HOT STOVE, COOL SAND

i am completely perplexed by the "strategies" hatched in the warehouse.

also the new kyle farnsworth epic is pretty great
don't want to spoil it but part 4 involves a midi of 'lose yourself'

homosexual_rod: BAH THEY ALWAYSS SAY ON THE LOWSPEAGER THA

You just don't toss away a guy who gives you 200-plus innings, no matter how disappointingly or unpleasantly he delivers them.

Don't count on a Yankees run at Barry Zito if Johnson goes; general manager Brian Cashman has been resolute about creating more roster and payroll flexibility, and you don't do that with a five- or six-year contract to a starting pitcher, even one as reliable as Zito. The Yankees have barely talked about Zito internally this winter, a person familiar with those discussions said.

In a similar vein, the Yankees don't need to create a hole to make room for Roger Clemens. If Clemens decides to join the Yankees - and don't rule out the possibility of The Rocket pitching a full season, be it in New York, Boston or Houston - then the Yankees would gladly give Kei Igawa a one-year internship as a spot starter and long reliever.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ny-spken275030195dec27,0,4261061.column

Their big offseason pickups could also include Brandon Wood, Jeff Mathis, Erick Aybar, ...

I mean, the Matthews signing was crazy, but I'd rather have him than Juan Pierre, and they did need SOMEONE to play centerfield. Maybe the fiscally intelligent play there would have been Chone Figgins, but it's not the worst possible decision.

That's like saying I'd rather have a pile of shit than a stack of rotting meat.

Almost anyone besides Erstad in CF would be an improvement, but paying $50 over 5 years for Lil Sarge's career year is a push.

Alex, you do realize that before he landed Jay Payton, Beane was making a serious run at Matthews? I guess fringe players are only good if they're on the A's.

Matthews Jr. had the #4 highest VORP for CF in 2006 (behind Sizemore, Beltran and Wells), #29 in all of MLB.

Actually, you forgot to list that the Angels landed Justin Speier (sp?), making their bullpen quite possible the best in MLB.

If Beane was making a "serious run TWO SUMMERS AGO, he certainly wasn't intending on then signing him to a 5yr/$55M dollar deal. He was looking for a fourth outfielder at a bargain price.

If the Angels get one decent season from Matthews they should count themselves lucky. He had one very good Arlington enhanced season (and it wasn't a particularly great fielding year by all accounts) at age 32. There is nothing that would indicate that he'll either a) be able to replicate that or b) will hold up well to age 37.

And it's great that the Angels signed Speier to make their already sick bullpen even sicker. It's too bad the bullpen can't teach the hitters how to A) get on base and B) get hits that aren't singles - they're going to need someone besides Vlad & Juan Rivera to help them in that department. & survey says Matthews & Shea Hey aren't the solution.

(also, what Alex said)

This is true, but it doesn't make overpaying for Matthews (and signing Hildebrand at all) any smarter.

I don't think this was a bad decision at all. The dude is a piece of shit, but he's at least a serviceable 1B/3B guy on a team with nothing but unproven young guys at those positions. It's a one year deal. In the worst case scenario, the young guys emerge and they trade the dude during the season.

He hit just as well on the road, though.

But he made that catch zomgsportcenterAMIRITE!!!!!

"Shea Hey" :D

I'd rather have a 28 year old league average starter than an aging flash in the pan center fielder, but that's just me.

"He hit just as well on the road, though."

Yeah you're right only 100 points of OPS. That's nothing.

"but he's at least a serviceable 1B/3B guy"

He's shit defender, who doesn't walk and who by all accounts is an asshole with an inflated opinion of himself. That's not my definition of serviceable. AT LEAST it's only a one year deal.

If his road OPS is the OPS he produces with any regularity for the Angels, I think he'll have been worth at least 60% of his contract.

He's shit defender

Who cares about defense from a 1B as long as you aren't Ortiz or Piazza over there.

who doesn't walk

Yeah but the Angels love that for some reason.

$ to donuts, Shea plays more DH than either of those positions. Also why even go with Shea? Rob Quinlan'll put up just as mediocre stats for you.

"Matthews had the 8th best road OPS among starting major league centerfielders."

He's also had one year where he's played that well. The Angels (are) aren't paying for what he did last year. They are paying for what he does the next FIVE. Also how many of those guys are going to make $11/year anyway?

Yes, we've covered that.

Oh yeah, I forgot that you are like me in that you live in the area but don't have terrible taste in baseball teams!