I agree with this, every year we see players trying to hang on for one more year, taking "cheap" contracts, playing hard in Spring Training for one last year. Sosa this year is a prime example, Jose Rijo, Deion Sanders, Aaron Boone, Marcus Giles, Scott Elarton, etc. There are MANY great players, maybe not talent wise but heart wise in the game. That's a reason to love it right there, the passion some of these players have.

To me personally, I think letting salaries get out of control to where teams have to trade their star players away, because they can't afford them and want something before the player goes Free Agent. So they "rebuild" and by the time those great prospects are seasoned enough to contend the team has to trade them away.

I think trading Santana to Boston or New York shows how bad things really are. Granted I'm not a Santana fan and I think he won't be able to handle the pressure but you're looking at Bedard, Haren and others going the same route to the "rich" teams. So in turn, the poorer teams are always in rebuild mode, losing their fan base and because of the way revenue sharing is, they can't afford to keep or get the players they need to contend.

They go out and play those hard games for MILLIONS and the "great" players today don't give a shit if the team wins or not. Look at players that sign huge contracts with teams knowing the team will never contend.

Another way they treat fans like shit is the cheating, I'm sorry taking steroids, HGH, PEDS whatever, knowing that it may enhance your game and thus line you up for a big payday isn't being very fair, honest and true to the fans and the owners who sat by allowing it, turning blind eyes and in some ways encouraging it because it meant more money in revenue didn't give a shit about the integrity of the game or the fans or the players lives and health that were destroyed by the drugs.

It's all about the money, to Hell with the fans, the players and owners have proven with this whole debacle they care not about us but about the money. And we'll do nothing but watch and go to games because we don't want to believe the games and the winning teams and losing teams are pretty much determined already. Hope springs eternal that the "kids" will outplay the billion dollar machines.... but in the end the small market teams while every year there maybe that surprise team..... are doomed to be bottom feeders.

It's sad, it's disgraceful, it's a slap in the face to the true fans (not the band wagoners or the corporate douche bags that come late and leave early because the company gave them primo tickets while the true fans sit miles away in exensive cheap seats because that's all they can afford... and they can only afford to 2-3 times a season). Teams with proud histories and once great fan bases are being turned into farm teams.... it's pathetic. But there's no alternative... they have the monopoly. It's WWE sports entertainment where the end is known before the season even starts.

The sport used to belong to the fans and the players and owners knew that. Now it belongs to the Media Corporations and the advertisers and they don't want small market teams to win.... they want the big cities to win.... big cities playing means bigger ratings, bigger ratings means more ad revenue means more profit. Fuck the fans in Kansas City, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toronto, Oakland, San Fran, Houston, Philly, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and so on.

(Yes, I know Cleveland is on a run Cavs have LeBron, the Tribe is looking good and the Clowns look to be playoff bound..... but what of the other cities? It's not just poor management in those cities in every sport, I don't buy that.)

Every now and then one of those cities may contend in a sport but in the end... the big markets and the media crush them like ants. Those fans don't matter, because if they play for the championship it means little ratings .... so fuck them.

All about the money, honey.

primo tickets while the true fans sit miles away in exensive cheap seats because that's all they can afford

Only poor people can be true fans?

Yankee's fans or the big market teams don't have true fans?

Lets not over dramatize.

Ticket sales aren't the only way a team gets their money. Local broadcasting contracts, merchandise, and revenue sharing plays a factor as well. A fan can give more financial support to their team by watching the game at home than to come out to the stadium.

The Yankees can afford to buy whatever player they want, but what people forget is that they have a well-developed minor-league farm system. Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, all came up through their farm system. Their big dollar acquisitions are hit or miss (Mike Mussina, Johnny Damon, Alex Rodriguez, Jason Giambi, some were worth their money, others were a waste). Deep pockets doesn't always translate into a quality team. Just ask the Knicks.

A general manager who knows what they're doing can develop a team without having to reach deep to sign them. If deep pockets was all it took, the Yankees wouldn't be in a seven year drought, and Cubs fans wouldn't be singing the blues about 1908.

They HAD a well-developed farm system. It became well-developed when Steinbrenner was suspended and other people were spending his money.

When he came back, the system was bearing fruit, but then he started trading it away. Once it stopped producing players, that is when the real spending started (along with the already-developed players getting their big money).

Now, they are starting to develop players again. The question is, will Kim Hank-Il allow them to do so successfully?

They also have a real advantage in player development: they can sign the superstar prospects to real money while they are still on the islands, and afford to have most not pan out. In the modern baseball universe, that is HUGE.

And I stated that earlier. The teams make more from the cable, satellite, radio, and advertising than they do at the gate.

That's just the point they can sign relative bums to high dollar contracts (Pavano, Giambi, etc) and have them bust, but what they did was make everyone else's contract price go up, so the end result is the teams that can barely make payroll can't even think about acquiring a true free agent or the missing piece or 2 they need. Thus they never truly contend, their fans get tired of waiting as the "team rebuilds" and the teams lose more money and have to get rid of their superstars because they can't afford arbitration or to extend. This results in having to go after "prospects", that they'll bring up give the "prospect" major league experience and have to trade away once he is developed. Thus the team will never truly contend, they maybe able to be a .500 team because of the youth and talent but as for making any true post season... unless they play in a weak division, forget about it.... and if they do get there, they won't last long.


.

Ah, but finances are a huge part of it. There are many great GMs right now (Beane, Bowden, Shapiro, etc) they are tremendous evaluating talent (or hiring the right scouts to) but unless they get ownership to fill the missing pieces and spend some money to keep the players..... doesn't matter how great they are. (I was not a Dolan fan but he did keep his promise and has spent the money to keep our "core" players (look for them to offer CC17-20 mill. but in a 3yr contract with options) but we are still lacking.)

Just about every team can afford to spend at least $100 M on payroll.

The Diamondbacks are essentially paying $100M for payroll next season. The downer on that is that over $45M of that is going to pay players that are no longer on the team... (deferred salaries from the Colangelo days and Russ Ortiz).

Anyways, back to more fun topics. The DBacks traded for Haren over the weekend. I'm so excited. The rotation now is:

Webb
Haren
Johnson
Davis
Owings

That is a kick ass rotation. Although I don't expect Haren to be as great as he was last season, he's probably going to be one of the best #2 pitchers out there. The only real question mark is Johnson's health. He showed last season that if healthy he's still a great pitcher.

I think the DBacks did pretty well in the deal. They traded 5 minor leaguers (Gonzalez, Smith, Anderson, Cunningham, and Carter) and Dana Eveland for Haren. The best guys in the deal are Gonzalez and Anderson. Gonzalez should was rated as AZ's #1 prospect but I don't necessarily agree. He has his difficulties (no walks, can't hit lefties, attitude). Anderson is only 19 and finished his first year of pro ball. He really did great and was one of our top pitching prospects.

They also traded Valverde to Houston for Qualls and others. I like this one also. Closers are highly overrated and I like the idea of moving replaceable players when they are at peak value

I fear the Dbacks.

The D'Backs are looking pretty good. I'm kind of pissed the A's traded Haren there instead of to Cleveland, whom I feel put out a better offer (better players). The A's may have just wanted Haren out of the AL. One has to wonder why they traded a pitcher of such talent who is signed relatively cheap until 2010.

I would still like to see Cleveland shore up their staff, no telling how Fausto will do in his sophomore year or how Byrd will react to the reports. They need a bat at 3rd base and some speed in LF.

I just don't know where they are going to get the pieces they need. Maybe Blanton or Bedard but 3b and LF there just is a lack of talent available there.

And the answer to that fear is sitting 3,000 miles away in black-and-orange :D

Just want to give a big fat "TOLD YOU SO" about Haren :D

What's the latest on Bedard?? Are the O's still trying to move him? There has to be a reason he hasn't been moved yet. Fuckin A. 11 teams want him.

Yes it is. Yes it is.

The Skanks are back in talks with Minnesota for Santana but the asking price is the same so I doubt we'll see NY get him. I have a feeling though, that the Yankees will get Prior. They are interested in him, and since they have a knack for buying overpayed, old, washed up pitchers.. he's right up their alley.

Prior is probably toast. However, any team that has the roster and payroll flexibility to give him an incentive-driven 2-3 yr contract should do it. There is just so much upside.

The Orioles want A LOT for him. At least what Santana will pull in, if not more because of the difference in money (Santana is a FA next year, while Bedard is two years away, and would cost less to extend).

Dodgers won't give up Kemp, Reds won't give up Jay Bruce. Mariners won't give up enough players.

I think they will have to tone down their expectations for him. They should get something comparable to what Oakland got. Bedard has never pitched 200 innings and has had injury problems (even finishing the year on the DL).

He also had a better year then Santana last year in a month less. He "only" won 13 games, but 1) anyone who uses wins as a real stat shouldn't be in the discussion and 2) he had 10 no-decisions without pitching the last month. That's insane.

His injury last year was an oblique strain. Everyone had an oblique strain last year. He was held out of the rest of the year mostly because there was no point in bringing him back unnecessarily.

He's spent essentially two full seasons without any major injury issues. He is under a team's control for an additional year compared to Santana, and will cost less to extend.

Bedard's problem is he just doesn't have the name. Everyone knows Santana and considers him the best left hander in the business. Bedard, while having a great couple of seasons, has to prove himself over time. This is why the asking price is probably just a little too rich for most teams. I have a feeling that if the O's dropped the price tag by one player, he'd be signed in a day. The other thing that would open the door immediately is if the O's decided to pay some of the contract money. Not sure if they are even considering that option or not.

Bedard had a great season but his history doesn't support the idea that he's likely to repeat it (at least at that level). Yes his peripherals were great last season but his K/9 jumped and his BABIP dropped by a lot. He's probably due for a little bit of regression but should be able to keep an ERA+ around 115-125.

You can't compare him to Santana. Santana has a career ERA+ of 141. Remember that Santana has stated that he wants a long term deal to waive his no trade clause. Therefore the team that gets him will keep him.

"Pay some of the contract money"? He made $3.4 million last year, and is still in arbitration for two more years.

If a GM is doing his job, then he DEFINITELY knows who Bedard is, and that is all that should matter.

But he'll want six-or-seven years at $20-25 million per.

Bedard would ask for Zito money, max. Plus, you have two years to decide to keep him.

Now that Seattle has signed Silva from the Twins, they'll probably fall out of the Bedard sweeps. Silva should be a good fit in Seattle as he has a decent record against AL West teams and he's an inning eater, which is what they lack desperately.

As long as they don't want to have a chance at winning anything, that's fine for them.

He's got a 4.31 ERA career, 1.4 career WHIP. And he's making $12 million per now.

THAT'S why teams will go for Bedard: he's a legitimate ace that will be cheap at least two more years.

The Yankees have pulled out of the Johan Santana sweepstakes by pulling Phillip Hughes off the table. This just leaves the Mets and Red Sox as the only two serious contenders for him.

Personally, I think the Twins are asking too much for him, last report I got is that they wanted Minaya to give up seven minor league prospects for him. Way too much to give up, especially for a guy that's entering the final year of his contract.

Santana will still be in a Twins uni come opening day. He won't move until trade deadline. The price will drop a bit then because he'll be practically demanding a trade, and the Twins GM will realize that he's asking way too much.

Well.. that's the way I think it will go. I just don't see the blockbuster mega deal happening anymore. I think teams are just tired of the bullshit.

It is a lot of bullshit, and the Twins don't want to face up to the fact that they're not going to get what they're asking for him. They're better off letting him run his final year out and trying to make a run for the playoffs with him.

The whole thing is foolish on the Twins' part. If he walks they get a first round pick and a sandwich pick. The offers they are getting a much better than that.

I think the Twins truly believe they can contend for the playoffs, as they have many other years despite outside doubt. There is a revenue factor to consider as well, and if they trade away Santana for what they and their fans consider below market value, that doesn't bode well for attendance. Ideally, I agree they should trade Santana, but I would think they are considering the present and day-to-day operations as well.

Tulu gets 6 years 30 million. Pretty hefty contract for an unproven player.


Santana still not moved.. everybody still thinks the yanks will end up with him. Looks like Bedard may end up in Seattle.. which would be a decent fit.

Bedard to Seattle is pretty much a done deal. I like anything that keeps him in the AL. Now if only we can make sure that Santana stays in the AL as well....

That is a lot of cash for Tulo, he has just over one full year of service time. At least they bought out his first year of free agency.

A MN source says Santana deal will be done within 10 days. Don't know what is different now than two months ago?

What's different is that Minnesota has overplayed their hand, leaving the Mets as the only team willing to deal with them anymore, and that's because they really need an ace in their rotation.

The more CC says, it isn't about the money the more I believe it is. Thome and Manny both said it wasn't about the money and both went for relatively the same money elsewhere. For Thome it was an extra year, for Manny the way the money was paid out.

On the other hand, if you can't sign him now and you honestly gave your best offer trade his ass out of here and get someone who wants to be here... well that maybe more difficult, trying to find someone who wants to play in Cleveland.... ok so keep CC one more year if he doesn't sign and with the money saved get a big bat and go full bore to winning it all this year.

Well with Manny, you can't really blame him for leaving when Boston throws $20 million in his face.

As far as the Mets still being the only team in the running for Santana.. don't kid yourself. The skanks and Bo'Sox are still very much in the running. It's really just down to who will give up something first. I have a feeling he'll end up in pinstripes. It would be a bad bad move for Steinbrenner Jr to lose a deal right off the bat to Boston.

Yeah but the money wasn't that much different for Manny, just the way it was paid.

With Thome it was a year's guarantee, that's it, the money was exactly the same.

I think with CC it maybe a combination, the Indians want to make deferred payments and only a 4 year contract and he may want the 7 or 8 someone will offer him. The Tribe is ready to throw him upwards of 20 Mil a year but they don't do long term like 7 years, and I don't blame them, but it can also mean the difference between CC making 80 mil and CC making 140-160 mil.

I think anyone that wants to pay that much for that long for a pitcher who can't win big games but can overpower weaker teams, is ludicrous. Give him 4 years maintain team options for 3 or 4 so that in that 4th-5th-6th contract year when he blows out his arm or needs some type of Tommy John surgery, you don't have him eating you payroll away.

With the Santana deal, CC I'm sure is watching closely to what Santana gets once he's moved and signs.

I doubt that. Boston's in it only if the Yankees are in it, otherwise I don't think they'll try to compete with a NL team for his services.

I doubt CC would ever get what Santana does. He might deserve it, but I just don't see it happening. :shrug:

why wouldn't they compete with an NL team? Minnesota really likes Ellsbury and Lester. They've proven themselves in big games i.e. World Series games.

With Boston getting Aardsma from the White Sox, that just gives them another IMO disposable pitcher in the deal.

Because you know and I know that you know that I know that Boston doesn't need him, and the only reason they would jump back into this would be to prevent the Yankees from getting him. If he's in the NL, he's not a threat to them except for interleague play and if the Mets somehow end up in the World Series.

This just in:

Oye Como Va

Yeah, just saw this. I know that every team's fans tend to overvalue their own talent, but although all of these Mets prospects are rated as top 10, but it really seems like the Red Sox and Yankee offers were far better, particularly considering the lack of major league experience of the Mets prospects.
As a Sox fan, I'm glad he didn't go to another AL team (read: Yankees), but in the wussy NL, he could be the first pitcher to have an ERA of 0.00 for an entire season.

Humber, a 25-year-old right-hander, has made one start and four relief appearances for the Mets during the past two years, and went 11-9 with a 4.27 ERA last season for Triple-A New Orleans. The 22-year-old Gomez batted .232 in 125 at-bats with New York last year and .275 with 19 steals in the minors.

Guerra, who turns 19 in April, was 2-6 with a 4.01 ERA at Class A St. Lucie, and Mulvey, who will be 23 in May, was 12-10 with a 3.20 ERA in 26 starts at Double-A Binghamton and one at New Orleans.

Word has it that Omar Minaya threw in the Brooklyn Bridge just to sweeten the deal.

I hear that these guys are after Minaya for what he did to Bill Smith.

And supposedly they turned down better offers from the Yankees and Red Sox.

Just hope Bedard gets done soon. Roberts to the Cubs should follow soon after.

Man I don't know what the hell the Twins were thinking. They don't get the top two prospects the Mets have, don't get any of the things they really need (CF who can step in right now and play good D, shortstop, second baseman) and they had way better offers from both NY and BOS. Not to mention that they could have waited until they got exactly what they needed to make a trade.

Frankly, they shoulda gone with Seattle's Bedard offer (Adam Jones, ready to play CF, Truinifel, future SS, plus some top pitching prospects). They got robbed - I just can't believe how wrong they got this trade.

Talking to a disgruntled Minnesota fan, most twinks fans are idiots... somehow they ignore the fact that, as noted these weren't even the top prospects from the Mets whether pitching or position; one of the guys is coming off of Tommy Johns; going off of memory one of the pitchers record is something like 14-16 with a 4.40+ era after 3 seasons of the minors.

So looking at the situation... we let go argubly the best pitcher in the entire MLB for, using ESPN's Buster Olny's words, what was probably our 4th best offer.

This doesn't note the fact that we gave away Garza, who was supposed to be our top pitching prospect, if Boof Bonser is the next Radke, we were expecting some fire from Garza. We lost Silva, which as a Twins fan I don't mind, too many years of a deep ball liability... all the same our line up is shored up by Liriano, a phenom in his own right, but we have no way of gauging how he'll be, he hasn't thrown in 1.5 years.

The ALCS is far too stacked, this trade obviously kills us from contention for at least 2-3 seasons, and that is probably optimistic. Yeah it was great we signed Morneau for something like 5-6, but what the fuck does it matter, we just lost Torii, and we still have are lacking a legitimate power hitter that can shore up the line up: Cuddyer is not an answer.

Far too many people up here are banking on this being another Pierzynski trade (where MN netted Bonser, Nathan, and Liriano).

My feelings... Lester/Hughes/Ellsbury + any assortment of prosects > what we got.

MLBTradeRumors.com is linking to a report that says the Yankees and Red Sox didn't even make final offers with guys like Ellsbury or Hughes involved.

At least I know the Yankees and Sox are stupid. Makes me feel better as an Orioles fan.

The Santana trade makes me happy, Minnesota won't be anything in the AL Central anymore. Chicago is a nowhere team with high paid has beens, KC is KC. Leaves just Detroit and Cleveland to do battle now. And while Detroit tries they just can't put it together.

Cleveland runs the AL Central for the next couple years. Biased prediction but, wow, the competition are hurting themselves.

Mark my words.. KC will be a good team in 3 years or less.

The Twins GM is an idiot. From what I heard, Ellsbury and Lester were still on the table from the Red Sox. The Yankees did pull Hughes from a deal but even without Hughes, it was a better deal than what they got from the Mets. To say that Boston doesn't need Santana is a bit of a stretch. You can never have too much great starting pitching, especially when Schill and Wakefield are big question marks in the upcoming year.

Now that the Santana trade is done, CC will be signed and the Bedard deal should move along in a week or less.

KC has some on field talent, the question is do they have the talent in the management and ownership fields.

Yeah, I think maybe the Twins GM just wanted to get Santana gone because of the distraction and perhaps, he just wanted to make sure Santana was in the NL and not somewhere in the AL where he could comeback and haunt them. Also, I still also think that there maybe more to all this than we on the outside see and hear, Santana could be damaged goods.

I can see Bedard being dealt now that a price has been set. For CC I think it'll still be the Mets signing of Santana that will set his price in Cleveland.

au contrare, I think that the Sox and Yankees were pretty smart on this one. Certainly far from stupid. They avoided depleting themselves of young reasonably priced talent, and each have fairly good rotations anyway. This is one of the few times when the Yankees in particular have been smart and realized that even with a ridiculous payroll, $25mil a year x6 would be a big burden, especially when they were high on their own farm products. So far the Twins look the worst out of the deal.

I have been a Mets fan my whole life. And if there is one thing I have learned about them, if there is a way to screw it up they will find it.

Poor Johann will spend much of the year on the DL, but only after the Mets give him a superrich contract. Remember, you read it here first.

Oh, ye of little faith! They won't screw it up until September. Just remember, the only sure things in life are death, taxes, and a late season Mets meltdown.

Looks like the O's want to keep Bedard now. They're looking to offer him a similar deal to that of Santana to keep in Bird Town.

That's already been shot down. Bedard's agent denied it (quite vigorously too, interestingly enough :p)

According to Ken Rosenthal, just on Outside the Lines, they are going to finally give physicals to everyone involved and the deal will be done.

I'm finished with holding my breath, though :D

Well damn. With Bedard in Seattle, they'll have a pretty good 1-2 punch. Too bad they won't have anything else.. wait.. that's a good thing.

I'm drooling over an outfield of Markakis, Adam Jones and (if the Roberts deal does follow, according to reports) Felix Pie.

(*Insert own Pie/dessert joke here*)

That will be the best outfield in the league in a couple years.

Now we just need a shortstop...

eh.. I'll keep Manny, Ellsbury, and Drew (if Drew does what he's supposed to do)

[sigh] another year of going to Cubs games to see the drunken Trixies flash the crowd and make out with each other for the amusement of the fans. Because god knows what's going on on the field won't be amusing.

Personally I'm hoping for less than 100 basepath errors this year. That would be an improvement.

the cubbies won't be that bad..









:lol: I tried to keep a straight face..

I hate you so very, very much. I hate you enough to make you buy the first round when you take me to a Sox game.

Only if you buy the subsequent rounds.

Or.. if you, you know, turn your back on the cubs and pledge your soul to Boston then I might just buy all the rounds...

You are going to LOVE Roberts. A leadoff guy who can actually get on base, plus he'll probably steal 70 or more bases in the NL under a guy like Pinella. And, he plays good D.

I'm disappointed that Bedard is going to be traded, but I'm actually sad to see Roberts go (assuming he does) because I love watching him play.

(Anyone else find it interesting that he would be at least the third 2B the Orioles have traded to the Cubs in three years?)

Don't get too carried away DJ.... :

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/rumors/t...ndians/mlb.t.5

I truly think when all is said and done, the REDS will pull the trigger. They know they have the offense stacked.... they are pitching desperate. I also think they waited to see what the Santana deal would be.

Bedard is good for this coming season and the next, so unlike Santana or possibly CC he isn't just a rent a player.

The Indians maybe looking at Bedard to replace CC. I think they are going to give CC their pitch and it'll be a take it or trade type exchange. There is no way they can afford to just let him walk at the end of the season for a draft pick, they are too close to winning and bringing fans into the seats. They can't afford to let him walk and start a "rebuild" it would destroy their credibility with the fans.

So if you are Cleveland, you pitch the offer, he says yes, cool. He says no, you go after someone like Bedard, trade CC and try to extend Bedard.

Personally, I am not a Bedard fan but in the long run he may end up the better pitcher.

I don't think the Indians really have the fire power to get Bedard. Sure they could get rid of CC, but it wouldn't be very smart to get rid of a CY winner when (I'm assuming) he's adored by the fans at this point. The only reason he shouldn't be in a Cleveland uni is because he just wanted the money. There's no way Cleveland can afford a Santana type deal. C.C. will have to compromise to stay there. 4 years at most is my thinking. If they can't afford C.C. -- then they can't afford Bedard.

Bedard will end up in Seattle. Seattle just signed Wilkerson which would replace Jones in the outfield. I just don't see Bedard going anywhere else at this point.

Old news.

Besides, the Reds won't give up Jay Bruce, so there won't be a deal.

That is a terrible idea. First of all, if you are in a win now mode, you don't trade ace pitching. Adding Bedard would do a lot for the Indians but if you trade CC you totally negate that gain. Also, CC is the better pitcher now and will be the better pitcher for years to come. CC is also 2 years younger.

Also, don't toss out the 'big game pitcher' crap. He has a total of 21 1/3 postseason innings. Half of which were against the Red Sox, who scored 99 runs in 14 postseason games (7.07 R/G). That kind of a sample size means nothing.

kutulu speaks the truth. You can't really hold a pitchers stats at too much value when they play against the Red Sox :D

I have this feeling that Cleveland may just end up without C.C. and Bedard. Well I'm 99% sure Bedard will go to Seattle, but I just don't know if C.C. is willing to give Cleveland a "home town discount" like Peavy and a few others have. Something tells me he's going to want at the very minimum a Zambrano deal and I just don't think the Indians can afford it.

This just in, Sox will have Casey at the bat. Sean Casey signs a 1 year deal with the Sox for a tad under 800k. Career .300 hitter, played 143 games last year, legendary nice guy. Should be a fantastic backup for Youk, and a good PH off the bench. In a clubhouse full of good guys I hope that this isn't like crossing the streams...

Casey will fit in good with that clubhouse. Take a look at the clubhouse and that's just another reason Francona should have won AL Manager of the year. My only doubts this year are really if Schill can perform and how healthy Wake can be. Tek has to do better this year or he may retire. However, when I look at the farm system I'm not *too* worried.

Looks like Bedard deal is all but finalized.

And.. my worries about Curt Schilling have come to fruition. I knew it was a bad idea to re-sign him. Damnit. This is where a Santana would certainly have helped. Especially since Wakefield's health is still a major issue. I can only imagine what a rotation of Beckett, Santana, Matsuzaka, Lester and Buckholtz would have been like ..

Boston is the new Evil Empire

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3237189

Done deal (FINALLY!!!)

Those five guys are all supposed to be good. I've heard Jones called a better version of Mike Cameron, Sherrill helps the bullpen (and could be flipped now, or later if he performs well), and the other three are quality pitching prospects.

Still feel bad losing Bedard though, no matter how much I tell myself the Orioles needed to do the deal.

jealousy must be a bitch.


Not really sure how Boston is the evil empire.. but ok.

Probably a lot like the rotation of Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Clement and Maddux. Overrated and injured a lot.

now Jazz.. you know that comparing my list against what you listed just isn't right..

friggin' Cubbies fans..

Bro, your list is a wish. It never happened and probably never will. I suffered through mine.

You'll continue to suffer until someone with a brain buys the team.

It isn't jealousy, as you can see, my own team has a great chance this year. We're doing it mostly through homegrown talent. Free Agent signings do make up most of our salary, but Boston looks like it shook down a bunch of small market GM's.

Please, I can't believe that we are going through this AGAIN. Boston's management has made smart decisions overall, and has made it a point to develop what Baseball America has called the number 2 farm system in the league. Their major league lineup is a mix of free agent signings and homegrown talent. This allows them to pay 400K for a rookie of the year second baseman and put more money toward a talented Japanese pitcher, for instance. Half their infield is homegrown (Pedroia, Youk), half their rotation is homegrown (Lester, Bucholtz) a third of their outfield is homegrown (Ellsbury) and they have a collection of other guys the no one else wanted but they were smart enough to see a future for (Ortiz, Varitek, Okijama, Wakefield). Don't make it seem like they ar out there fleecing other poor GM's. They gave up a no-hitter pitcher and a Rookie of the Year for Beckett and Lowell (and don't forget Lowell's contract was a salary dump and supposed to be an albatross) The only guy that they really outspent everyone for is Dice-K (and Drew, but no one else really wanted him). Of course Boston has significant resources, but so do the Dodgers, they just haven't figured out how to use them yet.

The Dodgers do have a decent chance.. of making the playoffs.. and that's about it.

Boston has a great farm system.. a great variety of homegrown talent.. and a great front office. I guess llow already outlined it so there's really no need for me to do it again. If Boston was the evil empire, Santana would be in a Boston jersey right now. They would have the highest payroll.. but they don't.

Trade him..... get all you can for him before you lose him to FA... plan to win this year and beyond but get someone who WANTS to be here and is proud to be an Indian.

he's just looking for a Santana deal..

I think he was offered a good deal by the Indians...

The fact that he's not wearing a Boston jersey still makes me giddy inside. It doesn't erase the terrible memories of The Collapse, but it does help ease the pain. Maybe Willie learns to control the clubhouse this year. Just maybe.

That's crazy talk. The only other pitcher that deserves that kind of deal is Webb.

Speaking of the DBacks, they gave GM Josh Byrnes an 8 year extension. :eek:

No way does CC deserve a Santana deal, but he'll get one, last 1 or 2 good seasons and blow out.

There are only 3 pitchers I truly think are greats right now: Webb, Peavy and Oswalt. Those 3 are the next Ryan/Carlton/Seaver/Clemens/etc. Maybe Santana, but his stuff isn't as great as it was and after this season of NL teams getting that first glance... I wonder how "great" he'll be in he future.

This doesn't mean that there aren't some hellacious pitchers coming.... Harang, I think has great potential, Carmona, tremendous future: Willis can rebound or he could be the next Doc Gooden a couple big early years then nothing but problems (seems most players are getting that way after big contracts though).

I think owners need to look at track records and truly look at a player before they sign him to these huge ass contacts. Lok at how well they play under pressure, gauge how they will do in a "big city" like NY, etc.... in her words gauge the intangibles, because hose are what will make or break the player. Is 1 or 2 great years followed by 3 or 4 on/off/on the DL worth that 10+ million? Will that player put asses in seats, get tvs and radios turned on? If not then why sign them to the contract?

The only thing that truly gets asses into seats and so on.... aren't the players as individuals.... it's wins and the team as a whole.

no, if Boston was SMART they'd have Santana right now. none of the guys Boston refused to trade are worth more wins than Santana.

so I was watching Mike & Mike yesterday morning and they were calling out all the divisions and saying who Vegas liked. They're taking Detroit in the AL Central and the Red Sox in the East.

I can't say that I agree with the central. I actually like the Indians in that division because I just don't think Detroit's rotation will be able to hold up. Vegas also had the skanks at 93 wins. I think it will be more like 89. (Let's look back at this post when the season ends)

so I'm thinking we'll have another Indians/Red Sox matchup in the ALCS.. with the Sox winning again. :D

As far as the NL goes..there's really no clear cut winner in my book.

I'm just glad to see baseball again.

Oh and wtf is up with Bush's wanna-be joke about Manny Ramirez's grandmother.. what a fucking tool.

I think Boston played it smart and did only enough to keep the Yankees from getting Santana. It's not like they needed an ace like the Yankees or Mets (especially the Mets) did.

Boston's management shouldn't be faulted as much as Minnesota's management for thinking they can push for one more player on the table.
The Twins gambled and lost, can't fault Boston for staring them down and making them blink.

Of course, Santana putting them on a deadline didn't help things for Minnesota's management either.

Fortunately it was Buster Olney doing the predictions, because Golic and Greeny are far too intellegent to believe that the Orioles will only win 56 games this year, which is what the Yankee-loving fool said.

I don't see the Orioles winning more than 70 games.. I did agree with most of Olney's predictions though.. especially the part about Toronto being a huge sleeper team.

Fuck Sam Zell. Fuck him in his rich ass.

Rename Wrigley? Fuck him.

I wish him good luck on getting more night games and concerts now. The neighborhood association is already pissed at him over spliting the sale of the team and the stadium.

I gotta say that I'm liking the Cubs again this year to at least make the playoffs. The Central certainly isn't any stronger than it was last year, and it seems like every team has at least one major distraction. Not that we don't, but it could be a big help if we can keep our guys healthy and get a new owner announced before the break.

Interesting things are afoot on the South Side. In two years, Kenny and Ozzie have gone from the greatest guys EVER to shithouse rats. I don't think that the Sox are even competitive for the wild card, let alone the division. hehe.

They have a lot against them, though.

They have to hope Thomas' power doesn't keep falling, Rolan has a year like 2006 instead of 2005 or 2007, they can survive with both Gregg Zaun and David Eckstein in the same lineup, the young starters in the back of the rotation come through, and Ryan doesn't get hurt again.

They could win 85 games, or they could win 75 games.

which is why they are called a "sleeper team" ;)

Jazz, poor poor Jazz

ya know I'm trying to come up with something consolable to say.. but.. it just isn't there.

Just to show you how sucky it is to be the Cubs fan version of me recently, I had 6 sweet seats for the Saturday Cubs/Sox game at Wrigley in the first row between the home dugout and home (closer to home), and I couldn't get the system to accept ANY of my credit cards. I even tried using one of my assistants' and that wouldn't even go through.

You still owe me a Fenway brew. Don't think I forgot.

But by that logic even the Orioles are a sleeper team.

If Adam Loewen is the next Erik Bedard...If Daniel Cabrera can withdraw some cash from his million-dollar arm and deposit it in his 10-cent head...If Adam Jones is the next Torii Hunter sooner rather then later...If they don't trade Brian Roberts...

Speaking of, that should cheer you up Jazz; you're going to get the best second-baseman in the National League not named Chase.

well... right now the Minn. GM isn't looking as stupid as he did just a little while ago. Gomez has surprised me so far. The kid could become a premier player.

And the poor poor cubbies. Z is hurt, Wood looks like shit again.. I had a feeling he wouldn't work out. It's one thing to be spectacular in spring training but once you go day to day.. it's a different story. I know it's early, but anyone who picked the cubbies to take the series should reconsider.

and fucking Eric Gagne.. oh man.. what a laugh.

You can tell that from one game, genius? It's a long season. Fukodome's homer was a thing of beauty. I got home just in time to see it. Z won't miss a start. He was pulled because of cramping; he just needs to drink more water. It was the warmest day in Chicago yet this year.

Gomez looked damn good, though.

Gagne's banker is having a laugh riot right now.

yes I can tell from one game..

mark it down.. Kerry Wood will suck ass. Z was just cramps? I heard it was tightness.. and they wanted to monitor it.. they wouldn't have said that if it were mere cramps. I could be wrong however. Yes Fuckinadome looked decent. He'll have to be damn good to make up for all the fuckups Soriano will have.. Let's see how he adjusts to American ball.. most Japanese players take a couple of years before they really hit their stride.. at least he's in a shitty division :p

and here's to hoping that the skanks look like shit tonight (if they play)

Minnesota did play surprisingly well. Seeing how poorly Atlanta's defense was in the opener, I don't see how they'll compete against New York or Philadelphia. I still think it was a mistake to trade away Lastings Milledge, and I'll have a real judgement on the Mets after I see how well Pedro pitches tonight.

Santana looked like his old self .. wish he was in a Boston Uni.

The Braves should be ok because they have their pitching back. I think the Mets will win out, but like you said.. I'll reserve full judgement on that until I see Pedro.

Pedro just pulled his hamstring. It's going to be a tough season for the Mets. At least their offense is pulling their weight so far.

*Update* They're reporting he'll be out for 4-6 weeks.

man..it's time for pedro to just hang it up. I'd hate to see him end up like all the others who just keep trying and look like shit.

Yeah, he's getting dangerously close to being lumped in the same category as Patrick Ewing and Vinny Testeverde.

Omar better be burning up the phones, because now they need a #4 AND #5 starter. Ron Darling was calling the game and threw up the suggestion that they put Jorge Sosa in the rotation, but they're just robbing Peter to pay Paul, and with the way that bullpen looked last year, I don't think that's a good idea.

I miss baseball.