Ho! Ho! Jose!
It appears Christmas is coming early for the 2022 World Champion Houston Astros fans this year as the team officially announced, via Twitter, that they have signed former White Sox 1B Jose Abreu. The three year contract, worth an estimated $19.5 million per year ($58.5 million total), adds another potent bat to this already terrifying […]
Fish make a big splash…in a shallow pool
It makes some sort of ironic sense that the biggest splash of baseball’s offseason signing season so far is made by the Fish. The newly crowned Miami Marlins made a big move in reshaping the image of their franchise by stepping up to the plate and landing shortstop Jose Reyes on Sunday night. The Marlins […]
The Other Side of Free Agency
Ever since a federal arbitrator ruled that baseball’s reserve clause was too restrictive in a 1975 ruling the players have seen their average salary soar higher than a launched projectile. As late as 1986 the average salary was $413,000. Today it is $3 million and climbing. There’s no doubt that this historic ruling has made […]
Can the Phillies’ payroll afford Jayson Werth?
In our last article examining the Phillies payroll, we found that allowing Jayson Werth to walk essentially maintains the same payroll of $141 million next season. Re-signing Werth would simply ADD Werth’s salary on top of the $141 million. It originally seemed like $15 million would be enough to keep J-dub. But after listening to […]
An Intro to a Baseball Book: “Beating About the Bushes”
Minor League Baseball in the ’60’s by Tim Sommer Tim Sommer highlights an almost-forgotten era in American baseball. He gives the reader a candid look at a time when professional baseball players were motivated by the love of the sport and of the simplicity of professional baseball in the 60s and 70s. He tells how […]
Baseball News, Tweets & More: Monday pm
Image by mikeleeorg via Flickr Monday Afternoon Edition BIG NEWS – This is GREAT for baseball…@MLB_Monster: Joe Mauer Extension Reactions: Joe Mauer’s eight-year, $184MM extension with the Twins will be officially announce… http://bit.ly/bO4IQZ @prorumors: Blue Jays Trade Rumors: What they want for Frasor and Downs http://goo.gl/fb/CGwj & Brewers trade C Matt Treanor for Rangers INF […]
2009 MLB Free Agent Update
While I haven’t found any website or blog that can beat MLB Trade Rumors for your daily scoop of baseball rumors and transactions (trades, free agent signings, etc.), my favorite site to find out where every free agent has signed is ESPN. Their MLB Baseball Free Agent Tracker, although it’s a little slow (usually takes […]
Boston Rumored To Be Close To Signing Lackey
Image by Getty Images via Daylife It has been reported by Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors, via Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports and AOL FanHouse’s Ed Price that top free agent pitcher, starter John Lackey is in Boston for a physical. Players usually only take physicals in the area of a local team after […]
Big News From Day 4 of the Baseball Winter Meetings
Image by Keith Allison via Flickr The Trades… It looks as if Boston and Texas have traded 3B Mike Lowell for top prospect C Max Ramirez with Boston eating a lot of Lowell’s contract. Due to the amount of cash considered and the financial state of the Rangers and owner Tom Hicks, MLB commissioner Bud […]
Mariners On The Verge of Signing Chone Figgins. Whither Adrian Beltre?
he AP reports that Chone Figgins has signed a deal with the Seattle Mariners that would guarantee him $36 million over 4 years, with a vesting option for a 5th year to make the deal worth up to $45 million. Figgins would likely be the Mariners opening day third baseman and slide nicely into the […]
Pedroia Might Play SS in 2010
Image via Wikipedia The Sox second half SS, Alex Gonzalez recently signed with the rival Toronto Blue Jays. Also, the organization is uncertain about the ability of Jed Lowrie to play everyday in 2010 after his injury woes. That leaves the Red Sox brass with a choice to make! Do they sign a free agent […]
Top 5 Low/High Risk 2009/2010 Free Agent Starters
Image by SD Dirk via Flickr The market for starting pitchers is perhaps the most interesting, and arguably the most important market heading into any offseason. While casual baseball fans were given a crash course on Type A and B free agents last year, as there were some very high-profile free agents leaving mid-budget teams, […]
Top 10 Free Agent Outfielders
Image by Getty Images via Daylife Outfielders, as in many years, offer the most diverse market. The reason outfielders tend to end up as free agents more often, is that typically it is hard to find a combination of average to above-average offense and good defense, and vice versa. For example, Jason Bay is an […]
Hot Stove Baseball Free Agent Tracker: 3B
Third basemen make up another fruitful class of free agents, perhaps the most fruitful of the entire 2009 class. The trade market for third baseman is also pretty bare, which should add intrigue, as most of the trade candidates have at least one serious flaw: Mike Lowell (injury-prone), Kevin Kouzmanoff (has gotten worse at the […]
Free Agent Tracker: 2B
The market for second baseman in the offseason is one of the few that have significantly more supply than demand. Last season, players like Orlando Hudson entered the offseason expecting a major pay raise, and didn’t get it because the economy caused several free agents to remain unsigned for most of the offseason. Hudson is […]
Welcome to Mannywood 2009
Image by Getty Images via Daylife The frustrating courtship between Manny Ramirez and the LA Dodgers is finally over. Manny’s a Dodger again, signing a contract on Wednesday. The slugger with Predator hair is expected to be in uniform and on the field by Friday (editor’s note: this was written on Thursday). Frank McCourt flew […]
It’s Just Boras Being Boras
Image by Getty Images via Daylife Although this shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone in the world of baseball, but if this report is true, super agent Scott Boras hasn’t been returning the Red Sox phone calls concerning free agent catcher Jason Varitek per this article from Boston.com over the weekend. It was recently thought […]
Tribe Signs Free Agent Pitcher Pavano
Carl Pavano was not the first name most Tribe fans were thinking when considering who to add to their team’s rotation in the off season. Nonetheless, general manager Mark Shapiro apparently thought the 33-year-old veteran was worth a look as he signed the former Yankee to a one year deal on Tuesday to come to […]
Colorado Rockies Off Season Report
Season Wrap Up Like most of the NL West, the Rockies had a disappointing 2008 season going 74 and 88 after being in the World Series the previous October. On top of that, they lost second year SS Troy Tulowitzki to injury for a big part of the year, missing 61 games and 1B Todd […]
The History of Advertising in Major League Baseball
Image via Wikipedia When MLB picks their players for their nation-wide advertisements, they try to get those who are from the largest markets. In all likelihood, if a player in Kansas City is producing on the field exactly as much as a player from New York, the player from the Big Apple will have the […]
Arizona Diamondbacks Off Season Report
Season Wrap Up After a red hot start to the 2008 season, the team in the desert cooled off come June and never really struck fear into anyone in the NL West from that point forward, but theacquisition of LF Adam Dunn must have turned a few heads though. April did show a look into […]
Indians Sign Former Cub Closer Wood
Image by Getty Images via Daylife The Tribe filled their most dyer need on Saturday when they came to terms with closer Kerry Wood on a two year deal for $20.5 million. There is also an $11 million option for a third year in 2011 if Wood can save 55 games in either of his […]
