2016 MLB thread. THE CUBS HAVE BROKEN THE CURSE! Chicago Cubs are your 2016 World Series champions

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I dont think I would sign a guy for 10 years in a non steroid era at all. Heck 5 is almost too much.
Prince will get those years, then imo Unless its Bryce Harper no one else in the history of the game gets more than 7 or 8.
Pitchers are already coming down to 5-6, and elite hitters/ and defenders are prob down to looking at 7-8 front loaded seasons.
The AL will continue to be the exception cause of the DH....
But as far as Albert? The Angels are going to be around 170 million this year. I would consider bumping that up to 190 to get the type contract for Albert that I would want.
8 years at 220. more money per year, but
Year 1 40 Million
Year 2 35
Year 3 30
Year 4 25
year 5 25
year 6 25
year 7 20
year 8 20.
Makes the contract more attractive for other potiental teams to trade for, and you pay less for the accomplishment years, and net more money.
From a marketing prespective.
Years one and 2 might actually make Albert worth if healthy the money for those seasons.
Year 3 he comes down, and the buzz of him being in the park is less but there is added flexability.
Year 4 you figure hes playing 50+ days as a DH. And if he isnt an elite defender still then his value is more accurately reflected in the contract numbers. With the Interleague all year it makes sense to transfer him to that role in home National league games and one out of 5 AL games.
Years 4-6 are the years where you have re tooled a bit, and Albert may not be the hitter and defender he was, but playing 50 games at DH makes him healthier.
year 7-8 you have found your replacement defensively at 1st base. You need his bat in NL road games, you play him at first, but idealy no matter his condition he isnt playing more than 30 games at 1st.


Thats more than fair for Pujols. I would rather get the milestones cheap or with defered money, then pay him evenly through out the deal.
Thats 10 years 8 like I would sign him for, and even 5 if that were the case.

If healthy... Is paying Albert 105 for the first 3 years of the deal bad?
 
Originally Posted by GotHolesInMySocks

did anyone hear the cj wilson interview yest.

dude wanted to be a yankee so bad

basically said he lives in the lower east side during the offseason, said a few time he was disappointed the yanks showed no interest and he said who doesn't want to be a yankee. dude looked hurt.


btw, after the cards, marlins and angels offering $$$$$$ to players, i don't want to hear $%## about the yankees spending big
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It does seem interesting that the Yankees didn't openly show any interest/offers, but Wilson will be pleased with the Angels because he is back where he grew up I believe. He jokingly said he had trouble converting friends and family to be Rangers fans, and now he has to ask them to convert back to Angels fans
laugh.gif
.

And TRUTH about the spending $. Teams are just truly realizing now that they need to spend in order to succeed, and are finding ways to obtain the money. The Yankees have just been steps ahead for years...
 
Originally Posted by GotHolesInMySocks

did anyone hear the cj wilson interview yest.

dude wanted to be a yankee so bad

basically said he lives in the lower east side during the offseason, said a few time he was disappointed the yanks showed no interest and he said who doesn't want to be a yankee. dude looked hurt.


btw, after the cards, marlins and angels offering $$$$$$ to players, i don't want to hear $%## about the yankees spending big
Click to expand...
It does seem interesting that the Yankees didn't openly show any interest/offers, but Wilson will be pleased with the Angels because he is back where he grew up I believe. He jokingly said he had trouble converting friends and family to be Rangers fans, and now he has to ask them to convert back to Angels fans
laugh.gif
.

And TRUTH about the spending $. Teams are just truly realizing now that they need to spend in order to succeed, and are finding ways to obtain the money. The Yankees have just been steps ahead for years...
 
The Yankees have just been steps ahead for years...
Since the Yankees have started spending outta control in the last 10 years they have 1 World Series to show for it though.
Click to expand...
 
The Yankees have just been steps ahead for years...
Since the Yankees have started spending outta control in the last 10 years they have 1 World Series to show for it though.
Click to expand...
 
Originally Posted by bkmac

And TRUTH about the spending $. Teams are just truly realizing now that they need to spend in order to succeed, and are finding ways to obtain the money. The Yankees have just been steps ahead for years...
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Other franchises don't print money like the Yankees though.
laugh.gif
With (some) teams it's not a matter of "realizing" the need to spend...it's more like they've reached the means to increase their budget because of other ventures. Phils and Sox don't apply though.
 
Originally Posted by bkmac

And TRUTH about the spending $. Teams are just truly realizing now that they need to spend in order to succeed, and are finding ways to obtain the money. The Yankees have just been steps ahead for years...
Click to expand...
Other franchises don't print money like the Yankees though.
laugh.gif
With (some) teams it's not a matter of "realizing" the need to spend...it's more like they've reached the means to increase their budget because of other ventures. Phils and Sox don't apply though.
 
Originally Posted by FIRST B0RN

The Yankees have just been steps ahead for years...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Since the Yankees have started spending outta control in the last 10 years they have 1 World Series to show for it though.
Which brings me to another point. Why the hell do fans care how much the Yankees spend, especially for the fact they don't win every year?

Like, some fans get butt-hurt at the fact the Yankees are spending money that they can spend, when they shouldn't because A)They should worry about the money their own teams are/aren't spending and B)The Yankees aren't winning anyway!

It irks me so much.
 
Originally Posted by FIRST B0RN

The Yankees have just been steps ahead for years...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Since the Yankees have started spending outta control in the last 10 years they have 1 World Series to show for it though.
Which brings me to another point. Why the hell do fans care how much the Yankees spend, especially for the fact they don't win every year?

Like, some fans get butt-hurt at the fact the Yankees are spending money that they can spend, when they shouldn't because A)They should worry about the money their own teams are/aren't spending and B)The Yankees aren't winning anyway!

It irks me so much.
 
Like someone else already alluded to, I've always hated that the Yankees have had far more of an availability to spend than other teams, teams like my Angels as a kid. Yeah, we've spent money like there's no tomorrow the past 7-8 years, but we're new to this, and the Yankees have been doing it for a minute.

Say I'm out with a friend who does the same exact job that I do, but he works out of New York, NY, and I work out of Fontana, CA. We go out to lunch at the same place, and we both order steak, and the waitress says there's only one piece of steak left. He pulls out four $20s, and I pull out a $10 & a $5. Yeah, he's getting the steak. And I'm mad at him.
laugh.gif


And yes, I saw the recent posts in here about the Angels TV deal with Fox. Yes, that obviously allowed for us to sign CJ and Albert. And like I said from the jump about these Albert & CJ signings: it's definitely bittersweet. If I had my way, no doubt there would be more parity, more of a… 'competitive balance' (word to David Stern
laugh.gif
).

But I can't have it my way, and the Angels recent history has had me 'suffer' through finally being one of the teams that is at least in the discussion whenever top players are looking to relocate.
 
Like someone else already alluded to, I've always hated that the Yankees have had far more of an availability to spend than other teams, teams like my Angels as a kid. Yeah, we've spent money like there's no tomorrow the past 7-8 years, but we're new to this, and the Yankees have been doing it for a minute.

Say I'm out with a friend who does the same exact job that I do, but he works out of New York, NY, and I work out of Fontana, CA. We go out to lunch at the same place, and we both order steak, and the waitress says there's only one piece of steak left. He pulls out four $20s, and I pull out a $10 & a $5. Yeah, he's getting the steak. And I'm mad at him.
laugh.gif


And yes, I saw the recent posts in here about the Angels TV deal with Fox. Yes, that obviously allowed for us to sign CJ and Albert. And like I said from the jump about these Albert & CJ signings: it's definitely bittersweet. If I had my way, no doubt there would be more parity, more of a… 'competitive balance' (word to David Stern
laugh.gif
).

But I can't have it my way, and the Angels recent history has had me 'suffer' through finally being one of the teams that is at least in the discussion whenever top players are looking to relocate.
 
A's don't get enough for Cahill.

Spoiler [+]
I'm a big Jarrod Parker fan, and have been ever since I first saw him pitch in high school in Kendallville, Indiana, the population of which probably dropped by half when all the scouts who came to see Parker left town. But as much as I believe he's going to be a star and pitch at the top of a big league rotation someday, I can't see him as sufficient return for an established major-league starter with plenty of remaining upside -- a starter who is under nine months Parker's senior.

Part of my thinking here is my belief that Trevor Cahill is going to be a star as well, and a lot sooner than Parker is. Cahill is just 23 years old and signed a reasonable contract that will be dirt cheap if he reaches his upside, keeping under team control through 2016 for $29 million total, with two club options beyond that.

He throws a sinker mostly from 88-91 but up to 94; as you'd expect, it generates a ton of ground balls, but he doesn't command the pitch as well as he could, and leaves it up in the zone more often than he should. His slider, mostly 81-85, has some late tumble like a splitter rather than the hard tilt of a typical slider, but when he gets it down it's also tough to hit in the air; his curveball is less effective, with a soft downward break and less velocity than the slider, and given his tendency to hang it he'd be better off reducing it to show-me status. His changeup is his best off-speed pitch, with good separation from the fastball and downward fade.

What he needs to go from league-average starter to No. 2 status or better is maturity and confidence; he has the raw tools, a delivery that works, and nearly 600 major-league innings of experience at an age when many pitchers are just reaching the majors. He's very bright and a hard worker, all of which feeds into my belief that he's about to turn a corner and become a much more valuable pitcher. The Diamondbacks also get Craig Breslow, who, despite his boorish manners, is an effective middle reliever, 90-92 with a hard but light-breaking slider; he's good enough against righties to be more than a specialist, but isn't so effective against lefties that he would be deployed as a specialist.

Parker is the real return here for Oakland, a six-foot right-hander with a golden arm, 91-96 on the four-seamer with a new two-seamer at 90-92 and a plus changeup at 80-82; his slider hasn't been as sharp since his 2009 Tommy John surgery, but the two-seamer can get him groundballs and the changeup is going to miss a lot of bats. He needs time to continue to build arm strength and work on locating both fastballs, as well as the art of setting up hitters. In Oakland, with a big ballpark and good defense behind him, he'll be in good shape to continue his development and perhaps even accelerate it, with the eventual ceiling of either an ace of a very good No. 2 starter, probably two or three years down the road.

Collin Cowgill is an extra outfielder who earns the "grinder" tag because ... well, mostly because his tools aren't that special. Ryan Cook is 90-95 with a hard-diving slider in the low 80s, but doesn't command either pitch and has a wicked hook in his delivery as well as a lot of effort; he could peak as a setup guy, could be a middle guy, could spend years bouncing up and down because major-league hitters won't chase either of his pitches the way AAA hitters do.

Neither of the latter two guys has much impact on this deal -- it's Cahill for Parker, and while Parker is going to be very good, Cahill is ahead of him developmentally, and is already tied into a team-friendly contract.

Rumors.

Spoiler [+]
[h3]Brewers still on Aramis[/h3]
1:47PM ET

[h5]Aramis Ramirez | Cubs[/h5]


While he may be a fit in Anaheim with the Los Angeles Angels, or in the Motor City with the Detroit Tigers, Aramis Ramirez appears most closely connected to the Milwaukee Brewers. The Journal-Sentinel's Tom Haudricourt tweeted Friday that he fully expects the veteran and the Brewers to re-engage in contract talks next week.

The Brewers may be operating under the assumption that Prince Fielder will be signing elsewhere this winter, but adding Ramirez also would mean Casey McGehee is expendable, unless the club plans to use Ramirez at first base and McGehee at third.

McGehee is arbitration eligible and figures to earn a raise into the 7-figure range. If Ramirez is brought in to play third regularly, McGhee could be non-tendered or traded.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Rangers, Kinsler talk extension[/h3]
1:37PM ET

[h5]Ian Kinsler | Rangers[/h5]


Ian Kinsler is signed through the 2012 season with a club option for 2013. He'll earn $7 million next season and the option is worth $10 million. It appears, however, that the two sides are mutually interested in an extension, reports Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram.

Kinsler isn't alone, as the Rangers have Josh Hamilton to tend to as well, and neither player is going to be cheap. Kinsler could command well over $10 million per season and he's just 29 so the Rangers may be looking at a deal for 6-8 years and $80-100 million.

Chase Utley inked a 7-year, $85 million deal in 2007 and was considered the best second baseman in the game at the time. Kinsler isn't far off, likely coming in right behind Robinson Cano for such honors.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Furcal, Cards closing in?[/h3]
1:30PM ET

[h5]Rafael Furcal | Cardinals[/h5]


The St. Louis Cardinals and free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal are making progress in contract talks, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. A deal may or may not be imminent, but it appears the world champs are focused on Furcal at the moment.

This could mean they are out on other free agent shortstops, eliminating all but the Philadelphia Phillies for Jimmy Rollins.

Barring a late surge by a surprise suitor, it appears Rollins will head back to Philly and Furcal will return to St. Louis where he finished 2011.

The rest of the shortstop market can be found here.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Tampa has arms to spare[/h3]
12:33PM ET

[h5]Tampa Bay Rays[/h5]


We knew the Tampa Bay Rays weren't going to be in on Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson and Mark Buehrle, and that Prince Fielder is not on their radar, either. The club does have needs this winter, however, and they do have valuable trade chips.

The biggest asset? Starting pitchers. The Rays currently have at least seven pitchers who could be in their rotation on Opening Day, including lefties David Price and Matt Moore and right-handers James Shields, Jeremy Hellickson, Jeff Niemann, Wade Davis and Alex Cobb.

Tampa signed left-hander Moore to a long-term contract Friday, which could signal that they are willing to talk about Shields and/or Wade Davis, if it brings back a young solution at another position.

FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal speculated Saturday that Davis could net a haul similar to what the Oakland A's received for fellow young righty Trevor Cahill. Cahill's value is greater than Davis', given that he's a few years younger and has had more success to this point, but as Rosenthal points out, Davis comes cheaper, which could make him nearly as attractive to teams in need of pitching.

The Rays are reportedly considering bringing back Casey Kotchman at first base, but we wonder if Carlos Pena or Derrek Lee might be better options. Johnny Damon may or may not be a fit again at DH -- he didn't have a great 2011 and is now a year older..

The Rays do have some interest in Josh Willingham, but are thought to be a long shot.

Clubs that have been connected to Shields include the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals, and Jon Fay writes that the Reds could be a fit, as well.

Tampa could also entertain offers for centerfielder B.J. Upton, who is slated for free agency after next season, and the Rangers and Nationals could be at the top of that list, too.

- Jason Catania

http://[h3]Rangers' next move?[/h3]
12:13PM ET

[h5]Texas Rangers[/h5]


As we've mentioned here the past few days, the Texas Rangers have been quiet so far this offseason. But they could start making some moves now that their main competition for the AL West just shifted the balance of power.

Even with Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson on the Los Angeles Angels, the Rangers have some options when it comes to battling back.

There's been some hinting that Prince Fielder could be a possibility, and wouldn't his lefty bat be a perfect fit for that loaded lineup in hitter-friendly Rangers Ballpark?

The New York Post's George A. King reported Saturday that the Rangers could be looking to sign Fielder and trade current first baseman Mitch Moreland to the Tampa Bay Rays for starter Wade Davis.

King also posed another scenario in which Texas could acquire Casey McGehee from the Milwaukee Brewers to play first, freeing up Moreland as a chip.

We've also heard from ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney that Rangers pitching prospect could be used as bait to land Gio Gonzalez from the Oakland Athletics. Meanwhile, Rumor Central's Jason A. Churchill speculated that third base prospect Mike Olt could intrigue the A's, as well.

All in all, there do seem to be situations in which the Rangers could regain the advantage in the division by signing Fielder and using some of their young talent as trade bait to land an arm for their rotation. It's just a matter of whether or not Texas would deem it worthwhile to take on the payroll necessary to do so.
ESPN Insider's Jim Bowden sees Fielder to the Rangers as one of 10 moves that could still happen in Saturday's column:
- Jason Catania

Bowden_Jim_30.jpg
[h5]Jim Bowden[/h5]
Fielder a fit for Texas
"There's an arms race brewing in the American League West, and the Los Angeles Angels just fired the first salvo with their signings of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson at the winter meetings. Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine said the team likely would have to circle back and reassess whether to pursue Fielder. When a division rival makes moves as large as the Angels', Levine said, his team's entire offseason strategy must be re-evaluated. Armed with a new TV contract with Fox, Texas has the money to sign Fielder."
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http://[h3]The market for Manny[/h3]
11:46AM ET

[h5]Manny Ramirez | Rays[/h5]


Manny Ramirez is planning a comeback after being reinstated from Major League Baseball's voluntary retired list, according to ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. The question now is which team might take a chance on the suspended slugger.

Ramirez still has to serve a 50-game suspension under the Joint Drug Program, which will begin with the first game that Ramirez is eligible to play after a team signs him to a contract.

In 2011, Ramirez signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, but he had only one hit in 17 at-bats as a designated hitter before leaving the team upon his suspension.

Even at his age (39) and with all his off-the-field issues, Ramirez still could draw some interest due to his resume, but his suitors would almost definitely be limited to American League teams in need of a DH or a dangerous bat off the bench.

Olney says it might not be easy for Manny to catch on:

- Jason Catania

olney_buster_30.jpg
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Manny's future
"Ramirez may struggle to find a job, primarily because he's 40 and is viewed as a DH-only option by a lot of talent evaluators, but also because he's burned so many bridges through the years. According to a source, it's unlikely but possible that the Tampa Bay Rays will sign him, but beyond that, there were a lot of teams indicating zero interest in Ramirez Sunday. Dan Duquette, who signed Ramirez for the Boston Red Sox, called the news about his reinstatement "interesting" -- but I can't imagine a manager who would hate the 'Manny Being Manny' stuff more than Buck Showalter."
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http://[h3]Rollins and Phils are close[/h3]
11:27AM ET

[h5]Jimmy Rollins | Phillies[/h5]


Perhaps all that was needed for Jimmy Rollins to make a decision was to wait until Albert Pujols made his.

The two former NL MVPs share the same agent, Dan Lozano, who was busy this past week finishing up business with Pujols. With that taken care of, though, could Rollins be far behind?

ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick tweeted that Lozano is expected to meet with Philadelphia Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Saturday.

As we mentioned here, the two sides were getting close over the past week, with news that the Milwaukee Brewers, considered the Phillies' top competition for Rollins, were told not to bother bidding anymore, according to Philly.com's Matt Gelb.

Gelb also noted that the Phillies are no longer talking with Aramis Ramirez, which could indicate that Philadelphia is focusing on Rollins. Ramirez was considered Plan B in case they couldn't re-sign Rollins.

The other team that has been mentioned recently as a possible destination for Rollins is the St. Louis Cardinals, who could shift their focus to Rollins, the 2007 NL MVP, now that they've lost Albert Pujols, as Derrick Goold of the Post-Dispatch wrote.

ESPN Insider Dave Cameron has more on how Rollins could help the Cardinals:

- Jason Catania

insider2_64x36.jpg
[h5]Dave Cameron[/h5]
Rollins an ideal fit for Cards
"When both offense and defense are considered, Rollins has the potential to be a 30-run improvement over the three-headed monster of [Ryan] Theriot, [Rafael] Furcal and [Tyler] Greene. That upgrade is nearly equal to the difference between Pujols and [Allen] Craig, and the upgrade at shortstop could almost entirely cancel out the loss of value in not having Pujols around to man first base. Additionally, a move by the Cardinals to add Rollins would ensure that he could not return to Philadelphia, so St. Louis would simultaneously weaken a potential contender while also addressing an area of need on its own roster. When you account for the value of making the Phillies worse, swapping out Pujols for Rollins would be at worst a push for St. Louis' chances of retaining its spot at the top of the National League. "
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http://[h3]Rox want quick fix at 3B[/h3]
11:11AM ET

[h5]Colorado Rockies[/h5]


Having recently traded third baseman Ian Stewart, the Colorado Rockies are looking for a replacement. But not a long-term one.

That's because top prospect Nolan Arenado is expected to be the team's hot cornerman of the future, and the club doesn't want to block his path, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post.

Arenado, 20, spent all of 2011 at High-A, where he hit .298 with 20 HRs and 122 RBIs -- a total that led all of the minor leagues -- while also improving defensively, according to most reports. He then went to the Arizona Fall League and finished among the leaders by putting up a .388 average to go with 6 HRs and 33 RBIs.

On the free agent market, Wilson Betemit, Mark DeRosa and Casey Blake are possible fits, since all of them would come fairly cheap and could likely be had for a one-year deal. That would tide the Rockies over until Arenado is ready, which could be by early 2013.

- Jason Catania

http://[h3]A's have more to do[/h3]
10:49AM ET

[h5]Oakland Athletics[/h5]


Now that the Oakland Athletics have traded away Trevor Cahill, expect GM Billy Beane to make a few more big moves in the coming days and weeks.

FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal called the Cahill deal "Phase One" of Oakland's offseason plans. Phase Two and Three? Cashing in on trade chips Gio Gonzalez and Andrew Bailey.

Here at Rumor Central, we've been all over those two names. The latest on Gonzalez, a 26-year-old lefty starter who won 16 games and posted a 3.12 ERA in 2011, has the Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins among the interested clubs.

With the free agent market for starters drying up -- the two biggest names out there are Edwin Jackson and Japanese import Yu Darvish -- Gonzalez is sure to be in high demand.

Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds have all been mentioned as potential destinations for Bailey, a 27-year-old closer who sported a 3.24 ERA and saved 24 games a year ago.

As the A's have indicated all along, every player on their roster is available -- except for second baseman Jemile Weeks -- and they're looking to add young, cheap, big-league ready talent, particularly in the outfield.

- Jason Catania

http://[h3]Trumbo available?[/h3]
10:31AM ET

[h5]Mark Trumbo | Angels[/h5]


Now that Big Al is in town, the Los Angeles Angels must be considering trade offers for Mark Trumbo, their first baseman last season, right?

Not exactly, if you believe GM Jerry Dipoto. Manager Mike Scioscia called Trumbo Thursday -- the day the Angels got Pujols -- and told him he could get at-bats as a third baseman, corner outfielder and designated hitter in 2012, according to Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Trumbo, 25, did see some time in the outfield last year, but he has never played an inning at the hot corner since becoming a pro. Trumbo, who hit .254 with 29 HRs and 87 RBIs in finishing second in AL Rookie of the Year voting, is also recovering from a stress fracture in his right foot and has yet to be cleared for baseball activities, further setting back his work at third base, as Saxon pointed out. His powerful right-handed bat would certainly draw interest on the trade market, but there's another reason the Angels might not be so quick to part with Trumbo.

Former first baseman Kendrys Morales has missed most of the past two years with a career-threatening leg injury after jumping on top of home plate amid a game-winning home run celebration in May 2010. Morales' status to begin the year is still in question, meaning he could be in risk of being non-tendered on Monday to save his roughly $3 million salary, according to Saxon.

That could make Trumbo the regular DH, while giving him a chance to also play a few other positions to keep his bat in the lineup. There's certainly the risk of overcrowding here, given the glut of outfielders on the team, but for now, Trumbo remains an Angel.

- Jason Catania

http://[h3]Impact of D-backs deal[/h3]
9:41AM ET

[h5]Arizona Diamondbacks[/h5]

The Arizona Diamondbacks got a taste after winning the NL West last year. Now they're trying to make sure the flavor lingers.

Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reported that the D-backs, who were in discussions with the Oakland A's about pitchers Gio Gonzalez and Trevor Cahill, have traded for Cahill Friday night.
The deal is reported to be Cahill and lefty reliever Craig Breslow for top pitching prospect Jarrod Parker, outfielder Collin Cowgill and reliever Ryan Cook.
As the prescient Buster Olney of ESPN The Magazine pointed out Friday, if the Diamondbacks land Cahill that makes for quite a good, young rotation with Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson fronting a group that will also soon include prospect Tyler Skaggs.

Even after this move, Arizona remains loaded with young pitching talent in the minors, including left-handers Skaggs, Pat Corbin and David Holmberg, along with 2011 first-rounders Trevor Bauer and Archie Bradley, both righties. Bauer, a polished UCLA product, and Skaggs, who dominated as he made it to Double-A in 2011, may both be ready to contribute by mid-2012.

That made it easier to give up Parker, Arizona's first-rounder in 2007. The 23-year-old righty, who missed all of 2010 after Tommy John surgery, has fully recovered and made his MLB debut last September. He could certainly be a part of the A's rotation on Opening Day or soon thereafter.

As for Cowgill, he's a solid piece who's ready to help right away as a potential starting outfielder for Oakland, which was one of the team's targets in shopping its pitchers. The 25-year-old hit .239 in 36 games with the D-backs in 2011.

Cahill will be a boost to the D-backs on two fronts. For one thing, his groundballing ways will be a good fit for hitter-friendly Chase Field, and for another, he's under team control for the next four seasons (contracted at $28.7 million through 2015 with team options in 2016 and 2017).

This move, though, leaves the possibility that Arizona could look to move lefty Joe Saunders, who recently accepted the arbitration. According to Piecoro, the Boston Red Sox are one team who might be interested.

ESPN Insider Keith Law has more on the trade in today's column:

- Jason Catania
Law_Keith_30.jpg
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Cahill a big get
"He throws a sinker anywhere, mostly from 88-91 but up to 94; as you'd expect, it generates a ton of ground balls, but he doesn't command the pitch as well as he could, and leaves it up in the zone more often than he should. His slider, mostly 81-85, has some late tumble like a splitter rather than the hard tilt of a typical slider, but when he gets it down it's also tough to hit in the air; his curveball is less effective, with a soft downward break and less velocity than the slider, and given his tendency to hang it he'd be better off reducing it to show-me status. His changeup is his best off-speed pitch, with good separation from the fastball and downward fade. What he needs to go from league-average starter to No. 2 status or better is maturity and confidence; he has the raw tools, a delivery that works, and nearly 600 major-league innings of experience at an age when many pitchers are just reaching the majors."
Click to expand...
 
A's don't get enough for Cahill.

Spoiler [+]
I'm a big Jarrod Parker fan, and have been ever since I first saw him pitch in high school in Kendallville, Indiana, the population of which probably dropped by half when all the scouts who came to see Parker left town. But as much as I believe he's going to be a star and pitch at the top of a big league rotation someday, I can't see him as sufficient return for an established major-league starter with plenty of remaining upside -- a starter who is under nine months Parker's senior.

Part of my thinking here is my belief that Trevor Cahill is going to be a star as well, and a lot sooner than Parker is. Cahill is just 23 years old and signed a reasonable contract that will be dirt cheap if he reaches his upside, keeping under team control through 2016 for $29 million total, with two club options beyond that.

He throws a sinker mostly from 88-91 but up to 94; as you'd expect, it generates a ton of ground balls, but he doesn't command the pitch as well as he could, and leaves it up in the zone more often than he should. His slider, mostly 81-85, has some late tumble like a splitter rather than the hard tilt of a typical slider, but when he gets it down it's also tough to hit in the air; his curveball is less effective, with a soft downward break and less velocity than the slider, and given his tendency to hang it he'd be better off reducing it to show-me status. His changeup is his best off-speed pitch, with good separation from the fastball and downward fade.

What he needs to go from league-average starter to No. 2 status or better is maturity and confidence; he has the raw tools, a delivery that works, and nearly 600 major-league innings of experience at an age when many pitchers are just reaching the majors. He's very bright and a hard worker, all of which feeds into my belief that he's about to turn a corner and become a much more valuable pitcher. The Diamondbacks also get Craig Breslow, who, despite his boorish manners, is an effective middle reliever, 90-92 with a hard but light-breaking slider; he's good enough against righties to be more than a specialist, but isn't so effective against lefties that he would be deployed as a specialist.

Parker is the real return here for Oakland, a six-foot right-hander with a golden arm, 91-96 on the four-seamer with a new two-seamer at 90-92 and a plus changeup at 80-82; his slider hasn't been as sharp since his 2009 Tommy John surgery, but the two-seamer can get him groundballs and the changeup is going to miss a lot of bats. He needs time to continue to build arm strength and work on locating both fastballs, as well as the art of setting up hitters. In Oakland, with a big ballpark and good defense behind him, he'll be in good shape to continue his development and perhaps even accelerate it, with the eventual ceiling of either an ace of a very good No. 2 starter, probably two or three years down the road.

Collin Cowgill is an extra outfielder who earns the "grinder" tag because ... well, mostly because his tools aren't that special. Ryan Cook is 90-95 with a hard-diving slider in the low 80s, but doesn't command either pitch and has a wicked hook in his delivery as well as a lot of effort; he could peak as a setup guy, could be a middle guy, could spend years bouncing up and down because major-league hitters won't chase either of his pitches the way AAA hitters do.

Neither of the latter two guys has much impact on this deal -- it's Cahill for Parker, and while Parker is going to be very good, Cahill is ahead of him developmentally, and is already tied into a team-friendly contract.

Rumors.

Spoiler [+]
[h3]Brewers still on Aramis[/h3]
1:47PM ET

[h5]Aramis Ramirez | Cubs[/h5]


While he may be a fit in Anaheim with the Los Angeles Angels, or in the Motor City with the Detroit Tigers, Aramis Ramirez appears most closely connected to the Milwaukee Brewers. The Journal-Sentinel's Tom Haudricourt tweeted Friday that he fully expects the veteran and the Brewers to re-engage in contract talks next week.

The Brewers may be operating under the assumption that Prince Fielder will be signing elsewhere this winter, but adding Ramirez also would mean Casey McGehee is expendable, unless the club plans to use Ramirez at first base and McGehee at third.

McGehee is arbitration eligible and figures to earn a raise into the 7-figure range. If Ramirez is brought in to play third regularly, McGhee could be non-tendered or traded.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Rangers, Kinsler talk extension[/h3]
1:37PM ET

[h5]Ian Kinsler | Rangers[/h5]


Ian Kinsler is signed through the 2012 season with a club option for 2013. He'll earn $7 million next season and the option is worth $10 million. It appears, however, that the two sides are mutually interested in an extension, reports Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram.

Kinsler isn't alone, as the Rangers have Josh Hamilton to tend to as well, and neither player is going to be cheap. Kinsler could command well over $10 million per season and he's just 29 so the Rangers may be looking at a deal for 6-8 years and $80-100 million.

Chase Utley inked a 7-year, $85 million deal in 2007 and was considered the best second baseman in the game at the time. Kinsler isn't far off, likely coming in right behind Robinson Cano for such honors.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Furcal, Cards closing in?[/h3]
1:30PM ET

[h5]Rafael Furcal | Cardinals[/h5]


The St. Louis Cardinals and free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal are making progress in contract talks, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. A deal may or may not be imminent, but it appears the world champs are focused on Furcal at the moment.

This could mean they are out on other free agent shortstops, eliminating all but the Philadelphia Phillies for Jimmy Rollins.

Barring a late surge by a surprise suitor, it appears Rollins will head back to Philly and Furcal will return to St. Louis where he finished 2011.

The rest of the shortstop market can be found here.

- Jason A. Churchill

http://[h3]Tampa has arms to spare[/h3]
12:33PM ET

[h5]Tampa Bay Rays[/h5]


We knew the Tampa Bay Rays weren't going to be in on Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson and Mark Buehrle, and that Prince Fielder is not on their radar, either. The club does have needs this winter, however, and they do have valuable trade chips.

The biggest asset? Starting pitchers. The Rays currently have at least seven pitchers who could be in their rotation on Opening Day, including lefties David Price and Matt Moore and right-handers James Shields, Jeremy Hellickson, Jeff Niemann, Wade Davis and Alex Cobb.

Tampa signed left-hander Moore to a long-term contract Friday, which could signal that they are willing to talk about Shields and/or Wade Davis, if it brings back a young solution at another position.

FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal speculated Saturday that Davis could net a haul similar to what the Oakland A's received for fellow young righty Trevor Cahill. Cahill's value is greater than Davis', given that he's a few years younger and has had more success to this point, but as Rosenthal points out, Davis comes cheaper, which could make him nearly as attractive to teams in need of pitching.

The Rays are reportedly considering bringing back Casey Kotchman at first base, but we wonder if Carlos Pena or Derrek Lee might be better options. Johnny Damon may or may not be a fit again at DH -- he didn't have a great 2011 and is now a year older..

The Rays do have some interest in Josh Willingham, but are thought to be a long shot.

Clubs that have been connected to Shields include the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Miami Marlins and Washington Nationals, and Jon Fay writes that the Reds could be a fit, as well.

Tampa could also entertain offers for centerfielder B.J. Upton, who is slated for free agency after next season, and the Rangers and Nationals could be at the top of that list, too.

- Jason Catania

http://[h3]Rangers' next move?[/h3]
12:13PM ET

[h5]Texas Rangers[/h5]


As we've mentioned here the past few days, the Texas Rangers have been quiet so far this offseason. But they could start making some moves now that their main competition for the AL West just shifted the balance of power.

Even with Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson on the Los Angeles Angels, the Rangers have some options when it comes to battling back.

There's been some hinting that Prince Fielder could be a possibility, and wouldn't his lefty bat be a perfect fit for that loaded lineup in hitter-friendly Rangers Ballpark?

The New York Post's George A. King reported Saturday that the Rangers could be looking to sign Fielder and trade current first baseman Mitch Moreland to the Tampa Bay Rays for starter Wade Davis.

King also posed another scenario in which Texas could acquire Casey McGehee from the Milwaukee Brewers to play first, freeing up Moreland as a chip.

We've also heard from ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney that Rangers pitching prospect could be used as bait to land Gio Gonzalez from the Oakland Athletics. Meanwhile, Rumor Central's Jason A. Churchill speculated that third base prospect Mike Olt could intrigue the A's, as well.

All in all, there do seem to be situations in which the Rangers could regain the advantage in the division by signing Fielder and using some of their young talent as trade bait to land an arm for their rotation. It's just a matter of whether or not Texas would deem it worthwhile to take on the payroll necessary to do so.
ESPN Insider's Jim Bowden sees Fielder to the Rangers as one of 10 moves that could still happen in Saturday's column:
- Jason Catania

Bowden_Jim_30.jpg
[h5]Jim Bowden[/h5]
Fielder a fit for Texas
"There's an arms race brewing in the American League West, and the Los Angeles Angels just fired the first salvo with their signings of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson at the winter meetings. Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine said the team likely would have to circle back and reassess whether to pursue Fielder. When a division rival makes moves as large as the Angels', Levine said, his team's entire offseason strategy must be re-evaluated. Armed with a new TV contract with Fox, Texas has the money to sign Fielder."
Click to expand...
http://[h3]The market for Manny[/h3]
11:46AM ET

[h5]Manny Ramirez | Rays[/h5]


Manny Ramirez is planning a comeback after being reinstated from Major League Baseball's voluntary retired list, according to ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. The question now is which team might take a chance on the suspended slugger.

Ramirez still has to serve a 50-game suspension under the Joint Drug Program, which will begin with the first game that Ramirez is eligible to play after a team signs him to a contract.

In 2011, Ramirez signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, but he had only one hit in 17 at-bats as a designated hitter before leaving the team upon his suspension.

Even at his age (39) and with all his off-the-field issues, Ramirez still could draw some interest due to his resume, but his suitors would almost definitely be limited to American League teams in need of a DH or a dangerous bat off the bench.

Olney says it might not be easy for Manny to catch on:

- Jason Catania

olney_buster_30.jpg
[h5]Buster Olney[/h5]
Manny's future
"Ramirez may struggle to find a job, primarily because he's 40 and is viewed as a DH-only option by a lot of talent evaluators, but also because he's burned so many bridges through the years. According to a source, it's unlikely but possible that the Tampa Bay Rays will sign him, but beyond that, there were a lot of teams indicating zero interest in Ramirez Sunday. Dan Duquette, who signed Ramirez for the Boston Red Sox, called the news about his reinstatement "interesting" -- but I can't imagine a manager who would hate the 'Manny Being Manny' stuff more than Buck Showalter."
Click to expand...

http://[h3]Rollins and Phils are close[/h3]
11:27AM ET

[h5]Jimmy Rollins | Phillies[/h5]


Perhaps all that was needed for Jimmy Rollins to make a decision was to wait until Albert Pujols made his.

The two former NL MVPs share the same agent, Dan Lozano, who was busy this past week finishing up business with Pujols. With that taken care of, though, could Rollins be far behind?

ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick tweeted that Lozano is expected to meet with Philadelphia Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Saturday.

As we mentioned here, the two sides were getting close over the past week, with news that the Milwaukee Brewers, considered the Phillies' top competition for Rollins, were told not to bother bidding anymore, according to Philly.com's Matt Gelb.

Gelb also noted that the Phillies are no longer talking with Aramis Ramirez, which could indicate that Philadelphia is focusing on Rollins. Ramirez was considered Plan B in case they couldn't re-sign Rollins.

The other team that has been mentioned recently as a possible destination for Rollins is the St. Louis Cardinals, who could shift their focus to Rollins, the 2007 NL MVP, now that they've lost Albert Pujols, as Derrick Goold of the Post-Dispatch wrote.

ESPN Insider Dave Cameron has more on how Rollins could help the Cardinals:

- Jason Catania

insider2_64x36.jpg
[h5]Dave Cameron[/h5]
Rollins an ideal fit for Cards
"When both offense and defense are considered, Rollins has the potential to be a 30-run improvement over the three-headed monster of [Ryan] Theriot, [Rafael] Furcal and [Tyler] Greene. That upgrade is nearly equal to the difference between Pujols and [Allen] Craig, and the upgrade at shortstop could almost entirely cancel out the loss of value in not having Pujols around to man first base. Additionally, a move by the Cardinals to add Rollins would ensure that he could not return to Philadelphia, so St. Louis would simultaneously weaken a potential contender while also addressing an area of need on its own roster. When you account for the value of making the Phillies worse, swapping out Pujols for Rollins would be at worst a push for St. Louis' chances of retaining its spot at the top of the National League. "
Click to expand...

http://[h3]Rox want quick fix at 3B[/h3]
11:11AM ET

[h5]Colorado Rockies[/h5]


Having recently traded third baseman Ian Stewart, the Colorado Rockies are looking for a replacement. But not a long-term one.

That's because top prospect Nolan Arenado is expected to be the team's hot cornerman of the future, and the club doesn't want to block his path, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post.

Arenado, 20, spent all of 2011 at High-A, where he hit .298 with 20 HRs and 122 RBIs -- a total that led all of the minor leagues -- while also improving defensively, according to most reports. He then went to the Arizona Fall League and finished among the leaders by putting up a .388 average to go with 6 HRs and 33 RBIs.

On the free agent market, Wilson Betemit, Mark DeRosa and Casey Blake are possible fits, since all of them would come fairly cheap and could likely be had for a one-year deal. That would tide the Rockies over until Arenado is ready, which could be by early 2013.

- Jason Catania

http://[h3]A's have more to do[/h3]
10:49AM ET

[h5]Oakland Athletics[/h5]


Now that the Oakland Athletics have traded away Trevor Cahill, expect GM Billy Beane to make a few more big moves in the coming days and weeks.

FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal called the Cahill deal "Phase One" of Oakland's offseason plans. Phase Two and Three? Cashing in on trade chips Gio Gonzalez and Andrew Bailey.

Here at Rumor Central, we've been all over those two names. The latest on Gonzalez, a 26-year-old lefty starter who won 16 games and posted a 3.12 ERA in 2011, has the Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins among the interested clubs.

With the free agent market for starters drying up -- the two biggest names out there are Edwin Jackson and Japanese import Yu Darvish -- Gonzalez is sure to be in high demand.

Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds have all been mentioned as potential destinations for Bailey, a 27-year-old closer who sported a 3.24 ERA and saved 24 games a year ago.

As the A's have indicated all along, every player on their roster is available -- except for second baseman Jemile Weeks -- and they're looking to add young, cheap, big-league ready talent, particularly in the outfield.

- Jason Catania

http://[h3]Trumbo available?[/h3]
10:31AM ET

[h5]Mark Trumbo | Angels[/h5]


Now that Big Al is in town, the Los Angeles Angels must be considering trade offers for Mark Trumbo, their first baseman last season, right?

Not exactly, if you believe GM Jerry Dipoto. Manager Mike Scioscia called Trumbo Thursday -- the day the Angels got Pujols -- and told him he could get at-bats as a third baseman, corner outfielder and designated hitter in 2012, according to Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Trumbo, 25, did see some time in the outfield last year, but he has never played an inning at the hot corner since becoming a pro. Trumbo, who hit .254 with 29 HRs and 87 RBIs in finishing second in AL Rookie of the Year voting, is also recovering from a stress fracture in his right foot and has yet to be cleared for baseball activities, further setting back his work at third base, as Saxon pointed out. His powerful right-handed bat would certainly draw interest on the trade market, but there's another reason the Angels might not be so quick to part with Trumbo.

Former first baseman Kendrys Morales has missed most of the past two years with a career-threatening leg injury after jumping on top of home plate amid a game-winning home run celebration in May 2010. Morales' status to begin the year is still in question, meaning he could be in risk of being non-tendered on Monday to save his roughly $3 million salary, according to Saxon.

That could make Trumbo the regular DH, while giving him a chance to also play a few other positions to keep his bat in the lineup. There's certainly the risk of overcrowding here, given the glut of outfielders on the team, but for now, Trumbo remains an Angel.

- Jason Catania

http://[h3]Impact of D-backs deal[/h3]
9:41AM ET

[h5]Arizona Diamondbacks[/h5]

The Arizona Diamondbacks got a taste after winning the NL West last year. Now they're trying to make sure the flavor lingers.

Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reported that the D-backs, who were in discussions with the Oakland A's about pitchers Gio Gonzalez and Trevor Cahill, have traded for Cahill Friday night.
The deal is reported to be Cahill and lefty reliever Craig Breslow for top pitching prospect Jarrod Parker, outfielder Collin Cowgill and reliever Ryan Cook.
As the prescient Buster Olney of ESPN The Magazine pointed out Friday, if the Diamondbacks land Cahill that makes for quite a good, young rotation with Ian Kennedy and Daniel Hudson fronting a group that will also soon include prospect Tyler Skaggs.

Even after this move, Arizona remains loaded with young pitching talent in the minors, including left-handers Skaggs, Pat Corbin and David Holmberg, along with 2011 first-rounders Trevor Bauer and Archie Bradley, both righties. Bauer, a polished UCLA product, and Skaggs, who dominated as he made it to Double-A in 2011, may both be ready to contribute by mid-2012.

That made it easier to give up Parker, Arizona's first-rounder in 2007. The 23-year-old righty, who missed all of 2010 after Tommy John surgery, has fully recovered and made his MLB debut last September. He could certainly be a part of the A's rotation on Opening Day or soon thereafter.

As for Cowgill, he's a solid piece who's ready to help right away as a potential starting outfielder for Oakland, which was one of the team's targets in shopping its pitchers. The 25-year-old hit .239 in 36 games with the D-backs in 2011.

Cahill will be a boost to the D-backs on two fronts. For one thing, his groundballing ways will be a good fit for hitter-friendly Chase Field, and for another, he's under team control for the next four seasons (contracted at $28.7 million through 2015 with team options in 2016 and 2017).

This move, though, leaves the possibility that Arizona could look to move lefty Joe Saunders, who recently accepted the arbitration. According to Piecoro, the Boston Red Sox are one team who might be interested.

ESPN Insider Keith Law has more on the trade in today's column:

- Jason Catania
Law_Keith_30.jpg
[h5]Keith Law[/h5]
Cahill a big get
"He throws a sinker anywhere, mostly from 88-91 but up to 94; as you'd expect, it generates a ton of ground balls, but he doesn't command the pitch as well as he could, and leaves it up in the zone more often than he should. His slider, mostly 81-85, has some late tumble like a splitter rather than the hard tilt of a typical slider, but when he gets it down it's also tough to hit in the air; his curveball is less effective, with a soft downward break and less velocity than the slider, and given his tendency to hang it he'd be better off reducing it to show-me status. His changeup is his best off-speed pitch, with good separation from the fastball and downward fade. What he needs to go from league-average starter to No. 2 status or better is maturity and confidence; he has the raw tools, a delivery that works, and nearly 600 major-league innings of experience at an age when many pitchers are just reaching the majors."
Click to expand...
 
Oakland deals Cahill, comes up snake eyes.

Spoiler [+]
The Oakland Athletics traded a pitcher on Friday but it wasn’t the oft-mentioned Gio Gonzalez who is headed to the Arizona desert.

The A’s traded three-year starter Trevor Cahill, along with left-handed reliever Craig Breslow, to the Diamondbacks for a collect of three prospects: starter Jarrod Parker, reliever Ryan Cook and outfielder Collin Cowgill. It’s a fairly uninspiring return for a young pitcher who compiled more than 200 innings in 2011 and won’t turn 24 until spring training.

The top prize coming to Oakland is former 2007 first-round draft pick Jarrod Parker. I recently ranked him the second-best prospect in the Diamondbacks’ system behind 2011 first – Trevor Bauer. I had this to say about him:
Parker has bounced back nicely from his injury with the help of rehab, and made his MLB debut in 2011. He features a low-to-mid-90s fastball, slider, and changeup. The right-hander doesn’t strike out a ton of guys right now but his rate should increase as he improves his command post-surgery and matures as a pitcher…. At his best, Parker should top out as a No. 2 starter. With the memories of his TJ surgery still lingering in people’s minds, his durability may be questioned for a while but he has the potential to have a long career as a Major League starting pitcher.
Click to expand...

Parker is a nice addition. He has six years of team control remaining and — if he reaches his potential — the right-hander’s ceiling surpasses Cahill’s. It is a bit of a gamble, though, especially with his injury history.

Neither Cowgill nor Cook appeared on the Top 15 prospect list and both fell into the 16 to 20 range.

For me, Cowgill is more of a platoon outfielder than a future starter. The 25-year-old appeared in 37 games for Arizona in 2011 and produced a wOBA of just .270. He has below-average power for a corner outfielder and doesn’t have the range to play center field on a regular basis. Although the outfield depth is thin in Oakland right now, a number of the club’s top prospects are outfielders — including Grant Green and Michael Choice — who will find time with the Athletics. Those promotions would make Cowgill expendable yet again.

Cook, 24, was dealt at a perfect time because his value is at an all-time high after a breakout season. Prior to 2011 he was an inconsistent starter who had pedestrian results, but a move to the bullpen vaulted him onto the prospect landscape. He has a mid-90s fastball but lacks consistent control and is still working to improve both his slider and his changeup.

With Friday’s deal, Arizona acquired a young No. 3 pitcher who’s under contract for another six seasons and dealt a potential No. 2 starter and a couple of extra pieces. It was a great move by Arizona general manager Kevin Towers and a questionable move by A’s General Manager Billy Beane.

With Cahill now in Arizona, he makes Joe Saunders more expendable and there have been rumors that Saunders could be non-tendered at the deadline Monday night. More likely, though, the Diamondbacks will find a trade partner because of the barren free-agent market.
* * *​
The last time Oakland and Arizona teamed up for a big trade, the Athletics came away with a pretty favorable haul of young, controllable talent that included left-handed starter Brett Anderson, outfielder Carlos Gonzalez (who was later flipped to Colorado) and first baseman Chris Carter. Arizona ended up with Dan Haren.
Haren compiled 15.1 WAR during his two-and-a-half seasons with Arizona and later was flipped to the Los Angeles Angels for Saunders and another crop of youngsters that included pitchers Tyler Skaggs and Pat Corbin.

Arizona Diamondbacks acquire Trevor Cahill.

Spoiler [+]
The Arizona Diamondbacks bolstered their starting rotation Friday when they acquired Trevor Cahill in a five-player deal that will send the team’s top pitching prospect, Jarrod Parker, to the Oakland Athletics.

Cahill will join Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson and Josh Collmenter in a young Arizona rotation looking to repeat its 2011 playoff run. The 23-year-old is cost-controlled through 2017 and would earn $55.2 million, if Arizona picks up their club options. Since he’s already been through three big-league seasons, Cahill’s deal will buy out all of his arbitration years and a couple of free agent years if the Diamondbacks decide to exercise the options.

In addition to Cahill, Arizona received reliever Craig Breslow and sent Collin Cowgill and Ryan Cook to Oakland, along with Parker.

Cahill is perhaps best-remembered for his 2010 season in which he posted a sub-3.00 ERA while winning 18 games for Oakland. His pitch arsenal is most known for its sinker, but despite Cahill’s ground balls and the Athletics’ spacious digs, he’s never posted a sub-4.00 FIP  in 583 big-league innings.

Still, that sinker will be great fit for Arizona’s launching pad — and there’s always the hope that he’ll become the next reincarnation of former Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb. Cahill’s sinker doesn’t have quite the same movement as Webb’s did, but his offspeed stuff is ahead of the game at this point. Cahill’s changeup and curveball both resulted in a whiff rate above league-average last season, which allowed the righty to fare well against left-handed batters.  In an interview with our own David Laurila, A’s manager Bob Melvin mentioned that “even if [Cahill] gets behind in the count, he has secondary pitches that he can get over.
 
Oakland deals Cahill, comes up snake eyes.

Spoiler [+]
The Oakland Athletics traded a pitcher on Friday but it wasn’t the oft-mentioned Gio Gonzalez who is headed to the Arizona desert.

The A’s traded three-year starter Trevor Cahill, along with left-handed reliever Craig Breslow, to the Diamondbacks for a collect of three prospects: starter Jarrod Parker, reliever Ryan Cook and outfielder Collin Cowgill. It’s a fairly uninspiring return for a young pitcher who compiled more than 200 innings in 2011 and won’t turn 24 until spring training.

The top prize coming to Oakland is former 2007 first-round draft pick Jarrod Parker. I recently ranked him the second-best prospect in the Diamondbacks’ system behind 2011 first – Trevor Bauer. I had this to say about him:
Parker has bounced back nicely from his injury with the help of rehab, and made his MLB debut in 2011. He features a low-to-mid-90s fastball, slider, and changeup. The right-hander doesn’t strike out a ton of guys right now but his rate should increase as he improves his command post-surgery and matures as a pitcher…. At his best, Parker should top out as a No. 2 starter. With the memories of his TJ surgery still lingering in people’s minds, his durability may be questioned for a while but he has the potential to have a long career as a Major League starting pitcher.
Click to expand...

Parker is a nice addition. He has six years of team control remaining and — if he reaches his potential — the right-hander’s ceiling surpasses Cahill’s. It is a bit of a gamble, though, especially with his injury history.

Neither Cowgill nor Cook appeared on the Top 15 prospect list and both fell into the 16 to 20 range.

For me, Cowgill is more of a platoon outfielder than a future starter. The 25-year-old appeared in 37 games for Arizona in 2011 and produced a wOBA of just .270. He has below-average power for a corner outfielder and doesn’t have the range to play center field on a regular basis. Although the outfield depth is thin in Oakland right now, a number of the club’s top prospects are outfielders — including Grant Green and Michael Choice — who will find time with the Athletics. Those promotions would make Cowgill expendable yet again.

Cook, 24, was dealt at a perfect time because his value is at an all-time high after a breakout season. Prior to 2011 he was an inconsistent starter who had pedestrian results, but a move to the bullpen vaulted him onto the prospect landscape. He has a mid-90s fastball but lacks consistent control and is still working to improve both his slider and his changeup.

With Friday’s deal, Arizona acquired a young No. 3 pitcher who’s under contract for another six seasons and dealt a potential No. 2 starter and a couple of extra pieces. It was a great move by Arizona general manager Kevin Towers and a questionable move by A’s General Manager Billy Beane.

With Cahill now in Arizona, he makes Joe Saunders more expendable and there have been rumors that Saunders could be non-tendered at the deadline Monday night. More likely, though, the Diamondbacks will find a trade partner because of the barren free-agent market.
* * *​
The last time Oakland and Arizona teamed up for a big trade, the Athletics came away with a pretty favorable haul of young, controllable talent that included left-handed starter Brett Anderson, outfielder Carlos Gonzalez (who was later flipped to Colorado) and first baseman Chris Carter. Arizona ended up with Dan Haren.
Haren compiled 15.1 WAR during his two-and-a-half seasons with Arizona and later was flipped to the Los Angeles Angels for Saunders and another crop of youngsters that included pitchers Tyler Skaggs and Pat Corbin.

Arizona Diamondbacks acquire Trevor Cahill.

Spoiler [+]
The Arizona Diamondbacks bolstered their starting rotation Friday when they acquired Trevor Cahill in a five-player deal that will send the team’s top pitching prospect, Jarrod Parker, to the Oakland Athletics.

Cahill will join Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson and Josh Collmenter in a young Arizona rotation looking to repeat its 2011 playoff run. The 23-year-old is cost-controlled through 2017 and would earn $55.2 million, if Arizona picks up their club options. Since he’s already been through three big-league seasons, Cahill’s deal will buy out all of his arbitration years and a couple of free agent years if the Diamondbacks decide to exercise the options.

In addition to Cahill, Arizona received reliever Craig Breslow and sent Collin Cowgill and Ryan Cook to Oakland, along with Parker.

Cahill is perhaps best-remembered for his 2010 season in which he posted a sub-3.00 ERA while winning 18 games for Oakland. His pitch arsenal is most known for its sinker, but despite Cahill’s ground balls and the Athletics’ spacious digs, he’s never posted a sub-4.00 FIP  in 583 big-league innings.

Still, that sinker will be great fit for Arizona’s launching pad — and there’s always the hope that he’ll become the next reincarnation of former Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb. Cahill’s sinker doesn’t have quite the same movement as Webb’s did, but his offspeed stuff is ahead of the game at this point. Cahill’s changeup and curveball both resulted in a whiff rate above league-average last season, which allowed the righty to fare well against left-handed batters.  In an interview with our own David Laurila, A’s manager Bob Melvin mentioned that “even if [Cahill] gets behind in the count, he has secondary pitches that he can get over.
 
Hey Proshares I've been meaning to thank you for continuously posting all the info you do. This is one of the few threads that I even read here anymore.
 
Hey Proshares I've been meaning to thank you for continuously posting all the info you do. This is one of the few threads that I even read here anymore.
 
Originally Posted by Proshares

Definitely not getting into this again.
Click to expand...
I know the Yanks still spend the most, but it must feel great for Yankee fans, that most of the franchises that constantly used the "Evil Empire" term as banter are now spending "like the Yankees".

Red Sox used to do it.
Angels used the "David vs. Goliath: We always beat the Yanks and their mega-payroll" for too long, longer than they should've.

Can't wait until the Dodgers and Mets (Yes, I said Mets) get out of their ownership messes, so they can be where they belong (payroll wise).  A team like the Mets shouldn't be losing players to the Marlins.

Your team playing the sidelines during the winter meetings...
frown.gif
x 1,000.
 
Originally Posted by Proshares

Definitely not getting into this again.
Click to expand...
I know the Yanks still spend the most, but it must feel great for Yankee fans, that most of the franchises that constantly used the "Evil Empire" term as banter are now spending "like the Yankees".

Red Sox used to do it.
Angels used the "David vs. Goliath: We always beat the Yanks and their mega-payroll" for too long, longer than they should've.

Can't wait until the Dodgers and Mets (Yes, I said Mets) get out of their ownership messes, so they can be where they belong (payroll wise).  A team like the Mets shouldn't be losing players to the Marlins.

Your team playing the sidelines during the winter meetings...
frown.gif
x 1,000.
 
ooIRON MANoo:
Angels used the "David vs. Goliath: We always beat the Yanks and their mega-payroll" for too long, longer than they should've
Whoa, whoa, whoa… "Longer than they should've"? That comparison wasn't just about payroll.
- 29 championships vs. zero championships (well, now 1 championship, but the David vs. Goliath thing was mostly before we won it all)
- Anaheim vs. The Bronx
- All Stars on the field every time we played each other; they'd have multiples, and we'd have none, maybe one (like Jim Edmonds or something)
- payroll

Up until recently, every single one of those things has been applicable, and only the past 5-6 years has made one of them n/a (payroll). That was mostly used during the Joe Torre era, anyways. And of course other small-market teams fit the 4 things I said before, but we were the only team with a winning percentage against the Yankees in the Joe Torre era.
Click to expand...
 
ooIRON MANoo:
Angels used the "David vs. Goliath: We always beat the Yanks and their mega-payroll" for too long, longer than they should've
Whoa, whoa, whoa… "Longer than they should've"? That comparison wasn't just about payroll.
- 29 championships vs. zero championships (well, now 1 championship, but the David vs. Goliath thing was mostly before we won it all)
- Anaheim vs. The Bronx
- All Stars on the field every time we played each other; they'd have multiples, and we'd have none, maybe one (like Jim Edmonds or something)
- payroll

Up until recently, every single one of those things has been applicable, and only the past 5-6 years has made one of them n/a (payroll). That was mostly used during the Joe Torre era, anyways. And of course other small-market teams fit the 4 things I said before, but we were the only team with a winning percentage against the Yankees in the Joe Torre era.
Click to expand...
 
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