Brian Fuentes, one of the finest closers in MLB (certainly in the National League) is an arbitration-eligible free agent. Millions of trades have been discussed, as has been the prospect of letting him walk for two sandwich draft picks. I've been advocating re-signing him to a 3-4 year deal all season long. Why? Because Manny Corpas just isn't a major league closer, and Taylor Buchholz doesn't have the killer instinct for it, imho. (I do think both are good to very good relievers, just not closer-quality.)
Well, waiting in the wings has been one Casey Weathers, our first round pick in the 2007 draft (from Vanderbilt, and part of the same staff as overall #1 pick David Price). He's been good enough to rocket through the system, to where he was not only in the Texas League All Star Game this year, he was a member of the U.S. Olympic Baseball Team in the Beijing Olympics. He was a definite invite to spring training, with a fair shot to be on the roster by the 2nd half, and our likely closer by 2011, at lastest.
That may still happen someday, but no time soon. Torn ligament in the elbow, suffered in the Arizona Fall League. Hellooooooooooo Tommy John surgery. Poor Casey likely won't see his first day of major league action until 2011, at least.
Maybe I'll end up getting my wish, but the facts remain that we now truly must re-sign Brian Fuentes, and at least through 2011.
Fingers crossed. ONE TIME!!
No comments:
Post a Comment