The Hot Stove

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MLB Trade Market – MLB Trade Rumors

It’s a true buyers market -Heyman

Breaking News

  • DONE DEAL: “Kerry Wood deal from #Indians to #Yankees is completed, awaiting Commissioner’s approval on dollars that Indians are sending Yanks” -Sherman
    • Kerry Wood to the Yankees? -Olney
  • DONE DEAL: “Sounds like Cubs likely to send both Lilly & Theriot to Dodgers. Doesn’t sound like Manny’s heading for either side of Chicago.” -Jayson Stark
  • DONE DEAL: “Three-way deal. Padres get Ludwick. Cardis get Westbrook and prospect

TWTW* (7/24/10 – 7/30/10) *Abridged

In this week’s edition on TWTW, I take a more abridged approach to summarizing the weekly events.  I’ll likely fluctuate between this abridged version and an extended version depending on how juicy the week has been…

Saturday (7/24) – Kyle Davies avoided becoming Alex Rodriguez’ 600th homerun victim (he was already A-Rod’s 500th homerun victim) in the Kansas City Royals’ 7-4 win over the New York Yankees.  Ubaldo Jiminez had his second shortest outing of his career, lasting just 2+ innings and allowing 6 runs and 6 walks in the Philadelphia Phillies’ 10-2 shalacking of the Colorado Rockies.  Magglio Ordonez fractured his ankle in a slide into home plate and is going to be out 6-8 weeks.  This, plus the Detroit Tigers lost 3-2 to the Toronto Blue Jays at home.  Mat Latos notched a victory in his first start back from the disabled list as the San Diego Padres defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, 9-2.

Sunday (7/25) – The Alex Rodriguez watch continues as he went homerless again in the New York Yankees’ 12-6 win over the Kansas City Royals.  Tommy Hunter still has not lost a game this season as the Texas Rangers defeated the Los Angeles Angels of…

Buyer’s Market

In the wake of 4 fairly major trades yesterday, we take a look at who got a bargain basement deal and who got the shaft.

Matt Capps to the Minnesota Twins, Wilson Ramos and Joe Testa to the Washington Nationals

The deal of the day as far as I’m concerned had me jumping for joy initially, as my inner Nats fan is loving all of the moves they have been making.  While Joe Testa likely won’t put butts in the seats in our nation’s capital, Wilson Ramos is regarded as one of the best if not the top catching prospect in the game.  To acquire him for Capps, a player the Nats no longer covet with fireballer Drew Storen waiting in the wings as their closer-of-the-future is an absolute steal.  Then I began to scratch my head a bit as I realized, wait a minute- didn’t they just draft their catcher-of-the-future/messiah Bryce Harper?  One of them will be their backstop of the future while the other is likely going to first base to replace Adam Dunn who is essentially as good as gone as far as recent trade rumors are concerned.  Regardless, I still absolutely applaud the move by…

What’s goin on?

With all the hype about A-Rod being stuck on 599 home runs, it would be nice to talk about a real story in the MLB.  Taking a look at the standings, it’s absolutely astounding to see how many great team stories there are going on in both leagues.

The AL East has been business as usual, with the Yankees, Rays, and Red Sox all contending for the division crown.  It is highly likely that the Wild Card will come out of this three horse race.  To be brutally honest, the AL East is the most boring division in the league.

The AL Central has also held true to its annual menage-a-trois, with the White Sox, Twins, and Tigers all scrapping for the division title.  This race is always entertaining, and if history means anything will probably be decided in the last week.  Expect the Tigers to make some more moves with Carlos Guillen and Magglio Ordonez both on the shelf.  With rookie Brennan Boesch hitting the rookie wall, Detroit is struggling on offense and got a little help Wednesday when they acquired Shortstop/Third Baseman Jhonny Peralta from the Indians.

The AL West is where the story starts…

MVP in Motown

What comes to mind when you think of Miguel Cabrera? Depends on when you’re thinking of him. A year ago; abusive husband or drunk. Today; MVP. It’s time to readjust the way we think of Miguel Cabrera. We all remember the equation that took place last year. Alcohol plus wife equals jail—no further details necessary. Once you gain notoriety like that, it’s hard to shake. Unless you make a complete 360 like Miggy has and start raking. If you can put up the numbers like he has so far this season, it’s amazing how forgiving fans and an organization can be.

Forget MVP. Triple Crown is more fitting for Cabrera and his numbers so far. For the majority of the season, he’s been amongst the league leaders in most offensive categories. Through Tuesday, Cabrera leads the majors in runs batted in (88) and slugging (.647). He’s second in the majors in batting average (.349) only behind the scorching hot Josh Hamilton (.358). He’s also second in OBP (.420) behind former MVP Justin Morneau (.437). He’s crushed 24 homers as well. He has put up big numbers like this his entire career. The only season he knocked in less than 100…

AL/NL POW (7/19 – 7/25)

AL Hitter

Luke Scott Bal OF, DH (ESPN 30.7%)

Talk about making an impact coming off the DL. Scott had a similar hot stretch coming off the DL last year and can be counted on to stay hot for a week more or two. Scott has big home run power and will continue to hit them but the average is somewhat an aberration (career .268 AVG). His line last week: 13/27, 6 R, 4 HR, 8 HR, .481 AVG, .500 OBP, 1.037 SLG, 1.537 OPS. His season line warrants an add in most leagues — at least for now.

Season line: 74/250, 41 R, 16 HR, 38 RBI, 1 SB, .296 AVG, .363 OBP, .576 SLG, .939 OPS.

Runners Up: Scotty Pods, Teix, Miggy

AL Pitcher

Wade Davis TB SP (ESPN 50.4%)

Wade Davis looks to be coming through on some of his potential with two wins last week. Do you people ever stop and just stare at the Rays’ pitching staff (Garza no-hitter last night) and farmhands? I do. They are to be commended with the scouting and moves they have made to bring in their seemingly never ending display of talent. Wade Davis…

TWTW (7/17/10 – 7/23/10)

Let’s jump right to it…

Saturday – The Philadelphia Phillies scored 4 runs in the top of the 9th inning off of Chicago Cubs closer Carlos Marmol to go on to win, 4-1.  Fausto Carmona and the Cleveland Indians edged the Detroit Tigers, 4-3 in the first game of a day-night double header.  The Indians won the second game, 2-1, in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the 11th inning on Austin Kearns’ rbi single.  A.J. Burnett lasted only 2 innings as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the New York Yankees, 10-5 on the strength of Reid Brignac’s 2 hr, 5 rbi day.  Burnett also injured his hand in a fit of rage after being yanked.  He’s considered to be able to make his next start, though.  Adam Wainwright moved to an impressive 14-5 on the year as he blanked the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 2-0 win.  Wainwright’s season ERA is now an incredible 2.02.  The Pittsburgh Pirates doubled up the Houston Astros, 12-6.  Hunter Pence homered in the affair.  Jose Bautista continues to rake as he hit his 25th hr of the year, propelling the Toronto Blue Jays passed the Baltimore Orioles, 3-2.  Tim Hudson took the loss in the Milwaukee Brewers’…

Silent Stars

The following is a team of players who have all quietly exceeded expectations while flying under the radar in 2010.

C- Miguel Olivo- .308 AVG/ 12 HR/ 43 RBI

Don’t look now, but Olivo has a higher batting average and more home runs than reigning AL MVP Joe Mauer.  Olivo has quietly put together a very respectable career, hitting a career high 23 home runs in 2009 for the Kansas City Royals.  Olivo began the season an afterthought, the Rockies envisioning him as a backup to their underachieving, young catcher Chris Iannetta.  How quickly the tide has turned, as Iannetta’s name is being thrown around all over the place in trade rumors.  The Rockies and fantasy owners are both overjoyed with his performance thus far.

1B- Aubrey Huff- .305 AVG/ 19 HR/ 57 RBI

Featured in last week’s “Overachievers” article, Huff’s ears must have been burning as he continues to rake with in the Bay Area.  His two round-trippers last night have put him ahead of Mark Teixeira and Justin Morneau in home runs for first basemen.  Many speculated whether or not San Francisco had enough offense to compete in the NL West.  They stand today a mere 3…

Matt’s Musings – “No Trespassing: Veterans Not Welcome”

The economy, the economy, the economy.  That’s all we hear these days.  Of course, that makes sense given … well … what happened with the economy.  And while analysts will tell you how the down-turn two years ago affected baseball, it’s often overlooked how in turn, baseball has affected certain players; namely, veterans.  We have come to see teams placing a greater reliance on prospects than on grizzly vets.  It makes sense for long-term success but more and more we see a reluctance to even pay vets for their services now.  It’s the new economic age in baseball.  Long-term guaranteed contracts for players in their thirties is going to become a thing of the past.  Rather, more frequently we will begin to see the careful preservation of teams’ young talent.

This year, the big-name “victims” of this new economic philosophy are Jermaine Dye and Pedro Martinez.

Jermaine Dye – Age: 36.  2009 stats: 141 games, .250/27/81 with 78 runs and a .793 OPS.  Current status: Unemployed

Pedro Martinez – Age: 38.  2009 stats: 9 games, 5-1 3.63 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP and a 37:8 K:BB ratio.  Current status: Unemployed

Last year, the big-name ”victim” was Jim Edmonds

Jim Edmonds – Age in 2009: 38.  2008…

Hater’s Ball- Mets Suck

I know what you’re thinking.  Baseball is the greatest sport known to man and this asshole is spending his morning writing a post about why one team is the sport’s equivalent of the New York Knicks.  As bitter as I may sound (especially being a Yankee fan), you have to understand where I am coming from.

Growing up, all of my close friends were Mets fans.  I’ve been to more games at Shea Stadium than I have Yankee Stadium.  The constant chatter about the Yankees buying championships would get me so frustrated that I would often have to walk away from conversations out of fear that I would snap on one of these ignorant pricks.  Even to this day, all these hopeless Met fans can conjure up is inane smack talk regarding 2004 and more sour grapes about the Yankees buying World Series championships.  After being swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks and falling 6.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East, I have one message for all Mets fans- METS SUCK!!!!

Let’s break down why the Mets suck shall we?  It starts at the top.  I jokingly wrote a post on facebook the other day that while Yankee…

Chan Ho Sucks

Am I the only Yankee fan that thinks Chan Ho Park sucks? Probably not. I can’t be the only fan that gets that feeling of agita when he comes out of the bullpen. Usually it’s because my boys are either losing, or are about to lose because I know Chan Ho Park is going to surrender runs. It’s reminiscent of a feeling I used to get a few years back whenever Kyle Farnsworth would enter the game. It made me even more crazy that such an intimidating guy—with a 100-mph fastball to boot—couldn’t keep his team in the game by getting the necessary outs. I believe my fellow Yankee fans and I received a bit of foreshadowing on Opening Day when Chan Ho relinquished the lead to the Red Sux. (No—that is not a typo.) He gave up 3 runs on 3 hits, earning the loss and losing whatever faith we-Yankee-fans might have had in him.

Park was so bad right off the bat giving up 12 runs in his first 10 appearances as a member of the Yanks. Now we’re halfway through the season, and it’s just too hard to defend a guy with an ERA just under 6.…