Looking at the Game of Baseball from all ends of the Spectrum
Dontrelle Willis has extended his contract with the Marlins for one year for $6.4 million. In this off-season with players, especially pitchers and especially left handed pitchers getting tens of millions for multi-year contracts, you have to think that Florida got a pretty sweet deal.
Dontrelle Willis has extended his contract with the Marlins for one year for $6.4 million.
In this off-season with players, especially pitchers and especially left handed pitchers getting tens of millions for multi-year contracts, you have to think that Florida got a pretty sweet deal.
Lefty Neal Cotts who was acquired from the White Sox, signed a deal with the Cubs yesterday. The deal was for $825,000 for one year. A lot of negative press was made over Hendry’s signings of Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis for mucho millions of bucks. My take is that the Cotts deal will be … Continue reading “Cotts signs with Cubs… with a “Glass Half Full” Incentive”
Lefty Neal Cotts who was acquired from the White Sox, signed a deal with the Cubs yesterday. The deal was for $825,000 for one year.
A lot of negative press was made over Hendry’s signings of Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis for mucho millions of bucks. My take is that the Cotts deal will be one of the overlooked ones this off-season. Yes, Cotts had an down year in 2006. But he’s a quality lefty who Hendry got for a decent price.
Unless I miss my guess, Hendry is planning on putting Cotts in the rotation. In 2003, the last time he started, he was 9-7 with a 2.16 ERA. So he can get the job done from the rotation.
And you gotta like Cotts’ optimism. He has a World Series MVP incentive in his new contract.
As a Cub fan, I would to love see it.
Somebody finally has something good to say about the Gil Meche deal. USA Today’s Jorge Ortiz actually puts the KC deal on his Top Five Best Signings list. Says Ortiz: This one’s a hunch. It certainly runs counter to conventional thinking to give Meche, who has never thrown 190 innings in a season, $55 million. … Continue reading “KC’s got a believer”
Somebody finally has something good to say about the Gil Meche deal. USA Today’s Jorge Ortiz actually puts the KC deal on his Top Five Best Signings list.
Says Ortiz:
This one’s a hunch. It certainly runs counter to conventional thinking to give Meche, who has never thrown 190 innings in a season, $55 million. But so does the notion of the Royals making such a dramatic move, and that’s the point. They were going to have to overpay to get anybody to come to Kansas City, and by signing a desirable pitcher in his prime, new GM Dayton Moore has sent a message: The Royals are open for business and finally willing to compete.
I’m not convinced. I agree that KC was sending a message. They also needed to spend a bit more to get players to come to the Royals. I just think that for $55 million they could have gotten a bit more than Gil Meche. Even in this season’s market.
K What a perfect name for an APBA pitcher! In the middle of November the Bosox won exclusive negotiating rights with Daisuke Matsuzaka by paying the Seibu Lions $51.1 million dollars. It is reported that Mastsuzaka has come to an agreement to relocate to Fenway Park in a deal that could reach $60 million dollars, … Continue reading “MATSUZAKA TO WEAR RED SOX”
K What a perfect name for an APBA pitcher!
In the middle of November the Bosox won exclusive negotiating rights with Daisuke Matsuzaka by paying the Seibu Lions $51.1 million dollars. It is reported that Mastsuzaka has come to an agreement to relocate to Fenway Park in a deal that could reach $60 million dollars, that’s alotta YEN! The 26 year old Japanese righthander is expected to become the ace of a rotation which already
includes Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, Jonathan Papelbon, and Tim Wakefield. I’ve been playing APBA Baseball for 35+ years and this guy’s got the perfect name for an APBA pitcher! Play results from rolling a couple of dice and of course K meaning strikeout.
Take a listen to our latest edition of Baseball Zealot Radio. We take a look at the goings on at the Winter Meetings. Tedd gives a good review of the Rule 5 draft. I’ll be honest, before this year, I was blissfully ignorant of the details. During the show, Shawn brought up some interesting trivia. … Continue reading “Baseball Zealot Radio- Warming up to the Winter Meetings”
Take a listen to our latest edition of Baseball Zealot Radio. We take a look at the goings on at the Winter Meetings. Tedd gives a good review of the Rule 5 draft. I’ll be honest, before this year, I was blissfully ignorant of the details.
During the show, Shawn brought up some interesting trivia. As a matter of fact, I pose it in the form of a question. You can listen to the show to find the answer (or probably use Google).
What strange significance does ’90s Atlanta pitcher Ben Rivera have in regards to the Rule 5 draft?
We also hit on the Ford Frick award nominees.
While I’m on the topic of BZR, I want to say thanks to Brandon Rosage of Outsider Radio who plugged Baseball Zealot Radio on his show. Check out Brandon’s show if you get the chance. It’s on my podcast roll for a reason.
If you haven’t checked out our show, give it a whirl. You don’t need an iPod to hear our stuff. Just a computer with sound.
-tbz
Ryan Goleski The Tampa Bay Devil Rays selected the 6’3″ 225 pound outfielder from the Cleveland Indians. The former Eastern Michigan standout was then swapped to the Oakland A’s. The Moneyballing A’s GM Billy Beane got into the action, just about where he started out, born in Orlando, FL, not far from Disneyworld & Mickey’s … Continue reading “GO-GO A’S”
Ryan Goleski
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays selected the 6’3″ 225 pound outfielder from the Cleveland Indians. The former Eastern Michigan standout was then swapped to the Oakland A’s. The Moneyballing A’s GM Billy Beane got into the action, just about where he started out, born in Orlando, FL, not far from Disneyworld & Mickey’s House (as my niece & nephew call it). It doesn’t appear as though Oakland will re-sign outfielder Jay Payton, so Ryan figures to see plenty of action. The righthanded hitting Goleski belted 27 homers and drove in 106 runs split over Advanced A & Double A ball.
Mike Piazza
In other news out of the Bay, Mike Piazza was signed to replace DH Frank Thomas. This will be the first time Piazza has played with an American League club. Mike has always been behind the plate, but this year he’ll be trying the DH role for the first time. It should be alot easier on Piazza physically, than the demanding task of catching, but there is the mental aspect of being a successful DH. It will be especially challenging for Piazza because as a catcher he was so involved in the action. Besides all that 2000 was the last time Mike put up any numbers similar to what the Big Hurt put up for the A’s last season.
Baseball Zealot Radio just posted another show. We recorded on the eve of the MLB Winter Meetings so we spent some time stoking the fires of the Hot Stove. We also took some time to peruse the 2007 Hall of Fame ballot. Take a listen to some good baseball talk.
Baseball Zealot Radio just posted another show. We recorded on the eve of the MLB Winter Meetings so we spent some time stoking the fires of the Hot Stove.
We also took some time to peruse the 2007 Hall of Fame ballot.
The Cubs have inked Alfonso Soriano to a hefty eight-year, $136 million deal and most Cub fans I know are pretty gleeful about the whole thing. The plan is to put Soriano in center and hope for the best. I’m an optimist. I like to think that with the off-season to work on it, he’ll … Continue reading “Cubs get serious about their desire to win”
The Cubs have inked Alfonso Soriano to a hefty eight-year, $136 million deal and most Cub fans I know are pretty gleeful about the whole thing.
The plan is to put Soriano in center and hope for the best. I’m an optimist. I like to think that with the off-season to work on it, he’ll do ok.
Now his bat… we won’t have to worry too much about his bat.
All the reports I’m reading are putting him in the leadoff spot. Maybe I’m off here but I just don’t think a 46-homer guy with his kind of on-base belongs up there.
To his credit, he improved his OBP to .351 in 2006. But in the years before that, it was .304, .332, .338, .324, and 2005’s .309. Yick.
Regardless, I’m thrilled as a Cub fan. With Soriano, Lee and Ramirez, this gives the Cubs three legit power threats.
In other Cub news, the Cubs acquired Neal Cotts from the Sox in a trade. They gave up David Aardsma and minor leaguer Carlos Vazquez. The media touted this as the two Chicago teams trading relievers but the rumors are Cotts is going to give the starting rotation a try. Cotts did very well during his starting pitching gig in AA ball. This trade should work out well for the Cubs.
+ + Get the above picture? Anyway, got a voice mail from a buddy of mine who’s a Cubs fan. He asked me how I felt about the Cubs signing Wood for $1.75 mil (with incentives for up to $6 mil). I heard a bittersweet tinge in his voice. I know for a fact he … Continue reading “Cubs news: Get your Wood up”
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Get the above picture? Anyway, got a voice mail from a buddy of mine who’s a Cubs fan. He asked me how I felt about the Cubs signing Wood for $1.75 mil (with incentives for up to $6 mil). I heard a bittersweet tinge in his voice. I know for a fact he has a Wood jersey that he pretty much had to store in his closet all summer. Have heart! Maybe you’ll
wear that jersey once again.
Rumor has it that the incentives are based on time on the active roster, appearances, and games finishes. Hmm… I guess that determines his role eh?
I had no doubt that Hendry was going to re-sign Wood all season. Hendry has an personal interest in Wood and doesn’t want to see him go. A low base salary with incentives is way to go. Let’s face it, what Cub fan wouldn’t be willing to loosen the purse strings should Wood put out?
Power Pitcher
In other Cub news, Carlos Zambrano has been giving the term Power Pitcher a new meaning. Last week, he won the 2006 Silver Slugger award for NL pitchers. Of his 11 hits this year, six were for homeruns. That total ties the club record. Fergie Jenkins also had six taters in 1971. He was one short of the league record by pitchers set by Don Newcombe (1955), Don Drysdale
(1958, 1965) and Mike Hampton (2001).
The MLB record of 9 was set by Wes Farrell in 1931.
Zambrano is a switch hitter and hit 3 homers from both sides of the plate. For the year, he hit .151 with a .397 slugging percentage and 11 rbis and 9 runs.
Ron Washington in 1985 and Ron Washington now. Doesn’t seem like he’s aged a lot mostly because he’s always looked old After a decade coaching with the A’s, Ron Washington is the new Texas Rangers manager. Washington is seen as a player’s manager which will be a change from his predecessor, Buck Showalter who … Continue reading “New Blood: Rangers hire Ron Washington”
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Ron Washington in 1985 and Ron Washington now. Doesn’t seem like he’s aged a lot mostly because he’s always looked old
After a decade coaching with the A’s, Ron Washington is the new Texas Rangers manager.
Washington is seen as a player’s manager which will be a change from his predecessor, Buck Showalter who was seen as more task-oriented. He loves the game of baseball and it really shows.
He was signed to a two-year contract. Today came the obligatory responses from the Ranger players.