You're probably wondering what the heck the title of this post means. Very simple. The Blue have finally inked a legit lefty reliever specialist for the pen, and his name is Will Ohman. For all of the fun links and detals, chek out the MLBTR thread on the signing. An official press release from the team is also available for your pure reading enjoyment.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Broxton Gets Roughed Up
Last night I stumbled across the Dodgers Spring Training game against Seattle on my satellite dish. I found the game on the Mariners feed on FSN Northwest and figured I'd tune in for a bit. The Dodgers were ahead 3-2 in the 6th when I tuned in, and were up 6-4 when I decided it was late and turned the game off in the 8th inning. Little did I know what would transpire in the following inning would cause such a big stir among Dodger fans today.
Broxton came in and promptly gave up four runs and ultimately the game, and looked horrid at doing so. The uproar over one bad outing in a Spring Training game was pretty laughable. Already Dodger fans are expecting the worse from Broxton every time he pitches this year. Next thing you know, Dodger fans will be calling for his head for blowing a game in April!
Let's get one thing clear here: this was just one bad game. The guy hadn't pitched in a week because while on Team USA in the WBC, that idiot USA manager Davey Johnson didn't bother using one of his best relievers when he had opportunities to use him, and so Broxton just sat out there in the pen and became rusty. And I'm not the only one who saw it that way. Joe Torre is giving Broxton a pass because he hadn't pitched in a week. And the good folks over at Sons of Steve Garvey feel the same way, as well.
Obviously, many Dodger fans have one vision of Broxton: giving up the go-ahead three-run homerun to Matt Stairs in the 8th inning of Game 4 of the NLCS last season against Philly on a 3-1 fastball Stairs was looking for that pretty much turned the series around. And, as SoSG suggest, because we as Dodger fans have been spoiled the last six season by the likes of Eric Gagne and Takashi Saito closing out games, anything less than what they did will automatically be dubbed as a complete failure in the eyes of many Dodger fans when it comes to Broxton.
If you read between the lines of Ken Gunick's column on the Dodger pen woes this spring (link above), all hell is breaking lose in the pen, and this could be a concern come the regular season. And because of moronic articles such as that one, and because it is what the fans read and see, aside from maybe the Big Four-Letter Network or The Times, they believe what they read or is said in the media and go with it as their own opinion.
Having said that all that, as much as I do become a little nervous when I see Broxton warming up in the pen to come in and close out a game no matter what the lead or situation is, I'd still take him as my closer any day of the week over most of the other closers around the league. And as I've said in this very space in the past, giving him the closer's job outright will only be a confidence booster for the kid.
Let's lighten up a little on Broxton, folks! Last night was just one game... in Spring Training!
Broxton came in and promptly gave up four runs and ultimately the game, and looked horrid at doing so. The uproar over one bad outing in a Spring Training game was pretty laughable. Already Dodger fans are expecting the worse from Broxton every time he pitches this year. Next thing you know, Dodger fans will be calling for his head for blowing a game in April!
Let's get one thing clear here: this was just one bad game. The guy hadn't pitched in a week because while on Team USA in the WBC, that idiot USA manager Davey Johnson didn't bother using one of his best relievers when he had opportunities to use him, and so Broxton just sat out there in the pen and became rusty. And I'm not the only one who saw it that way. Joe Torre is giving Broxton a pass because he hadn't pitched in a week. And the good folks over at Sons of Steve Garvey feel the same way, as well.
Obviously, many Dodger fans have one vision of Broxton: giving up the go-ahead three-run homerun to Matt Stairs in the 8th inning of Game 4 of the NLCS last season against Philly on a 3-1 fastball Stairs was looking for that pretty much turned the series around. And, as SoSG suggest, because we as Dodger fans have been spoiled the last six season by the likes of Eric Gagne and Takashi Saito closing out games, anything less than what they did will automatically be dubbed as a complete failure in the eyes of many Dodger fans when it comes to Broxton.
If you read between the lines of Ken Gunick's column on the Dodger pen woes this spring (link above), all hell is breaking lose in the pen, and this could be a concern come the regular season. And because of moronic articles such as that one, and because it is what the fans read and see, aside from maybe the Big Four-Letter Network or The Times, they believe what they read or is said in the media and go with it as their own opinion.
Having said that all that, as much as I do become a little nervous when I see Broxton warming up in the pen to come in and close out a game no matter what the lead or situation is, I'd still take him as my closer any day of the week over most of the other closers around the league. And as I've said in this very space in the past, giving him the closer's job outright will only be a confidence booster for the kid.
Let's lighten up a little on Broxton, folks! Last night was just one game... in Spring Training!
Monday, March 23, 2009
It's Been A While...
And for good reason. I'm not one who likes to keep tabs on what's really going on around Spring Training until it gets closer to the season, and so, for that reason, I've avoided posting too much on Spring Training stuff.
Having said all that, I think it's time to throw out some blurbs from the past few weeks...
Manny returned to the lineup today as a DH against the Angels (he went 0 for 3), his first game action in a week since coming up with tightness in his groin about 10 days ago. No word yet on when he'll be back in left field. He says he's running at about 60 to 70% right now. As long as you're at 100% by opening day, big guy...
Chad Billingsley and Mark Loretta both left today's game with minor groin injuries, as well. Both said they'd have stayed in the game had it been the regular season. Neither is expected to miss much action, if any at all. However, Billingsley will have some muscle tests done just to be sure.
Speaking of Billingsley, a funny story today from Tony Jackson... something you'd only see during Spring Training.
Shawn Estes was cut yesterday, given a choice, became angered, came to his senses, and was then re-assigned to minor league camp. He apparently still has a chance to make the team, perhaps as that left-handed situational reliever they've been looking for.
And, for whatever it's worth, James McDonald has emerged, again, as a strong candidate for the fifth spot in the Dodgers rotation. Until his exceptional performance last Friday, he hasn't really looked all that good this spring, prompting the Dodgers to scramble for a feasible option for that elusive fifth spot. But after getting opinions from several coaches, McDonald decided to relax while pitching, instead of putting too much pressure on himself to do well, and the results were fantastic! Other candidates still include Claudio Vargas, Eric Milton, Eric Stults and... Josh Lindblom? He's a minor league kid who was promoted from minor league camp to the big league camp after razzling and dazzling coaches, teammates and opponents all spring. Remember Blake DeWitt last year?
Notice Jason Schmidt off the candidate's list? Yeah, I thought you would. He's not expected to be ready for the start of the season... again... and will probably start the season on the DL... again. However, that doesn't mean he won't pitch at all for the Dodgers this season, but we can only hope.
Also not on the list is Pedro Martinez. The Dodgers do have some interest in him, but only if his contract demands come way down. Petey is apparently looking for a contract similar to the one John Smoltz got from the Red Sox this winter (something in the neighborhood of one year, $5MM guaranteed with another $5MM in incentives). The asking price is too steep for the Dodgers, considering Pedro's recent history of injuries and his age.
The Blue have released Yhency Brazoban and his medical staff and supplies.
A random rumor has hit the world wide web in recent days that could send disgruntled (sound familiar?) outfielder Juan Pierre to the White Sox. The Chisox are in need of a lead-off hitting centerfielder, but the Dodgers would probably have to eat a chunk of what's left on his contract. However, there really was no reliable source for this rumor, and Pierre remains a Dodger, for now. Apparently an Andruw Jones-type deferral is not in the works for Pierre either. Darn.
And finally, the team has finally hired a play-by-play guy to do the 38 TV games that Vin Scully won't be doing. (In case you forgot, the Dodgers moved some people around in the broadcast booth and started looking for a new TV play-by-play guy after last season.) Eric Collins joins the staff, and will be doing the 38 road games against the Central and East division teams with Steve Lyons as the color guy. Charley Steiner and Rick Monday will be relegated to radio exclusively. Vin will do all home games and road games against West teams, and will be simulcast, as usual, for the first three innings on both radio and TV. Then Charley and Rick will take over the radio duties while Vin finishes up the TV broadcast. When Vin isn't around, Charley and Rick will do all of the radio games, while Collins and Lyons handle the TV side. Confused yet?
I think that's plenty for now. The roster is slowly starting to take some kind of shape, so in the next couple of days, once a few more guys are reassigned or designated, we'll try to break it all down.
Having said all that, I think it's time to throw out some blurbs from the past few weeks...
Manny returned to the lineup today as a DH against the Angels (he went 0 for 3), his first game action in a week since coming up with tightness in his groin about 10 days ago. No word yet on when he'll be back in left field. He says he's running at about 60 to 70% right now. As long as you're at 100% by opening day, big guy...
Chad Billingsley and Mark Loretta both left today's game with minor groin injuries, as well. Both said they'd have stayed in the game had it been the regular season. Neither is expected to miss much action, if any at all. However, Billingsley will have some muscle tests done just to be sure.
Speaking of Billingsley, a funny story today from Tony Jackson... something you'd only see during Spring Training.
Shawn Estes was cut yesterday, given a choice, became angered, came to his senses, and was then re-assigned to minor league camp. He apparently still has a chance to make the team, perhaps as that left-handed situational reliever they've been looking for.
And, for whatever it's worth, James McDonald has emerged, again, as a strong candidate for the fifth spot in the Dodgers rotation. Until his exceptional performance last Friday, he hasn't really looked all that good this spring, prompting the Dodgers to scramble for a feasible option for that elusive fifth spot. But after getting opinions from several coaches, McDonald decided to relax while pitching, instead of putting too much pressure on himself to do well, and the results were fantastic! Other candidates still include Claudio Vargas, Eric Milton, Eric Stults and... Josh Lindblom? He's a minor league kid who was promoted from minor league camp to the big league camp after razzling and dazzling coaches, teammates and opponents all spring. Remember Blake DeWitt last year?
Notice Jason Schmidt off the candidate's list? Yeah, I thought you would. He's not expected to be ready for the start of the season... again... and will probably start the season on the DL... again. However, that doesn't mean he won't pitch at all for the Dodgers this season, but we can only hope.
Also not on the list is Pedro Martinez. The Dodgers do have some interest in him, but only if his contract demands come way down. Petey is apparently looking for a contract similar to the one John Smoltz got from the Red Sox this winter (something in the neighborhood of one year, $5MM guaranteed with another $5MM in incentives). The asking price is too steep for the Dodgers, considering Pedro's recent history of injuries and his age.
The Blue have released Yhency Brazoban and his medical staff and supplies.
A random rumor has hit the world wide web in recent days that could send disgruntled (sound familiar?) outfielder Juan Pierre to the White Sox. The Chisox are in need of a lead-off hitting centerfielder, but the Dodgers would probably have to eat a chunk of what's left on his contract. However, there really was no reliable source for this rumor, and Pierre remains a Dodger, for now. Apparently an Andruw Jones-type deferral is not in the works for Pierre either. Darn.
And finally, the team has finally hired a play-by-play guy to do the 38 TV games that Vin Scully won't be doing. (In case you forgot, the Dodgers moved some people around in the broadcast booth and started looking for a new TV play-by-play guy after last season.) Eric Collins joins the staff, and will be doing the 38 road games against the Central and East division teams with Steve Lyons as the color guy. Charley Steiner and Rick Monday will be relegated to radio exclusively. Vin will do all home games and road games against West teams, and will be simulcast, as usual, for the first three innings on both radio and TV. Then Charley and Rick will take over the radio duties while Vin finishes up the TV broadcast. When Vin isn't around, Charley and Rick will do all of the radio games, while Collins and Lyons handle the TV side. Confused yet?
I think that's plenty for now. The roster is slowly starting to take some kind of shape, so in the next couple of days, once a few more guys are reassigned or designated, we'll try to break it all down.
Pre-Season Awards Picks
It's time to roll out some pre-season awards predictions. So, without further ado, the envelopes, please.
And the winner is...
NL MVP: Manny Ramirez, Dodgers. With a full season in Blue, Mannywood will wrap up his first MVP with astonishing numbers.
(Runner-up: Hanley Ramirez, Marlins.)
AL MVP: Evan Longoria, Rays. Because even with less than one full season under his belt, he is just that good, adn he will be a big reason the Rays will repeat last year's success.
(Runner-up: Matt Holliday, A's.)
NL Cy Young: Johan Santana, Mets. This time around, Santana gets the wins with a much improved pen behind him.
(Runner-up: Ricky Nolasco, Marlins.)
AL Cy Young: Roy Halladay, Blue Jays. Who else is there in the AL? Not to mention he's the second best pitcher in the game anyway.
(Runner-up: CC Sabathia, Yankees.)
NL Rookie: Colby Rasmus, Cardinals. Cameron Maybin appears to be the popular pick, but Rasmus is a step ahead of him in his readiness for the Bigs.
(Runner-up: Maybin, Marlins.)
AL Rookie: Matt Wieters, Orioles. Right now, there is nothing stopping Wieters from becoming the stud hitting catcher he's expected to be.
(Runner-up: David Price, Rays.)
NL Manager: Fredi Gonzalez, Marlins. Especially if the Fish stun baseball and win their division.
(Runner-up: Dusty Baker, Reds. Same reason.)
AL Manager: Trey Hillman, Royals. Same deal as above.
(Runner-up: Bob Geren, A's. Same reason again.)
And the winner is...
NL MVP: Manny Ramirez, Dodgers. With a full season in Blue, Mannywood will wrap up his first MVP with astonishing numbers.
(Runner-up: Hanley Ramirez, Marlins.)
AL MVP: Evan Longoria, Rays. Because even with less than one full season under his belt, he is just that good, adn he will be a big reason the Rays will repeat last year's success.
(Runner-up: Matt Holliday, A's.)
NL Cy Young: Johan Santana, Mets. This time around, Santana gets the wins with a much improved pen behind him.
(Runner-up: Ricky Nolasco, Marlins.)
AL Cy Young: Roy Halladay, Blue Jays. Who else is there in the AL? Not to mention he's the second best pitcher in the game anyway.
(Runner-up: CC Sabathia, Yankees.)
NL Rookie: Colby Rasmus, Cardinals. Cameron Maybin appears to be the popular pick, but Rasmus is a step ahead of him in his readiness for the Bigs.
(Runner-up: Maybin, Marlins.)
AL Rookie: Matt Wieters, Orioles. Right now, there is nothing stopping Wieters from becoming the stud hitting catcher he's expected to be.
(Runner-up: David Price, Rays.)
NL Manager: Fredi Gonzalez, Marlins. Especially if the Fish stun baseball and win their division.
(Runner-up: Dusty Baker, Reds. Same reason.)
AL Manager: Trey Hillman, Royals. Same deal as above.
(Runner-up: Bob Geren, A's. Same reason again.)
Sunday, March 8, 2009
2009 Season Preview
Now that all of the key free agents have signed, its time to roll out the division projections and winners for the 2009 season. Last season, I detailed each of the 30 teams and broke them down by division. This year, I'm bunching them all into one post, but with less detail. Lets take a look...
NL WEST
1. DODGERS - With no easy outs in a much-improved lineup, the Blue will lean heavily on the offense to carry the load over a rotation that boasts two young superstars-in-the-making.
2. D'BACKS - A solid one-two punch in the rotation will help, but the back end of the rotation is iffy, the bullpen has no clear-cut finisher, and there's still not a lot of consistency from the kids in the lineup... yet.
3. GIANTS - If they can stay afloat early, and get a middle-of-the-lineup power bat at the trade deadline, the Giants could sneak up on the Snakes, and maybe even the Dodgers, thanks in large part to their pitching.
4. ROCKIES - Trading away their top slugger/run producer, and losing their 'ace' for the season to injury leaves the Rox in a lot of uncertainty. Still, they have a pretty decent offense.
5. PADRES - The Friars lost 99 games last season, and 2009 figures to be no better. Even in a mediocre division, they have no chance, even after their failed attempt to trade their ace.
NL CENTRAL
1. CUBS - Losing a "gamer" hurts, but adding another helps. Only injuries will derail the Cubs.
2. CARDS - The offense will score runs, but the rotation is still iffy, and the bullpen wasn't improved with any clear-cut closer.
3. BREWERS - The Brew Crew's offense is as good as any, but losing two aces in one winter without replacing even just one of them will prove to be too much.
4. REDS - The rotation is as good as any if Harang rebounds from last year's mess, and the offense boasts some solid young players. The Reds are finally headed in the right direction.
5. ASTROS - With little change to an aging team with a depleted roation, the team is clearly headed in the wrong direction.
6. PIRATES - Signing two 19-year old pitchers from India who have never played competitively at any level doesn't bode well for a franchise already in utter disarray.
NL EAST
1. PHILLIES - Even with their star second baseman possibly shelved for two months, the World Champs are in still great shape to repeat.
2. METS - After two late-season collapses in as many seasons, they finally addressed its bullpen issues by signing a top-flight closer and trading for a reliable set-up guy; the middle-to-back of the rotation is still iffy, though.
3. MARLINS - The Fish boast one of the most underrated rotations in the league, and if all the pieces fall into place, this team could surprise and steal the division from the Phils or Mets.
4. BRAVES - They replaced an aging future Hall of Fame starting pitcher with two reliable and durable veteran starters, but with their superstar third baseman another year older, how much longer will he hold up and carry the offensive load?
5. NATIONALS - The offense is capable of scoring plenty of runs with its young core and off-season additions, but where's the pitching? It's no wonder the organization is in complete disarray; they still can't get things right.
AL WEST
1. ANGELS - Even with an impatient offense that's aging, and a bullpen that lost its premier closer and has been over-worked in recent years, the starting pitching should be enough to hold off Oakland. They won't win 100, but 92-94 is certainly possible.
2. A'S - If the young core in the rotation can improve on last year, the Athletics could push the Angels with its much-improved offense. Staying healthy would be nice, too.
3. RANGERS - It's the same old story deep in the heart of Texas, plenty of offense, but not enough pitching, although there are some solid young arms on the way.
4. MARINERS - Even with new faces in the front office and field management, the M's still have a lot of old issues in the lineup, the pen, and in the rotation.
AL CENTRAL
1. TWINS - Who needs a superstar 'ace' and an all-star center fielder when you have a bunch of consistent, reliable no-namers in the rotation, and a couple of kids, one with a funny name, in the outfield?
2. INDIANS - If their two big boppers can rebound, and their new closer can stay healthy, the Tribe have a chance.
3. ROYALS - KC showed signs of being ready to contend last year, and this is the year they finally step up. With a solid core of youngsters, they added a couple of quality veterans to the offense that should help.
4. WHITE SOX - Even after shedding some of its aging veterans, this team still looks old and slow. Their young kids will have to step up big if they want any chance of repeating.
5. TIGERS - The Motowners look even older and slower, and will need to avoid another bad start and crippling injuries to have any shot at matching last season's World Series expectations.
AL EAST
1. YANKEES - On paper, this is the best team in the league, with the best rotation, and the best offense. But with higher expectations after another off-season spending spree, they'll need their third baseman to get healthy, a quick start from their new first baseman, and their new ace to live up to the hype.
2. RED SOX - They didn't do much to couner the Yankees' off-season moves, but then again, they really didn't have to. If everyone stays healthy, a trip back to the ALCS is inevitable.
3. RAYS - They return just about everyone from their World Series team, added a veteran slugger to the lineup, and will add their ALCS hero full-time to a very solid and deep young rotation. If the pen stays healthy, they'll push the Yanks and Sox again.
4. BLUE JAYS - After losing one starter to a rival, and with two others out until mid-season and until 2010, respectively, and their offense in shambles, the Jays will have to rely on its ace, and that's not a good thing.
5. ORIOLES - These Birds are heading in the right direction as they continue to bring in more young prospects for the future. The offense is capable of scoring runs, but there's still a lot of work to be done with the pitching.
NL WEST
1. DODGERS - With no easy outs in a much-improved lineup, the Blue will lean heavily on the offense to carry the load over a rotation that boasts two young superstars-in-the-making.
2. D'BACKS - A solid one-two punch in the rotation will help, but the back end of the rotation is iffy, the bullpen has no clear-cut finisher, and there's still not a lot of consistency from the kids in the lineup... yet.
3. GIANTS - If they can stay afloat early, and get a middle-of-the-lineup power bat at the trade deadline, the Giants could sneak up on the Snakes, and maybe even the Dodgers, thanks in large part to their pitching.
4. ROCKIES - Trading away their top slugger/run producer, and losing their 'ace' for the season to injury leaves the Rox in a lot of uncertainty. Still, they have a pretty decent offense.
5. PADRES - The Friars lost 99 games last season, and 2009 figures to be no better. Even in a mediocre division, they have no chance, even after their failed attempt to trade their ace.
NL CENTRAL
1. CUBS - Losing a "gamer" hurts, but adding another helps. Only injuries will derail the Cubs.
2. CARDS - The offense will score runs, but the rotation is still iffy, and the bullpen wasn't improved with any clear-cut closer.
3. BREWERS - The Brew Crew's offense is as good as any, but losing two aces in one winter without replacing even just one of them will prove to be too much.
4. REDS - The rotation is as good as any if Harang rebounds from last year's mess, and the offense boasts some solid young players. The Reds are finally headed in the right direction.
5. ASTROS - With little change to an aging team with a depleted roation, the team is clearly headed in the wrong direction.
6. PIRATES - Signing two 19-year old pitchers from India who have never played competitively at any level doesn't bode well for a franchise already in utter disarray.
NL EAST
1. PHILLIES - Even with their star second baseman possibly shelved for two months, the World Champs are in still great shape to repeat.
2. METS - After two late-season collapses in as many seasons, they finally addressed its bullpen issues by signing a top-flight closer and trading for a reliable set-up guy; the middle-to-back of the rotation is still iffy, though.
3. MARLINS - The Fish boast one of the most underrated rotations in the league, and if all the pieces fall into place, this team could surprise and steal the division from the Phils or Mets.
4. BRAVES - They replaced an aging future Hall of Fame starting pitcher with two reliable and durable veteran starters, but with their superstar third baseman another year older, how much longer will he hold up and carry the offensive load?
5. NATIONALS - The offense is capable of scoring plenty of runs with its young core and off-season additions, but where's the pitching? It's no wonder the organization is in complete disarray; they still can't get things right.
AL WEST
1. ANGELS - Even with an impatient offense that's aging, and a bullpen that lost its premier closer and has been over-worked in recent years, the starting pitching should be enough to hold off Oakland. They won't win 100, but 92-94 is certainly possible.
2. A'S - If the young core in the rotation can improve on last year, the Athletics could push the Angels with its much-improved offense. Staying healthy would be nice, too.
3. RANGERS - It's the same old story deep in the heart of Texas, plenty of offense, but not enough pitching, although there are some solid young arms on the way.
4. MARINERS - Even with new faces in the front office and field management, the M's still have a lot of old issues in the lineup, the pen, and in the rotation.
AL CENTRAL
1. TWINS - Who needs a superstar 'ace' and an all-star center fielder when you have a bunch of consistent, reliable no-namers in the rotation, and a couple of kids, one with a funny name, in the outfield?
2. INDIANS - If their two big boppers can rebound, and their new closer can stay healthy, the Tribe have a chance.
3. ROYALS - KC showed signs of being ready to contend last year, and this is the year they finally step up. With a solid core of youngsters, they added a couple of quality veterans to the offense that should help.
4. WHITE SOX - Even after shedding some of its aging veterans, this team still looks old and slow. Their young kids will have to step up big if they want any chance of repeating.
5. TIGERS - The Motowners look even older and slower, and will need to avoid another bad start and crippling injuries to have any shot at matching last season's World Series expectations.
AL EAST
1. YANKEES - On paper, this is the best team in the league, with the best rotation, and the best offense. But with higher expectations after another off-season spending spree, they'll need their third baseman to get healthy, a quick start from their new first baseman, and their new ace to live up to the hype.
2. RED SOX - They didn't do much to couner the Yankees' off-season moves, but then again, they really didn't have to. If everyone stays healthy, a trip back to the ALCS is inevitable.
3. RAYS - They return just about everyone from their World Series team, added a veteran slugger to the lineup, and will add their ALCS hero full-time to a very solid and deep young rotation. If the pen stays healthy, they'll push the Yanks and Sox again.
4. BLUE JAYS - After losing one starter to a rival, and with two others out until mid-season and until 2010, respectively, and their offense in shambles, the Jays will have to rely on its ace, and that's not a good thing.
5. ORIOLES - These Birds are heading in the right direction as they continue to bring in more young prospects for the future. The offense is capable of scoring runs, but there's still a lot of work to be done with the pitching.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Manny Signs... Finally!
UPDATE (7:15 PM CT): Deal is now official. Manny has passed his physical and signed the contract. Here's the official press release from the Dodgers. Also, here are a few more Manny links for today, via MLBTR again, mostly just writer reactions, etc.
**********
The deal is basically the same one he was offered by the Dodgers last week: two years, $45MM ($25MM the first year in deferred compensation over 5 years with a player opt-out option after the first year).
I haven't had a chance to gather my thoughts on the deal today, but let's just say I'm glad it's over, and now we can focus on baseball... on the field.
Having said that, for a list of all the links from this morning regarding the deal, check out MLBTR and also the Dodgers official website, including this timeline of the negotiation process.
As for on the field stuff, Orlando Hudson woke up this morning with some soreness in his wrist, the same one he had surgery on last year, and was scratched from today's Cactus league game.. It doesn't appear to be serious, and he is expected to play tomorrow, or the next time Furcal plays, whenever that might be.
That's about it.
**********
The deal is basically the same one he was offered by the Dodgers last week: two years, $45MM ($25MM the first year in deferred compensation over 5 years with a player opt-out option after the first year).
I haven't had a chance to gather my thoughts on the deal today, but let's just say I'm glad it's over, and now we can focus on baseball... on the field.
Having said that, for a list of all the links from this morning regarding the deal, check out MLBTR and also the Dodgers official website, including this timeline of the negotiation process.
As for on the field stuff, Orlando Hudson woke up this morning with some soreness in his wrist, the same one he had surgery on last year, and was scratched from today's Cactus league game.. It doesn't appear to be serious, and he is expected to play tomorrow, or the next time Furcal plays, whenever that might be.
That's about it.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Manny, Dodgers Near Agreement
UPDATE (10:58 PM CT): Ok, I wanted to let the smoke clear before I rolled in with the updates, because when this story originally broke about three hours ago, it was a done deal, and the updates started flying in at record pace disputing the story. So this is what we know so far.
At about 7:30 PM CT, Yahoo's Tim Brown reported that the two sides had not spoken in three days, and that the Giants might find an opening to get involved. Then, about 30 minutes later, Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes reported that the Dodgers and Manny Ramirez had reach an agreement on a two-year, $45MM deal. ESPNEWS jumped in on this and was attempting to confirm the deal shortly after when Yahoo's Senior Editor Steve Henson emailed MLBTR that Brown had just spoken with both the Dodgers and Boras, and that no deal was in place.
Follwing so far?
ESPN.com then did some house-cleaning and back-tracking after posting on its website that a deal was in fact done. ESPN's Jayson Stark, as well as MLB.com's Ken Gurnick and Barry Bloom with a quote from Boras himself, chimed in with their reports. ESPNEWS then reported that Rojas' report was false, and that the two sides were only close to an agreement. ESPN.com then changed it's headline to note a deal is close (and not done) and removed Rojas as the story's author. Foxsports.com's Ken Rosenthal added his two cents, followed by Dylan Hernandez of the Times with another quote from Boras.
And what might be the most in-depth detailed report about where things stand now, Tony Jackson breaks it all down for us in his blog and confirms that Manny is headed to L.A. tonight as Rojas originally reported (Stark later confirmed on ESPNEWS that Manny did get on a plane) and will meet with Dodger officials first thing in the morning before possibly taking a physical and finalizing the deal. The Dodgers simply want to make sure Manny has his head on straight and is in a good frame of mind, so-to-speak, in light of what happened in Boston last year, and in light of how these negotiations transpired. They basically want a commitment to the Dodgers from Manny.
And for what it's worth, T.J. Simers of the Times spoke with Manny today before tonight's circus of events took place and Manny had this to say:
"I'm happy in L.A. I like my teammates and had a great time," said Ramirez. "The fans were so good to me; they treated me the best anywhere in my career. And now I think we're close [to a deal]. ... Tell everyone Mannywood is coming."
Bottom line? Manny should be signed, sealed and delivered sometime tomorrow. And the parameters are what has been reported: two-years, $45MM ($25MM in the first year guaranteed - not sure on whether or not there is any deferred compensation - with a player option opt-out after the first year).
Is this over yet???
What a circus this has been. Maybe after tomorrow we can concentrate on some baseball, and look forward to "Mannywood" in L.A.
**********
According to ESPNEWS and Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes, the deal would be two years, $45MM. No details yet.
My guess is the second year might be an opt-out option, and there's probably some deferred compensation involved as well. More as it becomes available......
At about 7:30 PM CT, Yahoo's Tim Brown reported that the two sides had not spoken in three days, and that the Giants might find an opening to get involved. Then, about 30 minutes later, Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes reported that the Dodgers and Manny Ramirez had reach an agreement on a two-year, $45MM deal. ESPNEWS jumped in on this and was attempting to confirm the deal shortly after when Yahoo's Senior Editor Steve Henson emailed MLBTR that Brown had just spoken with both the Dodgers and Boras, and that no deal was in place.
Follwing so far?
ESPN.com then did some house-cleaning and back-tracking after posting on its website that a deal was in fact done. ESPN's Jayson Stark, as well as MLB.com's Ken Gurnick and Barry Bloom with a quote from Boras himself, chimed in with their reports. ESPNEWS then reported that Rojas' report was false, and that the two sides were only close to an agreement. ESPN.com then changed it's headline to note a deal is close (and not done) and removed Rojas as the story's author. Foxsports.com's Ken Rosenthal added his two cents, followed by Dylan Hernandez of the Times with another quote from Boras.
And what might be the most in-depth detailed report about where things stand now, Tony Jackson breaks it all down for us in his blog and confirms that Manny is headed to L.A. tonight as Rojas originally reported (Stark later confirmed on ESPNEWS that Manny did get on a plane) and will meet with Dodger officials first thing in the morning before possibly taking a physical and finalizing the deal. The Dodgers simply want to make sure Manny has his head on straight and is in a good frame of mind, so-to-speak, in light of what happened in Boston last year, and in light of how these negotiations transpired. They basically want a commitment to the Dodgers from Manny.
And for what it's worth, T.J. Simers of the Times spoke with Manny today before tonight's circus of events took place and Manny had this to say:
"I'm happy in L.A. I like my teammates and had a great time," said Ramirez. "The fans were so good to me; they treated me the best anywhere in my career. And now I think we're close [to a deal]. ... Tell everyone Mannywood is coming."
Bottom line? Manny should be signed, sealed and delivered sometime tomorrow. And the parameters are what has been reported: two-years, $45MM ($25MM in the first year guaranteed - not sure on whether or not there is any deferred compensation - with a player option opt-out after the first year).
Is this over yet???
What a circus this has been. Maybe after tomorrow we can concentrate on some baseball, and look forward to "Mannywood" in L.A.
**********
According to ESPNEWS and Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes, the deal would be two years, $45MM. No details yet.
My guess is the second year might be an opt-out option, and there's probably some deferred compensation involved as well. More as it becomes available......
Just To Clear Something Up
On Sunday night it was reported by Jon Heyman that the two sides may be just $1.5MM apart in negotiations between the Dodgers and Manny. However, this was actually before McCourt pulled the plug on the negotiations and basically said they would be starting from scratch with Scott Boras and Manny.
Yesterday, Heyman reported that there was growing speculation that in the process of restarting negotiations, the Dodgers next offer could be less than any of the previous three offers they had out for Manny, and this could in turn give the Giants (or another team?) an opportunity to sneak in and steal Manny away from the Dodgers.
I basically just wanted to clear up any confusion in the timeline of the most recent rumors/stories/reports regarding the Manny situation with the Dodgers.
In any case, you get the impression the Dodgers have really grown wary of Boras and his negotiation tactics and whatnot. At the same time, lowballing Manny now could be a dangerous move for the Blue. If I were both sides, 'compromise' is the best and easiest solution at this point.
Yesterday, Heyman reported that there was growing speculation that in the process of restarting negotiations, the Dodgers next offer could be less than any of the previous three offers they had out for Manny, and this could in turn give the Giants (or another team?) an opportunity to sneak in and steal Manny away from the Dodgers.
I basically just wanted to clear up any confusion in the timeline of the most recent rumors/stories/reports regarding the Manny situation with the Dodgers.
In any case, you get the impression the Dodgers have really grown wary of Boras and his negotiation tactics and whatnot. At the same time, lowballing Manny now could be a dangerous move for the Blue. If I were both sides, 'compromise' is the best and easiest solution at this point.
Monday, March 2, 2009
All Quiet With Manny... Again...
And this time... literally... nothing to tell you! So with that, some other news...
Dodger prospect Ivan DeJesus, Jr suffered a broken left tibia this morning in a "B" game (I'm still not sure what a "B" game is) against Milwaukee and could miss the entire season. (Check out the video here.) Ouch! And to think this kid was on the Puerto Rican preliminary roster for the WBC (he didn't make the final cut) and could have been there this morning preparing to represent his native Puerto Rico instead of playing in the "B" game this morning. Obviously, the signing of Furcal becomes even bigger now.
That's about the gist of the news today. There was no actual Cactus League game today. Perhaps things will get back to "ab"normal tomorrow!
That's about the gist of the news today. There was no actual Cactus League game today. Perhaps things will get back to "ab"normal tomorrow!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Back To Square One? Or Closer Than We Think?
A couple of new updates on the Manny front... one from Diamond Leung of the PE in the IE, and another from SI's Jon Heyman. (Both reports are basically one in the same - just two different sources.) In a nutshell though, Manny is asking Boras to 'compromise' with the Dodgers and to include "some deferred compensation." At this point, the two sides are roughly $1.5MM apart in negotiations with coming up with a compromise.
As I said earlier, you almost had to think Manny would have to become more vocal in the negotiations. Sounds like he wants this done and overwith as much as everyone else. Manny also made a statement through Boras, basically refuting the notion that Boras had been withholding the Dodger offers from him. So that settles that.
Hang tight. Maybe this is the end of the road...?
As I said earlier, you almost had to think Manny would have to become more vocal in the negotiations. Sounds like he wants this done and overwith as much as everyone else. Manny also made a statement through Boras, basically refuting the notion that Boras had been withholding the Dodger offers from him. So that settles that.
Hang tight. Maybe this is the end of the road...?
All's Quiet On The Manny Front
And in the words of Frank McCourt, negotiations will eventually resume "with a fresh start." In other words, there is no offer on the table from the Dodgers. And for the record, the Dodgers will not consider Scott Boras' counter-offer of two years, $45MM with no deferred payments.
Still, a lot of questions linger about how the negotiation process has transpired. For one, the Dodgers made each offer public. Each time an offer was made, the first thing the Dodgers did was take it to the media to get the information out there in public. But did they do it to keep the public informed, or was it something else?
According to one report, the Dodgers wanted to make sure Manny was fully aware of their offers. There is some suggestion, and suspicions, that based on the team's dealings with Boras in the past, he may not be notifying Manny of all the offers being made to him by the Dodgers. There is growing suspicion that Boras isn't necessarily negotiating on Manny's behalf, but rather for his own interests. McCourt didn't elaborate when he was asked about it, and Boras has not been heard from since yesterday. Obviously, we'll never know, so we can only make assumptions, which I am not at liberty to do.
Having said all that, there really is nothing new on the Manny front, but there is plenty of criticism and finger-pointing going around. And even once a deal is consumated, you can bet there will be plenty more to go around. But for the love of God, can we cut out the childish and immature shots at each other through the media, sit down like mature adults, and get this done and overwith, or simply move on from it? And, how about we get the player involved in the negotiations? You can bet that would speed things up and avoid any of the aforementioned suspicions.
In the meantime, all we can do is sit back and wait, and enjoy some Spring Training baseball. 'The Ranch' is officially open for business!
Still, a lot of questions linger about how the negotiation process has transpired. For one, the Dodgers made each offer public. Each time an offer was made, the first thing the Dodgers did was take it to the media to get the information out there in public. But did they do it to keep the public informed, or was it something else?
According to one report, the Dodgers wanted to make sure Manny was fully aware of their offers. There is some suggestion, and suspicions, that based on the team's dealings with Boras in the past, he may not be notifying Manny of all the offers being made to him by the Dodgers. There is growing suspicion that Boras isn't necessarily negotiating on Manny's behalf, but rather for his own interests. McCourt didn't elaborate when he was asked about it, and Boras has not been heard from since yesterday. Obviously, we'll never know, so we can only make assumptions, which I am not at liberty to do.
Having said all that, there really is nothing new on the Manny front, but there is plenty of criticism and finger-pointing going around. And even once a deal is consumated, you can bet there will be plenty more to go around. But for the love of God, can we cut out the childish and immature shots at each other through the media, sit down like mature adults, and get this done and overwith, or simply move on from it? And, how about we get the player involved in the negotiations? You can bet that would speed things up and avoid any of the aforementioned suspicions.
In the meantime, all we can do is sit back and wait, and enjoy some Spring Training baseball. 'The Ranch' is officially open for business!
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