Tag: Atlanta Braves (Page 14 of 16)

      Hot Stove League: Manny to Yankees?

      December 20, 2008 /

      Since the Yankees signed CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett last week, things have been pretty quiet in the Hot Stove League of Major League Baseball. The economy, despite what Scott Boras might tell you, is definitely a huge factor as Manny Ramirez, Mark Teixeira, and to a lesser extent, Pat Burrell, Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn remain team-less. But since rumors continue to circulate, you know that phone calls are being made, albeit a bit less with Christmas approaching.

      The latest rumor has the Yanks talking to Ramirez and sticking him in front of A-Rod in what would be a pretty ridiculous lineup for a few years. You have to wonder how deep the Steinbrenners’ pockets really are, but let’s face it…doing that would make New York AL East favorites even if the Red Sox land Teixeira (which is either becoming doubtful or Theo Epstein is playing the media) and the Rays field basically the same team that went to the World Series in 2007. And it would piss off Sox fans to no end, giving them more reason to despise Manny Being Manny.

      And Cubs’ GM Jim Hendry has reported that the Jake Peavy trade may be re-visited. He didn’t want to part with as much salary as San Diego wanted him to, and he didn’t want to include Mark DeRosa in the deal, but apparently Hendry is still very interested in pursuing the powerful right-hander.

      Oh, and Rafael Furcal shunned his former team, the Braves, for his more current former team, the Dodgers, this past week. If you are yawning, I don’t blame you. And if you’re a bitter Braves fan, I don’t blame you either.

      So what will happen between now and January 1? I don’t think much. And if you are a marginal free agent (see list above), the unemployment line beckons a bit louder. And that can’t be good for anyone, especially those pesky player agents.

      Bullz-Eye Sports Channel, Fantasy Baseball, MLB, Rumors & Gossip

      Top 10 MLB Free Agent Signings

      December 18, 2008 /

      On Tuesday, RealClearSports.com tackled the top 10 worst MLB free agent signings of all-time.

      On Thursday they pay tribute to the best:

      1. Barry Bonds – Signed by San Francisco in 1992, six years, $43 million.
      A six-time all-star, five gold gloves, one MVP award; his numbers were not as gaudy as they would be in the six years that followed, but he still lived up to the contract, and then some. And never, ever caused off-the-field concerns or troubles.

      2. Greg Maddux – Signed by Atlanta in 1992, five years, $28 million.
      It seemed almost unfair when the Braves, who already had Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Steve Avery, added Cy Young winner Maddux to the rotation. In the five years of his contract, he won three more Cy Youngs in the first three years, two of them unanimous; he was first or second in the league in ERA all five years; and posted an 89-33 record for the perpetual division champs.

      3. Manny Ramirez (Boston, Dec. 2000, eight years, $160 million) and Alex Rodriguez (Texas, Jan. 2001, ten years, $252 million).
      Both contracts were gargantuan, for amounts of money that seemed obscene at the time – and still do. Yet both, under the representation of Scott Boras, opted out of the last few years of the deals, expecting to make even more. The two were nearly traded for each other in 2003 before the Players Association rejected an agreement with Boston that would have reduced A-Rod’s compensation by $4 million per year. Both players are sure Hall of Famers, two of the greatest right-handed hitters who ever lived.

      A-Rod’s opt-out brought him more years and more money; Manny does not yet know how it will work and where he’ll end up “being Manny.” Would A-Rod trade his three MVPs for just one of Manny’s two World Series titles — or even a single World Series at-bat? We’d like to think so, but honestly, we don’t know.

      It’s kind of interesting to think that Bonds was very close to becoming an Atlanta Brave in 1992. I don’t think there has ever been a free agent signing in baseball that made a bigger impact than when Bonds went to San Fran. Makes you wonder if things would have been different in Atlanta and if he would have stayed in a city/state dominated by college football and NASCAR for as long as he wound up staying in Frisco.

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      Rafael Furcal pulls about face, stays with Dodgers

      December 18, 2008 /

      Two days ago it appeared that free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal would once again don an Atlanta Braves uniform in 2009. But the club Furcal left the Braves for in 2005 eventually came through with an offer more to his liking and now the most prized shortstop on the market is heading back to the Dodgers.

      On Monday night, the Braves were under the distinct impression that they had a deal with Furcal. On Tuesday, the Dodgers re-entered the discussions, and by Wednesday afternoon the Dodgers and Furcal were hammering out the terms of an agreement, sources said.

      The Braves on Wednesday were informed that Furcal would not accept their deal.

      “When people deal with you in this manner, they lose credibility,” Braves GM Frank Wren said. “You don’t forget these things.”

      According to Wren, this is how the situation played out:

      · Wren reached agreement on the terms of a contract with Furcal’s agent, Paul Kinzer, on Monday night, pending the approval of Furcal.

      · Between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET Monday night, Wren spoke with Kinzer three or four times, negotiating the dollar amount, the years and terms of the vesting option, and other contractual details.

      · Wren and Kinzer spoke again around midnight Monday night. Kinzer told Wren that he had not yet heard back from Furcal, but that Furcal was excited and that “we’re good.”

      · On Tuesday morning, Wren woke up to a voicemail from Kinzer telling him to put a term sheet (the standard baseball term for an official contract offer) together.

      · Wren went into his office in Atlanta, put the term sheet together and signed it.

      · Shortly thereafter, Kinzer began “backpedaling,” saying he promised the Dodgers he would talk to them.

      I don’t blame Wren for being upset because it looked like Furcal was going to be a Brave by the end of Tuesday. Then Wren wakes up on Wednesday and is told that Furcal is likely heading back to L.A. But that’s the business, I guess. Agents don’t care about the teams – they care about their clients and finding the best deals. It’s too bad it had to go down this way for the Braves.

      Fantasy Baseball, MLB

      Peavy to start the season with Padres

      December 17, 2008 /

      According to local media reports, San Diego Padres CEO Sandy Alderson anticipates pitcher Jake Peavy will begin the 2009 season with the ballclub.

      The Padres have shopped Peavy since the end of last season, and trade talks had been ongoing with the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs. On the final day of last week’s baseball winter meetings, Cubs general manager Jim Hendry informed the Padres that they were dropping out of the Peavy trade talks. The Braves are still looking to acquire a frontline pitcher before the start of spring training.

      “We said from the very beginning in connection with both of those possibilities that we would not make a trade unless it made baseball sense,” Alderson said. “We are no longer actively pursuing any trade for Jake, which is not to say someone won’t approach us.”

      The Padres are committed to lowering their payroll from $70 million to $40 million for 2009. They already have $27.5 million guaranteed salary on the books for next season. Peavy’s consent is needed before any trade is completed due to his no-trade clause.

      MLB

      Rafael Furcal heading back to Braves

      December 16, 2008 /

      According to FOX Sports.com, the Atlanta Braves reached an agreement with shortstop Rafael Furcal on a three-year contract.

      In a stunning turnaround, the free-agent shortstop has chosen the Braves over the A’s, according to a major-league source.

      A contract agreement is expected to be announced Tuesday, conditional on Furcal passing a physical.

      Furcal would play shortstop or second base for the Braves, depending upon which other moves the team makes.

      “They’re in deep,” Furcal’s agent, Paul Kinzer, told FOXSports.com on Monday night, before a decision had been reached. “He’s seriously considering it.”

      The A’s are believed to have made the high offer for Furcal — four years in the $40 million range, according to major-league sources.

      The Braves, however, made a late, rapid push for Furcal, and their offer was believed to be for three years with a vesting option for a fourth season.

      Furcal, who owns homes in Atlanta and Los Angeles, preferred to rejoin the Braves or stay with the Dodgers, sources said.

      One rival executive said Monday night, “He will do whatever he can not to go to Oakland,” citing

      Furcal’s preference to be with one of his prior teams.

      Interesting. Just a few days ago it looked like Furcal was definitely on his way to Oakland but sometimes you can’t put a price tag on comfort.

      MLB

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