First off, my apologies for the other day. I'm glad you're here discussing relevant topics. :beer: As for your post, I disagree. I think the rotation is fine* given that they'll fill in the last hole with either Pettitte or Sheets, or if for some reason they miss both, they'll plug in Hughes or Aceves as the backend guy. At this point, they need to look at offensive upgrades. (*Obviously it could still be better.) I've already said I'm no fan of Peavy in the AL East. I sincerely doubt he pitches as well in what is probably the toughest offensive division in baseball. Plus, the Yankees would have to give up a lot to get him, and that's self-defeating. $20M is not at all insane for Teixeira IMO. If Santana and Sabathia are worth $20+ annually, how is a switch-hitting mix of power and average with a gold glove at his position, who plays every day as opposed to every 5 not a good deal?
No need for apologies but I apologize as well. I enjoy discussing baseball, especially this time of year and the Yankee and Red Sox fans are the best baseball posters on this site. I'm a big fan of Peavy and not a big believer that he wouldn't be as good a pitcher in the AL as he is in the NL. If the guy can pitch he can pitch anywhere and Peavy can pitch. I do question his durability some and his makeup for a city like NY but IMO he would be worth the chance. Imagine a rotation if they all live up to their potential of CC, Peavy, Burnett, Wang & Joba? I have hated the Yanks philosophy of the last few years of needing to have an all star at every position and feel what they have been lacking, what they always had during the dynasty years were great complimentary players and obviously great pitching. If they are going to spend an obscene amount of money which they already have on pitching, complete the best pitching staff possibly ever. I probably misspoke saying that he will be the most overpaid player in the game, there are some really bad contracts in baseball now. It depends on the final numbers, 20 mil a year is a little more reasonable than the 28 mil I am expecting. I don't think Texiera is a great player, a very good player but not a great player.
I don't know with Peavy. My biggest hangup is sacrificing prospects for him. I'm not one of the people who thinks guys like Hughes should be given up on. Could he pitch in the AL East? Who knows? Maybe he'd be just as good. Hell, if you could tell me right now that I'd get no dropoff in performance from him, I'd give up Hughes right now. Like you said, a rotation of CC, Peavy, Wang, Burnett, & Chamberlain is ridiculous. It would be hard to argue in any way against that rotation if every guy pitched to his potential. I'm not an "All-Star at every position" person either. I just think when you have a player like Teixeira available, like ARod, you go after him. The only first baseman in baseball I value above Teixeira is Pujols. I'd put him in the "great" category. He's going to hit .300+ for his career, put up 30+ HRs, and 100+ RBI every year. He's a switch hitter who is just as comfortable on either side of the plate (making him hard to switch pitchers on) and is a gold glove defensive talent. I agree with you though, at $28M, it's no longer a good deal. I'd be willing to give him up to ~$23M though.
Yeah...I am thinking there is a real chance it could be Baltimore. ESPN just reported Teixiera is very close to making a decision.
Forget Peavy. They are keeping him. It will be announced in the next few days. He won't go to the AL. Oh, and Manny could get 30 million a year on a short contract.
6 years at 25 would be ok. 8 wouldn't. And Jeter's avg was 18, not 21. It was 10 years 180 million. It just wasn't balanced.
Peavy pitches in PetCo Park, the most pitcher-friendly park in the game (link) in the lightest-hitting division in the league (link1 and link2) and has significant home/road splits throughout his career (2.77 ERA at home, 3.80 on the road, OPS against .613 at home, .737 on the road). While he might be good in the AL East, I'd say it's far from a slam dunk. Toss in the other factors, like what it would cost in prospects to get him, what kind of extension he would require, etc... and I'd rather just sign Pettitte, who costs only money, would be a short term signing, and is a relatively known quantity in the AL East.
That's because Gammons is praying it doesn't happen. He's become such a joke of an analyst over the past four or five years... it's rather disgusting.
He actually did mention them, saying he did not think Angelos (Orioles Owner) wanted him as his franchise player.
Dude I wholeheartedly agree. I always catch his baseball segment on the drive home on 1050 Kay show. He ALWAYS ALWAYS finds a way to tie in the Red Sox. He would be talking about SF Giants selling the team and then he's find a way to say "Papelbon". I absolutely cannot listen to anything the guy says.
He has turned into such a Red Sox homer it is disgusting. Used to love listening to him but your right lately he has turned into a joke. He's like Mortenson, he has all this inside info yet doesn't seem to get much right lately.
The more I hear the more I don't think the Yankees are serious about Teixiera and I don't know why. It may be the publicity of spending that much more in the current economy. That's ok but for some reason I also don't think they will be serious about Manny and even if they are the teams that don't get Teixiera will probably way overspend on Manny if he is all that's left. So, after posting the above I just saw this. Seems both Steinbrenner brothers want Manny and Cashman doesn't. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/b...urce_sees_yankees_pursuit_of_manny_ram-1.html In any event it sounds like, based on this, that the interest in Teixiera isn't there. "The official believes that the Yankees are "going hard" after Ramirez, to the point where they are willing to give him a three-year deal worth from $22 million to $25 million per year. Two other officials are skeptical that the Bombers would commit three years to the enigmatic Ramirez, who has already seen the Dodgers make and withdraw a two-year, $45 million offer this winter. Both of them believe the Yankees will linger in the background while agent Scott Boras works to gather offers, and if the market is limited, the Yanks will try to jump in with a two-year, $50 million package. According to a source familiar with the Yankees' thinking, Brian Cashman has been lukewarm to the idea of signing Ramirez, but the rest of the front office - most notably Hal and Hank Steinbrenner - believes he is precisely what the Yankees need to bolster a lineup that underachieved in 2008. "
Honestly, Manny provides more protection for ARod. Alex will hit far better with Manny behind him than Teixeira before or after him. Teixeira is just a better long-term option. I adore Teixeira, but it has seemed all along that the Yankees were never that serious about him, much to my dismay. Damon LF Jeter SS ARod 3B Manny DH Posada C Cano 2B Nady RF Swisher 1B Cameron/Melky/Gardner CF Not a bad lineup at all. EDIT: I wonder if they get Manny if rather than pursue Cameron or allow Melky or Gardner to play, they'll put Damon in center and put Matsui back in left. The offense would definitely be upgraded, but the defense would probably be tough to watch.
"As the bidding intensifies for free agent Mark Teixeira, the Red Sox [team stats] have let it be known they are willing to go only so far. Should another team up the ante and, as has been speculated, offer a 10-year deal, the Sox won’t be willing to go to such lengths to sign the first baseman." http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/...s_not_a_10:_Sox__attraction_limited_in_years/ (WTF, is that picture of Henry in 3D? That cigar looks like it is trying to poke me in the eye)
That's not that big a deal really. If they offer 8 years at a higher AAV, plus a chance to win and play on the East Coast then it's a no brainer. Plus he'd be a FA again sooner, and able to sign another big deal. Honestly, if this guy was to pick Baltimore or Washington over Boston or the Angels, I wouldn't want him anyway. He'd be accepting being a loser, and someone who would do that has no place on my team.
I kind of feel the same. He keeps swearing he's only looking to play for a winner, yet does nothing to dispel rumors that he'll wind up an Oriole or National. Now how much of that is Boras saying "Shhh, you'll play for the Yankees or Sox, just let me get you more cash" I don't know. I do know that if he were to even consider playing for one of those teams he deserves to be a loser the rest of his career. If people haven't learned from Alex Rodriguez yet, then screw them.
"Unless Mark Teixeira is willing to give the Orioles a major hometown discount, it does not appear he will be playing in Baltimore. Orioles have stood by their initial offer and have not upgraded it, and sources say that the other teams involved in the bidding -- the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Washington Nationals -- have gone beyond Baltimore's proposal for the slugging first baseman. "The Orioles are out of it, unless Teixeira really, really wants to play there," said one source. " http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3775042 The Nationals will almost surely give him 10 years but I doubt either Boston or LA will. It will be interesting to see what he does.
