Category: MLB (Page 275 of 448)

      The Braves gave Derek Lowe how much?

      January 14, 2009 /

      After losing long-time veteran John Smoltz to the Red Sox, the Braves decided to fill the hole in their starting rotation with former Dodger pitcher Derek Lowe. They also paid him $60 million.

      Derek Lowe10: I understand the desperate need for a starter and Derek Lowe’s leverage played huge roles in the decision. But don’t you find it interesting that Braves general manager Frank Wren, who didn’t want to take any “risks” with the pitching staff next season, just gave a four-year, $60 million contract to a 35-year-old?

      9: Lowe is solid but not what you’d call spectacular: 68-60 with a 3.91 ERA over the last five years. He has averaged 206 innings in that span. A $15 million a year pitcher? No. But he’ll help. Given the collapse of Pompeii, Wren didn’t have much of a choice. But if Lowe starts to look his age in two years, this contract has the potential of being a Hamptonian albatross.

      Sixty million is a lot of dough for a 35-year old pitcher who doesn’t have dazzling numbers, but the Braves are probably still better off with him at a cheaper rate than A.J. Burnett, who signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Yankees. Lowe is more dependable than Burnett, as well as more consistent.

      But $60 million? I thought baseball GM’s were trying to cut down on ridiculous salaries?

      MLB

      This is the best the Mets could come up with?

      January 13, 2009 /

      So the Mets unveiled their new uniform logo to celebrate the team’s move into Citi Field next season and not surprisingly, it’s taking some heat:

      At its best, it’s being said to resemble the logo of a certain pizza company that once featured the ‘Noid. At its worst, it’s being categorized as the biggest affront to Mets fans since John Rocker’s sermon in SI.

      Here’s what UniWatch’s Paul Lukas, a lifelong Mets fan, had to say:

      “Compare (anything) to this, and the Mets’ effort comes off looking like amateur hour. Or maybe amateur minute. It looks like one of those cheapo generic marks you see in commercials or movies when the producers couldn’t afford the licensing fees for the real logos.”

      Though some conspiracy theorists are saying that this is the Mets way of distancing the team from CitiGroup, that isn’t the case here. MLB doesn’t allow commercial logos on uniforms, so that wouldn’t even be an issue. More likely, it’s a case of the Mets being as dull and uninspiring as their ’08 bullpen. They could’ve held a coloring contest among preschoolers and still ended up with a better design than the one above.

      It’s almost like the designers were told they had a month to come up with the logo and instead of working on it, they got hammered drunk every night, came in the day the design was due and scribbled something really quickly on a piece of paper. Then the people that were in charge of approving the design (also hammered drunk the night before) passed it through because they wanted to get home as fast as they could to sleep off their hangover.

      Either that, or some first grader made the design out of Legos and the Mets’ brass went, “F*&k it – let’s go with the kid. Nobody’s going to care anyway.”

      MLB

      Great point about Mark McGwire and the “one-dimensional” argument

      January 13, 2009 /

      Ted Robinson of At Bat thinks that Mark McGwire is getting a raw deal from MLB Hall of Fame voters and brings up a great point about the argument that Big Mac was a one-dimensional player.

      More voters are revealing their choices and it’s hard to argue that transparency is bad. I found the comments of a Boston voter puzzling and borderline deceiving. The man in question defended his anti-McGwire stance with the claim that McGwire was “one-dimensional.”

      If we accept the premise, then we must ask what exactly is the problem with dominating the most important offensive dimension? McGwire, Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa were the greatest home run hitters of their era. Bonds won the career battle but McGwire was the pioneer.

      McGwire was the first to hit 50 home runs in four consecutive seasons, a mark Bonds reached only once.

      One-dimensional? McGwire won a Gold Glove, an award often scoffed at by the Numbers Crowd. Although no one should confuse McGwire with Keith Hernandez, the Gold Glove is voted on by managers and coaches.

      Another thought rushes to me when I consider the phrase “one dimensional” when used as an insult, the manner in which the Boston writer intended. (Disclaimer 1: here we will violate, mildly, a personal rule against invoking the comparison argument with any present Hall of Famers. It is never the intent here to denigrate anyone already so honored, however…would that writer call Nolan Ryan “one-dimensional?” Ryan’s resume leads with the career strikeout record, which he smashed and, like McGwire, is a symbol of dominance. (Disclaimer 2: I acknowledge that strikeouts are regarded by many voters as significant, a stance with which I don’t agree).

      Strikeouts must be the reason Ryan is in the Hall. It can’t be his 324 wins because his career winning percentage is barely over .500 (.526). Surely, no rational person would conclude that seven regular season no-hitters warrant Hall of Fame inclusion.

      It’s hard to argue with that point. Some players (Ryan is one of them) are in the Hall because they excelled at one facet of the game. Ozzie Smith was a career .262-hitter, but he was also one of the greatest defensive shortstops to ever play the game. McGwire was one of the best power hitters to ever play the game.

      But the difference between McGwire and those players is that Ryan and Smith never took performance-enhancing substances to excel at their craft. McGwire did and fair or unfair, it’ll likely keep him out of the Hall for a very long time, if not forever. Stats are sacred in baseball and McGwire achieved his stats with help. Hall voters can’t look past that.

      MLB

      Dodgers vs. Giants: The Manny Ramirez standoff

      January 12, 2009 /

      One of the more underrated and overlooked stories in sports right now is the battle going on with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Manny Ramirez. Manny and his agent Scott Boras want at least a five year contract, while the Dodgers want Manny and his agent Scott Boras to look up “realistic” in the dictionary and get back to them.

      The Dodgers’ standoff is admirable; finally a club is willing to stand up to a player that probably won’t be worth what he’s asking for in the long run. Manny is a weakness in the outfield, is known for quitting on plays and even worse, quitting on his team. But the guy is still one of the best hitters in the game and given how weak the NL West should be again, the Dodgers would be instant favorites to win the division if they can re-up with Ramirez.

      But another battle brewing under the surface is the one between the Dodgers and Giants. San Fran has shown interest in Ramirez, but has balked at his asking price and reports state that they’re no longer a potential suitor. But does anyone truly believe that the G-Men are taking themselves out of the running and just handing Manny over to their rivals (the frontrunners for Ramirez) at a discounted price? Not a chance.

      The Giants are several bats away from competing for a World Series title or even an NLCS berth. But they’re seemingly one big bat away from at least competing in the NL West and the postseason. Their pitching staff is solid and they have enough decent hitters in Bengie Molina, Aaron Rowand, Randy Winn and Edgar Renteria (assuming his bat returns to form now that he’s back in the NL) to be a contender if they can sign Ramirez.

      The problem is that after they chose not to re-sign Barry Bonds, Brian Sabean and company pledged to rebuild. Of course Sabean then went out and signed Molina, Dave Roberts and Rich Aurilia – all players well into their 30s – so the Giants can’t use the rebuilding excuse as the only reason not to sign Manny. Still, the team finally has chemistry again and tossing a personality like Ramirez into the mix could ruin an otherwise drama-less atmosphere in the clubhouse. And for what? A shot to maybe contend in the West and then lose in the postseason?

      The Manny Ramirez battles have only begun and it’ll be interesting to see who cracks first. Ramirez could get tired of waiting for the Dodgers to offer him a long-term contract and take one of their initial proposals for 2 or 3 years. Worried about the Giants making a move, the Dodgers could also start to get antsy and cave to Boras’s demands. Or the Giants, in fear of wasting good pitching for another year, could seize the moment and put the power hitter smack dab in the middle of their lineup.

      I’m sticking with my prediction of a few months ago: Manny will return to the Dodgers. The Giants are too freaked out about another Barry Zito-deal and will stick to their rebuilding plan. I imagine L.A. retains Ramirez with a 3-year contract.

      MLB

      Top 20 Remaining MLB Free Agents

      January 12, 2009 /

      John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus takes a look at the top 20 remaining MLB free agents.

      Bobby Abreu· Manny Ramirez – Dodgers
      · Orlando Cabrera – Athletics
      · Derek Lowe – Braves/Mets/Cubs
      · Adam Dunn – Nationals
      · Bobby Abreu – Reds
      · Ben Sheets – Rangers
      · Orlando Hudson – Nationals
      · Andy Pettitte – Astros (at less than $10MM)
      · Jason Varitek – Red Sox (at less than $10MM)
      · Ty Wigginton – Astros
      · Ivan Rodriguez – Not much of a market, may have to take a minor-league deal with an invite to Spring Training if he’s not signed soon. Could he end up involuntarily retired, a la Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Mike Piazza?
      · Kevin Millar – Orioles
      · Mark Grudzielanek – Padres
      · Braden Looper – Brewers
      · Garret Anderson, Eric Hinske, Ray Durham, Jim Edmonds, Paul Byrd, Odalis Perez – All of them (with the exception of Byrd, who may retire) are drawing little to no interest and may be without a club on Opening Day.
      I’m shocked both Ramirez and Abreu are still on the market, although it’s more understandable why Manny is still available – his demands (or is it Scott Boras’s demands?) are way too high.

      Abreu isn’t the youngest outfielder available, but you’re telling me that no team wants to jump at the chance to acquire his bat? And if Ben Sheets could ever stay healthy he’s a 20-game winner, so it’s a little surprising his name is still out there, too.

      MLB, Rumors & Gossip

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