A weblog of baseball news and analysis
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Cubs re-sign Garciaparra and Walker, add Blanco. Nomar: 1 year, $8 million guaranteed. Walker: 1 year, $2.5 million with an option for 2006. Blanco: 2 years, $2.7 million. (Yahoo!)
Transaction Oracle discussion of the Garciaparra signing. "I guess that deal offered by the Red Sox doesn't look so bad in hindsight. This deal will get Nomar $8 million so he doesn't starve while waiting for a new contract after a healthy year and the Cubs get a potential superstar without having to make a long-term deal, making their risk with Nomar's health nearly zero." (Baseball Think Factory)
Yankees sign Wright, Womack. Wright: 3 years, $22.5 million. Womack will replace Miguel Cairo, who was not offered arbitration. (Newsday)
Transaction Oracle discussion of the Wright and Womack signings. "The team is certainly doing their best to ensure that not only does the team collapse on its own weight - it collapses spectacularly while costing $200 million. I'd mock the team, but I'm holding off my laughter until Eric Milton is signed, lest I suffer the fate of the weasels from Roger Rabbit. Wright will be usable, at least. I don't think Womack or Milton would be." (Baseball Think Factory)
Twins agree to two-year deal with Radke. $18 million. (Yahoo!)
Cardinals re-sign pitcher Matt Morris. One year, $2.5 million guaranteed. (Yahoo!)
2004-05 Major League Baseball free agent signings. A summary. (Yahoo!)
Prospectus Triple Play: Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies. "The White Sox’s main issue is not that they need a shortstop, but that they need a longer-term solution at short than is available in the market. With the possible exception of Renteria, none of these players fits the profile of a player whom a smart team would sign to a long-term contract. There was some hope that Robert Valido, a fourth-round pick in 2003, could be ready in a couple of years, but he had a tough time at Kannapolis this year and is no longer a realistic option. So for now the Sox should either slide Uribe over and see what they’ve got in-house or pick a name out of a hat for a one-year contract. It’s not an easy choice." (Baseball Prospectus)
A Difference of Opinion. "Unlike, I suppose, pretty much everyone, I don't consider steroid abuse to be cheating at baseball. It's cheating at working out, it's probably cheating other players out of playing time in some instances, and it's certainly cheating those players and teams out of money -- but it's not cheating at baseball. The positive effects of steroids are the same as exercise, just dramatically increased. When you take steroids, the ball doesn't jump over the fence on a bunt. Foul balls don't suddenly curve fair, and you can't suddenly hit any ball anywhere at any time. It makes you a better hitter, but you could achieve the same results with actual hard work. The results in the gym are a fraud, the results on the field are not, because the other team will be able to ascertain very quickly your physical attributes, and play you accordingly." (The Hardball Times)
Transaction Oracle discussion of the Garciaparra signing. "I guess that deal offered by the Red Sox doesn't look so bad in hindsight. This deal will get Nomar $8 million so he doesn't starve while waiting for a new contract after a healthy year and the Cubs get a potential superstar without having to make a long-term deal, making their risk with Nomar's health nearly zero." (Baseball Think Factory)
Yankees sign Wright, Womack. Wright: 3 years, $22.5 million. Womack will replace Miguel Cairo, who was not offered arbitration. (Newsday)
Transaction Oracle discussion of the Wright and Womack signings. "The team is certainly doing their best to ensure that not only does the team collapse on its own weight - it collapses spectacularly while costing $200 million. I'd mock the team, but I'm holding off my laughter until Eric Milton is signed, lest I suffer the fate of the weasels from Roger Rabbit. Wright will be usable, at least. I don't think Womack or Milton would be." (Baseball Think Factory)
Twins agree to two-year deal with Radke. $18 million. (Yahoo!)
Cardinals re-sign pitcher Matt Morris. One year, $2.5 million guaranteed. (Yahoo!)
2004-05 Major League Baseball free agent signings. A summary. (Yahoo!)
Prospectus Triple Play: Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies. "The White Sox’s main issue is not that they need a shortstop, but that they need a longer-term solution at short than is available in the market. With the possible exception of Renteria, none of these players fits the profile of a player whom a smart team would sign to a long-term contract. There was some hope that Robert Valido, a fourth-round pick in 2003, could be ready in a couple of years, but he had a tough time at Kannapolis this year and is no longer a realistic option. So for now the Sox should either slide Uribe over and see what they’ve got in-house or pick a name out of a hat for a one-year contract. It’s not an easy choice." (Baseball Prospectus)
A Difference of Opinion. "Unlike, I suppose, pretty much everyone, I don't consider steroid abuse to be cheating at baseball. It's cheating at working out, it's probably cheating other players out of playing time in some instances, and it's certainly cheating those players and teams out of money -- but it's not cheating at baseball. The positive effects of steroids are the same as exercise, just dramatically increased. When you take steroids, the ball doesn't jump over the fence on a bunt. Foul balls don't suddenly curve fair, and you can't suddenly hit any ball anywhere at any time. It makes you a better hitter, but you could achieve the same results with actual hard work. The results in the gym are a fraud, the results on the field are not, because the other team will be able to ascertain very quickly your physical attributes, and play you accordingly." (The Hardball Times)