Daily Archives: October 28, 2007
So far this off-season, there has been a lot of rumors and reports regarding the Twins and LHP Johan Santana, who can be a free agent after next season.
However, the Indians are in a similar situation with LHP C.C. Sabathia, who can also be a free agent after next season.
According to Patrick McManamon in the Beacon Journal, Indians GM Mark Shapiro said last week that he intends to address Sabathia’s contract during this offseason, “with the goal of having things finished before spring training.”
In the report, McManamon writes, “If (Sabathia) chooses not to re-sign, the Indians owe it to themselves and their fans to listen to trade offers.”
The 28–year-old Santana is 94–33 with a 3.22 ERA during his career, while Sabathia, 27, is 100–63 with a 3.83 ERA.
According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the Nationals, White Sox, Braves, Yankees and Dodgers are ‘expected to bid big’ on free-agent OF Torii Hunter.
Multiple reports in the last few months have noted how Hunter rejected a four-year, $56 million offer from the Twins, which Hunter has denied.
…either way, the buzz in baseball has long been that he will seek a deal similar to what was given to Vernon Wells or Ichiro Suzuki, and rightfully so, paying him roughly $100 million over six years…the thing is, if the Braves are unwilling to give that type of money to free-agent OF Andruw Jones, who will seek the same contract, why would they give to hunter, as the minnesota newspaper suggests…
…personally, i think the Braves are far more likely to trade for andruw’s replacement, such as Red Sox OF Coco Crisp…
Tagged Torii Hunter |In Newsday, Ken Davidoff explains why free-agent Tom Glavine is most likely to either sign with the Braves or Nationals, or just retire.
Davidoff also tackles the team’s potential options at second base, such as 
free-agent David Eckstein and Geoff Blum, while writing of free-agent Luis Castillo: “They want him back, and he seemed happy during his brief stay.”
Earlier this week in the Daily News, Adam Rubin reported that Castillo underwent knee surgery and will be 100 percent by spring training.
Rubin added: “The Mets are expected to make a strong push to re-sign him.”
…as i said earlier in the week, lord knows he needed to have his knee cleaned out…his ability to run hard, slide, get up, look to be in total, unbearable pain, then seconds later sprint to third as though nothing was wrong, which was followed by more wincing and hobbling around, only to dash home without missing a beat was amazing to me…he’s a perfect solution for second base, in that he plays great defense, he works well with Jose Reyes and can bat second…i just worry about those knees…
Tagged Tom Glavine |In a report for the Daily News, citing ‘industry sources,’ Mark Feinsand and 
Bill Madden write that the Yankees intend to offer Alex Rodriguez a five-year contract extension worth roughly $140 million.
Buster Olney reported a similar contract offer from the Yankees to Rodriguez yesterday at ESPN.com.
According to multiple reports, Rodriguez, 32, can opt out of his current contract and become a free agent. He has three years and a potential $91 million left on his current deal, of which $21 million will be paid by his former team, the Texas Rangers.
…the early buzz from baseball, which had been bubbling for months, suggested that, if a-rod hits the open market, boras will seek 10–year, $300 million for his client…so, considering his current contract, plus the extension offer, he’d go in to next season with the Yankees playing with a eight-year, $236 million deal…the question will be: does a-rod want to break Barry Bond’s record under the spotlight and pressure of new york, with all the good and bad that it offers, or does he want to do it some place else, where it may be easier…
However, Yankees GM Brian Cashman has repeatedly told reporters that, if Rodriguez becomes a free agent, he will pass on trying to re-sign him.
Meanwhile, also in the Daily News, Bill Price, using tired rhetoric, overt assumption and lots of sarcasm, explains why the Mets ‘need’ to sign Rodriguez, writing…
“They need a jolt (one bigger than hitting guru Rudy Jaramillo can provide). Their fans need a morale boost. Their roster needs a bona-fide, everyday superstar…Even at a mere $35 million a year for 10 years, it makes perfect sense, both from a business and baseball standpoint.”
…fine, but, while i am not totally against the Mets signing rodriguez for the sake of signing rodriguez, i just don’t see how it solves their biggest problem, which is pitching…in a perfect world, they sign rodriguez and also solve their pitching issues, but i am not exactly sure how that happens yet…
…also, yes, rodriguez is a great player, but he’s one player…and we’ve been over this before, with him in fact…a team doesn’t need an a-rod to win a world series…it helps, and it certainly doesn’t hurt, but he has never been the missing link, just ask the Rangers, Mariners and Yankees (who couldn’t get to a world series with him), and ask the D’Backs, Rockies and Indians, who got further in the playoffs than the Yankees, who had a-rod and a $150 million payroll to go with him…
…if the Mets are going to get bogged down in lengthy negotiations this winter, and spend a big chunk of change, i hope it’s for a young, top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, not a bat, unless that’s their only option, in which case i’d welcome a-rod in a second…
