Fouled-Off Bunts: He's No Angel Edition

Hector Carrasco is on his way to the West Coast, or so sez Bill Ladson. His "source" named three teams, but listed the Angels as favorites. He also claims that Carrasco has a 2-year $6 million deal on the table, and that he may get an option year.

If that's the kind of deal they're giving a 36-year old pitcher, it's been nice knowin' ya, Hector!

Ladson's article notes that the Nationals would get the Angels first-round pick if Hector signs there. One catch though: That's assuming that the Angels sign no other Type-A free agents -- which is far from a certainty. In that case, the Nats would get a second-round pick. Also, if the Angels sign a higher-rated Type-B, the Nationals would slide to the second-round.

The same case applies to the two other teams in the article: SF and Sea. Seattle's first-round pick, just as ours is, is protected because they stunk last year. Further, San Francisco, whose first-rounder is also protected, has already given up their second-rounder with their signing of Tim Worrell (which would presumably take them out of the Carrasco competition anyway.) If he were to go there, we'd get just a third-rounder.

The same article confirms Tony Siegle's interest in the SF Ass. GM job.

Ibid: John Flaherty, a GW Alum, has expressed interest in our vacant backup catcher job. Flaherty is old and had a disappointing season, but he has usually hit lefties decently, and had some acceptable seasons in the past. You could do worse. Would he work for less than the $750K that Gary Bennett made last year, though?

The object of my catching lust, Todd Pratt, is, amazingly, a type-A free agent. He's simply not worth giving up a first-round pick for. BUT, Philadelphia just signed Sal Fasano to be their backup. I would assume that they would now NOT offer Pratt arbitration, unless they plan on bringing him back as a third catcher/backup 1B. (But they probably wouldn't risk doing that for the price he'll command via an aribiter). All of which is a long way of saying that he probably won't cost a draft pick as long as we wait until after the arbitration deadline next week.

The Times takes their hack at the Reinsdorf meeting. Read if you want more self-interested city council quotes.

Jim Bowden's beantown dreams may be evaporating into a gaseous cloud. The team met, for a third time, with Jim Beattie (Seen here with his wife.)

The Nationals have 60-1 odds to win the World Series next season. I'd sell that one short! Given the price, I'd put $10 on the Blue Jays. (I'd only wind up spending it on faux leather jackets anyway)

Movie Pick O' The Week: The Bicycle Thief. Yeah, it's black and white. Yeah, it's foreign (but at least it's not French!). But it's damn good, and the message of hopelessness and the lengths that human beings will go to to survive, learning to adapt and persevere are universal. While it seems like a simple story, it has a much deeper message and spirit.