SB Nation - Ray King

The Milwaukee Brewers' Last Trade With Each Team

TheJay — Sat, 09 May 2009 15:48:24 -0000

A long time ago, in a league 98 miles away, this guy was part of the Brewers' last trade with the Yankees.

One of my favorite parts of each year's team media guide is the page listing the Brewers' last trade with all the other major league teams. Maybe it's because it's so esoteric, maybe it's because of all the "some-team-wanted-him?" thoughts it prompts, or maybe it's the idea that for years Brewers and Mariners management had a bitter blood feud getting in the way of amicable trading. I don't know. Either way, let's take a trip down memory lane, transaction-style:

(note: PTBNL below stands for "Player to be Named Later," defined here)

The Milwaukee Brewers' Last Trade With...

Arizona Diamondbacks - 11/25/2006
Traded LHP Doug Davis, LHP Dana Eveland, and OF Dave Krynzel for C Johnny Estrada, RHP Claudio Vargas, and RHP Greg Aquino
Atlanta Braves - 12/7/2005
Traded RHP Wes Obermueller for RHP Dan Kolb
Chicago Cubs - 8/31/2004
Traded OF Ben Grieve for LHP Andy Pratt and cash
Cincinnati Reds - 1/14/2000
Traded OF Alex Ochoa for OF Mark Sweeney and a PTBNL (RHP Gene Altman)
Colorado Rockies - 12/13/2004
Traded RHP Marcos Carvajal in exchange for cash
Florida Marlins - 11/25/1996
Traded RHP Eddie Collins for LHP Joel Adamson
Houston Astros - 9/11/2007
Traded RHP Dennis Sarfate for cash
Los Angeles Dodgers - 3/26/2007
Traded OF Brady Clark and cash for RHP Elmer Dessens
New York Mets - 11/20/2007
Traded C Johnny Estrada for RHP Guillermo Mota
Philadelphia Phillies - 7/28/2006
Traded RHP Wilfrido Laureano for 3B David Bell
Pittsburgh Pirates - 12/7/2007
Traded RHP Marino Salas and RHP Kevin Roberts for RHP Salomon Torres
St. Louis Cardinals - 8/22/2003
Traded RHP Mike DeJean for two PTBNL (RHP Mike Crudale and RHP John Novinsky)
San Diego Padres - 7/25/2007
Traded LHP Joe Thatcher, RHP Will Inman, and LHP Steve Garrison for RHP Scott Linebrink
San Francisco Giants - 7/20/2008
Traded OF Darren Ford and LHP Steve Hammond for 2B Ray Durham
Washington Nationals - 9/4/2007
Traded a PTBNL (1B Andrew Lefave) for LHP Ray King

The AL teams are after the jump.

Baltimore Orioles - 7/16/1999
Traded a PTBNL (RHP Al Reyes) for RHP Rocky Coppinger
Boston Red Sox - 7/31/1998
Traded IF Eddy Diaz for RHP Joe Hudson
Chicago White Sox - 12/13/2004
Traded OF Scott Podsednik, RHP Luis Vizcaino and a PTBNL (IF Travis Hinton) for LF Carlos Lee
Cleveland Indians - 7/7/2008
Traded OF Matt LaPorta, LHP Zach Jackson, RHP Rob Bryson, and a PTBNL (OF Michael Brantley) for LHP CC Sabathia
Detroit Tigers - 7/1/2007
Traded RHP Jose Capellan for LHP Chris Cody
Kansas City Royals - 3/27/2007
Traded RHP Ben Hendrickson for a Marxist Empire
LAnaheim Angels - 7/31/2002
Traded OF Alex Ochoa and C Sal Fasano for C Jorge Fabregas and 2 PTBNL (RHP Pedro Liriano and IF John Raburn)
Minnesota Twins - 11/15/2002
Traded RHP Gerry Oakes and RHP Matt Yeatman for RHP Matt Kinney and C Javier Valentin
New York Yankees - 8/23/1996
Traded IF Pat Listach and LHP Graeme Lloyd for OF Gerald Williams and RHP Bob Wickman
Oakland Athletics - 5/23/2007
Traded RHP Alec Zumwalt for cash.
Seattle Mariners - 5/19/2005
Traded C Pat Borders for cash.
Tampa Bay Rays - 4/22/2008
Traded OF Gabe Gross for RHP Josh Butler
Texas Rangers - 7/28/2006
Traded OF Carlos Lee and OF Nelson Cruz for RHP Francisco Cordero, LHP Julian Cordero, OF Kevin Mench, and OF Laynce Nix
Toronto Blue Jays - 1/6/2006
Traded RHP Brian Wolfe for 3B Corey Koskie

This information comes out of the Brewers' 2009 Media Guide. I believe all listed trades include someone on the 40-man roster for one of the teams. Any errors are mine in transcription or not diligently checking MLB's work.

A Brief History Of Washington Nationals' Opening Day Starters.

Ed Chigliak — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 06:16:44 -0000

The Washington Nationals' Opening Day Starters...

In the first regular season MLB game ever played by the new Washington Nationals, on April 4th 2005, in the miniature ballpark, Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA, in the away grays and a navy blue curly-W cap, #61, Livan Hernandez was the original Opening Day starter in the brief history of the nation's capitals' favorite baseball team. Hernandez surrendered 8 hits and 7 runs in 4.2 IP in an 8-4 loss to the Phillies, but went on to collect the second highest season win total of his career in '05, finishing (15-10) with a 3.98 ERA in 246.1 IP...

The next year, the former Mr. National Himself, Livan Hernadez, started the '06 season on April 3rd, Opening Day in Flushing, Queens, NY's Shea Stadium against New York's Hated Mets, who put up 3 runs in 6.0 innings with Hernandez on the hill, while Tom Glavine held the Nationals to 1 run on 3 hits in the same 6.0 innings pitched, handing the ball to Aaron Heilman, who allowed a run on 5 hits in 2.0 innings, and then Billy Wagner, who closed out a 3-2 win with a scoreless ninth.

John Patterson took the ball on Opening Day in 2007. The Nationals' first Opening Day at home in RFK Stadium, on Monday April 2, 2007 against the Florida Marlins. Patterson couldn't get out of the fourth, giving up 7 hits and 6 runs on 3 doubles, a triple and a home run in just 3.2 IP. Florida starter, lefty Dontrelle Willis went 6.0 innings, surrendering just 2 runs, 1 earned, on 7 hits in a 9-2 Marlins' win.

2008's Opening Night starter, Odalis Perez, was on the mound opposite the Braves' Tim Hudson, for the first game ever played in Nationals Park, under the lights at night against Atlanta in a national broadcast on ESPN which saw Perez throw 5.0 innings in which he gave up only 1 run on 4 hits, handing the ball to Saul Rivera, Ray King, Luis Ayala and Jon Rauch, who blew the save and then earned the win when Ryan Zimmerman provided what many view as the high point of the '08 campaign, the walk-off home run the entire baseball world watched.

DC Manager Manny Acta announced that John Lannan would be the '09 Opening Day starter just the other day, and "Acting" General Manager Mike Rizzo told MLB.com's Bill Ladson, as quoted in an article entitled, "Nats tap Lannan for Opening Day start", that he's impressed by Lannan's, "...command of all his pitches, his poise on the mound beyond his years and his competitiveness on the mound," with Mr. Ladson adding that Lannan, "...clearly is the Nationals' best pitcher."

Livan Hernandez was the obvious choice for the Opening Day starter as the Nationals' ace in their first two years of existence, earning the nod each time from then-Manager Frank Robinson. New Manager Manny Acta gave John Patterson the honor when he took over the reigns, and Patterson told MLB.com's Bill Ladson, in an article entitled, "Patterson gets ball in Opener", that he felt he was, "...finally going to get rewarded a little bit," for all the hard work he'd done to earn the opportunity, and he considered it, "A big honor."

"Opening Night" Odalis Perez was humbled by Manny Acta's decision to give him the ball, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson, who wrote in an article entitled, "Perez gets nod for Nats' Opening Night", that Perez said he was, "...happy because I'm getting this opportunity that a lot of people wanted...":

"...I know if I came to this team, I was going to have a chance to be in the starting rotation. It never crossed my mind [I would be the Opening Day starter]."

On April 6th in Dolphin Stadium against the Marlins, John Lannan will become the fourth Opening Day starter in Nationals' history. Washington Post writer Chico Harlan, in a Nationals Journal post entitled, "Nats vs Fish and other updates", reported that, "Lannan called the Opening Day deal 'a great honor.'" At 24, Lannan's the youngest Nationals' starter to get the nod...Livan was 30 and 31, Patterson, 29 in 2007, and Odalis Perez, 31 last year. But what's really important, in my opinion, is that John Lannan is the first Washington Nationals' draft pick to be given the chance to make the start on Opening Day, which is one of many signs that a franchise committed to building from within, is truly beginning to produce some results.

(ed. note - "And just wait til the whole world sees Zimmermann....")

Miniature Game Thread...Orioles at Nationals.

1:05 pm EST this afternoon for the Nationals and Orioles. Last time through the rotation Shairon Martis started after Olsen, but no official word as of 1:49 am EST if he's definite for today's game. Danys Baez for the O's according to their official site...I'll be listening along on the XM dial...")

Who's Watching Following The Nationals?

• ?'s For the DC Faithful...

For the Completists...Full (unedited) Game Report after the jump...(It's Spring, I tried, some guys didn't even have names on their jerseys...")

• With Shawn Hill gone, who do you have for the final two starting spots after Lannan, Scott Olsen and Daniel Cabrera? Collin Balester, Jordan Zimmermann, Martis or maybe Jason Bergmann? Pick your '09 Rotation...

• Joe Beimel's immediately being talked about as "thee" 8th inning guy? Is that what you had in mind when he signed? Saul Rivera, to Beimel to Joel Hanrahan?

• Are you going to miss Shawn Hill?

For the Completists...Full (ed. note - "Alright, 'Partial', or 'Unedited'...) Game Report after the Jump...

(ed. note - "I quit trying to keep track in the 7th...and just watched the game when I didn't recognize anyone...and no one had names on their jerseys anymore...")

Scott Olsen gets a groundball to third from Emilio Bonifacio and a line drive from catcher John Baker to Willie Harris in left for the first two outs of the evening. Jeremy Hermida takes one in the numbers and walks it off on the way to first. Hermida takes second, but can’t advance when Javier Valentin’s throw bounces into center. Cody Ross takes Olsen deep to the gap in right, but Austin Kearns tracks it down for the final out of the Florida first....Lastings Milledge shoots a routine grounder out to second. Willie Harris lines out to left. Ryan Zimmerman takes a few from Josh Johnson and earns a walk in front of Nick Johnson. Josh gets Nick swinging over a bender to end the first.

A leadoff walk to Dan Uggla to start the second. Gaby Sanchez skies one to left. Cameron Maybin steps in against Olsen. Uggla swipes second for the second SB off Valentin. Robert Andino tests Daniel Espinosa with a sharp grounder up the middle...Austin Kearns takes a low fastball inside that’s called strike three. Josh Willingham goes the other way with a grounder through second. The Hammer takes second on a wild pitch/passed ball, and moves to third on a groundout by Ronnie Belliard. Javier Valentin catches one on the fists but fights it off for an RBI bloop single to short right, Willingham scores. 1-0 DC. Daniel Espinosa has a fastball bounce off his hip. Lastings Milledge can’t lay off a bender, and a check-swing K ends the DC second.

Josh Johnson gets one over Milledge’s head in center and doubles to start the top of the third...and Emilio Bonifacio goes the other way down the right field line with a second double to score the pitcher, 1-1 ballgame. Bonifacio steals third. John Baker can’t lay off a slider and can’t get to it either as it breaks over the plate. Jeremy Hermida takes another one off the shoulder on a bender inside that doesn’t bend enough. Cody Ross backs Daniel Espinosa up onto the grass, makes the grab, and then fires home to cut down Emilio Bonifacio, who must have thought he was fast enough...Willie Harris K’s swinging over a nasty breaking ball. Zimmerman’s fly ball hangs up for a while but drops into Maybin’s glove in center.

Olsen’s back in the fourth to face Dan Uggla, who ? Gaby Sanchez who doubles to the gap in left center, Milledge bobbles, but holds him at second. Cameron Maybin grounds to Belliard at second. Robert Andino takes one that Olsen leaves over the plate and slices it into left for an RBI double, 2-1 Marlins. Olsen “walks” the pitcher, though he few more than a few strikes that were called balls. Emilio Bonifacio gets one all the way to the wall in left center for a two-RBI triple. 4-1 Marlins. Olsen imploding. John Baker swings at a low 2-0 pitch and pops it up to end the frame...Austin Kearns takes three swings but can’t connect on any of Johnson’s pitches. Josh Willingham takes a fastball outside for ball four in front of Ronnie Belliard. Belliard grounds into a force at second and turns his ankle at first. Jose Castillo comes on to run. Javier Valentin hammers a hanger for a single. Two on for Espinosa, who grounds to second, for a flip and force.

Jason Bergmann starts the fifth on the mound. Hermida pops out to Zimmerman foul of third. Bergmann gets a check swing K from Ross? replacement? Dan Uggla chops one to third that jumps up on Zimmerman, who lifts the glove to snag it and fires to first, in time! Scoreless frame for Bergmann...Lastings Milledge rips a line drive over short for a single. Willie Harris deeeeep to right...caught by Brett Carroll! Milledge can’t get back in time...doesn’t slide...doubled up...Zimmerman K’s swinging at heat from Johnson, who looks like he’s good for nine...

Bergmann gives up a leadoff single in the sixth to Gabby Sanchez. Maybin grounds to short, Espinosa tosses to Castillo, to first, double play. Robert Andino gets a short fly in under a diving Kearns in short right...last out, batter before Uggla replacement?...Nick Johnson against Sean West in the DC sixth. Johnson K’s swinging at a high fastball. Austin Kearns just got hit...Willingham hits a DP grounder, Uggla to Andino to Sanchez at first, double play.

Garrett Mock starts the seventh against Emilio Bonifacio, who triples to right by Austin Kearns. The backup catcher Hayes? doubles over Willie Harris’ head for an RBI double. 5-1 Marlins. Hermida unloads on a fastball for a line drive double to right. 6-1 Marlins. Mock walks Brett Carroll. Chris Coughlin grounds to Castillo at second, who tags Carroll, throws to first, double play...

Terrell Young on in the eighth and walks the first batter he faces. Walks the second batter he faces, but saws off Dallas Macpherson to get a DP grounder to Pete Orr at third, to Castillo at second, to Eldred at first, double play. Emilio Bonifacio beats out an infield grounder and another run crosses. 7-1...the Nationals rally in the ninth but come up short...the END.

SSS Book Review: White Sox Outsider 2009

larry — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 17:55:17 -0000

There are quite a few baseball season reviews/previews out there. If you’re more a fan of an individual team, however, and don’t really care about how some anonymous BP author evaluates the 2008 Seattle Mariners or what somebody thinks the Washington Nationals will do in 2009, you can end up paying for a 600 page book that may provide twenty pages on your team. Or sort of the reading value equivalent of the Barry Zito contract.

Stepping in to remedy this situation for White Sox fans is White Sox Outsider 2009 by Jim Margalus. Margalus is a long-time White Sox blogger at his site Sox Machine and is also well-known to SSS readers for posting here under the name of site.

The 226 page book is logically organized into six sections: Transaction Register, 2008 Season in Review, Down on the Farm, Batting Cleanup (player departures), Stories of the Season, and Looking Forward.

Transaction Register provides an introduction to some of more notable “characters” we’ll be reading about in the ensuing pages – such as Orlando Cabrera or Ken Griffey Jr. – while also giving some of the “extras” – such as Jim Brower or Ray King – their moment in the sun. The section uses the official White Sox transaction register from the end of the 2007 season to January 2009 to tell the stories of the players appearing on it.

2008 Season in Review is exactly what it purports to be: a month by month look at the 2008 season. Unlike some other season reviews, the length of the book and the team-specific nature allows Margalus to provide a more narrative style of review, which likely will appeal to Sox fans interested in re-visiting the highs and lows of the season. While also including the numbers that any baseball book requires, the color added from the re-telling of infamous/famous plays such as Mark Teahen’s inside the park home run or Griffey’s throw to the plate in Game 163 sets the book apart.

Down on the Farm gives the reader a recap of the organization’s players in the minor leagues using a “winners and losers” format, then introduces the 2008 draftees, and concludes with prospect rankings for both this season and a take on what the ranking might look like in 2010. For someone unfamiliar with the youngsters, this section provides a handy reference in one place for the names to keep an eye on in the future.

Batting Cleanup eulogies the players who have left the organization, from Joe Crede on down to Paul Phillips. Here, Margalus cleverly engages in one of the best ways to get a positive review: favorably utilize larry’s The Law of Conservation of Masset. Well-played, Jim. Well-played.

Stories of the Season goes into even greater depth on some of the major talking points of the 2008 season. The dissection of the brief stay of Nick Swisher, the “personality issues” that led to his departure (and the departure of other players), and the questions this all raises regarding player evaluation by the front office marks a high point of the book.

Looking Forward wraps up the book. The lengthiest section supplies a 2008 recap and a 2009 outlook for all the players on the 40 man roster. Like the Down on the Farm section, this provides a useful one-stop reference, especially for players, such as Brent Lillibridge or Dayan Viciedo, with whom the reader may not be familiar.

Overall, White Sox Outsider 2009 is a well-researched, well-written book with a good bit of wit that any diehard Sox fan (read: reader of this site) would find engaging. Further, unlike the more general season review/preview books, the depth with which Margalus examines the memorable 2008 season causes me to suspect that a reader will occasionally take it off the shelf long into the future to re-live some of the magic. The book may be purchased here.

Friday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:39:03 -0000

Some things to read while...seriously, bacon wrapped meatloaf with a mac and cheese layer? I need a recipe.

You know it's a slow news day when, as noted in this FanPost, Ryan Braun's new clothing line is your top story. Perhaps those of us who suggested a certain blogger launch a fashion blog were right on the money.

Every spring about this time hitters start facing live pitching, and we get the first "(Pitcher) has nasty stuff" stories of spring. Would you have guessed that pitcher in Brewers camp would be R.J. Swindle? If you really can get awkward swings and misses while throwing 55, I may have a big league career after all.

Of course, this transition to hitting off of actual pitchers is long overdue, because hitters are ahead of the coaches at this stage of spring training.

I had promised myself today would be the day I stopped talking about Eric Gagne, so of course today is the day he made news three different ways:

He withdrew from the World Baseball Classic.
He had lasik surgery over the offseason, ending the need for goggles.
He's a few days behind the other pitchers and may need a couple of extra days before pitching in his first spring game.

When you start feeding stray veteran pitchers, pretty soon they come to you: Ray King showed up at camp yesterday, looking for work. He's reportedly lost some weight, but was told camp is full.

Perhaps Ken Macha isn't singling out Jason Kendall, but it's starting to feel like it: a few days after saying he'll reduce Kendall's playing time in 2009, he announced he's also controlling the running game from the bench. This would be different if Kendall was struggling with it, but Kendall seemed to handle it pretty well in 2008.

Yesterday was picture day in Brewer camp. Click the link for a list of pictures I found, then check the comments for a link to the whole gallery.

I cringed when I started reading it, but based on Two-Fisted Slopper's recap, it sounds like Cecil Fielder's appearance on the MLB Network last night went off without any father-son chicanery. Slopper's post also has some great screenshots of a 12-year-old Prince.

On the transaction wire:

Braves: Signed Tom Glavine to a one year deal worth $1 million plus incentives.
Indians: Acquired Juan Salas from the Rays and designated third baseman Andy Marte for assignment. (h/t FanShots)
Padres: Are reportedly close to a deal with Mexican pitcher Walter Silva.
Royals: Claimed Tug Hulett off waivers from the Mariners.

Regardless of how bad Ned Yost was or how bad Ken Macha may be, we can always take comfort in knowing they're not Dusty Baker. Today, Baker had this to say on Edinson Volquez and his plans for 2009:

If [pitch counts] are what we have to worry about — last year no one knew what we had," Baker said. "That’s already progress. A lot of times that second year, you’re trying to get a guy to have a winning record.
...
I’ve seen Greg Maddux throw 150 pitches early in his career."

That one should be filed away as part of The Tao of Dusty.

Some days I come across stories that aren't really Brewer related, but just demonstrate how a really good sports writer can make a mundane topic interesting. Here are two from today: Royals beat writer Sam Mellinger on visa issues, and Nationals beat writer Chico Harlan on the weather in Florida.

Of course, sometimes good beat writers are not well rewarded: Tim Hudson blamed Braves beat writer David O'Brien for the team's failure to sign Ken Griffey, and the two had to be separated in the Braves clubhouse yesterday.

Speaking of Griffey, I've seen notes around the web suggesting the signing was a bad decision, a useless piece added to a rebuilding team, but it's already paying for itself. The Mariners sold 16,000 extra tickets yesterday. Assuming my baseline of 1 ticket sold = $50 for the team (after factoring in parking, food, merchandise, etc), the Mariners made $800,000 off of Griffey yesterday alone.

From the "too much information" file: Jose Guillen, facing surgery to remove an ingrown toenail, got a tweezers and did the job himself. Don't try that one at home.

So how much does lineup position impact RBI opportunities? Perhaps not as much as you'd think. Research suggests one thing we all expected: Players who hit in the first and second spot get a decreased opportunity to drive in runs. But, on the flip side, players batting anywhere between third and eighth all have nearly identical opportunities.

Oh, and I'd like to join Royals Review in increasing the use of the word "pleonasm."

Drink up.

Friday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:00:59 -0000

Some things to read while thinking about how technology has changed Santa.

So we've got three new Brewers today. If you've been hanging around the site over the last 24 hours, you've probably seen the signings of both Chris Duffy and Trot Nixon, giving the Brewers two more outfielders for spring training. Yesterday, the Crew also signed reliever Brian Reith, who has spent the last two seasons playing independent ball after a few seasons roaming AAA in the Reds, Pirates and Phillies organizations. He last appeared in the big leagues in 2004, and will be 31 on Opening Day. It's hard to tell if Maury Brown of The Biz of Baseball knew about these signings when he predicted the Brewers would finish worse than they did in 2007 (I think he meant 2008).

Around the minors: Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com is compiling past scouting reports as a way of looking back at the Rule 5 Draft. Click the link for the book on new Brewer Eduardo Morlan. Also, as of this writing Mat Gamel is up by 136 votes in the voting for #2 prospect in our Community Prospect Rankings. Voting for #3 will be posted at noon today.

The Brewers used 54 starting lineups last season, down from 82 in 2007. More lineup analysis than you could shake an spreadsheet at is available over at Right Field Bleachers.

CC Sabathia's New York press conference was yesterday, and that raised some angst in the FanShots, but nothing compared to the anger it caused over at Let's Go Tribe.

Two former Brewers on the hot stove: The Yankees are reportedly done pursuing Ben Sheets now that A.J. Burnett is in pinstripes. Derrick Turnbow, however, is the most intriguing reliever to post a 15.63 ERA last season, and is reportedly drawing interest from the Tigers, Rockies, Rays, Pirates, Marlins, Phillies and Giants.

Elsewhere on the hot stove:

Angels: Are reportedly close to re-signing Juan Rivera to a three year deal.
Astros: Signed Aaron Boone to a one year deal.
Braves: Have reportedly ended all negotiations with agent Arn Tellem following this week's debacle with Rafael Furcal.
Giants: Are supposedly working on a one year contract with Randy Johnson.
Mets: Are reportedly interested in lefty reliever Will Ohman.
Phillies: Have reportedly joined the Pirates in pursuit of Ray King.
Red Sox: Are reportedly saying they're out of the bidding for Mark Teixiera.
Reds: Are reportedly interested in Pat Burrell.
Rockies: Re-signed Glendon Rusch to a minor league deal.

Sometimes the offseason gets slow, and as a result reporters are forced to ask stupid questions to people who know nothing about the answer. Case in point: Ozzie Guillen: Financial Expert.

Oh, and if you like Woot, maybe you will also enjoy the clearance section at ThinkGeek?

A programming note: I'm leaving Sunday for a week away for Christmas in Wisconsin. As a result I won't be writing the Mug next week, but I've invited my co-conspirators around here to fill in as they see fit. The Community Prospect Rankings will also be on hold next week. All regular work will resume on Monday, December 29.

Drink up.

Thursday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:26:25 -0000

Some things to read while preparing for some time with the in-laws.

So now even The Official Site is saying the Mike Cameron deal is dead. The New York Daily News says it's unlikely the Brewers will find another team willing to take on Cameron's $10 million salary, which still doesn't seem excessive to me. Part of me is still a little edgy about all of this and remembers the rumors about Sabathia rejecting the Yankees offer the day before he agreed to terms, but it appears this one might be over.

Meanwhile, "still developing" is the nice way of describing the market for Ben Sheets. MLB FanHouse thinks Sheets might be this year's Kyle Lohse, still on the market well into spring training. I tend to think that honor will fall to Oliver Perez, but it realistically could happen to both.

Chone Smith's projections for Brewer hitters for 2009 are up at his new site, BaseballProjection.com. Expanded projections and pitchers are supposed to be up soon, as well.

Yes, it is this slow of a news day: CC Sabathia's Yankee uniform will have somewhere between 62 and 64 pinstripes.

Around the minors, there's only a couple of hours left to vote on the Brewers #1 prospect in our Community Prospect Rankings. As of this writing Alcides Escobar has opened up a 27 vote lead after trailing Mat Gamel most of the day yesterday. I'll close the voting at noon central time today and post the voting for #2.

Also, in Nashville, the Sounds' new ownership has worked out a lease to keep the team in Greer Stadium in Nashville and possibly look into building a new stadium to replace a park consistently rated as one of the worst in the minors. It sounds like new ownership is the first step towards a repaired relationship with the city.

It appears the Marlins may have made a mistake non-tendering reliever Joe Nelson. Nineteen teams have reportedly expressed interest in signing him, leading me to believe someone, somewhere would have been interested in trading for him.

Elsewhere on the hot stove:

Dodgers: May have agreed to a deal with Rafael Furcal after all. This time, don't believe it until there's ink on paper.
Orioles: Are reportedly out of the running for Mark Teixiera.
Padres: Are looking to add a middle infielder, and Omar Vizquel, David Eckstein and Mark Grudzielanek's names have come up. Surprisingly, Craig Counsell's has not.
Pirates: Are reportedly pursuing Ray King.
Reds: Would reportedly like to add an outfielder. Juan Rivera, Ty Wigginton, Jerry Hairston and Willy Taveras have come up.

How much does humidity impact a baseball? How much farther will a ball fly in Colorado than in San Diego? Is there a factor beyond the Rangers' awful pitching that leads to the high scoring in Texas? Beyond the Box Score has a great look at factors that impact runs scored at MLB parks.

Maybe the MLB Network can pick up that topic in February. Here's a look at what they're doing in January.

Here's my favorite new minor league logo. Check out the new logo for the Charlotte Stone Crabs (Florida State League).

Oh, and I'm not doing the whole Christmas tree thing this year, but if I did I'd be all over this idea.

Drink up.