2011 Baseball Season/Off-Season Discussion

[Falcon]

For some reason I can see Pujols,La Russa joining Theo in Chicago.

 

C'mon, what are you doing?  I don't know if you're serious or just trolling Falcon for kicks, but either way -- too soon!  Gotta allow at least a one week World Series honeymoon.

TLR may very well end up in Chicago.....with Jerry Reinsdorf and the White Sox in an executive/advisory role -
and that may happen sooner than later.

Who knows with Albert although I don't think the Cubs are a viable option, I think Prince is probably more attractive to them.

Keep Texas in mind for AP, they need a first baseman and they are flush with funds from their new TV contract.

So much for enjoying another World Series championship, huh?

[pilferk]

Good news for CC and the Yanks, nice to see them get an extension worked out.

Very good news for the Yanks.  Just heard about it.

Yup, I said JUST.

No power (and thus, no heat or hot water) since Saturday at 7:30 PM.   Couldn't get to work because of all the trees across roads. No cell service in our entire corner of the state.  Couldn't find gas until yesterday (because there was no one with power within about a 20 mile radius...and I couldn't get more than 5 miles in any direction from my house).

FINALLY made it to work.  Currently charging every rechargeable electronic device I/we own.  Spouting the full "mountain man" look.....

In short, it's been a pretty miserable week.

At least the Yanks signed CC and Cash, though!

[faldor]

Good news for CC and the Yanks, nice to see them get an extension worked out.

Very good news for the Yanks.  Just heard about it.

Yup, I said JUST.

No power (and thus, no heat or hot water) since Saturday at 7:30 PM.   Couldn't get to work because of all the trees across roads. No cell service in our entire corner of the state.  Couldn't find gas until yesterday (because there was no one with power within about a 20 mile radius...and I couldn't get more than 5 miles in any direction from my house).

FINALLY made it to work.  Currently charging every rechargeable electronic device I/we own.  Spouting the full "mountain man" look.....

In short, it's been a pretty miserable week.

At least the Yanks signed CC and Cash, though!

I'm right there with you Pilf in the no power, heat, hot water camp. My neighborhood is a disaster, like many in CT. I don't foresee getting power back anytime soon. There's just so much damage and cleanup that needs to be done. I'm dressing up like I'm going to a Patriots home game in December to go to bed. It's ridiculous. I've never looked forward to going to work so much. At least there's power, heat, etc.

Anyway, enough with the sob story. No surprise with CC. And definitely good news for the Yanks. But he had a pretty rough end to the season and he's only going to get older and bigger over the length of his contract. We've seen it many times over how risky it is giving big time contracts to pitchers who are entering their mid 30's.

[tim_m]

Sucks for you guys having to deal with such a mess. I've been there myself before my family moved away from Long Island. Remember hurricane Gloria? We had no power or anything for two weeks. Glad you got your power back at least Pilf. Hope you get yours back soon Faldor.

[Falcon]

Hang in there guys, hopefully the Hot Stove will keep you warm until power returns.

No surprise on CC really, I don't think anyone in their right mind was going to offer CC what he would have been leaving on the table with Yanks by opting out let alone an addtional 30 million guarranteed.

[tim_m]

Hang in there guys, hopefully the Hot Stove will keep you warm until power returns.

No surprise on CC really, I don't think anyone in their right mind was going to offer CC what he would have been leaving on the table with Yanks by opting out let alone an addtional 30 million guarranteed.

Not only that it was quite obvious he did not want to leave. The Sabathia family now lives in the area year round. They've made it their home. He had no intention of opting out or leaving ever. He just used the opt out to get to stay where he wants to stay for the rest of his career.

[Falcon]

Hang in there guys, hopefully the Hot Stove will keep you warm until power returns.

No surprise on CC really, I don't think anyone in their right mind was going to offer CC what he would have been leaving on the table with Yanks by opting out let alone an addtional 30 million guarranteed.

Not only that it was quite obvious he did not want to leave. The Sabathia family now lives in the area year round. They've made it their home. He had no intention of opting out or leaving ever. He just used the opt out to get to stay where he wants to stay for the rest of his career.

For sure, he seemed sincere on wanting to stay and the threat of the opt out got him 30 million more to do just that.

Brilliant move on his camps part, very much a player friendly deal.

Now they've got to get the CC some help, Nova's a keeper although a middle of the rotation guy - average stuff but gets outs and eats innings.  I can see the Yanks making a run at CJ Wilson but I think he's a reach at best, getting older and stuff seems to be diminishing.

Should be an interesting off season nonetheless.

[GeorgeSteele]

No surprise on CC really, I don't think anyone in their right mind was going to offer CC what he would have been leaving on the table with Yanks by opting out let alone an addtional 30 million guarranteed.

I don't know about that.  From here on out, he'll be getting 5 years, $122M.  Last year, Cliff Lee got 5 years, $125M from the Phillies (and Lee was 32 then, CC is now 31... and probably a better pitcher).  I think at least one team would have broken the bank for him if he wanted to get greedy.  Of course, then the Yanks would have stepped up and matched.  Good on him that he didn't put them through the motions of having to do that. 

[Falcon]

No surprise on CC really, I don't think anyone in their right mind was going to offer CC what he would have been leaving on the table with Yanks by opting out let alone an addtional 30 million guarranteed.

I don't know about that.  From here on out, he'll be getting 5 years, $122M.  Last year, Cliff Lee got 5 years, $125M from the Phillies (and Lee was 32 then, CC is now 31... and probably a better pitcher).  I think at least one team would have broken the bank for him if he wanted to get greedy.  Of course, then the Yanks would have stepped up and matched.  Good on him that he didn't put them through the motions of having to do that. 

As I said "anyone in their right mind".

I think there's a couple of teams that may have upped the ante, and agreed - the Yanks would've matched.

[tim_m]

Hang in there guys, hopefully the Hot Stove will keep you warm until power returns.

No surprise on CC really, I don't think anyone in their right mind was going to offer CC what he would have been leaving on the table with Yanks by opting out let alone an addtional 30 million guarranteed.

Not only that it was quite obvious he did not want to leave. The Sabathia family now lives in the area year round. They've made it their home. He had no intention of opting out or leaving ever. He just used the opt out to get to stay where he wants to stay for the rest of his career.

For sure, he seemed sincere on wanting to stay and the threat of the opt out got him 30 million more to do just that.

Brilliant move on his camps part, very much a player friendly deal.

Now they've got to get the CC some help, Nova's a keeper although a middle of the rotation guy - average stuff but gets outs and eats innings.  I can see the Yanks making a run at CJ Wilson but I think he's a reach at best, getting older and stuff seems to be diminishing.

Should be an interesting off season nonetheless.

Absolutely, Nova is a keeper he proved his worth this season and in the post season as well. Nothing seems to phase the kid. I hope we don't go after Wilson. He just doesn't perform well in the post season. I wouldn't be surprised if Betances and Banuelous don't get their shots going into spring training. I wouldn't be surprised either if we made a big effort to move Burnett. I'm not sure who would take him but its worth a shot to get that worthless crap off our team.

[Falcon]

According to Joe Strauss at the St Louis Post Dispatch, interviews for the Cards managerial opening start tomorrow.

Candidates names that Strauss mentions will get interviews:

Terry Francona
Ryne Sandberg
Jose Oquendo
Mike Matheny
Joe McKewing

A couple of other organizational guys will get a look as well..

Interesting Strauss said the Cards haven't sought permission to speak to the Rays Joe Maddon - yet.

Also mentioned they'd like to get the deal done within 10 days...

[Falcon]

An interesting factoid in relationship to the Cardinals managerial job from STL Post Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz:

Since the start of the 1965 season, the Cardinals have played 7,484 regular-season games. And 6,849 of the games ? 91.5 percent ? were managed by Red Schoendienst, Whitey Herzog, Joe Torre or La Russa.

Considering the success and stability of the franchise over such a long period of time, Miklasz seems to think the logical choice is Terry Francona - no sense handing over the reigns to someone who's without serious experience
and a championship littered resume'.

Food for thought I guess...


Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/bernie-miklasz/article_848e1611-7a4f-59cc-8966-7ec84249bf57.html#ixzz1cezw2GgW

[D]

In light of how it ended in Boston... I'm not sure you can bring Francona in, Would be a major distraction as every other question would be about what happened last year in Boston.

[tim_m]

Well espn is reporting that Francona is very high on Epstein's list. So we'll see.

[Falcon]

In light of how it ended in Boston... I'm not sure you can bring Francona in, Would be a major distraction as every other question would be about what happened last year in Boston.

I'm not down with Francona but I don't think his nasty ending in Boston would translate as a distraction in St Louis beyond the initial press conference questioning.

[Falcon]

Nice move for the Phils resigning Thome today, didn't see that one coming.

Thoughts sandman?

On the Cards managerial front, the locals have Mike Matheny as the latest odds on favorite.

[Falcon]

Looks like the Yanks will indeed be speaking with CJ Wilson - from hardballtalk:

?We haven?t talked to him yet, but we will,? Cashman said. ?They have won a lot and he?s been a big part of that, so we?ll certainly talk to him.?

[cotis]

CC, CJ Wilson, Nova, Darvish, and AJ Burnett.

In other news, Kei Igawa is finally off the books! Yayy!

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Gotta congratulate Falcon.

Congratulations Falcon.

[Falcon]

Gotta congratulate Falcon.

Congratulations Falcon.

Thanks, it was a helluva run -