So what do you plan on doing for 3rd base if you trade Ensberg? Re-sign Huff or start Lamb? Personally i'd be very happy with Lamb as the starter.
I think Lamb would fit in nicely as a full time start over time, better than Huff that is. If Ensberg goes, for anyone but a third baseman, Lamb has well deserved his chance at the hot corner.
Lamb may be cheaper than Huff... but there's a number of reasons why teams have never considered him to be a bonafied everyday 3b.
I personally would not have a problem with Lamb playing full-time at third. We are somewhat limited where out upgrading and bolstering will come from. Corner outfield, catcher. Third baseman but who is out there that will get the job done? IMO a solid veteran to hold down the fort until late this 2007 or next year for Koby to come up and take his spot on the big club.
Which Morgan goes? If it's one who is finished as a bona fide ML 3B then OK, but if he is bounce-backable but dumped for nuthin' then please keep him.
Honestly, if Morgan doesn't try to be superman and play through the shoulder that needed rest this year (before he was actually forced to sit out), his year ends up being pretty solid. It wasn't as good as last year, but its not as bad as some of you make it out to be. His ability to get on base is KEY... especially if you bat him in front of Berkman. My guess is, he's somewhere in between the MVP Morgan, and the one that sucked for May-June this year... in the end, .260-.270 average, 20+ HR's, 80+RBI's, and a GOOD on base percentage. I'll take that from my everyday 3B.
I'll take that if he's not an uncoachable **** who pretends he's not injured and won't listen to his coaches. For all the good character things I've heard about Mo, the damning thing I've heard is that he's a little stubborn and at times flat won't listen at all to his coaches. If he's going to continue that and continue to trot out to the plate knowing he's got half a shoulder and will probably hit .100, I don't mind showing him the door.
I have no problem with that. Then again, he's not some nansy-pansy sissy boy like JD Drew, who sits out when he has a hang-nail. His performance (or lackthereof) spoke for itself after he hurt his shoulder. He admitted he made a mistake of trying to play through it... and the only reason he thought he could get away with it was because of what he did in 2004 (hurt forearm the whole year... but we had a little more of a safety net with Beltran, Bagwell, Kent and Berkman). At this point, everybody will know the difference between the Mo that's feeling good, and the Mo that's hiding something... as long as that's clear, he's still a decent everyday player (when healthy).
Per the Palm Beach Post, Marlins are looking to package young "surplus" pitching and/or possibly 1B Mike Jacobs. They want CF & bullpen help. Stros have no replacement for Willy. Only way this makes sense is if it's a precursor to another move.
It seems to me that ME's trade value is low, with a reasonable upside/bounceback. I'd look elsewhere for players to move/bring in.
It wouldn't be permanent... but Burke can more than handle the load in CF for the time being (and would be a good stick to have in the lineup everyday). If this team survived a full season of Biggio or Berkman in CF... they can survive Burke.
Don't believe anything mlbtraderumors posts. That site has less resources than you and I do. Believe nothing posted there.
i might consider willyT for jacobs straight up. in nearly 600 ml abs, jacobs has slugged .515. and he's only 26. he's laroche-like, imo. move berkman to right, put burke in cf. if fla would rather deal young arms, fine. call toronto and ask them which pitchers they want from the marlin farm and then put together a package for vernon wells. either/or.
And then you create a hole at 2B, where Burke's going to get a lot of PT next year. Wasn't saying anything about his abilities to play a decent CF. Like I said, it would be a precursor to another move (either starting CF or 4th OF who can play CF). Astroholic: you certainly shouldn't believe anything on that site that comes from his "sources", as he's been pretty much completely & consistently wrong in predicting things. In this case, all they did was link to a story from elsewhere, so no original (unsourced) thought included.
Well, Bruntlett's not a bad OF either on those off days for Biggio... I just think if Willy can upgrade either our pitching, or our lineup, we should explore it. If that means we have to survive a season of Burke/Bruntlett in CF, while Josh Anderson gets ready (or the club makes another move), so be it. Willy still needs some seasoning (on base capability and extra-base hits), and this club desperatly needs to play guys who can get on base so Berkman/Lee/Huff can drive them in.
