Category: MLB (Page 143 of 448)

      Report: Cardinals offer Holliday $100 million

      December 30, 2009 /

      According to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney, the Cardinals offered free agent outfielder Matt Holliday over $100 million.

      Scott Boras, the agent who represents Holliday, has been doubling back to teams that had previously touched base on the outfielder, citing a possible salary figure of $18 million. Boras is believed to have an offer in excess of $100 million from the Cardinals, and club officials with other teams sense he is shopping that offer.

      Outfielder Jason Bay reached agreement on a four-year, guaranteed $66 million contract with the New York Mets, pending a physical. If Holliday were to finalize a six-year or seven-year offer for about $17 million a year with the Cardinals, he would sign for a package in the range of $102 million to $119 million, the largest contract of this offseason.

      Earlier this offseason, the Red Sox offered Holliday a five-year, $82.5 million contract, but sources say Boston’s offer was rejected. The Red Sox then used that money to sign veteran right-handed starter John Lackey.

      Unless the Yankees want to open up their wallets again, I doubt that Boras and Holliday will see an offer higher than the one the Cardinals offered (that is, if Olney’s report is accurate and St. Louis did offer that amount).

      I wonder what Plan B is for the Cardinals if they can’t re-sign Holliday, because no matter what, they need a decent bat to protect Albert Pujols in their lineup. One would think that Holliday will sign with someone soon now that Jason Bay is off the market.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      MLB

      Derek Jeter Exclusive G2 commercial & behind the scenes video

      December 29, 2009 /

      Gatorade is in the process of launching new ads and products for 2010 and was gracious enough to share exclusive behind the scenes video footage of Derek Jeter’s recent commercial shoot for Gatorade’s low-calorie sports drink “G2.”

      Check it out:


      As the story goes, Jeter was only required to do five of his popular jump throws and three slides for the commercial, but he told director Adam Berg that if he swallowed one spoonful of cinnamon that he’d do 10 jumps and six slides. Obviously Berg couldn’t muster the strength to get the full spoonful down!

      Gatorade also gave us a sneak peak of the final G2 TV ad that will be airing soon:


      That’s a great commercial – I love how the beat times up with what the athletes are doing.

      MLB, Television, Video

      Pending a physical, Mets to sign Jason Bay

      December 29, 2009 /

      According to WFAN’s Mike Francesca, the Mets have signed free agent outfielder Jason Bay. Pending on a physical, the former Pirate and Red Sox will be heading back to the NL.

      From the New York Daily News:

      WFAN’s Mike Francesca just reported that the Mets will have an announcement early next week that they’ve agreed to a contract with Bay, one of the top free agent hitters on the market. The deal will become official if Bay passes the physical, Francesa said.

      The Mets have a four-year offer out to Bay worth about $65 million.

      Francesa also reported that the Mets and free agent catcher Bengie Molina remain apart on a potential contract. The Mets have offered one year plus a vesting option, but Molina is holding with a demand for a three-year deal.

      This isn’t a bad deal for the Mets financially. Bay hit .267 with 36 home runs, 119 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 531 at-bats last season and isn’t bad defensively. He’ll give the Mets’ lineup durability and some much-needed pop.

      That said, this is the Mets that we’re talking about here. Some how, some way, they always manage to add talent and miss the playoffs. This was a solid signing, but they need to get Jose Reyes and a slew of other players healthy so they don’t collapse again next season.

      On a semi-related note, Bengie Molina needs a reality check. The only reason he was a cleanup hitter last year is because the Giants were so devoid of offensive talent outside of Pablo Sandoval. Molina is a fine player and a good clubhouse guy, but at his age he’s not going to find a club willing to give him a three-year deal.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      MLB

      Report: Yankees out of Holliday and Bay sweepstakes

      December 29, 2009 /

      According to a report by the New York Daily News, there is “zero” chance that the Yankees sign free agents Matt Holliday or Jason Bay.

      But missing out on DeRosa does not mean the Yankees will seek an expensive option such as Matt Holliday or Jason Bay for their left-field opening, one Yankee official said before the deal was made. “No chance on Matt Holliday, no chance on Jason Bay,” the official said. “Zero. None. Underline it.”

      The Yankees are thinking of much cheaper free agent options – former Blue Jay and Cub Reed Johnson, Jerry Hairston Jr. from last season’s team or other players for left field, the official said. Brett Gardner could have a chance to compete for a role there. They will also troll the trade market.

      Of course, Yankee GM Brian Cashman once said that he was comfortable with Bubba Crosby being the team’s starting center fielder – mere weeks before the Yankees gave Johnny Damon $52 million over four years to play there instead. The Yankees certainly could afford to stretch their self-imposed budget for a big name, but they also believe that next year’s free agent class – hello, Carl Crawford! – is much more attractive, so they are saving cash for that.

      Until Bay and Holliday are signed, don’t count the Yankees out. I don’t care what any report says: The Bombers have the money and if they want a player, they will spend in order to acquire him.

      MLB

      Report: Two things keeping a Bay-Boston reunion from happening

      December 26, 2009 /

      According to the Boston Globe, there are two distinct things that are keeping the Red Sox from bringing free agent outfielder Jason Bay back to Beantown.

      Could Bay return to the Red Sox? It’s not inconceivable, according to a major league source, who said it would take two things to happen. 1. Bay would likely have to accept a backloaded contract, which would help the Sox remain under the $170 million payroll threshold for avoiding the luxury tax; and 2. the Sox would have to extend their budget, after they gave a two-year, $15.5 million deal to Mike Cameron.

      Then, where would they play Cameron? He could be used against lefthanded pitching to spell Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew, or the Sox could use Ellsbury in an Adrian Gonzalez deal. But with Mike Lowell back in the fold after he failed his physical with the Rangers, the Sox have less wiggle room in their payroll and on their roster.

      Call it a gut feeling, but I don’t think Bay will return to Boston. The BoSox don’t like to budge when it comes to their payroll decisions, which is why Johnny Damon played the last couple years in the Bronx instead of in Baaaston. In the end, another club will step up and pay Bay what he wants and I think he’ll cash in and move on.

      Plus, as the article notes, the Red Sox already have Cameron to play left field so they’ve probably moved on. I think the only reason why the Bay-to-Boston rumors are staying afloat is because no other team has stepped up and signed him yet and it doesn’t sound like he’s even close to striking a deal with another club.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      MLB

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 The Scores Report – The National Sports Blog

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑