I suppose that today marks the real start of the hotstove season - being the first day offers can be tendered to free agents, and all - but it's been a sleepy few weeks and we shouldn't expect things to heat up for a few more. Really, what agent worth his salt will jump on the first offer to come across his dish? Certainly not Darek Braunecker, and even more certainly (is that even possible?), not Scotty B.Jumping on the CC Train
Just because agents won't be accepting offers on behalf of their clients on the first day of free agency, doesn't mean they won't listen. As expected, it didn't take the fucking Yankees long to set the bar by extending a record-setting offer of employment (for a pitcher) to the cream of the free agent crop, Carsten Charles Sabathia. And can I say something here? CC doesn't frighten me. Oh, I know what a ludicrous statement that is. But he just doesn't. I don't know why, but it might have something to do with the fact that I can't see a 6'7, 300+ lb man hold up for the length of the 6 years on the table. Or I could be just talking myself off the ledge, I don't know.
More noteworthy (to me, anyway), is the fact that ol' Hank Steinbrenner has openly declared the Yankees are in on both AJ and Derek Lowe, both of whom are looking for 4+ year contracts. If you think locking in on $250 million and half a decade of commitment to 3/5 of your rotation (the youngest of whom would be 34 years old by term's end) is a good idea, then have at it fellas.
Nick Swisher, New York Yankee
Really? This is a good idea? The guy who seems to be constantly fucking around in-game, dyes his goatee yellow, and couldn't get on with a disciplinarian manager? He's a good fit for the New York Yankees? Uh, OK then. Again - have at it, fellas.
Aaron Hill is symptom free
I know I keep harping on it, but I'm telling you, this will make a big difference next season, friends. Gold glove defence, a .290 average, and 65 extra-base hits... assuming the birds have stopped chirping inside his head, of course.
Whatever happened to extending Doc?
I don't want to read anything into this, and for the record, am not going there yet......but what happened to the in-season proclamations that the Jays would be looking to extend Doc? For now, I'm just going to pretend that I haven't been reading the whispers that the Jays have yet to decide whether to make a push and reload....or scale back payroll and rebuild. For now.
10 comments:
Ack,
The mumblings from Beeston and the Jays front-office about a possible re-build should be taken seriously. I can't remember where I read the article (Globe?), but if you read between the lines it looks like Beeston and company are going to take a realistic approach for 2009 and use it to rebuild for 2010 and beyond. That would be a refreshing change from the last three seasons or so. The team is more than a couple of parts away from serious contention in 2009, but some good trades and waiting for some prospects to make it will set them up better long-term (and it's cheaper). A mulligan in 2009 is fine by me if that's the plan.
you don't extend somebody after their career year....not that it was a career year, but the chances are, he's not quite as good next year.
i'd prefer not to be the team that gives doc his age 34-39 contract, even though I think he'll age well, i don't think he'll age $20m per season well.
You know what sucks? We haven't had ownership who gave a shit about how the Jays finished in the standings since Labatt's sold out to InterBrew.
I know I am bitching about something that has been a a fact for years, but Riccardi is in the press talking about how we can't outspend the Sawx and Yanks. The reality is the owners choose not to. Rogers is worth way more than pretty much every owner in the MLB.
The last time we won we outspent everyone. Maybe we deserve 40 years of wandering through the wilderness.
We can have 2009 and a mulligan or maybe even 2009 through 2019. Fuck, that's a long time. Ah well, if the Cubs fans, Sox fans, etc etc can cope, then so should we.
wiffleballs: The only players on this team who aren't either cheap for years or albatrosses are Halladay and maybe Ryan, and I think the team should trade Ryan for pieces to compete this year anyways. If rebuilding just means trading Doc, the team might as well play for this year.
torgen: Trading Doc would signal a full-fledged rebuild which would end with gutting the entire team as we know it. I don't think that's in the cards (yet) or what Beeston was referring to. I agree with you that the Jays might as well try to compete this year, but not at the cost of mortgaging their future financially or by trading away talent. Either approach won't change the fact that their chances in 2009 will be similar to the last few seasons, under-performance aside. Intelligent trades, like getting something they need for Ryan, would be a good start. Beyond those kinds of moves, their options are limited. They either bet the farm and make some bold trades and sign some impact free agents this winter to take it all in 2009, or play it slow and steady for the long-term. The moves this off-season will tell us which approach they follow.
I think trading Doc at some point is probably the best way to go. Of course it doesn't mean gutting the entire team - Rios, Hill, Wells, Lind, Snider, and the young pitchers will continue to be the core of the team. Trading Doc would mean that BJ, Lyle and potentially Rolen could be moved at some point, but that's the case anyways and I don't consider them to be the guts of the team.
I don't want to be giving Doc 5 years and $100m for his age 35-39 seasons.
Lyle and Rolen can't be moved at some point. They don't have positive trade value unless they have a good year, and if they do, you're ruing trading Doc.
If you're rebuilding, you take the salary room over the production.
The Jays can sign Doc for cheaper than $100m for his later years. Keep him around as long as possible, the advantage the Jays have with Doc if they ever make the playoffs is huge.
I could see Doc being dominate into his 40s. Look at Schilling!
Halladay was 31 last year.
He has two years left on his contract, which takes him to 33.
So a five-year deal after that would take him through to the age of 38.
Fuck it, dude: We'd take that action.
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