Fish New Suitor for Michael Young

[Namaste]

This would put us out of the Pujols sweepstakes.

[Ramp]

for argument's sake, talk about going into a new stadium with a bang...

(Re: Pujols, not Young)

[Namaste]

Ramp how much do you think La Machina will get? Gotta be near $300 million right?

[rmc523]

That's around where all the rumors have been Namaste.

[AdamRavs]

10yrs 300mil is what the rumor is.. thats a lot of money esp the backend of the deal as he will certainly be on the decline by yr 5 atleast

[Ramp]

Ramp how much do you think La Machina will get? Gotta be near $300 million right?

Absolutely no clue what he's asking for in years or money, but $30mil per year sounds about right.

[Todd]

I dont think its the money at all. 10 years is too much for a 31 year old player.

[Big Z]

Fish kicking the tires on Young

Fox Sports reported Monday night the Marlins were interested in Michael Young, who has requested a trade from the Texas Rangers. A source who has spoken with the Marlins confirmed they were “kicking the tires.”

The two teams would have to clear plenty of hurdles to make a deal work. Even if the Marlins and Rangers agree to the framework of a trade, Young would have to approve it. The Marlins are not among the eight teams to which the Rangers can trade Young without his permission. How attractive a situation would this be for Young? Matt Dominguez is coming fast. He’s not going to spend three the next three years in the minors. Does Young really want to be in a situation where halfway through 2011 or at the start of 2012 the Marlins determine Dominguez is ready?

In addition, Young, who turned 34 in October, is still owed $48 million ($16 million from 2011-13). The more money the Rangers eat, the better the package they’ll want in return. And make no mistake, the Marlins will want them to pick up a massive chunk of it.

Another issue is whether the Marlins would be better off at the start of 2011 with Dominguez’s glove rather than Young’s bat. President of Baseball Operations Larry Beinfest at the end of last season said he was willing to sacrifice offense for better defense. Offensively, no question Young brings more to the table right now and the intangibles are off the charts, but he’s not Dominguez with the glove.

According to John Dewan’s defensive metrics, where 0 is average, the top 10 fielding third basemen in baseball last season scored between +9 and +25. Young was at -10. The source who spoke with the Marlins said they view him as an average defender at both third and first, and the 19 errors he committed in 2010was an aberration. Young was charged with a combined 20 in 2008-09. Yet in 2009, he was still a -23 at third base in Dewan’s plus/minus system.

- JCR- Sun-Sentinel

[Swifty]

The Pujols thing almost has to end with free agency (not meaning he won't remain in StL, just that I think it ends in December rather than on Wednesday).

At that rate, the Cards have no real barometer of worth; yes it's easy to point to the A-Rod contract, but in 2011, is there any guarantee another team would match A-Rod let alone exceed it? It really is just good business for the Cards to let Pujols hit free agency, allow a market to develop and go from there. I don't think it's unreasonable to say he may very well get $30 million a year, however, I think St. Louis knows that now, and in November/December, that's the dollar amount that closes a deal. Maybe by waiting they cost themselves an extra year, but it certainly is worth it to wait around to find out if anyone is willing to exceed the $25 million commitment.

Also, you do have to account for the fact that Pujols is really hitting at the least opportune time for him to be a free agent. The Yankees and Red Sox both have very large financial commitments to players who play the same position(s) as he (although I guess he could play LF/RF for the Yankees) so their interest is likely limited to the extent of keeping him away from the other. The Dodgers and Mets are both basically bankrupt. The Angels are seemingly always 2 years and 20% below the going rate of any of their "target" free agents. The Phillies have Ryan Howard locked up to a stupid extension.

Really, it's the Cards, the Cubs and then the "field." I really see no reason to expect $30 million, but it could happen, the factors are there to make it a very odd winter for him and I think that's why the Cards wait him out.

[Todd]

Why not Infante at 3B and Young at 2B if the deal, as unlikely as it may be, happens.

As for Pujols, I believe Colorado will be a serious dark horse if he hits free agency.

[Big Z]

I'm not up to pay 90 millions for a 38-40 year old Pujols. Invest the money on what we have now, let this team grow together and put some pieces together here and there. We really are not missing much right now.

[lou]

I'm not up to pay 90 millions for a 38-40 year old Pujols. Invest the money on what we have now, let this team grow together and put some pieces together here and there. We really are not missing much right now.

We're missing a frontline #2 lefty starter, a big lefty power bat regardless if LoMo turns out pretty cool, total question marks longterm at 2B, 3B, CF, and let's even say left as Gaby probably isn't the answer in 2-3 years, and that's ignoring Stanton and Morrison could fail, and all the minor league kids could turn into 5th starters, Pintos, and Badenhops.

I'm not saying sign Pujols, and I'm not saying I don't believe in this team because I really do, but were missing, at minimum, 2-3 significant pieces if were talking pennant contenders. And they are going to be hard to find. Were a good 84 win team that wins 91 if absolutely everything goes right. And longterm, that's probably not changing unless the SP takes a big step forward.

[Todd]

Thats why I said the Fish have to take a chance and draft Purke this year(if he falls, which is possible due to the $$) and hope he pulls a Mike Leake.

/soapbox

[Swifty]

Just to go back to lou's thoughts...aren't a lot of teams a top flight lefty away? And even more so, aren't those lefties exceptionally hard to come by?

I think our trio of JJ-Ricky-Javy is about as good as it gets in baseball because no team save Philly and perhaps San Fran can boast about the kind of K potential we have with those three, regardless of handedness. If you believe in Volstad turning the corner or Anibal being able to stay healthy, I'd argue we have the best quartet in baseball.

I'm going to revive a great Felipe Alou quote, and it's paraphrased because I can't recall it verbatim, but a reporter in Montreal asked him why he had all right-handers in his bullpen and Alou looked at him rather incredulously and said "because they're the best relievers we have."

I think an awful lot is made of handedness to the extent that it ignores existing production. Yes it would be nice to have a lefty, yes it would be ideal to have a legitimate lefty like Andrew Miller was meant to be sandwiched between JJ and Ricky, but to say that would be ideal at least impliedly discredits just how good those two can be.

So yeah, it'd be fantastic to get that lefty, but they're just not out there; Kershaw, Lester and Lee are about the only guys I'd say belong in that #1 or 1A category, and then there are a bunch of second tier guys who, in my opinion, do not offer a higher upside than Ricky.

Thus, if we're going to spend, give me position players, depending on how LoMo and Stanton pan out, we can really only say that the typical above average free agent does not offer convincing improvement only at short-stop. Obviously if Logan turns into the .400+ OBP machine and Stanton starts turning in 40 homer seasons, we're expanding that list to those guys, but as fun as our lineup looks in aggregate, it is a group of upgradable parts. Obviously, I'd argue far more easily upgraded than our pitching.

[Big Z]

Buster Olney-

Marlins appear to view Young as $6-$7 m. a yr. player, and might want more than $30 mi. in salary relief to offset $48 m. left in contract.