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Pavano On The Trade Market

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Pretty much anyone you ask would tell you Philip Hughes is likely to outpitch Carl Pavano this year.  Any projection system or scout would tell you that the Yankees will win more games with Hughes as the fifth starter than Pavano.  Why then is Pavano, and not Hughes, penciled in as the team’s fifth starter?  The reason is that Pavano is due $23 million over the next two seasons. The Yankees want to get something out of him.

Best move for everyone would be to trade him.  Jon Heyman of SI.com tells us that the Rockies wanted the Yankees to cover $15MM of the $20MM remaining on his deal.  (Although I do believe Pavano is owed $23MM if you include his buyout).  Maybe that means Colorado would take Pavano at the price of $8MM over the next two seasons?  Who wouldn’t?  Ramon Ortiz just got three mil.  However, at this point the Rockies don’t need any more starters.

Heyman goes on to say that if Pavano can show promise this spring, the Yanks might get a team to take on $12-13MM of the money owed to Pavano.  So, the team would pay $10MM over the next two seasons.  Still not too bad, especially for an NL club looking to get creative (Cardinals?) 

Pavano is on a rigorous workout regimen in hopes of returning to a Major League mound and redeeming himself.

Yanks Not Working On Rivera Extension

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According to Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record, the Yankees aren’t seeking to enter contract extension discussions with Mariano Rivera’s agent during spring training.  Rivera will be a free agent after 2007.  Rivera is 37.

PECOTA says Rivera is worth about $23 million over the 2008-2010 seasons.  He’ll make $10.5MM in 2007.  Something tells me he’ll do a wee bit better than Jason Marquis, however.  The free agent market after ’07 doesn’t offer anyone better, as Joe Nathan and Trevor Hoffman are likely to have their options exercised.  Eric Gagne could be an option if he comes back strong this year.

K-Rod will be a free agent after 2008, unless the Angels give him an extension.  It was supposedly a top priority this offseason; the Yankees may be eyeing him up as Rivera’s heir.

Yanks Not Working On Rivera Extension

By | at

According to Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record, the Yankees aren’t seeking to enter contract extension discussions with Mariano Rivera’s agent during spring training.  Rivera will be a free agent after 2007.  Rivera is 37.

PECOTA says Rivera is worth about $23 million over the 2008-2010 seasons.  He’ll make $10.5MM in 2007.  Something tells me he’ll do a wee bit better than Jason Marquis, however.  The free agent market after ’07 doesn’t offer anyone better, as Joe Nathan and Trevor Hoffman are likely to have their options exercised.  Eric Gagne could be an option if he comes back strong this year.

K-Rod will be a free agent after 2008, unless the Angels give him an extension.  It was supposedly a top priority this offseason; the Yankees may be eyeing him up as Rivera’s heir.

A-Rod To Opt Out?

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Alex Rodriguez had an innocuous book signing appearance yesterday, but it resulted in no less than eight newspaper columns based on a few quotes.  I read all of the articles I could find so you don’t have to.

In response to a question about opting out of his contract after the season, A-Rod replied:

"My situation and my only goal is to win a world championship, and I am going to take it day to day. Everything else will take care of itself."

Classic non-answer.  Rodriguez also mentioned that he did not follow the J.D. Drew situation.  The New York Times reports that a publicist from HarperCollins tried to stop reporters from asking questions and that a Newsday reported was pushed away by police.  Newsday’s Jim Baumbach doesn’t mention that, perhaps preferring to leave himself out of the story. 

Scott Boras talked to the AP yesterday, saying that A-Rod was happy in New York but also going on about how revenues in baseball have doubled and elite position players haven’t been properly rewarded.  Boras and Rodriguez won’t discuss the opt-out clause until season’s end, according to the Post.  If you’re Rodriguez, it’s a no-win situation.  He’s not going to give up a contractual right he earned, nor is he going to make a definitive statement in the press so that he can be villainized later for it.

The New York Daily News reports that Rodriguez did mention a desire to represent the Yankees in the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium.

The latest reports are that A-Rod has three years and $72MM left on his deal.  While the AAV is probably close to what he could get on the open market, Rodriguez would obviously get a longer deal for more security.

Rodriguez also mentioned that he has no beef with Joe Torre for hitting him down in the order in the playoffs.

A-Rod To Opt Out?

By | at

Alex Rodriguez had an innocuous book signing appearance yesterday, but it resulted in no less than eight newspaper columns based on a few quotes.  I read all of the articles I could find so you don’t have to.

In response to a question about opting out of his contract after the season, A-Rod replied:

"My situation and my only goal is to win a world championship, and I am going to take it day to day. Everything else will take care of itself."

Classic non-answer.  Rodriguez also mentioned that he did not follow the J.D. Drew situation.  The New York Times reports that a publicist from HarperCollins tried to stop reporters from asking questions and that a Newsday reported was pushed away by police.  Newsday’s Jim Baumbach doesn’t mention that, perhaps preferring to leave himself out of the story. 

Scott Boras talked to the AP yesterday, saying that A-Rod was happy in New York but also going on about how revenues in baseball have doubled and elite position players haven’t been properly rewarded.  Boras and Rodriguez won’t discuss the opt-out clause until season’s end, according to the Post.  If you’re Rodriguez, it’s a no-win situation.  He’s not going to give up a contractual right he earned, nor is he going to make a definitive statement in the press so that he can be villainized later for it.

The New York Daily News reports that Rodriguez did mention a desire to represent the Yankees in the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium.

The latest reports are that A-Rod has three years and $72MM left on his deal.  While the AAV is probably close to what he could get on the open market, Rodriguez would obviously get a longer deal for more security.

Rodriguez also mentioned that he has no beef with Joe Torre for hitting him down in the order in the playoffs.

Bonds To Play in ’08, ’09?

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According to Tom Verducci of SI.com, Barry Bonds told the Giants this winter through his agent that he has no plans to retire after the ’07 season and probably won’t after the ’08 season either.  He originally asked the Giants for an easily attainable option for ’08, but couldn’t get it.

Verducci says Bonds’s agent has raised the possibility of 1,000 home runs.  Perhaps Bonds doesn’t like the idea of A-Rod coming along and wiping out his record?

But for Bonds to hit another 266 home runs after age 42…that seems ridiculous.  He’s not going to do that in three seasons.  Or four.  Five is quite unlikely.  Six, slightly possible if he is extremely healthy and effective.  Seven, getting warmer but still questionable.  How about 266 homers over eight seasons?  He’d have to average 33.25.  But honestly, to hit an additional 266 home runs, Bonds would have to play nine or ten more seasons.  Maybe even eleven.  Just saying is all.  If Bonds is hitting 30+ HRs into his early fifties…I want some of what he’s taking.         

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