MLB Offseason stuff

MLB Hostove stuff

cause its not even December and I'm counting the days til April.

Mets trade for Delgado
Mets sign Wagner as closer

Blue Jays offer an absurd contract to BJ Ryan to close.

and just in

Konerko to the White Sox for 5 years $65m

And Braves closer Kyle Farnsworth to the Yanks for 3 yrs $17m

 

Also,

Winter meetings start in a few days, and from most accounts it going to be a busy meeting. Expect to see trade talks revolving around some pretty big names (manny for one) and some big deals announced.

 

I'm glad things are getting shaken up... I'm tired of hearing Manny whine... my only hope is that he goes elsewhere, NOT THE METS, so I dont have to read it everyday.

The BJ Ryan thing is obsurd. He should have signed with the Yanks for the same money. I really thought Konerko would leave after Thome was signed... thats surprising.

Farnsworth is a great signing... I dont want Gordon back, but he may stay. The Yanks really need a lefty.

Wheres Baltimore been? They gotten a bad rep apparently... anything on the table? Actually the best moves they could make were shooting Sammy and Raffy... good riddance to both.

 

Baltimore is probably going to end up signing Paul Byrd from the Angels and giving Nomar a one-year contract to fill some holes. There's been talk about trading some younger pitchers to either the Phillies for Abreu, or to the Reds for Dunn or Willie Mo Pena, or even to Texas for Adrian Gonzalez. They'll make some moves eventually.

I think Farnsworth is a good pitcher, but he choked in Wrigley, and the Bronx is much more difficult to play in, if he keeps his head right you have a good set up man.

Apparently the Blue Jays pissed a lot of owners off by making such a ridiculous signing so early, that single handedly bumped up the price of every other reliever and pitcher on the market from now til April.

 

I am pleased Konerko resigned. That is big news for the White Sox. Now that he is officially back on the team, I do like the Thome trade. Had Konerko not come back, I would have been disappointed.

 

Jim Thome... when healthy is a hell of a competitor, and an insane post season asset. He's also not nearly as old as everyone may think. I think it just short of a was as the White Sox could use some lefty power and he will be much durable given the DH option in some games.

Baltimore acutually frightened me last year, well of course, until their meltdown. I think the signing of a Willy Mo Pena is great for any team, I wanted the yankees to track him down and trade for him (i think he was a aaron boone throw in) and have him actually have a chance to put up numbers that for some reason Cincinnati wont let him have.

Bobby Abreu until last year would have been a bargain... I'm happy for any team that gets him...

Farnsworth's role would be very low profile (no such thing in NY) as he wont be a closer or primary set up man if they can manage to hold on to Flash (puke) Gordon...

Besides the Yanks will have their stuff together compared to this past season. People like a Tanyon Sturtze will be less abused and I think he may take Gordons role.

I think the Blue Jays are insane...

 

Farnsworth will melt down in New York. No matter what his role would be, he will have a breakdown. He has a nice arm, but his mental approach to the game has been lacking. Atlanta seemed to be doing him a lot of good. He should stay there.

 

Atlanta is no easy place to play... not saying CHItown is. But before last year, just like Boston the year before, every player and fan had in the back of their minds that they would lose... somehow... somehow snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

I say he does well, not allstar well, but well. Atlanta is a winning organisation. Every body in that town puts pressure on the team EVERY year to win win win, basically cuz they have a chance EVERY year... more so than the yankees in the past 11 years or more.

I like the fact that he acknowledged his role, even before he was considered a definate acquisition... he would be happy with setting up for Mariano. Maybe there is some confusion of what will actually happen here with him... he will be used... not for primary guy, but to share the load between all other relievers... yanks arent looking for stanton or nelson, or the mariano of old... they are looking for ANYBODY who can be effective most of the time... and I'm sure FARNY will do Ok based on the fact that Tanyon Sturtze will be used alot less and maybe, OH GOD, just maybe one of the stragglers that Cashman loves to sign will do something...

 

Tom Gordon signed with the Phillies, i guess to fill their closer roll now that wagner's gone.

 

While there may be some pressure in Atlanta internally, it is maybe 1/10th of that in New York. Hell, the fans of Atlanta cannot even sell out a playoff game. That does not sound like a team under a lot of pressure.

 

Understandable... but the fans dont fire, release, or trade you.

 

i'm happy to see the Brewers are bringing back the retro uniforms for all Sunday home games next season. For Brewers fans that's all we have to look forward to for the upcoming season.

 

Re: RE: MLB Offseason stuff

There is pressure to win in Atlanta, but it's different from pressure in New York. When the Yankees screw up, it's national news and a zillion loudmouths call in to talk radio. When the Braves screw up, people just say, "Eh, whatever," and stop going to games. The end result is the same: management notices, players get benched/traded/sent down, and coaches get canned.

Playoff games don't always sell out in Atlanta because, unfortunately, there aren't that many passionate Braves fans. There are a few reasons for this. First, the Braves have only been in Atlanta since the 1960's. They don't have the history and the generations of fans that generate that passion. Also, most Atlanta residents are transplants. People move here from NYC, Philly, Chicago, etc. and retain their old loyalties. Sure, many of them adopt the Atlanta teams and go to a lot of the games. But a Yankees fan in Atlanta will watch a Yankees playoff game on TV before he will watch a Braves playoff game in person. Lastly, the baseball playoffs coincide with college football season and, in Georgia and the rest of the South, college football is king.

As for Farnsworth, the Yankees have once again overpaid for a mediocre pitcher. He was pretty solid for the Braves last season, but he has a spotty history. He tends to put a lot of people on base. If he keeps the walks down he will be successful. Too bad we couldn't have made the Yanks take Dan Kolb as well...

 

RE: Re: RE: MLB Offseason stuff

I am a Reds fan, kinda... the Reds have a different owner for next season... but they still have the same Manager, though they hired Bucky Dent as a coach.. and the General Manager seems to be at the grade school stage of his career.

While the Reds lack the Marketing options/income of bigger cities, they would have no problem with attendance, should they ever show a consistent winning attitude.

So...zzzzzzzzzzz!