This round of Monday afternoon links includes updates on one player who is leaving the AL East, one who is just arriving in it and one who has played his entire career there…
- Former Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell tells Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he knows he'll miss playing this year, though his transition to retirement has been smooth so far.
- Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun explains that Orioles owner Peter Angelos and president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail wanted to sign Vladimir Guerrero and that Guerrero wasn't wavering on his $8MM asking price. The sides agreed to a deal last Friday.
- Derek Jeter tells Brian Costello of the New York Post that that he's "done with" feeling hurt by his contract negotiations with the Yankees and not worried about potential position switches.
Lowell’s a class act. We’ll miss you in Boston buddy. Thanks for the hard work.
Hey Lowell, Can you pitch?
– B. Cashman
Do we really have to see the same joke everday?
Hey NYY4288, Can you pitch?
– B Cashman
I CAN PITCH! I’ll gladly take a minor-league deal with an invite to Spring Training! Make it happen Cashman.
Same here. The best.
As a Sox fan, I was really hoping the Yanks would sign Jeter to $150M/6 or whatever he was asking for.
Honestly though, Jeter got what he deserves after posting the career lows (or near career lows) in AVG, OBP, SLG, and OPS. Nevertheless, Jeter is a great player, and the best thing about him, he stays healthy. The only season he played less than 148 games was in 2003. His $189M/10 contract will definitely stand as one of the most successful $100 million dollar signings, along with Manny’s $160M/8 and Pujols’ $100M/7.
The thing is he didn’t get what he deserved. He got more than he deserved for the reasons you have stated. Career worst in pretty much everything and he is still going to be the highest paid “shortstop” in MLB.
I agree. 36 YO SS That hit like he did last season and with his limited range (joke GG included) makes Michael Young’s remaining 3/48m look like a bargain which is the identical amount Jeter will get until 2013.
No chance Jeter gets 1/3 of that on the open market.
“Deserves.”
Why do we argue that players don’t “deserve” a big contract after having many average years followed by one good year (Beltre, Pavano, Burnett, etc.), but then also that players don’t “deserve” a big contract after having many good years followed by one average year?
For that matter, people now think in retrospect that Alex Rodriguez doesn’t “deserve” his monster contract after having several fantastic seasons — now that he’s getting older and not producing the same results.
Yet — on these boards, most people argue that the Cardinals should pay Albert Pujols handsomely because he’s been so good for so long, and relatively underpaid for that effort. What if he gets $30MM/season, but turns into a .290/30/90 player? Will he get a bum rap?
A player doesn’t deserve a big contract after many average years followed by one good year is quite logical to me. Only time will tell, but my guess is that in the next few years, Beltre goes back to being a .275/20HR player. We saw what happened after his monster season in 04, followed by mediocre season in Seattle. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.
The difference between Pujols and Jeter is that we know Jeter is in decline. Not only has Pujols been consistently good throughout his entire career, but he also put up good numbers last year, as opposed to Jeter who put up career worsts last year. If Pujols hit .280/25HR/90RBI, then he would have no chance at getting $300M/10. People would speculate that he may be dropping off.
People are not saying that Pujols will be good throughout his potential 10 year contract. It would be ridiculous to think that he will continue putting up .315/35HR/120RBI through his late 30s and early 40s. However, in this market, you have to pay up, especially after A-Rod established the $275M mark. Both players are overpaid, but Pujols will be overpaid because of A-Rod’s contract. When A-Rod signed his $275M/10 contract with the Yankees, the Yankees were bidding against themselves. Which other team was prepared to pay him that much? He didn’t deserve that contract then, and he surely doesn’t deserve it now.
Pujols doesn’t deserve $300M/10 either, but because of what A-Rod got, it justifies Pujols getting $300M/10.
Lowell was the best.
I remember hating the trade at the time but it somehow turned into one of the most even trades ever. Lowell was really fun to watch at third. I remember one game I was watching on tv, foul pop up less than 10 feet from Varitek and Lowell charged in, slid, and made a truly spectacular grab.
He won’t make the Hall but I still think he was one of the best defensive third basemen I’ll ever see.
“turned into one of the most even trades ever”
True true true. Marlins got a perennial All-Star shortstop (which the Red Sox desperately needs right now), and the Red Sox got two players who contributed greatly to the 2007 title.
My daughter was living in Tampa at the time of the trade. She knows a little about baseball and she said you don’t know how good Beckett is. Of course he was aces out at the time. Then she said Lowell is great too. Fortunately she’s back here rooting for the Sox.
Agreed. For the people who got to watch him on a regular basis with the Fish earlier in his career, Mikey was a really slick fielder back in 2003-5 I thought and was fearless. The true team leader.
Was glad if they did trade him it was going to be to Boston, cause he always was a class act.
I’m a high school coach and Yankees fan… but when I’m coaching my third basemen I tell them to watch footage of Mike Lowell… Legit defender and even better guy.
I don’t know. I think Lowell might eventually make the hall. Probably not on the 1st couple years he’s eligible though
My next door neighbor looks exactly IDENTICAL to Lowell. From a Yanks fan I always liked him he was classy.
Orioles off-season FTW. Spring can’t come quick enough.
Man, that Derek Jeter is really something else. I’m glad he’s done feeling hurt by the Yankees extremely generous contract. Sheesh.
what a class act
had no idea he even felt hurt still. wow. to say that in the middle of one of the worst recessions in history where unemployment is sky high really is insensitive. you know what, I am hurt.
No need to defend Jeter but really, just because the public feels he sucks, doesn’t mean HE thinks he sucks or that the ppl around him feel that way either. I imagine whatever was said to him was similar to what is being said to others during the arbitration process. The fact that it’s coming from ppl he’s known all his life makes it hard to hear. The fact that he stares at the pink elephant in the room (Arod’s contract) while they are saying it, just makes it even worse. Looking at it from the perspective of an overpriveleged and prideful athlete I can sort of see his side. From the perspective of 95% of American’s, I could see the the ridiculousness of the situation.
Fair point, but he’s still a jerk.
I don’t think he made any public comments during the negotiation process. It was, and still is Brian Cashman who can’t keep his mouth shut.
Even I like Jeter. Not sure why everyone rags on him
That Arod deal was the start of the whole mess was the problem tho YFS, now every LT Yankee thinks that they are entitled to some kind of “Yankeecare” contract when their contract runs out that is far and away beyond what market value is. Where does it stop? We have chatted about this before here. Posada is next, you seem to think he won’t get one, but I am thinking we are going to get a huge fuss in the news if he does not get one of these deals, followed by Sabathia possibly opting out after the season and Cano and his new hip agent Boras in 2013.
It’s got to stop somewhere.
I agree. Giving Arod that deal was the worst thing Levine and the Sons could’ve done and you just know Cashman had to be b*tching about it behind closed doors during the Jeter negotiations. The Yanks have taken a hard line before w/ Yankee greats (BW) and I’m sure that unless Posada has some amazing 2011 season that this will be his last year with them. IF he is brought back I’m sure it would be a 1 year deal for a greatly reduced price.
Cano will get paid generously when the time comes but he simply doesn’t have the same mystique that Mo and Jeter had. Unless he asks for something completely crazy then I don’t see him having a problem getting “taken care of”.
You go Jeet. Cashman should try and change positions or see how much he’s worth on the open market.
Jeter should have never been hurt. The man was finishing a contract that paid him 189 million dollars. Add in the money he made from his signing bonus, the years before he signed that contract and all his endorsements and you have well over 200 million. The Yankees then gave him another 45 million. There are few players in baseball who earned more than Derek Jeter since he was drafted at number 6 in 1992. All that money, 5 World Series rings, a red carpet to the Hall of Fame and he wakes up next to Minka Kelly everyday. The man should never be upset about anything.
I think everyone needs to stop talking about the Orioles doing something great in signing Vlad Guerrero. This team has done nothing since 1997 and signing an aging DH who may very well not come close to the numbers he put up in 2010 does not change the fact they will not be printing tickets to playoff games for Camden Yards in 2011. This team was no place close to being one aging DH away from putting together a winner.
I think I’m putting Minka Kelly in my top 5. Yeah, I said it.
I’d put her on top……and spin her….weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
The Guerrero deal? This is why some teams never get better. You’re on the mark.
You are totally right. Guerrero is the only upgrade that the O’s made this off-season. That is all they needed. They didn’t add a single other player. Not at 3B, SS, 1B… no where else. Keep the same lineup and rotation and add Vlad. Yup, that’s it.
If Reyes is tat good maybe the Yanks can finally get a Gold Glove shortstop…
Take a jab at Jeter if you will, but whether he deserves them or not, he’s got four Gold Gloves. Reyes’ next one will be his first.
George Bush won in 2000. Not sure he earned it either.
Just a marvelous analogy!