Christian Petersen - Getty Images
3 months ago: MILWAUKEE, WI - FILE: Edwin Jackson #22 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers during Game Six of the National League Championship Series at Miller Park on October 16, 2011 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. According to reports on February 2, 2012 the Washington Nationals and Jackson have agreed on a one year deal. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Washington Nationals signed Edwin Jackson to a one year, ~$10 million deal yesterday, but despite that fact, it doesn't look like the pitching market is in any better shape. Roy Oswalt is still on the market -- and apparently trying his darndest not to end up with the Red Sox -- and the Nationals now are trying to trade John Lannan, since Jackson made him expendable and expensive.
In other words, I wouldn't count on the Rays being able to pull off a trade at this point. It's the beginning of February, and most teams have already filled their major holes by this point. Jackson got squeezed by the limited market, and it appears that's happening to Oswalt now too. If teams aren't willing to pay a bit of money to acquire a pitcher with plenty of upside, why would they give up an asset for Davis or Niemann?
It looks like we'd better start getting used to the idea of starting the season with six starters. If the Rays haven't received good enough offers yet to make a deal worthwhile, I can't imagine the current market will improve matters any. We may have to wait this one out.
0 recs | 57 comments
Chances of a trade for SP shrinking? I doubt it.
When aren’t teams looking for pitching?
sternfan1 - February 3, 2012
This.
I don’t think they would go into the season with 6 starters. I’m seriously concerned that Moore would start the year in the minors.
mr. maniac - February 3, 2012
I'm starting to fear the same thing.
But I just can’t imagine they’d waste innings of his in Durham. More likely then: six man rotation out of the gate, Davis to the pen or Moore to Durham? Davis to the pen gets my uninformed vote.
the jabber - February 3, 2012
Eh, how often has there been this much good pitching available this late in the offseason?
I’m looking back in past offseasons and I’m not seeing many comps. Oswalt, Lannan, Davis/Niemann, and McClellan are all theoretically on the block, and there aren’t that many teams in need of pitching. Heck, the team with the biggest need for pitching is the Red Sox, and the Rays can’t deal with them.
I just think the market hasn’t panned out this offseason like the Rays were hoping, especially considering they like to have the most highly sought commodity and raise the price up. They’re not going to force a trade just to force a trade.
Steve Slowinski - February 3, 2012
Problem was non-contenders selling off their young controllable starters, which was unforeseen
Latos, Cahill, Gio filled up the needs of those who would have wanted Niemann or Davis.
Ben Tumbling - February 3, 2012
Oswalt is a different animal
Davis is a young cost controlled arm. There is always demand for that. Oswalts market is much more limited.
FreeZorilla - February 3, 2012 via iPhone app
and only 1 year deals going around
Jackson in many years would have gotten multi-year deal. And mainly it’s about money. It has all but dried up. Neither Davis/Niemann make tons of cash. They have value.
raysfaninminnesota - February 3, 2012
Especially when you factor in that he doesn't want to go to a hitter's park
Sandy Kazmir - February 3, 2012
yup.
just because teams don’t want to increase their 2012 payroll doesn’t mean they won’t trade.
pudieron89 - February 3, 2012
What am I missing?
EJ is a more than serviceable major league arm. He’s played for half the league the last few years, and now he gets a very modest offer. The Sox we’re rolling out Wakefield and bunch of bums in a pennant race five months ago. How is EJ not an upgrade for them? He must be a raging a-hole or something; I don’t get the lack of love for the guy.
the jabber - February 3, 2012
This
He’s been extremely good
benderbrodriguez - February 3, 2012
Steve, well said on Hamilton...
This Deadspin/TMZ era can be highly entertaining, but there are times where it seems people take pleasure in the failures of others a bit too much.
td32 - February 3, 2012
Yeah.
I don’t enjoy ragging on a guy who has clearly made an effort to turn things around. On the other hand, I’m tired of those who will continue to say that he is a hero and that his life in now perfect. Give the guy mercy, but mercy is not portraying a guy as a hero.
mr. maniac - February 3, 2012
But how great were those pictures from the last time he fell off the wagon.
Man knows how to party; I’ll give him that. But I agree, of course, tough when folks are just waiting to publicize any slip.
the jabber - February 3, 2012
I like this take. Yeah, it's regrettable he was turned into this giant hero.
Because everyone’s human, and that puts a ton of extra pressure on his shoulders.
Also, thanks td….definitely agree.
Steve Slowinski - February 3, 2012
Nobody forced him to write that book.
Hatfield - February 3, 2012
Bravo
Find the center rather than overcompensating for an extreme position
FreeZorilla - February 3, 2012 via iPhone app
i wonder to what degree he was canonized by the media due to his religious rebirth?
pudieron89 - February 3, 2012
Just imagine if Tebow got caught doing blow
The world would go mad. Josh Hamilton is one strike away from ending his baseball career, I dont personally root for the guy, but I dont want to see anyone’s career end like that
RaysOfHope - February 3, 2012 via mobile
Not true
As long as Hamilton continues to perform, he can get away with whatever the hell he wants off the field
benderbrodriguez - February 3, 2012
Maybe he should fall off a railing on to his head so that they'll build a statue of him
Sandy Kazmir - February 3, 2012
In the article that broke it there was definitely a reference to that as a "personal tragedy" experienced by Hambone.
And that he’s “developed a relationship” with the family. Seriously the biggest crock of shit I’ve ever heard.
firemangreg - February 3, 2012
He's a charlatan that will say or do anything in public to affirm that he's a saint
Guy should be thrown in jail
Sandy Kazmir - February 3, 2012
6 man rotation
Why not ease all the starters into this year with a 6 man rotation and let Davis and Neiman build their trade values. They did it for a couple weeks last year and I know they are always looking at ways to limit innings on their starters. What are the chances of this going down?
stevetothez - February 3, 2012
With all the scheduled off days in addition to weather
Moore Guerreri and Cheese - February 3, 2012
day in early season, I don`t think a 6 man rotation has much value.
Moore Guerreri and Cheese - February 3, 2012
Word
stevetothez - February 3, 2012
I can't see running Davis out there when you have a fully-rested Shield or Price ready to go.
Nothing inherently wrong with a sixer. Just that the marginal difference between Davis and our number one is too great a sacrifice to make for any length of time.
the jabber - February 3, 2012
This
Some teams start off with 4 man rotations because of the early schedule
RaysOfHope - February 3, 2012 via mobile
Who does that?
benderbrodriguez - February 3, 2012
Patience, patience
Oswalt will sign somewhere (or retire) before ST. Inevitably, some starters will have arm problems in ST or early in the season, and when that happens, the Rays will be a primary option for replacements. A 6-man rotation, if it happens, likely won’t last long, but if it does, so what? The idea that extra early-season rest is harmful to a pitcher and that pitchers need to go every 5th or 6th day to be effective is just another old-time baseball myth that the Rays, if any team, should be willing to ignore if their situation calls for it.
Besides, IIRC, Shields pitched a LOT of innings last season, Davis faded in the last half, and Price had some less-than-stellar late season starts. Lightening their early-season loads isn’t a bad idea.
maris61 - February 3, 2012
I wouldn't be shocked if we traded a pitcher at the deadline.
But Matt Adams is still in the back of my mind…though I’d rather see us trade for a catcher.
sc_monsta1015 - February 3, 2012
I wonder if the Indians would trade LaPorta, now
He’s got an option remaining.
AndrewTorrez - February 3, 2012
Do we have room for him?
sc_monsta1015 - February 3, 2012
Unless you mean just trade him in general.
sc_monsta1015 - February 3, 2012
the Rays are going to have to bump Elliot Johnson off the 40-man roster anyway
no room for him on the major-league squad, but there’s no room for him in Cleveland now, either.
AndrewTorrez - February 3, 2012
yup
sc_monsta1015 - February 3, 2012
He doesnt really have much trade value
We could get him on the cheap probably
RaysOfHope - February 3, 2012 via mobile
RJ deserves a round of applause.
http://www.draysbay.com/2009/12/31/1227339/matt-joyce-or-matt-laporta
mr. maniac - February 3, 2012
What's with sticking up for Hambone? If he had been a man and honored his contract while with the Rays then maybe they have a World Series banner or two
I don’t feel sorry for him and I hope he ends up where he belongs, bent over in front of Bubba.
Sandy Kazmir - February 3, 2012
Calling IC...
firemangreg - February 3, 2012
One could make a serious case that Hamilton murdered a man.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. In other words, in a moral society, we shouldn’t rely on the Bubbas of the world to rape people like Josh Hamilton.
internet commenter - February 3, 2012
Not going to mention that Hatfield will be at the even tonight providing coverage as well??
Hatfield - February 3, 2012
Beat me to it.
SAY HI TO DAVID FOR OTTOTD
firemangreg - February 3, 2012
"Friend of the site", David Price
Hatfield - February 3, 2012
AND DOUG WAECHTER!
Passionate Apathy - February 3, 2012
"even"
:can barely read: :look for the drunkest, sloppiest guy there waving his penis at D. Price:
Sandy Kazmir - February 3, 2012
Hamilton
I don’t see what the big deal is. So the guy had a few drinks for the first time in a while, so what? It’s not like he was seen doing heroin or anything
benderbrodriguez - February 3, 2012
It was likely leading to heroin next, then good possibility of Lueke-ing
Rangers would know.
Ben Tumbling - February 3, 2012
I hope this is sarcasm
Dude’s an addict.
Wasn’t his father-in-law supposed to be his new spotter?
nomoredevil - February 3, 2012
That never actually happened.
firemangreg - February 3, 2012
It seem kinda weird
Ah well, Ron Washington can be his babysitter in the interim
(Ron Washington should not be his babysitter)
nomoredevil - February 3, 2012
Last time he relapsed he allegedly asked the bar owner to get him some blow, so it's kind of a big deal.
firemangreg - February 3, 2012
He's gotten a lot more discreet since then, the only relapse was his lack of judgement in going through an unsecure source
Sandy Kazmir - February 3, 2012
Ryan Gilliss and I literally did that on Tuesday.
Allegedly.
Hatfield - February 3, 2012
was this before or after the throw down with the old people?
nomoredevil - February 4, 2012
This was before.
Mr Neg saw them. He can attest to their grouchiness.
Though he didn’t get to hear their Kotch/Upton thoughts.
Hatfield - February 4, 2012
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