Opinions have varied wildly about the effect on the wholesale changes to the New York Yankees roster. This piece is in response to in response to a piece written for Grantland by Rany Jazayerli (which can be found here lower in a link icon in the 1st couple of lines.) As the Yankees Correspondent for the MLB Reports, I felt I needed to address the merits of the topic in question, make some counterparts, in order to move the dialogue from a slightly different perspective.
By Nicholas Rossoletti (Yankees Correspondent/Trade Correspondent): Follow @nross56
Before we get started, I wanted to give credit where credit is absolutely due.
This piece is in response to a piece written for Grantland by Rany Jazayerli (which can be found here) that paints a fairly negative picture of the near-future for the New York Yankees.
If you haven’t been to Grantland.com for sports and entertainment news and opinions, you are missing out. Some of the best work in the business.
As always, we appreciate those sites making the information available to be able to debate the game we love. For ease to the reader, the response has been broken into two parts. This is part one of the response.
Part 2 of the Don’t Believe Everything You Read: A Response to The New Normal For the New York Yankees click here
New York Yankees 2013 Year Highlights – With Full Credit Going To The YES Network
Grant Balfour has been throwing verbal jabs to the Orioles on XM Radio concerning the club bowing out of his 2 YRs/$15 MIL deal – and justifiably so. The Orioles are losing credibility around the league for this bow out maneuver. So, good luck on signing a Free Agent Pitcher in the future. The O’s are also reeling on the Free Agency Market, having not signed anyone of real value, while Brian Roberts, Scott Feldman and Nate McLouth have left the city. 2013 saw the club win 85 games, and that was part of a superhuman effort from Chris Davis. The team is completely missing the ball in their chance to rundown a World Series Title by playing conservatively with their money.
The Orioles have continued to stumble along in the offseason – meanwhile pissing off their fanbase. The latest Grant Balfour fiasco is going to set the franchise back.
it is not just the future Free Agent players that will think twice about setting foot in Maryland for the sake of landing a deal, but this kind of move could definitely deflate attendance next campaign.
Up until the Buck Showalter era, this kind of move was vindictive of the 1999 – 2009 regime of the Baltimore brass.
The problem with any of the Nationals players not named Harper or Strasburg, is that any time the club is talking about extending one of their players before them, those guys have to be kept in mind for when they hit Free Agency.. The Nationals are creeping up the payroll scale each year that their core is together. Whether it is Arbitration, or players like Jayson Werth and Gio Gonzalez being paid more as their own contracts mature. 2014 will see the club set another record for player salaries, adding to the fuel that it will be tough to extend Zimmermann.
By David Huzzard (Nationals Correspondent via Citizens of Natstown.com – view website here): Follow @davidhuzzard
With how much love role players like Michael Morse and Steve Lombardozzi have garnered from Nats fans as they’ve left town it will be amazing to see what happens when the Washington Nationals lose a legitimate star player.
With Ian Desmond and Jordan Zimmermann both two years away from free agency there is a high likelihood that that day is soon approaching.
The Nationals have made several overtures to Jordan Zimmermann but no deal has been reached or even come close. Zimmermann wants fair market value which is understandable but what is fair market value for a pitcher like him?
Zack Greinke with a career 3.65 ERA and one Cy Young under his belt set the record for free agent pitchers with the $147 million contract he signed last off-season heading into his age 29 season.
Jordan Zimmermann April 2013 Shutout – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is Advised
The Baltimore Orioles signed Closer Grant Balfour to a 2 YR/ 14 Million dollar contract on Tuesday. Balfour will replace Jim Johnson, who was traded to Balfour’s previous team, the Oakland Athletics, earlier in the offseason. In an overall picture, the club almost essentially traded Jim Johnson for Jemile Weeks and Grant Balfour. The club will save $2 – $3 MIL in payroll next campaign, while they added Second Base depth, and perhaps may have the better Relief Pitcher out of the two. Better yet, Baltimore has their Closer scenario sewn up for the 2015 season now as well.
What the signing of Grant Balfour means to the Orioles
As the winter moves along, the Oriole faithful keeps asking the same question: when are the Orioles going to make a big move?
The beginning of the MLB Free Agency period has not been friendly to Orioles fans, as they saw their team trade away Jim Johnson, one of the best Closers in baseball, as well as part ways with Left Fielder Nate McLouth and Starting Pitcher Scott Feldman through free agency.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Orioles found out that rumors surrounding the team were actually truth, as it was announced that Grant Balfour signed a 2 YR/ 14 Million dollar deal, with $500,000 deferred each season.
Rick Hahn started off this winter by making his first major move as White Sox GM. when he signed 26 year old Cuban defector Jose Abreu to a 6 year $68 million contract. While most are surprised that the White Sox were able to sign Abreu, most are also happy with the signing. So fans are hoping that, along with Avisail Garcia (22) (who we traded away for by way of giving up just a year plus from Jake Peavy), CF Adam Eaton (25) (who the club sent away a #5 Starting Pitcher for) – and now picking up the #77,- 2013 MLB prospect – and future 3B in Davidson (for an average replace Closer) – that you can see they may have four of the Sox cornerstones for years to come – without yielding too much in return.
I must admit, I was surprised. Caught off guard to be exact. As I watched SpongeBob with my daughter on the couch, I received a MLB Trade Rumors notification on my phone.
Ho hum. Another arbitration avoidance or perhaps a minor league signing. No big deal right? Except, did that say “White Sox acquire”? I think so.
And I’m pretty sure it said “White Sox trade Addison Reed”. Whoa. That’s big. OK, maybe it’s big to me because I’m a White Sox fan, but still, this is big.
I immediately became excited. Who’d they get?!?! I hope a third baseman. Maybe a catcher. Hopefully somebody major league ready? Nah. No way Reed would bring back someone of that caliber.
With Derek Jeter and Hiroki Kuroda coming back for one more year, plus the uncertainty of the A-ROD suspension, why not push back the reset of the Luxury Tax Threshold, since you still have a chance to do this in 2015? By then, all of your older players will be another year older, and #13 will be back to wreak havoc on your financial flexibility for years?
Our Lead Writer Paul Sullivan (feel free to call him Sully) is right about Brian Cashman….The guy should be fired for his ineptness of stockpiling the Minor League System since taking over the reigns in 2006.
If you are not subscribing to Sully’s podcast daily (about 20 minutes), please do so here. He talks complete sense for an objective perspective.
I will also denote that I am a Yankees fan. I was one of the 1st to destroy the clubs winter last year, when they never addressed their Catching situation, and said they should do some more moves to bolster the club.
Not that Cashman listened to me at all, but he grabbed 3 players I said he should (1 reluctant player he never wanted – (good one Cash) was Alfonso Soriano).
PED use or not, Stem Cell technology, and who knows what else has aided Colon’s body over the last 3 seasons of success. Yes he was 18 – 6, with a 2.65 ERA – finishing 6th in AL Voting, however the A’s went and paid someone else to fill his spot (Scott Kazmir), and usually they are not wrong on guys. The 40 Year Old from Dominican Republic, is also a gigantic man who decimated his hamstring during a routine PFP in 2011 with the Yankees. You have to think his lucky streak is numbered sooner or later. Whether it is another failed drug test, or he blows out a ligament running anything down, or just has father time come down on him, signing this man to a 2 YR deal, for a team not probably contending in 2014, is downright absurd.
The Mets are like a gambling addict that has been clean for a few years, before suffering a serious relapse.
This club is just coming off a season where they doled out $18 MIL for Jason Bay (who they released – and still owe $3 MIL in 2014) and Johan Santana ($25.5 MIL and a $5 MIL Buyout for 2014).
These are guys that never played for you during the 2013 season. Oh yeah…They still contribute annually to the Bobby Bonilla ‘liquor fund’ – thanks to a long restructured contract from many moons ago.
So now that they have altered their club to don a new era of “Strike out Champs”, they have gone overboard in throwing down a 2 YR/$20 MIL contract for a 300 LB PED user like Bartolo Colon.
2012 Winter signing Rick Ankiel hit 5 HRs in his first 40 AB with the Astros to start last year – including a huge Opening Day long bomb, but he could not buy a hit after that. The Astros released him soon after that. Ankiel was one of the acquisitions from last winter, so we can at least see the club is going after more astute players.
Truth be told, when the Houston Astros first signed Scott Feldman, I was skeptical. Still am a little bit. The more I think of it, the more I like the signing. When news of it first broke on twitter, there was a bit of a mixed reaction. If fact, mine was something like “NOOOOOO!!” I wasn’t a fan of the money, nor was I too thrilled about the years on the contract. The Yankees, Orioles, Twins, and Astros were all interested in the former Oriole. However, it was the Astros who locked him up for 3 years, 30 million dollars.
Feldman isn’t a high profile signing, but he certainly makes the Astros better today than they were yesterday. He isn’t going to change this franchise, but he certainly adds some wins to the Astros this year.
Last year with the Chicago Cubs and the Baltimore Orioles, Feldman went 12-12 with a 3.86 ERA. According to Steamer, a FanGraphs projector, projects that Feldman will go 12-11 with a 3.91 ERA.
Cano and his management posse were in the Emerald City over night – to dicker with the Seattle Brass over a supposed 9 YR contract worth around $225 – $240 MIL . But something went awry, and the Cano camp made the Seattle Mariners storm off with disgust over what the demands were originally. It has now been reported the sides agreed to a 10 YR/$240 MIL deal. This could be a colossal mistake from the club, despite seeing probable early returns on their investment and the ticket wicket and for TV Ratings. In a city where they have only had 2 winning seasons in the last 10 years, they didn’t need to put all of their eggs in just one basket. We will go through the long decade of suffering in his blog, and come up with the conclusion, that the last thing the franchise needs – is another Free Agency flop.
The deal was supposed to be 9 YRs/$225 MIL for Robinson Cano‘s services to be taken to The Pacific Northwest, and play for the home fans of Safeco Field.
Somewhere in the deliberations, the Roc Nations Sports Agency (Jay – Z’s gang) made an unruly notion for something, to which the brass of the Seattle Mariners stormed off.
It would be nice to have been a fly on the wall for that sparing off of the minds.
The two sides finally agreed this morning to a 10 YR/$240 MIL deal for the ALL – Star, SIlver Slugger 2B.
Before the deal, a neutral fan had to ask Cano really taking the M’s seriously, or was it all for show – in hopes he could draw more cash from a team he really wants to play for?
Sully’s Daily Podcast from last night – truer words have never been spoken – Listen to this 20 Min show!
Rick Hahn made his first major move as White Sox GM. when he signed 26 year old Cuban defector Jose Abreu to a 6 year $68 million contract ;;st month. While most are surprised that the White Sox were able to sign Abreu, most are also happy with the signing. So fans are hoping that, along with Avisail Garcia, Abreu can be one of the Sox cornerstones for years to come.
Rumors are flying. This team wants that guy. That team wants this guy. The Major League Baseball GM Meetings in Orlando have come and gone.
The Winter Meetings in January are on the horizon. Trades have been proposed. Some trades have already been made. Ideas have been shared. Laughs have been had. Who’s going where?
Fans of every MLB team want answers all of these questions regarding their respective favorite team.
Sometimes, one team’s move directly affects a given move of their competitor. It’s uncanny how it can happen, without it being glaringly obvious.
Peter Bourjos was moved into CF – and the LA Angels then shifted Mike Trout over to LF, based on the range of Bourjos as an OF. He is fast, and has shown that he can be a catalyst in a lineup. His best year was in 2011, where he played a full season, 3 Slashing .271/.327/.765 – with 12 HRs, an AL leading 11 – 3B, 26 – 2B – and added 32 SB. The Cardinals will have him patrol CF with them in St. Louis. Bourjos has 3 years left of Arbitration, while Freese only has 2 years left. The Angels also swapped their top OF prospect in the deal – for help in Reliever (but trending down) Fernando Salas.
It is funny how the complexion of a team can change with one deal. For right now, I want to be on record as saying I hate the deal that the Angels made yesterday for David Freese.
The deal came down to Peter Bourjos being sent to St. Louis with Randal Gruchuk (or Grichuck as baseballreference.com lists him as – for David Freese and Reliever Fernando Salas.)
I had thought all along (same with this website) that these two clubs should be trading partners.
But we were thinking of a heavy deal containing Mark Trumbo and Erick Aybar, for potentially Matt Adams, David Freese and/or a Starting Pitcher from the bountiful nest of the Cardinals Staff.
In 39 games for Fielder’s Playoff Career, he holds a miniature .194 batting average with 5 home runs and 11 RBIs. This recent Playoff stretch of 11 Games in 2013 – there were no big flies and not even a solitary RBI. Fielder had 9 Hits out of 40 AB (.225) with just one Double. With this trade – it is a great chance for the big man to redeem himself in a hitter friendly ballpark, and a great lineup also surrounding him. Texas has put up 370 wins in the last 4 years. The Rangers will pick up $138 of the $168 MIL contract that Fielder is due from 2014 – 2020. Where will the Rangers play him defensively? More important will be to sit him down and ask him to relinquish his consecutive streak, and to lose some weight in going forward. Fielder brings a career 3 Slash of .286/.387/.916 – with 285 HRs and 870 RBI carried over his 9 years in the Major Leagues for the Tigers and Brewers.
After having a late phone call chat with our “Chief Writer” Hunter Stokes, I officially welcomed him to the world of being a sportswriter.
Hunter wrote an awesome piece on the Rangers State Of The Union yesterday. In the article found here, he explained that Jon Daniels needs a power bat, and must address the Jurickson Profar/Elvis Andrus situation.
Well, no more than 6 hours later, Daniels pulled off the trade for the big lugging 1B, and now we will have to add a part 2 to yesterday’s feature article.
I like the move for the AL West resident’s. Prince Fielder‘s Left Handed Bat will be a most welcomed addition to the foray in Texas.
Prince Fielder 2013 Highlights – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance Is Advised
The Rangers have cobbled together 370 wins over the last four years, however they are now 2 years withdrawn from being a solitary strike away from winning the World Series. They have done a great job assessing their club over the last few campaigns, and with a great winter, the club’s competition window should be reset for many years to come. With Nolan Ryan leaving the franchise, the heat will be on Jon Daniels to administer such a daunting task. The Rangers have great attendance, and more National TV dollars are also being kicked their way for 2014, it is time to go and lure the top Free Agents in the game of MLB towards The Ballpark in Arlington!
Jon Daniels is more like the “Lone Ranger” now with the brass over in Arlington being astonishingly diminished by Texas native Nolan Ryan leaving.
He is effectively on the “hot seat” now.
His team is now 2 years removed from back to back World Series Appearances, followed up with an epic collapse down the stretch in 2012, and just falling short of the playoff bar in 2012.
The Rangers actually had a pretty decent season in 2013 at 91 – 72 (losing the play in game to Tampa Bay), when you consider they lost Mike Napoli and Josh Hamilton‘s services – and really only replaced them with “Fat Elvis” AKA Lance Berkman, who like Presley, has eaten themselves out of their careers at times.
In 2011 Danny Espinosa finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting and was a 3.2 fWAR player. In 2012 he took a small step backwards offensively but was off the charts defensively and was a 3.4 fWAR player. As an offensive player his OPS was average to above for a second baseman and his defense was above average. He could also play short when needed and did so very well 2012 When Ian Desmond spent a month on the DL. Add it all up and for two seasons Danny Espinosa was a decent offensive middle infielder and played above average defense at two positions.
By David Huzzard (Nationals Correspondent via Citizens of Natstown.com – view website here): Follow @davidhuzzard
The Nationals are currently in need of a utility infielder that can hit better and has more versatility than Steve Lombardozzi.
In 2013, the Nationals considered Lombardozzi such a below average short stop and third baseman that they started Anthony Rendon and Chad Tracy at those positions when giving the starters days off.
Rendon looked good at second base and the advanced stats agreed, but he is not a short stop.
Danny Espinosa 2012 Highlights – Mature Lyrics – Parental Guidance Is Advised
In order to have a chance to win the very competitive AL East, pitching is crucial. For the Orioles, there are a few ways they can attack this offseason in hopes to find some quality pitchers to strengthen their staff. 2014 may represent their best chance to go far in the playoffs considering the struggles of the New York Yankees, the Blue Jays and the Rays will likely see a decline when they trade ace David Price in 2014.
After a season in which they won 85 games and finished tied for 3rd place in the AL East, the Baltimore Orioles need to bolster their starting rotation in order to make a push towards the top of the division in 2014.
The numbers don’t lie, as the Orioles starting rotation ranked in the bottom part of the league in most categories, including ERA and innings pitched.
As of right now, the Orioles have four guys penciled in to their rotation next season (Chris Tillman, Miguel Gonzalez, Wei-Yin Chen, and Bud Norris), so they need to try to bring in one or two arms to compete for rotation spots.
Even though they fell short of the playoffs this year, I don’t think the Orioles need to change much as they move forward and begin to focus on next season. With very few Free Agents at the end of this year, the 2014 line-up is likely to be very similar to last years.
Despite not making the playoffs at 85 – 77, the Baltimore Orioles had a very successful season that they just couldn’t finish off.
With leaders in the line-up like First Baseman Chris Davis and Manny Machado at the Hot Corner, the O’s are poised to be playoff contenders from the very start of next season.
Although there aren’t too many holes to fill, there are some things that need fixing so here’s what I think the Orioles will look like next year.
Chris Davis 2013 Highlights of all HRs – Mature Lyrics So Parental Guidance is A Must
The Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t have the type of year in 2013 that they had wished for, however the future looks really strong. Aided by a slugging 1st Baseman (Paul Goldschmidt), and great young Staring Pitching like Wade Miley and Patrick Corbin, added with Veterans Miguel Montero, Martin Prado and Aaron Hill, with prospects A.J. Pollock and Adam Eaton being the future core, this team should see some heavy duty improvement from year to year. Having said this, they compete with the two most expensive payrolls in the NL – in their Division with the Dodgers and Giants.
Chase Field is a pretty cool ballpark. The Diamondbacks have been often voted as one of the better organizations in the MLB for how they treat their fanbases for guest services, value and overall baseball experiences.
While the D’Backs finished in 14th for NL Attendance this year, they cracked the 2 Million fan barrier for the 15th straight year since entering the league.
Over the last 8 years, the team has kept comfortably between 2.0 MIL and 2.5 MIL.
Back in the first few seasons of MLB in the desert, the franchise was drawing well over 3 Million fans..
Buster Posey is one of the best players in the game of baseball pure and simple. The 2010 NL Rookie Of The Year is the leader of the Giants offense and game caller for the pitching staff. In 2013, he had down year in respect to his incredible 2013 season. Posey still slashed .294/.371/.821 The two time champion signed a contract extension that will see him make $164 MIL from 2013 – 2021. In this article, I explain why I think the team has to move the Slugger to 1B. The 26 Year Old has a career slash of .308/.377/.864.
The Giants are at a crossroads in their nucleus. When healthy and at optimum levels, the Giants can hang with any team in the MLB – as shown by taking home 2 out of the last 4 World Series Titles.
But here is the problem. This club needs two Starting Pitchers, potentially an OF, a Utility Infielder, meanwhile the franchise must address their long term goals.
The Twins were smart enough to make Joe Mauer a permanent 1B – and it is time for the San Francisco Giants to do the same with Buster Posey.
Troy Tulowitzki is one of the best all-round shortstops in baseball. he plays Gold Glove caliber defense, and he actually hits well pretty much anywhere whether home (.934 OPS) and Away (.819 OPS). The team always plays better with their franchise Shortstop is in the lineup – and they have a punchers chance to compete in their Division. In 2013, he hit for a 3 Slash Line of .312/.391/.932 – with 23 HRS and 82 RBI in just 446 AB. The 28 Year Old missed 36 games this past campaign, and that cost him a chance to win the NL MVP, as he was an early favorite.
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @mlbreports and Jeff Kleiner (Salary, Roster and Depth Chart Expert for the MLB) – visit his website here Follow @prosportsroster
For all of the Rosters, Depth Charts, State of the Unions and Salaries Posts that we do, please visit our dedicated page link her
The Rockies will enter the 2014 campaign without Todd Helton for the 1st time in 18 years. The team is always in a precarious situation when it comes to prospects, talented veteran’s, and an uncertainty of how the team will fare year to year.
Colorado has been a streaky club from 2007 – now. They made their only World Series Appearance ever in 2007, and the team has had chances for the playoffs most years that Troy Tulowitzki has played in significant AB.
Johan Santana is just another cautionary tale of why it is hard for teams to invest money long – term on Starting Pitching, There are just far too many ways for hurlers to be injured in comparison to Roster Players. The Mets will just have to bide time until 2014 when the team can finally take the former Cy Young winner of the teams payroll book. Santana signed a 6 YR/$137.5 MIL deal with the Mets after coming over from Minnesota. While he was good in his 1st year (leading the NL with a 2.53 ERA), he just started 109 Games for his New York Career.
Lets face it, the Mets have had a poor track record of signing Free Agents lately.
Quickly to go over the list: Jason Bay, Luis Castillo, (4 YRs/$24.75 MIL and they released him following a 2010 year – where he ballooned in weight – and hit just .235), their own Free Agent in Oliver Perez, (3 YRs/ $36 MIL for 3 wins and a ERA near 7 in that time), and Johan Santana.
Lest we forget the horrible trades that ended the careers of Roberto Alomar (Made $13 MIL in a season and a half – before New York jettisoned him to the White Sox for hitting .265 in 2002 – 2003 combined where he was a .300 Career Hitter).
Mo Vaughn. could barely move by the time he made it to New York city. The Mets paid him almost $48 MIL to have only 567 AB.
Vaughn only played in 166 games for New York, and was out of league after 2003. At least Kevin Appier (the traded player for him) was done playing by 2004 as well, but at $20 MIL less cost.
While I agree that the New York (NL) franchise should spend some money they have finally been hoarding up, the brass have to be careful who they select to throw that dough on.
The Phillies are to the NL what the Yankees are to the AL, and old and expensive team. They had their 1st losing campaign in over a decade, and are without a 3rd Baseman, Catcher and possibly an OF to fill the holes. That is if they end up resigning Doc Halladay. But 2013 wasn’t an entire loss. Performances by Domonic Brown and Darin Ruf have to give the management some hope. Playing guys under team control, low payroll deals will enable the franchise the flexibility to pursue high end talent in Free Agency. Today, I explain how the Phightins’ can do this. How will the team fare under 2nd year skipper Ryne Sandberg – after a 20 – 22 finish?
2014 was a tough year on the Phillies. For one, the fact that the MLB Reports is having an Awareness Day for them today, based on them having the 7th worst record (73 – 89) in the Majors during 2013 is mind – boggling.
We are talking about a team that had 5 Division Titles in a row (2007 – 2011), a huge payroll, and a bountiful nest of ALL – Stars to hit in the lineup, and in the Starting Rotation.
Much like the Yankees though, their core is all hitting their waning years. Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins are having a tough time staying on the field to be productive.
2013 was always going to be about the team resurrecting its status as an NL Elite, instead they saw Roy Halladay blow up before their eyes, Cole Hamels struggle, and nobody was there to save them.
For all of the Rosters, Depth Charts, State of the Unions and Salaries Posts that we do, please visit our dedicated page link here.
Life has not been so great for the fans of the PAC NW of late. The Mariners have regressed in the last decade of baseball – and are withering with the lowest attendance teams in the game of baseball. This followed the 1st 5 years of Safeco Field’s existence, where they were drawing over 3 Million fans – and competing in the AL West every year. It is imperative this team spends money on quality Free Agents this winter. Loaded with a multitude of young arms, and position players. this franchise should be seeking power bats in the OF and 1B/DH positions.
Nothing is more a waste of time, than watching a premiere talent like Felix Hernandez, have to suffer in the haphazard city of Seattle, while the team has entered a new generation of futility.
This is a franchise that was abysmal from 1977 – until the time that Ken Griffey JR. came to the rescue.
A few years later, armed with some good drafting – and Randy Johnson from trading away Mark Langston, and the team was ready to compete.
Of course I can always quote “Seinfeld” – where Jay Buhner was also acquired for DH Slugger Ken Phelps.
But since Lou Pinella followed ALL – Stars out the door in 2004, Johnson, (1998) Griffey (1999) and Alex Rodriguez in (2000), the club has fallen on some hard times.
At first the team was stoic with the players leaving the nest, as Jamie Moyer and Ichiro Suzuki helped lead the charge for a record winning 116 Games in 2001.
Suzuki was the right infusion when the other guys left, and he stayed graciously with the team until mid 2012.
Former Ozzie Guillen assistant Joey Cora would be the popular choice for the Mariners open Managerial position. The man played a significant role on the the 1995 club that won their first Division Title since coming into the Majors in 1977.
Sam Evans ( Baseball Writer and Marlins, Mariners Correspondent): Follow @RJA206
The Mariners new manager needs to be someone who can turn around the recent trend of losing baseball at Safeco Field and help bring a new era of baseball to the pacific northwest.
General Manager Jack Zduriencik has exhaustively looked at a number of different options, with potential candidates ranging from young to old, some with Seattle connections, some completely new to the city.
However, it appears, although this is just an assumption, that he has narrowed his list to three option.
Chip Hale, the Athletics bench coach, Lloyd McClendon, the Tigers hitting coach, and Joey Cora, the former White Sox bench coach. Here is a look at each of the three top candidates and which one is my favorite of the bunch.
Joey Cora Game #5 (ALDS) HR versus the Yankees in 1995
The Astros have scaled their Payroll to miniscule proportions. As of this minute, the players they have signed – that aren’t on entry level deals, equals $4.37 MIL, and that is if the club picks up their Team Option on Philip Humber for 2014. The only other player that makes more than an entry level is Jose Altuve at $1.37 MIL in 2014. The club is paying more in dead money to Wandy Rodriguez ($5.5 MIL in 2014) as part of the 2012 Trade worked out between clubs. It has been bantered about that the ownership and management are willing to spend some money in Free Agency for 2014. MLB currently does not have a floor for Team Salary in the current CBA, so why would the club do that until they are ready to compete?
By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner): Follow @mlbreports and Jeff Kleiner (Salary, Roster and Depth Chart Expert for the MLB) – visit his website here Follow @prosportsroster
A 3rd straight season with 105+ Losses, and 15 straight losses to finish the 2013 campaign does not give the fans very much to look forward to in 2014.
I am here to tell you that the MLB should be ashamed of letting the Houston Astros field such an incompetent team.
Having said this, I don’t personally blame them for tanking it over the last 3 years. They are the other ‘extreme’ – of what the New York Yankees and LA Dodgers have done payroll wise.
Last season at the end of the year, their highest paid player for the Active Roster was Erik Bedard, making $1.1 MIL.
If they keep picking 1st overall, it is only a matter of time before the team becomes very good, just like the Rays, Nationals, Twins and Pirates have all done in recent times.
For the Up to Date Roster for the Astros all year around, please visit Jeff’s Website right here
For the Entire Page of teams links we have dedicated to Payroll, Rosters, Depth Chart, State Of the Unions and Roster Trees, please click right here. Please bookmark this page and check back, as we are busy on the analysis at MLB Reports always.
James Shields turned in a workman like effort for the Royals (13 – 9, with a 3.15 ERA – AL leading 228.2 IP and 34 Game Starts) – only to have received little run support. With the Trade having going down seemingly to correct each other main ailments with the Rays needing offense and the Royals needing defense. It has worked for both teams. 2014 becomes the most pivotal year in the last 3 decades for the franchise – as it is “Big Game” James’ last year under contract. With them trading away Wil Myers for his services, the team needs to capitalize on this year. Ultimately the franchise should spend any amount of $$$ necessary in 2014 to compete with the big boys of the AL. With so many of their own core young players due to start receiving salaries increases, this next year has to be the time to go for it!!
I am officially calling out the Royals Management and ownership to buck up again for the 2014 season. If ever there was a year to spend the money it is now!
The Blue Jays have pretty much been a mediocre franchise in the league for the last 20 years. After winning back to back World Series in 1992 and 1993, the club has had some expensive and talented pieces, yet like so many of the ‘god awful’ teams have shown us recently, maybe the club should have tanked it for 7 – 10 years in order to stockpile Grade A level talent through the MLB Amateur Draft? Toronto has been caught in the middle of a building a team through the Draft, but never seem to be bad enough to receive high enough picks to select ultimate fortune changers for the organization. Maybe they should try another way.. Lets talk about that today.
Regardless if you’re a casual fan, or die hard Toronto Blue Jay fan, many things come into mind with regard to what should happen next after a terrible 2013 season.
Do Media/Cable giant Roger’s need to spend more money? Should they rebuild from the draft? Should they rent older, experienced players on short term deals?
How about a shift from the American League to the National League?
For the start of the 2013 season, the Houston Astros made the move from the NL to the west division of the AL. This was to equally balance the two leagues to contain 15 teams in each.
In terms of performance, it didn’t help. The 2012 NL Astros finished the season with a 55-107 record, which was good for last in all of Major League Baseball.
Montreal’s OIympic Stadium will host a Blue Jays Exhibition Game in 2014
Fenway Park is not just a place – it is a community around the ballpark. This fence also made the Stadium Journey’s top 10 quirks of baseball. Boston will have home field advantage for the World Series – since the AL won the ALL – Star Game in 2013. If it makes anybody feel any better, the Red Sox had the best record in baseball this season anyway. The Red Sox will face the St. Louis Cardinals in the Fall Classic for the 3rd time (St. Louis won in 1967, and Boston won in 2004). The winner will emerge as the only team in the MLB – to have won 3 World Series in the last 10 years. Boston would be 3 out of 10, and the Cardinals would be 3 Titles in 7 years. Pic by http://www.ballparkreviews.com
“Rick Hahn made his first major move as White Sox GM yesterday when he signed 26 year old Cuban defector Jose Abreu to a 6 year $68 million contract. While most are surprised that the White Sox were able to sign him, most are also happy with the signing. So fans are hoping that, along with Avisail Garcia, Abreu can be one of the Sox cornerstones for years to come. Chicago had their worst year in a long time this 2013 season, and this move is good in that it did not cost the franchise anything but money on the payroll.
I love Paul Konerko. I love Frank Thomas. These two White Sox first basemen are whom we as fans will compare the recently signed Jose Abreu to, as we should.
Don’t compare him to Yoenis Cespedes, or Yasiel Puig, just because they are also from Cuba. He’s the direct replacement for Paul Konerko, just as the longest reigning White Sox player was the replacement for Frank Thomas.
I assumed Rick Hahn would wait until after the postseason was completed to begin the White Sox revamp going into the 2014 season.
Well, the World Series hasn’t even begun, and Hahn managed to sign the biggest free agent hitter available to a 6 year, $68 million contract. This is also the biggest contract given to an international free agent in the history of MLB.
Good start? Some say no, but many say yes. Abreu was very sought after, desired by many MLB clubs. We, as Sox fans, knew of the White Sox interest in him once it was announced that he was soon going to be made available as a free agent.
But, I don’t think many of us thought he would sign here. Boston maybe. Yankees? Rangers? All distinct possibilities. No way the White Sox get him.
Then, you started hearing rumblings that White Sox left fielder Dayan Viciedo, also a native of Cuba, knows Jose Abreu, and even played with him on a couple Cuban teams.
Could he be whispering in the Cuban players ear about coming to Chicago? Maybe. Was the $ the main contributing factor in Abreu signing with the White Sox? More than likely.
David Price became a 20 game winner for the first time last season, and it won him the American League Cy Young Award. That is really hard to match, but early struggles and injuries held him back in 2013. He was still 9 – 8, with a 3.39 ERA. Since he is due a payraise – to the $13 – $15 MIL range in Arbitration, it is my feeling the team should trade him for a slugging 1B. How about Matt Adams of the Cardinals anyone? The St. Louis team will need an ace to replace Chris Carpenter – and could bridge the gap for the team before Free Agency eligibility in 2016. It was too bad Hak-Ju Lee was hurt for some of 2013, as that would have been a perfect package to help bringing back another Starter. Perhaps the Rays should use Matt Joyce also as bait? Maybe they could a prospect Starter after all. The team figures to be around $55 – 57 MIL before Price.
I am of the belief that the Andrew Friedman and Stu Sternberg have been the ‘model franchise’ in the AL over the last 6 years.
Not only do they compete in the vaunted AL East versus the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, but they have made the playoffs 4 times in that span, including a World Series Loss to the Philadelphia in the 2008 year.
Had Evan Longoria not been hurt for the majority of the 2012 season, one could argue that the club was poised to make another playoff appearance to make it 6.
So how are they doing this? Their team payroll is roughly one-third of the Yankees and the 40 % of the Red Sox total Payroll.
The Rays are smart enough to let their higher priced Free Agents walk, or even trading them before they are due significant pay raises.
They are also using the philosophy of the ‘John Hart‘ Indians of the Pre-Milennium Cleveland Indians. Once it was established that Evan Longoria could play at the MLB Level, they signed him to an 8 year contract.
They did the same thing with Starting Pitching Matt Moore last year with a 5 year deal for the rookie based on one playoffs of decent pitching.
It is a risk sometimes to do this, yet the rewards can save you Millions in future payroll if the new player (s) outperforms his/their contract (s).
MLB Reports 
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