View from the cheap seats (Free subscription) | 01/08/2009
I understand, although I still believe they could afford him much more easily than they admit, why the Cardinals were wary about paying Brian Fuentes nine or 10 million a year. But couldn't they have afforded to make a competitive...
The Hardball Times (Free subscription) | 01/06/2009
A look at the new Angels closer. Click the title to read more. Order the Hardball Times Annual 2009 today !
Rattler Radio (Free subscription) | 01/05/2009
Ex-Rattler Brian Fuentes ('97) is heading to Anaheim, er, Los Angeles, um, the Angels to close for the defending AL West Division champions . Bringing three-time National League All-Star Brian Fuentes into the fold, the Angels have moved to alleviate fans' concerns over the loss of record-setting closer Francisco Rodriguez. Announcing on Wednesday that they'd reached agreement with the veteran left-hander...
Halos Heaven (Free subscription) | 01/05/2009
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim finished a great 2008 with the New Year's eve signing of closer Brian Fuentes. The 2 year deal vests a 3rd season if Fuentes closes 55 games in 2010. If this is the final piece of the puzzle, have the 100-Win Angels improved much? If the season were to start today, would they be ready to defend their division title? The lack of any obvious addition out there along...
MLB Trade Rumors (Free subscription) | 01/04/2009
Happy 2009 to everyone out there! Let's take care of the first Week in Review of the new year... The Angels found a replacement for the departed Francisco Rodriguez, when they signed Brian Fuentes to a two-year, $17.5MM deal with a $9MM option for a third. The sudden surplus of closers on the market obviously cost Fuentes, who entered the offseason seeking three years, and $30-40MM. The Angels got...
Baseball Toaster (Free subscription) | 01/03/2009
Willy Taveras signed with Cincinnati, who have a knack for wasting money on players who can't play, and Brian Fuentes is headed for Anaheim. Good deal for the Angels, who get Fuentes for almost $20 million less guaranteed than the Mets gave their former closer, Francisco Rodriguez. Fuentes wasn't all that far away from saves leader Rodriguez in VORP last year -- 18.0 versus 22.8, which amounts to about...
Detroit Free Press (Free subscription) | 01/03/2009
Free-agent reliever Brian Fuentes and the Los Angeles Angels reached agreement on a two-year, $17.5-million deal Wednesday, giving the AL West champions a replacement for record-setting closer Francisco Rodriguez. Fuentes will get $8.5 million next season and $9 million in 2010. There's a club option for $9 million in 2011.
U.S.S. Mariner (Free subscription) | 01/02/2009
Two year deal, replaces Rodriguez as closer, causing me to roll my eyes about bullpen roles. Fun fact: Fuentes, former Mariner, went to the Rockies in Cirillo trade and became the only really successful member of that deal (he went along with Jose Paniagua and Denny Stark’s toxic contract). Further fun story: Fuentes was one of the [...]
Fake Teams (Free subscription) | 01/02/2009
Manny Ramirez to San Francisco? Since Joel Sherman opined on XM Radio three days ago that the Giants should pursue Manny (reported here ), considerable chatter has picked-up thanks to a one sentence blurb by Troy Renck of the Denver Post in an article that covered the signing of Brian Fuentes by the Los Angeles Angels. Now reports from a local San Francisco television station report the Giants have...
Bucs Dugout (Free subscription) | 01/02/2009
...Thus saving us from discussing Derrick Turnbow anymore, which I'm pretty happy about. In other news, the Angels signed Brian Fuentes to a two-year, $17.5 million deal, wit a 2011 option that vests if he closes for long enough. Fuentes isn't young and flashy like Francisco Rodriguez , but he's still a really good pitcher, and his 2008 was nearly as good as Rodriguez. Fuentes is also a fun pitcher...
The Bucky Channel (Free subscription) | 01/02/2009
The Derrick Turnbow "sweepstakes" are officially over, and the Texas Rangers are the victors. It's a tough market out there for relievers right now, especially with Brian Fuentes signing with the Angels , so I'm not surprised to see a team take a chance on DBow. This is the kind of low-risk, high-reward move the Brewers make all the time, and I wish the Rangers the best of luck with their Turnbow experiment....
Ballbug (Free subscription) | 01/01/2009
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post : Fuentes signs 2-year deal with Angels — For starters, the Rockies never made a serious attempt to retain their closer. — So Brian Fuentes' signing Wednesday with the Los Angeles Angels wasn't a surprise, but his contract was. The left-hander, considered one of the top 10 players available …
Brew Crew Ball (Free subscription) | 01/01/2009
And sadly, I don't have a joke to open with. No Winter League Update today, as all four Carribean Leagues were off. I'm actually glad the Brewers didn't spend what it would have taken to lure Brian Fuentes to Milwaukee. Fuentes reportedly gave the Angels a hometown discount and signed a two year deal . If that's the discount, we're probably talking three years, somewhere in the neighborhood of $30...
Slackerology (Free subscription) | 01/01/2009
The Angels and left-hander Brian Fuentes have agreed to a two-year contract. Go to Source
Covers.com (Free subscription) | 01/01/2009
LOS ANGELES (AP) -Free-agent reliever Brian Fuentes and the Los Angeles Angels reached agreement on a two-year, $17.5 million deal Wednesday, giving the AL West champions a replacement for record-setting closer Francisco Rodriguez . Fuentes ge...
