Update: Billy Beane also named Sporting News Executive of the Year. Much deserved for the A's general manager. His trades for three All-Star pitchers were pretty remarkable given how many new players contributed to the division-winning club as quickly as they did.
Went out of town last weekend, sick this week and going out of town again next week. So don't expect much copy here for now barring something big. Surely, don't expect much legitimate progress as the NHL continues to sail on a certain doomed White Star Line steamer with Gopher, Doc and Isaac chasing Charo on the Lido Deck rather than searching for icebergs.
So while our ice continues to be on the rocks with something stiffer than Gary Bettman can sip right now, here are a couple short, random thoughts on some recent Athletics' news:
Bartolo Colon re-signed for one year
I like the move. It shows the folks across the Bay that you don't have to act like your once valued teammate can't be forgiven, not blackballed and in fact be welcomed back for a second chance at redemption. And for the Athletics, it's not a major financial risk at $3 million with plenty of incentives to motivate Colon if he indeed makes the rotation.
The only concern here is with starting spots all but guaranteed for Brett Anderson, Jarrod Parker and Tommy Milone, and A.J. Griffin and maybe Dan Straily not far behind, you wonder now if Brandon McCarthy will be more likely to sign elsewhere. The A's definitely need a veteran among their starters; both McCarthy, provided he'll be able to mentally recovering from his frightening head injury, and Colon would be respectable anchors for a still young staff. The argument can be made the A's could keep both in the rotation if Straily or Griffin are deemed better bullpen options or even trade bait -Anderson, Parker and Milone have to be untouchable, right?- for a possible incoming shortstop or catcher (more on that later). But given a choice, Mrs. McCarthy is too cute and too fun to let both her and her equally chummy hubby get away from Oakland.
Billy Beane swears he won't trade pitching to get a shortstop
I'm not so sure of that. Anderson, Parker or Milone are to me non-starters in any trade banter Beane gets involved with this week at the general manager meetings down in Indian Wells. But A.J. Griffin and Dan Straily? If the Indians are talking Asdrubal Cabrera? The A's need a shortstop, Stephen Drew is iffy to get a multi-year deal; Cliff Pennington is gone; Grant Green just doesn't look like an option at shortstop anymore; and finally, 2012 first-round pick Addison Russell is going to be a stud, but nowhere near ready for the big-leagues for another couple seasons. I'm not buying that Beane won't dangle Straily or Griffin in a package to fill what is looking like a gaping hole on the infield. The A's don't need to make major moves, but you can't expect to match what the 2012 team did without getting better at certain spots, shortstop near the top of the list.
Cespedes, Melvin, finalists for American League ROY and MOY, respectively
Melvin has a fighter's chance for Manager of the Year, but Buck Showalter manages in the Eastern Time Zone and was a member of the media before getting back into a uniform. Those two intangibles will likely be enough to push him past Melvin, though frankly either one will be a deserving winner. Cespedes may as well call Susan Lucci for advice about coming in second, because he doesn't stand a chance to land a Rookie of the Year award Mike Trout will surely hook.
Walt Weiss named Rockies' manager
Happy for the former Athletic and Rookie of the Year winner and I think he'll do great things as a skipper. One question, 48-year-old Walt.... Can you still play a little shortstop, because your old team can use one for 2013? :)
Went out of town last weekend, sick this week and going out of town again next week. So don't expect much copy here for now barring something big. Surely, don't expect much legitimate progress as the NHL continues to sail on a certain doomed White Star Line steamer with Gopher, Doc and Isaac chasing Charo on the Lido Deck rather than searching for icebergs.
So while our ice continues to be on the rocks with something stiffer than Gary Bettman can sip right now, here are a couple short, random thoughts on some recent Athletics' news:
Bartolo Colon re-signed for one year
I like the move. It shows the folks across the Bay that you don't have to act like your once valued teammate can't be forgiven, not blackballed and in fact be welcomed back for a second chance at redemption. And for the Athletics, it's not a major financial risk at $3 million with plenty of incentives to motivate Colon if he indeed makes the rotation.
The only concern here is with starting spots all but guaranteed for Brett Anderson, Jarrod Parker and Tommy Milone, and A.J. Griffin and maybe Dan Straily not far behind, you wonder now if Brandon McCarthy will be more likely to sign elsewhere. The A's definitely need a veteran among their starters; both McCarthy, provided he'll be able to mentally recovering from his frightening head injury, and Colon would be respectable anchors for a still young staff. The argument can be made the A's could keep both in the rotation if Straily or Griffin are deemed better bullpen options or even trade bait -Anderson, Parker and Milone have to be untouchable, right?- for a possible incoming shortstop or catcher (more on that later). But given a choice, Mrs. McCarthy is too cute and too fun to let both her and her equally chummy hubby get away from Oakland.
Billy Beane swears he won't trade pitching to get a shortstop
I'm not so sure of that. Anderson, Parker or Milone are to me non-starters in any trade banter Beane gets involved with this week at the general manager meetings down in Indian Wells. But A.J. Griffin and Dan Straily? If the Indians are talking Asdrubal Cabrera? The A's need a shortstop, Stephen Drew is iffy to get a multi-year deal; Cliff Pennington is gone; Grant Green just doesn't look like an option at shortstop anymore; and finally, 2012 first-round pick Addison Russell is going to be a stud, but nowhere near ready for the big-leagues for another couple seasons. I'm not buying that Beane won't dangle Straily or Griffin in a package to fill what is looking like a gaping hole on the infield. The A's don't need to make major moves, but you can't expect to match what the 2012 team did without getting better at certain spots, shortstop near the top of the list.
Cespedes, Melvin, finalists for American League ROY and MOY, respectively
Melvin has a fighter's chance for Manager of the Year, but Buck Showalter manages in the Eastern Time Zone and was a member of the media before getting back into a uniform. Those two intangibles will likely be enough to push him past Melvin, though frankly either one will be a deserving winner. Cespedes may as well call Susan Lucci for advice about coming in second, because he doesn't stand a chance to land a Rookie of the Year award Mike Trout will surely hook.
Walt Weiss named Rockies' manager
Happy for the former Athletic and Rookie of the Year winner and I think he'll do great things as a skipper. One question, 48-year-old Walt.... Can you still play a little shortstop, because your old team can use one for 2013? :)
No comments:
Post a Comment