Category: MLB (Page 280 of 448)

      Nationals outbid Yankees for Mark Teixeira

      December 26, 2008 /

      The Washington Nationals apparently had a more lucrative offer on the table for free agent Mark Teixeira – more lucrative than the one he eventually signed with the New York Yankees.

      Mark TeixeiraAnyway, just one more note on Mark Teixeira: I’ve heard from a reliable source that the first baseman turned down about $5 million more from the Nationals to sign with the Yankees. And the Nats would have gone higher, but were never given the chance. Teixeira jumped at Brian Cashman’s first offer.

      I guess it wasn’t ALL about the money – just mostly about it. Being on a contender every year also brings a certain appeal.

      Those greedy Nationals are always trying to one-up everybody by throwing their money at every free agent that walks by. Makes me sick.

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      All I want for Christmas…

      December 25, 2008 /

      The world is a mess. Osama Bin Laden is still at large, the U.S. economy is in a recession and our country is still fighting two different wars on two different fronts.

      But I can’t control any of that. On the whole, 2008 has been a pretty good year for Team Paulsen. My wife and I had our first child, a happy and healthy son (97th percentile in height = future 6’10” power forward), and I still have a job and a roof over my head.

      I write about sports, so in the spirit of Christmas, which – let’s be honest – is really about getting, not giving, I scribbled down a few things that I’d like to see gift-wrapped underneath the tree.

      So, without further ado, all I want for Christmas…

      …is a college football playoff.
      This drives me nuts and I know I’m not alone. I’m a casual fan of college football and I only watch maybe 10-15 games the entire year, including one bowl game – the BCS title game. If there were an eight-team playoff, I would make a point to watch every single one of those seven games. Not only that, but I’d start watching more of those late-season games that feature teams that are fighting for a playoff berth. I know money is a big issue with the BCS, but if casual fans are going to increase the number of games they watch by 50-70%, how can this not bring higher ratings and more ad revenue? This whole situation is mind-boggling.

      …is Sunday Ticket for all fans.
      I live in a condo and my patio doesn’t have a view of the southern horizon, so I can’t get DirecTV. And since I can’t have DirecTV, I can’t get NFL Sunday Ticket. Whenever the package is up for sale, the NFL continues to sell the exclusive rights for Sunday Ticket to DirecTV. The cable companies are part of the problem – they can’t seem to join forces and get a combined offer together – but the NFL is mostly to blame for not doing everything in their power to bring as much NFL action as possible to their fans. The increase in the number of subscriptions would offset the loss in profit from selling the “exclusive rights,” or at least I think it would. I don’t really care. I just want to get Sunday Ticket in my condo that has no view of the southern horizon and I’m guessing there are millions of fans that are in the same boat.

      …is every game in HD.
      The NFL is on board. But there are still some sports that are slow to move to the HD format. The NBA Season Pass is a perfect example. Sure, I can watch any NBA game I want, but the picture is always crappy. Wouldn’t it be great if all the major sports – NFL, CFB, CBB, MLB, NBA and NHL – broadcast every game in high def?

      …is a NBA “Fourth Quarter Channel” that bounces around to the best action.
      DirecTV’s Red Zone Channel is great. Every Sunday, they jump from game to game and bring us all the scoring plays and red zone possessions. Why doesn’t the NBA Season Pass create a similar channel? It wouldn’t have to operate on days where the league has a light schedule – say, less than five games – but when there are five or more games, why not have a channel (in HD, of course) that brings us all the action, especially all the nail-biting drama in the fourth quarter? The NBA has an advantage over the NFL in that the start times are staggered due to the different time zones, so when there is a full slate of games, there should be plenty of good action and exciting finishes to choose from.

      …is a salary cap in Major League Baseball.
      I’m not asking for a hard cap, like the NFL, though that would be optimal. I just want some sort of a salary cap with a 50% luxury tax that pays the small-market, fiscally conservative franchises and allows them to be profitable. Say we have a cap of $100,000,000. That way, when the Yankees roll out their $250,000,000 payroll, they have to pony up another $75,000,000 to be divvied up amongst the small market teams. Maybe that would make them think twice before buying up every good player on the market. Before you throw the Tampa Bay Rays in my face, let’s see where they are in four or five seasons. Small market franchises can put together a competitive team for one or two seasons, but it’s impossible to keep it up over the long haul because the Yankees or the Red Sox are inevitably going to come in and sign all their good players.

      …are shorter MLB, NBA and NHL seasons.
      I know this is a moneymaker for each league, but these seasons are so long that they barely even matter. Long seasons are all right as long as the playoffs aren’t too inclusive, but the NBA and NHL have 82-game seasons and over half the teams make the postseason. This adds up to relatively meaningless regular season games. I’d cut the regular season for all three sports in half and eliminate back-to-back games, at least in the NBA and NHL. This would improve the quality of play and make the regular season important again. Anytime people refer to your regular season as a “grind,” it’s time to start thinking about paring it back.

      …are more Saturday NFL games once the college season is over.
      College football is pretty much dead the entire month of December yet the NFL is reluctant to schedule more than the occasional Saturday game. This seems like a missed opportunity to me. I know the NFL likes to own Sundays, but what’s wrong with scheduling a few of the better matchups on Saturday so the entire country can see them?

      …is a two-year minimum (or an age-limit of 20) before players can declare for the NBA.
      These “one and done” players are making a joke out of college basketball. It’s wreaking havoc for college recruiters and there is little continuity in many of the major collegiate programs. In a perfect world, this would be the rule: 1) high school players can declare themselves eligible for the NBA Draft immediately after graduation or 2) they can go to college (or the NBDL or overseas) for a minimum of two seasons before making themselves eligible for the draft. Almost two years ago, I wrote a column that went into great detail about how high school draftees have a better chance of making it in the pros than college or international players do. Almost two-thirds (64%) of high school players drafted in the first round went on to become superstars, stars or starters in the NBA. Compare that to the one-third (32%) of college and international players drafted in the first round that went on to have similar success. It’s clear that high school players are capable of being successful in the NBA, but I understand why the league would like these players to get a year or two of coaching and experience on the college level before making the jump. Under my proposal, if a player does not get drafted, he could still go to college for two seasons and make himself eligible again. If a high school player is drafted but is a bust, he can play in the NBDL or overseas until he’s seasoned enough to return to the NBA (and the league should have an office that helps these players find a new basketball home). The best players successfully make the leap, the fringe players have two years of college before the NBA and the so-called busts have the safety net of the NBDL and/or playing overseas until they’re good enough to return.

      But enough about me – what sports-related gifts would you like to see under the tree?

      College Basketball, College Football, MLB, NBA, NBA Draft, NFL, NHL

      An open letter to Manny Ramirez

      December 24, 2008 /

      mannyLos Angeles Times columnist T.J. Simers has pointed out that, now that Mark Teixeira is off the market, the Dodgers have Manny Ramirez right where they want him.

      As fat pitches go, even Andruw Jones could hit this one out of the park, Manny Ramirez now sitting there with nowhere else to go but the Dodgers.

      So what do the Dodgers do?

      “We’re still interested in talking about Manny,” said Dodgers GM Ned Colletti.

      But is this Frank McCourt’s dream come true, or his worst nightmare — and the Dodgers really do end up with the guy?

      He’s certainly not going to tell me, but we’re all going to find out in the next few weeks.

      The Yankees, meanwhile, came to terms with Teixeira on Tuesday, and there’s probably a better chance of the Red Sox bringing back Babe Ruth than Ramirez.

      So the Dodgers have no competition. It’s like playing in the National League West — they just have to show up with something, almost anything to win.

      Why wouldn’t the Dodgers sign Ramirez after already offering him more than $45 million? Concerns about his defense? His attitude? Did something happen last season while he was playing here that has yet to surface publicly?

      If the Dodgers want Ramirez, Tuesday was the start of a great New Year with everything falling in place. Their toughest decision now: Do they go cheap on a two-year deal and maybe tick off the guy, or allow him to save face after leaving behind two years in Boston and sign him to three years?

      He probably believes he has one more contract to sign after this one, since it won’t be the five- or six-year deal he expected. He’s going to want to go somewhere to set himself up for another big payday. And L.A. presents a mighty big stage.

      Right now how many teams are going to look upon Ramirez as the guy who changed the Dodgers rather than Manny being Manny, the Boston quitter?

      Listen, Manny. At this point, whatever contract you sign is going to make you around $25 million a season. That’s quite a sum to earn when you don’t even have to play defense. The Yankees and Red Sox are going to be the two most exciting teams to watch next year. However, neither of them want you. The Yankees cannot afford to sign you to the five-year, $125 million deal that you’re seeking. The Red Sox would rather play a Beanie Baby in left field than bring you back. Are we so stupid to believe that you will sign a long-term deal with a team that can’t compete? You can finish your career in Texas and make enough money to buy the franchise. Unfortunately, you’ll turn into a traveling circus act, rather than the darling of Los Angeles.

      So, for once, Manny, don’t be Manny. Take the two to three-year deal with the Dodgers. The team and city both love you. Remember what you did last year? You proved that a single player can carry a baseball team on his back. That hasn’t been done since Ted Williams.

      Look, the titans in the east are standing tall and strong. Stay with the team that has a shot at beating them, the Los Angeles Dodgers. That’ll shut everyone up, once and for all. Then you can finish your career in New York…as a pitcher, because CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett are on the DL.

      MLB

      Will all of the Yankees’ spending force a cap?

      December 24, 2008 /

      New York YankeesLost in the midst of everyone’s bitching about the Yankees’ holiday spending spree this year is the notion that Major League Baseball might actually step up and finally put a salary cap in place in efforts to control teams’ future spending. (I said might.)

      In one offseason, the Yankees acquired two of the top pitching free agents (CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett) available and the market’s best young hitter (Mark Teixiera). Outside of Manny Ramirez and possibly Jake Peavy, the Bronx Spenders have left the market completely bare. (And don’t think they haven’t thought about figuring out a way to squeeze both Manny and Peavy into their budget, too.)

      If you trust what some of the major media outlets are saying, then the Yankees are pissing people off – and not just the Red Sox, Angels and every other team that tries to compete with their spending every year. Apparently, they’re pissing off the league, too, but will it be enough to get Bud Selig off his dead ass and put a cap in place? It’s unlikely, but at least there’s talk of a cap possibly on the horizon.

      I don’t blame the Yankees for spending as much as they can because there aren’t any rules in place to stop them. If you’re going to allow a tyrant to do whatever it wants, then the tyrant is probably going to do whatever it wants. The Yankees don’t hide who they are – they want to win and they’re willing to spend to do so. And you know what? Don’t blame them – blame the league that doesn’t care enough about evening the playing field to put a system in place to control the spending of every team.

      But maybe this time around people are finally going to wake up. The Yankees’ spending isn’t out of control – it’s been out of control for a long time. But again, don’t blame them. There’s never been a better time for a cap and if the Spenders’ holiday shopping spree won’t force change in baseball, then I’m afraid nothing will.

      MLB

      The Yankees are evil…EVIL!

      December 24, 2008 /

      Phil Seridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that the New York Yankees do harm in sports:

      Mark TeixeiraThe New York Yankees represent the very worst of America.

      Overstatement? Consider the times. Cornerstone industries are faltering, taxpayers are being asked to bail out mismanaged financial institutions and their overpaid CEOs, and decent, hard-working men and women are being laid off or worrying that they could be next.

      Now consider the eight-year, $180 million contract the Yankees reportedly handed first baseman Mark Teixeira yesterday. Stack it on top of the $161 million deal signed by pitcher CC Sabathia and the (relatively) modest $82.5 million promised to A.J. Burnett and you have the most egregious display of financial irresponsibility in the history of sports.

      The Yanks’ insane overspending would be bad for baseball in the best of times. These are not the best of times.

      When the bullies win, well, they’re supposed to. When they lose, well, they give everyone something to laugh at.

      Baseball economics always have been bad for competitive balance, but this Yankees spree is the worst ever because of real-world economics. It just smells bad. New York signed arguably the top two pitchers and the best slugger on the market. The Yanks, bidding against no other team, simply threw tens of millions of extra dollars at Sabathia.

      Meanwhile, MLB’s Web site laid people off last month. Meanwhile, autoworkers are being told their plants will shut down for months. Meanwhile, the rest of us are trying to hang on to our homes and our health insurance while cutting back on holiday spending.

      Merry Christmas, Mr. Teixeira. A nation turns its pockets inside out to you.

      Oh, suck me sideways – seriously, Phil? Way to play to the heartstrings of the public with that last sentence. Give me a break.

      Blame…Major…League…Baseball! If the league doesn’t have a cap, then you can’t blame the Yankees for spending what they want and you can’t blame Teixeira for making what he makes. I don’t care how bad the times are – if you want to change the way the Yankees do thing, then put a cap in place.

      This is like crucifying a kid for pushing classmates on the playground, yet ignoring the fact that the schoolyard monitor is off having a smoke break. If there aren’t any rules in place to slow down the Yankees spending, then why should they stop? Because other teams can’t spend as much? Why should the Yankees monitor themselves when the league doesn’t care enough to do it themselves? Put a cap in place and then we can talk about how the Yankees are the most evil things since that freaky red-haired kid from “Children of the Corn”.

      MLB

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