Friday, January 30, 2009 |
The PCL Angels, Keeping The Cubs Afloat
The Cubs earned $141,000, but $109,890 came from the Angels, who played in Los Angeles' Wrigley Field. Much of the Angels' profit had been spent to retire part of the corporation's stock, which left the minor leaguers $39,890 to work with in the coming season.Via Jon.
I wrote earlier on the Cubs' twisted history with their west coast operation in a review of Glenn Stout's The Cubs.
Hours And Hours Of By-Yourself Fun
Manny's coming. Manny's going. Manny's napping. Manny's making a tuna fish sandwich. Manny's visiting San Francisco. Oh, wait, that was just Manny watching Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Manny's considering wearing Spock ears when he plays. Manny might go to Japan. Manny might just go to P.F. Chang's instead.Think we haven't had enough of that yet? Just replace the name "Manny" in that sentence with "Randy Wolf", and that's basically the two things we've been living with around here. Constantly, endlessly, eternally.
Frivolity: The Register's "Choose Your Own GM Adventure"
Angels Name Bill Mosiello Kernels Manager
The Anonymous Hurler, A Little Less So Now
On the greatest day of his life, Matt McCarthy took a call from a Major League baseball scout named Byron, who told him he had been drafted to play baseball for the Angels.After getting cut by the Angels organization, McCarthy went to Harvard medical school, and is currently an intern."Now, you went to Yale," Byron told him, "so I'm sure you're a smart kid. But please don't do anything stupid once you get out there. Don't make me look bad."
"Of course," McCarthy told him.
At least, that's the account in McCarthy's book, Odd Man Out. It's a tell-all of his year in the Angels' farm system, from the racial divide in the clubhouse to the oversized sex toy players touched for good luck; from players making fun of handicapped kids to guys using steroids.
It comes out next month and it's a book that, if we're honest about it, makes Byron and the Angels look bad. "I'm sure there will be a defamation of character lawsuit filed by someone, as well there should be," a former teammate, Heath Luther says.
But, McCarthy swears, that was never his intention. He says he roots for the Angels. He calls them the best organization in sports. The question, then, is how he could write such a brutally revealing book.
...
But, as McCarthy found, in A-ball the notion of the team barely exists.
"These friendships are very transient," he says. "You're sitting next to your chief competitors."
Yankees Consider Non-Disclosure Clause In Future Contracts
More on this book from Carl Pavano, who teases, "I wish nothing but the best for Joe Torre and my former Yankee teammates, but with that said it does explain why I haven't received any Christmas cards from Joe the last few years."
Update: Apparently Shysterball agrees with me:
There's a big difference between confidentiality regarding trade secrets and proprietary information on the one hand and a simple "don't say bad things about us after you're gone" requirement on the other. The former is necessary to keep a going concern going. The latter is simple P.R. control and the stifling of free expression. Which, because the Yankees aren't the government is legal of course, but which is a dumb move all the same.Why? Because The very existence of non-disparagement clauses -- assuming they're public, as any involving the Yankees now would be -- would do more to harm the team than help it. It sends a signal to the public that the team has more embarrassing secrets to hide than whatever it is Torre is going on about, and will lead to more uninformed, lurid speculation among the fans and the press than already exists. Torre's book may not be popular with the Yankees' brass right now, but in many ways it constitutes a necessary blood-letting. If he and the 1995-present Yankees were gagged for life, all manner of gossip and innuendo would go unchecked. Instead of that blood-letting you'd get death by a thousand anonymous cuts.
Even worse is that the existence of non-disparagement clauses often serve to magnify, rather than minimize the damage some bad press can cause. Let's say five years from now Jorge Posada is speaking at a luncheon and makes some intemperate remark about Derek Jeter's personal hygiene. As it stands today, there would probably be a brief blurb about it in the New York tabloids, and then it would go away and join all of the other fun junk in Yankees' history. If Posada was subject to a non-disparagement clause, however, the Yankees would have to sue for damages. This would serve to magnify the issue of Derek Jeter's hygiene by a factor of about a billion, because now the matter would have to be litigated. It would also place the team in the unenviable position of going after a guy who is a minor hero in the minds of Yankees fans. And if you say "no, the Yankees would never sue Posada," than what's the bloody point of having a non-disparagement clause anyway?
Labels: stupid ideas, yankees
Jay Jaffe On Manny's Whereabouts
Dodgers: Still the favorites to re-sign Manny given the huge financial advantage they enjoy over the Giants and their NL West brethren, the Dodgers could easily fall back upon free agents Bobby Abreu (3.2 WARP) or Adam Dunn (3.8 WARP) if Ramirez signs elsewhere. For the moment, however, their left fielder is punchless speedster Juan Pierre, who hit .283/.327/.328 last year, and who is owed $28.5 million over the next three years thanks to Colletti's insane largess. Failing an Andruw Jones-like buyout, Juan-Be-Gone forecasts for a more-of-the-same 1.7 WARP, meaning that Ramirez would be worth an additional 2.6 wins in a division where the races have been decided by two games or less in four of the past five seasons....
Angels: Having lost Mark Teixeira to free agency, the Angels apparently have money to spend as well as a gaping hole in their lineup. Their .413 slugging percentage was ninth in a 14-team league last year; without Teixeira's video game-like .358/.449/.632 performance for them over the final two months, they'd have slipped to 11th. PECOTA loathes Teixeira's underpowered replacement, Kendry Morales (.253/.295/.389, -0.2 WARP), and it's none too keen on Juan Rivera, who will be given first crack at the everyday left-field job after signing a three-year, $12.75 million deal. Extrapolating the forecasts for Rivera, Gary Matthews, Jr. and Reggie Willits across left field and the otherwise-vacant DH slot yields 2.2 WARP apiece at two premium offensive positions. Adding Ramirez in either slot thus gains 2.1 wins, with the difference between bad left-field play and DHing coming out in the wash mathematically. Alas, given that the Angels won the division by 21 games last year, they've likely got less incentive to pursue Ramirez relative to the more tightly clustered NL teams.
Labels: analysis, angels, dodgers, hot stove
Thursday, January 29, 2009 |
You Will Never See A Lovelier Vista Of A Minor League Ballpark...
Thoughts On The 2009 Angels Select-A-Seat
- We arrived at 10:00 for a 10:15 appointment. This year, they're allowing people to acquire up to eight seats (extending their existing holdings) on a temporary basis, which probably reflects the good market for Angels tickets these days, as well as the bad economy.
- Most of the seats we saw were at field level near the third base line inside the foul poles, and in the terrace level outfield. There wasn't much anywhere else; I expect if there were any seats between the lines, they were snapped up much earlier. Given the paucity of choice, we elected to keep our seats this year.
- Taking a cue from the McCourts, the Angels will be carving a new set of seats out of foul territory, though much smaller in scope. To sell them, there's going to be new set of mini-game-plans, which the staff gave us information on that did not include price.
Labels: angel stadium, angels
Wednesday, January 28, 2009 |
Pickoff Moves
Dodgers Re-Sign Tanyon Sturtze
Diamond Leung reports the Dodgers have re-signed reliever Tanyon Sturtze to a split contract that will pay him up to $550,000 if he spends the whole year in the majors; otherwise, it's a non-guaranteed minor league deal.Mariners Deal Aaron Heilman
The Mariners have traded Aaron Heilman to the Cubs for utilityman Ronny Cedeno and LHP Garrett Olson. Lookout Landing:So, in exchange for a 30 year old righty with a bad 2008 and a desire to be thrust into an even more challenging role, Jack Zduriencik was able to land a utility infielder with the potential to start at 2B or SS and a #5 starter with the potential to improve by one or two slots. Two young players with good minor league track records that haven't yet translated to the big leagues, but that still have time to do it. It's possible that Cedeno doesn't develop any further. It's possible that Olson's career stays where it is. But it's also possible that we just traded a flame-out righty for two future regulars, and after weighing all the different odds in my head, this just strikes me as being a great, great deal. In the organizational big picture, it's all upside. Every last bit.Having seen Cedeno myself, he's a good-not-great fielder of the Cesar Izturis variety, post-Dodgers career who will never amount to anything offensively. The Cubs undoubtedly traded high on him, and while it seems likely he's going to get a good year in here or there, he's a seven- or eight-hole hitter at best. It looks to me like an equal trade of junk for junk, but that's without looking too closely.
Dodgers To Start Season With McDonald In The Pen
It makes sense. I'd like to see him in the rotation, or at least get a crack at it, especially considering the dreck the Dodgers are looking at to fill the back end these days. However, the most important point is that, you have to ask yourself whether you want to be hauling him anywhere close to that magical 200 innings pitched mark (the most he's ever thrown is 142 in 2006), and whether that would likely (yes, it would) lead to injuries. I'd just as soon take it slow.Diamondbacks Sign Jon Garland
Former Angel Jon Garland signed a one-year deal with Arizona with a two-way option for 2010, dollars unknown.Update: From Diamond Leung:
Had Garland re-signed with the Angels, he would have made more than $12 million on a one-year deal in arbitration. He declined, and seems ready to settle for a $6-8 million deal with an option for 2010.The Angels will get a sandwich pick for their former starter.Many will look to blame Garland's agent, Craig Landis, for making a disastrous business decision, but the situation is a bit more complicated. Sure, the economy affected free-agent paydays more than anyone could have imagined. But Garland had a somewhat precarious standing with the Angels.
Update 2: Here's the BTF thread, and from which, Rob Neyer's "snap judgement":
This is a great deal for the Diamondbacks. Given average luck, Garland should give the Diamondbacks 200 innings and an ERA somewhat better than National League average. That's worth more than $6 million, and it's worth more than $8 million.The best thing is that it takes Garland off the table for the Dodgers. The worst thing is it leaves them with Randy Wolf and Braden Looper (see the MSTI link in the James McDonald story, above).
Update 3: David Cameron does not like it one little bit, and has lots of purty graphs to show you why.
The highest FIP Johnson has ever posted, in his entire career, is 4.29. That was back in 1990, when he was still trying to figure out how to throw strikes in the big leagues. Since 1992, he’s posted a FIP over 4.00 just once, when it was 4.27 with the Yankees in 2006. He rebounded in 2007 with a 3.20 FIP, and was among the league leaders again last year. Jon Garland has never posted a FIP below 4.00. Ever. Only once, in 2005, did he post a FIP (4.24) that was lower than the worst of Johnson’s career. At his absolute best, Jon Garland is worse than Randy Johnson at his absolute worst.
Joaquin Benoit Has Shoulder Surgery, Will Miss First Half
Update: Texas Rangers reliever Joaquin Benoit has had shoulder surgery to repair his right rotator cuff, and will miss the first half of the season.Labels: cubs, diamondbacks, dodgers, ex-angels, hot stove, injuries, mariners, rangers, transactions
Monday, January 26, 2009 |
Dodgers Finalize Ausmus Deal, Re-Sign Mike Rose
Labels: dodgers, hot stove, transactions
The Dead Zone: Dodgers Sign Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger
(The "hot stove" tag below is pretty pitiful when it comes to signings like this one, no?)
Labels: dodgers, hot stove, transactions
Sunday, January 25, 2009 |
Is "Sucking At Color Commentary" A Crime?
Airport drug-courier profiles disproportionately target blacks and Hispanics. Even superstars can fall victim to the profiles. Baseball Hall of Famer Joe Morgan was making a phone call after getting off a flight from Oakland and waiting for a flight to Tucson at the Los Angeles International Airport. A Los Angeles policeman approached him, demanded to see identification, and then, according to Morgan, grabbed him from behind, shoved him to the floor, and handcuffed him. Morgan stated that the policeman told him that he was an "authority figure" and that he would teach Morgan "what authority was all about."Update: And before anyone says anything more about this, this episode is quite old, occurring on March 15, 1988. I didn't know about it before I read the linked article, and missed the date on it. Sorry for the confusion.When a spectator told the policeman that Morgan was a "great baseball player," the policeman warned the bystander not to interfere. Morgan was dragged to a small nursery nearby for interrogation; police released him after realizing their mistake. The Los Angeles police later sought to justify the arrest by saying that they were searching for an accomplice of a suspected drug courier they had just collared (who was later found to have no drugs on him). William Barnes, Morgan's attorney, later observed, "There's no doubt in our mind that the only reason they stopped Joe Morgan was because he is black and he was the first black who happened to come by."
Labels: stupid ideas
Just What The Dodgers Needed: Torre "Tell-All" Slams Steinbrenners
His Dodgers deal came two weeks after having walked away from the Yankees when they offered a one-year contract worth $5 million plus $3 million in performance incentives he termed "an insult.''"I don't think incentives are necessary," he said then. "I've been here a long time and I've never needed to be motivated. Plus, in my [previous] contract, I get a million-dollar bonus if we do win the World Series, so that's always been there."
Labels: dodgers, managers, yankees
Friday, January 23, 2009 |
Return Of Randy Wolf? Dodgers Said Near A Deal
According to sources for FoxSports.com, Wolf could most likely be signed to a one or two-year deal. Wolf previously pitched for Los Angeles in 2007 and was 12-12 with a 4.30 ERA in a combined 33 starts last season for the Padres and Astros.Update: Tony Jax says, not so fast.FoxSports.com said Wolf would get less than the three-year, $28 million offer the pitcher turned down from Houston earlier this winter.
Labels: dodgers, hot stove, rumors
LA City Council Decries Dodgers' Trolley Tightness
Councilman Bill Rosendahl was particularly incensed that the Dodgers refused to help bear the costs of service in 2008. "I just think it's a cheap shot that a firm as successful as [the Dodgers] doesn't come up with the funds," he said during a June Transportation committee meeting.The Dodgers are looking at advertising sponsorships as a way to pay for the service, but refuse to pay for it themselves.While charging a fare would raise some revenue, LADOT says that the amount would fall far short of the cost of service. In its projections, LADOT concludes that $50,000 - $120,000 could be raised by charging a fare of $1 to $3. Given 81 home games, the higher of those ridership numbers would give an average of 617 fares per game. The 2008 service averaged roughly 700 riders.
Thursday, January 22, 2009 |
FSN Prime Ticket To Launch "True Blue Tuesday" In February
True Blue Tuesday kicks off [Tues., Feb. 3] at 7:30 p.m., with Sandy Koufax (pictured, in 2003) pitching the Dodgers to the world championship in Game 7 of the 1965 World Series against the Twins.
Ricketts Family Emerges As Cubs Buyer
J. Joe Ricketts made his money with TD Ameritrade. He has a net worth of $1.2 billion.
Update 1/23: Al Yellon writes in with the correction that the principle behind the bid is not J. Joe Ricketts, but his son, Thomas, according to a Chicago Sun-Times story.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009 |
Fox Sports West To Broadcast Historic Angels Games On Mondays
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEUpdate 1/23: The Rev wrote in to correct the schedule.Wednesday, January 21, 2008
MONDAY NIGHT IS ANGELS NIGHT ON FOX SPORTS WEST
Angels “Red Monday” Classic Games Prep Angels Fans for the 2009 Season
LOS ANGELES – Beginning Tuesday, February 2, Fox Sports WEST prepares Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim fans for the upcoming 2009 MLB season with “Red Monday”. Throughout February and March, the destination for the most comprehensive local Angels coverage in Southern California invites Halo fans to tune-in Monday nights for three full hours of an Angels classic game.
Five classic games make up “Red Mondays” and will celebrate notable moments in Angels franchise history. The first classic game on Fox Sports WEST begins Monday, February 2 at 7PM and features the 2002 Angels in their first playoff series victory.
“Red Monday” programming line-up on Fox Sports WEST is as follows:
DATE TIME CLASSIC GAME CLASSIC DESCRIPTION Mon., Feb. 2 7PM 10/5/02 – ALDS, Gm. 4: Yankees at Angels The Angels’ first playoff series win Mon., Feb. 9 7PM 10/13/02- ALCS, Gm. 5: Twins at Angels The Angels score 10 runs in the 7th inning and win their first AL Pennant. Adam Kennedy hits 3 HRs to become the 5th player in postseason history to hit 3 HR’s in a single game. Mon., Feb. 23 7PM 10/26/02- World Series, Gm. 6: Giants at Angels Facing elimination and down 5-0 in the 7th, the Angels storm back to score 3 runs in each the 7th and 8th innings to win the game and force Game 7. Mon., Mar. 2 7PM 10/27/02- World Series, Gm. 7: Giants at Angels The Angels win their first MLB Championship ever. Rookie John Lackey pitches a strong game and Troy Glaus selected World Series MVP. Mon., Mar. 30 7PM 10/10/05-ALDS, Gm. 5: Yankees at Angels The Angels win the ALDS 3 games to 2 About Fox Sports WEST
In addition to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Fox Sports WEST is the telecast destination for the most comprehensive coverage of the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings and Los Angeles Galaxy. Together, Fox Sports WEST and sister network PRIME TICKET present more live, local sports programming than any other network or broadcast system in Southern California, Nevada and Hawaii. For complete national and regional sports news, provocative opinions, telecast schedules and updated statistics, log-on to www.foxsports.com.
Meta: Dodger Blog Cleanup
Rosenthal: Dodgers Sign Brad Ausmus To Back Up Martin, 1 Year/$1M
In 81 games last season, Ausmus batted .218 with a .303 on-base percentage, three homers and 24 RBIs. He ranks ninth all-time with 1,857 games caught.
Labels: dodgers, hot stove, padres, rumors, transactions
Jeff Kent To Retire
Hard to believe he's third in club history in home runs hit by a second baseman, back of Davey Lopes and Jackie Robinson.
Labels: dodgers, hot stove, retirements
Another Day, Another Dodgers Blog
Tuesday, January 20, 2009 |
Diamondbacks Fire Mascot After DUI Arrest
Hamilton was pulled over off the Loop 101at 95th Avenue and Peoria on Sept. 10, according to an Arizona Department of Public Safety report.The Snakes will look for a replacement "immediately".According to the report, an officer spotted Hamilton traveling approximately 95 mph on the 101.
Labels: diamondbacks, stupid ideas
John Lackey Won't Appear On Team USA Roster; Vlad, Napoli May Follow
Labels: angels, world baseball classic
Robb Quinlan Signs 1-Year Deal
Labels: angels, hot stove, transactions
Russell Martin, Jonathan Broxton Sign 1-Year Deals
Labels: dodgers, hot stove, transactions
Monday, January 19, 2009 |
Hoping For A Bailout? Jamie McCourt Coughs Up $50,000 For Obama's Inauguration
Roster Notes
- The Rockies came to terms with Huston Street on a 1-year/$4.5M contract.
- The Mariners avoided arbitration with Felix Hernandez, who signed a $3.8M/1-year deal.
- Believe it or not, ex-Angel Kevin Gregg was still arbitration eligible; earlier traded from the Marlins to the Cubs, he got a 1-year/$4.2M deal. Gregg will compete with Carlos Marmol for closer duties in spring.
Labels: cubs, hot stove, mariners, rockies, transactions
Dodgers Sign Jason Repko For 1 Year/$500k
Labels: dodgers, hot stove, transactions
Sunday, January 18, 2009 |
2009's First Dodgers High Comedy Moment
Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, as well as Colletti, have been candid that the franchise's general strategy is to develop from within, while the uncertainty of revenues this year hasn't been ignored as they planned for 2009. The Dodgers don't announce a targeted payroll amount, but it's clear this year's total will be dramatically lower than last year's $120 million after the departure of 15 free agents and the addition of only three so far.Which of course explains the new Malibu McMansion. Look, we know that the operations budget is separate from the marble floor tile budget but pretending that the Dodgers have an uncertain revenue stream is just absurd in this context. You don't take out gazillion dollar loans to buy property and finance them — certainly, the banks wouldn't agree to it if they thought McCourt's income stream were anything other than stable. And of course Manny would have to be compensated in installments that might look like a Rockefeller Center mortgage payment. But there's something basic and obvious and none-too-convincing about the McCourts' cry of poor here.
Labels: dodgers, hot stove, mccourts
Saturday, January 17, 2009 |
You Could Break Something Doing That
“Andruw looks good, but he’s still got the pull-first mentality,” Chipper Jones said. “It sounds like wherever Andruw lands, he’s going to fall in someone’s lap."
Labels: ex-dodgers, funny
An Unerring Eye For Untalent
What really counts is when the ball is hit, does the fielder make an out? That’s the definition of Defense Efficiency Rating (DER) on a team level. Whether it’s by range, throwing arm or good hands, it’s the out that counts. With 1000 or more ground balls, the bottom five at shortstop are Angel Berroa 71.1%, Michael Young 71.0%, Jeter 70.9%, Felipe Lopez 70.2% and Carlos Guillen 69.8%. At the top are Adam Everett 75.7%, Omar Vizquel 74.9%, Troy Tulowitzki 74.3%, Julio Lugo 74.1% and Khalil Greene 74.1%.
Friday, January 16, 2009 |
XM/Sirius Cancels Charley Steiner's "Baseball Beat"
They've been steadily killing off various baseball-related programming; I guess it was difficult for them to pay for all that and MLB licensing. The BTF thread suggests that XM may go bankrupt sooner rather than later because of "difficult-to-refinance, debt maturities this year". On the other hand, the company has been taking defensive measures to keep itself alive, authorizing a reverse stock split and the sale of additional (dilutive) shares.
Laguna Niguel's Save Sirius has more on this.
Update: Charley Steiner's farewell post on his blog.
Labels: radio
Meta: For The Record
- Politics are right out. Jon's Rule 5 is in force from here on out. My political rants will appear on Facebook only. They will not be missed, I'm sure.
- I am never going to Wrigley again, or if I do, I won't announce it beforehand. See this, this, this, this, this, (not this), this, this, this, and this.
- I am accepting no text link advertising. I write this blog for the same reason that Mt. St. Helens vents steam and ash occasionally: because I must.
Labels: meta
Darren Oliver Takes $3.655M/1-Year Deal
Labels: angels, hot stove, transactions
Bartolo Colon Signs With Chisox
Labels: ex-angels, hot stove, transactions, white sox
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Honors Tony Reagins
On a related note, Jon Weisman points out that John Klima has a new blog, Seeds On The Dugout Floor, and an upcoming book, Willie's Boys: The 1948 Birmingham Black Barons, the Last Negro League World Series and the Discovery of Willie Mays. I'll be looking forward to it.
Update: In another related note, Tony Reagins will headline a benefit luncheon for the Boys' and Girls' Club of the Coachella Valley as part of Angels Day. Mike Scioscia will also speak at the event.
Labels: angels, awards, blogs, history
Russell Martin Changes Agents, Seeks Long-Term Deal
Russell Martin, who rebuffed the Dodgers' overtures about a long-term contract last winter, said Thursday he would like to explore such a deal this winter.The word is, "break"."I'm always interested in a long-term deal," Martin said. "Who wouldn't be?"
On the day the Dodgers formally released Andruw Jones, owners Frank and Jamie McCourt invited Martin to a private lunch here. Martin, an All-Star in each of the last two years, then joined the McCourts on a media tour of the Dodgers' new spring home.
Martin said the lunch was informal, and his contract status did not come up. He officially filed for salary arbitration Thursday -- as did Jonathan Broxton, Andre Ethier and Jason Repko -- and General Manager Ned Colletti said the Dodgers are "concentrating on a one-year [contract] at the moment."
But Martin, who has changed agents this winter, said he hoped to discuss a long-term extension as well.
"I just want to get treated fairly," he said. "I'm not trying to steal the bank."
Thursday, January 15, 2009 |
Four Dodgers, Five Angels File For Arbitration
Jonathan Broxton, Andre Ethier, Russell Martin and Jason Repko of the Dodgers filed, as did Maicer Izturis, Mike Napoli, Darren Oliver, Robb Quinlan and Ervin Santana of the Angels.
Labels: angels, dodgers, hot stove, transactions
Remember, Don't Shoot Firearms Directly Overhead: Andruw Jones Released
Jones isn't interested in a minor league deal. Ho ho.
Update: The deferral of his contract will keep the Dodgers paying him $3.7M per year through 2014.
Reaction at SOSG, Dodger Thoughts, BTF, MSTI, and True Blue LA.
Labels: dodgers, good riddance, hot stove, transactions
Pickoff Moves
Padres Sign David Eckstein
The Padres have signed David Eckstein to a one-year deal, dollars unknown. That likely scotches the purported deal the Pads were going to make with Omar Vizquel.Rangers Ink One-Year Deal With Brandon McCarthy
... who missed four months of 2008. For $650,000, it's a decent deal, but the injury risk is pretty big.No More Coin Flips For Baseball's Postseason
Instead, the whole shebang will be determined by head-to-head records -- but what if those are tied, too?Also, the owners ratified a rule that legalizes what Bud Selig did in Game 5 of last year's World Series: postseason games will be declared suspended no matter how many innings have been played. This won't apply to the All-Star game.
Labels: ex-angels, hot stove, padres, rangers, rules, transactions
Report: Padres To Sign Omar Vizquel This Week
Angels Buy Out Figgins' Final Arbitration Year For $5.775M
Labels: angels, hot stove, transactions
Wednesday, January 14, 2009 |
Dodgers Sign Guillermo Mota, 1 Year/$2.35M
Labels: dodgers, hot stove, transactions
Mrs. Jose Lima's Job Is Still Vacant: Dodgers Looking At Kris Benson
Clifton said he expects five to 10 teams to be represented at the workout, including the Dodgers.His crazy wife can't be far behind, so for giggles, I collect some oldies-but-goodies from his days with east coast teams:The 34-year-old Benson is dead set on being a starter, Clifton said.
Benson missed the entire 2007 recovering from rotator cuff surgery. He didn't pitch in the majors in 2008, but compiled a 1-6 record and 5.78 earned-run average in the Philadelphia Phillies' farm system. The Phillies released him on Aug. 31.
Video, Please
An Offer That Won't Be Acted On
Well, She's Half Right
And You Thought Derek Lowe Zipper Jokes Were Funny
Labels: dodgers, hot stove, rumors
Mark Prior Signs Minor League Deal With Padres... Again
A San Diego native, we signed Mark last year to a Major League contract after the Cubs declined to tender him a contract. After progressing well early in the spring, Mark had a setback that required another surgery and cost him the rest of the season. Mark has now lost the entirety of the last two seasons to injury, but when he pitches he can be dominant. In his first four seasons in Chicago (2002-2005) Mark used he power fastball/curveball combo to pitch 613 innings with a 3.24 ERA. Mark has been working out all winter here in Petco, and we're encouraged by his progress. If we can get him back and healthy for us in 2009 we believe he could make a significant difference.More on this at Gaslamp Ball.
Also, catcher Chris Burke got a minor league deal and will compete for the starting second base job; he will get $650,000 if he makes it to the major league roster.
Labels: haha, hot stove, padres, transactions
Why Lowe Left The Dodgers
Torre and his coaching staff wanted Lowe back but that sentiment wasn't shared by owners Frank and Jamie McCourt, with whom the pitcher had personality conflicts. Lowe's relationship with a Fox Sports West anchor who covered the team -- which resulted in the dissolution of their respective marriages -- did not help in the eyes of ownership.However Lowe's personal life broke out — and I confess to getting some transient chuckles from it — I absolutely do not understand this from the perspective of the Dodgers. Maybe Lowe is being pissy, but if Frank-N-Jamie don't get along with their pitching staff, maybe a less hands-on approach would help.Lowe was bothered by his view that the club favored Penny over him. He was particularly upset when he had to pitch on three days' rest in a day game in Anaheim on May 18 because Penny said he couldn't take his turn in the rotation. Lowe gave up seven runs in five innings.
Update: A counterargument from CanuckDodger in today's DT thread:
Look at the players DePo brought in: (1) J.D. Drew (famously disliked by a lot of teammates, and Tony LaRussa, as a "soft," selfish player); (2) Derek Lowe (played a key role in Boston winning a World Series for the first time since forever yet the revered Theo Epstein made no effort to re-sign him because he was a drunk malcontent much of his time in Boston); (3) Brad Penny (another guy with a me-first attitude whom we didn't learn till he was gone would just blow off pitcher meetings); and (4) Milton Bradley (do I even have to go into it?). Every one of those guys is/was a talented baseball player who did some great things in a Dodger uniform. But McCourt not getting along with that crowd doesn't reflect badly on McCourt at all. He's in a lot of company.
Labels: dodgers
Anaheim Throws In The Towel, "Los Angeles" Stays
Labels: angels
This Date In History: The California Supreme Court Clears The Way For The Dodgers' Move To LA
The Supreme Court reversed a Superior Court ruling that said the contract between the city and the Dodgers was invalid. Phill Silver, an attorney for one of the taxpayers whose lawsuits were the reason for the Superior Court decision, planned to seek a hearing before the U.S. Supreme Court.Other than a few paragraphs dealing with Silver, there was little indication how controversial the deal was. City Council members who had been against the stadium deal had no part in the first-day story. The Times' Blake had another story on Jan. 15 that included a no comment from John Holland, a strong opponent of the stadium deal and this from Karl Rundberg, who initially favored the stadium plan and then turned against it: "Is it settled? Frankly, I haven't changed my mind."
And I found no reactions from anyone who had lived in the Chavez Ravine area.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009 |
OT: Superman Fetish Art
You've been a naughty Superman!
Labels: offtopic
Former Dodger Coach Preston Gomez Passes
Condolences to his family and survivors.And finally, on a very sad note, we just got word that former Dodger coach Preston Gomez passed away today. As some of you might recall, he was hit by a car during Spring Training last year and it seems he never really recovered. I know that he was close with a number of people in the organization and our hearts go out to his family and friends. Here's what his former manager, Tommy Lasorda had to say:
"The man spent his entire life in baseball. He came from Cuba and got the opportunity to work for the Dodgers. Al Campanais gave him an opporunity to be in professional bsaeball. He managed at least three major league teams and was a credit to the game. We are very sorry to see him pass away. He wore the Dodger uniform with pride and dignity. He has helped a lot of people in our game and he will be missed."
Labels: dodgers, obituaries
Derek Lowe Signs With Atlanta, $60M/4 Years
Labels: braves, ex-dodgers, hot stove, transactions
What Were The Mets Thinking?
Bzzt, thank you for playing
Labels: blecch, mets, stupid ideas
Monday, January 12, 2009 |
Rickey Henderson, Jim Rice Both Cooperstown-Bound
Several years ago, Bill James ranked Rice as the 27th best left fielder in history -- two spots behind Roy White -- and called him "probably the most overrated player of the last thirty years.'' Rice never won a Gold Glove, stole 58 bases (in 92 attempts) in his career, and ranks sixth on the all-time grounded-into-double-plays list. His home-road splits also provide fodder for his critics: Rice posted a career .920 on-base slugging percentage at Fenway Park, and a much more pedestrian .789 on the road. While his peak was impressive, he fell of a cliff statistically at age 34 and was out of the game by 36. Some baseball observers believe that former Boston outfielder Dwight Evans has a stronger Hall of Fame case than Rice does. Evans topped out with 10.4 percent of the vote and dropped off the ballot after three years.Those dreadful road splits (.320/.374/.546 at home, .277/.330/.459 on the road) affected every part of his offense, too. Jay Jaffe's Sports Illustrated article today outlines exactly why Rice is such a tepid candidate: his JAWS score is less than half of Henderson's, and a little more than half of Tim Raines.
Another sad note in this year's balloting was Bert Blyleven's failure to advance his vote totals, receiving 62.7% of the vote, increasing only a fraction of a percentage point from last year's 61.9%. Astonishingly, Henderson only received 94.8% of the votes; what were those other 5.2% thinking?
Update: Henderson's imaginary plaque.
Update 2: Without providing evidence, I have a feeling that the Rev is right: the current wave of Bostonalia drove the Rice bid.
Labels: awards, ex-angels, ex-dodgers, hall of fame
Sunday, January 11, 2009 |
Elvis Has Entered The Infield, And Michael Young Wants A Trade
Labels: awards, rangers, rumors
Pickoff Moves
Dodgers Near A Guillermo Mota Reunion
Heart? Soul? Wingman? Whatever, the Dodgers are in talks to bring back former eighth-inning reliever Guillermo Mota.A Three Days Of Cryin' Comment About The Register's Jeff Miller
Just so:No amount of side-stepping, inapt analogies, or hogwash ”anonymous” quotes will return whatever credibility Miller may have enjoyed previously.You wonder whether that Miller's piece on Francisco Rodriguez's departure, which accused Angels fans of overt racism, was just written to make sure people were reading. (I guess I failed the test...)
MSTI Puts Words In Ned's Mouth — And They're Delicious!
Ned's letter to Scott Boras shows just why MSTI, at its peak, transcends this mortal plane. Sample:But Scott, I'm not writing to talk about the crimes you've committed against humanity. As you may or may not have noticed: the economy's in the dumper. People who are losing their homes have no patience for a petulant child's whining about millions of dollars he clearly doesn't even need. On top of that, your usual "ooooh! there's a mystery team!" crowing just doesn't play here. Twenty-five or so of the MLB teams can't even pretend to afford Manny. Of the ones that can, I'd say it's pretty safe that Boston's not interested, even the Yankees seem to have reached the end of their checkbook (not to mention they have far too many old "outfielders" as it is), the Angels are stocked in the outfield and have publicly declared Manny will never play for them, the Mets don't seem to be in play, and what, are you really going to send Manny to Washington just because Jim Bowden lusts after outfielders?
"But, the Giants!" you begin to say, before I cut you off. Come on. Stop with that. Just because Jon Heyman's either on your payroll or completely deluded doesn't make it true. (Seriously, what is with that guy? I can't even count the amount of sportswriters who are refuting his claims, yet he continues to crow about how he's "confirmed" the discussions. I can't wait for his new book, No Really: I've Confirmed WMD in Iraq!) The Giants are at their payroll limits, already have too many old and busted outfielders, and you'd think they've had their fill of controversal old left fielders, no? What does that leave? That's right. It leaves us.
Dodgers Thought About Voiding Andruw Jones' Contract
The Dodgers apparently thought about trying to void Andruw Jones' contract on the basis of standard language in the Basic Agreement (PDF, section 3(a) in particular):According to the sources, the Dodgers suggested to the commissioner's office and the players' union that they explored their contractual right to terminate the deal of any player who "shall at any time fail, refuse or neglect . . . to keep himself in first-class physical condition or to obey the club's training rules."What's the point of having those words in there if the owners don't have the courage to get them enforced in a case where it's obviously applicable? Seriously, what's the worst that happens? If they lose, they're at the status quo ante, and if they win, they get an important precedent. Why not go for it?Such action would immediately have been contested by the players' union. The sources said they could not recall any instance of an arbitrator ruling that a player had to forfeit any part of a guaranteed contract under such circumstances.
Labels: angels, dodgers, hot stove, newspapers, rumors, transactions
Saturday, January 10, 2009 |
Red Sox Sign Takashi Saito
Labels: ex-dodgers, hot stove, red sox, transactions
Friday, January 09, 2009 |
Dodgers Sign Shawn Estes
Labels: dodgers, hot stove, transactions
Tech: Will Carroll, Brought To You By Those Scummy Open-Source Guys
I don't believe in open source or the wisdom of crowds. The only peer reviews I need are the ones I get from editors and fact checkers.Netcraft shows BPro running "Apache/2.2.3 (Unix) mod_ssl/2.2.3 OpenSSL/0.9.7a PHP/5.2.1". Thankfully, Will doesn't do their webmastering.
Labels: tech
Thursday, January 08, 2009 |
Press-Telegram Sports Columnist Steve Dilbeck Canned
Literally the only general-interest sports columnists left in the group are the two guys in Long Beach, Doug Krikorian and Bob Keisser. Neither has gotten much use outside of the Press-Telegram, of late.Look, guys, the AP can't keep giving stories away indefinitely to Yahoo (maybe they can, but given the crummy environment for online ads that's doubtful); news won't vanish, either. It's the Wall Street Journal model or bust, I think.Either that usage pattern changes … or someone is promoted to columnist from the handful of remaining staffers … or LANG newspapers go without a columnist.
Like, what? This at the very time when seemingly intelligent people are saying that what newspapers still have that no one else does … is local analysis, commentary, color and opinion. And if you don’t have that … what are you left with? Preps? Wire copy?
Labels: newspapers
Followup: MLB Network On Time Warner Cable
Labels: tv
OT: Hope Everyone's Okay
Update: Apparently now downgraded to a 4.5.
Labels: offtopic
Rob Neyer On The Suddenly Mortal Angels
Yes, today the Angels are the favorites in the American League West, and they'll probably be the favorites on Opening Day. But this is the same team -- less two months of Mark Teixeira -- that finished 2008 with the run differential of an 88-win team. You want to argue that they can't be beat?The thinness on the farm is decidedly disturbing. Nick Adenhart is anything but a polished, major-league-ready pitcher, and the jury is still out on Kendry Morales and Brandon Wood; like most Angels hitting prospects, walks are as foreign to them as Timbuktu, though Wood showed some improvement in his game late. Hopefully some of the Angels' farm issues can be rectified with the first- and sandwich-round picks the Angels will get this year.
Catch, Already: Angels Win Interview With Eddie Bane
Q: (Angelswin) - The Arkansas Travelers should have a nice roster this season to follow up a Championship season in '08. Looks like their catcher will be Hank Conger as all the reports on Hank's shoulder are good. He recently let me know that he's feeling fine and the extended catching he did in the Dominican instructional league went well. Will the Angels be cautious with him behind the plate like they were in '08 in Arkansas or will they let him catch the majority of the games there?I sense a certain impatience over his injury history.A: (Eddie Bane) - We want Hank to catch all the time. That is up to Hank and he knows how I feel about it. Get out there and catch. Everyone has talked with Hank from Mike and Tony, through the major league coaches and every minor league coach in the organization. That is because he is one of the most talented players in the game. He has one of those swings. Beautiful swing and the lefthanded swing is breathtaking. (Sorry, sounds like I am talking about a lady, OK back to baseball). I got some heat from Bill Shaikin and the people at Baseball America for saying I would take Hank Conger over any catcher in the minor leagues. They thought I was kidding. I was not! Hank would be in the 2009 draft if he were coming out this year. Can you imagine the numbers he would have put up last year at USC. This young man drove in 88 runs in about 80 games last season between the Cal League and 2A and was coming off an injury. When healthy and catching, Conger is on a very fast track to a team that is contending for the World Series every year. Important prospect and an important year.
Dodgers Invite 15 Players To Spring Training
Labels: dodgers, transactions
Register Tim Salmon Interview
"Oh yeah, sure," Salmon said. "I still have the dream, about once a month, about putting the uniform back on.He'll be with the team as a guest instructor during spring training, but he wants to stay home and raise his kids with his wife; who could blame him? He might become a full-time instructor for the Angels at some point in the future, he said."Then I stop and think, how am I going to do this? Injuries were the big part of why I stopped."
Tom Meagher On The New McMansion
The Dodgers simply must fund a top-caliber team. McCourt is trading the franchise's capital for gains in the balance sheet (in essence, gains for his personal supply of capital); the burden is on him to return what has been taken from the fans by emptying those coffers.I'm not saying that at this point that hasn't been done, but all along, I was in the position that if the Dodgers traded for Manny (and especially Casey Blake) that they then had to re-sign those players, or deal adequately with the holes their free agency departures would create. Whether the Dodgers' situation precludes them from re-upping Manny or not, we know that Frank is certainly paying himself well.
David Pinto reminds us this is the value of the offer to Manny, roughly; the deal was worth $45M.
Labels: dodgers, front office, hot stove, mccourts
What Does "Lose Out" Mean When The Subject Is Trevor Hoffman?
Update: Via Jon, the deal is for one year and $6M with up to $1.5M in incentives, a sizable pay cut from the $7.5M guaranteed he got on the last year of his deal with the Padres.
Labels: brewers, dodgers, hot stove, transactions
Wednesday, January 07, 2009 |
Angels Sign Anthony Ortega To Split Contract
Angels pitcher Anthony Ortega today signed a "split contract" -- one salary if you play in the major leagues, another if you play in the minor leagues.How does that translate into dollars? If Ortega plays in Anaheim this year, he'll make $400,000 --minimum wage in the majors. If he plays in the minors, he'll make $32,000. That's a typical contract for a prospect that has yet to play in the majors.
Labels: angels, transactions
Fields, Manny — Or A New Malibu Mansion? McCourts Clank Again
So now we know where Manny’s money went. To a new beachfront home in Malibu for Jamie McCourt. Wait, not one home.Of course, that was my initial reaction, too. It's all about cash flow; in this era where jumbo mortgages are hard to come by, I wonder where they came up with the financing for that. It also bears repeating that the Dodgers != the McCourts.Two of them, side by side.
For $46 million dollars.
...
$46 mil isn’t just garish, it’s WAY over the top, especially when Mrs. McCourt was recently quoted saying how tough times are, how the economy calls for more prudent decision-making, and that’s why the Dodgers ought to reconsider big-money investments in top-end free agents.
What hysterical hypocrisy!
Maybe I’m a home buy or two behind, but don’t the McCourts already own some giant mansion in Holmby Hills? Like some $20 million dollar palace?
Tardy: The Real Driver On Teixera's Bus
"The whole process was confusing. Sometimes I'd tell Scott to stop calling me, then I'd call him five times a day saying, 'Tell me what you know!' Two weeks before Christmas, I talked to [my wife] Leigh about it again, and we kind of decided that, hey, the Yankees are where we want to be. Cash [Brian Cashman] might want to give Leigh a hug, because when I asked her during the process, 'Where should I go, where should I go?,' she'd always say, 'I just want you to be happy.' Finally she said, 'I want you to be a Yankee,' and it was a done deal. Once we got the contract figured out, it was a no-brainer for me."
Tuesday, January 06, 2009 |
Jason Giambi Will Return To Oakland
Labels: athletics, hot stove, transactions
Yankees Sign Angel Berroa To Minor League Deal
Labels: ex-dodgers, hot stove, transactions, yankees
Robothal: Brewers In Serious Talks With Trevor Hoffman
Update: The Dodgers supposedly have a legitimate offer on the table, per the Times.
Labels: brewers, dodgers, hot stove, rumors
Mike Scioscia = Bobby Cox? New Angels Deal May Be Through 2018
Labels: angels, front office, managers, transactions
Two Ex-Dodger Signings
- Scott Proctor signed with the Marlins for 1 year/$750k. I wanted to say something about Joe Sheehan's review of this transaction yesterday, but for now this will do:
One other thing...the Associated Press story on the signing included this gem:
The "Marlins have become an embarrassment to MLB", Sheehan griped, grudgingly admitting they had a pair of World Series victories since inception. That's two more than the Cubs, or the Giants, or the Mariners, to name just three. Not that that means that much; barring information on the guys they let go that makes for some more compelling evidence (i.e. their medical condition), it looks, superficially, like the Fish are screwing things up.The Marlins needed bullpen help after the departures this offseason of right-handers Kevin Gregg to the Chicago Cubs, Doug Waechter to Kansas City, and Joe Nelson to Tampa Bay.
There's absolutely no context presented for that paragraph, so let me fill it in. Those pitchers are gone, but they're gone because the Marlins dumped them. Gregg was traded (in a great deal), Waechter was outrighted to the minors, and Nelson was non-tendered. The above implies that the Marlins have been decimated by the loss of their best relievers to free agency, when in fact it was the Marlins who cut ties with each and every one of them. The noun isn't "departures," it's "dumping." Read the sentence with that one word change and decide for yourself which is factual. - Jason Johnson will join the Yankees on a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training.
Labels: analysis, ex-dodgers, marlins, transactions, yankees
Josh Kalk On The Angels' Fuentes Deal
This signing looks like a steal to me. While Fuentes will probably not benefit as much as other pitchers would from moving from Coors to Angels Stadium because of his sinker and his large strikeout rates, Fuentes looks like a good bet to be one of the top relievers again. Keep an eye on how many sliders he throws to right-handed batters; if he continues to throw that pitch, he should continue to be solid against righties.
Monday, January 05, 2009 |
Angels Extend Mike Scioscia Through 2014
Scioscia's current deal, which is believed to pay him about $1.75 million annually, ran through 2009 and included a club option for 2010. The 50-year-old former Dodgers catcher signed that contract more than a year before his previous deal expired."The job he's done in nine years here has been tremendous, not only at the major-league level but in his minor-league development philosophy," said Reagins, who began negotiations with Scioscia on the new deal last September.
"This is an acknowledgment of the work he's put forth. You look around the game, and there are not many ahead of him. We like stability, knowing that Mike is going to be here for a long time."
Labels: angels, front office, managers, transactions
Report: Andruw Jones Quits Winter Ball
Hi rob, happy new year, just a few lines to let you know that andruw jones left his team for good, and is not coming back, the reason is that his wife is sick, but the real reason for me is that the team asked him to leave.Update: Thanks for the link from Sabernomics. (By the way, guys, the answer is "no".)He was struggling here, only a .148 ave, slow in defense, the team was desperate and they did not release him just because furcal recomended him and did not want to upset rafael, jones replacement hit a 3 run hr and aguilas won just the second game of the semi finals.
Update 2: Confirmation from the Times, at least, that Jones has left his DWL team, the Aquilas Cibaenas because of his wife's illness.
"Both parties made a decision that it was best for Andruw to get a fresh start somewhere else," Boras said. "We amicably worked out a deal to get this done."Boras also said he wanted to show the Dodgers his willingness to resolve problems involving his clients.
"They took a big pill here," Boras said of the Dodgers. "It was a positive for both sides, really. ...Andruw felt it was best for him."
Sunday, January 04, 2009 |
Congratulations To Tom Tango, I Think
Olney On The Obvious: Andruw Jones' Career Might Be Over
It is strange, but true, that Andruw Jones' career is in jeopardy, even before he turns 32 years old. Even with the Dodgers restructuring his contract so that he is owed about $5 million for 2009, there does not seem to be any line of teams forming to make a deal for him. The Mets apparently are not interested, and John Fay doesn't think the Reds will be, either, even at a minimum salary.Via BTF.Jones looked awful last season, generating the kind of numbers that would earn most player an immediate ticket out of baseball -- he struck out 76 times in 209 at-bats, with a .158 batting average. He had many more strikeouts, in fact, than he had hits and walks combined (60). Scouts believe his defense is in serious regression, largely because … well, he's gotten large. "He's just too heavy to play at the level he used to play at in the outfield," one scout said on Saturday.
"He's fat," said another.
Earlier:
MLB Approves Jones' Contract Modification, But He Still Can't Hit
Dodgers Working On Moving Andruw Jones; Better Get A Forklift, Ned
Stark: Dodgers, Mets In Trade Talks Over Andruw Jones (UPDATE: Or Not)
Andruw Jones In Winter Ball
Even In Winter Ball, Andruw Jones Still Sucks
Update: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that, according to Scott Boras, the Dodgers will release Jones on January 15. Via Jon.
Labels: dodgers
Saturday, January 03, 2009 |
MLB Approves Jones' Contract Modification, But He Still Can't Hit
Labels: dodgers, transactions
Ex-Angel Paul Byrd Considers Retirement
An email checking in with Paul Byrd on Friday brought the following response – “Still thinking possible retirement or maybe a mid-season joining of a team with a need” – and maybe he was joking, or experiencing the trepidation that comes with a silent telephone, or is simply done, at 38 and potentially fighting health issues. My measured response – “Huh? Seriously? Retire? I’m surprised.” – brought no answer. About three weeks ago Byrd declined an arbitration offer from the Red Sox, so maybe he is serious.
Labels: ex-angels, retirements
Friday, January 02, 2009 |
ESPN: Jeff Moorad Reaches Agreement In Principle For Padres Sale
San Diego owner John Moores confirmed in an e-mail to The Associated Press that Moorad had exclusive negotiating rights to buy the team. Jesse Jacobs from Goldman Sachs didn't immediately return a call or e-mail seeking comment.Reaction at Gaslamp Ball (not much, so far).
Update: More coverage at the San Diego Union-Tribune:
Arizona Diamondbacks general partner Jeff Moorad said Friday he has "an agreement in principle" to buy the Padres from John Moores and expects the deal to become official within a few months.The San Diego Padres later confirmed that they have entered into exclusive negotiations to sell the team to a group led by Moorad. Any transaction that might result from such negotiations would likely be completed in the first quarter of 2009.
Moorad announced his resignation from the Diamondbacks on Friday afternoon, paving the way for him to finish off negotiations with the Padres. He said only "finer points" remain to be hashed out.
"Interest in the club was high and heavy," Moorad said. "I am pleased to get to this point and get to a point of exclusivity which gives me and my group a chance to put something together.
"I am certain that I will be able to help craft a plan, assuming our deal is finalized, that ensures a competitive team year in and year out and ultimately produces a World Series championship that the Padres organization and its fans so richly deserve."
Labels: front office, padres
Dodgers Working On Moving Andruw Jones; Better Get A Forklift, Ned
Update: dodgers.com says the deal will allow Jones to be traded or DFA'd:
Andruw Jones and the Dodgers have reached an agreement to defer much of his remaining salary while virtually assuring he will not be with the club in 2009.Jones will either be traded or released before the start of Spring Training and perhaps sometime this month, according to an industry source.
The agreement will allow Jones a fresh start elsewhere after a nightmare of a first season and provide the Dodgers with additional payroll flexibility that could be used to re-sign free-agent outfielder Manny Ramirez.
The Major League Baseball Players Association approved the unusual agreement because Jones will receive his entire salary, as well as the possible benefit of free agency should he be released.
Labels: dodgers, front office, rumors
Jeff Moorad Resigns As Snakes' CEO, Hopes To Purchase Padres
Labels: diamondbacks, front office, padres
Pickoff Moves
Rumor: Giants Offer Manny 4-Year Deal
San Francisco's CBS affiliate reports the Giants have made Manny Ramirez a 4-year offer. Yet, in that same story:The chances of the Giants signing Ramirez, a 36-year-old left fielder, were unclear. A team spokesperson told CBS 5, "it's not happening."So can we then surmise the crumb trail leads back to Scott Boras?
Via BTF.
Day One Of MLB Network, And I Still Don't Have It
Despite some reports that MLB Network is live, I still don't see it. A call to Time Warner got me in touch with a customer service rep who hadn't even heard of it, and in fact the network wasn't on any of his internal information despite appearing on my channel lineup. The channel (276) came up all right, but it told me to call customer service ... still waiting on that one.Update: Bob Timmermann has more on this, reminding us that this is a network that Time Warner has an interest in; the post also includes a link to a Maury Brown post about this. "90%" of Southern California TW customers are supposed to have access, but ... well ... next week, maybe?
Lowe To Keep Looking Despite Mets' Bid
Despite a 3-year/$36M deal on the table, Derek Lowe will keep looking for a better offer. With the A-list free agents signed (and whether Manny qualifies is an open question, and no, I don't mean by Elias standards), it'll be interesting to see what happens with Lowe and his second-tier brethren.Labels: dodgers, giants, hot stove, mets, rumors, tv
Thursday, January 01, 2009 |
New-ish Angels Blog: Three Days Of Cryin'
Administrivia: Archives By Label*Year
Update: Still having a little bit of trouble with this feature, so for now I'm taking it down.
Update 2: Fixed.
Labels: administrivia
Dodgers Sign Two Pitchers To Minor League Deals
Those with long memories may recall that Alvarez was protected on the 40-man roster over Wesley Wright; Wright was later taken in the Rule 5 draft. Wright posted a 5.01 ERA with the Astros, good for an 85 ERA+. At 23, he's got a reasonable chance of becoming something, still, and represents, at least, a significant puzzle for those trying to decode what Logan White could possibly be thinking.
Labels: dodgers, hot stove, transactions
John Sickels Rates The Angels Farm
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