MLB Hot Stove

[livid]

Well considering that at the time of the other offers, they were asking for more, I think they're stupid because what they were getting offered was great, especially compared to the deal they just completed. I just don't understand how you can avoid a deal that would involve a guy of Jacoby Ellsbury's talent.

[gunnar hendershow]

Because you felt you could get a guy of Lester's talent as well. It's stupid, but all the rationalization is there for why the Twins waited too long. Obviously it didn't work out well for them, but it's also obvious why they held onto hope it would.

[livid]

They were greedy? There's no way they would get equal value for him when they had been talking about shopping him forever. They wanted to get equal value, they were never going to get it, and now they lost out on more than they would've had they gone the Ellsbury route.

On the flip side, Ellsbury aside, a deal around Coco Crisp and Jon Lester is STILL better than the one they got from the Mets. I just think they dropped the ball by not trading him months ago. At this point, they should've just kept him and tried to trade him at the deadline after he had a good first half or just keep him altogether and hope to contend.

[sahyder1]

MLB has granted the Mets a 2 hour extension to finalize the contract with Santana. New deadline is 7 PM ET.

[sahyder1]

ESPN is reporting that the deal is done pending a physical.

[Guest BB11]

I have to say my final four as of right now would have to be Boston, Detriot, New York and (seeing as how the NL always has a WTF? team) Cincinnati. Why Cincy? No reason at all, there are about eight teams more talented then they are. Just always seems to be THAT team that comes out of nowhere (St. Louis, Colorado, etc.).

[AboveAverage]

Wow, does this Santana deal have me psyched for opening day. As a Mets fan you never wanna get too excited because it seems like disappointment is always just around the corner, but the hope is there...

[Guest BB11]

Boston will be without SP Curt Schilling until the All-Star break due to a shoulder issue.

I say stay out until September, let Lester and Buchholz play. If needed, make a deal at the deadline for a fourth-fifth starter, move Wakefield to the bullpen.

[Toe]

I somehow think the loss of Schilling will not have a big effect on the Red Soxs. They have depth and have guys like Lester who could become great starters for them.

[Guest BB11]

I think it may be better for the Sox in the long run. Buchholz, Lester, and possibly even Masterson get experience. Then, a healthy Schilling returns in September. That's a win-win, as long as the young guns hold up.

[Lowerdeck]

Why do I see Buchholz missing parts of the season because Theo and Co. are pussies and don't want to push him too hard. I could see a move for a 5th starter just to get rest for Buchholz/Lester/Masterson.

[livid]

Well I would hope 3 young pitchers would be able to fill the 5th spot in the rotation. I don't think there's an excuse that would change that unless they either blew up in the majors or just got hurt.

[Lowerdeck]

1. Beckett

2. Dice-K

3. Wakefield

4/5. Lester, Buccholz, Masterson ... some rotation of those three?

[jonnycomelately]

If they want to ease any of the young kids into a full rotation spot they can use Freddy Kruger...I mean Julian Tavarez as the #5 early on in the season. There are also some serviceable pitchers still on the market that could be had on the cheap. Livan Hernandez, Josh Fogg, and Kyle Lohse (unless he doesn't come off his 10 mill a year pedestal) aren't going to set the world on fire but if you don't want to burn Buchholz, Lester, and Masterson out they'd do. And if Schilling knew even an inkling that he was hurt before he signed his new deal, he's a dirtbag.

[livid]

Why would he be a dirt bag? Because they made the mistake of not checking him out before offering him a new contract?

And besides, he might've been hurting but never thought it would be as big of a problem as it has become, especially since his personal doctor said that he didn't need surgery.

So if the team is telling him that he needs surgery now, why wouldn't they have checked it all out before he signed the contract? It doesn't make sense to call him a douchebag when they could've prevented it all themselves.

[Meacon Keaton]

Minnesota has filled the hole Johan Santana left by signing Livan Hernandez to a one year deal. >_> Yes, he will definately make up for that loss...

[naiwf]

Clemens is getting slaughtered by Pettitte's testimony. Awesome.

[Mling]

I'm so happy the Minnesota Twins signed a vetran pitcher in Livan Hernandez, and traded for Delmon Young.

[Toe]

Clemens blah blah blah steroids blah blah blah.

I find myself not caring at all whether or not he used steroids.

[livid]

SAN FRANCISCO -- Barry Bonds tested positive for steroids in November 2001, just a month after hitting his record 73rd home run of the season, U.S. prosecutors said on Thursday.

The allegation came in a legal filing in his steroid perjury case that referred to Bonds' long-time trainer, Greg Anderson.

"At trial, the government's evidence will show that Bonds received steroids from Anderson in the period before the November 2001 positive drug test, and that evidence raises the inference that Anderson gave Bonds the steroids that caused him to test positive in November 2001," U.S. Attorney Joseph Russoniello wrote.

The U.S. government made the assertion in a document that asked a federal court to reject Bonds' motion last month to dismiss the charges that he lied about past steroid use.

In December, the record seven-time National League Most Valuable Player pleaded not guilty to lying to a federal grand jury in 2003 when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs.

He testified in the BALCO sports steroid case, which ended up jailing his personal trainer, Anderson, and the head of the BALCO lab near San Francisco.

The latest government motion also referred to a question by a prosecutor during the BALCO case to "determine why Bonds apparently tested positive for anabolic steroids in November 2000."

To date, prosecutors have revealed little about the details they have in the case against Bonds, the greatest hitter of his era long dogged by suspicions about doping.

Edited February 15, 2008 by Livid