I had a conversation yesterday with a truck driver who was a bit philosophical on American culture. He was surprised when I said that baseball has left an everyday mark upon American culture so much so that in everyday conversation it is rare that an American not use some phrase which derived from the game. He was shocked and said, ironically, "right off the bat, I can't think of even one phrase which comes close to baseball that I would say!"
I just smiled and nodded. Just as I had suspected, many people don't realize how much of their lexicon can be attributed to the game. I was going to compile a list, but someone already has done this. I suggest that you take a look; there might be a few surprises to you in this list!
Now to some more of my thoughts...
Brewers pursuing David Riske?
Are the Brewers pursuing Kansas City Royals reliever David Riske (who has a bit of a resemblance to yours truly)? The Brewers are certainly stinging a bit with the loss of Cordero and Linebrink, and Riske is probably the hottest commodity on the free agent block right now. As I perused the free agent list for relief pitchers I am most struck at how well Riske would fit in with the Brewers as a set-up man for whoever closes. He's coming of a 65 appearance season and in general looks to be a consistent pitcher. However, he did blow 4 of 8 save opportunities last season, but let's not forget who he played for last season. He also struck out 52 in 69.2 innings. Riske probably won't come cheap in this year's free agent market, but if the Brewers can afford him I think he'd be a nice stabilizing force in the bullpen.
Tom Haudricourt of JSOnline.com's Brewer's Blog noted that Doug Melvin does have a bid in for a relief pitcher, but he would not name the pitcher. Doug Melvin denied that the Brewers were pursuing Colorado's Matt Herges though.
Another possibility could be Ron Mahay who has also been fairly consistent in his career. However, as a lefthander, he will probably command a lot of attention. Still, his consistency the last few seasons playing on a rather pitching poor Texas Rangers is very impressive, and he showed that he could pitch quite well in the National League after being traded to the Braves at mid-season. He yielded a .194 batting average for the Braves, and struck out 55 in 67 innings between Texas and Atlanta.
A lot speculation among bloggers has been who will close for the Brewers. Doug Melvin is on record as saying he is concerned about taking a risk on the top three available closers on the market: Eric Gagne, Octavio Dotel, and Troy Percival (who, rumors persist, was or is a strong interest for the Brewers). Every season we see the advent of a new closer, so I am also of the opinion that it would not be in the interest of the Brewers to pursue these guys. You have to remain aware of one important factor in that the Brewers are still at best a mid-market team. Signing one of these guys is a huge risk, economically speaking, one which could make the team suffer for several years. The Braves had a similar experience years ago with Bruce Sutter at the end of the 1980's where they made him the highest paid pitcher. His productivity in Atlanta did not mirror that of his performance in St. Louis or Chicago with injuries plaguing him at the end of his career. The Braves had to deal with paying high fees for low production on a team plagued with talent issues as it was.
And let's not forget that the Brewers do already possess options for closing. Derrek Turnbow has been inconsistent the last two seasons, but he has the natural stuff to be a closer. He lacks the mental focus required to do the job (obviously). In the 68 innings that he pitched last season, he struck out an impressive 84 batters, but walked 46.
Seth McClung could be a good option, but he lacks the focus just like Turnbow. McClung has a lively fastball and struck out 11 batters in 12 innings...but he walked 5, leaving us to wonder what is going on. I like McClung's pitches a lot and I would love to see everything click for him because he could, in my opinion, make Cordero's defection be very comfortable.
On talk radio I've heard some mention from callers that Dave Bush could be an option since he closed in college. I don't see this as an option, personally, only because he really doesn't have a potent fastball. He yielded an awful .290 batting average in 186.1 innings pitched this season as well as 27 homeruns. These two figures alone portend poorly for the Brewers if Bush were to be placed in a closing situation. That, and his inconsistency should ward off any thoughts of his closing for the Brewers. Where Bush even ends up on the pitching staff is also open for debate. he might be relegated to long-term relief, especially while we wait for Mota to finish his suspension.
The winter meetings begin next week and I am sure we'll see a lot more happen regarding the Brewers' plans for their closer.
Mike Hampton injured...again
David O'Brien and a litany of bloggers across the Braves Nation have reported that Mike Hampton has managed yet another injury. It's no surprise that the Braves relied too heavily on Mike Hampton a season ago and he went down before the season even started. Now he goes down in winter ball with a hamstring injury.
This season, the Braves seem to be prepared to move on with or without Hampton. And I doubt the Braves will pursue Hampton next season, even if he has a remarkable recovery and finally pitches like he was expected to. I have to say, emphatically, that this was the absolute worst player's contract that owners ever gave.
If Hampton manages to recover and pitch this season, the Braves should break spring training with a rotation that will look like: 1) John Smoltz; 2) Tim Hudson; 3) Mike Hampton; 4) Tom Glavine; and 5) Chuck James. Hampton and Glavine's positions in the rotation may be flipped flopped depending on how well Hampton is pitching out of spring training. Otherwise, the Braves may look at Lance Cormier or Jo-Jo Reyes or several other candidates to fill the number five spot. I think Chuck James will prosper greatly with Tom Glavine on the team and he could easily become a tough number 4 pitcher.
I get the impression reading David O'Brien's blogs that the Braves are pretty confident in their rotation with or without Hampton. Maybe, but if the Mets somehow pry Johann Santanna, I think the Braves had better become greatly concerned.
Jordan Schafer: The next Andruw Jones?
I've heard the rumors that Andruw Jones is ruminating a return to the Braves next season. Yeah, supposedly he might pull an A-rod and pursue a backdoor discussion with Frank Wren and get a one year contract so that he can get a better contract after next season.
Not gonna happen. The Braves are done with this remarkable player. Look for him to be wearing a Washington Nationals uniform where Stan Kasten is in charge...or any other uniform. But he will not be wearing a tomahawk across his chest in 2008.
While the Braves have benefited for years from Andruw's golden glove in center field, the Braves have watched Andruw's offense steadily wane. Andruw turned 30 this season and it won't be long before we see Andruw's speed degrade in the outfield, unfortunately. He still possesses remarkable power, but his swing has so many holes in it that I am wont to believe he even listens to Terry Pendleton. Andruw has shown a penchant for striking out - often at the worse possible times. Even his slugging percentage plummeted in 2007 to a paltry .413 for a power hitter. Andruw's offense has seen peaks and valleys - more valleys than peaks, actually - since 2000.
Jordan Schafer, a prospect who was impressive in the AFL, might be the next superstar centerfielder for the Braves. I suggest that you take a look at David O'Brien's story at AJC.com to see why.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
Hall of Fame Ballot
The Baseball Hall of Fame was officially dedicated on June 12, 1939 in Cooperstown, New York, under the guise that this was the birthplace of baseball. As legend has it, Abner Doubleday supposedly was given divine sight and created the game while gazing out at the countryside. One might have said that he was much like the Roman Emperor Constantine who, too, was given divine sight and was able to save Rome by having his legion place crosses on their shields. Yes, of course, baseball was given to us from God Himself, or so the legend has it.
Of course, for those of us who are a little more astute, we know that baseball evolved, and we also know that Abner Doubleday, a Civil War hero, was not anywhere near Cooperstown when he supposedly was given this insight. In fact, we know that this was merely a mirage created by Al Spaulding and associates who were marketing the game in its early days.
Yet, the Hall of Fame, its geography laden with myth, is the baseball fan's Mecca. Its first class of inductees set the standard for baseball greats who become gods: Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson, and of course, Babe Ruth. Each of these men heralded their own mythic stories against the backdrop of the game of baseball. And for the members of the Baseball Writer's Association of America (BBWAA), they are the standard by which their admittance is judged.
This year's ballot was announced today, and the two favorites to be inducted are Tim Raines and David Justice. Of course, Braves fans recall vividly when David Justice hit the homerun in the 1995 World Series which won the Braves their only championship in Atlanta (so far). Braves fans will also often comment on Justice's own remarks prior to that game that the Braves fans showed no emotion. He sparked the fans to bring a lot of emotion (mostly directed at Justice until he yanked the homerun).
Justice was 1990's Rookie of the Year and was certainly a huge part of the early Braves' success in their run of 14 straight division titles. He and Ron Gant and Otis Nixon anchored a dominant outfield. In 1996 Justice was injured in game was traded to the Cleveland Indians in 1997. He later went to the Yankees and the A's before retiring. He finished his career with a respectable .279 batting average, 305 homeruns, and 1017 RBI's. He also was awarded several accolades in his career, to include the aforementioned ROY, the 2000 ALCS MVP, and he was inducted in the Braves Hall of Fame in 2007.
Tim Raines was perhaps one of the most unnoticed superstars of the game. I attribute that largely to his playing most of his career with the Montreal Expos. Tim Raines made seven All-Star appears (four more than Justice) and is ranked fourth all time in steals. It's actually hard to condense all of the accomplishments that Raines made in his career in a paragraph; instead I'll simply refer you to his Wiki page.
When I personally gauge the players who are eligible for the HOF I compare them with other HOF'ers at their position. In this instance, I am confident that Tim Raines had a HOF career. He holds many of the Expos' records and is probably one of the most impressive base stealers in the history of the game. Had he played on better talented teams he certainly would have contributed greatly to driving those teams to the post-season. David Justice does hold the distinction of playing every season in the post season from 1991 until 2002, and he has been a great part of helping those teams achieve success, but he does not leave the indelible mark that Tim Raines left on the game. In my humble opinion, I would hope that the BBWAA will vote Tim Raines in and not David Justice.
Another area that I am concerned about regarding this year's ballot is that Jim Rice still has not been voted into the HOF. Jim Rice was one of the greatest leftfielders of all time and was certainly one of the most consistent hitters to ever play the game. Jim Rice played on the Boston Red Sox between 1974-1989 and compiled a career batting average of .298 in 8,225 at-bats. There are probably two things that have not favored Jim Rice's inclusive into the Hall of greats. The first was his acrimonious relationship with the media during his playing career. The second is that Jim Rice had a knack for hitting into double plays (due mostly to having some slow base runners in front of him like Bill Buckner, Wade Boggs and Dwight Evans). Still, Jim Rice was incredible hitter, akin to Tony Gwynn in opinion, and I shake my head every year when his name is not announced.
My hope this year is that Tim Raines and Jim Rice are elected.
I know that Braves fans wish argue vehemently that Dale Murphy be included as well. I disagree that he had a HOF career, but yes, at one point he was a dominant player. When you look closely at his numbers you will see a major drop-off in his production at an early age. Murph and Roger Maris hold the distinction of being the only two-time MVPs not elected into the HOF. I loved Dale Murphy when I was a kid and tried to learn to swing like him (I think I was successful too because I struck out a lot!), but the numbers don't lie. He definitely deserved to be immortalized in Atlanta, but not in Cooperstown.
Of course, for those of us who are a little more astute, we know that baseball evolved, and we also know that Abner Doubleday, a Civil War hero, was not anywhere near Cooperstown when he supposedly was given this insight. In fact, we know that this was merely a mirage created by Al Spaulding and associates who were marketing the game in its early days.
Yet, the Hall of Fame, its geography laden with myth, is the baseball fan's Mecca. Its first class of inductees set the standard for baseball greats who become gods: Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson, and of course, Babe Ruth. Each of these men heralded their own mythic stories against the backdrop of the game of baseball. And for the members of the Baseball Writer's Association of America (BBWAA), they are the standard by which their admittance is judged.
This year's ballot was announced today, and the two favorites to be inducted are Tim Raines and David Justice. Of course, Braves fans recall vividly when David Justice hit the homerun in the 1995 World Series which won the Braves their only championship in Atlanta (so far). Braves fans will also often comment on Justice's own remarks prior to that game that the Braves fans showed no emotion. He sparked the fans to bring a lot of emotion (mostly directed at Justice until he yanked the homerun).
Justice was 1990's Rookie of the Year and was certainly a huge part of the early Braves' success in their run of 14 straight division titles. He and Ron Gant and Otis Nixon anchored a dominant outfield. In 1996 Justice was injured in game was traded to the Cleveland Indians in 1997. He later went to the Yankees and the A's before retiring. He finished his career with a respectable .279 batting average, 305 homeruns, and 1017 RBI's. He also was awarded several accolades in his career, to include the aforementioned ROY, the 2000 ALCS MVP, and he was inducted in the Braves Hall of Fame in 2007.
Tim Raines was perhaps one of the most unnoticed superstars of the game. I attribute that largely to his playing most of his career with the Montreal Expos. Tim Raines made seven All-Star appears (four more than Justice) and is ranked fourth all time in steals. It's actually hard to condense all of the accomplishments that Raines made in his career in a paragraph; instead I'll simply refer you to his Wiki page.
When I personally gauge the players who are eligible for the HOF I compare them with other HOF'ers at their position. In this instance, I am confident that Tim Raines had a HOF career. He holds many of the Expos' records and is probably one of the most impressive base stealers in the history of the game. Had he played on better talented teams he certainly would have contributed greatly to driving those teams to the post-season. David Justice does hold the distinction of playing every season in the post season from 1991 until 2002, and he has been a great part of helping those teams achieve success, but he does not leave the indelible mark that Tim Raines left on the game. In my humble opinion, I would hope that the BBWAA will vote Tim Raines in and not David Justice.
Another area that I am concerned about regarding this year's ballot is that Jim Rice still has not been voted into the HOF. Jim Rice was one of the greatest leftfielders of all time and was certainly one of the most consistent hitters to ever play the game. Jim Rice played on the Boston Red Sox between 1974-1989 and compiled a career batting average of .298 in 8,225 at-bats. There are probably two things that have not favored Jim Rice's inclusive into the Hall of greats. The first was his acrimonious relationship with the media during his playing career. The second is that Jim Rice had a knack for hitting into double plays (due mostly to having some slow base runners in front of him like Bill Buckner, Wade Boggs and Dwight Evans). Still, Jim Rice was incredible hitter, akin to Tony Gwynn in opinion, and I shake my head every year when his name is not announced.
My hope this year is that Tim Raines and Jim Rice are elected.
I know that Braves fans wish argue vehemently that Dale Murphy be included as well. I disagree that he had a HOF career, but yes, at one point he was a dominant player. When you look closely at his numbers you will see a major drop-off in his production at an early age. Murph and Roger Maris hold the distinction of being the only two-time MVPs not elected into the HOF. I loved Dale Murphy when I was a kid and tried to learn to swing like him (I think I was successful too because I struck out a lot!), but the numbers don't lie. He definitely deserved to be immortalized in Atlanta, but not in Cooperstown.
Friday, November 23, 2007
The "Off" Season? The time of ifs, oohs, and ahs
A clear benefit to Major League Baseball since the advent of free agency has certainly been the off-season. It has led to the most vivacious of baseball fans to all participate in the game as pseudo-general managers by using that powerful word "if". If is the word that provides hope for one's team as it prepares itself for the oncoming spring training in February.
We use the word "if" quite often even during and after a season. "If" only Mike Hampton had not become injured again...if only Ben Sheets had not become injured again...The word if allows one to dwell on all possibilities beyond the reality; it also allows one to dream. So, in this blog, let's dwell on two things. First, the reality, and second, the if.
First, let's review a bit of history regarding free agency (because, that is really one of the main reasons I created this blog!). Prior to 1975, baseball players endured the Reserve Clause which essentially meant that teams reserved the rights to players even after their contracts expired. Essentially, the reserve clause, which was standardized in all baseball contracts (and eventually other North American sports) beginning in the 19th century, meant that players had to play for a team even if their contract expired and it did not allow a player to block a trade as certain ones can today. It also did not allow players to participate in collective bargaining, thus owners could work together to keep players' salaries low.
If you know your American history, you might suggest that this situation was an anathema, especially in light of the 1890 Sherman Anti-trust Act. Several players challenged the reserve clause by legal means as well as by "sitting out" a season or so. The reserve clause withstood many challenges, including the famous Federal Baseball Club v. The National League (1922) Supreme Court ruling in which the Court ruled that baseball was an "amusement" and as such it was exempt from anti-trust laws.
Curt Flood, a prominent player for the St. Louis Cardinals, fought against the reserve clause wishing to be declared a free agent to play for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1970. His case was brought before the Supreme Court in the classic Flood v. Kuhn (1972) ruling whereby the Supreme Court made a stare decisis ruling, upholding the 1922 ruling, but limiting that ruling only to baseball. Despite Flood's argument that the reserve clause served only to depress wages and did not allow players to pursue teams (thereby making them solely property of that team for life), the Supreme Court did not deem the argument warranted merit to change the previous ruling.
Many writers suggest that Curt Flood's fight led to a stronger players' union and in 1975 the reserve clause was essentially dismantled when an arbitrator ruled that Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally were free agents since they played a season without a contract. McNally, of course, retired, but Messersmith signed a contract with the Alanta Braves and was nicknamed "Channel" and his number was 17...ultimately earning a hallmark as a bit of a sellout for then WTCG channel 17 which eventually became TBS. But I digress...
Free agency has, of course, promulgated higher player salaries and it has also meant that players in the modern era are less likely to play their entire careers with one team. It has led to super agents such as Scott Boras to leave an indelible imprint on the game despite having very little to the day-to-day action on the field.
Yet, a positive thing that it has led to has been making the off-season far more interesting.
Already this off-season we have watched the Alex Rodriguez saga rise and and conclude, and of course we have watched the Brewers trade away one catcher and sign another. Tom Glavine is a Brave again. And we still watch for more things to happen which will affect our teams.
It allows us to dream, and it allows us to play "general manager" by simply adding that phrase, "if I were in charge I would (trade/sign/cut/promote, etc)..." You rarely would have that opportunity 30 years ago.
Now, for some of the "ifs" "oohs" and "ahs" that have occurred this off-season.
Tom Glavine and the Braves
In a blog posted yesterday by AJC's David O'Brien, he suggests that the Glavine signing and other moves by Frank Wren have very good so far. Most notable in the blog has been John Smoltz's reaction to the signing, especially this quote: "Leaving me out of it, he means a lot to these young left-handers that we have. He means a lot to the bullpen. You know you're going to get starts out of this guy. You know he's going to cover games."
Definitely true. Tom Glavine has never been on the disabled list. Yet my knock on Tom Glavine has been that he faded (dramatically so) this season and I still stand my ground that Glavine has faded at the end of the year for several seasons. But, David O'Brien did give me pause before I threw another stone toward Glavine. Glavine is not the only notable pitcher this season who faded in September. Johann Santana, quite a few years younger than Glavine, finished 1-4 with an ERA of 5.11 in his final six starts.
So, what does this mean as we begin the off-season ifs? John Smoltz, in his comments, suggested that the Braves have to what amounts a six-man rotation to counter injuries. It may also help against the starters tiring in the stretch. This notional six-man rotation would take the form of Hudson, Smoltz, Glavine, Hampton, James, Jo-Jo Reyes or Morton (yeah, the kid that has been wowing everyone in the AFL, especially Bobby Cox). I think also, as Smoltz suggested, Glavine's presence will make a better pitcher of Chuck James (who seems to possess a penchant to not think at all...he needs to change that!).
Why Edgar Renteria?
It's hard to swallow the fact that the Braves traded such a likeable player as Renteria, but this has some tie in with today's theme. The advent of free agency has also keyed a rather discouraging response in terms of teams' economics: if a player is coming into a contract year, that player may be useful to trade. After all, a team could get a nice package of prospects in the end. In fact, in combination with the Oscar Villareal trade, the Braves have managed to acquire two potential centerfield options without tying up a lot of capital in them.
There's no secret that the Braves shopped Andruw Jones before last season. In the end, the will get nothing from him regarding his signing with another team. And the Braves can feel good about trading Renteria since they have a plethora of talent at shortshop. Centerfield is another issue altogether.
Why the Silence on Andruw?
I suspect that Scott Boras is reeling a bit after the Alex Rodriguez debacle and Kenny Rogers' firing him. Not too many teams are Scott Boras friendly these days. And I can't help but think that more fallout is about to occur among his clients. Of course, it's not like many people have forgotten the last time Andruw was a free agent. He and his father worked his own contract with John Schuerholz, apparently unhappy with the prospect that Boras would have Andruw sign elsewhere.
There doesn't seem to be any possibility of this occurring again this time. In an interesting letter posted on the mailbag segment of AtlantaBraves.com, one fan asked whether the Braves would at least offer arbitration to Jones, especially with Liberty Media's comments about opening the payroll. Mark Bowman's response, as well as David O'Brien's response on yesterday's AJC.com blog, make it clear that the Braves are done with Andruw. I'm guessing, though, that Braves are holding out due to Mark Teixeria's upcoming arbitration hearing (he'll have a significant boost this year).
David O'Brien suggested in his blog, though, that the Braves are going to miss Andruw's offense, citing the usual spate of homeruns. Yet, a star of Andruw's stature, along with his place in the lineup, leaves me curious with that O'Brien's position. Andruw was awful in the clutch and has been for several seasons now. He has not been an offensive power as we have all thought he would be. I've been used to his defensive prowess, to which you can't really argue. Yes, Andruw has hit some big homeruns, but statistics don't lie regarding his inability to drive home runs...even when given the opportunity to drive them in while batting cleanup.
I don't personally care if a player can hit a lot of homeruns; I care if they can win games. Andruw was woeful in the latter ability. And it's not like he doesn't have a good hitting coach (Terry Pendleton)!
From Braves to Brewers: Catching a windfall?
Okay, last year I was excited with the Brewers' acquisition of Johnny Estrada. So, this year, I am not going to get excited about Jason Kendall signing with the Brewers even though Jason Kendall is actually one of my favorite players. Yes, Jason Kendall is not a significant - even a slight - defensive upgrade over Johnny Estrada...and yes, Jason Kendall lacks the pop that Johnny Estrada has...
But, Jason Kendall will get on base. And he will unite the Brewers a lot more than Estrada coule.
The question at hand, though, has been whether the Brewers will re-sign Damian Miller. The LaCrosse native has acquired little buzz concerning this thus far, but I think the Brewers should probably let Damian Miller go. The bottom-line is that you really don't want two 30-somethings as your catchers through the entire season, especially if they really can't hit well. Both of these players are certainly hard, old-school type players, but retaining both may be a difficult thing to endure when September rolls around.
Francisco Cordero signs with the Reds
The one nightmare that tugged at the Brewers has happened, and it couldn't have been any worse (well, actually it could have been: he could have signed with the Cubs). That's two significant pitchers the Brewers have lost this week (Linebrink being the other).
Apparently Doug Melvin did not offer enough cash. Tom Haudricourt reports in the Brewers Blog that Cordero was offered a four year deal with a fifth year option. The Brewers had also reportedly offered a four year deal.
What will the Brewers do now? Cordero was dominant this season and this portends poorly for the weak Brewers bullpen. The one constant the Brewers relied on this past season was Coco.
My only concern now is whether the Brewers seek someone else or turn to Derek Turnbow again.
Final Thoughts for the Day
So there you have it, almost as if I planned my blog to end this way. Free agency at its best or worst, depending on your perspective. The drama never ceases to amaze me, and even a day removed from Thanksgiving, we see that drama unfolding to a loud crescendo.
Of course, if the date were pre-1975 we might not have anything at all to ponder. After all, Cordero would not have been allowed to entertain offers, Glavine either. So, even with the loss of favorite players during free agency, we can be assured one thing about the off-season:
"It ain't over 'til it's over!"
We use the word "if" quite often even during and after a season. "If" only Mike Hampton had not become injured again...if only Ben Sheets had not become injured again...The word if allows one to dwell on all possibilities beyond the reality; it also allows one to dream. So, in this blog, let's dwell on two things. First, the reality, and second, the if.
First, let's review a bit of history regarding free agency (because, that is really one of the main reasons I created this blog!). Prior to 1975, baseball players endured the Reserve Clause which essentially meant that teams reserved the rights to players even after their contracts expired. Essentially, the reserve clause, which was standardized in all baseball contracts (and eventually other North American sports) beginning in the 19th century, meant that players had to play for a team even if their contract expired and it did not allow a player to block a trade as certain ones can today. It also did not allow players to participate in collective bargaining, thus owners could work together to keep players' salaries low.
If you know your American history, you might suggest that this situation was an anathema, especially in light of the 1890 Sherman Anti-trust Act. Several players challenged the reserve clause by legal means as well as by "sitting out" a season or so. The reserve clause withstood many challenges, including the famous Federal Baseball Club v. The National League (1922) Supreme Court ruling in which the Court ruled that baseball was an "amusement" and as such it was exempt from anti-trust laws.
Curt Flood, a prominent player for the St. Louis Cardinals, fought against the reserve clause wishing to be declared a free agent to play for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1970. His case was brought before the Supreme Court in the classic Flood v. Kuhn (1972) ruling whereby the Supreme Court made a stare decisis ruling, upholding the 1922 ruling, but limiting that ruling only to baseball. Despite Flood's argument that the reserve clause served only to depress wages and did not allow players to pursue teams (thereby making them solely property of that team for life), the Supreme Court did not deem the argument warranted merit to change the previous ruling.
Many writers suggest that Curt Flood's fight led to a stronger players' union and in 1975 the reserve clause was essentially dismantled when an arbitrator ruled that Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally were free agents since they played a season without a contract. McNally, of course, retired, but Messersmith signed a contract with the Alanta Braves and was nicknamed "Channel" and his number was 17...ultimately earning a hallmark as a bit of a sellout for then WTCG channel 17 which eventually became TBS. But I digress...
Free agency has, of course, promulgated higher player salaries and it has also meant that players in the modern era are less likely to play their entire careers with one team. It has led to super agents such as Scott Boras to leave an indelible imprint on the game despite having very little to the day-to-day action on the field.
Yet, a positive thing that it has led to has been making the off-season far more interesting.
Already this off-season we have watched the Alex Rodriguez saga rise and and conclude, and of course we have watched the Brewers trade away one catcher and sign another. Tom Glavine is a Brave again. And we still watch for more things to happen which will affect our teams.
It allows us to dream, and it allows us to play "general manager" by simply adding that phrase, "if I were in charge I would (trade/sign/cut/promote, etc)..." You rarely would have that opportunity 30 years ago.
Now, for some of the "ifs" "oohs" and "ahs" that have occurred this off-season.
Tom Glavine and the Braves
In a blog posted yesterday by AJC's David O'Brien, he suggests that the Glavine signing and other moves by Frank Wren have very good so far. Most notable in the blog has been John Smoltz's reaction to the signing, especially this quote: "Leaving me out of it, he means a lot to these young left-handers that we have. He means a lot to the bullpen. You know you're going to get starts out of this guy. You know he's going to cover games."
Definitely true. Tom Glavine has never been on the disabled list. Yet my knock on Tom Glavine has been that he faded (dramatically so) this season and I still stand my ground that Glavine has faded at the end of the year for several seasons. But, David O'Brien did give me pause before I threw another stone toward Glavine. Glavine is not the only notable pitcher this season who faded in September. Johann Santana, quite a few years younger than Glavine, finished 1-4 with an ERA of 5.11 in his final six starts.
So, what does this mean as we begin the off-season ifs? John Smoltz, in his comments, suggested that the Braves have to what amounts a six-man rotation to counter injuries. It may also help against the starters tiring in the stretch. This notional six-man rotation would take the form of Hudson, Smoltz, Glavine, Hampton, James, Jo-Jo Reyes or Morton (yeah, the kid that has been wowing everyone in the AFL, especially Bobby Cox). I think also, as Smoltz suggested, Glavine's presence will make a better pitcher of Chuck James (who seems to possess a penchant to not think at all...he needs to change that!).
Why Edgar Renteria?
It's hard to swallow the fact that the Braves traded such a likeable player as Renteria, but this has some tie in with today's theme. The advent of free agency has also keyed a rather discouraging response in terms of teams' economics: if a player is coming into a contract year, that player may be useful to trade. After all, a team could get a nice package of prospects in the end. In fact, in combination with the Oscar Villareal trade, the Braves have managed to acquire two potential centerfield options without tying up a lot of capital in them.
There's no secret that the Braves shopped Andruw Jones before last season. In the end, the will get nothing from him regarding his signing with another team. And the Braves can feel good about trading Renteria since they have a plethora of talent at shortshop. Centerfield is another issue altogether.
Why the Silence on Andruw?
I suspect that Scott Boras is reeling a bit after the Alex Rodriguez debacle and Kenny Rogers' firing him. Not too many teams are Scott Boras friendly these days. And I can't help but think that more fallout is about to occur among his clients. Of course, it's not like many people have forgotten the last time Andruw was a free agent. He and his father worked his own contract with John Schuerholz, apparently unhappy with the prospect that Boras would have Andruw sign elsewhere.
There doesn't seem to be any possibility of this occurring again this time. In an interesting letter posted on the mailbag segment of AtlantaBraves.com, one fan asked whether the Braves would at least offer arbitration to Jones, especially with Liberty Media's comments about opening the payroll. Mark Bowman's response, as well as David O'Brien's response on yesterday's AJC.com blog, make it clear that the Braves are done with Andruw. I'm guessing, though, that Braves are holding out due to Mark Teixeria's upcoming arbitration hearing (he'll have a significant boost this year).
David O'Brien suggested in his blog, though, that the Braves are going to miss Andruw's offense, citing the usual spate of homeruns. Yet, a star of Andruw's stature, along with his place in the lineup, leaves me curious with that O'Brien's position. Andruw was awful in the clutch and has been for several seasons now. He has not been an offensive power as we have all thought he would be. I've been used to his defensive prowess, to which you can't really argue. Yes, Andruw has hit some big homeruns, but statistics don't lie regarding his inability to drive home runs...even when given the opportunity to drive them in while batting cleanup.
I don't personally care if a player can hit a lot of homeruns; I care if they can win games. Andruw was woeful in the latter ability. And it's not like he doesn't have a good hitting coach (Terry Pendleton)!
From Braves to Brewers: Catching a windfall?
Okay, last year I was excited with the Brewers' acquisition of Johnny Estrada. So, this year, I am not going to get excited about Jason Kendall signing with the Brewers even though Jason Kendall is actually one of my favorite players. Yes, Jason Kendall is not a significant - even a slight - defensive upgrade over Johnny Estrada...and yes, Jason Kendall lacks the pop that Johnny Estrada has...
But, Jason Kendall will get on base. And he will unite the Brewers a lot more than Estrada coule.
The question at hand, though, has been whether the Brewers will re-sign Damian Miller. The LaCrosse native has acquired little buzz concerning this thus far, but I think the Brewers should probably let Damian Miller go. The bottom-line is that you really don't want two 30-somethings as your catchers through the entire season, especially if they really can't hit well. Both of these players are certainly hard, old-school type players, but retaining both may be a difficult thing to endure when September rolls around.
Francisco Cordero signs with the Reds
The one nightmare that tugged at the Brewers has happened, and it couldn't have been any worse (well, actually it could have been: he could have signed with the Cubs). That's two significant pitchers the Brewers have lost this week (Linebrink being the other).
Apparently Doug Melvin did not offer enough cash. Tom Haudricourt reports in the Brewers Blog that Cordero was offered a four year deal with a fifth year option. The Brewers had also reportedly offered a four year deal.
What will the Brewers do now? Cordero was dominant this season and this portends poorly for the weak Brewers bullpen. The one constant the Brewers relied on this past season was Coco.
My only concern now is whether the Brewers seek someone else or turn to Derek Turnbow again.
Final Thoughts for the Day
So there you have it, almost as if I planned my blog to end this way. Free agency at its best or worst, depending on your perspective. The drama never ceases to amaze me, and even a day removed from Thanksgiving, we see that drama unfolding to a loud crescendo.
Of course, if the date were pre-1975 we might not have anything at all to ponder. After all, Cordero would not have been allowed to entertain offers, Glavine either. So, even with the loss of favorite players during free agency, we can be assured one thing about the off-season:
"It ain't over 'til it's over!"
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
The Prominence of Leadership
Pondering on my earlier blog concerning Johnny Estrada and his apparent lack of leadership on the club, I happened upon some interesting baseball history. It was on this day in 1934 that Joe DiMaggio, the Yankee Clipper, was purchased by the Yankees from San Francisco of the PCL. On the field, DiMaggio's prowess was certainly uncontested. He hit well, defended well, and he was called to service in World War II in 1943. More importantly, Joe DiMaggio led his Yankees to nine titles in 13 years.
It is rare, honestly, that any player rises to such a status as Joe DiMaggio. Joe DiMaggio is forever ingrained in our hearts and has become a huge part of pop culture. It is reputed that Joltin' Joe probably would have benefited from playing in another yard other than Yankee Stadium as he struck some powerful blasts to the lofty centerfield, leading to being merely long outs. Yet, his presence in the clubhouse and his example on the field helped make a dynasty out of the Yankees which remains the exemplar for all ball clubs.
In 1990, the poor Atlanta Braves were laden with a pool of pitching talent, but lacked any leadership. The Braves fired manager Russ Nixon and Bobby Cox returned to the field. The next season the Braves brought in Terry Pendleton to play third base. What the Braves lacked prior to TP's presence was a true leader; someone who could set an example in the clubhouse as well as the field. Terry Pendleton on this day in 1991 was awarded the MVP because of his example.
It is no secret whatsoever that clubhouse leadership is important to win championships. Leadership is not the sole responsibility of the manager or coaching staff; you need to have what the US Army refers to as "informal leaders" to boast the morale of the players and to set the example on how to win. I think that Bobby Cox relies heavily on his player leaders (certainly he relied on Tom Glavine when he was previously with the Braves and I suspect now its Chipper Jones).
One of the most interesting things about this season's Brewers was an apparent dichotomy of leadership. On the one hand we saw Prince Fielder become a huge presence in the clubhouse and on the field. How many times did we hear that he was the team leader on talk radio? He proved himself in September as he did all season. On the other hand I sense that there was some issues with Johnny Estrada and perhaps Tony Graffanino.
I remember when the Joe Torre took the reigns of the Atlanta Braves and I think he was trying hard to find a leader on the team. The team was quite talented with the likes of Dale Murphy, Phil Niekro, Claudell Washington, Glenn Hubbard and Bob Horner. Yet, Bob Horner had a reputation of being somewhat of a "prima donna" in that he once refused being sent to Richmond after having a poor start, and he got into a war of words somewhat with the Braves brass in the press. Torre made Bob Horner the team captain, forcing Bob Horner to lead by example. He responded well, helping the Braves win the division championship that year hitting 32 homeruns and driving in 97 runs.
The morale of this story is that there are some people who are destined to be leaders while there are some who are made leaders by necessity. I suspect Joe Torre needed to know that Bob Horner was committed to playing at his peak by making him team captain. Many years later, Derek Jeter was made team captain for the Yankees because of his abilities and the need of the Yankees to have that special informal leader.
When players who are in the majors at prominent positions fail to play at their peak and fail to lead by example they truly have no place in the game. I always recall the adage that no player is above the game. Legends may be made, but even legends sometimes become forgotten, but the game always go on.
It is rare, honestly, that any player rises to such a status as Joe DiMaggio. Joe DiMaggio is forever ingrained in our hearts and has become a huge part of pop culture. It is reputed that Joltin' Joe probably would have benefited from playing in another yard other than Yankee Stadium as he struck some powerful blasts to the lofty centerfield, leading to being merely long outs. Yet, his presence in the clubhouse and his example on the field helped make a dynasty out of the Yankees which remains the exemplar for all ball clubs.
In 1990, the poor Atlanta Braves were laden with a pool of pitching talent, but lacked any leadership. The Braves fired manager Russ Nixon and Bobby Cox returned to the field. The next season the Braves brought in Terry Pendleton to play third base. What the Braves lacked prior to TP's presence was a true leader; someone who could set an example in the clubhouse as well as the field. Terry Pendleton on this day in 1991 was awarded the MVP because of his example.
It is no secret whatsoever that clubhouse leadership is important to win championships. Leadership is not the sole responsibility of the manager or coaching staff; you need to have what the US Army refers to as "informal leaders" to boast the morale of the players and to set the example on how to win. I think that Bobby Cox relies heavily on his player leaders (certainly he relied on Tom Glavine when he was previously with the Braves and I suspect now its Chipper Jones).
One of the most interesting things about this season's Brewers was an apparent dichotomy of leadership. On the one hand we saw Prince Fielder become a huge presence in the clubhouse and on the field. How many times did we hear that he was the team leader on talk radio? He proved himself in September as he did all season. On the other hand I sense that there was some issues with Johnny Estrada and perhaps Tony Graffanino.
I remember when the Joe Torre took the reigns of the Atlanta Braves and I think he was trying hard to find a leader on the team. The team was quite talented with the likes of Dale Murphy, Phil Niekro, Claudell Washington, Glenn Hubbard and Bob Horner. Yet, Bob Horner had a reputation of being somewhat of a "prima donna" in that he once refused being sent to Richmond after having a poor start, and he got into a war of words somewhat with the Braves brass in the press. Torre made Bob Horner the team captain, forcing Bob Horner to lead by example. He responded well, helping the Braves win the division championship that year hitting 32 homeruns and driving in 97 runs.
The morale of this story is that there are some people who are destined to be leaders while there are some who are made leaders by necessity. I suspect Joe Torre needed to know that Bob Horner was committed to playing at his peak by making him team captain. Many years later, Derek Jeter was made team captain for the Yankees because of his abilities and the need of the Yankees to have that special informal leader.
When players who are in the majors at prominent positions fail to play at their peak and fail to lead by example they truly have no place in the game. I always recall the adage that no player is above the game. Legends may be made, but even legends sometimes become forgotten, but the game always go on.
Johnny Estrada the Traveling Catcher
It is not a surprise that a disproportionate number of catchers go on to manage in the major leagues (as well as the minor leagues). The catcher is often the toughest player on the field who also has to know a great deal about hitters' tendencies. He has to be able to work well with the pitching staff, which includes the pitching coach.
When a catcher is unable to develop a good relationship with the pitching staff and his hitting is subpar and his defense is weak, he doesn't get to stay around for too long. Unfortunately for Johnny Estrada, he seems to be in this category at the moment.
Johnny Estrada will be going to his fourth team in four years, which suggests to me (and many others apparently) that he has some problems. In August, Johnny Estrada and Tony Graffanino were involved in a verbal altercation, to which manager (a former catcher, by the way) Ned Yost defended somewhat as Johnny sticking up for his teammates. Yet, the overall knock on Estrada has been an admitted problem with being eye to eye with pitching coach Mike Maddux. Estrada took umbrage to Doug Melvin's comments stating, "The pitchers that carried us down the stretch, I got along great with."
I thought that was a poor statement because Johnny Estrada, as the number one catcher, should be getting along with all of the pitchers, not just the young pitchers. I'm left thinking that Estrada needs to seriously think about that a bit more because his bouncing around suggests to me that his services are not valued highly. In Estrada's All-Star season in 2004, he hit a brilliant .314 and drove in 76 runs in 134 games. His productivity dropped the next season and a young Brian McCann supplanted Estrada. McCann's ability to handle the pitchers and his hitting were reasons enough that the Braves locked him up already before they even had to. Estrada next when to Arizona where he had another good season hitting, batting .302 in 115 games. It seemed that the Brewers had acquired a true All-Star last off-season and I was not upset at all at his coming here.
Yet, that altercation in the dugout in August really made me wonder what was going on in the clubhouse. It hearkened to the earlier issues that Michael Barrett had with the Cubs. The catcher is a leadership position; if he takes issue with a manager or coach he should do so in private and not where everyone - and I mean everyone such as television crews and fans - can see him arguing with the leadership. A good leader does not have to agree with the coaches and manager, but he has to set an example. It was in August that I began thinking Estrada might be better playing elsewhere. Fortunately, Doug Melvin was thinking the same way.
At the end of Tom Haudricourt's article in today's JSOnline article there was some good news regarding the Francisco Cordero talks. Cordero's agent Bean Stringfellow (does that sound like a pseudonym or what?) noted that the Brewers have made a strong offer to retain Coco's services. Specifically, Stringfellow stated, "That's safe to say" when he was asked whether they were considering the Brewers' offer. I will be greatly appreciative if the Brewers are able to retain Cordero because this off-season has perhaps the weakest available relief pitcher - especially closers - in my memory.
When a catcher is unable to develop a good relationship with the pitching staff and his hitting is subpar and his defense is weak, he doesn't get to stay around for too long. Unfortunately for Johnny Estrada, he seems to be in this category at the moment.
Johnny Estrada will be going to his fourth team in four years, which suggests to me (and many others apparently) that he has some problems. In August, Johnny Estrada and Tony Graffanino were involved in a verbal altercation, to which manager (a former catcher, by the way) Ned Yost defended somewhat as Johnny sticking up for his teammates. Yet, the overall knock on Estrada has been an admitted problem with being eye to eye with pitching coach Mike Maddux. Estrada took umbrage to Doug Melvin's comments stating, "The pitchers that carried us down the stretch, I got along great with."
I thought that was a poor statement because Johnny Estrada, as the number one catcher, should be getting along with all of the pitchers, not just the young pitchers. I'm left thinking that Estrada needs to seriously think about that a bit more because his bouncing around suggests to me that his services are not valued highly. In Estrada's All-Star season in 2004, he hit a brilliant .314 and drove in 76 runs in 134 games. His productivity dropped the next season and a young Brian McCann supplanted Estrada. McCann's ability to handle the pitchers and his hitting were reasons enough that the Braves locked him up already before they even had to. Estrada next when to Arizona where he had another good season hitting, batting .302 in 115 games. It seemed that the Brewers had acquired a true All-Star last off-season and I was not upset at all at his coming here.
Yet, that altercation in the dugout in August really made me wonder what was going on in the clubhouse. It hearkened to the earlier issues that Michael Barrett had with the Cubs. The catcher is a leadership position; if he takes issue with a manager or coach he should do so in private and not where everyone - and I mean everyone such as television crews and fans - can see him arguing with the leadership. A good leader does not have to agree with the coaches and manager, but he has to set an example. It was in August that I began thinking Estrada might be better playing elsewhere. Fortunately, Doug Melvin was thinking the same way.
At the end of Tom Haudricourt's article in today's JSOnline article there was some good news regarding the Francisco Cordero talks. Cordero's agent Bean Stringfellow (does that sound like a pseudonym or what?) noted that the Brewers have made a strong offer to retain Coco's services. Specifically, Stringfellow stated, "That's safe to say" when he was asked whether they were considering the Brewers' offer. I will be greatly appreciative if the Brewers are able to retain Cordero because this off-season has perhaps the weakest available relief pitcher - especially closers - in my memory.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Brewers close to finalizing deal with Kendall?
Ah, irony! I was going to suggest this was a possibility since I had a verbal conversation earlier with a friend. I was too slow to write this, but let's recap what is going on with the Brewers.
The New York Mets broke off contract negotiations with Yorvitt Torealba on Saturday in what seemed to be a hasty and deliberate action. I was surprised since I was under the impression that the Mets wanted a defensive upgrade over Paul Lo Duca, and out of all of the catchers that were available as of Friday, he seemed to be the top defensive catcher available. At 5:19 PM tonight, Tom Hardicourt reported that the Brewers traded Johnny Estrada for Guillermo Mota of the New York Mets.
Johnny Estrada had a poor season last year considering his previous seasons. The Mets seem convinced though that he'll be better than Lo Duca. We'll see. But don't be surprised if the Mets are a bit disappointed.
The Brewers on the other hand acquire Mota who was tested previously and suspended for using steroids. Mota might be an upgrade for long relief, but he will not be a replacement for Cordero.
I expect the Brewers to announce the signing of Jason Kendall very soon!
The New York Mets broke off contract negotiations with Yorvitt Torealba on Saturday in what seemed to be a hasty and deliberate action. I was surprised since I was under the impression that the Mets wanted a defensive upgrade over Paul Lo Duca, and out of all of the catchers that were available as of Friday, he seemed to be the top defensive catcher available. At 5:19 PM tonight, Tom Hardicourt reported that the Brewers traded Johnny Estrada for Guillermo Mota of the New York Mets.
Johnny Estrada had a poor season last year considering his previous seasons. The Mets seem convinced though that he'll be better than Lo Duca. We'll see. But don't be surprised if the Mets are a bit disappointed.
The Brewers on the other hand acquire Mota who was tested previously and suspended for using steroids. Mota might be an upgrade for long relief, but he will not be a replacement for Cordero.
I expect the Brewers to announce the signing of Jason Kendall very soon!
Brewers chasing Jason Kendall
Well, talk about committing quite the gaffe in suggesting that Jason Kendall will "probably sign" with the Chicago Cubs. As Tom Haudricourt noted on the Brewers' blog Doug Melvin is pursuing Kendall and might wrap up a deal before Thanksgiving. Kendall's signing will probably result in Johnny Estrada being expendable after having a rather subpar season.
What will it mean if the Brewers are able to sign Jason Kendall? It means the Brewers will deal Johnny Estrada (quickly in my opinion), and if Kendall comes at a decent price, it may actually lead the Brewers to make a bigger offer to Francisco Cordero...or not. We'll have to see what the Brewers are going to do about that!
I'll discuss this more as I learn more. Yet. I think acquiring Jason Kendall will be a huge upgrade for the Brewers in terms of offense, defense and leadership.
What will it mean if the Brewers are able to sign Jason Kendall? It means the Brewers will deal Johnny Estrada (quickly in my opinion), and if Kendall comes at a decent price, it may actually lead the Brewers to make a bigger offer to Francisco Cordero...or not. We'll have to see what the Brewers are going to do about that!
I'll discuss this more as I learn more. Yet. I think acquiring Jason Kendall will be a huge upgrade for the Brewers in terms of offense, defense and leadership.
Candy Cummings was born in 1848 and was a great inspiration to Henry Chadwick. For it really was Henry Chadwick, the early writer of the game (editor of the The Beadle Dime Baseball Player), who espoused the virtues of the ballist known as the pitcher or hurler. And it really is Henry Chadwick who could be considered as the father of baseball (or at the very least as a father of baseball) with his popular writing of the game in the 19th century.
Candy Cummings was a phenomenal player in the early days of professional baseball. He holds a couple of distinctions: 1) He completed two games in a single day, beating the Cincinnati Red Stockings 14-4 and 8-4 on September 9, 1876; and 2) he is credited as being the first player to throw a curveball, which was actually perceived poorly as being unsportsmanlike when he initially threw the pitch. Nonetheless, Candy Cummings finished his seven year professional career and became president of the International Association of Professional Base Ball Players in 1877. Candy Cummings was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame after his death.
Pitching has become the central feature of the game with pitchers developing an array of specialty pitches since the 19th century. More importantly, pitchers achieve a great deal of the spotlight because they carry the records of their labor via the important win-loss and saves-blown saves records. Tom Glavine, newly re-signed with the Braves, has garnered far more of the spotlight in his career beyond being the finesse pitcher that he is.
It was in 1994 that Tom Terrific alienated himself from his fans in the South. Baseball did something unthinkable: it canceled the World Series. At the heart of the issue was the Players' Union and the face of that union was Tom Glavine. Mark Bradley of the AJC wrote an article that probably best exemplifies much of my feelings about Tom's return to Atlanta. In that article he points out that Glavine's position as Union rep probably alienated him from the rest on the non-union values that many in Atlanta possess. I think personally it was far more than that. After all, Glavine didn't go to another team that was in another division, such as Greg Maddux when he left to go the Cubs; Glavine went to the team that Braves fans hate the most: the Mets. And it seemed to be done because he sought more money, an issue that did not resonate well with the Atlanta fans. Fans wanted loyalty from the man who wrote None but the Braves.
So while Glavine was disheartened with the response from the crowd while wearing the Mets' colors, it should not have come at such a surprise to him. Now he has the opportunity to heal the rift between he and the Braves' fans by closing out his spectacular career in Atlanta. And if he can eat 200+ innings, perhaps the $8 million spent will be worth it. Ultimately, I'm a bit skeptical because Glavine's arm looked tired at the end of the season. And Glavine's post-season prowess has been less than spectacular since 1995. I am not convinced that Glavine was really the best thing the Braves could have spent money on, but to be honest, his presence will definitely be far better than what the Braves had in 2007 behind John Smoltz and Tim Hudson.
MVP: Brewers' Prince Fielder left out?
I keep saying that I will write something about the Brewers, and today is the day. I have a lot to say about them, but I will start on what will certainly be a disappointment to the Brew Crew faithful in that Prince Fielder finished third in the MVP balloting this season. MLB.com reports that Jimmy Rollins of the Philadelphia Phillies won the award after an impressive season. Rollins led the team to a surprising division championship.
Yet, Brewers fans will certainly want to grab the throats of the writers who did not vote Prince as the MVP. I think that this year the balloting was tough (between Rollins, Holliday and Fielder), and when you look at the voting you'll see that it was pretty close. Any of those top three deserved the award, but it was probably Rollins' bold prediction that the Phillies were the team to beat in the East in the preseaons that brought many writers to vote for him.
Despite this, everyone in Milwaukee will certainly point out that Prince's leadership was a huge part of the Brewers' season. His stats were certainly impressive as well. Plus, let's face it, Prince should be in the running for years to come. He survived the supposed sophomore jinx and nearly led the Brewers to their first Central Division championship. I can't help but think that had the Brewers won it that Prince would be the MVP this season.
One might ask whether leading a team to a championship is a major factor in deciding the MVP. A glance at previous winners suggests that it is important, but if that team fails to make the post-season it does not disqualify a player. For example, Dale Murphy of the Atlanta Braves won the award in 1983 while the team failed to reach the playoffs. You can look through the list and find many examples.
Anyway, I'll update more in a new blog tomorrow. I'll finally address some thoughts on A-Rod, the latest New York Mets drama regarding Torealba's breakdown in negotiations, and some other thoughts.
Candy Cummings was a phenomenal player in the early days of professional baseball. He holds a couple of distinctions: 1) He completed two games in a single day, beating the Cincinnati Red Stockings 14-4 and 8-4 on September 9, 1876; and 2) he is credited as being the first player to throw a curveball, which was actually perceived poorly as being unsportsmanlike when he initially threw the pitch. Nonetheless, Candy Cummings finished his seven year professional career and became president of the International Association of Professional Base Ball Players in 1877. Candy Cummings was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame after his death.
Pitching has become the central feature of the game with pitchers developing an array of specialty pitches since the 19th century. More importantly, pitchers achieve a great deal of the spotlight because they carry the records of their labor via the important win-loss and saves-blown saves records. Tom Glavine, newly re-signed with the Braves, has garnered far more of the spotlight in his career beyond being the finesse pitcher that he is.
It was in 1994 that Tom Terrific alienated himself from his fans in the South. Baseball did something unthinkable: it canceled the World Series. At the heart of the issue was the Players' Union and the face of that union was Tom Glavine. Mark Bradley of the AJC wrote an article that probably best exemplifies much of my feelings about Tom's return to Atlanta. In that article he points out that Glavine's position as Union rep probably alienated him from the rest on the non-union values that many in Atlanta possess. I think personally it was far more than that. After all, Glavine didn't go to another team that was in another division, such as Greg Maddux when he left to go the Cubs; Glavine went to the team that Braves fans hate the most: the Mets. And it seemed to be done because he sought more money, an issue that did not resonate well with the Atlanta fans. Fans wanted loyalty from the man who wrote None but the Braves.
So while Glavine was disheartened with the response from the crowd while wearing the Mets' colors, it should not have come at such a surprise to him. Now he has the opportunity to heal the rift between he and the Braves' fans by closing out his spectacular career in Atlanta. And if he can eat 200+ innings, perhaps the $8 million spent will be worth it. Ultimately, I'm a bit skeptical because Glavine's arm looked tired at the end of the season. And Glavine's post-season prowess has been less than spectacular since 1995. I am not convinced that Glavine was really the best thing the Braves could have spent money on, but to be honest, his presence will definitely be far better than what the Braves had in 2007 behind John Smoltz and Tim Hudson.
MVP: Brewers' Prince Fielder left out?
I keep saying that I will write something about the Brewers, and today is the day. I have a lot to say about them, but I will start on what will certainly be a disappointment to the Brew Crew faithful in that Prince Fielder finished third in the MVP balloting this season. MLB.com reports that Jimmy Rollins of the Philadelphia Phillies won the award after an impressive season. Rollins led the team to a surprising division championship.
Yet, Brewers fans will certainly want to grab the throats of the writers who did not vote Prince as the MVP. I think that this year the balloting was tough (between Rollins, Holliday and Fielder), and when you look at the voting you'll see that it was pretty close. Any of those top three deserved the award, but it was probably Rollins' bold prediction that the Phillies were the team to beat in the East in the preseaons that brought many writers to vote for him.
Despite this, everyone in Milwaukee will certainly point out that Prince's leadership was a huge part of the Brewers' season. His stats were certainly impressive as well. Plus, let's face it, Prince should be in the running for years to come. He survived the supposed sophomore jinx and nearly led the Brewers to their first Central Division championship. I can't help but think that had the Brewers won it that Prince would be the MVP this season.
One might ask whether leading a team to a championship is a major factor in deciding the MVP. A glance at previous winners suggests that it is important, but if that team fails to make the post-season it does not disqualify a player. For example, Dale Murphy of the Atlanta Braves won the award in 1983 while the team failed to reach the playoffs. You can look through the list and find many examples.
Anyway, I'll update more in a new blog tomorrow. I'll finally address some thoughts on A-Rod, the latest New York Mets drama regarding Torealba's breakdown in negotiations, and some other thoughts.
Friday, November 16, 2007
The new behind
In 19th century parlance the catcher was referred to as the "behind" (as in the player behind home plate). Often, the behind was the most athletic player and the captain of the team and he was charged with calling the defense. The behind did not wear a glove until later in the 1870s. Pitchers (referred to as hurlers initially) pitched the ball underhanded until the latter 1870s. When pitchers began throwing overhanded the velocity of the baseball increased as did the swelling of the catchers' hands. The first glove was worn by catcher Doug Allison of the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1870 ( Noah Liberman: Glove Affairs: The Romance, History, and Tradition of the Baseball Glove (Triumph Books).
Gloves did not catch on until Albert Spaulding began wearing them, and by the 1890s it was considered the norm to wear gloves. By the 1890s, the game was beginning to look quite a bit more like the game we know today.
Today, the catcher is still the anchor of the infield and has some control of the action on the field. The best catchers are the ones who can "call a good game" or "works pitchers" well and can throw out a good percentage (about 30% or more) of base stealers. A catcher may have to be like a hockey goalie if he has to catch for a knuckleballer (like Tim Wakefield) or a pitcher who throws a lot of breaking stuff. Many catchers go on to manager (a la Eric Wedge and Joe Torre, for example). They are indeed some of the most intelligent ballplayers on the field with few exceptions.
So, it is without any small concession that the New York Mets are courting Yorvitt Torealba from the Colorado Rockies, thereby cutting ties with Paul Lo Duca. Torealba is a significant catch for the Mets (no pun intended...well, maybe it was...) who were certainly looking for an upgrade defensively. Torealba was the cream of the crop in the free agent field this year. Here are the rest of the significant catchers who are available:
1. Paul Bako (Baltiomore Orioles in 2007): Not known for his, but John Smoltz seemed to favor him when he caught in Atlanta in 2000-2001. He was ranked as the lowest player in Yahoo fantasy baseball and made the final out in the 2003 NLCS when he played for the Cubs. He serves mostly as a back-up catcher.
2. Doug Mirabelli (Boston Red Sox in 2007): He's the personal catcher for Tim Wakefield. He's also known more as a backup and does not hit well. He'll probably re-sign with the Red Sox.
3. Jason LaRue (Kansas City Royals in 2007): He signed a heft contract after a "breakout" year in 2005 while playing for Cincinnati. One year after signing his 2 year $9 million contract he was dealt to the Royals for a player to be named later. His batting skills seem to be diminishing rather than improving (he batted .194 and .148 the last two seasons, respectively).
4. Jose Molina (New York Yankees in 2007): He's a career .243 hitter and a career back-up catcher who spent most of his career with the Angels.
5. Mike Piazza (Oakland A's in 2007): He's been used more as a DH than a catcher and was on the disabled list for part of 2007. Nonetheless, Piazza still batted a very respectable .275 in 83 games and brings a great deal of experience to any team. I think he'll re-sign with Oakland or some other AL west coast team.
6. Josh Paul (Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2007): He was Seth McClung's personal pitcher in 2006 and is supposedly writing a chapter of a new book on "pitch selection" about McClung. Josh Paul has served primarily in a back-up role and is infamous for his gaffe in Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS when he was with the Angels.
7. Sal Fasano (Toronto Blue Jays in 2007): A career .219 hitter who is well-liked on his clubs. He serves as a back-up catcher and is a bit of a journeyman.
8. Jason Kendall (Oakland A's and Chicago Cubs in 2007): One of my favorite players in the game today. He's a career .297 hitter and player far better this season after being traded to Chicago. A good contact hitter, he rarely strikes out, and he plays hard at the plate. He's the premier free agent at catcher right now, but he'll probably sign again with Chicago who I expect will make a good offer.
9. Mike Lieberthhal (LA Dodgers in 2007): Lieberthal was a hot commodity when he was with the Phillies, but he was rarely used as the Dodgers' backstop. He was known as a great defensive catcher. He would be a great pick up if he can start more than the 38 games he played in Dodger Blue.
10. Damian Miller (Milwaukee Brewers in 2007): Damian Miller's value to the Brewers has dropped off after the Brewers acquired Johnny Estrada last season, and the Brewers have two young backstops that are eager to move up: Eric Munson and Mike Rivera. Damian has had some dramatic at-bats and plays well behind the plate, but the Brewers will want a cheaper alternative for their back-up.
11. Paul Lo Duca (New York Mets in 2007): Lo Duca is a good contact hitter and a four time All-Star (he started in the 2006 game). It's actually a bit surprising that the Mets are severing ties with Lo Duca, although base stealers have been wont to roam freely when he's catching. Lo Duca's age might be starting to show (he'll turn 38 in 2008) and he may be relegated to a back-up role if he goes to a premier team, unless he tries his glove at first base.
12. Rod Barajas (Philadelphia Phillies in 2007): His best season came in 2005 for Texas when he batted .254 and belted 21 homeruns and drove in 60 runs in 120 games. His production has dropped off fast since then. He backed out of deal with Toronto last year that allowed him to switch to the NL and play for the Phillies.
13. Michael Barrett (Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres in 2007): Michael Barrett is an "old school" player, but he is not afraid to clash with team mates in the clubhouse. Barrett was involved in volatile verbal exchange with Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano and later with Rich Hill. He was traded soon after to the Padres. Despite this, he's a respectable .266 career hitter, although his average dropped significantly last season.
14. Gary Bennett (St Louis Cardinals in 2007): Has had a respectable career mostly as a backup. The Cardinals bought out the 2008 seasons, though. He's a career .242 hitter.
As I see it, there are four "premier" catchers left on the free agent block: Kendall, Lo Duca, Piazza and Barrett. Kendall will probably be the more pricey of the three, especially since Piazza's time behind the plate has diminished significantly over the last few seasons and Barrett will have to convince suitors that he is not a "hothead". Lo Duca will not go too cheaply either, but Kendall will be the most expensive free agent among catchers.
How does this all of this fare for the Braves and the Brewers? It probably really does not matter to them. For the Brewers, it means that Damian Miller will leave and they can afford it with two very capable options. Brian McCann of the Braves is set and they have some depth at catcher in the organization. In any case, I'm always watchful of catchers because of their importance to the daily game.
I'll continue this blog later with my promise of a discussion of the Brewers and A-Rod and of course Barry Bonds (let's face it, I am sure everyone else is already discussing Bonds. If I wait another day I seriously doubt it will hurt!).
Gloves did not catch on until Albert Spaulding began wearing them, and by the 1890s it was considered the norm to wear gloves. By the 1890s, the game was beginning to look quite a bit more like the game we know today.
Today, the catcher is still the anchor of the infield and has some control of the action on the field. The best catchers are the ones who can "call a good game" or "works pitchers" well and can throw out a good percentage (about 30% or more) of base stealers. A catcher may have to be like a hockey goalie if he has to catch for a knuckleballer (like Tim Wakefield) or a pitcher who throws a lot of breaking stuff. Many catchers go on to manager (a la Eric Wedge and Joe Torre, for example). They are indeed some of the most intelligent ballplayers on the field with few exceptions.
So, it is without any small concession that the New York Mets are courting Yorvitt Torealba from the Colorado Rockies, thereby cutting ties with Paul Lo Duca. Torealba is a significant catch for the Mets (no pun intended...well, maybe it was...) who were certainly looking for an upgrade defensively. Torealba was the cream of the crop in the free agent field this year. Here are the rest of the significant catchers who are available:
1. Paul Bako (Baltiomore Orioles in 2007): Not known for his, but John Smoltz seemed to favor him when he caught in Atlanta in 2000-2001. He was ranked as the lowest player in Yahoo fantasy baseball and made the final out in the 2003 NLCS when he played for the Cubs. He serves mostly as a back-up catcher.
2. Doug Mirabelli (Boston Red Sox in 2007): He's the personal catcher for Tim Wakefield. He's also known more as a backup and does not hit well. He'll probably re-sign with the Red Sox.
3. Jason LaRue (Kansas City Royals in 2007): He signed a heft contract after a "breakout" year in 2005 while playing for Cincinnati. One year after signing his 2 year $9 million contract he was dealt to the Royals for a player to be named later. His batting skills seem to be diminishing rather than improving (he batted .194 and .148 the last two seasons, respectively).
4. Jose Molina (New York Yankees in 2007): He's a career .243 hitter and a career back-up catcher who spent most of his career with the Angels.
5. Mike Piazza (Oakland A's in 2007): He's been used more as a DH than a catcher and was on the disabled list for part of 2007. Nonetheless, Piazza still batted a very respectable .275 in 83 games and brings a great deal of experience to any team. I think he'll re-sign with Oakland or some other AL west coast team.
6. Josh Paul (Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2007): He was Seth McClung's personal pitcher in 2006 and is supposedly writing a chapter of a new book on "pitch selection" about McClung. Josh Paul has served primarily in a back-up role and is infamous for his gaffe in Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS when he was with the Angels.
7. Sal Fasano (Toronto Blue Jays in 2007): A career .219 hitter who is well-liked on his clubs. He serves as a back-up catcher and is a bit of a journeyman.
8. Jason Kendall (Oakland A's and Chicago Cubs in 2007): One of my favorite players in the game today. He's a career .297 hitter and player far better this season after being traded to Chicago. A good contact hitter, he rarely strikes out, and he plays hard at the plate. He's the premier free agent at catcher right now, but he'll probably sign again with Chicago who I expect will make a good offer.
9. Mike Lieberthhal (LA Dodgers in 2007): Lieberthal was a hot commodity when he was with the Phillies, but he was rarely used as the Dodgers' backstop. He was known as a great defensive catcher. He would be a great pick up if he can start more than the 38 games he played in Dodger Blue.
10. Damian Miller (Milwaukee Brewers in 2007): Damian Miller's value to the Brewers has dropped off after the Brewers acquired Johnny Estrada last season, and the Brewers have two young backstops that are eager to move up: Eric Munson and Mike Rivera. Damian has had some dramatic at-bats and plays well behind the plate, but the Brewers will want a cheaper alternative for their back-up.
11. Paul Lo Duca (New York Mets in 2007): Lo Duca is a good contact hitter and a four time All-Star (he started in the 2006 game). It's actually a bit surprising that the Mets are severing ties with Lo Duca, although base stealers have been wont to roam freely when he's catching. Lo Duca's age might be starting to show (he'll turn 38 in 2008) and he may be relegated to a back-up role if he goes to a premier team, unless he tries his glove at first base.
12. Rod Barajas (Philadelphia Phillies in 2007): His best season came in 2005 for Texas when he batted .254 and belted 21 homeruns and drove in 60 runs in 120 games. His production has dropped off fast since then. He backed out of deal with Toronto last year that allowed him to switch to the NL and play for the Phillies.
13. Michael Barrett (Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres in 2007): Michael Barrett is an "old school" player, but he is not afraid to clash with team mates in the clubhouse. Barrett was involved in volatile verbal exchange with Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano and later with Rich Hill. He was traded soon after to the Padres. Despite this, he's a respectable .266 career hitter, although his average dropped significantly last season.
14. Gary Bennett (St Louis Cardinals in 2007): Has had a respectable career mostly as a backup. The Cardinals bought out the 2008 seasons, though. He's a career .242 hitter.
As I see it, there are four "premier" catchers left on the free agent block: Kendall, Lo Duca, Piazza and Barrett. Kendall will probably be the more pricey of the three, especially since Piazza's time behind the plate has diminished significantly over the last few seasons and Barrett will have to convince suitors that he is not a "hothead". Lo Duca will not go too cheaply either, but Kendall will be the most expensive free agent among catchers.
How does this all of this fare for the Braves and the Brewers? It probably really does not matter to them. For the Brewers, it means that Damian Miller will leave and they can afford it with two very capable options. Brian McCann of the Braves is set and they have some depth at catcher in the organization. In any case, I'm always watchful of catchers because of their importance to the daily game.
I'll continue this blog later with my promise of a discussion of the Brewers and A-Rod and of course Barry Bonds (let's face it, I am sure everyone else is already discussing Bonds. If I wait another day I seriously doubt it will hurt!).
Thursday, November 15, 2007
In the beginning....
The year was 1876 the owner of the Chicago White Stockings, William Hulbert, was drawing fire from other clubs with some questionable practices in signing players for his National Association team (the professional league at that time). Under the auspices of trying to create a stronger league that define territory for teams, he and a few others met on February 2, 1876, and created the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs. The dominant team in those early teams was the team from Boston, then known as the Red Stockings. We now know them as the Atlanta Braves.
As one might guess from this opening passage, economics has always been a driving force once capitalists became involved in baseball. The game came from lesser motivations; it truly was a past time in its neophyte manifestations across the nation. Small communities and large communities battled not for prize money but for bragging rights. Eventually, though, economics loomed as a fact of life. In the 19th century, ball players wore wool uniforms which were a bit expensive. It costs a good deal to maintain equipment and to travel to other communities. The bottom line was that these early clubs had to eventually turn to means to generate income in order to survive, else they perished.
Teams were social clubs in their early days, and they generated income to support their clubs by throwing social events during the offseason. Eventually, clubs realized a potential in charging admission in enclosed environs. Turnstiles were erected, and fans were surreptitiously given the moniker "cranks" by turning those turnstiles. Eventually, clubs saw the potential in generating profit, and thus the game progressed into the professional realm with the Cincinnati Red Stockings.
Recently, MLB disclosed some fascinating news: it was approaching overall income of 6 billion dollars for the first time ever, placing it in the elite of other American Sports. The game has come a long way from the days when Alexander Cartwright drafted the original rules of base ball in 1845 (the game was written as two words then). Economics has shaped the overall game, much as it does in our society.
I don't make this statement lightly; I truly believe that if you follow the history of the game you can get a sense of how American society was shaping itself politically, socially, as well as aesthetically. This is probably a large reason that adore the game so.
And so now it's the fall of 2007, and we have officially entered the free agent signing period. Interestingly, I happened upon an article on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution by Tim Tucker which suggests that the Braves will be opening their coffers this off-season. Liberty Media, which purchased the Braves after a protracted acquisition process, from Time-Warner, has seen the Braves as possessing a good amount of cash flow, concluding that the Braves were "profitable" last year. Terry McGuirk, the Braves CEO has suggested that the Braves will increase payroll significantly, but did not have a set payroll. So, what does this mean for the tomahawk chopping fans in the thirsty state of Georgia (and I'm just talking about playoff drought here).
Well, it could mean good things, but it might also mean nothing. One problem the Braves still have is Mike Hampton and his lofty, backend of a contract. The Braves have financially managed to survive this ridiculous contract thanks in part to Hampton's injuries. John Schuerholz did not elaborate last season on how much the insurance policy was covering Hampton's contract when he went down again in spring training, but I doubt that the Braves would have pulled the trigger in obtaining Mark Texeira from Texas if they were paying the full contract. We also are seeing the advent of Tom Glavine's contract discussions. He declined a $13 million option with the Mets. The question is, how much do you spend on a 40-something pitcher who looked tired in his last few starts in September? If the Braves are poising to win beyond September they can't rely on the good memories of Glavine's glory days; they need to be assured that whatever they are spending on is going to get them back into the post season. Personally, anything beyond $7 million is probably a bit too much for "Tom Terrific" to return to the Braves dugout, but I'm not sure what new GM Frank Wren is thinking.
Just as an aside, the negotiations for Tom Glavine have been surprisingly open. The Braves for a decade and half have always stayed out of the public in their quest to sign or trade players. Frank Wren's candid remarks probably hurt the Braves' chances of getting a good deal; they lost the upperhand because someone probably thought this was a great image-enhancing deal. Well, winners don't worry about those image enhancers (see the latest Yankees moves...absolutely brilliant if you ask me). I fear that the Braves will probably sign Tom Glavine for more than he should be worth; it won't be money well spent.
Accordingly, the Braves seem to have become one of those teams that abhors Scott Boras. Has anyone noticed the previous Braves who were Scott Boras'? I always wondered if John Schuerholz took the view that he did not negotiate with Boras much as the US has a policy of not negotiating with terrorists. He was quick to pull out the stakes with Andruw Jones, for example.
And the latest negotiations that Alex Rodriguez - arguably the greatest player in the game - opened on his own with the Yankees might not bode well for some other Boras clients. Remember when Andruw last signed with the Braves? He negotiated on his own what amounted to be a good deal for both he and the Braves. Will Andruw do this again, especially since A-Rod has already shown a penchant for going against the grain with the same agent? And, place this in context with the above article that I mentioned...does this open the door to new negotiations with Frank Wren and Andruw? I wouldn't rule it out at this point since, to be honest, Andruw's numbers were too low to ask for the numbers that Boras will be asking. In fact, I would not be surprised to see Andruw ask the Braves for a short term contract; he eluded to possibly doing something like in a recent AJC.com article (though he did not mention any teams that he'd possibly sign such a deal with).
As of last night (November 15th) it looks like Boras will be writing a smaller contract (in terms of dollars) for Alex Rodriguez, reportedly a ten year contract worth at least $275 million which is significantly lower than Boras' earlier asking price. What strikes me most is that Alex Rodriguez opened the dialog after Boras' faux paux of announcing A-Rods intent to exercise his opt-out while the World Series was still underway. Boras has a lot to learn about the game; no one person, be it a player, general manager, owner, or agent is larger than the game. Anyone who commits such blasphemy does so against not only the game, but America as well, in my opinion. Granted, Boras and numerous other agents have secured their place in changing the economic landscape of baseball, but their names will be mere footnotes decades from now.
Coming up on my next Blog: Paul Lo Duca, Barry Bonds, Derek Jeter, and s0me thoughts about the Brewers.
As one might guess from this opening passage, economics has always been a driving force once capitalists became involved in baseball. The game came from lesser motivations; it truly was a past time in its neophyte manifestations across the nation. Small communities and large communities battled not for prize money but for bragging rights. Eventually, though, economics loomed as a fact of life. In the 19th century, ball players wore wool uniforms which were a bit expensive. It costs a good deal to maintain equipment and to travel to other communities. The bottom line was that these early clubs had to eventually turn to means to generate income in order to survive, else they perished.
Teams were social clubs in their early days, and they generated income to support their clubs by throwing social events during the offseason. Eventually, clubs realized a potential in charging admission in enclosed environs. Turnstiles were erected, and fans were surreptitiously given the moniker "cranks" by turning those turnstiles. Eventually, clubs saw the potential in generating profit, and thus the game progressed into the professional realm with the Cincinnati Red Stockings.
Recently, MLB disclosed some fascinating news: it was approaching overall income of 6 billion dollars for the first time ever, placing it in the elite of other American Sports. The game has come a long way from the days when Alexander Cartwright drafted the original rules of base ball in 1845 (the game was written as two words then). Economics has shaped the overall game, much as it does in our society.
I don't make this statement lightly; I truly believe that if you follow the history of the game you can get a sense of how American society was shaping itself politically, socially, as well as aesthetically. This is probably a large reason that adore the game so.
And so now it's the fall of 2007, and we have officially entered the free agent signing period. Interestingly, I happened upon an article on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution by Tim Tucker which suggests that the Braves will be opening their coffers this off-season. Liberty Media, which purchased the Braves after a protracted acquisition process, from Time-Warner, has seen the Braves as possessing a good amount of cash flow, concluding that the Braves were "profitable" last year. Terry McGuirk, the Braves CEO has suggested that the Braves will increase payroll significantly, but did not have a set payroll. So, what does this mean for the tomahawk chopping fans in the thirsty state of Georgia (and I'm just talking about playoff drought here).
Well, it could mean good things, but it might also mean nothing. One problem the Braves still have is Mike Hampton and his lofty, backend of a contract. The Braves have financially managed to survive this ridiculous contract thanks in part to Hampton's injuries. John Schuerholz did not elaborate last season on how much the insurance policy was covering Hampton's contract when he went down again in spring training, but I doubt that the Braves would have pulled the trigger in obtaining Mark Texeira from Texas if they were paying the full contract. We also are seeing the advent of Tom Glavine's contract discussions. He declined a $13 million option with the Mets. The question is, how much do you spend on a 40-something pitcher who looked tired in his last few starts in September? If the Braves are poising to win beyond September they can't rely on the good memories of Glavine's glory days; they need to be assured that whatever they are spending on is going to get them back into the post season. Personally, anything beyond $7 million is probably a bit too much for "Tom Terrific" to return to the Braves dugout, but I'm not sure what new GM Frank Wren is thinking.
Just as an aside, the negotiations for Tom Glavine have been surprisingly open. The Braves for a decade and half have always stayed out of the public in their quest to sign or trade players. Frank Wren's candid remarks probably hurt the Braves' chances of getting a good deal; they lost the upperhand because someone probably thought this was a great image-enhancing deal. Well, winners don't worry about those image enhancers (see the latest Yankees moves...absolutely brilliant if you ask me). I fear that the Braves will probably sign Tom Glavine for more than he should be worth; it won't be money well spent.
Accordingly, the Braves seem to have become one of those teams that abhors Scott Boras. Has anyone noticed the previous Braves who were Scott Boras'? I always wondered if John Schuerholz took the view that he did not negotiate with Boras much as the US has a policy of not negotiating with terrorists. He was quick to pull out the stakes with Andruw Jones, for example.
And the latest negotiations that Alex Rodriguez - arguably the greatest player in the game - opened on his own with the Yankees might not bode well for some other Boras clients. Remember when Andruw last signed with the Braves? He negotiated on his own what amounted to be a good deal for both he and the Braves. Will Andruw do this again, especially since A-Rod has already shown a penchant for going against the grain with the same agent? And, place this in context with the above article that I mentioned...does this open the door to new negotiations with Frank Wren and Andruw? I wouldn't rule it out at this point since, to be honest, Andruw's numbers were too low to ask for the numbers that Boras will be asking. In fact, I would not be surprised to see Andruw ask the Braves for a short term contract; he eluded to possibly doing something like in a recent AJC.com article (though he did not mention any teams that he'd possibly sign such a deal with).
As of last night (November 15th) it looks like Boras will be writing a smaller contract (in terms of dollars) for Alex Rodriguez, reportedly a ten year contract worth at least $275 million which is significantly lower than Boras' earlier asking price. What strikes me most is that Alex Rodriguez opened the dialog after Boras' faux paux of announcing A-Rods intent to exercise his opt-out while the World Series was still underway. Boras has a lot to learn about the game; no one person, be it a player, general manager, owner, or agent is larger than the game. Anyone who commits such blasphemy does so against not only the game, but America as well, in my opinion. Granted, Boras and numerous other agents have secured their place in changing the economic landscape of baseball, but their names will be mere footnotes decades from now.
Coming up on my next Blog: Paul Lo Duca, Barry Bonds, Derek Jeter, and s0me thoughts about the Brewers.
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