$ for Z

There hasn’t been many posts, because there’s really nothing going except

– waiting to see if Cliff Floyd will get signed
– waiting to see if they come up with a second option in CF

Neither thing has progressed since the end of the winter meetings. There’s the Z arbitration news, but really I don’t care as much about next year as the five after with him. I’m hoping this bit in the Tribune has some validity:

Ultimately, Zambrano is expected to seek a six-year deal for somewhere around $100 million-$110 million when contract talks begin next month.

If you can sign Z for 18.3 a year (which is $110 over 6), you do that deal and you do it right away. I firmly believe he’ll get 20 on the open market. He’s significantly better than Zito, and you’re getting him for only $1 mil more a year. That’s a huge bargain.

It’d be nice if Felix Pie turned out to be a borderline all-star CF (that seems to be the current projection – except there’s no such thing as borderline all-star CF, but go with me on this), but the most important move this team will make for it’s future is signing Z long term. They’ve got to get it done before the season starts, and the sooner the better.

Ohman getting resigned for two years kinda surprised me, because it doesn’t seem like the club likes him all that much and a two year deal would seem harder to trade than 1. I guess he’s sticking around, which solidifies one more spot on the roster and makes it more likely all those kids who started in the rotation later year will be back in Iowa.

Assuming a 12 man pen (which sucks but it’s the way it’ll be)

SP Zambrano
SP Hill
SP Lilly
SP Miller
SP Marquis

RP Wood
RP Wuertz
RP Cotts
RP Howry
RP Eyre
RP Ohman
RP Dempster (closer by default at the moment)

OUT: Marshall, Novoa, Marmol, Guzman, Ohman, Mark Prior

There’s really no flexibility left, and yet no spot for Prior. I can’t imagine it’ll stay that way; they’re still going to keep a space open for him and are willing to stick Novoa or Marmol or whoever in his spot if he isn’t ready (it’s only the 12 pitching spot after all.) Ohman sticking must mean they’re prepared to flip Wuertz in any CF trade they make (or for some pittance before spring training.) I wonder if Wuertz for the M’s CF Reed would work?

I think Ohman’s deal, making him the third lefty, also means they’re really serious about Cotts getting a shot at the rotation, competing for Wade Miller’s spot. (Theoretically, that’s the spot Prior wants too.) Even if it doesn’t work out, it’s really for the best – there’s no long reliever on the staff, and that killed the team last year when Dusty did things like using four guys to get four innings in blowout games. Cotts getting stretched out in Spring Training and being able to come in every time Marquis goes nuclear will be a nice improvement.