Diamondbacks re-sign Johnson; Trouble in Yankeeland; Giants-Expos trade

[nyy26wc]

1) The Diamondbacks re-signed P Randy Johnson to a 2 year, $33 million contract extension, covering 2004-05.

NEVER, EVER give a pitcher $33 million for ages 40-41. Especially don't do it when you have an aging team that, while you could make another run or maybe even two at a title, you could also just as easily be on the brink of a collapse and have to start a rebuilding program.

But, when that pitcher has 2.49 ERA/60 RSAA, 2.64 ERA/57 RSAA, 2.49 ERA/59 RSAA and 2.32 ERA/62 RSAA over the past 4 years, he's the outlier who the above shouldn't apply to.

And what's the worst case scenario? Either Johnson breaks down or he keeps on going, but the rest of the team falls apart and he becomes a 1 man team. In either of those scenarios, it will be true that the Diamondbacks will be facing a rebuilding situation with a single player being a good chunk of the payroll.

Normally, that's a recipe for disaster. But, with the Diamondbacks track record, if Johnson's salary deters them from the next Matt Williams/Jay Bell kind of contract, one that would extend beyond 2005, that kind of deterrent could easily be an asset.

2) Yankees P Mariano Rivera suffered a groin injury and may miss Opening Day.

Rivera was on the DL 3 times in 2002 and pitched a career low 46 innings.

3) Yankees P David Wells made disparaging remarks against George Steinbrenner and could be talking his way out of the rotation.

The Newark Star Ledger implies that Joe Torre thinks Wells could be released. According to the paper, "David Wells has been told by manager Joe Torre and general manager Brian Cashman that his off-field behavior could put his job in jeopardy" and "Torre also made it clear he wasn't considering leaving Wells out of the starting rotation at the start of the season."

4) The Astros sent 1B-C Alan Zinter, SS Adam Everett, INF Tripp Cromer, OF Jason Lane, C Chris Tremie and P Scott Linebrink to the minors.

Lane, 26, was ranked as the Expos #2 prospect by Baseball America. He has a .903 OPS (.531 SLG, .372 OBA) in 4 minor league seasons, including a .800 OPS (.472 SLG, .327 OBA) in AAA in 2002 and hit .536 SLG, .375 OBA, .911 OPS, 4 RCAA in 44 games in the majors in 2002. He's a better choice than a good bunch of entrenched major league OFs, but just doesn't have the label of "major leaguer."

5) The Yankees added P Juan Acevedo to the 40 man roster.

Acevedo's 2.65 ERA/12 RSAA in 65 games with the 2002 Tigers was the 2nd best RSAA of his career. He's never had back to back years with at least 5 RSAA and has a 4.17 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.40, and 24 RSAA in 327 games.

6) Dodgers 3B Adrian Beltre fouled a ball off his foot on Sunday and there was concern that he broke his foot. But, X-rays should no fractures and he may be able to return to the spring training lineup today.

Beltre's .426 SLG, .303 OBA, .729 OPS, -8 RCAA in 159 games was his 2nd consecutive year with a negative RCAA. He has a .756 career OPS, compared to his league average of .781, and -6 RCAA in 652 games.

7) The Devil Rays traded OF Jason Conti to the Brewers for C Javier Valentin.

Conti hit .383 SLG, .315 OBA, .698 OPS, -6 RCAA in a career high 78 games in 2002 and has a .689 OPS/-12 RCAA in 130 major league games.

Valentin has a .638 OPS/-25 RCAA in 151 games with the 1997-99 and 2002 Twins, with just 4 games in 2002.

8) The Brewers sent INF Bill Hall and P Francisco Campos to the minors and told INFs Wilton Veras and Jed Hansen that they'll go with the team to Milwaukee for a couple of exhibition games, but haven't made the team.

9) According to the Montreal Gazette, the Expos intend to offer Vladimir Guerrero a contract for about $90 million over 5 years, at some point during the year.

Guerrero ranks 4th in career RCAA by a RF, through the age of 26--

RCAA                           RCAA    
1    Mel Ott                     419   
2    Joe Jackson                 343   
3    Hank Aaron                  331   
4    Vladimir Guerrero           233   
5    Darryl Strawberry           221   
6    Sam Crawford                219   
7    Paul Waner                  213   
8    Ty Cobb                     212   
9    Ross Youngs                 181   
10   Manny Ramirez               180   

(NOTE--Cobb had 605 RCAA through that age. But, the list only includes seasons as a RF.)

10) Dodgers rookie 2B Joe Thurston, who came into spring training as the projected starter, may be in danger of losing his spot on the team.

11) Cubs 2B Bobby Hill may also be in danger of being sent to the minors.

12) The Brewers traded minor league INF Manny Alexander to the Rangers for future considerations.

Alexander has a .613 OPS/-73 RCAA in 541 games and hasn't appeared in the majors since 2000.

13) The Rockies sent INF Luis Lopez to the minors.

Lopez has a .646 OPS/-77 RCAA in 648 career games.

14) The A's sent P Erik Hiljus to the minors.

15) The Angels signed P John Snyder to a minor league contract.

Snyder had a 6.01 ERA/-53 RSAA in 63 games with the 1998-99 Whitesox and 2000 Brewers.

[nyy26wc]

1) The Giants traded P Livan Hernandez, C Edwards Guzman and cash to the Expos for P Jim Brower and a player to be named later.

Hernandez's 4.38 ERA/-14 RSAA in 33 starts in 2002 was his 2nd consecutive year with a double digit negative RSAA and came 1 RSAA (in 1999) away from doing that 4 times in the past 5 years. He has a 4.42 career ERA, while spending his whole career in good pitching parks, and -49 RSAA in 181 games.

Guzman had a .573 OPS/-8 RCAA in 75 games with the 1999 and 2001 Giants.

Brower had a 4.37 ERA/-1 RSAA in a career high 52 games with the Reds and Expos in 2002 and has a 4.60 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.46, and -4 RSAA in 124 games.

2) Hernandez's departure opens a spot in the Giants rotation for rookie Kurt Ainsworth. He'll join Kirk Rueter, Jason Schmidt, Damian Moss and Ryan Jensen.

Ainsworth, 24, was ranked as the Giants #2 prospect by Baseball America and the 64th best prospect in baseball. He had a 3.41 ERA and a 119-116 SO-IP rate in the good hitting environment of the Pacific Coast League, in AAA, in 2002, along with a 2.10 ERA/5 RSAA in 6 games (4 starts) in the majors.

3) The Reds sent utilityman Wilton Guerrero, OF Jose Guillen and P Chris Reitsma to the minors.

After a 5.29 ERA/-20 RSAA as a 23 year old rookie in 2001, Reitsma had a 3.64 ERA/12 RSAA in 32 games (21 starts) in 2002. On the one hand, with his demotion, it appears as though he's not going to get the first crack at the 5th starter's job. But, on the other hand, with the extreme frequency that Reds GM Jim Bowden makes roster moves, it's just as likely that Reitsma will just spend a little bit of time in the minors and then get the call when the team needs a 5th starter for the first time.

Guerrero has a .681 career OPS, compared to his league average of .778, and -52 RCAA in 654 games. Guillen has a .702 career OPS, compared to his league average of .773, and -86 RCAA in 614 games.

4) The Cardinals determined their rotation--Matt Morris, Woody Williams, Garrett Stephenson, Brett Tomko, Jason Simontacchi. The first time through the order, Morris is going to pitch Opening Day and then stay on 4 days rest, so he'll pitch in between Tomko and Simontacchi's first starts.

Meanwhile, Cal Eldred, who was competing for a rotation spot, has made the team as a reliever.

5) Mariners P Kazuhiro Sasaki has a sore shoulder and might not be ready for Opening Day.

Sasaki had surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow in October and, at least for the start of the season, he isn't expected to be available to
pitch on back to back days.

6) The Pirates sent INFs Mike Gulan and David Doster and Ps Brian Meadows and Pat Mahomes to the minors.

Mahomes has a 5.49 ERA/-72 RSAA in 299 career games. Meadows has a 5.30 ERA/-69 RSAA in 116 games.

7) The Padres sent 1B Tagg Bozied, SS Donaldo Mendez, OF Mark Quinn, C Miguel Ojeda and P Charles Nagy to the minors.

Bozied, 23, was ranked as the Padres #4 prospect by Baseball America. He had a .923 OPS (.546 SLG, .377 OBA) in 71 games in Hi-A in 2002 and a .657 OPS (.389 SLG, .268 OBA) in 60 games in AA.

8) The Rangers placed 3B-1B Herbert Perry (bone bruise in his knee), OF Kevin Mench (strained oblique muscle) and P Todd Van Poppel (strained groin) on the 15 day DL, all retroactive to Friday.

Mench's injury may now be a little bit serious than originally believed and instead of missing just the first 3 games, he may be kept out of the lineup for the first couple of weeks.

9) The Yankees signed P Al Reyes to a minor league contract.

Reyes has a 4.12 ERA/12 RSAA in 207 games.

10) The Devil Rays sent C Jorge Fabregas and Ps Dewon Brazelton and Gerardo Garcia to the minors.

Fabregas has a .599 OPS/-131 RCAA in 646 games.

Brazelton, 22, was ranked as the Devil Rays #4 prospect by BA and was the 3rd pick in the entire 2001 draft. In 2002, his professional season, he had a 3.33 ERA in 26 starts in AA, 5 shutout innings in AAA and a 4.85 ERA/-1 RSAA in 2 starts in the majors.

11) The Cardinals sent OF Todd Dunwoody and P Gabe Molina to the minors.

Dunwoody has a .624 OPS/-50 RCAA in 295 games. Molina has a 6.20 ERA/-9 RSAA in 43 career games.

12) The Pirates placed Ps Mike Lincoln and Dave Williams on the 60 day DL.

Williams had surgery last July for a torn labrum.

Lincoln was hoping to be able to return in the middle of April. But, apparently, the dangerous golfball that he tripped over gave him an inflamed rotator cuff.

13) According to the Boston Globe and San Diego Union-Tribune, the Padres are interested in Redsox INFs Lou Merloni and Damian Jackson--whoever doesn't make the team. Meanwhile, the paper also reports the Padres might be interested in Tigers 2B Damion Easley, but the Tigers would have to pay most of his salary.

14) According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Devil Rays have "a strong interest" in Carl Everett, while the Rangers are willing to pay most, or maybe even all, of Everett's salary.

[gyb13]

Originally posted by nyy26wc
Lane, 26, was ranked as the Expos #2 prospect

houston expos doesn't quite have that ring to it...

[gyb13]

Originally posted by nyy26wc
6) The Pirates sent INFs Mike Gulan and David Doster and Ps Brian Meadows and Pat Mahomes to the minors.

Mahomes has a 5.49 ERA/-72 RSAA in 299 career games. Meadows has a 5.30 ERA/-69 RSAA in 116 games.

why the discrimination? you could also say
"Doster has a .639 OPS/-11 RCAA in 138 games with the 96 and 99 Phillies.
Gulan has a .167 OPS/-3 RCAA in 11 games with the 97 Cardinals and 01 Marlins."