The prayer flags were blowing in the wind and snow this morning. It's that time of the offseason when nothing is nothing and nothing is all. Sabermetrically-minded fans are chasing their tails, Mets' fans are telling the world that their line-up is better than the Phillies', when they should be thinking about how their team can finish ahead of the Nationals, and many other fans are obsessing over, well, nothing.
So it was a welcome (sort of) sign of the season to hear yesterday that the Yankee pimp mobile was already out and rolling. According to the #1 Yankee fan on the FAN, the Yankees have, not one, two, or three pitching prospects at the double- and triple-A levels this year but TEN. Not only that but also every one is a starter and several project to be top of the rotation in the majors. What if the Yankees' current starting rotation is less than compelling? No worry, the arms are in place---for a trade for a real top-of-the-rotation guy come mid-season. Meanwhile, let the hype begin.
Some in New York speculate that GM Brian Cashman, in the last year of his contract, may decide to leave the Yankees. If Cashman does leave, I wonder if he would go to the Nationals, an up-and-coming team with a rich owner who has an itch to spend? Could be interesting.
It's getting almost dizzying to follow all the moves being made by the Blue Jays. The latest were somehow getting the Angels to take on Vernon Wells and his bloated contract for catcher Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera. Days later they traded Napoli to the Rangers for reliever Frank Francisco. Good luck to the Jays! They may have a way to go in the AL East but they are certainly being active and creative.
Why would the A's trade Gio Gonzalez to the Yankees?
Marcus Hayes has an interesting article this morning at philly.com about Jimmy Rollins' career bankrolling music. Called J-Roll goes platinum, the piece indicates that Rollins is not only a passionate, intelligent baseball player but also a cool, and savvy, entrepreneur.
At the Zozone, MLB writer Todd Zolecki has a good piece on the price paid for the Phillies' rotation. It lists the 13 prospects who went in the trades for Lee in 2009, then Halladay, then Oswalt and how the young ones are faring with their new teams.
