Have I mentioned how awesome it is to be from Boston aka America's Most Dominant Sports City? 2007 World Series Champions, 2008 NBA Champions, 2011 Stanley Cup Champions, 2013 World Series Champions & 2014 Super Bowl Champions! How sweet it is.
2014/2015 Official MLB Offseason Thread: Signings, Trades, Rumors, Etc.
- Thread starter Special K
- Start date
BOYZZZ!!!!!!
SK, to answer you,
Since Hank and Hal decided to start doing biz a little differently like home growing prosects again through the draft, just like they did before that helped create the core of the dynasty years set forth by King George in the late 90's. And now the way they are going after players in good trades and good free agent signings and likely no more long term contracts for players 30 or older unless for a decent amount of cashola. And not signing anymore FAT players with FAT contracts (panda ring a bell) they will never live up to, or signing anymore non character guys with bad attitudes (Ramirez ring a bell).
If they change the team philosophy from their perspective as to what will make sense in getting more championships then we as fans have to change as well. That is what being a fan is otherwise you may as well not support your team anymore (just as you now have a choice to support your team even tho they have turned into everything you always stood against/despised aka the Yanks) :lol: talk about hypocritical, lets hear how you change your tune and hate the sox now lol, oh wait, that wont happen will it? Bwhahahaahahahaahaahahahahahahahahaahaahahahahahahaahahahahh!!!!!!!!!!
So offering $27M to Moncada (Yanks offer) compared to $30M makes the Yanks frugal now intent on homegrowing talent
??? You kill me bro!! Don't hate the playa. :thumb: :nod:BTW, have you seen Cheeseburger this spring training? 30lbs fatter than last season and gimpy knees supporting that load. Yea, talk about FAT players and FAT contracts? Bwwwaaahhhhh!!!!
Best of all, the Sox have the money to sign players they want AND a top 6 FARM according to last week's BP analysis, yea and this is without Moncada included, bump that up to top at least #4 now! Where'd the Yanks rank on their farm system? Hahahaha. I'll save you the trouble of clicking the link....21!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good news is they're up from 23 last season. :lol:
PS...How did this thread go from post #276 to #281??? Odd.
BOYZZZ!!!
This one wins the BIG FAT LIE of the year and it's only February. Nobody beats the master. :thumb:
No honor at all. Careful SK, you're making him look sooo bad. Don't anger the boy.
What does Baseball Prospectus say about the Yanks: "there’s the youth movement from last summer, most of whom are still teenagers and won’t be seen in the big leagues for a half-decade, if at all,..." :lol:
Look at all of those trophies for Boston the City of Champions...and it's not even updated.
ADD:
2013 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox
ADD:
2014 Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.
Deflate these ya chumps.
Merlot
This one wins the BIG FAT LIE of the year and it's only February. Nobody beats the master. :thumb:
No honor at all. Careful SK, you're making him look sooo bad. Don't anger the boy.
What does Baseball Prospectus say about the Yanks: "there’s the youth movement from last summer, most of whom are still teenagers and won’t be seen in the big leagues for a half-decade, if at all,..." :lol:
Look at all of those trophies for Boston the City of Champions...and it's not even updated.
ADD:
2013 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox
ADD:
2014 Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.
Deflate these ya chumps.
Merlot
*
Meh....it's basketball lol
Congrats to a good hardworking team who had not won squat in years, I will give ya that one
*
*
My dear iggy, considering Clemens, Pettitte, Giambi and others, you really don't want to start talking asterisks.
From Joel Sherman in today's NY Post:
"TAMPA — Early Monday morning, the Yankees found out Yoan Moncada wasn’t coming to their minor league complex and Alex Rodriguez was.
This was a symbolic crossroad moment for the organization. A 19-year-old they wanted got away — to the Red Sox — and a 39-year-old they wished would go away came back.
Ultimately, the Yankees refused to invest $63 million to inject more talent into their farm system.
Perhaps that is because they never were able to make the $61 million they owe Rodriguez go away. The albatross contracts of A-Rod, CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira have two or three more years to run, and until they expire the Yanks are drawing firmer financial lines in the sand rather than following their long-held policy of “get ’em at any price.”
So, the Yankees were willing to offer Moncada $25 million with an indication they would go to $27 million. Thanks to a 100 percent penalty tax for exceeding the international signing pool, that $27 million sum would have actually cost the Yankees $54 million, and the Red Sox’s winning bid of $31.5 million will cost them $63 million.
For the difference of $9 million, the Yanks allowed the Red Sox to deepen what already is perceived as a far superior feeder system.
So rather than a day of celebration about landing a piece for the future, the Yankees encountered a miserable part of their recent past. And continued to act like they wished he were anywhere else.
After more than a year away, Rodriguez spent his first day back on Yankees soil treated with — at best — distance. The Yanks say that is because they weren’t expecting him. But they had several hours to audible into a more helpful posture to Rodriguez and never did."
From Joel Sherman in today's NY Post:
"TAMPA — Early Monday morning, the Yankees found out Yoan Moncada wasn’t coming to their minor league complex and Alex Rodriguez was.
This was a symbolic crossroad moment for the organization. A 19-year-old they wanted got away — to the Red Sox — and a 39-year-old they wished would go away came back.
Ultimately, the Yankees refused to invest $63 million to inject more talent into their farm system.
Perhaps that is because they never were able to make the $61 million they owe Rodriguez go away. The albatross contracts of A-Rod, CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira have two or three more years to run, and until they expire the Yanks are drawing firmer financial lines in the sand rather than following their long-held policy of “get ’em at any price.”
So, the Yankees were willing to offer Moncada $25 million with an indication they would go to $27 million. Thanks to a 100 percent penalty tax for exceeding the international signing pool, that $27 million sum would have actually cost the Yankees $54 million, and the Red Sox’s winning bid of $31.5 million will cost them $63 million.
For the difference of $9 million, the Yanks allowed the Red Sox to deepen what already is perceived as a far superior feeder system.
So rather than a day of celebration about landing a piece for the future, the Yankees encountered a miserable part of their recent past. And continued to act like they wished he were anywhere else.
After more than a year away, Rodriguez spent his first day back on Yankees soil treated with — at best — distance. The Yanks say that is because they weren’t expecting him. But they had several hours to audible into a more helpful posture to Rodriguez and never did."
George Steinbrenner is rolling in his grave.
Why Yoan Moncada might be the best $100M Yankees can spend
TAMPA — Yoan Moncada is 19 years old. Investing $60 million or $80 million or $100 million in him personifies risk.
In fact, the strong vibe I have received from the Yankees is it is too much risk for a player who might be two years from the majors, especially after how much they already invested last year in the international market.
Nevertheless, as long as Yankees evaluators believe he has a chance to be an All-Star or better — the little bit that has crept out about their thinking is that they really like this young Cuban — then they have to take the gamble.
On the simplest level, the way the Yankees used to operate does not exist any longer. They used to counter not having access to the best players in the draft by using their financial might to lure prime free agents.
But elite position players are now rare commodities on the free agent market. The financial health of the game — namely that more wealth is produced and spread around — means all clubs can retain stars. Thus, the best position players generally do not get to free agency in their prime.
Stars such as Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen, Giancarlo Stanton and Buster Posey are inked long term through their prime. Each of those guys except Stanton were not available to the Yanks in the draft because each was selected before the Yankees’ first pick, and now they will not get a chance at them in free agency.
So how do they find difference-makers in their prime? Well, if they view Moncada as a version of Robinson Cano, that is a way. Remember, what kept the Yankees from investing more than $200 million in Cano was fear of signing someone already in their 30s for so much money.
With more advanced drug testing, most players are not carrying their full skills through their 30s any longer.
So, if you had to invest $80 million to $100 million on Moncada, Hanley Ramirez or Pablo Sandoval, what would you do?
Ramirez, 31, and Sandoval, 29 in August, were the best free-agent position players in this past class. They are surer bets to deliver quality than Moncada. But they are probably smaller bets to offer greatness. Plus, there already are physical worries for both and temperamental issues involving Ramirez.
Let’s try this another way: Say the best current minor league position players were made free agents — the Kris Bryants and the Byron Buxtons and the Carlos Correas. How high would the bidding go? My suspicion is $60 million would be the floor and more than $100 million would approach the ceiling. In an age when offense is down, elite performers are hard to find and older players fade more quickly, young hitters with big potential are the game’s most valuable commodity.
The general perception is if Moncada were eligible for the draft, he would be a top pick, maybe the top pick. He probably walks into the game as one of the sport’s 50 best prospects. You have to free your mind of who traditionally gets paid and think of the circumstances now, particularly the circumstances facing the Yankees.
They have not had a top-12 draft pick since selecting Derek Jeter in 1992. They do not have a tantalizing free agent field any more. They already have exceeded their international signing parameters by so much that they cannot spend more than $300,000 in each of the next two years beginning in July. Thus, if a youngster they love such as Moncada were to become available next offseason, they cannot even consider it. So they might as well keep overloading now before the moratorium sets in.
The batting average on high-profile Cuban position players coming in recent years — Jose Abreu, Yasiel Puig, Yoenis Cespedes — has been pretty good. And if the Yankees are right on Moncada, then you could envision him as part of a bridge that gets the organization from a last 20 years of excellence with the Core Four as the cornerstone to something else. Maybe Didi Gregorius and Moncada could form a long-term double-play combo. Perhaps Moncada, Aaron Judge and Greg Bird are the middle of future lineups.
At least it is something to dream about. It is pretty clear the Yankees like Moncada. They have eyeballed him three times and had him face veteran minor league pitchers such as Fred Lewis and Matt Tracy in simulated games. His poise in handling all the pressure/eyeballs was admired. The lefty swing is considered advanced and the righty swing good enough to keep him a switch-hitter. He has good athleticism, which suggests he could handle second base, but he already is 220-ish pounds and the belief is if he outgrows the position he could play third or the corner outfield.
It is his bat, after all, that is generating the buzz about Moncada landing a signing bonus that perhaps falls between $30 million and $50 million — and the Yanks have to pay 100 percent tax on that if they sign him because they already have exceeded their pool money by more than 15 percent. And I keep hearing the Yankees’ tolerance for that kind of expenditure is not great.
Because Moncada would not get a major league contract, he would not go on the 40-man roster and, thus, could be kept in the minors without pressure if he needs an extended apprenticeship. And he would be on a regular major league pay scale, which means he would start off in the majors making the minimum for two or three years before becoming arbitration eligible.
Again, there are tremendous unknowns and tremendous risks here. But the Yankees don’t get access to this kind of prime-aged position talent any more. How do they pass it up now?
Why Yoan Moncada might be the best $100M Yankees can spend
TAMPA — Yoan Moncada is 19 years old. Investing $60 million or $80 million or $100 million in him personifies risk.
In fact, the strong vibe I have received from the Yankees is it is too much risk for a player who might be two years from the majors, especially after how much they already invested last year in the international market.
Nevertheless, as long as Yankees evaluators believe he has a chance to be an All-Star or better — the little bit that has crept out about their thinking is that they really like this young Cuban — then they have to take the gamble.
On the simplest level, the way the Yankees used to operate does not exist any longer. They used to counter not having access to the best players in the draft by using their financial might to lure prime free agents.
But elite position players are now rare commodities on the free agent market. The financial health of the game — namely that more wealth is produced and spread around — means all clubs can retain stars. Thus, the best position players generally do not get to free agency in their prime.
Stars such as Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen, Giancarlo Stanton and Buster Posey are inked long term through their prime. Each of those guys except Stanton were not available to the Yanks in the draft because each was selected before the Yankees’ first pick, and now they will not get a chance at them in free agency.
So how do they find difference-makers in their prime? Well, if they view Moncada as a version of Robinson Cano, that is a way. Remember, what kept the Yankees from investing more than $200 million in Cano was fear of signing someone already in their 30s for so much money.
With more advanced drug testing, most players are not carrying their full skills through their 30s any longer.
So, if you had to invest $80 million to $100 million on Moncada, Hanley Ramirez or Pablo Sandoval, what would you do?
Ramirez, 31, and Sandoval, 29 in August, were the best free-agent position players in this past class. They are surer bets to deliver quality than Moncada. But they are probably smaller bets to offer greatness. Plus, there already are physical worries for both and temperamental issues involving Ramirez.
Let’s try this another way: Say the best current minor league position players were made free agents — the Kris Bryants and the Byron Buxtons and the Carlos Correas. How high would the bidding go? My suspicion is $60 million would be the floor and more than $100 million would approach the ceiling. In an age when offense is down, elite performers are hard to find and older players fade more quickly, young hitters with big potential are the game’s most valuable commodity.
The general perception is if Moncada were eligible for the draft, he would be a top pick, maybe the top pick. He probably walks into the game as one of the sport’s 50 best prospects. You have to free your mind of who traditionally gets paid and think of the circumstances now, particularly the circumstances facing the Yankees.
They have not had a top-12 draft pick since selecting Derek Jeter in 1992. They do not have a tantalizing free agent field any more. They already have exceeded their international signing parameters by so much that they cannot spend more than $300,000 in each of the next two years beginning in July. Thus, if a youngster they love such as Moncada were to become available next offseason, they cannot even consider it. So they might as well keep overloading now before the moratorium sets in.
The batting average on high-profile Cuban position players coming in recent years — Jose Abreu, Yasiel Puig, Yoenis Cespedes — has been pretty good. And if the Yankees are right on Moncada, then you could envision him as part of a bridge that gets the organization from a last 20 years of excellence with the Core Four as the cornerstone to something else. Maybe Didi Gregorius and Moncada could form a long-term double-play combo. Perhaps Moncada, Aaron Judge and Greg Bird are the middle of future lineups.
At least it is something to dream about. It is pretty clear the Yankees like Moncada. They have eyeballed him three times and had him face veteran minor league pitchers such as Fred Lewis and Matt Tracy in simulated games. His poise in handling all the pressure/eyeballs was admired. The lefty swing is considered advanced and the righty swing good enough to keep him a switch-hitter. He has good athleticism, which suggests he could handle second base, but he already is 220-ish pounds and the belief is if he outgrows the position he could play third or the corner outfield.
It is his bat, after all, that is generating the buzz about Moncada landing a signing bonus that perhaps falls between $30 million and $50 million — and the Yanks have to pay 100 percent tax on that if they sign him because they already have exceeded their pool money by more than 15 percent. And I keep hearing the Yankees’ tolerance for that kind of expenditure is not great.
Because Moncada would not get a major league contract, he would not go on the 40-man roster and, thus, could be kept in the minors without pressure if he needs an extended apprenticeship. And he would be on a regular major league pay scale, which means he would start off in the majors making the minimum for two or three years before becoming arbitration eligible.
Again, there are tremendous unknowns and tremendous risks here. But the Yankees don’t get access to this kind of prime-aged position talent any more. How do they pass it up now?
Here are some Yankee fans on ESPN. Apparently not ALL Yankee fans are delusional:
Paul T. Aquino · Biola University
What is going on? Since when did the Yankees become the Mets and stop spending money? For what is a pocket change for them they don't sign Moncado? I can spend hundreds at the Stadium for average seats and food but they can't spend a little more for a future franchise player? I am angry and losing faith in Cashman. First, he trades the best potential big time HR hitter in the system (Pete O'Brien) last year for Prado who he has now traded, then Banuelos for nothing more than bullpen help and now this? If any of these players turn out to be big time players he should be fired.
Ryan Pellegrini · Top Commenter ·
Yankees are a joke. I wont even be tuning in this season. What they have done this off season would have George rolling over. How they lost Moncada to the Sox of all teams is unforgivable. Good luck Yanks with your geriatric joke of a roster. Let me we wont be getting a ticket discount this year to watch this train wreck will we.
Tom Roberts · Top Commenter
Yankees are going to last place because of mismanagement by the Steinbrenners. One thing for Hal and Hank are not chips off the old block. You get outbid by the Red Sox for Moncada. It is a joke now. SELL the team who will make them the Yankees again.
Paul T. Aquino · Biola University
What is going on? Since when did the Yankees become the Mets and stop spending money? For what is a pocket change for them they don't sign Moncado? I can spend hundreds at the Stadium for average seats and food but they can't spend a little more for a future franchise player? I am angry and losing faith in Cashman. First, he trades the best potential big time HR hitter in the system (Pete O'Brien) last year for Prado who he has now traded, then Banuelos for nothing more than bullpen help and now this? If any of these players turn out to be big time players he should be fired.
Ryan Pellegrini · Top Commenter ·
Yankees are a joke. I wont even be tuning in this season. What they have done this off season would have George rolling over. How they lost Moncada to the Sox of all teams is unforgivable. Good luck Yanks with your geriatric joke of a roster. Let me we wont be getting a ticket discount this year to watch this train wreck will we.
Tom Roberts · Top Commenter
Yankees are going to last place because of mismanagement by the Steinbrenners. One thing for Hal and Hank are not chips off the old block. You get outbid by the Red Sox for Moncada. It is a joke now. SELL the team who will make them the Yankees again.
Thankyou El Tiant.
BOYZZZ!!!
Luis Tiant Helped Recruit Cuban Prospect Yoan Moncada To Red Sox
http://nesn.com/2015/02/luis-tiant-helped-recruit-cuban-prospect-yoan-moncada-to-boston-red-sox/
The Boston Red Sox owe Luis Tiant something nice. Tiant, one of the organization’s all-time great pitchers, apparently helped recruit Cuban prospect Yoan Moncada, who reportedly agreed to a contract with the Red Sox on Monday.
Tiant told ESPNBoston.com’s Gordon Edes that Ray Negron, a special consultant to the New York Yankees who’s also friends with the former Red Sox hurler, called him Sunday night to notify him of Moncada’s intentions.
“Ray said, ‘He’s going to sign with you guys because of you,’ ” Tiant told Edes. “I guess they talked to the kid.”
The Red Sox, Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers were the three finalists for Moncada before the 19-year-old agreed to a deal with Boston, according to the New York Post’s Joel Sherman. The Red Sox reportedly gave Moncada a $31.5 million signing bonus — the total cost will be $63 million based on the 100 percent tax Boston must pay — but the Los Angeles Dodgers were willing to pay $35 million if the switch-hitting infielder waited until July 2 to sign, according to Sherman.
It’s unclear at this point what ultimately drew Moncada to Boston, aside from more than $30 million, but having a Cuban representative like Tiant certainly didn’t hurt.
“Luis Tiant is a great ambassador for the Red Sox,” Moncada’s agent, David Hastings, told Edes on Monday. “I don’t speak Spanish, so I don’t have a clue what they were talking about, but they struck up a pretty good friendship. And Luis stayed in the dugout almost the whole time (during Moncada’s workout with the Red Sox), even though it was a cold and windy day.”
Tiant had breakfast with Moncada a couple of weeks ago when the prospect was at JetBlue Park for a workout, according to Hastings. The two clearly hit it off, and Tiant now expects big things from Moncada, who immediately becomes the Red Sox’s top prospect.
“To me, he looked like an intelligent kid, a good kid,” Tiant told Edes. “He wants to play. He’s a ballplayer. We talked, we took pictures, with him and his agent. Tall, good-looking kid. He looks like a good person.”
Moncada has the look. Now he’ll reportedly show it off in a Red Sox uniform, thanks to El Tiante.
Wow, we suck!
Just like CC blimp, the Yankee organization has lost it's fast ball. Yankee pride is in the trash.
ROFLMAO :lol:
Merlot
BOYZZZ!!!
Luis Tiant Helped Recruit Cuban Prospect Yoan Moncada To Red Sox
http://nesn.com/2015/02/luis-tiant-helped-recruit-cuban-prospect-yoan-moncada-to-boston-red-sox/
The Boston Red Sox owe Luis Tiant something nice. Tiant, one of the organization’s all-time great pitchers, apparently helped recruit Cuban prospect Yoan Moncada, who reportedly agreed to a contract with the Red Sox on Monday.
Tiant told ESPNBoston.com’s Gordon Edes that Ray Negron, a special consultant to the New York Yankees who’s also friends with the former Red Sox hurler, called him Sunday night to notify him of Moncada’s intentions.
“Ray said, ‘He’s going to sign with you guys because of you,’ ” Tiant told Edes. “I guess they talked to the kid.”
The Red Sox, Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers were the three finalists for Moncada before the 19-year-old agreed to a deal with Boston, according to the New York Post’s Joel Sherman. The Red Sox reportedly gave Moncada a $31.5 million signing bonus — the total cost will be $63 million based on the 100 percent tax Boston must pay — but the Los Angeles Dodgers were willing to pay $35 million if the switch-hitting infielder waited until July 2 to sign, according to Sherman.
It’s unclear at this point what ultimately drew Moncada to Boston, aside from more than $30 million, but having a Cuban representative like Tiant certainly didn’t hurt.
“Luis Tiant is a great ambassador for the Red Sox,” Moncada’s agent, David Hastings, told Edes on Monday. “I don’t speak Spanish, so I don’t have a clue what they were talking about, but they struck up a pretty good friendship. And Luis stayed in the dugout almost the whole time (during Moncada’s workout with the Red Sox), even though it was a cold and windy day.”
Tiant had breakfast with Moncada a couple of weeks ago when the prospect was at JetBlue Park for a workout, according to Hastings. The two clearly hit it off, and Tiant now expects big things from Moncada, who immediately becomes the Red Sox’s top prospect.
“To me, he looked like an intelligent kid, a good kid,” Tiant told Edes. “He wants to play. He’s a ballplayer. We talked, we took pictures, with him and his agent. Tall, good-looking kid. He looks like a good person.”
Moncada has the look. Now he’ll reportedly show it off in a Red Sox uniform, thanks to El Tiante.
Wow, we suck!
Just like CC blimp, the Yankee organization has lost it's fast ball. Yankee pride is in the trash.
ROFLMAO :lol:
Merlot
BOYZZZ!!!
I've been reading up on the Cuban kid. Many say he'll be a very good player, but there are also many who say he'll be average at best.
Personally, i think he'll be a huge disappointment for the Red Sox considering they paid a fortune to get him. Not much different than Matsuzaka.
No 'prospect' is worth that kind of money, in my very honest opinion.
It's just plain nuts!
p.s. The Red Sox have now surpassed the Yankees as the most hated team in MLB.
I've been reading up on the Cuban kid. Many say he'll be a very good player, but there are also many who say he'll be average at best.
Personally, i think he'll be a huge disappointment for the Red Sox considering they paid a fortune to get him. Not much different than Matsuzaka.
No 'prospect' is worth that kind of money, in my very honest opinion.
It's just plain nuts!
p.s. The Red Sox have now surpassed the Yankees as the most hated team in MLB.
The difference is that Moncada will cost the Sox $63 M up front, not a penny of which will count against the luxury tax. His first year in the majors, he'll cost them another $500,000. Same for the second. Same for the third. Then he'll be arbitration eligible. If he pans out, he'll cost them total of about $95 M for his six pre free agency years. Or...a bargain.
I'm glad you think he'll be a disappointment. That makes you and nobody else. Certainly not the Yankees, who cheaped out and offered just a bit less. George is rolling over in his grave.
BOYZZZ!!!
You forgot his lackey.
He hates everything Boston for the obvious reason...jealousy flows as fast and heavy as losses in Toronto. What else have they got to look forward to.
According to Out-Cashed Cashman himself:
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/...david-ortiz-mike-napoli-dustin-pedroia-022315
How good is he? Cashman said Moncada "has a pretty high ceiling," and others, including ESPN's Keith Law, have rated him as the one of the best prospects to come out of Cuba in years, a crop that includes the likes of Yoenis Cespedes, Yasiel Puig and Jose Abreu.
"He's got a lot of ability and projects to be a quality player," Cashman said. "I don’t think anybody disagrees with the ability. I would doubt there’s any disagreement on the scouting assessment of the player. It just comes down to how much money you were willing to commit."
That last statement could be interpreted as frustration with ownership's unwillingness to close a $7 million gap, slightly more than they're paying Chris Capuano.
Cheers,
Merlot
You forgot his lackey.
He hates everything Boston for the obvious reason...jealousy flows as fast and heavy as losses in Toronto. What else have they got to look forward to.
According to Out-Cashed Cashman himself:
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/...david-ortiz-mike-napoli-dustin-pedroia-022315
How good is he? Cashman said Moncada "has a pretty high ceiling," and others, including ESPN's Keith Law, have rated him as the one of the best prospects to come out of Cuba in years, a crop that includes the likes of Yoenis Cespedes, Yasiel Puig and Jose Abreu.
"He's got a lot of ability and projects to be a quality player," Cashman said. "I don’t think anybody disagrees with the ability. I would doubt there’s any disagreement on the scouting assessment of the player. It just comes down to how much money you were willing to commit."
That last statement could be interpreted as frustration with ownership's unwillingness to close a $7 million gap, slightly more than they're paying Chris Capuano.
Cheers,
Merlot
A personal message to Joe, iggy and Doc, just in case you forgot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-ZMO8jhbwg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-ZMO8jhbwg
Hillarious!! I love it!!! Thanks for sharing! :lol:
p.s. The girl in the video reminded me of my little buddy who loves the Sox, Bruins & Patriots!
Adam Lind opens up about his time with the Jays
by Bob Elliott, Toronto Sun
PHOENIX - One popular winter-time theory making the rounds is that the Toronto Blue Jays, with their off-season moves, made a dramatic change to the clubhouse culture.
Brett Lawrie? Traded.
Juan Francisco, who started more games at third than Lawrie? Long gone.
Melky Cabrera and Colby Rasmus? Gone to free agency.
Anthony Gose? Traded.
Starter Brandon Morrow and closer Casey Janssen? Gone to free agency.
“They haven’t changed the culture of the clubhouse,” said Adam Lind — traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in November. “They’re my friends, but the guys who still run it are still there. Jose Bautista is the voice among position players and Mark Buehrle runs the starting pitchers.
“There might be a few more smiles with Colby gone.”
And Part 2 of the culture-shock equation is that incoming players Russell Martin, Josh Donaldson, Michael Saunders and Justin Smoak will make a difference.
“Do they think that Justin Smoak will change the culture of the clubhouse? Michael Saunders?” Lind said. “I don’t know Donaldson, but Martin will make a difference. Martin is awesome.”
Lind sat at his locker stall inside the Maryvale Baseball Park on Tuesday after a batting practice session facing Brewers batting instructor Darnell Coles, who won a World Series with the 1993 Blue Jays. He also fielded ground balls at first, where manager Ron Roenicke said Lind will play every day — “until he shows he can’t hit left-handers.”
Watching from behind the screen was Brewers general manager Doug Melvin, of Chatham, Ont., while assistant GM Gord Ash was making phone calls from his upstairs office.
Newmarket infielder Peter Orr was in the same group, while Calgary right-hander Jim Henderson was on another field.
Lind made his major-league debut on Sept. 2, 2006, hitting an eighth-inning double off Boston Red Sox reliever Lenny DiNardo in an A.J. Burnett 5-1 complete-game win. His final Jays at-bat came in the sixth inning of Game 162 last season when he struck out against Ubaldo Jimenez on Sept. 28.
In all, Lind played 953 games for the Jays from 2006-2014 to sit 12th all-time.
The Jays had a decision to make on Nov. 1 on whether to pick up his $7.5 million US option. Around 10 a.m. that morning, he received a text from his agent (John Courtright): The Jays would be picking up his option later that day.
Lind said: “Around noon, Alex (Anthopoulos, Jays general manager) phoned and said ‘We’re picking up your option. And by the way ...”
The rest of the “by the way?” Lind had been dealt to the Brewers for right-hander Marco Estrada.
Lind wasn’t expecting that to happen.
And he wasn’t expecting the news 27 days later, either. His pal Lawrie had been dealt to the Oakland A’s with lefty Sean Nolin, right-hander Kendall Graveman and highly regarded prospect Franklin Barreto for Donaldson.
“I was leaving my house (in Palm Harbour, Fla.) when one of our pitchers sent a text with the trade,” said Lind, who added the pitcher typed: “All my friends are leaving.”
His best memory as a Jay was hitting a walk-off homer against Baltimore Orioles reliever Koji Uehara June 14, 2011, before 15,592 at the Rogers Centre.
“And playing on Canada Day, those games were always special,” said Lind. “We always had a sold-out crowd, always wore red Canada jerseys and always played in the day —I love day games. There was electricity in the air.”
His worst experience?
“Playing with a broken foot,” Lind said quickly.
He fouled a ball off his foot on June 13 and played 18 games before an MRI showed he had a broken bone.
“I hit okay (.289, three doubles, a homer, nine RBI), but I couldn’t run and my whole body ached,” Lind said.
The 31-year-old, left-handed hitter says Travis Snider was his closest friend during his Jays days.
“He was real, genuine, cared about my family and myself,” said Lind. “We had some talks on a deeper level.”
Lind has only been in camp four days and knows only a few players. He says he’ll miss Toronto: The lights, the restaurants (Sotto Sotto, The Chase and Korean BBQ), his breakfast place (Music Garden Cafe) or taking former teammates such as Cory Patterson, Joe Inglett or Lawrie home for dinner.
How many times should the Jays have been in the post-season during Lind’s nine seasons?
He mentions 2008 and 2010 when “we finished strong both years (32-22 the final two months in 2008; 31-27 in 2010)” and notes how the Jays were second in the AL East in 2006, “but it wasn’t close (10 games out).”
What about 2014, when the Jays sat in first place for 61 days?
Lind said the Jays “kind of limped home and we benched our centre fielder the final month,” going 23-29 the last two months.
He had two general managers (J.P. Ricciardi and Anthopoulos), four managers (if you count John Gibbons twice), six hitting coaches and countless teammates.
Lind said he was only spoken to by Gibbons on the manager’s first tour when he was called in to be demoted, described Cito Gaston as “awesome,” John Farrell as the “most prepared manager I’d ever seen,” (“relations were good with players, but you have to remember, he was a former pitcher”) and Gibbons 2.0 was “very intense — only in 2014.”
Mickey Brantley, Gary Denbow, Gene Tenace, Dwayne Murphy, Chad Mottola and Kevin Seitzer were his hitting coaches.
Lind said he liked them all, but when it came to “knowledge and compatibility,” the best were Tenace, Murphy and Mottola.
Although he was not in Houston when the July 31 trade deadline came and went without the Jays making a move — despite Edward Rogers, Rogers Communications’ deputy chair, and president Paul Beeston telling players “the funds will be there” if the Jays were close at the deadline. Both Casey Janssen and Bautista knocked management.
“Casey is the biggest competitor there is, he was tired of hearing the same thing each year,” Lind said. “He didn’t want to leave Toronto.”
Lind said Janssen didn’t want to sign with Washington.
Is Rogers Communications a good owner?
“They have a top-10 payroll,” he answered. “There’s something to be said for that. I’d like to come back and work for the team when I’m finished playing.”
LIND’S TOP JAYS
C Benji Molina: “He had a great year in 2006.”
1B Edwin Encarnacion: “He has two all-star selections and averaged 37 homers the last three years.”
2B Aaron Hill: “He won a Silver Slugger.”
3B Scott Rolen: “The best defensive third baseman I’ve ever seen.”
SS Alex Gonzalez: “He raked for us — almost had 20 homers before the break in 2010 and then we traded him to Atlanta.”
LF Melky Cabrera: “He had a big year in 2014, 171 hits.”
CF Vernon Wells: “One of the best players in the history of the franchise.”
RF Jose Bautista: “Some of the top numbers I’ve ever seen in a season.”
RHP Roy Halladay: “He had a tremendous workout ... plus he was good.”
RHP Shaun Marcum: “Give the ball to him, any where, any time.”
RHP R.A. Dickey: “The second half of his last two seasons have been phenomenal (13-7, 3.57).”
RP Aaron Sanchez: “We didn’t have a lot of home-grown guys come up. He’s our best organizational player I’ve ever seen.”
by Bob Elliott, Toronto Sun
PHOENIX - One popular winter-time theory making the rounds is that the Toronto Blue Jays, with their off-season moves, made a dramatic change to the clubhouse culture.
Brett Lawrie? Traded.
Juan Francisco, who started more games at third than Lawrie? Long gone.
Melky Cabrera and Colby Rasmus? Gone to free agency.
Anthony Gose? Traded.
Starter Brandon Morrow and closer Casey Janssen? Gone to free agency.
“They haven’t changed the culture of the clubhouse,” said Adam Lind — traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in November. “They’re my friends, but the guys who still run it are still there. Jose Bautista is the voice among position players and Mark Buehrle runs the starting pitchers.
“There might be a few more smiles with Colby gone.”
And Part 2 of the culture-shock equation is that incoming players Russell Martin, Josh Donaldson, Michael Saunders and Justin Smoak will make a difference.
“Do they think that Justin Smoak will change the culture of the clubhouse? Michael Saunders?” Lind said. “I don’t know Donaldson, but Martin will make a difference. Martin is awesome.”
Lind sat at his locker stall inside the Maryvale Baseball Park on Tuesday after a batting practice session facing Brewers batting instructor Darnell Coles, who won a World Series with the 1993 Blue Jays. He also fielded ground balls at first, where manager Ron Roenicke said Lind will play every day — “until he shows he can’t hit left-handers.”
Watching from behind the screen was Brewers general manager Doug Melvin, of Chatham, Ont., while assistant GM Gord Ash was making phone calls from his upstairs office.
Newmarket infielder Peter Orr was in the same group, while Calgary right-hander Jim Henderson was on another field.
Lind made his major-league debut on Sept. 2, 2006, hitting an eighth-inning double off Boston Red Sox reliever Lenny DiNardo in an A.J. Burnett 5-1 complete-game win. His final Jays at-bat came in the sixth inning of Game 162 last season when he struck out against Ubaldo Jimenez on Sept. 28.
In all, Lind played 953 games for the Jays from 2006-2014 to sit 12th all-time.
The Jays had a decision to make on Nov. 1 on whether to pick up his $7.5 million US option. Around 10 a.m. that morning, he received a text from his agent (John Courtright): The Jays would be picking up his option later that day.
Lind said: “Around noon, Alex (Anthopoulos, Jays general manager) phoned and said ‘We’re picking up your option. And by the way ...”
The rest of the “by the way?” Lind had been dealt to the Brewers for right-hander Marco Estrada.
Lind wasn’t expecting that to happen.
And he wasn’t expecting the news 27 days later, either. His pal Lawrie had been dealt to the Oakland A’s with lefty Sean Nolin, right-hander Kendall Graveman and highly regarded prospect Franklin Barreto for Donaldson.
“I was leaving my house (in Palm Harbour, Fla.) when one of our pitchers sent a text with the trade,” said Lind, who added the pitcher typed: “All my friends are leaving.”
His best memory as a Jay was hitting a walk-off homer against Baltimore Orioles reliever Koji Uehara June 14, 2011, before 15,592 at the Rogers Centre.
“And playing on Canada Day, those games were always special,” said Lind. “We always had a sold-out crowd, always wore red Canada jerseys and always played in the day —I love day games. There was electricity in the air.”
His worst experience?
“Playing with a broken foot,” Lind said quickly.
He fouled a ball off his foot on June 13 and played 18 games before an MRI showed he had a broken bone.
“I hit okay (.289, three doubles, a homer, nine RBI), but I couldn’t run and my whole body ached,” Lind said.
The 31-year-old, left-handed hitter says Travis Snider was his closest friend during his Jays days.
“He was real, genuine, cared about my family and myself,” said Lind. “We had some talks on a deeper level.”
Lind has only been in camp four days and knows only a few players. He says he’ll miss Toronto: The lights, the restaurants (Sotto Sotto, The Chase and Korean BBQ), his breakfast place (Music Garden Cafe) or taking former teammates such as Cory Patterson, Joe Inglett or Lawrie home for dinner.
How many times should the Jays have been in the post-season during Lind’s nine seasons?
He mentions 2008 and 2010 when “we finished strong both years (32-22 the final two months in 2008; 31-27 in 2010)” and notes how the Jays were second in the AL East in 2006, “but it wasn’t close (10 games out).”
What about 2014, when the Jays sat in first place for 61 days?
Lind said the Jays “kind of limped home and we benched our centre fielder the final month,” going 23-29 the last two months.
He had two general managers (J.P. Ricciardi and Anthopoulos), four managers (if you count John Gibbons twice), six hitting coaches and countless teammates.
Lind said he was only spoken to by Gibbons on the manager’s first tour when he was called in to be demoted, described Cito Gaston as “awesome,” John Farrell as the “most prepared manager I’d ever seen,” (“relations were good with players, but you have to remember, he was a former pitcher”) and Gibbons 2.0 was “very intense — only in 2014.”
Mickey Brantley, Gary Denbow, Gene Tenace, Dwayne Murphy, Chad Mottola and Kevin Seitzer were his hitting coaches.
Lind said he liked them all, but when it came to “knowledge and compatibility,” the best were Tenace, Murphy and Mottola.
Although he was not in Houston when the July 31 trade deadline came and went without the Jays making a move — despite Edward Rogers, Rogers Communications’ deputy chair, and president Paul Beeston telling players “the funds will be there” if the Jays were close at the deadline. Both Casey Janssen and Bautista knocked management.
“Casey is the biggest competitor there is, he was tired of hearing the same thing each year,” Lind said. “He didn’t want to leave Toronto.”
Lind said Janssen didn’t want to sign with Washington.
Is Rogers Communications a good owner?
“They have a top-10 payroll,” he answered. “There’s something to be said for that. I’d like to come back and work for the team when I’m finished playing.”
LIND’S TOP JAYS
C Benji Molina: “He had a great year in 2006.”
1B Edwin Encarnacion: “He has two all-star selections and averaged 37 homers the last three years.”
2B Aaron Hill: “He won a Silver Slugger.”
3B Scott Rolen: “The best defensive third baseman I’ve ever seen.”
SS Alex Gonzalez: “He raked for us — almost had 20 homers before the break in 2010 and then we traded him to Atlanta.”
LF Melky Cabrera: “He had a big year in 2014, 171 hits.”
CF Vernon Wells: “One of the best players in the history of the franchise.”
RF Jose Bautista: “Some of the top numbers I’ve ever seen in a season.”
RHP Roy Halladay: “He had a tremendous workout ... plus he was good.”
RHP Shaun Marcum: “Give the ball to him, any where, any time.”
RHP R.A. Dickey: “The second half of his last two seasons have been phenomenal (13-7, 3.57).”
RP Aaron Sanchez: “We didn’t have a lot of home-grown guys come up. He’s our best organizational player I’ve ever seen.”
Lucky Martin Prado. It's always nice to leave a sinking ship.
From the NY Post:
"Martin Prado went from fading Yankees to ‘unbelievable’ Marlins
JUPITER , Fla. — Martin Prado has the reputation every player wants. He is the kind of player every winning team needs.
He made his mark with the Yankees, becoming a team leader, but in a flash he was gone, traded for right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, 25, in December because the Yankees are so desperate for starting pitching.
The Marlins are on their way, and the Yankees are trying to find a way to keep from falling apart once again.
Prado, 31, thought he would remain a Yankee after coming over in a deal from the Diamondbacks and playing 37 games, batting .316 with an .877 OPS before being sidelined by an appendectomy.
His talent and leadership will be missed by the Yankees, but their loss is Miami’s gain.
Prado quickly realized how good a situation he is in now with the up-and-coming Marlins.
“I’m all in,’’ Prado told The Post on Monday at Roger Dean Stadium. “They have so much talent here, it’s unbelievable. I’m really impressed.’’
He admitted he was “shocked’’ by the trade that also sent right-hander David Phelps to Miami and brought Garrett Jones to The Bronx. The Marlins signed former Yankees outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, who arrived Monday.
“It was a great experience to be in New York and the last season for Derek [Jeter],’’ Prado said. “We had so many injuries, but when somebody went down, somebody stepped up. It’s a good tradition, it’s a lot of history.’’
The Marlins are about now and the future.
The Yankees finished 12 games out each of the last two seasons. Everything must go right for them even to be considered contenders again.
The Marlins are ready to take the next step.
Prado labeled outfielder Giancarlo Stanton and right-hander Jose Fernandez superstars.
Just imagine if the Yankees had two young stars like that.
So, yes, you can see why Prado is all in with his new team, offering leadership and a solid bat. He will probably bat second with Dee Gordon, another trade addition, leading off.
“You have to have the talent, but you also have to have somebody who can lead those young kids,’’ Prado said. “I’m open, I can learn from them and they can learn from me.”
“If you don’t go in the same direction as a team, everything is going to fall apart no matter how much talent you have.’’
That’s why Michael Hill, Miami’s president of baseball operations, and general manager Dan Jennings acquired Prado.
“The background check we did, checking with teammates he had, and there is one common denominator that keeps coming back,’’ Jennings explained. “ ‘This guy is the best teammate I’ve ever had.’ ‘This guy is the most prepared guy.’ ‘This guy is a class guy.’ ‘This guy elevates everybody.’
“It’s refreshing to hear when your peers think of you in this light and openly express it. He’s got a presence about him. He learned from some great guys in Atlanta with Bobby Cox and Chipper Jones and it has segued into who he has become and the character of who he is. He’s a unifier. He can unify your team, and he’s a producer.’’
Prado and his Marlins are not going to back down from anyone.
From the NY Post:
"Martin Prado went from fading Yankees to ‘unbelievable’ Marlins
JUPITER , Fla. — Martin Prado has the reputation every player wants. He is the kind of player every winning team needs.
He made his mark with the Yankees, becoming a team leader, but in a flash he was gone, traded for right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, 25, in December because the Yankees are so desperate for starting pitching.
The Marlins are on their way, and the Yankees are trying to find a way to keep from falling apart once again.
Prado, 31, thought he would remain a Yankee after coming over in a deal from the Diamondbacks and playing 37 games, batting .316 with an .877 OPS before being sidelined by an appendectomy.
His talent and leadership will be missed by the Yankees, but their loss is Miami’s gain.
Prado quickly realized how good a situation he is in now with the up-and-coming Marlins.
“I’m all in,’’ Prado told The Post on Monday at Roger Dean Stadium. “They have so much talent here, it’s unbelievable. I’m really impressed.’’
He admitted he was “shocked’’ by the trade that also sent right-hander David Phelps to Miami and brought Garrett Jones to The Bronx. The Marlins signed former Yankees outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, who arrived Monday.
“It was a great experience to be in New York and the last season for Derek [Jeter],’’ Prado said. “We had so many injuries, but when somebody went down, somebody stepped up. It’s a good tradition, it’s a lot of history.’’
The Marlins are about now and the future.
The Yankees finished 12 games out each of the last two seasons. Everything must go right for them even to be considered contenders again.
The Marlins are ready to take the next step.
Prado labeled outfielder Giancarlo Stanton and right-hander Jose Fernandez superstars.
Just imagine if the Yankees had two young stars like that.
So, yes, you can see why Prado is all in with his new team, offering leadership and a solid bat. He will probably bat second with Dee Gordon, another trade addition, leading off.
“You have to have the talent, but you also have to have somebody who can lead those young kids,’’ Prado said. “I’m open, I can learn from them and they can learn from me.”
“If you don’t go in the same direction as a team, everything is going to fall apart no matter how much talent you have.’’
That’s why Michael Hill, Miami’s president of baseball operations, and general manager Dan Jennings acquired Prado.
“The background check we did, checking with teammates he had, and there is one common denominator that keeps coming back,’’ Jennings explained. “ ‘This guy is the best teammate I’ve ever had.’ ‘This guy is the most prepared guy.’ ‘This guy is a class guy.’ ‘This guy elevates everybody.’
“It’s refreshing to hear when your peers think of you in this light and openly express it. He’s got a presence about him. He learned from some great guys in Atlanta with Bobby Cox and Chipper Jones and it has segued into who he has become and the character of who he is. He’s a unifier. He can unify your team, and he’s a producer.’’
Prado and his Marlins are not going to back down from anyone.
Jays lost Michael Saunders until all-star break. Torn knee ligament. But they signed Johan Santana to a minor league contract.
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