Barfield or Bust

[AussieDodger]

Potential Suitors for Barfield:

Colorado = Needs to fill a spot vacated by Matsui
Royals = Grundz needs an heir and I'm not sure Callaspo is it
A's = I believe Ellis is a being FA
Giants = Durham is about to crumble to dust
Nationals = He'd be an upgrade over Belliard

There was also a rumor that there were talks between the Cards and Indians about swapping Rolen and A. Reyes for something that might have included both Barfield and Cliff Lee.

Wow , I hope that becomes reality. Just when you thought Tigers vs Indians couldn't get any hotter.
The AL Central is the new AL East , but with brains instead of money.

[Havok1517]

Potential Suitors for Barfield:

Colorado = Needs to fill a spot vacated by Matsui
Royals = Grundz needs an heir and I'm not sure Callaspo is it
A's = I believe Ellis is a being FA
Giants = Durham is about to crumble to dust
Nationals = He'd be an upgrade over Belliard

No

Mark Ellis inf
2 years/$6M (2006-07), plus $5M 2008 club option

* A's exercised $5M 2008 club option 9/24/07

We would still take him if he was cheap.
He has 44 major league walks from 959 career at-bats with a .297 OBP. His minor league stats say he is a lot better then that.
I'd love to know what went wrong with him in 2004 at AA , because he might have the same problem now.
Injury? Off-field problems? Lack of motivation?

The AussieDodger

I meant to write that Ellis was a pending FA. Which he is as you pointed out and I think Barfield could be an heir to that 2B job in Oakland if acquired.

Also, the Rockies tried to acquire Barfield straight up for Jamey Carroll from Cleveland but were told no.

[AussieDodger]

Also, the Rockies tried to acquire Barfield straight up for Jamey Carroll from Cleveland but were told no.

That's the kind of cheap I'm talking about

[thomasps3]

Potential Suitors for Barfield:

Colorado = Needs to fill a spot vacated by Matsui
Royals = Grundz needs an heir and I'm not sure Callaspo is it
A's = I believe Ellis is a being FA
Giants = Durham is about to crumble to dust
Nationals = He'd be an upgrade over Belliard

There was also a rumor that there were talks between the Cards and Indians about swapping Rolen and A. Reyes for something that might have included both Barfield and Cliff Lee.

Wow , I hope that becomes reality. Just when you thought Tigers vs Indians couldn't get any hotter.
The AL Central is the new AL East , but with brains instead of money.

I am not so sure about that. The Detroit Tigers are attempting ot build a Yankees team with 70MM less payroll, the Red Sox and Yankees both have great farm systems and are exhibiting the kind of homegrown core that will allow them to dominate for years to come while overcoming the free agent errors that plague every team. Just look at the roster of the W.S. Champs, and the homegrown talent:
Papelbon
Pedroia
Youkilis
Ellsbury
Lester
Delcarmen

And now look at the talent on the way:
Buchholz - Same class as Hughes
Masterson - Sinker/Slider combo is major league ready; Will premier in 2008
Lowrie - .900 OPS as a SS last season, has enough arm to stick at SS< which increases his value
Lars Anderson - Power hitting 1b only 20 years old

This future core will allow the Sox to outspend on free agents, and/or deal them to land a Santana-type. With the Yankees, you may not have the depth on the MLB roster as of yet, but with the recent pronouncements of Hank Steinbrenner that tehy won't be played ( which is somewhat funny), and the fact that Johan is not in pinstripes just yet, you have a farm system that looks pretty darn impressive.
At the top, you have
Chamberlin - Will start the season in the rotation, but lights out last year
Ian Kennedy - Profiles more as a back of the rotation starter, but will make his debut in '08
Jose Tabata - Injury in the wrist sapped his power, but fantastic tools
Austin Jackson - #2 prospect in the Hawaii Baseball League behind Matt Wieters, ready in 2009
Alan Horne - Power Arm that profiles as a legit #2, maybe higher, could make appearance in second half 2008 as a bullpen arm

I just think you may have overlooked the powers that be in the AL East when you made that statement, because these two teams have a lot of future potential. The proof that you need to look to is the fact that Johan hasn't been dealt yet, and the valuation the Sox and Yanks are placing on their kids nowadays.

[Lofunzo]

Ian Kennedy - Profiles more as a back of the rotation starter, but will make his debut in '08

[thomasps3]

Ian Kennedy - Profiles more as a back of the rotation starter, but will make his debut in '08

Besides having seen him numerous times last year in the minors, I hardly think a cup of coffee he had last year in less than 20 innings qualifies as anything more than "emergecy starter".

And yes, if your icon is suggesting that I may be a bit off on my assessment, well, he did have an excellent debut last year. But barring some unforeseen development, Kennedy lacks true ace stuff because of the lack of any true "plus" offerings. Are you saying he rates out as well as a Hughes, Buchholtz, Kershaw?

[Havok1517]

Ian Kennedy - Profiles more as a back of the rotation starter, but will make his debut in '08

Besides having seen him numerous times last year in the minors, I hardly think a cup of coffee he had last year in less than 20 innings qualifies as anything more than "emergecy starter".

And yes, if your icon is suggesting that I may be a bit off on my assessment, well, he did have an excellent debut last year. But barring some unforeseen development, Kennedy lacks true ace stuff because of the lack of any true "plus" offerings. Are you saying he rates out as well as a Hughes, Buchholtz, Kershaw?

Yeah, I agree. I don't see Kennedy as anything better than a 4th starter with a 3rd starter being his max with the Yankees. That being said, if he wasn't on the Yankees, or a mega-power, I'd go up 1 on each prediction.

[Lofunzo]

Ian Kennedy - Profiles more as a back of the rotation starter, but will make his debut in '08

Besides having seen him numerous times last year in the minors, I hardly think a cup of coffee he had last year in less than 20 innings qualifies as anything more than "emergecy starter".

And yes, if your icon is suggesting that I may be a bit off on my assessment, well, he did have an excellent debut last year. But barring some unforeseen development, Kennedy lacks true ace stuff because of the lack of any true "plus" offerings. Are you saying he rates out as well as a Hughes, Buchholtz, Kershaw?

I was just pointing out that he already made his debut, no matter how brief it was.

[bucksox]

Peralta's glove isn't too bad, but he has the range of a retarded turtle

funniest thing I have read in a long time.