MLB - 2008 All Star Break and Beyond!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Mets sign K-Rod for 3 years at $37 mil:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3756383

$12.3 m a year ain't bad and far less than I anticipated.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Sources are saying the Yankees are very close to signing Sabathia, they are just working out the details:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3759182

$160 million over seven years

[snoopy369]

Meh, frankly even with him they probably will finish 3rd or 4th in the AL East this year. All they're doing here is helping the salary cap argument some more...

[-Jrabbit]

It's a bad year to be a free agent. Too many teams nervous about the economy, as that "automatic" season ticket renewal money is significantly down in most markets. So there's less bidding, which means fewer dollars overall. Signings are coming quite slowly, and I suspect the non-premium FAs will feel the pinch most.

K-Rod is a good example. Lots of teams need a closer, but there seems to have been very little bidding. It appears the Angels didn't make much of an effort to retain him, which seems odd. Do they have a closer-in-waiting?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by snoopy369
Meh, frankly even with him they probably will finish 3rd or 4th in the AL East this year. All they're doing here is helping the salary cap argument some more...

You realize the Yankees only finished 8 back of Tampa and 6 behind the Red Sox for the WC, right?

Sabathia may help a great deal, especially since the Yanks aren't close to done.

[snoopy369]

They only finished that close because all of MLB felt bad about them sucking so badly, and wanted to make sure they didn't just quit and go home. After all, they bring the bat...

[-Jrabbit]

Kerry Wood is in Cleveland to take a physical. If he passes, it's reported that he will sign a 2-year, $20MM deal with the Indians.

Which would be a big step toward making them a contender again.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Tigers trade OF Matt Joyce to the Rays for SP Edwin Jackson.

I've heard that Joyce is going to be one Hell of a player. The Rays keep making some good deals.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Mets REALLY shoring up their bullpen!!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3761556

LAS VEGAS -- The New York Mets overhauled their much-maligned bullpen with two big moves Wednesday, obtaining J.J. Putz from Seattle as part of a three-team, 12-player trade that gives them a setup man for new closer Francisco Rodriguez.

New York shipped reliever Aaron Heilman, outfielder Endy Chavez, lefty Jason Vargas and three minor leaguers to the Mariners for Putz, center fielder Jeremy Reed and reliever Sean Green in the first trade by new Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik.

Promising outfielder Franklin Gutierrez was sent from the Indians to Seattle. Cleveland got reliever Joe Smith from the Mets and 23-year-old second baseman Luis Valbuena from the Mariners.

And the Mets get rid of Heilman!

Sorry to see Smith get dealt, but in order to grab Putz, you have to give up something!

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by -Jrabbit
Kerry Wood is in Cleveland to take a physical. If he passes, it's reported that he will sign a 2-year, $20MM deal with the Indians.

Which would be a big step toward making them a contender again.

Contender for 'most days on IR, team' award?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Nats just made an 8 year, $160m offer to Teixiera. The O's have made a 7 year, $150m offer to him as well. Seems like the Angels, Dodgers, Red Sox, and Yankees have to step up a bit (not like he'll go to the Nats if one of those teams gives him a similar offer).

[snoopy369]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3761924&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

Melky for Mike Cameron?? Interesting...

[OzzyKP]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Tigers trade OF Matt Joyce to the Rays for SP Edwin Jackson.

I've heard that Joyce is going to be one Hell of a player. The Rays keep making some good deals.

I like Joyce.

But we really need pitching.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Hopefully you can get something out of Jackson then:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/j/jacksed01.shtml

He's only 25, which is nice, but last year was his best season and he had an ERA+ of 101, which a great defense backing him up. He does have decent stuff, but hasn't been able to harness it (look at the WHIP).

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yanks sign AJ Burnett:

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081212&content_id=3715527&vkey=hotstove2008&fext=.jsp

5 years at $85.2 million.

CC and Burnett in the rotation now. They ain't ****ing around.

I didn't realize that they lopped off $80 mil in payroll this offseason due to retirements and not extending contracts to certain players, so even with these signings, they could have a lower payroll than last season!