~~~Unofficial Baseball Offseason Thread~~~

[BWebb]

Can any experts tell me about Adam LaRoche? Looks like there is a tenative deal in place for him to be traded to the Pirates for Mike Gonzalez. Does that seem like equal value?

[J.R.]

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Can any experts tell me about Adam LaRoche? Looks like there is a tenative deal in place for him to be traded to the Pirates for Mike Gonzalez. Does that seem like equal value?

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They are both in their first year of arbitration and 3 years from free agency. link

The Pirates would have done very well there. An above average offensive young firstbaseman (a little below average on D) is worth much more than a good but not great young closer like Gonzalez.

FWIW ZIPS has Laroche projected at .279/.346/.535 in ATL, Chone has him projected at .275/.345/.500 in a park neutral environment.

[samjjones]

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Nice trade for the Braves in my opinion:

To Seattle: Horacio Ramirez
To Atlanta: Rafael Soriano

http://braves.scout.com/2/598302.html

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If true, this is a TERRIBLE trade for SEA.

[samjjones]

Milledge's bat looks way less impressive if he has to play a corner, and after watching play the field this year, I don't think there's anyway he can play CF full-time.

[BWebb]

That's what I thought. Why the hell don't the Giants give up one of their young arms (word was Gonzalez would set up) for LaRoche? He seems like a better option than Aurilla or some blockbuster for Sexson. I hate the Giants.

[Needle77]

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Milledge's bat looks way less impressive if he has to play a corner, and after watching play the field this year, I don't think there's anyway he can play CF full-time.

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I agree. And the Mets farm system has a bunch of terrific arms. Rotation by mid-season could possibly be Pedro-Zito-Glavine-Harden(#5?)-El Duque(Maine?).

With Mulvy coming up most likely next year as well, he would be solid in the bullpen. Some reason I'm not all that worried about our pen right now, I'll wait for late March to bitch about that.

[kyleb]

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Also, cnnsi is now reporting that the Mets are potentially looking to deal Heilman and Milledge to the A's for Harden.

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If the A's think that Harden's health problems will be chronic and serious (see also: Tim Hudson), dealing him now for Milledge and Heilman would be fine. It's a huge gamble, but with the offseason prices escalating, it might be necessary - the A's farm system is nearly depleted.

I don't like the trade particularly, but I understand it from the A's POV if they have to do it.

[wisehandpoker]

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Nice trade for the Braves in my opinion:

To Seattle: Horacio Ramirez
To Atlanta: Rafael Soriano

http://braves.scout.com/2/598302.html

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Wow, Schuerholz is a god.

On Harden, am I the only one who loves him BECAUSE of his injuries? He's just getting to that body-has-filled out stage (25 years) with minimal IPs on his arm. I think this trade makes the Mets an AL-calibre team.

On the flip side, its Beane being Beane...slight pitching downgrade when injury potential is facotored in, with a huge prospect in Milledge for the trouble. Of course, if Lastings takes a few lessons in mlb decorum from uncle Milton...

[THAY3R]

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Of course, if Lastings takes a few lessons in mlb decorum from uncle Milton...

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He will become grossly undervalued?

Sounds good for the A's!

[wisehandpoker]

btw, I don't see the laroche-Gonzo trade happening if the Soriano deal goes through. Soriano will be the Braves' closer and the demand for laroche is so high right now they'll look to address other needs, maybe in a deal involving Chone Figgins which will in turn let them trade Giles to SD.

That Schuerholz is shopping Laroche is smart. He just had his age 27 year, his OPS jump was a statistical anomoly after a poor '05 and the guy is far better away from Atl than at home. His value will never be higher.