it may be warm where i live, but it feels like Spring is a million years away.
some random baseball thoughts heading into the longest stretch of the year for me: that time between the end of football and the beginning of baseball.
**for the love of all that is holy, Theo, why have we not re-signed Tek yet?? this standoff is stressing me out.
**so, it seems that the Rays are taking a page out of the Yankees Book on Philosophy. the one that reads "sign any free agents you can get your hands on from the team that just eliminated you the year before" (read: Benedict Damon, circa 2005). too bad for the Rays that they didn't check the dates of publication on that book. because it seems to me that this way of conducting baseball business hasn't been particularly effective for the Yankees since adopting said philosophy.
**i know that everyone was all wigged out over Teixeira going to the Yankees, but the more i learn about him, the more i am not surprised he a) went to to New York and b) has Bora$$ for an agent. when a player is that much all about the dollar signs and also appears to be intent on "sticking it to the Red Sox" based on past perceived transgression, by going to their biggest rival, who just so happens to also have the biggest pocketbook with the loosest purse strings...well...i say we don't need that on our team. we just unburdened ourselves of the last prima donna; no need to refill *that* role. he appears to be a much better fit with the Bombers. that being said, i wouldn't mind seeing him pull a post-2004 Johnny Damon.
**i'm not convinced that getting rid of Coco was the right decision yet.
**while i am pleased to see Josh Bard's enthusiasm at being given the opportunity to fight for a second shot in Boston, i am far more concerned with Wakey's mental state following this announcement. i suspect that he has been holed up somewhere, drinking heavily, from the flashbacks of early 2006.
**i have zero issue with trading Clay Buchholz & a *little* bit of untested youth to Texas if it means snagging either Salty or Teagarden--especially if it means platooning one of them with a freshly re-signed Tek--hello Theo Epstien, i'm looking at you!--(sorry, Josh Bard Experiment Part II). i am *not* supportive of any trades that include Justin Masterson.
**can i just tell you how amused i will be if Manny retires because no one is interested in shelling out for the price tag he's put on himself, because they aren't interested in being roped into a multi-million-dollar long term deal with an aging drama queen, all that talent notwithstanding? to see Bora$$ pull all those strings, like a deranged greed-driven puppet master, only to end up not making one red cent off of Manny Ramirez would be entertainment of the highest value.
**i'm still confused why there is any question of who will start at short stop for Boston this year. haven't we managed to lock E6 in a foot locker bound for Oakland or something yet?? seriously, Theo! what *have* you accomplished this off season?!
37 more days til pitchers & catchers report. might as well be 37 eternities, the way it feels right now.
8 with their own thoughts:
I live in the sad, sad land of K.C. Royals baseball and K.C. Chiefs football. So the professional sports world around here is straight-up depressing. But I do love going out to the ballpark on a beautiful spring evening, regardless of how bad the product happens to be. At least the food and beer are good! ;)
I found out recently that Boras lives here in Orange county. In fact, he's probably no more than about 10 miles away from where I live. Anyone want to help me plan the assassination attempt? They say if you can kill the anti-Christ, the world will be peaceful again
Re Tex: I would've liked him here. But understand that Giambi hit something like 30+ HRs with his usual stellar OBP, not to mention whatever Abreu brought to the table, so the Yanks aren't that measurably better on offense now. Plus there's some age. I think he'll be fine for them for awhile, though. Same with the pitchers, by the way: Sabathia and Burnett will win, what, 36 games? Pettitte and Mussina won like 34. The Yanks needed these big-time players more than we did. I like the strategy of riding our big 3 young starters and plugging in a combination of Wake, cheap 1-year flyers like Penny, and whichever of the young Bs wants to step up.
Re Coco: I agree. He was a favorite of mine.
Re Buchholz: Him and a secondary minor-leaguer for one of the Texas catchers is fine by me. Even better is Buchholz, Ellsbury, and another top-tier young hurler (maybe two, but NOT Masterson) for Hanley, but that's not gonna happen, it seems. I would jump on that deal all day, and I was NOT in favor of trading for Johan last winter. Hanley's a game-changer, and wicked cheap financially for the next 6 years.
Re Manny: Wouldn't it be great if Boras can't get the $40 million guaranteed that Manny had left on his contract in Boston? Hee hee.
Re Lugo: Barrel of pickles. I prefer dill, but sweet's OK, too, as long as they kick in a nice suit, too, or maybe a bucket of balls.
I fully support anything which helps to bring down Boras a notch or two.
You may feel better about trading Coco when RR comes trotting out of the bullpen instead of Timlin in a close game with runners on base.
Candace: Coco will be putting on wonderful acrobatic displays in the outfield for your viewing pleasure this year! And I hear your Chiefs have their eye on our VP of Operations! If you land him, I bet things start to look up!
Steve: Bonus is that we would free Tek from his evil clutches. Heck, we could even offer to represent him as his new agents for free!
Joe: I agree that they really only plugged up holes that were made. I expect CC will be scary, as long as his arm doesn't just fall off, until October, but do you really think AJ can stay off the DL two years in row? This isn't a free agent year for him after all. I was all for the Hanley Ramirez trade as well, under those circumstances. I do not want to lose Masterson though. Mmm...pickles.
Scott: I have a hard time weighing defense against pitching. I will likely not be as stressed with Timlin not getting the nod (although I will miss the guy, sentimentally), especially if this new guy earns my trust--although there is that initial period of uncertainty with *any* new guy--but no matter how he pitches in relief, it won't replace Air Coco sailing through the outfield, making grabs for the highlight reels!
Damn... do you how many of the players in the post used to play for the Buffalo Bisons?? And we weren't even Boston's farm club!!!!
At least this year Valentine's Day isn't a total waste of time. That's the day Pitchers and Catchers report to Spring Training. I may have to send out cards. I wonder if I can think of a rhyme...
Roses are red;
Violets are flowers.
Spring Training will be here
In a few hours.
Lame, but so is Valentine's Day.
Bwahahahaha
Teixera is a mercenary. He and Slappy can spend all year counting their money and seeing who can get the closest shave for Girardi to spot check.
Give me Trot Nixon with tobacco juice dripping down his chin and Josh Beckett cursing himself out on the mound because he gave up a cheap single any day of the week.
And Mike Lowell can whip his tail in a fight.
And yes, I really am an adult.
I wish I could afford to go to a Sox/MFY game this year.
Just booing Mr. and MRS. Texieria (not bothering to learn the spelling) would be worth the price of admission.:)
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