# MLB offseason thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [January 3, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733 "2009-01-03T20:16:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/61 "2009-01-09T18:38:03Z")
It’s like the Red Sox are trying to reunite the [del]Grateful Dead[/del] Braves 15 or so years too late. I thought Smoltz was coming to Detroit, too. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/62 "2009-01-09T18:50:16Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > So with Trevor Hoffman off the market, the Dodgers are now apparently committed to using Jonathan Broxton as the closer for this year. This makes me seriously nervous. So far, Broxton hasn’t demonstrated that he has a closer’s mentality, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t last in that role once again. I’d much rather face Hoffman than Broxton in the ninth inning of a big game at this point in their respective careers. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/63 "2009-01-09T18:51:30Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I’m surprised he didn’t go for Pavano from what you just posted. Penny and Smoltz have the upside of ace pitchers. Pavano has the upside of a mediocre pitcher. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/64 "2009-01-09T18:54:41Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > Penny and Smoltz have the upside of ace pitchers. Pavano has the upside of a mediocre pitcher. (Almost) pertinent [link](http://dicegay.blogspot.com/2007/04/99-problems-but-pitch-aint-one.html). ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/65 "2009-01-10T03:11:04Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > So with Trevor Hoffman off the market, the Dodgers are now apparently committed to using Jonathan Broxton as the closer for this year. This makes me seriously nervous. So far, Broxton hasn’t demonstrated that he has a closer’s mentality, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t last in that role once again. Just make sure he blows a few saves when the Dodgers play the D-backs…😃 ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/66 "2009-01-10T03:23:10Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > 50 million? That’s money flushed into the Allegheny River. > > The young stars of the Pirates went to management last year and asked to be kept together. The result? Jason Bay to the Red Sox. Every time the Pirates develop a young talent, they are plucked to a real club. It’s frustrating. > > I’ve been resigned to the Pirates being a glorified Triple A franchise. I had World Series tickets for 90, 91, and 92 and they never could get over the hump. When the '92 season ended, we all knew it was over. pre-roids Bonds left, Drabek left, Bonilla, Lind, Smiley… hell everyone left within 2 years. > > The Pirates are profitable, and that’s been good enough for the owners. I don’t know who you are referring to by competent management, but until the Nuttings are no longer the owners, I doubt it will really matter. > > With that said, I hope you are right… I can’t stand thinking the last W.S. memory we have is the 1979 “We are Family”. Yes they won, but we are forever linked to that ugly disco-era multi-colored uniform combo. For those that don’t remember, my Buccos had three sets of uniforms… the all black uniforms, the all yellow (or bumblebee) uni’s and the white pinstripe uni’s (ugly as hell). They used to mix and match the shirts and pants. It looked like they dressed in the dark. > > Let’s Go Bucs! (Best new stadium in the majors, and is only behind Wrigley for the best stadium in baseball). It’s been all downhill since Bonds couldn’t throw out Sid Bream rounding third in his wheelchair. I agree with you. The management is atrocious. Same thing for 16 years. Develop a young prospect, he becomes really great, then trade him away for two single A prospects, and a $25 gift card at Olive Garden. It is amazing if you look at all of the talent that has come out of the Pirates’ farm system and become major league stars. As long as Nutting is there, forget it. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/67 "2009-01-10T03:54:18Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The Sox were already going into spring training with Lowell and Ortiz being medical questions. So who have they added in free agency? Brad Penny, John Smoltz, and Rocco Baldelli. Their \*total \*game appearances last year were, well, I don’t even care. > > Hey, Theo, we already had a loaded disabled list last year. How about you go find somebody who can actually _take the field_ for us, huh, can ya? ☹ Baldelli was picked up on the super cheap, a one year deal. From Epstein’s position it’s a no lose proposition; they didn’t trade away talent to get him. Maybe Baldelli stays healthy. He’s 27, they could get a big year out of him. If not, no real loss. I think it was a pretty smart move. If Baldelli surprised it’s a genius move, if not, nobody will remember he existed. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/68 "2009-01-10T04:05:05Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Baldelli was picked up on the super cheap, a one year deal. From Epstein’s position it’s a no lose proposition; they didn’t trade away talent to get him. Maybe Baldelli stays healthy. He’s 27, they could get a big year out of him. If not, no real loss. I think it was a pretty smart move. If Baldelli surprised it’s a genius move, if not, nobody will remember he existed. Sadly the reports are his illness would never let him play more than every other day so it sounds like the deal was for some bench strength. He apparently has [channelopathy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channelopathy). The reports I saw is this is much better than the original diagnosis but it is still unlikely that he will ever be a everyday player. I never heard, what was his contract for? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/69 "2009-01-10T17:42:14Z")
Incentive deal. 1 year, half a mil base. If he weren’t a local boy, probably wouldn’t even be considered. It isn’t just the Mystery Disease with him, btw - he hasn’t been fearsome since his ACL and his Tommy John. And now the Sox have added Takashi Saito. ☹ Well, take enough chances and some of them will pay off, one must hope. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/70 "2009-01-10T18:27:29Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Incentive deal. 1 year, half a mil base. If he weren’t a local boy, probably wouldn’t even be considered. It isn’t just the Mystery Disease with him, btw - he hasn’t been fearsome since his ACL and his Tommy John. > > And now the Sox have added Takashi Saito. ☹ Well, take enough chances and some of them will pay off, one must hope. Well half a million for a club like the Red Sox is a pretty small risk. He might be an excellent guy off the bench for that price. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/71 "2009-01-10T19:30:29Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > a pretty small risk. I don’t know how much it is above the MLB minimum. Not much, for sure. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/72 "2009-01-10T20:28:09Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > I don’t know how much it is above the MLB minimum. Not much, for sure. MLB Minimum for the 2008 season is $390,000. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/73 "2009-01-23T16:56:41Z")
Brandon Lyon is close to [signing](http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090122&content_id=3764352&vkey=news_det&fext=.jsp&c_id=det)with the Tigers. Presumably, he’ll be the closer. The same article says that the Tigers are also closing in on Scott Williamson and Juan Rincon. There is also mutual interest with Jason Isringhausen The Tigers were also pursuing Matt Mantei, but I don’t know how that’s going. Currently, the Tiger bullpen consists of Bobby Seay, Fernando Rodney, Joel Zumaya, Freddy Dolsi, Clay Rapada, and Chris Lambert. Who’s available? Well, notable names are Juan Cruz, Brian Shouse, Joe Beimel, Russ Springer, Dennys Reyes, Will Ohman, and Brandon Lyon. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/74 "2009-01-23T17:45:40Z")
Zumaya and Rodney are such question marks. They have live arms and show great potential followed by efforts of game time batting practice. They can not stay healthy. Relieving was a huge problem in Detroit last year. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/75 "2009-01-23T18:09:01Z")
Rodney’s in a contract year. If we get Lyon, Rodney will almost certainly be setup guy, a role in which he flourished at one time. Zumaya is apparently “throwing bullets” again, according to Jim Leyland. The pitchers are all looking promising, according to Leyland. Even Willis, who Leyland admits, “hasn’t done it in front of batters.” It looks like the administration knows that the 'pen was a huge problem, if not THE problem. They’re working hard on it, it appears. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/76 "2009-01-23T18:13:01Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Rodney’s in a contract year. If we get Lyon, Rodney will almost certainly be setup guy, a role in which he flourished at one time. Zumaya is apparently “throwing bullets” again, according to Jim Leyland. The pitchers are all looking promising, according to Leyland. Even Willis, who Leyland admits, “hasn’t done it in front of batters.” > > It looks like the administration knows that the 'pen was a huge problem, if not THE problem. They’re working hard on it, it appears. Everyone looks promising in January. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/77 "2009-01-23T18:13:56Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > Everyone looks promising in January. Yeah, I know. I almost had those same words swimming in the back of my head when I was reading that, too. A guy can dream, can’t he? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/78 "2009-01-23T18:28:57Z")
I keep waiting for the logjam to break. There are far too many free agents still out there and I am wondering where they will all go and who will get traded. I hear that Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady are up for trade but I think their is a large difference in their abilities to play RF. Nady seems like the better fielder. Maybe I am wrong. Yanks are still iffy on the 5th starter and a CF. Everything else is pretty well set. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/79 "2009-01-23T18:37:04Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I keep waiting for the logjam to break. There are far too many free agents still out there and I am wondering where they will all go and who will get traded. > > I hear that Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady are up for trade but I think their is a large difference in their abilities to play RF. Nady seems like the better fielder. Maybe I am wrong. > > Yanks are still iffy on the 5th starter and a CF. Everything else is pretty well set. I think the problem for the Yankees is going to be that it’s going to be real hard to trade either Nady or Swisher until Abreu, Dunn, and of course Manny Ramirez find homes. If you’re a team that needs a decent outfielder, why give up something to bring in Nick Swisher when you can sign Swisher’s more talented doppleganger (Dunn) and give up nothing from your system? The Mets are _killing_ me, people. I wanted Derek Lowe in Queens in the worst way, but failing that I want Adam Dunn in left field, and I want it _bad_. Plug 40 home runs between Beltran and David Wright and I’ll match the Mets lineup against any lineup in the NL. Somebody make this happen for me, please? ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733/80 "2009-01-23T18:38:19Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I keep waiting for the logjam to break. There are far too many free agents still out there and I am wondering where they will all go and who will get traded. > > I hear that Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady are up for trade but I think their is a large difference in their abilities to play RF. Nady seems like the better fielder. Maybe I am wrong. > > Yanks are still iffy on the 5th starter and a CF. Everything else is pretty well set. Iffy at 5th starter? really? You want Cy Young back there? 25 teams would be thrilled to have Hughes as a 5th starter. You want Tim Redding instead? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-offseason-thread/479733.md?page=5)