2006-07 MLB Offseason Thread

[tominator89 0]

Life must be pretty awesome knowing that you can turn down $70 million and you'll find some other sucker willing to pay even more.

[Precious Roy 0]

A couple things I want to touch on

 

Soriano will be 31 at the start of spring training next year. A 5 year deal isn't going to kill you if he starts to decline in the last year or two.

 

Personally, he's proven to be a durable player and I think he's going to be good well into his mid 30's, maybe sees a decline in his stolen bases but an upswing in his avg/obp, but it is a bit of a roll of the dice.

 

I just hope he stays in the NL. If Anaheim were to get him they would be very dangerous. My prediction....Chicago Cubs

 

As far as Matsuzaka I would love to see him on the Yankees, he was great in the WBC, but everything I'm reading is that Seattle will outbid everyone on the posting fee, and that Steinbrenner still feels burned by Irabu and isn't so enamored with the guy that he'll go above and beyond to get him.

 

Torre coming back...my gut reaction was that a change would be good for the team, but I'm such a big Torre fan, I was glad to see him brought back for what is in all likelyhood his last season as a manager. A firing or resignation would have been a sad ending.

[devo 0]

I think the Beltran contract is going to be the benchmark for big-name outfielders (which I guess Soriano qualifies as now). Don't be surprised if he ends up getting sixteen or seventeen million a year.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Perhaps I am too down on the guy, but I don't see Soriano as an elite player. I wouldn't give him anything close to Beltran money. He just had his best season ever, at the age of 31, in his walk year in a situation where he had 0 pressure. That's not the type of guy you want to invest big, long-term money in.

 

Even with his "amazing year", he only hit .277/.351./.560. He's got nice pop, but is miscast as a leadoff hitter. He had never hit 40 HRs before this year, and was more like a 30 per year guy in that hitter's haven in Texas. He did steal 41 bags, but was caught 17 times! He's not a great basestealer.

 

If you play him in left, that's fine. He showed good range out there this year. But he wants to play 2nd, and he's a horrible defensive second baseman.

 

If you look at his home/road splits and trends over the past five years, he looks like he is in a steep decline. Last year seems more like an outlier than a predictor of future success. I could totally be wrong, but that's just how I see it.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Here is Daisuke Matsuzaka's final pitching line from this season.

 

IP Hits ER HR BB K W L ERA WHIP

186.1 138 44 13 34 200 17 5 2.13 0.92

 

Word is that bids are expected to be $17 to $28 million, with upwards of $70 million to sign. Folks, this may be your next $100 million man.

 

EDIT: Formatting is screwed, but you get the idea.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I agree with that assessment Cheech. And let me add the same thing I said when they re-upped Vidro. Let's say this is consistant with Soriano's true level of ability. They still lost 91 games.

 

Now that wasn't Soriano's fault. This team had the worst starting pitching in baseball. But when you're in the Nats' position, you can't spend your money on one player. You need to work on filling holes.

[Brett Favre 0]

I know he has that gyroballs, which looks like it goes up before it drops down; amazing pitch, but 100 million for a guy who hasn't pitched in the majors (in America), is something I hope the Yankees won't do.

[naiwf 0]

So is this the year where a bunch of marginally better than average players get monstrous contracts?

 

Soriano's gonna get $75 million+. This Matsuzaka chump who doesn't have an inning of MLB service is going to get more than just about any other pitcher in the league when you factor in the bid. Zito's gonna rob some team blind and then come up empty down the stretch/in the postseason again.

 

I'm only bitter because the Mets need pitching and are likely to end up drastically overpaying someone who will probably go 15-10 or 16-11.

[Brett Favre 0]

Matsuzaka isn't a chump. He's a very good pitcher, but you can't be paying that much for a guy who like you said hasn't played an inning in the majors.

[tominator89 0]

Will there ever be a salary cap for MLB?

[naiwf 0]

No, the more the Yankees and other high end teams spend, the more the pocket stuffers get in revenue sharing.

[Guest NYankees]

Will there ever be a salary cap for MLB?

 

 

I think a salary floor should be installed before there is a cap.

[Guest Smues]

Will there ever be a salary cap for MLB?

 

I doubt the union will ever allow it.

[Mik 0]

Yeah - the floor needs to come first.

 

Fucking Loria.

[vivalaultra 0]

Hmmm...any chance of Los Mets overpaying for Soriano and putting him back at 2nd for next year? Do they have any options at 2nd besides Valentin or a rookie? I could see them doing that. He'd fit in well in that lineup.

[Brett Favre 0]

They may, but I see them going after pitching first. With Floyd looking worse and worse each day, Soriano would be a good fit (whether at 2nd or LF).

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Former Phillies' star Johnny Callison died at the age of 67. Callison was one of the brightest young stars of the mid-60s, but his ability plummeted as he entered his prime, I believe due to an eye problem.

[Guest Felonies!]

Word on the street, from the beat writer at the Arlington Heights Daily Herald, is that Jim Hendry has already committed to Lou Piniella as manager of the Cubs, and he's just waiting until the Nationals or Giants sign Joe Girardi to announce it so he can say he tried his hardest but had to settle. Hawk Harrelson opined that this would give Chicago the two best managers in baseball, which leads me to believe that

 

1) Hawk is being sarcastic and laughing at us getting saddled with Piniella, or

 

2) Hawk Harrelson is the biggest motherfucking idiot in the whole wide world.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

2) Hawk Harrelson is the biggest motherfucking idiot in the whole wide world.

 

That's the right answer.

[Brett Favre 0]

One of the reasons they're hiring Pinella is because of his relationship with A-Rod.

[devo 0]

 

2) Hawk Harrelson is the biggest motherfucking idiot in the whole wide world.

 

That's the right answer.

 

This story would support that argument.

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...-cubs-headlines

 

"Baseball is drowning in statistics and starving for knowledge," Harrelson said. "Lou has the knowledge."

 

[CanadianChris 0]

Word on the street, from the beat writer at the Arlington Heights Daily Herald, is that Jim Hendry has already committed to Lou Piniella as manager of the Cubs, and he's just waiting until the Nationals or Giants sign Joe Girardi to announce it so he can say he tried his hardest but had to settle. Hawk Harrelson opined that this would give Chicago the two best managers in baseball, which leads me to believe that

 

1) Hawk is being sarcastic and laughing at us getting saddled with Piniella, or

 

2) Hawk Harrelson is the biggest motherfucking idiot in the whole wide world.

(1) would imply that he thinks Ozzie Guillen is one of the two best managers in baseball. So, definitely (2).

 

I've found you can never go wrong by just assuming Hawk is an idiot.

[the max 0]

Word on the street, from the beat writer at the Arlington Heights Daily Herald, is that Jim Hendry has already committed to Lou Piniella as manager of the Cubs, and he's just waiting until the Nationals or Giants sign Joe Girardi to announce it so he can say he tried his hardest but had to settle. Hawk Harrelson opined that this would give Chicago the two best managers in baseball, which leads me to believe that

 

1) Hawk is being sarcastic and laughing at us getting saddled with Piniella, or

 

2) Hawk Harrelson is the biggest motherfucking idiot in the whole wide world.

(1) would imply that he thinks Ozzie Guillen is one of the two best managers in baseball. So, definitely (2).

 

I've found you can never go wrong by just assuming Hawk is an idiot.

 

YOU CAN PUT IT ON DA BOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARD...*gunshot*

[Guest Felonies!]

One of the reasons they're hiring Pinella is because of his relationship with A-Rod.

If Alex Rodriguez was eaten alive in the Bronx, he'll be eaten alive on the north side, only now garnished with celery salt and sport peppers.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Don't know if these have been mentioned anywhere:

 

- The Yankees have declined their option on Mike Mussina, and will instead start negotiations on a two-year deal for less money

 

- The money kicked in by Texas for A-Rod's contract does not transfer if he is traded. The new team would be fully responsible for the $25 million

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

On by the way, I caught Dusty Baker on the Dan Patrick Show this morning. I can see why Cubs fans hate this guy so much. He seems like a nice enough person, but way out of touch with what wins ballgames.

 

He said that he likes teams to be built around pitching, speed and defense. Likes teams to have a mix of old and young talent. Mentioned that it was alsog good to have a guy with some power and someone who can get on base to be driven in by the power guy (you think?). And people wonder why the Cubs only won 60-something games.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

- The Yankees have declined their option on Mike Mussina, and will instead start negotiations on a two-year deal for less money

 

Huge mistake. Mussina will get a three year deal somewhere.

[Brett Favre 0]

He was going to make like 20 million next year; they had to do it.

 

Damn, cheech, are you sure about the A-Rod stuff? We'd have to pay part of his salary now (if we decide to trade him).

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

He was going to make like 20 million next year; they had to do it.

 

Damn, cheech, are you sure about the A-Rod stuff? We'd have to pay part of his salary now (if we decide to trade him).

 

You know, I'm not 100% sure about the A-Rod stuff. I can go back and find the link. The author wasn't positive, but had been told that the language from the agreement prevented the Yanks from trading a subsidized A-Rod.

 

The Yankees should have picked up Mussina's option. He may not be worth $17 million, but now they have to try and replace their best pitcher in a weak free agent market. The only viable alternatives are Zito and Matsuzaka, who are going to cost $70 million+. At least with Mussina, it's short-term money.

[Brett Favre 0]

Chances are the Yankees will bring up Hughes for part of the season, along with Wang, and you already have Johnson, and possibly Pavano coming back. That's four pitchers right there. I think they're going to go after Matsuzaka, if not Schmidt or Zito, and will still try to resign Moose.