MLB Offseason Thread

[Stuie]

Uh... maybe the Japanese pitcher should learn English?? Waiting for Sloww to back me up here.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-redsox-matsuzaka&prov=ap&type=lgns

[Ned]

I don't follow the NL too much, but after watching the Cards in the series, I just had to wonder how this team could have played so poorly down the stretch. They started the season strong, then got wiped out playing the AL. They recovered, then collapsed at the end. Were there key injuries? What happened?

[Stuie]

Originally posted by Ned
I don't follow the NL too much, but after watching the Cards in the series, I just had to wonder how this team could have played so poorly down the stretch. They started the season strong, then got wiped out playing the AL. They recovered, then collapsed at the end. Were there key injuries? What happened?

Albert Pujols wasn't MVP caliber.

[asleepathewheel]

Injuries primarily, timed with slumps from other characters.

Edmonds was out from Aug 27-Sept24, played 110 games total
Eckstein missed Aug19- Sept 21, minus one game a and few later
Mulder hit the dl, weaver had to get his head straightened

So for a good stretch of the season, you had rotating 2nd (until beliard acquired), and rotating LF/RF and with those 2 injuries, they were platooning all the outfield positions and SS.

Plus they frankly played like balls.

[SlowwHand]

Rangers, Gagne reach preliminary agreement

Ken Rosenthal / FOXSports.com
Posted: 1 hour ago



One day after reportedly making an offer to free-agent left-hander Barry Zito, the Rangers have reached preliminary agreement with another Scott Boras client, free-agent closer Eric Gagne, on a one-year, $6 million contract, FOXSports.com has learned.

The deal, which likely is pending a physical, is expected to include approximately $5 million in appearance incentives, bringing the possible total to $11 million, major-league sources said.

Gagne, who turns 31 on Jan. 7, has pitched in only 16 games the past two seasons while undergoing two elbow operations and back surgery. He is expected to be ready by spring training.

Boras had told interested clubs that Gagne only would sign with a team that intended to make him its closer. The Rangers have explored the possibility of trading right-hander Akinori Otsuka, their closer last season, for young starting pitching.

Veteran starters also are on the Rangers' wish list; the team, after re-signing right-hander Vicente Padilla, is one of the leading suitors for Zito, and club officials are scheduled to meet Tuesday with free-agent left-hander Mark Mulder.

Last season, Gagne underwent surgery to remove a nerve from his pitching elbow on April 7, then season-ending back surgery to repair a herniated disc in his lower back on July 8.

The Dodgers declined his $12 million option, making him a free agent. The Red Sox and Indians were among the clubs interested, but both balked at his asking price, believing Gagne was too great a risk.

Gagne, a three-time All-Star, holds the major-league record of 84 consecutive saves. His best season was in 2003, when he converted all 55 of his save opportunities and posted a 1.20 ERA en route to the NL Cy Young Award.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I'd wait until Gagne shows he can be healthy before dancing, Tex.

[SlowwHand]

If his arm falls off, he's still better than most Ranger pitching has been.

[Imran Siddiqui]

[Arrian]

That is good, I must admit.

As for the Cardinals: combo of injuries and not being really all THAT good, and then catching fire at just the right time. Good for them.

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

Seems like the Red Sox got their main man:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/baseball/mlb/12/13/matsuzaka.signs/index.html

Daisuke Matsuzaka has reached a deal with the Boston Red Sox for 6 years, $52 million, SI.com's Jon Heyman has learned. The deal contains escalator clauses that could bring it up to $60 million.

Matsuzaka is en route to Boston with other Red Sox officials who traveled to Newport Beach, Calif., on Monday on Henry's plane and said they would return Wednesday with or without Matsuzaka. The team and Matsuzaka have a midnight Thursday EST deadline to reach an agreement...

Not a bad deal at all. 6 years, $8.6 mil per (with escalators that could bring it to $10 mil per). Seeing as how the player, nor the agent, get the $51 mil bid, I was assuming Boras would drive a harder bargain.

So basically it seems its about $17 mil for the Sox, per year, for Matsuzaka and for an opening into the Japanese market. Seeing the contracts being thrown around for Meche and Eaton, this isn't a bad deal in the slightest.

[Arrian]

Ultimately, looking at the contract itself (ignoring the posting fee), it's basically Gil Meche money - less, actually, per annum, even with the escalators. If you set the performance bar at "better than Gil Meche" it would seem very attainable.

So, leaving aside the posting fee outlay, the contract itself is, in this market, fine.

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

It's far better than 'fine' Arrian . The reputation of Matsuzaka would normally entail a deal far greater than Meche's. Then again, the Red Sox may have said, well, we've spent all this posting fee, we can't pay you as much as we could have otherwise.

[Arrian]

I said fine because, all the projections about Matsuzaka aside, we really don't know how his abilities will translate. I've read a fair amount about his skillz and translating Japanese performance to MLB, so I'm not ignorant here. I'm just saying there is a chance he won't be all he's cracked up to be. There is ALWAYS that chance. I'd be saying the same damned thing if he had just signed with the Yankees. I'll say the same thing (adjusted for the presumed lesser ability) if/when Igawa signs.

Given that uncertainty, I used "fine." If Matsuzaka is what they think he is... or even if he's merely pretty good, it's better than fine, yeah. We shall see.

-Arrian

[Stuie]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
It's far better than 'fine' Arrian . The reputation of Matsuzaka would normally entail a deal far greater than Meche's. Then again, the Red Sox may have said, well, we've spent all this posting fee, we can't pay you as much as we could have otherwise.

Supposedly Borass wanted a $100M contract, and the Red Sox said "Sure, but the bidding fee counts as part of that." Guess Scottie-boy finally settled and saw their point of view. Of course, it was either that or no pay-day for him.

[Arrian]

This is the first time I can remember that Boras has moved so much off his demands. He had limited leverage, because Matsuzaka *really* wanted to sign. Setting aside the whininess of some of the Red Sox people during negotiations, it appears they did a good job negotiating the contact.

Consider the posting fee a sunk, one-time cost. It's done. It stings this year, and it's over. Then they've got this guy for 6 years at ~$10 million per (they probably hope he gets paid $10 mil per, because that means he's pitching well). In this market, that's a good contract (whereas the scenario in which he makes his minimum pay for the next 6 years is actually likely to be bad for the Sox, because that means he's pitching poorly, hurt, or both).

-Arrian