Wednesday, November 24, 2004 |
Pickoff Moves
OT, Kinda: Anaheim Picks Up Speed On NFL Bid
In today's Register, this story about Anaheim pushing for a new NFL franchise:The city will pay two experienced sports consultants up to $125,000 to help them negotiate a deal with the National Football League that could bring pro football back to Orange County by 2008.We're already getting assurances that the city won't put money up for a stadium, but given the NFL's love of publically-funded arenas, how long that will last -- or whether such a deal will even get done -- is a big question mark therefore.Anaheim will pay up to $75,000 to The Sports Business Group in Redondo Beach, a strategic marketing firm, and as much as $50,000 to MZ Sports, a financial-advisory firm based in Laurel, N.J., to advise the city on its plans for a football stadium next to Angel Stadium.
Ray Ratto: Scott Boras's Voicemail
This is good:If you must think of Boras this holiday season, just think of him sitting behind a bank of 30 phones, screening his calls and waiting for the gifts of the general managing magi to pile up in the service entrance."Hello, this is the office of Scott Boras, Emperor Of The Whole Damned Universe. Please deposit the $75,000 introductory conversation-starter fee, and listen to the following options:
"For Carlos Beltran, please press 1.
"For Adrian Beltre, please press 2.
"For Magglio Ordonez, please press 3, and have your medical plan information out and ready for the operator.
"For Jason Varitek, please press 4. If you're Theo Epstein, please bring proof of power of attorney.
"For Derek Lowe, please press 5.
"For Carl Pavano, please press 5 and ask for Derek Lowe instead.
"For J.D. Drew, please press 6.
"For Kevin Millwood, please press 5 and ask for Derek Lowe. If the line is busy, please press 7 and ask for Kevin Millwood."
"If you need further assistance, go to your bank, return, and press 1, followed by eight zeroes. This is the office of Scott Boras, and genuflect on your way out, baboons."
Tracy To Return, Signed To Two-Year Deal
Weeeelll, I suppose FJT won't like this one little bit, but Jim Tracy has been resigned by the Dodgers, to a two-year deal. Other terms of the deal were not disclosed, and no comment has been made yet about the coaching staff.Damian Miller A Brewer
Considering the plight of the Buccos, who have a good but highly overpaid catcher in Jason Kendall, you'd think the same-division, same-league Brewers would make some efforts to avoid the same mistake. Instead, they bought the services of 35-year-old Damian Miller for two years at $3.25M per, and a $3.75M club option on a third year. As Richard asked, where did they get the money? New owner Mark Attanasio, an LA-based investor, apparently has more money than ex-owner and used-car salesman Bud Selig. This isn't a horrible deal, but IMO the club's overspending for a guy surely to decline who isn't that offensively-minded to begin with. More importantly for the Dodgers, it's one catcher off the market in a very thin free agent market for the thinking man's position.Buddy Carlyle In The 2005 Rotation?
Interesting speculation in the Bellevue Leader that unknown Buddy Carlyle might be in the Dodgers starting rotation next year. Carlyle, who had a 4.05 ERA with the Yankees' AAA Columbus affiliate, also sported 1.77 BB/9 and 7.76 K/BB rates -- quite impressive in 106.2 IP. According to the article,Carlyle hopes the Dodgers become the right spot for him. If early indications mean anything, Carlyle may have found the perfect situation."I got a call from (Dodgers General Manager) Paul DePodesta the very first day minor league players were able to sign contracts and he was one of about seven calls I got from teams that day," Carlyle said. "The fact that a GM is the one contacting you makes me believe I have a great chance.
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