I think most veteran players in Oswalt's situation would be happy to get a 10M dollar salary to play for a good team.

Sometimes a negotiation is only about maximizing dollars for the player and minimizing dollars for the team. I'll even go so far as to admit that is the typical negotiation. But there are some negotiations which involve other things of value to either the player or the team. If we take Roy at his word, and there's no reason not to since he's been honest in the past, then the choice for him is whether to play or retire and the Cardinals choice is to pay or not.

If the Cardinals treat this as a dollar negotiation and counter on price, I suspect Roy will just retire. Of course, he could always come out of retirement should the usual injuries to starters suddenly make his salary demand appear more reasonable.

Jeremy Guthrie traded for Jason Hammel & Matt Lindstrom

www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/person-familiar-with-trade-rockies-trade-rhps-hammel-lindstrom-to-orioles-for-rhp-guthrie/2012/02/06/gIQA7u21tQ_story.html

That's not a bad trade for both sides, in my opinion. I like Guthrie. Hammel has promise and Lindstrom is an average reliever with good velocity on his fastball.

Guthrie's been a reliable workhorse. Is he a FA next year?

He's a free agent in 2013. He had one more year of arbitration available this season, but the Rockies avoided that with a one-year contract offer.

www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/story/2012-02-06/jeremy-guthrie-rockies-orioles-trade/52989978/1

I think the Orioles got the better end of that deal, by far. I don't understand this from the Rockies' perspective. Guthrie is older and has been just as mediocre, if not worse, as Hammel has been, only he hasn't had to deal with the Coors factor. In fact, Guthrie's career xFIP is higher than Hammel's. So they gave up a starter and a serviceable reliever for...an older, worse starter? I mean, I just don't really get it.

There was a great article in the Hardball times Annual this year analyzing trades along with players teams let go to the FA market, and how much value the acquiring team gets out of the player

Teams know more than anyone else about the players they are letting go, Health, scouting, ect...

It was pretty in-depth so I won't go into it here, but to make a long story short, be wary of any player a team lets go via FA or trade. Even though it is applicable to position players and relievers somewhat, the largest correlation is with Starting pitching.

I realize both teams moved SP in this deal but because it makes no sense from the Rockies end I'm thinking they know something which concerns them about Hammel.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/02/astros-sign-justin-ruggiano.html

We signed Justin Ruggiano, formerly of the Rays, to a minor league deal.

Also, evidently the Cubs claimed Adrian Cardenas, which means the Astros passed on him. Bummer.

I'm not going to get too worked up over a minor-league deal, but Ruggiano seems like a pretty random signing. We're going to have a ton of guys competing for a backup OF job in ST.

I'd assume that Ruggiano is probably destined to spend most of the year as depth in Oklahoma City. Of all of the Astros' new outfield options, I hope Fernando Martinez gets the first shot.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/02/quick-hits-red-sox-braves-astros-marlins.html

For what it's worth, Luhnow claims that he hasn't been instructed to cut or limit payroll this season.

He needs to hold on to the money for next year. Barring a bunch of mid-season extensions, the market is going to be flooded with quality starting pitching.

Matt Cain is a free agent next season, right? It would be awesome if the Astros could land him.

Everybody and their Momma is a free agent next year.

Joe Blanton
Matt Cain
Kevin Correia
Zack Greinke
Jeremy Guthrie
Cole Hamels
Colby Lewis
Francisco Liriano
Kyle Lohse
Derek Lowe
Shaun Marcum
Daisuke Matsuzaka
Brandon McCarthy
Carl Pavano
Anibal Sanchez
Jonathan Sanchez
Joe Saunders

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And the guys with options that may or may not be picked up

Scott Baker *
Fausto Carmona *
Kevin Correia
Jorge De La Rosa *
R.A. Dickey *
Scott Feldman *
Gavin Floyd *
Dan Haren *
Tim Hudson *
Brett Myers *
Jake Peavy *
Ervin Santana *
James Shields *
Jake Westbrook *
Randy Wolf *
Carlos Zambrano *

There's some impressive names on that list. I can't see this team in a position to bid on a Greinke, Hamels, or Cain (assuming that they don't re-up with their teams), but I could see them signing a Blanton, Correia or McCarthy. For better or worse.

"He needs to hold on to the money for next year. Barring a bunch of mid-season extensions, the market is going to be flooded with quality starting pitching."

You're not thinking we should go sign some guy to a nine-figure deal, right? o_O

I agree that this idea is a bit against what we have supported recently. However, I think we need at least one star product in starting pitching and on offense to build around on this team. We can't just have a AAA product for the majority of the time.

No nine figure deal but the market (barring extensions) will be a buyers market next year.

We will need some SP. Myers will most likely be gone and Happ will most likely prove he isn't worth his price tag. There is also the possibility Wandy gets moved.

We don't need to spend 9 digits on a stud but there are plenty of serviceable names on that list for potential cheap 2 year deals.

We can't just have a AAA product for the majority of the time.
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I agree, The roster has to have some veterans for a foundation. You can't have just coaches.