Manny to the Dodgers?

[FRENCHREDSOX]

. So Go Sox, Twins, Rays, and White Sox.

One of those teams needs to win the wild card.

It is a 5 horse race for 3 spots - Tampa came out worst of this simply because they didn't address their major need - a right handed bat - White Sox & Twins should actually not figure for WILD CARD because of the teams in the CENTRAL but the Yankees will I believe.

Basically,IMO,it will be a "war of attrition" where the team that loses will be the one whose weak link will fold -

Red Sox - Pen (got weaker with the Hansen move),Manny's experience & "hole" at #5

Yankees - Catching (as said elsewhere Pudge is NO better this year than Molina & is no Posada at the plate),Pitching (Age of Moose/Pettite + #5 spot)

Tampa - youth,inexperience & pressure

Twins - already playing above expectations - holes offensively at SS/CF

White Sox - player overload (now with Griffey) & lack of production from 1B/DH

[etothep]

well honestly how he reacts "should be minimal " now that he has 6+ years of MLB play/clutch at bats

I get the mlb experience, but whens the last time a Pirate had a clutch AB? 12 years ago at least?

[OregonDuck1989]

It is a 5 horse race for 3 spots - Tampa came out worst of this simply because they didn't address their major need - a right handed bat - White Sox & Twins should actually not figure for WILD CARD because of the teams in the CENTRAL but the Yankees will I believe.

Basically,IMO,it will be a "war of attrition" where the team that loses will be the one whose weak link will fold -

Red Sox - Pen (got weaker with the Hansen move),Manny's experience & "hole" at #5

Yankees - Catching (as said elsewhere Pudge is NO better this year than Molina & is no Posada at the plate),Pitching (Age of Moose/Pettite + #5 spot)

Tampa - youth,inexperience & pressure

Twins - already playing above expectations - holes offensively at SS/CF

White Sox - player overload (now with Griffey) & lack of production from 1B/DH

I agree wholeheartedly with the "war of attrition" but I do still believe the Rays will shock the world and be the team in the playoffs. Maybe it's false hope but I think it can happen.

The Twins I think will win the Central and the White Sox will drop off and hope for next year which they can put together.

Basically my playoffs in the AL will be the Angels, Red Sox, Rays, and Twins.

With the Angels winning the pennant on their pitching. Because I have always followed a system. Hitting sells tickets, pitching wins championships.

And J.D. Drew can fill a 5 spot pretty good. He has been decent this season.

[FRENCHREDSOX]

With the Angels winning the pennant on their pitching. Because I have always followed a system. Hitting sells tickets, pitching wins championships.

This is true but it Pitching in September/October that does that - don't have to look too far back (eg Sox & Rockies last year) to see that September is the key.

Undoubtedly the Angels are the team - the team of July - but in 2 months' all that can (& will change) thanks to injuries,form & most importantly confidence.At the moment the Angels' are "untouchable" but maybe they have peaked too early

[OregonDuck1989]

This is true. Predictions are useless as I cannot for see the future.

Should be an interesting september to say the least...

[FRENCHREDSOX]

This is true. Predictions are useless as I cannot for see the future.

Should be an interesting september to say the least...

Teams that have depth will have a "natural" advantage & as I said above it is the weak link that will determine who will make it too the playoffs - post that it is luck,form & experience* which will be called upon.





* one of the reasons why teams deal for Vets at deadline too

[robinhoodnik]

I'm pumped. I'm a huge Bay fan and Manny was getting on my nerves but how does La end up with Manny for andy Laroche and Bryan Morris??????

Because the Sox didn't have everything that PIT wanted or wouldn't part with it.
LAD needs some outfield pop so they chipped in two guys along with Bostons two guys for Bay, Then Boston basically pays Manny off and gives his contract to the Dodgers as thanks.

[HoustonGM]

Lies!!!!!! You said you were a D-Backs fan!!! So much for loyalty!!!!

I also said that I wasn't a hardcore fan at all, and that I'm really just rooting for the Diamondbacks to do well, and that I like what they got there.

Catching (as said elsewhere Pudge is NO better this year than Molina

WHAT?!?! ??!??!

[FRENCHREDSOX]

WHAT?!?! ??!??!

From your beloved Baseball prospectus

Certainly, Rodriguez is an upgrade for the Yankees, for whom Jose Molina has been a hole in the lineup.

When you look deeper, though, you can see that this trade isn't quite that special for the Yankees, although the price was right, and it wasn't that bad for the Tigers, who won't miss Rodriguez and were desperately in need of bullpen help. Consider that Rodriguez and Molina are very similar players in type: excellent defensive catchers with little speed, middling power, and a tendency to swing at everything. Molina hasn't hit lefties very well this year, but he has a fair track record of doing so—.268/.311/.405 for his career, and over .300 with good power since 2004. It is a skill he possesses, and in a platoon role, would be acceptable.

Pudge has produced nine runs above replacement this season in 328 PAs, Molina five runs below in 218. Over the last two months, the offensive upgrade for the Yankees won't be worth more than that 14-run gap, and with the defense a wash, this trade is a one-win upgrade, not nearly enough to get excited about. Rodriguez makes the number-eight spot in the lineup a little better, especially against righties, but the idea that adding him is a coup is misguided, largely because he has a reputation and Molina doesn't. The skill sets are similar.

The Yankees didn't really need a guy like Pudge. They needed a left-handed-hitting catcher with some OBP skills.

[HoustonGM]

That does not say that Pudge is no better than Molina. It says that the upgrade isn't as gigantic as some people think.

[m4rk6]

This year:

Molina: .229 .279 .307
Pudge: .295 .338 .417

... just saying.

[koolzach1]

Let me chime in a little here.

First of all... Pudge is a pretty damn large upgrade, chief. He is a .295, .338, .416 hitter, while Molina is a .226, .278, ..303 hitter. Now, I don't expect Pudge to dominate here, but I see him maintaining his current stat line.

Now, for the Manny trade.

I think that the Sawx got raped in this deal. They gave up Moss, Hansen, and Manny and got Jason Bay back. While Jason Bay is a very very solid hitter, he is no Manny. Manny is capable of putting up better numbers. Bay is a solid power hitter, but nothing too special (30+ HR's only 2/5 years). Manny has done it 12/15 years. Jason Bay has NEVER been in a pennant race, Manny of course, has. You know how some players crumble under the spotlight, under the pressure; Well, Bay has never really had that spotlight on him, or that pressure that he shall see in Boston. Sure, Jason Bay is much better at defense, but it will probably take him a little time to get used to that big green wall out in LF, while Manny always played it perfectly. Sure, Manny has had a few instances where he hasn't hustled at his fullest, and that will upgrade Boston there. But all things said, this is a downgrade for the Boston Red Sox; albeit, not a major downgrade, but thus, a downgrade.

[m4rk6]

You forgot the schedule.

The Yankees have the worst schedule, look at the teams they're going to play, followed by the Rays, and the Sox have the easiest schedule, relatively speaking.

[HoustonGM]

Don't get sucked into Manny's offensive history. He's not THAT great of a hitter anymore (as in, he's not what he used to be). He's still a VERY good hitter, but Jason Bay is only ever so slightly less of a hitter at this point in their careers.

Bay had an off year last season, easily attributable to playing with an injury.

His line since 2005, not including last year, is roughly .292/.396/.528. Manny Ramirez over 2007-2008 is .297/.392/.508. That fails to account for some things, though, like that Bay has been in the easier league, and Ramirez in the easier ballpark. They're both roughly 135 OPS+ hitters at this point in their careers.

[koolzach1]

You forgot the schedule.

The Yankees have the worst schedule, look at the teams they're going to play, followed by the Rays, and the Sox have the easiest schedule, relatively speaking.

The only team that really strikes fear into me when the Yankees play them are the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (or whatever they are called).

4 @ Tex
3 @ LAA... Hopefully we can win 1
3 @ Min
3 vs KC
3 @ TOR
3 @ BAL
3 vs BOS
3 vs TOR
1 @ DET
3 @ TB
3 @ SEA
3 @ LAA... Again, hopefully, we can win 1
3 vs TB
4 vs CWS
3 vs BAL
3 @ TOR
3 @ BOS

Again, only LAA scare me. I feel that the Yanks can win everyone of these series, but the BOS series' will be tough.