Spring Training 2009

[jimmy no nose 0]

Maybe it was already mentioned, but the Dodgers signed Doug Mientkiewicz to a minor league deal a couple days ago.

 

I think any other year he would have gotten a Major League deal no problem.

Last year he signed a minor league deal with the Pirates and was told not to expect to make the team. He's a singles hitter who really can't play anywhere other than first base. Not exactly the most valuable guy out there, although at one point this offseason he was said to be looking for a starting job somewhere. No idea where he was expecting to go for that.

[sfaJack 0]

Jim Bowden quits while professing his innocence.

[garfieldsnose 0]

Johan Santana says he experienced no elbow discomfort during a bullpen session today. Sigh of relief for you Met fans.

[YourKock'sReallyGreat 0]

Curt Schilling is talking about the Cubs and the Rays.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

According Jeff Blair of the Toronto Globe and Mail, the Blue Jays have interest in free agent SS Orlando Cabrera.

[Matt Young 0]

Today is my first time outside of past highlights on MLB Network seeing baseball in HD, and it's White Sox/Dodgers. Can't get much better than that.

[treble 0]

According Jeff Blair of the Toronto Globe and Mail, the Blue Jays have interest in free agent SS Orlando Cabrera.

 

And this makes no sense, since they'd have to clear payroll in order to get it done, which means trading Rolen and/or Overbay to anyone who's willing to take on as much salary as possible. Also, they'd have to give up their first round pick. All this for the slight upgrade at SS from Scutaro to Cabrera and the right for the White Sox to have another first rounder. I don't think a Millar/Hill/Bautsita/Cabrera infield is any better than a Overbay/Hill/Rolen/Scutaro one.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Os signed Adam Eaton to a minor league contract which means he'll be starting by August, if not sooner.

 

also saw this:

 

In what general manager John Mozeliak called a "disconnect" with his manager, Cardinals skipper Tony La Russa suggested Thursday morning that the team's shortage of arms was dire enough to seek a lend-lease arrangement with the overstocked Baltimore Orioles.

 

La Russa noted that he carried promising starters P.J. Walters and Adam Ottavino south for Thursday's exhibition against the Orioles in case several scheduled arms prematurely reached their pitch counts.

 

...

 

Orioles manager Dave Trembley called it "an interesting concept. I don't know what the rules are or how it would be received." One Orioles front-office member allowed, "You've got me. You just asked me something I've never heard before."

 

[garfieldsnose 0]

Orioles are fucking dumb.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Orioles are fucking dumb.

 

uhuh

[HarleyQuinn 0]

http://itmightbedangerous.blogspot.com/

 

Stumbled upon Paul Depodesta's blog. Interesting read whereby he explains several of the moves made this spring training including the trades of Matt Bush and Khalil Greene as well as the signing of Cliff Floyd.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Lock up your spouses and underaged ball girls, Orlando Cabrera has signed with the Oakland A's.

 

Link

 

 

[Bored 0]

Nice. Time for Bobby Crosby to start learning how to play second and third base as it's utility infielder time for you buddy.

 

This probably also means Nomar Garciaparra will be retiring if the report was true that it was either that or sign with the A's and that doesn't appear likely now with Cabrera on board.

[Bored 0]

This probably also means Nomar Garciaparra will be retiring if the report was true that it was either that or sign with the A's and that doesn't appear likely now with Cabrera on board.

And I don't know anything, because Robothal is reporting that the A's are about to sign Garciaparra after all. They have quite the roster crunch on their infield at the moment. Not overly excited by this move as Nomar has done little to nothing the last two seasons.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Yankees vs Team USA in exhibition fun today.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

It was funny when Jeter hit a 2 run RBI for Team USA and scoreboard added two runs for the Yankees.

[devo 0]

Santana might miss Opening Day after all. I say might only because the Mets haven't confirmed the report yet.

 

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/baseball...pening_day.html

 

Hoo boy.

[Precious Roy 0]

The Athletics have really put together quite the improved offense on paper. Even with the questions about the health of Nomar and Chavez and how much they'll get out of Jason Giambi at his age and leaving the short porch at Yankee stadium they're still sure to see a huge improvement over last year when the offense was absolutely terrible. Kurt Suzuki led the team with a .279 average and no other regular even broke .240! And they still manged to win like 75 games.

 

The Angels are obviously still the favorites in the division and appear to have a much better pitching staff, but I don't think they're going to approach 100 wins again, and if the Athletics can get some consistency out of some of their young pitchers the West could get interesting again.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I've got seven openings yet in the Yahoo TSM Fantasy League, and now opening them up first come first served.

 

League ID: 134921

Password: tsm

 

Draft is Mon. March 16 at 930pm ET.

[Guest]

Dodgers are meeting with Manny face to face tomorrow. Then it'll all be done.

 

Thank God.

[Guest]

MANNY BEING MANNY MANNY WOOD ASOFJAOFMSOFMASOFMSOFMASOFMSLXMVLXMVx

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

So, after all this commotion, he ends up with roughly the same contract that he would have had in Boston had he stayed. Brilliant work there, Manny.

[JaMarcus Russell's #1 Caucasian Fan 0]

Frank McCourt and Ned Colletti have to be crying tears of relief. They would have had to go into witness protection if they didn't get it done.

 

On the other hand, this has to be the most anti-climatic big ticket signing ever. Whatever, the Dodgers are once again relevant in MLB again. Can't wait to get out to the Ravine this spring.

[Guest Czech please!]

They've made the playoffs three times in five years. They weren't the Pirates.

[JaMarcus Russell's #1 Caucasian Fan 0]

And two of those three years they were swept out in the NLDS. When I say relevance, I mean in comparison to the Cubs, Red Sox and Yankees and even the Angels. Before Manny came here, the Dodgers were an after-thought nationally and even in the Los Angeles area for time there.

[YourKock'sReallyGreat 0]

So, after all this commotion, he ends up with roughly the same contract that he would have had in Boston had he stayed. Brilliant work there, Manny.

 

 

It's pretty sad that Manny pissed away his Red Sox Legacy for an extra million or two after making close to a hundred million in his lifetime. He could have gone into the Hall as a member of the Boston Red Sox, had his # retired and be treated like a god in New England. I also think if he had stayed on the Sox that they would have won the pennant last year and maybe the World Series. I hope he is happy with that "extra money" which most is going to be spaced out over the next 5 years.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Tom Tango had an interesting write-up on Juan Pierre's current value:

 

If Juan Pierre was a free agent, with absolutely no strings attached, what could he be worth? He’s at best an average-fielding CF, with an arm horribler than his baserunning is good. And a bat that is very bad. That works out to a 0.5 WAR player. He’s basically in a similar class to Garrett Anderson, and plenty of other backup outfielders on their last legs. Basically, he’d get 2MM, and at that, a one year contract. Let’s be nice, and say some team would give him 2.85MM. However, the Dodgers are on the hook for 28.5MM (spread over three years).

 

If we presume a 5% rate of return, Pierre’s new team could invest $2.45MM in a 50yr bond that will mature at a value of $28.1MM. And if they give him a league minimum salary this year, Pierre will get his $28.5MM.

 

So, if Pierre is serious about wanting to play this year, and away from the impossible competition he faces with the Dodgers, then he must defer his salary for 50 years, and sign at the league minimum. The signing team pays him what he is worth (0.4 + 2.45 = 2.85).

 

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

FYI, here are the 20 biggest free agent signings this offseason, ordered by total contract value:

 

• $180MM (8 years):Mark Teixeira signed the biggest deal of the offseason with the Yankees.

• $161MM (7 years): C.C. Sabathia signed with the Yanks too, passing on a 5 year $100MM offer from the Brewers. He can opt out after three years, at which point he'll have $92MM remaining if he chooses to take it.

• $82.5MM (5 years): A.J. Burnett signed with the Yankees after opting out of his deal with the Jays.

• $60MM (4 years): Derek Lowe signed with the Braves after negotiations with the Mets.

• $52MM (4 years): Ryan Dempster signed with the Cubs way back in November.

• $45MM (2 years): Manny Ramirez signed with the Dodgers just this afternoon.

• $37MM (3 years): Francisco Rodriguez signed with the Mets, who added J.J. Putz the next day.

• $36MM (3 years): Oliver Perez chose this deal over a longer term option that averaged a lower salary.

• $31.5MM (3 years): Raul Ibanez signed early on with the Phillies, a move he's surely happy with.

• $30MM (3 years):Rafael Furcal signed with the Dodgers, but not before infuriating the Braves.

• $30MM (3 years): Milton Bradley signed with the Cubs for up to three years, but some language in the contract protects the Cubs in case Bradley misses considerable time with injuries.

• $23MM (3 years): Kenshin Kawakami signed with the Braves.

• $20.5MM (2 years): Kerry Wood signed with the Indians for two years with a vesting option for a third year.

• $20MM (2 years): Adam Dunn signed with the Nats after some suggested he might only make $5MM.

• 18.5MM (2 years): Edgar Renteria signed a deal that's been criticized by many, but the Giants can buy him out for $500K after this season if they choose not to pick up his $9.5MM option.

• 17.5MM (2 years): Brian Fuentes signed for at least two years with the Angels.

• 17.5MM (3 years): Casey Blake signed a deal that could keep him in LA for four years.

• $16MM (2 years): Jamie Moyer re-signed with the Phillies for a lot, especially considering he'll turn 48 just weeks after the deal's up.

• $16MM (2 years): Pat Burrell signed with the Rays for the essentially the same amount as his former teammate. The difference? Moyer's 14 years his senior.

• 12.75MM (3 years): Juan Rivera re-signed with the Angels.

 

 

[Bored 0]

Vladimir Guerrero accidentally outs himself as being a year older than listed.

 

Relayed that quote, the affable Guerrero smiled and responded through a translator, “I feel good. I can’t say [like] 25, because, you know, I’m 34. But I feel a lot better. That’s where I’m at right now.”

 

The Angels’ media guide, among other baseball references, list Guerrero’s birth date as Feb. 9, 1976, which would make him 33.

Oops!

[DMann2003 0]

Micah Owings had 4 scoreless innings today, God I'm so glad we got him from AZ.

 

And Bailey's coming around, I expect to see Owings get the 5th spot, but Bailey won't be too far behind.