The 2008 MLB Offseason Thread

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Mike Arbuckle is now assistant GM of the Royals. This is the guy who oversaw the drafting/development of the core of the Phillies' championship club, so this is great news for Royals' fans.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Why do people think when others complain about the lack of salary cap, it only applies towards the Yankees management? There are other teams out there that makes the market as loopy as it is, not just Yankees.

 

edit: And yes I'm including my White Sox here too.

[Psycho Penguin 0]

While I hated living in South Florida (Miami in particular) as much as anyone, I certainly couldn't see how much more I'd hate that than freakin' Baltimore. I had L.A. as my only standard of comparison, and now Portland which I like a lot more than Miami (but could understand if some people felt the opposite way, this city just appeals more to me). Just strange.

 

I live an hour north of Miami and I hate it here. I'd much rather live in Baltimore. My family is there, a lot of my old friends are there, I miss seasons, etc. And Maryland does have a beach. Ocean City!

[Guest Israeli Mixed Wrestling]

Yeah, and still no salary cap in baseball. That makes sense.

It does, because spending doesn't guarantee winning.

 

Doesn't mean a cap isn't needed.

A cap isn't needed. There's already parity, as opposed to engineered mediocrity, in baseball. A quadratic breakdown of the thirty teams by payroll and winning shows that there's nothing to worry about. For whom do we need a salary cap? Small markets can and do compete with large ones by spending more efficiently and investing in scouting/development, which certain large-market teams in certain neighborhoods of certain midwestern cities still haven't figured out how to do after 125+ years. I can't believe we're sitting here in 2008 gnashing our teeth over the Yankees offering big money to players as if it's en route to the ultimate collapse of baseball. We should be used to it. They engage in comical bluster, waste a lot of money, and go on to not win anything. If you want worry about an organization dominating baseball, worry about the Red Sox, who not only buy anyone they please, but also seem to produce an endless stream of prospects. Wasn't the story with Sabathia from day one in Milwaukee that he was gonna have a crazy three months to get big money from the Dodgers or Angels? What changed here? Why the outrage?

 

There's no spending without consequence. They're incurring huge sunk costs with nothing to show for it, in cases like Carl Pavano or Kosuke Fukudome or whatever. What about the NFL, where teams can offer contracts with zillions of dollars in fake money that never have to materialize because the player is cut from the team in year 3 of the eleventeen-zillion-year non-guaranteed contract?

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Well, it would just be nice if more teams had a fair shot at signing big free agent players like the Yankees, Red Sox, and Cubs do. You are right that overall, baseball does have parity. There is no doubt about it. It's just frustrating, like I said earlier, that a team like the Yankees can throw around huge money at guys, and even if they do fail, the Yankees suffer no consequences whatsoever. And it's not like you can say the Brewers aren't trying to spend money...they offered Sabathia more than double the biggest contract they had ever given anyone (Ryan Braun at around 45 million), and it's still not enough. It's not even close. Let's keep things in perspective...just a couple years ago, paying a starting pitcher $20 million a year would have been considered lunacy. Now it's like "Oh, the market has been set. One team paid a guy 9 figures, now we shouldn't blink an eye at that. Let's pay them whatever the hell gets it done." That's the aggravating thing, that the all mighty Yankees can waltz in and make a ridiculous offer to a guy that the Milwaukee fans fell in love with over the last four months, and who publicly said he liked the team and hinted he wanted to stay (and yes, I know guys say a lot of things and kiss ass to everyone, and it's ultimately up to them to sign where they want). How many people are going to turn down an extra $30 or 40 million, though?

 

As far as the NFL teams being able to sign guys and not being obligated to pay all of the contract, the players can point to their own union for that.

[bob_barron 0]

Yeah, and still no salary cap in baseball. That makes sense.

It does, because spending doesn't guarantee winning.

 

Doesn't mean a cap isn't needed.

 

You're wrong and Czech is right. I'm very much against salary caps, teams that want to spend money should be allowed to.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Well, that sounds nice, especially if you're a fan of a big market team...I suspect either way that if the economy continues to worsen, things will work themselves out, and salaries will stabilize a bit. I still stand by my post from earlier today, though.

[jimmy no nose 0]

For some reason the big rumor of the day is a Julio Lugo for Dontrelle Willis trade. Uh....

[the max 0]

That's old news, but I think i like it...

[Guest Israeli Mixed Wrestling]

That's the aggravating thing, that the all mighty Yankees can waltz in and make a ridiculous offer to a guy that the Milwaukee fans fell in love with over the last four months, and who publicly said he liked the team and hinted he wanted to stay (and yes, I know guys say a lot of things and kiss ass to everyone, and it's ultimately up to them to sign where they want).

See, you kinda defeated your own argument there by acknowledging that anything Sabathia said was most likely lip service. I was under the impression that not only did the fans pretty much understand he was a one-shot deal to make the playoffs, Yost and Sveum used him as a one-shot deal to make the playoffs, sending his pitch counts into the 120s, loading up on innings pitched and games started, with the intent of getting every last drop out of his year, and if his arm falls off next March, that's Joe Torre's problem. Such is the nature of rentals, no matter which team they're on. I think the market will correct itself soon, however. I wonder what baseball attendance/revenue was like in the first Great Depression?

 

As for the Cubs, they can't spend money anymore. They had to tell Kerry Wood to go find work elsewhere. Maybe the Brewers can sign him. His wife is from Waukegan (the good part? she's cute), so he doesn't want to leave.

 

As far as the NFL teams being able to sign guys and not being obligated to pay all of the contract, the players can point to their own union for that.

No wonder the league, as opposed to the union, was so over-the-top in mourning the death of Gene Upshaw.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I wonder what baseball attendance/revenue was like in the first Great Depression?

 

I can't speak for revenue, but attendance figures are widely available. They actually went up in 1930, fell to a low from 1933-35. The National League did not reach the 1929-30 level of attendance again until 1945. The American League fared a bit better, hitting attendance highs in the late 30s though suffering some dips afterwards. Attendance exploded in 1946 after the war.

 

One of the problems with the situation was that the Yankees were one of the few teams capable of sustaining a profit, and that's when their historical dominance really started.

[bob_barron 0]

I think you mean Joe Girardi, Czech.

[Guest Israeli Mixed Wrestling]

No, I meant Torre. The Dodgers were said to be the favorite to land CC because he wanted to go to an NL West team.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

sending his pitch counts into the 120s, loading up on innings pitched and games started, with the intent of getting every last drop out of his year, and if his arm falls off next March, that's Joe Torre's problem.

 

Well, part of that too was that they didn't have anyone else to rely on too much. Gallardo was injured, Sheets had injury issues, as did Suppan. If they hadn't ridden CC like that, they would have used the bullpen even more (and McClung was already making spot starts on top of that), and they probably wouldn't have made it anyway.

 

I do think most people realize and accept that CC was probably just with us for 3+ months. That was certainly the mentality at the time. However, the fans are seeing Attanasio and Doug Melvin make a good faith effort to try and keep the guy, and then the Yankees step in and make a ridiculous offer. Like I said, that's the frustrating aspect. Brewers fans will get over it though. Even if the Brewers can't get CC back, chances are they will be able to somehow obtain at least one high quality starting pitcher this off season. They pretty much have to.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

The Giants signed RP Jeremey Affeldt to a two-year deal worth about $8 million. That's a steal in this market. He's one of the best relievers available and doesn't come with the closer premium that is going to drive the price crazy for K-Rod and Fuentes. Any team needing bullpen help (hello everybody) should have been all over him at that price.

 

Not surprisingly, the Giants had to do something stupid in the wake of this great signing. According to Sabean, they are going to use him to set-up to bridge to "proven" closer Brian Wilson. Nothing like sticking with the crappy incumbent because he has a few saves to his name.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Not surprisingly, the Giants had to do something stupid in the wake of this great signing. According to Sabean, they are going to use him to set-up to bridge to "proven" closer Brian Wilson. Nothing like sticking with the crappy incumbent because he has a few saves to his name.

 

Wilson blew six saves this year. The Giants ended up winning five of those games. And his peripherals look better than his ERA indicates. With the team unlikely to contend, why sweat the choice of closer?

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Word is that the A's Fremont Stadium plans are now dead. They are going to try and pitch an alternate plan to pay for the stadium, but it doesn't sound like it will pencil out. Shame. The A's are a decent organization and they have the worst stadium in the league.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

With the credit crisis and the fact that it takes an act of God to get something like a stadium built, they'll be moving out of state with the Chargers and 49'ers within the next decade.

[devo 0]

Dempster resigns with the Cubs at four years, $52 million.

 

http://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2008/1...ith_cubs_s.html

 

I know he was great last year but this seems like a lot of money considering the overall rockiness of his career.

[Bored 0]

Word is that the A's Fremont Stadium plans are now dead.

I'm assuming you read the BP sidebar today and nothing in that or the article it references in the San Jose Mercury News say that the deal is "dead" just that with the current economy it's probably going to be delayed further.

 

I personally don't care what happens with the Fremont deal anymore and don't care if they have to play in the Coliseum for another 20 years. What still pisses me off to this day is the city of Oakland and Alameda County bending over and spending $200 million over a decade ago to build the montrosity that is Mount Davis, ruining that stadium just so they could bring back the Raiders. If the Raiders never came back the A's would probably have a new stadium in Oakland by now.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

With the credit crisis and the fact that it takes an act of God to get something like a stadium built, they'll be moving out of state with the Chargers and 49'ers within the next decade.

 

Won't happen. NFL will want the 49ers somewhere in California near San Francisco. To say they'll move is like saying the Green Bay Packers will move or Chicago Bears. The Chargers are more likelier, but they're still trying to find a home in Southern California first. Vegas would be the last resort option for them.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Apparently Don Wakamatsu (who?) is going to be the next manager of the Mariners.

 

Expect an announcement by tomorrow morning, but Don Wakamatsu is the new manager of the Mariners. An insider source just called and told me that the six other candidates will be advised shortly that they did not get the job and that Wakamatsu is the guy. Yes, King 5 anchor Paul Silvi gets credit for the initial "scoop" that Wakamatsu was the front-runner. The hiring is now going down. The team has signed off on the decision.

 

There were people within the Mariners organization who favored Joey Cora for the job. But in the end, Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik got total say over the decision and Wakamatsu was his man. In the end, the team's ownership, Hiroshi Yamauchi, Chris Larson and others, did have to approve the choice. But it's now done.

 

Link: http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/mari...ndex.html#34425

 

I was reading somewhere that the new GM of the Mariners is trying to build an all-sabermetric friendly organization. That includes the front office and managers. Could be interesting.

[Bored 0]

Red Sox traded Coco Crisp to the Royals for reliever Ramon Ramirez.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Red Sox traded Coco Crisp to the Royals for reliever Ramon Ramirez.

Don't know if I like this deal that much, but I'm willing to give it a chance. Coco Crisp is not exactly an all-world talent, but on a team that relies on Ellsbury and Drew in the outfield, he had a lot of value. It was clear last year that Jacoby wasn't ready for the big show and Drew is always an injury risk. Having a starting-caliber CF on the bench was always nice as a fall-back option.

 

The one thing I will say is that this gives the team a lot of flexibility. While they now must find a competent 4th OF, they have the set-up man they've been looking for. This allows them to move Masterson or Buchholz in a trade for a C. It also freed up about $5 million. Don't know if that's just going in the pot to sweeten the offer to Burnett or what, but it's a decent sum of money.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Red Sox traded Coco Crisp to the Royals for reliever Ramon Ramirez.

Don't know if I like this deal that much, but I'm willing to give it a chance. Coco Crisp is not exactly an all-world talent, but on a team that relies on Ellsbury and Drew in the outfield, he had a lot of value. It was clear last year that Jacoby wasn't ready for the big show and Drew is always an injury risk. Having a starting-caliber CF on the bench was always nice as a fall-back option.

 

The one thing I will say is that this gives the team a lot of flexibility. While they now must find a competent 4th OF, they have the set-up man they've been looking for. This allows them to move Masterson or Buchholz in a trade for a C. It also freed up about $5 million. Don't know if that's just going in the pot to sweeten the offer to Burnett or what, but it's a decent sum of money.

Personally, I'm always pleased when a starting caliber player moves to a place where he has a clear job.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Personally, I'm always pleased when a starting caliber player moves to a place where he has a clear job.

The Royals now have DeJesus, Crisp, Guillen and Teahen in their outfield. Unless this paves the way for a Teahen trade, he's still in limbo. There's no way they acquired him to sit the bench, but as of today it's not that clear.

[CanadianChris 0]

Mike Mussina is retiring, 30 wins short of 300, according to ESPN.com.

 

Hall of Famer or no? I'd say he gets in, but has to wait a few years before finally being inducted.

[the max 0]

Mussina = Blyleven, I think. And every year we hear more and more reasons why Blyleven SHOULDN'T be in.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Mussina = Blyleven, I think. And every year we hear more and more reasons why Blyleven SHOULDN'T be in.

Such as?

 

Mussina's career win/loss record is 270-153. That's a .638 winning percentage. There is no pitcher in baseball even CLOSE to that kind of performance who is not in the Hall of Fame.

[the max 0]

I meant that I think Mussina will be this generation's Blyleven. Blyleven should be in, in my opinion, but all we hear are reasons why he shouldn't be in rather than why he should be in. Mussina didn't win 300 games and just won 20 for the first time last season. Just seems like something that the voters will harp on, like Blyleven who never won 20 or 300.