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AgreedI'll gladly take the occasional free agent ranking head scratcher to the labor unrest that's affected other sports.It would seem so simple to tie compensation to contract given in free agency instead of the middle relief mess that exists now.Matt Capps is an A free agent
Brackman has been an intriguing prospect since college, even though he's never put up good numbers anywhere. I'm sure some team will take a flier on him. Extremely tall pitchers from Randy Johnson to Lurch Hendrickson have been late bloomers; Brackman only has 343 professional innings under his belt and never pitched a full year in college due to basketball commitments and injury.
Not exactly hot stove related... Rest easy knowing Jeter has won a few gg's when he wasn't most deserving. Maybe he can toss one Gardner's way as a consolation.
CF is always one of the toughest Gold Gloves to award. Ellsbury had an outstanding year, so did Bourjos and some others that I'm probably forgetting.
Gardner would have been LF. Played 150 less innings than Gordon, 30 less total chances, 13 less assists, 1 more error. He was ABOSUTELY ROBBED!
yeah, I was posting during my first cup of coffee
IIRC, they award Gold Gloves to OF, not specified as to which position. They could have more than one or none at each OF spot.
For the first time GG is doing awards for the 3 OF positions seperately - like they should have been doing all along.
Supposedly it would be: 2B- InfanteSS- Reyes3B- Hanley
With Reyes' injury history he just seems like a luxury that a team like Florida is not in a position to afford.Reyes missed 35 games in his walk year. Only played 295 out of 486 games in the past three seasons. His prime three seasons. Speed guy with chronic hammy problems. Just too risky IMO.
Good point, but not the way Loria is thinking. He wants to build excitement and fill seats, with a focus on hispanic talent....just like the Guillen hire.
Ryan Howard insurance? Thome comfortable with a pinch hitting role when Howard is healthy?ETA: Also worth noting Thome has never won a WS ring. Perhaps a diminished role with a contender in a city that he's familiar with is his best ticket for a last chance.
Charlie Manuel. Ross Gload. Ryan Howard's achilles. What RnR said. Oh and Charlie Manuel.
There's comedy, high comedy, and then that little nugget.
The guy hasn't played 1B since 2007, and that was 1 game, so I don't see how he's insurance for Howard.25 man roster in the NL, on a team that will likely have an infield with all 4 positions manned by bunch of 30 somethings. 3 of those guys missed 20+ games last yeardon't see how he fits
Berkman in RF for STL this season must have blown your mind. Something tells me Jim can manage a few games at 1st. Not going to win a Gold Glove, but then again that's not exactly what they signed him for. I suppose you have similar reservations about the Rockies continually renewing Jason Giambi's contract?How is rostering Jim Thome as a pinch hitter/ occasional 1st baseman any different than rostering Ross Gload? Aside from the huge OPS boost Thome brings.
Sounds like they want Cuddyer/Mayberry to be the insurance for Howard. Thome will strictly be a bat off the bench.
When you want to use someone to compare to Thome, please narrow it down to players that are over 40 and have taken the field one or fewer times in the last 5 years. Berkman - Never stopped playing defense and 6 years youngerGiambi - who while 40 has played over 100 total games @ 1B over the last 3 years and 200+ over the last 4They aren't very good comparisons.As for being a better fit that Gload.... Ask the Dodgers how Jim Thome in a pinch hitter role worked out.
That's about 98 more innings than Thome's played in the last 5 years combined.
Seems like your problem is with Ruben Amaro, not me. I'm just telling you why they signed him, as you requested in your original post. It's not my job to provide you with examples that suit your liking. If you're going to be like this after every signing, God help this thread.Or, if you don't like that response, maybe this helps close the subject and put you at ease: "You're right, Limp Ditka. Amaro is clearly in over his head, has no idea what he's doing with this ludicrous signing, and can only be helped by the smartest man from the interwebs.... you."
As a PH in the NL, sorry if the sample size is small, but it's all there is to work with in the recent past. Sometimes that how it is and considering he was traded from the White Sox that year, I remembered him struggling.But it's quite possible that he just isn't cut out for the role. As a matter of fact, his career numbers scream that he isn't. Sorry if the 144 ABs isn't enough for you to prove that. Again, it's all we got.I don't like the signing at all. Think he can do much more for an AL team, which is something he's proven over the last 6 years. Phillie has nothing to gain here except for a nice guy in the clubhouse. And as for other signing this off season.... how about you just ignore what I have to say and make it easier on all of us?I know I should just let this go, but I can't help myself. Did you really just dismiss everything I said and then end your all-knowing post with a commentary about Jim Thome's 17 plate appearances with LAD in 2009? Jesus, you can't make this stuff up.
Why does every signing have to be about the $s? I mentioned nothing about the money, I'm just questioning how he fits on the team. In the NL, roster spots are much more of a commodity. When one of those roster spots are occupied by someone that will never put a glove on his hand, I don't consider it wise use if that roster spot.Jesus - the lot of you make the shark pool almost tolerable.
I wouldn't question the money, but I would question the spot on the 25 man roster. But then again, how often does that 24th or 25th player really get into the game. I would think more in the NL, but overall, I'm sure this is a throw away signing, unless the Philly wins it all and you get the picture of Thome crying with the trophy.
Take it to the Shark Pool
It's awfully nice of you to offer to choke on a bullet like that, but it's really not worth someone's life. Just proceed with ignoring me.
Darren Oliver is a A free agentOctavio Dotel is an A free agentMatt Capps is an A free agent
I dont think their teams are going to offer them arbitration, are they?
Not sure. Seems like they could roll the dice on these guys at the salary they are likely to command. Honestly, I was a little surprised the Cards bought out Dotel in the first place.
Oliver will be back in Texas. He wants to pitch again and wants to pitch here, and served a solid role. It's just a bummer he is an A and not a B. no one is going to give up their first rounder to get him, but he would have been worth a sandwich pick to Texas.
The sandwich pick doesnt come from the signing team, so if he was a B, there would be no compensation from Tex
What I meant to say, is I wish Oliver was a B and not an A, so if a team wanted him, they would get him at no cost to them and Texas gets a sandwich pick. With Oliver as an A, there is no team that will be willing to give up their first rounder to get him.Maybe I'm still confused. It has happened before.
There was a similar issue a couple of years ago involving RP Juan Cruz. He was classified as a Class A free agent and was offered arbitration by his old team Arizona. The market for him was soft as you might expect so there was talk about Arizona doing a sign and trade. Eventually Cruz signed with KC whose first rounder was protected. Arizona got a high second rounder instead.
