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MLB: Hot Stove Time

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  • MLB: Hot Stove Time

    Ok - I cannot refrain any longer.

    1. Posada - ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? $45m over three years? Whatever.

    2. A-rod - Well, I hope the Yankees refusal to deal with Boras in the room is for real. That scum needs to be black balled. Get him the hell out of baseball. MtG style: Borass.

    3. Phillies - Came out swinging in the off season. I thought the $12m for 3 seasons for Romero was silly until I saw the Yanks offering an average catcher more than that PER SEASON for 3 years. Lidge is a good addition, either as setup for Myers (if they can get another starter) or closer. Then again, they're still stuck with Eaton for two more years. Yuck.

    Awards section of the OP:

    AL Cy Young: Sabathia. Ok - I don't watch the AL that much. I guess so.

    Managers of the Year: Bob Melvin and Eric Wedge And so Rod Barajas just might have something to look forward to.

    And since I'm a Phillies fan:

    J-roll: Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. Go Jimmy!
    "Stuie has the right idea" - Japher
    "I trust Stuie and all involved." - SlowwHand
    "Stuie is right...." - Guynemer

  • #2
    Posada - ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? $45m over three years? Whatever.


    4 years.

    A-rod - Well, I hope the Yankees refusal to deal with Boras in the room is for real. That scum needs to be black balled. Get him the hell out of baseball. MtG style: Borass.


    He's doing exactly what his client wants him to do.
    “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
    - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

    Comment


    • #3
      Keep in mind that I very much doubt Posada is going to be behind the plate for the full length of the contract (which is 4 years, $52 million total; the 3 years/$45 million total was the contract they offered Rivera, which is definitely a good deal on both sides). The DH glut is going to alleviate after 2008 when Giambi's contract runs out, and that'll allow them to roll Posada over into a DH position for the latter two years of the deal, thus hopefully keeping him healthy and productive. When viewed in that light, the deal isn't so bad.

      As far as A-Rod is concerned, it was obvious from the beginning that Boras was the scumbag in the whole opt-out situation. (I don't believe for a second that A-Rod wanted to make that announcement during the World Series game; Boras has pulled similar stunts like that many times in the past.) If A-Rod is willing to be contrite and give the team a break on what he could get on the market (which, right now, with only the Angels sniffing at him a bit, is not the $350 million he was looking for) to make up for the Yankees losing the subsidy from Texas, I'd be willing to take him back. The 10-year, $280 million terms being floated around would actually be a fair deal, though I'd prefer something in the 8-year range at a similar per season rate.
      CGN | a bunch of incoherent nonsense
      Chris Jericho: First-Ever Undisputed Champion of Professional Wrestling & God Incarnate
      Mystique & Aura: Appearing Nightly @ Yankee Stadium! | Red & Pewter Pride
      Head Coach/General Manager, Kyrandia Dragonhawks (2004 Apolyton Fantasy Football League Champions)

      Comment


      • #4
        After all that, I doubt A-Rod is gonna be returning as a Yankee regardless of the price.

        In Tigers trade news, we picked up Todd Jones for another year and while there is still plenty of haggling to be worked out it seems all parties want to bring Rogers back to Detroit for another year. We filled a gap in LF by picking Jacques Jones from the Cubs and resigned utility guy Ramon Santiago.

        Some nice, modest moves. But we still need something to beef up middle relief.
        Captain of Team Apolyton - ISDG 2012

        When I was younger I thought curfews were silly, but now as the daughter of a young woman, I appreciate them. - Rah

        Comment


        • #5
          After all that, I doubt A-Rod is gonna be returning as a Yankee regardless of the price.


          Same here. I think that's just to drive up the price.
          “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
          - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

          Comment


          • #6
            Crazy as it sounds, I believe Posada is worth it. The worst season of his career was better than most catchers in MLB. The Yankees have no replacement anywhere close to ready. Jesus Montero can hit but probably cannot field the position. Frankie Cervelli *might* hit, a little bit, but he should be starting 2008 in AA. Any team with a good catcher will not allow him to sniff free agency. Ergo, the Yanks had very little choice.

            Mariano, however, is *not* worth 3/45. That's totally insane, and if he doesn't take it, fine. Let him walk at that point. Yeesh. No other team is going to come anywhere near those numbers. For 75 innings/year maximum.

            ARod... meh. I don't know the final terms yet, so it's hard to say. It certainly makes the 2008 Yankees better. Probably the 2009 and 2010 Yankees too. After that it gets hazy. It does, however, actually sound like it's going to happen. I remain skeptical that it could just be a ploy, of course...

            The benefit, obviously, is that the Yanks would have a great 3B without having to give up talent to acquire him (ala any possible trade for M. Cabrera... to the extent he's even a 3B anymore). The odds of retaining Hughes, Chamberlain and Kennedy would rise. Of course, there is still the Santana question (it might be crazy, but I want to keep our guys and see how it goes).

            In Boston:

            Shilling - solid deal for Boston.
            Lowell - especially if ARod stays in NY, he's not going to get a better offer than what Boston offered him. Frankly, if I'm the Red Sox, I don't really mind him walking. They have the trade chips for Cabrera, should they wish to go that way, or they could simply move Youklis back to 3B, play Ortiz at 1B and DH Manny (while picking up a decentish 1B to give Ortiz days off, etc). Any downgrade would probably be solved by a mid-season callup of their uber-shortshot prospect and kicking Julio Lugo to the curb. Their OF defense would be sick (2 CF'ers out there), though their IF defense would obviously take a hit with Papi at first.

            -Arrian
            grog want tank...Grog Want Tank... GROG WANT TANK!

            The trick isn't to break some eggs to make an omelette, it's convincing the eggs to break themselves in order to aspire to omelettehood.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Arrian
              Mariano, however, is *not* worth 3/45. That's totally insane, and if he doesn't take it, fine. Let him walk at that point. Yeesh. No other team is going to come anywhere near those numbers. For 75 innings/year maximum.
              Totally disagree. The only reason it may seem insane is only because they might rethink putting Joba in the rotation and consider trying him out as the closer if that happens. So if you don't resign Mariano, you're left with the choice of pulling Joba out of the rotation and damaging the starting corps, or leaving Joba in the rotation and going with *shudders* Farnsworth as the closer. The drop-off, in that scenario, is so large that it's definitely worth the extra $5-$10 mil or whatever it takes to keep Rivera in the fold, because the closer's position is almost as important as the top-half of the rotation, IMO. I'd even give him the fourth year he wants, too.

              Originally posted by Arrian
              Lowell - especially if ARod stays in NY, he's not going to get a better offer than what Boston offered him. Frankly, if I'm the Red Sox, I don't really mind him walking.
              The latest I heard on Lowell is that the Yankees are still going to pursue him even if we get A-Rod back in the fold. Presumably, they would do it with the idea of switching him to 1B and getting some stability at that position. I wouldn't mind it in the least if we can get a deal that works on both sides, since Phillips & Mientkiewicz were both nothing but serviceable at best.
              Last edited by reismark; November 15, 2007, 15:12.
              CGN | a bunch of incoherent nonsense
              Chris Jericho: First-Ever Undisputed Champion of Professional Wrestling & God Incarnate
              Mystique & Aura: Appearing Nightly @ Yankee Stadium! | Red & Pewter Pride
              Head Coach/General Manager, Kyrandia Dragonhawks (2004 Apolyton Fantasy Football League Champions)

              Comment


              • #8
                I'm thinking that if A-Rod signs with the Yanks, Arte Moreno is going to do everything possible to get Lowell and not have the Yanks sign him.
                “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
                - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

                Comment


                • #9
                  Totally disagree. The only reason it may seem insane is only because they might rethink putting Joba in the rotation and consider trying him out as the closer if that happens.
                  I understand that point fully. I too want Joba to be a starter.

                  However, consider that that ONLY applies to the Yankees. Again, no other team is going to come close to 3/45 for Mo. Heck, I don't think anyone would've topped 3/39. The Yanks are bidding against themselves here.

                  edit: I read right over this part the first time:

                  because the closer's position is almost as important as the top-half of the rotation, IMO.
                  Wow. I vehemently disagree. Top half of the rotation (1-2 and half of the third starter?) = ~500 innings. Closer = ~70 innings. Mo's good, man, and I love watching him work. But what you're claiming here is flat out crazy.

                  Example: 2007 Cleveland Indians. Closer: Joe Borowski. Result: lost ALCS in 7 games (damned good showing). Why? Because the top half of their rotation rocked. The fact that their closer sucked didn't really matter much.

                  The latest I heard on Lowell is that the Yankees are still going to pursue him even if we get A-Rod back in the fold. Presumably, they would do it with the idea of switching him to 1B and getting some stability at that position.
                  This seems silly to me. Lowell is a good hitter... as a 3B-man. His primary value is that he plays a slick 3B and is an above-average hitter for that position. Put him at 1B and he's just a guy. For that, they're going to top Boston's offer? That's nutty.

                  -Arrian
                  Last edited by Arrian; November 15, 2007, 16:41.
                  grog want tank...Grog Want Tank... GROG WANT TANK!

                  The trick isn't to break some eggs to make an omelette, it's convincing the eggs to break themselves in order to aspire to omelettehood.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    It's being reported that A-Rod will sign with the Yankees for 10 years, $270MM, and it's gonna happen this week.

                    Source: Mike Tirico, ESPN Radio
                    Apolyton's Grim Reaper 2008, 2010 & 2011
                    RIP lest we forget... SG (2) and LaFayette -- Civ2 Succession Games Brothers-in-Arms

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Oops - I mixed up my outrageously-over-priced Yankees' contracts.

                      $52M for 4 years of Posada is even sillier.
                      "Stuie has the right idea" - Japher
                      "I trust Stuie and all involved." - SlowwHand
                      "Stuie is right...." - Guynemer

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        No, it's really not.

                        Look, I know he's old and that catchers generally don't age well. However:

                        1) He has aged very well so far.
                        2) There is no other viable option.
                        3) Even decline-phase Posada is going to be better than most other team's catchers.

                        Who is your catcher? What did he hit last year? The year before? What will he hit this year?

                        Posada will hit somewhere in the vicinity of .270/.370/.450 and blow most other catchers out of the water. Obviously, injury is a risk. But the alternatives suck so hard they had to pay the man. The market for FA catchers is awful (just ask Imran). The Yankees' internal candidates are either terrible or not ready.

                        In the end, letting him walk and plugging in Jose Molina as your starting catcher is what would've been insane.

                        -Arrian
                        grog want tank...Grog Want Tank... GROG WANT TANK!

                        The trick isn't to break some eggs to make an omelette, it's convincing the eggs to break themselves in order to aspire to omelettehood.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Free-agent catcher Yorvit Torrealba will agree to a three-year contract with the New York Mets on Thursday, according to Torrealba's agent, Melvin Roman.


                          Yorvit Torrealba
                          Catcher
                          Colorado Rockies

                          Profile
                          2007 Season Stats
                          GM HR RBI R OBP AVG
                          113 8 47 47 .323 .255

                          Roman told 1050 ESPN New York that he expects to formalize the agreement with the Mets this afternoon. Roman declined to reveal how much the contract would be worth. GM Omar Minaya did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

                          If Torrealba passes a physical, an announcement is expected in the next day or two. Newsday reported on its website that the contract will be worth $14.4 million over three years.
                          This is the sort of player available in the market. This is why Posada was worth 4/52, even though at first blush it sounds crazy.

                          -Arrian
                          grog want tank...Grog Want Tank... GROG WANT TANK!

                          The trick isn't to break some eggs to make an omelette, it's convincing the eggs to break themselves in order to aspire to omelettehood.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Torrealba's home/away splits (this man played at Coors Field, remember):

                            Home: .296 .353 .424
                            Away: .212 .292 .326

                            The home stats are ok - pretty good as catchers go, actually. The road stats are horrible. Add them up and you get just plain crappy.

                            -Arrian
                            grog want tank...Grog Want Tank... GROG WANT TANK!

                            The trick isn't to break some eggs to make an omelette, it's convincing the eggs to break themselves in order to aspire to omelettehood.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Doh! Torrealba so got a WS bonus. He's a great defensive catcher, but he can't hit anything . LoDuca would have been a better one to hold onto.

                              What the Hell?

                              Maybe he'll just be splitting time with Castro (RE-SIGN HIM Minaya!), as a defensive option. That could work.
                              “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
                              - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

                              Comment

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