Bleacher Report - NL East

Piecing Together the New York Mets' Puzzle

Jason Lempert — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:20:35 -0500

The holiday season is among us, and the Major League Baseball 2010 free agent market is open for business. So it's time to do some shopping!

Today's list features the presents that Fred Wilpon, Omar Minaya, and the rest of the New York Mets front office should be trying to give to their fans to unwrap this coming season.

The biggest gift Mets fans would like to see under their tree this year is ace right hander Roy Halladay. And while the Mets do not seem to be the top contender for the Doc's services in 2010, it could make sense for them and the Blue Jays to get a deal done, as Mike Silva of the New York Daily News writes.

The Mets certainly do not have the prospect depth that teams such as the Yankees, Red Sox and Angels might have. But what they do have is payroll to play with, and if they would agree to take on the hefty contract of Vernon Wells, that could reduce the trading cost of Halladay, as Silva suggests.

Wells is in the midst of a seven-year, $126 million contract signed after the 2006 season. And while the 30-year old outfielder may be losing his range as a center-fielder, he still has enough pop to be an everyday left fielder, something the Mets are certainly in need of for 2010. He's no Matt Holliday. He's no Jason Bay. But a prospective outfield of Vernon Wells, Carlos Beltran and Jeff Francouer for 2010 doesn't sound too terrible.

Nor does a rotation that starts with Johan Santana and Roy Halladay. This move would fill two holes in one swoop. And given the Mets' downfalls the last few seasons, the team's front office would do well to make moves that could impact the team immediately, not down the road.

Not signing Bay or Holliday would allow the Mets to go fill other holes, such as a set-up man as well as a catcher. Bengie Molina has been rumored to be CitiField-bound, and could be a cheap option for one or two years.

So with the need for another starting pitcher and a power-hitting left fielder, and with money to spend, Halladay and Wells to the Mets seems like a logical fit. Perhaps Halladay would come to New York in a sleigh dressed as some over-sized man in a red suit, singing Jingle Wells along the way.

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Elmer Glued: Dessens Close To Re-Signing in New York

Michael Ganci — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:33:29 -0500

Elmer Dessens very quietly had a nice year for the Amazins in 2009. (PHOTO BY ICON SMI)

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

Although this is not the biggest of news, it is still news, and I am starving to report it. The Mets are close to re-signing reliever Elmer Dessens to a contract that would bring him back for the 2010 season, and I think that is something that he definitely earned.

Now, this is not I guy I would envision as a permanent fixture in the bullpen next season, but he could be a nice signing in terms of depth—something I have been stressing since the season ended.

Last year, the Mets found themselves without a fallback plan, and a lot of that was impossible to prepare for, but the club needs to prepare both the Major League and Triple A levels with guys who are capable of filling in if a situation arises.

Last year was a nice story for Dessens. He hadn’t pitched more than 30 innings for a team since the 2006 season, in which he pitched 54 for Kansas City. He is also one of those guys that falls into the mop-up category. He can make a start in an emergency situation, and he can eat up innings in a blowout out of the bullpen. Guys like that are usually under appreciated. Look what that roll ended up doing for Darren Oliver’s career.

I expect things to remain pretty quiet until next week when we find out who is and isn’t being awarded arbitration by their teams. Two names to watch will be Orlando Hudson and Benji Molina. Now, I don’t think the Mets would be scared off if the Dodgers and Giants offer them arbitration, but it makes sense to wait because then the Mets would not have to forfeit a draft pick. My gut says the Dodgers won’t offer because they think Hudson might accept. Molina could be a different story.

Good low-risk signing in Dessens. People need to remember what happened last year, and the Mets need to make sure to be prepared if anything like that happens in 2010.

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Billy Wagner in Atlanta: A Perfect Fit?

Cameron Britt — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:18:00 -0500

With Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez's departures nearly a given in Atlanta, the Braves have to look towards the Free Agent market for their closer.

(Well, they don't have to, but who is going to trade away a legitimate closer this offseason?)

Names that jump out include Brandon Lyon, Fernando Rodney, and Jose Valverde.

But combinations of ability and contractual issues make these guys relatively poor fits.

One name that has been established through various media outlets for the Braves, though, is Billy Wagner.

The 38-year-old lefty has drawn interest from various teams and, according to MLB Trade Rumors, is prepared to begin fielding offers next week.

The Hot Stove's beginning to heat up, no?

The one hitch that comes along with Wagner is that he is coming back from Tommy John Surgery.

But with a success rate in the 90's for TJS and a solid 17-game exposition (1.72 ERA, 26:8 K:BB, in 15.2 innings) at the end of the '09 season, the qualms many should have should be quieted a bit.

That's not to say that he should be given a $15 MM annual salary, it just means that the operation shouldn't stop anyone from making him an offer.

Anyway, here are a few reasons as to why Wagner makes sense for the Braves:

1. Despite his type-A (if the Red Sox choose to offer him arbitration), the Braves need not worry.

They'll be getting four picks from whomever signs Gonzo and Soriano, so that is not an issue.

2. According to David O'Brien of the AJC, Wagner is a "FOC (Friend of Chipper) and has made it known that he'd like to pitch for Bobby Cox."

Does that necessarily mean that he'll take a discount?

No, but it does mean that the Braves have a little leverage over some other clubs.

3. He's only (39) saves away from John Franco for the all-time lead for most saves as a left-handed pitcher.

I'm not naming that for the novelty of having Wagner set a record in a Braves' uni.

I'm saying that that means that he'll want the ball.

Then again, Bob Wickman also wanted the ball...just only in save situations (but Wagner didn't record a save in his late-season return with K-Rod and Papelbon ahead of him and didn't complain, so...).

Are there better options on the market?

Yeah, and two of them will be departing Atlanta (most likely) in the coming weeks.

But there is no other option out there that makes as much sense for the Braves.

The team saw Peter Moylan succeed in '09 after his surgery, and I would expect Wagner to do the same.

The dude is still nasty, as evidenced by his K:BB above, and has always been "mean" enough to take the ball in the ninth.

Other clubs (Cubs, Tigers, other clubs with closer-holes since he doesn't want to be a set-up-only guy) may come knocking with more cash, but the Braves come knocking with Chipper, Bobby Cox's last go-'round, and a Championship-caliber rotation (and an offense that's primed to be the same once a move or two is made).

If I'm Frank Wren, I say "Hey Bean [Stringfellow, Wagner's agent and holder of the "best name for an agent in baseball" award], how does Billy feel about a two-year contract at $15 million guaranteed to play here in Atlanta?

"We'll even throw in a third-year mutual option and performance-based incentives each year along the way that could bring each up to...say...about $9 MM?

"C'mon."

(Okay, maybe the negotiations would go a little deeper than that...but you get my point)

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Miguel Cabrera to the Mets? Get Over the Pipe Dream New York

Michael Ganci — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:58:28 -0500

By Michael Ganci
Editor

Just a couple of weeks after the Mets’ season ended, my father came home from work one day with a complete list of MLB’s free agents, and then we had our annual talk about who could be available on the trade market.

The usual names came up: Jason Bay and Matt Holliday would be the top outfield targets, and John Lackey would be the top pitcher.

The Mets have needs that have to be addressed, and there was one guy who was brought up in the conversation that is quite enticing: Miguel Cabrera.

The guy would certainly fill the power void in the Mets’ lineup, but would management be willing to pony up the dough that Cabrera is owed? Also, would Omar Minaya deplete the Mets farm system to make such a trade happen?

I think the answer is no on both accounts. Way too much would need to happen to make this deal go down.

First, let’s start with the money.

Cabrera still has six years and $126 million left on his current deal. Everyone knows that the Wilpons were hit pretty hard when Bernard Madoff pulled off his ponzi scheme. Where is this money going to come from? Oh, I know the answer. It’s coming out of our pockets.

I think the bit about the Wilpons being out of money is bologna, and the fact is that they are just plain cheap and not willing to take that giant leap to make their team a contender.

Then you have the cost in players. Take what I am about to offer with a grain of salt, but I think Cabrera would cost a package such as Jenrry Mejia, Brad Holt, Fernando Martinez, and Ike Davis.

On top of that, we might have to add a major league player or two. Would you be willing to make such a deal? I am not sure our farm system would be able to handle it.

Then you have the attitude of Miguel Cabrera. We all know that when he was a member of the Florida Marlins, his laziness and attitude came into question on more than one occasion.

Would this guy really be willing to make a position change and come play in the limelight of New York City? I am not so sure.

He has always seemed to be a “me first” player, and that isn't the kind of guy that would fit into the ultimate scheme of things.

Another option could be to have David Wright make the switch to first base, but that is a whole other ballgame.

This guy has the goods. There’s no denying that. He is just 26 years old, and already he has amassed over 200 homers and 750 RBI.

He has also gotten MVP votes every year since he has entered the league, and he might be a top-five hitter in baseball. There’s no arguing that he would be fun to watch.

Why exactly would Detroit just have him on the block? I love to dream just like the next guy, but moving Cabrera doesn’t seem necessary. If anything, the Tigers seem to be jockeying to build around the power-hitting third baseman.

With Magglio Ordonez, Jeremy Bonderman, Dontrelle Willis, and Nate Robertson coming off of the books after next season, it seems like they would have money to spend.

Also, there’s talk already of them moving Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson. That would open up a nice chunk of change as well.

To me, it seems like a pipe dream. We love to speculate, but I just don’t see why Detroit would move a guy who has a talent that is impossible to replicate.

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Should We Be Thankful?

Michael Ganci — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:06:07 -0500

What are you thankful for?

BY MICHAEL GANCI
EDITOR

I know it’s a little bit early for the Thanksgiving article, but I really could not help myself. With the meal of the year looming in the not so distant future, I decided to compare what the Mets should be thankful for, even though things do not seem so peachy at this junction.

First, we should be thankful we are not the Royals, Athletics, Nationals, and Pirates. These are teams that were also pretty atrocious last year and don’t seem to be improving much. Can anyone actually see any of these teams being a playoff contender any time in the near future? I can’t, and say anything you want about the Royals having the AL CY Young award winner, they don’t have anything close to what they need to be a playoff team.

I am also thankful for Jeff Francoeur. This was one of the lone bright spots of the 2009 season. When the Mets acquired him for Ryan Church, I didn’t really know what to make of it. I knew it was the right move, but this guy was a “Brave”. There was no way this was going to work. But in a season in which we saw a lot of misjudgment, this ended up being one of the best moves to make. Now they are discussing an extension, and we could do a lot worse than having him in right field next season.

The next thing that comes to mind in which we are thankful for is the city our team plays in. Losing is just not acceptable here. Imagine being a Pirates fan. They watched Nate McClouth bloom only to see him get traded. Now Andrew McCutchen is the next big thing in Pittsburgh. But how long do you think it is going to be until he gets traded? Only time will tell. But personally, I couldn’t imagine rooting for a team that has a zero percent chance of winning every year.

Here’s a question. Should we be thankful for Omar Minaya? I mean, the guy did help bring the winning mindset back to Queens. He did sign Pedro Martinez, which of course led to a domino affect that included Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado and more. I say the jury is still out. None of those teams have gone to a championship, and that is what it is all about. After watching the boys across town take one home, this team and management should be hungrier than ever. But then again, look who we are talking about.

One thing we might be thankful for soon may be a looming return. I see that a lot of people want to move on from this possibility, but it is looking more and more like the return of Carlos Delgado might be the best solution for next season. If it’s a one-year pact, go for it, and then we can look forward to a post-2010 free agent class that includes Lance Berkman, Jorge Cantu, Paul Konerko, Derrek Lee, and Carlos Pena? Did I mention that Albert Pujols has a $16 million club option for 2011? I wonder if they will pick that up.

In the long run, I think the team is going to be alright, but in terms of 2010, I am not really so optimistic. Your thoughts?

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Who's on First? Omar Minaya, New York Mets Have Several Options

Doug Gausepohl — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:27:29 -0500

As any Mets fan can tell you, the Amazins have several holes that need to be filled before taking the field in 2010. A couple more starting pitchers, a first baseman, left fielder, catcher, setup man...phew.

Looking at the free agent market, most of these holes can be easily filled through signing the available players. There's starting pitchers available such as John Lackey, Joel Pineiro, and Jason Marquis, left fielders such as Jason Bay and Matt Holliday, and catchers such as Bengie Molina and Yorvit Torrealba.

The most glaring position that will be difficult to fix from the outside is first base. There are some intriguing names such as Nick Johnson and Hank Blalock, but neither seem to be connected to the Mets in anyway this offseason so far.

But the Mets do have several ways in which they can approach this problem.

The most likely option is the Mets putting Daniel Murphy at first base. They still like his bat, although he will never be too much of a power hitter, and his defense at first was extremely impressive considering the inexperience at the position.

But if the Mets fail to sign a big bat such as Matt Holliday or Jason Bay, can they afford to put a rather unproven hitter such as Murphy at first? If they do sign a Holliday or Bay, I think Murphy at first is feasible since he'll be sixth or seventh in the batting order.

If not, Murphy may not have a place on this team. You could use him as trade bait to lure another first baseman via trade (Adrian Gonzalez?) that can help out. Murphy alone won't loosen A-Gon from the Padres grasp, but adding a player that has proven he can hit and play first at least adequately in the majors to a package of two to three other prospects would be a good starting point.

Omar may also look to keep Murphy as a utility guy, while filling the first base role more permanently with a player that has proven himself a little more, such as Nick Johnson or Hank Blalock. As said earlier, there's been no talk of either of these guys in Mets uniforms come April, but either guy would be a good choice.

Nick Johnson has proven the ability to hit for .300, smack 20 home runs, and play excellent defense while doing so. Blalock won't hit for the same average or provide the same defense, but his power is a little better, and since the other two areas of his game I mentioned are up to par with Johnson's, he may come a bit cheaper, too.

One thing to remember before going and signing a first baseman such as those two to multi-year deals is that many media outlets project Mets first base prospect Ike Davis to be ready in 2011. According to the numbers, this kid can flat out rake. He's only 22 years old and hit .309 in Double-A Binghamton last season, while hitting well in winter ball thus far.

Which brings me to another idea which is probably not in great standing with other Mets fans, but it deserves to be brought up. Carlos Delgado is no longer under contract with the Mets, but he's a viable option to put at first as a one year stopgap if healthy (and he'd probably wind up being the cheapest option, too).

That, of course, is a big if. We all know what happened in 2009 with Delgado, who suffered a hip injury in late May which sidelined him for the rest of the season, starting the downslide that would continue for the next four and a half months.

Can Omar afford to take the gigantic risk of bringing Delgado back on a one-year deal, even if it is for a rather small amount of money? Delgado would probably be willing to take less of a salary considering the demand for him isn't exactly what you would call outrageous.

I know all the reasons not to sign Delgado mainly point towards his injury-plagued 2009 campaign, something the Mets can not afford again. But if the Mets can get Delgado on a one-year, incentive laden deal, along with another hitter like Holliday or Bay? A 3-7 batting order of Wright-Bay/Holliday-Beltran-Delgado- Francoeur, when healthy, would be absolutely deadly.

From what I can see, the option with the most risk (the re-signing of Delgado) has the opportunity for the most reward. You know what you're going to get with Murphy for the most part, and even with signing one of the free agent first basemen already mentioned.

Will Omar take one of these safe bets? Or will he take Delgado back on a one year deal, putting trust in Ike Davis to be the first baseman of the future while also having faith in Delgado having a bounce back year? As Omar's resume shows he's not exactly predictable, so only time will tell.

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Derek Lowe: What's His Trade Market?

Adam Bernacchio — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:19:39 -0500

On January 13, 2009, the Atlanta Braves signed Derek Lowe to a four-year, $60 million deal. The Braves signed Lowe after they failed to sign AJ Burnett, who signed with the New York Yankees.

Now less than one year later, the Braves are looking to trade the 6′6” righty.

Why would the Braves look to trade Lowe after just one year? Well, for one, they feel they have an excess of pitching. And two, if they are able to trade Lowe, they could free up some money to add offense.

The Braves want to unload Lowe

So can the Braves trade Lowe? Let’s take a look at the pros and the cons of Lowe and what teams would be interested in trading for the former member of Red Sox Nation.

Pros

If you trade for Lowe, you are going to trade for one of the most durable pitchers in the game.

Lowe has started 30-plus games every season since moving from the bullpen to a starter in 2002. And since moving to the National League in 2005, Lowe has led the league in starts three out of those five years.

Over the last three years, Lowe is third in the National League in innings pitched with 605. In a sport where quantity counts just as much as quality for a pitcher, Lowe’s durability goes a long way.

Perhaps Lowe’s best asset is his ability to pitch well in big games. We all know what he did in the 2004 playoffs for the Red Sox winning the clinching game in all three series.

Lowe was also solid in two out of his three starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2008 playoffs.

Cons

Can you believe Lowe is going to be 37-years-old next year? It’s a little surprising considering that he looks a lot younger.

And with Lowe getting older, perhaps his age started to show in 2009. Lowe’s ERA rose from 3.24 in 2008 to 4.67 in 2009 and Lowe’s hits/9 increased to 10.7, which was his highest since 2004 (11/9).

Lowe K’s/9 went down from 6.3 in 2008 to 5.1 in 2009 and his BB/9 went up from 1.9 in 2008 to 2.9 in 2009. And while Lowe is known as a sinkerball/groundball pitcher, in 2009 he threw a lower percentage of groundballs (56.3) than at any point during his career.

It’s never a good sign when a groundball pitcher is throwing more flyballs than ever.

Lastly, the biggest con Lowe has going for him is his contract. Lowe still has three years and $45 million on his contract. The Braves overpaid for Lowe last year and they are going to be hard pressed to move that size contract in this economy.

Now that we have looked at the pros and cons of Lowe, let’s take a look at the teams that might be interested in trading for the native of Dearborn, MI.

Milwaukee Brewers: There was a lot of talk recently of a Lowe for Corey Hart swap, but that was correctly turned down by the Brewers.

I know the Brewers are desperate for starting pitching, but even if all things were equal I wouldn’t have made that move if I was the Brewers’ GM.

New York Yankees: The Yankees had their choice between Burnett and Lowe last year and went with the younger Lowe. However, if Andy Pettitte doesn’t come back they feel Phil Hughes is still better suited to be in the pen, then Lowe could be an option.

It would be a long shot, but an option none the less.

Seattle Mariners: Another long shot, but the Mariners do need a number two starter and perhaps the Mariners could bring back the pitcher they traded away almost 12 years ago.

For those of you not familiar with what I am talking about, the Seattle Mariners traded Lowe and Jason Varitek to the Boston Red Sox for Heathcliff Slocumb.

I’ll check that one off as a win for the Red Sox.

Texas Rangers: Unless the Braves ate a significant portion of Lowe’s contract, it would be hard for the Rangers to acquire Lowe.

However, the Rangers could use a guy like Lowe and if they can get the Braves to eat a large portion of Lowe’s contract, then he would make sense for the Rangers.

As I have mentioned, the biggest problem the Braves will have with trading Lowe is his contract. Unless the Braves eat a significant portion of the deal, they are going to have a tough time trading him.

Now if it were my decision, I wouldn’t trade Lowe. This whole “the Braves have an excess of pitching” is comical to me.

Guess what? There is no such thing in baseball. The Red Sox had more pitching depth than any team in baseball going into 2009 and they still had to bring in Paul Byrd off his couch in August.

I guarantee that if the Braves trade Lowe or Javier Vazquez, something will happen to one of their remaining starters and they will be searching for a starter by the July 31st trading deadline.

That’s just the way baseball works.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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Washington Nationals' Stephen Strasburg Doesn't Need Surgery

Jarrett Carter — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:12 -0500

The good news is that Stephen Strasburg doesn’t need surgery on his injured knee . The bad news is that this is the second injury for the pitching phenom and it has the potential to linger for years.

First, Strasburg was scratched from a start in fall league with a strained neck . Not too big of a deal for most athletes, but for pitchers, the slightest discomfort in neck and shoulder could impact velocity and movement on pitches.

And now he has an injured knee, which may or may not affect how he plants or pushes off from the mound.

Maybe it’s an exaggeration, but in a baseball town synonymous with failure, panic is to be expected.

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New York Mets To Possibly Play In Puerto Rico

Adam Bernacchio — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:41:17 -0500

Well, if the New York Mets couldn’t win in Citi Field, the three American League ballparks, and the other 15 National League ballparks in 2010, why not try somewhere new in 2011?

According to Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News , the Mets are working on playing some regular-season games in Puerto Rico. The games would be considered road games for the Mets and would be played in Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan.

The most likely opponent would be the Florida Marlins.

This is the equivalent of the NFL playing games in London, but people in Puerto Rico care about baseball and this actually makes sense.

Thanks to the signings of Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado, the Mets have a large Puerto Rican following. Beltran, who is opening up a baseball academy in Puerto Rico, would sell out the game by himself.

The Mets also have Pedro Feliciano, Angel Pagan, and Omir Santos on the roster who were born in Puerto Rico.

The Marlins being the opponent for the Mets makes a ton of sense as well. Since the Marlins draw like 5,000 fans for a home game, they would probably generate more revenue from playing three games in San Juan than they would playing three games in Florida.

Hiram Bithorn Stadium was home to the Montreal Expos for some games during the 2003 and 2004 season.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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Team 86: The 2008 Tigers

Blake VandeBunte — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:18:21 -0500

Year: 2008
Record: 74-88
Win %: .457
Win % Change: -86
Run Differential: -36
Pythagorean Record: 78-84
AL Finish: 12th of 14
Manager: Jim Leyland
Best Transaction: Trading for Miguel Cabrera. Jury is probably still out on this one a bit, but Cabrera sure is good. The Tigers gave up six prospects to bring Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit. You have to wonder: If this reverse trade were offered to the Tigers RIGHT NOW, would they take it? With the Tigers looking to unload contracts, would they give up these two big ones for six prospects? Let’s focus on facts. Cabrera, while very pricey, has hit 71 homers in two years with Detroit, including a .300-plus average and back-to-back seasons of at least 100 RBI.
Worst Transaction: Trading Jair Jurrjens and Gorkys Hernandez for Edgar Renteria. The Tigers brought Renteria in with hopes that he would help boost their offense. He did the opposite. While Edgar was slumping through his single season in Detroit, Hernandez was blossoming in the Braves minor league system and Jurrjens was showing off his stuff as a pretty dominant starting pitcher in the big leagues. At a time when young, affordable starting pitching is king in pro baseball, the Tigers gave it up for an aging shortstop with a history of failing in the American League.
Upper: Miguel Cabrera. Cabrera was the silver-lining to a pretty awful season in Detroit. The young slugger made major strides at playing a new position (first base) and also won the American League home run crown. While Cabrera is set to make about $20 million a year for next century, he sure is exciting to watch and is often worth the price of admission.
Downer: The team was a downer, but the pitching was a real issue. They used 25 different pitchers. Ten started at least three games, including guys like Chris Lambert and Eddie Bonine. The pitching staff ranked 12th in the American League in ERA, 13th in walks and didn’t toss a single shutout all season. Yikes. This was also a team that was two years removed from a World Series appearance and were coming off an 88-win season. They went out in the offseason, traded prospects and spent money, all in hopes of getting back to the postseason. Instead, they finished in last place in the AL Central, behind the Kansas City Royals. Justin Verlander led the league in losses with 17 while Kenny Rogers lost 13 in his final season.
Summary: This one stunk and it still stings a little bit. This was a team that had every hole exposed during this season. We learned that Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis are no longer big league pitchers. We found out that Todd Jones and Rogers had finally reached the end and we got confirmation that Renteria just does not belong in the American League. It wasn’t all doom and gloom though as the club got good performances from Miguel Cabrera, Curtis Granderson and Armando Galarraga.

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Arizona Fall League Championship

Jeff Summers — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:41:08 -0500

Baseball season at the major league level has been over for a couple of weeks now but for fans in Arizona there have still been games played in the Arizona Fall League. All of that ends today with the conclusion of the Arizona Fall League Championship.

The Arizona Fall League Championship pits the two teams with the best records facing each other at Scottsdale Stadium. For the sixth consecutive year one of those teams is the Phoenix Desert Dogs.

In an era of parity throughout professional sports the consistency of the Phoenix Desert Dogs is impressive. It is even more so when you consider that the roster of the Desert Dogs is completely new each season as is the coaching staff.

When players arrived at Phoenix Municipal Stadium six weeks ago they came from different levels of minor league baseball and from different organizations. The only thing they had in common was that they now represented the Desert Dogs.

During an opening meeting the players were given the history of this team and the expectation that they needed to uphold. They were expected to play in the championship game and this year’s crop of players did not disappoint.

The Desert Dogs had the best record in the Arizona Fall League and made their way to the championship game to face the Peoria Javelinas. During the season these two teams were evenly matched splitting the series.

For Major League Baseball this was the perfect matchup. It would be Washington Nationals prospect Stephen Strasburg’s coming out party starting the game for the Desert Dogs.

Unfortunately that didn’t play out as Strasburg suffered a knee injury earlier in the week and left Arizona to meet with doctors. Good news for Nationals fans, the knee was diagnosed as not serious and no surgery is required.

The Desert Dogs began the game with a lead off triple and scored in the top of the first inning. The Javelinas showed that they belonged in this game as well and quickly came back to tie it up.

As the afternoon progressed these two teams battled back and forth with the lead changing hands several times. Finally in the bottom of the eighth inning CJ Retherford from the Chicago White Sox organization hit a monster 2-run home run out of Scottsdale Stadium for the game winner.

And for the first time in six years a team other than the Phoenix Desert Dogs stood atop the podium as the champions of the Arizona Fall League. There will undoubtedly be second-guessing by the Phoenix fans wondering what if Strasburg could have pitched.

Despite the questions it was a great day for baseball and for the 3,521 fans in attendance. Now the off-season in Arizona officially begins. The only games left to follow are those in Mexico and in the Caribbean until February 18 when pitchers and catchers report.

Congratulations to the Peoria Javelinas for dethroning the dynasty that has been the Phoenix Desert Dogs. It was indeed a great day for baseball.

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Florida Marlins, Josh Johnson on Different Pages

Adam Bernacchio — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:40:53 -0500

It’s really hard to argue with the way the Florida Marlins do business.

Despite having a payroll consistently at the bottom of baseball, the Marlins in the last seven seasons have won a World Series and have had five winning seasons out of those seven.

They have a philosophy of building through the draft, develop their own talent, and once that talent gets to a point where they will make serious money, they trade them for more inexpensive talent.

Throughout the years, we have seen Juan Pierre, Josh Beckett, Miguel Cabrera, Mike Lowell, Derek Lee, AJ Burnett, Brad Penny, and Ryan Dempster all come up with the Marlins and all be shipped away in trades or lost in free agency.

Now, after yesterday’s meeting between the Marlins and Josh Johnson’s agent Matt Sosnick, it looks like Johnson will be the latest Marlins star to be traded away.

According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick , Sosnick and the Marlins met yesterday to discuss a long-term contract for Johnson. Let’s just say the conversation didn’t go so well.

“Based on our conversations, there’s no chance of doing a long-term deal with the Marlins,” Sosnick said. “We made it clear that it was going to be this year or it wasn’t going to happen. It was now or never. And the Marlins agreed.”

According to Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post, Sosnick was looking for a four-year, $40 million deal similar to the contract (four years, $39 million) that Zack Greinke signed with the Kansas City Royals last year.

This request is not unreasonable considering that 25, Johnson is already one of the best young pitchers in the National League. In 2009, Johnson went 15-5 with a 3.23 ERA and had 191 K’s in 209 IP.

If you were to ask me, Johnson is already on my shortlist to win the National League Cy Young award in 2010.

So what did the Marlins offer this talented pitcher? Reports have the Marlins offering Johnson a three-year, $22 million deal.

That is a joke. Johnson could make triple that on the open market.

Whether that was the Marlins final offer remains to be seen. Johnson will be a free agent at the end of the 2011 season and now will be the subject of trade talks moving forward.

If history tells us anything, the Marlins will trade Johnson for some top-level prospects and start the process all over again.

That’s the Marlins way.

After all, who can argue with success?

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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Josh Johnson and Florida Marlins Fail To Ink Long-Term Deal

Jeremiah Graves — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:41:22 -0500

Once a cheap team, always a cheap team.

The Florida Marlins have reportedly "reached an impasse ” with ace Josh Johnson regarding a proposed four-year contract extension.

Matt Sosnick, Johnson’s agent, was reportedly seeking a deal very similar to the four-year, $38 million deal that Zack Greinke signed a year ago.

The notoriously stingy Marlins, however, were only willing to guarantee the 25-year-old right-hander three years.

The proposed deal would have bought out Johnson’s first two years of free agency.

Currently, Johnson remains under club control through two more seasons.

According to Sosnick, this now means that Johnson will enter free agency after 2011 rather than make another attempt at signing an extension.

"Based on our conversations, there's no chance of doing a long-term deal with the Marlins," Sosnick said. "We made it clear that it was going to be this year or it wasn't going to happen. It was now or never."

Johnson, coming off a season in which he posted a 15-5 record with a 3.23 ERA and struck out 191 batters in 209 innings, is one of baseball’s brightest young stars.

He was an All-Star for the first-time and became the unequivocal ace of a young Marlins pitching rotation.

Additionally, Johnson is an outstanding 22-6 with a 3.42 ERA in 47 starts since returning from Tommy John surgery midway through the 2008 campaign.

It seems apparent to everyone—excluding the Marlins, that is—that the deal would have been a steal for Florida.

“We were willing to give the Marlins what we thought was a significant break,” Sosnick said, “but they just weren’t comfortable going to the fourth year."

Although a long-term deal is now off the table, this opens the door for discussions about a potential trade.

Numerous teams figure to show interest if Johnson is made available, as he’d immediately be one of the top pitching options on the market.

Making a trade seem all the more likely is the Marlins' reputation for trading away arbitration-eligible players.

Recently the club traded arbitration-eligible outfielder Jeremy Hermida to Boston.

Last offseason starter Scott Olsen and outfielder Josh Willingham were moved to Washington to avoid arbitration.

Recent reports have the club exploring offers for second baseman Dan Uggla, who is expected to earn $7 million or more via arbitration this offseason.

Johnson earned $1.4 million in 2008, and figures to earn more than $4 million next season via arbitration.

"It seems to me that based on his age and performance,” Sosnick said, “Josh falls into that group of two or three starting pitchers out there whose next contracts could very well exceed $100 million."

As it currently stands, Johnson will enter the 2011-2012 free agent class of pitchers that could include Matt Cain, Felix Hernandez, Edwin Jackson, Wandy Rodriguez, and Justin Verlander.

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Stephen Strasburg To Miss AFL Start

Adam Bernacchio — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:55:01 -0500

Stephen Strasburg must really not want to have people see him pitch on a national level.

Strasburg missed the nationally televised Arizona Fall League Rising Stars game because of a strained neck muscle last month. Now he's going to miss his start on Saturday in the Arizona Fall League championship game.

That game will be televised on the MLB Network as well.

Strasburg will miss his start on Saturday because of a twisted left knee. That just sounds painful.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft hurt his knee during a workout on Thursday. But don’t worry Washington Nationals fans (all five of you), the injury is not considered serious.

When Strasburg hasn’t been injured in the Arizona Fall League, he has pitched pretty well. In five starts, Strasburg is 4-1 with a 4.26 ERA and 26 Ks in 19 innings for the Phoenix Desert Dogs.

Of course, there will be some people out there who will say, “Oh great, the guy is injury prone.” Those people need to relax.

This is no big deal.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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Jim Tracy Wins NL Manager Of The Year, Inks Three-Year Extension

Adam Bernacchio — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:21:46 -0500

Yes, I am fully aware that this was yesterday’s news, but it’s hard to write when you leave your laptop in your office and your home computer catches a virus.

Yesterday was a tough day for The Ghost of Moonlight Graham. I was home sick, my computer crashed, and the UMass Basketball team lost their home opener dropping them to 0-2 on the season.

It’s hard to win when you don’t have a point guard who can facilitate an offense and you have to settle for jump shots the entire game.

While I didn’t have a great day yesterday, there was one guy who did–Colorado Rockies manager Jim Tracy. Not only did Tracy win the National League Manager of the Year award, but he also inked a three-year extension with the Rockies.

Tracy received 29 out of 32 first-place votes to become just the second manager to ever win the award while taking over a team mid-season. Jack McKeon accomplished the same feat with the Florida Marlins in 2003.

Tony LaRussa received two first-place votes and Joe Torre received the other first-place vote.

I wouldn’t shock me that the one guy who voted for Torre was some idiot out of L.A. who knows nothing about baseball, but somehow has a vote. I thought Bruce Bochy or Fredi Gonzalez deserved more credit than Torre.

Now, I will have to fully admit, I was dead wrong about Tracy. A. I didn’t think Clint Hurdle should have been fired and B. I didn’t think Tracy was the right man to turn the ship around.

I went on record saying Vinny Castilla should have gotten the job.

But Tracy proved me and a lot of other people wrong. The Rockies went 74-42 under Tracy’s stewardship and clinched a Wild Card birth for their second postseason appearance in the last three years.

Tracy put Ian Stewart at third, Clint Barmes at second, stabilized the bullpen, Troy Tulowitzki returned to his 2007 form, and the rest was history for Tracy and the Rockies.

The loads of young talent, the Rockies should be contenders for years to come and the guy leading them will be Tracy. As I mentioned earlier, Tracy received a three-year extension from the Rockies.

No terms of the deal have been disclosed, but industry sources say Tracy will earn over $1 million annually.

Not bad for a guy who was run out of Pittsburgh and Los Angeles.

Tracy becomes the second Rockies’ manager to win the Manager of the Year award. Don Baylor won the award in 1995.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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