Rogers not stupid. he knows if he goes back to Boston he ruins anything he had and will have in the future with the Yankees.

If the moneys equal why bother doing that?

I think he's back in Houston. His son is there, and he can hang out with his family. There's still Oswalt and now Carlos Lee (for what that's worth). I just think that Houston is too easy for him.

If he does pick a team other than Houston, I think it has to be the Yankees at this point. When the money is even, Pettitte is here and we still are the favorites every year.

From what I hear, he's most likely going to wind up playing right wing for the Montréal Canadiens.

3 Then perhaps he will get a championship.

Hm, maybe this means we don't need A-Train. Or should I say P-Train?

http://tinyurl.com/ydxu7h

MIAMI -- Florida Marlins pitcher Dontrelle Willis was arrested Friday morning on a drunken driving charge along a Miami Beach street lined with nightclubs.

An officer saw the former NL rookie of the year stop his black Bentley in the South Beach neighborhood, get out of the car around 4:30 a.m. and urinate in the street. Miami Beach police spokesman Bobby Hernandez said the officer noticed signs of intoxication as he approached Willis, who failed a field sobriety test.

3 5 on a related note, dontrelle willis was just signed by the cinncinnati bengals.

The Bengals just cut Rae Carruth.

6 ha ha ha

8 (that was me laughing, not getting ready to sneeze)

8 you are too kind. (and quite bold, if i may be so... uh... bold... i guess...) that one wrote itself. i am simply its medium.

before i head for the crowded highway, just want to wish everybody here a safe and happy holiday season.

11 Good point. Safe travels to all the Banterers en route.

I say Roger takes a sweetheart deal from the Sox, and pitches 2/3 of a season for Boston. He's going in the HOF wearing a red Cap, and in his sick little mind, he will like competing against Pettitte to see who can bring their team to the Post Season.

His family can live without him for 6 months, and the Sox will give him all kinds of (family related) perks.

12 Yeah, in light of 5 I'd say it'll be easier to do now.

13 "His family can live without him for 6 months, and the Sox will give him all kinds of (family related) perks."

But will Theo actually have to wear the kimono?

7 Or was that the other way around?

Not to end on a violent note before the holiday weekend, remember the three morals from the previous post and put them to good use. Hopefully I should have a present for the Banter that I was working on in the Fall here before the New Year (I always work to avoid the rush unless it's a windfall; before or after is cool as long as the thought is genuine.) Thank you for being so cool, everyone, and Happy Holidays (Christmas, Channukah, Kwanzaa, New Year's, etc.) for everyone... I mean it, EVERYONE >;)

Hope you all have a kwazy kwanzaa.

In a special interview with the Boston Globe, Lucchino says that if Clemens were to come to Boston, Theo would be obligated to wrap himself in a kimono, "because I already wear the pants in this family."

Theo's agent had no comment as of this morning.

Happy Holidays and safe travels to everyone!

who knows where rocket will go. with beantown getting dice-k, he might wanna rejoin andy and the yanks to prove he's still got the rocket juice flowing. i'm sure he'd get a kick out of showing randy how it's done...

griffey just broke his throwing hand in a home accident. that poor cat. he was well on his way to annhilating all the records. if a-rod stays healthy, he'll re-write the books.

i guess the new marriage hasn't been great for d-train. ; )

I think a part of Griffey's injury tally can be contributed to the fact that he doesnt work as hard as others in the gym.

He doesnt work out as hard as other players because hes so gifted. He didnt have to when he was 25. But that lack of work ethic can be related to his problems with injuries especially in the leg/hamstring/groin areas.

Plus he should be playing RF and not center.

18 i think he claims to workout superhard at home. who knows what goes on behind closed doors. his talent level is thru the roof. i can't believe "The Kid" is now 37. i believe there was talk about him possibly playing RF this season. let's see how healthy he is.

he certainly did better last year, but his average and OBP were pretty horrific. and like you suggest, his range has withered...

pretty much all - except for the current - injuries w/ griff, happen on the field. at least we can take solace in the fact that, as far as we know, he's a clean player. that goes a long way in my book in this day and ("golden") age...

1 Clemens really can't take anything from the Yankees in the future because he has one of those "services" contracts with the Astros. I think it's Houston or Boston (who I think the Astros could forgive.)

Hamstring and groin injuries dont just take place on the field. That comes from conditioning and that comes from hard work.

Breaking a wrist trying to catch a ball into the wall is on the field.

I think Griffey will look back at his career and wish he worked harder than he did especially early on.

21

A personal service contract with Houston isnt the same as playing for the Sox and pitching against the Yankees. Im pretty Sure Big George would see it much differently too.

There would go any invitation for a while to be a part of the Yankees after he really retires. Old timers days, reunions, YES network, number retired, etc.

Ask David Cone what its like to cross George and make him feel slighted.

23 I was in college during the Cone falling out (thus oblivious to most of the outside world). How did that go down? Cone had been one of my favorites since his '88 season.

"CINCINNATI -- Ken Griffey Jr. broke his left hand in an accident at home, the latest in a series of injuries that have derailed the career of the All-Star outfielder.

The outfielder has been severely limited by injuries... missed nearly a month early last season because of inflammation behind his right knee, and sat out 22 of the last 24 games after dislocating a toe."

A broken hand at home, an inflammation behind his knee, a dislocated toe... has this guy been Pavanoed, or what?

Griffey is constantly getting injured. But jeez, you'd think he'd be safe in the off-season. Bubba Crosby may get to start in CF yet. The Reds really don't have anyone else who can play CF. Well, maybe Freel, but he can play so many positions they aren't keen on locking him into one.

I don't think Griffey should be moved to the corner. That's just more walls for him to run into. If you're going to move him, put him at first base.

I've always had a place in my heart for Griffey. I grew up in rural Washington state and I remember a kids a school dressing up as Griffey for halloween. Brown facepaint, a Mariners cap, and a Griffey jersey. Good times. Back before everything was too PC. It's a shame he's been hurt so much. The guy has more natural talent than just about anyone out there. Always seemed like a good guy as well. Guess them's are just the breaks sometimes. No pun intended.

"Miranda signs with Yankees for four years, $2 million"
If the kid has anything, this is a steal.

"The Yankees were slapped with a $26 million luxury tax by the commissioner's office, raising New York's total to $97.75 million over the past four years. Boston, which missed the playoffs, was the only other team over the tax threshold and will pay $497,549."

If this is a 40% tax, we are pauing on a 65$m principal. Is the threshold 140$m? Does this mean our payroll is 205$m?

28 The threshold was about $136 million for 2006 and rises to $148 for 2007. Whatever happens next season, the Red Sox will be a lot closer to us than now.

The AP article took a little subtle dig at the Yankees in their story if you go back and read it again. They write that the Yankees payroll was X number of dollars while the Sox was Y, "a distant second", or something to that effect. If the Yankees payroll was $200 million and the Red Sox was $135, then I don't need some smug AP reporter announcing that the Beantowners were a "distant" second. The only purpose for that comment is to take a dig.

I know it's sensitive, but it annoys me a little.

As for Miranda, the Yankees seem to be hinting that he can play 1B and OF, which tells me his defense at 1B isn't all that great. His stick is what intrigues them. They say he has a great eye and very nice power. That alone should be cause for joy in Yankeeland, if he can bust out in the minors where he'll start the year. Supposedly, he isn't getting a Spring Training invite.

Considering it's the AP, I'm not surprised at the dig -- they have a tendency towards that.

To the rest of baseball (in the tone of SNL's company computer guy) "You're welcome"

$100 million of George's money? Where would teams like the Royals and Devil Rays be without the handouts.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanucka (however you spell it), Happy whatever else. See you all probably in 2007. 55(?) days to pitchers and catchers.

Before we move things along any further, just wanted to say:

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Chanukah, Happy New Year, Felix Cumpleanos, Felix Navidad, Bon Pasco y un Feliz Aña Nobo.

If anyone can tell me the origin of the final salutation (without Googling it) you'll win a Canyon of Heroes "No Prize."

OT: Interesting take by Mike Schmidt on the HOF selection process...

http://tinyurl.com/ylmsbh

----

And a heartfelt Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah to all Banterites!

31 Aren't Bon Pasco and Feliz Nobo the 'players to be named later' that the Yankees sent to Boston with Danny Cater in the Sparky Lyle trade?

33 Correct... I thought it was 'Happy Chanukkah' in Spanglish.
I thought 'Bon' was French and 'Feliz' is Spanish... that means its the French Quarter of Mexico?

Peter Gammons said yesterday on ESPN's "Mike and Mike" show he thinks Clemens will be a Yankee in 2007. Not that Gammons is famous for making correct predictions.
I'm not sure how fair these "Griffey gets injured because he doesn't work out enough" stories are.Do we really know what Griffey (or anyone else) does in the off season. It's not as if he is a fat as Mike Francesca or Rosie O'Donnell. There was somebody on TSN radio a few years ago in talking about Chuck Knoblauch's sudden loss of skill in his early 30s that "you basically gt 10 years as a player. It can be from age 21 to 31 or 25 to 35 but most good players get about 10 years".
Perhaps Griffey Jr is one of these guys.

Wow, I just woke up from a nightmare. Clemens signed with Boston, Matsusaka was an ace and even JD Drew was working out. I awoke to the sound of laughing Bostonians.