Well Omar Minaya supposedly rejected 2 major trades (potentially losing Jenrry Mejia & Brad Holt for Victor Martinez/c fom the Indians and Fernando Martinez, Ruben Tejada, Jon Niese, & Bobby Parnell for Roy Halladay/sp from the Blue Jays). Obviously/Naturally/Inevitably neither was ever 100% confirmed. Mets Blog author Matt Cerrone thought the Indians potentially wanted Jon Niese and one of Brad Holt or Jenrry Mejia as well as a minor league bat (”…from what i can gather, the Indians would have requested Jon Niese and one of Brad Holt or Jennry Mejia from the Mets, in a deal for martinez, plus maybe a minor-league hitter, but i don’t believe an official offer was ever on the table…” – http://www.metsblog.com/page/3/), and as per Jon Heyman (http://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/mlb_trade_talk/posts/70781-jays-asking-price-for-halladay-too-steep-for-mets), the Mets supposedly rejected the Halladay offer.

Honestly either deal would have significantly depleted our system. Personally, I would have pulled the Halladay deal to have two gorgeous anchors for the 2010 Mets rotation, and they wouldn’t have had to give up their top 2 sp prospects in Holt and Mejia.

I do have another proposal for Halladay contingent on whether the above offer was true:

Jon Niese; Bobby Parnell; Fernando Martinez; Ruben Tejada, Ike Davis (preferably not adding Davis if possible) for Roy Halladay/sp and Alex Rios/of (consuming their salaries).

This would then allow the Mets to trade Alex Rios or Carlos Beltran + Daniel Murphy or Ike Davis if not traded above + Brad Holt for Matt Cain/sp and Pablo Sandoval/ci from the Giants. Matt Cain has been unhittable and probably will be harder to attain then ever before, but I think such a deal could work for the Giants with their offensive needs.

This provides the Mets with a 2010 rotation of Halladay;Santana;Cain;Pelfrey;Maine/Perez and a 2010 lineup of Castillo/Reyes/Wright/Sandoval/Rios/Francoeur/Pagan or FA LF/Schneider-Santos/c. Again, preferably I’d love for the Mets to sign Orlando Hudson for 2b and keep Castillo on the bench or trade him as much as his salary and 2009 performance is, but I think at this point, that won’t happen considering his performance and salary.

As every baseball fan has most likely already heard about, it was leaked that David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were among the players who failed the 2003 drug test. It wasn’t as much as a surprise with Ramirez, who was suspended earlier this year, than it was with Ortiz, who has repeatedly denied taking PEDs and criticized the use of them.

The post before mine has already analyzed the situation, but from an extremely anti-Red Sox position. Therefore, I would like to clear things up a little bit:

For the first time, we know that a World Series Championship was won by using steroids.  Two actually.  The Red Sox champions of 2004 and 2007 were built around Ortiz and Ramirez.  Without them the Red Sox don’t even contend, let alone win.

Actually, if Ortiz and Ramirez don’t produce in ‘04, Nomar is traded for offense instead of defense. Plus, saying that the Red Sox are the only ones to blame is very untrue, as explained by a recent quote from Pedro Martinez: “There’s no crying in baseball. We won in 2004. That’s it. Are you going to tell me that the other guys, who used it on other teams are now whining? They used it, too.”

Should their championships be rescinded and awarded to the National League teams?  If I were a Cardinal or a Rockies fan, that’s the remedy I would be demanding.

Do you think the Padres, Braves, and Mets deserve the Yankees’ late 90’s championships? Those great teams could have had more than a few juicers.

Have the Red Sox cheated in other ways?  Why are they such a good team at home, but a sub-.500 team on the road (except when playing the moribund Orioles)?

Wow. That is a very hollow accusation. The Red Sox are 27-25 on the road. The Yankees are 28-25 on the road. Both teams are 35-17 at home. So do the Yankees cheat at home too? What about the Rays, who are 34-18 at home? The 37-21 Rangers?

What is clear is that doubt will now surround everything that happens in Fenway Park.  The suspicion will grow that a culture of corruption permeates the Red Sox clubhouse.  Major League Baseball needs to confront this problem before it infects all of baseball.

Definitely. The most consistent team of this decade must have done something to cheat. The team that won four World Series in five years is completely innocent though.

The revelation of steroid use by David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez creates significant problems for Major League Baseball.  The disclosure was hardly a surprise; Manny had been exposed eariier in the season, and anyone who has foloowed Big Papi’s career knew that he was dirty.  After all, this is a guy who was released by the Twins at age 26 after the 2002 season.  He turned up in Boston the following year, and was suddenly the second coming of Carl Yastrzemski.  Then after the Mitchell Report was issued and testing began, he suddenly couldn’t hit any more.  So it was hardly a shock to have it confirmed that he was juicing.

But Major League Baseball now has a significant problem.  For the first time, we know that a World Series Championship was won by using steroids.  Two actually.  The Red Sox champions of 2004 and 2007 were built around Ortiz and Ramirez.  Without them the Red Sox don’t even contend, let alone win.

Such has not been the case up to now.  The Yankee players who have been tied to illegal substance use did so after the championship years of 1996-2000.  The only possible exception is Roger Clemens, and Clemens was only a significant player in 2000 (he was with the team in 1999, but was hurt most of the year and was only the fourth starter).  None of the significant players on the 2001 Diamondbacks, the 2002 Angels (who fortunately beat the Barry Bonds-led Giants), the 2003 Marlins, the 2005 White Sox, the 2006 Cardinals, or the 2008 Phillies has been tied directly to steroids.

But with the outing of Ortiz and Ramirez, no one can doubt that the two Red Sox champions were built around steroids.  The question now becomes, how should these teams be addressed in baseball history?  Should their championships be rescinded and awarded to the National League teams?  If I were a Cardinal or a Rockies fan, that’s the remedy I would be demanding.

Or should the record books put a big asterisk next to those teams places on the list of chamions?  Such a solution has been suggested for Barry Bonds’ home run records.  Can those Red Sox teams remain on the list without something to denote the taint on their accomplishments?

And inevitably other quesitons will arise.  Have the Red Sox cheated in other ways?  Why are they such a good team at home, but a sub-.500 team on the road (except when playing the moribund Orioles)?

What is clear is that doubt will now surround everything that happens in Fenway Park.  The suspicion will grow that a culture of corruption permeates the Red Sox clubhouse.  Major League Baseball needs to confront this problem before it infects all of baseball.

Left Field: While he isn’t the hitter that Manny Ramirez was, everything else Jason Bay does is an upgrade. He is faster, smarter, a better fielder, and more committed than Manny was (and still is). His offensive production is good on the surface with 20 home runs on the season, but he is hitting just .252. Overall though, he is still providing more than most people expected him to. GRADE: A-

Center Field: Jacoby Ellsbury has had a better season so far than he did in his last two. Ellsbury produced well in the bottom of the order. He has been getting on and stealing bases to set up the top of the order for most of the season. Recently he has been moved back to the top of the order where he should still be able to set the table for the heart of the order, but with Boston’s best hitters up after him, he will probably have fewer opportunities to steal bases. GRADE: B

Right Field: The difference between JD Drew and Julio Lugo is that Drew actually deserves some of the outragous amount of money the Red Sox shelled out in 2007. While he has been plagued by a few injuries and a tough ‘07 season he has been a good contributor in Boston’s lineup. This year has been no exception, with Drew putting up decent numbers in both the middle and top of the Red Sox’ lineup. GRADE: B

Backups: Rocco Baldelli is playing well as Boston’s 4th outfielder, and showing few signs of his muscle disorder which limits his playing time. He has been putting up adequate numbers and has been playing solid defensively. Mark Kotsay has been the only other player to backup the outfielders, but he has been used mainly at First Base. With Adam LaRoche coming over from the Pirates, Kotsay may be used more in the outfield now. Chris Duncan coming over from St. Louis also gives the Sox more depth in the outfield, but he most likely won’t be in Boston until the rosters expand in September. GRADE: C

Despite the loss and the fact that Mike Gonzalez got hurt (and hopefully that’s not major- even though I’m sure Gonzo could use some rest), the game today was fun. Barry Zito was really good, and so was Kenshin Kawakami.

What else can I say? Oh yeah, my boys have been on a roll! They’re currently in second place in the NL East and hopefully that’ll stay the same! I’m gonna go into individual people and their awesomeness, then assess the team as a whole! Fun, right?

Peter Moylan

Yes, that’s right, my favorite goes first! Although he’s been shaky and inconsistent, I’m very thankful he’s on the team. I still find it impeccable that he tried so hard to be ready for the season- even though he wasn’t even twelve months into his Tommy John rehab. I think he’s a little over-used, and with some more rest he could be the reliever he was in ‘07! Maybe I’m just saying that because he’s my favorite, but either way, I still believe it!

Tommy Hanson

He’s been amazing up here! He’s 5-0 and still going! I can only imagine how much better he’s going to be with more Major League experience! GO TOMMY!

Jair Jurrjens:

All I have to say about JJ is that the other team needs to look out! I mean seriously, he out-pitched Tim Lincecum! I still don’t get why he wasn’t an All-Star, but I guess I’ll never know! Jair is definitely my favorite starter, I’ve had the pleasure of meeing him and he was as sweet as can be, and beyond that, he’s got some skills! I look forward to see what he’s like in the next three or four years, because I have no doubt he’ll be lights out!

Yunel Escobar

Oh Yunel! He has a bit of an attitude problem, but aside from that, he’s been amazing! Esco is fantastic! My goodness, as of right now he’s the defending National League Player of the week and I’m sure he’ll be in considerations if he doesn’t get the title again! Go Yunie!

Rafael Soriano

He definatley has impressed me this year, I honestly didn’t expect him to throw a pitch at all! I’m very glad he’s proved me wrong, though.

Martin Prado

Oh, Martin has always been one of my favorites! I’m glad he’s doing so well, even if that puts Kelly Johnson on the bench! He’s proved he can be a producing starter and I don’t see that changing anytime soon! I wish Martin all the best!

Matt Diaz

You all know of my fondness of MattE D, so I’ll keep this short. He’s been pretty hot lately and I’m never upset to see him in the line-up or at the plate (not that I ever have been, I always love seeing Matt play)! Matt is definitely amazing, and right now he’s playing as well as his brother can sing (which is pretty good! I met Jonny Diaz the other day, he’s awesome, actually)

The 2009 Atlanta Braves

The other night on Braves Live! Fred Hickman called the Braves “consistently inconsistent”, which pretty sums it all up. This year is for sure an improvement than last year, but Fred totally nailed this season with that comment. They’d win two, then lose three, when three, and lose four. I really hope that they’re consistently winning this half of the season, because I’d love to see the Braves in the play-offs. So far, they’re doing a good job, but it’s only July. There’s two months left to go, so let’s all hope the starters can pitch deep, the bullpen can be awesome, and that offense can stay hot, because let’s face it, I love the Red Sox, but I really don’t wannna be watching only them in mid-October (plus, who really wants to see the Phillies in the post-season?)

Till next time,

GO BRAVES!

EDIT 7/24/09: I was wrong! Yunel was National League Player of the week until the 19th. I need to do my research next time

Catcher: A long off-season for Jason Varitek hasn’t seemed to hurt the captain for the first half of 2009. After a poor season at the plate last year, Varitek has been off to a better start this year and is putting up adequate numbers for a 37-year-old catcher. He has also been terrific as always behind the plate, contributing to much of the pitchers’ success. Rookie George Kottares has been good catching Wakefield’s Knuckleball so far and has been valuable behind the plate for the other pitchers. His .213 average isn’t superb, but it isn’t much worse than Tek’s last year. GRADE: B

First Base: Kevin Youkilis has been an All-Star both in the field and at the plate since his conversion from Third to First in 2006. He has also been backed up well by Mark Kotsay and Jeff Bailey at times. The recent acquisition of Adam LaRoche from the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chris Duncan from the St. Louis Cardinals now gives Terry Francona more options with Kotsay if he needs another outfielder. GRADE: A-

Second Base: After winning the AL MVP last year, Dustin Pedroia’s numbers are below what he expected of himself, but still they were worthy of an All-Star nomination this year. His glove has been just as steady as before, but with five errors already (he made 6 in both 2007 and 2008) he hasn’t been quite as strong as in past years. GRADE: B+

Third Base: Mike Lowell’s hip hasn’t fully healed, and it has been reflected on his play this year. Offensively he’s been solid but he hasn’t been able to generate the power of his Marlins and early Red Sox days. Defensively he is still reliable, but his range is gone and he hasn’t been able to play everyday. Youkilis will be the Third Baseman as soon as Lars Anderson is ready for the big leagues, but with the acquisition of LaRoche, the Red Sox have the option of putting him at First and Youk at Third should Lowell be unable to produce. GRADE: B-

Shortstop: Baseball’s version of the lottery, Shortstop at Fenway Park has been a revolving door of players since 2004. The Red Sox have used 10 different players consistently at Shortstop since that time, with Julio Lugo being the only player since Nomar Garciaparra to be in the starting lineup on Opening Day twice. The nightmare that was Lugo is now gone, with the underachieving player being sent to St. Louis for Duncan, and Nick Green is the current starter. Jed Lowrie is back from injury but it appears that he will be used in utility to back up Second Base and occasionally Third with the impressive play that Green has shown. He has been good offensively, and he has greatly improved defensively, equipped with one of the strongest arms in the game. GRADE: B+

The Yankee infield has generally been a strength this year.  At the break we can conclude as follows.

TEIXEIRA – The Tex signing has been a success.  After eight years of Jason Giambi, it has been a revelation to have a first baseman who can field, and Tex fields with the best of them.  I can’t complain about his offense either, but his tendency toward streak hitting is maddening.  Tex started the year with a whimper, batting .200 in April with 3 HRs.  He had a monster May, batting .330 with 13 HRs and 34 RBIs.  He sank back to mediocrity in June, batting .263 with only 4 HRs and 16 RBIs.  So far in July, he is hitting .299, but his power is down, with only 3 HRs and 7 RBIs.  His erratic performance seems to confirm his reputation as a streak hitter who tends to start the season slowly.  The Yankees have to hope Teixeira will once again thrive during the second half of the season.  GRADE – B+.

CANO – Cano spent 2008 flailing mindlessly at anything thrown to him.  The result was a career low .271 average with a pitiful .305 OBP.  Over the winter Cano seems to have found religion.  He came to Spring Training with improved focus, and the results have been encouraging.  So far he is batting .305 with a .338 OBP – still not great, but considerably better than last year.  He also has 14 HRs, and seems on a pace to hit 25-30.  His defense is still lackadaisical, but he appears to be concentrating in the field more than in the past.  GRADE – B-.

JETER – Over the past winter, the pundits buried Jeter.  They said he had no range, and couldn’t hit any more.  He had lost his speed and his power.  In short, he was finished, done, kaput, verdunfte, verfallen.  These obituaries ignored the fact that Jeter  injured his hand last May when he was hit by a pitch, played through the pain, and was never himself.  Well, this year the Captain has demonstrated he still has it.  So far he is batting .318 with a .395 OBP, 10 HRs and 18 stolen bases.  He was the consensus All Star shortstop, and is once again the catalyst of the Yankee offense.  And his fielding has been inspired.  The Soul Of The Yankees can still bring it.  GRADE – A.

AROD – Agh.  Herein lies the heart of the Yankee conundrum.  Arod is not himself, and at this point the question is, will he ever again be himself.  At this writing it appears doubtful we will see the real Arod in 2009.  Arod’s hip injury has been well documented, and he will require additional surgery in the offseason.  In the meantime, he is not hitting like Arod.  He still has good power – 19 HRs and 52 RBIs in two and a half months – but he is batting only .250.  And he has hit only 7 doubles, a sure sign that he is not at full strength.  His slugging percentage is .546, not a bad number for a mere mortal, but nothing special for a guy who normally slugs over .600.  Part of the problem is the inability of the Yankees to find an effective number 5 hitter to bat behind him and provide protection, resulting in innumerable walks as pitchers pitch around him.  But this is not the Arod we have known.  I suspect what we have seen up to now is what we will get for the remainder of 2009.  GRADE C+.

RANSOM – Ransom is the only utility infielder on the team, and his presence reflects a significant team weakness.  Ransom is a 33 year old career minor leaguer.  He is batting .233 and has yet to hit a HR.  Worse, he is predominantly a third baseman.  Although he is capable of handling shortstop and second base, he plays neither well.  In short, he is inadequate.  Ransom is a Girardi favorite.  Girardi has a history of favoring gutty but inadequate minor leaguers (see Dan Geise), and the suspicion grows that Girardi’s favor is the only reason Ransom is on the team.  If the Yankees are to go all the way, they could use a better utility player.  GRADE – F.

In summation, the infield has been at the heart of the offense.  Now if only Arod could be Arod…

I read the Mets Rejection of a Roy Halladay trade first via MetsBlog.com: According to Matthew Cerrone, ‘Jon Heyman of SI.com believes the Mets rejected a deal from the Jays for RHP Roy Halladay, in return for OF Fernando Martinez, Bobby Parnell, Jon Niese and 17–year-old SS Ruben Tejada.’

Honestly, that’s a lot. Then, a poll asked if you would do this trade or not and at the time I voted (no), 75% of the people said yes they would do it and only 25% said no (on the dot). I’m surprised. This is a lot to give up. I think most of the same people said not to give up the farm in any trade in an earlier poll on the site. And like Cerrone goes on to say, the Mets would keep Brad Holt and Jenrry Mejia, which are probably the Mets top two pitching prospects now so that is attractive, but again, I personally think this is way too much.

Ruben Tejada may be ahead of Wilmer Flores as our top middle infield/ss prospect, however that said, we do have another very young, very talented ss prospect in Flores. We do have 2 better sp prospects than Jon Niese. I think this was the Blue Jays thinking too. The Mets are giving up their top OF prospect in Fernando Martinez and top RP prospect in Bobby Parnell, but not even their top sp or ss prospect, however, with both Billy Wagner and JJ Putz gone via free agency next year (obviously assuming the inevitable), I think Bobby Parnell is too important – maybe the most important immediate provider in the deal.

So should Omar Minaya be fired (I mean counter)? I think we can attempt to counter with Fernando Martinez/of, Jon Niese/sp, Brad Holt/sp and Jefry Marte/3b for Roy Halladay/sp + Alex Rios/of. I think Marte is more expendable at 3b behind David Wright than Ruben Tejada or Wilmer Flores at ss behind Jose Reyes. And if we lose Fernando Martinez we’d need Rios plus we would take his salary off the Jays’ back.

*In my crazy idealland, I thought maybe Jon Niese, Brad Holt, John Maine, and Jefry Marte/Ruben Tejada/Wilmer Flores could land Halladay & Rios, and the Mets can then trade Fernando Martinez & Mike Pelfrey/Brad Holt/Jenrry Mejia & Santos/Thole/Pena/c for Victor Martinez yielding:

a 2010 rotation of: Roy Halladay; Johan Santana; Oliver Perez; 2 of Pelfrey/Holt/Mejia/League-worse-than-averages like Livan/Redding/&Nieve this year.

and a 2010 lineup of: Jose Reyes/ss; David Wright/3b; Victor Martinez/c; Carlos Beltran/cf; Alex Rios/lf; Jeff Francoeur/rf; Daniel Murphy/1b; Castillo/Cora/Flores/Tejada/Havens/2b.

and then in lala land, I thought maybe (a healthy) Jose Reyes/ss (maybe in the off season) can go to the Red Sox for Michael Bowden/sp and (Clay Buchholz/sp or Justin Masterson/sp & Daniel Bard/rp). If they want Oliver Perez/sp and 1/2 his salary, that would be fantastic. The Mets could than use Tejada/Flores/Havens/Cora at SS and sign Orlando Hudson for 2b allowing a 2010 lineup of: Hudson-Wright-VMartinez-Beltran-Rios-Francoeur-Murphy-Tejada/Flores/Havens/Cora and a 2010 Rotation of Halladay-Santana-Buchholz-Bowden-Nieve/Mejia/Holt/Pelfrey. And fire-bucket!

During the first half of the season, the bullpen has been the Yankees’ Achilles heel.  At the All Star break the bullpen is no longer the disaster it was during April and May, but it looks nothing like what we expected.

On Opening Day, the Yankees appeared to have a strong, deep bullpen.  The 9th inning was secure with Mo at the helm.  Brian Bruney and Damaso Marte were expected to hold down the 8th inning.  Coming off a strong 2008, Jose Veras would pitch the 7th.  Backing them up were Edgar Ramirez, Jonathan Abladaba, and young Phil Coke.  The bullpen appeared to be a strength.

Well, as we now know, nothing worked as expected except for Mo.  Marte and Bruney got hurt.  Veras couldn’t throw strikes and was exiled to Cleveland.  Ramirez could throw stirkes, very hittable strikes, and was sent down, as was Abladaba.  Coke was thrust into the top lefty reliever role, where he struggled.  The bullpen became the team disaster.

But things are looking up. The Yankees have gotten help from some unexpected sources.  The situation now looks like this.

MO – Incomparable as always.  The greatest closer in baseball history.  Nothing more to say.  GRADE – A+.

HUGHES – Whoda thunk it.  Phil Hughes has saved the bullpen.  After struggling as a starter, the supposed second coming of Walter Johnson has been lights out in relief.  He is now the setup man for Mo.  Unfortunately, his current position removes him from consideration as a starter.  If Wang does not return and Hughes has to fill the fifth starter slot, the bullpen will be back wher it was in May.  GRADE – A.

ACEVES – Another suprise.  Aceves looked like a spot starter, but has emerged as an effective reliever.  He doesn’t have great stuff, but he knows how to pitch, and he has guts.  HIs versatility is also helpful.  He can pitch multiple innings or come in for a couple of outs.  A good addition.  GRADE B.

COKE – Another guy who doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but has gotten it done.  He has struggled at times, and will never make anybody forget Mike Stanton, but he has been effective.  GRADE B-.

BRUNEY – Bruney has been a major disappointment.  Since returning from two stints on the DL, he has been ineffective.  Our resident genius (Girardi) seems to have lost faith in him, and with good reason.  His future is clouded, and he appears to have no role with the team at present.  GRADE – D.

TOMKO – A classic mop up guy.  His presence on the staff is proof that the bullpen is still a weak point.  GRADE – D.

ABLADABA – Recently recalled, he has been spotty, and was sent back down.

ROBERTSON – Another guy who is limited.  He has yet to show he is worthy of more than mop up duty.  GRADE – C-.

MARTE – Listed here because he is currently on a rehab assignment and may return soon.  No way to know if he can contribute.  GRADE – INCOMPLETE.

MELANCON – The closer of the future has appeared overmatched.  He is clearly not ready for prime time.  GRADE – F.

OUTLOOK – Hughes, Coke, and Aceves have stabliized the bullpen, but it still does not stack up against the Red Sox staff, and only matches the Rays because of Mo.  Unless Marte can come back, the Yanks need another guy here if they hope to go to the World Series.

I know I promised an analysis of the Yankees at mid season, but I must momentarily diverge to comment on the Roy Halladay frenzy.  Ever since the Blue Jays announced that Halladay was on the trading block, the yahoos on talk radio have been demanding that the Yanks trade half their roster to bring him aboard.

Allow me to offer an opposing view.  Unless the deal is very very good, the Yankees should not deal for Halladay.

Roy Halladay is a fine pitcher, one of the best in the game, but he is 32 years old.  He has missed parts of at least three seasons with major injuries.  He is not a strike out pitcher.  Aside from 2008 when he had 206 Ks, he only averages around 140 strike outs per year.  In short, he is good but limited.  Like Randy Johnson, he is a short term fix, and we all remember how well the Randy Johnson fiasco worked out.

Not that Halladay wouldn’t be a nice addition.  But the Blue Jays are asking the moon and the stars for him, and the Yankees would be foolish to mortgage the future.  Nearly every scenario I have heard includes Joba Chamberlain and Jesus Montero, plus others.  Those players lie at the heart of the Yankee rebuilding effort.  Trade them and we return to the bad days of 2005 when the team was old and weak.

The Yankees are poised to turn over their roster.  The team of the future will be built around Teixeira, Cano, Montero, Austin Jackson, and Brett Gardner on the field, and Sabathia, Hughes, Joba, and (hopefully) Wang on the mound.  Matsui will be gone after this year, and Damon will probably go with him.  Andy is nearing the end of the line.  The Yankees are finally developing a young team.

But trading the heart of the youth movement for a 32 year old will gut the future.  Yes, Halladay could give us an edge this year, but at the expense of the next five years.

I would love to see Derek and Mo have one more moment of glory, but not at the expense of conceding the future to the Red Sox and Rays.  Trading for Halladay is the wrong move.