Dec
26
2008
The New York Yankees have dished out another $23 million dollars a year for Mark Teixeira. That makes 4 players that the New York Yankees have signed that will cost them over $20 million dollars a year - Mark Teixeira, CC Sabatha, Alex Rodriques, and Derek Jeter. The New York Yankees have spent more on these four players than Tampa Bay Rays spent for their whole team, and I think the Rays can give the New York Yankees another run for their money next year.
The World Series Champions Philadelphia Phillies spent have half of the $222 million that the the New York Yankess spent on their team, which missed the playoffs for the first time in 14 years. Actually, the two teams that had to dish out money for the MLB’s luxury tax - the Yankees and the Tigers, never even made the playoffs.
The Phillies and in particular the Rays, put together teams that was laden with players that came up through their farm systems. Neither team dished out anywhere the amount of money that the Yankees have.
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Dec
15
2008
The World Championship Philadelphia Phillies have quietly been signing free agents. They signed 36 year old Raul Ibanez to a 3 year $31 million dollar contract. He is an obvious replacement for Pat Burrell. Ibanez hit 23 home runs, 110 RBIs and a 293 BA, in a pitchers park.
They have signed Jamie Moyer to a two year $13.5 million contract. The durable 46 year old had a great year for the Phillies last year. He had a 16 - 7 W/L record with a 3.74 ERA. He has 246 career wins.
Chan Ho Park was signed to a 1 year $2.5 million contract. The 35 year old pitcher was used primarily as a relief pitcher last year with a 4-4 W/L record with a 3.40 ERA with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
These veterans should help the Phillies next year, especially Ibanez. He is one MLB’s most consistent hitters.
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Dec
13
2008
The Yankees are throwing around money like it is confetti at two pitchers. They have spent a quarter of a billion dollars on two pitchers - CC Sabathia - over 7 years will earn $162 million and AJ Burnett gets himself 82.5 million over 5 years.
With Sabathia, Burnett and Wang the top of the order is pretty well taken care of for the new Stadium. If the Yankees can sign Andy Pettitte that will pretty well leave Joba Chamberlain, Alfredo Aceves, Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy to fight it out for the fifth starting pitcher.
Awash with an abundance of cash all the Yankees have to do is sign Teixeira to a 7 or 8 year contract and their spending spear should be finished. There is so much pressure on the Yankee brass to win a Championship or even a World Series, in their new Stadium.
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Dec
09
2008
While the Angels are still interested in signing him, he has a large number of suitors courting him. There are the Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles and Nationals. Teixeira is a good all-round switch hitting player that would fit well into any team’s system. He is a team player with a good attitude.
The Red Sox are apparently courting him now. This should draw the Yankees into the bidding fray. Teixeira is one of the most prestigious hitters on the free agency market.
Apparently the Mets have offered K-Rod a three year contract at $37 million. It looks like a deal is imminent if the Mets can come up with one more year. One of the things that K-Rod has going against him is the number of relief pitchers on the market.
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Dec
08
2008
Francisco Rodriguez got together with New York general manager Omar Minaya. The Mets are in desperate need of a closer, because Billy Wagner, will miss all of next season because of elbow surgery. The Mets have fallen apart in September for two consecutive years in a row. One of the problems has been their inability to hold onto a lead. Rodriguez broke the season record for saves with 62 saves. He is only 27 years of age, and should be more than able to help the Mets. Rumor has it, that Rodriquez is asking for a 5 year 62 million dollar contract.
It will be interesting to see how Manny Ramirez will do in the free agency market. One of the large market teams, the LA Dodgers have offered him a $45 million contract for two years service, and he has turned it down, Ramirez wants a long term contract. At 36 years of age, how many years is any team going to offer him. There are only 5 or 6 teams that can offer him what the Dodgers offered, and I am sure there are not too many teams that will offer him more than the Dodgers. The only two teams that I think would be willing to look at him are the Yankees and the Angels. The best of luck Manny.
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Dec
07
2008
The baseball executives and agents will be descending upon Las Vegas this Monday until it ends on Wednesday. Hopefully, the free agency market will heat up, because it has been so incredibly dead. Only a small number of free agents have signed so far this year - Ryan Dempster with the Cubs, Renteria with the Giants and Junichi Tawaza with the Boston Red Sox. None of the big free agents have been signed so far. Apparently there have been lots of offers on the tables, but no signing. The team to watch will be Yankees, will they be throwing money around like it was confetti. They have a large new stadium that will have to be filled, and the Yankees will need more than the product that they have now. From Monday to Wednesday it should be interesting days in Las Vegas.
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Dec
06
2008
Well, I thought that Santana would enable the Mets to reach the National League playoffs. But He wasn’t. The Mets still didn’t make it. There pitching staff should have improved, and they had a starter that could stop a Mets skid every four or five days. Woe and behold, they still managed to blow it.
There is speculation that the Mets might pick up Francisco Rodríguez who had a record breaking 62 saves last year with the Los Angeles Angels. There is speculation that he will sign a contract for 4 years at anywhere between 52 to 60 million dollars. He looks good because he is only 27 years of age.
Maybe he could stop the Mets’ September self-destruction. We won’t know until next September. After two years, I have quit speculation on why the Mets self-destruct.
Maddux will probably annouce his retirement on Monday. He had 355 Wins, 3371 Ks and a 3.16 ERA over 23 years. I would like to say good-bye to a class act. I sold a lot of his rookie cards on Ebay. He was a great pitcher with great control. He will probably be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
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Dec
05
2008
The Bosox have had such good luck with their Japanese pitching that they have added the Japanese right-hander Junichi Tazawa to their staff for $3.3 million dollars. The 22 year old amateur pitched for Nippon Oil of the Japan Industrial League. He had a 13-1 W/L record with five saves. He struck out 114 in 113 innings with an .80 ERA. He has been clocked throwing in the low 90s. He has control of the change-up, the slider and the curveball.
The Boston Red Sox have had so much good luck with Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima why shouldn’t they take a chance on Junichi Tazawa? Matsuzaka last year had an excellent record with an 18-3 W/L, 154 Ks, (201 Ks in 2007).
Okajima had a 3-2 W/L record with 60 Ks in 63 innings in relief. I am sure that if the Boston Red Sox didn’t have Jonathan Papelbon, that Okajima would be the closer for the Red Sox.
The Red Sox are in need of a 4th or 5th starter, so I am sure that there will not be any undue pressure on Junichi Tazawa.
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Nov
16
2008
Kerry Wood of the Chicago Cubs had an incredible future ahead of him when he struck out the 20 batters in one game in his rookie season in 1998. He was being compared to Sandy Koufax. He had 233 Ks in 166 innings in his first season. That was ten years ago.
He has been plagued with a broken arm, and shoulder problems since then. Sure he has had a couple of seasons that any pitcher would love to have, but he hasn’t pitched a full season since 2003.
Last year the Chicago Cubs tried an experiment. They used Kerry Wood as a closer. It worked. He saved 34 games in 40 tries. He still was capable of striking out more than one batter an inning. All good credentials for an excellent closer.
Kerry Wood 31 would love to stay in the National League. It will be interesting to see where he goes.
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Nov
14
2008
Hello, welcome to Sports Hound
By the time that The Milwaukee Brewers’ starting pitcher CC Sabathia signs his next contract he is destined to be the highest paid player in Baseball.
He will probably turn down the $100 million dollar offer over 5 years. CC Sabathia will probably be going to a large market team, such as the Yankees, Angels, Dodgers, Red Sox, etc.
Sabathia is a premier pitcher who is entering his prime. Last year between the Indians and the Brewers he had a 17-10 W/L record, 256 Ks in 223 innings, over 1k per inning. He had a 3.83 ERA with the Cleveland Indians and a 1.65 ERA with the Milwaukee Brewers.
CC Sabathia is currently only 28 years of age, and has not had a prolonged injury in his career. Any large market team will pay a astronomical amount of money for Sabathia. It is going to be a classic bidding war, with Sabathia probably going to be the highest paid player in baseball. He will be worth any amount that he receives.
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