Winter Roster Moves Thread

[BigRapidsJackass]

I would be skeptical there with the position switch until they obviously proved themselves otherwise, and it does seem very late in the game to be doing that with either guy, but apparently the Rox were pretty impressed with Stewart's athleticism there in the early going and thinks they can both size down a little and give the team more firepower by finding a spot for another bat.

I'm really skeptical about Stewart making the move. I think he's always been a third baseman, and I can't think of a successful 3B to 2B switch.

Baker? About time they tried him at 2B. He was a college SS, and apparently a pretty decent one defensively. I'm also skeptical about that one, but it would seem to have a chance of working out ... if only to get a bit more roster flexibility by being able to use Baker occasionally at 2B.

Still, neither guy strikes me as any kind of "answer." And I think DOD is bluffing more than anything else, trying to signal to other clubs/free agents that we won't overpay for a second baseman.

Which is why I'm still bothered by things like Yorvit/Herges. I know I do this every offseason, but here I go again. If Yorvit is making about $3.5 million, and Herges gets $2.5, well, then you've just spent 6 million bucks next year on a roughly half-time, below average catcher and a guy who projects as no better than the 4th man out of the bullpen.

Which would be all fine and dandy if you're the Yankees and have an almost unlimited budget, but is not o.k. for the Rox. Wouldn't we be better off with, say, the following:

C Iannetta + Miguel Ojeda/Oliva type
2B Iguchi
extra RP winner of a spring training NRI derby

than with

C 2/3 Torrealba + 1/3 Iannetta
2B mash-up of a couple out-of-position guys (Baker/Stewart) + Carroll + Quintanilla + Nix + whoever else we can sign
extra RP Herges

[GerryInCS]

Nevermind, heltonfan cleared up in another thread

[BigRapidsJackass]

Aaron Cook extension, 3 years, $30 million.

Looks like a deal in today's market. The Rockies do absorb some risk here -- for example, if Cook (like Jennings) suffers arm trouble for the first time in his career next season. Maybe Cook was influenced a bit by that and "bought" some insurance here?

At any rate, I really like what O'Dowd (and yes, the Monforts) have done so far this offseason:

-- resist overpaying for Kaz
-- resisit overpaying for Yorvit (not getting into an unwinnable war with the Mets), and then re-signing him for what is objectively a bit over the market rate, but which is a perfectly manageable deal
-- put the real money where it belongs, in Cook's hands
-- resist trading Fuentes unless a very good deal comes around

Plus, swapping one talented pitcher who's never shown any kind of consistency (Bautista) for another (Capellan) is sometimes the kind of thing that works out. But sometimes not...

[BigRapidsJackass]

From today's RMN:

Rox still after Iguchi to play 2B. Curious comment by Iguchi's agent:

The Phillies want Iguchi to play third base, but agent Rocky Hall said Iguchi's preference is second base. That would seem to work to the Rockies' advantage, but Hall said Japanese players have reservations about taking positions previously played by countrymen.

O.K., I'm calling b.s. on that one. Agents are notorious for saying stuff to try to drive up the price for their clients (as are GMs notorious for trying to drive it down by feigning interest in other players), but Mr. Hall will have to do better than that. I mean, what do they do in Japan? Bring in an American player when the incumbent stinks? It's not like he'd be driving Kaz out of town ... Kaz quite willingly walked out of town with a pretty nice chunk of change.

Regarding GMs trying to drive down their targets' asking price by feigning interest in other players: the article suggests that we have interest in Eckstein. I certainly hope that's just a bluff ...