Phesto

Only a West Coast team had a shot at signing him...he used the Cubs to ram his price up by creating a bidding war....

I think the Cubs bailed at 3 years 44.......he ended up getting 16 mill a year guranteed........that use to be Randy Johnson,Schilling,Clemens type of money.


Schmidt is good ...but most SF fans know LA is getting a risky talent who was said to not be the greatest Teammate.

Not a huge loss if we replace him with Barry Zito....

Phesto

LA is going crazy

They must like having that J.D Drew deal off the books.

Mike Liberthal and word is Luis Gonzalez to Dodgers.

Phesto

Its too be seen if Piazza can adjust to being a DH and not being in the flow of the game defensivly(even though Mike never played defense well).

Yumcha

Anyhoo, :ibJayMariottiwritingcolumncondemningChiSox:

Lister00169

But he reminds me of Bonds, all power, no defense. Which I like since the A's are loaded with great defensive players

So, Embree moves into the Pen and Joe Kennedy moves into the rotation? I am not sure how I feel about that.

GIBSON6594

When Piazza was given a shot a first base for the Mets, everyone thought he would shine when up to bat due to less strain on his body. The opposite happened, his numbers dropped. Mike is a better hitter when he is on full duty behind the plate. But I'm curious to see how he reacts to DH duty as well.

This no defense thing baffles me. Piazza is not a terrible catcher, he is just slow getting out of the crouch. He has a cannon for an arm, but it just takes him so long to get into a throwing position, that he has to rush his throw. It causes him to either not get the ball there in time or throw it into the outfield. So it's true that he can't throw out runners, but there is much more to catching than that.

Mike calls a great game, makes great plays and has a career .989 fielding %. Compare that to Pudge, regarded as one of the greatest fielding catchers, who has a .993.

IlliNorge

This guy gets a bad rap. Great clubhouse guy, handled that whole NY gay rumor, traded twice in 2 weeks once, handled that whole Clemens throwing the splinter at him, plays where he's asked to, etc.

Oh yeah, and Hall of Fame offensive numbers.

Yumcha

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story/?ID=187509&hubname=

Whoa...never saw that coming.

gocubsgo55

There were strong rumours boiling this morning that the Sox were going to trade Garland to the Disastros for Taveras.

Mokos23

Why would the White Sox trade Garland for another unknown?

Kenny what are you smoking?

If Kenny wants to go young he should trade 36 yr old Thome for younger offensive players.

Yumcha

...Bonds is still team-less.

So, this is what it has come down to for a guy who's a few HRs shy of the sacred record--no one wants him.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2690042

Lister00169

The STL GM is running away from that report denying such interest. It was just La Rusa wanting to find out what Bonds wants. It would take a lot to convince the GM to sign him.

I say the Giants give him an offer of $10 Million for 1 year, take it, or leave it. Odds on, he takes it.

Phesto

isn't the Royals franchise only worth 55 mill

I am missing something here.....unless the plan is to trade him at next years deadline for prospects like they always do

Yumcha

Ack for the Giants...they are getting closer to bringing back the Cheat.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...nts/index.html

Phesto

Well looks like it.......but Bonds has a good arguement,why should he accept less than 18 mil (which he made last year)...when J.D. Drew is a 12 mil a year player.

Yumcha

Well see...Drew actually uses honest skills to hit a baseball. Bonds uses some flaxseed oil and Oil of Olay to help him hone his skills which in the baseball and sportsmanship handbook is called: CHEATING!!

Chr8808

iTrader: (1)

They had a payroll of $47MM last year with Mike Sweeney @11MM (close to one quarter of the payroll). Adding another 3rd rate pitcher at 11MM isnt going to do jack for them which is not only puzzling to you why they would make a move like that.

STL+3.0CL

I know! I am totally confused, what merits a 3x pay increase. He made 3 mill last year and is going to make 11 at KC!?!?!? WTF are the Royals doing? They are an embarrasment to the city and the fans. I think George Brett Hwy is enough now get him out of the orginization.

STL+3.0CL

I mean seriously, what are the Royals thinking!?!? The Cards spent less on Edmonds, Eckstein, Spezio and Bennat than the Royals spent on some no-name pitcher! Hell, he will be making more than Carpenter. They are running that pitiful excuse for a MLB team into the ground. KC will not have a baseball team b4 we know it. Just when you think they cant get any worse...

Yumcha

Crap...Giants re-sign Bonds.

Mokos23

Why would you want him to go to the Cubs or Sox?

Yumcha

Heck no.

I'm just disappointed that the Giants re-signed him. I want him out of baseball. He's a cancer for the sport.

Yumcha

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2691380

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

I'm thrilled sort of. If that rotation does it's job & the offense antes up I see a very good Oct for the Yankees.
However if it doesn't I have to hear about the $$ & talent issue again.

GIBSON6594

you are always going to hear about the $$ & talent issue, regardless of what they do in Oct

Yumcha

As far as I see it, Pettitte's signing is as good as any so far this off-season. His stats the last 3 seasons are as comparable as the two top 2 pitchers on the market this year: Zito and Schmidt.

CL Platano

I was happy but Pettite never plays a whole season but still welcome him back into the Bronx, now will someone please take Johnson and a pack of peanuts.

Phesto

Best part will be the possible package deal of Pettite and Clemens.........

Wasn't Pettite going to retire?? He got caught up in steroid speculation also,it will be interesting to see his numbers next year.


BTW....for the New York fans...........Report is 44 year old David Wells will pitch next year for his old friend Bruce Bochy and the SF Giants.

As a fifth starter I don't mind this signing.........hell Jamie Moyer got a job and Randy Johnson still has a job...so why not Boomer.

Yumcha

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2691994

Wow...$21M...!?



Geebus. I'm learning how to throw a baseball.

Phesto

^^ Make sure you learn Left Handed...way more cash flow that way.

Ask Ted Lilly

Mokos23

Now I know for sure the Tribune drops a bomb and puts the Cubs up for sale early next year just watch. Never have I seen the Cubs spend this much money on players before ever!

Either that or they're trying to buy a World Series which works, just ask the Yankees and Red Sox, but then again the Yankees have always had biggest payrolls in all of MLB the past 6 yrs. Yet though the Yankees haven't won the World Series since 2000.

GIBSON6594

If the Cubs can get innings from Wood and Prior, they are going to be a really scary team next year. Ramirez, Soriano, Lee are really solid, Plus a potential staff of Zambrano, Prior, Wood and Lilly. They could do some damage.

gocubsgo55

Wood is officially in the bullpen. He's probably going to close, which is a great thing because he was absolutely LIGHTS OUT when we put him there 2 years ago. Watch out for that. Also, Prior has 1 more shot to make it. Right now you're looking at something along the lines of...

Zambrano, Lilly, Marquis, Hill / Miller / Prior / Marshall

Assuming Jaque Jones gets traded (let's just ASSUME for Rocco Baldeli as many rumours have stated, although it probably will be somebody else):

Soriano
Baldeli
Lee
Ramirez
Barrett
Murton
Izturis
Derosa

OR (this looks awesome)

Baldeli
Izturis
SORIANO
RAMIREZ
LEE
BARRETT
Murton
Derosa

GIBSON6594

I hope they have a good year, I root for any NL team, just because I'm sick of this AL arrogance. Especially after the NL won the world series

Mokos23

It's ironic that didn't you want to change your username back in the beginning of November from gocubsgo55 to maybe gobearsgo54?

subinf

Yes.

Yumcha

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2695054

Chr8808

iTrader: (1)

Good news for the BOSOX

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...gns/index.html

Red Sox, Matsuzaka agree to six-year contract

No, lets hope he pulls an Irabu

CL Platano

I really don't see what all the hype is about with these unproven Japanese pitchers

phipark

Or Nomo or Chan Ho Park.

Yes, they are usually good for a year or two. Then the US hitters figure them out and it's all over.