Hot Stove Thread, Part II

I'm not in love with the guys at the top, but this is how I would construct the Astros' 2008 lineup:

1. Michael Bourn, CF
2. Kaz Matsui, 2B
3. Hunter Pence, RF
4. Lance Berkman, 1B
5. Carlos Lee, LF
6. Miguel Tejada, 3B
7. J.R. Towles, C
8. Adam Everett, SS
9. pitcher

There is no good reason to have Tejada play short when you have a Gold Glove-caliber fielder there in Everett, but no real viable option at third. I don't trust Matsui at the top of the order, but there aren't too many options there. Bourn has crazy speed, but the jury is still out on his plate discipline at the Major League level.

 

I could go either way on the Cardinals. If Carpenter and Pujols are healthy all year, they're certainly headed in the right direction. But I think the Brewers are going to win 83-plus games for a few more years, and -- sadly -- I think that's going to be good for second in the Central for a while.

 

Carpenter won't be ready till June, at the earliest.

 

The Astros may non-tender Everett and play Ty Wigginton at third base, not that I'd recommend that option.

 

If they move him to third, it means the Astros just paid $24 million and five prospects for average to slightly-above-average production out of that position.

Even taking into account inflation due to that joke of a park, damn, that doesn't make sense to me.

Maybe Tejada will hit 40 and it will look like a good deal. Who knows...

 

I'd bite the bullet with having Everett's "bat" in the line-up. Just stick him in the eight-hole and watch him be one of the top defensive shortstops in the league.

 

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2007/12/now-cubs-need-o.html

Supposedly, the Cubs are close on getting Brian Roberts, though I still don't see why Baltimore would want to do this.

 

Like Bedard, his contract is up in 2009. I like Roberts and he's a big fan favorite (and owner favorite), so it would be interesting to see the backlash if he is dealt. But if he is, it would be a sure sign that Angelos is giving McPhail free reign.

p.s. I also think Phil Rogers is Gammons-esque in throwing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks.

 

So if Roberts and Bedard are traded, is this basically the end of Baltimore as a relevant franchise?

 

That's a damn good lineup in the NL Central.

I figure the Cubs will go with something like ...
1. Soriano LF
2. Theriot SS
3. Lee 1B
4. Ramirez 3B
5. Fukudome RF
6. DeRosa 2B
7. Pie/Fuld CF
8. Soto C

The Astros' lineup is better, in my opinion.

 

Are they relevant now?

 

Actually, I think the O's ceased to be relevant when Palmeiro got busted for steroids, if not before ...