And So it Begins

[Brett Favre 0]

That would be a great signing. If his knees still work, of course.

[MikeJordan23 0]

I'd be a little concerned about signing Ordonez considering Scott Boras doesn't want teams to watch his workout. If he's healthy what's the problem? Seems strange.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Obligatory "laughing at Yankees" comment.

 

Their farm system is going to be an near-empty room with a couple out of shape guys sitting there at the rate that they're going. George wants to buy a Championship so badly (and MLB won't do anything like implement a salary cap to stop him) that now he's going for guys who have a couple years left in their career before he has to find a replacement again.

 

Between the inflated salaries, old men who'll barely have it any longer, and the owner determined to buy whatever has worked for anyone before at any price, the NYY really is pro sports' equivelant to WCW.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Credit Rotoworld...

 

St. Louis Cardinals may have a deal with 2B Roberto Alomar in place.

 

Chicago White Sox have made an offer to C A.J. Pierzynski.

 

Cincinnati Reds signed C Bobby Estalella to an MLC and invited him to spring training.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Bobby Estalella is a player I always hoped would catch a break. I still think he could surprise people and he could make a good backup catcher.

[Fuzzy Dunlop 0]

Wart, I'm trying to find the link....fuck, can't find it. I'll edit it out.

Apparently Bruce Levine on WMVP in Chicago saying it (that the Yanks are backing off of Beltran)...any confirmation from Chicago-area TSMers would be appreciated. As for now, I take it with a grain of salt.

 

That (if true) would mean the Cubs, Astros, Mets and Tigers (!!!) would be the remaining suitors. It'll be down to the Mets and Astros unless the Cubs get rid of Sammy So-So.

I didn't hear this myself, but I'm seeing it on all the Cubs message boards.

[Fuzzy Dunlop 0]

How about this lineup for the Cubs next year?

 

LF Patterson, .270, 29 SBs, 22 HRs

SS Garciaparra, .293, 90 R, 77 RBIs

CF Beltran, .270, 35 HR, 110 R, 35 SB

3B Ramirez, .295, 37 HR, 111 RBIs

RF Sosa, .262, 34 HR, 177 Ks

1B Lee, .288, 30 HR, 99 RBIs

2B Walker, .277

C Barrett, .275

 

If we trade Sosa, it'll probably be a Holla/Dubois platoon in Left, and Patterson in Right.

 

And a starting rotation of Wood, Prior, Zambrano, Maddux, and Rusch?

 

Last year we just missed the playoffs by 3 games. This year we can't POSSIBLY (knock on wood) have as many injuries, and we've got Nomar and Walker for a full year, SoSo can't do much worse and even if he does Dusty won't leave him in the 3-4 spots any longer, and Barrett, Patterson, and Big Z should each be a year better now. Plus Beltran.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Even if the Cubs make no further improvements, they should do better next season. This season they underperformed their pythagorean record by next year. Mark Prior and Kerry Wood missed 21 starts between them, and the Cubs gave 260 at bats to Ramon Martinez, and another 129 at bats to Alex Gonzalez. Cub fans fret about the bullpen, but LaTroy Hawkins in the closer role will not sink this team. Even with the injuries, the Cubs finished second in runs allowed, just behind the Cardinals. Quite honestly, I can easily see the Cubs taking the division right now.

[Fuzzy Dunlop 0]

Hawkins shouldn't be the closer this year. Rothschild and Hendry are supposedly both confident in Dempster, and assuming Borowski's healthy, the two of them will battle it out for that role in spring training. Hawkins as a set-up guy > Hawkins as closer.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

you forgot Jose Macias!

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

also, Hawkins >>>> Borowski

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ps - Cubs suck lol

[Guest The Shadow Behind You]

Will Johnson retain the #51 or will he get a new number since it's already used currently on the yankees by Bernie.

[mike546 0]

New number most likely.

[Brett Favre 0]

He should go with 52.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

Here are pictures of Johnny Damon's new trophy wife. His ex-wife and mother of his kids was a porker so evidently he felt he had to upgrade. They interviewed his new wife once during the year. She's as dumb as a sack of doorknobs.

 

 

[The Czech Republic 0]

Boston really got away with murder in this trade

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Randy Johnson :

 

vs the Orioles all time:

 

5-7 4.36 ERA in 22 games

 

@ Oriole Park

 

2-3 4.50 ERA in 7 games

 

---

 

I've also read that the Orioles are interested in getting Vazquez from the D-Backs for Gibbons, Matos and Bedard. It would be hillarious for him to end up back in the division, and Im all for the trade if it happens.

 

Plus, Vazquez pitched A Ball here for the Expos Affiliated Shorebirds in 1996..

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I ran a simulation of Boston/New York, using professional projections from Bill James' Handbook, and taking the rest from Baseball Primer's ZipS Projections. Over 1,000 games, the Sox won 500, and the Yankees won 500. To say the race is too close to call is an understatement.

[DerangedHermit 0]

I ran a simulation of Boston/New York, using professional projections from Bill James' Handbook, and taking the rest from Baseball Primer's ZipS Projections. Over 1,000 games, the Sox won 500, and the Yankees won 500. To say the race is too close to call is an understatement.

*pulls shirt collar nervously*

[mike546 0]

Maybe I'm biased, But I think they Yankees are better off next season.

 

The reason they lost to the Sox was a. a horrible rotation, b. an over worked bullpen, and c. no depth.

 

They've improved A and B a lot, and hopefully they'll be able to set up somde depth. The Sox improved a lot as well. Seriously, I can't wait for Schilling vs Johnson, its going to be nuts.

 

I've got a question for you Al. the Post said that if the Yankees could get rid of Giambi, they were thinking of doing a platoon between Tino and Andy Phillips. How do you think that would work out?

[The Czech Republic 0]

If they do cut Giambi loose, do you think he'll land with the Mets?

[Guest Failed Mascot]

He's still owed $84mill. I think he would retire since the Yankees would have to pay all of it.

[The Czech Republic 0]

I'd think they'd go to court to find a way to not pay whatever's left.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Maybe I'm biased, But I think they Yankees are better off next season.

 

The reason they lost to the Sox was a. a horrible rotation, b. an over worked bullpen, and c. no depth.

 

They've improved A and B a lot, and hopefully they'll be able to set up somde depth. The Sox improved a lot as well. Seriously, I can't wait for Schilling vs Johnson, its going to be nuts.

 

I've got a question for you Al. the Post said that if the Yankees could get rid of Giambi, they were thinking of doing a platoon between Tino and Andy Phillips. How do you think that would work out?

The Yankees' rotation wasn't horrible. It finished middle of the pack, but given their K/BB ratio, I am inclined to believe team defense was a problem. So far, they have done little to address that, besides adding Tino Martinez at first base. Jeter is a liability at short, as is Bernie Williams in center field. The pitching will continue to suffer as long as they ignore their problems in the field.

 

The bullpen is greatly improved, as they gotten some help on the back end. Team depth is even more of a problem this year than last year, if that can be believed. Last season the Yankees had five players on the postseason roster garner less than a .300 OBP. This year their bench thus far consists of Andy Phillips, Bubba Crosby, Felix Escalona, and John Flaherty. For a $200 Million team, that bench fares poorly compared to even the worst teams in the league.

 

This Yankee team could win 110 games if everyone stayed healthy. The problem is, there is a huge dropoff between their starters and their backups. Given that the core of their team is aging, there is reason for concern. But the Yankees are good enough that they should make the playoffs even if a handful of starters miss time.

 

As for Phillips/Martinez, Phillips had a great year at AAA, but he's 28, so he's as good as he's going to get. He caould make a nice platoon with Martinez, but at 1B, his offense is nothing to get excited over. Personally, I'd like to see Phillips start at second base over Womack.

[Vern Gagne 0]

WHat's the latest on Beltran?

[sfaJack 0]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bb/2973457

Auction for Beltran's services has only just begun

With Astros' Jan. 8 deadline looming, Yankees and Mets expected to escalate bidding

By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ

Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

 

Intent on speeding up the negotiations with All-Star center fielder Carlos Beltran, Astros owner Drayton McLane went so far as to invite Beltran's agent, Scott Boras, to ring in the new year with him at South Padre Island.

 

With a chuckle, McLane said Boras declined the invitation.

 

McLane hoped to have an answer from Boras by the end of the week, but he realizes negotiations are barely heating up. On the positive side for the Astros, they're still in the race. On the negative side for McLane, the big guys from New York are set to make their pitches and offers now that 2004 is out of the way.

 

"I've got no new answers," McLane said via phone from South Padre.

 

Because Beltran, 27, has declined the Astros' offer for salary arbitration, McLane has until Jan. 8 to complete a deal with the free agent. Otherwise, the Astros lose negotiating rights until May 1, meaning Beltran will be playing somewhere else.

 

McLane and Boras intensified their negotiations Wednesday and Thursday, spending over an hour on the phone during each session.

 

"We've talked so long yesterday and Wednesday," McLane said. "He's in a very deliberate process. You kind of have to let him run."

 

Boras isn't ready to guess when Beltran will settle on a team.

 

"I don't want to put a time frame (on it)," the agent said.

 

McLane claims he had made only one offer until this week. He said the offer was made by Tim Purpura in early December and then put in writing when McLane held a meeting with Boras and Beltran on Dec. 22 in Kissimmee, Fla.

 

In that meeting, Beltran made it clear to McLane he wouldn't continue considering teams that offer anything less than a seven-year contract.

 

McLane wouldn't say if he modified his bid Wednesday or Thursday. Purpura said he doesn't "think it's appropriate to comment" on whether the offer was revised.

 

"It's difficult to get into the smaller details of what's changed or not changed," Purpura said. "Suffice it to say the offer we've made and the offer we have on the table is a strong offer, and hopefully that gets it done."

 

Long Island Newsday has reported Boras will advise teams to start the bidding at seven years and $119 million. McLane wouldn't confirm or deny if he has received Boras' "seven-year, $119 million" message.

 

"That's just not something, again, that it's important to go into right now," McLane said. "We certainly talk about situations like that. Neither side is anywhere close. Apparently, this is something that is very deliberate. It's just something that we'll have to let them talk to other teams."

 

McLane said at the start of the week he was optimistic about his chances in the Beltran sweepstakes. He seemed less sure Friday.

 

"You can't be discouraged or optimistic, because all you're doing is discussing," McLane said. "We really don't know what the parameters are. We certainly talked each of the last two days at great lengths. We really don't know where the deal is. He (Boras) and I have talked so much. When he's ready to talk again, he's going to get back to us."

 

Even with the Yankees and Mets set to focus on Beltran this week, Purpura expects to remain in the hunt for Beltran until Jan. 8.

 

"I would say we're going to be in this really to the end," Purpura said. "What is said publicly versus what is said privately as to how this thing ends up I don't think anybody knows. I certainly think we're in it."

[Vern Gagne 0]

119 for 7 years. Shit, I don't know if he's worth that. Maybe the Astros get a discount.

[Guest Smues]

119 for 7 is the opening bid? Dear lord.

[Vern Gagne 0]

That's what the story said. Considering the agent, it wouldn't suprise me if it's accurate.

[sfaJack 0]

Astros cannot afford to go $119 mil for 7 years. They just can't. McLane is too rigid with his budgets, and considering that Oswalt and Berkman are free agents next year, the $40 mil they still owe Bagwell, and all the other deferred money McLane negotiated with Pettitte, Kent, Clemens, and others...it's too rich for them.

 

There was a rumor that the Astros had offered 5 guaranteed years for $75 mil, with an optional 6th year bringing it to $84 mil total. I don't know what happened to that (Astros denied it ever being offered), but that seems more than fair to me and if Beltran isn't interested, I'd tell him thanks for your service and enjoy New York.