Today’s blog is going to be totally spontaneous. I’m just going to start thinking and typing (not necessarily in that order) and see what happens.
The Hot Stove season is a crazy time. Baseball fans that can’t wait for spring to roll around go searching for any little clue as to what their team might do or any team might do for that matter. We are starved for baseball news and any little thing can pass for news when it’s the off season. We read stuff about who is interested in whom (without really contemplating the absurdity of such thoughts) and we start throwing out our own scenarios as to what we think our teams can do.
That’s when it really gets bizarre. If you frequent a message board or two or listen to sports talk radio that has a call in segment, then you’ve heard some of the laughable stuff being talked about. I don’t need to give you any examples because you know exactly what I’m saying, don’t you? Heck, you might even be one of the crazy people out there making outlandish proposals.
We start circling important dates on our calendar like the dates for the GM Meetings (November 16-17, 2010) or the Winter Meetings (December 6-9, 2010). Some guys can’t tell you when their wedding anniversary is, but they sure as heck know the dates I just mentioned.
We throw figures around like $100 million without blinking. We pour over prospect lists and commit names to memory when we can’t even remember what we had for lunch the day before. We project. We predict. We lament. We anguish. We go through the full range of emotions and suffer anxiety attacks when there isn’t any news about our teams.
Might as well face it folks; we’re addicted to baseball.
We look for clues no matter how obscure they might be that will give us some sort of indication of whether or not a certain player is going to sign with our team. Carl Crawford loves In-n-Out Burgers? Really? We have them all over Southern California! Woo-hoo baby! We’re locked in!
We evaluate trades being made and wonder why our own team didn’t make a deal for such and such because that other team got so and so for nothing. David DeJesus for that? Never mind that DeJesus is just an average ball player at best (career .787 OPS – Yes, I took time to look that up).
We eagerly wait for the pre season predictions from the experts and then mock them as soon as they’re published. We even go so far as to believe we are jinxed if so and so says something good about our team and get upset when they say something negative.
We are an insane group.
We curse Scott Boras early and often. We hate everything he has to say but we can’t wait for him to say something about a player we’re interested in.
We loath the Yankees more than ever during the Hot Stove season because we know that they stand in the way between getting the player we want and having to settle for something less.
We talk about Plan A, B, and C when we can’t even plan what we’re having for dinner.
We pity Pirates fans. We harass newly minted Giants fans and can’t seem to find any A’s fans.
We praise the Twins, wonder what in the world the Mets are thinking and watch the Dodger divorce proceedings with the morbid curiosity of someone driving by a car wreck.
In some ways we talk more baseball now than when it’s actually baseball season. We make lists of the greatest this or the most over-rated that.
We stare blankly into space. We dream. We hope. We wish.
We check mlbtraderumros.com before we check what’s going on in the stock market, local news or the weather. It might be cold and rainy outside, but if our team signs a player we want, we feel warm inside.
We might not have a clue about world events, whatever is trending on Twitter or who is still on Dancing with the Stars, but we know that Carl Pavano is a Type A free agent and Hiroki Kuroda is a Type B. Just don’t ask us what our blood type is because we haven’t got a clue.
92 days until pitchers and catchers report (Feb. 13, 2011).
November 12, 2010
MIght as well face, we're addicted to baseball
December 1, 2009
Arbitration Monday
As I wait for the Angels Hot Stove season to kick into gear, I had to ask myself… what does it say about a free agent when the Pittsburgh Pirates are supposedly interested in you? Such is the case for Jamey Wright and Justin Duchscherer. I guess any interest is better than none, right? Or is it like taking your cousin to the prom? In any case – I guess I should find it amazing that the Pirates have some interest in any free agents.
It’s been an interesting day so far as the news gets out about who’s being offered arbitration and who's not. Mixed in was a trade; Kelly Shopach to the Rays for a player to be named later and a signing; Phillies sign Brian Schneider. Looks like a "big" day for catchers, doesn’t it?
Arbitration notes...
The Dodgers did not offer arbitration to any of their free agents making Randy Wolf and Orlando Hudson all the more attractive for some teams. It’s a curious move on the Dodgers part since it’s been reported that both players are seeking multi-year deals. Chances are overwhelmingly on the side of them leaving and now the Dodgers won’t have anything to show for it. I’m guessing they don’t want to have to pay any of the players they would be drafting as compensation for the two. That’s the only reason I can see for them not offering arbitration to Hudson and Wolf. Apparently, the McCourt divorce is already having a major impact on the team’s payroll.
Among others not being offered arbitration include all the Yankee free agents, Melvin Mora, Miguel Tejada, Rich Harden, Jermaine Dye, Placido Polanco, Nick Johnson, Octavio Dotel, Carlos Delgado, Garret Anderson, Adam LaRoche, Erik Bedard, Doug Davis, and Kevin Gregg.
Speaking of Kevin Gregg; every time I see him getting a save, I just can’t believe he’s the same guy who used to be used primarily in mop up duty when he was with the Angels. I believe he set a record for wild pitches in an inning too (I’d look it up if I really cared that much). Every time he blows a save (which happens a lot); I say to myself… now, that I can believe.
Among those receiving arbitration include Marco Scutaro, Jason Bay, Billy Wagner, Fernando Rodney, Rod Barajas, Marlon Byrd, Rafael Soriano, Mike Gonzalez, Adrian Beltre, Joel Pineiro, Matt Holliday, and Carl Pavano.
Also being offered arbitration today was Justin Duchscherer. If I'm him, I'm thinking... Hmm. Let's see, the Pirates are interested in me and I've been offered arbitration by the A's. What to do? I wonder if Japan is an option?
All kidding aside, I hate the A's and playing in Pittsburgh would be better than returning to Oakland. Then again, I'm biased. Did I mention I hate the A's?
As a follow up to my last post I wanted to direct you to a great resource for the arbitration process (if my explanation wasn’t clear enough). Check out mlbtraderumors Free Agent Arbitration Primer.
You will find a more in-depth explanation, including a point I didn’t cover: Per mlbtraderumors - the unrelated non-tender deadline is December 12th. That is when teams decide whether to tender a contract to arbitration-eligible players. These players have fewer than six years of service time, and are under team control for 2010 if the team wants them. If not, the players are non-tendered and become free agents.
They’ll be adding a lot of names to the free agent list on that date.
Now, if only that had come out yesterday, I might have taken yet another day off from posting!
To keep track of all the arbitration cases – you should also visit mlbtraderumors list of 2010 Free Agents – which they update regularly. It’s kind of like watching the stock market, minus all the ticker symbols.
Just heard the Angels have also announced their arbitration decisions. John Lackey and Chone Figgins were the only two offered arbitration. I'll be commenting on this later tonight.
November 23, 2009
Pay Johnny good
My favorite mercenary is looking for the highest bidder again and with Scott Boras as his agent, he’ll probably get what he wants. He will then have the nerve to tell us all that (fill in the blank) was always where he wanted to play; his first choice all along.
Sure Johnny. Whatever you say Johnny.
According to the NY Daily News, Damon prefers to stay with the Yankees, and while he has made that wish very public, sources say he isn't about to give the Yankees a big discount to stay there.
Of course not. We’re talking Johnny Damon, who would sign up to play for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic if he could get enough money from Castro.
The Daily News also reports Damon has told friends all year he would take a shorter deal from the Yankees than he would elsewhere… but it is believed he would want a higher average annual salary if he were to take less years.
Translation - pay me four years worth of salary for two years worth of work because "I love New York."
Johnny made $13 million in 2009. Granted he had a fair offensive season, but let’s not forget that 17 of his 24 homeruns came in the band box known as Yankee Stadium. I guess the Yankees and Damon deserve each other. Where else can he continue to command more money than say…? Bobby Abreu and put up mediocre numbers.
Per Ken Rosenthal – Boras will use Bobby Abreu’s contract as a starting point and Boras will argue that Damon deserves more. Abreu is signed for two years and $19 million.
I have to say the thought of Damon being compared to Abreu makes my skin crawl. The Angels wanted Abreu back. Abreu wanted to come back. They got a deal done… no testing the open market, etc. Deal done. Again, the Yankees and Damon deserve one another.
He’s quoted in the NY Daily News as saying… "I want to continue to be on a team that can win and to play in front of great fans - and we know that the Yankees fill both of those," Damon said. "I think everyone knows my desire to come back. Still, every time I've been a free agent, I've ended up switching teams. It's the nature of the beast. If people are interested, I'm going to listen."
Translation… money talks and Johnny walks.
Johnny can bank all the money he wants; that’s his prerogative. It’s just time people realized that he’s all about the money. Come on Johnny… just say it. You could actually care less where you play as long as that team offers you the most money; you’re as loyal as a dog in heat.
Johnny’s not the kind of guy you’d want dating your daughter. Johnny’s the kid in elementary school who pinky swore with one hand and had his fingers crossed on the other. He’s the kid that swindled other kids out of their lunch money and became the teacher’s pet by bringing her an apple that he picked off a neighbor’s tree.
I can’t wait to see Teixeira, A-Rod and Johnny posing together for photo next year. We’ll get to see three of the phoniest smiles in all of sports.
What’s the world coming to? Next thing you know Paul Loduca will think he can come back and play in the major leagues next year.
Hot Stove Predictions Final Installment - Pitching
For my last installment of Hot Stove Predictions, I am taking a look at pitchers. All categories are covered here – be it starters, relievers or wanna-be’s.
Before, I get started, I have to correct an early prediction I made. In true bone-head like form, I predicted the Angels would sign Tony Pena, thinking Pena was the same one that once pitched for Arizona before being traded to the White Sox. Turns out that he’s not a free agent and the one that is a free agent is Tony Pena, Jr. the Kansas City Royal who was converted from shortstop.
In any case – I have no idea where Junior will end up and I can’t say I care much eith... and with that, I will now revise my Angels pick to 30 year old Rafael Soriano, last seen pitching for the Braves. Hopefully, there’s not a Rafael Soriano, Jr. out there to make me more confused than I already am.
Soriano has the kind of power arm the Angels always seem to covet. Soriano would give the Angels bull pen a huge boost.
As for the rest… there are so many pitchers on the open market, I thought it would be easiest for me to just list them. It’s not a comprehensive list, but there are still a lot of names here:
Starting pitchers
Miguel Batista (39) - Diamondbacks
Erik Bedard (31) - Type B - Braves
Daniel Cabrera (29) – Cardinals
Aroldis Chapman (22) – Yankees
Doug Davis (34) - Type B – Mariners
Justin Duchscherer (32) - Type B – Cubs
Jon Garland (30) - Type B – Twins
Rich Harden (28) - Type B – Mets
John Lackey (31) - Type A – Angels
Braden Looper (35) - Type B – Royals
Jason Marquis (31) - Type B – Yankees
Pedro Martinez (38) – Dodgers
Brett Myers (29) – Rangers
Vicente Padilla (32) - Type B – Dodgers
Carl Pavano (34) - Type B – Diamondbacks
Brad Penny (32) – Giants
Andy Pettitte (38) - Type B – Yankees
Joel Pineiro (31) - Type B – Nationals
Horacio Ramirez (30) – Reds
Ben Sheets (31) – Astros
John Smoltz (43) – Rockies
Jarrod Washburn (35) – Brewers
Todd Wellemeyer (31) – Cubs
Kip Wells (33) - Nationals
Randy Wolf (33) - Type A – Mets
Closers:
Mike Gonzalez (32) - Type A - Tigers
Kevin Gregg (32) - Type A – Astros
Fernando Rodney (33) - Type B - Phillies
Rafael Soriano (30) - Type A - Angels
Jose Valverde (32) - Type A - Rays
Billy Wagner (38) - Type A – Orioles
Right-handed relievers:
Rafael Betancourt (35) - Type A – Red Sox
Kiko Calero (35) - Type B - Rays
Octavio Dotel (36) - Type A - Yankees
LaTroy Hawkins (37) - Type A - Astros
Jason Isringhausen (37) - Rays
Brandon Lyon (30) - Type B - Tigers
Guillermo Mota (36) - Type B - Dodgers
Chan Ho Park (37) - Type B - Phillies
J.J. Putz (33) – Red Sox
Justin Speier (36) - Giants
Russ Springer (41) - Type B - Rays
David Weathers (40) - Type B - Reds
Jeff Weaver (33) - Dodgers
Left-handed relievers:
Joe Beimel (32) - Type B – Mets
Will Ohman (31) - Type B - Padres
Darren Oliver (39) - Type A - Angels
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