That's true. And I think people tend to have too many expectations about third base anyway. If Betemit hits .270 with 10 homers, that's pretty decent for that position, better than most teams have. Even while we were waiting for Beltre to mature, most of that time he was still average or better for his position. Considering the Dodgers' post-Cey history at third, we can't expect big things.
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MLB Hot Stove Thread 07
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That's true. And I think people tend to have too many expectations about third base anyway. If Betemit hits .270 with 10 homers, that's pretty decent for that position, better than most teams have. Even while we were waiting for Beltre to mature, most of that time he was still average or better for his position. Considering the Dodgers' post-Cey history at third, we can't expect big things.
My main concern about Betemit is defense. I'd rate his play at third as only average. If a player isn't defensively talented at his age, then he probably isn't going to develop into a star at that position. Beltre even when he wasn't putting up great offensive numbers, IMO, he was always clearly outstanding playing the position.
Especially the bare-handed catch-and-throw to first on a bunt, which he did in a regular basis. I remember watching a national TV game where a third baseman made a similar play. The announcers (I think it might have been Joe Buck and Tim McCarver) proclaimed it one of the best plays they'd seen a third baseman make. And I immediately thought, "I've seen Beltre do the exact same thing a dozen times."
Please don't sign Pierre
Or at least don't sign him for $45 million. Not for a guy who only steals bases and brings nothing else to the table.
Or at least don't sign him for $45 million. Not for a guy who only steals bases and brings nothing else to the table.
Beat me to it literally by a matter of seconds. The number I'm hearing is $44 million for five years, which is not a ton by current standards.
Colletti seems to like to field speed at the top of the lineup, which doesn't leave many options. Pierre is good contact hitter probably an average fielder and of course an excellent base runner. He's an upgrade from Lofton, if not a huge one. He's young and apparently hasn't missed a game in years. I think he brings something. I mean what were the alternatives?
Theres a lot of parity in the NL. They did finish last in the NL but at the same time the Cubs won the season series against the Cardinals, they actually swept the Cardinals a few times, and won the series in July with atleast two series to go? So what does that really tell you, were the cubs that bad? were the cardinals that good? Probably somewhere in the middle.
The Cubs also had something like 80+ games started by rookies. Thats poor planning by the mgmt ... no one will argue that point. But at the same time the Tigers proved that the only thing that matters about last year is how much you improved from then to the next year or how much your young guys improve up to their potential.
Speed is definitely nice, but shouldn't that alone make him a better than average fielder? His throwing arm is considered weak. He steals a lot of bases, but he gets caught stealing a lot too. For such a speedy runner, he doesn't get enough doubles or triples because he has no power. And if he slumps at all, he won't get on base because he never walks. Jon Weisman noted that in 2005, J.D. Drew produced more offense in only 72 games than Pierre did in a full season. It's not that I don't think he's useful, just not for $9 million per year. How many more runs would Pierre create compared to Repko, Kemp, or Ethier in center? I don't know, but I bet it wouldn't be $8 million worth.
Derek Jeter is NOT AL MVP, Justin Morneau wins.I don't get it.
Maybe because without Jeter, it's conceivable that the Yankees could win the division anyway. Without Morneau, it would take a miracle for the Twins to do so.
The MVP is such a subjective thing anyway. Rodriguez won it based on pure numbers in 2005, not on how many games he helped them win.
Just a little sidelight on the Cubs which may be important to the future of the team: The Tribune Corp, which owns the Cubs, is probably going to be sold, and after that according to the reports I've read, is likely to be broken up, meaning the Cubs could get a new owner. This is potentially a really good thing for long-suffering Cubbie fans as the Tribune Corp is notorious for strip-mining and mismanaging their various properties. Of course it depends on the buyer but as we found out in Los Angeles, corporate ownership is about the worst thing that can happen to a baseball franchise.
Derek Jeter is NOT AL MVP, Justin Morneau wins.
It's totally justified. Mourneau hit .320, 34, 130. Jeter hit .343, 14, 97. No comparison in the power numbers. Not to mention how much more important Mourneau is to his lineup than Jeter. Plus Mourneau's BB/K ratio (53/93) exceeded Jeter's (69/102). Any MVP talk around Jeter, quite frankly, baffles me. His numbers don't match up well with Garret Atkins for god's sake (.329, 29, 120) and I didn't hear any rumblings about Atkins for MVP in the NL.
Meanwhile David Ortiz hits 54 homeruns, knocks in 140 and still can't get the number of votes he needs.
In other news, Moises Alou is a very nice mid-level signing for the Mets, who are going to score a million runs again next year. Now if only John Maine can prove himself ...
Oh ... and am I nuts? I don't remember this number of November signings in years past.
In checking Pierre's stats I noticed that he didn't have an error last season and he's quick, so he ought to be rated better-than-average defensively, but as you say, he's got something of a rag-arm so he probably drops a notch on that account. Anybody who runs a lot is going to get caught, so I don't know how meaningful this statistic is in the final analysis. I've still got to like potentially 100 stolen bases at the top of the order. Grady is aggressive with his base-runners so if nothing else it will be interesting whenever Fural and Pierre get on.
After seeing Soriano get twice that much for three more years -- well, who's worth what anymore? A journeyman pitcher is good for $5-7 million these days.
I'd like to see Repko develop. He's got the abilities defensively no doubt (and is aggressive to a fault) but his hitting is still a question mark. Kemp I don't think is ready and Ethier's tumble into mediocrity after such a magnificent start has to raise some eyebrows. I presume management has an even better idea what they've got in these three players than we do, and doesn't feel they can gamble on them.
And Tribune ownership is about the worst thing for a newspaper. The LA Times has suffered tremendously from it.
Straight line, must... resist...
The free agency rules were changed this year. If I understand it right, players can file earlier now without giving up the ability to negotiate with their old teams.
And Tribune ownership is about the worst thing for a newspaper. The LA Times has suffered tremendously from it.
Exactly. And ironically if the Cubs do get out from under the Tribune Corp they will have Los Angeles to thank. The Chandler family (former owners of the Times) are trying forcing the sale. They became major stockholders in the Tribune Corp and haven't been very happy campers as they've watched the value of their holdings fall by half.
Assuming they'd give it to Papi anyway. The writers would probably just give it to "empty stats" A-Rod again instead.
Hardly a done deal. Several teams are interested in Ramirez, including the Dodgers. Nobody wants to give up any front-line prospects, though, which is apparently what the Sox are demanding. But the Dodgers just signed Randy Wolf, which may give them more trading flexibility.
Sorry...didn't mean to imply more than just speculation. I meant for the question mark to apply to both portions of that statement, but perhaps I should have separated them and used two question marks to indicate that both parts were speculation.
I know, and you're right. I meant that Ortiz didn't even win the MVP when he deserved it.
NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees got a chance to sign a Japanese pitcher on their second try this offseason, winning the rights Tuesday to Kei Igawa after losing out to the Boston Red Sox two weeks ago for Daisuke Matsuzaka.
New York's offer of $26,000,194 -- the last three digits matching his strikeout total this year -- was the highest bid among major league teams for Igawa, and it was accepted Tuesday by his Japanese team, the Hanshin Tigers.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2678036
New York's offer of $26,000,194 -- the last three digits matching his strikeout total this year -- was the highest bid among major league teams for Igawa, and it was accepted Tuesday by his Japanese team, the Hanshin Tigers.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2678036
I guess I'm too lenient/naive/forgiving whatever. I don't agree with the "Big Mac, Hall No" article, but then I rarely agree with anything Phil Taylor and S.I. belches out.
But I've been an admitted Rose fan, too. I just don't see how he can dismiss Mac while he winks at Barry whom, btw, I think deserves to be in the Hall. Granted, McGwire's numbers don't match those of Bonds, but I don't agree with siting sordid and sour pasts and character issues as an arbitrary disqualifier, unless we want to talk about Cobb.....again.