Warning!! Danger!! Annual Off-topic Baseball Thread '07!! Beware!!

[ChuckElias]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

I see the Yankees letting go of not only Torre, but also Rivera. They are going to give the closer role to Joba and he deserves it.

Why does he deserve it? He only pitched 24 innings in 19 appearances in the regular season. Granted he pitched well in those outings, with a very low ERA, but that doesn't seem to be enough of a showing to know that he can handle full-time closer status for an entire season. And he only pitched 3.2 innings in the playoffs, and they weren't good. He gave up 3 hits and 3 walks and 2 earned runs.

They will keep Alex Rodriguez.

I believe that's entirely up to ARod. If he opts out of his current deal (which I hear is likely), then the Yankees lose a ton of money that the Rangers are still paying them to help cover the contract. That means that the Yankees would have to pony up $25-$30 million of their own money every year to re-sign ARod. It sounds crazy, but I don't think he'll stay in NY for less than his current contract. If he decides that he wants to stay in NY, then he will probably just ride out the contract he currently has. If he decides that he's had it in NY, he'll opt out and go somewhere else (probably even for less money). It will definitely be an interesting story to follow.

[Nevadaref]

To JR,
You have to admit that you would like to see all of those players go though. If the front office has made it such that they are stuck with them, then they have done a poor job and they are the ones who deserve firing not the manager who has to do the best he can with the players that are supplied to him.

To Chuck,
1. See Jonathan Paplebon. What had he done before the Red Sox gave him the closer role?

2. No one else can afford A-rod. There just isn't the kind of money out there that he wants any place else. Plus he had an excellent season, the Yankees are justified paying him to stick around and can afford to do so.

[ChuckElias]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

To Chuck,
1. See Jonathan Paplebon. What had he done before the Red Sox gave him the closer role?

He got thrust into the role when Keith Foulke was hurt. They tried a couple different people and Pap did the best job. But he wasn't given the job over an established closer, based only on 24 innings of work.

2. No one else can afford A-rod. There just isn't the kind of money out there that he wants any place else. Plus he had an excellent season, the Yankees are justified paying him to stick around and can afford to do so.

That's why I said it's up to ARod. It all depends on whether he wants to stay in NY. If he simply wants to play somewhere else, he'll opt out of the contract and probably take less to play for the Cubbies and be reunited with Lou.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by ChuckElias

That's why I said it's up to ARod. It all depends on whether he wants to stay in NY. If he simply wants to play somewhere else, he'll opt out of the contract and probably take less to play for the Cubbies and be reunited with Lou.

Agree, except for the "taking less" part. Boras and A-Rod will never take "less", especially after the year that he just had. The Angels or the Cubbies will give him more if the Yankees won't. A-Rod always goes with the money.

Personally? I'd rather see them get rid of A-Rod and sign Mike Lowell. He's your BoSox mvp this year imo. He plays the game like he cares.

[ChuckElias]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Agree, except for the "taking less" part. Boras and A-Rod will never take "less", especially after the year that he just had. The Angels or the Cubbies will give him more if the Yankees won't. A-Rod always goes with the money.

He gets about $26 mil this year? (Actually, I just looked it up on ESPN and they report his salary at just over $27.7 mil ) I can't see the Cubs -- and definitely not the Angels -- giving him $30 mil. And remember that ARod was willing to take less (he'd even already negotiated the deal) to come to the Red Sox in '04 before the players' union nixed the deal.

Personally? I'd rather see them get rid of A-Rod and sign Mike Lowell. He's your BoSox mvp this year imo. He plays the game like he cares.

No argument from me. Beckett might get some consideration, but Lowell has been the guy who has produced repeatedly and consistently over the whole season. The funny thing to me is that we didn't even really want him. The Marlins made us take him as part of the Beckett deal b/c they were trying to dump salary ($9 mil.) and he'd had a sub-par season in '05 (.236 avg and OPS only .658). I hated to lose Bill Mueller, b/c I thought he was the same sort of player (without Lowell's power potential), but Lowell has been terrific over the last couple seasons, no doubt.

[mbyron]

Uh, guys, before you get too involved in the off-season: there's still baseball being played...

[Adam]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Uh, guys, before you get too involved in the off-season: there's still baseball being played...

Yup, and this year, post season ball is being played in Colorado after it's done in New York.

There is a God. With the Iowa Hawkeye football season unfolding the way it is, I was starting to wonder.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Uh, guys, before you get too involved in the off-season: there's still baseball being played...

Yeah, but when Cleveland is involved, nobody gives a sh!t.

[mick]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

2. No one else can afford A-rod. There just isn't the kind of money out there that he wants any place else.

Just gotta sell more pizzas in Detroit.
They need a shortstop cuz Guillen is moving to 1st base.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

1)To JR,
You have to admit that you would like to see all of those players go though. If the front office has made it such that they are stuck with them, then they have done a poor job and they are the ones who deserve firing not the manager who has to do the best he can with the players that are supplied to him.

2. No one else can afford A-rod.

1) I've never liked Mike Mussina. Pavano is gone, no matter what, but the Yanks still haveta give him his 10mil for next year. Giambi hasn't been worth a damn since they started testing him for roids, but nobody wants him at over 20mil per either. Both Rivera and Damon are plus ballplayers. Rivera is still one of the top closers in the game, and Damon could excel as a regular DH imo.

2) Wrong. Both the Angels and the Cubs will go after him if he goes on the market. And both have got the money to sign him.