MLB 2007-2008 Offseason Thread
 

Red Sox win...Congrats to them

Big news right away....A-rod has opted out of his contract with the Yankees.


Discuss it all as we make our way to the start of 2008

What are the chances A-Rod winds up in Boston? Hmm?

Here's how I break it down


Chicago Cubs- 40%
Boston- 30%
Every other team but the Yankees- 30%

A-rod was their savior last season. :/

Is the offseason thread seriously going to be a Splaya thread

everything I have read and heard states that Boston is NOT where ARod will end up.

Joe Torre is gonna be managing the Los Angeles Dodgers :love:

omg Grady Little just resigned.

Good we don't need him anyway, he'll just bring too much negative attention to the team. I am worried about Manny's health a little, but if he rehabs this offseason I think he has a good year left in him.

In all honesty, they were talking on ESPN yesterday that the team that has the best chance to get him besides the Bosox, would actually be the Tigers because Mike Illitch does not care what kind of money he has to spend to get him.

I started drooling when I found out about that :drool:

Manny's health? you mean Ortiz right? Papi is mostlikely having knee surgery this offseason, the out comes or concern of that will dictate this sox going after A-rod.

Fuck A-Rod

I am going on my gut feeling that Ortiz's surgery will be successful and he'll be 100% by spring training. Manny is who worries me since he's getting older, his power numbers have declined, and he had that strained oblique this season.

Manny just doesn't play with passion and now he's a little more indifferent. I think that's why his #'s are declining above anything else. Manny plays for Manny. If he has a goal to achieve, look out.

Wow. If ARod goes to Detroit. Although Detroit needs some pitching help.

lol @ Frazor

Apparently Bowa might be going with Torre too. He won't be on the Yankees accoring to reports. They have a new bench coach, third base coach, pitching coach and bullpen coach.

Pettitte says he will be back with the Yankees or retire next year so finally some good news.

Wooo! Bring A-rod too!

<font color=goldenrod>Mets picked up Alou's 2008 option and re-signed Damion Easley.

Both no-brainer moves. Alou will get injured at some point but as long as Endy can actually stay healthy it'll be better off.</font>

I heard a little while back that he was a lock to go to Seattle. But a personal matter on his end was making the deal official.

But probably the big story of today. Mike Cameron suspened 25 games beginning next season for testing positive for an banned stimulant.

<font color=goldenrod>Guess the 'roids effect your vision and make you K a ton.</font>

Alou is a good move. The guy can flat out rake, he just misses too many games, but I would rather have 80 games of Alou than 162 of endy.

<font color=goldenrod>Hmm, reading that the Yanks are discussing 3 years, $40 million for Posada...but he might want more.

Wonder if wanting more means more money or more years...if its more years then the discussion clearly favors the Yanks as they can just throw him at DH when the breakdown happens</font>

I've heard a possible deal for Crede that would fill up our hole at 3rd. Honestly, I would love to see him in a Yankee uniform. He'd fit in perfectly.

Blue Jays are looking to trade up Troy Glaus. But he only wants to go any West Coast team.

They were looking to move him last winter too. Jays need another big bat if they move him though. I like Troy, just had an injury filled year last year.

Anyone see what Boras said? Something along the lines of how he can't understand why Rivera and Posada can be free agents and the Yankees will still talk to them but the Yankees won't talk to A-Rod when he wants to be one. Dudes gotta be the best agent in baseball

he is. you got to be the biggest asshole to be the best agent. Usually the biggest dicks make the most money. so yea, be a dick when you have a real job.

I can't really blame the players for being greedy as fuck though, they are the ones bringing in all the money so they should go after as much of it as possible.

At the same time though, what the hell is the difference between 25 million a year and 30 million a year? I really don't know what these guys do with all this money.

Also, the Red Sox designated Royce Clayton for assignment, gonna be a huge loss for Fox's dugout microphone segments

lol

LOL. He has asked that a million times before and the answer is pretty simple. He didn't even think about meeting with the Yankees first (while Rivera already has) and he cost the Yankees 30 million dollars from the Rangers. 30 million dollars is a lot of money to lose even for the Yankees.

According to MLB.com and Detroit Tigers.com, Joel Zumaya is out for the first half of the season after having surgery on his throwing shoulder to repair an ac joint reconstruction. The team is HOPEFUL that he will return mid season.


I'm just absolutely crushed right now :(

FunctionThe AC joint allows the ability to raise the arm above the head. This joint functions as a pivot point (although technically it is a gliding synovial joint), acting like a strut to help with movement of the scapula resulting in a greater degree of arm rotation.


That is the function of the AC Joint

<font color=goldenrod>Joe Torre is officially Dodgers manager. Mattingly, Bowa, and possibly Lee Mazzili will also join</font>

Yessssssssssssssssssss

A-Rod a Mud Hen? Triple-A Toledo makes a playful offer
November 1, 2007

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) -- Alex Rodriguez a Mud Hen?

Spurred by an offhand remark from George Steinbrenner's son, the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens want in on the A-Rod sweepstakes.

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The Mud Hens playfully offered the prize free agent a deal Thursday -- a contract proposal that includes a bonus for hitting 75 home runs next year and leading them to 10 straight International League titles.

Rodriguez recently opted out of his $252 million, 10-year contract with the New York Yankees. That prompted Hank Steinbrenner, son of the Yankees owner, to tell the New York Times: "Does he want to go into the Hall of Fame as a Yankee, or a Toledo Mud Hen?"

The Mud Hens conjured up an offer to find out, said Jason Griffin, a spokesman for the Detroit Tigers' top farm team.

Toledo created a Hall of Fame plaque of Rodriguez wearing a Mud Hens hat and sent a letter to his agent, Scott Boras.

The deal stipulates that Rodriguez will have to compete for a spot with Toledo third basemen Mike Hessman, the league's most valuable player last season.

"Would your client be willing to play a different position?" the letter asked.

Zumaya definitely just bought Guitar Hero 3.

Here's the real story on Zumaya.

DETROIT -- With the California wildfires closing in on his parents' house, Joel Zumaya went up to the attic and tried to salvage a few things for his father.

Moments later, his 2008 season was in jeopardy.

A heavy box fell on top of the Detroit Tigers reliever, injuring his pitching shoulder and forcing him to have major surgery Wednesday in San Diego. He is expected to be sidelined until midseason.

"You think he'll be back, but I can't 100 percent count on that," Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowski said Thursday. "We can't count on that contribution this year. We have to plan our staff without him being there."

The Tigers hoped to re-sign closer Todd Jones, with the understanding that he might lose his job later in the season to Zumaya. If they weren't able to bring back the free agent, Zumaya had a shot to be Detroit's closer.

"Now, we can't count on that," Dombrowski said. "If it's not Todd, we have to be aggressive to find somebody to pitch on the back end."

An e-mail seeking comment was sent to Jones.

Zumaya is being told to rest his shoulder for six weeks and refrain from a throwing program until March.

His 100 mph fastballs helped the Tigers reach the 2006 World Series, and the giant flame tattoos on both his arms helped make him a star in the Motor City.

He told the Tigers he was injured while moving personal items Sunday.

"He said a box fell on his shoulder," Dombrowski said. "The fires were approximately 2 miles from his home, where he lives with his parents, and his dad has a broken leg and wanted some items from the attic.

"He reached up to grab one box and a heavy one on top of it fell directly on his shoulder.

"At first, he didn't think it was that bad," Dombrowski added. "But the pain became more and more and that's when Mr. Zumaya said, 'We have to call the Tigers.'"

Zumaya was limited to 28 games this year because of surgery on a tendon in his middle finger. He was 2-3 with a 4.28 ERA and the Tigers went 88-74, finishing second in the AL Central.

As a rookie in 2006, Zumaya was a big reason the Tigers won the AL pennant for the first time in more than two decades. He was 6-3 with a 1.94 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 62 appearances.

Detroit acquired All-Star shortstop Edgar Renteria earlier this week, filling a pressing need -- only to find out soon after it had another void.

"My jubilation turned into a lot of concern," Dombrowski said.

The pitcher was downtrodden, too.

"He must've apologized, in a five-minute conversation, 25 times," Dombrowski said.

Damn.

No I know, but the way he was trying to spin it was pretty interesting

Dodgers/Yankees World Series

Rockies/Red Sox 2: Electric Boogaloo

Matt Holliday has to win the World Series to save the local Rec center

Yup, Yankees will be the best team in 2008....much like they were in 2007

Maybe the Marlins will go on another building spree and land ARod. They've got a great young core and adding a few F/As might once again get them into the playoffs.

Would cream my pants.

yeah son

That's a rumor... there is talk of a package that would include partial team ownership... not sure how the league would deal with that since it would circumvent any possible luxury tax penalty...

Really?

I was just giving teams I thopught might go after him. Marlins made sense since they tear the team down, then reload a few years later.

Also, what about Texas going after him again? I mean why not. They've got the $$ and he played well there.

Dodgers are on Schilling's list. GET HIM TOOOO

As expected, Yankees pick up Abreu's option.

I see it as a yes and no on my end. Leaves Melky in a bit of a pickle right now. :(

Why is Melky in a pickle? He's the starting CF. Damon is going to play left and Matsui is gonna DH. Giambi is gonna rot on the bench like the waste of space that he is.

Sources told ESPN's Buster Olney that before Alex Rodriguez opted out of his contract with the Yankees earlier this week, the team was told that it would not be able to meet with the third baseman unless it presented an offer of at least $350 million.

Holy fuck, $350 million. That is absurd.

Also:

Barry Bonds, in an interview with MSNBC, says that he plans to boycott his own Hall of Fame induction ceremoney if they accept the record-breaking 756th home run ball that has been branded with an asterisk.

"You cannot give people the freedom, the right to alter history, you can’t do it," Bonds said in the interview. "There’s no such thing as an asterisk in baseball." The ball was branded with an asterisk after fashion designer Marc Ecko, who bought the ball for $752,467.20 in September, put up an Internet poll and asked the public on what to do with the ball.

lol

yea, saw that lol.

Yeah, saw that $350 million thing. That is an obscene amount just to meet with him.

Does anyone truly believe A-Rod will get anything near that amount? I find it hard to believe a team will even go 10 years and $30M a year. While $300M is possible it just seems unrealistic to me. 350 just seems impossible. I know A-Rod keeps in shape but that has to at least be a 10 year deal. And even if he is breaking records at the end of it, $35M for a 43-year old seems crazy.

But hey, I still find it crazy to think teams will go to $30M a year.

I could see him getting 30 or 35 million a year possibly but for 10 years?

Yeah, as good a player as he is someone will regret paying him that much when he's 43 years old. He probably will get his money but its just insane to me that he will be payed around a third or fourth of most teams payrolls.

I don't really doubt he'll get as much or more than the Yankees were offering though. Boras must know that someone will be willing to pay that much already.

No man alive deserves 30 million a year, come on now. That is so fucking ridiculous.

<font color=goldenrod>Someone needs to remind A-Rod that Dice-K had more postseason RBIs than him</font>

I do believe that ARod and his agent over estimated what he's worth. I really feel with the way Alex has been branded, with his lack of post season success, with the way he opted out of the rest of his contract, that he's hurt his chances at making the kind of money they think he's worth.

A Rod is not worth more than 25 a year. YEs he is the best player in the league, well, hitter. But he is already the highest paid, so maybe had someone got a similar deal he would have grounds, but its stupid to ask for a 10 million raise when your already the highest paid player in the MLB. For 35 Million Dollars, you can field the entire Mets Infield.

I would like to see the Yanks make a move for Crede, as I like his blue collar play. They could even sign lowell as a stop gap for 3 years until they find a full replacement.

I was reading the Newest ESPN mag, and they had some ideas for trades that made a lot of sense.

Griffey to Seattle as a DH (one year left on contract.) is one.

They also mention Colorado needing to find a spot for their top 3b Prospect. Maybe Garret Atkins will be on the block? Atkins to NY? I would take it.

ANyone know when Scott Kazmir is up for Free Agency? I think he will be moving in the coming years as TB will not pony up the bucks, unless their pitching prospects hit the ground running and make them a contender.

Speaking of TB, isnt Carlos Pena a FA?

I think Pena is going on the market. But his agent is noneother than Scott Boras.

Haven't heard anything on Scott Kazmir though. Being the strikeout leader this season. He's got talent. But I'd like to see him on a team with playoff contention. Not one that can throw a wrench into the Yankees or Red Sox when they play them.

I'm hearing Sammy Sosa still wants to play. Rangers still want him but he wants a team that can give him playing time. He's asking for 7 mil or he'll hang them up.

I don't think Pena is on the market until next year.

Tell that to top actors/actress and CEO's of big corporations.

If a team can justify they make a profit while still spending the 30mil/year and that his added production helps them achive post-season goals or more butts in the seats, someone will do it.

Florida would really be perfect.

Quote of the offseason, hands down

I'll tell you what.

In a way when I first found out A-rod wanted 350 million, I was like how do you figure.

I still don't get it, but maybe some of it was because of dealing with the fans of New York. I dunno tho

<font color=goldenrod>Boras has said he feels A-Rod is worth that much because of all the revenue and media coverage he'd eventually bring the team when he breaks the HR record</font>

Putting the cart before the horse, I'd say.

<font color=goldenrod>Posada has said that he's backing Girardi, hinting that he might return to the Yanks.

I think it'll go like this: Posada is offered a 3-year deal....he declines decides to test the market, uses a team like the Mets to get the Yanks to up the offer to a 4th year (may as well be renamed DH year) and goes back to the Bronx.</font>

A Rod is a penis.

<font color=goldenrod>Wooo Mets re-sign Marlon Anderson (pending physical)</font> :cool:

Really? I thought they had issues for some reason, if he came out saying that he will def be back with the Yankees.

Red Sox pick up the options of Wakefield and Tavarez.

Cubs are giving Kerry Wood another go. But decline Cliff Floyd's option.

John Russell is named new manager of the pirates.

You do not have the right to alter history

What's that?

<font color=goldenrod>Mets might be close to bringing back Lo Duca. I love that guy :love:

Gonna be interesting to see what trade rumors come up with the GM Meetings starting and a pretty thin FA Market. Giants are shopping Lincecum, Rays are said to be shopping Kazmir, Twins with Johan, etc.</font>

<font color=goldenrod>Apparently Lincecum's gonna be on the market for "a quality bat"

Sabean is beyond retarded if he trades Lincecum for a single bat</font> :|

Torre, welcome to LA :)

guys Eric Milton is a free agent, so write to your GM's, call your talk radio hosts, and start the campaign to bring him to your favorite team

Red Sox are probably gonna shop Coco Crisp.

Cubs are thinking about giving Prior another shot.

Rockies are gonna give Kaz Matsui a 2-year deal to stick around. Yankees might be interested in him.

An update on Joe Crede. Yankees are still interested. Johnny Damon's name is being floated around to trade for him.

Why the hell would the Rays shop Kazmir? They got him in the biggest assraping ever. Also, what the fuck are they going to trade him for, more bats? They need more Kazmirs, they have plenty of great young position players. I think they still have Kazmir for like 3 more years. If anything they should look to deal Baldelli or even Carl Crawford for some arms.

Kazmir is going to be on the market alot sooner than 3 years, they want to trade him before they lose him to Free agency.

Damon For Crede would not be bad, Fills a need, opens the outfield for Melky/Abreu/Matsui, and opens DH to Giambi or a bat they sign

<font color=goldenrod>I dunno, I read that the Rays consider BJ Upton to be their only untouchable player, but to get Kazmir would require "multiple high-end pitchers"

But yeah, if the Rays ever want to compete they need more pitching. Hell if I were them I'd check with Sabean to see if he was serious about Lincecum costing just a bat. Crawford for Lincecum. Kazmir and Lincecum in the same rotation, gonna be nasty for years.</font>

Lincecum will be an ace in 3 years.

Lincecum for Damon if he doesn't go for Crede.


Side Note, how can the yanks unload Giambi....I think its time to get away from the old Big Money Losing way yanks and fully embrace the new age.

Kazmir, Lincecum, Shields is a pretty solid top of the rotation.

They definitely are, I can't see them holding on to him as a back up.

I heard San Diego is interested, would be sick if they got Cla Meridith (no clue how to spell any of that lol) back

I'm not really a fan of that Crede for Damon swap. I seriously don't think Damon will be as bad next year; not to say I wouldn't trade him. I would in a second if a decent deal came up. This one just seems like a waste considering we pretty much have Joe Crede without the great defense in Wilson Betemit. Low average, subpar OBP's and still have some pop. They are pretty much one in the same. If Crede is Casman's choice he should just slide Betemit into 3rd base and trade Damon for something more useful.

I think Damon is fine in left. I'd rather trade Matsui, to be honest. That's never gonna happen because of the money he brings us from Japan, however.

I'm not a fan of Joe Crede either, I too would rather stick with Betemit. I think we should try to upgrade at 1st base where it'd be easier to make up for A-Rod's bat and keep Betemit at 3rd. I guess there really aren't too many attractive options out there, however, as Carlos Pena is going to resign with the Rays, and who knows how good he'd be anyway.

Honestly, I would never go into a season with Betemit at 3rd. He is HORRIBLE in the field. I would rather see Cairo starting. He is a great bench player, he can play a few positions and has some Pop for late inning at bats in relief. But he is NOT a day to day starter, especially to take over for AROD. Crede plays very good d. he was injured so his numbers were down, but look at his last full year stats. He hit .283, which is far from low, its about average. He put up 30 HRs, great for a 3B, and drive in 94, which would have been like 115 with NYs lineup. I will take that ANY day, as I dont see any options near that. I would like to see Matsui go as well, but it wont happen. Damon still is a good player, there just sint room for him, and I think he will be traded as he still has some real value. I think an upgrade at first could also be dpne after Damon for Crede, they could drop some prospects (none of the top ones) but like some AA guys that they only keep around to trade. Not ever guy in the system is meant to make the bigs.

Add this in. Until last year when he was de-railed with injuries, Crede's offensive numbers went up every year he played. So He might still be on the rise.

He also hasa ring, and knows how to win and would be a nice addition to the few yanks left with a ring.

Last thing...that made me think, what yanks are left from the last winning WS Team?

Mo, Posada, Jeter......Anyone else?

Also Jacoby Ellsbury is winning the Rookie of the Year next year in case you are curious

Speaking of year end awards, when are they announcing Dustin Pedroia and Josh Beckett as the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young?

To answer Matt Allen Hanso's questions.

Cairo is with the Cardinals but is back on the free agent market I believe. Wouldn't mind seeing him back. He pulled his weight.

If Rivera and Posada to go play someplace else next season, Derek Jeter is the last Yankee of the Torre era.

Latest news is that Buster Olney is reporting that Greg Maddux is gonna get a 1 year $10 mil. deal with the Padres. However, had he pitched 2 more innings during this season, he would have been guarenteed $10 mil. for the season coming up.

I think 2006 was his career year. He'll never put numbers up like that again. He's got a pretty good glove, but that's it. Maybe Betemit isn't the answer but I don't like the Crede for Damon swap. I don't think Melky is a legit leadoff guy yet, and he's who'd be leading off if Damon were gone.

There's room for Damon on the team. It's Giambi there's no room for, but nobody will take him. I'd almost rather pay him to play somewhere else at this point than trade Damon, who is good and left and keeps Matsui in the DH spot. Giambi just makes the team worse.

We need a bat at one of the corners. It's that simple. We lost a huge, huge part of our offense, and we can't go with Mientkiwicz and Crede. Think about it.

Melky Cabrera
Derek Jeter
Bobby Abreu
Jason Giambi
Hideki Matsui
Jorge Posada
Robinson Cano
Joe Crede
Doug Mientkiewicz

You're counting on Melky and his .327 OBP to lead off. You're also counting on Giambi to cleanup. We don't even know if Jorge will be back. Our pitching will be better this year but we still need offense because our pitching is young and our bullpen is pretty much up in arms.

I guess it could work if we trade Damon for Crede and then sign Torii Hunter or Andruw Jones. Then shift Melky to left. Still, no true leadoff hitter. Jeter can bat leadoff but he prefers the 2 hole and he's perfect there. I guess I could see Melky in the two hole because he's a good bunter and has pretty good speed but he can't hit and run like Jeter. Cano could probably hit second but he swings at too many bad pitches and isn't really a good baserunner, which is what probably keeps him out of the top of the lineup anyway.

Cashman has got his work cut out for him, to say the least.

Murders Row

Good Points.

Can Cashman pull something big off? On the level of landing A-Rod. he has doen an amazing job of off-loading guys, maybe he can dump the Giambino and pull the trigger on a trade that would leave us with Damon.

Pettitte declines his player option.

Not a huge deal considering this was expected. The Yankees have said he has all the time he needs to decide and the offer would still be there and Andy said its the Yankees or retirement. I just hope to god its the Yankees.

Agreed. We need him back in a bad way. Wang and the rest of the farm boys can't carry our pen forever.

Got my fingers crossed.

nah, don't get rid of Damon. He's still one of the best lead off hitters in the game. Him and Jeter are perfect to lead things off. If they can pull off Crede without unloading someone useful, then do it. It's been proven so many times in the past that you don't need power hitters all over the lineup to win. Yea, we lost 50+ homers. there's other ways to manufacture runs. Crede is one of those guys I can see coming up big in the playoffs.

I'd love to deal Giambi or Matsui.

Did you hear Santana could be going to Boston? I heard there's speculation that they're trying to land Johan with............

Crisp

Buchholz

Lester

I don't think the Yankees could top that. Cause to top that we'd have to give up Joba or Hughes somewhere in the trade. And I am totally against trading Joba or Hughes. This could be an extremely bad thing if the Sox land him for this.

About the Damon/ Crede idea. I don't like it he is still a good lead off hitter. And IMO not bad as a Left fielder either. I say we keep him.

Looks like Schilling is re-signing. Better not be for a lot.

Also Buchholz better not be going anywhere. Even if it's for Santana.