2k14 Rumor Thread

[Don Quixote]

None of those are even on the same planet of horribleness as the Pedro deal. Pedro is one of the best pitchers of all time and certainly eons better than Kazmir or Buhner or Jason Schmidt.

The only deal that surpasses the Pedro deal is the Sox trading Babe Ruth. I don't think it depends on where you live whatsoever.

Everyone has 20/20 hindsight. No one could predict that Pedro would turn out that amazingly good, and DeShields was one of the games' best and fastest leadoff hitters at the time. IIRC there were even those who thought the Dodgers had scammed the Expos at the time. Remember that Pedro wasn't Pedro yet, just a skinny right-hander with lots of potential. IN RETROSPECT, sure, terrible, but it made sense then for both teams.

Just like Doyle Alexander for some A-ball kid named John Smoltz in 1987; Alexander went 9-0 and helped the Tigers win the division, Smoltz we all know about now. Or Lary Andersen to Boston for some minor league third baseman named Bagwell; who was to know?

Other deals, well, they smelled when they were made.

[YourPalChrisMal]

Ummmm... Jeff Bagwell for middle-reliever Larry Anderson, anyone?

[Don Quixote]

Ooh, I was just reminded about another one that turned out to be a doozy. Close your eyes, Angels fans--

Kent Bottenfield from the Cards to the Angels for Jim Edmonds.

[Don Quixote]

From Rotoworld, Scott Boras sock puppet Jon Heyman reports--

"Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that while the Yankees await Robinson Cano's next move, they are in ongoing talks with free agents Shin-Soo Choo, Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran, Stephen Drew and Hiroki Kuroda.
The Yankees made their first big splash of the offsesaon when signing Brian McCann over the weekend, and it certainly appears that they aren't finished. While the prevailing opinion is that Cano will end up back in New York, the Bombers also have a vacancy in their outfield which they'll likely fill with one of the left-handed bats available. Choo is rumored to be looking for a nine-figure contract."

[Hornsby]

From Rotoworld, Scott Boras sock puppet Jon Heyman reports--

"Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that while the Yankees await Robinson Cano's next move, they are in ongoing talks with free agents Shin-Soo Choo, Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran, Stephen Drew and Hiroki Kuroda.
The Yankees made their first big splash of the offsesaon when signing Brian McCann over the weekend, and it certainly appears that they aren't finished. While the prevailing opinion is that Cano will end up back in New York, the Bombers also have a vacancy in their outfield which they'll likely fill with one of the left-handed bats available. Choo is rumored to be looking for a nine-figure contract."

And the old get older...

[Don Quixote]

And the old get older...

Ain't that the truth. From Rotoworld--

"According to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, Carlos Beltran is currently the Yankees' No. 1 target.

Feinsand says the Yankees even prefer Beltran over younger free agent options Shin-Soo Choo, Jacoby Ellsbury and Nelson Cruz. The Royals, Red Sox, Orioles, Rangers and Mariners are also thought to have serious interest in the veteran outfielder, who appears set to cash in one final time. Beltran, 36, batted .296/.339/.491 with 24 home runs and 84 RBI in 145 games this past season for the Cardinals."

I guess Captain Intangibles has made it clear that he'll have nothing to do with the younger generation. Personally, if I were making the choice, and keeping in mind that Beltran is a fine player even at his "advance" age, I'd take either Choo or Ellsbury over Beltran. If I were Brian Cashman (I'm not, and I have the pay stub to prove it), I'd go after Ellsbury--center fielder, leadoff man, and signing him would have the extra benefit of taking away from the World Series champion Red Sox.

[SeaDogStat]

Non-Yankee fans can only hope for a 4-5 year deal for Beltran...

[BuckyBuckner]

Non-Yankee fans can only hope for a 4-5 year deal for Beltran...

They only want to sign him to a two year deal but sounds like they could be talked into a three year deal. They should stand their ground on a two year deal.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/11/beltran-currently-yankees-top-priority.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

[Grinch]

They only want to sign him to a two year deal but sounds like they could be talked into a three year deal. They should stand their ground on a two year deal.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/1...edium=facebook

In an attempt to stay under the salary cap they may go to 3 years if the AAV is lower.....

[Don Quixote]

In an attempt to stay under the salary cap they may go to 3 years if the AAV is lower.....

Good point, and something they can afford. Three years $33 million (just to name a number) is better for them than 2 years $25 million. And it's not as if the Yankees have been adverse to paying guys well beyond their more productive years.

[fuhrdog]

Good point, and something they can afford. Three years $33 million (just to name a number) is better for them than 2 years $25 million. And it's not as if the Yankees have been adverse to paying guys well beyond their more productive years.

I doubt he signs for that. I'd guess 3 years 48M or 2 years 35M.

[Don Quixote]

I doubt he signs for that. I'd guess 3 years 48M or 2 years 35M.

I was just throwing numbers out there, not what I think he'll sign for. They may be more likely to go 3-$42 than 2-$31.

[revo]

None of those are even on the same planet of horribleness as the Pedro deal. Pedro is one of the best pitchers of all time and certainly eons better than Kazmir or Buhner or Jason Schmidt.

The only deal that surpasses the Pedro deal is the Sox trading Babe Ruth. I don't think it depends on where you live whatsoever.

While I agree with you and think DQ fell off his rocking chair comparing those other, minor mishaps, the worse Pedro deal was the Expos shipping him to the Sox. By that point he was a Cy Young winner and they still got little. The Dodgers should have had more of an inkling, being that he was Ramon's brother, and while he had a good year as a long reliever in '94, that deal reminds me of the Konerko trade. Pt. II was worse than Pt. I.

[Don Quixote]

While I agree with you and think DQ fell off his rocking chair comparing those other, minor mishaps, the worse Pedro deal was the Expos shipping him to the Sox. By that point he was a Cy Young winner and they still got little. The Dodgers should have had more of an inkling, being that he was Ramon's brother, and while he had a good year as a long reliever in '94, that deal reminds me of the Konerko trade. Pt. II was worse than Pt. I.

The Frank Robinson trade wasn't a "minor mishap". It made the Orioles a contender for almost a decade, including two World Series titles, it set the Reds back a couple of years, and in fact it wound up forcing DeWitt to sell the team, with the new owners bringing in Bob Howsam as GM. Howsam took the base he was provided and built the Big Red Machine of the Seventies.

OTOH, you're probably right about Pedro II being a worse deal than the trade that brought him to Montreal. The "centerpiece" was the one and only Carl Pavano, years before he became known as "American Idle", a much-hyped prospect at the time. This kind of proves my point about perspective in that Dodger fans view Pedro I as the worst deal ever, without considering Pedro II.

Finally, the Konerko deals both made sense at the time. Konerko I took him, a converted catcher who was iffy in his position switch, and Denys Reyes for a much-needed closer, Jeff Shaw. The Reds needed prospects, the Dodgers needed a closer. Konerko II was to the White Sox for Mike Cameron, again a deal that made sense for both teams at the time, as the White Sox wanted a power-hitting corner and the Reds needed a center fielder (not just Jim Bowden's eternal fascination with outfielders).

[BuckyBuckner]

How about the Bartolo Colon deal?

June 27, 2002: Traded by the Cleveland Indians with Tim Drew to the Montreal Expos for Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips, Grady Sizemore and Lee Stevens.