The Rangers advanced to their second consecutive World Series last night. Today, Buster Olney of ESPN.com breaks down some of the crucial moves Texas made — and didn't make — that helped them return to the Fall Classic. More on that and a couple other items of note out of the AL and NL West …
- Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com feels that while the Rangers proved they didn't need Cliff Lee to win the American League pennant, they would not have done so had they traded Michael Young last offseason.
- The Rockies will move their Rookie level affiliate from Casper, WY to Grand Junction, CO, writes William Browning of the Casper Star-Tribune.
- The Rangers considered acquiring starters such as Zack Greinke and Matt Garza when Lee walked in free agency, writes Olney, but because the Rangers were stocked with young power arms, they decided to address other needs. Instead, they acquired players in Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli who were seemingly undervalued by their former organizations. Beltre, after the Red Sox moved on from him quickly by acquiring Adrian Gonzalez and moving Kevin Youkilis to third, nearly signed with the Angels but felt he had a better chance to win with the Rangers.
- Though it appears unlikely the Athletics will gain approval to build a new stadium in a different nearby city, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle wonders whether they'd be able to build a new stadium at the site of the Oakland Coliseum. The NFL's Raiders, with whom the A's share the Coliseum, may relocate to a shared stadium with the 49ers in Santa Clara, which would leave the A's as sole tenants of their current digs, so they wouldn't have to consider any other team's needs.
- Mark Ellis provided some stability at second base when the Rockies acquired him this season, but the key stone has persisted as a unanswered question throughout Colorado's existence, writes Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post. Ellis, an impending free agent, "figures to return" to the Rox in 2012, according to Armstrong.
- Elsewhere in Armstrong's piece, he writes that the Rockies will "dive into the offseason trade market in hopes of landing a quality starting pitcher." Three prospects whom other teams might seek are outfielder Tim Wheeler, infielder Nolan Arenado and pitcher Chad Bettis.
Cliff Lee and the Phillies are supposed to win it all this week in the World Series, right?
Yeah, unless they lose to MVP candidate Carl Crawford and the Red Sox.
” nearly signed with the Angels but felt he had a better chance to win with the Rangers.”
I thought he begged LAA to sign him since he only lives 20 min from the stadium
He supposedly wanted to go there, but the Angels wouldn’t step up and offer him what he felt he was worth. The Rangers did.
Yeah, if you mean the Rangers were willing to over pay and the Angels weren’t, but there is no way Beltre “nearly signed with the Angels but felt he had a better chance to win with the Rangers”. That is just some hack writer trying to rewrite history without knowing the facts.
Of course the Rangers didn’t actually end up “overpaying”…
This year? No, they didn’t. Beltre had a lower BABIP than usual and still managed to put up a .380 wOBA (highest in the league among 3B). The problem is that he only played in 124 games and he’s entering his age 33 season. Will Beltre be worth 66MM for the next 4 seasons?
You don’t have to meet your contract for any specific time frame to be a worthy signing. Fangraphs estimates he was worth worth well over his salary in 2011, 26 million, even with injury on a team that will at least appear in the world series. If he puts up a similar next year, even if he drops off after that the contract will on the whole be reasonable.
Meanwhile, much of his value is wrapped up in defense and 3b defense traditionally ages fairly well. He should remain a positive defensive player with good power for the duration, his OBP may dip into annoying levels but injuries are the only thing that should be able to make the Rangers regret the contract and you can’t predict that. Win a world series with him as a key piece and I doubt even that would do it.
“You don’t have to meet your contract for any specific time frame to be a worthy signing.”
Correct. After the next 4 (or 5) years of baseball Beltre’s contract could potentially be viewed as an overpay and still be considered a worthwhile signing, especially if they win the series this year (or any other that Beltre helps obtain). I was simply wondering out loud whether or not Beltre will be considered a good/decent value for the remaining years on his contract, which I believe is tied to how healthy he is able to stay and whether or not his bat will hold up long enough to be worth the DH spot if necessary in the last year of his deal.
There are always conflicting reports. I think “beg” is probably a really strong word. I don’t see a Boras client, or any MLB player of Beltre’s caliber “begging” a team to sign him. I’m sure he just sounded interested in going there.
LoL i was gona comment on that to. Even though Beltre did say that exact quote when Rangers clinched the ALCS.. So Beltre is a lier and just said that to shove it on Angels fans and Angels Organization
I don’t think the A’s would build on the same site as the coliseum. They have one chance to build so they are going to do it somewhere where the property values are high.
It adds a considerable amount of dollar value to the team.
I agree, i’m a Ranger fan but i’ve always thought the A’s deserve a better “ballpark”. It certainly doesn’t help them when trying to pursuade FA to play for them.
Since Al Davis died I have a feeling the Raiders might move into the new LA stadium which would leave O.com field (Oakland Coliseum) open for a remodel to make it more fan friendly and smaller(less foul ground) for the players…
lew doesnt want to stay in that stadium… no way he goes along with a remodel. I’m totally fine with them building a park at that location. Great access from BART, and although its in a bad neighborhood, I’m sure the a’s could work with the city to clean up around the stadium as part of an agreement to keeping the team there. great example is ATT park, that area wasn’t that great and the new stadium revived the area.
“Beltre thought he’d have a better chance to win with rangers”… No, He got the better contract with the Rangers; that’s why he went there. I’m sure they’ll be loving that contract when beltre is 37 38 yrs old and can barely run and hit 250. bad contract!
I think they overpayed, but what team doesn’t have to overpay for talent anymore? Everyone has to, because it’s the only way you’ll ever get anyone. Everyone in Texas knows Beltre will be a DH in about the 5th year of the deal. He’s a top 3 defensive third baseman in the league and I for one am happy to have him.
Considering he’s already been worth 5.7 wins, I don’t really see how you consider the contract to be an overpayment.
there is no way the Raiders share the new Niners stadium in Santa Clara, forget that theory
The Rockies should seriously set up a package for either Wandy Rodriguez or Matt Garza. Looking at each team’s needs, this type of package should get it done for either pitcher if salary is split in half:
Chad Bettis
Christian Friedrich
Seth Smith
Eric Young Jr.
Seth Smith would become a starting outfielder while Chad Bettis continues to develop into a possible 3-4 starter. Eric Young and Christian Friedrich are broken goods, but they can still be useful if benefited by a change of scenery and have their talent reconstructed
Keep the legacy, and the team of the Athletics in Oakland!
I got to wonder if Charlie “O” still had those A’s if they would not be moved, or have that new stadium in San Jose by now. he would start something that would sooo irk the Commish, especially the thin skinned Selig that he would get his way.
Whether it be a mule on the field wearing a straw hat, attempting o sell off his roster and planting a dare after his 1st 3 had been blocked (Paul Lindblad as recall) the guy just had way. Maybe the current A’s ownership should stop marching lock step with the masses if they A) Don’t want out or B) Really want that new stadium.
As much as Bill Veeck and Charlie “O” were villianized for low payrolls, they were not as bad as some back then and at least went out and tried “gimmicks” to draw in fans, were in many cases popular with the players and in Veck’s case owned MLB franchises for decades off and on.
Not to mention had the best promo ever for noise pollution with disco destruction night by Veeck. Same as recall had to cancel the 2nd game of a double header when they blew up all those 33rpm records after game 1, but it was a good cause…
Shea’s article is bored/slow news day writing. Its a topic thats been rehashed and refuted. There topic he brings up is dead horse, and he’s just trying to beat some life into it.
Rockies should consider dealing prospects for an impact bat as the return on their investment would not draw a plus-pitcher. There is an impact bat available – at the right price – that player’s team just is saying (for now) he’s not available.
Will discuss this in an article this week.
Rockies Anayst (google)
and
Colorado Rockies’ Prospects Report (google)
Like Aramis Ramirez? or are you possibly hinting at Carl Crawford being traded from Boston, cuz I live in Rhode Island, and the fans I know are ready to chase him away with pitchforks and cannolis.
You realize that the difference in contracts between the Angels and Rangers for Beltre was minute. It wasn’t a huge difference, so if it meant more to play near his home Beltre would have, and if he felt he could have gotten to the World Series with the Angels he would have went there. Instead he chose the Rangers because they had the better chance, not because there was just a little more money involved.
I could retire on that “minute” difference.