The Official MLB Offseason Topic

[Guest Ghettoman]

Go Pulos, another player who goes straight from underpaid to overpaid!

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Look at it this way Ghettoman, he's getting paid almost the same($14+ Mill per year) as Vladimir Guerrero($15 Mill), Nomar Garciaparra($11.50 Mill), Miguel Tejada($10 Mill) and Shawn Green($14-15)...

[Guest Ghettoman]

And I think there all overpaid.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Overpaid in relation to what?

 

The players are the only thing that sells tickets. Lots of tickets are sold. Lots of money is made. Players deserve lots of money.

 

You have to look at baseball as it is...a huge business. The workers deserve a large share of that business.

[sfaJack 0]

Baseball players, and most pro atheltes in general, are overpaid, in relation to what you or I make at our jobs. It's insane the money they get to play a game.

 

But the other side of that coin is what bps said: the league makes a hell of a lot of money off the games those athletes play, so why shouldn't they get a sizeable chunk of the cash? Sure, it's ridiculous what they get paid, but can you sit here and tell me that if you were in their position that YOU wouldn't demand and/or expect that kind of money?

[Bored 0]

If Pujols really is as young as he says he is (some question about that) then he's worth every penny. If he's a couple of years older he's still worth it.

 

Similar batters through Age 23 (from baseball-reference.com)

 

1. Joe DiMaggio (951) *

2. Jimmie Foxx (917) *

3. Hal Trosky (902)

4. Joe Medwick (893) *

5. Hank Aaron (893) *

6. Vladimir Guerrero (889)

7. Frank Robinson (882) *

8. Orlando Cepeda (878) *

9. Ted Williams (877) *

10. Stan Musial (873) *

 

* - Signifies Hall of Famer

[Guest Anglesault]

If Pujols really is as young as he says he is (some question about that) then he's worth every penny. If he's a couple of years older he's still worth it.

 

Similar batters through Age 23 (from baseball-reference.com)

 

1. Joe DiMaggio (951) *

2. Jimmie Foxx (917) *

3. Hal Trosky (902)

4. Joe Medwick (893) *

5. Hank Aaron (893) *

6. Vladimir Guerrero (889)

7. Frank Robinson (882) *

8. Orlando Cepeda (878) *

9. Ted Williams (877) *

10. Stan Musial (873) *

 

* - Signifies Hall of Famer

...

 

Crap.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Damn...that should vault Pujols up to the Top 5 when he retires if he follows ANY of their paths

[Guest Ghettoman]

I will never support the idea of being paid gross amounts of money to do something you love.

 

I hate hearing about how they need it because of how hard there job is, as if that massive home with the gold plated toilet is a neccesity.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Where would you have the money go then?

 

They bring in so much revenue...and you'd rather they not get it back?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The deal is official. Pujols signs a seven year deal.

 

As for salaries, its basically the free market. Because of the profit motive, teams set their ticket prices to attain the maximum revenue possible. I'd rather see the players, who entertain me, get the money rather than the owners.

[Guest FrigidSoul]

Where would you have the money go then?

 

They bring in so much revenue...and you'd rather they not get it back?

I'd rather a major federal tax go to the owners. Owners can then justify not paying these lewd amounts and the tax money could go to hospitals, schools, and R&D on cleaner energy and transit sources.

 

That would also be for all sports based on their revenue.

[King Kamala 0]

Dammit almost all of the Red Sox tickets are sold out, even for games against the Devil Rays and Indians they're sold out. DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT! Oh well, I'm gonna see an Expos-Astros series in Montreal from August 13-15, watching baseball in that huge spaceship with about 5,000 other fans and about 40,000 empty seats is gonna be a much different experience then Fenway. Oh and I also have a very slim shot of going down to Baltimore and seeing an Orioles-D Rays series (Smell the excitement!).

[Guest OctoberBlood]

I've watched a game in that "spaceship" before. It's completely awful. I went in 99' to see Braves vs. Expos when I was visiting in New York. The stadium was pretty empty and it just looked so generic. Game was good IIRC, but the stadium is dreadful.

 

...Have fun.

[Mik 0]

KKC, I saw the same exact game at Camden Yards last year. Jeff Conine hit an Rbi double just a few weeks before coming a Marlin. I saw a great game, with a few homeruns, and the Os pulled it out in the end. Ballpark is beautiful, and being in the luxury box didn't hurt. If you can swing it, go. It's worth seeing Camden Yards.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I had tickets to two games for Camden Yards when I vacationed in Baltimore. Day before I got there, a chemical train crashed, and wiped out games for four days, including all games the whole time I was there. I still haven't seen a game there.

[treble 0]

Olympic Stadium isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. You get that place full and it's rocking and you forget about what the place is like. And another thing, how can it be generic when 90% of stadiums today are either old ones or new ones made to look like old ones?

[Guest Anglesault]

Olympic Stadium isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. You get that place full and it's rocking and you forget about what the place is like. That place

That place gets full?

 

And al, I went to Camden Yards in 1995, twice.

 

Beautiful place.

 

I actually stayed in the same hotel that the Yankees stayed at. I met Donnie, Buck, Steve Howe, road an elevator with (I think) Ruben Rivera and caused Reggie do run out of a restaurant and into a waiting elevator.

 

Ah. Good times.

[Guest OctoberBlood]

Olympic Stadium isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be. You get that place full and it's rocking and you forget about what the place is like. And another thing, how can it be generic when 90% of stadiums today are either old ones or new ones made to look like old ones?

Not generic in that form, but .. well, I guess thats the wrong word. It just looks poor and crappy. Period. With the place full, sure - it'd be more exciting, but that doesn't take away that it's an ugly ass stadium.

[Mik 0]

Good news out of south Florida...

 

According to Roger Dean Stadium general manager Rob Robenecker, overall Spring Training tickets are up 53 percent.

 

Other increases are:

 

Spring season ticket sales (58 percent)

Group tickets (142 percent)

Mini-plans (30 percent)

Individual game tickets (51 percent)

 

Winning brings in the fans, it's obvious. If the Marlins can continue to field a contender or close to it every year, I believe the fans will stay.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The sad thing is, a 51% increase in tickets would still place the Marlins 13th in attendance.

[DerangedHermit 0]

I actually stayed in the same hotel that the Yankees stayed at. I met Donnie, Buck, Steve Howe, road an elevator with (I think) Ruben Rivera and caused Reggie do run out of a restaurant and into a waiting elevator.

 

Ah. Good times.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I'd be more worried about Ruben Rivera. You didn't take your glove to the game, did you?

[The Czech Republic 0]

Good news out of south Florida...

 

According to Roger Dean Stadium general manager Rob Robenecker, overall Spring Training tickets are up 53 percent.

 

Other increases are:

 

Spring season ticket sales (58 percent)

Group tickets (142 percent)

Mini-plans (30 percent)

Individual game tickets (51 percent)

 

Winning brings in the fans, it's obvious. If the Marlins can continue to field a contender or close to it every year, I believe the fans will stay.

You still get outdrawn by the Expos. You do know that.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The Marlins beat the Expos in attendance this year, and fairly for once. I'd have to think a team coming off a world series title would beat a team which just lost its franchise player.

[Guest Anglesault]

I actually stayed in the same hotel that the Yankees stayed at. I met Donnie, Buck, Steve Howe, road an elevator with (I think) Ruben Rivera and caused Reggie do run out of a restaurant and into a waiting elevator.

 

Ah. Good times.

He wa actually pretty damned nice. He took time out of conversation to talk a little and signed an autograph.

[King Kamala 0]

I think the Marlins will average 15,000-16,000 people a game, I think they didn't sell enough of the stars to totally get rid of the bandwagon jumpers and if they can hover around .500 they can stop the attendance from hovering around the 10k mark again.

 

One thing I'm excited about going to Montreal is if my calculations are right and injury won't play a factor, the series I'll be seeing, the pitchers on the mound for Houston will be: Roy Oswalt, Andy Petite and Roger Clemens. Seeing Clemens (If doesn't break a hip) is a definite, cause I don't know how much longer he'll be around.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Some news...from my usual source

 

Free agent Jose Canseco will attend a Dodgers' open tryout in Vero Beach on March 1.

The 39-year-old Canseco hasn't played in the majors since appearing in 36 games with the White Sox in 2001. The Dodgers don't appear to have any interest in signing him, but they won't stop him from trying out if he wants to.

 

Comment: They could use some offense but the guy's 39 years old. If he can hit for some power then sign him to a minor league contract and see how he does down there for a possible mid-season callup or something.

 

Giants signed first baseman Damon Minor to a minor league contract.

Minor is returning to the Giants after being traded to the Phillies last May. He didn't see any time in the majors last season, and he's not going to be involved in San Francisco's plans for this year.

 

White Sox invited RHP Francisco Campos to spring training.

Campos, a veteran picked up from the Brewers in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft, will get a chance to compete for a job after going 10-2 with a 2.19 ERA in 14 starts in the Mexican Pacific League. He might be a sleeper for the White Sox

 

Athletics signed pitchers Justin Duchscherer, Frank Brooks, John Rheinecker, Mike Wood, Justin Lehr and Chad Harville; infielders Bobby Crosby, Graham Koonce, Freddie Bynum, Dan Johnson, Mike Rouse and Marco Scutaro; outfielders Bobby Kielty and Matt Watson and catcher Adam Melhuse to one-year contracts.

Duchscherer was projected to be Oakland's fifth starter before Mark Redman was brought in. Instead, he's going to have to compete with Brooks and Harville for bullpen spots.

 

Manager Bruce Bochy said yesterday that David Wells probably will start the Padres' home opener April 8 against the Giants.

Wells probably would have started on Opening Day if he wasn't returning from back surgery. As is, Brian Lawrence is expected to get that assignment. He'll be followed in the rotation by Jake Peavy and Adam Eaton. Either Ismael Valdes or Sterling Hitchcock will act as San Diego's fifth starter.

 

Curt Schilling said he is working on a new pitch, which he hopes to add to his fastball, split-fingered fastball and slider.

Schilling wouldn't reveal what the pitch was, but we'll know soon enough. In other news, Schilling said he has spoken with manager Terry Francona about not facing clubs in the AL East this spring to prevent division rivals from getting familiar with his stuff. He did the same thing during his time with the Diamondbacks.

 

Comment: Curveball? Changeup? Hell maybe he took tips from Wake and is gonna be throwing a Knuckler...hah

 

Mariano Rivera, who said earlier this month that he'd like to play "maybe three more years," now says he wants to remain a Yankee through 2007.

"I want to play three more years after this and finish with the Yankees," the closer said. Rivera would like to receive an extension this spring, but the Yankees don't seem to be in any hurry to give him one. If he isn't signed, he'll become a free agent in November.

 

Comments: I wouldn't expect the Yankees to let him walk away and would be quite surprised if they did.

 

Angels signed RHP Francisco Rodriguez and catcher Wil Nieves to one-year contracts.

Rodriguez is still two years away from being eligible for arbitration, so he'll make $375,000 contract. Nieves will compete with Jose Molina and Josh Paul for a spot as Bengie Molina's backup.

 

Reds pitching coach Don Gullett confirmed yesterday that Danny Graves will be used as a closer this season.

Graves was pretty much given the job for this year the moment he was put back into the bullpen last season. "Early in spring exhibition games, you may see Danny pitching in different situations, earlier in games, but that's just so he'll face good hitters when they are still in games," Gullett said. "He is our closer."

 

Comments: He was decent as a starter but was probably more effective as a closer

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Mariano Rivera, who said earlier this month that he'd like to play "maybe three more years," now says he wants to remain a Yankee through 2007.

"I want to play three more years after this and finish with the Yankees," the closer said. Rivera would like to receive an extension this spring, but the Yankees don't seem to be in any hurry to give him one. If he isn't signed, he'll become a free agent in November.

 

Comments: I wouldn't expect the Yankees to let him walk away and would be quite surprised if they did.

 

Same here. Rivera would be 35 next season, however, so maybe they're being cautious about signing yet another player into his mid-30s. The market seems slim next year. Trevor Hoffman and Troy Percival could be free agents, but neither are younger than Rivera, and Percival has that hip problem. Eric Gagne is at least two years away from free agency. Maybe the Yankees are waiting for next offseason, and looking at the market. If they have the offer then, Rivera will sign.

 

EDIT: Rivera's stats don't give me any sign that he won't continue to pitch well for a few more seasons at the very least.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Also, the San Francisco Chronicle reports the A's are working on signing Eric Chavez to a long term contract. With the Yankees acquiring A-Rod, there's no chance Chavez ends up there next season. Of course, Boston is always a possibility.