i think the Shields deal is terrible for the Royals. At least I hope so. While the Royals have the best farm system, they have yet to produce a starter, so i think it is cler that we could tell when they were ready to make a run when they made a deal like they just did. but Shields does not turn that rotation into anything much more than it was. Which is a rather shitty rotation. And dman they gave up a lot.
i think the white sox did well to pick up Keppinger. 3rd base has kicked the Sox' ass the last few years. And while Youk got off to a good start last summer he really faded when we needed him the most. youk probably does well as a platoon guy in NY.
I've been a Dodger fan since 5th grade, I'm now in my thirties so its been over 20 years . I'm not a fan of the way they've spent money lately but I hope it works. My concern is that they're rolling Brandon League out to be their closer and that will prove to be a weak link and a problem for them this coming season. I just don't like giving a number 2 pitcher like Greinke the second largest contract for a pitcher. I may be wrong about that but I believe CC Sabathia had a larger contract with the Yankees.
Could sign him to an extension after the year is up and go with an OF of Choo-Hamilton-Bruce with Ludwick being the power guy off the bench in 2014. This is what I am hoping for. I predict Choo's power numbers will improve substantially in GABP.
Reds signed Jack Hannahan as a backup infielder. Scott Rolen has expressed interest in coming back with a smaller role. Buster Olney expects Bruce to be the CF by the time Spring Training is over. Scouts don't think Choo will be able to play CF but Jocketty would prefer to keep Bruce in RF.
Now you have a lineup with Trout,Pujols and now Hamilton. Plus if Trumbo can rediscover his bat, look out AL
That may be the case based on name recognition but we've seen how that has worked out for the big spenders lately. My concern is that the Dodgers are banking on a lot of things to fall in place just right. They expect Josh Beckett to rebound from a bad season, they expect Carl Crawford to return from Tommy John surgery and be the guy the Red Sox signed, they expect Brandon League not to blow as many saves this year, they expect Hanley Ramirez to maintain a good attitude, they expect Zack Greinke to live up to the contract he just signed, they expect Matt Kemp to stay healthy all season, they expect Adrian Gonzalez to hit the ball like he did two years ago and Luis Cruz needs to lock up 3rd base. He hit well out of the 7 spot last season but just too many things have to go their way before I declare them a World Series team.
I believe we saw that with the Angels after the Pujols and Wilson signings, and we saw where that went. Now we'll probably see that again thanks to the Hamilton signing.
It has now come down to this ESPN MLB Source: R.A. Dickey trade expected Sad, and to send him back to the AL. He made the most of it this season.
To Hell with Rolen. He's the reason the Reds didn't make the NLCS. His fossilized ass needs to go home.
Amazing Rolen is still playing. He should retire and just give the job to Todd Frazer outright. He could just enjoy the bench life and pinch hitting apps.