Free Agent at the End of the Season: Adrian Beltre

When the Mariners signed Adrian Beltre after the 2004 season to a 5 year/$65 million dollar contract, expectations were sky high. Beltre's 2004 campaign was his best to date as he mashed 48 home runs, hit .334, scored 104 runs, and drove in 121 runs. After so many mediocre seasons, it finally looked like Beltre had evolved into the star and franchise player that so many in the Dodgers organization thought he'd be.

However, in the five years since the Mariners signed Beltre, one thing has become clear: Beltre is not a franchise player. During his tenure with the Mariners, Beltre never hit more than 26 home runs, drove in 100 runs, or hit anywhere close to .300.

With that said, Beltre can still be a very productive player on a good team. He does certain things pretty well and even with his diminished numbers, he can still handle the bat pretty well. What kind of deal can Beltre expect on the open market? Let's dive in:

The Case for Beltre

-defense

According to fangraphs, Beltre is one of the best defensive third basemen in baseball. His UZR/150 this season is a impressive 12.6, which is actually down from his UZR/150 of 15.7 last season! Those are some incredible numbers for a third baseman. And by the way, Beltre is a two time gold glove award winner....not too shabby.

-power?

While Beltre may never come close to hitting 40+ home runs again, there is no denying that he's still got some power in his bat. In each of the three previous seasons before this one, Beltre hit at least 25 home runs, which is some nice production at the hot corner.

However, this season Beltre has only hit 5 home runs in 338 at bats. Did the injuries eliminate a majority of Beltre's power? One has to wonder...


-age

Even though it feels like Beltre has been around forever, he is only 30 years old. Beltre still should have a number of productive seasons left.

The Case against Beltre

-patience

What holds Beltre back from becoming a dangerous power hitter is his lack of discipline at the plate. Beltre has never had an OBP higher than .330 or walked more than 50 times in any of the past five seasons. At this point in his career, Beltre is what he is...for better or for worse.

-health?

Even though Beltre has always been healthy, we have to ask the health question simply because Beltre has missed lots of time this season. While we understand that the testicle injury was a freak accident, it'd be nice to see how productive Beltre is post shoulder surgery.

Competition

The group of free agent third basemen (outside of Chone Figgins) can be aptly described as injury prone. Just take a look at this group: Troy Glaus, Hank Blalock (first baseman at this stage in his career), Joe Crede, and Troy Glaus. So even with all his injuries in 2009, you can make a very strong case that Beltre is the 2nd best third baseman on the market.

Elias Ranking: Type B

Nothing to see here, folks. There's little/no chance that the Mariners would offer Beltre arbitration and risk owing Beltre between $12-$15 million in 2010.

(rankings courtesy of MLBTR)

Prediction

??????

Your guess is as good as mine on this one. Beltre missed a good portion of the 2009 season because of shoulder surgery and the now famous testicle injury (wear a cup!). If Beltre can come back healthy and productive in September, then I'm sure teams would be more likely to give him a multi year deal.

Thoughts?

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Random Afternoon Video: Stay Away from Cocaine! Mike Schmidt Said So.

Very informative yet creepy message from Phillies great Mike Schmidt.

If the Twins Miss the Playoffs....Should Bill Smith be Fired?

The 2009 Twins have been disappointing (so far). They are a team with three of the best players at their respective positions (Mauer, Morneau, Nathan), but they simply cannot seem to surround these guys with the proper supporting cast. What a shame. Should GM Bill Smith get the ax this season if the Twins miss the playoffs? Let's take a look at both sides of the debate:

YES (fire Smith!)

-"botching" the Johan Santana trade was a huge blunder. Even though it's still too early to tell, the Twins package for Santana does not look impressive at the moment. In return for one of the best pitchers in baseball, the Twins got a young, struggling outfielder with tools (Carlos Gomez), a solid AAA starter (Kevin Mulvey), a AAAA player (Phil Humber), and a pitcher with a big arm, who has struggled in AA (Deolis Guerra). Needless to say that package is not looking good.

-When the Twins traded Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett for Delmon Young and Brendan Harris, Smith thought that he was giving the Twins' offense the significant boost it needed. However, two years after the trade, Young has shown no signs of improvement while Brendan Harris has proven to be nothing more than a utility infielder. On the other side, Garza has developed into a front line starting pitcher and Jason Bartlett has statistically been one of the top 5 shortstops in baseball this season.

-As a result, Smith has failed to surround Mauer and Morneau, two of the best hitters in baseball, with productive hitters.

-The bullpen has been very shaky this season, outside of Joe Nathan

-The middle infield has been a disaster

-As much as I love Joe Nathan, giving a closer a 4 year/$47 million dollar extension is something that will handicap the Twins payroll flexibility in future years.

NO (Keep Smith)

-3/5ths of the starting rotation (Liriano, Perkins, Slowey) has spent time on the DL

-He's shown a knack for trying to plug holes. You have to give him credit for not totally falling asleep at the wheel, right? Smith acquired Ron Mahay and Jon Rauch on Friday, acquired Carl Pavano in early August, and swung a deal for Orlando Cabrera at the trading deadline. So at least we know that Smith is trying, even with his limited resources and funds.

-Extensions given out to Justin Morneau, Jason Kubel and Scott Baker are looking like very efficient, team friendly deals at the moment.

-Smith is only two years into his tenure as GM. For a team with the Twins' payroll and resources, people are going to have to be patient (I hate this argument).

DECISION

I think people are rough on Smith because they see a team with some amazing players (Mauer, Morneau, and Nathan), but their surrounded by a far less talented supporting cast. At what point does the GM become responsible for not being able to provide his young stars with a suitable supporting cast that can bring a winner to Minnesota?

As frustrating as this must be for Twins fans, I'm still inclined to give Smith more time. It'll be a massive disappointment if the Twins miss out on the playoffs given what Joe Mauer has been able to accomplish this season, but this club barely missed out on the playoffs last season and has been right in the thick of things this season even with all their injuries/bad play.

Thoughts?

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Pat Burrell and the Scott Kazmir Trade

The general theme that has lingered from the Scott Kazmir trade is that the Rays simply could not afford to keep him beyond this season because of financial constraints. When we say "financial restraints", there have been two schools of thought:

1. If the Rays want to keep Carl Crawford beyond this season, they needed to shed payroll. With more than $20 million owed to him over the next 2+ years, Kazmir was the logical choice for the Rays to move.

2. As Buster Olney, Keith Law, and a handful of other writers have noted, Kazmir's performance and stuff has been on the decline for more than a year now. The Rays simply could not afford to keep Kazmir around given his risk of decline and the amount of money he was owed.

So in a sense, Scott Kazmir was the perfectly logical choice to go. I'm not a fan of the timing, but the Rays got a good package....so what can ya do?

One final question: who is to blame for the Rays trading away Scott Kazmir?

Answer: Pat Burrell.

To me, the answer has to be Burrell. The Rays signed Burrell because they knew that as a small market team, their window of opportunity to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox was dwindling. Even though they had a young group of mainly cheap and affordable players, eventually all those guys had to be paid and would someday fall out of the Rays price range.

So Friedman did what most GMs would do in his situation, he went for it. Friedman went out this offseason and signed Burrell to a 2 year/$16 million dollar contract that was praised throughout baseball for supposedly making the Rays lineup deeper and more potent.

Unfortunately for the Rays, the Burrell contract has not worked out so far. Burrell has dealt with his fair share of injuries this season and his numbers are down all across the board. So instead of running away with the division and having the best offense in baseball, the Rays have remained behind in both the race for the AL East and the AL wild card.

So as the Rays looked towards the future this summer, I bet all they saw was a rough bunch of clouds economically. They had three guys taking up more than 35% of their payroll (Pena, Burrell, Kazmir) and they knew that in order to keep Carl Crawford around, they needed get payroll flexibility from some spot. There was no chance that the Rays would move the productive Pena and no market out there for the injury prone Burrell. Thus, Kazmir was the only candidate to be moved. The Rays took a great offer and the rest is history.

In the end, Friedman took his shot at a 2009 title and wound up hamstringing the Rays payroll. In my opinion, this risk was plenty worthwhile because if the Rays were playing better baseball, there'd be no way any deal for Kazmir would be on the table right now.

Thoughts?

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Free Agent at the End of the Season: Marco Scutaro

Marco Scuataro has always been thought of as a nice player. Before this year, Scutaro was thought of as nothing more than a backup middle infielder, who could play some solid defense, hit for some power, and come up with the occasional clutch hit.

But this season, Scutaro was given the chance to play everyday at short for the Blue Jays and he's taken the opportunity and run with it. Scutaro has emerged as a tremendous shortstop and leadoff hitter and he's set new career highs (so far) in batting average, runs, OBP, walks, OPS, and more.

So what will Scutaro's big 2009 campaign mean for his potential free agent earnings? Let's take a look:

The Case for Scutaro

-He can hit

Scutaro's numbers this season don't lie; this guy can hit. A .293 batting average, .388 OBP, 11 homers, .818 OPS, and 89 runs scored is the recipe for a very effective leadoff hitter. I'm sure there are plenty of teams around baseball that would love to have that kind of production from their shortstop.

-Defense

According to fangraphs, Scutaro has been fantastic defensively this season at shortstop. His UZR/150 is an impressive 9.5 in large part because of his improved range (4.0 in '09). Scutaro is far from a liability as shortstop and can be counted on to play solid defense.

The Case against Scutaro

-Age

Even though Scutaro was one of 2009's breakout stars, it's important to remember that Scutaro has been around baseball for awhile and is going to be 34 years old when the 2010 season begins. By no means should Scutaro be considered a long term building block.

-Fluke?

The question has to be asked when evaluating Scuatro: was his 2009 season a fluke? There aren't too many players, who put up the best numbers of their career at 33 years old.

Competition

The crop of free agent shortstops this offseason is pretty weak. Unless your a huge fan of Orlando Cabrera or you really want to give Khalil Greene/Bobby Crosby another chance, then this group really comes down to Miguel Tejada and Scutaro. While Tejada will probably hit for a higher average with more doubles and HRs, Scutaro is younger (33), has a much better OBP, and has shown the ability to play some pretty solid defense. Who would you go with?

Prediction

(2 years/$10 million)

Here are some comparable contracts:
Kaz Masui (3 years/$15.5 million)
Mark Ellis (2 years/$11 million)
Akinori Iwamura (3 years/$7.7 million)

I think Scutaro's 2009 campaign has established him as a legitimate starting shortstop so obviously, he should receive a nice raise from the $1.1 million that he earned this year. However, I have a tough time believing that he would get anything more than a 2 year deal on the open market. When you combine his age (33) with the fact that the 2009 season was his only as a starter, I find it hard to think that a team would commit to him for more than 2 years.

Thoughts?

Free Agent Previews!

Update #2: Still very under the weather, so probably nothing new once again today. Hopefully I'll be back around these parts by the weekend.

In the mean time, please check out the 2009 Free Agent Previews/Predictions that we have so far. Feel free to chime in with a comment as well.

Chone Figgins (4 years/$44 million)

Felipe Lopez (4 years/$30 million)

Jim Thome (1 year/$8.5 million)

Mark DeRosa (3 years/$24 million)

Miguel Tejada (2 years/$12 millIon)

Nick Johnson (3 years/$18 million)

Orlando Hudson (3 years/$20 million)

Russell Branyan (2 years/$15 million)

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Hypothetically Speaking: Who would be the Highest Paid Player?

****Update: I will probably be gone for most of the day due to illness. But in the meantime, enjoy this piece from yesterday, and leave a comment!****

Scenario time: let's assume for a second that after the 2009 season, for whatever reason, every player currently on a major league roster would be granted free agency with no strings attached (no options, arbitration, service time, etc.). No matter what their contract status was after the 2009 season, all contracts have been abolished. This would create the most amazing spending spree in sports history, as every player would have the freedom to pick and choose where they want to go.

But here's where I'm looking for your input. Under this scenario, what player would become the highest paid player in the game?

-Would it be Joe Mauer, who has established himself as the best hitting catcher in baseball?

-Would it be Albert Pujols, who is one of the best hitters on the planet and almost a virtual lock every year for a .300+, 30 HR, 100+ RBI?

-Would it be Evan Longoria, who is on his way towards becoming the best third baseman in baseball even though he only reached the majors last season?

-Would it be Tim Lincecum, who despite his diminutive stature, is widely considered to be the premier pitcher in the National League?

-Would it be Hanley Ramirez, who has developed into the best hitter in baseball that nobody knows about (thanks, Florida)?

-There are many other viable options here that I have not mentioned: Miguel Cabrera, Felix Hernandez, Alex Rodriguez, etc.

My pick: Albert Pujols.

Pujols is my pick simply because he has been this good for so long. His consistency is off the charts. Even though I feel like Pujols has been around forever, he is only 29 years old, which means that he should have many great years ahead of him. I picked Pujols over Joe Mauer because I worry about Mauer wearing down because of the grind of catching every day. The risk of Mauer getting hurt or declining is much higher than it is with Pujols simply because of the position he plays. Don't get me wrong, Mauer is the total package behind the plate and he can do just about everything offensively and defensively, but I'd rather invest $140+ million bucks in the sure thing.

Who do you think would become the highest paid player? Feel free to throw in the contract that you think he would receive on the open market.

(Follow Jorge Says No! on Twitter)

Would the Athletics Ever Fire Billy Beane?

In case you haven't noticed, the Oakland Athletics are on pace to have their third consecutive sub .500 season. Since they were eliminated from the ALCS in 2006, the Athletics have been unable to capture their previous glory, despite the supposed genius of GM Billy Beane.

For years, Beane was thought of as the premier GM in baseball. He took a struggling, small market franchise and transformed them into a perennial powerhouse led by emerging young stars. Beane was a master at getting the most out of his limited payroll, in large part because of his "moneyball" approach, which valued OBP and power at the expense of stolen bases and defense.

In many ways, the Athletics decline over the past three years is somewhat expected. For a small market team like the Athletics, there is no way for the team to be able to keep all their young talent because at a certain point, all of these guys will become too expensive for the Athletics limited budget. The Athletics have lost so much premier talent simply because of the economics of baseball: Miguel Tejada, Jason Giambi, Barry Zito, Johnny Damon, Tim Hudson (traded), Mark Mulder (traded), Rich Harden (traded), Keith Foulke, Jermaine Dye, and more. No matter how brilliant Beane is, the odds of replacing all the talent is a very daunting task.

However, at what (if any) point would the Athletics consider firing Billy Beane? I know he's beloved by ownership and that he has done more with less than any GM on the planet, but there aren't too many GMs that can survive three consecutive losing seasons without even a whisper of being fired.

But in my opinion, Beane is one of them. For starters, when we talk about Athletics ownership, you have to remember that Beane owns a 4% stake in the team. Not a huge amount, but substantial. In addition, Beane is signed through 2014 as GM and I'm positive that the small market A's have no intention of relieving Beane of his duties anytime soon and paying him for multiple seasons.

And finally, to steal a line (sort of) from John McCain, the fundamentals of the Athletics are strong. Even though the major league team is struggling, the Athletics have a bundle of young and very talented players that are either impressing in the minors (Wallace, Weeks, Cardenas, etc.) or beginning to impact the major league team (Mazzaro, Anderson, Cahill, etc). In addition, Eric Chavez's horrific contract finally expires after next season, which will give the Athletics some payroll flexibility. You have to think that will all this talent on the horizon, the Athletics will get their act together in the next few seasons.

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RIP Ted Kennedy

"For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end. For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."

-Ted Kennedy, 1980

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Coco Crisp: Will the Royals Pick Up his Option?

Despite missing a good chunk of the season with shoulder issues, Coco Crisp would like the Royals to pick up his $8 million dollar option for next season:

There's no guarantee that Crisp will return for a second season with the Royals. The club holds an $8 million option for 2010 with a $500,000 buyout.

"I have no control over that," Crisp said. "If it was my option, well then I'd probably exercise it and stay here. But it's not. Most of the big names, like Manny [Ramirez] and so forth, because they have proven themselves over the years -- Hall of Fame caliber -- have that. But I don't have that luxury."

The reality is that the Royals should not be investing $8 million bucks in a injured centerfielder, when they have no chance of competing in 2010. There is no way the Royals should pick up his option, especially after Crisp endured such a injury plagued season.

But with Dayton Moore at the helm, how can any Royals fan be confident that the right decision will be made?

As much as I want to believe that the Royals will make the logical choice and decline the option, in a sad way it would not shock me to see them pick up Coco's option.

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Free Agent at the End of the Season: Miguel Tejada

Make no mistake about it: even though Miguel Tejada is a name player, he is far from the MVP caliber player he was seven or eight years ago. Tejada is no longer a potent power threat, who will drive in 120+ runs and carry an offense. Those days are long gone.

But make no mistake about it: even though Miguel Tejada is not the player he once was, he's still an asset. Tejada has transformed himself into a shortstop, who's game centers around his ability to play everyday, hit for a high average, and hit lots of doubles.

What's that combination worth on the open market? Let's take a look:

The Case for Tejada

-He can still hit

Once you get past the idea that Tejada can no longer hit for power, what you see is a hitter, who can still be very productive. His .309 batting average ranks 12th in the NL, he's 2nd in the NL in doubles, and his 154 hits ranks 2nd in the National league. In addition, Tejada hits well against both lefties (.292) and righties (.314). The bottom line is simple: Tejada is still an asset at the dish.

-Everyday Miggy

Since 1999, Miguel Tejada has played in at least 158 games in every season with the exception of 2007. That consistency is remarkable. And this season, Tejada has played in 122 of the Astros' 124 games, which is a very impressive feat when you consider that Tejada is 35 years old. At some point, the wear and tear will take its full effect on Tejada, but for now, the idea that Tejada will be in the lineup everyday has to be reassuring for prospective suitors.

The Case against Tejada

-defense

According to fangraphs, Tejada's UZR/150 this season is an abyssal -9.8. Why has Tejada's defense been so bad this season? Fangraphs also notes that Tejada's range has massively declined this season to the tune of a -10.3 ranking, which is a huge drop from last season. Can a contending team survive with Miguel Tejada playing shortstop? Debatable. Could it finally be time to move Tejada away from shortstop???

-power

The most telling sign that Tejada's power is evaporating lies directly in the stats. Tejada only has 10 home runs in 2009, even though he's playing in one of the most hitter friendly stadiums for a right handed power hitter. Any team that decides to go after Tejada needs to avoid paying him like he's a middle of the order power hitter that he once was and gauge his value on the open market accordingly.

Competition

The free agent class of shortstops is a weak group. Aside from Tejada, the only other free agent shortstop, who could make noise on the open market is Marco Scutaro. True, Scutaro is younger than Tejada and is having a career year in 2009, but the advantage to signing Tejada is that he has a consistent track record of production and success. Who would you prefer?

Prediction
(2 years/$12 million)

Here are some comparable contracts:

Edgar Renteria (2 years/$18 million)
Orlando Cabrera (1 year/$4 million)
Alex Gonzalez (3 years/$14 million)
Julio Lugo (4 years/$36 million)

There is a very realistic possibility that Tejada will only get a one year pact on the open market, especially if the market plays out like it did last year. However, he is still a productive player and I feel that in the right setting, Tejada could be a very valuable piece to have around. While I would be hesitant to give a multi-year contract to a player over 35, Tejada has shown plenty of life over the past two years to make me at least think about it. In the end, I think Tejada will get something along the lines of a one year deal with a option or a two year contract, simply because he still brings a lot to the table.

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Adrian Beltre is Ballsy

Literally:

Adrian Beltre doesn't have a solid answer for the question everyone wants answered: Will he wear a cup in the future?

"I might be lying if I said [I would]," the Seattle Mariners third baseman said on Monday. "I tried it before, it's uncomfortable, I hate it and if it happens every 11 years of my career I'll probably take my chances."

....cringing....

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Johan Santana: Uh Oh

For all those people that said the Mets season couldn't get any worse, well, it just did:

"He has not been throwing between starts for quite awhile. I would say since before the All-Star break. He has been pitching with this problem, but not with the level of discomfort he has now," New York manager Jerry Manuel said Monday after his team's 6-2 loss to Philadelphia.

"I'm terribly concerned," Manuel told Newsday. "No question about it."

Francoeur told MLB.com that he spoke with Santana about the likelihood of surgery. He told the Web site Santana "can get it looked at now and be two months ahead by Spring Training," indicating a need for surgery in the immediate future.

Mike Pelfrey, Santana's fellow starter, added, "I don't think anyone expects good news.

For the life of me, I'll never understand why/how the Mets let Johan Santana continue to go out there every fifth day even though the season was lost and Santana clearly wasn't 100% right. Where's the logic in that? Yeah, I know, if Johan Santana is 50% of himself on the mound then he's still better than most of the pitchers the Mets have right now. But what are we playing for here? Nothing in 2009, that's for sure.

Santana is the most important player that the Mets have and the player, who the Mets have invested the most money in. At the first sign that Santana's body was breaking down, the Mets should have played it very safe with Santana in the hopes of protecting their investment and the team's future. The fact that Santana is hurt this late into a hopeless season tells me that the Mets did not do a good job protecting their asset.

Santana is known as a gamer and a very prideful guy, who takes pride in his pitching ability. On one hand, it's admirable that he kept competing during a lost season when the Mets playing so poorly and were so far out of the race. But on the other hand, as a fan, you have to hope that Johan can recognize that when something is obviously not right with his health, that he has to tone it down or else he could be risking injury. But once those competitive juices get flowing, you never know, I guess.

With all that said, the panic level is rising in Mets land. With all the injuries this season, you can make a strong case that the panic level was code orange. But if the Mets lose Johan Santana for a extended period of time, the terror level will be a painfully high code red.

Say your prayers for good news, Met fans. I sure as hell will.

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Random Afternoon Video: Trent Edwards Cannot Throw a Baseball

This does not bode well for you, Bills fans.

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The Race for Bryce Harper, Week 2

Well another week has passed by, which means that the race for Bryce Harper is heatin' up! What team will lose enough games in 2009, and in turn, receive the privilege to draft one of the most hyped up young talents in the past decade? Let's take a look at the "other important race" going on in baseball, one that has nothing to do with the playoffs or pennants.

1. Washington Nationals

-Maybe the acquisition of Stephen Strasburg motivated the Nationals to lose for Bryce? Since the Nationals signed Strasburg on Monday, the Nationals are 1-5, which has helped them maintain the top spot in the Bryce Harper standings. Nationals fans should be salivating at the thought of Strasburg and Harper in Washington for years to come.

Memo to 2009 Nationals: lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose!

2. Kansas City Royals

-The Royals stink. But right now, amazingly, they don't stink ENOUGH. The Royals went 1-5 last week, but did not gain ANY GROUND on the Nationals in the race for Bryce. The Royals have been horrible this season, but if they are going to land Harper, then they have to continue losing and hope that the far more talented Nationals pull together another winning streak or two. If there is a team that needs Harper right now, it's the Royals.

3. Baltimore Orioles, 7 GB

-The dream of Bryce Harper joining forces with Matt Wieters, Brian Matusz, Chris Tillman, Adam Jones, and all the Orioles young talent became far less realistic this week. The Orioles went 3-4 last week, which means that they actually lost 1.5 in the standings for Bryce Harper.

However, the Orioles still have 6 games left with the Yankees, 5 games left with the Red Sox, and 8 games left with the Rays so maybe, just maybe, the Orioles aren't out of the Harper sweepstakes just yet.

4. San Diego Padres, 7 GB

-Like the Orioles, the Padres lost 1.5 games in the Harper standings this week. If the Padres want any chance at landing Harper, it's imperative that their pitching come down to the level of their hitting, which is by far the worst in the league. Even though the Padres offense has been anemic, they can still grind out some games if their pitching continues to perform adequately. This team needs a total meltdown if they are going to land Harper.

5. Pittsburgh Pirates, 8 GB

-Last week, the Pirates seemed to be the dark horse in the Bryce Harper derby. The Buccos were only 4 GB of the Nationals and after GM Neal Huntington purged the roster, they seemed to have a decent chance of playing horrific baseball down the stretch and putting themselves into position for the #1 overall pick.

But during this past week, a funny thing happened: the Pirates started winning games! The team went 5-1 this past week, which is great for Pirates fans hoping that their team avoids losing 100 games this season, but terrible for the franchise as a whole. The Pirates are now slipping out of the Harper derby and will need to lose at a torrid pace down the stretch if they are to make a serious run at Harper.

(Follow Jorge Says No! on Twitter)

Fun With Performance Incentives (Part I)

I dunno about you, but one of my favorite baseball sites out there right now is Cot's Baseball Contracts. The site has all the nuggets and nuances that come with baseball contracts and gives people like myself the opportunity to see how big money baseball contracts work.

One of the projects that I've been working on for some time now is ranking the performance clauses in current baseball contracts. In most big money contracts, teams insert certain performance clauses that reward the player for achieving a certain goal or statistic.

I've always been interested in performance bonuses for some strange reason. I've always been fascinated to know who makes the most for winning a award and how teams structure their performance bonus system. And because of the amazing Cot's Baseball Contracts, these numbers were right at my fingertips, just waiting to be organized and sorted.

My plan moving forward is to have two installments of the performance incentive rankings. The first one will consist of seven awards and any other nuggets and oddities that I fit in. Enjoy....this should make some good banter in the comments.

(Note: All the contracts and player bonuses listed are current and valid in the 2009 season. In addition, all contract information is from Cot's Baseball Contracts)

****** *******

1. What player earns the most money for winning a gold glove?

Answer: Lots. By my unofficial count, there are 15 guys out there that earn exactly $100,000 for winning a gold glove. Here is my unofficial list:

Magglio Ordonez, Mike Lowell, JD Drew, Ryan Howard, Johan Santana, Carlos Beltran, Grady Sizemore, Benjie Molina, Eric Chavez, Mark Ellis, Torii Hunter, Bobby Abreu, Vladimir Guerrero, Gary Mathews Jr., and my personal favorite Russ Springer are all members of the $100,000 gold glove club.

2. What player earns the most money for winning a silver slugger?

Answer: Once again, lots. By my unofficial count, there are 16 hitters out there that earn exactly $100,000 for winning a silver slugger. Here is my unofficial list:

Vladimir Guerrero, Torii Hunter, Bobby Abreu, Gary Matthews Jr, Mark Ellis, Jack Cust, Eric Chavez, Nomar Garciaparra, Orlando Cabrera, Kosuke Fukudome, Grady Sizemore, Carlos Beltran, Ryan Howard, David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, JD Drew, Magglio Ordonez

Oh yeah, there are two pitchers, who earn $100,000 for winning a silver slugger:

-The Mets Johan Santana

-And ANOTHER personal favorite, the Rangers (at the time) Vincente Padilla.......WHAT!?

3. What player earns the most money for making the all-star game?

Answer: Blue Jays SP Roy Halladay

Yes, the Blue Jays ace earns a cool $125,000 every time he's named to the all-star team.

4. What player earns the most money for receiving the most all-star votes?

Answer: Cubs OF Alfonso Soriano

Can you believe it? If Soriano is receives the most votes for the all-star game, then he's due for a ridiculous $250,000. That's a lot of dough just for winning a popularity contest.

In case you were wondering, there are three other players, who have such a clause in their contracts. Carlos Beltran and Vernon Wells would each earn $100,000 for receiving the most votes, while the Mariners Adrian Beltre (and his injured testicle) would have earned $75,000.

5. What player would earn the most money for winning the MVP?

Answer: Lots. Here is my unofficial list:

Astros 1B Lance Berkman, Tigers OF Magglio Ordonez, Angels OF's Torii Hunter, Vladimir Guerrero, Bobby Abreu, Gary Matthews Jr, Cubs OF Milton Bradley, Red Sox SP Daisuke Matsuzaka, and Mets OF Carlos Beltran

All of the following players would earn $500,000 for winning the MVP in their respective league.

But here is my favorite nugget with regards to MVP bonuses: if Jeff Suppan or Barry Zito won the MVP, they would each receive $250,000, but if/when Albert Pujols wins the MVP, he would only receive $200,000.

6. What player would receive the most money for winning the CY Young?

Answer: Mets SP Johan Santana (sort of.)

What do I mean by sort of? Well according to Cot's, Johan Santana would earn "$0.5M-$1.5M for Cy Young, but the number varies based on number won"

And check out this list of players, who would all receive $500,000 for winning a CY Young award:

-Dontrelle Willis
-Nate Robertson
-Vincente Padilla
-Jeff Suppan
-Barry Zito

I can't make this stuff up. That's quite a group of busts.

7. What player would receive the most money for winning comeback player of the year?

Answer: Rangers OF Andruw Jones

Coming off a terrible 2008 season, it's no surprise to see that Jones had this clause inserted into his contract. If Jones does indeed win the award, he will earn $200,000.

In addition, both Pedro Martinez and Nomar Garciaparra would earn $100,000 if either was to win the award this season.

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Random Afternoon Video: Do the El Duque!

For any Yankee fan in 1998, this commercial was THE BEST.

Plus, there's a cameo from Luis Sojo. What's not to love?


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Gary Sheffield is Ridiculous

Gary Sheffield causing choas! What else is new?

"Gary Sheffield's future with the Mets is up in the air.

The veteran slugger was a late scratch from tonight's lineup, and a high-ranking club source confirmed that Sheffield was threatening to leave the team after the Mets
rejected his request for a contract extension."

The biggest problem that I have with the idea of giving Sheffield a extension is not that he can't hit anymore...because obviously he can. His numbers this season (.285, 10 HR, 43 RBI) clearly show that he still has juice (pun intended) left in the tank at the dish.

However, Sheffield is not a fit for the Mets moving forward, and I'm not just talking about his age (he's 40). The bottom line is that Sheffield can no longer chase after a baseball effectively or play left field for that matter, which would be a huge problem for the Mets because they play in the spacious Citi Field, where it's vital to have athletic outfielders, who can cover ground. At this stage in his career, Sheffield is not athletic enough to cover ground in the outfield.

In short, he's a liability. If Sheffield ever thought that the Mets would seriously consider giving him a extension, then he's truly out of his mind. Why would he be in the Mets' future plans? The Mets need to get younger, quicker, and more athletic; all of which he cannot bring to the table at this stage in his career.

So if Sheffield is going to bitch and moan about not getting an extension, the Mets should just release him. At this point, what good is it having Sheffield on the roster anyway? Sure he's the only "power threat" in the lineup, but the Mets are going nowhere this season and need to see what they got in guys like Corey Sullivan, Jeremy Reed, Angel Pagan, and Jeff Francoeur. Giving more playing time to an aging and annoying player like Sheffield does nothing for the Mets future, which is what management needs to be focused on.

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Are the Blue Jays on the "Right Track?"

Hidden in this article about Jays Prez Paul Beeston is this gem from Commissioner Bud Selig about the future of the Blue Jays:

Plenty of questions have been raised locally about where the team is headed, and Selig feels Beeston is the right man to set the course.

"I have a lot of faith in Paul Beeston, he was very successful there the first time around, he'll be successful again, I wish he'd stay there a long time, that's how much faith I have in him," Selig said Thursday from his office in Milwaukee. "Having said all that, I think they're doing things the right way.

"Look, they've traded some players, they've signed a fair amount of their draft choices, but they clearly are building for the future. ... It may take some time, but do I believe they're on the right track? You bet I do."

Hmmm...interesting. Are the Blue Jays on the right track? Maybe....

If by right track the commish means that the Jays can be mediocre and somewhat competitive, then sure, the Blue Jays are on the right track. Pitcher Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan hopefully will return alongside Roy Halladay and Ricky Romero in 2010 and the rest of the Jays

of the Jays pitching staff has the chance to be solid in the future. And hey, who knows, maybe Aaron Hill, Travis Snider, and Adam Lind will continue to develop into the core of the Blue Jays offense for years to come.

I'll admit, there are some very nice pieces in place in Toronto. There has been so much that has gone wrong in Toronto over the past few years that I believe people have a tendency to look past the Blue Jays positives.

At the same time, my enthusiasm for Blue Jays baseball is beaten by two things:

1. They play in the AL East

-hands down the toughest division in baseball year after year....teams cannot simply be good to compete in this division, they have to be great. Can the Blue Jays build a great team given their current economic situation?

2. Vernon Wells

-and by "current economic situation" I am clearly referring to Vernon Wells, who in 2011 will probably take up more than 1/4th of the Blue Jays payroll. From 2011-2014, the Jays owe Wells more than $80 million bucks. And unless Wells turns it around, he probably will not only take up 1/4 of their payroll, but he could very well be a below average player to boot. That combination is absolutely frightening.

So I would say that there are plenty of reasons for Jays fans to be optimistic about the future. However, their ability to compete in the AL East is probably directly tied to Vernon Wells' performance. If Wells can turn it around, then the Jays could be a dangerous group in the future.

However, I can't help but feel that if the Jays don't get a substantial contribution from Vernon Wells in the future, that this team that could potentially be on the "right track", will be taken off course and left in the land of mediocrity.

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Random Afternoon Video: Ya Gotta Back Him Off!

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Away for the Day!

Packing and moving will unfortunately dominate my life for the next day or so, but hopefully I'll be back with more tomorrow.

But in the mean time, please check out the 2009 Free Agent Previews/Predictions that we have so far. Feel free to chime in as well.

Chone Figgins (4 years/$44 million)

Jim Thome (1 year/$8.5 million)

Mark DeRosa (3 years/$24 million)

Nick Johnson (3 years/$18 million)

Orlando Hudson (3 years/$20 million)

Russell Branyan (2 years/$15 million)

-Be sure to follow us on Twitter or follow us on Facebook

Free Agent at the End of the Season: Felipe Lopez

During his tenure with the Washington Nationals, Felipe Lopez looked lost. He was a massive disappointment with the Nationals and looked like a shell of his former self. While Lopez could still run and steal the occasional base, he demonstrated no ability to get on base, hit for significant power, or hit for a high enough average to justify the playing time he was given.

But luckily for Lopez, the Nationals eventually released Lopez and he got a fresh start with the St. Louis Cardinals. Since that point, Lopez has become one of the most consistent second basemen in the National League. In doing so, Lopez has set himself up nicely for the offseason, when he will be one of the most coveted second basemen on the market because of his age and ability level.

The Case for Lopez

-Defense?

As a shortstop, Lopez was pretty terrible statistically. In addition, Lopez was a pretty bad defensive second baseman entering this season. However, in 2009, Lopez's defense has been stellar at second base in large part because his tremendous range. Lopez's UZR/150 of 5.3 signifies just how solid Lopez has been so far this season.

-Prime?

The great thing about Felipe Lopez for whatever team signs him is that you have to think that his best years are ahead of him. Lopez will only turn 30 years old next year and he seems to have finally put it all together.

-Age

At 29 years old, Lopez is the youngest second baseman available on the market, which in turn makes him a more attractive option for teams.

-Both sides

I'm a big fan of switch hitters, who can hit from both sides of the plate. Too many times in my life, I was forced to watch Todd Hundley hit from the right side, and wow was that an ugly scene. So it's refreshing to see stats like Lopez is putting up this season. From the left side, Lopez is hitting .311 and from the right side, Lopez is hitting .304. Those numbers suggest that Lopez is not a liability from one side of the plate, which increases his value.

The Case against Lopez

-Which Felipe?

The major downside to signing Lopez has to be his inconsistent history. There is always a risk that Lopez could revert back to playing the way he did with the Nationals, which would make him a liability and a frustration. The team that signs Lopez better pray to the baseball Gods that they sign the post Nationals Felipe Lopez.

The talent is there with Lopez. But can he keep it together for a extended period of time after he signs a lucrative contract? I'm very skeptical.

Competition

The biggest thing that seperates Lopez from his competition is his age. While the other 2b free agents out there are quite intreguing (Orlando Hudson, Placido Polanco, Mark DeRosa), they all will be above the age of 33. Lopez will turn 30 next year and can be viewed as not just a short term option, but a long term option as well.

Prediction
(4 years/$30 million)

Here are some comarable contracts:
Kaz Matsui: 3 years/$16.5 million
Mark Ellis: 2 years/$11 million
Brian Roberts: 4 years/$40 million
Robinson Cano: 4 years/$30 million
Brandon Phillips: 4 years/$27 million

I would be VERY hesistant to give Lopez a multi year contract, but I have a feeling that Lopez will get the big money on the open market. His talent coupled with his 2009 performance has put him into a great position for this offseason.

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Does Johnny Damon Belong in the Hall of Fame?

A recent feature in the New York Times about Yankees OF Johnny Damon made headlines all over the net because it appears likely that Damon has a good chance to remain a Yankee beyond 2009. However, one section of the piece really stood out to me and made me think...is Johnny Damon a hall of famer?

"Damon has fewer steals this season, just eight, because he usually bats second instead of first. But he still makes a difference with his speed, part of a set of skills that is rare in baseball history.

Only three players have matched Damon’s career totals for hits (2,389), runs (1,459), stolen bases (370), doubles (443), homers (205), runs batted in (981) and batting average (.289). They are the Hall of Famer Paul Molitor and Roberto Alomar and Barry Bonds, who are not yet eligible for Cooperstown.

Damon has only one season with 200 hits — for Kansas City in 2000 — but he has an outside chance at 3,000 for his career. He is 10th in hits among active players, but only two players ahead of him are younger: his teammates Jeter (2,688) and Rodriguez (2,483).

Damon, who has four children, said he would like to play three or four more years before retiring to help his 10-year-old son, Jackson, concentrate on baseball. Whether or not he reaches 3,000 hits, Damon said his other numbers could get him to the Hall of Fame, anyway. He would like to keep compiling while playing for the Yankees."

Johnny Damon...hall of famer? Not in my eyes. This guy has always been a very good player, but can we honestly say that Damon was a great player? I say no.

But in order to dive deeper into Johnny Damon's hall of fame candidacy, I decided to fill out a mini Keltner List. For those of you who don't know, the Keltner List is a series of objective questions used to evaluate a player's hall of fame candidacy. It's my hope that a Keltner List of Johnny Damon would help clear up this idea that Damon is a hall of famer, but I also acknowledge that it's difficult to fully evaluate his HOF candidacy because Damon is not retired yet. But nevertheless, I decided to give it shot.

********* ***********

1. Was he ever regarded as the best player in baseball? Did anybody, while he was active, ever suggest that he was the best player in baseball?

-No. Damon was always a very good player, but he was never that caliber of player.

2. Was he the best player on his team?

-No. Even though Damon played for some terrible teams in Kansas City, but I can't say that he was the best player on any of those teams. Damon has been a very good player player for both the Red Sox and the Yankees, but he's never been the best player on either team.

3. Was he the best player in baseball at his position? Was he the best player in the league at his position?

-No. Once again, Damon has always been a very good player, but I can't say that he was the best player at his position. There have always been a handful of guys that I considered to be better ball players than Damon.

4. Did he have an impact on a number of pennant races?

-Yes. Damon played a big role in the World Series winning 2004 Red Sox, especially with his game 7 home run off Javier Vazquez. But we have to remember how much Damon struggled in the 2003 and 2004 ALCS, when the Red Sox needed him most.

5. Was he a good enough player that he could continue to play regularly after passing his prime?

-I guess at 35 years old, Damon should be considered "past his prime." However, Damon's performance suggests that he is not past his prime...yet.

6. Is he the very best player in baseball history who is not in the Hall of Fame?

-No.

7. Are most players who have comparable career statistics in the Hall of Fame?

-Here are list of players, who are comparable to Damon's stats through age 34 according to baseball reference:

1. Cesar Cedeno (897)
2. Willie Davis (889)
3. Tim Raines (868)
4. Pete Rose (866)
5. Buddy Bell (859)
6. Lou Brock (855) *
7. Vada Pinson (852)
8. Al Oliver (849)
9. Sherry Magee (841)
10. Keith Hernandez (840)

Any list with Pete Rose, Tim Raines, Lou Brock and Keith Hernandez is pretty good in my eyes. However, that list does not really help us determine if Damon belong in the HOF.

8. Do the player's numbers meet Hall of Fame standards?

-Right now, no. But if Damon is able to get 3,000 hits, then he'll have a very strong argument for the hall. Another World Series championship or two can only help Damon's candidacy, as well.

9. Is there any evidence to suggest that the player was significantly better or worse than is suggested by his statistics?

-No.

10. Is he the best player at his position who is eligible for the Hall of Fame but not in?

-N/A

11. How many MVP-type seasons did he have? Did he ever win an MVP award? If not, how many times was he close?

-Damon has never won an MVP award and as never come close to winning one. The closest Damon has come to winning the award is 13th in 2005. There have been several seasons in Damon's career that we could say were all star worthy, but there isn't one that sticks out as "MVP caliber."

12. How many All-Star-type seasons did he have? How many All-Star games did he play in? Did most of the other players who played in this many go to the Hall of Fame?

-Two all star games, so far. Most hall of famers have been to more all star games than Damon.

13. If this man were the best player on his team, would it be likely that the team could win the pennant?

-I would have to say no. The closest Damon ever was to being the best player on his team was during his tenure with the Royals, and those teams were absolutely horrible.

14. What impact did the player have on baseball history? Was he responsible for any rule changes? Did he introduce any new equipment? Did he change the game in any way?

-Damon's biggest impact in baseball was breaking the curse with the 2004 Red Sox. My generation will remember Damon as the guy on the Red Sox, who looked like Jesus patrolling center field.

15. Did the player uphold the standards of sportsmanship and character that the Hall of Fame, in its written guidelines, instructs us to consider?

-Yes, by all accounts, Damon has been a great guy and a very good teammate over the course of his career. Does that help his HOF candidacy? Probably not.

********** **********

So in conclusion, is Johnny Damon a hall of famer? Right now, not in my eyes. Damon has a very realistic chance to get 3,000 hits in the next few years (2,391 hits right now), which should all but guarantee his entry into the hall of fame, even if he was never a "great player." In my opinion, Damon is not even a borderline HOF at this point, even though his performance has been consistently good over the course of his career.

What do you think? Is Johnny Damon a hall of famer?

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Free Agent at the End of the Season: Mark DeRosa

Mark DeRosa is a rare talent. Not only does DeRosa swing a big stick, but DeRosa is especially valuable because of his ability to play several different positions on the baseball diamond. And as we inch closer towards free agency, it will be fascinating to see how DeRosa will benefit from his versatility. Back in 2006, DeRosa inked a nice 3 year deal with the Chicago Cubs, but make no mistake about it, Mark DeRosa is an established commodity now. Will he be paid like it? Let's take a look.

The Case for DeRosa

-Versatility

Mark DeRosa can play all over the field. This is what makes him unique as a player. DeRosa has experience playing every infield position and both corner outfield spots. That versatility makes him very, very valuable to teams that are looking to take advantage of matchups or teams that are looking to rest aging players. DeRosa gives a manager options, which is very valuable in today's MLB.

-Hits for Power

One aspect of DeRosa's game that has really evolved over the years is his ability to hit for power. Before 2008, DeRosa had never hit more than 15 home runs in any season before. However, in 2008, DeRosa exploded for 21 home runs to go along with 30 doubles. And already in 2009, DeRosa has tied his career high with 21 homers and has a legitimate chance to hit 30+ home runs this season.

The Case against DeRosa

Can he defend?

DeRosa can play multiple positions, but can he actually play any of them well defensively? Not really.

Entering the 2009 season, DeRosa was thought of as an above average third baseman, but his defensive stats this season suggest that DeRosa is well below average at the hot corner. His UZR/150 is -11.1 and his range has been unimpressive (-5.0). At 2B last season with the Cubs, DeRosa's UZR/150 was a pathetic -15.9. And DeRosa has not played a significant amount of time at 1B or SS in a few seasons.

At this point in his career, DeRosa should probably be placed in the OF because that's where his defense has been solid over the past two seasons (UZR/150 above 10 in both years). But are there actually any teams out there that think of DeRosa as an OF at this point? That fact remains to be seen.

-Batting Average

One stat that concerns me about DeRosa is his decline in batting average over the years. As his power has gone up, his batting average has gone down from the .290 range down to .260 this year.

Competition

-No other free agent out there brings the versatility to the table like DeRosa. That alone puts him in a separate category from most of the other free agents. It's tough to judge exactly who DeRosa will be competing against on the market because it all depends on what position he wants to play....primarily. If he's going to be a third baseman, then he'll have some strong competition from Chone Figgins and the legion of injured free agents at the hot corner. If he's going to play second, then DeRosa immediately becomes one of the best 2b on the market.

Elias Ranking: Type B

Now, if DeRosa stays as a type B free agent, he could become a much more attractive on the market. Teams would not have to surrender two high draft picks for DeRosa's services, which means that the possible cost of signing DeRosa would be less than signing a player like Chone Figgins. We'll see if DeRosa moves up to a type A during the final weeks of the season.

(rankings courtesy of MLBTR)

Prediction
(3 years/$24 million)

Here are some comparable contracts:
Casey Blake (3 years/$17.5 million)
Mike Lowell (3 years/$37.5 million)
Kaz Matsui (3 years/$15.5 million)

Again, how much DeRosa makes and the amount of years he gets will come down to where he will play primarily on the diamond. I would expect DeRosa to get an upgrade from the contract he received from the Cubs in 2006, but three years seems about right given his age (34) and ability level.

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Random Afternoon Video: Mr. Met and Josh Hamilton Do Not Get Along

This is too funny.

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Francisco Cordero and the Cubs are a Great Fit

The Cubs need a closer....a competent closer that is. Closer Kevin Gregg has been erratic at best this season. Gregg has a pedestrian 4.47 ERA, has blown six saves, and has given up a whopping 12 home runs in 56 innings. After last night's debacle in San Diego, it looks like Cubs manager Lou Piniella has had it with Gregg as the closer.

"I think we're going to make some changes as far as what we're going to do in late innings," Piniella said. "We'll have some word [Tuesday]."

The Cubs can simply insert Carlos Marmol as closer for the remainder of the season. The right hander has dominant stuff that can overwhelm hitters, but Marmol has struggled with his control this season by walking 52 batters in 56 innings, which has helped produce a 1.47 WHIP. In my opinion, Marmol is far to erratic to be trusted as the closer.

So who should the Cubs turn to? I like their other in house options (John Grabow and Angel Guzman), but I'm not sold on either guy as the closer. The Cubs need someone great. The Cubs need someone, who they can count on.

All of this leads me to Cincinnati, where the hapless Reds currently sit in fifth place in the NL Central, 16.5 games out of first place. The Reds are stuck right now. They are/should be in a full rebuilding mode, but they have a number of high salaried players that make it very difficult for the team to fully rebuild.

One player who I think the Reds should at least consider moving in the next few weeks is their closer, Francisco Cordero, who has been incredible this season. As John Fay wrote:

"Look at the Cordero signing. He’s been terrific. He’s single-handedly upgraded the bullpen. But the club has lost big in his two years. Why? When one player takes up so much of your payroll, you scrimp elsewhere."

So in essence, moving Cordero, his 1.75 ERA, and the $24 million owed to Cordero would give the Reds more payroll flexibility in the future. Cordero is signed with the Reds for the next two years and let's be frank here, the team is going to have a tough time competing. It makes no sense to have your closer as the highest paid player on your team if there is little chance that the team will be able to compete.

That's why I think the Cubs and Cordero are a great fit. The Cubs need a great closer. Cordero is a great closer. Cordero needs to play in the place where the team will compete. The Cubs are right in the thick of the playoff picture this season.

That said, would the Cubs actually take on Cordero and the more than $24 million owed to him? Very debatable. Would they ask the Reds to take on some of the contract?

In addition, would Cordero accept a deal to the Cubs? He has a full no trade clause through this season and can, in theory, dictate where he'd go. Another debatable point.

If the Reds decide to move Cordero this season, he would have to either pass through waivers or be claimed by a club. It's tough to imagine any team outside of the Cubs or Angels putting in a claim for Cordero if he's put on waivers because of his salary. Can anyone else see Francisco Cordero being claimed by the Cubs and eventually traded to the team simply for salary relief a la Alex Rios? I think it could happen.

Should the Cubs make a play for Francisco Cordero?

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Bryce Harper: How Much Money Will He Get in 2010?

With word coming down late last night that the Nationals signed Stephen Strasburg to a 4 year/$15.7 million dollar deal, I can't help but think towards next year.

So without further ado, here's a simple question: how much money will Bryce Harper receive next year assuming he stays healthy and productive?

Considering the hype surrounding Harper already, I would assume that Harper's total package would be well north of the $15.7 million that Strasburg got from the Nationals.

What's your best guess?

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Free Agent at the End of the Season: Chone Figgins

Over the years, Chone Figgins has proven this: when he's healthy, he's a beast. And thankfully for Figgins, he has avoided the injuries that have plagued him in the past and he's been able to stay on the field.

And for Figgins, the 2009 season has been one of his best to date. So far in 2009, Figgins leads the AL in runs scored and triples, and ranks fourth in stolen bases. Figgins made his first all star team in 2009 and seems to have set himself up nicely for a free agent contract this offseason.

The Case for Figgins

-speed

Speed has always been the trademark of Figgins game. In every season since 2004, Figgins has stolen at least 30 bases and led the league in steals in 2005. In addition, Figgins stolen base total would have been higher over the years if not for a series of injuries that cut short his production.

-gets on base

Figgins is the stereotypical leadoff hitter. Not only does he have speed, but Figgins knows how to draw walks and produce a high on base percentage. Figgins is currently 5th in the AL in walks and has an impressive .401 OBP that has propelled the Angels offense this season. Figgins is a major reason why the Angels have played well even without Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter for extended periods of time.

-defense

For so long, Figgins was thought of by the Angels as a super utility player, a guy who should be in the lineup, but without a set position. But since Figgins has become the Angels starting third baseman, his defense has been on the upswing. In 2007, Figgins UZR/150 at third base was a putrid -6.1, but just two years later, Figgins UZR/150 was an impressive 11.2. Whatever team that signs Figgins should be assured that Figgins will play a sparkling third base.

The Case against Figgins

-Can he stay healthy?

This is the question that has to be asked when talking about Chone Figgins simply because in '07 and '08, Figgins failed to play in more than 120 games in each season. It's a promising sign that Figgins has not missed time this year, but his past injury history has to at least be in the discussion.

-Power

In most cases, you would expect a good amount of power from your corner infielders. However, Chone Figgins should never be confused for a power hitter. If Figgins hits more than a handful of home runs every year, then that would be a lot. Whatever team signs Figgins will have to find power from other sources to compensate for the lack of power at third base.

Competition

The good news for Figgins is that he enters the free agent market in a year where there are no other stud third basemen out there. Aside from Figgins, the rest of the group consists mainly of injuries and question marks: Joe Crede, Hank Blalock, Adrian Beltre, and Troy Glaus.

In addition, there are no other players on the market that bring the speed dimension to the table like Figgins does. If the Rays decide to move Carl Crawford, then the market for Figgins might be cut into a bit. But on the surface, if a team is looking for speed and a leadoff hitter, then Figgins is the best guy out there.

Elias Ranking: Type A

Like Bobby Abreu, I would fully expect the Angels to offer Figgins arbitration given his 2009 salary and the high possibility that the Angels are compensated with 2 high draft picks.

(rankings courtesy of MLBTR)

Prediction

4 years/$44 million

Here are some comparable contracts:
Mike Lowell (3 years/$37.5 million)
Ryan Zimmerman (5 years/$45 million)
Casey Blake (3 years/$17.5 million)
Brian Roberts (4 years/$40 million)

Chone Figgins brings so much to the table that it's hard to imagine him not getting at least 3 or 4 years. I will be interested to see what kind of dollar figure Figgins is able to get. Is he a $10 million dollar a year player? Well, according to fangraphs, Figgins has been worth $20.4 million this season. Wow...maybe Figgins would be a bargain.

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Random Afternoon Video: Mr. Met and the Radar Gun are a Match Made in Heaven

Like the 2009 Mets, Mr. Met keeps trying...and failing.

What can I say? It's a tough time to be a Met fan.

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Bryce Harper: Should the Pirates Tank?

Here we go....our first article talking about how a team should fold the rest of the '09 season to better position themselves for Bryce Harper.

Keep losing, Pirates.

Lose like your life depends on it.

Lose like you've been losing this month, which has begun with two wins in 14 games.

Does everybody realize what's at stake here, heading into the final quarter of the season? It's incredible that more people aren't talking about it: One of the most tantalizing prospects in recent baseball history is expected to be the first pick in next year's draft, and the Pirates might get him if they simply continue to do what they do best.

Lose.

Lose, lose, lose.

On one hand, this makes all the sense in the world. The Pirates need a player like Bryce Harper. A player who could potentially transform the organization from laughingstock to contender.

And from a fan's perspective, sure, no one wants to watch the team fold. That sucks. But there will be absolutely nothing for a fan base to gain from the Pirates winning 70 games and missing out on Harper. Instead, the fan base will benefit down the road if the team wins only 66 games and lands a once in a generation player. And seriously, no one is going to remember how badly the Pirates sucked in 2009. People will remember that the team was terrible and that 2009 was a major transition, but landing Harper might actually make the season worth while.

But on the other hand, the Pirates roster consists of lots of young players and potential pieces for the future, so as a fan, you'd love to see these guys perform and make the team feel confident about them in the future. Guys like Milledge, Garret Jones, McCutchen, Ohlendorf, Andy LaRoche, Zach Duke, and Matt Capps still have lots to prove to the organization and the next month and a half could be crucial.

Should the Pirates tank the rest of the season to try and land Bryce Harper?

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The Race for Bryce Harper, Week 1

Over the next few weeks, there will be a very important race going on that has nothing to do with the playoffs or the pennant race. Quite the contrary, actually. The worst teams in baseball will be competing to land teenage phenom Bryce Harper, who Sports illustrated dubbed as "The Chosen One" and is one of the most talented players in decades. Harper, who is a catcher, has the potential to be a franchise changer and is almost guaranteed at this point to be the #1 pick in 2010.

So the race is on. Whatever team finishes with the worst record in baseball will wind up with the #1 pick and probably Bryce Harper. So what teams have a realistic chance to land Harper? Let's take a look at the five worst teams in baseball, all of whom should be salivating over Harper, and how many games back they are from the coveted worst record in baseball.

The Race for Bryce Harper, Week One

1. Washington Nationals

-A few weeks back, I figured that the Nationals had the first pick all wrapped up. But since the calendar hit August, the Nationals are 11-4 and have played themselves out of '62 Mets territory. It would be great for DC if the Nationals keep playing well, but if they lose out on the first pick, then 2009 would be even more of a waste.

2. Kansas City Royals, 3.5 GB

-Since starting off the season at 12-10, the Royals played absolutely miserable baseball. The Royals record since May 1st sits at a pathetic 34-61, even with the amazing Zack Greinke. If the Royals continue to play this badly, then it's not inconceivable to think that they could land the top pick...probably at the expense of GM Dayton Moore and manager Trey Hillman.

3. Pittsburgh Pirates, 4 GB

-For the first three months of the season, the Pirates were actually playing decent baseball. However, management decided to purge the organization to acquire young talent so most of the Pirates talented players with experience were dealt elsewhere. As a result, the Pirates will play out the rest of the season with lots of young players, which could put them in a great position to land the top pick. Young players, no matter how talented they are, will go through ups and downs in the majors, especially in the beginning. This could bode well for the Pirates chances to land Harper.

4. Baltimore Orioles, 5.5 GB

-Orioles fans will tell you that the 2009 season has been vital for the Orioles rebuilding process. Adam Jones has established himself as a future star, Nolan Reimold has been productive, and Matt Wieters, David Hernandez, Chris Tillman, and Brian Matusz have all reached the majors. But could you imagine how excited Baltimore would be if they landed the 2010 top pick? I think the O's have too much talent here to land the top spot, but their struggles of late have put them in position to at least think about it.

5. San Diego Padres, 5.5 GB

-If the Padres want to land the #1 overall pick, they need to start playing like they did in June and July. Outside of those two months, the Padres are just one game under .500. However, during June and July, the Padres are a staggering 20 games under .500. If the Padres can play that badly over the remainder of the season, then they have a very realistic chance to land Harper.

What team do you think will land Harper?

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Random Afternoon Video: Worst First Pitch I Have Ever Seen

Is this worse than BaBaBooey's first pitch?




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Vernon Wells: Understanding Ricciardi?

Recently Joe Posnanski, one of the best sportswriters in America, ranked the worst contracts in baseball (the piece is a must read). Not surprisingly, Posnanski ranks Vernon Wells's 7 year/$126 million dollar contract as the worstin baseball today. It's hard to argue with that logic considering that Wells has been one of the least valuable players in the American League this season and is still owed more than $80 million bucks. Yikes.

Here's what Posnanski writes about the Wells contract:

And it never made sense. Ever. Wells had a very good year in 2003 (and he was a very good fielder then), a couple of OK years, a good year in 2006 at age 27. But he never got on base much, and he was inconsistent, and … then the Blue Jays gave him this hysterical contract.

I completely agree with Posnanski here. When the deal was signed in 2006, it looked like the Blue Jays were dramatically overpaying for a player who was not the franchise player they believed he was. Essentially, the Blue Jays paid Vernon Wells to be the man, but the reality is that Vernon Wells was nothing more than a very good player, even in his prime.

I'm sure many Jays fans are asking now is why. Why did JP Ricciardi believe that signing Vernon Wells to such a big contract was a good move for the franchise?

I'm sure many Jays fans are asking now is how. How the hell did this contract happen?

Well after some research, I decided to dive into the world of the JP Ricciardi, circa 2006, to discover why and how this deal made sense for the Blue Jays at the time.

1. Texas

-One idea that people these days always forget about is that the Blue Jays were scared that Vernon Wells was going to leave the Jays at the end of the 2007 season for the Texas Rangers.

Wells went to high school in Arlington, Tex., where he lives. He is close to Texas shortstop Michael Young, and the Rangers' owner, Tom Hicks, has a history of lavish spending. ''Everybody wants him to come back and play here, and he would like to come back and play here,'' Wells Sr. said. ''If Michael Young stays here, they have always wanted to be in the big leagues together, too. The Blue Jays are aware of that.''

Perhaps Ricciardi felt that if he let Wells explore his free agent options after the 2007 season, that there was no way he would return to Toronto. Therefore, he overspent to keep Wells happy and in Toronto.

2. Ted Rogers

-Beginning in 2005, Blue Jays owner Ted Rogers gave his baseball ops people the go ahead to increase the payroll. Rogers did not believe that the Blue Jays could compete with the Yankees and Red Sox at the current payroll level, thus he authorized the payroll increase. Because of the payroll increase, the Blue Jays were able to go out and sign AJ Burnett, BJ Ryan, Troy Glaus, and eventually re-sign Vernon Wells.

"Ted is the type of owner who has been supportive of everything we've recommended so far," said Jays president Godfrey. "He has never shut the door. We made the point very early on that we had a few years to re-adjust our thinking and to dismantle.

"When we got to point where we were in a position to contend for a playoff spot, we knew more money would be there."

They just weren't certain how much.

This is the big change Rogers has made in his short time as owner. Whether it was his own determination to spend more (some say his friends goaded him into it), or a business decision, the fact is, Rogers is spending more.

Without the go ahead to spend more, I doubt the Jays could have re-signed Wells. From Ricciardi's perspective, he probably did not know how long the payroll increase was going to least for, therefore, he decided to be aggressive with the opportunity to spend.

3. Little man complex

-There was this idea around baseball at the time that the Blue Jays would spend some money, but they would never be close to the Yankees and Red Sox, both of whom can outspend the Blue Jays. Signing Vernon Wells to a lucrative extension was supposed to be a signal to the Red Sox, the Yankees, and the rest of baseball that the Blue Jays could and would compete with the best (on the field and financially) and that they were willing to spend to keep their own.

"It sends a message to baseball, it sends a message to the other players around the league, that this team is willing to do what it takes to get better," Wells said.

4. Gil Meche and Ted Lilly

-Before signing Vernon Wells to the huge extension, Ricciardi went after two of the best free agent pitchers on the market-and missed out on both. Ted Lilly refused to re-sign with the Blue Jays and instead bolted for the Chicago Cubs and Gil Meche accepted a lucrative five year deal from the Kansas City Royals.

"We tried to get Lilly and Meche because we thought they could make our club better," Ricciardi said. "Now we have to go in a different direction, but it doesn't mean we have to trade Vernon Wells to do that.

"We're not in a panic mode. If people think we're up here pulling our hair out and taking cyanide pills because we didn't get who we wanted, that's not the case. This is just a part of the game you go through."

Perhaps Ricciardi did panic. Perhaps he felt that he needed to make a big splash after missing out on his two main targets of the offseason. In addition, Ricciardi was unable to upgrade the pitching staff through free agency, so instead, he decided to "stabilize" the offense by giving Vernon Wells a huge extension.

So there you have it. There's no doubt that you still think this deal is stupid. There is no doubt that there is a growing majority that believe Ricciardi should be fired solely because of this contract. But now, hopefully, we all can understand why Blue Jays GM JP Ricciardi decided to give Vernon Wells a 7 year/$126 million dollar deal.

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Free Agent at the End of the Season: Jim Thome

Jim Thome is one of the most interesting free agent cases out there this season. At 38 years old, Thome is still a very productive hitter and remains one of the top power threats in the American League with 20 home runs this season. There is no doubt that Thome can still be a productive force in the middle of any lineup. However, how much will his age and inability to field hinder his market this offseason? Let's take a look:

The Case for Thome

1. The man can hit
-Aside from his injury plagued 2005 season, Jim Thome has not hit less than 30 home runs since 1995. Thome cannot be counted on for 45-50 homers like he was in the past, but around 30 home runs a year should be very manageable. And while Thome might not come near his lifetime average OBP of .405, he can still be relied on to draw a good amount of walks with a solid .370-.380 OBP. That consistency is quite remarkable. Whatever team signs Thome should know one thing, the man can produce with the stick and drive in runs.

The Case against Thome

1. He can't play the field
-Thome has not played the field since 2005 and should not be considered anything more than a full time DH at this point in his career. He needs to remain in the American League and offers very little flexibility.

2. Age
-Next season, Thome will turn 40 years old. Even though he's still productive at this stage in his career, in my opinion, it's impossible to give Thome anything more than a one or two year contract. Also, at what point will Thome's numbers take a nosedive? Power hitters generally don't age well. Maybe Thome is the exception.

3. Strikeouts
-This is one area where Thome's consistency is not beneficial. With the exception of his injury plagued 2005 season, Thome has ranked in the top ten in strikeouts in every season since 1995. As long as Thome hits for enough power, the strikeouts are something that the team will have to live with.

Competition

Thome offers something unique in the upcoming market: a power hitter, who will not require a long term commitment. The only two guys out there, who I see as competition for Thome are Carlos Delgado and maybe Jason Giambi. For my money, I'd go with Thome.

Predicition

1 year/$6 million

Here are some comparable contracts:
-Jason Giambi (1 year/$4 million)
-Pat Burrell (2 years/$16 million)

As long as Thome continues to produce this season, I see no reason why he shouldn't get paid the same amount as Burrell ($8 million per year). But his age makes me hesitant to give him anything more than one year guaranteed, so the option for 2011 seems like a good idea if Thome is still productive and wants to play.

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Random Afternoon Video: Awkward Moment With Ichiro (EXPLICIT)

I had no idea two rats and Kansas City had anything in common, but wow was that funny.

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The Future of Erik Bedard

It was only two years ago that Erik Bedard was thought of as one of the best pitchers in the American League. Everyone remembers that the Mariners, in an act of desperation, gave up Adam Jones, Chris Tillman, and more to acquire Bedard from the Orioles. The Mariners, and many baseball folks, really believed at the time that Bedard was on the fast track to becoming one of the best pitchers in baseball.

In two seasons with the Mariners, Bedard pitched pretty well, but he could not avoid the injury bug. In 2008, Bedard did not pitch after July 4th. And yesterday the Mariners announced that Bedard was to undergo shoulder surgery and probably will miss the remainder of the season.

Now, Erik Bedard's future is cloudy. Bedard will be a free agent after this season and his value on the open market is somewhat undefined. There is no doubt that Bedard can pitch very effectively, but what no one knows is whether or not he can stay healthy for a full season. this offseason should have been the one where Bedard cashed in on his tremendous ability, but at this point, Bedard would be very lucky to get a major commitment from a team because of the significant risk of injury.

With that said, I still think that Bedard might be able to do better than a one year contract loaded with incentives if he's able to come back this season and pitch effectively. I know that Bedard returning is probably a longshot at this point, especially with the Mariners fading out of contention, but it certainly could help him down the road financially if he can make a few starts.

But for argument's sake, let's assume that Bedard does not play again in 2009. If I was Bedard's agent, I would look at the contract that the Red Sox gave an aging John Smoltz last offseason. Even though Smoltz missed a majority of the season because of major shoulder surgery and was over 40 years old, he was still able to get $5.5 million guaranteed from the Red Sox in addition to incentives and bonuses that would make the contract exceed $10 million.

In a logical world, shouldn't Erik Bedard, at age 30, be able to top that $5 million dollar guarantee? Absolutely.

In a logical world, shouldn't Erik Bedard, who had a 2.82 ERA in 15 starts this season, be able to top the additional $5 million in bonuses? Absolutely.

So while Bedard has to be frustrated and disappointed by all of his injuries, his next contract still should be a lucrative one year deal. If all goes well, then Bedard could position himself beautifully for a huge contract after 2010.

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The Mike Pelfrey Contract

I saw this interesting nugget a few days back and simply forgot to post it. As some of you may remember, the Mets drafted Mike Pelfrey with their 9th overall selection in 2005 and then signed him to a four year major league contract worth more than $5.3 million in guaranteed money.

But as the 2009 season comes to close, I wondered what would happen with Pelfrey because his contract expired, but he did not have enough service time to become a free agent or qualify for arbitration.

The answer: in 2010 Pelfrey will actually get a pay cut. As Adam Rubin noted:

"Mike Pelfrey's contract calls for him to make $3 million this season, but because that original deal upon being drafted expires and he falls short of the service time required to qualify for arbitration, that salary would drop to $500,000 in 2010."

I'm sure the Mets feel much more comfortable paying Pelfrey $500,000 next year considering how mediocre he's been so far in 2009.

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Willie Wilson Give Us Another Reason to Love the Independent Leagues

The "climatic return" of Willie Wilson will take place in the Northern League. Royals fans, rejoice!

The T-Bones and general manager Chris Browne have announced that they will sign Hall of Famer Willie Wilson to a one-day contract for their game against the Joliet JackHammers on August 22. Wilson will wear #6 and start in center field for the T- Bones. The relationship between Browne and Wilson extends back a couple of decades, when Browne was a bat boy for the Royals for seven seasons, beginning with their 1985 World Series season.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to take the field in front of a Kansas City crowd once again,” said Wilson. “I look forward to putting on a T-Bones uniform and playing my last game in front of the hometown fans.”

Wilson, 54, played 19 years in the major leagues, including 15 years for the Kansas City Royals from 1976-90. He was awarded two Silver Slugger Awards (1980, 82) and one Gold Glove (1980) while playing in two all-star games (1982, 83) andreaching as high as fourth in the MVP voting (1980). Wilson sits near the top of many Kansas City records and still holds the Royals record for stolen bases (612), 272 more than any other player in team history. Wilson is also second in team history in triples (133), third in runs (1060), and fourth in hits (1968). He won the American League batting title in 1982 with a .332 mark, led the league in singles for four consecutive years (1979-82) and led the league in triples five times (1980, 82,
85, 87-88). He was the starting centerfielder on the Royals 1985 World Series squad.

I know I'd rather watch a 55 year old former great play centerfield than watch the 2009 Royals right now...unless Greinke is pitching.

Only in the independent leagues.

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Hypothetically Speaking: Would the Rockies Trade Todd Helton?

Over at ESPN.com, the great Jerry Crasnick pens a piece about Todd Helton. Crasnick outlines just how important Helton is and has been to the Rockies through the ups and downs of the franchise and the vital role he plays in the clubhouse with the younger Rockies players.

The article is in total praise of Helton...and rightfully so! Here is a guy, who at soon to be 36 years old, is third in the National League in batting average (.327) and has led the Rockies back into the playoff race. Sure he's not what he used to be, but Helton is still a very productive player and worth more to the Rockies now than most baseball people will ever know.

Now I love Todd Helton as much as any other non Rockies fan, but I have to take this post in a different direction. Sure everyone in Colorado loves and adores Todd Helton because hell, he means the world to the franchise. The man is an icon....face of the franchise...legend...or whatever you want to call it.

But what if in a hypothetical world where Todd Helton would actually waiver his no trade clause, the Rockies were given the opportunity after the season to trade Helton and get rid of ALL the $35+ million that is owed to him over the next 2 years. Keep in mind that the Rockies are a small market club with a meager $60-$70 million dollar payroll. This club can obviously do big things with so much money freed up.

Would the Rockies actually consider moving Helton? Would the allure of shedding so much salary be too much for the Rockies to turn down? Or has Helton's elite status made him completely untradeable because of how much the organization and public adores him?

To me, this would have been a tough call for the Rockies. I doubt they'd be able to pull the trigger on this deal, no matter how much it would help the franchise in the future.

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The Great Fence of Jeter

Derek Jeter has to keep the throngs of screaming, young girls donning his #2 Yankee jersey away somehow.

His solution....build a HUGE mansion! And surround it with a fence!

Seriously:

"Yankees Superstar Derek Jeter wants some privacy. He’s building a multi-million dollar mansion on Davis Islands but he needs special permission for his fence. Tuesday night the Variance Review Board gave him the thumbs up to build it.

Jeter’s new mega mansion takes up three waterfront lots and, when it’s finished, may be the largest home in the county. It’s 31-thousand square feet, with seven bedrooms, and nine bathrooms -- Exactly what you might expect from a baseball superstar making more than $21-million a year.

Jeter’s attorneys argue that a celebrity of his caliber needs extra security and protection. That’s why he wants to build a six foot privacy fence made of wrought iron and concrete around his home. The current city ordinance only allows for a three foot wall."

Too bad. Professional athletes are not people and should not have lives. At all times they should be pestered by fans and paparazzi alike, all of whom shutter for a mere glimpse of their hero. (Sarcasm, much?)

In short, good for Jeter. Maybe him and Manny Ramirez can play golf together there in the offseason.

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Morning Photo: Shaq + Baseball = Classic

CAN YOU DIG ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT?

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Random Afternoon Video: I Bet Mike Piazza Has More Than $1 In His Pocket

What a cheapskate.

Alex Rios: When is a "Financial Dump" Not a Financial Dump?

Apparently trading away a player who is owed more than $60 million dollars over the next five years for nothing is not a financial dump. That is, according to JP Ricciardi:

Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said the move was not "a financial dump," but acknowledged that Toronto needs "more financial flexibility."

But of course, we all know that money was the sole reason why this deal was made. Rios is not a bad player, but he's struggled this year to the point where Toronto could not justify having him long term. There's always the chance that Rios rediscovers his swing and reaches his ability, but that risk was simply too high for Toronto.

In a way, you have to feel for the Blue Jays. Here is a club that has been stuck in neutral for so long in large part because of the division they play in and it seems that no matter what they do, it's never enough. This is a franchise that is trying to compete with the heavyweights of the American League, but simply cannot afford spend the money needed.

So what should the Jays do with this money? The popular idea seems to be to spend money in various areas to give the Jays a realistic chance to compete in 2010 or just use the savings to throw a big money offer at Roy Halladay. I'm guessing that Ricciardi needs the Jays to compete in 2010 for him to keep his job, so even though I would love to see the Jays undergo a full rebuilding effort, I seriously doubt that will happen.

And the one thing we all need to remember is that this team is not that bad. There are some very good young players here, but the team as a whole is simply not up to par with the rest of the AL East.

Unfortunately for Blue Jays fans, I have a tough time believing that this franchise will be able to get over the hump unless they're able to move Vernon Wells or Vernon Wells suddenly becomes a productive player again. Because while moving Rios is a helpful move, the Wells contract is the real franchise killer.

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Carlos Zambrano: The Most Overpaid Player in Baseball?

Sometimes you run across an article that is so ludicrous that it makes your head spin. This was one of them.

Sometimes you run across an article that you can tell will be terrible just from the headline. This was one of them.

As soon as I saw this headline, I knew I was in trouble:

"Zambrano May Be the Most Overpaid Player in the Game "

Oh, boy. Here we go. This guy has obviously never heard of Barry Zito or Vernon Wells:

The facts don't lie. The Cubs are paying for top flight performance from a
pitcher who has the skills to be a big winner. However, Zambrano's performance does not warrant such a big contract and his 18 million dollar annual salary is one
of the deals that is limiting financial flexibility for the front office. Talk to the scouts that attend every game the Cubs play and they all bemoan his incredible physical talents and lack of productivity for a guy whose reputation is that of a superstar.

Zambrano has won all of 7 games this season. That's it. He has had incidents with a Gatorade machine, been suspended for his outburst towards a home plate umpire, and has had two stints on the disabled list. Seven wins for 18 million dollars and enough headaches for management to drive them crazy.

Check out Zambrano's contract terms and you will see that the Cubs have done their part in paying him to be a star. He has not lived up to his end of the bargain though and he has no one to blame but himself. He cannot control his temper and those who observe his antics on a day to day basis know he is far from the superstar pitcher that some believe he is.

Now look, I understand that this season hasn't been exactly easy for Cubs fans. I'm a Met fan, so in many ways, I feel your pain. So many guys who the Cubs depended on to come through big this season have been disappointments, and as a result, the Cubs have not pulled away from the rest of the pack like they should have.

And blaming Carlos Zambrano is a very easy thing to do. Kaplan mentions all of Zambrano's transgressions this season: the stints on the DL, the incident with the Gatorade cooler, and the eruption towards the home plate umpire. Obviously, this has been a rough season for Zambrano for a multitude of reasons.

However, is Carlos Zambrano the most overpaid player in baseball? Absolutely not. We all know that....all of us besides Kaplan.

We can all admit that Zambrano's 2009 season has been a disappointment. But at the same time, if you look at the numbers, you'll see that when Zambrano has been the field, he's been quite good this season. Sure Zambrano only has seven wins this season, but his ERA is a very respectable 3.35, his strikeout rate his up, and his ERA+ is a solid 131. The downside with Zambrano is clear: his WHIP is up, he's walking too many, and most importantly, he's not staying on the field.

But the bottom line: his performance has been good. If you don't think his performance is "ace caliber" that's fine, but Zambrano's 2009 numbers still make him one of the Cubs best pitchers this season.

Would Kaplan consider Jake Peavy one of the most overpaid players in baseball because he's dealt with injuries this season? I don't think so.

Or how about Roy Oswalt? Here is a guy who is getting paid over $15 million this season and only has six wins? Absolutely not.

The bottom line is that you cannot say the Carlos Zambrano is the most overpaid player in baseball because his performance is still well above average. It's frustrating that Zambrano's been unable to stay healthy this season, but calling him "the most overpaid" based on wins and other incidents is foolish.

Update: Iar from wezen-ball.com made a great point in the comments about Zambrano not even being the most overpaid player ON THE CUBS. Check it out:

"I think the real question is, how can someone covering the Cubs say that Zambrano is most overpaid player in baseball when he's not even the most overpaid player on his team? Ask anyone whose contract they'd rather have, Zambrano or Soriano, and I'd put some good money down that it's Zambrano by a mile..."

Update #2: Bill from The Daily Something.com chimes in with even more evidence to suggest that Carlos Zambrano is not even close to being the most overpaid player in baseball.

"Wow, that's terrible. Great find. This guy has absolutely no clue what he's talking about. According to FanGraphs (and I don't really trust this part of it, but whatever), Zambrano has been worth between (approximately) $12 and $15M every year for the last five years, and is on pace for about $14M this year. So, overpaid, sure, but I bet there are 50 guys in the majors right now who are more grossly overpaid than that (yes, like Soriano. Or Bradley, at least in percentage terms)."

Excellent, excellent points, guys. Keep the great comments coming!

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Random Afternoon Video: Mike Piazza and Hulk Hogan Look At Art

All I can say about this video: what a duo.

Free Agent at the End of the Season: Orlando Hudson

When the 2008 offseason began, I, like many others, assumed that Orlando Hudson was in line for a huge contract. Hudson was considered to be the best free agent second baseman on the market and there seemed to be no reason why Hudson was no going to get paid.

However, the market for Orlando Hudson never developed. The long term deal that Hudson was seeking became a pipe dream and it became apparent that Hudson was going to have to settle for a deal that was far below what he wanted.

So Hudson settled for a one year contract with the Dodgers and has been sensational so far. He has been a vital cog in the Dodgers lineup and seems to have reestablished himself as one of the best second basemen in baseball.

The Case for Hudson

-He can hit lefties

In 2009, Hudson has a fantastic .333 clip against southpaws and for his career, Hudson is hitting a respectable .265 against lefties. Those numbers indicate that Hudson is not a liability against southpaws and should be in the lineup everyday.

-Consistency

The great thing about Hudson is that for the most part, you know what your going to get with Hudson at the plate. Over the past four years, Hudson's batting average has sat around .290 with 10 or so home runs, to go along with a .370 OBP. Sure those numbers are a rough estimate, but almost every team in baseball would take those numbers from their second baseman.

-Clubhouse presence

It's impossible for a fan to judge this category, but from everything I have heard, Hudson is a fantastic guy in the clubhouse. Take this for what it's worth, but having a quality presence in the clubhouse certainly can't hurt.

The Case against Hudson

-Defense?

For so many years, Hudson was known as one of the best second basemen in baseball. However, over the past few years, his defensive ability has been declining. According to fangraphs, Hudson's UZR/150 this season is a -6.0, in large part because of his diminished range (-4.9). Even though Hudson will not hurt you with his defense, he should no longer be thought of as one the premier defenders in baseball.

-Can he stay healthy?

Even though Hudson has avoided the DL so far this season, he has missed a large chunk of each of the past two seasons because of injuries. Hudson's injury history must be taken into account by any team that is looking to sign Hudson.

Competition

The free agent class of second basemen is quite interesting. I wouldn't say the class is particularly deep, but there are some intriguing names out there that are sure to draw interest from clubs. You could go with the younger option (Felipe Lopez), the slightly older, yet productive option (Polanco), or sign the versatile power hitter (Mark DeRosa) to play second base.

Elias Ranking: Type A

-Will Hudson's type A ranking affect how many teams go after him? Perhaps. It remains to be seen if the Dodgers will offer Hudson arbitration, but as of right now, I'd expect them too.

(rankings courtesy of MLBTR)

Prediction

3 years/$20 million

Here are some comparable contracts:

Kaz Matsui: 3 years/$16.5 million

Mark Ellis: 2 years/$11 million

Brian Roberts: 4 years/$40 million

If last season taught us anything about second baseman, it's that they are not valued that highly on the free agent market. I expect Hudson to finally get paid his worth, but if he's expecting a 4 or 5 year deal worth $10 million per year, then he will be sorely disappointed...once again.

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Jeff Francoeur is Realistically Hopeless

Ya Gotta Believe, right? Not if your Jeff Francoeur and your playing for the pathetic Mets:

Francoeur is a realist. As a result, he's also clean-shaven again.

Several Mets players recently had resolved not to shave until the team reached .500, but Francoeur (left) decided to abandon the bonding exercise and go back to using a razor after Thursday night’s series-opening loss. While Francoeur isn't writing off the season, he can plainly see that the Mets are seven games under .500 and aren’t exactly distinguishing themselves with their play. So, he concluded, why keep a beard?

"I might have had it until October," Francoeur candidly said.

I guess when your playing as badly as the Mets have been playing, it's okay to shave.

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The Washington Nationals Buzzkill

Finally. After months of playing horrible baseball, the Washington Nationals are finally showing signs of life. The team has won 8 straight games and has played much better baseball under new manager Jim Riggleman. So all is right is Nationals land, right?

No. Enter the elephant in the room:

Before going forward, a caveat: It's possible orthopedist James Andrews will take a look at the MRI of Washington Nationals pitcher Jordan Zimmermann's right elbow, the one that acting general manager Mike Rizzo said showed "concerning facts," and find nothing to suggest the promising right-hander's career arc is about to smack into a brick wall.

Zimmermann pitched in a rehab start at Class A Potomac last week with whatever's going on in his elbow, striking out six in 3 1/3 innings. Before that, he was able to do some throwing while on the disabled list, and the Nationals have maintained all along that if they had been in a pennant race instead of last place when the rookie went on the disabled list July 22, he would have pitched through it.

But all that said, put together three key phrases - Dr. James Andrews, right elbow and "concerning facts."

Yikes. This figures- as soon as the Nationals start playing good baseball, something bad is bound to happen. Losing Zimmermann for the foreseeable future would be painfully, painfully bad for this organization. Perhaps no other organization in baseball has as a few high end talents as the Nationals and losing one of them, especially Zimmermann, would be a crushing blow.

Let's hope that the news is good for both Zimmermann and the Nationals because if there's a franchise that's in dire need of good news, it's the Nationals.

(Follow Jorge Says No! on Twitter)

Random Afternoon Video: Mike Piazza Has A Clean Mullet

What "other things" are they referring to here?? Hmmm....

(Note: The Mike Piazza "I'm not gay" press conference needs to get on youtube....Anyone have it?)

Random Afternoon Video: That's Sick

Cannibalism, much?

Free Agent at the End of the Season: Nick Johnson

Lemme start out by saying that I am a huge Nick Johnson fan. HUGGGGGE fan. I think this guy is a winning player, who plays the game the way it's supposed to be played. However, it remains to be seen what Johnson can command on the open market once he becomes a free agent. Johnson has put up good numbers this season by hitting .297 with 6 HR, 50 RBI, and an impressive .417 OBP. But it remains to be seen what exactly those numbers, coupled with Johnson's injury history, are worth on the market.

The Case for Johnson

1. defense?
-Johnson has historically been a very good defensive first baseman. Fangraphs notes that besides this season, Johnson's UZR has consistently been very good. Despite his down season this year at first base, Johnson is known as a solid first baseman with very good range.

2. OBP
-The biggest benefit Johnson brings to the table is his ability to get on base. Johnson is currently 5th in the NL in OBP with an impressive .417 clip. In each of the past 4 seasons, Johnson's OBP has been above .400. Even though Johnson does not hit for much power, you can always count on Johnson to be a patient hitter, work the pitcher, take his walks, and produce a high OBP.

3. He hits lefties
-Unlike so many left handed hitters these days, Johnson is atually a good hitter against left handed pitchers. In 2009, Johnson's batting average is a robust .349 against left handed pitching and his career batting average against lefties is an impressive .297. There is no need for a platoon with Nick Johnson around.

The Case against Johnson

1. defense?
Even though Johnson is known as a good defensive player, his defensive stats this season are quite unimpressive. Johnson's UZR this season is -7.3, which is by far the lowest of his career. Is this just a bad year defensively for Johnson or is his defensive ability on the decline?

2. Power
Back in 2006, Johnson hit 23 home runs for the Washington Nationals and seemed well on his way to fufilling his power potential. However, in large part because of injuries, Johnson has not hit double digits in home runs since. Johnson will still hit the occassional home run and hit some doubles, but he cannot be expected to hit for power, despite his high OBP.

3. Injuries
Throughout his big league career, Johnson has been a mainstay on the DL because of a combination of nagging and freak injuries. In 2004, Johnson broke his cheekbone. In 2006, Johnson horrifically broke his leg colliding with Austin Kearns at Shea Stadium. And in 2008, Johnson tore ligaments in his wrist and missed most of this season. In short, Johnson is very, very fragile, which makes him very difficult to count on for an entire season.

Competition
There aren't too many first baseman out there, who bring to the table what Johnson does. His high OBP and supposedly solid defense should make him one of the most desireable first basemen on the market this year, but injuries will always be a concern. For my money, I would rather have Johnson over any other first baseman on the market this year. But then again, I'm a huge Nick Johnson fan, so take that for what it's worth.

Predicition
3 years/$18 million

Here are some comparable contracts:

Lyle Overbay: 4 years/$24 million
Carlos Pena: 3 years/$24 million
Aubrey Huff: 3 years/$20 million

I doubt whatever team signs Johnson will have to break the bank to get him. The combination of injuries and lack of power overshadow all the good things that Johnson can do on the baseball diamond.

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Random Afternoon Video: Now That's Weird

Why does Konerko appear to be high?

Free Agent at the End of the Season: Russell Branyan

***Can you believe that it's almost that time again? Time to think about the upcoming free agent class! We'll be highlighting the pros and cons of signing each free agent and at the end of each piece, we'll make a prediction, albeit a very early prediction, about what each guy could command on the market. Of course, these predictions are subject to change***

At the beginning of the season, if you would have told me that Russell Branyan was going to be the Mariners first baseman through August, I would have laughed. Even though Branyan was given the opportunity to play everyday in Seattle, I had absolutely no faith that this guy could finally put it all together.

But much to my surprise, Branyan has put together a great season so far. He is hitting .260 with 24 home runs, 61 RBI, .361 OBP, and an impressive .529 slugging percentage.

So what can Branyan expect on the free agent market after the season? Let's take a look:

The Case for Branyan

1. power
The one thing that everyone always knew about Russell Branyan was the he could hit for power. Even as Branyan struggled to find his footing in the majors, teams kept giving him chances because they knew just how dynamic Branyan's power was. In an era where power numbers are on the decline, a player like Branyan who has such amazing raw power could become even more valuable on the free agent market.

2. The eyes!
-A big reason why Russell Branyan has broken out this season is because of a new vision program that Branyan has been on. Branyan still strikes out a lot (4th in AL), but the difference is that Branyan is hitting a respectable .260, which is well above his career batting average. Branyan will always be a strikeout hitter, but perhaps with his improved vision, the 33 year old Branyan is actually entering the best years of his career at the dish.

3. He can field, sort of
-While Branyan will never be confused for Mark Teixiera at first base, he's not likely to hurt the team with the his defense. According to fangraphs, Branyan's UZR/150 is .2, which is not great, but far better than fellow free agent first basemen Jason Giambi, Nick Jonhson (-7.1), Adam LaRoche (-3.8) or Aubrey Huff (-3.7).

The Case against Branyan

1. One year wonder?
Even though Branyan has put up big numbers so far in 2009, there have to be people out there questioning if Branyan is simply a one year wonder. Even with his tremendous power and talent, Branyan has never been able to put it together before this year. What happens if Branyan reverts back to his old form? There is no guarantee that the 2009 Branyan is the Branyan that whatever team signs him will actually get.

2. The Decline
-Over the first two months of the season, Branyan was an absolute beast at the plate by hitting over .300 with an OBP over .4400. However, since then Branyan's numbers have taken quite a huge dip. He hit only .265 in June and bottomed out at .159 in July. Teams will need to keep an eye on Branyan's stats over the final two months of the season to see if Branyan's first two months were simply a fluke.

Competition
-The first base free agent class is not exactly loaded with power threats, but there are a number of quality first basemen out there who will command attention. Between Adam LaRoche, Nick Johnson, and Aubrey Huff; teams will have a varied selection of first basemen to choose from. Branyan really seperates himself from the rest of the class with his power numbers.

Elias Ranking: None

This is a huge plus for the teams that are interested in Branyan. No draft picks for signing Branyan!

Predicition
-(8/7: 2 years/$15 million)

The final two months of the season will be huge for Branyan. If he can keep his average up and continue to hit for power, then he will put himself in line for a nice contract at the end of the season. Right now, I'm not sold on Branyan over the final two months of the season. i don't think he'll be able to perform at an elite level like he did over the first two months of the season, but I don't think he'll completely bottom out, especially with Adrian Beltre returning to the lineup.

When you take into account that Branyan is 33 years old and is putting up big time numbers for the first time in his career, there will be team shying away from him and skeptical about his performance. But it only takes one team for Branyan to get paid and if he wants the big bucks, then the next two months will be HUGE for him.

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What Should the Mets do?

***I will be on the DL for most of the day as I recover from having my wisdom teeth extracted yesterday. But I have a more than capable pinch hitter filling in for me today, my brother Evan. And ironically enough, he decided to write about the Mets, who seem to have half their team on the DL. Enjoy****


Most people are saying that the Mets have hit rock bottom. Not only are they not hitting, pitching, or fielding the way major leaguers should, they have had significantly more off-field issues than have the other 29 organizations in the MLB. Oh yeah...they have also a new guy on the DL each day.

Unfortunately, I do not think this is necessarily rock bottom. This could be the beginning of a few miserable years. However, this does not have to be the case. If the Mets play their cards right, make a few GOOD decisions, and plan for the future, they could be playing some playoff baseball in 2010. It is my belief that the actions of Mets management from now until January 1 will determine whether the Mets will be playing baseball or golf in late October of next year. Here are the top 5 things I think Mets management MUST do in the next 5 months if they want to have a chance of making the playoffs in 2010.

1) Shut Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran down for the rest of 2009- These are two of the integral parts of "the core" and rushing them back to play in meaningless games will do more harm than good. Both guys are under contract for 2010 so Omar, Jerry, and the Wilpons have to realize that they need to be 100% healthy for ALL of 2010. Had the Mets not tried to have Reyes and Beltran play hurt earlier in the year, the standings may be VERY different today. Thus, management must learn from their mistakes and hold Reyes and Beltran out of the lineup for the rest of this season.

2) DO NOT shut down J.J. Putz, Billy Wagner, and Carlos Delgado- Delgado is not under contract for next year and probably won't be back. Thus, they really have no vested interest in him being healthy for next year (that sounds really bad though). Having him back in the lineup will only provide the Mets with some extra offense and make those late September games somewhat exciting. At the very least, Delgado has done alot for this organization so I believe they owe it to him to allow him to play the last few weeks of this season.

Putz and Wagner are much different. The Mets hold an $8 Million option for Wagner ($1 million buyout) and a $8.6 Million option for Putz ($1 million buyout) and if they pitch somewhat effectively at the end of '09 it would make sense to pick up AT LEAST one of the two players options (if not both) and then try and trade them for starting pitching or power hitters in the offseason. However, it is very unlikely that they will pick up either player's option if they have not played in 2009; thus, the Mets should make sure that both pitchers pitch sometime in August & September (if possible) so that they can properly evaluate whether there will be potential suitors for Wagner and/or Putz, which in turn will help them determine whether to pick up either (or both) of the options.

3) Bring up the kids and let them play- Guys like Angel Berroa, Gary Sheffield, and Livan Hernandez have no future with the organization beyond 2009 . So, lets use the rest of 2009 to look at some of the young guys in AAA and AA to see what they are made of. Here are a few guys I would like to see playing in Flushing in August & September:

Eddie Kunz, Dillon Gee, Adam Bostick, Ike Davis, Ruben Tejada, Nick Evans, and Josh Thole.

Thole is the guy I want to see in Flushing more than the rest as we need a catcher for 2010 and he is really knocking the cover off of the ball in AA (.345 average, .415 OBP, 1 HR, 40 RBI). While his power numbers are not great, it is hard to ignore his BA and OBP.

4) Commit to the young guys for 2010, but bring in 1 power bat & 1 quality starting pitcher- The Mets have brought in MANY aging veterans over the last 4 years and we are beginning to see how fragile these 36 year-olds can be. Thus, they should stick with guys like Niese, Pelfrey, and potentially Parnell in the rotation and let them develop into quality starting pitchers. Rather than go out and bring in an aging veteran to hit .233 (a la Brian Schneider), see if Josh Thole can catch everyday. He very well might not be able to at this point but they should give him a chance to prove himself (hopefully in 2009). The same goes for guys like Daniel Murphy. While he has not produced the numbers you would want out of an everyday first baseman, he is still young and working on his game. Thus, I think he need to go through the necessary growing pains involved in playing in the MLB.

On the flip side, I do think they need to sign at least 1 power bat and 1 quality starting pitcher to help round out the lineup & rotation. I would love to get Holliday or Bay in a Mets uniform but I don't think they will be leaving St. Louis and Boston respectively. Thus, the best route for a power bat might be via trade (anyone want Putz or Wagner???). If a trade cannot happen, I would look at guys like Marlon Byrd, Rick Ankiel (although I am not sure how he would do in NY), and believe it or not, Manny Ramirez (although he is probably LA bound for 2010).

For starting pitchers, I would try to put "all my eggs in 1 basket" and try to get 1 stud pitcher instead of a few mediocre ones. There some potential impact starting pitchers available who I think the Mets should look at. Here are a few:

John Lackey, Rich Harden, and even Brett Myers

5) Make some personel changes

Some members of Mets Management/personnel must go after 2009. Here is a list of who I think should/should not be "relieved of their duties" with the Mets:

Jerry Manuel--DON'T FIRE
While he is definitely not perfect, he is not to blame for 2009. The plays seem to like him as does the Media. I think he deserves 1 more chance with a team that is actually healthy.

Dan Warthen--FIRE
While I like him, it is very hard to explain how the Mets are leading the league in walks despite playing in a ballpark the size of Manhattan. I think its time for Dan to go.

Howard Johnson--DON'T FIRE
A few weeks ago my answer might have been very different. However, it seems as though he has really had an impact on Jeff Francoeur, which in my mind justifies his return for 2010.

Omar Minaya--FIRE
After 2 collapses on the 162nd game and a year like 2009, how can one justify keeping Minaya as the GM (asside from money issues). Additionally, his "off the field" antics have embarassed the organization, which the Mets definitely do not need. I think the Adam Rubin issue was truly "the nail in the coffin." Unfortunately, I do not think he will be fired due to the fact that there are a few million dollars owed to him in the next few years and he is very close with the Wilpons.

Mets Medical Staff--FIRE
All I have to say is Delgado, Putz, Beltran, Reyes, Sheffield, Castillo, Maine, Perez, Nieve, F-Mart, Schneider, etc. If I were to list all of the reasons they should be fired, I would get carpal tunnel and would then need to be added onto the DL...we don't want that. However, what I will say is that not only did they not properly prevent injuries (as much as one can), they did not properly treat them (this goes all the way back to Ryan Church last year).

Obviously, its time for a change in Mets land

Random Afternoon Video: The One Where Jay Buher's Head Gets Sprayed

It's going to take a lot more than water to fertilize Buhner's head...

Ouch

Earlier this morning, I had the pleasure of getting my wisdom teeth pulled. I wish I could tell you something about it, but I don't remember a damn thing about it thanks to the laughing gas (SWEET) and Anaesthesia (EVEN BETTER).

All I know right now is that I never knew teeth could hurt this bad and the aftermath of the surgery is pretty disgusting (no details here, folks).

Like almost every player on the Mets roster, I am declaring myself day-to-day....with tooth soreness. So this might be the last you hear of me today, but hopefully I'll be back and functional tomorrow.

-Josh

Crazy Contract Clauses

For the first time in a long time, I had some extra time. So what did I decide to do with my spare time?

Scroll through Cot's Baseball Contracts of course!

For those of you who don't know, Cot's is the premier source for baseball contracts on the web and provides fantastic information for fans about players' contracts.

One thing that I've always wanted to explore was the different perks and strange clauses in baseball contracts today. Many players have clauses that give them bonuses for certain achievements, specifications of where they can be traded, and more; but there some players who have completely random and obscure things thrown into their contracts.

So after extensively looking through Cot's, here are the best contract clauses I could find. If you can find any others, feel free to add them in the comments.

Seriously....Division

Roy Oswalt: contract also re-worked 10/05 to allow Houston owner Drayton McLane to give Oswalt a bulldozer for winning Game 6 of '05 NLCS

Troy Glaus (D-Backs): $0.25M annually for personal business expenses (wife's equestrian training)

Carlos Beltran: club agreed to lease ocular enhancer machine (device that throws numbered & multi-colored tennis balls at 150 mph)

Billy Wagner: 4M paid in advance (after 1/1/06) to be used toward purchase of home

Troy Percival (Rays): vintage automobile

Yonder Alonso: $78,000 for cost of 3 remaining semesters of college ($60,000 tuition, $18,000 room & board)

AJ Burnett (Jays): deal includes 8 round-trip limousine trips per season between Toronto & Burnett's Maryland home for his wife

I'm Better Than You Division

Manny Ramirez (Red Sox): receives a no-trade clause if another Boston player receives one

Alex Rodriguez (Yankees): Rodriguez may void after 2008 or 2009 unless club increases 2009-10 salary by $5M/year or $1M more than highest-paid MLB position player


I'm Not Better Than You Division

Carlos Delgado: $50,000 for finishing 2nd to Bonds in MVP vote (h/t Rafi!)

The "Don't Be Fat" Division

Carlos Lee: contract includes nominal weight clause

Bengie Molina: Molina to participate in Athletic Performance Training Program each off-season at club's expense

Jose Lopez: $0.125M annually in physical performance bonuses: $25,000 for passing each of 4 in-season physical tests (body-fat percentage, 60-yard sprint, 20-yard shuttle run & vertical jump), plus $25,000 for passing 4 in 1 year


The "I Need Tickets" Division

Johan Santana (Mets): 15-person suite for 2008 home games

Alfonso Soriano (Cubs): 6 premium tickets for each home game (spring training - post-season) and All Star Game (if Soriano is selected)

Mark Teixeira (Yankees): may purchase 8 of the best available Yankees season tickets

Alex Rodriguez (Yankees): may purchase 4 best available season tickets for 2008, 4 Legends Suite or comparable season tickets for 2009-17

Jason Schmidt (Dodgers): premium tickets for home games

Scott Kazmir: Use of luxury suite for 5 home games per season

The Japanese Player Division

Kaz Matsui (Astros): club to provide translator, physical therapist

Kenshin Kawakami: interpreter, $25,000 moving expenses, housing and SUV during Spring Training, access to massage therapist, 8 round-trip business- or first-class airline tickets between Tokyo and Atlanta

Kosuke Fukudome: 8 first-class round-trip air tickets between Japan and Chicago for family each year, personal trainer, masseuse, interpreter, visa expenses, $25,000 annually in moving expenses, vehicle during spring training and regular season

Hiroki Kuroda: $30,000 moving allowance, visa fees paid by club, personal trainer, interpreter, interpreter for family, English lessons, 8 round-trip first class airline tickets between Japan, LA each season

Ichiro: interpreter, trainer, transportation for Spring Training & regular season;
4 annual round-trip airline tickets from Seattle to Japan;
housing allowance: $32,000 in 2008, $33,000 in 2009, $34,000 in 2010, $35,000 in 2011, $36,000 in 2012

Daisuke Matsuzaka:physical therapist, massage therapist, interpreter, 8 first-class round-trip airline tickets per year between Boston & Japan, spring training housing allowance of up to $25,000, Boston housing allowance of up to $75,000, one-time moving allowance of up to $35,000, use of Lincoln Town Car or similar car, Red Sox player ticket package, including 2 field box seats, team employee to assist Japanese media, uniform No. 18

(Follow Jorge Says No! on Twitter)

What's your favorite?

Random Afternoon Video: Did Brad Ausmus Just Hug Kim Kardashian?

Yup. Ohhh yeah.

I wonder how he got that gig?

(Note: You might want to turn down the volume a bit on this one...the language is a bit vulgar.)

(Follow Jorge Says No! on Twitter!)

So That's How The Giants Pay For Barry Zito

Buying beer at a Giants game is sure to leave a whole in the wallet:

That $8.75 you pay for a 20-ounce beer is more than any other team in baseball
in America charges -- by a full 75 cents. The stadium serving the second most-expensive beer is the Tampa Bay Rays' Tropicana Field, charging "just" $8 for a 20-ounce beer. But that's a franchise that has to overcharge for beer, because they can't get anyone to pay admission and come to their games.

But don't feel too bad, Giants fans. The worst beer value in baseball comes from the Boston Red Sox.

While AT&T Park topped the most-expensive list, it is actually a far worse rip-off to buy beer at Boston's Fenway Park. Fenway Park came in third with a $7.25 beer -- but that $7.25 only buys you a 12-ounce beer. That's almost half as tiny as the beers you can get at a Giants game, and the same amount of beer you'd get in one measly can from a standard American six-pack.

Talk about charging an arm an a leg for beer. Jesus. Can't there be some kind of legislation so that beer prices don't rise so astronomically at ballparks? I'm sure 95% of baseball fans would be in favor of this.

Then again, cheaper prices would probably lead to a rise in public drunkenness, which is something that MLB and most of society does not want to deal with.

So maybe the high prices are actually a good thing?

Attempting to Attack Guillermo Mota 2.0

Guillermo Mota is certainly not making friends in the majors right now.

Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder, upset at getting beaned by Dodgers pitcher Guillermo Mota, tried to barge his way into the Dodgers' clubhouse after tonight's game, but was stopped by security guards and a few of his Brewers teammates.

Anyone remember a few years back when Mike Piazza stormed the Dodgers clubhouse screaming "Where's Mota" looking to attack Guillermo Mota? Well, this situation was very similar to Fielder. Piazza was hit by Mota, took exception, and then tried to take matters into his own hands after the game.

Thank God for security.

But this begs two important questions:

1. What the hell is wrong with Guillermo Mota?

2. Who would you be more scared of, Mike Piazza in his prime or the massive Prince Fielder?

Someone Please Save Keith Foulke From the Atlantic League

Lots of good stuff over at atlanticleaguebaseball.com about former Red Sox closer Keith Foulke, who is now pitching for the Newark Bears:

Once the closer of the 2004 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox, just five years later the 36-year-old righty finds himself pitching in front of crowds that dip precariously close to triple digits on some nights for the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League.

Last in the big leagues with Oakland just last year, where he posted an 0-3 record with a 4.06 ERA and one save in 31 appearances, Foulke’s sole motivation seems to be getting back to the big leagues.

“I don’t enjoy pitching in this league, and I want to use it to help me get out,” Foulke says.

Foulke came to the Atlantic League, he says, because nobody else wanted him. He felt that going to Newark gave him the best chance to get noticed. Several turned down Triple-A offers later — “that probably turned out to be a little bit of a mistake,” he says — one of those offers rumored to have been an early season overture from the Washington Nationals, and you get the sense he feels that anyone who wanted to notice would have by now.

“I don’t want to end my career here,” he said.

“It’s a little harder to get mentally prepared to pitch here, just because there’s really nothing on the line. That’s turned out to be a little bit of a struggle for me.”

Look, I understand that Foulke must be let down that he has not been picked up by a major league team. Pitching in the Atlantic League has to feel like a huge step backwards for Foulke, who pitched quite well for the Athletics last season. I don't understand why Foulke did not receive a better offer out there on the open market, but that's a moot point right now.

The question I have for Foulke is this: why turn down the AAA offers? Did he think that he could get a major league deal straight from Indy ball? Was he being overly picky with his team selection? What could he have possibly been waiting for?

Whatever the reason is, Foulke sounds absolutely miserable in the Atlantic League right now. Normally I appreciate when an athlete opens up and delivers a candid response, but for some reason, Foulke's quotes in this interview make me cringe. Between the "I don't like pitching here" line and the "nothing on the line quote", you get the idea that Keith Foulke is stuck in baseball hell just waiting for some MLB team, any team, to rescue him.

However, it's tough to think that any team would be willing to take a chance on Foulke at this point. The article goes onto state that Foulke's velocity is only the low to mid 80s, which makes me wonder if he could even be successful at the big league level.

What do you think?

Random Afternoon Video: A Team Full of Ken Griffey Jr

What a team that would be. Gotta love the lefty at third.

But as one commenter stated, "what happens when they all get injured."

Ouch.

Will the Nationals Compete in the Near Future?

Apparently, Nationals GM Mike Rizzo likes the Nationals a whole lot more than most of us do:

"We are in a building process. We are not rebuilding," Rizzo said, almost defiantly, after the trade deadline passed Friday. "This is a team that, is in my opinion, not far away from being a good, solid baseball team. We've got some good, core players in Jesus Flores and Ryan Zimmerman, Adam Dunn, Josh Willingham, Nyjer Morgan, Cristian Guzman. These are good, core players that can
win in the very near future."

There are a few big problems with Rizzo's quote that give me absolutely no reason to believe that the Nationals will contend in the near future.

1. Where is the pitching?
Outside of John Lannan, the Nationals pitching, especially their bullpen, is horrific and difficult to watch. The team has a combined 5.05 ERA, which is good for 29th in all of MLB. The pitching staff ranks in dead last in almost every major pitching category in the National League. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly.

The positive here is that Jordan Zimmermann and Ross Detwiler have talent, but it might take them years to figure it out on the major league level.

2. Adam Dunn and Cristian Guzman are signed only through 2010.
Does that mean Rizzo thinks the Nationals can compete in 2010? Ask any Nationals fan and they will tell you that there is very little chance this team will do anything in 2010. The idea that either one of these guys is a possible long term building block is hard to imagine right now.

3 Should they rebuild?
Rizzo states that the Nationals are experiencing a "building process" and they are NOT rebuilding. I don't agree with his thinking. The Nationals need a major infusion of talent if they are going to compete in the long term. If I was Mike Rizzo, I would have been much more active during the trading deadline and performed a "mini Pirates fire sale" in order to bring back some quality minor leaguers or young players.

Wouldn't that have made sense?

Unless Rizzo thinks that the Nationals pitching staff is going to completely turn it around in 2010, then this comment is rather ludicrous. I understand that a GM has to be positive and present a positive spin on things to the public, but the harsh reality facing the Nationals is that there is still much rebuilding to be done and this team is still YEARS away from contending.

Interview With Brent Mayne (Part Two)

With the first part of the interview complete and the audio now live and ready for download, I finally completed the second part of the interview that I conducted with MLB catcher Brent Mayne. Enjoy the interview!

To read part one of the Brent Mayne interview, click here.

To listen to the audio, click here.

******* *********

Jorge Says No!: This is something that I've always felt was kind of interesting just having watched Oliver Perez pitch for a couple years. What's it like to be behind the plate and watch a pitcher implode on the mound?

Brent Mayne: It happens, you know. What's it like? Its not fun. As a catcher, you always take whatever the pitcher does and whatever happens defensively is...you knjow, if you're going to accept responsibility when things go great and a guy throws a no hitter and you're going to say that you had a part of that, then you have to take the bad too.

You never want to see a pitcher do bad, whether he's struggling to find the zone or if he's mentally lost it...like I said, you kind of have to be a junior psychologist out there and figure out when to pat guys on the butt, which guys like to be patted on the butt, which guys need to be kicked in the ass, and what guys need to be left alone. So a lot of that you take personally and if they struggle and can't figure out, then you take that personally and try to help them.

It's a hard thing to watch a be apart of, but with that said, this is baseball, a game of failure, that's challenging on a whole bunch of different levels for everybody.

Jorge Says No!: In your opinion, how has the catching position evolved over the past 10 to 20 years?

Brent Mayne: Not a whole damn lot. It seems to me to be a pretty stagnant thing. You know it's definitely gotten more athletic as catchers even watch a Yankee Classic game and watch Thurman Munson play in the mid 70s and it's light years from there.

Just as far as how hard pitchers throw, glove mechanics that need to adapt to that; but has there been any major hurdles cross or any major mechanical thing that has happened, no there hasn't. And if you read my book or take a lesson from me, you'll make a jump-a quantum leap-from that 1970's Johnny Bench style catching to what works now.

But the position has kinda of gone by the way side. You know, you put the gear on a certain kid and shove him out there and go.

Jorge Says No!: And for you personally, do you want to get back to minor league level coaching or major league level coaching?

Brent Mayne: No, not really. To be honest with you, I'm 41 years old, but like a lot of 41 year olds out there, I feel like I'm 25. When I retired, it wasn't because I got released or something like that. To answer your question, I feel like I can still play. And if I could be involved in major league baseball in any way, I'd just be a player. In my opinion, there's only a few really good jobs in professional baseball and that's to be either a player or an owner.

So the reason I retired was because of family, all the travel, and all the peripheral stuff; it just wasn't worth the money I was getting paid.

So no, at this point I'm not interested in doing something like that, but if the Angels or something are going to offer me a contract to play just home games....

Jorge Says No!: Was it difficult to keep your body fit and healthy when playing such a demanding position? The baseball season seems to be a grind as is...

Brent Mayne: It's a very difficult position to play. Every position is tough, but when you take into account putting on all the gear and squatting down, it's alot. Being a catcher is very difficult and demanding physical position. So yes, it was very difficult. No matter what position you're playing in baseball, you need to take care of your body and figure out how much sleep you need, and take care of business in the weight room, and on the yoga mat if that's what your into. Whatever it is you need to figure out how to stay out of the training room and put your act out on the field everyday. That's part of the challenge.

Jorge Says No!: I know that you we're a first round draft pick. How did that feel? Was it a lot of pressure? Excitement? Or a combination of both?

Brent Mayne: Both. It was definitely both. I was excited because I was going to make more money than I ever did in my life, which wasn't a lot at that time considering what kids are making now. It felt like a lot at the time so that was exciting.

But also with it came a whole bunch of expectations that I needed to deal with. It wasn't the first thing of major expectations I had ever dealt with, but it was a big one.

******** *********

I encourage everyone to take a listen to the audio to hear Brent talk about the inning he pitched....he even got the win (20 min mark)!

A big thank you goes out to Brent Mayne for conducting the interview with me. Not only was this interview very informative, but it actually made me much more interested in the little intricacies of catching. I encourage everyone to check out Brent's website http://www.brentmayne.com/ and buy his book The Art of Catching.

Brent Mayne: The Interview

There is no doubt that interviewing a professional baseball player is hit or miss. Some of them want nothing to do with you and would rather have their wisdom teeth extracted on the spot instead of spending a few minutes explaining the game to you.

Thankfully, Brent Mayne is not one of those guys. Most of you know Mayne as a big league catcher for 15 seasons with the Royals, Giants, Mets, Rockies, and others. Mayne has spent his post baseball life focusing on baseball by creating a website devoted to catching www.brentmayne.com and writing a book solely about the ins and outs of catching entitled The Art of Catching.

After listening through the interview I conducted with him again last night, I became giddy. Mayne's wealth of knowledge and detailed explanation into the art of catching and the baseball world would have any baseball fan mesmerized.

So in short, enjoy the interview. In the past I have done my best to transcribe the full interview, but that task became far too exhaustive this time given the detailed conversation and responses. So instead, I have transcribed part of the interview and I will put up the FULL audio of the interview with Brent Mayne tonight.

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Jorge Says No! Interview With Brent Mayne

Jorge Says No!: You currently have out both a book and website devoted to all things catching. What do yo want baseball fans to learn and understand about the position?

Brent Mayne: I just want people to learn the right way. In my experience, from the earliest years until now when I'm retired (over 25 years of catching), I just never found that there was anybody who knew a whole lot about the position. We're talking about a game-baseball-that's pretty well dissected from every angle. If you want information about pitching, infield play, or hitting; it's a trip to the library or a couple of clicks on the computer and you get that information or quality people.

But catching, which I think next to the pitcher is the most defensive position on the field, just seems to slip through the cracks and most of the time its not taught at all and if it is taught, it's taught incorrectly. It become a matter of picking the biggest kid and slapping some gear on him and putting a bat in his hand. It's my experience that even at the highest level, there really wasn't a whole lot of instruction. So in writing the book my main priority was just to kind of help out the baseball community with a good piece of information about the position. How to do it safely and correctly while bringing the position into a modern day game.

Jorge Says No!: Why do you think it has taken so long for the catching position to advance and evolve statistically with the rest of baseball?

Brent Mayne: I don't know. It baffles me. Like I said, I think its like a real important position because the guy is touching the ball almost every time the ball is put in play. And we're not talking about some obscure sport, like I said, this stuff has been written about extensively so that the catching position has kind of slipped through the cracks baffles me.

That being said, it's kind of a good niche. I'm most happy to fill that role as catching guy.

Brent Mayne: It's such a multi faceted position; you have to be a psychologist because your dealing with so many different personalities (umpire, pitcher, hitter). And at the same time, your trying to process all the game information and game plan...so there is alot your processing mentally. And at the same time, dealing with the rigors of catching over 100+ games every year. When you add all those things together, its an interesting dynamic. It's a great position, but there is so much to learn and so much technique that can keep people from getting injured and ultimately maximize whatever their God given talent is.

Jorge Says No!: I understand that you also give private lessons now as well. What's the most common problem you've seen with young catchers today?

Brent Mayne: I've started doing them almost a year ago and I'd say that the most common thing that I see is improper throwing mechanics. For some reason there's a misconception that catchers have a real short arm, similar to a second baseman or something like that, but that's not the case. It's a misconception. It's more like that of a shortstop or something; it's definitely not as long as a pitcher or outfielder, but definitely not as short as a second baseman.

I think a lot of kids kind of whip their glove over their right ear trying to be quick and short and kind of losing all their power, throwing velocity, and arm arc in the process. All of those things gone in one fowl swoop. I have to correct that quite often.

Jorge Says No!: One of my favorite players growing up was Mike Piazza. But Piazza was absolutely terrible at throwing out base runners, no matter how much time the Mets tried to work with him on throwing runners out. What’s the secret to throwing out base runners?

Brent Mayne: It's similar to hitting because it's very timing related. You need to be quick. And in order of importance as far as effectiveness of throwing guys out it would be timing first, accuracy of the throw, then coming in a distant last would be velocity.

There are all kinds of players who can throw the ball so well that it makes your jaw hit the ground, but they just can't throw anybody out. Their quickness, timing, and accuracy just isn't good and it results in guys not getting thrown out stealing.

And it goes visa versa; I've seen guys with average to below average arms who can throw people out all day long. So I think velocity is a common misconception that you need to have a cannon to play behind the plate and be an effective controller of the running game. That's not true. It's more timing and technique than anything.

Jorge Says No!: How valuable is it to have a catcher who can throw out baserunners at a high clip?

Brent Mayne: I think it's really valuable. I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to understand that a guy blocking a ball or keeping a runner from going 1st to 3rd, or throwing a guy out at second base; maybe the next guy follows him with a base hit. That's basically an RBI for the catcher. It's not hard to make that jump. From that standpoint, I see the catcher's defense having a significant impact on the whole part of the game.

Having a good defensive catcher-a guy who can block the plate, control the running game, etc.- and we're not even talking about calling the right pitches or making sure that guys don't get hits. The catching position has a big impact on the game in general.

Jorge Says No!: One of the big stories in New York over the past month or so was that a number of Yankee pitchers felt uncomfortable with the way he called a game. What kind of preparation did you have to do?

Brent Mayne: Well that was definitely where I made the house payments. That was the strong point of my game. I had the ability to call a game and get along with pitchers and excel at that part of the game. And for me, it boiled down to an instinct. It just got down to an instinctual call. Like I said, you have to assimilate a whole bunch of information. Every time we went to Yankee Stadium or something there would a binder there as big a dictionary from advanced scouts talking about guys.

For example, Jorge Posada: this is what he's hitting now, this is his weakness. Bernie Williams: this is what he's hitting now, this is what he's not hitting. All of this information about every hitter-a gameplan so to speak-about every hitter and what we're going to do. And come game time, by far and away the most important thing to realize is what your pitcher's abilities are and what he is comfortable throwing. It boils down to having him throw a pitch with heart and committment and you want him to throw his very best pitch in the very best situation. But you can't if you got Bernie Williams up, who is the best changeup hitter in the world, but you have Paul Byrd on the mound and his best pitch is a changeup-so I'm going to go with the changeup. I'm going to go with my pitcher's strength over anything.

And you know you have what the coaches want you to do, you have the game situation, and you've got what the umpires strike zone for that day; there is just so much stuff you have to assimilate for just any given pitch. And then also your talking about the hitter and how you've approached him the last 20-30 times. I think I had a really good ability to kind of recall what we had done and patterns and how we approached guys. Like I said, your assimilating all this information and you're supposed to spit out the correct answer every time. I think I was assimilating all that information, but when it came down to it, it was all instinct. You know, this guy was expecting this, so we'll throw him that...

Jorge Says No!: So behind every bottom of the 8th, up 3-2, it's a 2-1 count; there's a whole psychological aspect going through your head behind the plate?

Brent Mayne: There is so much going into it that it's ridiculous. You have to understand how much teams spend on advanced scouts and how much research is done on particular players-if you can get a graph of that, then you can get a graph of anything. There is nothing to chance and every single pitch is charted and graphed and gone over after the game and analyzed and guessed.

Jorge Says No!: Who is your favorite active catcher to watch?

Brent Mayne: That's a good question. I liked watching Carlos Ruiz during the World Series last year. I like guys who are active. There's nothing that bores me more than when guys do the same thing all game long...just catch the ball and throw it back. I like guys with different stances and styles. I like the way Ruiz moved. I like the way Soto moved. I like both of their energy because there is a playfulness with their energy.

Earlier in the year I got to see Pablo Sandoval, who is actually a third baseman, from San Francisco and he was really fun to watch and I really enjoyed his game.

Jorge Says No!: Right now Twins catcher Joe Mauer is hitting .358 with 17 home runs while playing solid defense. How impressive is that considering the daily grind he takes just from catching?

Brent Mayne: He's unbelieveable. If I were to pick a catcher, and I don't think I'm going out on a limb here, I'd pick Mauer. He's a very solid defensive catcher, albeit a very boring defensive catcher (he's like watching paint dry), but he gets the job done. He blocks the ball well, he calls a good game, controls the running game pretty well, and he's a tough kid. Add on top of that the offensive numbers, and he's the guy.

Jorge Says No!: There has been a lot of talk about Matt Wieters, the Orioles young catcher who happens to be 6'5, being too big to catch. Do you believe this?

Brent Mayne: I don't. I think a lot of the injury issues are mental with stress. I'd think 99% of injuries are stress related because you rarely see a guy snap a bone or something like that. I think most of them start in the head and then work their way down to another body part and pretty soon your on the DL. I think there's a mental component that goes into it and there is also the luck componet (not having Prince Fielder run into you) and simply the technique. I think doing things the right way and staying in an athletic position will keep you out of injuries for as long as possible.

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Stay tuned tonight for the full audio of the interview. Trust me, it's worth the listen.

In the mean time, please check out Brent's book, The Art of Catching, and his website http://www.brentmayne.com/

Ken Griffey Jr. is the King of Awkward Introductions

Junior Being Junior:

French received an autographed jersey from Griffey last month when the Mariners played the Tigers in Detroit, and on Saturday received a typical Griffey "welcome" to the Mariners.

"Mike Sweeney and I were talking when he walked up and stood there near us," Griffey said. "We knew he wanted to introduce himself, so when we were done talking, both of us turned and started to walk away.

"Luke had his hand out and he just stared. Then I turned around and said, 'I'm just messin' with you."

That's more awkward than a fifth grade dance.

Melvin Mora, Aubrey Huff, and the Trading Deadline

After the trading deadline, it seems as though everyone and their mother is quick to put out a list of winners and losers that provide instant analysis into which teams hit it big and which teams blew it. Most of these columns are somewhat generic, but this piece about the Orioles caught my eye.

SI.com's Ted Keith believes that the O's were losers at deadline for not being more active:

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Added: Cla Meredith, Josh Bell, Steve Johnson
Traded: Oscar Salazar, George Sherrill

Orioles president Andy MacPhail had vowed that his team would not be a farm system for anyone else, but they may not have done enough at this deadline to help themselves for the future. Sherrill brought back a decent pair, third baseman Josh Bell and pitcher Steve Johnson, both of whom should start learning the Oriole Way at Double-A. But with a handful of other players who could have been traded to accelerate their building program that has begun already with players like Nick Markakis, Matt Wieters and Adam Jones, it's a little surprising that they only made one trade to strengthen their farm system.

I'm guessing by "other players" Keith is referring to Aubrey Huff, Melvin Mora, and Danys Baez; all of whom are free agents at the end of the season. None of these guys have a future with the club so in theory it would have made sense for the Orioles to make a move.

However, Keith fails to mention that the market for both Huff and Mora failed to develop. Both guys are having poor seasons and became backup choices at best for contending teams. It's impossible to move guys if there is no market for them.

In addition, a few weeks back it looked like the Orioles could get a nice return on Danys Baez, who was having a solid bounce back season. But over the last two months, Baez has struggled and as a result, his value took a big hit.

I don't agree with Keith's assessment that the Orioles were trading deadline losers. The market for these three players was not there, at least right now anyway. If anything, the Orioles should have traded Huff and Mora after last season when both guys were coming off huge seasons and entering the final year of their contract. That would have maximized both players' value and strengthened the Orioles farm system.

Keith is surprised that the Orioles only made one deal at the deadline, but the reality behind it is clear: the market simply was not there for these players. Maybe the Orioles could get something for Huff, Mora, or Baez in August if any of them are able to produce over the next few weeks. The opportunity might be there and maybe the market might finally develop.

Interview with Brent Mayne (AUDIO!)

My interview with Brent Mayne can be found by clicking on the title of the post "Interview With Brent Mayne." From there, just hit download and then windows media (or whatever you use) should pop up with a combination of a phone connection, Brent Mayne, and my annoying voice.

I hope you enjoy the interview. I'm working on a better system for the future to make things easier for everybody, but this is the best I can do for now.

Please take some time to listen to the interview. It's fascinating, in depth, interesting, and will leave you smiling at the end.

Steroids and Baseball: Who Would Surprise You?

When it came out last week that David Ortiz used steroids back in 2003, my reaction was far from surprised. For some reason, it did not surprise me to see Big Papi on the list even though there was no evidence to suggest that he used PEDs before.

Nevertheless, a few of my buddies were actually surprised that Big Papi tested positive. I had no idea why. Didn't they see Papi's massive improvement in 2003? His sudden rise to prominence couldn't have simply been a fluke, right?

How could this be surprising for them? Most of the big names from that era have been linked to PEDs in some form and it seemed almost naive to think that any player from that era was actually clean.

But that got me thinking. Are there any star players from the steroid era, who I would be surprised to find out used steroids or any kid of PED? Here is the list that I came up with (in no particular order):

1. Ken Griffey Jr.

2. Derek Jeter

3. Greg Maddux/ Tom Glavine

4. Tony Gwynn

5. Mariano Rivera

6. Craig Biggio

7. Jeff Kent

8. Curt Schilling

9 Cal Ripken Jr.

10. Chipper Jones

So there you have it. I can honestly no longer say "no one would surprise me anymore" because the reality is this: even though baseball has taken a major hit from the steroid era, there are still players from that era, who I believe in and want to believe in. Call me naive, but the steroid era has not totally eroded my faith in clean baseball. If any of these guys are linked to steroids, I'll be in the same boat as my David Ortiz buddies, surprised and hurt that yet another big name has been linked to PEDs.

What star players (if any) would surprise you if they were linked to PEDs?

Marty Appel: The Interview

Update: Today is the anniversary of Thurman Munson's death 30 years ago. In honor of Thurman, I am reposting the interview I conducted with Marty Appel, who authored the biography Munson: The Life and Death of a Yankee Captain. Enjoy.

RIP Thurman

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There are some moments where I feel very fortunate to be a blogger. Today was one of them. I had the distinct privilege of interviewing Marty Appel, the head PR man for the Yankees in the 1970s. I was lucky enough to read Mr. Appel's latest book about Thurman Munson entitled Munson: Life and Death of a Yankee Captain, which is in stores now. Trust me, the book is worth the read for any Yankee fan or baseball fan. We all know Munson as a tremendous baseball player, but this book gives us a very detailed look into Munson off the field including his tumultuous childhood.

Mr. Appel was kind enough to chat with Jorge Says No! about Thurman Munson, his life, his legacy, and the biography.

For more on Marty Appel, please visit appelpr.com. Or to purchase the book, click here.

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Jorge Says No! Interview With Marty Appel

Jorge Says No!: What was it about Thurman Munson that made the fans like him so much?

Marty Appel: His approach to the game. The way he respected the team, the respect of the Yankees, the way he respected the sport, and the way he just played his heart out every game.

In the book, it's mentioned several times that Thurman had an image to protect and different personas. Why do you think this was? And why was his relationship so strained with the media?

-It was never clear why he did. You'll see a portion in the book where Murray Chass of the New York Times speculates that teammates might have goated him into taking a more hostile point of view. It was really his biggest flaw as a personality was his difficult relationship with the press, especially after he became team captain. As we see with Jeter, one of the responsibilities of being captain is to be the team spokesman, when necessary. Thurman never got that memo.

You take an extensive look into Thurman's difficult childhood, specifically with his father. What impact did his childhood have on Thurman's life?

-For most of us, those kind of family lives just regenerate themselves and you almost never see someone break that cycle as well as Thurman did. That's why it was so laudable what he accomplished. There was a reference to his Father, who was raised in an orphanage, so that was like two generations at least of home life that was essentially loveless. For Thurman to break that and have a great family life of his own as a adult, boy, he really accomplished that.

Thurman comes off in the book as a devoted and loving family man. How much of this do you attribute to his difficult upbringing with his father?

-It's all part of the same picture. Thurman's father was gone all the time (he was a long distance truck driver) and Thurman was just going to be everything that his father wasn't. And that was his reason for getting into aviation in the first place.

Why did you decide to write this autobiography about Munson? What new information did you uncover about Thurman?

-The reason I wanted to do it is because to me, the first draft (autobiography of Munson) was incomplete. It delivered what Thurman wanted and no more. And I always knew that there was so much more to the story.

In terms of what I discovered, it was really new details about his upbringing. He would have been at the point now in his sixties where if I said to him, "the story of how you accomplished breaking this cycle and developing a wonderful family life for yourself is such an uplifting American story. There are so many people that can relate to that. I think this is an important book so that this message gets out there.

Hypothetically speaking, what do you think would have happened with Thurman and the Yankees after '79? Was Thurman headed to Cleveland? Would he ever catch again?

-It's so hard to say. The wild card turned out to be Dave Winfield. Winfield comes to the Yankees and Thurman is of the belief that he should make the most money so if they signed Winfield, the Yankees are supposed to give him (Munson) more. Would the Indians have been in the position to match that kind of salary? Probably not.

I think Thurman probably would have made the money decision and stayed in New York. But who can be sure? We barely know how many years Thurman had left in him anyway.

He could have turned into a good designated hitter and had a six or seven year run at that. But of course, we'll never know.

Do you think Thurman should be in the HOF? Why hasn't he come close?

-That's a tough question for me because I love the guy and I'm a big Yankee fan, but I'm a real purist when it comes to the hall of fame. I would be a very tough voter if I did have a vote. I gotta go along with what Bill James wrote which is that in the end, he essentially did not have the career numbers to put him in the hall of fame. What he did have was the most severe injury imaginable in his 11th season. But hey, hall of fame careers are often detoured by injuries. And, I think Bill James said this, that there's alot more guys who were injured on their way to Cooperstown than guys who actually made it. So I'm never in favor of putting in a hall of famer that requires an asterisk. Roberto Clemente did not require an asterisk.

That's how I feel, but with apologies, because I know there are Munson fans who believe that he belongs.

After reading this book, the one word that I would use to describe Munson is complex. Is there a word that comes to your head when you think of Thurman Munson?

-Well complex is a good word. He was not just a jock, there was a lot to this guy: his concentration on family, his interest in business, his interest in aviation. He was a real Renaissance man. A good player for his time because he led by example both on the field and off the field.

Do you think readers will be surprised to see just how interested in business Munson was?

-Yeah and also it helped him form a relationship with George Steinbrenner. He used to like to go up to Steinbrenner's office after batting practice and just talk business with him. He'd plop in there in uniform and sit at Steinbrenner's desk and put his feet up on the table and talk business. I think that's different than most players.

Thurman may not have done this out of warmth and friendship, but he also admired Steinbrenner's successes as a business man and wanted to learn all he could from him.

And finally, you got your start in baseball opening Mickey Mantle's fanmail? How cool was that job?

-It was cool that I got to know Mickey Mantle from it and that Mickey Mantle knew who I was, which was unimaginable when I was a kid. The process of answering the mail wasn't that interesting after a while because they all said the same thing: "Dear Mickey, Your my favorite player. Please send me an autographed baseball."

The letters were not as interesting as knowing Mickey!

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I'd like to thank Mr. Appel for being so generous with his time. He is truly a class act and I enjoyed every minute of the interview.

Stay tuned for an in depth book review of Munson: The Life and Death of a Yankee Captain in the next few days.