2GOLD 0 Report post Posted December 18, 2003 Tomorrow is the deadline for free agents to accept or reject offers of salary arbitration. Kevin Millwood is the only major free agent under consideration here. The complete list..... American League Baltimore: B.J. Surhoff, dh. Cleveland: Terry Mulholland, lhp. New York: Gabe White, lhp. Seattle: Pat Borders, c. National League Atlanta: Julio Franco, 1b. Colorado: Greg Norton, 3b; Mark Sweeney, of. Los Angeles: Wilson Alvarez, lhp; Milwaukee: Eduardo Perez, c; John Vander Wal, of. Philadelphia: Kevin Millwood, rhp; St. Louis: Orlando Palmeiro, of. Julio Franco is an interesting player. He seems to be getting better with age. I just don't understand it at all. The rest (excluding Millwood) are just dead weight, especially Orlando Palmerio. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted December 18, 2003 Wilson Alvarez actually had a good year last year, posting a 2.37 ERA with the Dodgers, and a good BB/K to back it up. Of course, it was his first good year since 1997, but there's evidence to say he can keep it up. Surhoff will likely accept as he's always seemed to want to stay in Baltimore. As long as he can keep up his OBP, he can contribute in a bench role. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bored 0 Report post Posted December 18, 2003 According the A's website they are about to trade for Chris Hammond from the Yankees for a couple of scrub prospects. Yesterday the San Francisco Chronicle and today the Oakland Tribune say the A's are close to signing Arthur Rhodes and the plan is him to be their closer. It's not unheard of a career middle reliever to turn into a solid closer (see Tim Worrell last year) but its still a pretty big risk but guess they didn't want to spend the money on an inconsistent Ugueth Urbina or bother to fix the head of Armando Beneitz. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted December 18, 2003 The closer mentality is nonsense anyway. There's no reason a middle reliever can't close, if he's just as effective as the guys closing. Rhodes has pitched extremely well the last few years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OldSchoolWrestling 0 Report post Posted December 18, 2003 Ichiro signed a 4 year deal to remain in Seattle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Winter Of My Discontent Report post Posted December 18, 2003 Surely Maddox won't command 8 millino dollars in the tail end of his career. And for the rest of you who would rather have David FUCKING Wells than Greg Maddox, you're insane. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bruiser Chong 0 Report post Posted December 18, 2003 Cubs signed reliever Kent Mercker to a one-year deal. I don't remember a whole lot about him with the Braves, but I was pretty unimpressed with their pen as a whole, so I can't really say this pleases me, but by the same token, like I've been saying all along, there isn't much you can sneeze at when you consider what the Cubs had in the pen last season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob_barron 0 Report post Posted December 18, 2003 Kent Mercker was very good last year and I'm a bit dissapointed the Braves didn't hang onto him. Regarding Maddux- I'd rather him go to a team in contention then being on some last place team- it reminds me too much of Emmitt Smith Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2GOLD 0 Report post Posted December 18, 2003 Kent Mercker was very good last year and I'm a bit dissapointed the Braves didn't hang onto him. Regarding Maddux- I'd rather him go to a team in contention then being on some last place team- it reminds me too much of Emmitt Smith I'd like to see Greg back in Chicago to end his career as a Cubbie. But his price tag is way too high. He could have been a great three, moving Carlos down to four and giving the Cubs a rotation of Wood, Prior, Maddux, Zambrano and whomever they decided to slap in that five spot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr. Tom 0 Report post Posted December 18, 2003 but guess they didn't want to spend the money on an inconsistent Ugueth Urbina... Inconsistent? Urbina has been above the league average in Save % every season. He had a few bad innings with Boston last year, which inflated his ERA, but he was pretty lights-out with Florida. For his career, he has an 85% save rate, 206 saves, and well over a strikeout per inning. Urbina is often shortchanged when discussing closers, but teams in need of one could certainly do far worse. And since he does get shortchanged, he comes cheaper than some of the bigger names might. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
converge241 0 Report post Posted December 18, 2003 *looks at clock..sees it is 20 minutes past AROD deadline* damnitt -unhappy in Boston..bring on the arbitration all 2 months of it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the max 0 Report post Posted December 18, 2003 ESPN.com is saying that no deal has been reached between Boston and Texas. makethedealmakethedealmakethedealmakethedealmakethedealmakethedealmakethedealmak ethedealmakethedeal Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bored 0 Report post Posted December 18, 2003 They better get the deal done or Nomar is going to have them over the barrel when it comes to contract negotiations or might just say "fuck you" and not report to the Spring Training and demand to be traded anyways. Kevin "Cowboy Up" Millar is going to have egg on his face after throwing Nomar under the bus on national t.v. a couple of days ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HarleyQuinn 0 Report post Posted December 18, 2003 *curses*....they better make the deal. This would guaruntee essentially A-Rod/Magglio Ordonez for Manny/Nomar/Scott Williamson(He would likely go with Nomar to the ChiSox) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted December 19, 2003 It'll get done...neither team can afford NOT to get this deal done after all the talk about it for the last two weeks, and especially Boston having already said "We don't want you" to Nomar by already having a trade lined up. I think Texas has Boston over a barrel, and will end up getting their extra $5 million when all is said and done. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2GOLD 0 Report post Posted December 19, 2003 If the deal doesn't get done, Boston has told Nomar and Manny to kiss their rears and they are not going to listen to the Red Sox begging. And Bud killed the deal for now.... But it'll happen later, just not sooner Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted December 19, 2003 The closer mentality is nonsense anyway. There's no reason a middle reliever can't close, if he's just as effective as the guys closing. Rhodes has pitched extremely well the last few years. How is it nonsense. It's been proven that not every pitcher is capable of closing out games. Whose do say the pitchers who've made a succesful move don't have the mentality. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Winter Of My Discontent Report post Posted December 19, 2003 The way the Red Sox and their players have treated Nomar is reprehensible. They are catching out to the Philadelphia Flyers as the most despicible team in sports. Honestly. They all better strap on their kneepads, they are gonna need to do some good sucking on their two best offensive players. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the max 0 Report post Posted December 19, 2003 Yeah, what with trying to trade a guy in the last year of his contract after offering him TWO extensions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Winter Of My Discontent Report post Posted December 19, 2003 Yeah, what with trying to trade a guy in the last year of his contract after offering him TWO extensions. Surely that isn't their reasoning for trying to trade him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HarleyQuinn 0 Report post Posted December 19, 2003 It's not their main reason but it is a fairly big part of it. The Sox offered an extension of roughly $15 Mill per year but Nomar came back and asked for $17 Mill. Also keep in mind the Sox have Trot, Ortiz, Varitek on arbitration IIRC and need money to re-sign them so the odds of Nomar getting what he's asking for is pretty slim. Better that we try and trade him now for something rather then letting him walk away ala Clemens and Vaughn. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cartman 0 Report post Posted December 19, 2003 As I have said MANY times in this thread... Nomar walks after this year. Manny not going anywhere. Oh and a cute note from redsox.com Statement from Larry Lucchino BOSTON, MA -- Red Sox President/CEO Larry Lucchino issued the following statement tonight upon the expiration of the deadline for negotiations between the Boston Red Sox and Alex Rodriguez: "The proposed trade between the Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers is dead. The Players Association's intransigence and the arbitrary nature of its action are responsible for the deal's demise today. Reports that negotiations are continuing and shall continue are inaccurate. "Once again we want to thank the many people who worked so diligently and in good faith in an effort to consummate this transaction." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted December 19, 2003 Cubs signed reliever Kent Mercker to a one-year deal. I don't remember a whole lot about him with the Braves, but I was pretty unimpressed with their pen as a whole, so I can't really say this pleases me, but by the same token, like I've been saying all along, there isn't much you can sneeze at when you consider what the Cubs had in the pen last season. Color me unimpressed with the Mercker signing. His ERA was MUCH lower than his peripherals would suggest, and it was six years removed from his last good season. How is it nonsense. It's been proven that not every pitcher is capable of closing out games. Whose do say the pitchers who've made a succesful move don't have the mentality. Well, how can you measure that mentality? How can you tell if a middle reliever doesn't have that mentality? I still don't buy it. Teams pay guys like Antonio Alfonseca and Jose Mesa millions of dollars because they're "proven" closers, and then they're SHOCKED when they blow up. BOSTON, MA -- Red Sox President/CEO Larry Lucchino issued the following statement tonight upon the expiration of the deadline for negotiations between the Boston Red Sox and Alex Rodriguez: "The proposed trade between the Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers is dead. The Players Association's intransigence and the arbitrary nature of its action are responsible for the deal's demise today. Reports that negotiations are continuing and shall continue are inaccurate. I find it very cute, and almost charming when management accuses the players union of not acting in good faith. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the max 0 Report post Posted December 19, 2003 I still retain my hope that the deal gets done. It'd be a blackeye for the game if this proposed blockbuster trade doesn't go through because of a tie up in the courts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest undisputedjericho Report post Posted December 19, 2003 What does IIRC stand for? I see it everywhere around here but I don't have a clue what it means. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HarleyQuinn 0 Report post Posted December 19, 2003 What does IIRC stand for? I see it everywhere around here but I don't have a clue what it means. IIRC = if I remember correctly Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted December 19, 2003 If I Remember Correctly Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Smell the ratings!!! Report post Posted December 19, 2003 It'd be a blackeye for the game if this proposed blockbuster trade doesn't go through because of a tie up in the courts. welcome to Major League Baseball. But I hope the trade gets done too, because I really don't want to see Jose Valentin try to play short anymore. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted December 19, 2003 I just wish it would go away at this point. Its been all over the news for a month now, and NOTHING has changed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted December 19, 2003 WSBK in Boston is conducting the following poll: "Is the deal cursed?" I nearly threw something at my TV. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
