by DMtShooter, Five Tool Tool
11. Rich Harden, SP, Oakland A's. He's dominant when healthy, and not nearly healthy enough for the small market A's to make a commitment to. Even though the team is 7 games above .500 and has an outside chance at the post-season this year, the plan is for 2009, and considering that they've got Chad Gaudin in the bullpen, Harden will go to a rich contender that's willing to overpay for a guy whose shoulder gives off a ticking sound. There's also this: his home park makes him look better than he is, not that he's not filthy.
10. Adrian Beltre, 3B, Seattle Mariners. He's better than you think -- it's no fun to be a right handed power hitter on a Mariner team that seems to be allergic to getting on base, and he's been battling nagging injuries to boot. Despite that, he's got 14 homers, plays very good defense, and even runs a little. If Ortiz and Youkilis are both out in Boston, he'd be a fine stopgap solution, and the Mariners are more than happy to move assets right now.
9. Ken Griffey Jr, OF, Cincinatti Reds. It's Fire Sale Time in Cincy, with everything but the youngest SPs wearing a red tag. Griff has hit his 600th, so there's no more attendance boost to get from him being around. With the team 13.5 games back, he's a prime target to go to any team that thinks he'll be rejuvenated by a pennant race. The only problem is that his .760 OPS might convince many that he's already done.
8. Randy Wolf, SP, San Diego Padres. Another historic injury risk, but a heck of a lot cheaper on the wallet and prospect list. Wolf could be especially effective in the AL, where they haven't seen him much before, and a once around the league novelty burst might give his new team a lot. The Padres being in last in the crowded NL West also might loosen their hold.
7. Erik Bedard, SP, Seattle Mariners. This spring's shiny new penny -- albeit one that took an ungodly amount of time to acquire -- is now the most attractive albatross on a team that loses two out of every three games and has just lost its general manager and coach. Moving Bedard now is sending him out at low value, but he's a proven AL East talent with a lot of upside. Besides, no one wants Carlos Silva.
6. Matt Holliday, OF, Colorado Rockies. The biggest hitter on the list is kind of like this year's Mark Teixeria -- a plus hitter from a hitter haven who's actually still really good. The only thing keeping him in Colorado is the plummeting Diamnondbacks, who have kept every team in the division in the hunt; the Rockies might just hang on to everyone and see if the return of Troy Tulowitzki can get them back in the race. In another week or so, we'll know if Holliday walks before his contract expires.
5. AJ Burnett, SP, Toronto Rockies. The Jays are a hard team to figure. On the one hand, you've got to think that general manager JP Riccardi is on thin enough ice that he's not interested in going out with kids and prospects. On the other, Burnett is clearly not getting better here, and the Jays are 10.5 back in what might be the toughest division in baseball. Burnett has always been a poor man's Josh Beckett, so maybe another team makes Riccardi an offer he can't refuse.
4. Adam Dunn, OF, Cincinnati Reds. Everything you can say about Griff goes double for the Three True Outcome hero, whose .219 batting average masks his reasonably useful .876 OPS. Even Dusty Baker has to be getting tired of playing veterans and ready to give the team entirely over to Jay Bruce and Joey Votto by now, right? Dunn seems to me to be the kind of guy that can help a team provided he's hitting 6th or 7th, and you just aren't counting on him carrying your team. (I realize Dunn is a sabermetric hero, but doesn't it matter that his teams never, ever win?)
3. Dmitri Young, 1B, Washington Nationals. A nice guy and a reasonable stick, but he makes no sense here, especially with Aaron Boone giving them good at-bats and Ryan Zimmerman eventually coming back from injury. By the time the Nats are in a playoff race, Da Meat Hook could be pushing 350 pounds, and probably still putting up above average numbers. The potentially season-ending injury to Nick Johnson (gosh, who saw that coming?) could keep him here, though.
2. Huston Street, RP, Oakland Athletics. Billy Beane loves to move closers for more then they are worth, and that really describes the ex-phenom, whose 4.32 ERA, good defesne and pitcher's park seems to say overrated... but his K/BB numbers, pure stuff and low HR allowed numbers could easily convince a team in need that he's just been pitching in bad luck. The A's have never bought into the ideat that pitching in the ninth is all that different from any other inning, and they'd happily go with Keith Foulke and Alan Embree if someone wants to put prospects in front of them.
1. C.C. Sabathia, SP, Cleveland Indians. Don't let the slow start fool you; he's been very solid recently, and he's an unrestricted free agent next year. With the Tribe 6.5 out and in fourth place in the Central, they are 1-2 weeks away from pulling the chutes on this deal and moving the big lefty for maximum benefit. Ceec is a horse, but he also eats like one, and that next contract is going to be costly.
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11. Rich Harden, SP, Oakland A's. He's dominant when healthy, and not nearly healthy enough for the small market A's to make a commitment to. Even though the team is 7 games above .500 and has an outside chance at the post-season this year, the plan is for 2009, and considering that they've got Chad Gaudin in the bullpen, Harden will go to a rich contender that's willing to overpay for a guy whose shoulder gives off a ticking sound. There's also this: his home park makes him look better than he is, not that he's not filthy.
10. Adrian Beltre, 3B, Seattle Mariners. He's better than you think -- it's no fun to be a right handed power hitter on a Mariner team that seems to be allergic to getting on base, and he's been battling nagging injuries to boot. Despite that, he's got 14 homers, plays very good defense, and even runs a little. If Ortiz and Youkilis are both out in Boston, he'd be a fine stopgap solution, and the Mariners are more than happy to move assets right now.
9. Ken Griffey Jr, OF, Cincinatti Reds. It's Fire Sale Time in Cincy, with everything but the youngest SPs wearing a red tag. Griff has hit his 600th, so there's no more attendance boost to get from him being around. With the team 13.5 games back, he's a prime target to go to any team that thinks he'll be rejuvenated by a pennant race. The only problem is that his .760 OPS might convince many that he's already done.
8. Randy Wolf, SP, San Diego Padres. Another historic injury risk, but a heck of a lot cheaper on the wallet and prospect list. Wolf could be especially effective in the AL, where they haven't seen him much before, and a once around the league novelty burst might give his new team a lot. The Padres being in last in the crowded NL West also might loosen their hold.
7. Erik Bedard, SP, Seattle Mariners. This spring's shiny new penny -- albeit one that took an ungodly amount of time to acquire -- is now the most attractive albatross on a team that loses two out of every three games and has just lost its general manager and coach. Moving Bedard now is sending him out at low value, but he's a proven AL East talent with a lot of upside. Besides, no one wants Carlos Silva.
6. Matt Holliday, OF, Colorado Rockies. The biggest hitter on the list is kind of like this year's Mark Teixeria -- a plus hitter from a hitter haven who's actually still really good. The only thing keeping him in Colorado is the plummeting Diamnondbacks, who have kept every team in the division in the hunt; the Rockies might just hang on to everyone and see if the return of Troy Tulowitzki can get them back in the race. In another week or so, we'll know if Holliday walks before his contract expires.
5. AJ Burnett, SP, Toronto Rockies. The Jays are a hard team to figure. On the one hand, you've got to think that general manager JP Riccardi is on thin enough ice that he's not interested in going out with kids and prospects. On the other, Burnett is clearly not getting better here, and the Jays are 10.5 back in what might be the toughest division in baseball. Burnett has always been a poor man's Josh Beckett, so maybe another team makes Riccardi an offer he can't refuse.
4. Adam Dunn, OF, Cincinnati Reds. Everything you can say about Griff goes double for the Three True Outcome hero, whose .219 batting average masks his reasonably useful .876 OPS. Even Dusty Baker has to be getting tired of playing veterans and ready to give the team entirely over to Jay Bruce and Joey Votto by now, right? Dunn seems to me to be the kind of guy that can help a team provided he's hitting 6th or 7th, and you just aren't counting on him carrying your team. (I realize Dunn is a sabermetric hero, but doesn't it matter that his teams never, ever win?)
3. Dmitri Young, 1B, Washington Nationals. A nice guy and a reasonable stick, but he makes no sense here, especially with Aaron Boone giving them good at-bats and Ryan Zimmerman eventually coming back from injury. By the time the Nats are in a playoff race, Da Meat Hook could be pushing 350 pounds, and probably still putting up above average numbers. The potentially season-ending injury to Nick Johnson (gosh, who saw that coming?) could keep him here, though.
2. Huston Street, RP, Oakland Athletics. Billy Beane loves to move closers for more then they are worth, and that really describes the ex-phenom, whose 4.32 ERA, good defesne and pitcher's park seems to say overrated... but his K/BB numbers, pure stuff and low HR allowed numbers could easily convince a team in need that he's just been pitching in bad luck. The A's have never bought into the ideat that pitching in the ninth is all that different from any other inning, and they'd happily go with Keith Foulke and Alan Embree if someone wants to put prospects in front of them.
1. C.C. Sabathia, SP, Cleveland Indians. Don't let the slow start fool you; he's been very solid recently, and he's an unrestricted free agent next year. With the Tribe 6.5 out and in fourth place in the Central, they are 1-2 weeks away from pulling the chutes on this deal and moving the big lefty for maximum benefit. Ceec is a horse, but he also eats like one, and that next contract is going to be costly.
NIKEiD Custom Shoes. Match your style or your team. Only at NIKEiD.
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