Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
December 22, 2003
Catching On

I had wondered why the A's picked up Michael Barrett from the Expos. It turns out they wanted Damien Miller, and they knew the Cubs wanted Barrett. So they traded a young, poor hitting catcher for an older, somewhat better hitting catcher. I assume Miller is a stop gap until Jeremy Brown is ready.

In other catching news, Javy Lopez is reported to be close to signing with Baltimore. Where does that leave Ivan Rodriguez. Personally, if I had the choice between Lopez and I-Rod, I'm taking Ivan. He's younger and he's had a more consistent career.

Update: Lopez has been officially signed. Where will I-Rod go now?


Posted by David Pinto at 09:36 AM | Free Agents • | Trades | TrackBack (0)
Comments

As a Cub fan, I'm hopeful that Jim Hendry is being shrewd here and is trying to get a Pudge at a discount once Javy signs with the O's and Pudge's options have run out. So here's a question for you, has Scott Boras done good for any of his clients this off-season? At least the high profile ones?

Posted by: shawn at December 22, 2003 10:36 AM

I think the Orioles would rather have Ivan too, but his salary demands are apparently much higher. Javy's smart to take the deal, and like Shawn says, Pudge and Boras are probably going to fudge around until their options are almost out, holding out for the most $. But then again, that strategy worked splendidly for him last year :)

Posted by: Troy at December 22, 2003 11:36 AM

I too am hoping the Cubs are holding out for a bargain-bin Pudge, but even if that's not the case I like the Barret-for-Miller deal. If you're going to resign yourself to not having a real productive force out of the catcher spot, why not have a younger, cheaper catcher who in the past at least has shown some pop that Miller never has?

The catcher's spot may be a black hole in the lineup next year, but at least it will be a relatively cheap, $2.4 million duo. Miller alone was due $3 million in 2004.

Posted by: Kevin B. O'Reilly at December 22, 2003 01:10 PM

We would love to have him in Seattle....

....but wait, sorry, we don't make big signings.

Never mind.

Go Dan Wilson!

Posted by: Easycure at December 22, 2003 02:09 PM

Are they still going to sign Vlad? If not, where is he going to end up? If his pricetag gets low enough, maybe the Yanks will reenter the bidding. ;)

Posted by: sabernar at December 22, 2003 04:36 PM