Wednesday a.m. things

by Adam J. Morris on Dec 19, 2007 10:53 AM CST in News Comment 18 comments

It is Milton Bradley day today...both papers with stories on Bradley, with the S-T saying he's ahead of schedule on his rehab, and Richard Durrett saying in the DMN that Bradley is supposed to be ready to start the season.

Durrett also mentions that the Rangers have to move someone off the 40 man to make room for Bradley...the fact that no move has been announced leads me to believe that the team is working behind the scenes to try to make a deal to trade a player before they are forced into DFA'ing someone (and thus, losing some trade leverage).

Meanwhile, the San Diego Union-Tribune has an article up about Tad Iguchi, with Iguchi saying that Akinori Otsuka told him about what a great place San Diego was. The article also mentions that the Padres have an interest in signing Otsuka, but if that doesn't work out, he could probably catch on with the San Diego Chamber of Commerce...

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Anchorman 2

Starring Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy, and Akinori Otsuka as his wacky sidekick!

"Then I met some friends for a beer, went to a BoDeans's concert, and son of a vondruke, if I didn't leave him at the concert hall."

by RCCook on Dec 19, 2007 10:59 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

aki

he could do the sports! instead of "WHAMMY!@" it would be "YOSHAAA"

Can you please Look into getting a less funny signature? That's sarcasm, btw. - Sharky

by rentz on Dec 19, 2007 11:02 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

"They named it San Diago...

which of course in German means a whale's vagina."

Ron Burgundy

by rraider9199 on Dec 19, 2007 11:20 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Another shot at Johnny Boy.......

He should have traded him when he could have. Now he'll go and be good somewhere else and we'll get nothing out of that trade. Makes the young/gonzalez trade even worse in a P.R. standpoint.

""I love GOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLD" blueglovelefty

by NYTXFAN on Dec 19, 2007 11:11 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Question

He should have traded him when he could have.

When would that have been?

by Adam J. Morris on Dec 19, 2007 11:13 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

When should he have traded him?

The guy has been injured since July 1.

Fire Ron Washington

by pblack on Dec 19, 2007 11:13 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

well you see

jd should have used his psychic powers to tell that he would be injured at the deadline and traded him sooner.

the old and wise john hart would have done it!

Can you please Look into getting a less funny signature? That's sarcasm, btw. - Sharky

by rentz on Dec 19, 2007 11:14 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually

If you look back at some people's posts on here. A LOT of us wanted to trade Otsuka during the 2006-2007 off-season. Partly, because we were afraid that AL hitters would catch on to him (cf. NL regression from 2004 to 2005) and partly because he was entering his age 35 year (and because of that would be more likely to decline because of INJURIES).

Though, I'm not sure NYTXFan was one of those saying that at the time.

That is to say, it didn't necessarily take a "psychic" to figure that it MIGHT be better to try to trade Otsuka BEFORE the season rather than during.

Req

by Requiem on Dec 19, 2007 4:47 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

And by a LOT

I guess I mean one....

I know that I was a big advocate of moving Otsuka during last off-season.

Not sure if anyone else was behind that, though.

Req

by Requiem on Dec 19, 2007 4:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I threw out some trade scenarios

including one sending him to Cubs for Matt Murton and Sean Marshall that I particularly liked, but them, I throw out trade scenarios all the time, so I am not sure if that counts.

by clark on Dec 19, 2007 10:01 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

im thinking trade him sometime during the end

of last year. Or during wintermeetings or in the spring or anytime before july 1. also rosenthal notes that "Both Texas clubs are in the lead for Prior currently." Id take a flyer on Prior as long as we get some type of insurance the he wont leave in 09. Somesort of option.

""I love GOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLD" blueglovelefty

by NYTXFAN on Dec 19, 2007 11:16 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Trading him last year

would have been pretty stupid. The Rangers were trying to contend, had signed an injured Eric Gagne to an incentive laden deal and clearly need Aki to back up Gagne. Also you should remember that Francisco was coming of TJ surgery and CJ and Benoit were not as proven as they are now. So why should JD have traded him last winter. This comment of yours is just kind of stupid and pointless.

Fire Ron Washington

by pblack on Dec 19, 2007 11:19 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Disagree

For the reasons I state above.

Ok, so what that the Rangers are trying to contend, it was essentially "stupid" that they were trying to contend since most REASONABLE people were viewing this club as a .500 team, anyways (though some of us thought that might be able to win the AL West in 2007).

Therefore, it's "stupid" to try to hang on to a resource which would 1) likely decrease in value and 2) you might not be able to trade if he gets injured.

Of course, I don't really think it's "stupid" to think any of these things, but then, I don't just dismiss arguments as "stupid" but rather try to rationally critique them.

Req

by Requiem on Dec 19, 2007 4:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I specifically remember you asserting that

I don't remember many others doing so.

And I don't remember anyone throwing out the injury risk possibility. He has had a pretty good history of durability.

And FWIW, he was still damn good when he was healthy last year (180 ERA+).

Why do you hate freedom?

by Brian Thomas on Dec 20, 2007 6:51 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

OK, missed your injury comment above

Why do you hate freedom?

by Brian Thomas on Dec 20, 2007 7:05 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Okay

im thinking trade him sometime during the end
of last year. Or during wintermeetings or in the spring

The team was trying to win last year. Otsuka was their primary setup man. Why would they have traded him then?

by Adam J. Morris on Dec 19, 2007 11:20 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Rosenthal

Kind of interesting...

The Astros and Rangers, sources say, are among the teams aggressively pursuing Prior, who became a free agent after the Cubs declined to offer him a contract. The Cardinals, Mets and Yankees are among the other teams interested.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7581498

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Dec 19, 2007 12:25 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Bradley

I saw BP's Joe Sheehan on ESPN earlier, and he said that Bradley should be ready for Opening Day, but that he's also a 120-game player. Sheehan also said that he thought it was a good signing, as Bradley hits well from both sides, puts up a good OBP, and won't be as injury-prone if he plays a corner.

"Then I met some friends for a beer, went to a BoDeans's concert, and son of a vondruke, if I didn't leave him at the concert hall."

by RCCook on Dec 19, 2007 4:20 PM CST reply actions 0 recs