Possible 2009 Lineup and changes

[padrefanforever]

Give your ideas and possibilities that you think are reasonable and realistic that would help this club out.

-I think I'd have to consider signing Furcal in FA, and I'd do it quickly if possible. His health is a risk, but so is Greene's. If you are able to sign Furcal, then you deal Greene even with his low value in the offseason. Furcal if healthy adds multiple dimensions to this team, and all are good. Adding payroll shouldn't be an issue going into next year.

-Trade Kouz, in a package, to the O's for Guthrie. I like Kouz, but now that we have OFer's starting to hit ML ready status, his best value to this team is in trade. He also might be at his peak for trade value with time left under team control, so pull the trigger now. Guthrie would secure the #2-3 spot in this rotation for some time to come, and likely blossom in Petco vs. the hitter friendly park in Balt.

-Don't screw around and p/u Giles option, or buy it out and extend him through 2010 when Kulbacki is ready......He can still play, and fits the kind of player this team needs, especially if they move the fences in again.

-Resign Luis Rodriguez for 'potentially' the starting 2bag job, knowing that he can back up SS and we don't at least have a defensive weak spot.

-Resign EGon as the utility back up IFer, he did a fine job this year, and showed he's ML capable and he'll be very cheap

-Target a veteran backup catcher to mentor Hundley, capable of giving him days off

-Resign Hoffman to a 1+ deal with escalators that kick in upon specific's reached.....Face it guys, while he's not what he used to be, he's still putting up a quality season and his save % is inline with his career. He's still got it!

Potential lineup next year of :

SS- Furcal
CF- Gerut
RF- Giles
1B- AGon
3B- Headley
LF- Venable
C - Hundley
2b- LRod (unless we can do better, and he'll becoming a utility IFer)

Peavy
CY
Guthrie
LeBlanc
Geer

Hoffman
Bell
Meredith
Adams
Hensley
RP and we have many possiblities
RP and we have many possiblities


Thoughts or ideas ?

[HollywoodLeo]

You think Luis Rodriguez is better than Edgar? (honest question)

[padrefanforever]

Yes.....overall.......mainly due to his glove......he's a vastly superior defender.

[love_that_reefer]

I really can't find one reason the O's would trade Guthrie. They don't need Kouz and they have Guthrie under control for a while. I do like Headley at third Your proposed lineup does have less strikeouts which would help dramatically.

[Kobe]

Headley strikes out a **** ton

[love_that_reefer]

Headley does but Furcal over Greene is a big help and having Gerut all year does too. Headley just replaces Kouz's strikeouts.

[Kobe]

I'd be surprised if we go after someone like a Furcal. Not that I wouldn't be all for it, I just think he may be out of our price range. Surely there has to be a shortstop who is aging and on the decline that we can waste our money err I mean take a shot with.

[love_that_reefer]

Omar Vizquel

[love_that_reefer]

And just a FYI, Wally Joyner resigned as hitting coach. The reasoning is strange.

Agent Barry Axelrod said Joyner resigned due to "the frustration level with realizing that his philosophy, his approach, the way he wants to teach hitting just didn’t coincide with what they like to see in the organization. He was hoping as time went by that they could somehow coincide or overcome that, but it became evident that was not going to happen." A replacement was not immediately named.

[HollywoodLeo]

I'd be surprised if we go after someone like a Furcal. Not that I wouldn't be all for it, I just think he may be out of our price range. Surely there has to be a shortstop who is aging and on the decline that we can waste our money err I mean take a shot with.

Furcal's an injury risk, which might lower his price.

[padrefanforever]

And just a FYI, Wally Joyner resigned as hitting coach. The reasoning is strange.

Actually it's getting very ugly.......Peavy is speaking out and has said essentially " it's us against SA and the FO......." and "we dont' know what direction the club his heading and we don't like what we're seeing......"

They discussed this on 1090 this am with Leitner, and it appears this club is heading for a war between players and the FO...........

[padrefanforever]

Furcal's an injury risk, which might lower his price.

Furcal also might take a 2 year deal, and considering we have a load of payroll to utilize should they so choose, money isn't an issue this next year

[Kobe]

anyone got a list of upcoming FAs?

IMO I would bring in a veteran catcher.. I don't think at this point Hundley is the answer to every day catching.

I would be much more comfortable with a platoon with said vet catch and young Hundley. Hundley has a arm, but his defensive skills still needs fine tuning.. not to mention that his bat is a giant black hole in the line-up at the moment. He has pop to his swing.. but if pop is all it takes, guys like Termell Sledge would still be on the team.

What I WOULD go after this offseason would be

1) another front line starter
2) veteran catcher (Pudge maybe?)
3) shortstop to push Khalil Greene.

CF- Gerut
LF- Venable
RF- Giles
1B- Gonzalez
3b- Headley
C- Pudge/Hundley
2B- Edgar Gonzalez
SS- Greene

Rotation
1 Peavy
1A - ???
3- CY
4- Geer
5- ??

IMO another front line starter has to be our top priority. With the way the NL West is.. Arizona has a lot of young promising position players, headed by Webb and Haren in that rotation. Having a 1 and 1a would allow us to be competitive imo.

as far as Antoneli what does everyone think about him? still not ready for the big league?

[HollywoodLeo]

Who's available that you think would sign here regarding front line starters?

I doubt Sabathia's in our price range.

[realmofotalk]

Paul DePo loves his Paul Bako. There's your veteran catcher.

Furcal's an injury risk, which might lower his price.

You mean like Milton Bradley, except that Towers failed to re-sign him?