Rosenthal says the following:

Teams not only want to keep their draft picks, but also are unwilling to sacrifice the performance of their major-league club by trading solid contributors for fringe prospects.

"People are focused on those two aspects of it more than they've ever been," one general manager says.

Even players who project as possible Type B free agents are considered more valuable than in the past, thanks to a change in the most recent labor agreement.

A team can now gain a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds for such a player without even offering him arbitration.

WTF?

Please, can someone confirm this?   It makes no sense what so ever for a B level free agent to have such value.

http://www.wunderground.com/US/MD/Baltimore.html

Tampa's game got rained out and the forecaast is worse for Friday and Saturday.

More time for beer, and other fun things.  At least we don't have to make up games against a good team like the Indians, but the fact that Baltimore gets a 6 game homestand to start the season is a bit confusing.

As I type now, i am meeting the 75 words requirment.

The Angels are showing the heaviest interest in Miguel Cabrera, according to FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal.

My first reaction is the thought that comes right after the doctor says, "OK, this will just be a minute, and when I tell you to cough . .. " Please, if anyone has some voodoo spells hanging around to get this to fall through, I'd suggest you start the ceremony now.

What exactly is the method to rid ourselves of Richie Sexson?  

a.  An equal $$ return in bad 1 year contracts that add up to his?

b.  An equal $$ return in a contract that is stretched out in more years (like a Dave Roberts from SF)?

c.  A trade where we pay off most of the contract for a Jesse Foppert lottery ticket?

d.  Just dump his entire contract?    

The historical reference for moving such contracts are not all that great (Jason Kendall being the most recent, Cirillo for Jarvis, etc.).  I'm curious as to your ideal plan.

SB Nation's The Good Phight has tangibled the intangible.

http://www.thegoodphight.com/story/2007/10/15/13118/121#readmore

"In keeping with the sabermetrician's goal to quantify everything, I have spent this past weekend coming up with a new metric to measure the immeasurable.  It will tell us the intangible difference between Bobby Abreu and Aaron Rowand; it will discern the true guts of a Chase Utley while show us the plasticity of a Pat Burrell; it will villify Mike Lieberthal and raise Jimmy Rollins to god-like status.

I give you:  Chemistry Runs Above rePlacement or, in its shortened form, CRAP."

Very funny, and a strong effort.  

FoxSports had a blurbed:

"The Mariners' negotiations with right fielder Jose Guillen sputtered due to the after-effects of the Diamondbacks' signing of outfielder Eric Byrnes to a three-year, $30 million contract. Guillen can make a case that he deserves to be paid more than Byrnes. Starting in 2004, he has 79 homers and 304 RBIs, compared to Byrnes' 77 homers and 272 RBIs. Guillen, 31, is three months younger than Byrnes. While he has a history of volatility, he has been on good behavior this season."

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/archives/119730.asp

" Look for the Mariners to make a move today to pick up Baltimore left-handed reliever John Parrish, P-I reporter David Andriesen says.

Seattle, which will have to give up a minor leaguer, probably Sebastian Boucher, to get Parrish, hasn't yet decided on the roster move the club will need to make to get Parrish on the roster.

Parrish is 2-2 with a 5.40 ERA for the Orioles this season. And since the Mariners are in Baltimore, he can just change clubhouses."

http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/pro/reds/2006/12/04/ddn120506reds.html

Sorry, please shorten the link as I don't know the scripts, and seldom post diaries here.

The article refers to special assistant Barton Jr. taking his shots at Krivsky as he leaves the Reds after 38 years of service.

"Barton said when the Reds were ready to acquire pitcher Eddie Guardado from Seattle, a scout told him Guardado had a bad arm that could blow any time, "But Wayne said he had talked to his agent and was told Guardado just had a bad back and his arm was OK."
Some other interesting things in the brief article.  Brings to light that GM's can be impulsive- especially when they feel the pressure to win.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/story/5071731p-4622485c.html

I'm thinking this might be an interesting Thursday game.  Felix to start, Clint in for relief, then Sherrill to hand it over to Eddie.

Clint is suppose to be in better shape, and not the sweat factory he once was, right?  

Devin, what can you add?