The Dbacks offseason thread

[Arizona's Finest]

Mao and Zenny....

Frontline pitchers are a RARE commodity...they dont grow on trees and like NFL QB's, no one lets the go when they are playing well....The only real way to get them is to go after team in salary dump mode which Oakland is. Beane loves Zito and i can see why. His Curveball is a "feel" pitch but when its on, its devastating. Once again he wona Cy YOung three years ago, and after a rough start he was better than anycurrent dbacks pitcher we have. No doubt its a risk and i would love to try and put a package together for the Prior if the Cubs dont think he can remain healthy, but the better question is, how the heck else are we going to get real good pitching. You cant convince me Burnett is better than Zito and hes the best money can buy. We have a surplus of good young prospects so i am not against using Quentins percieved value and taking a risk on a young pitcher with a precedent for being good. I cant believe you guys are so adamant b/c Zito was untouchable two years ago and although he has gone through a lull, we COULD be the benfactors if/when he comes back around. At the very least he is a legit #1 pitcher, if even in name only.....

 

[The Commish]

Mao and Zenny....

Frontline pitchers are a RARE commodity...they dont grow on trees and like NFL QB's, no one lets the go when they are playing well....The only real way to get them is to go after team in salary dump mode which Oakland is. Beane loves Zito and i can see why. His Curveball is a "feel" pitch but when its on, its devastating. Once again he wona Cy YOung three years ago, and after a rough start he was better than anycurrent dbacks pitcher we have. No doubt its a risk and i would love to try and put a package together for the Prior if the Cubs dont think he can remain healthy, but the better question is, how the heck else are we going to get real good pitching. You cant convince me Burnett is better than Zito and hes the best money can buy. We have a surplus of good young prospects so i am not against using Quentins percieved value and taking a risk on a young pitcher with a precedent for being good. I cant believe you guys are so adamant b/c Zito was untouchable two years ago and although he has gone through a lull, we COULD be the benfactors if/when he comes back around. At the very least he is a legit #1 pitcher, if even in name only.....

Exactly. There isn't anyone out there that can be had on the FA market for a decent price either. If there were tons of FA's to chose from I would hesitate on doing a deal with Oakland, but unfortunately that isn't the situation. Webb has proven that he isn't a number 1, and at times is barely a number 2. If Vasquez is traded we need to make a deal for Zito. We don't exactly have a lot of pitching prospects within the organization to pin our hopes on either. Keep that in mind.

 

[Lefty]

You guys are nuts if you think trading Conor or Carlos with say Nippert for Zito is good for the Diamondbacks.

I agree with Mao, Zito is not #1 starter. Have you seen what he has done in the past three years? 14-12, 11-11 and 14-13 are not worth giving any of three guys I mentioned.

Also, it's not like the A's have been bad the last three years. Ever wonder why so many teams want Conor and Carlos? Because they know they could possibly be an All-Star player. Maybe if the A's would take Terrero, Cintron and a minor league player I would do the trade, but Conor, Carlos and Nippert are untouchable as far as I'm concerned.

As for the D'Backs closer, you have to give it to Valverde if he remains healthy. There was not one D'Back pitcher who is even remotely close to the same level as Papa Grande. Lyon was decent in the beginning but remember, he blew some big games. After he came back, he was just awful. As for Looper coming here, he would not want to be a setup man and will want to big dollars. The guy has blown too many games for me to want him to be here.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Lest we forget Zito last year played in front of one of the best defenses in baseball last year in a pitcher's park and was still the fourth best fuy on his staff. Zito simply walks too many people and throws too many pitches to be successful in a tin can ballpark like BOB in front of a defense consisting of a Dunzo-Green-Tracy outfield.

 

[overseascardfan]

Some other pitchers said to be available according to Fox Sports News are:

Barry Zito
Javier Vazquez
Jason Marquis
Jeff Suppan
Livan Hernandez
Kip Wells
Oliver Perez
Victor Zambrano
Steve Traschel
Danys Baez
Miguel Batista
Adam Eaton
Erik Bedard

My top 2 which is what we would need with Vazquez gone and the chance that Estes might leave are Eaton and Oliver Perez. They are both young and have tremendous upside. Neither should cost much in a trade either.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Some other pitchers said to be available according to Fox Sports News are:

Oliver Perez

My top 2 which is what we would need with Vazquez gone and the chance that Estes might leave are Eaton and Oliver Perez. They are both young and have tremendous upside. Neither should cost much in a trade either.

Not to discredit what Fox Sports News says, however currently living in the Pittsburgh area I'm nearly 100 percent certain that Perez will not be dealt unless the Bucs get the Kings Ransom in return. Also, last I heard they were talking a long term extension for Perez after re-signing Bay.

As much as I'd like to see Arizona get Perez, I can pretty much squelch the rumor that he's on the block.

More Diamondback Related Rumors

-- The Angels, after losing out on the Paul Konerko sweepstakes, have expressed some interest in possibly bringing Troy Glaus back.

-- Kris Benson is reportedly close to being traded to Baltimore for Jorge Julio (effectively shooting off the Vazquez-to-New York deal).

-- The DBacks have made contact with Brad Ausmus's agent and have interest in bringing him in.

-- The White Sox have inquired about the availability of Alex Cintron.

 

[overseascardfan]

I feel we need to get at least 2 SP's, 1 CF, and 2 relievers. Trades seem like the most logical way of aquiring these players due to FA's out price themselves and some of their #'s aren't that great.

Look at these numbers:

Jeff Weaver - 14-11, 4.57 ERA, 157 K, 43 BB, 35 HR
A.J. Burnett - 12-12, 3.44 ERA, 198 K, 79 BB, 12 HR
Jarrod Washburn - 8-8, 3.20 ERA, 94 K, 51 BB, 19 HR
Matt Morris - 14-10, 4.11, 117 K, 37 BB, 22 HR

This is the best free agency has to offer. So a trade for Zito, Garland, or another ace has to welcomed. With Vazquez and Glaus along w/ B prospects like Santos, Terrero, Hairston, Williams, Aquino, Valverde we could get what we need this off season. Mulder and Hudson were given away cheap so trading away our Big 4 (Drew, Quentin, Jackson, Tracy) should be untouchable.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Mulder and Hudson were given away cheap so trading away our Big 4 (Drew, Quentin, Jackson, Tracy) should be untouchable.

Mulder was traded for a MLB-ready starter in Dan Haren who's already better than the guy he was traded away for. The A's also got the Cardinals top prospect in Daric Barton who has put up Conor Jackson-like numbers through the minors. And don't forget thereliever the A's got in Kiki Calero who had two consecutive below-three ERA seasons before getting to Oakland.

And the Hudson deal might not look that great now, but the A's did get the Braves top pitching prospect and an OF coming of an outstanding rookie season. Also included in the deal was Juan Cruz, a guy with an electric arm who had an outstanding 2004 with the Braves before crapping the bed with Charles Thomas in Oakland. The trade worked out for the Braves so far, but at the time a bounty was given up for Hudson.

Trust me, Billy Beane rarely gets hosed on trades. If we're really going after Zito, then I'm afraid Moorad is still running the show at the professional level and the D-Backs are going to get bent over.

 

[devilfan02]

No way did Hudson and Mulder come cheap. I'm all for getting Zito IF we only have to give up one of our big prospects. Beanes gonna want more than one- theres a reason why he's the best GM in baseball

 

[The Commish]

Jayson Stark

Jayson Stark was on Sportscenter this afternoon talking Hot Stove.

-He mentioned AZ could still get involved in a Manny trade as a 3-way partner. Apparently Philly wants to ship Abreau if possible. However this would go against Manny wanting to be on the West Coast. Also mentioned that he thinks Boston will simply hold on Manny instead of trading him.

-Talking about the NY Mets he said that they are still interested in Vasquez and they have had discussions with the D-Backs. I don't know what prospects they have left or anyone that we would want though.


Just more stuff to keep us talking.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Jayson Stark was on Sportscenter this afternoon talking Hot Stove.

-He mentioned AZ could still get involved in a Manny trade as a 3-way partner. Apparently Philly wants to ship Abreau if possible. However this would go against Manny wanting to be on the West Coast. Also mentioned that he thinks Boston will simply hold on Manny instead of trading him.

Problem is, how could Arizona work themselves in to this deal? I don't know if Boston would go for a Glaus-Abreu package for Manny. Plus, with their recent acquisition of Mike Lowell, unless they plan on throwing either he or Youkalis in to the deal (which I can't see), it wouldn't work out.

If Arizona DOES get in to the deal, I wouldn't lose too much sleep if they somehow got their hands on Gavin Floyd or Brett Myers. Cole Hamels would be another possibility, but the guy is a head case.

-Talking about the NY Mets he said that they are still interested in Vasquez and they have had discussions with the D-Backs. I don't know what prospects they have left or anyone that we would want though.

With the way Omar Minaya throws prospects away, I would imagine any deal would start with Landings Miledge. Just a guess on that one.

 

[devilfan02]

Boston may be interested in Javy, not Glaus. If we move Glaus, it will be to Anaheim. I still have a feeling that Byrnes wants some prospects from Boston in exchange for Javy. However, it can't be easy dealing with his old bosses

 

[The Commish]

Boston may be interested in Javy, not Glaus. If we move Glaus, it will be to Anaheim. I still have a feeling that Byrnes wants some prospects from Boston in exchange for Javy. However, it can't be easy dealing with his old bosses

Boston doesn't need more pitching. In fact, they are trying to unload David Wells.

 

[overseascardfan]

I say if your going to trade Vazquez trade him to the Mets for Milledge and either Pelfrey or Humber.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Worrell was signed by the Giants, meaning we get a supplemental first rounder in next years draft, as well as a second rounder. Good, the more we give Rizzo to work with the better.

 

[Phill11]

I say if your going to trade Vazquez trade him to the Mets for Milledge and either Pelfrey or Humber.

The Mets won't even add in Milledge to get Manny, why would they do that for Javy.

I think the Mets have realized, Milledge is going to be one hell of a player.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

I say if your going to trade Vazquez trade him to the Mets for Milledge and either Pelfrey or Humber.

Pelfrey cant be traded as he hasnt been signed yet, for one. The Mets would have to be REAL desperate to trade Millidge and Humber for Vazquez.

 

[devilfan02]

Rangers want Zito
Dec 3 - According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Rangers are focusing on Barry Zito and have called the A's. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Rangers are offering outfielder Kevin Mench so far.

Other teams believed to be suitors for the former Cy Young winner are the Mets, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Phillies and Blue Jays.

But GM Billy Beane cautioned reporters not to jump to conclusions. "I wouldn't necessarily read into it that it's a precursor to anything coming down the pike," Beane told the Chronicle. Zito will be a free agent after next season.

 

[devilfan02]

I just saw on ESPN.com that Stinnett signed with the Yankees. I didn't even hear about it. Bring on Hernandez

 

[devilfan02]

MLB.com:
D-Backs Winter Meetings checklist

PHOENIX -- This year's Winter Meetings in Dallas move from a weekend to a weekday schedule, beginning on Monday and ending on Thursday. While there were very few fireworks at last year's event, there could be more wheeling and dealing this year due to the relatively thin group of free agents.


Look for Arizona general manager Josh Byrnes to continue to talk to teams about dealing Javier Vazquez and, once that's completed, to try to fill a couple of other holes.

And be sure to check back at MLB.com and diamondbacks.com regularly to find out the latest about the Diamondbacks as we bring you the news as it happens from Dallas.

2005 finish: 77-85, second place National League West

Deals so far: Hired Byrnes and remade the baseball operations staff.

Players eligible for arbitration: RHPs Brandon Lyon, Claudio Vargas and Oscar Villarreal and INF Alex Cintron.

Free agents: SS Royce Clayton, C Kelly Stinnett, LHPs Shawn Estes and Buddy Groom, and OF Quinton McCracken.

Needs: It depends on what they get in return for right-hander Javier Vazquez. They Diamondbacks are looking for a center fielder/leadoff hitter, some relief help and a catcher. Losing Vazquez could also give them a hole in the starting rotation.

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Dealing strengths: In a thin free-agent market, having Vazquez should net a good return. Depending on what they do with their surplus of corner outfielders and infielders, the D-Backs could have some flexibility to deal there. Troy Glaus' contract might scare some teams off and it's unlikely that a team would take on Luis Gonzalez's deal, but the D-Backs do have some young prospects that could interest teams, though they were reticent to part with them at the trading deadline last year.


-No ones been talking about Estes. I think we def need to resign him, especially if Javy gets traded this offseason. What do you think his goingprice is???

 

[devilfan02]

The LA Times just reported that Furcal signed a three year deal worth 40 mill with the Dodgers. The Cubs reportedly offered Furcal $50 million over five years, while the Braves offered $36 million over four years. Great, we get him in our division now.......

 

[The Commish]

The LA Times just reported that Furcal signed a three year deal worth 40 mill with the Dodgers. The Cubs reportedly offered Furcal $50 million over five years, while the Braves offered $36 million over four years. Great, we get him in our division now.......

Whatever, the Dodgers still suck.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Mets apparently are about to acquire Paul LoDuca from the Marlins for a package of prospects, including Brian Bannister.

 

[devilfan02]

I just read that the Phillies are heavily persuing more starting pitching. It does not appear that they are in the running for Burnett so you would think they might be interested in Javy. Do they have any decent pitching prospects we could get in exchange????

 

[peterman]

Mets apparently are about to acquire Paul LoDuca from the Marlins for a package of prospects, including Brian Bannister.

where did you here that