6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog: Pickoff Moves

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Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Pickoff Moves

Angels Run The Numbers On A-Rod

The Angels are not ruling out a run at A-Rod. The money's the thing (emphasis mine):

The loss of Bartolo Colon -- a free agent whom the Angels will not attempt to re-sign -- Shea Hillenbrand and Hector Carrasco will clear $25 million off the books, but it's not as if the Angels can plug Rodriguez's salary -- he's expected to command $25 million to $30 million a year -- into that slot and call it even.
Raises to core players such as Guerrero, Gary Matthews Jr., Orlando Cabrera, John Lackey and Garret Anderson, and a significant jump in closer Francisco Rodriguez's salary will add at least $16 million to the 2008 payroll.
That leaves the Angels at about $100 million. Add Rodriguez, and the payroll jumps to about $130 million, not including the millions it would cost to insure his contract. The Angels, in need of rotation depth, also would have little room to add a quality pitcher.
...
"Finances are definitely going to be involved," new General Manager Tony Reagins said. "You want to make the best decision for your club. I'm sure Alex wants to make the best decision, and if the two jell, something can get done."
He has spoken to agent Scott Boras about Rodriguez, "and we'll be speaking again," Reagins said. Boras is also expected to meet soon with Moreno.
...
"You have to look at the long-term picture," Reagins said. "When you make that type of investment, you want to make sure you can absorb it. If it makes sense, you pursue it."
Does signing Rodriguez make sense?
"I can't say that because I don't know what the numbers are going to be," said Reagins, who is awaiting payroll parameters from Moreno. "Arte and I talk about a lot of things, and the most important is improving the club, bringing a quality product to the fans year after year. If something makes sense, we'll take a strong look at it."

Roster Notes

Chone Figgins had surgery to remove the hook of the hamate bone in his left hand. He should be fully recovered by January 1.
The Padres expect to re-sign Greg Maddux by either his exercising an $8.75M player option, or the team exercising an $11M club option.
The Dodgers supposedly are one of several teams interested in Cubs free agent Kerry Wood. Wood was sporting a 98-MPH fastball late in the season.
The Dodgers will pay half of Odalis Perez's $1.5M buyout for his $9M 2008 club option with Kansas City. The former Dodger had a 5.57 ERA in 2007 with the Royals.
The Diamondbacks are negotiating an extension for manager Bob Melvin.
The Rockies declined a $3.75M mutual option on LaTroy Hawkins.
The White Sox declined Darin Erstad's $3.5M 2008 club option.

U.S.S. Mariner Hearts Bartolo Colon

U.S.S. Mariner has their 2007 offseason plan up, and one of its pillars is picking up Bartolo Colon, a pitcher Dave Cameron calls "the hidden gem of free agent pitchers".

OT: Something For Halloween: Kaspar The Dead Baby

A little something for Halloween: my friend Marv Wolfman, fairly early in his career, wrote a rather gruesome backstory for Casper the Friendly Ghost, called "Kaspar The Dead Baby", which appeared in Crazy: