in the season, but he's signed with the Phils as a free agent; Ross should be valuable because of his pop and versatility in the outfield; Joe Borchard could actually get a shot at center field if the Marlins can't find a more suitable candidate; Abercrombie, playing in Puerto Rico this winter as he looks to improve his chances, could also get a shot at the job, as could Reed. The pitching staff is perhaps even more impressive because of its youth: Dontrelle Willis. Inconsistency prohibited Willis from duplicating his brilliant 2005 results, but his strikeout rates remained about the same, and he's still just 24 years old. The Marlins will now be able to re-sign their arbitration-eligible veteran and may even discuss a long-term deal with him this winter. Scott Olsen. At the age of 22, Olsen won a dozen games, held opponents to a .239 BA and struck out close to a batter per inning. No wonder he received ROY consideration. Josh Johnson. Another 12-game winning rookie, Johnson's sparkling 3.10 ERA bagged him fourth place in the NL ROY race. And yes, he's also just 22. Ricky Nolasco. After splitting the season between the pen and the rotation and winning 11 games, Nolasco is being discussed as a trade chip. Apparently, the Rays are interested in Nolasco, who turns 24 next month. Brian Moehler. Moehler struggled all year, as opponents battered him to the tune of a .325 mark. He's a free agent and the Marlins probably won't have enough money to bring him back. Besides, he'll be 35 next month, so doesn't exactly fit in with the youth movement in South Florida. Anibal Sanchez. Sanchez only joined the rotation in late-June yet figured into the ROY voting after winning 10 games, recording an ERA well under 3.00 and holding opponents to a BA under .220. Oh, and there was that whole no-hitter thing. Sergio Mitre. Mitre missed a good portion of the year with shoulder woes, but when active he split his time between the pen and rotation. His strikeout rate improved, but the 25-year-old wasn't overly impressive. He's another trade chip. Jason Vargas. Just 23, Vargas struggled and had to be farmed out. Florida is willing to deal him. And the bullpen: Closer Joe Borowski had a career-best 36 saves, but he's expected to cash in elsewhere as a free agent. Veteran reliever Matt Herges will probably also walk as a free agent. Look for 25-year-old Randy Messenger to get more responsibility next year as a set-up man. Taylor Tankersley, 23, is hardly the prototypical closer, but he heads into the season as the best in-house bet to grab the vacant position. Renyel Pinto, 24, would be a good young starter in most organizations, but is being used in relief because of the surplus of starters Florida has. That could make him ideal trade bait. Chris Resop, who turned 24 a couple of weeks ago, is another talented arm who could earn a bigger role in the Marlins' pen next season. Besides center field, the club hopes to add some bullpen depth this offseason. Expect Florida to invite a whack of veteran minor league free agent relievers to camp to try to capture some lightning in a bottle. The Marlins have already signed Nate Field to a minor league deal and he'll be given a shot to win a job. As for center field, Rocco Baldelli has long been on the team's radar. The Fish may have to part with Olsen or Johnson if they hope to land Baldelli. Other center fielders Florida is said to be interested in include Houston's Willy Taveras and free agent Gary Matthews, Jr. How Florida would be able to pony up for the highly coveted Matthews, however, is beyond me. Brian Anderson may have fallen out of the White Sox plans, and he still has potential. Other reported, but less likely targets, include Matt Kemp, Felix Pie, Chris Young, Shane Victorino, Jacoby Ellsbury and David DeJesus. Despite the fact that Florida graduated almost an entire staff's worth of pitching prospects to the majors in 2006, there's plenty more on the way. In fact, most of the elite Marlin prospects are moundsmen. Some names to watch: As discussed, the club is willing to part with young pitching, but Chris Volstad, the Marlins' Minor League Pitcher of the Year, is apparently an untouchable. The 20-year-old won 11 games at Low-A. Third baseman Chris Coghlan emerged as one of Florida's top position prospects, after hitting almost .300 with more walks than Ks at Jamestown. He's 21 and will probably be moved through the system quickly. Starter Yusmeiro Petit held his own at Triple-A and won't be 22 until next week. Possibly trade bait, he's got a bright future, whether in Florida or elsewhere. Sean West, a 20-year-old, 6'8" lefty, was 8-5, 3.74 in the Sally League. Florida took Brett Sinkbeil with the 19th overall pick in June and the 21-year-old was dominant in the NYPL before advancing to the South Atlantic League. Jose Garcia, 21, has rocketed through the system. He could also be trade bait, but looked very impressive at Double-A before brief appearances at both Triple-A and the majors. First baseman Gaby Sanchez was named Organizational Player of the Year after showing some good pop in Low-A ball. The team has a tremendously bright future, and Major League Baseball seems committed to keeping the team in South Florida, recently stating it plans to help Florida with its long-standing goal of getting a new stadium built.

was helms a type B or a Type C this year? Not even a Type C

Thanks!! And since the new CBA does not take draft compensation into effect until 2007, I guess we're still eligible to receive 2 picks in the first round? (Team that signs Joe and a sandwich pick)? Correct me if I'm wrong...

How would Joe be classifed as a Free Agent? (Type I/II)? I was just wondering what type of draft compensation we would receive (if any).

Yes, I definately agree that Milledge's stock is not what it used to be. As far as Beinfest, he holds the cards because he's got plenty of SP to work with. This definately works to our advantage and we have the upper hand.

Get out of the NL east already Soriano! Couldn't agree with you more!

The Dodgers held a secret meeting with Soriano and his agent yesterday at the hotel where the GM meetings are taking place. Figures were not discussed; the meeting was just to show Soriano's camp that the Dodgers are interested in landing the slugger. Soriano is to meet with the Phillies today.

In case anyone is interested in looking up stats for players playing in the DWL, here is a link to those stats.... http://www.escogido.com/porequipos.htm

I bet we get him since the Rays appear to like what they see in Vargas and Nolasco. I wish I could find out how Vargas is doing in the Dominican Winter League. I can't find an english language site for results/stats etc. If anyone knows I wish they would share. :notworthy Jason Vargas is playing for Escogido Baseball Club. His record is 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA, 9 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 Ks, .161 Opp BA All Dominican Winter League stats can be found at this site: http://www.escogido.com/porequipos.htm Hope this helps!

Congrats Joe! You truly earned this award!

It's always good when they address this at the Meetings. They've realized that other cities have been having stadium issues and got their situation resolved and we're the only ones that have been having this problem for over 10 years now. Let's see if they decide to do anything now.

He'll probably go in as a Yankee. That is what he is best known as. did you just start following this sport in the past 2 years? At least he didn't say an Atlanta Brave. :cool