Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
So the word from Andy Pettitte's camp is that the southpaw still wants to pitch in the big leagues. The Yankees are clearly hot for him and are reportedly prepared to pay him $15-16 million for 2007, and perhaps even give him a two-year deal when all is said and done. Now whether Pettitte's agents are using the Bombers simply to get a better deal from the Astros, only time will tell. According to The Houston Chronicle:
The Astros' excitement was a bit tempered by the realization that Pettitte hasn't decided where he will play."We certainly are motivated," [GM, Tim] Purpura said. "I think certainly Andy is motivated. I can only control our part of the process. They obviously will talk to other clubs and see what financial parameters they can glean from the other clubs.
"That part of it I can't really tell you. Certainly from our point of view, we're ready to move forward if we can make the right deal."
Meanwhile, Brian Cashman had dinner with Scott Boras, Mike Piazza signed with the A's, Freddy Garcia was moved to Philly, and the Cubs landed Ted Lilly.
Kepner has a sense of humor. http://tinyurl.com/y6rmu2
Which set of his eight eyes would Cashman look into?
2 alright. i have a feeling that i might potentailly be in the minority, but i am predicting that carl pavano will pitch in at least 20 games this season. will he be wearing a yankee uni when he takes the field? i don't know. my guess is that he pitches and puts up average to slightly below average numbers.
(i have a tendency to be a "glass is half full" kinda guy.)
(i have a tendency to be a "glass is half full" kinda guy.)"
Wowzers, what's in that glass?
...unfortunately, only one half is full. (that being the coffee half.)
http://tinyurl.com/qywfw
Heading for the bedroom door
Maybe he's as scared as me
Where's he gone now, who can see
Boras the Spider... Boras the Spider...
There he is wrapped in a ball
Doesn't seem to move at all
Perhaps he's dead I'll just make sure
Pick this book up off the floor...
http://tinyurl.com/yhyybp
creepy, crawly
creepy-creepy, crawly-crawly
creepy-creepy, crawly-crawly
Pictures of Lily (on the Cubs) made my life so wonderful
Pictures of Lily (on the Cubs) helped me sleep at night
Pitcures of Lily (not on the Yanks) solved my childhood problems
Pictures of Lily (not on the Yanks) helped me feel alright
The biggest year-end fight of 2006:
Boras the Spider v. Cashman the Brain.
Presented by Bronx Banter.
1 I also get a feeling that Pettitte wants a ring at the end to cap off his career. And I hate to say it but I think the Yankees might have a better chance than the Astros.
Dare I say, that's because "Cash Can See For Miles and Miles and Miles and Miles and Miles"?
And of course, to Karim Garcia: "Who are you?"
carl pavano's "quadripligia"
Out here in the fields
I fight for my meals
Phelps, 28, was signed to a minor league deal by the Orioles last month. The former Blue Jay hit .308/.370/.532 with 24 homers in 464 at-bats for Triple-A Toledo last season. He'd make sense for a team with a left-handed-hitting platoon guy at first base or DH, but the Yankees aren't there yet. Phelps' defense is pretty rough, so even though he could surprise with the bat, we're skeptical he'll get a chance to win the starting job at first base.
Pavano's theme song: "Miracle Cure"
Motif for Rob, Melk, C-M: "The Kids are Alright" (or "My Generation")
A-Rod: "(Can You See the) Real Me"
Ca$hman: "(I Call That a) Bargain"
Player AB EQA BRAR
Phelps 1203 .268 53
Phillips 264 .218 -4
They both played extensively in the International League as 28 year olds:
Phelps: .308/.370/.532 24 HR
Phillips: .300/.379/.573 22 HR
Have we seen what Phillips is truly capable of at a major league level? Probably not... but Phelps is so far the better hitter in the bigs.
As an added bonus, Phelps has played catcher extensively in the minors and briefly with Toronto. It's going to be tough for Phelps to get the nod over Phillips, but competition is good, right?
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6247654
http://tinyurl.com/yk62ed
not andy pettitte, but jon garland....
hmmmm.... a good sign for thos in favor of andy's return to the bronx?
Is that some sort of prison furlough program?
36 If he's played the 2 then I would consider that an upgrade. Pena seems to be an excellent teacher.
While general manager Theo Epstein maintains his posture of no public discourse on the state of negotiations, there is increasing anxiety on Yawkey Way that Matsuzaka's agent, Scott Boras, is posing an unreasonable, and immovable, obstacle to their bid to add Matsuzaka to their pitching staff.
According to sources with direct access to the Sox' view, there is an increasing feeling that Boras is setting the stage, both privately and publicly, that there is not going to be a deal. "Unless he's being less than honest," one source said, "there isn't going to be a deal."
http://tinyurl.com/ylaqdh
heheheh... and it could be argued that the sox's bid was the catylist for the market explosion, making a signing of matsuzaka costlier...
my fingers are crossed.
Man, the ChiSox are suddenly trading like crazy...
And why would any pitcher in their right mind want to go pitch for KC?
it is infuriating.
(also, the globe has a stake in the red sox, so i never expect non-biased coverage there.)
but yeah, the first thought there would be AP pulling strings...
i'll keep searching.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6248404
He's really good at what he does.
unless he pays them more. (jd drew)
i think that they were banking on cutting a deal with the lions. it's fantastic that this appears not to be going on.
That's maybe why they're holding firm with Shea at one year. That may say something about what they're thinking. Get a flexible solution, and if not, go cheap. The latter means they still have room to make a trade later for Sexton or Teixeira.
The other aspect though is that they really don't need a backup 1B all that badly. Giambi certainly could play there and with his positional splits probably should be playing there for a good chunk. I wonder how much of this is "show" for Torre. I wonder if he's the one that doesn't want to play Giambi there but also feels he has little choice to play a Wilson or Phillips. Remember, he started the year playing Cairo (!?) at 1B ahead of Andy. And it's not like Andy really proved anything when he finally did get his playing time.
More importantly, if Giambi is playing 1B somewhat regularly that gives them much more roster flexibility with Melky as the uber-OF. Shoot, if each of the OF's DH's 40 games a year, that's 120 games for the Melk-man right there. Where's that leave the backup 1B's playing time?
So, shouldn't backup 1B be much further down the priority list? Maybe even last?
Seems like it should be, in terms of importance:
1. Frontline Starter, if available
2. Utility IF, Cannizaro?
3. Backup Catcher, if not Nieves or Chavez
4. LHRP, Villone?
5. Backup 1B, if not Wilson or Phelps
6. 5th OF, if not the Kevins
It's just weird that so much emphasis in the rumors has been placed on the backup 1B.
By contrast "free" agents cost whatever the market will bare and if the player makes the team they owe at leas tthe MLB minumum.
The point is: If Phelps is the equivalent of the freebie table at the supermarket, what's that make Andy Phillips?
But I don't know why this is the guy they'd take. I'd look for any halfway decent arm and make him the 12th pitcher - Joe never uses that guy, anyway.
I think backup catcher is more critical, though. Catcher is by far the most important position on the field, and to have a guy there hitting like Raul Chavez (minor league career: .258/.309/.338) or Wil Neives (.288/.335/.398). I don't care if they call the best game in the history of baseball, they will cost the Yankees games with their bats if Posada goes down.
Finally, I don't think "Frontline Starting Pitcher" is a specific need. There isn't one on the free agent market (Zito and Pettitte are #2/#3 at best), and a trade would involve giving up multiple prospects, which Cashman seems reluctant to do. Trading them for Willis would be a mistake, I think... and really, which pitchers would you think are both "Front Line" and attainable via trade?
I would be okay if the Yankees signed no more pitchers, but Pettitte's a good (if expensive) insurance policy against the possibility that all of the young kids (Rasner, Karstens, Sanchez, Hughes) choke on the big stage.
Utility IF = Chris Gomez. He had a stoopid year last year with the O's OPS-wise (.800), but overall has a good OBP and can play all the infield positions in pinch. He's RH and can even play first - indeed that's what the Jays are looking at him as. Oh, and he only made $850k.
As for Pettitte/Frontline, that's who I was thinking of, but I didn't want to name names so as to not re-live the discussion from yesterday. I agree - he would work nicely and if he doesn't then they still have the kids.
To complicate matters, playing Giambi at first not only wears down his body but also opens a defensive exposure. Therefore, the "backup" must not only be a near-league-average hitter but must also be an at-least-league-average fielder. That way, the "backup" guy's starts could include all Chien-Ming Wang outings, and he could also serve as a late-inning replacement.
The irony is that either Phillips or Wilson, if they could hit consistently like they do in their "good months," would fit the job description perfectly. Phelps, even if he could get his bat to return from its 4-year vacation, will never satisfy the defensive requirement.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2689724
meche got FIVE years out of the royals!
masochistic son of a gun...
That sound was me falling on the floor laughing as I reread that. Maybe if we kicked an ambulance in on the deal they'd go for something.
Although I do wonder if Chi would become a player in the Zito madness.
I'm sure Melky will get a fair share of playing time. Its not like the regular OFs won't need a day off here and there, and some days Giambi will play the field so one of the OFs can DH, putting Melky in the field.
To date, there has been no movement to bridge the difference in how both sides value Matsuzaka, the 26-year-old Japanese pitcher who has been drawing raves in an informal survey of baseball people gathered here at the winter meetings. For Boras, it's cut and dried: Matsuzaka is one of the best pitchers in the game and should be paid accordingly. Estimates of what Boras is seeking have generally fallen in the range of $12 million a year for six years, while in talks with the Sox he has been known to cite the name of Astros ace Roy Oswalt, who recently signed a five-year, $73 million deal, with a $16 million option for 2012.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, maintain the position that they were willing to post $51.1 million to Matsuzaka's Japanese team, the Seibu Lions, to retain financial control over Matsuzaka for the next six years. He is not a free agent, they remind Boras, one who has yet to throw a pitch in the major leagues. For that reason, his situation should not be considered much differently than a Johan Santana, but a Santana with less big league service time: an outstanding pitcher, to be sure, but not one free to peddle his services to the highest bidder on the open market.
Santana, the two-time Cy Young Award winner with the Minnesota Twins, was a season away from free agency last February when he signed a four-year deal for $39.75 million. Should the Sox have to pay Matsuzaka even that much, on top of their initial $51.1 million investment? But that would fall far short of what Boras expects for his client.
That to me, shows the Sox as being the unreasonable ones...
there is no way that anyone should have to pay $51.1M just because they said that they would.
...and then pay the guy on top of that? was that part of the deal? 'cause nobody really said that... and why on earth should they pay this guy what he's worth?
you're a commie.
It's like paying $6.9M to a developer for a vacant lot in a neighborhood of $7.0M houses, then being shocked when the contractor you call laughs in your face when you ask him to build your 5,000 sq ft McMansion for $100k.
Why play if you are not willing to pay the real price? Apparently, it requires more talent than we think to be the Evil Empire.
I still think they will end up paying 100 million in total to get Matsuzaka though, otherwise the situation will be uglier: bad relation with Japan, extra millions with no starting pitcher left available in the market (of course they can spend the same amount to acquire Zito), endless mockings from all over...
i think this matsuzaka guy should play for free for his first two seasons. (at least.) then, after you get a better idea of his worth, you decide how much you feel like paying him.
(if at all.)
...otherwise, signing him is a risk. especially if they are forced to pay an outrageous sum like $51.1M in its entirety.
A pitching deal will be made. Someone nobody has mentioned...
Pettite didn't turn up great numbers in the weak NL, not enthusiastic about his return at the money that's being mentioned. Better spent elsewhere.
No way he does.
I think all the media stuff, especially anything out of the part-owners-of-the-Sox-Globe, is just to help the Sox in the bargaining process. You try everything when you fight the best, right?
The Sox will blink at the absolute last possible second and give Boras the 3 or 4 year deal at 15M/year he wants. They ultimately have more to lose.
I truly hope Boras demonstrates how ruthless he is next week when the timer finally pops on Theo's little geisha dance.
It's time for the Kimono Kid to pay up, and for the Red Sox to finally shut the eff up about the Yanks spending.
Oh, the warm sake buzz has worn off on Yawkey Way, and it's time for what those bastards do best: panic and vomit.
Pay up Matsu'suckas! or he'll be our ace in 2008!
that is easily the most disturbing imagery i've encountered in a while.
It's disturbing, but fun to think about Theo playing coy behind his paper fan, white pancake makeup etc.
The Kimono Kid.
Anybody know if Josh Phelps is related to Ken? At least we didn't trade Buhner for him. Frank Costanza would approve.
Most valuable on his high school team? I should certainly hope so. Unless Lakeland, Idaho is some kind of hotbed of baseball talent.
http://tinyurl.com/ufo3g
Was "thanks for..." any good? Worth a rent?
I think Boras had excreted chunks of leverage of that quality out his contractile vacuole on an anual basis for years and made lots of money doing it. I don't see him blinking on this one.
Ah the Kabuki,
most honorable day
joy to take part
Keeps hot stove interesting
Karim Garcia
The Matsuzaka situation reminds me of how Henry et al. tried to hold the MLBPA up to reduce/restructure Alex Rodriguez's salary when they were attempting to trade for him from the Rangers. Henry, Werner, Lucchino et al. don't like to pay up what the market demands unless their hand is forced. Stick it to them, Scotty!
The Kimono Kid
All dressed up for Scott Boras
Deal or no deal, punk
106 I thought the film was actually pretty hilarious without any prior expectations, it should be a good weekend rental.
an amoeba,
I can't say the way
a spider craps
two thousand seven
cy young ace
http://cbs.sportsline.com/mlb/story/9857070/rss
there have been a bunch of leaks and erroneous stories about players failing physicals that the players say they didn't take...
i was waiting until i could find two stories that matched up, but now that pretty much all of the stories say that it is dead, i thought it was safe.
bizarre.
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
You can also bet the Yanks are not counting the $26M against Igawa - because, after all, that's not salary.
I don't blame the Sox for trying to get the best possible deal for themselves done. But this is the same team that just signed Julio Lugo to a 4 year $36M contract.
The Red Sox, on the other hand, will suffer great loss of face if they don't sign Matsuzaka.
...toby keith?
I like it the new order of arrangements even more.
Thanks a lot, Cliff and Alex!
"The Red Sox and three or four others were pursuing "Game Over'' closer Eric Gagne. The Yankees inquired whether Gagne would set up for Mariano Rivera but were told no."
ca$hman tried to steal a bit of thunder.
go pitch in japan
then the bronx
The Sox will get DM for 4/50.
Cashman will do his shopping mid-season, after he sees how Moose, RJ and the Kids hold up.
If the Cubbies don't make the WS this year, heads will roll.
A lot of these guys will be available in a few years for 70 cents on the (2007) dollar.
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