Gload Traded to Marlins

The Royals traded left hand hitting first basemen Ross Gload to the Florida Marlins for a player to be named later.

According to MLB.com, the Royals also sent cash to the Marlins, apparently to help pay for Gload's $1.9 million salary for this year.

Gload spent the last two seasons with the Royals, batting .288 in 2007 and .273 last year.

Publish Post

Red Sox - Royals; Wheeling and Dealing

The Red Sox have reportedly sent centerfielder Coco Crisp to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for right handed reliever Ramon Ramirez.

Crsip's 2008 stats: .283 BA, 7 HR, 41 RBIs, 20 SB

Ramirez 2008 stats: 71 GP, 2.64 ERA, 71 1/3 innings, 3-2, 1 SV

Updates from Around the League

We understand that there may be fans from cities across the United States that could give two muffins about the Phillies-Rays World Series right now.

Frankly, we're bored out of our skulls. So, here are some updates from around the league:

Seems like Joba's not the only one with a drinking problem. Good for you Luis Vizcaino!

Willie Randolph is denying reports that he turned down/received offers to help coach the Washington Nationals. We totally get it Willie, steer clear of DC.

With Phillies GM Pat Gillick set to retire at the end of the season, all sources point towards Ruben Amaro Jr replacing the 71 year old front office mastermind.

The Giants, Blue Jays, and Royals all seem to be interested in Florida's Mike Jacobs, with the Royals having the upper hand in trade talks.

Dayton Moore cries "Liar, liar, pants on fire" in regards to reports that the Royals were talking to the Indians about a deal involving Mark Teahan.

Guillen Restrained From Fan

According to numerous news services and the associated press, Royals outfielder Jose Guillen had to be restrained by third base coach Luis Silverio while security guards removed a heckling fan.

Excerpts from Associated Press article posted on ESPN.com:

Kauffman Stadium security removed the fan, who started in on Guillen after he stopped at first base in the second inning after hitting a drive off the wall in left field.

"When I got that hit to left field, that guy started saying all kinds of stuff. 'Why didn't I make it to second?'" Guillen said. "Hey, I hit the ball hard. People who know baseball know the guy [Rangers left fielder Marlon Byrd] made a nice play. I had no chance to make it to second. I can deal with that."

When Guillen flied out to left to end the fourth, the fan's heckling apparently escalated.

"The [next] at-bat, when I hit the ball to left field, he said the magic words," Guillen said. "Something personal about my family. I don't deal well with that. That's enough right there."

"I understand who I am and the money that I'm making," Guillen said. "I understand that I'm hitting .250, and the fans are expecting a lot more than they're seeing. But the word he said, trust me, anybody would want to go there."

Failure Dynasties: ESPN Page 2

ESPN's Page 2 writer Johan Keri wrote a brilliant article over the weekend, detailing baseball's worst dynasties.
We here at 108 Red Stitches love to argue the oddities of baseball (stats/physical/emotional) and we overjoyed to see Keri's article. Here is a brief excerpt from his writings, with links and photos to accompany what we consider the best article on baseball so far this year:

BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Length of streak: 10 straight losing seasons
Last winning season: 98-64, 1997
General managers: Pat Gillick (1998), Frank Wren (1999), Syd Thrift (2000-2002), Jim Beattie/Mike Flanagan (2003-05), Flanagan (2006-07), Andy MacPhail (2007-)

Lowest moment: Facing the Texas Rangers at Camden Yards on Aug. 22 of last year, the Orioles gave up 30 runs, setting a modern-era record for a single game. The O's actually led 3-0 early in the game before allowing 30 straight runs in the 30-3 loss.

Favorite whipping boys: Peter Angelos. Every player, manager, GM and hot dog vendor who failed to do the job in the past 10 years is an extension of Angelos' reign of error.

Hope for the future? The 15-13 start is nice, but the Orioles probably won't see a winning season for a while. Nick Markakis and Adam Jones are great building blocks in the outfield, Luke Scott is an above-average player as the third outfielder, Brian Roberts and George Sherrill should fetch some interesting loot in a trade, and Matt Wieters is a potential franchise player a year away from taking over at catcher. After that, the closet is nearly bare, with a severe lack of pitching the biggest problem.

ETA for next winning season: 2012.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Length of streak: 12 out of 13 losing seasons, no playoff berths in 22 years
Last winning season: 83-79, 2003
Last winning season before that: 64-51, 1994
General managers: Herk Robinson (1995-2000), Allard Baird (2001-06), Dayton Moore (2006-)

Lowest moment: Following the first 100-loss season in franchise history in 2002, new manager Tony Pena improbably guided the team to an 83-win season in '03, dramatically raising expectations. The Royals responded with a 7-14 April in 2004 on their way to 104 losses.

Favorite whipping boys: Tony Muser, Buddy Bell, Allard Baird, David Glass, Angel Berroa, Neifi Perez, Lima Time!

Notable quotable: "We got the best high school arm in the country, and we got probably the best athlete in the draft. If somebody would have told me before the draft we were going to get Mr. Griffin and Mr. Crosby, I would have said 'You're nuts.'" --GM Allard Baird

Hope for the future? Plenty, actually. A top three of Zack Greinke, Gil Meche and Brian Bannister in the rotation suddenly looks really promising. Billy Butler hits like Ichiro, even if it also looks he ate Ichiro. Alex Gordon's a future star. Joakim Soria is a young, cheap, lights-out closer and the key man in a very good bullpen.

ETA for next winning season: 2009.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Length of streak: 15 straight losing seasons
Last winning season: 96-66, 1992
General managers: Cam Bonifay (1993-2001), Dave Littlefield (2001-07), Neal Huntington (2008-)

Lowest moment: Facing the Cubs on the second-to-last day of the 2001 season, the Pirates got crushed by a score of 13-2, their 100th loss of the season. It was the first time the Bucs dropped 100 games in 16 years.

Favorite whipping boys: Derek Bell, Kevin Young, Pat Meares, Mike Benjamin, Lloyd McClendon, Jim Tracy, Cam Bonifay, Dave Littlefield, Kevin McClatchy.

Notable quotable: "Nobody told me I was in competition. If there is competition, somebody better let me know. If there is competition, they better eliminate me out of the race and go ahead and do what they're going to do with me. I ain't never hit in spring training, and I never will. If it ain't settled with me out there, then they can trade me. I ain't going out there to hurt myself in spring training battling for a job. If it is [a competition], then I'm going into 'Operation Shutdown.'" --Pirates outfielder Derek Bell's reaction to competing for a starting job with the Pirates in spring training 2002, after hitting .173 the year before. True to his word, Operation Shutdown never played another game in the big leagues.

Hope for the future? Ian Snell's a keeper in the rotation. Nate McLouth may be in the early stages of a breakout season. Ryan Doumit should be a solid run producer at catcher. Andrew McCutchen is a five-tool prospect in center field. But the biggest hope resides in the front office, where new GM Neal Huntington has surrounded himself with a top-rate staff of baseball minds who should help the Bucs get back on the winning track. It won't happen right away, though -- the Pirates have a terrible farm system for a team that has had so many high draft picks.

ETA for next winning season: 2010.

There's another two teams that Keri picks apart, but if you want to keep reading about it, you'll have to click here.

Free Agent "No-Mo"

Hideo Nomo signed a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals, becoming the second Japanese pitcher to ink up with former Japanese Nippon Ham Fighters' manager Trey Hillman. Yasuhiko Yabuta signed earlier in the offseason. GM Dayton Moore also denied reports that the Royals were close to signing free agent starter Bartolo Colon.

In other baseball news, the St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a contract with former Padre/Marlin/Cub/Red Sox pitcher Matt Clement. It's a one year deal worth about $1.5 million. Smart move by the Cardinals, who follow the Padres lead (signed Mark Prior to a one year deal) by putting a smart contract in place, in hopes of a potentially huge return on investment.

Florida signed another potential replacement for Miguel Cabrera in former Devil Ray Jorge Cantu. It's the second signing for the Marlins (Jose Castillo was the first) who are looking to try to have a few different looks at the hot corner. Replacing Cabrera won't be easy, but if Cantu and Castillo homer every other at-bat, the Marlins should be fine.

Meanwhile, back in New York, the biggest free agent news for the Bombers is one they didn't sign at all, rather, one that they won't sign. The Yankees (err, Hank Steinbrenner) announced that they (err, Hank Steinbrenner) are not interested in bringing back the 45 year old ex-fireballer.

Biggest Free Agent You've Never Heard Of

The Kansas City Royals made a huge splash in this winter's free agent pool, and it's possibly one of the best signings that you've never heard of. Left handed reliever, ERA of a 2.55, batters hit a weak .218 against him last season, in 67 innings pitched over 58 appearances.
Let me introduce you to Ron Mahay, ex-Texas Ranger/Atlanta Brave reliever.
It's great to see Kansas City opening up their wallets. By also adding Jose Guillen, the Royals are starting too break away from that lovable loser label they've been wearing for the past decade or so.

According to ESPN, the Giants and Yankees also looked into signing Mahay.