A few news items to wrap up a busy Monday…
- The Cubs, Marlins and Tigers are the three teams most actively targeting Yoenis Cespedes, reports FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal (Twitter link). Last week, Cespedes said the Cubs were his most ardent suitor, with the Marlins, Tigers, Orioles, White Sox and Indians also showing "more interest" in him.
- White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski tells MLB.com's Scott Merkin that he plans to continue playing after 2012. Pierzynski, 35, has spent the last seven years with the Sox and is a free agent after this season.
- Yadier Molina's future with the Cardinals is debated in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch roundtable.
- Bud Selig's two-year contract extension was officially finalized and announced today, Major League Baseball announced. Selig will remain commissioner through the 2014 season. The extension was approved by a unanimous 30-0 vote amongst team owners.
- Derrek Lee could retire if he doesn't find "a perfect situation," tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Yesterday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post said Lee could be in for a Jermaine Dye-esque "forced retirement" since no team would be willing to meet his desired price.
- The Rays reportedly have interest in Edgar Renteria for a bench spot, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
- The Astros will consider uniform changes and even possibly a name change for 2013, new club owner Jim Crane announced at a press conference today (passed on by Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle).
- Indians catcher Lou Marson could see a lot of playing time against left-handed pitching, writes MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. Regular catcher Carlos Santana could play at first base on the days the strong-armed Marson (who threw out 33.3% of baserunners last year) is behind the plate. The right-handed hitting Marson has a .285/.367/.395 career line against southpaws and would add balance to an Indians lineup that is very heavy on left-handed bats.
When you can play, you can play and AJ Pierznyski can play.
Does not compute.
I love those videos. Michael Swaim is a genius.
Can they change their name back to the Colt .45’s?
The Houston Prospectors and their mascot Gus Chiggins.
Oh my god, I LOVE that sketch
Perhaps the Houston Oilers?
How can it be an unanimous 30-0 vote when the Padres owner voted again the extension?
I’m trying to remember a quote from the book “We”. It’s been a long time since I read it… but basically the quote was “Your Benefactor has been unanimously re-elected. Some of the votes were changed for your benefit.”
Astros won’t be able to do a throwback change like the Jays and Orioles did. Then they’ll look like they’re copying the Marlins.
The Cardinals need to lock up Yadier Molina ASAP. If Pujols resigned with the Cardinals, I could see an issue with money but Pujols is history in St. Louis so there are no excuses, Molina needs an extension. He deserves one too as he is one of the best defensive catchers in the game today with the addition of being a clutch hitter. Right now, I’d say he is the Cardinals most important player and needs to stay a Cardinal
If he is playing for the last $$$… he will playing somewhere else. Wainright is going to break the bank. He should be our #1 priority.
The nice thing about this upcoming offseason is that Lohse and Westbrook are coming off the books, so that will be more money to make a good deal for Molina. Realistically, the Cardinals should extend Molina before he reaches free agency so he doesn’t get tempted with bigger contracts like Pujols did. The Cardinals should match any contract offer because he’s that important to the team especially for the pitching staff and all of the young pitchers that will reach the majors in the next couple of years.
Molina is no doubt a player the Cards have to lockup, They should lock him up as soon as possible and they could actually wait 2 yrs to lock up their new Franchise guy. One move that is a head scratcher to me is the Cards signing Carlos Beltran he’s a loser everywhere he’s played. With the few exception of the Astros being good at the time and him taking strike 3 right down the pipe for the Mets to help the Cards clinch the pennant.
I am saying this as a depressed Cubs fan seeing how they haven’t really done anything good this winter
Molina is no doubt a player the Cards have to lockup, They should lock him up as soon as possible and they could actually wait 2 yrs to lock up their new Franchise guy. One move that is a head scratcher to me is the Cards signing Carlos Beltran he’s a loser everywhere he’s played. With the few exception of the Astros being good at the time and him taking strike 3 right down the pipe for the Mets to help the Cards clinch the pennant.
Is Derrek Lee too expensive for the Rays? If not, they should sign him. It would be a great addition.
They just signed Peña, so Lee makes little sense.
Molina $ should come when Lohse and Westbrook are off of the payroll… Can’t wait for all three things to happen, actually.
You doesn’t know when to leave do you bud? Yankees closer Mariano Rivera hinted at retirement during Jorge Posada’s retirement press conference today and bud should not hint at it but just do it please.
Johnny Damon and Vladimir Guerrero can also help Seattle Mariners at DH or outfield at times to give Ichiro and/or Mike Carp a day off. They both would be great teaching younger players what it takes to survive in the big league being a good hitter for a long time since the M’s are still looking for some help on offense to possibly compete for second place in the division.