The 2008 MLB Offseason Thread

[YourKock'sReallyGreat 0]

D-Cab will probably go somewhere else now and turn into a god damn 15 game winner stud.

 

St Louis

 

On Manny, I personally think the Yankees need to do whatever it takes to sign him. A lot of people have the attitude that the Yankee offense is still stacked or at least in good enough shape that they don't need him, and it really isn't. They performed well below expectations last year and have lost two of their best hitters in Giambi and Abreu. Giambi had an OPS+ of 128, Abreu 120. It's unreasonable to expect Swisher and Nady to replace that production. Really the only sure things in the Yankee lineup are Damon, Rodriguez and probably Jeter to have a bounce back year at the plate. Posada and Matsui have serious injury concerns and who knows which Robbie Cano will show up.

 

Pitching should obviously be much improved this year, and while I'm all for the idea of putting a good defensive club on the diamond, the reality is that they could add a gold glove defensive wiz to the outfield rather than a power bat and it wouldn't make that much of a difference when the team is at best average at the other 8 positions and has to live with the shortcomings of Jeter, Damon, Posada etc.

 

I could live with an outfield of Manny/Damon/Nady for one year. I believe both Damon and Matsui are in walk years. In the offseason you can spend some of that money to replace them with better defensive players in center and left, and move Manny to DH for the remainder of his contract. You'd probably have to let Manny play the field a couple games a week to keep him happy, but so be it. Or if Posada can no longer catch and has to be DH'd at least they can put someone with range in center field.

 

 

Damon, Matsui and Nady are all in Walk Years. Thats 40 million coming off the books in 2009. Manny is the right choice. It's funny to listen to some Yankee fans who dont want him because of Manny being Manny. These are the same fans who cheered for Daryl and Doc Gooden.. Manny is 35-45 homeruns with 120 rbi's plus. He offers protection to Arod and takes pressure off of him. Yankees might have an average defensive team but they were second least in errors last year. They are waiting to see what Tex does before they go after Manny.

[YourKock'sReallyGreat 0]

Furcal to the Dodgers 3 years $33 million looks like a done deal. Apparently he had the Braves completely believing his contract was all but signed, had an agreement faxed to him, then used that to pull a new offer out of the Dodgers. And his agent isn't even Scott Boras.

 

Well if that's true than fuck him.

 

 

Thats a dick move to do to a former team you played for. No respect what so ever. Kharma is beyond a bitch.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Sad note as former Astros closer Dave Smith has passed away from a heart attack at the age of 53.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Several outlets are now reporting that the Cameron to the Yankees deal is dead.

[YourKock'sReallyGreat 0]

Several outlets are now reporting that the Cameron to the Yankees deal is dead.

 

 

NY Daily News mentioned it and stated that this would give the Yankees flexibility to move Damon to CF if the Yankees were to go after Manny. I am sure the talks would heat back up after Tex/Manny signs with whatever team.

[sfaJack 0]

Astros sign Aaron F'n Boone to a 1 year deal worth $750k. The thinking is he'll platoon with Geoff Blum, playing primarily against left-handed pitchers.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

John Schuerholz, Braves President, and Frank Wren, current Braves GM, have informed the Wasserman Media Group (Furcal's agents) that they will never do business with them again. This is substantial news, as they actually have a fairly large list of clients that they represent (which you can find here: http://www.wmgllc.com/).

 

Having been in this business for 40-some years, I’ve never seen anybody treated like that,” Schuerholz said. “The Atlanta Braves will no longer do business with that company — ever. I told [agent] Arn Tellem that we can’t trust them to be honest and forthright. I told him that in all my years, I’ve never seen any [agency] act in such a despicable manner.

 

Wow. I wonder if any other teams will follow suit.

[devo 0]

Ballsy. If even another team joins in the pressure will be on the rest of the league the follow suit or else they might be seen as endorsing the company's behavior through silence. Despite him being with the Braves I've always liked Schuerholz and I think it's absolutely the right move given WMG's actions.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

WMG will have to fire Kinzer, and probably Tellem as well. I know that agents are sleazy and that they are encouraged to do unscrupulous things to get their client the best deal, but they went too far this time. There has to be a line somewhere and they, unfortunately, decided to cross it. Now everyone knows it, and it will be hell for them in any future negotiations for their clients.

[Guest Czecherbear]

Arn "Soulja Boy" Tellem did this? No! Similarly, the horseshit owner says he'll never sign a Scott Boras free agent. I think this rules out Joe Crede right now, and John Danks down the road. Meanwhile on the other side of town, I heard that Boras gives the Cubs a discount of sorts because they paid his way through law school when he was a failed Cubs prospect. I've yet to see it, though.

[YourKock'sReallyGreat 0]

WMG will have to fire Kinzer, and probably Tellem as well. I know that agents are sleazy and that they are encouraged to do unscrupulous things to get their client the best deal, but they went too far this time. There has to be a line somewhere and they, unfortunately, decided to cross it. Now everyone knows it, and it will be hell for them in any future negotiations for their clients.

 

 

I thought Tellem was the head of WMG or up there at least.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

WMG will have to fire Kinzer, and probably Tellem as well. I know that agents are sleazy and that they are encouraged to do unscrupulous things to get their client the best deal, but they went too far this time. There has to be a line somewhere and they, unfortunately, decided to cross it. Now everyone knows it, and it will be hell for them in any future negotiations for their clients.

 

 

I thought Tellem was the head of WMG or up there at least.

He's the company president. I still think that Kinzer will take the brunt of it, but Tellem might have to lie low for awhile, especially in baseball negotiations.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Sox May Be Close To Signing Teixeira

Team Execs Meet With Player's Agent

 

POSTED: 5:44 pm EST December 18, 2008

UPDATED: 6:00 pm EST December 18, 2008

 

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox may be close to signing Mark Teixeira, the premiere free agent available this off-season.

 

SportsCenter 5's Mike Lynch reported that team owner John Henry, CEO Larry Lucchino and General Manager Theo Epstein were in Texas Thursday evening meeting with Teixeira's agent Scott Boras.

 

Lynch reported the Red Sox were offering an 8-year contract with an annual salary of $23 million.

 

Looks like they might be closing in on Teixeira. If this doesn't get it done, I'd assume they pull out the Teix ends up with the Angels.

 

I'll be back with comments later if there is any indication that this is getting done tonight or tomorrow.

[YourKock'sReallyGreat 0]

Sox May Be Close To Signing Teixeira

Team Execs Meet With Player's Agent

 

POSTED: 5:44 pm EST December 18, 2008

UPDATED: 6:00 pm EST December 18, 2008

 

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox may be close to signing Mark Teixeira, the premiere free agent available this off-season.

 

SportsCenter 5's Mike Lynch reported that team owner John Henry, CEO Larry Lucchino and General Manager Theo Epstein were in Texas Thursday evening meeting with Teixeira's agent Scott Boras.

 

Lynch reported the Red Sox were offering an 8-year contract with an annual salary of $23 million.

 

Looks like they might be closing in on Teixeira. If this doesn't get it done, I'd assume they pull out the Teix ends up with the Angels.

 

I'll be back with comments later if there is any indication that this is getting done tonight or tomorrow.

 

 

When does Boras call the Yankees for their last offer?

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Red Sox owner just e-mailed several media members with a stunning twist in the team's pursuit of Mark Teixeira. "We met with Mr. Teixeira and were very much impressed with him. After hearing about his other offers, however, it seems clear that we are not going to be a factor."

[YourKock'sReallyGreat 0]

Red Sox owner just e-mailed several media members with a stunning twist in the team's pursuit of Mark Teixeira. "We met with Mr. Teixeira and were very much impressed with him. After hearing about his other offers, however, it seems clear that we are not going to be a factor."

 

 

Meaning that the Red Sox do not give out 10 year 200 million dollar deals?

 

Sosh is overloaded right now and I cant get the site to work. I think every red sox fan is on it right now.

[jimmy no nose 0]

Part of me feels like the Red Sox are just testing Scott Boras and may take one last shot if Boras comes back with a "Mark really wants to play in Boston" pitch. You never really know what kind of numbers agents are throwing out vs. what is actually being offered (see the Rafael Furcal signing where it turns out the agent was telling something close to the truth to the Dodgers).

[Cartman 0]

Rumor has it that Texiera ruled out the Sox. My money is on the Yanks getting him now.

[jimmy no nose 0]

The Red Sox last offer to Teixeira was 8/176 ($22 million average) and the Angels haven't gone higher than around 160. The Yankees supposedly aren't in on this at all (at least yet). The Orioles or Nationals must have upped an offer to something ridiculous.

[Brett Favre 0]

Torii Hunter late last night said that he's happy that the Angels made the extra effort to keep him, which makes me think that they were the ones with the big time offer. The Yankees aren't in it. I think they go after Manny.

[Boon 0]

The Red Sox last offer to Teixeira was 8/176 ($22 million average) and the Angels haven't gone higher than around 160. The Yankees supposedly aren't in on this at all (at least yet). The Orioles or Nationals must have upped an offer to something ridiculous.

Or Boras got his bluff called. I hope this ends soon; Boras vs. the Red Sox is getting old.

[the max 0]

Dock Ellis died.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

The Red Sox last offer to Teixeira was 8/176 ($22 million average) and the Angels haven't gone higher than around 160. The Yankees supposedly aren't in on this at all (at least yet). The Orioles or Nationals must have upped an offer to something ridiculous.

Or Boras got his bluff called. I hope this ends soon; Boras vs. the Red Sox is getting old.

 

Boras vs. every team not in New York City is getting old.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Dock Ellis died.

Ellis was part of three notable games.

 

1. He pitched a no hitter, while on the influence of LSD.

 

2. He pitched a game against the Reds where he determined to hit every batter he faced. He hit Rose, Morgan and Dan Driessen, and walked Tony Perez trying to hit him.

 

3. He was the starting pitcher the game Pittsburgh fielded the first all black/latino starting nine in MLB history.

[the max 0]

He also hit Reggie Jackson in the face because Jackson hit that famous All-Star game homer off of him. Just one of those characters.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

My theory is that Boras told Epstein that the Orioles and Nationals had higher bids out for Teixeira, and Epstein said "Enjoy last place, Tex."

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Probably not in those words.

 

Baltimore with Teixeira would have a chance to become a competitive team. That would give them a core of Teixeira, Brian Roberts, Nick Markakis, Matt Weiters and Adam Jones. Four of those guys could be top 5 at their positions within the next two years.

 

I'd like to see Teixeira to the Nationals. They need a good player, and it'd give more star power to the National League as well.

[bob_barron 0]

I'd like to see Teixeira to the Nationals. They need a good player, and it'd give more star power to the National League as well.

 

I wouldn't. Keep Georgia Tex out of the East.

[Boon 0]

Baltimore with Teixeira would have a chance to become a competitive team. That would give them a core of Teixeira, Brian Roberts, Nick Markakis, Matt Weiters and Adam Jones. Four of those guys could be top 5 at their positions within the next two years.

Joe Sheehan? Is that you?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Baltimore with Teixeira would have a chance to become a competitive team. That would give them a core of Teixeira, Brian Roberts, Nick Markakis, Matt Weiters and Adam Jones. Four of those guys could be top 5 at their positions within the next two years.

Joe Sheehan? Is that you?

I haven't read much of Sheehan lately, so I don't understand the joke.

 

Daniel Cabrera is Washington bound on a one year contract.