Nov/080
The Kevin Gregg Trade, What They Are Saying…
Let’s take a look around the web and see what other Fish fans and analysts are saying about the Kevin Gregg trade…
FishStripes – I’m not going to spend much time on the Cubs side of the trade, but hopefully Gregg will do well for them with his new bionic knee (or whatever was done to it in the offseason). Gregg is a very useful member to anyone’s bullpen and he would’ve been for the Marlins also. It is just that he cost too much for the Fish. The final analysis is that the Cubs got a pitcher who might help in a setup role immediately and the Marlins received one who could potentially turn into an excellent late innings reliever. Not a bad trade overall.
Sentinel Blog – Ceda was the Cubs’ No. 4 prospect, according to Baseball America before last season. He has hit 99 mph with his fastball and, at 6-5 and as much as 280 pounds, has been compared to a young Lee Smith. Considering Smith went on to become baseball’s all-time saves leader for a number of years, that’s not bad at all. The weight issue, however, could be a problem down the road.
MLB.com – Looking for a big, strong, power-armed right-hander who could possibly wear the “closer of the future” label? Then Jose Ceda just might be your guy.
ESPN – The Marlins, meanwhile, have picked up another free arm for a player they simply didn’t want or need for 2009, and this arm is very good. Ceda sits in the mid-90s with a sharp slider with hard diving action, and he has a good track record of missing bats in the minors, including 42 strikeouts in 30 AA innings this year. His stuff would play in the majors right now, and the Marlins aren’t afraid to promote guys with big velocity quickly.
Nov/081
Kevin Gregg…GONE!
The Marlins continued there overhaul today with the anticipated trade of Kevin Gregg being completed. The trade partner? The Chicago Cubs. Clark Spencer has the scoop over at Fish Bytes…
The Marlins have traded reliever Kevin Gregg to the Chicago Cubs for right-handed pitcher Jose Ceda. Ceda, 21, was ranked by Baseball America as the fourth top prospect in the Cubs’ organization in 2008. Last season, he went 2-2 with a 4.80 ERA at Single A Daytona and 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA in 22 relief appearances for Double A Tennessee.
It was nice knowing you Gregg. Next time you have an injury, why don’t you tell someone about it. Get the scoop on our new arm, Jose Ceda, here.
Sounds like a poor man’s Carlos Marmol to me.
Nov/080
A Little Bit of Everything
As GM meetings continue, the Marlins continue to talk trades and see how they can position themselves to make a run at the playoffs next season. Here are some points you should be paying attention to today.
- The Marlins have spoken to the Texas Rangers about catcher Max Ramirez but are also content to stick with their current group of catchers if they can’t work out a trade. Ramirez, 24, is coveted for his bat. He has hit .312 over his minor-league career with 64 home runs. At Double A Frisco (Texas) last season, he hit .354 with 17 home runs in only 243 at bats.
- Don’t be surprised if the Marlins give Carl Pavano more than a passing glance after the New York Yankees severed ties with the oft-maligned right-hander and he added his name to the free-agent ranks. Pavano played under owner Jeffrey Loria in Montreal and Florida, keeps his home in West Palm Beach, and might be affordable. Pavano was a big-time flop with the Yankees, winning just nine games in four years while being paid $39.5 million.
- Jeff Conine’s agent said ”Mr. Marlin” is taking a job with the Marlins, either on the baseball or business side, or both.
- Some of the characteristics of the old stadium will be incorporated into the Marlins’ new ballpark. Specifically, the field dimensions. Like Dolphin Stadium, the Marlins’ retractable-roof facility on the Orange Bowl grounds in the Little Havana section of Miami will be pitcher-friendly. For the first time, the dimensions of the outfield have been revealed for the ballpark, which is tentatively scheduled to open in 2011. HOK Sport, the designer of the new park, has drawn up a field that will have a 340-foot fence down the left-field line. The left-field alley will be set at 384 feet.
Oct/080
Team Report
We all know the Marlins head into the long off season with a record number of arbitration eligible players set to make more money. While there are 15 arby players, not all of them will return with the Fish next year. With a little help from Yahoo Sports, I will break down our off season outlook…
Free Agents: OF Luis Gonzalez, C Paul LoDuca, LHP Arthur Rhodes, LHP Mark Hendrickson.
The only one from this group that I expect to return is Arthur Rhodes. Rhodes is still effective even as he gets older. Problem is he can’t give you more than a few batters a game. Rhodes was a huge asset down the stretch last year when Renyel Pinto started struggling. A one year offer seems fair for Rhodes who deserves a Kevin Gregg 2008 type salary, considering he was much more effective than Gregg.
Arbitration-eligible: 2B Dan Uggla, RHP Kevin Gregg, LHP Scott Olsen, RHP Ricky Nolasco, 1B Mike Jacobs, LF Josh Willingham, 3B Jorge Cantu, RF Jeremy Hermida, CF Cody Ross, INF Alfredo Amezaga, RHP Josh Johnson, C Matt Treanor, RHP Joe Nelson, RHP Logan Kensing, 3B Dallas McPherson.
We already know the story on most of these guys. I do expect the majority of these guys to be back and battling in Spring Training for starting jobs. Kevin Gregg, Mike Jacobs and Scott Olsen are 80-90% gone and guys like Dan Uggla would be traded only if the Marlins are blown away by an offer. That being said Hermida should get another shot in Spring Training to prove he is worth sticking around. Cantu should be back as well. I also expect McPherson to get a legitimate shot out of Spring Training for third base.
Oct/080
Florida Trade Chips Are Mediocre At Best
One day, somewhere I would love to meet these “veteran scouts” who supply information to there GM’s to help make proper decisions when dealing with other teams players for trades. Mike Berardino wrote an interesting blog post two days ago that caught my eye. Let’s analyze this shall we…
“Jeremy Hermida does nothing for me. No passion for the game. Once Fredi took him out of the lineup down the stretch, his lower lip was dragging. I saw him take BP late in the year and he looked like he was getting ready for an A-ball game. I have my doubts about him. No interest here.”
I think this is pretty obvious as Hermida has done nothing for the Marlins fans that were once clamoring for him to get the early call up back in the day. I’m not one to drop phrases like “lack of passion” or “he is not hungry enough” but Hermida just looks like he would rather be somewhere else than on a baseball field. His attention span in right field is that of a 5 year old at school. I’m wondering if the Marlins brass has soured on him as well or if they are willing to give him one more shot.
“Kevin Gregg has those knee problems (patellar tendinitis) and you have to worry about that. He really bangs and twists his front leg when he lands, and that’s where the problem is. He’s not a closer. Not for me. Maybe you stick him back in the seventh inning like he used to be for the Angels, but the arbitration number ($4 million or more) is too high for that role.”
I think it’s a forgone conclusion that Gregg is gone sooner than later. With teams always looking for quality bullpen help, he should fine a landing spot soon. Considering Gregg was hiding and injury down the stretch, blowing games left and right, and until Hanley signed his extension was the most expensive player on the team. Someone like the Mets will overpay. No thanks.
More after the jump.
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