Friday’s Bits: Halloween Treats
October 31, 2008, 5:34 amBoo! OK, let’s get into it.
BOBBY FILES HIS PAPERWORK
1. First up, Bobby Abreu has filed for free agency. This isn’t really news, in a sense, since all players that are able to file for free agency do so after the World Series (today was the first day after). So, Bobby’s filing doesn’t really mean that he won’t be back with the team, but the outlook isn’t looking too good for him. Basically, the Yankees will offer him arbitration (likely), he’ll begrudgingly decline and then the team will be provided with draft picks once he signs with another club (Mets or Cubs?). In addition, Sidney Ponson, Ivan Rodriguez and Chad Moeller, who I found very likable for some reason (maybe it was his general, “I’m just happy to be here” persona), also filed.
FREE AGENTS GALORE
2. Mark Feinsand and Kat O’Brien offers their views (1, 2) on the current free agent crop, with Mark noting that the Yankees will open the vault if necessary (that’s a foregone conclusion), as starting pitching (e.g. CC Sabathia) is the primary need. Kat O’Brien rehashes a few rumors, informing us that Manny Ramirez and Mark Teixeira are both on the Yankees’ radar. One thing I enjoyed, in particular, from O’Brien’s piece, was her description of Manny Ramirez as a “free spirit”. That’s either too whimsical or too complimentary, right? I don’t know, yet it simultaneously fits, somehow. You know, in terms of pitching, while Ben Sheets scares me, his talent is too much to ignore. His injury history will cause his price and contract length to drop substantially, so why not give him a long look?
COMING TO AMERICA (THE TAZAWA VERSION)
3. Finally, Junichi Tazawa is hitting the free agent market. I wrote about him in September and Tazawa is a Japanese amateur who used a loophole to skip the Japanese draft. This allows him to pursue a career in America now, and it permits teams to bypass that dreadful posting fee if they choose to pursue him. The kid is 22 and throws heat (97 mph), so I expect everyone to fall over each other as they try to lock him up to a minor league deal. What’s interesting with Tazawa and the Yankees is that Brian Cashman may choose to honor the gentleman’s agreement had between Japan and America (which Tazawa bypassed). Then again, now that he’s definitely headed to a major league club, and with the Red Sox reportedly interested, I fully expect them to be big players for his services.
YANKS MAY TRADE FOR ROY HALLADAY?
4. Oh, and Happy Halloween (this was the trick).
Good for Cashman. Honor is the most important thing anyway. Plus he sucks at picking up pitching talent in Japan.
Let the Red Sox have him. They can turn average Japanese relievers into MLB all stars. We just turn them into AAA busts.
Ha, a negative view, yet a realistic one. Thanks for stopping in Mike. I’d be apprehensive too, however, there is seemingly little risk involved (other than the honor aspect) and the kid can throw some heat. Maybe he’s worth it?