[USML Announce] Republcans for Sale

[JHWinick at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/10/2004 10:36:27 AM Central Daylight Time,  
SpringKerb at aol.com writes:

In a  message dated 6/10/2004 9:32:38 AM Eastern Daylight Time, JHWinick  
writes:

> K-Rod is $13 and only the closer until Percival  returns.  At $13, he'd 
have to be the closer to be of any interest  whatsoever.  And let's see - he's 
closed how many games now?  Lew  Ford is having a nice season, but is on a team 
with lots of competition and  given a lack of pedigree, he's definitely not an 
A quality keeper.   Frasor is this year's Aquilino Lopez (I'm surprised he's 
not on the  list).  Nuff said.  Ugie has only 8 saves for a bad team and is as 
 likely as not to be in the NL next year.  Matos - come on, that .249  
batting average reflects thoroughly mediocre skills.  Juan Dominguez is a  rookie 
pitcher for TEXAS....next.  Matt LeCroy was, in fact, acquired for  the price of 
a used piece of chewing gum and you overpaid.  Freddy  Garcia???  $11 Freddy 
Garcia??  I recall there's one team that  traded away a boatload of talent for 
Gil Meche - so there's hope.  But  I'd say outside of that, you're 
> unlikely to find any  takers.

K-Rod is Anaheim's best relief pitcher, and one of the best in  baseball.  
Anyone who thinks Percival will still be closing there next  year (let alone by 
the end of this year) is smoking something really  strong.  Next year, or 
maybe some time this year, K-Rod joins Mariano  Rivera and Keith Foulke at the 
very top of the AL closer list.

Ford's  lifetime numbers, in about 260 at-bats (half a season), are as 
approximatly as  follows:  .325 BA, .401 OBA, .525 SLG, 10 HR, 44R, 46 RBI, 7 SB.   
Jacque Jones won't be back, either, if he even stays around past  July.

Matos hit .303 last year, and he's been hitting about that over  the past few 
weeks. And he's only 25 years old, so it's not at all likely that  we've seen 
his best yet.

Going into this year, Garcia had averaged more  than 14 wins per year, a 3.97 
ERA and a 1.31 WHIP, even after a couple of down  years.  Those numbers are 
only going to get better.  He only turned  28 today.

As for Frasor and Dominguez, they are indeed young and  unproven at the major 
league level.  But their minor league numbers  demonstrate genuine talent and 
they are only $5 apiece.  Jeff:  If  Dominguez is so useless, would you like 
to explain why you bid on him when you  thought he was an FA?

Ugie has a 2-year deal in Detroit, which he  signed for below market value to 
be with his longtime friend, Pudge  Rodriguez.  So it's hardly obvious that 
he's going anywhere soon, and  even if he does, there's roughly a 50/50 chance 
it's in the AL.  You're  also looking at a proven major league closer (through 
2003, a 3.32 ERA, 1.21  WHIP and 206 saves), at $15.

Matt LeCroy will almost certainly qualify  as a catcher again next year.  Let 
me know when you find another catcher  who gives you 15-20 HR, 65-75 RBI, and 
a .275 or better BA for five  bucks.  As for the trade with Andy, all I can 
say is "Dave  Fleming."

I'll be more than happy to keep all of these guys for next  year.  I enjoy 
being in first  place.

Mark



Wow - its all so clear to me now.  If I were to throw in both Crawford  and 
Soriano would you be willing to talk?  With K-Rod being a sure-thing  hall of 
famer like Rivera (given his total of what? 10 career saves), Ford a  lock to 
put up 25+ home runs with a .300+ average (despite having never done so  
before), Garcia now one of (if not THE) best starter in the AL (and at ONLY  $11), 
Matos sure to improve on last year's stats (despite truly frightening OBP  
numbers, strikeout to walk ratios and other stats that surely don't really  
matter), Frasor and Dominguez so potential packed given their (incredibly few)  
minor league numbers, Ugie sure to add (what would you say?? at  least 30-40) 
saves to his present total of 8 (and all at the bargain  basement price of $15) 
and LeCroy a lock to hit 20+ home runs (since both  Mauer and Morneau are sure 
to flame out), it seems like a stretch for me.   But maybe you'll cut me some 
slack.
 
As for my bid on Dominguez, the bottom line is that I need  pitching.  I'm 
willing to bid on almost any bum.  Take a look at my  free agent bids if you 
need to be convinced.  He would have been an  improvement over Ben Weber.  That 
doesn't make him a keeper. 
 
That is all.
 
Jeff
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