New and notes and stuff

No, Hamilton didn't deserve the award, but comeon - he hit .292; Young's OBP was .295.  Sure Young played more, but Hamilton would have had to gotten on base at a .202(!) clip in those extra 287 PA to match his OBP.  I guess those 32 HRs, even matched to Young's other pathetic numbers (OPS+ 89), were too much to ignore.

At least the right guy won in the AL.

1.  He'll be 29.
   
2.  He put those numbers up in the PCL.

The Cain deal is a little over the top if you ask me.  Cain is good, but I'm not sure he's worth 4 players, one of whom is a starter.  The author says that EdE's value is at it's highest and that's why he should be traded, but he's also cheap for a couple more years, so why not hold on to him and keep that high value on the team.  I don't mind trading EdE for a pitcher like Cain, but if it's going to take 2 or 3 other players just to get one guy, then I'd rather hold on to EdE thankyouverymuch.

1.  Jr. is probably attractive to the M's.  Johjima is probably available.  The writer completely misstates the remaining financial committment to Jr. (he's owed $12.5M for '08, plus a $4M buyout; the deferred money (I'd have to think) is a sunk cost by the Reds - the new team would only be liable for '08's deferred $ (part of the $12.5M)), which makes the money ((12.5+4)2)-5.2=$3M savings for the Reds.  After all of that, the M's should look at it - their only LH power was Ibanez, and their DH was Jose Vidro(!).
2.  Looking at Spoone, I don't like his k/bb ratio, but he's allowed less than .5 HR/9 so far as a pro.  He's certainly worth more than 2$7M of Freel; the Reds would probably have to throw in significant cash.
3.  Where in the world did he get the idea that Matt Cain would be available???  I haven't seen his name come up anywhere - I've heard Lincecum, though.  I would argue (a) that's too much to give up for Cain, and (b) even if it isn't, getting rid of EdE and Stubbs negates the boost Cain would give the team (the goal should not be the playoffs it should be the World Series, and the Reds are probably 2 years away at least).  See what it would take to get Lincecum.
4.  Trading Ross only makes sense if they can get a Johjima.  But if they can, take whatever decent prospect they can get.

My only comment refers to this:  By the way, has a pitcher ever done well once he was traded away from Atlanta?  Just off the top of my head, Doyle Alexander was exactly what the Tigers needed.

Free Agents:

1.  I'd steer clear of Affeldt; that k/bb ratio isn't good, especially for a reliever.
2.  I'd want no part of Kris Benson because of the injury risk (Wood at least pitched last year); besides, someone is going to look at his numbers before the injury and see a 3/$24M pitcher.
3.  If you pay 1/2 of Freel's salary to dump him, then pay Blum $1M, you're only ahead $500K (and a C-level prospect).  And you've traded away a really popular player, and lost one of the best basestealers in baseball.  It wouldn't make much sense.

There isn't a guy on the bench who can hit his way out of a paper sack, except with the right matchup.  Two pitching changes, and you're out of options (and probably have a terrible team in the field, too).  He also lists Votto (or Hatteberg) at 1B; he should have worked one of them into a trade, because there is no good reason for both to be with the organization next season.

It's obvious he went to a lot of trouble, and came up with what he thought would be a good lineup.  I just think he's mistaken.