Only 66 Days Away...
by Eric Stephen on Dec 13, 2010 5:24 PM PST
in News
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PrintCatching up on some things from earlier today, the Dodgers made official the minor league deals of Juan Castro, JD Closser, and Eugenio Velez. All three have invites to spring training. We already knew about Closser, but his whiteboard mate, Jon Huber, has a minor league deal but will start spring training in minor league camp.
More info on the minor league signings are here, and are also on the sidebar.
The Dodgers also announced that pitchers and catchers report (those four words are the best of the winter) to Camelback Ranch on February 17, meaning we are a mere 66 days away from baseball. The first full squad workout for the Dodgers is scheduled for February 22, and their first spring training game is on February 26 in Mesa against the Angels.
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The AP story on the Dodger minor league signings today just might be the shortest AP story I have ever seen.
Also, no kittens or babies have been decked, either.
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 13, 2010 5:35 PM PST up reply actions
and now
i have that singing girl from the car commercial in my head.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 5:36 PM PST up reply actions
FYI
The Phillies have a current payroll of
$146M for 2011.
They owe Blanton $21M (10.5 per) for the next 2 years. Oswalt has a $16M option for 2012 that he can opt out of at the end of 2011.
I don’t see how it all fits. Unless they think Oswalt is gone after next year.
1 million 2011
1 million 2012
Ruben Amaro skips town
34 million 2013-2017
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 5:35 PM PST up reply actions
Let's suppose this happens
as a threesome Halladay, Oswalt and Lee – better than Glavine, Maddux and Smoltz?
I want to say no because prime Maddux was so much better than any of those guys.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 5:40 PM PST up reply actions
Also, Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz were together for so long — 1993 until 2002 — with only Smoltz’ off year breaking them up.
Your implied question is — if this happens, would Philly’s rotation be the best of all time? And I’d say that even if you like the Would Be Philly Three better (and I don’t), Atlanta’s three is still best for how long they stayed together.
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 13, 2010 5:46 PM PST up reply actions
But if you added Hamels, better than Atlantas four?
Granted they did get amazingly good years from the likes of Steve Avery, Denny Neagle, and Kevin Millwood.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 5:48 PM PST up reply actions
In 1994 Greg Maddux’s ERA+ was 271!!
The next year he had a 262!!!
Yeah strike shortened, but still, the leader this year was 180.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 5:44 PM PST up reply actions
Watching Greg Maddux pitch at his peak
I have a hard time not totally geeking out. The guy was just flat out awesome. I’m glad I got to see him pitch in person with the Dodgers. I think he threw 7 shutout innings that day.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 5:47 PM PST up reply actions
Am I making this up
or was there some game where Lowe was on the mound, Martin “calling” the game — but getting signs, pitch-by-pitch, from Maddux in the dugout…. and it ended up in some insanely good game from Lowe? Anyone remember that?
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 13, 2010 5:50 PM PST up reply actions
Not Lowe. Penny.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3336514
Right. But when Brad Penny and Maddux were teammates on the Dodgers, during the last two months of 2006, they had a conversation one day that led Penny to reach a stunning conclusion: This guy knows my stuff better than I do. It was eerie, really, how easily Maddux dissected Penny’s repertoire and suggested ways to maximize it. Penny, figuring he’d take advantage of the situation, asked Maddux to call a game for him against the Cubs. And so, on the night of Sept. 13, Penny glanced into the dugout before every delivery and found Maddux, who signaled the next pitch by looking toward different parts of the ballpark. Penny threw seven scoreless innings with no walks and beat the Cubs 6-0. “Maddux probably won’t tell you that story,” Penny says. He’s right.
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 13, 2010 5:51 PM PST up reply actions
My favorite Maddux quote
was when someone told him that Pedro and Randy Johnson were going to make more money that season than him.
Oh, poor me, whatever will I do? I guess I’ll have to get a second job.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 5:53 PM PST up reply actions
Scary part is they probably deserved to.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 5:55 PM PST up reply actions
it was in 2003
so maybe
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 6:00 PM PST up reply actions
Definitely then.
From 1993-2002 Randy Johnson averaged 12 K/9. Tim Lincecum lead the league this year with 9.79.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 6:04 PM PST up reply actions
i don't
but I remember Lowe talking to Maddux about every moment he could. and why wouldn’t you?
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 5:51 PM PST up reply actions
If you talk to Maddux all the time, he can’t sneak up and pee on you in the shower.
@davidyoungtbla - The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Dec 13, 2010 10:33 PM PST up reply actions
Some stories
Maddux? For a guy with a CPA’s demeanor, he has a sense of humor that a 12-year-old would envy. Maddux is a master of strategically timed nose picking, sidling up to an unsuspecting rookie in the shower and urinating on the kid’s leg, and inventing just the right nickname for a teammate with big ears, a prominent schnozz or some other pronounced physical qualities.
@davidyoungtbla - The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Dec 13, 2010 10:58 PM PST up reply actions
they probably have to dump blanton?
Would anyone simply take him off their hands?
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
Blanton is due $17 million over the next two years ($8.5 million each season).
by Eric Stephen on Dec 13, 2010 5:42 PM PST up reply actions
I know we went through this before
the Cots spreadsheet shows $10.5M for the next 2 years while Blanton’s entry on the main page shows $8.5M for the next two years.
For purposes of the luxury tax, the $10.5m is right, but even the Phillies aren’t close to the threshhold so it doesn’t matter.
Right now, the Phillies have 18 players under contract for $142.3 million in 2011. I guestimated on Oswalt’s contract, that the Astros are paying ~$7.5 of the $16m (all we know is that they will pay $11m of the ~$23m he was owed at the time of the trade).
by Eric Stephen on Dec 13, 2010 5:49 PM PST up reply actions
For instance, the “competitive balance tax” number to hit in 2011 is $178 million. First time offenders are charged 22.5% of each dollar over that threshhold.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 13, 2010 5:52 PM PST up reply actions
It would be nice
If the Phillies can spend $170m well, good for them.
Meanwhile the Dodgers can’t spend $110m without spending $25m on Rod Barajas, Juan Uribe, and players who by virtue of no longer playing for the Dodgers will get on base for LA even less often than Barajas and Uribe.
by StolenMonkey86 on Dec 13, 2010 8:00 PM PST up reply actions
Even though I hate the Phillies with a passion
I would love to see Lee go there for the sheer insanity of it.
I WOULD NOT
Sorry, had to get that off my chest.
Go Rangers, go.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
I shall also
root for Texas to sign Lee.
by StolenMonkey86 on Dec 13, 2010 6:50 PM PST up reply actions
I think it's awesome
Commitment to winning. I respect it. Buss does it, in his weird way Al tries to do it, etc.
On “Baseball’s Seasons: 1985,” Rickey Henderson just referred to himself as “yourself.”
Not Rickey, not me. Yourself.
Awesome.
Yourself is an idiot
Not directed at anyone, just riffing on the call back. Just read thru the last thread. :)
Overqualified in an underqualified world since 2008.
Heh
Whoever gets the most views get a bunch of extra credit.
by Julio Nievas on Dec 13, 2010 6:23 PM PST up reply actions
At least the girls are cute. :-)
The video is nice, but I have to admit that this made me laugh the most:
Tags: … sex …
@davidyoungtbla - The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Dec 13, 2010 10:37 PM PST up reply actions
Alright Juan Castro!!!
We gotta be favored to win the West now with that signing, lol. What is this now? His third or fourth go round with the Dodgers? And I like Velez, he could be valuable down the line in case one of the OF’ers goes on the DL. I am not sold on Gibbons and Gwynn either. How’s it looking that Hall will be a Dodger?
by The Real Pancho on Dec 13, 2010 6:19 PM PST reply actions
not a signing....my bad
it’s a spring training invite. Cool.
by The Real Pancho on Dec 13, 2010 6:31 PM PST up reply actions
The Phillies trying to dump Joe Blanton for Cliff Lee is delicious irony.
Since the Blanton extension is what indirectly led to Cliff Lee being traded.
Lee was first
Dec 16, 2009: Lee traded to Seattle
Jan 21, 2010: Blanton signed extension
by Eric Stephen on Dec 13, 2010 6:56 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, Hamels.
Make this happen. And then move them to the AL so we never have to see them.
Excellent....
That matches up well with
Kershaw, Billingsley, Kuroda, Lilly, Garland.
And Howard, Utley, Rollins, Polanco matches very well vs Loney, Uribe, Furcal, Blake.
by StolenMonkey86 on Dec 13, 2010 8:05 PM PST up reply actions
One of my FFB teams is in the playoffs
and beating the 1st place team. By 1 point. He has Kevin Boss and I have Sidney Rice tonight. Boss’s TD is what brought him within a point. Yikes, this is gonna be tight. C’mon Tavaris throw one bomb to Sidney!
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
I’m crossing my fingers that I can get into the playoffs. I need Arian Foster to not go too crazy and I should be in.
Just kidding. I love everyone exactly the same amount.
Woo hoo
I won by 1 point! 1 measly point!
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
favre farve farve farve farve favre favre favre
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
does anyone know when the Bonds and Clemens trials start?
by StolenMonkey86 on Dec 13, 2010 8:31 PM PST up reply actions
i heard
Clemens was delayed
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 8:35 PM PST up reply actions
Can't make it
same “I live on the east coast” excuse as always.
by StolenMonkey86 on Dec 13, 2010 8:30 PM PST up reply actions
I'll be home from my exam in 24 hrs
I need to stop being distracted by this witty and insightful thread.
win or lose
they might be the most entertaining team in the league. gonna give me a goddamn heart attack
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
this sucks
how the hell do you beat the Phils now?
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 8:55 PM PST reply actions
MLB.com's TR Sullivan
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 8:57 PM PST up reply actions
you wait a year or two?
cliff lee is amazing but the cost to lock him up…. and hes gonna get old fast.
at this post, is the definition of an “ace” basically “pitch for the phillies”?
An off season where the Yankees get no one. The best off season.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 9:00 PM PST up reply actions
wish I could share that sentiment
but seeing as how I can see that rotation carving up the Dodgers, I’m none to thrilled.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 9:01 PM PST up reply actions
To be fair, I could see a rotation of Kyle Lohse, Jeff Suppan, and myself carving up the Dodgers.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 9:04 PM PST up reply actions
no no
they just beat us :)
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 9:05 PM PST up reply actions
I am never doubting #mysteryteam again.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 9:11 PM PST up reply actions
The Yankees still have prospects to trade.
You’ll see them make a great trade like Brett Farve to the Yankees.
no surprise
still hurts
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
Jon Heyman
says the yanks final offer to Lee was 7/$150
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 9:03 PM PST reply actions
FWIW
yankees final offer for lee was $150 million for 7 years.
Heard this chimes in
The Yankees’ offer to Cliff Lee was 6 years, $138 million, with a seventh-year player option for an additional $16 million; total $154 m.
farve farve farve farve farve
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
So the Phillies now
have a better rotation then us, and real hitters, but they are still worthless.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Evan P Grant
Just confirmed: Cliff Lee has told Rangers he’s taking a five-year deal from Phillies.
No guys I love it here, and I hate New York, I wanna be a Ranger.
/Takes way less money to be on the team that wanted someone named Tyson Gilles instead of him.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 9:14 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Cliff Lee really didn't want to play in New York
What’s the record for most $ left on the table by any free agent? If what I’m hearing is true, Cliff Lee took about $50M less than NYY offer.
OK Ned ...Granick time!!
Trade Broxton for Quintin & the farm for Granick …easp peasy
What the frak?
I’m out of touch with the sports world for a couple of hours and I learn that Cliff Lee signs with the Phillies? WTF kind of freaky parallel universe did I enter? SOAB, this is huge…I didn’t think I could hate the Phillies anymore than I already did, but now I do. What a rotation: Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, Hamels and Blanton…that’s just sick. I don’t feel so good… :-(
"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
Enrique Rojas reports en espanol
5 years/100 million
Joel Sherman heard the same in English
Hear Lee’s deal is in the 5 yr, $100M range with #Phillies
he took a shorter and cheaper deal?
whoa…..
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
Phuck Cliff Lee
Phuck the Phillies.
But HA HA Yankees.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
I knew you’d come around.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 9:20 PM PST up reply actions
Well I still feel depressed
but can separate from that and laugh at Yankees.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
Comment of the Night from Lonestar Ball
Attention rangersfan32: you now have some semen to drink
I’ll drink my own semen if Lee signs with the Philles
by rangersfan32 on Dec 13, 2010 7:12 PM PST reply actions
by StolenMonkey86 on Dec 13, 2010 9:26 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
never, ever
make that promise
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 9:27 PM PST up reply actions
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 9:34 PM PST up reply actions
So how much payroll flexibility to the Phils have?
When do they sign Beltre and out-Yankee the Yankees?
LOL
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 9:23 PM PST up reply actions
Matt Schuab sweats too much
and you can see in his eyes that he isn’t an elite QB.
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
Won't matter now
but if I’m New York or Texas I’m pissed off he got us going to 6 and 7 years just so he could take 5 from Philly.
I believe you’re forgetting a man named Scott Elbert.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 9:26 PM PST up reply actions
our 5 through 8 starters
are better?
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
Screw you Jose Contrares, and Kyle Kendrick, we have Vicente Padilla and John Ely!
Wait…
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 9:33 PM PST up reply actions
Venom from Batman?
(pssst, someone post a pic of Bane)
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 9:27 PM PST up reply actions
If him and Brian Wilson's machine had a baby...
THEN you would get something almost half as crazy as the Phils rotation.
Excellent....
Seriously
Take the Dodgers. Then upgrade at virtually every spot. You have the Phillies.
But then you couldn’t afford Juan Uribe and Rod Barajas!
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 9:29 PM PST up reply actions
Example of contrast
Philles get Lee
Dodgers pondering Hall
by 68elcamino427 on Dec 13, 2010 9:29 PM PST up reply actions
he’s still pitching!
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 10:11 PM PST up reply actions
wow can we undo all these deals and save some money (uribe barajas, garland lilly deals)
the dodgers aint winning no world series this year.. no point to even play!
This explains how I feel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coz4Z2zo-W4
Well, until the end of the song. That I don’t agree with.
And now, my entry for Debbie Downer comment of the night
Does anyone remember when the Cubs had Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Carlos Zambrano, and Matt Clement, and all of them were good? And how it seemed like even though they lost the NLCS in 2003, they would have a dynasty of a superamazing rotation for a long time? And then they got Greg Maddux the next year?
And then Kerry Wood fell apart. And then Mark Prior fell apart. And then they traded Maddux for Cesar Izturis. And then Matt Clement became nothing special. And then Carlos Zambrano was just a headcase.
Hopefully Roy Oswalt gets wasted and argues over who Britians greatest prime minister was.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 9:37 PM PST up reply actions
I was wondering
if that was something Prior did
by StolenMonkey86 on Dec 13, 2010 9:39 PM PST up reply actions
I have to think they hope
Oswalt opts out of his $16M 2012 deal
They still have Hamels 4th Arb year in 2012.
Ryan Howard getting $25M a year is looking large for several reasons
Lord Palmerston!
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 9:43 PM PST up reply actions
LORD PALMERSTON!!
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 6:11 AM PST up reply actions
this is different
halladay has been one of the best pitchers in the league for years and is not a young guy..
lee has been the best for the last 3 years..
oswalt is one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball for years…
hamels is the only one that can fall under the cubs syndrone, but even with him, he was so great last year with his new cutter…
cubs were a different situation… a headcase , and 3 young guys you had no idea they were gonna get injured like that
Lee deal has a vesting 6th year
Lee deal is for five years with an "easily reachable’’ vesting option for a sixth year. Not sure on $$, but it’s in excess of $100 million.
Cliff Lee called Jon Daniels personally to tell him he was signing w/Phils. Agent Darek Braunecker called Brian Cashman with the news.
Cliff Lee called Jon Daniels personally to tell him he was signing w/Phils. Agent Darek Braunecker called Brian Cashman with the news.
What a wuss.
Or a man giving the Yankees a giant f u.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 9:39 PM PST up reply actions
yeah
I’d go with that. Shows less respect for not caring enough to call personally when they flew over to see him.
Now if he went over to personally piss on Steinbrenner’s grave, that would be over the line.
by StolenMonkey86 on Dec 13, 2010 9:43 PM PST up reply actions
So now the Phillies want to free up payroll by
moving Blanton. What prospects can Ned give up to get this done? We all know he is thinking about it.
yayyy
a seventh starting pitcher!!!!
or maybe trade billingsley for him
Better yet
How can we stick our noses into this deal and somehow end up with someone who can fucking hit a baseball?
by StolenMonkey86 on Dec 13, 2010 9:38 PM PST up reply actions
I am praying the Yankees trade for Blanton
they’re the only team that has the $ to give that innings-eater.
Better question
from my mind, is why is any team trying to help the Phillies? Screw ‘em, make them sink with all that bloat and eat Blanton’s…contract. Or at least, screw any NL team that tries to help them. I know teams are desperate but seriously, at least make Philly eat most of that contract.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
If Juan Pierre gets you eight million and a couple C prospects, Blanton fetches at least that.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 9:51 PM PST up reply actions
Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, Hamels
but wait they dont have another ace for the 5th spot!!!!!!!
"Pluto’s not even a planet no more, which I’m very disturbed about. I grew up when Pluto was a planet. Now, I’m 25, I turn around and Pluto’s no longer a planet. I’m going to elbow that guy in the nose." -Ron Artest
I once had a fantasy team in early 2000s
with Clemens, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling, then I got Mariano Rivera. I actually did pick up enough hitting to finish second.
so then
who gets Grienke?
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 9:48 PM PST reply actions
Phillies
he’s gonna be their 5th starter
"Pluto’s not even a planet no more, which I’m very disturbed about. I grew up when Pluto was a planet. Now, I’m 25, I turn around and Pluto’s no longer a planet. I’m going to elbow that guy in the nose." -Ron Artest
The Yankees
they have the $$$ to extend him and didn’t get Lee to bolster the rotation. They’ll empty the farm + Gardner or something.
@davidyoungtbla - The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Dec 13, 2010 10:48 PM PST up reply actions
Ruben Amaro
has acquired Halladay, Oswalt and Lee (twice) but also signed Howard and Ibanez to some ridiculous contracts. He’s been horrible, lucky and shrewd in a period of a few years.
The crazy thing is
they didn’t have any of those guys when they won the WS
by StolenMonkey86 on Dec 13, 2010 9:57 PM PST up reply actions
Please go back to the Yankees.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 13, 2010 9:54 PM PST up reply actions
What a huge pitching acquisition
The A’s signed Brandon McCarthy.
Mind. Blown.
Overqualified in an underqualified world since 2008.
Jon Heyman says
this could be the greatest rotation in history!
The kind of hyperbole I haven’t heard for forever!
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
or since Randy Johnson was supposed to win 30 games in 2005.
by StolenMonkey86 on Dec 13, 2010 9:59 PM PST up reply actions
(gasp)
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 9:59 PM PST up reply actions
Its all the Miami Heat's fault!
super teams everywhere
William Doolittle at your service, a.k.a. will do.
Will Philly match the 1971 Orioles
With four 20-game winners? As silly as W-L stats are, that’s still pretty rare.
Okay - 23M per year makes some sense now
SI_JonHeyman
lee received about $115 mil for 5 years plus 6th yr vesting option w/ makeable incentives. thats slightly higher AAV than yankees offer
I feel bad for the Rangers
but they’ll probably end up getting Greinke, who might be better than Lee over the next 3 years anyway.
and Fuck the Yankees, that’s the best part!!
Overqualified in an underqualified world since 2008.
LOL
"If we hit that bull's eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate"
by Ivdown on Dec 13, 2010 10:02 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
this pic
is what I always thought about when someone suggested the Dodgers sign Frenchy
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 10:03 PM PST up reply actions
Has anyone said that without laughing after?
"If we hit that bull's eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate"
No Frenchy
is the best thing that has happened this offseason
by Hollywood Joe on Dec 14, 2010 5:12 AM PST up reply actions
Also, in case anyone wanted to be even more sad
"If we hit that bull's eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate"
so excited for 2011 now
we have all the gritty veterans needed to defeat the Phillies this time around!!
"Pluto’s not even a planet no more, which I’m very disturbed about. I grew up when Pluto was a planet. Now, I’m 25, I turn around and Pluto’s no longer a planet. I’m going to elbow that guy in the nose." -Ron Artest
ESPN saying
Yankees might look to build their bullpen now.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 10:04 PM PST reply actions
lol this is funny:
"Pluto’s not even a planet no more, which I’m very disturbed about. I grew up when Pluto was a planet. Now, I’m 25, I turn around and Pluto’s no longer a planet. I’m going to elbow that guy in the nose." -Ron Artest
that was hilarious
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 10:08 PM PST up reply actions
That guy is bitter
He’s got some childhood issues he should be taking care of.
I'm sayin' "What's in it for me?"
He's also not serious about it
Does that help?
"If we hit that bull's eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate"
We're forgetting something
The key to this rotation of starting pitchers has one common focal point. There is one man they all work with very closely, who guides every pitch they will make. I believe you all know to whom I refer, so without further ado, since it has not been said on this thread:
FUCK YOU, RUIZ!by StolenMonkey86 on Dec 13, 2010 10:13 PM PST reply actions 5 recs
rec
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 10:20 PM PST up reply actions
I know I said I was cool with this earlier
But FUUUUUUUUUUUCKKKKKK!!!!
I take it all back. I picked the wrong night to be drinking. Holy fucking shit the Phillies can all die in a pool of their own vomit. To quote Adam Sandler, “fuck you and all your lesbian fish eating friends in front of your fucking mothers.”
God damn piece of fucking monkey fucking shit. Hallelujah holy shit.
Where’s the Tylenol?
Did I mention, FUUUUUUUCKKKKK.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 13, 2010 10:22 PM PST via mobile reply actions 9 recs
For someone who’s been drinking, this was pretty coherent.
by silverwidow on Dec 13, 2010 10:26 PM PST up reply actions
We have nothing to worry about as Dodger fans
We don’t get on base anyway. It just saves us the effort. Just a lucky swing or two and we can beat Philly. Case fucking closed! Renteria the Cliff Lees all year next year, it will be our master plan, uuuahahahahahahahahaa!
Overqualified in an underqualified world since 2008.
Started the night drinking knowing that the Dodgers were down to fishing for the biggest turd remaining in the toilet to play left field
Then
Learns Cliff Lee is back with the Phillies
by 68elcamino427 on Dec 13, 2010 10:32 PM PST up reply actions
That was bascially my reaction
so rec’d
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 10:31 PM PST up reply actions
I’ve been pretty fucking drunk and gotten on the internet but Jesus man, I usually just cry about my ex or my shitty job or something.
Have you been reading my posts from the last year? haha
"If we hit that bull's eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate"
Ned trading for Blanton (yeah, I know it won’t happen) would make me far more pissed than this signing.
would give amaro tons of props
if he can judo flip himself from this situation by trading blanton and ibanez for some decent prospects/lottery tickets that replenish the system for a contingency plan for halladay, lee, howard etc turn into pumpkins getting paid obscene amounts of money.
by hee came hee seop'd he choi'd on Dec 13, 2010 10:41 PM PST up reply actions
Keith Law's Insider column
asks the question – What if the Dodgers put Chad Billingsley on the market? (among others to see what Rangers/Yankees would pay for their “plan B”)
Billingsley would have to bring back a bat
And knowing our luck we’d get Gardner from the Yankees, and…Moreland from Texas probably :(
"If we hit that bull's eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate"
I know it is behind the pay wall
but does Law opine on a likely outcome?
@davidyoungtbla - The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Dec 13, 2010 10:54 PM PST up reply actions
No
he tosses out several names, Josh Johnson, Grienke, etc. Mainly, he is saying, that if teams are willing to take a risk to trade those pitchers, the Rangers and Yankees might want to overpay since they missed on Lee.
by bhsportsguy on Dec 13, 2010 11:00 PM PST up reply actions
Roughly the comment I made above
for free. :-)
The Yankees
they have the $$$ to extend him [Greinke] and didn’t get Lee to bolster the rotation. They’ll empty the farm + Gardner or something.
by David Young on Dec 13, 2010 10:48 PM PST up reply actions
@davidyoungtbla - The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Dec 13, 2010 11:05 PM PST up reply actions
they are saying
that neither the Rangers nor the Yankees may have the prospects that KC wants. That being up the middle position players who are near the majors.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 13, 2010 11:11 PM PST up reply actions
Trayvon, De Jesus, Gordon
Done deal!
"If we hit that bull's eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate"
That is crazy. If the Royals actually want to trade Greinke — which they shouldn’t — then Gardner + Montero is a really nice starting point. Add prospects from there and leave it in the sun to brew and you’ve got something.
If that’s not gonna get it done, then it is posturing by the Royals, which is fine. I come from a long line of posturers.
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 14, 2010 12:11 AM PST up reply actions
actually
they should trade Greinki imho. They can’t afford him, and he will be gone long before they are ready to compete again. Probably.
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
I don’t think they should trade Greinke. I think they should find the money and sign him. They will never get the kind of return on him that they will need.
I don’t believe that they can’t afford him. Even the A’s and Rays were able to pick and choose the players they wanted long-term. So can the Royals — and if they can’t, they have been mismanaged.
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 14, 2010 12:16 AM PST up reply actions
It takes two to tango
and its not like they are giving him away for nothing, they are asking for a huge package in return. Which means they’ll trade him a arizona for Saunders.
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
Interesting
Montero? His bat is supposed to be legit.
Overqualified in an underqualified world since 2008.
Pretty much it is now basically
the Phillies paid a little more per year $24M for 5 years plus a vesting option (most seem to think around $16M)
In the end, it might be around 5-10M (and lower if he pitches 7 years for Phillies) instead of the deals with the Yankees and Rangers.
Now I don’t trade for a bat, because I don’t think it’ll make a difference. I might look at the standings at the trade deadline to see what is available, but I definitely don’t go for it in December. Keep Loney, Broxton, anyone else you’ve thought of trading. Just keep them.
Do, do, do you have it?
not to be rude but: f that
Do the best you can to improve the team and then play 162 games to see who is better, knowing that anything can happen over a long ass season.
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
Geez nolander,
If you’re gonna use logic, it takes all the fun out of it.
What if I really wanted to see what kind of package we could get for Kemp, Ethier and Kershaw? :)
I'm sayin' "What's in it for me?"
only if Ned has no hand in who we get back
and sub Billz for Kershaw. I don’t care how bad we are going to be I want him on my team!
by arbfuldodger on Dec 13, 2010 11:50 PM PST up reply actions
Speaking personally
I actually advocated blowing up the team and trading away anything that’s not nailed down for prospects, which would guarantee back-to-back 100-loss teams in ’11 and ’12…
…and even I cannot find any reason to trade Kershaw.
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 13, 2010 11:56 PM PST up reply actions
That reminds me
of something posted a long time ago about giving Kershaw a contract extention
by StolenMonkey86 on Dec 13, 2010 11:59 PM PST up reply actions
The Humma Kavula Debbie Downers Club Shall Now Come to Order
Roll Call!
Humma Kavula? Present!
Now with 33% more Kavula
If watching I'm going
to firebomb your HQ
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
And all I’m saying is earlier today people were trying to talk me down off the ledge because Bill Fucking Hall is going to play LF for our team next year.
Bill.
Fucking.
Hall.
“Maybe not so crazy an idea,” you guys said. “There goes Humma, going over the top with hyperbole,” you implied.
Well, now Bill Hall gets to face Cliff Lee.
Now with 33% more Kavula
When
I was a kid, Phillies were dead last every year behind the Cubs. Year after year, you could count on it. Guess I’m payin’ for the good old days now.
It was not all that long ago that I was able to taunt Phillies fans by reminding them that their team was the single worst franchise in the history of professional sports.
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 14, 2010 12:02 AM PST up reply actions
Gwynn, Barajas, Navarro, et al
… against that staff, with Charlie Steiner announcing?
This is like a very very long prison sentence.
Steiner’s not the worst announcer I’ve ever heard. He has two big faults: he misjudges just about every fly ball, and on really complicated, fast-moving plays, he gets tongue-tied.
But Steiner takes a week’s vacation every year, and Monday does the play-by-play, and then you can hear what a goddam bad announcer sounds like.
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 14, 2010 12:18 AM PST up reply actions
apparently Ken Levine makes them both sound like Vin Scully
by Josie Becker on Dec 14, 2010 12:20 AM PST up reply actions
NO SCHOOL IN BORNEO TOMORROW!!!
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 14, 2010 12:21 AM PST up reply actions
Bbbutttt....He ..Got....The....Flag!
(and hit that dinger against the Expos.)
I'm sayin' "What's in it for me?"
and — stop me if you’ve heard this…
Didja know he was the first player ever taken in the draft?!
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 14, 2010 12:22 AM PST up reply actions
I have a friend (no, really. I do!)
Russ stephans, who went to Arizona State, got drafted by the Royals, and in a year and a half was at Omaha (AAA). He was a catcher, about 5’-11", 195, and was the fastest sonofabitch I ever saw. In August of ‘85, the Royals called him up in late August, and they were going to play the Angels in Anaheim. We all went down there to see him, but he stayed in the bullpen, until the7th or 8th inning, when there was a hit batter, and both teams ran onto the field. Naturally he ran in from the bullpen to get in the middle of it, only to be stopped by Ellis Valentine, who said "Fight’s over, boy". Calmly, he said “Oh, I’m not after your guys, Ijust wanna spike my catcher so I can get in the game!”
About a week later, the Royals signed Gaylord Perry and sent him back down. I still have the blurb from the Times saying ’Royals sign Gaylord Perry, Russ Stephans sent to Omaha"
I'm sayin' "What's in it for me?"
by iiidown on Dec 14, 2010 12:36 AM PST up reply actions 3 recs
Great story
I have no idea why this is not green.
Naturally he ran in from the bullpen to get in the middle of it, only to be stopped by Ellis Valentine, who said “Fight’s over, boy”. Calmly, he said "Oh, I’m not after your guys, Ijust wanna spike my catcher so I can get in the game!"
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
it's green now
awesoke
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 7:52 AM PST up reply actions
too much happy talk and too many jokes only they get
… between Steiner and Monday. I hate when announcers do that.
Steiner’s OK but way too ho-hum matter-of-fact – translated boring- if nothing exciting is going on in the game. Monday is just plain awful.
But I liked Monday with Jerry Reuss. Whatever happened to Reuss? He was pretty good..
Now would be a great time for Del Taco...
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
I'm intrigued by this idea...
of course by trade deadline you mean lunch right?
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
Dodgers still need a LF, Phillies may need to shed payroll now...
Is there a scenario where the Dodgers take Ibanez off their hands and the Phillies pay enough of his salary to make it worth it to both teams? I expect the answer is no, but I’m desperately searching for a silver lining.
No - don't want him and his outs
My silver lining is that Ibanez becomes a millstone around the neck of the Phillies. My silver lining is that you never know until you do. My silver lining is that when the Phillies don’t win the series (I guarantee the field is the favorite here) it will hurt the pfans more than it would without Lee
Signing Lee only makes watching the way they don’t win the series all the better, if the Dodgers have something to do with it, that makes it better than better, it makes it the best. If the Phillies somehow defy the fates and do win, well we can thumb our noses at them anyway
by Hollywood Joe on Dec 14, 2010 5:21 AM PST up reply actions
Why do I feel like Raul Ibanez would be the
Luis Gonzalez 2.0? Except even worse. I’d rather fill LF in house than take him on, especially since that would also help the Phils out. No thanks.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
Sigh...no wonder we didn't sign Cliff Lee. DodgersGM has all the details on Twitter:
Frank McCourt wants C. Lee & demands I do whatever it takes to get him. Calling now about availability of #Astros LF Carlos Lee. #Dodgers
about 15 hours ago via TweetDeck
by The Dude Abides on Dec 14, 2010 5:22 AM PST reply actions
I know you know this but just in case others don't
DodgersGM is a joke twitter account, mocking the ’stache.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
take from this what you will (and hopefully I've done the math right)
The rotation of Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz was together from 1993 to 2002. They combined to win 453 games. To my recollection, they’ve only won one championship.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 6:18 AM PST reply actions
Not that I wouldn’t want Lee, heaven knows, but you make a good point about how the Phillies will need to go ahead and actually play baseball this year. No one wins pennants for showing up and looking good, whatever sportswriters think in December.
"Baseball is the heart of America, I would never do anything to besmirch our National Pastime."
by Little Blue Bicycle on Dec 14, 2010 7:08 AM PST up reply actions
Someone made the comparison yesterday
Phillies are the new Heat. You want to crown them, then crown them! (Actually, Boston might be better —in both sports.)
I think the Red Sox have a superior lineup
their rotation can be dominant too if healthy.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 7:52 AM PST up reply actions
Heat have won 9 straight...
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
What is the Phillies payroll up to?
They’ve got to have around $80mm in just their rotation (with Blanton) alone.
Since the Yankees missed out on Lee and we have 6 starters I would trade Billingsley,Robinson,Elbert, and Withrow for Granderson and Montero. This would give us a very good hitter in Granderson and a catcher of the future in Montero. What do you guys think?
Because Jesus Montero is the best prospect in baseball.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 14, 2010 7:30 AM PST up reply actions
I got an idea
Let’s watch Kid K and Bills pitch for the next 10 years as Dodgers and we will have something to cherish until we are old and gray
There are no guarantees, but I like our chances better, for this season and those to come, by holding on to pitching better than I like our chances trading away pitching
by Hollywood Joe on Dec 14, 2010 7:25 AM PST up reply actions 4 recs
I know you can't win zero zero
but didn’t Ben Franklin say
“A run saved is a run scored?”
by Hollywood Joe on Dec 14, 2010 7:27 AM PST up reply actions
and Maddz
I am Nashville again – got in last night, leaving this morning. COLD MOTHER CITY you have here. I thought this was the balmy south…my god!
by Hollywood Joe on Dec 14, 2010 7:28 AM PST up reply actions
and while I am bitching
I just wrapped up my oldman Sunday baseball league and struck out in my last two at bats for the year
My next game isn’t until mid-Jan. I am going to be salty about those outs all through christmas
by Hollywood Joe on Dec 14, 2010 7:31 AM PST up reply actions
and there is really nothing more pathetic
than talking to yourself in rapid fire manner in a public forum
by Hollywood Joe on Dec 14, 2010 7:32 AM PST up reply actions
I think you need to enlighten
those of our readers who are unfamiliar with your oldman traveling league. Not everyone here knows you from DT and is aware of your history, fantasy camps, playing baseball.
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:34 AM PST up reply actions
Yep, I know all of the talk is about how good the Phillies are going to be, blah blah blah. You know what, they still have some questions marks(OF, bullpen) and I like our chances better against them with our rotation as it is currently constructed. Let’s not go around trying to dump one of our starters unless we are getting a legitimate offensive piece back.
Why? Their 1-4 is better than ours, our five is better, and 6-whatever is both who cares territory.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 14, 2010 7:34 AM PST up reply actions
You missed my point. I am not saying that our rotation is better, clearly they have the best rotation in baseball. My point is that I think our team stands a better chance of winning ballgames with the rotation that we have, than if we were to trade Bills in some kneejerk reaction.
Well yeah, if we traded for Jesus Montero it wouldn’t be a move for 2011.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 14, 2010 7:40 AM PST up reply actions
The only way I move Bills is in a package for Ryan Braun. All other deals for Bills are non-starters for me.
Fair enough. I’m just assuming Bills is gone after 2012 unless Ned starts handing out more than three years.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 14, 2010 7:45 AM PST up reply actions
Colletti on Mason & Ireland
*He considers Kemp, Ethier and Loney to be the core and the Dodgers’ offense largely depends on them
*The Dodgers have three SS coming up at some point: DeJesus, Gordon & Lemmerman. There are no 2B or 3B prospects. He wanted to sign Uribe as someone who’s flexible and won’t block prospects. Also, he has 17-20 home run power even though his average and on base percentage (!!!) is not that high
*Barajas is far from an automatic out because he has some punch for a catcher
*He is hunting one relief pitcher and one left fielder. Nothing that will draw headlines. If LF has to be a platoon, that’s okay.
True, Barajas on base isn’t 0.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 14, 2010 7:46 AM PST up reply actions
I'm surprised
he doesn’t consider DeJesus a 2B guy, I thought his SS days were long behind him. I can see why he says Late Night is a SS, but don’t most scouts see him as maybe being a 2B or 3B in the future?
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 7:55 AM PST up reply actions
Yankees have their new catcher
Russell J. Martin
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Ff9j5uY&h=615dd
Do, do, do you have it?
Because as a catcher
he’s not very good anymore, and he can still hit.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
For anyone else
for the Yankee’s it is nothing.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Can't wait to see the details
We will find out if Martin is one of those “guys” mentioned a while ago as guys who wanted out of LA.
Yeah, I’m very curious about the contract.
"Baseball is the heart of America, I would never do anything to besmirch our National Pastime."
by Little Blue Bicycle on Dec 14, 2010 8:13 AM PST up reply actions
I have nothing to support this, but
I think the Dodgers will regret giving up Martin for nothing. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow—just kidding, but we got less athletic, older, and now have zero long-term solutions at the position. I hope he does well and sticks it to us. I love Russell, warts and all.
Ned was trying to get something and no one would bite.
Having zero catching depth in our system is bad, but Russ wasn’t exactly looking like the long term answer, especially since he thinks he is worth more $ than players who are as good/better than him.
I would feel better if we signed one of those players.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 14, 2010 8:01 AM PST up reply actions
Given how poor the catching position is right now
I’d say no one has catching depth. Last year at this time the Rangers thought they had three future major league catchers in Salty, Ramirez, and Teagarden. They ended up with Bengie Molina as their catcher. In this world AJ Ellis is not so bad.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I hope he does well and sticks it to us.
Really, we made him a fair offer, why should you hope for him to stick it to us?
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Because I would have rather offered him arbitration than sign Barajas. As a fan, Barajas doesn’t excite me at all.
I’m not a Barajas fan and I did like Martin, but if I was signing the checks I would have to wonder if the extra $2 million Martin costs would be worth it.
Let's just see if he can pass his physical
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
As I said
It’s more an emotional connection. What is it with Dodger fans and their catchers? Yeager, Scioscia, Lo Duca, Martin . . . We tend to love these guys.
More than anything, it’s the end of the dream for the core that Martin was a part of. They will never win anything and that’s a shame. I’m sure there’s plenty of blame to go around, but for now I’m aiming mine at the direction of this organization, which I’m not understanding.
Yes, we have pitching, but does anyone reallt feel good about where we are at this point in time?
I guess I would just prefer to have Martin gone while I can still remember when he was good. It would be really sad if all I could think of whenever I here the name Russell Martin was, “Wow, that guy was bad.”
And to answer the last question: I feel better about the Dodgers than I expected to. Since I was pretty much convinced that at about this time we would be looking at three open spots in the rotation, Podsednick starting in left, and Theriot at second, I guess I’m pleasantly surprised.
Yes, we have pitching, but does anyone reallt feel good about where we are at this point in time?
Not really but Martin or no Martin is not going to make a difference unless he bounced back to the Martin of 2007 and that is as likely as Billy Hall hitting 35 bombs for us next year. Could happen, just wouldn’t bet my payroll on it if I was Ned.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Agreed
And I was one who despite logic still wished that Martin was coming back. I really wanted him to be good again. But after 2 straight crummy years followed by a hip injury, what the Dodgers offered him was more than fair. He obviously wanted to both test the market and get out of LA, and I wish him well. But not sure he was worth million, 2 million more especially for a team that has to spread their remaining $ around. In some of those AL ballparks IF he’s recovered I can see him doing pretty well, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s a long way off.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
Another way of looking at it
Here are the salaries we paid RM while he was a Dodger (+$40k signing bonus)
2006—$327k
2007—$387,500
2008—$500,000
2009—$3.9mil
2010—$5,050,000
Total—$10,164,500 (numbers from www.thebaseballcube.com)
I’m not saying we owe him anything, but it’s clear to me that other players—other non-homegrown players—during those five years have been compensated far more fairly. To give up on him right now I just don’t get. Especially since we have money to spend on other players.
Nobody can win this debate until we see what he does in 2011. If he remains offensively dormant, Ned was probably right. If he bounces back, we goofed. My main argument is that this is hardly a team that has a track record of spending money wisely. I was in favor of giving him one last shot.
all prime free agents at the top of their classes. Martin was under team control and thus, subject to the system. The four players you mentioned were all paid more because that’s what it took to get them. They didn’t all work out, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.
Do, do, do you have it?
well performance isn’t the issue. I don’t think Russ’s performance was all that better than anything JP, Andriw or Schmidt brought (that’s a lie, AJ and JS barely played), but the fact that he was paid less than them is a reflection of the system, not the organization.
Do, do, do you have it?
It still comes back to the injury
like Eric said, if Russ hadn’t gotten hurt, he’d still be a Dodger, bad offensive year and all. I think Ned was just being cautious about that hip. It’s a gamble, we’ll see who wins and who loses.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 9:01 AM PST up reply actions
I don't agree that the others were compensated more fairly
Martin made more than Ethier, a fellow Super Two, in their first arb year ($3.9m to $3.1m), but Ethier passed Martin in salary for year two because Martin sucked.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 9:01 AM PST up reply actions
Its RM own damn fault
we offered him a long term deal, he declined it.
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
I feel nothing about Russell Martin leaving
which is strange because for two 1/2 years he was my favorite Dodger. Not only has his bat been a stranger his whole attitude has been a stranger. Hopefully he finds the love for the game that he appeared to have lost once Joe Torre became manager.
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:36 AM PST up reply actions
Yeah, nothing would make me happier than seeing Russell Martin come back to stardom as a New York Yankee.
Wait, did I say “happier?” I meant to say “violate Rule 13 in a more dramatic fashion.”
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 14, 2010 10:38 AM PST up reply actions
2011 All Star Game
Santana / Martin
Mauer was hurt and replaced by Santana.
You want pain, I can bring you pain.
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:40 AM PST up reply actions
Oh dear God
that would make me re-enact that alternate ending of Yogi Bear
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
Killing bears never solved anything
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 11:00 AM PST up reply actions
Unless
you were three and needed a catchy tune
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 11:00 AM PST up reply actions
Davey! Davey Lopes! King of Chavez Ravine!
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 14, 2010 11:02 AM PST up reply actions
Luckily baseball is a 162 game season
so while the Phillies are certainly loaded, let’s play the season before giving up. As someone noted above the best rotation in most of our lives was the Brave rotation and it only delivered one WC. We know one thing, Cliff Lee sucks against the Giants. Halladay only beat them once.
How the Phillies dominate the East will not mean a thing to our chances for postseason work. At the end of 162 games we shall see if the great rotation is still standing.
Bill Hall is on the way, Deck the Halls with Dodger Blue
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Yep they still have to play the games
It is astounding though, that they now have $95mm tied up in just 5 players for 2011. I haven’t checked, but that might even exceed the Yankees Top 5.
With Ibanez, they have $106.5mm tied up in just 6 players. Add in Brad Lidge and it is $118mm for 7 players. It is really glaring that they have 6-7 players worth more than all but 2-3 teams in the NL. They basically have become the Yanks of the NL.
Yes
It will be very easy to root against them. Lost in all this is that they lost Jayson Werth. Dominic Brown might replace him at some point but it won’t be in 2011, that kid is going to struggle.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Total payroll
I have them at $174mm before any of the arb guys. I think that makes them the second highest in payroll next year.
Wow
No one has moved faster. Anyone have a graph of their payroll spending this decade?
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
No graph
but they went from approx. $113mm in ’09 to $142mm in ’10 to now approx. $180mm.
That is about a 26% increase year-over-year from 2009-2010-2011. Pretty remarkable. I guess winning a WS and selling out every game makes a big difference.
Cot’s has them paying $16MM to Oswalt next year.
by Michael White on Dec 14, 2010 8:23 AM PST up reply actions
The Astros are paying ~$11m of the ~$23m Oswalt was owed when he was traded.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 8:27 AM PST up reply actions
I just see this as them knowing they only have limited productive years from Victorino, Utley and Howard and need to go for it now.
Do, do, do you have it?
Also appears they are trying hard to move Blanton
so that would make a big change if they don’t eat salary. I also think they must know that Oswalt is going to walk after next year and look for a long term deal while he still can. So that also makes sense to lock up Lee now.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Blanton is only getting $8.5mm so even if they deal him they’ll still be #2 or #3 in highest payrolls.
They also have Rollins, Hamels, Lidge and Ibanez coming off the books next year, but replacing Rollins and Hamels won’t be easy. This is really the year for them, although I supposed anytime you’e starting with Halladay and Lee is a good year.
At least Rollins is bad enough now that you can get a cheap replacement.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 14, 2010 8:28 AM PST up reply actions
Hamels has one more year of arbitration in 2012.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 8:29 AM PST up reply actions
Once Oswalt
walks next year, it would be prudent if they lock him up.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Oh
my bad. So he will be due for a nice raise from $9.5mm.
Gonna be hard coming off that surgery :)
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 8:31 AM PST up reply actions
Wasn’t Halladay only down for 2 years too?
by robotmadeofnails on Dec 14, 2010 12:07 PM PST up reply actions
If Lee gets his average of $24 million (I haven’t seen the breakdown) in 2011, the Phillies have $166.3 million committed to 19 players.
Gotta remember the Astros are still paying Oswalt slightly less than half of his $16 million this year.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 8:26 AM PST up reply actions
Their owners Giles and Montgomery do not even have big money rich backgrounds. I wonder where they get it from to pay these guys.
But the D’Allessio brothers are all dead now, including the dentist.
"Baseball is the heart of America, I would never do anything to besmirch our National Pastime."
by Little Blue Bicycle on Dec 14, 2010 8:14 AM PST up reply actions
Phil:
You seem to be having to repeat yourself every time someone says: “Oh, my God! The Phillies have the greatest starters in history!” Let’s see how the season unfolds.
I'm sayin' "What's in it for me?"
Last week on Monday
Bhsportsguy asked me if the Phillies might get in on Lee, he was quite prophetic. Money is usually everything but Lee must have had a great experience with the Phillies to sign back with them, I also wonder if he also didn’t love pitching in the NL compared to the AL.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Maybe having his wife spit on in NY counted for something after all.
by Michael White on Dec 14, 2010 8:13 AM PST up reply actions
I did read
That him and his wife “loved” their time in Philly. Don’t know how that is possible, but good for them.
Ha Ha
I kind of like how Lee played the Yankee’s into his lap. My hat is off to him, even though I have to root against him now everytime he pitches unless he ends facing the Yankees in the World Series.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I''m sure Yankee fans are all over this
but with the Yankess losing out on Lee all of the sudden their rotation is quite rocky if Pettite retires. Even if he does not how much does he have left?
If you were the Rays would you trade Garza for Montero/Gardner? Might be giving the Yankee’s the division in 2011, but you be taking a huge step to make sure you’d be competing in the future since they have arms but they need bats.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I would hold out for a much higher king's ransom
for the Yanks in my own division.
Agreed
I would hold the Yankees over a barrell for a decent starter right now. Add the divisional aspect to it and the price has to be really high.
That said, if I was the Rays, it wouldn’t scare me to give the Yankees another starter because I think the rotation would still be pretty thin.
According to my tour guide...
In Nats Park, the lockup is know as the Phillies Lounge.
"Baseball is the heart of America, I would never do anything to besmirch our National Pastime."
by Little Blue Bicycle on Dec 14, 2010 8:21 AM PST up reply actions
Remember when the NL kept losing the premium players to the AL
well the table is starting to turn with the elite AL pitchers coming to the NL. Problem is they are all ending up in Philly.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Nothing like going out for a few hours, then checking your phone
And seeing a few tweets that all said “now that Lee is back with the Phillies…”
Man, what a shocker. Oh well, at least the Yankees got screwed.
In other news, we will finalize the Dioner Navarro deal today, so that should grab some of those headlines.
I think Tommy B broke the story here. It was a rather casual mention that I noticed as I was catching up on the comments.
My first view was on Twitter. It was jolting.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 8:34 AM PST up reply actions
I was in line at Rite Aid reading it on twitter. I will never forget where i was when I read this news. The woman in front of me had a blue wig on.
If Dodger fans are upset think
how the Braves, Mets, Marlins, and Nats must feel having to face that rotation time and time again.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
No
Oswalt’s salary is $16 million. The Astros are paying slightly less than half.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 8:31 AM PST up reply actions
Do we know that for certain?
Is it at all possible that Astros just paid the $11mm last year? Or a different breakdown?
He only made roughly $7 million from the time he was traded through the end of the season. The payments almost never work that way.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 8:33 AM PST up reply actions
When can Free Agents
who signed with your team be traded?
Lilly, Padilla, Garland?
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
June 15
not that it will matter with those three IMO
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 8:35 AM PST up reply actions
Padilla should have waited
he might have been able to finagle a contract from the Yankee’s better then what he got from us.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
I’m sure teaming up Padilla and Tex would end well.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 8:40 AM PST up reply actions
does Lilly have a no-trade?
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 8:36 AM PST up reply actions
Good to see the Rangers are working on a backup plan
The Rangers have expressed interest in Chien-Ming Wang as a comeback candidate. They’ve discussed low-base, incentive type deal.
per Jerry Crasnick
Dahaha
Matt Stairs trying to play for all 30 teams, signs with the Nationals.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/12/nationals-reach-agreement-with-matt-stairs.html?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=twitterfeed
Do, do, do you have it?
Maybe he and Broxton will be teammates once we swing the Willingham deal.
/probably not
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 8:52 AM PST up reply actions
would be funny though.
Not trading Broxton for Willingham, but seeing those guys sit next to each other on the team flight. Broxton inexplicably wakes up with a stiff neck everyday for a year.
Do, do, do you have it?
reminded me of 2002 WS Bonds off Troy Percival.
Still remember the camera panning to Tim Salmon’s “WOW”
Do, do, do you have it?
and he said something like “That’s the farthest hit ball I’ve ever seen.”
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 9:09 AM PST up reply actions
What if Matt Stairs had a shot at a starting job before he was 29?
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 14, 2010 9:07 AM PST up reply actions
I believe...
The Angels general manager once said upon letting him go, something along the lines of: “Nolan Ryan? What’d he win? 16 games? We’ll just pick up two eight game winners.”
I'm sayin' "What's in it for me?"
Yep
I believe he said they could replace a 16-14 pitcher with two 8-7 pitchers. Classic.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 9:08 AM PST up reply actions
Count the WARs has been around for a while.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 14, 2010 9:09 AM PST up reply actions
I'm guessing the Yankees
will probably sign at least one guy for the back of the rotation and hope that Burnett bounces back and Petitte returns. I can see them spending more on relievers though from the “buzz” out there.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 8:56 AM PST reply actions
Rangers
will probably do some trading though. I can see them getting either Grieke or Garza
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 8:57 AM PST up reply actions
Grienke*
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 8:57 AM PST up reply actions
It's okay, Russ Martin's pitch calling abilities will bump their rotation
up a notch. :-/
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
I wouldn't call Russ a horrible game-caller
but calling for a high fastball more often than not was frustrating.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 8:58 AM PST up reply actions
It was interesting to read
the anonymous comments supposedly coming from two different club sources with Yankees, one seriously questioned his ability to call a game at all; the other really liked him. Guess the latter won out, whoever they are.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
I hope Pettitte retires
and the Yankees are left high and dry with a ~$200m (or so) payroll and a thin rotation.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 8:59 AM PST up reply actions
would be fun to see them finish behind the Orioles. If everything goes right in baltimore that’s a helluva lineup.
Do, do, do you have it?
I'm just imagining
if they add Thome or Vlad or Manny as a DH.
by StolenMonkey86 on Dec 14, 2010 9:56 AM PST up reply actions
My dad the Yankee fan emailed me this morning
to say he wasn’t that upset about losing Lee since he felt 7 yrs would’ve been crazy, etc etc. I told him then I am more upset than he is, since I hate the Phillies deal. Where I diverged with him is when he said he wouldn’t even want to acquire Greinke. Would rather take his chance with Burnett rebounding (!!) I said I’d give up practically any prospects for Greinke. He said, he’s really good but worries about how he’d fare in the pressure cooker of NY. (Well, Greinke does have that anxiety issue history, but still that was right out of the Yankee fan handbook, dad!) But anyway, glad he’s taking the news well. And he likes Russell Martin.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
Leaving aside my intense hatred of Philadelphia
This really was an amazing move. You gotta think they figured they would beat the Giants, and after they saw what a good, deep staff could do they said, “Fuck it.”
I'm just amazed
they got the two best pitchers in baseball to say, “I’ll take less money to play here.”
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 8:59 AM PST up reply actions
Well they probably take a discount
to play in front of the classiest fans in the country.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
Lee got less total money
But a higher average salary with Philly. Per ESPN, the Yankees offered 6/$132m ($22 per) with a $16m player option for year 7. The Phillies are 5/$120m ($24 per) and could be 6/$135 if he hits the vesting option.
Heyman on MLB Network said the Rangers were at 6/$120m, and although they did up it to 6/$138m, but that was heavily deferred.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 9:06 AM PST up reply actions
I think Law is right. If you’re Ned, don’t you consider what the Yankees would offer for Bilingsley. Everyone has a value, and if they’d offer value + x, you’d have to consider it.
Sure. I would listen to offers for anyone.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 9:16 AM PST up reply actions
they'd have to really overpay in my view
I mean it’s not even a “we’re not gonna win this year anyway” thing because Bills is still under team control.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 9:17 AM PST up reply actions
Sure
I would rather reenact 127 Days than trade Bills, so they would have to make it more than worth my while.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 9:18 AM PST up reply actions
I don’t think I’d take less than Gardner, Romine,and one of Banuelos and Brackman for Bills.
Do, do, do you have it?
Who are Banuelos and Brackman? not familiar with them.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 9:17 AM PST up reply actions
Top two Yankee prospect pitchers
Brackman should just about be ready (he’s 24), Banuelos not so much.
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:22 AM PST up reply actions
brackman is a hard throwing reliever. It’d be cool to see Jansen/Brackman tag-team the 8th and 9th innings, but he’s still a reliever. mostly, I’d want Romine and Banuelos or Montero and Brackman.
Do, do, do you have it?
Brackman started 26 of 27 games
in 2010. HQ Report:
Comments: Tall and powerful pitcher who elevated prospect status with much improved command and control of three pitch mix. Very athletic for size and repeated delivery and arm slot consistently. Moving FB is tough to elevate while CB exhibits big-breaking action and serves as K pitch. May need to use CU more frequently to keep LHH honest.
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:29 AM PST up reply actions
I think Montero has to be in the deal if I’m making it.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 9:19 AM PST up reply actions
Isn’t Montero pretty much considered a future DH because he can’t catch baseballs very well? I thought Romine was supposed to be an actual catcher that has some hitting ability. I’m not saying I would prefer Romine, but I could probably put together a package that didn’t include Montero that I would find acceptable.
I heard Montero can play 1B
it’s just obviously that position is blocked on the Yankees
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 9:25 AM PST up reply actions
Joe Mauer was never supposed to stick at catcher either.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 14, 2010 9:24 AM PST up reply actions
But that was because he was tall
not because he sucked as a catcher like Montero. Montero has to be in any deal.
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
I think the problem is that the moves that Ned has made thus far this offseason indicate that we are trying to be competitive. Who could the Yankees offer that would continue that strategy?
A-Rod :)
No, I think if they could swing Gardner to play LF, plus a load of prospects it could be workable for both 2011 and long term.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 9:20 AM PST up reply actions
heh
i was gonna say Cano
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 9:22 AM PST up reply actions
Maybe I haven’t paid attention but I am completely non-plussed by Gardner. Isn’t he a good version of Podboy?
If Scott Podesdnik could walk more often and play better defense, I want me some Scott Podsednik.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 14, 2010 9:24 AM PST up reply actions
I guess, but if we trade Bills it should be for someone with some power, something this team doesn’t seem to be able to develop.
We have this “Juan Uribe”.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 14, 2010 9:29 AM PST up reply actions
do you really develop power?
or do you just hope they can harness it?
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 9:30 AM PST up reply actions
Right
Gardner wouldn’t headline the deal; he’d just be the guy we can play this year. Montero plus another guy would have to be included.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 9:32 AM PST up reply actions
I guess, but even if the return is Gardner, Montero +, I think we are worse off in 2011, which runs contrary to what Neds intentions have been. Whether or not he has actually made us better for 2011, he certainly tried. Trading Bills would make us worse.
I don’t disagree. I think that’s right. But let me take the devil’s advocate.
Colletti has got to be at least somewhat concerned about the situation in LF. I believe he sees Bill Hall for what he probably is: the best of a bad situation. He’s probably wondering if there’s something else out there he could do. Gardner would qualify. He is a better choice, and cheap, in left, than any other option that’s been discussed recently.
Further, Colletti would have to be crazy not to be taking a long view and seeing what will happen to the team in ’12 and beyond. There is really no option at catcher and Montero is the best prospect in baseball. Even if he has to move, his bat will play anywhere.
And he has built pitching into a strength for 2011. We always hear that the proper thing to do is to deal from strength to shore up a weakness, yes? Dealing Billingsley away from the rotation certainly makes the rotation worse in 2011, and probably makes the team worse overall (at least to start the year), but adding Gardner over whomever might make that decline only marginal, and adding Montero might make the team better in the year to come (and maybe even by the end of ’11, if he is ready).
So the missing part of the equation is how he feels about Billingsley. Does he plan to sign Billingsley to a long-term deal or let him walk after ’12? How does he feel Billingsley has developed?
I don’t mean to suggest “he might do it” — he likely does not, and I don’t know if a Gardner+Montero+prospects deal for Billingsley is available. It may not be. Just saying that there is a way to see even Colletti doing that deal.
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 14, 2010 10:23 AM PST up reply actions
Not for Gardner as the LF
you don’t like Bill Hall but Gardner has had ONE successful year in the major leagues. Ned is not going to trade Chad for a border line upgrade in LF like Gardner. He’d simply sign PodBoy if he wanted a powerless left fielder.
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:25 AM PST up reply actions
Question
Assuming Barajas & Navarro split catching duties, what type of job-share will we employ? Will they be paired up to specific pitchers?
don't know if it'll be a strict platoon(though i'm guessing not)
Navarro will probably be there against tough righties
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 9:38 AM PST up reply actions
Agreed
A 60/40 split wouldn’t surprise me.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 9:39 AM PST up reply actions
My gut reaction to the Lee deal
Felt similar in some respects to how I felt when the 114-win Yankees won the World Series, then went out and traded for two-time defending Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens.
I know the 90s Braves were brought up last night
but good luck, Phillies, topping the 1997 Braves staff. Their front four (Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, Neagle) combined for 135 starts and 962 innings (the lowest was 232 2/3 by the noted slacker Maddux), with a 2.80 ERA, roughly a 149 ERA+
and they lost
to the wild card Marlins.
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 9:56 AM PST up reply actions
Could happen
Maddux – Halladay – Check
Glavine – Lee – Check
Smoltz – Oswalt – think this will be the hardest for them to match up
Neagle – Hamels – he could win a Cy Young, 2nd half was impressive
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
I'd say the '66 Blue are better than the '97 Braves..
Sandy, Big D and Sutton? I mean.. seriously? How did we NOT win the WS that year?!
"That might've been a little push, but that was a major flop. That would make Vlade Divac very proud." - Jerry Reynolds
Ha Ha
because you actually have to score to win a game and two runs in four games does not equate to victories when both runs came in one game.
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:48 AM PST up reply actions
nyy prospects besides Montero?
What do the AA/AAA 3B look like in NYY?
Brandon Laird was rated their best 3B prospect. Good AA numbers, terrible in AAA.
by silverwidow on Dec 14, 2010 10:09 AM PST up reply actions
Well, isn’t this just a shit sandwich of a morning. Lee is still a Phillie and now Russell Martin is a Yankee. If Tommy is right and God is a Dodger fan, he has a funny way of root, root, rooting for the home team.
Now with 33% more Kavula
From Gurnick on Padilla
on MLB Hot Stove blog:
Because the Dodgers aren’t sure whether Vicente Padilla will be a starter, middle reliever or closer, the contract they gave him last week covers all three roles and is one of the most elaborate, incentive-filled in club history.
It begins with a $2 million guaranteed base. As a reliever, Padilla will receive bonuses of $250,000 each for 40 and 50 relief appearances; $500,000 each for 60, 70 and 80 relief appearances; $750,000 each for 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and 55 games finished; and $150,000 each for 35 and 45 relief appearances which he enters games with the Dodgers leading by three or fewer runs.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
Wild
like the imagination from his agent and our front office.
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:18 AM PST up reply actions
Doomsday scenario
Padilla throws a complete game in his 30th start to get his 750k games finished bonus?
Mostly, if padilla makes 30 starts, something has gone horribly wrong with one of the other starters.
Do, do, do you have it?
Or they traded
Billz for Braun on May 18th
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:23 AM PST up reply actions
Thanks for that
There’s the new post, since Russell Martin’s contract details aren’t out.
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 10:33 AM PST up reply actions
I want your payroll
worksheet to deal with all the if/then/else possibilities.
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:35 AM PST up reply actions
Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti has done an admirable job in assembling a rotation on a tight budget. In Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Hiroki Kuroda, Ted Lilly and Jon Garland, the Dodgers can throw out a quality starter every night. With the possible exception of Kershaw, though, it’s difficult to imagine how any of the Dodgers starters could crack the rotation in Philadelphia or San Francisco.
I call BS. Kershaw AND Billingsley > Bumgarner/Zito
Chad Billingsley is worse than Barry Zito and Vance Whorley. Yes, excellent point Bill.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 14, 2010 10:20 AM PST up reply actions
Giants:
Lincecum
Kershaw
Cain
Billingsley
Kuroda
is how I see it
For the Phillies
Halladay
Lee
Hamels
Kershaw
Billingsley
Sorry Roy
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:20 AM PST up reply actions
Loved this
Obama to Lakers: I think Derrek Rose has your number now.
Kobe: Well if he ever calls that number I’ll be sure to pick up by the fifth ring.
Burn.
Do, do, do you have it?
Kobe
ownage. and i don’t use that word often
"Heroes get remembered, but Legends never die."
by Tommy Blackjack on Dec 14, 2010 11:52 AM PST up reply actions
Is it possible..
That if we sign Hall or any other average LF, our top offseason addition will be Lopes at First?
"That might've been a little push, but that was a major flop. That would make Vlade Divac very proud." - Jerry Reynolds
Lopes made the Phillies a top base-stealing team..
Kemp, Paul, Furcal would all benefit from this, how does that not make us better?
"That might've been a little push, but that was a major flop. That would make Vlade Divac very proud." - Jerry Reynolds
Because Ted Lilly throwing baseballs is way more useful than Davey Lopes pointing at second base.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 14, 2010 10:47 AM PST up reply actions
“If the season depends on Davey Lopes pointing at second base, we’re probably screwed anyway?”
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 14, 2010 10:54 AM PST up reply actions
What if Davey Lopes
turns Matt Kemp into a MVP candidate, can he get some love then?
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:57 AM PST up reply actions
If Kemp suddenly becomes a good base stealer, I might give Lopes some credit, sure.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Dec 14, 2010 10:59 AM PST up reply actions
It probably will make us better
but not our top offseason addition.
What we know
is that the Phillies had Davy Lopes as a 1st base coach. That the Phillies were very successful at stealing bases. What we don’t know is if that was because he had astute base runners who listened to his teaching, and if so will our baserunners do the same?
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:50 AM PST up reply actions
I remember watching one Phillies game, and they were talking about Lopes methods as a 1BC. They showed that he was always wearing a stopwatch when the Phils were batting, measuring the time between home and 1st. They said that he could effectively shed some time in a players 90 ft. speed. He also studied how a pitcher’s pickoff moves, making him a successful 1BC. It was pretty interesting. I think this was during Rollins’ MVP season.
"That might've been a little push, but that was a major flop. That would make Vlade Divac very proud." - Jerry Reynolds
They were also successful before Lopes got there. Rollins, for example, has always had a very good SB %.
@davidyoungtbla - The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
by David Young on Dec 14, 2010 11:51 AM PST up reply actions
Has everyone forgotten about Oswalt's back?
LAST SEASON, I led this team in ninth-inning doubles in the month of August!
All I know is Oswalt’s back, along with Lee
by Eric Stephen on Dec 14, 2010 10:45 AM PST up reply actions
Seriously. I would take my chances with that guy. Look, I like what Colletti has done with the rotation, too, but for all that improvement, there’s a legit downside to all of those guys. Kuroda’s another year older, and though he made all his starts last year, that was in question before the year started; I don’t see why it should be taken for granted that he’ll make all of his starts this year. Lilly gives up a lot of home runs and he might not be helped by our park. Garland’s arm might be about to fall off. It could turn out that Vicente Padilla turns back into Vicente Padilla at any moment.
Yeah, Oswalt has an Achilles’ Heel or whatever you might want to call it, but so do four of our six starters.
The Phillies aren’t a done deal — they gotta play the games — but the Phillies need so many fewer things to go right to be successful than the Dodgers do.
Now with 33% more Kavula
by Humma Kavula on Dec 14, 2010 10:50 AM PST up reply actions
Of course they do
They will also have a 50% higher payroll. If you don’t have a great team with that much money spent you are a complete fucking loser at GM and life.
Life?
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:59 AM PST up reply actions
ha ha
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:51 AM PST up reply actions
It’s nice to know that Late Night is on Ned’s radar already. Who knows, maybe he passes Gordon eventually.
I thought he was talking about Sellers/DeJesus/Gordon:)
You can be (incompetent and a nice guy), you can be (competent and an asshole), but if you are an (asshole and incompetent), your only future is to be Keith's boss otherwise you are unemployable
by meercatjohn on Dec 14, 2010 10:57 AM PST up reply actions
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