In case the comments close on the previous post, here’s a new one. Also, if you’re wondering what the college football bowl schedule looks like for the next three weeks, I posted ESPN’s list at my other place.
Update: The Kemp trade is on hold for the moment because a physical showed Matt’s got arthritis in each hip. As Mark Saxon explains, this could blow up “two other trades and three other teams.” That’s because some of the secondary players were being sent on to other teams for yet more players by both the Padres and the Dodgers.
NPUT
The Nats (gnot the Gnats, unfortunately) have signed the Swedish Owl to a minor-league contract.
Roll of the dice.
nice story on Turner
http://wapc.mlb.com/cutfour/2014/12/25/104909696/justin-turner-is-one-dodgers-fans-not-so-secret-santa
In the true spirit of the season: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KneOdEDwDEc
Bah, humbug, everybody!
Au contraire, mon ami! Joyeux Noel to all!
Meanwhile, in Sweden, my relatives will celebrate tinyurl.com/bq7xtbk
I think I heard that tradition mentioned on NPR today, but I wasn’t paying very close attention. That’s strange, but I guess no more so than Americans watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” every year at Christmastime.
I got an email from my cousin in Uppsala today telling me their family’s been doing it for 50 years.
I’ve never seen “It’s a Wonderful Life,” but I understand that it’s at least set in the season. Those Donald Duck cartoons are not.
One more week till they restart life! I hate the Holiday season…
The non-stop music makes it infinitely worse.
Wonder which of today’s Cuban players are likely to join some future list like this?
Writer thinks Grandal might.
http://www.si.com/mlb/2014/12/18/all-cuban-team-rafael-palmeiro-luis-tiant-aroldis-chapman
Not much competition at catcher.
The state of baseball in Cuba: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/22/sports/baseball/in-cuba-baseball-remains-a-grand-preoccupation.html?ref=sports&_r=0&smid%3D=tw-nytsports
Disqus has been agonizingly slow and unreliable lately.
I’ve seen it in my email, but not particularly on screen, which makes no sense whatsoever. There is a new upgrade, however, so I just installed it. Let’s see if that helps.
I get three or four consecutive reload suggestions.
What do you mean lately? It loses my identity at least once a week and I have to re-register.
It seems to lose mine briefly, but if I refresh it returns.
Ethier AND Crawford and $40MM for Cole Hamels…
I assume that’s a suggestion, not a report. 😉
The Phillies are trying to get younger about three years after they should have started doing so. Adding two 30+-year-old outfielders doesn’t accomplish that.
It’s only money but…. $40MM plus $96MM saved from Hamels, minus $23MM a year for E & C. Keep them a year ($23MM), then give them away for a bag of balls.
A nice idea, but one the Fillies will never accept.
Can we keep Crawford? We do need a leftfielder to platoon with SVS.
That’s probably the best option in LF, but I wouldn’t assume it’s etched in stone.
Story referenced at MLBTR says the Pads need a first baseman. They seem to be overloaded with outfielders; Wouldn’t it be funny if they flipped Kemp to Philadelphia for Howard, maybe getting some more cash thrown in?
Nobody wants Ryan Howard. The Phillies have even told him so.
A $30MM dowry might make him acceptable for awhile. In net, that would be Grandal for Howard and $60MM. Hell of a deal in anybody’s book…
It’s unlikely anybody wants Howard even as a DH.
Greatest seasonal song ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P37xPiRz1sg
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it were the Dodgers who posted the $5MM for negotiating rights to the Korean shortstop, Kang. He wants 3 or 4 years at $4MM to $5MM, peanuts to them. They could have openings at second, third, and short next season. Seager can fill one, maybe Guerrero another, so at least one opening. He looked good in Korea but that’s no guarantee over here.
Here are some Friedman quotations on the moves so far.
Kemp deal now official
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/story/_/id/12049560/los-angeles-dodgers-trade-matt-kemp-san-diego-padres-clears-hurdles
“The Padres did ask for additional compensation from the Dodgers after Kemp’s physical, but Los Angeles refused.”
I can hear the Dodgers’ F.O. now: “Damn, guys, we’re already giving you Kemp, Fedex and 32 million bucks!”
poll question on espn baseball, “Is Kemp still an elite player?” 59% No, 41% Yes. I hope the majority are correct in this case 🙂
Not an elite player, perhaps, but still a very good one whose production the Dodgers will miss.
I think maybe San Diego is getting cold feet on Kemp. Maybe they realize they have a lot of outfielders already. I’d be happy to get Kemp back but I don’t want to return Grandal. Think maybe they’d take Ethier or Crawford and the same money they got with Kemp? That would be more than half of what’s owed Ethier, almost half for Crawford.
The Pads are making some bold moves. I doubt it will put them in serious contention this season, but they could edge out the Gnats for second place.
So why did they take Justin Upton today. Bud Black must be working on a 7 outfielder defense…
The sooner handegg season ends, the better.
Go Raiders!
Back to LA, or anywhere that’s not Oakland!