# Baseball Offseason Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 9, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985 "2010-11-09T01:42:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 19
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/361 "2010-12-16T15:20:55Z")
The great Bob Feller [has passed away](http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101208&content_id=16282782&vkey=news_cle&c_id=cle) at the age of 92. The original Nolan Ryan, except Feller was better. ---
**Author:** ![KennerTheGreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a8b319/32.png) [@KennerTheGreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KennerTheGreat)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/362 "2010-12-16T17:25:12Z")
And the Jays are bringing back [Edwin Encarnacion](http://http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20101216&content_id=16330222&vkey=pr_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor). Talk is that he and Lind will trade off 1B and DH ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/363 "2010-12-16T17:41:25Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > You know, I’m pretty sure no one has ever pointed that out before. Food for thought. Are you planning to start limiting yourself to entirely original observations here also?🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/364 "2010-12-16T17:51:06Z")
[Joe Posnanski](http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/2010/12/being-there-with-greinke.html#more) on why no one has any idea what they are talking about on Greinke. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/365 "2010-12-16T23:35:12Z")
Tigers resigned Ordonez for one year 10 mill. This was an important signing. ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2010, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/366 "2010-12-16T23:57:59Z")
A’s traded for Josh Willingham of the Nationals for two prospects. Despite sending Rajai to the Blue Jays, the outfield once again looks a little crowded with DeJesus, Coco Crisp, Conor Jackson, Ryan Sweeney, and now Willingham. The AL didn’t add a rover when I wasn’t looking did they? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/367 "2010-12-17T01:19:32Z")
> [@Ol\_Gaffer](#): > > A’s traded for Josh Willingham of the Nationals for two prospects. Despite sending Rajai to the Blue Jays, the outfield once again looks a little crowded with DeJesus, Coco Crisp, Conor Jackson, Ryan Sweeney, and now Willingham. The AL didn’t add a rover when I wasn’t looking did they? Willingham is straight up better than Davis, who is a great baserunner but does nothing else especially well. I’d assume the A’s are looking to Willingham as a guy who can hit in the lineup every day, which Davis isn’t a good enough bat to do. Conor Jackson can’t really play outfield, so I suspect the plan is for him and Matsui to compete or platoon at DH/emergency outfield guy. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/368 "2010-12-17T01:47:33Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > [Joe Posnanski](http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/2010/12/being-there-with-greinke.html#more) on why no one has any idea what they are talking about on Greinke. Thanks for posting this; that was an interesting read. I’d take Grienke on the Mets, is all I’m saying. ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/369 "2010-12-17T20:14:14Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > [Joe Posnanski](http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/2010/12/being-there-with-greinke.html#more) on why no one has any idea what they are talking about on Greinke. Heh, I was just coming to post that. Posnanski’s the best sportswriter working today, bar none, and anything he writes about the Royals is gold. I especially love how that article, ironically enough, makes you feel like you understand Greinke a little better… even though the whole point is that he is an utter enigma. Here’s hoping Cashman doesn’t get any ideas from Joe. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/370 "2010-12-19T17:30:11Z")
Rumor now has is Zack Grienke is going to, of all places, Milwaukee. Toronto signs Edwin Encarnacion for a year at $2.5 million, the plan being, apparently, that he will either play first or DH, depending on whether Adam Lind works out at first. I guess the idea is… well, I’m not sure what it is. Waiting until now to re-sign Encarnacion, adgter avoiding arbitration, looks very good, as they save money and get him on the cheap. For all his drawbacks he does have tremendous power and hell, you never know. I don’t really get why, though, if the plan is for EE and Lind to play 1B/DH, you wouldn’t just slot Encarnacion at first and be done with it. EE can play infield; he isn’t great at it, but as the Jays themselves have admitted his fielding problems are mostly throwing, which isn’t a big deal at first. Lind, conversely, does nothing well as a fielder and has extremely little experience in the infield. I’d guess that the likelihood of Lind playing first better than EE does is about a hundred to one against. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/371 "2010-12-21T18:59:47Z")
Two days later, and RickJay’s post is all there is on the second-biggest (or biggest) trade of the off-season? I’ll do the honors: It’s no longer a rumor, Zack Grienke is a Brewer, as is Yuniesky Betancourt. In return, the Royals got shortstop Alcides Escobar, outfielder Lorenzo Caine, pitcher (likely in relief) Jeremy Jeffress and pitching prospect Jake Odorizzi. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/372 "2010-12-21T19:09:18Z")
Posnanski had a great piece about the trade and its historical context for Kansas City. ([Link.](http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/12/19/the-greinke-trade/)) I think it’s a very good move for Milwaukee. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/373 "2010-12-21T19:12:07Z")
Great move for Milwaukee and Geinke - I really couldn’t see him at a big-marke team. What are the Yankees doing? I’m suprised they’ve been so quiet. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/374 "2010-12-21T19:19:28Z")
Great deal for Milwaukee; sounds from what Posnanski said about the prospects like a terrible deal for the Royals. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/375 "2010-12-21T19:20:00Z")
[It sounds like they are going with what they have.](http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5938789) Cashman says he does not think anybody else is going to available for now, and he correctly points out they can make a move later. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/376 "2010-12-21T19:51:41Z")
Tom Scud: > [@](#): > > Great deal for Milwaukee; sounds from what Posnanski said about the prospects like a terrible deal for the Royals. Quite a few commentators disagree and think the Royals got a very good haul for Grienke. These guys are top prospects, not scrubs. But as is true of prospects in general, time will be necessary in order to tell for sure. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/377 "2010-12-21T19:54:12Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Tom Scud: > > Quite a few commentators disagree and think the Royals got a very good haul for Grienke. These guys are top prospects, not scrubs. But as is true of prospects in general, time will be necessary in order to tell for sure. Which commentators are saying that? ---
**Author:** ![Tanbarkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Tanbarkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanbarkie)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/378 "2010-12-21T19:57:17Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Zack Grienke is a Brewer, as is Yuniesky Betancourt. Well, that’s a wash. 😛 Seriously, though, great deal with the Brewers. It makes sense that they go for it now, as their minor league system wasn’t great to begin with - might as well empty it out entirely and push for the World Series while Fielder is still around. They now have one of the top rotations in the NL and should still have an excellent offense. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2010, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/379 "2010-12-21T20:55:40Z")
storyteller0910: > [@](#): > > Which commentators are saying that? [Frankie Piliere of Fanhouse](http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/12/20/prospect-laden-royals-will-be-long-term-winners-in-zack-greinke/?synd=1) [Rany Jazayerli](http://www.ranyontheroyals.com/2010/12/greinke-gone.html) Rany says that Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus loves the trade. I can’t find an article to link to (it might just have been in a tweet) but he’s very high on the [two](http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=12607) [pitchers](http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=12605) the Royals got. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2010, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985/380 "2010-12-22T00:57:30Z")
The Grienke trade is one we’ll have no idea about for a year. You never know with pitchers. It’s certainly the case that the Brewers are gunning for it all in 2011, though. Adding Grienke and Marcum could add twelve wins, easy. Going into 2011 their lineup looks as good as any in the league; that much additional starting pitching is just what the doctor ordered. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-offseason-thread/559985.md?page=20)