Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Cash Says Money Faucet is Turned Off

With over $80 million coming off the payroll this season, the Yankees decided to go on a spending spree of epic proportion. We all know the names, Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira, all of whom are elite players in their late 20's ready to compete. Decidedly absent is Andy Pettitte who will likely go else where or retire, which is a shame since he's been a monster in the post season. Though the Yankees say that the money faucet is off, and that they're done spending, if market conditions dictate, they could find themselves adding another bat. Manny and Boras are still looking for a $25 million per year deal over 4-5 years. The Dodgers and Giants are not interested in that kind of deal and may lose interest completely in this market. If the Dodgers or Giants would like to add another productive bat, Abreu and Dunn are still available. If the Dodgers and Giants add those players, then Manny will find himself a month from spring training without any suitors. At that point would he take a 1 year deal and try free agency the next season? I think a desperate player would be willing to try that. Otherwise, I think he'll go to the Dodgers on the cheap, but trust that if the Dodgers sign Abreu or Dunn, Manny will be screwed. I guess its a kind of poetic justice seeing as he quit on his team and comes across as the most selfish player behind Barry Bonds. Now, shockingly, teams aren't all that interested. If he with the Yankees on a one year deal, expect him to be a model citizen.

In other baseball related topics, the Yankees have DFA'd Shelley Duncan. I liked the man, but they never really gave him a chance. Kind of like Andy Phillip. Hopefully Duncan can pick up somewhere and forearm smash his way to success. The Yankees also added Jason Johnson to a minor league deal. This guy played a little while with the Red Sox in 2006, and the only memory I have of him is Carl Crawford stealing home with him on the mound.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really like Shelley, but he did get his cup of coffeee-and several doghnuts. He didn't come through.
Granted, it was part of the general collapse, but they needed someone to HIT THE F*%!*^%G BALL!
Maybe he'll catch on somewhere else. I hope so. Meanwhile, AAA ball pays a lot better than unloading trucks.
They're doing a lot of minor league contracts just lately. None I've checked on seem to be very good, but I guess they gotta feed the system. And the young guys need someone legitement to breathe down their necks.
Too bad about Andy, I guess.

Joe

Anonymous said...

Glad you brought up Shelley. When he first came to the club and hit, like, three homers in two games, I thought we were seeing the next great hope. I don't think he got enough playing time, but he turned out to be more Shane Spencer than Mickey Mantle.

TribeGirl said...

Hi, Happy New Year guys and fellow RJG-ers. I've been enjoying a nice Holiday vacation so I haven't been on the computer on a regular basis. I've actually been up in Cleveland visiting the fam ~ and guess what??? After a disasterous Browns season, what happens?? WE SIGN EFFING CARL PAVANO!!!!!

DIG. MY. SPORTS. GRAVE. NOW....IMMEDIATELY!!!!! Yep, looks like I'm going to be the new joke of the blog!!! Can you believe this??????? WTF SHAPIRO!?!?!?!?!? OMG!!!!!

I have a headache.

Roberto E. Alejandro said...

Yeah TribeGirl, I've been wondering what you thought about this signing. Your team gives us CC and we give you Pavano. Not a classy move on the Yankees part if you ask me.

TribeGirl said...

Well, we just hired Eric Mangini as our new coach. Anything's better than Romeo, but another NY castoff, so what do you think?

Raven King said...

No matter who's your new coach, you still have Carl the Saviour Pavano.

Raven King said...

And as to Andy Pettitte Incident, I find it so unreal that some crazy fans actually expect a pro baseball player to show his loyalty to his team, or should I say the madly rich boss, by accepting a 62.5 paycut.
Bloody Hell, isn't it a universally recognized truth that every pro athlete is playing for the money? And it goes without saying that a player's loyalty lies in his own self and his family.
It's time for all those wickly rich owners to stop using "loyalty" as an excuse to cut down salary.
This whole "paycut" drama is getting more and more like the Bye-bye Joe Torre sitcom last year.

Anonymous said...

So, Pettitte should be vastly overpaid out of that same sense of "loyalty" on management's part?
10M is pretty generous for a dead arm.
And we won't talk about him hiding his part in the Mitchell report until it came out.
Giambi just took a - what? 400% cut?
I dunno. I think the Indians should give us Sizemore in appreaciation of getting Parvo.

Joe (grinning, ducking and running)

TribeGirl said...

Yeah, that's right Joe. Just kick me while I'm down....
Let the Pavano diaries continue!!!

Fernando Alejandro said...

Haha! That's not a bad idea Joe!

Raven, I know its a substantial pay cut, but for someone who pitched as poorly as he did he should be happy to make so much. That's how much Mussina made last season.

Marisol said...

I like Shelly as well, but lets face it, he ended up being a fluke. I dont know why people are saying he didnt get enough playing time because he did. You just dont remember because he didnt do anything worth remembering. Anyway they moved him to make room for Phil Eightball who has way more potential and is much more attractive, which is way more important.

As far as Cleveland goes, sorry but your screwed! Well the Browns have been screwing you for a longtime now, lol. But Pavano?

By mid season he will give the whole team herpes, then right on que, break his leg.

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