2010 MLB Season Discussion

[*Shinzon*]

If Lee is traded tonight before he starts, he wont be pitching tonight or the rest of the weekend.

[Soa]

I take anything Buster Olney says these days with a grain of salt, since frankly he is wrong almost all the time.

If Lee goes to the Yanks (who don't need him) then you might as well just hand them the World Series trophy right now and not bother with the rest of the season. While they're at it they can just go get Oswalt too and complete the circle.

[*Shinzon*]

Well what Olney said about the Yanks being the exclusive team the mariners are talking with makes sense. I've heard and read a bunch of things that said that gms from other teams called Jack Z with packages or wanted to hear exactly what the Mariners were looking for and he never returned any phone calls. That's really the only thing that pisses me off.

[Conrad]

The ESPN article about the Lee-to-Yankees trade mentions that the Yanks will try and move Vazquez, and that the Phils will try and trade Werth for him. Since I don't watch the Yankees, would he be a reliable bullpen pitcher? The Phils don't have problems with their rotation, so I don't see why they'd go after a starter in the first place.

By the way, how can you not feel bad for Cleveland if this trade goes through? Lolbron to Miami, followed by their #1 and #2 2008 Opening Day pitchers in NYC? Cleveland is easily the most depressing and miserable (sports) city ever.

[*Shinzon*]

Vazquez has been a starter his whole career. He's been one of the most reliable pitchers of the decade, he's actually been the most consistent strikeout pitchers in the game leads active pitchers or something like that. There's no way he's going to be traded anywhere and used in the bullpen.

Also considering what you said, the Vazquez-Werth talks are either totally misplaced or the phils have a plan to banish one of their starters. If the Lee deal goes through, I imagine that the mets will talk to the Yanks about Javier considering how successful he was last year with the Braves.

More Lee updates:
10:44: Catching prospect Jesus Montero and second base prospect David Adams will head to the Mariners, possibly with another prospect, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, who broke the story.

10:18am: The Mariners have told many interested teams that they're out of the Lee sweepstakes, according to Ken Davidoff of Newsday (via Twitter). It appears that the Yankees will acquire Lee.

10:03am: Davidoff hears that the talks have hit a 'snag' and notes that the Yankees remain hopeful that they can finish the deal (via Twitter). Davidoff and ESPN.com's Buster Olney both note (via Twitter) that the Yankees will not get a negotiating window for a contract extension.

Olney hears that the Yankees told the Mariners that their current offer is their last and best one. The Yankees expect an answer soon, since Lee is scheduled to face them tonight (Twitter links).

Fuck me @ that rotation.

[Conrad]

We technically have six starters, though Happ is in AAA right now until they deem him fully recovered from his injury. If the Phils were to get Vazquez, they'd have to move at least Kyle Kendrick or Joe Blanton to the pen to make room, and then move the other if Happ gets brought up and starts performing at a high level again. That, plus the fact that they're repeatedly saying Dominic Brown isn't being brought up anytime soon (who hasn't had a hitless game since being brought up to AAA, 15 games total, plus a 1.026 OPS) makes me think that the Werth-for-Vazquez thing is pure conjecture.

[Cephius]

They have to have another trade ready, otherwise this makes zero sense. They have 3 aces and 2 other front line starters on the team already. Someone must be ready to go.

[*Shinzon*]

They have to have another trade ready, otherwise this makes zero sense. They have 3 aces and 2 other front line starters on the team already. Someone must be ready to go.

You're right, but who could it possibly be besides the Mets? I mean Lee wont pitch again before the break, so that gives the yanks a few days, but I dunno. I heard nothing about anyone being interested in Vazquez besides the phils which doesn't seem serious and the Mets.

[Cephius]

You're right, but who could it possibly be besides the Mets? I mean Lee wont pitch again before the break, so that gives the yanks a few days, but I dunno. I heard nothing about anyone being interested in Vazquez besides the phils which doesn't seem serious and the Mets.

No idea. Not hearing anything either. I'm frankly pretty confused by the whole thing.

[Moss]

We technically have six starters, though Happ is in AAA right now until they deem him fully recovered from his injury. If the Phils were to get Vazquez, they'd have to move at least Kyle Kendrick or Joe Blanton to the pen to make room, and then move the other if Happ gets brought up and starts performing at a high level again. That, plus the fact that they're repeatedly saying Dominic Brown isn't being brought up anytime soon (who hasn't had a hitless game since being brought up to AAA, 15 games total, plus a 1.026 OPS) makes me think that the Werth-for-Vazquez thing is pure conjecture.

Vazquez would be a HUGE upgrade over Kendrick or Blanton. He has been pitching a lot better lately after his bad start to the season. We saw what he could do in this division last year. As for refusing to call up Brown, I think they are just trying to deflect attention from shopping Werth to prevent a distraction.

[promethius]

they would possibly also consider placing phil in the bullpen again since joba has not been doing it in the 8th this season. I don't like the idea of trading montero the guy is a stud.

[*Shinzon*]

How could the Yankees have been shopping Vazquez this whole time without anyone mentioning a word of it? Vazquez is a top starter, I'm beyond fucking confused. Now I'm really pissed because this means the damn Mets front office has been asleep at the fucking wheel. Vazquez isn't owed nearly the same expensive salaries that Haren and Oswalt have, ugggh.

[Cephius]

Cashman knows how to keep things close to the vest when he wants to. No one knew about the Granderson trade until it was a done deal, and supposedly it had been discussed for months. And that was a big multiple team trade.

[*Shinzon*]

Cashman knows how to keep things close to the vest when he wants to. No one knew about the Granderson trade until it was a done deal, and supposedly it had been discussed for months. And that was a big multiple team trade.

Yea but that wasn't as sudden as this. The Granderson trade left people with the impression the Tigers didn't want him. And even in the busy offseason--there were rumblings of that trade being completed. With this the Yanks come out of nowhere, essentially overnight offering a package that from the start of the year they wanted to get rid of, and now they have an excess of starting. It's understandable though because with the Yankees obviously in contention Vazquez wasn't going anywhere, but now he's expendable.

[Conrad]

Vazquez would be a HUGE upgrade over Kendrick or Blanton. He has been pitching a lot better lately after his bad start to the season. We saw what he could do in this division last year. As for refusing to call up Brown, I think they are just trying to deflect attention from shopping Werth to prevent a distraction.

I don't deny that. I honestly have no idea what our GM is up to right now -- I'm just hoping it all works out for them by the end of the season.

Plus our bullpen is the real problem right now -- sending Kendrick would be okay because he's used to pen duty over the last couple years, but Blanton is making a lot of money to pitch in relief. I realize they did the same thing when Moyer was demoted last year, but these are somewhat different circumstances in that I doubt Vazquez is on the same level as Cliff Lee or Pedro Martinez.

[*Shinzon*]

Talk now is that Hughes is likely to be moved to the pen if the Lee deal gets finalized. Now, I don't know how in the hell that makes sense for the Yanks to stretch Hughes out only to send him back to the pen after such a successful start. I think the Yanks might of been a bit too aggressive this time around.

[Soa]

Vazquez would be a HUGE upgrade over Kendrick or Blanton. He has been pitching a lot better lately after his bad start to the season. We saw what he could do in this division last year. As for refusing to call up Brown, I think they are just trying to deflect attention from shopping Werth to prevent a distraction.

The hole left in our lineup by losing our only right handed power bat is far, far wider than the gap between Vazquez and Kendrick/Blanton. Its true Vazquez has improved a lot but so has Kendrick, who has cut his ERA by more than half in the last 2 months. Blanton has sucked badly this year and is more of an innings eater type, not a bullpen type, and the last thing we need is another shitty unreliable bullpen arm.

Brown is more than ready to come up right now (been tearing up both AA and AAA) so I don't think that is holding any potential trade up. Again he is a lefty and we have plenty of lefty bats.

[Cephius]

Talk now is that Hughes is likely to be moved to the pen if the Lee deal gets finalized. Now, I don't know how in the hell that makes sense for the Yanks to stretch Hughes out only to send him back to the pen after such a successful start. I think the Yanks might of been a bit too aggressive this time around.

Nah that's bullshit. They'd go to a 6 man rotation before they put Hughes back in the pen. Would he be in the pen for the playoffs? Maybe, sure. But for the regular season? No way.

[Moss]

Werth hasn't been hitting lately, and you can't tell me Vazquez wouldn't be a huge improvement over Blanton. His salary should be irrelevant(although I know it isn't), but when you have an ERA over 6 you aren't eating many innings(he has only thrown 74.2).

[Cephius]

Sorry but IMHO Vazquez is twice the pitcher that Blanton is based on track record alone. And I don't really have any love for Javy.