Kurt Straub wrote:

You want a guarantee? In baseball? Good luck with that.

BeastFish wrote:

I've noticed that which player is the designated goat has little to do
with that player's actual performance. It has much more to do with
comparing that player's performance with some imagined desired
performance: a tough standard to live up to.

The Rockies cup runneth over with 3rd basemen... Atkins, Ian Stewart (AA),
and Jeff Baker (AAA). If only the Phils had that problem ;-)

Stewart was a high draft pick (1st round, 10th overall), and rated as one of
the top prospects in baseball. The Rockies are very high on Stewart, to the
point of possibly switching him to the OF or switching Atkins to the OF when
Stewart is ready for the majors.

Baker filled in for a couple of weeks when Atkins was injured in 2005. In
2006, Baker put up impressive numbers as a September callup (.368 BA, 5 HR,
21 RBI, .825 SLG, 1.204 OPS in 18 games), but was used as an OF, mostly RF.
So the Rockies may plan on having him as a corner OF, but they are solid
(and young) in RF and LF with Hawpe and Holliday. With 3B being his natural
position, perhaps the Phils could swing a deal for the right hand hitting
Baker... but it might be a bit costly (Gio +).



"TonyG" <agraybill71460@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:fEFVg.6019$Y24.442@newsread4.news.pas.earthli nk.net...
Gio

"BeastFish" <no@spam.com> wrote in message
news:egduku$rs6$1@emma.aioe.org...

Well, I just checked out thebaseballcube.com and Jeffery Baker. There might
be a reason that they are playing him in the outfield. 13 errors in 59
games in 2005.

Sounds similar to the Royals dilema. Mark Teahen is playing there now, with
Alex Gordon the man to move Teahen to somewhere else, with Billy Butler who
was drafted as a third baseman but whom they have playing the outfield and
is shakey there. Butler and Gordon could be legitimate triple crown
threats. Gordon is untouchable and I think Butler will become a DH/OF
while Teahen may possibly become available. They have a guy named Shealy
who played about half a year at first base and seemed to do ok. Or they
could move Teahen to first base with Sweeny/Butler trading off with the
DH/OF.

I think the White Sox Josh Fields could be had (or Crede) and possibly for a
little less cost than theis Baker that your talking of.

I have questions about Constanzo, but maybe he will tear up AA next year.

I think the Arizona fall league will tell us which pitchers are the best to
keep and which may be expendable. I never saw Gio pitch, but his stature
seems to leave something to be desired. But then, Sandy Kofax and Billy
Wagner are not big men and there are many pitchers about 6'0 who have become
successfull pitchers. I would just be concerned that the Phils would
trade too much of their pitching depth and then the guys whom they keep
(Gavin Floyd's) would not pan out and they would be stuck with another round
of poor pitching.

TonyG

"TonyG" <agraybill71460@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:fEFVg.6019$Y24.442@newsread4.news.pas.earthli nk.net...
Gio

While the Rockies could use a CF, Rowand has only one year left on
contract... well, I think it's a club/player option year... at 5 million.
The Rockies would probably be more interested in Bourn instead.

"TonyG" <agraybill71460@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Q0HWg.7401$Y24.1768@newsread4.news.pas.earthl ink.net...
might

Well, he only committed 1 error in 20 attempts at the major league level in
'05. But hit like crap during that 2005 stint in the majors. Probably a
case of "one year too soon" since he hit quite well in the minors, and in
the majors in '06. Well, the Phils could also use a RF :-)