2005-06 MLB Hot Stove Discussion thread (1 Viewer)

[Shane Martin]

And a few more World Championships

 

[Joseph S]

Actually, it's 6 - 6 in World Championships.

 

[Mike Frezon]

How quickly people forget 1903, 1912, 1915, 1916, and 1918!

 

[Haggai]

You're not assuming he's the same guy of Angela's Ashes fame, are you? Different Frank McCourt. Though I suppose the current Dodgers ownership does tend to bring out the angst in their fan base...

 

[Jason Seaver]

Hey, us folks from Boston know about McCourt. We sort of dodged a bullet with him a few years ago.

 

[Mike Frezon]

And now the folks who brought you the closer-by-committee now bring you the GM-by-committee!

:rolleyes

 

[Shane Martin]

Interesting thing I read about Epstein in that he is supposedly helping them during this meeting then he will have a visit with McCourt and the Dodgers according to the LA times. Now a question for the Red Sox faithful, if by whatever chance Epstein lands in LA, do you think that would affect the free agent market as far as where Manny goes and where Damon might go amongst others? IE: do these guys have any loyalty to him?

 

[Mike Frezon]

All I know, Shane, is that a LOT of Sox players expressed very public shock and disappointment that Epstein wasn't coming back--headed up by Captain Jason Veritek. I wouldn't be surprised if more players left-than-stayed than would have happened if Epstein stayed on as GM. A confusing sentence. In other words, if Epstein had stayed with the Sox, I believe more players might have stayed with the team than with Epstein gone. Any clearer?

 

[Shane Martin]

It makes sense but I'm trying to grasp if he by chance lands in LA does he bring other former Red Sox players with him(provided McCourt is willing to cough up the dough).

Damon is a possibility given they'll need a center fielder once they boot Bradley or trade him.

They need a first and 3rd baseman and could use a slugger in the outfield(Manny?) although more than likely I think Manny ends up in Anaheim. Who knows though.

 

[Mike Frezon]

End of an era today.

 

[Evan M.]

I personaly do not think that any players will sign with a certain team to follow a GM.....like the Epstein case. I do think though that certain players may not sign with the Sox when they see how players leave because of the lack of any type of personaly life. I think that is lame though. Ultimately the reason people play sports is to win. By signing with say a Kansas City....they know deep down inside that they are not going to win.......so what is really important to the player??.....winning and competing or a decent pay check and being left alone? I think the ONLY reason why people will not sign with the Sox is the lack of a social life and the pressure in Boston that there is to win and win now. I don't think it is going to be that Theo left. I really do think the Sox will be fine. We all know that they will spent the cash and put a decent team on the field.....ultimately it will be the players that have to perform.

 

[Shane Martin]

I don't think that's true. Lots of players sign with certain clubs in hopes to resurrect them and turn them into a perennial winner. Detroit is not exactly a bad team but they were and signed a few key players. A few more and they would be extremely competitive.

All it takes is one or 2 players and the tides change quickly.

KC is a bad example though because they are cheap. You have to have an owner willing to cough up some dough.

 

[Mike Frezon]

And yet some love Boston for that very reason. Remember how happy Tony Graffanino was to come over from KC mid-season?!

I just think some players may get to be a little leery of ownership and an organization when you have a public display like this Lucchino/Epstein mess.

Its the same in the Bronx. People might not be sure if they want to work for George Steinbrenner and/or be under the microscope of the NY media...but everyone says the same thing after they sign: they know the history of the organization and look forward to winning. I guess that ends up being the bottom line.

Hell, Schilling looked at Boston like the biggest challenge he could have. That it's not enough to win and be competitive...he wanted to see if he could help them win it all.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

Huston Street and Ryan Howard are your AL and NL rookies of the year.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I was expecting Robinson Cano to win for the AL...but looking at Huston Street's numbers--they are quite impressive!

Cano was truly a phenom for the Yanks this year. No Chuck Knoblauch (or Horace Clarke), he!

 

[Evan M.]

That is exactly why I used them for an example and you proved my point. Why would a player EVER sign with KC......or the D-Rays of the last few years, or Pittsburgh and to a lesser extent Milwakee? To get a "decent" (compared to most of us) paycheck and be left alone. There really is no other reason. Do you seriously think a player is going to sign with Pittsburgh to resurrect the team?? None of those teams spend cash and in the real world of baseball it take some cash.....not NY or Boston cash but more then the 35-50 million that these teams are paying.

 

[Shane Martin]

Evan,
That's why my example of Detroit works. We both are right on this point so we should just move on don't you think?

 

[Evan M.]

Already did................

Latest in NY has them making an offer to Matsui for 3 years 31.5 million$. Rumor has him holding out for a 4th year though. I think the Yankees are getting nervous a offering any more than 3 year now adays......who can blame them after what they have gone through??.....

 

[Jason Seaver]

Well, it's just not the Yankees, it's all of baseball, in part because insurance will generally only cover 3-5 years, what with them getting wise after the Mo Vaughn and Albert Belle debacles. In fact, I'm not sure the Yankees have had many long-term contracts really hurt them recently: Jason Giambi, I guess, although you can't really predict an intestinal parasite, and he'll probably just have an off year by the time it's all said and done. How long was Bernie Williams's last contract, and weren't the last couple of years options they picked up? Wright, Pavano, and Brown weren't really problems they were stuck with at the end of long contracts. They also don't seem to be complaining about having Rodriguez and Jeter locked up for a while. As to Johnson, well, if you sign a guy over forty with no cartlidge in his knees long-term, you sort of deserve what's coming. I imagine the only really onerous contract they've got right now is Mussina, and he doesn't quite suck.

My favorite rumor this off-season is that Mark Cuban may buy the Pirates. I can think of just about nothing that he and Bud Selig would agree on.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I don't see where Matsui has ANY leverage. The whole world knows he doesn't want to play for any team except the Yankees.