Baseball Hot Stove

[Still MIGHTY]

Yeah just what the Yankees needed, an athletic, right-field-power-hitting, centerfielder...

Great

[Cujo]

After 20 years with the "Worldwide Leader", the immortal Peter Gammons is leaving ESPN for the MLB Network.

[TBGKon]

After 20 years with the "Worldwide Leader", the immortal Peter Gammons is leaving ESPN for the MLB Network.

Nothing I have seen points to him going to MLB network, in fact nothing I have seen says anything so far. NESN has also been rumors.

[Cujo]

After 20 years with the "Worldwide Leader", the immortal Peter Gammons is leaving ESPN for the MLB Network.

Nothing I have seen points to him going to MLB network, in fact nothing I have seen says anything so far. NESN has also been rumors.

Gammons joins MLB Network: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091208/ap_on_bi_ge/espn_gammons_5

[NJTank]

ESPN gets just a little more unwatchable

[BaltimoreFan]

Blockbuster 3-Teamer Close.

Granderson to Yankees.

Scherzer, Coke and megaprospect Austin Jackson to Tigers.

Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy to D-Backs.

Thats too bad, I've always liked Granderson. He seems like a real nice guy. Too bad he has to get traded to a division rival.

Anyway, the biggest news for the Orioles is that they are very interested in Kevin Millwood. I'd like the move as long as we didn't give up too much. Millwood should be able to eat some innings and help save the bullpen this year. He may be able to provide some leadership to the young pitching staff.

[Cujo]

ESPN gets just a little more unwatchable

Any word on if Steve Phillips was returning?

[BrySmalls]

ESPN gets just a little more unwatchable

Any word on if Steve Phillips was returning?

Heard he's still meeting with the new crop of production assistants, then working over the interns.

[dfwabel]

ESPN gets just a little more unwatchable

While I give credit to Gammons where credit is due, his Diamond Notes was a Sunday column for the globe of all the news that he compiled over a week. It was informative and then got ESPN to bite on it. Now most other surviving beat writers use the same format for their Sunday column.

However, even before he became ill in 2006, Buster Olney, Jayson Stark (especially) and Tim Kurkjian have been running circles around him in terms of news.

I consider Gammons more like a Peter King, in a world of Jay Glazer need to know players. Gammons knows owners/GMs, and scouts, but news now comes from players or others who are willing to talk. Those people do not talk and Gammons hadn't befriended those who really do. I am not sure what he will do for MLB Network, but talk to Bud Selig and old players about a time before laptops, and it sure will not add subscribers to the channel (If MLB.com thinks he can pay for himself through subscriptions to a .com subscription, I am not sure they made a wise investment.)

Update on Rangers Ownership Bids

[Eye]

bitter-sweet for me of course the diamondbacks get some great arms. but wtf detroit? grandy to the f@@@ing yankees? i have never been in such disbelief as i am right now

Mod redacted because the Tigers are trying to unload some payroll. They have some damn near untradable guys, so they had to ship out some other players. Based off their 2009 salaries, the Tigers shredded 5.7 million by trading Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson.

Mod Redacted.

[NJTank]

ESPN gets just a little more unwatchable

Any word on if Steve Phillips was returning?

Heard he's still meeting with the new crop of production assistants, then working over the interns.

I head he is meeting with Tiger for relationship advice.

[Gary]

bitter-sweet for me of course the diamondbacks get some great arms. but wtf detroit? grandy to the f@@@ing yankees? i have never been in such disbelief as i am right now

words of an unkind nature

I'm not stupid as you think. I know the tigers are unloading payroll. that is not the part i'm not shocked about. its the fact they traded him to the yankees. thought they had more sense. should have traded him to someone in the national league. also nice way to attack my grammar. sorry for doing this on my cell phone. not very easy to post on a touch screen phone.

[Eye]

bitter-sweet for me of course the diamondbacks get some great arms. but wtf detroit? grandy to the f@@@ing yankees? i have never been in such disbelief as i am right now

words of an unkind nature

I'm not stupid as you think. I know the tigers are unloading payroll. that is not the part i'm not shocked about. its the fact they traded him to the yankees. thought they had more sense. should have traded him to someone in the national league. also nice way to attack my grammar. sorry for doing this on my cell phone. not very easy to post on a touch screen phone.

Was this posted on a touch screen phone too?

Andy Pettitte signs a one year deal with the Yankees for 11.75 million.

[BaltimoreFan]

Anyway, the biggest news for the Orioles is that they are very interested in Kevin Millwood. I'd like the move as long as we didn't give up too much.

Baltimore Sun: Millwood to Orioles

So the trade is supposed to be Millwood and Cash to the O's, Chris Ray to the Rangers. I'm definitely all for this trade. Chris Ray hasn't been the same since returning from injury. But even if he returns to form it shouldn't hurt the Orioles.

[KevinMcD]

Anyway, the biggest news for the Orioles is that they are very interested in Kevin Millwood. I'd like the move as long as we didn't give up too much.

Baltimore Sun: Millwood to Orioles

So the trade is supposed to be Millwood and Cash to the O's, Chris Ray to the Rangers. I'm definitely all for this trade. Chris Ray hasn't been the same since returning from injury. But even if he returns to form it shouldn't hurt the Orioles.

I love this trade, every time Ray came in last year I cringed, he was dominant before his Tommy John surgery, but after he is not the same. Millwood had almost 200 IP last year with a sub 4.0 ERA. I love this move.

[FiddySicks]

The Angels have offered SP Joe Saunders, SS Erick Aybar and CF Peter Bourjos to the Blue Jays for ace Roy Halladay, according to the Toronto Sun.

The offer could put the Angels in the driver's seat for Toronto's ace; they have been the most aggressive in negotiations and possess the requisite ammunition to get a deal done. Saunders, 28, was 16-7 with a 4.60 earned run average in 31 starts in 2009. Aybar, who will turn 26 next month, hit .312 with five homers and 58 RBIs in 137 games. Bourjos, 22, is a highly-​regarded speedster. Saunders and Aybar are both three years away from free agency. The story notes that the Blue Jays would likely trade recently-​signed shortstop Alex Gonzalez if they acquired Aybar

That seems like an awful lot to give up from the Angels perspective.

[Shumway]

The Angels have offered SP Joe Saunders, SS Erick Aybar and CF Peter Bourjos to the Blue Jays for ace Roy Halladay, according to the Toronto Sun.

The offer could put the Angels in the driver's seat for Toronto's ace; they have been the most aggressive in negotiations and possess the requisite ammunition to get a deal done. Saunders, 28, was 16-7 with a 4.60 earned run average in 31 starts in 2009. Aybar, who will turn 26 next month, hit .312 with five homers and 58 RBIs in 137 games. Bourjos, 22, is a highly-​regarded speedster. Saunders and Aybar are both three years away from free agency. The story notes that the Blue Jays would likely trade recently-​signed shortstop Alex Gonzalez if they acquired Aybar

That seems like an awful lot to give up from the Angels perspective.

Sweet jesus, Arte. Please don't go through with this. As much as I'd love to have Halladay, it's not worth giving up Saunders or Aybar.

[oddball]

The Angels have offered SP Joe Saunders, SS Erick Aybar and CF Peter Bourjos to the Blue Jays for ace Roy Halladay, according to the Toronto Sun.

The offer could put the Angels in the driver's seat for Toronto's ace; they have been the most aggressive in negotiations and possess the requisite ammunition to get a deal done. Saunders, 28, was 16-7 with a 4.60 earned run average in 31 starts in 2009. Aybar, who will turn 26 next month, hit .312 with five homers and 58 RBIs in 137 games. Bourjos, 22, is a highly-​regarded speedster. Saunders and Aybar are both three years away from free agency. The story notes that the Blue Jays would likely trade recently-​signed shortstop Alex Gonzalez if they acquired Aybar

That seems like an awful lot to give up from the Angels perspective.

Sweet jesus, Arte. Please don't go through with this. As much as I'd love to have Halladay, it's not worth giving up Saunders or Aybar.

Wait. So you'd rather have an average at best Joe Saunders, Erik Aybar, and some suspect instead of Roy Halladay a proven #1? Think about Halladay, Lackey, Weaver as your 1-3 and Santana as your #4. Izzy is fine at short and Kendrick is fine as second. A fool keeps a movable piece such as Aybar (and he's good) and an average pitcher like Saunders instead of trading them for a proven #1.

[epper]

The Angels have offered SP Joe Saunders, SS Erick Aybar and CF Peter Bourjos to the Blue Jays for ace Roy Halladay, according to the Toronto Sun.

The offer could put the Angels in the driver's seat for Toronto's ace; they have been the most aggressive in negotiations and possess the requisite ammunition to get a deal done. Saunders, 28, was 16-7 with a 4.60 earned run average in 31 starts in 2009. Aybar, who will turn 26 next month, hit .312 with five homers and 58 RBIs in 137 games. Bourjos, 22, is a highly-​regarded speedster. Saunders and Aybar are both three years away from free agency. The story notes that the Blue Jays would likely trade recently-​signed shortstop Alex Gonzalez if they acquired Aybar

That seems like an awful lot to give up from the Angels perspective.

Sweet jesus, Arte. Please don't go through with this. As much as I'd love to have Halladay, it's not worth giving up Saunders or Aybar.

Wait. So you'd rather have an average at best Joe Saunders, Erik Aybar, and some suspect instead of Roy Halladay a proven #1? Think about Halladay, Lackey, Weaver as your 1-3 and Santana as your #4. Izzy is fine at short and Kendrick is fine as second. A fool keeps a movable piece such as Aybar (and he's good) and an average pitcher like Saunders instead of trading them for a proven #1.

I'm flabbergasted that you Angels fans think that's too much for Halladay. He's Roy Freakin' Halladay. Top 5, maybe even top 3 in all of baseball.

Not all that excited about this if it happens. I'd love Aybar, but give me Weaver, not Saunders, and we'll talk. I don't know much about Bourjos.

[BaltimoreFan]

Anyway, the biggest news for the Orioles is that they are very interested in Kevin Millwood. I'd like the move as long as we didn't give up too much.

Baltimore Sun: Millwood to Orioles

So the trade is supposed to be Millwood and Cash to the O's, Chris Ray to the Rangers. I'm definitely all for this trade. Chris Ray hasn't been the same since returning from injury. But even if he returns to form it shouldn't hurt the Orioles.

I love this trade, every time Ray came in last year I cringed, he was dominant before his Tommy John surgery, but after he is not the same. Millwood had almost 200 IP last year with a sub 4.0 ERA. I love this move.

I'll just say that I don't expect him to have another sub 4.00 era. In fact I'd be surprised if he had below 4.50. But the big thing about the deal is that he'll eat innings. Which I think is real important given that we'll have such a young pitching staff (and I'm not sure what we'll get from Guthrie). It should help the bullpen, which I think has some potential.