Some links on what promises to be one of the best days of the year…
- Chris Haft of MLB.com writes that the Giants' bench is lacking in right-handed bats, though he doesn't suggest they'll look to make a trade.
- The Red Sox have expressed reluctance in the past to sign pitchers to long-term contracts, but MLB.com's Ian Browne notes that Josh Beckett's extension means the club has four important starters under team control through 2014.
- Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says the Beckett extension was directly motivated by the Red Sox' rivalry with the Yankees.
- Beckett told reporters that he focuses on the security that comes with his extension, not the money he could potentially have obtained on the open market, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com.
- The San Francisco Chronicle had some nice things to say about MLBTR in its business report. Check it out.
- The Mariners remain the favorites to sign Dominican pitcher Rafael DePaula, according to Jorge Arangure Jr. of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- Michael Aubrey cleared waivers and was outrighted to the minors, according to an Orioles press release. The team designated Aubrey for assignment last week.
- Check out this two-sport star: the White Sox hired former Chicago Bulls GM Jerry Krause to oversee the team's scouting in the Dominican Republic, according to ESPNChicago's Bruce Levine.
- Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette points out that the Pirates will have the lowest Opening Day payroll in baseball and asks when the future starts for the Pirates. His answer? Once Pedro Alvarez takes over third base at PNC Park. If all goes well for Pittsburgh, that could happen before midseason.
- Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times has the Mariners' payroll at about $89MM, a little higher than USA Today's $86.5MM figure.
- Rangers GM Jon Daniels tells Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that speculation that the Rangers are looking for reasons to fire manager Ron Washington is "silly."
- As Jeff Powalisz of the Boston Globe points out, Boston's free agent acquisitions are already contributing.
- Matt Stairs will become the first modern-day position player to suit up for 12 different teams when he takes the field for the Padres, as MLB.com's Corey Brock points out.
i wish the pirates win a championship
Roberto Clemente
retire#21
Well, since Boston has played in the only official game of the season to date of course there acquisitions are looking good
Exactly it was only one game.
i agree, only after one game doesnt really tell much of anything at all. i think because it was against such a good team and they outscored them in a high score game, since they were supposed to be a pitching and defense club, showed they can hit a bit to when they have to. i do agree, very very premature speculation
to be honest, once the sox fell behind by 4 runs i thought it was over because out team is supposed to maintain a lead and not play catch up. you have to admit though if your a fan, even a yankee fan, you didnt see that sox win coming
Oh yeah, it was a great game
its funny you mention sabathia because they did that in his first game in the playoffs when he won, they said that all the money was worth it on account of winning a playoff game with the yankees, i remember that because im a sox fan :P. but i completely agree, the writer of that articles “stupid” is showing
The payroll figures are interesting. The gap between the Red Sox and Yankees shrunk considerably compared to last year.
And yet the difference is STILL more than the entire payrolls of some major league teams.
the Redsox have so much coming off the books in the next season or two that i don’t think it will be as close for a while. Ortiz,Lowell,Varitek and possibly Martinez next season (i certainly don’t see Ortiz or Lowell coming back…I think Tek might retire and they will probably work something out with Martinez since Mauer is off the market). Then after the 2011 season Drew Cameron Scutaro which it appears the organization is hoping to replace with some of the kids (Jose Iglesias@ss, Reddick,westmorland,Kalish or Jorge Padron filling out possibly LF or RF).
the Redsox have so much coming off the books in the next season or two that i don’t think it will be as close for a while. Ortiz,Lowell,Varitek and possibly Martinez next season (i certainly don’t see Ortiz or Lowell coming back…I think Tek might retire and they will probably work something out with Martinez since Mauer is off the market). Then after the 2011 season Drew Cameron Scutaro which it appears the organization is hoping to replace with some of the kids (Jose Iglesias@ss, Reddick,westmorland,Kalish or Jorge Padron filling out possibly LF or RF).
This just in to Odds & Ends: Albert Pujols is still a ridiculous hitter. Absolutely ridiculous.
This just in: Heyward’s ok, too.
Heyward is better than ok
Who?
Oh, that one guy on the Braves?
Nah, he stinks.
Susan Slusser at the SF Chronicle has mentioned before how much she appreciates MLBTR accurately representing stories, crediting the proper journalists, and linking to the original article.
“Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says the Beckett extension was directly motivated by the Red Sox’ rivalry with the Yankees.”
And he gets PAID for this brilliant insight? Where do I sign up?
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