Now that the calendar has flipped to March, Opening Day seems that much closer. Here are some links from around MLB, starting with a pair of injury updates…
- The Pirates announced that A.J. Burnett has an orbital fracture of his right eye and will require surgery. The club didn’t provide a timetable for the right-hander, who was acquired from the Yankees last month.
- The Indians announced that Grady Sizemore underwent a “minimally invasive low back procedure” and is expected to miss two to three months.
- Agent Jeff Berry told Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle that no discussions about a multiyear deal for Giants catcher Buster Posey are expected to take place before Opening Day. Posey hasn't played since last May 25th, so it's more likely that an extension would become a priority next offseason.
- Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner confirmed to reporters, including Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger, that he is intent on lowering payroll below $189MM by 2014 for luxury tax purposes (Twitter link).
Glad there is finally a cap, the spending gap was getting absurd.
there has been a cap for awhile, but the Yankees just continued to pay the luxury tax. If they stay under the 189 million in 2014 they get some of that tax $$$ back.
there’s no cap, there’s just a penalty for having a payroll over $189 million
America…where everyone loves capitalism except for in sports.
A swing, and a miss. If baseball is really an example of “capitalism,” the Yankees could spilt from MLB and become their own league. They don’t really need the other 29 teams when they could just play 162 games with themselves!
Except they’d have no one to play. Semi-pro teams? Who would go see a sporting event where one side is always grossly outmatched because all of the stars are on one team? Oh, wait…that’s the NBA.
Uh, right. That was my point. This isn’t about “capitalism” it’s about the huge imbalance of team resources based mainly on the team’s geography.
That’s not entirely true, you still have to have effective management…look at the Mets, why aren’t they profitable and successful?? And the Dodgers?
I did say mainly. As for the Dodgers, their payroll is only a little over average for MLB, for reasons we should all know.
Part of it also has to do with greedy ballplayers asking for too much money. Athletes are making more than teachers and politicians when their prime goal is to entertain, not help the country.
The reason they make so much is because they are the absolute best at what they do. They bring in that type of money for their team. You don’t have to watch MLB. You can go watch a little league or high school game for free if all you want to do is watch baseball.
No, that’s okay. I still like MLB, just throwing my two cents out there.
I don’t necessarily disagree with you on ballplayers being greedy. But, the owners aren’t exactly innocent here. They’re the ones that shell out the contracts. And the small market teams torture their fans with losing season after losing season when their owners are billionaires who could certainly afford to field a competitive team. But, it’s a business, and business is all about making money. Both the players and the owners agree on this, that’s for sure.
In the end, the only real loser is the fans…but, as long as your team is winning, it doesn’t really matter.
so true
let the owners keep it !
Grady Sizemore injured? What else is new?
I know. I think he’s made of glass.
Grady is time to go home and rest for good, Retirement is all you need to think
Why? when you can get some team to pay you 5m for stats you did five years ago. Don’t blame him. Where is the Indian’s head?
On the sleeve of their jersey…
Sizemore might still be an effective fourth outfielder this season. Not the best use of five million, but not the worst either. When he actually played last year he was pretty good.
You’re right. He didn’t really get on base but the power was still there.
Only AJ Burnett would need surgery after fouling a ball off his own face.
Well, it’s an improvement from when he cut his hands by slamming them on a door because he couldn’t cope with getting lit up game after game…
Wow, this just seems like something that could only happen to the Pirates.
Amen
Sounds eerily familar to when he signed with Toronto
This guy´s bad luck seems to never end…
Sizemore…
so sad.
I just spent 20 million for AJ to not play for us , Pittsburgh gave me 13 Million for him to not play for them, plus prospects… Excuse me while i go flex in the Mirror.
– B. Cashman
Brian,
Ripping off the Pirates isn’t exactly the work of a rocket scientist. People have been doing it for decades now.
I said excuse me while i flex in the mirror!
-B. Cashman
Players the Pirates have traded to the Yankees over the past 25 years or so: Cecilio Guante, Rick Rhoden, Jeff Robinson, Luis Sojo, Craig Wilson, Damaso Marte, Xavier Nady, Erik Hinske, Diego Moreno
Players the Yankees have traded to the Pirates over the past 25 years or so: Doug Drabek, Don Slaught, Damaso Marte, Jose Tabata, Daniel McCutchen, Jeff Karstens, AJ Burnett.
Maybe it is rocket science for the Yankees.
How is Brian Cashman going to be able to build a team around a measly 189 Million dollar payroll? Ridiculous!
It figures that Steinbrenner is now talking about having a payroll of below 189 M since his father destroyed the salary structure of the whole league with his penchant of signing the best players from teams to insane contracts and amounts. It is locking the barn door after the horses have escaped mentality and the damage is already done. 3 year deals were the norm. Now players want 10 year contracts and who can baseball thank for that, yep the Yankees.
The Texas Rangers started the ridiculous 10 year contracts with the original AROD contract.
Yes, but they weren’t the ones who perfected it and made it “normal.” The Yankees and Red Sox have.
Okay, and I guarantee you every single Red Sox fan will say that giving Manny 8 years was well worth it. There’s this certain curse that they snapped with Manny winning World Series MVP.
Other than Manny, they didn’t really give out any ludicrously termed contracts until Crawford and Gonzalez and if they hadn’t given them those deals, someone else would have.
You were talking about who started it and you were wrong—nice try.
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Subject: [mlbtraderumors] Re: Quick Hits: Burnett, Sizemore, Posey, Yankees: MLB Rumors – MLBTradeRumors.com
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PWNdroia wrote, in response to pollbuster2:
Yes, but they weren’t the ones who perfected it and made it “normal.” Link to comment
The Yankees first $100 mil free agent was Jason Giambi.
A-Rod, Manny, Ken Griffey, Kevin Brown and Mike Hampton were all given the big contracts before the Yankees gave one out.
He tries – I know it will tie his hands though
“How is Brian Cashman going to be able to build a team around a measly 189 Million dollar payroll?”
Easy.. Cashman is a brilliant GM.. Keep Hankie and Hal out of the way and he will be able to do it am certain.. Look over the bad contracts they have.. Soriano, ARod.. Those are Steinbrenner deals, not Cash’s and jeter was forced by a Steinbrenner.. Remove those 3 and the team is easily under the cap as Rodriquez would have been a FA this off season…
I’m pretty sure he was being sarcastic, considering the Yankees had a $189 mil payroll in 2007, and their first $200 mil payroll year was in 2005.
“How is Brian Cashman going to be able to build a team around a measly 189 Million dollar payroll?”
Easy.. Cashman is a brilliant GM.. Keep Hankie and Hal out of the way and he will be able to do it am certain.. Look over the bad contracts they have.. Soriano, ARod.. Those are Steinbrenner deals, not Cash’s and jeter was forced by a Steinbrenner.. Remove those 3 and the team is easily under the cap as Rodriquez would have been a FA this off season…
About as stunned as when I learned that Zumaya was injured
Sadly, when I saw Scott Sizemore was injured, I initially thought it was Grady.
Looks like I was just a few days early.
A bad week to be a Sizemore.
It’s only march and trading burnett is already the best move the yankees made.
I’m pretty sure Hal will make an exception if something good comes up.
How long would an orbital fracture surgery set someone back?
I’d be surprised if he missed more than 2 weeks.
8-12 weeks is what they announced today. OOF.
Now AJ can wear an eyepatch and look like a real pirate!
the yankees most likely knew full well or had reasonable enough doubt to believe he was injured and even though i dont know that with any degree of certainty im guessing thats why they dumped him on the pirates…and since the pirates have 18 consecutive losing seasons and are basically the worst team in major league baseball in terms of finances and scouting it only stands to reason that they would go the short route and hire doctors who are medically inept(in my opinion)
If he was injured he would not have passed his physical following the trade and it would have been cancelled. Unless the Pirates have the worst doctors of all time that they couldn’t spot a fractured orbital bone when they were staring AJ in the face, there’s no way your theory could possibly be valid.
OK I ADMIT I WAS WRONG I Didnt realize it was a recent injury i thought and incorrectly assumed it was a prior injury that was rearing its ugly head again..again im sorry for anyone i may have upset or offended
He bunted a ball that hit him in the face. Wow…Try researching something before you post a theory…
haha….silly.
Maybe everyone was in on it and they KNEW he would get hit in the eye socket with a ball!
Yeah but they still like whooping the Braves. Also he had a bunted ball hit him in the face. Probably felt something like when you were hit you in the face when you got to close to your buddy’s backswing, remember? This is not rocket science.
the pirates have seventeen consecutive losing seasons in a row so it only stands to reason that they are one of the dumbest and most financially inept and scouting inept franchises in major league baseball and thats just me expressing my opinion so no need to jump all over me
Just to be clear, you’re blaming the current front office and ownership group that has only been in place for a little over 4 years for the teams failure to win in 1993?
no im blaming the prior regime as well as the current front office for not correcting the problems that caused them to have 17 consecutive losing seasons
i feel bad for the pirates..poor guys
the last time Pirates had a winning season was when Bonds was on the team. LOL.