Some things to throw out there this evening, while I wait for my rods and cones recover after turning on MNF and seeing the Steelers' uniforms...
T.R. Sullivan with a mailbag column up, which says the Rangers have some interest in Kerry Wood and Kosuke Fukudome, and which includes several of the "could the Rangers trade A, B, and C to get D" variety of questions.
You know who else, besides the Rangers, wants to trade for a young centerfielder? The San Diego Padres.
You know what the Padres don't need now? A 40-something bespectacled righty starting pitcher. They already have filled their quota, having re-signed Greg Maddux to a 1 year, $10 million deal.
David Pinto's Probabilistic Model of Range says the Rangers are a better defensive team than just DER suggests. How it's calculated (short version):
The Rangers look better under this system than with pure DER, finishing in the middle-of-the-pack with this system. A team that finishes near the bottom in DER and in the middle-of-the-pack in this system is a team whose pitching staff gives up a lot of balls that the fielders can't field. That would seem to fit the 2007 Rangers...
Andy Pettitte has declined his $16 million team option to return to the Yanks. And before anyone starts clamoring for the Rangers to sign him, keep in mind he's already said he'll pitch for the Yanks or retire.
Kevin Goldstein has some AFL love for Matt Harrison.
Jeff Van Gundy knows nothing about movies. Or baseball. Or Neil Diamond.
And finally, this isn't a link, but I just wanted to say...Simpson's Treehouse of Horror last night sucked.