Ok, so Mariano Rivera makes $14.9million a year, and he's the only closer in the game since the days of Sutter, McGraw, Fingers, and Gossage who is worth giving a contract that lasts past the first few years of being determined to be that great.
That said, who the hell determined that adventure waiting to happen that is K-Rod (whether it's with his father in law or on the diamond) is worth a $17.5million option that could AUTOMATICALLY kick in for 2012? Oh, that's right... the Mets former management that isn't calling the shots anymore.
Perhaps that's why K-Rod's sorry self was shipped to the land of Laverne and Shirley. Milwaukee needs a closer that isn't named John Axford (and a first baseman that isn't so chubby that he can't run quickly enough to catch a pop fly behind the bag in the shallow outfield - though 3-run home runs do make up for creating situations that almost let more runs in).
The idea that having a closer that can be bought from outside - instead of developed locally and shipped off to free-spending teams in the offseason - is truly ridiculous. For instance, Atlanta's Craig Kimbrel is number one in saves right now (28). However, he's 1 blown save off of tieing 5 pitchers for the lead (6). Does this make him elite? There was discussion at the All Star Game last night that he was striking out 15+ batters per 9 innings (adjusted to his minimal 1 inning stint at the end of a game). However, his WHIP is over 1 and his ERA is over 2.00. I know that players can't be perfect all of the time, but when a man comes in throwing flames and breaking pitches with gusto, the game should be 3 up, 3 down... at least every other time (and even then, 1 batter on is more than enough). And sure, he's getting bottom of the barrel salary to be good, but really? When will his reward come? When will he sign for big bucks in Georgia because Atlanta never really had a great reliever during their run (save when they converted Smoltz to the bullpen and gave him up in their rotation).
And that really is the issue here... free spending and make believe combing to make people think that their team's closer is a worthy part of a long stretch run (ok, in the case of Mariano Rivera, it is, but what other teams? Boston gave up Keith Foulke soon after 2004. The Yankees gave up John Wettland after 1996 added Rich Gossage after Sparky Lyle won the Cy Young Award (now that says something).
Is Craig Kimbrel going to be worth millions in free agency?
Is K-Rod really the pitcher that a team wants to pay mega millions to when they're not competing with the division leaders (and let's be honest, Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes are flashes in the pan looking for a ticket out of the Big Apple)?
So welcome to Milwaukee, Francisco. Hopefully, you can convince Prince Fielder to stick around for mega millions of his own.
Showing posts with label Prince Fielder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prince Fielder. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Robinson Cano
It's a nice moment to see Robinson Cano taking pitches from his dad to win the Home Run Derby, but...
other than watching the home runs that he hit in the second round, I didn't watch any of the rest of it.
I did, however, have father and son bonding night for the All Star Game, and I must say that it was the best game that I've watched in a while.
At one point, my dad asked me who I was rooting for, and my only answer was a good game with individual achievement. For the most part, I got that.
Sure, it was sad to see Cliff Lee let up a home run - even if it was to Adrian Gonzalez.
However, the saddest moment of the evening was a 3 way-tie. This was either the meltdown of Joel Hanrahan who let up a double after Starlin Castro ONCE AGAIN proved he needs to be the world's first 125-pound designated hitter by throwing short to first base and letting the 1,2,3 ninth go to seed, OR it was Prince Fielder proving that he needs to be the game's other 300 pound designated hitter rather than dropping balls that go too far behind his fat ass as he drops a relatively easy basket catch (which SOMEHOW doesn't get called an error - could it be the game needs Fielder too much to call it like it is?). The 3-run home run that won it for the National League did nothing to make up for the error (because that's what it was). It was just a sad display of the John Kruk attitude (I ain't an athlete) made worse for the fact that it's all about being a 2nd generation hero to a new generation that wants to make the game hip to the hip hop world in an effort to bring African Americans back to the game.
And while we want to see people of all colors, cultures, and persuasions in the game, do we really want the NBA or the NFL in our game of baseball? Seeing Andrew McCutchen's dreads in comparison to David Robinson's Opie look shows that the game can compete with people of all interests and attitudes. In this, we have no problem with Prince's tattoos (or Brian Wilson's tattoos or beard). It's style in the same way that Charlie Finley had when he paid for cool facial hair in the seventies (thank God for Rollie Fingers and Catfish Hunter).
However, we want our players doing the outstanding things that go with being an ESPN Web Gem or an MLBTV highlight at the end of the week, month, or season. Seeing how sluggish Prince Fielder is, we have to wonder what consideration for MVP he can get when he can't play the field. Just like his compadre Big Sluggi, the defensive liability of the Red Sox, we need to put him where he can do well - off the bench and attempting to knock in runs and get on base. No harm in that. Let's not pretend he's an all around player. Let's not let him think that he's any more Hall of Fame eligible than Edgar Martinez, who was generally considered the greatest DH of all time.
Seeing who came to the game and who didn't, it's nice to see that the game loves Fielder enough to make him the NL team captain of the Home Run Derby, but let's see him for what he really is: a one dimensional player that benefits from having a lot of hitters in front of him in the lineup. Where would he be if he was playing for Houston or the Cubs?
Exactly.
But all the same, those are only 2 moments of the 3 way tie. The final saddest moment...
Not seeing Justin Verlander 6 up, 6 down the NL team. Watching 100 MPH fastballs devastating the best of those who showed up would have been like Pedro in 1999 or Carl Hubbell in 1934. Sadly, he pitched Sunday, so he was mandated to sit out. Guess we'll have to hope he's there next year.
other than watching the home runs that he hit in the second round, I didn't watch any of the rest of it.
I did, however, have father and son bonding night for the All Star Game, and I must say that it was the best game that I've watched in a while.
At one point, my dad asked me who I was rooting for, and my only answer was a good game with individual achievement. For the most part, I got that.
Sure, it was sad to see Cliff Lee let up a home run - even if it was to Adrian Gonzalez.
However, the saddest moment of the evening was a 3 way-tie. This was either the meltdown of Joel Hanrahan who let up a double after Starlin Castro ONCE AGAIN proved he needs to be the world's first 125-pound designated hitter by throwing short to first base and letting the 1,2,3 ninth go to seed, OR it was Prince Fielder proving that he needs to be the game's other 300 pound designated hitter rather than dropping balls that go too far behind his fat ass as he drops a relatively easy basket catch (which SOMEHOW doesn't get called an error - could it be the game needs Fielder too much to call it like it is?). The 3-run home run that won it for the National League did nothing to make up for the error (because that's what it was). It was just a sad display of the John Kruk attitude (I ain't an athlete) made worse for the fact that it's all about being a 2nd generation hero to a new generation that wants to make the game hip to the hip hop world in an effort to bring African Americans back to the game.
And while we want to see people of all colors, cultures, and persuasions in the game, do we really want the NBA or the NFL in our game of baseball? Seeing Andrew McCutchen's dreads in comparison to David Robinson's Opie look shows that the game can compete with people of all interests and attitudes. In this, we have no problem with Prince's tattoos (or Brian Wilson's tattoos or beard). It's style in the same way that Charlie Finley had when he paid for cool facial hair in the seventies (thank God for Rollie Fingers and Catfish Hunter).
However, we want our players doing the outstanding things that go with being an ESPN Web Gem or an MLBTV highlight at the end of the week, month, or season. Seeing how sluggish Prince Fielder is, we have to wonder what consideration for MVP he can get when he can't play the field. Just like his compadre Big Sluggi, the defensive liability of the Red Sox, we need to put him where he can do well - off the bench and attempting to knock in runs and get on base. No harm in that. Let's not pretend he's an all around player. Let's not let him think that he's any more Hall of Fame eligible than Edgar Martinez, who was generally considered the greatest DH of all time.
Seeing who came to the game and who didn't, it's nice to see that the game loves Fielder enough to make him the NL team captain of the Home Run Derby, but let's see him for what he really is: a one dimensional player that benefits from having a lot of hitters in front of him in the lineup. Where would he be if he was playing for Houston or the Cubs?
Exactly.
But all the same, those are only 2 moments of the 3 way tie. The final saddest moment...
Not seeing Justin Verlander 6 up, 6 down the NL team. Watching 100 MPH fastballs devastating the best of those who showed up would have been like Pedro in 1999 or Carl Hubbell in 1934. Sadly, he pitched Sunday, so he was mandated to sit out. Guess we'll have to hope he's there next year.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Rickie Weeks
Last night, pitching excellence was on display in Anaheim as Justin Verlander let up 1 run in 7 innings... but he lost as Dan Haren just devastated the Tigers in every single way with a complete game 2 hitter where he walked NOBODY. In the end, it was representative of what the game of baseball has become - all pitching and very little hitting (save Jeter's 4 hits that he still has to get before Sunday night and Albert Pujols returning from the sick ward to kick the hell out of the National League Central pretenders).
Yet instead of embracing it, we pretend that the home run derby still matters in 2011.
The same could be said about Pittsburgh and Cleveland's rejuvination, but as they're on the other side of the PA Turnpike's 4 tunnels, so nobody seems to care what goes on out in the Alleghenies and Lake Erie. It's all about the longball - even if we have to utilize the aging, the one hit wonders, and the contact hitters of baseball to get it. People still aren't turning on ROOT and listening to the sound of joy come from a city better known for its football team.
Nope... it's all about post steroids era sluggers of which Ryan Howard wasn't even invited to be a part of it.
And with that, it seems that Big Sluggi is starting some kind of a trend that is about 13 years too late - picking his own home run derby team. In a day and age when the bashers aren't really coming to play (they're too afraid to hurt their swings) and the All Star Game is filled with sub par types (is Chipper Jones there because he's actually that good or is it because he's actually healthy at this point in the season), can anyone out there really feel that it's time to dig into the wallet and watch Chris Berman come up with new ways to cheer on a home run when it's Rickie Weeks doing the swinging? OK, so it's not like Prince Fielder had many good choices to go with for his team (someone equally pudgy had to counter Big Sluggi's actions after all), but certainly there had to be someone worth choosing... (Lance Berkman, maybe).
So the excitement of excitement is Prince Fielder, Jose Bautista (my pick to win it), David Ortiz, Weeks, Matt Holliday, Adrian Gonzalez, Robinson Cano, and Matt Kemp. I won't be wasting time watching too much of it (besides, I teach during the first part of it), but all in all, were I to wait for the replay in the morning, I wouldn't really feel too glued to the TV for those guys.
What I would watch wtih slobbering affection is Justin Verlander going toe to toe against Dan Haren, Tim Lincecum, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Felix Herndandez, James Shields, and David Price in a contest of seeing how many times that they can strike out Mark Reynolds, Drew Stubbs, Ryan Howard, Austin Jackson, Kelly Johnson, Adam Dunn, Mike Stanton, and Ryan Raburn. Today's crop of free swinging losers need to be shown up for what they are - overpaid and forgettable players.
There would be something beautiful in watching Howard get tripped up with a nasty pitch thrown high and inside or seeing Reynolds looking absolutely glazed over as he goes down again (and again and again) with a nasty curve ball. Adam Dunn's utter futility this year would be on display as he would surely chase many a slider that exploded in the dirt. And if that's because the pitchers are better, so be it. Let's see their nasty prowess, and let's see how they make players as worthless at the plate as an Eric Chavez type that just gives up to cower in fear from the bench.
And that's the point. It's the Year of the Pitcher 2. If Drew Stubbs wants to feel big and potent (like Rickie Weeks who is somehow in the derby), let him face some real pitching. If he can hit for power, let him take on the best of the best for pitching power. Hell, I'd even pay to see Randy Johnson take time off from his gig at making old guys not feel gray to come back and devastate the lineup that is going into the derby. Ten pitches each... who can hit this guy? Johnson would still be the Big Ugly, I'm sure.
So in this era of the guy on the mound, let's not pretend that any of these batters are worth a hill of beans.
Yet instead of embracing it, we pretend that the home run derby still matters in 2011.
The same could be said about Pittsburgh and Cleveland's rejuvination, but as they're on the other side of the PA Turnpike's 4 tunnels, so nobody seems to care what goes on out in the Alleghenies and Lake Erie. It's all about the longball - even if we have to utilize the aging, the one hit wonders, and the contact hitters of baseball to get it. People still aren't turning on ROOT and listening to the sound of joy come from a city better known for its football team.
Nope... it's all about post steroids era sluggers of which Ryan Howard wasn't even invited to be a part of it.
And with that, it seems that Big Sluggi is starting some kind of a trend that is about 13 years too late - picking his own home run derby team. In a day and age when the bashers aren't really coming to play (they're too afraid to hurt their swings) and the All Star Game is filled with sub par types (is Chipper Jones there because he's actually that good or is it because he's actually healthy at this point in the season), can anyone out there really feel that it's time to dig into the wallet and watch Chris Berman come up with new ways to cheer on a home run when it's Rickie Weeks doing the swinging? OK, so it's not like Prince Fielder had many good choices to go with for his team (someone equally pudgy had to counter Big Sluggi's actions after all), but certainly there had to be someone worth choosing... (Lance Berkman, maybe).
So the excitement of excitement is Prince Fielder, Jose Bautista (my pick to win it), David Ortiz, Weeks, Matt Holliday, Adrian Gonzalez, Robinson Cano, and Matt Kemp. I won't be wasting time watching too much of it (besides, I teach during the first part of it), but all in all, were I to wait for the replay in the morning, I wouldn't really feel too glued to the TV for those guys.
What I would watch wtih slobbering affection is Justin Verlander going toe to toe against Dan Haren, Tim Lincecum, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Felix Herndandez, James Shields, and David Price in a contest of seeing how many times that they can strike out Mark Reynolds, Drew Stubbs, Ryan Howard, Austin Jackson, Kelly Johnson, Adam Dunn, Mike Stanton, and Ryan Raburn. Today's crop of free swinging losers need to be shown up for what they are - overpaid and forgettable players.
There would be something beautiful in watching Howard get tripped up with a nasty pitch thrown high and inside or seeing Reynolds looking absolutely glazed over as he goes down again (and again and again) with a nasty curve ball. Adam Dunn's utter futility this year would be on display as he would surely chase many a slider that exploded in the dirt. And if that's because the pitchers are better, so be it. Let's see their nasty prowess, and let's see how they make players as worthless at the plate as an Eric Chavez type that just gives up to cower in fear from the bench.
And that's the point. It's the Year of the Pitcher 2. If Drew Stubbs wants to feel big and potent (like Rickie Weeks who is somehow in the derby), let him face some real pitching. If he can hit for power, let him take on the best of the best for pitching power. Hell, I'd even pay to see Randy Johnson take time off from his gig at making old guys not feel gray to come back and devastate the lineup that is going into the derby. Ten pitches each... who can hit this guy? Johnson would still be the Big Ugly, I'm sure.
So in this era of the guy on the mound, let's not pretend that any of these batters are worth a hill of beans.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Prince Fielder
There's this whole thing with Tony Larussa and his longevity as a manager of the Cardinals (and the A's and the White Sox) that just makes me want to say... I hate that guy.
From Friday night, his 5,000th career game, to Sunday, Larussa did nothing to lead the Cardinals to victory. Instead, he led the Brewers to first place, and the NL Central is now wide open for a long hot summer of who wants the pennant most (or who wants to crap the bed the least).
Maybe this can be contributed to Albert Pujols not setting the stars in the sky with 3 home run games, but part of it is also the fact that Chris Carpenter can't buy a win and Jake Westrbook's ERA isn't pretty at all. Maybe we can say that the Brewers want it more. Who knows, but if you ask me, I choose to blame it on the Cardinals not choosing to jettison Larussa into the jungles of South America in the hope that he can find some new animal friends and not find his way back to the state of Missouri ever again. But alas, that's just me.
Maybe it's the fact that Prince Fielder was 3/7 in the series with 2 home runs and 4 walks. He's definitely doing his best to sell potential for free agency with a .305 batting average and 19 home runs and 58 RBIs for the Brew Crew, who won't be trying to afford him unless he brings them to some kind of wayback machine repeat of the 1982 team (is he really Cecil Cooper to Ryan Braun's Robin Yount?).
And there is hope in the land of cheese, Laverne & Shirley, beer, and the Packers, but it's a long season and Zach Greinke and Shaun Marcum will have to work well with Yovani Gallardo if there is to be hope in Wisconsin. Perhaps if Rickie Weeks doesn't strike out so much...
But for Fielder, there is the fact that his father hit 50 home runs in a season (despite those 182 Ks that went with that brilliant 1990 offensive explosioin), and he was always the heir apparent, and for good cause. His dad smacked 300 home runs at a time that it still meant something. Now, it's just chump change since all the kids are doing it, but Prince's girth has propelled him to do some nice things with the ball (211 from 2005 to now, which includes 50 in 2007).
However, we can't see the later numbers translating that big at the bank - though someone will pay, especially if they lose out on the Albert Pujols sweepstakes.
For Prince, it's all about what the Brewers do against the Cardinals. Sure, they've gone on to October baseball, but they've gone nowhere with it. If they can this year... and if he can avenge not getting Ryan Braun bank, he can take his signing arm and make it all right.
And at the end of the day, isn't that what it's about anyway?
From Friday night, his 5,000th career game, to Sunday, Larussa did nothing to lead the Cardinals to victory. Instead, he led the Brewers to first place, and the NL Central is now wide open for a long hot summer of who wants the pennant most (or who wants to crap the bed the least).
Maybe this can be contributed to Albert Pujols not setting the stars in the sky with 3 home run games, but part of it is also the fact that Chris Carpenter can't buy a win and Jake Westrbook's ERA isn't pretty at all. Maybe we can say that the Brewers want it more. Who knows, but if you ask me, I choose to blame it on the Cardinals not choosing to jettison Larussa into the jungles of South America in the hope that he can find some new animal friends and not find his way back to the state of Missouri ever again. But alas, that's just me.
Maybe it's the fact that Prince Fielder was 3/7 in the series with 2 home runs and 4 walks. He's definitely doing his best to sell potential for free agency with a .305 batting average and 19 home runs and 58 RBIs for the Brew Crew, who won't be trying to afford him unless he brings them to some kind of wayback machine repeat of the 1982 team (is he really Cecil Cooper to Ryan Braun's Robin Yount?).
And there is hope in the land of cheese, Laverne & Shirley, beer, and the Packers, but it's a long season and Zach Greinke and Shaun Marcum will have to work well with Yovani Gallardo if there is to be hope in Wisconsin. Perhaps if Rickie Weeks doesn't strike out so much...
But for Fielder, there is the fact that his father hit 50 home runs in a season (despite those 182 Ks that went with that brilliant 1990 offensive explosioin), and he was always the heir apparent, and for good cause. His dad smacked 300 home runs at a time that it still meant something. Now, it's just chump change since all the kids are doing it, but Prince's girth has propelled him to do some nice things with the ball (211 from 2005 to now, which includes 50 in 2007).
However, we can't see the later numbers translating that big at the bank - though someone will pay, especially if they lose out on the Albert Pujols sweepstakes.
For Prince, it's all about what the Brewers do against the Cardinals. Sure, they've gone on to October baseball, but they've gone nowhere with it. If they can this year... and if he can avenge not getting Ryan Braun bank, he can take his signing arm and make it all right.
And at the end of the day, isn't that what it's about anyway?
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Aaron Boone
You think we'd learn. You think Aaron Boone would have taught us all what it means to get into a pick up basketball game and get injured and lose his contract because he was playing for the Yankees and he wasn't making much, and frankly, with that, he was quite expendable. And let's not even think about the idea of doing something so wreckless and stupid that it just jeopardizes EVERYTHING that he and the team could be without an instant of showing that he had ACTUALLY THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT HE WAS DOING. I'm sure just reminiscing about the incident would make Derek Jeter and guys like him who waited their whole life to wear pinstripes and go to the playoffs cringe in horror. Fortunately,
But alas...
You think we'd learn. You think Ben Roethlisberger would have taught us that we can't ride our motorcycles helmetless if our team is counting on us, but alas, he never learned either.
And so it shouldn't be a shock that the Great White Nope of Milwaukee (registered trademark, but because we just don't believe) has gone and shot himself and an entire state full of Cheeseheaded beer drinkers who still remember the good ol' days of Harvey's Wallbangers and Laverne and Shirley in the foot or should I say feet because he's making $13.5million per season for the next 2 seasons and his success will keep Prince Fielder in town (hopefully) or the lack thereof will drive him to Anaheim or some other city in need of a big bopping designated hitter or first basemen (at Prince's weight, he'll be a DH like his daddy before too long).
But with a broken rib from his dalliance at trying to be like Lebron James, he'll be on the DH at the start of the season. Will he come back healthy and ready? Will his social anxiety disorder and depression be affected?
Let's just say that if I was Mark Attanasio today and I was thinking about how much money and faith and hope I just installed into my ace and how he paid me back, I'd be thinking of getting 70cents on the dollar and shipping him to some other team in the hope that I could build up for the future because even if I had to keep him, I surely wouldn't keep him around to extend the contract ad infinitum.
And the injuries and the hopes and dreams keep right on rolling in the land of cactuses and the world of grapefruits as we get closer and closer to day 1.
But alas...
You think we'd learn. You think Ben Roethlisberger would have taught us that we can't ride our motorcycles helmetless if our team is counting on us, but alas, he never learned either.
And so it shouldn't be a shock that the Great White Nope of Milwaukee (registered trademark, but because we just don't believe) has gone and shot himself and an entire state full of Cheeseheaded beer drinkers who still remember the good ol' days of Harvey's Wallbangers and Laverne and Shirley in the foot or should I say feet because he's making $13.5million per season for the next 2 seasons and his success will keep Prince Fielder in town (hopefully) or the lack thereof will drive him to Anaheim or some other city in need of a big bopping designated hitter or first basemen (at Prince's weight, he'll be a DH like his daddy before too long).
But with a broken rib from his dalliance at trying to be like Lebron James, he'll be on the DH at the start of the season. Will he come back healthy and ready? Will his social anxiety disorder and depression be affected?
Let's just say that if I was Mark Attanasio today and I was thinking about how much money and faith and hope I just installed into my ace and how he paid me back, I'd be thinking of getting 70cents on the dollar and shipping him to some other team in the hope that I could build up for the future because even if I had to keep him, I surely wouldn't keep him around to extend the contract ad infinitum.
And the injuries and the hopes and dreams keep right on rolling in the land of cactuses and the world of grapefruits as we get closer and closer to day 1.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Michael Bourne
I guess it's a good day since we've been given reprieve and told by a rodent that we're getting spring in 6 weeks (as opposed to 6 more weeks of winter), so we will continue to burn the hot stove for the day that will be Pitchers and Catchers Report Day.
In doing this, we read and think baseball. Other than ESPN, we generally will read Bleacher Report, which is actually a pretty decent baseball site that breaks things down as a mix between USA Today and Maxim. We get our baseball knowledge quick and simple, and if we are so inclined, we can see who the hottest wives and girlfriends of players are.
Today, they have a list of players who need long term extensions other than Albert Pujols, who I am still curious how the talks can go this long. I keep hoping the hot stove heats up all the way and I FINALLY get to wake up on one of these cold and icy days and hear something really good other than my alarm, which will inevitably send me to school, or as was the case today, the computer so that I could eventually figure out that school was canceled as the rain keeps freezing up on the highways and pavements, thus preventing school.
So let's see who gets picked. Michael Bourne? Get real. Sure, he steals bases, but he has no power and his batting average isn't that great. In fact, his bases stolen went down last year. A long term deal with him is like the Eagles signing Donovan McNabb until he was eligible for AARP when he first came out of the gate.
Anibal Sanchez is up next, and let's be honest, other than a great rookie year and a no hitter, he's above average, but does that equal a long term deal? If we're giving money and lifetime contracts away, I'll take one. Hell, I'd be happy for a few good years and a shoe deal (a pair of sneakers, water hiking shoes, and dress shoes - I won't even ask for them to be player endorsed).
Jonathan Papelbon is next. Obviously, these guys didn't read my discussion on closers. This guy needs to be retired to some Irish bar in South Boston - not signed to a long deal. Get real. The future is already in Boston (Daniel Bard). Why pay this guy well over $10million per in the hopes that he can close until he gets as old as Trevor Hoffman when he finally realized he wasn't really that special.
Grady Sizemore is an injury risk, but other than that, Cleveland has to show love for a hometown player soon before they all end up on the Red Sox and Yankees through trades and free agency.
Brandon Phillips has a lot of love for his second sack ability, but is that reason to sign him long term and give him 9 figures or upper eights?
Jose Bautista had a good year. He figured out how to hit home runs. Does that mean he gets a big salary? Not after one year it doesn't.
Matt Cain is a World Series hero and above average for the seasons that he plays. As a result, he can handle himself when it counts and since the Giants are primed to compete for years to come, this is the first choice that seems realistic.
Cole Hamels - I already said my peace about him, but other than being able to sue for non-support, it's not that he's bad. He's just not a player I want to build a team around. However, as the number 4 starter in a rotation that stands to be dominant for ages, he's a good cog in the machine, but that still doesn't get the Phillies a bat in their lineup, which is what they really need.
Prince Fielder has an ugly swing and a declining production trend. He was given over $15million for an additional season. If he gets it together when it counts, he might be worth a couple more years, but long term and big bucks? Weren't the Brewers expecting to lose him? Is Zach Greinke and a few young players really worth spending lots of money and building around? The Reds and Cards are here to stay and in a division that tough in a stadium that yields lots of home runs, is he really all that he's cracked up to be? I wouldn't pay big bucks for him with all those what ifs, and frankly, Bud Selig probably won't either, but that said, he is a decent personality for where baseball is in 2011.
They also list Josh Hamilton, and I get that for the same reason that Fielder is a decent personality for baseball 2011. I've written about that before, but frankly, just as Sizemore is an injury risk, Hamilton is a relapse risk. We've seen that before. If he shows us some discipline, we can show him some paycheck love, but frankly, he's scary to two groups: his opponents who he can just crush and his team who can lose him if he gets injured or sent to rehab. Personally, he's worth a short contract with some nice figures, but long term?
We live in a society that is currently $14 trillion in debt. This number goes up like a clock moves through the day. It just happens. Some of us want to pay it off and be fiscally responsible while others want to spend like there is no tomorrow. Some of us wonder if it can ever be paid off (I'm in that group). It almost makes me think we're trying to bankrupt China the way we did the Soviets, but alas, if we keep borrowing from the Chinese, eventually someone is going to come collecting or just declare that they own this country. It's a scary proposition and nowhere is it more true than with baseball money. The salaries are so large and ridiculous, that it's insane. I don't blame the players for taking it or even asking for it since the owners have paid for so long, but still... it's crazy.
Stores like the one out of Bleacher Report underscore the insanity that is our country's financial crisis, but that said, I like dingers when batters are hitting them into orbit, and I love strikeouts when pitchers are dropping curves from 12 to 6 to make batters look stupid.
I guess it's all a no win thing because my game won't pull in it's belt and tighten up and asses will still find their way to the seats.
As a result, we will bemoan the future of our game and wonder if Bleacher Report is on crack. We think they are, and to that, we can only offer them Whitney's advice: "Crack is whack."
In doing this, we read and think baseball. Other than ESPN, we generally will read Bleacher Report, which is actually a pretty decent baseball site that breaks things down as a mix between USA Today and Maxim. We get our baseball knowledge quick and simple, and if we are so inclined, we can see who the hottest wives and girlfriends of players are.
Today, they have a list of players who need long term extensions other than Albert Pujols, who I am still curious how the talks can go this long. I keep hoping the hot stove heats up all the way and I FINALLY get to wake up on one of these cold and icy days and hear something really good other than my alarm, which will inevitably send me to school, or as was the case today, the computer so that I could eventually figure out that school was canceled as the rain keeps freezing up on the highways and pavements, thus preventing school.
So let's see who gets picked. Michael Bourne? Get real. Sure, he steals bases, but he has no power and his batting average isn't that great. In fact, his bases stolen went down last year. A long term deal with him is like the Eagles signing Donovan McNabb until he was eligible for AARP when he first came out of the gate.
Anibal Sanchez is up next, and let's be honest, other than a great rookie year and a no hitter, he's above average, but does that equal a long term deal? If we're giving money and lifetime contracts away, I'll take one. Hell, I'd be happy for a few good years and a shoe deal (a pair of sneakers, water hiking shoes, and dress shoes - I won't even ask for them to be player endorsed).
Jonathan Papelbon is next. Obviously, these guys didn't read my discussion on closers. This guy needs to be retired to some Irish bar in South Boston - not signed to a long deal. Get real. The future is already in Boston (Daniel Bard). Why pay this guy well over $10million per in the hopes that he can close until he gets as old as Trevor Hoffman when he finally realized he wasn't really that special.
Grady Sizemore is an injury risk, but other than that, Cleveland has to show love for a hometown player soon before they all end up on the Red Sox and Yankees through trades and free agency.
Brandon Phillips has a lot of love for his second sack ability, but is that reason to sign him long term and give him 9 figures or upper eights?
Jose Bautista had a good year. He figured out how to hit home runs. Does that mean he gets a big salary? Not after one year it doesn't.
Matt Cain is a World Series hero and above average for the seasons that he plays. As a result, he can handle himself when it counts and since the Giants are primed to compete for years to come, this is the first choice that seems realistic.
Cole Hamels - I already said my peace about him, but other than being able to sue for non-support, it's not that he's bad. He's just not a player I want to build a team around. However, as the number 4 starter in a rotation that stands to be dominant for ages, he's a good cog in the machine, but that still doesn't get the Phillies a bat in their lineup, which is what they really need.
Prince Fielder has an ugly swing and a declining production trend. He was given over $15million for an additional season. If he gets it together when it counts, he might be worth a couple more years, but long term and big bucks? Weren't the Brewers expecting to lose him? Is Zach Greinke and a few young players really worth spending lots of money and building around? The Reds and Cards are here to stay and in a division that tough in a stadium that yields lots of home runs, is he really all that he's cracked up to be? I wouldn't pay big bucks for him with all those what ifs, and frankly, Bud Selig probably won't either, but that said, he is a decent personality for where baseball is in 2011.
They also list Josh Hamilton, and I get that for the same reason that Fielder is a decent personality for baseball 2011. I've written about that before, but frankly, just as Sizemore is an injury risk, Hamilton is a relapse risk. We've seen that before. If he shows us some discipline, we can show him some paycheck love, but frankly, he's scary to two groups: his opponents who he can just crush and his team who can lose him if he gets injured or sent to rehab. Personally, he's worth a short contract with some nice figures, but long term?
We live in a society that is currently $14 trillion in debt. This number goes up like a clock moves through the day. It just happens. Some of us want to pay it off and be fiscally responsible while others want to spend like there is no tomorrow. Some of us wonder if it can ever be paid off (I'm in that group). It almost makes me think we're trying to bankrupt China the way we did the Soviets, but alas, if we keep borrowing from the Chinese, eventually someone is going to come collecting or just declare that they own this country. It's a scary proposition and nowhere is it more true than with baseball money. The salaries are so large and ridiculous, that it's insane. I don't blame the players for taking it or even asking for it since the owners have paid for so long, but still... it's crazy.
Stores like the one out of Bleacher Report underscore the insanity that is our country's financial crisis, but that said, I like dingers when batters are hitting them into orbit, and I love strikeouts when pitchers are dropping curves from 12 to 6 to make batters look stupid.
I guess it's all a no win thing because my game won't pull in it's belt and tighten up and asses will still find their way to the seats.
As a result, we will bemoan the future of our game and wonder if Bleacher Report is on crack. We think they are, and to that, we can only offer them Whitney's advice: "Crack is whack."
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