On this date in 2005, Roger Clemens agreed to a one-year deal worth $18MM with the Astros, making him the then-highest paid pitcher in baseball history. The Rocket filed for $22MM in salary arbitration while Houston countered with just $13.5MM. He was coming off a season in which he posted a 2.98 ERA with 9.2 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 214 1/3 innings and won his seventh career Cy Young Award.
Here is this week's batch of links…
- SF Giants Rumors has a Q&A with Pablo Sandoval, including a short but exclusive video of one of his lifting sessions. You'll notice that Kung Fu Panda had shed quite a few pounds this winter.
- Fishstripes sat down for a chat with Marlins first baseman Gaby Sanchez.
- Yankeeist interviews former Yankee catcher John Ellis.
- Red Reporter wishes the Reds would have locked up Joey Votto for more than three years.
- Harness The Halo believes the Angels can be major players for Albert Pujols next offseason.
- The Tao of Stieb thinks the arbitration filing figures are an indication that the Blue Jays and Jose Bautista are willing to work towards a long-term deal.
- Drunk Jays Fans sifts through some recent Blue Jays related news.
- The Blue Jay Hunter does the Manny Ramirez dance.
- The Nats Blog discusses the topic of trading draft picks.
- Rooftop View wonders if a long-term deal for Carlos Marmol is a good idea.
- We Should Be GMs flashes back to two Phillies extensions signed on this date.
- Royals Review takes a premature look at Kansas City's 2012 roster.
- The Process Report analyzes Kyle Farnsworth's intimidation factor.
- Bless You Boys looks at Phil Coke's changeup and his transition to the rotation.
- Baseball Time in Arlington muses about Michael Young's flexibility.
- The Friarhood wants to see the dimensions of Petco Park changed.
- Camden Crazies posted 2011 projections for Derrek Lee and Matt Wieters (Lee, Wieters).
- Splashing Pumpkins compares two Matts, Cain and Garza (part one, part two).
- Crashburn Alley has a humorous take on Kyle Kendrick's arbitration case.
- Prospect Insider meanders about some Mariners news and notes.
- Baseball Analysts looks back at the Cardinals' offseason.
- More Hardball reviews some questionable offseason roster moves.
- At Home Plate ranks the five best offseason moves.
- Purple Row debuted its newest feature: Rockies Roster.
- Beyond The Box Score ranks reporters by their offseason scoops.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here. Only one email per week, please.
Of the 5 best offseason moves I’d actually rank Marcum for Lawrie at #1. When Marcum is on his game he’s at least a solid #2 starter and relatively the Brewers didn’t have to give up a lot for him.
Marcum is a wonderful pickup for the Brew crew. Dodger fans will tell you they had the best offseason (as quantity is apparently better than quality), but I think it was the Brewers. They significantly upgraded their staff.
INFERIORITY COMPLEX.
I think Marcum will have a very good season in the NL but saying that they gave up not that much for him isn’t quite right I don’t think. Lawrie is only 21 and has talents that could put him in the bigs a year from now. I think that the trade is dead even and gives both teams what they need. I think the price was right on par.
I’m not saying they got Marcum for nothing, but I think the Jays could have gotten more. In the end I think the Brewers will be happier with the results.
Really liked the piece by Splashing Pumpkins…very similar to what I was talking about the other day. We too often get robotic comparisons of xFIP followed by reflexive conclusions on how two pitchers are essentially the same (as Cameron’s Harang/Garza piece did) –but not enough is written about why some pitchers consistently outperform/under-perform their xFIPs. At a certain point, luck or fluke is no longer a satisfactory answer. Forget about outlier years. What makes certain pitchers outliers year after year? This piece made a nice effort to answer that question. Good stuff.
Matt Cain is xFIPs worst nightmare. The kid is good. More movement on his fastball than anyone in the league, just ask the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, and the Philadelphia Phillies.
There’s a comment on the reporter ranking blog that says “I wonder if Heyman would be mad to know that he’s getting scooped by Rosenthal, even with his office located directly in Boras’ pocket.” Hahaaha awesome!
Hilarious! Heyman actually said the Yankees have 7 future HOF on their roster, with Andruw Jones, Jorge Posada, and Mark Texiera included. What a NY Homer.
Andruw Jones was the best center fielder for a decade in the national league and, i dont even like the braves , but you gotta give credit where its do , for example the giants have one future hof
Yes, Audrey huff should gather quite a few votes when his time comes
i would think so being the most average 1st baseman in the league makes him first ballot hof worthy
It’s going to take a record-setting contract to pry Pujols away from St.Louis. Even with Kazmir, Abreu, Rivera, Rodney, Pinero and Matthews Jr coming off the books, I don’t believe Moreno/Reagins have what it takes to do it. They better start preparing an offer now before winter 2011 sneaks up on them.
The Angels don’t need to “prepare” an offer.
Angels: Albert what are your contract demands?
Albert: I want x amount.
Angels: O.K. sign here please.
This will be what every team does that wants Albert, or at least should
Yep
I suspect that Pujols is ripe for the plucking. I think what the Cardinals are waiting for is a way out of Albert’s contract. If the Cards were able to sign him, he’d be signed by now. So, go get him, Angels. The Cardinals are not to put up much of a fight, IMO.
That’s funny. The Angels couldn’t step up and be players for Adrian Beltre, but they’ll be in the mix for Pujols? Good luck.
More like why overpay and sign Beltre to a possible 6-year WTF deal when your team is already struggling hard with a $130M payroll. Better to spend the next two years shedding payroll and bad contracts (GMJ, Kazmir, Rodney, etc.) and wait for Trout and some other kids to develop a bit and rebuild around them.
The Angels have ZERO contract obligations right now beyond 2012 besides Downs. That’s a lot of wiggle room for payroll in the coming years. I’m not saying they’ll sign Pujols (and doubt they will), but no reason to bog your team down with an almost $100M contract for freaking Adrian Beltre.
They were favorites to to land Crawford too.
Who was
Somebody in Tampa Rays land is absolutely dreaming that Farnsworth brings anything intimidating to anybody. The rays bring nothing but a hard thrower, who has -0- clue where the ball is going and NOT a Ryne Duren, Rob Dibble, Bobby Veale type who was trully intimidating on the mound and could/would plunk a batter at will and threw just as hard, or harder than Farrnsworth with control. Only Duren would give a “show” during warmups with tossing wild pitches to intimidate batters before entering the game, but he could/would hit a batter at will, unlike Farnsworth who truly has no clue which side of the plate, or park the ball is going to when it leaves his hand.
The Rays have a a bad feeling are getting nothing more than a discard that the Royals and Yankees have already wasted big money and serious time and effort on already trying to figure out.
MoveInTheFencesAtPetcoParkPlease
At Home Plate mist not know the Cubs farm system very well to say they didn’t have the depth to withstand the trade. Brandon Guyer and Hak Ju Lee were expendable with guys like Brett Jackson, Matt Szczur, Reggie Golden, DJ Lemeheiu and Ryan Flaherty. Even Archer was expendable with a good young crop of pitchers.
Albert better be cub. If not why would he sign with anyone else besides the cards
No what would be even more dominate for Albert would be to put the phillies in the al and the phillies sign him. Dh howard put Albert at first and that would make up for no worth. Worth Must be pist off at himself for not staying with the phillies. Worth is a DUMMIE
Werth just got paid and is set for life. It’s not all about winning. Besides that, he gets to be along for the ride during their ascent up the NL standings over the next few years.