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Tuesday, December 12, 2006 |
Pickoff Moves
Today's Birthdays
Ralph Garr CAL b. 1945, played 1979-1980, All-Star: 1974. A football star from Grambling, he stole home in his first stolen base attempt in the majors, and also won the NL batting title in 1974. Traded to the White Sox in 1975, the Angels purchased him from that team in 1979; he played through his retirement in 1980, mainly as a fifth outfielder.
Derrell Griffith LAN b. 1943, played 1963-1966
A Reminder To Bill Stoneman
An instructive story that may prove amusing to those hoping Bill Stoneman will get a big bat:Los Angeles Angels general manager Bill Stoneman attended a recent roast for retiring outfielder Tim Salmon. During the event, the emcee approached the table where Stoneman was sitting.The emcee asked the men sitting on either side of Stoneman to get up and change places.
After they had, the emcee said: "Hey, Bill, I wanted you to see what a trade looks like."
Surprise! Dodgers Won't File Tampering Charges, Other Roster Notes
- The Dodgers won't file tampering charges in J.D. Drew's case.
- Eric Gagne's agent Scott Boras hasn't been in contact with the Dodgers since the close of the winter meetings. It's unknown whether the $4M/1 year offer is still on the table; Cleveland, Texas, San Francisco, and Cincinnati are all allegedly interested in him.
- The Angels are expected to tender a contract to Brendan Donnelly today.
- Former Athletic Jay Payton has left the A's to join the Orioles, on a 2-year/$9.5M deal.
- The Mariners have signed former Diamondback Miguel Batista to a 3-year deal worth more than $24M. U.S.S. Mariner dislikes the deal despite having lobbied for Batista previously, calling him a fourth starter on a team that has a rotation full of those.
- Former Giant and Diamondback Russ Ortiz is trying to resurrect his career in the Puerto Rican winter league. So far, he's 1-1 with a 2.40 ERA in four appearances; he went 0-8 with an 8.14 ERA between the Diamondbacks and Orioles this year.
- Daisuke Matsuzaka still isn't signed, and the rumor is that Scott Boras may be trying to use this negotiation to break the posting system by threatening to let Matsuzaka return to Seibu.
“The posting fee represents the problem,” Boras said. “It’s historic, it’s new, it’s something that’s never been done. How do you reflect value in a posting fee in an appropriate contract for a player? In the American system, no player is asked to reduce their salaries for luxury tax purposes.”
Comments:
If you ever played All-Star Baseball, the "4" on Ralph Garr's card was legendary in size.
I haven't held that game for at least 25 years, but I can still remember it.
I haven't held that game for at least 25 years, but I can still remember it.
Hasn't Boras wanted to break the draft system? Honestly, I agree that the posting system is broken, but then, so is the whole scouting system in the Caribbean. The draft should have slotted dollar values to the players (so that they can't hijack the system by saying they won't play for less than X dollars) and foreigners should be required to enter the draft. If these two changes were made, Boras certainly couldn't complain about posting and he would be powerless to do anything about the draft. And teh less Boras can control, the better baseball is.
I seem to recall, though, that even in the ancient, pre-Curt Flood days, that the lesser teams still had trouble hanging on to their stars for various economic reasons.
it's boras' job to say what he's saying, but come on. saying that matsuzaka shouldn't have to take a pay cut because of the posting fee is preposterous. teams don't have to show up with $51 million just to TALK to any other star pitchers. and if matsuzaka can't get a deal done, then guess what, he gets an even BIGGER pay cut, at least in 2007, by going back to japan. matsuzaka's situation is markedly unlike any other american player, so sorry, that will be reflected in the contract he gets offered, scott.
I wasn't trying to say that the lesser teams should be able to artificially hang on to players, just that there is a reason the team with the worst record gets the first pick: to try and make them more competitive faster. Of course, this actually matters in the NBA and NFL, where these guys play immediately, and less so in the MLB.
Anyways, because the purpose is to give them an opportunity to get them better faster, it destroys the drafting system when 1 or more players say "I will not play for X team and/or less than Y dollars." These guys haven't even played a professional game before and they are already making demands. That will never sit well with me. Once they have paid their dues and earned free agency (whether it is because their contract has expired or they have hit the 5 year level), then they are free to go wherever they want and demand whatever money they want. I think it would help the draft a lot to be slotted just because it would take the money pressure off of the draft and make every player WANT to be a higher pick (BECAUSE you get more money).
Anyways, because the purpose is to give them an opportunity to get them better faster, it destroys the drafting system when 1 or more players say "I will not play for X team and/or less than Y dollars." These guys haven't even played a professional game before and they are already making demands. That will never sit well with me. Once they have paid their dues and earned free agency (whether it is because their contract has expired or they have hit the 5 year level), then they are free to go wherever they want and demand whatever money they want. I think it would help the draft a lot to be slotted just because it would take the money pressure off of the draft and make every player WANT to be a higher pick (BECAUSE you get more money).
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