So we just witnessed Rich Harden, the player with the most strikeouts per nine innings in the major leagues, and another quality starting pitcher, Chad Gaudin, get traded to Chicago for "Sean Gallagher, outfielders Matt Murton and Eric Patterson and minor leaguer Josh Donaldson."

Harden's pitching was beautifully described by Buck Showalter on ESPN, who said his "stuff is wipe-out filthy."

Here are some fun facts about the players Harden and Gaudin were traded for.

Murton was a former top prospect for the Cubs, but he's shuttled between Triple-A Iowa and Chicago the past two seasons. He's hitting .250 in 40 at-bats.

Gallagher is 3-4 with a 4.45 ERA in 12 games.

Patterson was hitting .237 with a homer and seven RBIs in 38 at-bats with the Cubs.

Donaldson, a catcher for Class A Peoria, was hitting .217 with six homers.

Where is the prize prospect a team should be required to give up for a young ace like Harden? Gallagher is the best player in the deal for the A's, and his numbers are much worse than Gaudin's!

So here's my question.

So we just witnessed Rich Harden, the player with the most strikeouts per nine innings in the major leagues, and another quality starting pitcher, Chad Gaudin, get traded to Chicago for "Sean Gallagher, outfielders Matt Murton and Eric Patterson and minor leaguer Josh Donaldson."

Harden's pitching was beautifully described by Buck Showalter on ESPN, who said his "stuff is wipe-out filthy."

Here are some fun facts about the players Harden and Gaudin were traded for.

Murton was a former top prospect for the Cubs, but he's shuttled between Triple-A Iowa and Chicago the past two seasons. He's hitting .250 in 40 at-bats.

Gallagher is 3-4 with a 4.45 ERA in 12 games.

Patterson was hitting .237 with a homer and seven RBIs in 38 at-bats with the Cubs.

Donaldson, a catcher for Class A Peoria, was hitting .217 with six homers.

Where is the prize prospect a team should be required to give up for a young ace like Harden? Gallagher is the best player in the deal for the A's, and his numbers are much worse than Gaudin's!

So here's my question.

Tigers better, but for how long?
by Rob Neyer
Wednesday, December 5, 2007

jrfelix, buddy,

Please don't post someone else's entire article, I get in big trouble if they (ESPN) see it. And believe it or not, they do read FishStripes from time to time. Go figure.

You can copy and post parts of it "under fair use" but not the whole thing. So copy and post the parts of Neyer's article that best make your point and fill in the gaps with your paraphrasing of what he said about the rest.

Sorry about that but ESPN can out lawyer me.

Thanks.

craig

Here is the link to the article: Tigers better, but for how long?

For the record books, this is a conversation I had with Mike over a year ago that I just found on my old website (freewebs.com/newforum).

More football talk (1/3/06)

Because I hate to waste anything I spent over five minutes writing, I decided to post the UF/UM discussion I had with a guy from a Marlins site I frequent (fishstripes.com.) Without any further ado:

What up Mike,

I'll take this paragraph by paragraph.

" I deleted all of the college football comments on FishStripes (the ones I wrote, that you wrote, and that Wiggins wrote). We've gotten into plenty of college football discussions in the past, but I think we'd all really prefer to keep the talk to baseball and Marlins related stuff on FishStripes. "

I like that. Always better to be a uniter than a divider, eh?

 "Other than that, I think you missed my point about the Miami - Florida stuff. Gators are good at talking plenty of smack. I know I've heard plenty of it. The recruiting titles are the new talk with Meyer leading things in the Swamp. This is just like it was when Zook first took over. There were mythical national recruiting titles coming in left and right. I'm waiting to see the Gators do it on the field though. The Gators haven't beaten the Canes in football since 1985. You might count football titles since 1996. That seems to be how all Gators do it, but that's not reality (I was impressed though that you didn't start rattling off SEC titles, as most Gators seem to do; at least you realize that national titles are the only ones worth talking about). "

Zook's class was never as good as this (this is supposedly our best class ever), and I NEVER liked Zook. I thought he was a mistake from the get-go. And like I said, I know UM has 4 titles from '80 to '91 or whatever it is, but I was like 5 years old for the last of them. To me, that stuff is ancient history...we might as well talk about Yale and Harvard's title days.

 "Yes, the Gators beat the Canes in basketball a few weeks back. The Canes won in Gator country last year (and why is it that UF is saying they'll only continue the basketball series with Miami if the games can be played at a neutral site?). "

I remember that game last year. Thats why I was so fired up about this years game, because UM came into our house and took us. And I brought it up because you said, "when is the last time the Gators beat UM in something," when the answer occurred one week previous. As for the neutral site, I have no clue; thats just weird.

 "What about baseball though? Do you not want to talk college baseball? You mentioned the Gators College World Series appearance this season. How many CWS titles have the Gators won? I believe it's zero. The Canes have won four."

I only mentioned baseball to add to the litany of the Gators recent accomplishments. I dont follow college baseball, so I dont really follow our team that much, only been to one game. I will say that our man LaPorta is sick though.

" I'm sorry to get into this. I really didn't want to or intend to when I started joking around with Wiggins. I have little patience for Gator-smack. I heard quite a bit of it last year in Atlanta prior to the Peach Bowl. Then after the game no Gator wanted to talk about anything -- even in a calm, rational discussion. That's always the case. In 2000, after the Sugar Bowl, Gator fans wanted to talk about the pre-game brawl (on Bourbon street). In 2002, there were no Gator fans to talk to after the game, because they'd all left the Swamp in the middle of the third quarter. In 2003, I heard the funniest talk of all from Gator fans: they talked about how Miami shouldn't feel good about the win because their barely beat the Gators. "

Before the Peach Bowl last year, I discussed the game with my friend Eric, a UM student. I said I just couldnt see UM scoring on our D. He told me (accurately) that the Canes D and special teams would win the game. That was that for me. Our season was in ruins at that point anyway. In 2003, I definately was making that same argument you mentioned, regardless of how relevant it was. Because I was at the game, and it was painful to think about how bad we blew it. I could not give the Canes any credit, because of how infuriated I was with Zook. All I could think was that they were lucky our coach was so terrible. 2000 cost me about twenty bucks and much pride with my friends, but I cant even rememeber 2002.

 "Time will tell which school's future football prospects were better. Florida was 9-3 this year, just like Miami. The Gators have had great recruiting classes before and great hope because of new coaches. The Canes have had dissension and turnover in the coaching staff and among players pretty regularly. In time we'll see how things shake out for everyone. I'm sure that it's a more comfortable position for Gator fans right now, as the Canes aren't on the schedule for the next few years. Regardless, I'm glad that I'm a Cane. "

My current assessment of UM is this: The Canes should fire Larry Coker...right now. I think he was lucky to have about thirty first rounders that Butch Davis stocked the cupboard with. All hes done since then is pick up recruits who come just because its 'the U'. Not for him. Not for any brilliant schemes that he draws up. I honestly feel that me and a group of my friends could coach as well as he has. The Canes have had too much talent to lose as much as they have. If I were a Cane fan, my dream scenario would be Davis coming back and giving Coker the boot. The man is a nonentity.

As for my team...only time will tell. I think Leak is atrocious. In fact, I wrote this: http://www.alligator.org/pt2/050920column.php telling my entire school just that. And like I said in that column, we havent really seen what Urban can do yet...but I'm willing to bet he'll net us a title at some point. And with the players he just picked up (see Tebow, Tim) he has a real fighting chance.

That's just my two cents. :-)

Take care and have a great day!

 - Andrew

In case anyone forgot, Florida Gators--2006 BCS Champions. Oh, and the basketball titles were nice too, but since this is my senior year at UF, what I'm really looking forward to is the crowning glory - back-to-back football national championships. How bout them Gators?

And in case anyone cares, my new website is
www.theandrewmeyer.com

Mahalo Hombres

I hope everyone's been reading up on the Marlins Centerfield Battle, or MCB, because it's Pop Quiz time!

The MCB has six possible answers, none of which may be right! So, depending on how you look at it, this is either the easiest or the hardest test question in your life!

Yo Maverick, can you tell us about Borchard and Ross's defense abilities, or lack thereof?

With Johnson and Tank out to start the season, the 25 man roster is pretty easy to work out.

C Miguel Olivo, Matt Treanor
1B Mike Jacobs, Aaron Boone
2B Dan Uggla
SS Hanley Ramirez, Robert Andino 3B Miguel Cabrera
RF Jeremy Hermida, Joe Borchard
CF Alfredo Amezaga, Cody Ross
LF Josh Willingham

No matter what Fredi says, Alfredo is our starting CF, splitting time with Cody Ross. Alex Sanchez was never in contention, as he is awful.

SP Dontrelle Willis, Scott Olsen, Anibal Sanchez, Ricky Nolasco, and Yusmeiro Petit.

Petit is the logical choice to finish out the rotation, and he could be there all season, since as soon as we get Josh Johnson back Anibal will get hurt.

RP Kevin Gregg, Henry Owens, Renyel Pinto, Matt Lindstrom, Randy Messenger, Paul Mildren, and Sergio Mitre.

Gregg will close, because he's the most experienced guy back there, with Owens, Lindstrom, and Messenger holding down the 7th and 8th. Pinto is our lefty, and he will be solid. Mitre gets the spot starter/long relief role, and Mildren gets to  ride the back of the pine until Tank is ready.

So what can we expect from this squad? Our strength is still the rotation. I see Dontrelle having a big year, Olsen progressing nicely, Sanchez tearing it up before he gets injured, Nolasco holding it down until we can move him to the bullpen next year, and Yusmeiro (he really needs a nickname; Big Y?) having a solid rookie campaign.

The bullpen might be the best we've had in a while. I really like the arms we have back there, especially Gregg, Pinto, and Owens. Owens will probably get hurt as well, based on his delivery and the earlier report about his shoulder (elbow?), but whenever he goes down, Tank will be up.

We still are stacked with pitching prospects, with Jose Garcia, Gaby Hernandez, Sean West, Chris Volstad, Aaron Thompson, Ryan Tucker, Jacob Marceaux, Brett Sinkbeil, and Rick Vanden Hurk starting the year in the minors. I see Garcia, Hernandez, and Vanden Hurk all seeing some big league action this year.

Our lineup will be about the same as last year, but expect a big boost from Hermida, but some regression from Uggla and Ramirez. The defense should be a year better, but our depth is worse (so long Wes Helms!)

This team has a lot of potential, but plays in the NL's toughest division. The Mets will win the division again, but we can grab the wild-card spot. Our main competition is the Phillies, so hopefully it comes down to the last week of the year, so we can sweep those dirty chokers again, a la 2003. I think next year is our year to be quite honest, but it's baseball, so who knows. I can't see us pulling off any major deals, but here's to Dontrelle for Rocco Baldelli. We're losing the D-Train soon anyway, we might as well plug our biggest hole with him.

In the event that none of what I predicted comes to pass, I was tripping on acid when I wrote this.

Thank you Larry Beinfest, and GO MARLINS!!!

http://www.minorleagueball.com/story/2006/12/23/225355/26

Unlike Maverick, John still includes Tankersley and Pinto on his list, even though they've made the show. Their lists are very similar, but not entirely. Maverick's number 15, Torre Langley, doesnt even get an honorable mention from John. Other Marlins hitters such as Chris Coghlan and Tom Hickman also get little respect. Paul Mildren, our Australian lefty, gets the biggest boost.

Maverick, care to comment? Please?

In my opinion it's Larry Beinfest, but this isn't about me, and besides, my opinion might be just a little skewed, considering I LOVE THE FLORIDA MARLINS.

Anyway, there are 32 GMs, and only 10 slots in the poll, so I'm going to eliminate a few fringe candidates right here.

Walt Jocketty's Cardinals may have just won the World Series, but the man still traded Dan Haren (and Kiko Calero and Daric Barton) for Mark Mulder. Atrocious. He also paid good money for ex-Marlins Juan Encarnacion and Braden Looper, when any bleacher bum in our stadium could tell you that they $%&#ing suck.

Omar Minaya only knows how to do one thing: spend the Mets money. Granted, he's done it fairly well (Delgado, Pedro, Beltran) but I don't think he knows how to do anything else. The man set the Expos/Nats back five years by trading Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, and Brandon Philips for half a year of Bartolo Colon. What a jerk.

Terry Ryan made one ENORMOUS trade, I'll give him that. A.J. Pierzynski for Francisco Liriano, Joe Nathan, AND Boof Bonser might be the most one-sided deal of all-time. But other than that, what has he done? The Twins are a product of an amazing farm system. Meanwhile, Ryan has done little to augment his team's stellar young talent, adding scorching bats such as Luis Castillo, Rondell White, Nick Punto, Shannon Stewart...you get the picture. I refuse to include him in the poll.

Ned Colletti just gave Juan Pierre $45 million. I'll repeat that. Ned Colletti just gave Juan Pierre FORTY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS. Enough said.

Brian Sabean: on the other end of that Liriano deal.

Jim Hendry. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Thanks for Dontrelle Willis!

Josh Byrnes almost made the cut, and then I remembered he let the Marlins have Dan Uggla for $50,000.

Bill Stoneman is just all over the place, Tim Purpura is just a punk, and I just don't like Doug Melvin. Maybe it's the moustache.

And that leaves us with our field of ten! I think the top contenders are Beinfest (obvious), Billy Beane (even more obvious), and Schuerholz (won 79 straight division titles...but only one WS. nyah, nyah braves fans), with Epstein and Cashman sure to draw a lot of votes thanks to know-nothing Red Sox and Yankees fans. Let the voting begin! UPDATE: Actually, Doug Melvin is probably more valuable than Kevin Towers. I'm still not putting Melvin on the list, so I'm just going to change the spot to "OTHER", but should you vote that way, I DEMAND an explanation.

There are a lot of chips left to fall, but right now, I would say the Marlins are having the best offseason of any team in the sport. "But we havent done anything!" you say. Precisely. It seems that just about every contract handed out is AWFUL.

$136 mil to Alfonso Soriano? No thanks.
$50 mil to Gary Matthews Jr.? Um, pass.
$45 mil to Juan Pierre. Hmm. (Snicker, snicker). WAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

And we've barely got started on the pitchers! $24 mil to Adam Eaton! Adam Eaton! He would have to fight with Ricky Nolasco for the LAST spot in the Marlins rotation. I'm excited to see what Barry Zito gets. $100 mil?

I love, repeat LOVE the way the Marlins operate. The moves we make are under-the-radar, cost-efficient, and usually very effective. Every year we seem to find a closer on the scrap heap, and turn him into a class-A free agent the next year. This year already, we have Kevin Gregg, Henry Owens, and maybe even Matt Lindstrom ready to step in and drop 30/40 saves out of nowhere. For a fraction of the cost of signing Danys Baez.

I love the Marlins. We stay out of the fool-hardy free agent market, saving money and finding bargains. Why sign an outfielder when we can probably find a starter or two in the rule V draft? LARRY! LARRY!

Baseball Prospectus Top Ten Prospects

Henry Owens and Rick Vanden Hurk are both going to make contributions in the bullpen this year. I also would not be too surprised if one of the top five (very young) players on this list make the leap near the end of the year. Tell me which one.

My other question is, Where is Gaby Sanchez on this list?

[Edit by craig] If you click on the comment link, you can vote in the poll designed by Jrfelix.