Banks are going under and getting a bailout.
The Big 3 U.S. Auto-Makers just got a bail-out.
The economy is in a recession.
Holiday spending was down big even after the biggest Black Friday ever.
You wouldn’t be able to tell that by the cash the Yankees are spending on starting pitching. The Yankees shelled out $244M over the next eight years for CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett combined.
Who’s next? Well, the teams with the money will fight over Derek Lowe, arguably the best starter left on the market, Oliver Perez, the left handed Rick Vaughn enigma, and even Andy Pettitte, who could come back for one last large paycheck. These starters will be picked up by the large market teams with cash.
What’s left? To be honest, it’s risk. Small market teams on a tight payroll will have to sign pitchers with risks, hope that risk pays-off, then trade that pitcher at the deadline to playoff contending teams for prospects. One other thing to note, some of the teams with the tightest payrolls also have the best pitching parks: San Diego, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Oakland, Milwaukee and Minnesota.
At the two weeks leading up to the 2008 deadline, in a year when the top teams were supposed against trading prospects, the following veterans were traded for good prospects:
The Oakland A’s received Adrian Cardenas, Josh Outman, and Matt Spencer from the World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies for Joe Blanton.
The Washington Nationals got 2B Emilio Bonifacio from the Arizona Diamondbacks for Jon Rauch.
The Seattle Mariners got a nice SP prospect Gabriel Hernandez from the Florida Marlins for Arthur Rhodes.
In 2007, the Rangers received outfielder David Murphy and OF prospect Engel Beltre from the Boston Red Sox for Eric Gagne.
The Padres obtained Will Inman, Steve Garrison, and Joe Thatcher from the Milwaukee Brewers for Scott Linebrink
Following the professional teams, fantasy owners in large (12, 16, 18, 30 team) leagues with deep benches could benefit with stashing some of these pitchers away on your roster for a pay-off later on.
So here are guys I am following, and if the situation works, these pitchers could end up on my bench or stashed on the DL. Then I hope to spin them off in a trade if needed.
Mark Mulder, 31 – REALLY!
Mulder has done absolutely nothing but have surgery on his left rotator cuff, rehabilitate several times, and pitch horribly the past three seasons. After recovering, it seems Mulder could not return to his preferred arm angle used during those successful Oakland years. This off-season, Mulder has been working with a trainer on increasing flexibility. With increased flexibility, Mulder can get back to his old arm angle.
If its true that Mulder is back to throwing at this preferred arm angle and if he has worked through the scar tissue, the fastball, curveball, change-up lefty could be getting hitters out in the National League very soon.
The former Michigan State star and 2nd overall draft pick could end up anywhere. Mulder could be reunited with Ken Macha in Milwaukee or he could end up staying in his familiar area of the Southwest and sign with San Diego or Arizona.
Mark Prior, 28 – SERIOUSLY!
Prior has been out since 2006 with absolutely no registered major league pitches the past two seasons. Without any injuries, Prior was a dominant pitcher with a high strikeout rate while allowing less than one hit per inning.
Prior doesn’t have to be an ace to be valuable to a team – he can be a solid mid-rotation starter. However, Prior probably has to do something about those pitching mechanics so that these shoulder problems do not return.
Prior, a former USC star, could end up returning to San Diego on a incentive laden deal again or join one of the Los Angeles teams.
Chuck James 27 – C’MON!!
James is out with rotator cuff and labrum surgery and out to at least the All-Star break. However, when healthy, Chuck James has strong command (8.6% BB/PA, 17.5% K/PA in majors) and the ability to fool hitters as a lefty. However, James is a fly-ball pitcher – an extreme fly-ball pitcher. He needs to be in a good ball park preferably in the National League. James won’t be an ace with those fly-balls, but he could be a solid mid-rotation innings-eater.
James, a 20th round draft pick in the 2002 draft by Atlanta, is a fly ball pitcher. He could go to any team whose ballpark benefits a fly-ball pitcher like San Diego. James could also end up in Kansas City (a good fly-ball stadium but James would have to deal with one extra slugger) since their GM, Dayton Moore, was the assistant general manager in Atlanta and Director of Personnel Player Development the year James was drafted.
I only covered some starters, but there are some interesting middle relievers who fit the same type as Mulder, Prior, and James:
Yhency Brazoban, 28
Chad Cordero, 26
Wil Ledezma, 27
**as posted on Baseball.RotoChamps.com**
