That'll be up on the site momentarily, I imagine.

I have always liked the fit. Sure, you have a prospect coming up at SS, but even on a multi-year deal it can still make plenty of sense. Prospects aren't sure things, Desmond could slide into an outfield slot in year 2, etc, etc. Makes all the more sense if we're talking one-year pillow contract, and that goes for Desi as well.

They took a shot on Latos, why not have a crack at a guy who could be a 4 to 5 win player? If things broke right, they could be a real force.

Seems that way, but I'm less of a fan of that than the Sox getting Desmond.

And the idea that Gallardo can wait around and find 3/40 while Desmond might have to settle for less -- that's just me speculating, mind you -- is just crazy to me. Even last year, Desmond was good enough to put up about 2 wins, so it isn't as if you're looking at a guy with no floor. But Gallardo could well finally fall apart with the plummeting K's and velo.

Probably. He only just turned 21 and hasn't reached Triple-A. I really don't see much reason tacking on service time, even if you wait until you think you're safe from Super Two, because there's a good enough chance he spends more time in the minors after this season that you don't want to run up the meter unnecessarily. Phillies can afford to be a bit more cavalier about this than most orgs, but still.

For me, a traditional Sept call-up seems more likely unless he lights the world on fire and the Phils have a little buzz that leads to some fan demands.

Glad you're a fan!

NO! I get the arguments in favor, and I'm very inclined toward statistical evaluation and don't find that it takes away from the game. I'm cool with protecting catchers and middle infielders.

But especially as someone who plays catcher in an old man league, I find that idea just hard to fathom. I think it would mess with the entire aesthetic of the game. Catchers would either be lazy as heck with no runners on or flailing around to get into blocking/throwing position with runners on base. Whatever buzzers and flashes would signal a strike seem futuristic in an awful way.

Not worth the tradeoff, IMO. Probably. Would be cool to see the KBO try it first.

The Dodgers are never done acquiring players!

Unless LAD is just dumping him and paying his salary, no. He isn't a long-term piece at all and is a bat-only player who doesn't seem to fit.

I like the idea of punting #14 a lot better if they are also getting Dex.

Folks don't see to realize that Guerrero can opt out of his contract the winter after a trade. So, he's really only a one-year piece.

Okay, I'm getting enough questions on this that I realize I must have missed something. I don't know about any new software. Steve and Tim are keeping me in the dark, apparently.

Roll with me today and we'll get it sorted. The fact that I'm using Dilmot doesn't mean anything, ha.

I don't see him as a real breakout type player so much as a pretty darn good and pretty darn cheap player who can be a first-division regular when he's on his game. Not sure there's a ton of upside, but he's one of those guys who is sneaky valuable.

Not going to do fantasy questions.

But no, I don't think you did.

Won't take much, really, though Cinci could hold him and hope for a big first half.

He's really young and looks to be a stud pitcher (and also quite a good hitter). He's got a big frame, big arm, great numbers in a very legitimate league. Dude seems to be quite legit and has been on the prospect radar for quite a long time. (Believe there was some suggestion he might bypass NPB and come straight to a MLB org years back, but obv that did not occur.)

They won't hesitate to deploy their depth at the back of the rotation.

Indians, maybe, though we haven't heard that connection. Angels, of course. Tough to guess at this point what'll happen.

Too old for the video games. Is that on Sega Genesis or Super Nintendo?

I don't really see any particular reason those two would be packaged together.

With that darling avatar, you have a great shot. Tim has kids (as do I) and is a big softie.

Yeah, and not just because of Harper. There's no particular reason to think that org won't be in contention for the next 3 years or so. There's still controlled talent all over the place.

I play baseball. Old guy baseball.

There are a lot of guys who could conceivably be 2-WAR type contributors, even after the QO players. But not being talked about? I'm doubling down on Cliff Lee!

I don't have an opinion, since I haven't gone through that process and don't have the expertise to do so, but Gray has put down a track record in the upper minors and majors and it hasn't all been pretty. So this isn't just "I didn't like what I saw one time," or "he's not my guy coming into the draft."

Don't see any reason to think they'd really get much of a return at all.

We get hundreds of applications, so we can't respond to everyone. But we do look at all of them, so sending it in multiple times isn't going to help.

The secret is to know baseball and baseball transactions, be reliable, and have an ability to read closely and write precisely. (And, well, demonstrate all of that in your application materials and in the writing competition process.)

He's had a lot of chances. But someone will take a shot, yea.

Tough to say.

Alderson might be inclined to scream some obscenities at Cashman rather than dramatically hanging up -- which isn't quite as fun as it once was since you can't slam down the phone anymore -- and that might prompt Brian to hang up first, technically.

But the Mets, is who would really, in substance, be hanging up.

No risk, he's a fun player and no reason not to give him a shot for a west coast team that has ready connections to Asia. Dude is a legit hitter, too, so he could contribute.

Seems like a lot to me. We predicted like 4/52 coming into the winter, which is Garza/Ubaldo/Nolasco money, and that is, too, more or less. But I never actually liked him at that price, and at this stage of the winter it hurts to give that much up to add him.

But let's wait and see how that plays out.

Hum? Why would that happen?

Seems less likely that he'll get a substantial suspension after the case was dropped. I don't think the league will let the legal process dictate things, but it makes it harder to seek info and weakens the case against him. So, it stands to reason he's looking at a lower likelihood of a major ban.

Nothing new that I've seen.

I know some have argued they can, but I don't think it would be wise. Mark Polishuk went through this months ago in an extension candidate post on Joey Bats.

Assuming they agree with this (but aren't coming out and saying it), I think they have two options:

1) dangle team-friendly deals to both and say that only one can get it, so act fast! (PR blowback potential)

2) target one or the other (my $ on Bautista) and then move on to the secondary target if a deal isn't worked out ... if they get their target to sign, then they tell the other one there's only $X left.

Well let's change that right now.

Nothing personal, I'll keep an eye out for you.

Indians seem to want him, so I'll go ahead and guess that gets worked out one way or another.

He's old and has some injury questions and was never a great fielder to begin with and the Cards have two left-handed-hitting options at first who have questions of their own. And he might want to be a good sport and possibly open up some possibilities for when he becomes a free agent.

Makes sense to me.

Of course they are, just in that the media loves to pick one or two teams and make them out to be favorites. It's baseball, there's never a time where you can really say one team should win it all, IMO.

Doesn't mean they aren't the best team on paper -- they might well be -- but you still have to play the games and absorb some luck (good or bad), and they have some variability in some areas like any other team.

Cashman said very clearly recently that he is simply not an option in the field, at all. Third, first, wherever. So, I guess quite a bit.

More likely the latter than the former.

Seriously? That's not happening as things stand right now.

Just can't see how he would fit at all. That ship has sailed, I think.

Seems very unlikely.

Tough result for him, great move by CWS. Dude has been really good for most of his career and is barely 28. I know there are some real questions in other areas, but it's worth the risk for that org.

Sure, why not?

Here's how I see it with these guys. Lincecum has been pitching poorly for some time and just had hip surgery. Lee has been fantastic when healthy and just had a lengthy absence with a serious arm issue.

Even though Cliff is older, you're asking whether he can return to being awesome, which he was even in his most recent MLB time. Lincecum just hasn't done it lately, so you're hoping for him to return to like 2011 vintage, and that just feels like a longer shot to me.

For sure. Not sure where he'll land, but pretty marginal utility guys are getting multi-year deals these days, so it's hard to imagine someone won't throw some money and a decent opportunity at Rollins.

Can't remember if I have spouted off on this here or not, but .... why do Cubs fans blame Bartman when there were poor managerial decisions and a ridiculous bad error by Alex Gonzalez that were not only far more responsible for the collapse, but were committed by people actually employed by the team?

So, regardless of how or why, I would love to see the team make a gesture of some kind to absolve him. Especially since he's legitimately been through some stuff over this, which is ridiculous.

Not looking good, no. But you never know, we love redemption stories in this country.