ESPN.com's Buster Olney explains that fans aren't nearly as preoccupied with performance-enhancing drugs in baseball as they were a few years ago. Here are some hot stove-related notes:
- Olney hears that the Twins are still optimistic about signing Joe Mauer long-term. The catcher is less than a year away from hitting the open market, but that's more than enough time for the sides to reach an agreement.
- D'Backs GM Josh Byrnes takes responsibility for the Eric Byrnes deal. However, Olney hears that ownership decided to sign the left fielder for $30MM.
- As we noted earlier today, the Marlins wanted to sign Josh Johnson before MLB and the MLBPA called them out for their spending habits. Now that they've locked up their ace, the Marlins are looking to add to their bullpen.
30MM for Byrnes either way is a bad contract.
Gee, ya think?
The good news for the Diamondbacks is that they didn’t give out the worst contract ever…Oliver Perez, Darren Dreifort, Carlos Silva, Chan Ho Park, Vernon Wells, Carl Pavano, and Mike Hampton all put Byrnes’ contract to shame.
Add alfonso soriano to that list.
good point…Alfonso Soriano is officially added to that list.
don’t forget Rowand,Renteria and Zito
I like this game. Jeff Suppan, 4 years and $42MM.
Wow! I feel so much better about Byrne’s deal!!
I like this game. Jeff Suppan, 4 years and $42MM.
don’t forget Rowand,Renteria and Zito
good point…Alfonso Soriano is officially added to that list.
Add alfonso soriano to that list.
Yeah, Byrnes was a great defensive player, but not much else. Pretty much a one-dimensional guy with a little pop.
As for Mauer, he’s staying in Minnesota. I can’t see him leaving the Twins. I’d love to have him as a Yankee, obviously, but he’s not leaving.
the sooner the better for mauer. this guy needs to be locked up asap and for as long as possible. most players don’t like to negotiate during the season which means he’d be a free agent and just about every team will some how find money to offer this guy a contract.
Not to worry. In spite of some of the speculation by the press and fans, they’re probably well into negotiations and most likely have been for quite some time. Shapiro tends to be slow and methodical with his deals. Both sides are also very tight lipped about what they do (make that frustratingly tight lipped). You’ll never see either of them airing their dirty laundry in the press.
Until somebody announces that there is no deal or Mauer comes out and says he’s decided to test the free agent waters, both sides are probably still talking. Not only that, the talks are probably going well and progress is being made. No news is definitely good news.
Look, everybody wants this. Mauer wants to stay. The Twins want him to stay. And the fans definitely want him to stay.
It’s going to happen, the only questions are when and for how much.
They better be optimistic about signing Mauer. I will lead the RIOT down the streets of Minneapolis if an agreement is not reached.
If the twins resign mauer the team will be mauer morneau and a bunch of scrubs with their payroll
Not with the opening of Target Field it won’t.
Not with the opening of Target Field it won’t.
Span is a.300 hitter, crede had a down year( though he is a FA now ), cuddyer has 30 homerun pop, kubel hit .300 and with 28 homeruns. And your trying to tell me this is a team of scrubs? Well in that case, give me a whole team of scrubs.
When they resign mauer for 20 plus mill you wont be able to afford all of those players
You do know their getting a new stadium and are expected to raise payroll right..?
You do know their getting a new stadium and are expected to raise payroll right..?
When they resign mauer for 20 plus mill you wont be able to afford all of those players
I completely agree. Denard Span is the best leadoff hitter in all of Baseball and is one of the Premier Rising Stars of the Game. He could possibly finish off his career with 3000 hits. The guy is just an on-base and hitting machine.
I’m guessing you never heard of Ichiro Suzuki or Derek Jeter…
Who … ?!
I’m guessing you never heard of Ichiro Suzuki or Derek Jeter…
Span’s been surprisingly great his first season and a half, but to call him the “best leadoff hitter in baseball” is a pretty gross exaggeration. Guys like Brian Roberts and Ichiro are consistently better than Span, while Jeter was a great leadoff hitter last year, Figgins merits mention for sure, and then you’ve got guys like Jimmy Rollins and Jose Reyes who had a down year or were hurt last season, but are still far more proven leadoff hitters than Span. Even Nyjer Morgan had a year on par with Span last season; he could be in the conversation for best leadoff men last year.
Span’s coming into his own, but to call him the best leadoff man is baseball is just blatant homerism at this point. He’s got potential to get there, but he’s not there yet.
No, I know Roberts, Ichiro, and Jeter master the lead off spot, I just want people to know that Ichiro and Derek Jeter aren’t the only two great lead off hitters in the game.
Span’s been surprisingly great his first season and a half, but to call him the “best leadoff hitter in baseball” is a pretty gross exaggeration. Guys like Brian Roberts and Ichiro are consistently better than Span, while Jeter was a great leadoff hitter last year, Figgins merits mention for sure, and then you’ve got guys like Jimmy Rollins and Jose Reyes who had a down year or were hurt last season, but are still far more proven leadoff hitters than Span. Even Nyjer Morgan had a year on par with Span last season; he could be in the conversation for best leadoff men last year.
Span’s coming into his own, but to call him the best leadoff man is baseball is just blatant homerism at this point. He’s got potential to get there, but he’s not there yet.
I completely agree. Denard Span is the best leadoff hitter in all of Baseball and is one of the Premier Rising Stars of the Game. He could possibly finish off his career with 3000 hits. The guy is just an on-base and hitting machine.
Span is a.300 hitter, crede had a down year( though he is a FA now ), cuddyer has 30 homerun pop, kubel hit .300 and with 28 homeruns. And your trying to tell me this is a team of scrubs? Well in that case, give me a whole team of scrubs.
I hope Mauer stays with the Twins.
I also hope mauer stays with the twins. I’m pretty sure he’s from there too. I also hope Pujols does too.
I also hope mauer stays with the twins. I’m pretty sure he’s from there too. I also hope Pujols does too.
Josh Johnson has a big future. Good job by the fish.
Mauer with another team is like spaghetti with ketchup instead of tomato sauce, it just wouldn’t be the same
Josh Johnson has a big future. Good job by the fish.
I’m in too. It would just be wrong for Joe Mauer to be anywhere but Minnesota.
I’m in too. It would just be wrong for Joe Mauer to be anywhere but Minnesota.
Ditto.