Baseball Chatter 2014

Walter P · 20 Sep 2006

TS Garp wrote:

Qualifying offers go out on Monday I do believe.
Free agency starts on Tuesday.

...and so it begins...2014!

JohnG · 03 Aug 2006

NY Mets odds to win the WS in 2014? 115-1. Would be a lot better if Harvey was healthy still worth a play at this point.

Favorite to win WS as per Vegas oddsmakers at this point? LA Dodgers. Then Tigers, then Red Sox. Yankees drop way back to odds of 16-1. First time in years they are not in the top 3.

PeterJ · 16 May 2007

I like the headline in the Washington Post's sports section today:

Boston Three Party

JohnG · 03 Aug 2006

And it seems the Red Sox need a theme to win a WS. This year it was the bearded hobo look that caught on. What was 2004's theme again?

Jimbo · 19 Jul 2006

Wasn't one year "cowboy up" and the other "the gang of idiots"? Or was that the same team?

PeterJ · 16 May 2007

Idiots was in 2004. I don't know about the other one.

Paulo · 29 May 2012

"Cowboy up" was also 2004.

Smiff · 10 Aug 2006

JohnG wrote:

And it seems the Red Sox need a theme to win a WS. This year it was the bearded hobo look that caught on. What was 2004's theme again?

I think the theme was humiliating the mighty Yankees :twisted:

The Human Top · **Joined:** 29 Jan 2011 **Posts:** 1114

There was no real theme in 2007--just a good team.

JohnG · 03 Aug 2006

I would have preferred they dress like pirates and win a championship. Even Yankee fans would enjoy that. Maybe next year.

TS Garp · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 **Posts:** 32248 **Location:** MN

It will be an interesting offseason with next years national tv money jumping to $50 million per team.
Let's see who puts it in their pocket and who spends it.
The Royals picked up Shields options today.

Charles · 19 Dec 2007

One of the New York owners is going to put it in his pocket......or to pay off Madoff victims.

TS Garp · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 **Posts:** 32248 **Location:** MN

The Houston Astros payroll in 2013 was $26 million.
Right now their payroll for 2014 stands at $7 million.
I am not going to say that they shouldn't get some of the money back from their purchase, but the league should have a floor as well as a luxury tax.
If I owned the Astros, I would make the tickets $5, $10, $15, and $20.
Build a fan base at the same time you are building your team.

Charles · 19 Dec 2007

The MLB players union is against the idea of salary floor.

Quote:

Mike Weiner from 2009

http://www.piratesprospects.com/2009/12 ... floor.html

"One, we really do believe in markets. Obviously, there are some restrictions on markets in our collective bargaining agreement. But our thought has been that, if a club legitimately trying to compete has a plan that calls for them to be at a particularly low payroll for a given year as part of a longer-range plan to compete, then management should have that flexibility. Clubs have done a great job in Major League Baseball at the local level of generating revenue, and we really didn’t want to do anything to interfere with that."

It still doesn't take into account Wilpon, the Astros owner, and likely others for pocketing money,

TS Garp · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 **Posts:** 32248 **Location:** MN

Quote:

Below is a list of players who are free agents by virtue of their contracts expiring and having six or more years in the Major Leagues. They can negotiate and sign with any club beginning at 12:01 a.m. ET on Tuesday.

Braves
Ayala, Luis
Downs, Scott
Garcia, Freddy
Hudson, Tim
Loe, Kameron
Maholm, Paul
McCann, Brian
O'Flaherty, Eric

D-backs
Bloomquist, Willie
Chavez, Eric C.
Nieves, Wil

Orioles
Feldman, Scott
Hammel, Jason
McLouth, Nate
Morse, Michael
Roberts, Brian
Rodriguez, Francisco
Snyder, Chris

Red Sox
Drew, Stephen
Ellsbury, Jacoby
Hanrahan, Joel
McDonald, John
Napoli, Mike
Saltalamacchia, Jarrod

Cubs
Baker, Scott
Gregg, Kevin
Guerrier, Matt
Navarro, Dioner

Reds
Arroyo, Bronson
Choo, Shin-soo
Duke, Zach
Izturis, Cesar
Masset, Nick
Parra, Manny

Indians
Albers, Matt
Hill, Rich
Kazmir, Scott
Smith, Joe
Shoppach, Kelly

Rockies
Betancourt, Rafael
Francis, Jeff
Helton, Todd L.
Oswalt, Roy
Torrealba, Yorvit

White Sox
Floyd, Gavin
Konerko, Paul

Tigers
Benoit, Joaquin
Bonderman, Jeremy
Dotel, Octavio E.
Infante, Omar
Pena, Brayan
Peralta, Jhonny
Santiago, Ramon

Astros
Bedard, Erik

Royals
Chen, Bruce
Pena, Carlos
Santana, Ervin
Tejada, Miguel O.

Angels
Vargas, Jason

Dodgers
Capuano, Chris
Ellis, Mark
Hairston Jr, Jerry
Howell, J.P.
Marmol, Carlos
Nolasco, Ricky
Punto, Nick
Schumaker, Skip
Uribe, Juan
Volquez, Edinson
Wilson, Brian
Young, Mike B.

Marlins
Diaz, Matt
Kearns, Austin
Pierre, Juan
Polanco, Placido
Qualls, Chad

Brewers
Betancourt, Yuniesky
Gonzalez, Mike
Hart, Corey

Twins
Pelfrey, Mike

Mets
Aardsma, David
Byrdak, Tim
Francisco, Frank
Harang, Aaron
Hawkins, LaTroy
Matsuzaka, Daisuke

Yankees
Cano, Robinson
Chamberlain, Joba
Feliciano, Pedro
Granderson, Curtis
Hafner, Travis
Hughes, Philip
Kuroda, Hiroki
Logan, Boone
Overbay, Lyle
Pettitte, Andy
Reynolds, Mark
Rivera, Mariano
Ryan, Brendan
Youkilis, Kevin

Athletics
Balfour, Grant
Colon, Bartolo

Phillies
Halladay III, Roy
Ruiz, Carlos

Pirates
Barmes, Clint
Buck, John
Burnett, A.J.
Byrd, Marlon
Farnsworth, Kyle
Karstens, Jeff
Morneau, Justin

Padres
Cedeno, Ronny
Kotsay, Mark S.
Marquis, Jason

Mariners
Chavez, Endy
Ibanez, Raul J.
Morales, Kendrys
Perez, Oliver
Quintero, Humberto

Giants
Gaudin, Chad
Lopez, Javier

Cardinals
Beltran, Carlos
Carpenter, Chris
Furcal, Rafael
Mujica, Edward
Westbrook, Jake

Rays
Crain, Jesse
Hernandez, Roberto
Johnson, Kelly
Loney, James
Molina, Jose
Rodney, Fernando
Scott, Luke
Wright, Jamey
Young, Delmon

Rangers
Berkman, Lance
Cruz, Nelson R.
Frasor, Jason
Garza, Matt
Lewis, Colby
Murphy, David
Pierzynski, A.J.
Soto, Geovany

Blue Jays
Davis, Rajai
Johnson, Josh
Oliver, Darren
Ortiz, Ramon

Nationals
Haren, Dan
Tracy, Chad

Walter P · 20 Sep 2006

Wow...would you look at all of those Yankees! Here are my predictions based on what I know (which isn't much!)...

Red Sox

Drew, Stephen (Tough call. Was a good citizen all year and played good defense. Hitting was so-so and disappeared in the playoffs. Bogaerts seems to be ready, but what do you do about Middlebrooks at 3rd? I'm going to say that Drew is "Gone" because he'd cost them too much for what he is.)

Ellsbury, Jacoby (GONE!...Scott Boras!)

Hanrahan, Joel (Gone)

McDonald, John (Gone)

Napoli, Mike (Re-signed for 2 years)

Saltalamacchia, Jarrod (Defensive liability, but is there anything better out there? I'm going to say "Gone" since they've got Ross under contract and Lavarnway in AAA.)

Charles · 19 Dec 2007

Officially add Johan Santana to the Mets free agent list.
They declined his $25 mil option.

Beachy · 18 Sep 2005

Yea! Hot Stove time!

TS Garp · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 **Posts:** 32248 **Location:** MN

Quote:

Yankees re-signed SS Derek Jeter to a one-year, $12 million contract.

Jeter could have opted for free agency if he did not accept a $9.5 million club option, but the Yankees bumped his salary up to $12 million just to make sure he'd stick around. The club actually benefits from the salary bump as well, though, as they'll save some when it comes to the luxury tax

Smiff · 10 Aug 2006

Walter P wrote:

Wow...would you look at all of those Yankees! Here are my predictions based on what I know (which isn't much!)...

Red Sox

Drew, Stephen (Tough call. Was a good citizen all year and played good defense. Hitting was so-so and disappeared in the playoffs. Bogaerts seems to be ready, but what do you do about Middlebrooks at 3rd? I'm going to say that Drew is "Gone" because he'd cost them too much for what he is.)

Ellsbury, Jacoby (GONE!...Scott Boras!)

Hanrahan, Joel (Gone)

McDonald, John (Gone)

Napoli, Mike (Re-signed for 2 years)

Saltalamacchia, Jarrod (Defensive liability, but is there anything better out there? I'm going to say "Gone" since they've got Ross under contract and Lavarnway in AAA.)

Agree with all, though they may be abel to sign Hanrahan for short money through his rehab and see what he has when he comes back. Gammons thinks that Brian McCann would be a perfect fit and he's very close to David Ross. I would love to see a McCann/Ross tandem behind the plate.

Marcus · 27 Nov 2004

Good.

Smiff · 10 Aug 2006

TS Garp wrote:

Quote:

Yankees re-signed SS Derek Jeter to a one-year, $12 million contract.

Jeter could have opted for free agency if he did not accept a $9.5 million club option, but the Yankees bumped his salary up to $12 million just to make sure he'd stick around. The club actually benefits from the salary bump as well, though, as they'll save some when it comes to the luxury tax

I'm not sure the luxury tax info is correct. I read (from one of the zillion baseball guys I follow on twitter) that the Yanks' luxury tax hit actually goes up $2 million.

Baseball Chatter 2014

Who is WANline