2006-07 MLB Offseason Thread

[CanadianChris 0]

The captain won the Hank Aaron award which is awarded to the leagues best hitter.

FJM has already justifiably skewered this award. I love those guys.

[Precious Roy 0]

NEW YORK -- Gary Sheffield was told Wednesday that the New York Yankees will pick up his $13 million option for next season, according to a newspaper report.

 

Sheffield said he was hoping to test the free-agent market and get another three-year contract, USA Today said in a story on its Web site.

 

"This will not work, this will not work at all," Sheffield told the newspaper. "I don't want to play first base a year for them. I will not do that."

 

Sheffield, sidelined from May 29 to Sept. 22 with an injured left wrist that required surgery, hit .298 with six homers and 25 RBIs in 39 games this season. He played first base for the first time in his major league career after he returned in September.

 

"I don't know what they're [Yankees] going to do," Sheffield said. "Maybe they picked it up just to trade me. If they do that, if I just [go] to a team for one year, there's going to be a problem."

 

A little early for the Sheffield drama to start, he usually waits til at least January

[CanadianChris 0]

And Sheff just torpedoed any chance of the Yankees being able to trade him. Which I'm sure was his intent all along.

[Guest]

Sheff's such a cancer, and he's burned so many bridges that I doubt there was a big market for him anyway.

[vivalaultra 0]

I love Craig Biggio, but from what I hear (which is probably just speculatory and drafted out of nothing because it's such a dead period in terms of actual news), he's being a dick. The stories going around say that he's demanding that he make at least $5 million next year with the Astros and that he's not willing to take anything less. I read a statement from his agent today saying that if the Astros offer less than five mill, Biggio would be interested in getting his 3,000 hit with a different "winning team", specifically naming Chicago and New York (not sure if he meant the Yanks or the Mets). I don't see how either the Yankees or the Mets would have any use for a 40-year old, slightly below league-average offensive, quite below league-average defensive 2nd baseman and Chicago's not a winning team, so I don't get that part of the statement. Certainly, I'd love to see Biggio back in naught-seven and I'd love to be at MMP when he gets 3,000, but the Astros have a better option at 2nd base already in Chris Burke, and he's 4.5 million dollars cheaper. Anyway, I fully expect Biggio to be back with the 'Stros next year for 5 million dollars with Chris Burke hangin' out on the bench until Biggio hits the landmark. Then, hopefully, Biggio will reduce his role. Or he might get pissy and go play for the Royals or some other 62-100 team that has no 2nd baseman. And I heard the Astros mentioned in the Sheff rumors. A part of me would die if Sheffield came to Houston, but with the Crawford boxes and Sheffield's waggle, he'd go absolutely nuts, I'm sure.

[Guest Princess Leena]

Why is Sheffield so against playing 1st? He was quite good there from what I saw.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I love Craig Biggio, but from what I hear (which is probably just speculatory and drafted out of nothing because it's such a dead period in terms of actual news), he's being a dick. The stories going around say that he's demanding that he make at least $5 million next year with the Astros and that he's not willing to take anything less. I read a statement from his agent today saying that if the Astros offer less than five mill, Biggio would be interested in getting his 3,000 hit with a different "winning team", specifically naming Chicago and New York (not sure if he meant the Yanks or the Mets). I don't see how either the Yankees or the Mets would have any use for a 40-year old, slightly below league-average offensive, quite below league-average defensive 2nd baseman and Chicago's not a winning team, so I don't get that part of the statement. Certainly, I'd love to see Biggio back in naught-seven and I'd love to be at MMP when he gets 3,000, but the Astros have a better option at 2nd base already in Chris Burke, and he's 4.5 million dollars cheaper. Anyway, I fully expect Biggio to be back with the 'Stros next year for 5 million dollars with Chris Burke hangin' out on the bench until Biggio hits the landmark. Then, hopefully, Biggio will reduce his role. Or he might get pissy and go play for the Royals or some other 62-100 team that has no 2nd baseman. And I heard the Astros mentioned in the Sheff rumors. A part of me would die if Sheffield came to Houston, but with the Crawford boxes and Sheffield's waggle, he'd go absolutely nuts, I'm sure.

 

If he meant the Cubs, then no, but if he meant the Sox, then uhhh yeah they are.

[vivalaultra 0]

Well, obviously I made that statement presuming that he meant the Cubs. The Sox did win the 05 WS and they won 90 some odd games last year, but I doubt he was talking about them, considering they, of course, have a pretty good 2nd baseman in Iguchi. And also, it seems like a prerequisite to playing for the Cubs is that you have to play 2nd base.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Oh god. Scooter got much, much worse.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Speaking of which, you know what would be even better than a talking baseball explaining the game to kids? Doing it before their bedtimes.

[CanadianChris 0]

Speaking of which, you know what would be even better than a talking baseball explaining the game to kids? Doing it before their bedtimes.

Zing.

[Precious Roy 0]

I don't think Sheff's comments will affect his trade value all that much. Any team interested in him already knows he's a headcase who likes to run his mouth. He makes threats like this all the time. And Sheff has too much of an ego to sit out, not when he's closing in on 500 hrs and 2500 hits. He'll get traded to a decent team, maybe Anaheim if they don't get Soriano, maybe Texas, and probably get another year on his contract from them.

[Brett Favre 0]

Sheffield for Prior!!!!!!!!!

[strummer 0]

Bruce Bochy is the new manager of the Giants:

 

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2640133

[Guest Felonies!]

That's a strange move. Why would the Padres give Bochy permission to interview with a division rival? Did Sandy Alderson want him gone THAT badly? Well, I bet this means Dusty Baker takes over the Padres. That's actually a great place for Dusty to manage, what with the Padres not being a major concern and all. He would do well.

 

EDIT: This crossed my mind as I went to breakfast, and I would've turned around and fixed this if I didn't want that waffle: as if Sandy Alderson would hire Mr. Walks-Clog-The-Basepaths? No fucking way.

 

EDIT 2: On a lighter note, it appears that Joe Girardi, Cecil Cooper, Joey Cora, Ron Washington, Dusty Baker, and Terry Pendleton have all turned down the Washington job. Nobody wants to run that team. You know what this means: Mr. Alan Q. Keiper, you have nothing to lose! Set up an interview. Who else are they gonna hire?

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

The Padres doesn't want to pay the man some money. They want to go with a cheaper replacement, so expect a bench/pitching/whatever coach to get the job in San Diego.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Or Alan Q. Keiper.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I'm sorry but since Al's the one that advocated Brian Anderson starting in Chicago over Aaron Rowand.....

[vivalaultra 0]

I just read a story in the Houston Chronicle that made me sadder than this sorry ass World Series. Joe Niekro died today of a brain aneurysm in Florida at age 61. I didn't get to see him pitch much for the 'Stros in the 80s, but...he was a Hall of Famer...wait...no, he was the Brother of a Hall of Famer. In addition to pitching for my 'Stros, he also pitched for the Cubs, Padres, Tigers, Braves, Yankees, and Twins. He was 221-204 with a career 3.59 ERA and is the father of sometimes-Giant 1st baseman Lance Niekro.

[CanadianChris 0]

I just read a story in the Houston Chronicle that made me sadder than this sorry ass World Series. Joe Niekro died today of a brain aneurysm in Florida at age 61. I didn't get to see him pitch much for the 'Stros in the 80s, but...he was a Hall of Famer...wait...no, he was the Brother of a Hall of Famer. In addition to pitching for my 'Stros, he also pitched for the Cubs, Padres, Tigers, Braves, Yankees, and Twins. He was 221-204 with a career 3.59 ERA and is the father of sometimes-Giant 1st baseman Lance Niekro.

RIP.

 

 

How is it that none of the major online sports news sources have reported this yet? You'd think ESPN would have a story somewhere on the front page, or even the baseball page.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Niekro pitched one of the greatest single game postseason performances of all time, 10 scoreless innings in game three of the 1980 NLCS to lead the Astros to a 1-0, 11 inning victory over the Phillies. On top of that, he was actually a customer of my dad's alarm company for a time. He'll be missed.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Here's a fun random stat. Joe Niekro's statistically most similar player at 38 was Phil Niekro. Joe was 177-155 at that point, Phil was 178-153.

[vivalaultra 0]

Joe Niekro actually had a 0.00 ERA for the postseason. Granted, he only pitched in three postseason games, but he did pitch 20 innings. I've never seen the whole 80 postseason game against the Phils, but I've seen highlights and that was a pretty amazing pitching performance, indeed.

[bob_barron 0]

Saw this in an article at the Braves site-

 

Obviously, the team will save some money by cutting ties with Marcus Giles, Danys Baez and Chris Reitsma. They also can gain some additional funds by trading Horacio Ramirez. But the departures of these arbitration-eligible players won't completely offset the raises that other arbitration-eligible players will receive.

 

No more Reitsma? Thank God

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

They're cutting Marcus Giles? That would be unbelieveably dumb.

[bob_barron 0]

Arbitration- he'd cost too much money, and I think they're high on Aybar.

 

And Glavine costs too much money to bring back. Good- fuck him.

 

But any offseason where they finally get rid of Reitsma is a good one. What a horrible pitcher

[Guest Smues]

They're cutting Marcus Giles? That would be unbelieveably dumb.

 

That was my reaction when I read it yesterday. We've got too much money tied up in too few players.

[Precious Roy 0]

So, Barry Bonds is filing for free agency. Obviously the smartest move for him would be to sign with an AL team and play DH.

 

If I'm an NL general manager I'm very wary about giving him big bucks to play in the outfield taking his diminished fielding skills and risk of injury into account. If I'm in the AL I have no problem breaking the bank for him. Yes, he's still at a risk for injury, but controversial or not the man sells tickets, there's no question he will make a positive impact at the plate, and there's something to be said for having him in your uniform when he breaks the HR record.

[Guest Felonies!]

He'll go to the Yankees or Angels if he even does leave, which I doubt.

[naiwf 0]

The Mets should look into getting Brian Giles if the price is equal to or cheaper than what Julio Lugo (who Minaya seems to be most interested in) would cost.