Baseball Toaster: Bronx Banter : Lettuce Entertain You

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Alex:
Strikes and Gutters: A Year with the Coen Brothers: Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
My 20 Favorite Hip Hop Albums
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Tim Marchman
Marvin Miller
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Excerpts

Juicing the Game by Howard Bryant Part 1 Part 2
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How About That! by Stephen Borelli
The Crowd Sounds Happy by Nicholas Dawidoff
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Clemente by David Maraniss
The Soul of Baseball by Joe Posnanaski
Glenn Stout and Richard A. Johnson:
Yankee Century: Part 1 Part 2
Red Sox Century: 1 2 3 4
The Dodgers: 120 Years of Dodgers Baseball

Players

Major Leauge Roster:

Infielders:
J. Giambi BR BP E MLB
R. Cano BR BP E MLB
D. Jeter BR BP E MLB
A. Rodriguez BR BP E MLB
W. Betemit BR BP E MLB mi
C. Ransom BR BP E MLB mi
J. Miranda BR BC mi

Outfielders:
B. Abreu BR BP E MLB
J. Damon BR BP E MLB
X. Nady BR BP E MLB
H. Matsui BR BP E MLB mi
B. Gardner BR E MLB mi
M. Cabrera BR BP E MLB mi

Catchers:
I. Rodriguez BR BP E MLB
J. Molina BR BP E MLB
C. Moeller BR BP E MLB mi
F. Cervelli BR BC mi

Starting Pitchers:
M. Mussina BR BP BC E
A. Pettitte (L) BR BP BC E
P. Hughes BR BP BC E mi
C. Pavano BR BP BC E mi
A. Aceves BR E mi

Relief Pitchers:
M. Rivera BR BP BC E
J. Chamberlain BR BP BC E
D. Marte (L) BR BP BC E
J. Veras BR BP BC E mi
E. Ramirez BR BP BC E mi
B. Bruney BR BP BC E mi
D. Giese BR BP BC E mi
C. Britton BR BP BC E mi
P. Coke (L) BR BC E mi
D. Rasner BR BP BC E mi
S. Ponson BR BP BC E mi
D. Robertson BR BC E mi
H. Sanchez BC mi

15-day DL:
C. Wang BR BP BC E
60-day DL:
J. Posada BR BP E MLB
J. Albaladejo BR BP BC E mi
A. Brackman BC

Coaches:
J. Girardi (Mgr) BR BP BC
R. Thomson (Bench) BC
Kevin Long (Hit) BR
D. Eiland (Pitch) BR BP BC
B. Meacham (3B) BR BP BC
T. Peña (1B) BR BP BC
M. Harkey (Pen) BR BP BC

40-man Roster:
AAA
S. Duncan BR BP E MLB mi
J. Christian BR BP E MLB mi
I. Kennedy BR BP BC E mi
C. Wright (L) BR BP BC E mi
J. Marquez BR BC mi

Designated for Assignment:
B. Traber (L) BR BP BC E mi

Select Minor Leaguers:

AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees:
B. Castro BR mi DL
C. Basak BR BP BC E MLB mi
E. Duncan BC mi
N. Green BR mi
B. Broussard BR mi
M. Carson BC mi
C. Stewart BR BP E MLB mi
J. Brown BC mi DL
K. Igawa (L) BR BP BC E JB mi
M. Melancon BC mi
J.B. Cox BC mi
S. Strickland BR BC mi
S. Jackson BC mi
E. Milton BR BC mi DL
V. Zambrano BR BC mi DL

AA Trenton Thunder:
K. Russo BR mi
R. Peña BC mi DL
C. Malec BC mi
M. Vechionacci BC mi DL
A. Jackson BC mi
C. Curtis BC mi
E. Gonzalez BR mi
P.J. Pilittere BC mi
J. Jones BC mi
G. Kontos BC mi
J. Nuñez BC mi
B. Smith BC mi DL
A. Claggett BC mi
O. Perez BR BC mi
M. Gardner BC mi
K. Whelan BC mi
W. Arias (L) BC mi

A Tampa Yankees:
E. Nuñez BC mi
C.J. Henry BC mi DL
T. Battle BC mi
K. Anson BC mi
J. Gil BC mi
A. Horne BC mi DL
Z. McAllister BC mi
W. De La Rosa (L) BC mi
C. Garcia BC mi

Low-A Charleston RiverDogs:
J. Snyder BC mi
M. Cusick BC mi
B. Suttle BC mi
A. Romine BC mi
J. Montero BC mi
D. Betances BC mi
J. Heredia BC mi
J. Ortiz BC mi
C. Heyer BC mi

Low-A Staten Island Yankees:
D. Adams mi
P. Venditte mi

Rookie Gulf Coast Yankees:
C. Joseph mi
C. Smith mi
K. Higashioka mi

Key:
BR = Baseball-Reference
BP = Baseball Prospectus
BC = Baseball Cube (past mL stats)
mi = MiLB.com (current mL stats)
E = ESPN (current splits, game logs)
MLB = MLB.com hit charts
JB = Japanese Baseball.com

The Recently Departed

2008 Yankees:
R. Sexson BR BP E MLB
M. Ensberg BR BP E MLB CLE mL
A. Gonzalez BR BP E MLB mi WAS
K. Farnsworth BR BP BC E DET
L. Hawkins BR BP BC E HOU
S. Patterson BR BC mi SD

Nady/Marte Trade:
J. Tabata BC mi
J. Karstens BR BP BC E mi
R. Ohlendorf BR BP BC E
D. McCutchen BC mi

2008 Campers/mLers:
C. Woodward BR BP BC E MLB PHI mL
J. Lane BR mi BOS mL
G. Porter BC mi WAS mL
J.D. Closser BR mi SD mL
S. Henn (L) BR BP BC E mi SD
H. Phillips (L) BR BC mi TB mL
S. White BR BC mi

2007 Yankees:
J. Torre (Mgr) BR BP BC LAD
D. Mientkiewicz BR BP BC E MLB PIT
A. Phillips BR BP BC E MLB mi CIN
J. Phelps BR BP BC E MLB STL
M. Cairo BR BP BC E MLB SEA
K. Thompson BR BP BC E MLB mi PIT
B. Sardinha BC mi SEA mL
W. Nieves BR BP BC E MLB WAS
R. Clemens BR BP BC E mi
T. Clippard BR BP BC E mi WAS
L. Vizcaino BR BP BC E COL $7.5m/2yrs
M. DeSalvo BR BP BC E mi ATL mL
M. Myers (L) BR BP BC E LAD mL
R. Villone (L) BR BP BC E mi STL
S. Proctor BR BP BC E LAD
J. Brower BR BP BC E mi CIN mL
C. Bean BR BP BC E mi ATL mL

2007 Campers and mLers:
E. Durazo BR BP BC E MLB mi
A. Cannizaro BR BP BC E MLB mi TB mL
A. Chavez BR BP BC E MLB mi LAD mL
K. Reese BR BP BC E MLB mi
R. Chavez BR BP BC E MLB mi PIT mL
O. Santos BC mi BAL mL
T. Pratt BR BP BC E MLB
T.J. Beam BR BP BC E mi PIT mL
B. Kozlowski (L) BR BP BC E mi Japan

Molina Trade:
J. Kennard BC mi

Abreu Trade
M. Smith (L) BR BP BC E mi PHI
C. Monasterios BC mi PHI
J. Sanchez mi PHI

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Lettuce Entertain You

2007-11-24 21:54

by Cliff Corcoran

The Yankees and Scott Boras are still grinding out Alex Rodriguez's contract. Yesterday some details emerged about the milestone bonuses that will be included. Seems the contract will get around the fact that player contracts are not allowed to include bonuses connected to performance by terming each milestone along the way to the career home run record an "event," and then compensating Rodriguez handsomely for personal appearances and memorabilia connected to each event (specifically career home runs 660, 714, 755, and the eventual career record).

It's all just a lot of money none of us reading this will ever see, but it's evidence that progress is indeed being made on Rodriguez's contract.

Meanwhile, the Times has some fun with the Toledo Mud Hens contract offer to Rodriguez by trying to figure out how his production would translate to the minors, and los amigos Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera have popped up in a reggaeton video (see Cano dance at :49, see Melky lip-synch at 1:06, and see Melky credited at "Melkys Cabrera" at 1:09; Jose Reyes pops up later on as well). Expect to hear "Pa La Tumba" during their at-bats in early 2008.

Comments

2007-11-25 04:46:15

1. nemecizer

Man I am up early...

2007-11-25 05:55:23

2. The Mick 536

The video took my mind off the contract. Too much humping and grinding for pre breakfast viewing. Can't say that Robie or Melkys stole the show from the jugglers. Just tell me what the hell was going on and, without dating myself or showing myself to be a cultural ignoramus, who else was I supposed to recognize in the performance?

2007-11-25 07:12:52

3. OldYanksFan

While these 'HR' bonuses might seem greedy, the good news is that it will hopefully keep ARod 'goal oriented' and have him (continue) to take care of himself and prepare for a long and healthy career.

It's probably not possible, but I would love to see an OPS bonus in years 8,9 and 10. After all, by 2015, $27m will not be a huge salary for an impact player. I'd happily throw him and extra $50,000 for every OPS point over .900 he puts up. So he would get a $5m bonus for putting up an OPS of 1.000

The bad new is I hope he doesn't turn into the preverbial 'veteran slugger'... the guy who posts an OBP of .280 but hits 30-35 HRs. His HRs are not as important as his OPS. I'd rather have .900/20 HRs then .800/30 HRs.

I'm a little surprised/concerned the Yankees may not have anything to prevent this from happening.

2007-11-25 07:13:56

4. ny2ca2dc

One of the other blogs, maybe it was river ave blues, had linked that video a couple weeks (month?) ago. Pretty funny, not a terrible song. Hot chicks, what's not to like.

2007-11-25 08:43:44

5. greenzo

3 When A-Rod has a specific goal in mind, he almost always focuses excusively on achieving it (see homer no. 500) and it seems to distract him from relaxing at the plate.

It seems to me that baseball is different from most major sports in that having more on the line doesn't necessarily motivate individuals--they need to relax to be successful.

The Yankees likely felt this was all moot, because A-Rod is going to be a mountain of butterflies as he nails Barry Bonds' home-run record anyway.

A-Rod's combination of power and patience ages better than virtually any hitting profile, so I think you're safe there.

2007-11-25 08:45:39

6. JL25and3

3 Not possible. You can have incentive bonuses for things like games played or plate appearances, but not for things like OPS or HR.

2007-11-25 09:44:28

7. ms october

3 5 Good points - I'm hoping this will only rear it's ugly head when he gets near Mays, Ruth, Aaron, and Bonds; and Arod does not turn himself into only a hr hitter - which is where he gets in trouble - and I think some of his postseason abs where he does not have a productive ab are him trying to hit hrs. He admitted this with the 500th hr, so hopefully he learned his lesson.
6 I wonder if some of this will change with the next cba - it seems more contracts are including whatever incentives they can - such as Schillings?

2007-11-25 09:51:21

8. JL25and3

7 Is that what you really want? Seems to me that would basically demand that players put their individual stats ahead of the team's needs. Granted, over the course of a season those two goals are largely the same, but from one at-bat to the next they might not be.

2007-11-25 10:49:37

9. Mattpat11

Its sort of weird to see an article on MLB.com about this. Essentially, they're subverting the rules of baseball (Not that I really have a problem with it)and MLB.com is writing about it like its any old deal.

2007-11-25 11:58:16

10. ms october

8 oh hell no - as you say it puts individual stats at an even higher premium. it just seems that this is the direction mlb contracts are going, and it wouldn't surprise me to see some loosening of what is an "incentive" in the next cba. as 9 said they are "subverting the rules", as this contract is calling an "incentive" an "event" so at some point it is likely that it will just get to be easier to have incentives as part of contracts.

2007-11-25 12:51:16

11. JL25and3

10 As far as I can tell, that's not actually in the CBA. I believe it's in the so-called Major League Rules, which (for reasons I can't fathom) aren't released publicly.

2007-11-25 12:59:44

12. ms october

11 hmmm. i assumed it was in the cba - that's interesting.

2007-11-25 18:00:27

13. unpopster

Peter Gammons is reporting that the Twins will want Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera and Austin Jackson in a package for Johan Santana.

Um, Cash? Make the deal...do not pass go, do not collect $200, JUST MAKE THE FRIGGIN' DEAL!!!

2007-11-25 18:08:00

14. OldYanksFan

13 AJax is one of our best (and only) position players. Phil is our potential #1. Melky is our current CF (with AJax being his backup).

I say NO!
Santana will be an FA next year.
He will NOT get the salary he wants if a team ALSO has to give up THREE talented players.
We can buy him next year. If not, Bedard, Kazmir and CC will be available. Possibly one of Oakland's studs (in Trade)>

Just say NO! Don't sell the farm.
You think Santana is THAT MUCH better then Phil, to warrent $20m+ a year plus to OFers?

2007-11-25 18:08:22

15. OldYanksFan

oops... TWO OF'ers

2007-11-25 18:50:47

16. Eirias

14 Given that the two alleged other teams in competition with the Yankees are the Sox and the Dodgers, at least according to sports page gossip, there is no way that a team that trades for Santana will not lock him up before finalizing the trade.

2007-11-25 20:02:46

17. OldYanksFan

Santana has a full no-trade clause. It's his decision. I don't think he will allow himself to be traded.

2007-11-25 20:16:06

18. OldYanksFan

"One source said the Yankees plan to make a "good, strong offer" and that they believe they have more to offer the Twins in a trade than anybody else does."

Maybe I'm wrong. I still think it's too much to give up.

2007-11-25 20:57:17

19. JL25and3

17 Why not? If he gets a fat juicy new contract along with it, he might like that just fine.

2007-11-25 21:17:36

20. OldYanksFan

19 Well, if he was an FA and it ONLY cost money, Santana might get 6/$150.
But if you have to ALSO give away Phil, Melky and AJax, its a different story. How much would it cost to replace Phil and Melky? $10m anyway. And there AJax's worth.
I just think he gets a lot more money as an FA, plus there are more teams to choose from.

2007-11-26 04:49:37

21. wsporter

20 OYF just to really bring it home the Post via the usual suspects had this today " ... But will a package of Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Melky Cabrera, who could replace Torii Hunter in center, be enough to top other clubs?" Now that would realy be a different story; both Phill and IPK would go in their version of things AND that might not be enough. Would the Yankees have to send one of the baby Stiens as well, you know, just to make it fair? I say give em Hank.

2007-11-26 05:31:56

22. ny2ca2dc

I think Alan Horne, Melky, and I duno, maybe Kennedy or Humberto and Betances or something would be the highest I would go. Right now, Hughes is our #2 starter, and Kennedy is our #4/5, so i don't trade BOTH of them...

I think people have to start thinking about what Santana will be going forward into his thirties, not what he has been. Probably one or two or MAYBE three ace-level years, and then a slowdown. The non-Santana top tier, Bedard, Haren, Kazmir, etc, would be a better trade for this team if it would enable us to retain some of our top prospects.

Think about the Beckett trade, it took 2 blue chippers, but the sox got a much younger pitcher, and one who was still cost controlled to some degree. Santana is not that.

2007-11-26 05:35:03

23. OldYanksFan

Man, is it slow here or what?
Not to compare, but PeteAbe has gotten over 600 comments in the last 3 days.
I know there's not a lot to take about but geez.... I MISS BASEBALL!!!!
(you guyz is making me read Lohud comments forcryingoutloud!)

2007-11-26 05:42:49

24. Rob Middletown CT

Hughes + Melky + Jackson...

I'm sure that can be written up to make sense, but I don't like it.

2007-11-26 05:48:07

25. DadinIowa

It doesn't make sense to trade the kids for someone who will be 29 at the start of the season. I thought we were trying to get younger? Also, you're already going to pay $20-25 million a year for the guy.

To lose one of your projected (young) starting pitchers, plus your starting (young) outfielder and more for an additional couple of wins the first year or two... seems nonsensical.

2007-11-26 07:21:55

26. Raf

23 I've been busy with the winter leagues on ESPN Deportes.

There's baseball to be found, if you know where to look :)