Major League Baseball

[VerbalPuke]

So should the Tigers still be worrying about the White Sox, now that they are tied with the Twins in Wild Card standings? I love watching the Tigers prove the analysts wrong. I saw so many analysts say "The Tigers will fade, The Sox will surge" and the exact opposite has happened.

It's looking like the White Sox might not even make the post-season if they can't claw back ahead of Minnesota. This is going to be an interesting Wild Card race with the Yanks, Sox, and Twins all jockeying for position.

Edited July 27, 2006 by VerbalPuke

[Ananas]

They're 4-6 against the top three AL East teams. I'd love to see how they'd do if they were here more often.

[VerbalPuke]

The Tigers still have plenty of time to improve their record against the "top three teams". Technically though, I don't know if you still want to consider the White Sox as one of the top three teams, considering the Twins recent humbling of them (a team that the Tigers have had great success against).

A few of those losses were also due to poor relief pitching, which has picked up for the Tigers recently. Todd Jones being the person I'm referring specifically to. Plus the games coming up with the Sox and Yankee's are going to be away games, and the Tigers have had great success playing on the road.

The fact is, people continue to wait for the Tigers downfall and it still hasn't happened. The only worry here is that Kenny Rogers is looking fairly bad in this second half, but the good news is that Mike Maroth is on track to making his return. Plus, Dmitri Young seems to have his power back and has given us a nice left handed bat to work with down the stretch.

[Lowerdeck]

Roger Clemens has been an ass for years. He left Boston to be closer to his family... in Toronto? He went to New York to win a World Series. He does this shit in Houston now. He's just got a huge ego, and likes the money and the spotlight now.

I'm not sure exactly why he wanted to go to Toronto, but it is well known Dan Duquette (then Sox GM) thought he was going downhill and wasn't worth bringing back. Him and Clemens got pissed at each other and Clemens took off north of the border. Mo Vaughn too, but at least we don't miss him.

[Guest Bosstown Boy]

I'm not sure exactly why he wanted to go to Toronto, but it is well known Dan Duquette (then Sox GM) thought he was going downhill and wasn't worth bringing back. Him and Clemens got pissed at each other and Clemens took off north of the border. Mo Vaughn too, but at least we don't miss him.

[reyrey619]

I'm not sure exactly why he wanted to go to Toronto, but it is well known Dan Duquette (then Sox GM) thought he was going downhill and wasn't worth bringing back. Him and Clemens got pissed at each other and Clemens took off north of the border. Mo Vaughn too, but at least we don't miss him.

However, if Clemens hadn't left we would've never gotten Pedro.

So it's really pick your ace there.

[gunnar hendershow]

Pedro was as good a pitcher as Clemens and also was a better benefit to the team than Clemens could ever be. Clemens has never been a supportive guy of his teammates, he's just always shown up, pitched, and smiled for the camera. Pedro is not perfect, but if it weren't for him Manny would not have stayed grounded. And likely the same goes the other way. Ortiz has the job that Pedro used to have, but Ortiz is a much better example of a team guy.

[Lowerdeck]

2:45 p.m. ET

ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that the Boston Red Sox are working on a "large and creative deal, involving more than two teams." More

Yahoo! Sports' take: The Red Sox have been looking for pitching, and we know how much Oakland Athletics GM Billy Beane loves New York Mets outfielder Lastings Milledge. Mets GM Omar Minaya has been reluctant to part with Milledge for Zito, but he might be willing to do the deal if he got some help for his overworked bullpen. Is this where the Red Sox come in? The Sox could also be looking for a high on-base percentage guy like Bobby Abreu to step in for the struggling Trot Nixon in right field.

From: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ahjr...o&type=lgns

I don't like the sound of this all that much...

[gunnar hendershow]

2:45 p.m. ET

ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that the Boston Red Sox are working on a "large and creative deal, involving more than two teams." More

Yahoo! Sports' take: The Red Sox have been looking for pitching, and we know how much Oakland Athletics GM Billy Beane loves New York Mets outfielder Lastings Milledge. Mets GM Omar Minaya has been reluctant to part with Milledge for Zito, but he might be willing to do the deal if he got some help for his overworked bullpen. Is this where the Red Sox come in? The Sox could also be looking for a high on-base percentage guy like Bobby Abreu to step in for the struggling Trot Nixon in right field.

From: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ahjr...o&type=lgns

I don't like the sound of this all that much...

I see that meaning Timlin goes which is a bad idea. Come the postseason, without the one-two punch of Timlin and Papelbon I think the Sox could be in trouble.

Also, the Phillies are getting owned in the trade department. Nobody's offering them anything since they're willing to get rid of so much.

[Lowerdeck]

I don't think it's Timlin. I think it could be either Hansen, Delcarmen, or Lester. Which would be a mistake, IMO.

If we can get rid of Tavarez or Seanez, I'm all for it.

[reyrey619]

I doubt its Lester. I'm pretty sure he's untouchable. I could definitley see Hansen be dealt though.

[Ananas]

It's definitely crunch time now for the Blue Jays, with the trade deadline only a few games away and the team in reasonable proximity to the division/wildcard, and JP's gonna have to make the decision of whether to buy, sell or shut down and wait for next season. I have to think he'll probably choose the latter, as the team isn't supposed to play its playoff level ball until 2007 anyway, and with both the team's struggles this week and the difficulty of their remaining schedule, it might prove foolish to try to make any kind of impulse buys. It's been a good season and who knows, maybe they'll have a really good last 2 months. But for now, caution might just be the best way to go.

[Guest Bosstown Boy]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Blue Jays made a surprise deal for one of the lower-tier pitchers that are out there. Maybe Livan, maybe Kip Wells. They are one solid pitcher away, so why not take a low-risk chance this season?

As far as the Sox go, the rumor is now that there may be a multiple team deal with the Mets and Oakland. I heard about Milledge to the A's, Zito to the Mets, and I don't know the Red Sox's pieces. Would be interesting if it developed.

I'm more interested in the Red Sox seemingly shopping Wily Mo, who should be Trot Nixon's replacement in RF next year, and possibly Manny in several years. I'd rather they dropped Trot, to be honest, only because of his contract. Nixon for Livan? I think the Nats would do it if they dealt Alfonso.

[gunnar hendershow]

ESPN.com reports Carlos and Lee and Nelson Cruz are going to the Rangers for Francisco Cordero, Kevin Mench, and Laynce Nix.

Winner, Brewers.

[Ananas]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Blue Jays made a surprise deal for one of the lower-tier pitchers that are out there. Maybe Livan, maybe Kip Wells. They are one solid pitcher away, so why not take a low-risk chance this season?

[Guest Bosstown Boy]

News out of Boston says that a trade offered by the Sox that would send Coco Crisp to the White Sox for All-Star Mark Buerhle was rejected by the White Sox. The Red Sox have also mentioned Trot Nixon, Wily Mo Pena, and Mark Loretta as possible trade pieces.

I personally think any of those names except Trot would be a mistake unless it was for a solid starter that could be number two or three in our staff in the post-Curt era.

[Guest Bosstown Boy]

The latest on trade talks:

The Globe’s Nick Cafardo shed some light on the Red Sox as Monday’s trade deadline creeps closer: “Team sources [saturday] night indicated the Sox aren't close to a deal, and disputed a report that center fielder Coco Crisp is being shopped. Crisp has been mostly quiet and sometimes snippy lately. But the Sox, according to one National League general manager, have been ‘burning up the phone lines. I don't think there's a team trying any harder than Boston to make a deal over the last 24 hours.’ So we wait. The Padres had scouts at Fenway [saturday], presumably focusing on the Sox. In need of a third baseman, the Padres have been eyeing Mike Lowell and Kevin Youkilis, but were told that neither was available in a trade for righthanded setup man Scott Linebrink. Major league sources say the Sox may be lining up a couple of deals, with one contingent upon the other. There are signs the Sox might still be in on the Julio Lugo talks with Tampa Bay. Fox Sports reported the Cardinals are interested in Red Sox second baseman Mark Loretta, which could be the prelude to a deal for Lugo, who would play second in Boston. The Orioles also had scouts at Fenway [saturday], presumably to watch the Angels in a possible deal for Baltimore shortstop Miguel Tejada. The Sox are still interested in Colorado first base prospect Ryan Shealy. The Phillies have been mentioned as a possible trade partner with many teams. Starters Jon Lieber and Cory Lidle, lefthanded relievers Arthur Rhodes and Rheal Cormier, and outfielder Bobby Abreu all have been mentioned in scenarios involving the Sox. Lieber, Lidle, and Abreu have also been linked to possible deals with the Yankees. Sox GM Theo Epstein has not been available to comment for a few days. Owner John W. Henry said in an e-mail in response to if he felt a deal needed to be made, ‘Our record thus far is indicative of a very strong team. Everyone has needs. There are no perfect teams this year.’” ... ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark gave us this info on the Sox: “All we know for sure is that they've spent a lot of time this week talking with the Padres, Indians, A's and Rangers -- and those teams have been networking with several other clubs. We also know it sure is tough trying to put together trades that complicated when the clock is ticking on the 31st. So Sunday, says one AL GM, ‘should be the big day.’”

[gunnar hendershow]

Tejada refuses to change positions if traded. So that's going to put a damper on quite a few of the potential deals out there. Yeah, I'm still maintaining hope he'll be in the orange and black come Monday evening.

[Guest Bosstown Boy]

This is why we fear the Yankees:

Abreu on his way to Big Apple

The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees have a tentative deal to send Phillies right fiedler Bobby Abreu and pitcher Cory Lidle to New York ESPN.com's Jayson Stark and ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reported Sunday.

Stark reported the Yankees will send 20-year-old minor-league shrotstop C.J. Henry -- their No. 1 pick in 2005 -- and 27-year-old left-handed reliever Matt Smith. The Phillies will also pick one other minor-leauge player from an agreed-upon list, while the Yankees will take on responsibility for Abreu and Lidle's contracts. Abreu is owed $15 million for 2007 alone.

Abreu is hitting .277 with 8 home runs and 65 RBI in 99 games. He has a career batting average of .301 with 198 home runs and 841 RBI over 10 seasons.

Lidle, a right-hander, is 8-7 with a 4.74 ERA in 21 starts in 2006. In eight seasons he has a career mark of 78-69 with a 4.54 ERA.

Abreu was in the Phillies' starting lineup Sunday but was pulled for Shane Victorino 10 minutes before their game with the Florida Marlins.

[punky]

It sucks that the Phils had to give them Cory Lidle or else they wouldn't do the deal. I think they got raped on the deal with only three minor leaguers but kinda glad that Abreu's contract is gonna be off the books now. Hopefully the Phils can find a third basemen and catcher with that money in the offseason.