{"id":6286,"date":"2009-12-13T07:01:33","date_gmt":"2009-12-13T07:01:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/?p=6286"},"modified":"2010-04-02T15:33:18","modified_gmt":"2010-04-02T14:33:18","slug":"rounding-the-bases-winter-meetings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/?p=6286","title":{"rendered":"Rounding the Bases: Winter meetings"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-6025\" title=\"MlbHlSq\" src=\"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/wp-content\/MlbHlSq.jpg\" alt=\"MlbHlSq\" width=\"201\" height=\"225\" \/>It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s easy to see the MLB Winter Meetings as an anachronism. There are so many communication methods available that the need for General Managers, agents and other interested parties to meet in person initially doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t appear to be great.\u00c2\u00a0 However, speaking to someone face-to-face does bring an increased sense of purpose to any negotiations and the deals that were completed during the meetings were a testament to this.\u00c2\u00a0 Although only 13 of the 30 teams actually confirmed a deal in Indianapolis, the other 17 no doubt gained some vital information that will lead to transactions in the near future.\u00c2\u00a0 <!--more--><\/p>\n<h3>Tigers, Yankees and Diamondbacks complete a three-way trade<\/h3>\n<p>Everyone loves a <a href=\"http:\/\/mlb.mlb.com\/news\/article.jsp?ymd=20091209&amp;content_id=7783094&amp;vkey=news_mlb&amp;fext=.jsp&amp;c_id=mlb\" target=\"_blank\">three-way trade<\/a> and the Winter Meetings produced an interesting one.\u00c2\u00a0 It was set off by the Detroit Tigers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 need to shift a few contracts off their books.\u00c2\u00a0 Centre fielder <strong>Curtis Granderson<\/strong> and pitcher <strong>Edwin Jackson<\/strong> were named as potential trade fodder virtually as soon as the World Series was over and Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski managed to trade both of them in this deal.\u00c2\u00a0 The New York Yankees wanted Granderson to further improve their outfield and the Arizona Diamondbacks\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 desire to acquire Jackson paved the way for a three-way agreement.\u00c2\u00a0 The Yankees got one new player, the D-Backs got two and the Tigers got four:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Yankees \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Granderson (Tigers)<\/li>\n<li>D-Backs \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Jackson (Tigers), starting pitcher <strong>Ian Kennedy<\/strong> (Yankees)<\/li>\n<li>Tigers \u00e2\u20ac\u201c starting pitcher <strong>Max Scherzer<\/strong> and reliever prospect <strong>Daniel Schlereth<\/strong> (both D-Backs), lefty reliever <strong>Phil Coke<\/strong> and centre field prospect <strong>Austin Jackson<\/strong> (both Yankees).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Acquiring Granderson gives the Yankees another source of power and a good centre fielder,.\u00c2\u00a0 They also now have some flexibility with their free agents <strong>Johnny Damon<\/strong> and <strong>Hideki Matsui<\/strong> as they probably only need to bring one back, potentially driving their price down (i.e. \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcif you want to play for us, this is what we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re offering\u00e2\u20ac\u2122).\u00c2\u00a0 The most likely scenario is for Damon to come back as a DH\/left fielder and for Matsui to head elsewhere (possibly to the White Sox).\u00c2\u00a0 In a separate deal, the Yankees re-signed free agent <strong>Andy Pettitte<\/strong> on another one year deal worth $11.75m.<\/p>\n<p>As for the D-Backs, nobody seems sure quite what they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing.\u00c2\u00a0 They already had the makings of a decent rotation with <strong>Dan Haren<\/strong>, <strong>Brandon Webb<\/strong> and Scherzer, while their offense clearly needs work to get them back into the NL West race.\u00c2\u00a0 It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not clear how trading one of those pitchers and acquiring two others really addresses their needs.<\/p>\n<p>The Tigers\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 2010 ambitions have taken a hit by trading away Granderson and Jackson, but that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the price you pay when you lumber yourself with bad contracts.\u00c2\u00a0 <strong>Magglio Ordonez<\/strong>, <strong>Carlos Guillen<\/strong>, <strong>Jeremy Bonderman<\/strong>, <strong>Dontrelle Willis<\/strong>, <strong>Nate Robertson<\/strong>, <strong>Brandon Inge<\/strong> are due to earn a combined $72.1m in 2010 and not a single one of them is likely to come close to \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcearning\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 their remuneration.\u00c2\u00a0 No one\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going to want to take on those commitments, so the Tigers had no choice but to trade two players that ideally they wanted to keep. The question now is: will <strong>Miguel Cabrera<\/strong> follow them out of Detroit?\u00c2\u00a0 Shortstop <strong>Adam Everett<\/strong> is one player who will be staying with the Tigers: he signed a new one year\/$1.55m deal earlier this week.<\/p>\n<h3>Texas teams make some moves<\/h3>\n<p>The Texas Rangers traded arguably their best starting pitcher <strong>Kevin Millwood<\/strong> to the Baltimore Orioles.\u00c2\u00a0 It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a <a href=\"http:\/\/baltimore.orioles.mlb.com\/news\/article.jsp?ymd=20091209&amp;content_id=7781566&amp;vkey=news_bal&amp;fext=.jsp&amp;c_id=bal\" target=\"_blank\">good trade<\/a> for the O\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s as Millwood should be a valuable veteran presence for their young pitchers to learn from.\u00c2\u00a0 The Rangers quickly filled the gap left by Millwood\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s departure by <a href=\"http:\/\/texas.rangers.mlb.com\/news\/article.jsp?ymd=20091209&amp;content_id=7783458&amp;vkey=news_tex&amp;fext=.jsp&amp;c_id=tex\" target=\"_blank\">signing<\/a> free agent <strong>Rich Harden<\/strong> on a one year deal worth $7.5m, with a $11m option for 2011.\u00c2\u00a0 It will be an excellent deal for the Rangers if Harden can stay healthy, but that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a big if.\u00c2\u00a0 Texas are also <a href=\"http:\/\/mlb.mlb.com\/news\/article.jsp?ymd=20091209&amp;content_id=7781550&amp;vkey=hotstove2009&amp;fext=.jsp\" target=\"_blank\">reportedly<\/a> close to signing <strong>Mike Lowell<\/strong> from the Red Sox.\u00c2\u00a0 The deal requires Boston to pick up a significant part of Lowell\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s $12m salary and presumably he would DH and play some first base, with <strong>Michael Young<\/strong> already having Lowell\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s third base position locked up.\u00c2\u00a0 The trade may then result in the Red Sox\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s making a run at <strong>Adrian Beltre<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Not to be left behind by their Lone Star state rivals, the Houston Astros <a href=\"http:\/\/mlb.mlb.com\/news\/article.jsp?ymd=20091210&amp;content_id=7791680&amp;vkey=news_hou&amp;fext=.jsp&amp;c_id=hou\" target=\"_blank\">made a few moves of their own<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 With <strong>Jose Valverde<\/strong> declining arbitration and <strong>LaTroy Hawkins<\/strong> leaving as a free agent, the Astros filled those bullpen holes by trading for <strong>Matt Lindstrom<\/strong> from the Marlins and signed free agent <strong>Brandon Lyon.<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0 The Lyon deal will cost a reported three years for $15m which\u00c2\u00a0is not exactly a bargain for a reliever, particularly on a team that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s unlikely to be in the playoff mix during the duration of the contract.\u00c2\u00a0 They also signed free agent third baseman <strong>Pedro Feliz<\/strong> on a one year\/$4.5m deal and that one does look like a pretty good pick-up considering the relatively modest commitment for an everyday player who\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a good fielder and offers some pop.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>NL Central moves<\/h3>\n<p>Two other NL Central teams acquired some pitching this week: the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals.<\/p>\n<p>The Brewers had a desperate need to add some pitching and that has arguably meant they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve slightly overpaid for reinforcements.\u00c2\u00a0 <strong>Randy Wolf<\/strong> <a href=\"http:\/\/mlb.mlb.com\/news\/article.jsp?ymd=20091209&amp;content_id=7781378&amp;vkey=news_mlb&amp;fext=.jsp&amp;c_id=mlb\" target=\"_blank\">will become<\/a> their number two starter behind <strong>Yovani Gallardo<\/strong> when he officially signs on a three year deal with an option for a fourth year that will guarantee him $29.75m.\u00c2\u00a0 After the Astros withdrew their three-year offer over the 08\/09 offseason, Wolf had to settle for a one year deal with the Dodgers for 2009.\u00c2\u00a0 He took full advantage by having a very good season in L.A. and, with few other starters on the free agent market, he finally bagged that elusive three year deal.\u00c2\u00a0 The Brewers also stopped <strong>LaTroy Hawkins<\/strong> from re-signing with the Astros by <a href=\"http:\/\/mlb.mlb.com\/news\/article.jsp?ymd=20091209&amp;content_id=7781092&amp;vkey=news_mlb&amp;fext=.jsp&amp;c_id=mlb\" target=\"_blank\">offering him a two-year deal<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The St. Louis Cardinals <a href=\"http:\/\/stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com\/news\/article.jsp?ymd=20091207&amp;content_id=7768208&amp;vkey=news_stl&amp;fext=.jsp&amp;c_id=stl\" target=\"_blank\">signed<\/a> free agent starting pitcher <strong>Brad Penny<\/strong> on a one year deal worth $7.5m.\u00c2\u00a0 Penny didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have a great time with the Red Sox during 2009, but he pitched well for the Giants in six starts at the end of the season.\u00c2\u00a0 He will slot into the rotation alongside <strong>Chris Carpenter<\/strong>, <strong>Adam Wainwright<\/strong> and <strong>Kyle Lohse<\/strong>, with <strong>Joel Pineiro<\/strong> likely to sign elsewhere as a free agent.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Other stories:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>the Seattle Mariners confirmed that <strong>Chone Figgins<\/strong> has joined them on a four-year deal<\/li>\n<li>there has been no\u00c2\u00a0 real movement on the top free agents: <strong>Matt Holliday<\/strong>, <strong>Jason Bay<\/strong> and <strong>John Lackey<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m still of the mind that Bay and Lackey will return to their respective clubs (Red Sox and Angels).\u00c2\u00a0 The Cardinals have <a href=\"http:\/\/mlb.mlb.com\/news\/article.jsp?ymd=20091211&amp;content_id=7799658&amp;vkey=news_mlb&amp;fext=.jsp&amp;c_id=mlb\" target=\"_blank\">extended an offer<\/a> to retain Holliday, but I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see them having the money required to meet his demands.\u00c2\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>the Chicago White Sox <a href=\"http:\/\/chicago.whitesox.mlb.com\/news\/article.jsp?ymd=20091211&amp;content_id=7798986&amp;vkey=news_cws&amp;fext=.jsp&amp;c_id=cws\" target=\"_blank\">added<\/a> <strong>J.J. Putz<\/strong> to their bullpen on a one year\/$3m deal.\u00c2\u00a0 That could be a decent addition if he stays healthy.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>the <a href=\"http:\/\/kansascity.royals.mlb.com\/news\/article.jsp?ymd=20091211&amp;content_id=7801774&amp;vkey=news_kc&amp;fext=.jsp&amp;c_id=kc\" target=\"_blank\">Kansas City Royals<\/a> (<strong>Jason Kendall<\/strong>) and the <a href=\"http:\/\/mlb.mlb.com\/news\/article.jsp?ymd=20091211&amp;content_id=7799234&amp;vkey=hotstove2009&amp;fext=.jsp\" target=\"_blank\">Washington Nationals<\/a> (<strong>Ivan \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcPudge\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Rodriguez<\/strong>)both signed veteran catchers on two-year deals worth $6m apiece.\u00c2\u00a0 I guess you have to give credit to their agents for securing two-year deals for their clients, but I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d like to know the thought process behind the moves by the two clubs.\u00c2\u00a0 If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re currently a bad team, how does signing veteran players who are a shell of their former selves make you any better, either in the short or long term?\u00c2\u00a0 Maybe they will have a positive influence on the respective pitching staffs?\u00c2\u00a0 $3m a year seems a very steep price for that though, especially on teams that have little to no chance of contending.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Barry Bonds\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/strong> Major League career has ended in a whimper with his agent <a href=\"http:\/\/sports.espn.go.com\/mlb\/news\/story?id=4730658\" target=\"_blank\">confirming<\/a> what we all knew: it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s very unlikely he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll ever play again.\u00c2\u00a0 Bonds has become a \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcnon person\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s interesting how someone who was one of the biggest stars the game has ever seen can be airbrushed out of history so quickly.\u00c2\u00a0 Well, that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s until he hits the Hall of Fame ballot in 2013 alongside <strong>Roger Clemens<\/strong>.\u00c2\u00a0 However hard you try to nail the door shut, those skeletons in the cupboard always come clattering out in the end.\u00c2\u00a0 Maybe the Hall of Fame cases for Bonds and Clemens could be considered by the St. Louis Cardinals\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 new batting coach, <strong>Mark McGwire<\/strong>, when he finally has to address the media?\u00c2\u00a0 Something tells me he might not want to \u00e2\u20ac\u02dctalk about the past\u00e2\u20ac\u2122.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Winter Meetings took place this week and they resulted in a variety of deals being completed, from free agent signings to a big three-team trade<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[553],"class_list":["post-6286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mlb-2","tag-mlb-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6286","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6286"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6286\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7235,"href":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6286\/revisions\/7235"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}