The other Winter Meetings target
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Dec 06, 2009 
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Kevin Towers is a free agent. He used to pitch, but doesn’t any more. He doesn’t hit, doesn’t play a position and fills none of the Yankees offseason needs. But they might go after him anyway.
As one of the most respected general managers in baseball, Towers built a respectable group of San Diego Padres despite working with considerable budget constraints. He was fired in October, but is reportedly coming to the Winter Meetings in search of a job. He’s said to be leaning toward joining the Yankees to work with Brian Cashman, who’s one of his good friends.
As he always does, Tyler Kepner wrote a nice piece on Towers for the New York Times.
The winter meetings start tomorrow — much of my Sunday will be spent traveling to Indianapolis — and Towers will be a storyline throughout the four days. He won’t be the main story, or even the secondary story, but he’s a sharp baseball mind who could have an impact on any team he joins. Obviously we’ll all be more interested in trades and player signings, but Towers is worth watching. The guy might have a bright future.
I predicted a while back that I thought Towers would join his good buddy Cash as a consultant and as somebody to bounce ideas off of and do some scouting, particularly as it pertains to evaluating pitching talent.
definately a slow news sunday lol.
can anyone list some signings/trades that towers was so famous for…all i can think of is getting the juicer brian giles and them seeing him deteriorate for the 6+ years he was in san diego….
Iconoclast
December 6th, 2009 at 8:27 am
Sorry if this has already been posted, but it’s kind of neat. From Maureen Dowd, NY Times:
“He (Tiger Woods) is the principal. But he forgot that he’s no longer a solo brand. He has been marketing himself since he turned pro and 21 in 1996, becoming a billionaire with endorsement deals with Nike, American Express, Titleist and the two Generals, Mills and Motors.
But once he served up the fairy tale wedding with the Swedish beauty and had two kids, his value was in family and his projection of family values.
Now all we have left to look up to is Derek Jeter. “
“can anyone list some signings/trades that towers was so famous for…all i can think of is getting the juicer brian giles and them seeing him deteriorate for the 6+ years he was in san diego….”
How about fleecing Texas for Adrian Gonzalez or the recent Jake Peavy trade.
Dowd is a fool. A couple of weeks ago they could have replaced Jeter’s name with Woods. People never learn. Barkley tried to tell people twenty years ago to not look up to athletes, just their athletic accomplishments. And instead of using it as a way to talk to kids people blasted him.
Towers would seem to have a pretty good record of building a solid bullpen using low budget and/or unproven arms.
Aside from Trevor Hoffman, SD never had a big money pitcher in the pen and they were always respectable.
“Dowd is a fool. A couple of weeks ago they could have replaced Jeter’s name with Woods. People never learn. Barkley tried to tell people twenty years ago to not look up to athletes, just their athletic accomplishments. And instead of using it as a way to talk to kids people blasted him.”
I agree just look at such iconic sports heros of the past like Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, or Ali. All of them are flawed human beings just like the rest of us except God gave them great athletic ability.
cashman has no history of taking on anyone under him who could replace him.
there are no gms out there that i know of who worked under cashman unlike the red sox who seem to hire assistant gms who get gm jobs.
i’m not saying this is cashman’s fault. it may be the yankees ownership fault that the gm is in such a precarious position.
if cashman had a really long term contract then maybe he’d hire someone who could replace him, but short of that i don’t see it.
i t would be a good sign if it happened though.
the lone ranger approach takes a lot of cash to make it work. with more management help, maybe the yankees could knock the payroll down a bit and still keep the quality level of the team up.
Another reason for Cashman to hire Towers so that he can start changing Randy’s opinion of him.:)
A couple of things:
An earlier thread was about Buster Olney’s report that the Figgins signing shows a decline in the salaries for position players – I couldn’t disagree more. True, Figgins got less than 10 mil per but when you see that over-the-hill players like Placido Polanco and Marco Scutaro got 6 mil per year I have to wonder if Figgins could have gotten more if he shopped himself around a bit more.
I’m penciling in Eladio Moronta as my “sleeper guy who may have an impact out of the farm system”
He’s a 20-year old that had been suspended by MLB for lying about his age. The Yankees recently signed him and Baseball America rates him as “the toolsiest Latin American OF available” He has plus speed, a very good arm and profiles for a strong power bat. They’ve compared him to Raul Mondesi – I assume that is young Mondesi and not the one the Yankees got. He’ll probably start the season at High A just to get his feet wet but should move very quickly from there. And while I’m not setting anything in stone, I do think that in a few years we could see an OF of Moronta, Jackson and Slade Heathcott.
murphydog-
my post to you got eaten up, but basically i said that i think the Y U blog should for publicity and general mischief take on the yankees.
they’d get pretty well known in the blog world pretty fast.
it’s a strange position for the yankees because here you have these college kids working for nothing publicizing the yankees. it seems a better approach for the yankees would be licensing these guys as some sort of official yankee blog.
i mean right now they are in effect working for the yankees for nothing. i’m not sure the yankees understand that.
“An earlier thread was about Buster Olney’s report that the Figgins signing shows a decline in the salaries for position players – I couldn’t disagree more. True, Figgins got less than 10 mil per but when you see that over-the-hill players like Placido Polanco and Marco Scutaro got 6 mil per year I have to wonder if Figgins could have gotten more if he shopped himself around a bit more.”
I disagree with youi because I think Figgins received less money then was earlier predicting for him while Polanco and Scutaro got about what I thought a starting SS and 3rd baseman would get on the open market today. I think all three players would’ve received more money if this was like three years ago.
“He’s a 20-year old that had been suspended by MLB for lying about his age. The Yankees recently signed him and Baseball America rates him as “the toolsiest Latin American OF available” He has plus speed, a very good arm and profiles for a strong power bat. They’ve compared him to Raul Mondesi – I assume that is young Mondesi and not the one the Yankees got. He’ll probably start the season at High A just to get his feet wet but should move very quickly from there. And while I’m not setting anything in stone, I do think that in a few years we could see an OF of Moronta, Jackson and Slade Heathcott.”
Are you kidding? Can he play some organized professional ball first before we mention him in the same sentence with Jackson. Even Heathcott has a long way to go before I can mention Jackson, who still hasn’t played in the majors yet.
Question of the day:
Would you rather give up Hughes and Jackson…or Joba and Montero? (For Halladay)
Neither!
Tiger is the world’s greatest athlet4e
http://www.nydailynews.com/gos.....great.html
I’d rather give up joba and Jackson
Keep up the great work, Chad! Please give registration a thought.
randy l:
“my post to you got eaten up, but basically i said that i think the Y U blog should for publicity and general mischief take on the yankees.”
I ‘m guessing that the Yankees/MLB/Memorial Sloan Kettering/Yankees Universe really don’t want to shut them down. But they really have a business duty to be aggressive about use of their marks. I bet they can work something out. If they start a fight about it, my gut is that that might make the Yankees and MLB Advertising, or whoever the heck wrote the letter, stiffen up.
I won’t re-post it here. But apropos Maureen Dowd, the last entry in the prior thread addresses the Tiger Woods, privacy versus free press issue in light of a landmark Supreme Court decision. It’s there if anyone has nothing else to do
murphydog – thanks for the link. You’re right, things seem to have gotten a lot looser of late, and this explains it. So, now, professional sloppiness is ok. Is this a great society, or what.
Murphydog– What’s the cite on that? :O
Unless Scott Boras changes his posture of years and money, Johnny Damon will find the downside of being a Boras client.
Tiger Woods has destroyed his squeaky clean image. A family man no longer.
Do I care that he cheated? No. That is between him and his wife.
Great sport figures should not be role models.
I found the following post on the NYYFAN site which basically sums up my position about Tiger Woods:
“Tiger was/is a great golfer. I enjoy watching his mastery of play. I will continue to do so. I am old enough that I have no role models in the sports or entertainment industry. Sadly, all of us are flawed to a degree and I don’t judge them. There is a better judge that they will see after they pass away and He is more capable than I am. I had no opinions before of Tiger as a man, nor do I now.
As I grew older, I became aware of the failings of many people that I admired for their work. Various Presidents, Sports Figures and even religious figures including Popes. It isn’t up to me to judge a person’s private life. I appreciate the good things people do.
I have been faithful to my wife and always will but I cannot hold everyone to my standards which work for me.”
Regarding Cashman, I found this in another post from NYYFANS site which is a part of an interview that Steve Serby did with Scott Boras. Some great quotes about Cashman and I don’t think he was blowing smoke up anybody’s butt as he was being truthful with his opinion about Cashman.
“Q: Brian Cashman’s negotiating style?
A: I would say Cash is an information-taker and he’s a person that has the wherewithal to consider any situation and evaluate it. He will evaluate ideas and isn’t closed to external opinion and welcomes creativity. He really impressed me last year. The strategic plan of the 2008 winter began in late 2007. He values information. He met with Tex (Teixeira) and I (eight hours), even though at the time, Tex was not a move ownership was interested in advancing.”
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports.....uEE67IqM/0
Tiger’s crash reminds me of the Bear Stearns/Lehman Bros collapse. House of cards. Once one card falls, the rest begin to fall.
I’ve never been a fan of Maureen Dowd, but her column on Tiger this AM is pretty good.
There is a reason Tiger’s best friends call him “Urkel.” The guy is basically a Stanford nerd who has a gift from God in hitting a golf ball and a dad who gave him the iron will to succeed–on the golf course.
In other aspects of his life, he’s just like any other nerdy guy who suddenly gets an enormous amount of cash and women throwing themselves at him constantly.
Why else would he surround himself with image police the way he has? His dad, I am sure, provided a lot of the stability and protection in the past, and I bet his dad was willing to get in his face over this. Tiger now only has a bunch of flacks protecting him, afraid to tell him the truth at risk of getting excommunicated. This is why stuff like his last two weeks have happened.
It shouldn’t, and won’t, get in the way of Tiger still being the greatest golfer who ever lived. His discipline won’t allow it. I hope he says even less about it, and is even more silent about himself and his game going forward. It worked for Ben Hogan, didn’t it?
But Tiger is just a 30 something nerdy guy who says inappropriate things in private and likes to chase women with big breasts, despite being married to a Swedish bikini model. We all know guys like this (perhaps some of us ARE guys like this).
He also happens to have a rare gift from God that I hope we all can continue to see going forward until he retires.
Why take marriage vows if you are going to cheat? Especially getting married in a religious ceremony before God. Unprotected sex? What about giving a disease to your wife? 6 girlfriends? If all this is true, Tiger is a dog. His wife should divorce him.
KT wants to work for an AL team that is also a big market team. He’s best friends with Cash. He’s leary of Red Sox relationships. Let’s just get this done – the Yankees are a perfect fit.
Joe from Long Island:
Can’t say the Court had bad motives, but it does prove an old legal adage that tough cases can make bad law.
It was the middle 60s in the US. An ad appeared in the NY Times and solicited funds to help defend Dr. Martin Luther King. A police commissioner, the public figure, felt he was defamed by the ad, sued the Times in Alabama and won.
The underlying theme as we grappled with the upheaval of the time was that hard hitting reportage of civil rights issues was being suppressed by fear of the numerous defamation actions filed by southern public officials whose actions were criticized in the media. Supreme Court decisions have always been made in a context, although the Court will swear that current events do not affect their judgment.
Negligence regarding the truth is not sufficient to prove defamation against a public official, held the court. We are allowed and encouraged to criticize and question our public officials, and the feeling then was that we had to attack the prejudice in our culture and eradicate it.
“Public Figure” however has morphed into actors and actresses, famous athletes and anyone else who thrust themselves onto the public stage, availing themselves of the media. (Think Roger Clemens).
So, Joe, you are right. The bar is pretty low. Merely negligent reporting regarding public figures is not defamatory. Thankfully as to ordinary “Joes” (no pun intended) negligent reporting is still wrong. Unless of course someone has already written about you in the media, making you a public figure
There is a little Catch-22 to all of this.
But Tiger is just a guy who likes to chase women with big breasts, despite being married to a Swedish bikini model. We all know guys like this (perhaps some of us ARE guys like this).
Let’s be honest, most guys are like this.
I’m watching ESPN right now, and as I type this from my lap top, ESPN is reporting that USC’s head coach Pete Carroll, 58, is having an affair with a college student.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.co.....-dame.html
“In other aspects of his life, he’s just like any other nerdy guy who suddenly gets an enormous amount of cash and women throwing themselves at him constantly.”
That’s the part I don’t get since that’s been the case ever since he turned pro back in 1996. That’s 13 years ago when he was 20 years old.
IMO, he made a mistake getting married because he likes women too much and he might not be able to stay faithful to just one woman.
Hmm that stinks that Cameron is going to sign with the Cubs. It takes away one of the Yanks’ choices should Damon not re-sign. This is exactly why the Yankees aren’t going to give Johnny forever. Already now they’ve lose one of their back-up plans – if they give him a long time to decide, they could be left holding the bag.
“Unless Scott Boras changes his posture of years and money, Johnny Damon will find the downside of being a Boras client.”
True. But Damon has the final decision. Does he want to stay with the Yanks and have a good shot at another World Series. If he does,he might have to take less money/years from them. If not, bye Johnny.
Eladio Moronta has a primitive bat. He’s not gonna start in high A.
Pete Carroll too? Wow.
Tiger should not have gotten married, I agree, if he couldn’t keep it in his pants for just one woman. Perhaps he married Elin to make his dad happy before he died? Who knows?
Betsy, Damon is going to sign with the Yankees at $8-9 million x 2 with a club option for year 3. Same as Abreu. Not sure he’s getting a better deal than that.
What is so good about Cameron. Good fielder but old and strikes out a lot.
“KT wants to work for an AL team that is also a big market team. He’s best friends with Cash. He’s leary of Red Sox relationships. Let’s just get this done – the Yankees are a perfect fit.”
Betsy,
Not trying to bust your chops, but it seems like you have changed your position about Towers because it was just last week you said he wouldn’t be coming to the Yankees because Hal won’t spend the money.
Craw, I’m going to read that interview later – I like Serby’s Q &A’s. Thanks for posting!
Tiger Woods again? It’s his personal life and I’m not interested.
Forget Boras – Damon is his boss, not the other way around. If Johnny rejects the Yankees’ offer, it’s because he didn’t want to defend the WS more than he wanted $$$ and years.
“I’m watching ESPN right now, and as I type this from my lap top, ESPN is reporting that USC’s head coach Pete Carroll, 58, is having an affair with a college student.”
Tiger Woods says thank you and every married male celebrity better be careful as the media is just waiting to expose your lack of morals.
“Why take marriage vows if you are going to cheat? Especially getting married in a religious ceremony before God. Unprotected sex? What about giving a disease to your wife? 6 girlfriends? If all this is true, Tiger is a dog. His wife should divorce him.”
Fair enough, but this is a two way street. Whatever happened to the obligation to get to really know the person you are going to marry? People can only hide their true selves up to a point, whether it’s Tiger Urkel Woods or somebody else. Taking your husband’s (or wife’s) money and fame come at a cost and willful blindness is no excuse.
When the World’s Most Famous Golfer marries a Swedish nanny and insists on a pre-nup, is it really about love and puppies and little babies and daffodils… or is it a marriage of mutually assured destruction if it all goes south, fraught with risk and disappointment just like every other marriage, except with a lot more money to go around?
Sorry, but I don’t feel too outraged for Elin or Tiger for that matter.
Can someone tell me whats up with Jose Molina? Was his contract up? Is he not coming back?
Think about Tom Brady.
He was shacked-up with a gorgeous actress, Bridget Moynahan, the mother of his son, and yet that wasn’t enough, he cheated on her with a model.
Bust away, Craw – I did say that. I go up and down with my feelings about Hal and how much he’s inclined to spend (not just payroll budget, but how much he wants to put into the franchise). My personal feelings about him don’t change (like him a lot), just those having to do with what
oops….
Just those having to do with the pursestrings he holds in his hands.
Pitt, I HOPE not – I do not want Damon back for 2 guaranteeed. At best, I want 1 year and a team option for a 2nd.
Wow, now that’s disgusting. Carroll should be fired immediately and prosecuted (though she’s not a minor, so I’m not sure if he even can .
crawdaddy
December 6th, 2009 at 10:34 am
I found the following post on the NYYFAN site which basically sums up my position about Tiger Woods:
“Tiger was/is a great golfer. I enjoy watching his mastery of play. I will continue to do so. I am old enough that I have no role models in the sports or entertainment industry. Sadly, all of us are flawed to a degree and I don’t judge them. There is a better judge that they will see after they pass away and He is more capable than I am. I had no opinions before of Tiger as a man, nor do I now.
As I grew older, I became aware of the failings of many people that I admired for their work. Various Presidents, Sports Figures and even religious figures including Popes. It isn’t up to me to judge a person’s private life. I appreciate the good things people do.
What I find just as bad is all the people on here writing disparaging remarks about Tiger as if they were the perfect human beings themselves and have never done anything wrong.
“Wow, now that’s disgusting. Carroll should be fired immediately and prosecuted (though she’s not a minor, so I’m not sure if he even can .”
Might knowing the truth be a pleasant diversion before the execution? Just asking…
“Damon has the final decision. Does he want to stay with the Yanks and have a good shot at another World Series. If he does,he might have to take less money/years from them.”
Why do people keep saying things like this? Players don’t sign with Boras to settle for less money and/or years. And, how many times has a player over-rode his agent to take less? Almost never, because normally the parameters of what the agent demands are a product of discussions with the player beforehand. The agents demands ARE the players demands.
The only time I can recall is Greg Maddux. And that was not a reduction of already made demands. He told Boras(I am pretty sure Boras was his agent) what he wanted, knowing it would cost him less, and was against Boras’ recommendations.
Then there was the Arod saga, but I am not so sure that the “firing” of Boras wasn’t a staged act. After all, I’m pretty sure Boras still works for him in some capacity.
“Wow, now that’s disgusting. Carroll should be fired immediately and prosecuted (though she’s not a minor, so I’m not sure if he even can .”
Betsy,
Be careful there because I don’t know if Carroll is married or divorced. Secondly, she is a grad student so you’re right she’s not a minor. Thirdly, Carroll has denied it.
When Beltran was a free agent with Boras representing him he was willing to take less money from the Yankees than he ended up with from the Mets. If Damon wants to sign with the Yankees he will. Boras works for him.
“Carroll should be fired immediately”
I agree, they finished what, 5th in the PAC-10 this year? Including some of the worst losses in their history.
“When Beltran was a free agent with Boras representing him he was willing to take less money from the Yankees”
But that was their strategy beforehand. He wanted to go to the Yankees, so Boras and he built their strategy around that. As far as we know, the Damon crew has not told the Yankees they would get a discount vs. the other teams. Their strategy is highest bidder wins, most likely with the Yankees being the choice if everything is relatively close.
Jose Molina is a free agent.
crawdaddy
Be careful there because I don’t know if Carroll is married or divorced. Secondly, she is a grad student so you’re right she’s not a minor. Thirdly, Carroll has denied it.
=====================================================
He is married.
http://firstgenerationfilm.fil.....c01924.jpg
But even if he wasn’t, it’s a big no-no for a university administrator to be involved with a student. Carroll denied it, but so did Tiger and his first reported mistress until the jig was up.
Mark,
With Beltran you’re saying that he wanted the Yankees all along so Boras made it look like he was giving them a discount? That may be true, but it didn’t work since the Yankees said no. If Damon really wants to stay a Yankee (assuming the Yankees want him), Boras will have no choice but to do what Johnny wants.
Murphy — You’re cutting the bologna a little thin IMO. A free press is one of the most important and necessary elements to liberty. You have to incentivize investigation into people who lead the citizenry (politically and socially) so that means allowing some less than certain information to be published. When you start saying that the press can’t report ‘private’ information that goes to the credibility (always relevant!) of someone who helps steer the culture you take away people’s ability to intelligently choose.
I don’t care if Tiger cheats on his wife. I never looked to him as any kind of role model to begin with. If I had to pick a role model it would be F.Lee Bailey and he was a bit of a … well he was disbarred. But either way IMO folks have to base their decisions on all the facts (like I was able to do when reports came out on Bailey) and the only way to do that is with a press relatively unfettered by activist judges and a power grabbing congress.
I see your parade of the horribles argument and raise you a slippery slope. You don’t want Joe six pack to be exposed to the unceasing scrutiny of the press’s eye and I don’t want some unscrupulous politician to be able to spread propaganda and ride a wave of ‘hope’ and love and puppy dog ears to the downfall of America.
Mark in Tampa December 6th, 2009 at 11:12 am
“Carroll should be fired immediately”
I agree, they finished what, 5th in the PAC-10 this year? Including some of the worst losses in their history.
=========================================================
It’s hard to concentrate on game plans while ya gettin a physical from a co-ed 40 years your junior.
With the winter meetings about to start, here are a few predictions for the Yankees…
Roy “Doc” Halladay will be traded to the Yankees for Joba/Jackson/Romine and maybe some lesser players, which then Cash will also come back with Downs.
This will then cause John Henry to tweet that this is not fair and the Red Sox are a small market team, while on his Yacht in the Caribbean…
Andy will be resigned for one year around 10-12 mil.
Damon will turn down a two year 19 mil deal from the Yankees, who will then turn around and sign DeRosa to a 15mil two year deal.
Kevin Towers will become part of the Yankees FO, which will cause Larry Lucchino go on the record as saying that not only do the Yankees want all of the best players, but now they want all of the best FO personnel too…
DeRosa has a crap OBP and won’t be a Yankee. He makes too many outs.
Well if the Yankees trade for Doc and sign Andy they are at 200 million with a LF and a DH to go. Somehow this doesn’t coincide with their plan to spend less. Hell if they’re over the 200 mil, might as well get Holliday. Oh, forgot the DH and a BP arm. Okay that’s 225 mil but that’s it until the All Star break.
Fran,
The only reason, IMO, that the Yankees didn’t sign Beltran is because they had just made the deal and extension for Randy Johnson. I think that was the first year the payroll aprroached 200M, and may have even scared George a bit. Well, probably not.
But you are saying that if Damon really wants to be a Yankee, he needs to take control of Boras. The Yankees, it seems don’t want to give Damon any more than 2/20-25. If they even are willing to go 2 guaranteed for him. But they are apparently looking for 3-5 years @15M per. No way they get that, but somebody in that camp thinks they can get fairly close. I don’t see any athlete giving a 20-40M discount to a team just because that is where he wants to be. Especially when he just had a huge financial scare with Stanford Financial last year.
Didn’t he want to be a red sox for life, too?
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports.....PAD5SdhOnO
WHO’S THE THIRD STARTER?
The Yankees want Andy Pettitte back to start behind CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett and say Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes will prepare in spring training as starters. But at what price for Pettitte, who will be 38 in June? He made $5.5 million in base and an additional $5 million in incentives last year.
If the price and years drop on John Lackey, the Yankees could get seriously involved. Though they aren’t hot for Roy Halladay, that could change as the process advances. Joel Pineiro and Jason Marquis are back-end pitchers who might fit late.
** This doesn’t jibe with any of the things we’ve been hearing. Please – Pineiro and Marquis?
Also, Damon at $10 million for 2 years? That’s too much and too long
Um, Cash has already stated that they aren’t going to sign relievers and give up picks, but they’re going to sign Soriano?
Vader December 6th, 2009 at 11:29 am
With the winter meetings about to start, here are a few predictions for the Yankees…
———————————-
My predictions.
Nothing gets done.
Lots of drinking and skirt chasing.
Big tabs at Laces and Stilettos
John Henry dumps his trophy wife for one of Tiger’s mistresses.
BTW, I do think the eventual market for Damon will end up in the 2year/9-10M per range. I just think that by the time the Damon team gets around to understanding that and settling for it, the Yankees will have already gone in a different direction.
the market will set the price for damon
it will be up to cashman to decide if he want’s to pay over market value for damon or not
in the past he was willing but now i don’t think so
damon can barely play the o.f.
every play is an adventure & there is no arm as bad as his
if his offense goes he will have to be benched
i would not go over 2 yrs
CD…you may be right, especially the drinks and skirt chasing.
Reporters in Indy with lots of drinks chasing skirts…sounds like a hoot!
Reporters in Indy with lots of drinks chasing skirts…sounds like a hoot!
They don’t call it the Indy500 for nutin
Scutaro took less to play for the Sox – no one ever does that for the Yankees.
“Scutaro took less to play for the Sox”
I hadn’t heard about any other offers. Who else, and what else, was he offered?
Damon had a very good year, but his numbers collapsed in september: 0 HR, 8 RBI, .247 avg.
That has to be a consideration.
http://www.baseball-reference......;t=b#month
“You have to incentivize investigation into people who lead the citizenry (politically and socially) so that means allowing some less than certain information to be published. When you start saying that the press can’t report ‘private’ information that goes to the credibility (always relevant!) of someone who helps steer the culture you take away people’s ability to intelligently choose.”
Rob in NY:
Putting aside the fact that I never wrote anything even remotely like what you are suggesting, I don’t know which part of your assertions trouble me more. OK, I do know. It’s the bit about encouraging the distribution of dubious “facts” in order to protect society.
You are of course entitled to your opinion.
“Scutaro took less to play for the Sox – no one ever does that for the Yankees.”
no offense, but who cares
there a reason no big time free agents sign in bos
but theo always looking for a discount
The A’s offered Scutaro more money.Scutaro even mentioned that he left more money to come to beantown,when he received his jersey.Go to bostom.com for the full story.
Scutaro took while the taking was good, look what happened to Abreu last year. If Figgins took 9 mil per which reality gets Damon 10. That Z man in Seattle is one smart Baseball man. Pitching, defense and OBP. Obviously he’s not high on HRs. I think Seattle is the new powerhouse in the AL. Went from a 100 losses to 85 wins in one year. How they get to 95 wins is the question?
Betsy
Actually Pavano did.
Beltran would have.
Mark in Tampa
Oakland.
i might willing to give up a first round for soriano, when healthy he overpowering
In all seriousness…I would be surprised if Damon was resigned for anything more than a one year deal with an option.
Didn’t he want to be a red sox for life, too?
**************************
Mark,
Good point. Probably in the end it will come down to money.
Waiting on Damon may have already cost them Cameron.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/10357594
Scutaro turned down A’s for Sox — 6:24 p.m.
Yes, one team did offer free agent Marco Scutaro more money than the Red Sox.
The A’s.
Scutaro turned down a slightly more lucrative three-year contract from the A’s before signing his two-year, $12.5 million deal with the Red Sox, according to major-league sources.
The A’s would have used Scutaro at shortstop and made Cliff Pennington their utility man. Scutaro played for the A’s from 2004 to ’07 before getting traded to the Blue Jays for two minor leaguers.
Clearly, the A’s are operating with a measure of financial flexibility. They assumed $1.7 million of infielder Aaron Miles’ $2.7 million salary as part of the price for obtaining Jake Fox in a five- player deal with the Cubs on Thursday.
I saw one writer say Winn is a LF option. Boy, I hope not. Boras is a problem representing Holliday and Damon. That makes it impossible to play one player against the other. I still like DeJesus, but he may cost too much.
KT built a BP every year with scrap pieces. Soriano is a don’t need. Melancon is this year’s development project for the BP.
Seattle is now a powerhouse? Wow……
Rich, the Yankees just finished their meetings, so they didn’t wait on Damon because they didn’t even have a plan yet. If Cameron did sign (haven’t seen anything), then that’s very surprising – why not wait until the Yankees came sniffing?
The media isn’t the reason that women are coming out of the closet to confess their fling with Woods, it’s the prospect of getting paid off.
Betsy – high on pie
Will Carroll tweeted it (pending their supposed ability to trade Bradley within 72 hrs).
http://twitter.com/injuryexpert/status/6386452194
I guess it’s a timing issue. It seems they had their budget on Friday, so if the report is true, that gave them a day or two to make an offer.
In the interests of full disclosure, I have a bias because I am strongly opposed to bringing Damon back unless it’s a very cheap deal for one year.
How does anyone know if the Yankees had any real interest in Cameron? Yes, he is one of dozens the Yankees were reported interested in. Big Deal.
Regarding Scutaro taking about a million less to play in Boston over the A’s. This seems a no brainer to me. How many players pine to play in Oakland for a team that puts together a good looking group only to see it traded away? The A’s have become a joke, a way station for players transitioning from one team to another.
It seems the only players who stick there are the ones no one else wants.
Rich, thanks. Here’s from Heyman tweet:
#rays, #cubs still “not close” on bradley-burrell deal. also 3-way option with luis castillo “not helping things.” #mets
**I think that’s asking a lot for the Yankees to have made an immediate offer to Johnny, then giving him a day to decide. I’m all for a deadline, but the Yankees have to give him more time than that. This to me is about Cameron and why he would rush into signing with the Cubs, or anyone…
Has Will Carroll ever been right about anything trade/FA related?
He’ll do a Sheffield and sit down on you,in protest.Let him go.
He’s allowed Boras to dictate an unreasonable amount of yrs for him.
hey everybody. i just saw the post about the yankees universe blog…weird. i didn’t even make that connection before, that the blog and the charity were or were not affiliated with one another. interesting…
Betsy
I guess I would want them to express enough interest to give him pause before signing with the Cubs so soon.
“KT wants to work for an AL team that is also a big market team. He’s best friends with Cash. He’s leary of Red Sox relationships. Let’s just get this done – the Yankees are a perfect fit”
_____________________________________________________________
No. Kevin Towers is not coming to the yankees. You already told us this fact.
Pauly, I never said that – next time, learn to read. I SAID, based on the article that was posted here a week or so ago, that the article did NOT, in any way, suggest Towers was a done deal to the Yankees. Whoever posted it, speculated on his own.
Waiting on Cameron ?
For the last 2 offseasons some fans clamored for his services and the bottom line is, he’s 2 years older and strikes out even more.
Not a fit as a Yankee. He represents regression.
http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.c....._id=111904
3rd tier guys like Cameron are not going to wait around forever… if they get a good deal, especially one from a contending team like the Cubs, they are going to jump all over it.
Only the big guns will drag out the process and try and involve the Yankees and other teams, because they know they will get their money regardless and their stock can only go up as time goes on. A guy like Cameron doesn’t have that luxury. Same reason guys like Wagner and Polonco signed so quickly. Get the money while it is there.
Betsy,
I believe you stated unequivocally that Towers wouldn’t be working with the Yankees, because Hal is cheap, and isn’t like his father.
Maybe not those exact words but that was definitely the jist of it.
“I believe you stated unequivocally that Towers wouldn’t be working with the Yankees, because Hal is cheap, and isn’t like his father.
Maybe not those exact words but that was definitely the jist of it”
_______________________________________________________
Yup. She left that part out.
I fail to see on how the Yanks missed out” on a 36 year-old CF. Cameron might have missed out on a chance to win a ring, however cuz he damn sure isn’t getting one at Wrigley if that’s where he ends up.
Who cares where Kevin Towers ends up? He’ll just be an adviser and a really expensive one at that.
Winn as a fourth OF is an excellent idea, but choosing him as a full-time LF would be a disappointment.
My ceiling for Damon would be one year, $ 8 M guaranteed with a 2011 option for $ 8 M with a $ 2 M mutual buyout. I think he wore down because of playing too much OF which is why an exclusive DH is a bad thing for 2010.
“Not a fit as a Yankee. He represents regression.”
Yet in 2009 his UZR/150 was 10.3, his wOBA was .346, and was he was 4 WAR player.
Strikeouts are the same as any other out in most situations, and Cameron has good plate discipline (his ISO D was .092 last season).
You want regression? Take a look at the trend line of Damon’s UZR 150 the last few years.
“Who cares where Kevin Towers ends up? He’ll just be an adviser and a really expensive one at that.”
I care and I know more than a few Yankee fans that want him a part of the organization.
Secondly, I don’t know how expensive he might be since he’s getting paid 2M by the Padres this year? His opinion in player evaluation might be very valuable in comparison to his expense account and whatever salary he earns from the Yankees or some other team.
You guys stop beating up on Betsy, she’s allowed to change her mind just like the rest of us have done on other issues.
I’d rather have Damon than Cameron and it’s not even close.
Don’t understand the whole “Hal is cheap” argument. Didn’t they sign three of the most expensive FAs a year ago?
I thought as much.
Who’s beating up on Betsy? Sure she’s allowed to change her mind.
But when you do flip-flop then don’t act like you never said what a bunch of us know you said.
If Matsui is not retained it might be worthwhile to sign Nick Johnson.
Some will make a case of his injury history but Matsui’s knees limit him to only a DH role.
If used right, Nick Johnson swings a good bat and can occasionally spell Teixeira at 1st base without hurting the defense.
No DH in the NL where Nick has played for the last 2 years.
If Damon and Matsui both go, the team get thinner in LH hitters.
“But when you do flip-flop then don’t act like you never said what a bunch of us know you said.”
I’m the one that first noted her change of position regarding Towers, but you guys just want to rub it in.
“Who cares where Kevin Towers ends up? He’ll just be an adviser and a really expensive one at that.”
Agree. Not to mention that it is going to take him time to get acclimated to the AL landscape and the guys in our farm. How much can he really help with evaluation this winter? I doubt he has even seen Ian Kennedy or Austin Romine.
“I’d rather have Damon than Cameron and it’s not even close.”
Even if Damon insisted on two years and Cameron one? Not me.
crawdaddy
December 6th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Betsy,
Not trying to bust your chops, but it seems like you have changed your position about Towers because it was just last week you said he wouldn’t be coming to the Yankees because Hal won’t spend the money.
Betsy – high on pie
December 6th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Bust away, Craw – I did say that. I go up and down with my feelings about Hal and how much he’s inclined to spend (not just payroll budget, but how much he wants to put into the franchise).
“Even if Damon insisted on two years and Cameron one? Not me.”
Cameron might be signing for two years too.
Getting Towers should be looked as a plus for the Yankee organization. Even if he hasn’t seen some of the pitchers the Yankees have he can give new insight rather like looking at something with a new set of eyes can sometimes see things simply because of not having preconceived thoughts about a situation.
Another thing, while he may not know the AL as well, he can still learn. It isn’t like him signing on with the Yankees would be for just the winter off season. The upcoming draft could be a very influential period for him to lend his aid.
Trade possibilities are another. A sounding board for Cashman to use.
It never hurts to have good baseball minds in the organization.
Hey guys a new site to add to your reference sites.
http://www.hotstove.com
I was just looking at Carlos Beltran’s stats, to see what could have been. Great player, but also clearly in decline. Still one of the best though, and I know there would never, ever be a trade between the crosstown rivals.
I don’t know if young, talented position players reaching their prime are ever going to be allowed to hit Free Agency any more, unless the union makes these guys get top contract extensions similar to FA contracts. There was a CF, at 27 hit the open market, and got a contract to match his talents.
Now we see players hitting FA on the downside of their careers, post 30. Will be an interesting trend to watch.
If he’s just an advisor, I think it’s great. The Yanks have been upgrading their scouts and minor league coaches and managers over the past few years, and he’d be the biggest name yet.
I read an article during the WS on Towers having a keen eye for scouting pitching.Since Cashman seems to always be lacking in that position,Towere may help.I’m still trying to find that article.
Towers will make an excellent advisor. Hope he doesn’t make Jean Afferman (Assistant General Manager) nervous. I think she thinks she’s next in line, should the unthinkable happen.
I’m not sure that it matters if he’s ‘lacking’. Cashman doesn’t’ have to personally have a key eye for scouting. That’s what talented staff is for. He just has to be able to listen and make decsions based on input from various sources taking into account the situation current and future needs.
Haiku-man
1:28 pm
thanks for the hot stove site,it’s a good read,thanks bro!
“The media isn’t the reason that women are coming out of the closet to confess their fling with Woods, it’s the prospect of getting paid off.”
Tiger has a lot of money to spread around. But if he had kept it in his pants, he wouldn’t have this problem.
——————————————-
No to Cameron. No to Nick Johnson, injury prone and a loss of power. If Damon wants too much money, no to him as well.
I’d love for Towers to be past of the Yankee braintrust.
His penchant for finding bullpen arms on the scrap heaps of other organizations is one of his best qualities.
It shows the guy knows how to scout which I think the Yankees can always use some help when deciding what players to key in on from other organizations.
I don’t think Cash won’t hire because he’ll be looking over his shoulder.
Cash just won a world series and made the Stein’s a boatload of cash. He’s part of the Yankee family for awhile whether you like it or not.
I’ve been very critical of him in the past and I think having a guy like Towers in the mix will help his weaknesses.
Hopefully, he comes aboard.
As for Cameron, I would take Damon over him every day of the week for the next 2 seasons. Johnny is our 2 hitter and helps drive the lineup.
As long as it’s only a 2 year deal I would be happy to have Damon back in the fold.
If another team wants to give him more years, then we focus on other options for the OF.
Losing Cameron and Figgins isn’t going to tank next season if Damon walks.
Towers would be a great addition. He’s obviously a quality person as judged by his rep. Michael, Livesey, Towers, now that’s a hell of an advisory board. The only place the Yankees can upgrade, as in young kids without blowing the budget out of the water is the OF. The IF is written in stone for the next five years barring injuries and catching is covered in Montero/Romine. Towers success in low cost operations as well as scouting is a valuable resource.
Rose
crawl back to river avenue blues,you’re needed in the comment section,your real home!
Just saw an interesting article on NFL plans for eliminating revenue sharing in 2010.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/.....id=4718965
—.—.—.
Please stay on this blog. You are definitely a “keeper”.
Can’t pick a user name? Try to think of one, or does thinking hurt.
Assuming Andy comes back the Yankees are 11 deep in starting pitching as in Kennedy, Gaudin, Aceves, Mitre, Nova and McAllister. Maybe we’ll see a package trade for a quality young OF. One of Melky/Gardner plus two starters and a BP arm.
Rose,
Maybe it’s morse code? Now I know I earned that Boy Scout badge, but that was a while ago…
OEOEOE?
Yeah, I’m bored too. And they call it a HOT Stove? LOL.
rose
If I didn’t have a MONIKER how’d you find me?
“If I didn’t have a MONIKER how’d you find me?”
It’s easy to find empty space.
Jean Afterman is not the next in line.
Phil, what makes you say that? She is the Assistant, General Manager, is she not?
edit: Assistant General Manager
“I don’t think Cash won’t hire because he’ll be looking over his shoulder.”
i think he’s made a career of looking over his shoulder.
it worked this past year having generic coaches, but there’s a reason the yankee manager and all the yankee coaches are generic and not ex stars. girardi was not even close to being a star.
torre, mattingly, bowa, randolph, stottlemyre,etc all were stars to different degrees.
stars have a way of being independent with management types.
i think cashman is very comfortable with people around him that haven’t achieved too much and are lucky to have the job they have with the yankees.
i’m not saying it’s necessarily a bad thing, but anyone has to admit that there’s very little star presence in yankee management.
towers just seems too powerful to ever fit into cashman’s orbit.
if it happened, it would be a major change in how cashman and the yankees operate.
The Yankees have an option in trading for DeJesus out of KC for LF over resigning Damon. He was the top defensive LF as in 15 UZR versus Damon’s -12. He’s a lefty bat so the short porch would up his HR to about 20 and he’s five years younger. Fangraphs valued he and Damon as the roughly the same and Johnny ain’t about to get better. Oh and DeJesus’ contract for two years is about 5.5 mil per year. What’s not to like.
Nice article of Afferman. Seems perfectly capable of being next in line to me, unless there’s a gender bias.
http://mycrains.crainsnewyork.com/100women/view/5
You think because someone who used to work for Don Nomura helped get us a Japanese baseball player several years ago, she is next in line to be GM of the Yanks? That’s baked.
Why would Afterman ever replace Cash? She’s older than than him.
Is she a talent evaluator? Cash, by his own admission, isn’t. If he was ever going to be replaced, talent evaluation skills should be part of the pre-requisite skillset.
“Tiger has a lot of money to spread around. But if he had kept it in his pants, he wouldn’t have this problem.”
You make it sound like it’s an easy thing to do!?!?
Billy Eppler or Damon Oppenheimer is probably next in line should something happen.
phil-
i’ve posted this before, but eppler seems like a good addition to the yankees.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03.....&_r=5
Ray, I did say that I wasn’t sure Tower would be hired by the Yankees because I wasn’t certain that Hal would OK it – I was not as unequivocal as you are describing it.
Ray, if you are going to get on my case, then get it right at least…
Ray, if you are going to get on my case, then get it right at least…
Randy, so the fact that Torre and his constellation of “stars” neglected to listen to Cash and just do what they wanted has nothing to do with the fact that they are still not around? Everyone of those people (and I won’t put Willie there – he wasn’t even close to Torre) put Torre ahead of the organization; they can all just stay wtih him in LA forever for all I care. Cash detailed some of the issues at that WFAN breakfast – now if you don’t believe him, then that’s another thing altogether. I do and because I do, I’m glad all of those people are gone.
Cashman feels pretty secure in his position and I don’t in any way think he’ll be looking over his shoulder with Towers here.
randy l:
OK, a little friendly elbow coming your way…
I know where you stand on Cashman, but to say Girardi isn’t a star and doesn’t speak his mind?
Manager of the year in his first year as a skipper and he was fired because he talked back to the owner, among other transgressions. And I do believe he has a couple of rings, no? Yes, he wasn’t MVP as a catcher and didn’t wield Posada’s bat, but he was a very good catcher.
“i’m not saying it’s necessarily a bad thing, but anyone has to admit that there’s very little star presence in yankee management.”
Other than Boston where Theo is treated like the Second Coming and maybe Texas where Nolan Ryan is the president, where is there any star power in management on a baseball club? To me one of the greatest front office guys in the last few years was Terry Ryan in Minnesota, and he had about as low a profile as you can imagine. Stick Michael too.
If the pinstriped farm system keeps improving, it’ll be hard even for you, randy, to continue to crap on Cash money
I’m not suggesting Cashman is going to be fired, Phil. What I am saying is should he ever leave the position, she’s sure to be considered. Just like he was considered when he was Assistant GM. Sounds fair, right?
I mean, why wouldn’t she?
I could see them trading for DeJesus (for the top of the order in replacement of Damon) and bringing back Matsui to hit in the 5 spot.
They’d have enough money to spend on a pitcher, either Lackey or Halladay.
randy
So if the clerks in your shop ignored your directives and did what they wanted to you’d be ok with that?
She wouldn’t because she’s not a star in the organization. And Rich and I have given some other reasons, she’s older the Cash, and Eppler and Oppenheimer are ahead of her. Newman is ahead of her, too, but he’s also older than Cash.
Bottomline is Cash and Girardi won WS after 8 years of draught. In my mind they are stars for that acievement irresepctive of some here not capable of acknowledging that achievement.
Also, Girardi and Cash work very well without ego. That was not the case with the previous manager as cearly shown in his book, which Cash called garbage rightfully so.
IMO, knowing nothing of the ownership’s thinking and without an inside scoop on her work, or her own desires, Afterman would seem to be a contender to replace Cash based on nothing more substantial than her present job title and her gender, no?
Anybody want to hear something funny? I’m going to tell you anyway.
Somebody on a chat said to Keith Law,
Clay Buchholz, Casey Kelly, Josh Reddick for Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson. Who says no?
And Keith Law responded with “The Marlins have made it known that Josh Johnson is not available.”
I have see trade proposals far more reasonable from Yankees fans get shot down by these ESPNers, who say that the Yankees fans have a sense of entitlement and think every superstar is owed to them.
But Keith Law did not call this guy a loser.
“it worked this past year having generic coaches, but there’s a reason the yankee manager and all the yankee coaches are generic and not ex stars. girardi was not even close to being a star.”
Most of the highly successful managers were not stars.
Here’s another.
Dice-K, Bard, Bowden, Reddick, and Lowrie for Felix Hernandez.
Keith law’s response, while shooting the guy down, was still kind.
Law basically said you cant trade 2nd tier players for an ace, in kind words of course.
You would think that the current ownership would look for substance over “star” power. Is there even such a thing in the front office?
We’ll see how good of friends Towers and Cash are if/when contract negotiations begin when/if Towers is in the fold.
“I have see trade proposals far more reasonable from Yankees fans get shot down by these ESPNers, who say that the Yankees fans have a sense of entitlement and think every superstar is owed to them.
But Keith Law did not call this guy a loser.”
Alas, CR9. To be a Yankee fan is to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Just do as I do: think of the unfair treatment of Yankee Fans as the media’s own form of luxury tax.
“So if the clerks in your shop ignored your directives and did what they wanted to you’d be ok with that?”
Are they star clerks or generic clerks?
Nick in SF in Carlotta, CA
December 6th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
“So if the clerks in your shop ignored your directives and did what they wanted to you’d be ok with that?”
Are they star clerks or generic clerks?
———————————————–
I’m not taking the bait.
Why I find DeJesus interesting is that between the Pransome Hince in RF Melky and Damon that is a horrendous OF defence. Granted Swisher improved over the year to average but that (to be polite) average arm in RF along with Damon’s flail is pretty sad. Besides if Ajax is tearing up AAA at midseason, DeJesus is an easy trade at his contract. It would be a smart trade vs a popular one. Yankee media is dazzled by HR and star power. Damon had his Yankee moment now let’s move on.
The reporters and execs are starting to arrive in Indy. Hopefully we’ll get some good stuff from the bar and lobby scenes tonight.
“She wouldn’t because she’s not a star in the organization. And Rich and I have given some other reasons, she’s older the Cash, and Eppler and Oppenheimer are ahead of her. Newman is ahead of her, too, but he’s also older than Cash.”
Kindly explain why age is a factor.
——————————————————-
Bo Knows
Agreed. DeJesus would be a good choice to replace Damon.
murphydog-
i liked girardi as a catcher and think he made the teams he was on better, but he wasn’t a star.
i think it’s pretty obvious that the yankees staff right now is mostly composed of generic ex ball players. they all look alike with the same haircuts. tony pena is the exception being an multiple all star.
in the professional world you’re in, you’ve probably been around a few legal stars at one time or another . don’t they act different, less deferential than an average lawyer ?
there’s a kind of amusing phenomenon called “being big leagued”. i was sometimes” big leagued” as a bullpen catcher by players who were big leaguers if i over stepped my position which as one pitcher once told me was to stop the ball so he didn’t have to walk a really long way to get it.
there really is a pack mentality in the baseball world where everyone is ranked in some sort of unwritten baseball hierarchy . star players really do have more clout than non star players.
i guarantee that even the lowest minor league player checks to see the stats of their manager and coaches. this isn’t to say there aren’t other ways to get respect, but being really good at the mlb level creates a lot of cred.
girardi is one of those guys who created respect that goes beyond his stats. but he’s still not a star in the sense of a mattingly or torre or even pinella.
he may be a star as a manager though as time goes on.
as far as having to admit that cashman is doing a good job with the farm system, when a player like gardner comes up who can bunt , i’ll be open to the possibility he’s doing something rather than just spending a lot of money on signing guys like hughes, joba , and montero.
i do think he did a good job, make that an excellent job, in signing sabathia and teixeira.
i don’t think he did a good job in destroying wang as a pitcher the way he handled his rehab last year.
but overall cashman had a good year.
anytime a team wins a world series, the gm had a good year.
( i hope my return elbow was in the lighthearted spirit of yours)
Buster was just on ESPNews – really nothing new.
As to Doc: he thinks the Sox and Yanks are leary of giving up prospects and $$$ (though I suppose that depends on the prospects, esp. for the Yankees, who have more to offer *this is my comment, not Buster’s).
He thinks the Angels may be the best fit (remember that Buster has heard that the Angel’s are on Doc’s list, so he’s assuming no issues there)…….and he doesn’t think Anthopolous will charge a division tax on the Yankees and Sox.
Again, really nothing new.
Just throwing something out there about Roy Halladay.
Since he’s in his walk year and will either become a free agent after a team trades for him or demand high dollars through an extension, his trade value is now similar if not equal to that of Johan Santana when the Twins traded Johan for a package of inferior talent.
So if the Jays are going to have to settle for a comparable trade proposal, why would they keep Halladay within the division or let alone the AL East? Their fans are already gonna be peeved when they see the return on a Halladay trade. Imagine how PO’d they’d be if the Yankees got him for diddly.
Toronto won’t let that happen IMO.
I can’t see Seattle trading Felix Hernandez. They’re rebuilding their team and have a pretty good shot at that division should the Angels falter. Without Felix, they’re shot, no matter who they get from Boston or anyone. I think the M’s sign Felix to a long term contract and he’ll be there until he’s at least 30.
Bret,
Halladay will decide where he goes, not the Jays. He has an NTC.
What will it take to get Dejesus then??
I don’t think DeJesus is who they are after.
Halladay isn’t Randy Johnson though, someone who demands a trade and lists one possible destination. I’d think there are several, therefore, the only thing the Jays can control is which destination because they’re certainly pinned down by his low trade value, just like the Twins were with Santana.
The Mariners are one Lackey away from the division championship. Now that’s in one year from Jack Z assuming the reins about this time last year. So how come he didn’t get MoY. I repeat – from 100 losses to 85 wins and cleared the deadwood at the same time.
It would be a major surprise if a deal of significance happened before the meetings get underway tomorrow morning.
Other baseball issues are on the table before the GM’s get into serious player transactions.
Duh. You guys are talking about DeJesus. All this time I thought you were talking about DeRosa.
“I don’t think DeJesus is who they are after.”
———————————————-
I agree, the Yankees are after the splash. DeJesus wouldn’t cost that much. Basically clear some roster spots, as in Nova,Dunn etc. The Royals are trying to clear payroll.
But for your consideration – 13 assists from LF, it boggles the mind.
Did I just see the Pats lose to the Fish? No wonder my beer seemed to taste better.
I guess my point was, Damon is not a high performance star any more and 10 mil a year is over the top. At half price you gain 5 years and the same value.
I wonder if Danny Haren is available and the cost…
I wouldn’t mind starting the year with Joba and Phil but Haren is a top rotation arm.
I basically see us with Joba and Phil having 2 rotation spots since the Jays will likely send Halladay out of the AL East and Lackey is pricey.
If Afferman were not even considered for the job it would be because of gender bias. Nothing new there. We’ve had racial bias that folks didn’t want to recognize, claiming other reasons: experience, education, not being part of the ‘club’ or what is it now, star power. Sure, Cashman was a star. Yeah, right, but he did have something that Afferman won’t ever have, and that’s balls. Literally, and therefore she’s at a disadvantage.
There are no female GMs for a reason, and the reason is lack of opportunity. Same as when there were no Black ballplayers, then managers, and GMs. Thankfully that has changed. Maybe it will for her as well. Or maybe there’s a young female intern in the organization that gets the shot. Shot at leadership, for all you with stray minds.
Saint
randy l:
Now that I’m in private practice a day doesn’t go by that I don’t get “big leagued” by a judge
As for other lawyers, usually only the expensive lawyers from Manhattan firms try to big league the prosecutors. Doesn’t work.
In the various government offices I worked in, I was big leagued by the political appointees. As I rose up, I was big leagued by fewer folks, but those folks that still pulled it were the real thing, the top state-wide elected ones, senior state legislators on important committees or city council types. A certain Deputy Mayor under Giuliani who shall remain nameless (not Levine) gave me one of my worst “big league-ings” over the phone once. I still shudder to think of it, not for what he said to me but for what I didn’t tell him to do with himself. It was so awful and so quick that I was literally dumbfounded. But I never forgot.
Dan Haren rhp
4 years/$44.75M (2009-12), plus 2013 club option
4 years/$44.75M (2009-12), plus 2013 club option
signed extension with Arizona 8/5/08, replacing option year & final guaranteed year of previous contract
09:$7.5M, 10:$8.25M, 11:$12.75M, 12:$12.75M, 13:$15.5M club option ($3.5M buyout)
Anyway, this is moot as thankfully Cashman is not going anywhere for the forseeable future.
“If Afferman were not even considered for the job it would be because of gender bias.”
Well, it’s a first. Creating a straw woman and then condemning the Yankees for gender bias. I guess that’s equality in a strange way.
13 assists from LF is NICE.
Besides Jesus and DeJesus has a certain rattat to it.
As in De Jesus is the first coming of Jesus.
http://www.nesn.com/2009/11/re.....iners.html
Chowdah toewn, wants Felix Hernandez bad. This link is all about how CAN they wrestle Hernandez from the Mariners.They really don’t want Halladay,just want to raise the cost of him to the Yankees,
I had no idea that DaSaint was Gloria Allred. Afferman has had years since we got Matsui to impress in any other way and she hasn’t.
BTW, it’s Afterman, not Afferman.
http://www.mlb.com/news/articl.....8;c_id=nyy
“Are they star clerks or generic clerks?”
nick in sf-
well, one is definitely a better athlete than cashman . she’s a softball star at skidmore ( and a volleyball all american).
so definitely star clerks smart ass
randy:
“so definitely star clerks smart ass”
He may be a smart a**, but he’s our smart a**
It’s amazing how Bellicheat’s team has been nothing ,now that he can’t film the opposing teams play calls.Brady coughed it up again in the 4th to the Dolphins,22-21,
randy
The RS fans may not be able to take comfort in the Patriots doing well seeing that they have lost 2 in a row.
Phil, you’ve found me out! Damn!
Nah, I’ve only found out you have no clues as to the Yankees operational heirarchy.
Nothing else to say.
murphydog-
i guess being” big leagued” happens in lots of professions.
there is clearly an art in knowing your place in any given time.
funny story. a few years ago, i was helping an employee with a tenant /landlord small claims case against her. i went to court with her because she had trouble expressing herself in a court situation.
i read up on the web all the things that help in small claims court. i wore a nice dark blue suit and had the legal specifics of her case down including that in the informal small claims setting i could help her.
that went out the window when the judge promptly told me that impersonating a lawyer was a felony.
… he did let me speak for her and she did win. the judge gave me a little smile on our way out of the courtroom in a gotcha kind of way.
“He may be a smart a**, but he’s our smart a** ”
cashman would never hire nick in sf.
he’s way to funny for cash. too irreverent.
plus i think nick would look funny in the generic crew cut required for staff.
Last week Tebow was touted by some anti-Jeter people,as deserving of the SI Sportsman of the year award.
Last night his team (Fla Gators)lost to Alabama (Crimsome Tide.)
Tebow was crying on the sideline,with a team mate consoling him …priceless.
Jeter would never act that way,not for nothing.
randy
Per PeteAbe’s blog.
“A few years ago, Brian Cashman left some fake notes on the table and watched with glee as the writers tried to read them while not being conspicuous about it.”
He and Nick might get along.
Mickey Mantle cried after being in a losing WS. Does that diminish the Mick? I don’t think so.
Bet our Ol’ blogger was one of the ones burned by it. lol.
“He and Nick might get along.”
maine yankee-
that’s a scary thought.
somehow that couldn’t be good for me
randy l.
December 6th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
“He and Nick might get along.”
maine yankee-
that’s a scary thought.
somehow that couldn’t be good for me
————————————
I don’t think that would change anything as far as you stand. You seem willing to take on any and all.
“A few years ago, Brian Cashman left some fake notes on the table and watched with glee as the writers tried to read them while not being conspicuous about it.”
Yeah and I’ll bet Pete Abe was jockeying for position to gather the false information.