Baseball Offseason 2003-2004

[Jedi Idej]

This has been the most interesting off-season in a long time. Big names being moved left and right.

It's nice to see (relative) sanity established in payroll. Sure, the Yanks and Red Sox are going off, but players aren't being signed for the money they were getting two years ago.

I've always liked Pudge, but I am so happy noone's biting on his $10M/yr demand. He blew it when he rejected Miami's purported offer of $32M over 4 years.

Even Vlad -- doesn't look like the Giants will get him -- will "only" get in the $12M-$15M/year range.

A-Rod. Unhappy in Texas. 'Nuff said.

As for the Twins, Mauer (sp?) is supposed to be a stud and will be cheap for the next few years. He definitely has big shoes to fill. The two pitchers they got for Prezynski individually don't stack up to P, but Joe Nathan will give the Twins lots of flexibility with their pitching. In 2 years, we'll find out if Lliriano (??) is cream or crap.

Hopefully Perzynski will have a long career in SF.

[Scott]

I loved AJ...he's a huge Trash Talker and was the heart and soul of the team...he swings a good bat too

Mauer is the future but the Twins blew it when they took him over Mark Prior.  Prior might have got them to the World Series Last year...

The general consensus in town when they took Mauer is that Scrooge McPohlad went the cheap way in going  plus he is a Minnesotan...SO WHAT!  You have a chance to get a future Cy Young Winner, you do it, Cubs fans can thanks Scrooge for Prior

[Jedi Idej]

Yeah, I heard the homegrown thing played a role.

I got a taste of his trash talk during an interview on a local radio station the day he was traded. He bad-mouthed the Metrodome and sounded genuinely happy to be going to SF.  

[Darth Broem]

The winter meetings are coming up this weekend.  Should be some interesting items coming out of there I would think.  

[Scott]

Oh yeah I forgot the Twins are thinking of dumping Jaque Jones and Meintkeiwicz too...Scrooge, I'm done with you, anyone know what team I should root for (ah who am I kidding)



They are going to be wearing their 70's early 80's style hat again this year for select games, no word on if the the Baby Blue Uni's will be coming back too

[Jeff]

I'm pretty pissed at the Twins right now...

Perzynski, Guardado, Hawkins and Milton (all former all stars except LaTroy) have all been dealt (for crap) or not signed

They resigned Shannon Stewart but haven't done anything else, I fully expect the White Sox and Royals to pass them this year.  Looks like the dream is over yet again

So far, the Twins re-signed:
Shannon Stewart

[/sarcasm] Woo-pee!  [sarcasm]

I agree we needed him, but we have a TON of OF prospects we refuse to trade (Mohr, Cud, Resto, Ford, etc).  He's the lowest priority of the three FAs we had.

AND, we've lost:
AJ
Milty
Hawk
Eddie

PLUS, the guys we didn't resign:
Gomez
Hocking
Reed
Rogers

That's EIGHT of the 27 main starters from last year.

Don't even get me started on the Jones and Dougie trade rumors
 

Terry Ryan has his hands full to get things right before Feb...

Jeff
disgruntled Twins Fan

ps.
OCB you can join me on the Cubs (Prior) bandwagon.  Mark Prior shoulda been a Twin anyway so I'll just root for him next year... I'm definately not gonna go Brew-Crew though!  Down with Bud!

pps.
My brother lives in CT and saw Mauer on a regular basis with the New Britan Rock Cats (AA).  He said Mauer can be a stud eventually, but needs a LOT of work to get there.  There were times when he gunned down a runner at 2nd base by 4-5 steps and other times where he gunned the ball to the Center Fielder!


 

[Jim]

Well looks like the deal that will bring ARod in will take place.  Looks like Nomar may be heading to L.A.  Hope you enjoy him Matt.  He will be missed.  Overall, I am happy if the deal takes place.  Its kind of nice to know that the Sox are already favored for the division.  Hopefully everyone will stay healthy.  I still am not counting those friggin Yankees out. Im sure Steinbrenner is going to continue to pick up talent all the way up to opening day.  

[Scott]

Well, today's the day for ARod it sound like if it will happen or not

Not sure how I feel though, Boston seems to be playing the same old Yankee tricks which sucks for the rest of the league outside of Chicago and Atlanta

[Mikey D]

The deal was made in principle and ready to be announced until the players association vetoed the restructuring of ARods contract.  Why can't they just let it go?  ARod wants it, both owners want it, Major League Baseball wants it and the fans (well at least Red Sox fans) want it.

I'm assuming (and correct me if I'm wrong, Scott) that by "playing the same old Yankee trick" you mean the Red Sox have gone on a spending spree that rivals the Yankees of the past decade or so.  I won't deny that Boston has more luxary in spending than a lot of other teams, but if the trade happens as is (ARod for Manny and Nomar and Scott Williamson for Magglio Ordonez), then the Red Sox come out of it pretty much where they stand right now.

[Scott]

2003 Payrolls...

New York Yankees   $180,322,403
New York Mets  116,253,927   
Los Angeles      109,248,680
Texas                106,277,880      
Boston              104,873,607      

Sure they are dumping Nomar and Manny but they will still be in the top 4, the funny thing to me at least is the number of championships (besides the Yankees) won by these top 5 teams in the last 20 years is same as the Twins have won in the same amount of time

There is something to be said for payroll...but there is also something to be said for farm systems and scouting.  That is why Florida and Anaheim won the past two years

[Nicklab]

The Mets are dropping out of that ranking fast.  Apparently, Mets owner Fred Wilpon wants the payroll in the vicinity of $80 million.

[Snively Bandar]

Well, today's the day for ARod it sound like if it will happen or not

Wow.  Looks like apparently not!  The Players Association wouldn't accept A-Rod's "devalued" contract, since it could potentially set precedent for owners to try to get other players (especially of a lesser caliber) to renogotiate their contracts down, like what occasionally happens in the NFL.

That stops all kinds of other trades that were hanging in the balance, based on A-Rod's deal happening.  Boy, lot's of healing to do in Beantown and Texas now between their superstar players and the fans, management, etc.  (Nomar, Manny, A-Rod)  Sure was a couple of wild negotiating days there though.  Sure made for some lively Sports Talk on the various sports radio shows!  

[Darth Broem]

Cubs picked up Kent Merker LHP for the bullpen.  They also picked up Todd Hollandsworth from the Marlins to come off the bench.  I am happy with both pick ups.  The GM says he hopes to add some more players in the next few weeks.  I sure hope it's a decent catcher like Pudge, Javy Lopez or Jason Kendall.  

[Reconsgt]

 Clemens Shuns Retirement to Join Astros

The Astros called a news conference for Monday. Clemens agreed to a contract Sunday, the source said on condition of anonymity.



  I for one am happy to see Clemens pitch again. he was one of my favorite pitchers to watch.  One of the great pitchers

[Scott]

That and Vlad going to Anahiem are the two shockers of the year so far...the Angels thing was totally out of left field, that makes them contenders again IMO (and signing Colon and Guillen)

The Astros are going to be tough as well, I knew Clemens would be back...turkey