Comments on: Phillies Rumors: Phils Talking To Burrell? Interested in Cruz?

By: Mike Donnelly

Mike Donnelly — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:55:17 +0000

I’d love to keep Burrell for 2 years at $22 million, please keep us up on this development, at least we get something out of this crappy economy

By: bball

bball — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:55:09 +0000

I hope Ruben calls up KC now that they have a glut of outfielders. The Royals website said they were trying to deal an OF for a middle infielder to pair with Mike Aviles. We got this kid McDonald…could be a good fit. Although almost all of their OF is lefthanded. We would have to ask for Billy Butler, a good young hitter and I don’t know that they would trade him. The only other righty they have is Guillen who is a head case, been linked to steroids and an old low OBP guy. Could prob get him for Eaton..lol

By: T.O.

T.O. — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:02:45 +0000

Coco Crisp just got traded to the Royals. I wouldn’t want him anyway. Eric Byrnes would be intersting, but I haven’t seen that anywhere except that forum that Jacob posted. It makes sense if the NL west is looking to unload contracts like everyone is predicting.

By: Stu

Stu — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:54:05 +0000

I honestly am happy Howard didn't win the MVP. Would have just been more leverage to use in arbitration/re-signing him down the road. Howard was hardly the reason the Phils won the Series this year, complete team effort. Howard wasn't even team MVP, that honor goes to Brad Lidge. In other news, Gammons reported the following: • One of Boston's priorities is to get young, and don't be surprised if the Red Sox move Coco Crisp for a reliever to allow Justin Masterson to start. I personally have never liked Coco Crisp, but he is somewhat effective, is an excellent outfielder, and is a switch-hitter that could platoon in LF. He brings speed over power, but this team needs baserunners, they have enough HRs. Let's just say he'd likely come cheap and I wouldn't be overjoyed to have him, but I think he is worth considering and better than our options. He hit .295 as a right-handed hitter last season and would be cheap.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:18:01 +0000

The D-Backs will almost certainly offer Cruz arbitration, thus giving them roughly 25 picks in the early rounds of the 2009 draft. As for left field, I heard that the Phillies might be going after Eric Byrnes.

http://forum.diamondbacksbullpen.org/viewtopic.php?t=5376

By: bski

bski — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:29:01 +0000

jjg...I am not surprised at all. I really don’t care what they say but, like I said before, it’s the lack of personal accountability that really bugs me.

If you want all the cameras on you and all the reporters at your locker after your game-winning touchdown catch, then you had better accept that same attention when you drop that ball in the end zone. You can’t have it both ways. Likewise, I have no problem with a player expressing his opinions as long as he owns what he says.

You are correct in pointing out that it is immaterial. I’m not dwelling on it. It’s just a pet peeve of mine and I felt the need to mention it.

By: jjg

jjg — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:54:22 +0000

bski Do you really care what these ultra-rich athletes do or do not say, after they do or do not win an award? I know I don’t. Most of what they utter is mumbo-jumbo anyway. Howard won in ‘06; Pujols questioned the choice. Pujols won in ‘08; Pujols didn’t question the choice. Where’s the surprise or the interest value?
That Pujols’ positions are inconsistent and formed in self-interest? -
shocking!

As for the two Washington area writers you mentioned, their votes are as legitimate as Philly scribes who vote with a pro-Howard bias, and
without follow-up questioning and calls for justification. The select club votes; the chips fall.

By: Chase utley

Chase utley — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:21:25 +0000

i could care less what they do for the next few seasons. world champions baby! actually chase utley says it a little better: http://www.worldf-ingchampions.com

By: bski

bski — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:39:07 +0000

I find this whole MVP thing very interesting. Todd Zolecki reported that a reporter for the Fredericksburg Freelance Star (Virginia), Rich Campbell, was the only one of the 32 voters to leave Ryan Howard completely off his ballot (He voted Utley 4th, btw). Zolecki called Campbell, but Campbell had no comment. That is completely ridiculous. Add to that the fact that Phil Sheridan reported that Mark Zuckerman of the Washington Times put Howard 10th on his ballot. Not that it would have made a difference, but there is obviously some major anti-Howard bias on the part of the Nationals’ beat writers.

The other interesting thing is Pujols’ reaction. We knew it would come up if he won the MVP this year. Here is what he said in 2006:

“I see it this way,” Pujols had said after the perceived snub in 2006. “Someone who doesn’t take their team to the playoffs doesn’t deserve to win the MVP.”

Yesterday, Pujols said his comments from 2006 were misinterpreted. How that is posible is beyond me. Anyway, he had this to say yesterday:

“I think the writers made the right choice in 2006,” Pujols said. “[Howard] did deserve it. He had a great year just like I had. That’s how it is.”

That is such a load. I have absolutely no problem with what Pujols said in 2006. I would rather have a player be open and honest instead of always speaking in avoid-controversy-at-all-costs cliches. The other side of this is that if you voice your opinion, you should stand behind it. I hate hearing all the backtracking and excuses. I misremembered. I was misquoted. I was misinterpreted. It’s all garbage. Pujols should have been stand up about it. Depending on what his true feelings are with regard to the MVP award voting, he could have done one of two things. He could have easily said something along the lines of how he still feels the same way as he did in 2006 about who should win the MVP and that he was honored and felt fortunate that he won the award this year. Either that or he could have said that since 2006 he has realized that he was wrong to think that way, that he realizes there are times a player from a non-playoff team deserves the MVP, and he was sorry if he took anything away from Ryan Howard back then.

I know I’m expecting way too much. It’s just that the lack of personal accountability really ticks me off.

By: bski

bski — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:33:11 +0000

It really sounds as though Amaro is going to let others make their moves (free agent signings and trades) first and then see how it all shakes out. Some guys who are not available now will become expendable as a result of these moves and become available to us. Because of this, Amaro keeps mentioning the non-tender date for free agents (Dec. 7th), so I’m thinking we won’t see much happen before then.