Adrian Beltre - Articles - Zimbio

Seattle Mariners: '08 Trade Deadline, Keepers and Traders

Sun, 21 Jul 2008 17:10:00 GMT

posted by seatownsports
Photo Source: [flickr]
Part 1

So, the trade deadline is coming up, and the Mariners are in a prime position to sell. We have many pieces to sell and we could really blow this thing up and get some prime prospects. However, who really needs to go? As impossible as it might sound, with some off season tinkering we could be competitive as soon as next year. Selling everybody isn't the best way. While everyone should be available for a price, there are some players who might be really helpful next year.
I have divided up the team into tiers. The higher up the tier, the more it would take to pry them away and have it be a fair, good deal. Prospects as well as young players such as Morrow, Clement, Balentein aren't included, and neither are cheap guys like RA Dickey. This is because trading them is pretty unlikely, as these are the guys who are supposed to carry us in the future.
Players like Vidro, Silva, Batista, etc. aren't included because there is no way in hell anybody would want them. Again, just because somebody is in a higher tier doesn't mean that we can't trade him, just that we better be getting a really good guys in exchange.

Untouchables
Felix HernandezSure. Felix has a price. You want Felix, you can have him. all we want is your entire farm system, 150 million dollars, a major city landmark, 25 acres of shoreline property, 5000 barrels of oil and your pin number. Then Felix is yours.
IchiroIchiro may not be having a 2004 season right now, but what he means to this team in terms of the international market is hard to replace. Besides, he's Ichiro. Nobody is more fun to watch.

Barely Touchable
Erik BedardWith his recent injury all but destroying his trade chances, he was probably staying here anyway. With the going rate for ace pitchers the way it is, maybe it is best that he stays here. I was underwhelmed with the CC Sabathia and Rich Harden returns, and Bedard would certainly command less than those pitchers. A healthy Bedard, however, is a top pitcher in the league. He could be a fine piece to the 2009 team.
Adrian BeltreDon't let the low batting average fool you: Beltre is having his best season since 2004. Since the results haven't been consistent to the performance, he would certainly command much less than he is worth in a trade.

Hard to TouchRaul IbanezHe is worthless to us in left, but as a DH he is exactly what we need.

Update: Here's Part 2

Ibanez to Mets?

Fri, 12 Jul 2008 03:57:00 GMT

posted by mlbrumors
The underachieving Mariners are starting to look to the future and may look to trade Raul Ibanez. They have already released Richie Sexson, who is not drawing much interest, and may shop Jose Vidro along with Adrian Beltre. Ibanez to the Mets makes a lot of sense, mostly because it would not cost the Mets much. The Mariners would still be able to land a decent prospect for him that could help towards their future. Xavier Nady is also drawing interest from the Mets as well.

Ho-hum Red Sox play uninspired baseball in 8-0 drubbing from Major League worst Mariners

Fri, 7 Jun 2008 02:32:23 GMT

posted by jeff7168

Compared to last night, Fenway Park was much more serene this evening. Too serene. The Red Sox played uninspired baseball on the mound, in the field and at the plate as they dropped an 8-0 laugher to Major League Baseball's worst team, the Seattle Mariners.

Without Jacoby Ellsbury, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, the lineup showed little life. Though Boston had at least one base runner in ever inning against Seattle starter Felix Hernandez, it did not get a clutch hit. Overall, the Red Sox stranded nine runners.

While the Red Sox bats faltered, Bartolo Colon saw his sliders and change-ups knocked around the field. Of course, Colon hurt his own cause with two critical errors. The ugliness started in the top of the first inning. With two on and one out, Adrian Beltre hit a tapper back to Colon, who could have escaped damage with an inning-ending double play. Instead, he threw the ball into center field, allowing Jose Lopez to score. Seattle added another run on Jose Vidro's ground out for a 2-0 lead.

The Red Sox kept threatening to score, but falling short. The Mariners didn't waste their opportunities. They added a third run in the third when Ichiro reached base on a throwing error by Mike Lowell that Kevin Youkilis should have snared. Ichiro advanced to second on Lopez's single and then moved to third when Colon's pickoff attempt sailed into center field. Moments later, Ichiro scored on Adrian Beltre's sacrifice fly.

Seattle kept adding runs off Colon, including a two-run single by Ichiro in the fourth and an RBI single from Richie Sexson in the fifth. Most of the run-scoring hits were struck off Colon's sliders and change-ups, which were obviously ineffective. After three solid starts to begin his Red Sox career, Colon was reached for six runs (three earned) and eight hits in five innings. In reality, Colon was responsible for five of the runs. The rule that allows a pitcher not to be charged with an earned run when he commits an error makes no sense and should be changed.

Even though Colon usually does not hurt himself with errors, he must start improving the bite on his sliders and the location of his change-ups if he is going to be effective over the long term. His fast ball is strong, but Major League hitters eventually pound a pitcher who sticks with heaters.

As for the Red Sox bullpen, after a 1-2-3 sixth inning, David Aardsma served up a lead off double to Raul Ibanez, a walk to Beltre and an RBI single to Jose Vidro in the seventh. Javier Lopez entered an induced a double play grounder from Wladimir Balentein but then permitted an RBI base hit by Sexson for the Mariners' eighth and final run.

Boston's lone bright spot on offense was Sean Casey, who was 3-for-4 (including a double) and is now hitting .378. The Red Sox have the depth to withstand the injury to Ortiz, but life without Ramirez (the run producer) and Ellsbury (the tablesetter) does not have a pleasant taste. Dustin Pedroia continues to slump (his average is down to .266) and Julio Lugo remains an automatic out in the No. 9 spot at .267 with no home runs and 13 RBI.

Not only is Lugo grounding into double plays and killing rallies on a nightly basis, he is not driving in runs as he did last season, and his porous defense is well-documented. If Lugo continues to contribute little at the plate in the second half, I can envision the Red Sox giving Jed Lowrie a chance, or dealing Lugo for a rental shortstop.

If the Sox do switch their lineup and give Lowrie a shot at shortstop, it will be nothing new for Terry Francona. The skipper has used multiple lineups this season since the Red Sox have been ravaed by the flu bug and injuries, and have rarely fielded the ideal starting nine of Ellsbury, Pedroia, Ortiz, Ramirez, Lowell, Youkilis, Drew, Varitek and Lugo (I prefer Lowrie's name here).

Francona will have more adjustments to make for the short term with Dice-K and Ortiz out, Ellsbury and Ramirez banged up and now Coco Crisp, Sean Casey and Jon Lester hit with suspensions resulting from last night's fracas.

Tampa Bay was hit hard with James Shields getting six games, Jonny Gomes and Edwin Jackson five games each, Carl Crawford four games and Akinori Iwamura three games.

Lester received a five-game break for throwing at a Rays hitter after a warning was issued. He did not appeal and started serving his time today. Since the Red Sox have an off day on Monday, Colon will start in Lester's place on the regular four day's rest on Wednesday against Baltimore while Lester will take the mound again on Thursday versus the Orioles.

Crisp received the harshest punishment and immediately appealed his seven-game suspension. Casey was tagged with a three-game banishment for throwing a punch in the melee. The suspensions are staggered so the impacted team is not left too short-handed. A team is not permitted to call up a minor leaguer to replace the suspended player. With Ortiz out and Ramirez hurting, the loss of Casey will be felt. Since Ellsbury's wrist is sore, Crisp's suspension will hurt. It is yet to be determined with Crisp and Casey will serve their time, and if Crisp's sentence is reduced.

For the Red Sox, it is just another hurdle to climb in a season of obstacles. So far, Boston is winning the race.

Power Hitter Tops Angels List

Tue, 10 Oct 2007 21:29:00 GMT

posted by mlbrumors
Although Angels owner Arte Moreno has shot down rumors that the Angels will go for Alex Rodriguez, we all know that they are looking for a power hitter. Even if Mike Lowell hits the market, the Angels will look for someone who will hit homeruns and drive in runners. Adrian Beltre has being shopped by the Mariners in previous off seasons and might finally get traded if the Angels are interested. Beltre has twenty-four million dollars left on his contract for the next two years and the Mariners would definitely have to chip in cash to get some young prospects in return. Beltre has batted .321 with 8 HR since 1999 at Angels Stadium. This season, he batted .276 with 26 HR, 99 RBI, and 14 SB in 149 games with the Mariners. Although he made eighteen errors, the Angels are more interested in his bat than his glove. If Adrian Beltre isn't available or the Angels are not able to pull off a trade, they could look to the Orioles and try and pull off a trade for disgruntled shortstop Miguel Tejada, but only if he is willing to switch to third base. He played seven seasons in the AL West and played in 1,552 consecutive games, so there is no doubt that he is reliable. The injury this year was a freak accident that hasn't seemed to effect his swing. He batted .296 with 18 HR and 81 RBI while batting .272 with 8 HR against the Angels in Anaheim throughout his career. Either one would fill the whole at third base and if Brandon Wood appears ready in Spring Training, one could switch to the DH spot. Or they could play Tejada or Beltre and get Wood his at-bats while trying to convert him to shortstop, that works too. Orlando Cabrera is a free agent after 2008 and could be traded to give Wood the everyday spot. He has played three games at shortstop this season but he is athletic enough to make the switch. Bill Stoneman will definitely shop his players to get a big name bat for his lineup. Whether it is Alex Rodriguez, Adrian Beltre, Miguel Tejada, or Miguel Cabrera, something will go down this off season.

The Greatest Prank Ever..Featuring the Mariners

Wed, 17 Jul 2008 17:43:00 GMT

posted by seatownsports
Mainly Adrian Beltre's face at the start..Deadspin posted this last September..but I didn't see it until last night...so hilarious..