― Matt Cibula (Formerly, the Haikunym), Monday, 25 December 2006 06:37 (seventeen years ago) link
― Dr M, Monday, 25 December 2006 15:06 (seventeen years ago) link
― Matt Cibula (Formerly, the Haikunym), Monday, 25 December 2006 17:17 (seventeen years ago) link
― Michael (Oakland Mike), Tuesday, 26 December 2006 21:24 (seventeen years ago) link
― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Tuesday, 26 December 2006 21:57 (seventeen years ago) link
― turd burglary (turd burglary), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 02:07 (seventeen years ago) link
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
― Dr M (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 15:28 (seventeen years ago) link
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.
― Michael (Oakland Mike), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 17:00 (seventeen years ago) link
That's like saying I'd rather have a pile of shit than a stack of rotting meat.
― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 17:41 (seventeen years ago) link
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.
― David RER (Frank Fiore), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 18:22 (seventeen years ago) link
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.
― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 18:30 (seventeen years ago) link
Actually, you forgot to list that the Angels landed Justin Speier (sp?), making their bullpen quite possible the best in MLB.
― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 18:31 (seventeen years ago) link
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.
― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 18:44 (seventeen years ago) link
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)
― David RER (Frank Fiore), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 18:46 (seventeen years ago) link
This is true, but it doesn't make overpaying for Matthews (and signing Hildebrand at all) any smarter.
― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 18:48 (seventeen years ago) link
― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 19:05 (seventeen years ago) link
― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 19:12 (seventeen years ago) link
― bohren un der club of gear (bohren un der club of gear), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 19:15 (seventeen years ago) link
― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 19:20 (seventeen years ago) link
― David RER (Frank Fiore), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 19:22 (seventeen years ago) link
― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 19:45 (seventeen years ago) link
― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 19:47 (seventeen years ago) link
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.
― Michael (Oakland Mike), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 19:54 (seventeen years ago) link
― Michael (Oakland Mike), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 19:55 (seventeen years ago) link
He hit just as well on the road, though.
― Michael (Oakland Mike), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 19:56 (seventeen years ago) link
But he made that catch zomgsportcenterAMIRITE!!!!!
"Shea Hey" :D
― bnw (bnw), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 21:25 (seventeen years ago) link
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.
― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 21:26 (seventeen years ago) link
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.
― Michael (Oakland Mike), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 21:35 (seventeen years ago) link
― Michael (Oakland Mike), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 21:38 (seventeen years ago) link
$ 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?
― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 21:46 (seventeen years ago) link
Yes, we've covered that.
― Michael (Oakland Mike), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 21:49 (seventeen years ago) link
― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 21:53 (seventeen years ago) link
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!
― Michael (Oakland Mike), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 23:06 (seventeen years ago) link
― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 23:17 (seventeen years ago) link
― Michael (Oakland Mike), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 23:23 (seventeen years ago) link
― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 27 December 2006 23:25 (seventeen years ago) link
― David RER (Frank Fiore), Thursday, 28 December 2006 04:25 (seventeen years ago) link
― Matt Cibula (Formerly, the Haikunym), Thursday, 28 December 2006 05:37 (seventeen years ago) link
seriously...have you seen that guy lately?
― j.q. higgins, Thursday, 28 December 2006 13:56 (seventeen years ago) link
Texas gives Borat & Zito a weekend ultimatum, ie they're out.
― Dr M (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 28 December 2006 14:59 (seventeen years ago) link
― Michael (Oakland Mike), Thursday, 28 December 2006 18:04 (seventeen years ago) link
― jergins (jergins), Thursday, 28 December 2006 18:49 (seventeen years ago) link
― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 28 December 2006 19:26 (seventeen years ago) link
― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 28 December 2006 19:33 (seventeen years ago) link
― Michael (Oakland Mike), Thursday, 28 December 2006 19:44 (seventeen years ago) link
― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Thursday, 28 December 2006 19:48 (seventeen years ago) link
</jaymc>
― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Thursday, 28 December 2006 19:55 (seventeen years ago) link
― David RER (Frank Fiore), Thursday, 28 December 2006 19:55 (seventeen years ago) link