2010-2011 Hot Stove Thread

[Dan Gould]

And yet, the Globe beat writer fell over himself in praising his approach to the game and his play in Boston. All about a salary drive? We'll see.

In the meantime, the Red Sox path to the post-season keeps getting better or easier or something. Garza sent to the Cubs for a batch of prospects. I'm not sure what makes me happier: the fact that the Sox won't be turning him into Cy Young every time they face him or that I won't have to watch that asshat spit his disgusting phlegm off his tongue all the f-ing time.

[BERIGAN]

And yet, the Globe beat writer fell over himself in praising his approach to the game and his play in Boston. All about a salary drive? We'll see.

In the meantime, the Red Sox path to the post-season keeps getting better or easier or something. Garza sent to the Cubs for a batch of prospects. I'm not sure what makes me happier: the fact that the Sox won't be turning him into Cy Young every time they face him or that I won't have to watch that asshat spit his disgusting phlegm off his tongue all the f-ing time.

Some young players start off terribly behavior wise, remember B.J. Upton getting suspended for the year in the minors?

Plus, yeah, contract year (2nd one) but in front of a lot more media.

But Dan, what will you do if the Cubs are in the playoffs, or make it to the W.S. and that phlegm is flying?

[Dan Gould]

I don't know, if the baseball gods really smiled on me and produced a Cubs-Red Sox World Series, I couldn't lose. Fact is I'll be rooting for the guy now throughout the season - well except for three games in May when the Cubs come to Fenway.

[Matthew]

And now, some hopeful news:

Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn has completed an eight-week battery of cancer treatments for a malignant growth in a salivary gland and hopes to resume his duties as baseball coach at San Diego State when the spring semester starts next week.

The rest of the story

Good luck Mr. Gwynn!

[GA Russell]

The little girl who was killed by the Tucson gunman yesterday was Dallas Green's granddaughter.

http://www.foxnews.c...ing-politician/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/baseball/former-phillies-managers-grandchild-killed-in-arizona-attack/article1863082/

Edited January 10, 2011 by GA Russell

[Matthew]

Am I the only one who finds the Josh Hamilton story strange?

Josh Hamilton was hospitalized Monday after being diagnosed with an early case of pneumonia, the team announced.

Story here

[paul secor]

Am I the only one who finds the Josh Hamilton story strange?

Josh Hamilton was hospitalized Monday after being diagnosed with an early case of pneumonia, the team announced.

Story here

When someone has a history, there will always be questions asked - whether there's anything to them or not.

[Matthew]

Watching MLB Network's Seasons series, 1971, and it's very good. I hope they put these out on a DVD box set. It's bringing back a ton of memories.

[Chalupa]

Man, things must be really bad for the Mets these days. This is what passes for smack talk??? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

"If we have health, we can give them a fight,"

Not exactly something that's going to stir up the Phillies' ire, is it? How about,"We're not scared of them," or, to borrow from JRoll, "We're the team to beat"??

[JETman]

Man, things must be really bad for the Mets these days. This is what passes for smack talk??? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

"If we have health, we can give them a fight,"

Not exactly something that's going to stir up the Phillies' ire, is it? How about,"We're not scared of them," or, to borrow from JRoll, "We're the team to beat"??

All I can say is that you must be having a very boring Winter.

[Matthew]

Don't know if it's true or not, but the Yankees are saying they're not sure if Andy Pettitte will return. I would not be surprised if he comes back for a half season. Also, the Rafael Soriano signing is interesting, obviously the heir apparent to Mo, but also the final nail in the coffin for Joba Chamberlain's Yankee career. I would not be surprised to see Joba traded.

[Dave James]

Let's see. Red Sox add Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. Yanks add Andruw Jones. This has all the makings of a pretty long year.

[Quincy]

Let's see. Red Sox add Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. Yanks add Andruw Jones. This has all the makings of a pretty long year.

Andruw is an very good platoon player as he has a good eye and some pop vs. LHP. It might be an upgrade from Thames. It's a good move, but it might be like spending time to remove a stain in the ballroom carpeting on the Titanic rather than improving the hull.

[Dan Gould]

I was shocked that none of our resident Yankee fans came by after the Soriano signing. Potentially a big weapon in the bullpen but the contract is pretty nutty - so much money for a setup man, and an opt-out clause after each year, too. And its been reported that the Steinbrenners forced Cashman's hand on this one, as he had said not a week before that he would give up his first-round pick for Cliff Lee, but not for anyone else. Now he's given it up, and given it to the Rays, too.

I don't think it spells the end of Joba's career quite yet - I think it gives Cashman a reason to go back on yet another 2010 offseason commitment and put Joba back in the rotation. I mean, can they really go with Sabathia, Hughes, Burnett, Nova and Mitre? I am thinking more and more that Pettitte is looking at a Clemens-style landing, try to save the season for huge dollars. If its true that he hasn't been doing his usual workout routine, isn't a little too late to get ready for the season now and be available April 3? Especially for an older guy coming off an injury. Plus how much of Clemens' legal troubles are effecting him? If the case goes to trial as scheduled, Andy would have to spend some time testifying in open court, right in the middle of the season. So, I am inclined to believe he is at best considering a half-season's work this year.

And the last thing about Soriano - his numbers were great, but there are warning signs all over the place. First one is the way his K rate went down. Second is that he pitched to something like a .219 BABIP. The average is .300, and the Yankee defense won't help him like the Rays did. He's likely to regress rather than continue that level of domination. And last but possibly most importantly, he has a fly-ball rate of like 64%. And he's a righty. And the Red Sox lineup has some dangerous lefty bats. And the Yankees play in a little bandbox designed for lefty power hitters.

Soriano could be really good. He could also give up some crushing homers, particularly at the Stadium.

Oh, and I meant to say that Andruw Jones is so much better than Thames as a righty bat off the bench. Not least because Thames is a danger to his team and himself in the outfield, and Jones can still help there. I think its a good signing for the Yankees.

[Matthew]

How long do Mariner fans have to put up with Milton Bradley??? Just release him already...

Police in Los Angeles have arrested Seattle Mariners outfielder Milton Bradley for allegedly making threats against a woman, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

Bradley, 32, was taken into custody at 10 a.m. local time Tuesday and was taken to the Van Nuys, Calif., jail, where he was booked for suspicion of making criminal threats, a Los Angeles Police Department officer told the Times.

Rest of story.

Edited January 19, 2011 by Matthew

[Brad]

Man, things must be really bad for the Mets these days. This is what passes for smack talk??? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

"If we have health, we can give them a fight,"

Not exactly something that's going to stir up the Phillies' ire, is it? How about,"We're not scared of them," or, to borrow from JRoll, "We're the team to beat"??

All I can say is that you must be having a very boring Winter.

Guess must be things slow in Philadelphia that you have to be trolling around in the NY Daily News, what with the dog killer and the clipped birds having been booted from the playoffs.

If a player doesn't think his team can compete, then he shouldn't be on the team.

[alocispepraluger102]

How long do Mariner fans have to put up with Milton Bradley??? Just release him already...

Police in Los Angeles have arrested Seattle Mariners outfielder Milton Bradley for allegedly making threats against a woman, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

Bradley, 32, was taken into custody at 10 a.m. local time Tuesday and was taken to the Van Nuys, Calif., jail, where he was booked for suspicion of making criminal threats, a Los Angeles Police Department officer told the Times.

Rest of story.

ah, the mariners will now cut milty, and the crappy junkyard-special, buy here, pay here indians can now sign him for a song.

[Chalupa]

Man, things must be really bad for the Mets these days. This is what passes for smack talk??? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

"If we have health, we can give them a fight,"

Not exactly something that's going to stir up the Phillies' ire, is it? How about,"We're not scared of them," or, to borrow from JRoll, "We're the team to beat"??

All I can say is that you must be having a very boring Winter.

Guess must be things slow in Philadelphia that you have to be trolling around in the NY Daily News, what with the dog killer and the clipped birds having been booted from the playoffs.

If a player doesn't think his team can compete, then he shouldn't be on the team.

Haha, the Mets fans are parroting each other, I see. And using a football dig(and an old one at that) when discussing baseball teams is the best you can do?

I agree w/ you that a player should believe his team can compete. I just think it would have carried more weight if he had been a little more bold in his statement. That quote sounded like something Casper Milquetoast might say.

[Brad]

Well since the baseball season is not in season but the football one is I could hardly say anything about the baseball season could I? But I don't see the Eagles still in contention. On the other hand, I do see the Jets. Hmm. Yeah, that's right

But now, getting back to baseball, why should he more bold in his statement. We all know the Phillies are going to probably win the Division so why make stupid statements? Mets have to shed some salary and won't be active players until they do so for a couple of years they'll be treading water and hope to be a little competitive but probably not.

I'm sure you must have better things to do than worry about what an also ran team is doing or is it that usual Philadelphia inferiority just coming to the fore?

[Tim McG]

Cody Ross just inked a 1-year deal with the Giants for $6 million.

[Chalupa]

Oh it's my Philly inferiority complex for sure. We're gonna need about 5 more titles before that goes away.

Cody Ross just inked a 1-year deal with the Giants for $6 million.

I really like that guy. I wish the Phils had gone after him.

[Matthew]

Article on ESPN about Brian Cashman disowning the Soriano deal, which, let's face, is really a one year deal because Boras always has his clients declare free-agency whenever they can. Seems like the Steinbrenners are following George's steps, going with over priced deals for players, bidding against themselves to get a player, ignoring the advice of their "baseball people". Cashman & Giradi also are telling us that Joba is remaining in the bullpen. The Yankee's have jerked Chamberlain around for his whole career, and every move they make doesn't work out. The future doesn't look too bright if this is how the Yankee's are going to be run -- Cashman's probably gone after this year.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he did not want to sign Rafael Soriano because he didn't feel paying closer money to the team's setup man made sense. And, in the end, Cashman said he did not participate in negotiations with Soriano's agent, Scott Boras.

Rest of the story.

[Dan Gould]

But Boras' genius is that its a player option that comes after each season. So, here are the bad outcomes the Yankees could have:

• 
  
  
• Soriano's injury history flares up and he misses significant time. Closer salary for a guy who isn't even playing.
  
  
• Mariano gets hurt, or his bionic parts break down, and Soriano becomes the closer. Soriano leaves because he gets a better offer elsewhere, leaving the Yankees with a final season of Mariano when suddenly there are worries about whether or not he can perform.
  

But in the end, its quite possible that Soriano stays for all three years, because the Yankees paid so much extra for a set-up man, who are the teams that will exceed Soriano's salary to snag him away?

Honestly, I think the greater risks to the Yankees aren't that Soriano leaves them in the lurch but that they have to pay him the full amount of his salary, and either he gets hurt, or doesn't maintain his dominance due to his fly-ball rate and his home park.

[Matthew]

But Boras' genius is that its a player option that comes after each season. So, here are the bad outcomes the Yankees could have:

• Soriano's injury history flares up and he misses significant time. Closer salary for a guy who isn't even playing.
• Mariano gets hurt, or his bionic parts break down, and Soriano becomes the closer. Soriano leaves because he gets a better offer elsewhere, leaving the Yankees with a final season of Mariano when suddenly there are worries about whether or not he can perform.

But in the end, its quite possible that Soriano stays for all three years, because the Yankees paid so much extra for a set-up man, who are the teams that will exceed Soriano's salary to snag him away?

Honestly, I think the greater risks to the Yankees aren't that Soriano leaves them in the lurch but that they have to pay him the full amount of his salary, and either he gets hurt, or doesn't maintain his dominance due to his fly-ball rate and his home park.

I don't understand why clubs agree to these player opt-out clauses, I've yet to hear what a club gains from this...

[Dan Gould]

I don't understand why clubs agree to these player opt-out clauses, I've yet to hear what a club gains from this...

Were the Dodgers worse off when the Red Sox took JD Drew off their hands? They bitched at the time because they thought Drew was going to stay, but in the end were they better or worse off to have whatever his salary was going to be freed up?