The GM's Almanac...William Blake's Birthday
A near-daily look at the Hot Stove League
No on Manny Ramirez.
There are persistent reports that the Boston Red Sox are trying to trade Manny Ramirez and that the Rangers are one of the teams involved. Sources say that's just not happening.
The Rangers have no interest in giving the Red Sox what they want in return and that's Michael Young.
The Rangers also aren't matched up with the Blue Jays on a possible trade for Vernon Wells. When he becomes a free agent next year, look for the Rangers to be interested. But a trade to Texas does not seem likely right now.
If the Rangers trade for a center fielder, it will likely be be either Aaron Rowand with the Phillies or Brian Anderson with the White Sox.
A possible free agent target? Kenny Lofton.
He turns 40 next year but he hit .301 with a .360 on-base percentage, 79 runs scored and 32 stolen bases for the Dodgers last year.
Anybody notice this guy has been on a playoff team ten times in the last 12 years and only Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams have more playoff at-bats among active players?
He had a calf injury last year, which may be why his range numbers were a little down last year. Otherwise his numbers show he can still run them down in center field.
He seems to be higher on the Rangers list than Steve Finley.
William Blake was born on this date in 1757 and he was the poet that Annie Savoy quoted in Bull Durham when she said, "The road to excess leads to the palace of wisdom." He wrote that in The Marriage of Heaven and **** and may describe the 2006-07 free agent market. I think. You could look it up.
Mr. Sullivan, you left a comment on my MLBlog, http://emptygolfshirt.mlblogs.com/ offering to link my blog here. The answer is yes, that would be swell. I will return the favor. Thank you.
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Thanks for squelching the Ramirez and Wells trade rumors. What fans fail to remember is these national writers get paid to work the phones and write about their conversations. If they don't write, they are out of a job. We never know how much of what they report is speculation by their sources or just their own opinion of what teams should do. It is fun to read, but most turns out to be inaccurate.
I'd much rather read the reports and opinions of the beat writer, like yourself, whom is with the team on a permanent basis.
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Please sign Kenny Lofton to a one-year deal until Wells and Hunter become available via free agency. I really don't wanna see Freddy Guzman in centerfield on opening day at the Ballpark.
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But Lofton, like Wilkerson and Catalanotto (and Blalock), is listless vs. lefties.
Sign Shannon Stewart.
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Do you want Shannon Stewart playing CF in the vast wasteland that is Ameriquest Field? I sure don't. Granted, he's an option for LF to platoon with Cat, but the man has never played CF regularly in his career.
Lofton, by the way, has a very respectable career BA of .287 against southpaws in 1,984 at-bats. I say sign Lofton to a one- or two-year deal and make him the primary CF.
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That CAREER stat (on Lofton vs. Lefties) paints a rosier outlook than my shallower look into the splits of only last year. I stand corrected (beyond last year and 2003 when all his %'s vs. lefties were about 100 points lower than his good #'s vs. righties.)
Was last year a 1-year aberration? He had an abysmal .549 OPS and .214 avg. vs. lefties; and in '03 he wasn't much better. But otherwise, you're right. His #'s vs. lefties are as good or better than vs. righties.
Touchee! And thanks.
I'm still big on Stewart, because Nelson Cruz should be developed by Gary Pettis INTO a CF, as long as we're putting so much stock in him.
But Lofton looks rosey! Add 1 more to my list of reasonable risks to hope for.
Two little details to add:
In his MLB photo, unlike Manny Ramirez and Coco Crisp, and... and... i.e. unlike many, Kenny Lofton is wearing his hat STRAIGHT and looking you IN THE EYE.
Besides, if the manager replacing Buck is always supposed to go to the World Series in the following year, it couldn't hurt (at that point in 2007) to have a guy who's helped his team to (and through) the playoffs for the 11th time in his last 13 tries!
God bless the Winter meetings!
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