Archives › 2009 › November

By declining Alex Gonzalez’s option for next season the Red Sox moved Jed Lowrie back atop their shortstop depth chart for now, but Peter Gammons of ESPN.com reports that “it is clear they want Lowrie to play at Pawtucket, make up for what amounts to a lost season, and prove that his wrist will hold…

General manager Tony Reagins has shot down a FOXSports.com report claiming that the Angels are among three AL teams seriously pursuing free agent Matt Holliday, saying: “He’s a talented player, but our focus is not on him right now.” The assumption, of course, is that Reagins’ focus is on re-signing John Lackey and/or Chone Figgins…

Later today the Baseball Writers Association of America will announce their choice for AL Cy Young, but first here’s how my ballot would look: 1. Zack Greinke, Kansas City 2. Felix Hernandez, Seattle 3. Roy Halladay, Toronto 4. Justin Verlander, Detroit 5. CC Sabathia, New York Zack Greinke was the best pitcher in the American…

The Twins have a new house, so they have to have new clothes.  The duds Mr. Span is wearing to the right are actually the new throwback alternates, which everyone (Span included) thinks look better than the actual new homies.  They’ll only be worn at home on Opening Day and on Saturdays, but if the…

Ken Rosenthal talked to Pedro Martinez’s agent who says that Pedro is “absolutely” coming back, that he feels “rejuvenated” and that this time he wants to pitch all season, not just be a mid-season rental. This is great in the sense that Pedro Martinez is awesome and is great to have around baseball for all kinds…

Not a terribly notable one, though.  It’s Hisanori Takahashi, a 34 year-old lefty from the Yomiuri Giants who has declared free agency and wants to pitch in U.S.. The only things I could find out about the guy is that (a) he had a couple of decent years as a starter a few years ago; (b)…

Wilpon-bilker Bernie Madoff wasn’t the only fraudster with baseball connections.  This year’s other high profile Ponzi artist — Allen Stanford — had multiple baseball players as clients, all of whom had a portion of their assets frozen as the case against the Texas investor started to break last February. Eventually the funds became unfrozen and…

The Mets could use a pitcher — they could use a lot of things actually — and according to Adam Rubin of the Daily News, they are seriously interested in free agent Joel Piniero. Piniero doesn’t walk anyone. Indeed, he was the least walkinest pitcher in baseball, allowing a mere 1.14 per nine innings last…

This should be a no-brainer.  The only reason — and it’s not a good reason — that anyone would not have Zack Greinke listed #1 on their ballot is because they don’t think his 16 wins for an awful team are worth the 19 wins CC Sabathia, Felix Hernandez and Justin Verlander posted for good…

Annoyingly, Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi have been doing a blog that’s not a blog for FOXSports. Rosenthal is the best in the biz at putting legitimate rumors out there, but FOX has made it more and more difficult to access his latest tidbits, with too much content that doesn’t carry over to RSS…

Free Agency Preview – Catcher Free Agency Preview – First base & DH Free Agency Preview – Second base Free Agency Preview – Third base This is part five in a series of columns looking at this winter’s free agents, trade candidates and non-tender possibilities. I’ll be making predictions for the key free agents, but…

With all of the rumors swirling about budgetary problems potentially forcing a Brandon Phillips deal, some will be surprised that the Reds didn’t simply let Ramon Hernandez leave as a free agent. After all, Ryan Hanigan is younger, makes the minimum and was a more effective player than Hernandez last season. The Reds could have…

In case you missed it — and most everyone did — the Twins recently engaged in a modestly shady transaction, adding Juan Morillo to their 40-man roster in advance of him becoming a minor league free agent. It wasn’t an unusual move in itself, but the Twins didn’t do it with an eye towards having…

One of the many things that make offseason rumors so frustrating to follow is that even the most respected names in the baseball reporting business often vary wildly on what they’re reporting. Today provides a good example, as Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com writes that “the Yankees, who need a left fielder, are interested” in…

This morning I laid out my Rookie of the Year picks, choosing A’s reliever Andrew Bailey in the American League and Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen in the National League. This afternoon the Baseball Writers Association of America announced their actual selections, agreeing with me on Bailey for the AL award while going with Marlins…

Last week the Reds declined their $8.5 million option on Ramon Hernandez for 2010, choosing to pay him a $1 million buyout instead, but today the two sides agreed to a new one-year deal. Hernandez will reportedly earn $3 million and the contract also includes a $3.25 million option for 2011 that vests if he…

* Derek Jeter will host Saturday Night Live next month for the second time, with musical guests Jay-Z and Alicia Keys no doubt performing his pre-at-bat song “New York State of Mind.” Jeter dressed in drag to portray Alfonso Soriano’s wife when he hosted SNL back in 2001 and several Yankees made cameos, so it…

Later today the Baseball Writers Association of America will announce their choice for NL Rookie of the Year, but first here’s how my ballot would look: 1. Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh 2. J.A. Happ, Philadelphia 3. Chris Coghlan, Florida 4. Tommy Hanson, Atlanta 5. Garrett Jones, Pittsburgh Honorable mention: Randy Wells, Casey McGehee, Kenshin Kawakami, Seth…

Later today the Baseball Writers Association of America will announce their choice for AL Rookie of the Year, but first here’s how my ballot would look: 1. Andrew Bailey, Oakland 2. Elvis Andrus, Texas 3. Jeff Niemann, Tampa Bay 4. Gordon Beckham, Chicago 5. Rick Porcello, Detroit Honorable mention: Brett Anderson, Ricky Romero, Nolan Reimold,…

Last week Bob told us all about “Camp Panda,” the intensive conditioning regimen for the Giants’ portly slugger Pablo Sandoval.  Fresh details today from the San Francisco Chronicle: With a host of others, including Giants head trainer Dave Groeschner and strength and conditioning coordinator Ben Potenziano, infielder Pablo Sandoval climbed Phoenix’s Camelback Mountain on Thursday,…

A week and a half ago I asked whether or not the Yankees bought their title.  Given that, as of this morning, 652 people have commented on that, I feel comfortable saying that the subject struck a nerve. Today noted sports economist Andrew Zimbalist says in the Wall Street Journal that, nope, the Yankees did…

Jeff Blair of the Toronto Globe and Mail says that if the Reds are seriously thinking about cutting bait on Brandon Phillips, the Blue Jays would want him to be their third baseman. You’ll recall, of course, that the Blue Jays shipped their previous third baseman — Scott Rolen — to the Reds just last…

So says Detroit Free Press columnist Michael Rosenberg, who reminds us that Tigers owner Mike Ilitch is an emotional guy: Ilitch surely is furious now, and for good reason. He gave Dombrowski one of the biggest payroll advantages in baseball — the Tigers had the fifth-highest payroll in the league — and they could not…

Bobby Crosby. Bob Hamelin. Jason Jennings. Kazuhiro Sasaki.  Immortals all, each of whom got their start with the Rookie of the Year Award.  Who will join their esteemed ranks today, as the major post season awards begin to be rolled out? AL:  Multiple candidates here. Elvis Andrus probably deserved a Gold Glove this year. And…

As least psychically, as the GMs who met in Chicago last are said to be increasingly wary of players moving from the NL to the AL: His shoulders shrugged. His lips pursed. But Kenny Williams bit his tongue one syllable too late. “A guy going from the American League to the National League, no disrespect,…