Yeah Manny got him by three steps. Stupid move on Jeter's part in all honesty.

Maybe the Jays can pick up Morneau in the off season. Seems like he and Torii can't get along. I know it's more likely that Torii will be on the move, but still nice to speculate.

3 steps? What?

He barely got him. Manny is one of the best at playing balls off the monster. Red Sox just made the playoffs. Suck it haters

Red Sox > YOUR FAVORITE TEAM

I would rather trade Morneau to the Jays for Koskie and Halladay :p

Really though, I don't see why, for any reason, the Twins would trade Hunter. It would be so rediculous if we did. I'm not saying that we won't, like I did with Moss, I am just saying that it would be rediculously stupid.

Check the replays, cousin. He was DOA by 3 steps, easy. Manny played that off the wall perfectly.

RedSox should be smart and pull their starting roster now that they've secured the wildcard. If someone got injured... LOL I say, but it would be bad news as a Sox fan.

What if someone's favorite team is the New York Yankees? :o

Stima.
Let me ask you something.

Would you ever go to a RedSox game and wear a paper bag over your head? On said bag, would you write "Who's your daddy?" on it. What's your opinion of someone that would do this, someone that claims to be a RedSox fan?

I would hope Manny is one of the best at playing the ball off the Monster. He only plays there for half the season.

Honest to god, if Manny gets hurt right here, I would laugh so fucking hard. Why is he still in the game?

I'd bean him. Give him something to think about. I swear I would.

LOL yeah, seriously. C'mon stima

<font color=goldenrod>MLB Playoffs Predictions

<b><u>LDS</u></b>
-San Diego Padres @ St. Louis Cardinals (Cards should take this one EASILY because the Padres suck)
-Houston Astros @ Atlanta Braves (Awesome pitching vs. about 15 rookies in the pressure of the playoffs....I like the Stros here)
-New York Yankees @ Anaheim Angels (Definately the hardest 1st round series to predict, IMO....but I'll go with the Yanks)
-Boston Red Sox @ Chicago White Sox (Red Sox will probably pull through here)

<b><u>LCS (ie: 2004 rehash)</u></b>
-Houston Astros @ St. Louis Cardinals (Cards)
-Boston Red Sox @ New York Yankees (After last year, this is too hard to predict...but it doesn't matter because I think..)

<b><u>WS</u></b>
-St. Louis Cardinals @ Whoever (Cards)</font>

WOOOOO

Padres VS Cardinals - Cards. Although I've always had a soft spot for the Padres.

Houston Vs Atlanta - Astros. Seem to be playing a lot better than the Braves, that plus the deep pitching they have.

Yankees VS Angels - Angels. I think this is the years of the 'upset' in the AL. Mind you the Yankees pitching sucks so bad, I hardly consider it an upset.

WhiteSox VS RedSox - WhiteSox. As mentioned above... 'upset' and pitching.


Cards Vs Astros - all things being equal I go with the Astros. I see the deep pitching and Berkman, who's on fire taking them past the shell shocked Cards who come in flat after an easy series with San Diego.

Angels Vs. White Sox - End of a great season for the Sox. Lack of experience and out managed is their demise.

Astros Vs Angels. - All hail the rally monkey. Nah,.. I predict a close series, but the Astros winning it.

I dunno, I don't see the Padre's just getting smacked around. Peavy and Eaton are two real good pitchers and if they can make some things work there are a few threats on the Padre's offense.

Red Sox - Padres

2 Wildcard teams

...as long as the Padres win.

The Padres aren't the wildcard though

OH YEAH. Dunno why I thought that.

I have no idea how I want the playoffs to end up. Seriously. I thought I was sick of NY/BOS, but I wouldn't mind seeing it again. It'd be nice to see the Astros go, or the Padres upset, but I wouldn't mind seeing the Braves finally make it to the WS.

I DON'T KNOW

I'm so happy that we match up with the BoSox in the first round and not the Angels. Let the Yankees take out the Angels for us and all the Sox have to do is beat up on two east coast teams on the way to the world series.

And since when does the team with the best record in the league have to play the afternoon game on the first day of the playoffs? This east coast bias shit is insane. The Yankees get the prime time national game? Why? The White Sox have a better record & the fans will be just as loud (if not louder) for game one. If not for the White Sox, but what about some respect for the defending champs? The Red Sox don't deserve a prime time slot for the opening night?

Fuck... the Yankees aren't even playing at home that night. Now it makes even less sense. Plus baseball (as a whole) would hate for a Angels/White Sox ALCS. It's not sexy enough for them to have the top two teams in the league fighting for the league title. It has to be Red Sox/Yankees or else for them. BULLSHIT.

My picks:
ALDS
Yankees/Angels - Yankees in 5
White Sox/Red Sox - White Sox in 4

ALCS
White Sox/Yankees - White Sox in 6

NLDS
Cardinals/Padres - Cardinals in 4
Braves/Astros - Astros in 5

NLCS
Cardinals/Astros - Astros in 7

WORLD SERIES
White Sox/Astros - White Sox in 6

Anyone who went to Red Sox game today, did you see guys playing music in front of fenway park

Yes

It actually makes quite a lot of sense that the Angels/Yankees are in the later time, considering that they're playing on the west coast. Looking forward to the White Sox being eliminated though.

Yankees vs. Braves

Just because they are on the west coast means nothing. It's the Yankees... they get prime time. No one dare piss "the boss" off.

Pretty sure them being on the west coast has a little to do with it as well.

Yeah, it's a big conspiracey. Expose the truth 777!

Is Slugs 777?

Yes

Yes sir.

Pretty sure?

I'll help you. It has NOTHING to do with being on the west coast. By this are you telling me that there are no sunday afternoon games for west coast teams? That it is impossible for them to play before 3:00 CST?

BULLSHIT

Like I said before, MLB & FOX have it in their heads that everyone wants to see the Yankees. Even ESPN is calling for a repeat of the past two ALCS with a Boston/New York matchup.

They might not have the stars or the stats but the White Sox are the best team in the AL. 99 wins will get you that respect.

And again, what about the Red Sox? They ARE the defending champs. That alone, even though they are the wild card again, should net them a nationally televised game on the first night of the playoffs.

Not until the last out of last year's ALCS did FOX drop their hard on for everything New York and embraced Boston. I pray that Los Angeles/Anahiem and Chicago make the ALCS (even though I did pick NY).

Because as a baseball fan, that series would be worth the trouble.

People on the East Coast don't notice the bias, which isn't their fault but they just don't.

If ESPN showed big montages on the Twins and White Sox everytime they played I would think it be pretty cool too, you know what I'm saying? There is no reason for them to complain, and there are a lot more people in New England and around there. Like if you think about it basically Massachusits, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, maybe Delaware and Conneticuit, all support the Red Sox. New York itself is huge, then add in all the other places around there that don't have a team, like I guess the vaginas and stuff, there is just a lot of people over there.

Nonetheless, I agree with you. When I decided that I didn't give a shit about either team anymore was when midsummer, in a random meeting, (not the first meeting of the year or anything, and one when the Yankees were still awful) Sports Center had about five different stories on the teams, including extensive coverage on the bloody sock. I mean maybe for the first meeting, but the bloody sock has nothing to do with a midseason game in which Curt Schilling isn't even playing. Honestly.

OBP is a good stat, but BA is over rated? :roll:

The Angels get the prime time slot due to the time zone. Plain and simple, you'll get more viewers from LA at 5pm then 1pm.

a 4pm game, will cost some east coast viewers that simply aren't out of work yet. You'll loose almost the entire west coast audience.

By making the game 8pm/5pm you will get more west coast viewers for their team.

Otherwise you're telling the home team "skip school/work if you want to see your team".

I found it funny that the NYY were bitching they had to fly out to LA right away. They didn't have to, they could have pitched Musinna and left starters in and tried to win yesterday, then they would have had hosted the Angels.

Hero, you really need to stop drinking when you post.

Because football is my favorite sport and the Patriots my favorite team, I'm not a "true" Red Sox/Baseball fan?

Yeah, I had a bag on for a few innings. It was a joke, it was coming off a huge loss, being 0-3 and Bellhorn just made an error. The bag went on, no one was pissed people thought it was funny. Didn't stay on the whole game.

So, think what you want, I really could careless.

Can we see the pictures again?

Not if you listen to the reps from Fox Sports: "We had a tough choice to make Sunday night, with {the markets} in LA and New York and along with the history of the Yankees, that is the series we choose to go with."

When the White Sox hosted the playoffs in 1993 & 2000, both years opened with day games (in 2000 both home games were in the afternoon).

So don't give me that bullshit, people in Chicago have to take off work or skip school to go to the game tomorrow.

And now it seems that the only way the Chicago/Boston series gets a national game is if it goes to game 5. (Game 1, 2, & 4* will be on ESPN, Game 3 on ESPN2, and Game 5* would be on Fox)

I remember the past few years when the Twins were on, our game one was always during the day, even when we played the Yankees.

You do understand the difference between 4pm and 1pm right?

Also, who did they play in 93 & 00 and who were the other teams?

Toronto in the 93 ALCS (NLCS was Braves/Phillies) and Seattle in the 2000 ALDS (Yankees/A's, Mets/Giants, Braves/Cardinals)

Peter Gammons picks the White Sox and the Angels to meet in the ALCS. Love it.

Who was the other games?

We probably should have a playoff thread.

Anyway.

Angels v. Astros in the WS.

Winner, Astros.

I'll root for the Sox, but just don't see the pitching and the hitting has been spuratic. They need all the bats to get hot again for a shot.

I edited my post to show the other series

There is not much of a difference in a guy who hits .282 and .301. OBP is the ability to not make outs. That's the name of the game.

Anyone who doesn't take (other factors uncondsidered)

a guy who hits .322 BA .356 OBP

over

a guy who hits .277 BA .424 OBP

is a dummy.

lol every single topic on the Mets message board contains at least one of the following:

Sign Manny Ramirez
Sign Billy Wagner or BJ Ryan
Sign Alfonso Soriano
Sign Yadier Molina
Sign Paul Konerko
Fire Willie Randolph and sign Lou Piniella

It is ridiculous.

Gotta love the Mets, they're the Yankees w/o the brains.

Never the right GM or Manager.

The Mets spend all this money, but never seem to have the right players at the right time.

Sox did that for many years, spending money on guys like Jack Clark & Matt Young.

It's not so much the GM as it is the fans...the only smart move I can see them making is pursuing bullpen and maybe a catcher.

I'd say the money spent on Pedro was pretty well spent.

Huh? So, Bonilla, Mo Vaughn, and I'm sure we can list others is the fans fault?

Since when did the fans make moves?

This year? Sure and money is always better spent on pitching then hitting and Pedro had a great year! Question is, how much time is left on the deal and how will he be next year?

How about Beltran? :shifty:

<font color=goldenrod>Yeah, it's pretty stupid.

Not gonna lie, I'd love to see Manny on the Mets...but to get him the Sox will be guaranteed to ask for Lastings Milledge among others. I'd take on his contract as long as we could keep Milledge, but that's not going to happen. Mets would be smart to go after someone like Brian Giles, not terribly expensive but still a decent bat. Either that or they stand pat with Cameron or Diaz.

The priority is going to be getting a solid bullpen, and if they can get Wagner or Ryan they should...no way Looper should close next year. Set up man, MAYBE.....but closing? Fuck no

Soriano? Fuck that...we're already paying 7 mil to Kaz next year, and it's highly unlikely that the Mets would eat his contract or be able to trade him. I'd love to see Anderson Hernandez in there, though. Plus I can't see Soriano doing well in Shea Stadium.

Molina? Eh, maybe. Horrible arm or not I'd love to get Piazza on a 1-year deal for fairly cheap if possible, but Molina's a decent option

Konerko? OK, the people on that board are smoking crack. I'll admit, I was for getting Konerko, but that was before Mike Jacobs showed up. Konerko is streaky as hell and hella expensive. Jacobs, however, is cheap and provides great lefty power.

And Randolph is a lock to come back next year so there's no need to debate getting rid of him.

-----

I'm hoping Beltran possibly gets a permanent bump to the 2-hole for next year...I'm assuming he'll be MUCH better now that he's had his adjustment year, but he's not a number 3 hitter, IMO.</font>

So, the yanks are bitching about the Rangers. Well, more specificly Showalter, cause apperently he pulled his startets in the 3rd, after the scoreboard at the park show'd the Red Sox up 6-0 over the Yanks.

Had the Angels lost, the NYY would have had home field for their series.

Now, here's a better question, if the Yanks cared so much about home field, why pull their own starters early and why change SP's?

Clearly, it wasn't important enough to them, vs. keeping people fresh for the playoffs.

The Mets are just a few steps away from being pretty good

The rumor is now that Furcal is willing to play 2B for Mets :rant: I can't stand him and he knows he will get big money from the Mets. Plus we already have Anderson Hernandez who should get a chance to start.

That describes 1/2 the league.

So, do we all agree that the Rangers are dicks?

Could have sworn Miz and I pointed that out a few weeks ago.

this whole Ranger's thing makes no sense to me. so he took out his starters. big deal. does this mean if things were different that Boston was going to bitch and moan because the White Sox started only 2 regulars last friday?

and they still won :lol:

No, we all agree the Yanks are acting like Babies and if they really cared that much about home field should have played to win Sunday.

that being said, looks like the Yanks didn't need home field, did they...

According to Giambi, they weren't that peeved because they have played well on the road as of late.

Guess he should have asked A-rod, first. ESPN had the quotes, and Torre also.

It may be they were more pissed that the felt Showalter did it on purpose to try and "get back at George".

BYE BYE
 

Macha out as A's manager despite turnaround
/ Associated Press
Posted: 44 minutes ago

Ken Macha will walk away from the Oakland Athletics after seven years with fresh memories of another winning season, despite a young and injury-depleted lineup.

He hopes potential employers appreciate that, too.
Macha was out of a job as A's manager Wednesday after failing to reach an agreement on a new contract, which he called one of several "massive disappointments" in his tenure.

"Who knows how the rest of baseball views you?" Macha said hours after general manager Billy Beane announced there would be no further negotiations to keep the third-year skipper.

"I can go home and sleep and know that we used tremendous character to get through this season," Macha said.

Macha led the A's to the AL West title in his first year as manager in 2003, the club's fourth straight playoff berth. But Oakland failed to reach the postseason the past two years despite a 91-win season in 2004 and 88 victories this year.


"We offered a three-year deal with a club option and they countered with a three-year deal without a club option," Beane said on a conference call. "I don't think we were ever going to be able to bridge the gap. It was a significant gap."

The option would have allowed the A's to decide whether to keep Macha after three seasons.

"There are no hard feelings whatsoever," Beane said. "This is part of the business."

Macha had said he hoped to return to the A's, but declined to discuss specifics of the team's offer, saying money matters are strictly personal. His agent, Alan Nero, told The Associated Press he received an offer from Beane on Monday, then offered a counter proposal Tuesday.

"This is a sad day for Kenny, the fans and the players," Nero said in a telephone interview. "It was an amicable separation and it's time for everybody to move on."

Nero said he spoke Wednesday to Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield about the managerial vacancy in Pittsburgh, where Macha lives. The Florida Marlins are also interested in the 55-year-old, Nero said.

Macha hopes teams will take into account how the A's performed with such a young roster. Four rookies played huge roles.

"Hopefully something will work out," Macha said. "You have experiences, and that was a growing experience."

The A's seemed out of it in May when they had two eight-game losing streaks and finished the month with a 7-20 record. Oakland rebounded with another strong second half, overcoming injuries to key players, including shortstop Bobby Crosby and No. 2 starter Rich Harden.

Macha's departure didn't catch players by surprise. Center fielder Mark Kotsay hopes Macha gets a chance with another club.

"I know contract offers were exchanged, and they probably couldn't foresee themselves coming to terms," Kotsay said in a phone interview. "I think he definitely had a respect for the players and allowed us to handle ourselves as professionals. He was just a good guy."

Macha was 275-211 in three seasons with the A's. He came to Oakland in 1999 following four seasons as a manager in Boston's farm system. He was promoted from bench coach when Art Howe left for the New York Mets following the 2002 season.

Beane said the sides had exchanged proposals this past weekend because both parties wanted to come to a resolution quickly, leaving Macha time to explore other openings.

"This whole issue didn't sneak up on us," Beane said. "It's disappointing we couldn't come to a conclusion that was satisfactory."

Beane said he would work to form a list of candidates to replace Macha, and didn't say whether members of the existing A's coaching staff would be considered.

On Monday, the A's announced hitting coach Dave Hudgens' contract would not be renewed
________________________

Have fun in Tampa Bay (probably)

:love: :love:

Nah Macha will be in Pittsburgh. Here's your next Tampa Bay Devil Ray manager:

http://www.canadianbaseballnews.com/...ers/ronwas.jpg

The question IS...who do the A's get? Lou Pinella?

i bet Sweet Lou takes a year off and then gets the Yankees job in 07.

Go Astros, I guess :meh:

Why anyone would hire Pinella is beyond me. He's too moody. Players don't need that type of character, they need a steady disposition.

Probably Bob Geren, the bullpen coach in 05.

Beane would definately not hire Piniella. Beane likes managers who will do what they're told and not do anything out of the ordinary which is why Macha fit in perfectly. He always did nothing.

Not too sure I agree with the firing of Alan Trammell. I'll admit I don't follow the Tigers at all, but really, they should have let him turn around Detroit. I'd like to her other people's thoughts on this matter.

Yeah, thank you Hero, I don't understand the upside to Pinella either.

White Sox really outplayed the Red Sox this entire series. I don't think the White Sox will be good enough to win the World Series though. Red Sox really did not have the same feel as last year. Its too bad because last year was fucking amazing honestly. I guess I would rather see them to lose to the White Sox instead of the Yankees. Atleast you don't have to hear it from the fans since the White Sox really don't have many.

Red Sox vs Yankees would have real hot though - last 2 Red Sox/Yankees series in the playoffs where the most exciting things to happen to baseball in a long ass time.

White Sox better win it now.

I bet Damon signs with the Yankees after the Red Sox don't resign Millar and Mueller.

Good thing we got Renteria and his 38 errors locked up though. Somehow switching leagues makes you suck at defense?

Red Sox are probably going to make a shitload of moves this year but I don't know what they are going to do. Should be interesting.

I think they might start Youkilis at third. They definately need upgrades at 2B and 1B though.

There's talk they've worked Youkillis at 1B also, I'd really like to see Muellar stay, I think Renteria will improve, but when Hanley Rameriez is ready, you'll see Renteria move to 2B.

Word is Manny is looking for a new agent, and his sole focus is someone who can work out a trade for him out of Boston.

I don't see Damon going to NYY, I wouldn't be shocked if he wants too much to stay here, his agent is known for that, although Teck did stay with the same agent so who knows. I honestly wouldn't be shocked to see Damon go to a team like the Angels or more the Dodgers, McCorut as a lot of money to play with.

The big beeds I see is 1B.

I'd like to see Timlin back as Set-up, so if Foulke isn't going to close, then they need a closer, which could be Craig Hansen. 1B is obvious.

I didn't list SP, because Schilling and Wells both have a year left (I think) and Pappelbon will be a SP next year, so that gives you 6 SP, which probably means Arroyo to the pen, and spot start when Wells & Schilling get injured.

If Manny goes then LF becomes a need, and if Damon goes CF becomes a need. I didn't list 3B because even if Muellar goes, Youkillis will play 3B.

Honestly, if they keep the current team intact, I'd really like to see a RF, Trot knows that RF at fenway, and he works his ass off, but I think he's on the downside of his carrer and don't see his injuries or hitting improving. it's only his 7th full season in the bigs, but he's also 31 (he was drafted with back problems and some people didn't know if he'd ever make the majors).

Not sure what the sox have on the Farm for OF.

another interesting note is, Theo doesn't have a contract for next year and I can't remember if they gave Francona a new deal or not.

Word is Cashman may be out in NY, and would go to Philly in a heartbeat.

Here's an interesting thought, if Cashman is out, how much do you think George would throw at Theo?

blah blah bah. Red Sox will just buy more players. Problem solved.

So, what's your solution?

You keep bitching about "the sox and yanks buy their championships"

Well...

2 of the top 3 payrolls made the playoffs.

3 of the top 5 payrolls made the playoffs.

5 of the top 10 payrolls made the playoffs.

Playoff team with the lowest payroll?
#16 SD.

The probelm isn't the Sox and Yanks (1 & 2).

It's the Bottom 5, that either can't or wont spend the money to compete. Yeah, Cleveland came close and were 26, but "close to make the playoffs" doesn't get you anything.

They have a "luxury tax" problem is too many owners pocket it.

That being said, if your team makes money, why can't you spend it? spend it to help your team win which in turn helps make more money.

I'd love to see a hard cap like the NFL, but the MLBPA would commit mass suicide before doing that.

blah blah blah. justification for a terrible (non existent) salary structure.

let me try this again, maybe your eyes are going in your old age.

WHAT IS YOUR SOLUTION?

Yeah, let's pretend your god and MLB and the Owners have to do what you want. What do you do?

All sports should have a hard cap. Period.

Why?

Not saying I disagree, cause I agree they should have hard caps like football.

Top 5 payrolls were NYY, BOS, NYM, LAA, PHL (as of April 05)

That being said, the top teams would argue a few things:

1) Why if they can operate at a profit, should they not be able to spend money on payroll, which typically gets a better team and hence makes more money.

2) You can say the top teams spend too much, but can't you also say the lower teams don't spend enough? Should there also be a minum to force teams to "compete" rather then owners who have loyal fans and wish to make bigger profits?

3) Baseball is a sport, but MLB is a business, and if you're going to limit what the top money makers can spend so the little guys can compete shouldn't you limit what Domino's and Pizza Hut spend on their companies so the local little guy can compete?

4) If we put a cap to limit how much teams can spend, doesn't that also limit what players can earn, and hence kill "free enterprise" (this is MLBPA argument).

keep in mind, I agree 100% with a hard cap, those are just some of the arugments against it.

Interesting side note: The Yanks haven't won a WS since they went over the 100mil mark in payroll.

We're discussing this in the MLB thread, but just a note over here.

Seattle had the 8th highest payroll.

4 of the 8 playoff teams spent less money.

4 Los Angeles Angels $97,725,322
8 Seattle Mariners $87,754,334
21 Texas Rangers $55,849,000
22 Oakland Athletics $55,425,762

What I find funny is you bring up payroll as a reason Seattle can't compete, yet 2 teams that spent 32mil less then Seattle finished better.

Los Angeles 95 67 .586
Oakland 88 74 .543
Texas 79 83 .488
Seattle 69 93 .426

So, is that Seattle doesn't have money to spend or doesn't spend it properly?

I'll copy/paste this into the MLB thread so we can keep the cap discussion in one spot.

Yes teams should have to spend a minimum amount of money under a hard cap system.

Seattle cannot compete with Boston in signing FA's, which is all they do. We have money, but not enough money to throw at Manny, Clement, Schilling, Foulke, Renteria, etc. You buy players. That's all you do and that's all you ever will do.

Second-tier teams like us have to go after the second-tier FA's and trade for younger players. We got Richie Sexson, an excellent pickup. 40 HR, 120 RBI in a pitcher's park. Guardado, 25 saves, ERA under 3. Beltre had a poor season, no one denies that. The jury is still out on him, he has been in the LA organization since he was 15 and now he comes to Seattle, he's going to struggle the first year. He'll be better next year. At the very least we can expect 20 HR and excellent defense. Not bad at all.

You think that because Seattle is bad in 2005 and Boston is good in 2005 that this will always be the case. Seattle was at one point the best team in baseball. Boston was at one point the worst. It's called "rebuilding" and they're doing it this year. Boston has done it before. I assume you were a fan in the 20th century, I'm sure you remember Kevin Kennedy. Butch Hobson. I've asked you before to name me a team that has always been good. You didnt answer because there is no answer.

Atlanta Braves.

Are you joking? You realize baseball was invented before 1991 right?

1990 65-97
1989 63-91
1988 54-106
1987 69-92
1979 66-94
1977 61-101

and you can't just say Atlanta Braves because you have to go with Braves history as a whole or the thing is screwed up.

the Boston Braves/Bees (same history) were ridiculously terrible from the 20's-40's.

Braves went from worst to first.

Yes, they did.

I didnt mean they were good ever since they've begun. They have been good for 14-15 years. Its pretty unrealistic to ask any team to be good since they've joined there league. Ofcourse theres gunna be turnover.

Miz I agree no team can be good all the time. and yes, the Sox, Yanks, Mets and other "top spending teams" do outbid a lot of teams, The sox have also recently started rebuilding their farm system, which was what helped NYY in the 90's to trade for a lot of high priced talent and key additions late in the season, difference is the Sox do look at their wallet a bit (unlike NYY the Sox owners still have huge loans) and keep most of their top talent (recently, IE: new owners, new gm).

So, I understand your complaint, the Sox, NYY, NYM and a few others can spend money that other teams can't, so what is your solution?

Also, what about the teams that have money and won't spend it?

Also, keep in mind with Schilling, he had a contract in Arizona (a team that once or twice had to have MLB cover it's weekly payroll).

In the case of Renteria, the sox offer was the same or less then STL, but Renteria "really wanted to come here" because he had some "relationship" with John Henry from the Marlins days.

I'm not denying the big teams don't spend what the little teams can't, but my question to you is what is the solution.

IS it fair to tell a team "you can't spend money to better your team"?
IS it fair for an owner to say "I wan't to make more money, so I'm cutting payroll to put in my own pocket".

Also,

I assume you're refrencing regular season finish, because we discused before them "choking" and you said they didn't, they just played a better team.

Also, I don't understand how you can claim the Sox, Yanks, NYM are good because they "just buy players" then other teams who spend 30mil more should be better. In some cases teams just spend money in the wrong place.

Look at Oakland, every year one of the lowest payrolls, yet every year in the hunt.

lol, hence the point of his argument

what does being good for 14-15 years have to do with his argument?

To be honest, I don't consider the Atlanta Braves to be a success. Being good enough to make the playoffs 14 straight years, while impressive is over shadowed by the fact they have but one Championship to show for all of that. That's why they don't sellout home playoff games.

I don't get how they can be good enough to win the division 14 years in a row and only have one championship. I mean you would figure they would atleast have 4 or 5. Running into a hot pitcher or something like that can be happen but 13 out of the 14 years?

not only that sTiMa, but they have lost in the first round 4 straight years now. that's why they don't sell out playoffs games... even their own fans don't care unless they make the world series.

Nah it's not that, it's just that a lot of us have stopped believing in the Braves. We are one of the biggest choke jobs in the MLB. We should have 4 or 5 rings because we were more talented than a lot of the teams that beat us. But, we just can't get it done. Pretty simple concept really.