disarcina

1-zip Kings in the first 18 seconds up at the Shark Tank..........good start.

4 years - $49 mil -- for Nolasco? Really? Unbelievable.

Williams will be kept but not tendered...........I think.

Have to see what he signed for to determine whether this made sense or not. Nolasco pitched well for Dodgers after coming over and won about 8 games down the stretch in August/ September -- sort of cooled off at the end and in the playoffs. Seems like starting pitching is at a premium so I think most of us will consider the contact over market when it may actually be setting the (higher) market. Assume this is at least a two year deal......perhaps 2 @ $12 million. Hard to say.........we'll wait and see.

Chatwood? -- perhaps we should dig through the archive threads........folks were pretty vicious with their posts about his performance towards the end of his Halo time..........

A bit expensive but not a terrible deal for the Dogs........they're spending that amount for their FOURTH starter or maybe even FIFTH. WOW! When I saw this in today's LA TIMES, it just, to me, was a reminder that the Halos really missed that window of opportunity to become S. Cal's team surpassing the tradition laden Dodgers....... Halos had a shot but couldn't capitalize on the opportunity during the McCourt debacle years and now the new Dogs ownership has righted the Chavez Ravine ship quickly and, whether you agree with their Yankees-West philosophy or not, are spending the dollars to be competitive. They got Nolasco last year down the stretch, a move that was worth a flyer and he rewarded them with 7 or 8 wins down the stretch -- he won't be back but contributed those wins when needed............and now Haren, who I thought pitched well for us and is a serviceable FOURTH or FIFTH rotation guy. And, please, I hope folks are joking about Bartolo.........do we really want him back so many years after we let OUR only other Cy Young Award winner leave as a free agent (and there weren't too many complaints here about that, if I recall).

"Give 'em Blanton!" LOL! His ERA in Coors would be infinity............ I don't think he'd get anyone out. A base hit instead of a HR would be major achievement.

KINGS WIN IN OT!!! Beat the Canucks........Scrivens has been lights out in goal..........who'd thunk it??? Hated to lose Bernier but Scrivens shows that he belongs and can step up!! Kopitar with the game winner on a night where Bob Miller and Jim Fox interview Kopitar's father!! Good stuff.

AJP, Blanton, Vernon Wells, am sure there are others. Former Halos who I did not like and do not root for when they left Anaheim: top of the list: Mo Vaughn, then Scott Schoenweis, John Lackey, Halos I will always root for and did root for after they left Anaheim: Torri Hunter, David Eckstein, Orlando Cabrera, Garrett Anderson, JT Snow (that goes back a ways), Peter Bourjos.

they probably want Trumbo -- he'd hit 70 homeruns if he played 81 games at Coors.......and now Helton's retired.

I agree. This is the first move of several. Not sure if it's a trade for pitching or signing a F/A rotation guy.......but it's a move. I see Halos are IN or Arroyo (he's decent, number three/four type guy) and BARTOLO COLON!! (It would be real interesting if we end up signing Bartolo Colon for a one year deal perhaps a one plus one but for perhaps MORE money than we were unwilling to give him to re-sign several years back -- it could happen, I guess). If we do sign Colon I can just see the posts spewing out this board now and would be multiplied if he gets hit hard in his first start back........ I'm hoping we don't sign Colon -- the 'hey, look at what the stupid Angels did' factor is just too high.........

I've always thought Peralta would be better at 2B. He hits for power but not the best glove.......wouldn't need the range and arm at 2B.

CARDSFANVEGAS -- let us Halo fans know when you're ready to part with Rosenthal........really like the way he pitches. So effective in his current role, he may not get the rotation gig he probably deserves and would excel at. Then again, Chris Carpenter has retired.......

Peralta looking at nice contract..........I guess there is life after suspension........... Cards are not the type of organization that I think would take a look at guy like this.........oh well, they did have McGwire on their team during his more 'productive' years.

thinking about these kind of contracts and just because there are these kind of contracts in existence -- probably means the DH is here to stay forever in the AL -- no chance (as some baseball purists would want) that MLB votes to scrap the DH in the AL........and it's because guys like McCann and Pujols and others have these huge long term contracts that contemplate that they'll be DHing the last half or more of the contract........ say you have a guy like these signed to a 8 to 10 year deal and suddenly in year 5 they scrap the DH..........? so, yeah, that won't happen.

McCann a great fit for the Yankees......... and towards the end of the contract, even now, he can platoon catching and DH. good signing if they ink him.

I like the Cardinals, the St. Louis way of running a franchise and approach to the game........ I will be rooting for PJB to do very well in St. Louis and if he does, I will not regret the fact that the Angels sent him there in this deal. Peter Bourjos is a natural fit in the NL and was not going to get the every day playing time in Anaheim. He's perfect for St. Louis -- if, for some reason it does not work out there for Bourjos, it won't be because he didn't have a great opportunity in a system that fits his style of play.

perhaps we can hope Blanton will match Madsen's 2013 stats for Games Played and IP in 2014........

I guess we're not pursuing Nathan.........oh well. more of the same. Frieri has pitched well but somewhat inconsistent.......for what we paid to get him, he's a bargain. I'd prefer him as a set up guy and really beef up our pen plus a new number three type rotation arm. Not sure why everyone is down on Salas.........he was very effective in 2011 for St. Louis -- yeah, that's two years ago and all. But we need pen depth and Salas may be able to provide that. Of course, last year at this time our 'new' closer who was going to replace Frieri was a guy named Madsen...... I don't think Salas (or anyone we get for the pen this year) can top Madsen's 2013 ERA -- it was 0.00. But hopefully Salas and any other new acquisition can top Madsen's Games Played and Innings Pitched stat from 2013: ZERO. There were also a lot of ZEROES behind the lead number listed on the contract the Halos paid him for 2013.

well, perhaps. Frieri (thanks for the spelling, too lazy to look it up) didn't pitch very effectively for San Diego before he came over to the Halos. Don't know whether it was change of scenery, a new league of hitters who hadn't seen him before or coaching that attributed to his significant change of fortunes that season. Salas was ONCE (2011) very effective for St. Louis......perhaps he's lost it and it's over.......hard to say. But we don't need a Frieri type success from Salas......just a serviceable middle inning pre-set up reliever performance will do. Need I remind anyone of some of our pen woes last season........

Excellent analysis. Spot on. I like the deal. I might not have liked the deal in another era when teams took their time allowing players to develop but in today's MLB -- the future is now and two / three years from now is an eternity. I also think this deal is great for ALL the players involved. A healthy Bourjos who plays to his potential will quickly become a fan favorite in a town that just adores its players and appreciates hustle, speed and gamer attitude. Grichuk, who I am not that familiar with, is sort of stuck (even at 22) behind several other players on the Halos depth chart. He wasn't going to make the Angels 25 man roster this year and could very likely stick with St. Louis as a 5th OF'er and anyone watching this year's World Series can appreciate how much the Cardinals needs some decent punch off the bench. Freese could use a change of scenery and a new start. If healthy he will produce better numbers than we've seen at third base in about five years or so. He's also good defensively. IF HEALTHY. Salas is worth a flyer. He was up and down between the big club and AAA last year. St. Louis has apparently lost confidence in Salas. The same thing happened with San Diego and guy named Fieri (spelled wrong). Fieri got lit up big time his last few NL outings with San Diego. Got traded to the Halos and was a completely different story........solid pen guy who got elevated to closer and was certainly worth the flyer........so it's hard to tell. Excellent article and spot on analysis.

Matt Carpenter moves to 3B and KOLTEN WONG moves to 2B for the Cardinals. That's good news for St. Louis because it means Wong will no longer be available to PINCH RUN off the bench.........

Santana's asking price too much, He had a good year but we all remember him as Mr. Inconsistent.

Peter Bourjos will become a fan favorite in St. Louis very quickly. He plays an NL style game which no team plays better than the St. Louis Cardinals. He's a whiz in CF defensively, has a better arm than folks realize and can run like the wind. No power, really, but will hit 8 to 10 HRs for the season if he plays every day. Seemed to be coming on as a hitter when he went down with an injury last year and spent some DL time. I think he is an arch-typical St. Louis Cardinals type of player who will fit in well.........YES -- an upgrade over John Jay.

Fielder may hit 60 Homeruns at Arlington.