Burnett signed through 2012

[Tyler Durden]

I'd sign Soriano then trade some of our excess bullpen depth for starting pitching, adding minor leaguers as necessary.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

1 year, $13MM might do it.  Give less to Lee instead, and then sign Chad Qualls and hope his BABIP and ERA come back to normal.

[Tyler Durden]

Why give less to Lee?  Honestly, there should be more than enough in the budget to get both Lee and Soriano.  Unless this stuff about Phase II is total bullcrap.  Getting Soriano should have nothing to do with with the 1B situation. 

Also, I think we could sign Soriano and trade one or more of the current bullpen guys without necessarily bringing anyone else in.  The rule 5 guy, the Willingham trade guy, and Carr/Kimball should be able to give us close the same level of performance.  Those guys plus Soriano is probably a net plus for the bullpen from last year.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I guess I'm saying that I would go hard after Lee first before I even think about Soriano.  As they say about Soria, closers are luxuries for non-contenders.  I think a guy like Qualls would still allow you to offer another reliever in trade.  Qualls is not going to get more than a year.  Soriano may not sign here for $15MM; he's looking for a multiyear contract, with an AAV > $10MM.  The idea that as long as the budget is below $80MM, they would be helped by just overpaying a couple of players I think does not work. No one operates that way.

[Vega]

Qualls always looked like garbage when I watched him.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Qualls always looked like garbage when I watched him.

Maybe.  He's still a Type B, so he has to be better than someone.  I think he has had peaks and valleys in recent years.  Rauch is still out there, too, as are a few others that would not require giving up a pick. 

BTW - Soriano is looking for 3 /$30MM, per the weekly Cafardo. 

[blue911]

Maybe.  He's still a Type B, so he has to be better than someone.  I think he has had peaks and valleys in recent years.  Rauch is still out there, too, as are a few others that would not require giving up a pick. 

BTW - Soriano is looking for 3 /$30MM, per the weekly Cafardo. 

The Angels will sign him instead of Beltre.