AL West Discussion

[Giantmetfan07]

Post any little shit you wanna talk about it.

 

[cruzg24]

"Our daily trade deadline talk series continues with a pitcher that was mentioned in a report Wednesday.

The Rangers had a scout watching the Phillies-Dodgers game that Cliff Lee happened to be starting. I will point out that the Rangers don't just have to be scouting pitchers when they go to these games (this club still could use a right-handed bat, BTW). But a report from Danny Knobler at CBSSports.com says that Lee could be a backup plan for the Rangers should Cole Hamels or Zack Greinke fall through.

So what if the Phillies decided to re-sign Hamels and then try to unload another big contract, like Lee? Philadelphia says they aren't looking to unload Lee, so this is a big longshot. But it's fun to talk about.

Lee turned down a longer-term deal from the Rangers after the 2010 season to sign a five-year contract with the Phillies (and allow his family to avoid the rough Dallas-Fort Worth traffic, if you'll remember). He's making $25 million the next three seasons and a club option for $27.5 million in 2016 (or a $12.5 million buyout).

The price is high, but the Rangers would get a guy they could put at the top of the rotation for three more seasons. This isn't one of those rental player deals where you don't get anything in return past this season if you part with one or more of your top prospects. "

Source: ESPN.com

 

[Rios15]

The Angels are telling teams they’d rather trade Vernon Wells than keep him when he returns from the disabled list. They’re looking for a trade partner and saying they don’t want to eat all of his salary, Stark reports. It’ll be challenging to find a taker for Wells’ salary; he earns $21MM per season through 2014.

Source: MLBTR.com

I don't know how we (the Blue Jays), or particularly AA, got rid of that contract, wow. I really like Wells as a person though, don't get me wrong. He's a great guy, but that contract was a big mistake.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Mariners Re-sign Oliver Perez

From MLB.com’s Greg Johns comes word that the Mariners have re-signed left-hander Oliver Perez to a one-year major league deal for the 2013 season. Financial terms of the agreement aren’t yet available.

Perez reinvented himself as reliever this past season on a non-guaranteed minor league deal with the M’s, posting a 2.12 ERA across 29 2/3 innings. And now he’s pretty much a lock for an Opening Day bullpen spot next spring. With a salary that is guaranteed.
The 31-year-old southpaw owns a 4.57 career ERA. He has also played for the Padres, Pirates and Mets.

 

[Teagz]

Kameron Loe

has agreed to a minor-league contract with the Mariners,​

according to Geoff Baker

of the​

Seattle Times

.​

He’ll get an invitation to spring training after throwing 68 innings with a 4.51 ERA and 55/20 K/BB ratio for the Brewers last season.​

Loe is 6-foot-8, but doesn’t throw very hard or get a ton of strikeouts. He does induce lots of ground balls, however, and has generally been a solid middle reliever with a 3.72 ERA in 255 career appearances out of the bullpen.​

 

[Teagz]

I’ll preface all of this by saying that the author of the piece I am about to link, Jeff Pearlman, is fully aware that he’s throwing something of a bomb here. That said, unlike some others people, I do not believe Pearlman is throwing a bomb for the sake of throwing a bomb. He’s not being cute or coy here and he fully acknowledges the limits of his knowledge. These are simply questions which genuinely occur to him and, whether you agree with him or not, he isn’t afraid to ask them.​

He also knows fully well that I and a lot of other people are going to have a problem with this. Indeed, I talked to him online after I read it late this morning and he knows fully well that I’m gonna take issue with it. Indeed, I’ve taken enough issue with Pearlman over the years that he and have come to talk on occasion about these sorts of things, and while they haven’t done much to bridge the pretty large gap we have when it comes to PEDs in baseball, it is enough to give me comfort that he’s not just trolling and that when Pearlman does throw bombs it’s because he believes in what he’s saying, not because he simply wants to create chaos. You can decide for yourself if you think that’s worth anything, but it means at least a little something to me.​

With all of that said, let’s get down to brass tacks: Pearlman looks at Josh Hamilton’s 20 pound weight loss this offseason with suspicion:​

First, to be clear: I don’t know if Josh Hamilton used PEDs. I’d long assumed he hadn’t, because the idea of an ex-drug addict taking, well, drugs didn’t make much sense to me … And yet …in the modern era of baseball, with all we know and all we’ve seen and all the recent news concerning Alex Rodriguez and Gio Gonzalez and Ryan Braun and numerous others, well … I’m just not so sure we can continue to take reports like this at face value … I don’t know if Hamilton’s using. I really don’t. But one must be skeptical.​

Pearlman offers examples of curious weight gain and weight loss — Pudge Rodriguez’s weight loss maybe being the most memorable example for all of us — and my inference from this anyway is that there is suspicion to be had about Josh Hamilton it’s that he lost a lot of weight just as scrutiny and testing is being ratcheted up again.​

His ultimate end: for someone to ask Hamilton and others “the hard questions” about such things. I’m not sure what the hard question is. I’m not sure why weight loss is a sufficient predicate for a question and/or accusation of PED use. As we note with silliness all spring, lots of players yo-yo in weight. Are we supposed to ask them all these “hard questions?”​

Heck, it’s not even about giving someone the benefit of the doubt. It’s about what in the hell is supposed to create doubt in the first place. In the past people have looked at all sorts of things to create that doubt, and half the time it’s silly. Home run totals, without reference to park size or expansion. Head size, as if we are able to measure such a thing. Back acne as if it can only be caused by steroids. Failure to prove negatives, which is something only baseball writers seem to think is an acceptable expectation. Acting out in anger as if all anger = ‘roid rage. With Pearlman, it’s weight fluctuation. That’s not enough to say anything with certainty, he says. But it’s enough to prompt more questions. We are required he says — we must! — be skeptical.​

I simply can’t buy that. At some point you have to assume that the game has a strong testing program and, barring something actually indicative of PED use, take its negative results at face value. Weight loss isn’t doing it for me. I’m not sure who else besides Pearlman it should actually do it for.​

 

[Teagz]

A few years ago​

Josh Hamilton

​

avoided the Rangers’ clubhouse celebration

because beer and champagne were being sprayed (and consumed) all over the place and later the Rangers​

switched to ginger ale

so Hamilton would feel comfortable taking part in the festivities despite his history of alcohol and drug problems.​

It remains to be seen how the Angels will celebrate if/when they get to the playoffs or win a postseason series, but Hamilton’s new team doesn’t plan to alter their overall clubhouse alcohol policy:​

Pretty standard across baseball, although certainly not standard in other professions. What percentage of people work at a place where drinking alcohol is not only allowed, but the alcohol is actually provided by their employers? Even us bloggers have to buy our own beer if we wanted to spend the work day drinking*.​

* Hypothetically.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Some Spring Training Photos in LA:

Josh Hamilton Taking Batting Practice

Manager Mike Scioscia

Mike Trout Signing Autographs

Team Stretches

1B Albert Pujols

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Right fielder Nelson Cruz is back in the Texas Rangers’ lineup on Saturday, one day after a health scare.

Cruz underwent a battery of tests on Friday at a local hospital after complaining of an extended “pressing” sensation in his chest. The tests came back negative, confirming the Rangers’ preliminary diagnosis of a strained intercostal muscle.

“I just wanted to be sure it was not what I was thinking it was,” Cruz said. “It’s something you have to be careful about. You can’t take anything for granted when it’s your heart.”

Cruz reaffirmed his commitment to play with the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. He will leave the Rangers on Sunday to join the team for workouts in Florida. The Rangers endorsed Cruz’ decision.

 

[cruzg24]

With Martin Perez injured, many have speculated that the Rangers could make a play for free-agent pitcher Kyle Lohse. That doesn't appear to be the case, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.

A Rangers source told Sullivan, “We are not going to sign Kyle Lohse. I can't be clearer than that.” The team has signed pitcher Derek Lowe to a minor-league deal, CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman has confirmed, so it appears he could be Perez's replacement.

The team is probably right in not overreacting to losing Perez. While he has been a top prospect in the organization for multiple seasons, his numbers haven't matched his hype in recent years. Given that the Rangers were likely not expecting a huge season from Perez immediately, they are probably fine with getting by with a low-upside option at this point. With Colby Lewis expected to be ready by mid-season, the club only needs Lowe, or whoever its fifth starter may be, to last a couple of months.
Source: Cbssports.com

 

[Giantmetfan07]

The Astros are still telling teams that they'll listen on anyone if they get two or more players back in a deal, rival clubs tell Jayson Stark of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Lots of scouts are eyeing right-hander Lucas Harrell in particular.

Recently, we learned that the Cardinals have interest in Harrell and fellow hurler Bud Norris. Last season was Harrell's first full big league season and the 27-year-old looked strong as he posted a 3.76 ERA with 6.5 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 32 starts.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

 
The Angels beat the Rangers 8-4 on Saturday afternoon, with the two clubs combining for seven homers in the game. Albert Pujols hit two of those homers, including a two-run shot in the first inning.
 
After that first-inning homer, Texas picked its spots with the three-time MVP and chose to instead face Josh Hamilton. The Rangers intentionally walked Pujols three times, making him the first player in AL history to hit two homers with three intentional walks in one game. David Wright and Claudell Washington are the only other players to accomplish the feat.
 
So, how did Hamilton respond to being challenged by his former team? Not so well:

• First and second with two outs in the second: Three-pitch strikeout.
• First and second with two outs in the fourth: Three-pitch strikeout.
• First and second with one out in the eighth: First-pitch fly out to left.

Hamilton, 31, went 0 for 4 with a walk, a run scored and two strikeouts in the game, dropping his season batting line to .050/.208/.050. He's 1 for 20 with three walks and 10 strikeouts in the team's five games.