Off-Season Signings

[duan]

smg58 wrote: That's a good price for Carpenter. I'd have no problems making that offer to Zito, and Carpenter is a better (if older) pitcher.

except that the cards already had him undercontract for the next two years at about $7 million per. So in effect they've signed him for the years 2009, 2010, 2011 for $50 million.

That's a lot to be on the hook for with a guy who's had a bunch of shoulder surgeries.

Of course if he stays "as good as he is now" it may be a relative bargain, but I can't help think it's a bed bet.

[DocTee]

Reds replace Rich Aurilia with Mark Loretta: 2 years, $6 million

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Giants sign Benji Molina for 3 years

[Frayed Knot]

Sabean obviously decides that his Gigantes are not yet old enough or slow enough.

[duan]

Johnny Dickshot wrote: Giants sign Benji Molina for 3 years

seriously that's SUCH a bad idea it's unreal.

[metirish]

soupcan wrote: Gosh that's a lot of money. Hmmmm, if I'm Barry Zito do I take all the money I can and lock myself into a team that hasn't sniffed the playoffs in years and probably won't any time soon even with me or do I take less money and maybe less years to play for a better team in a better market (which would give me additional financial opportunities)? Either way I'm gonna be filthy rich and my kids and grandkids will be set for life. What's the difference gonna be - maybe $10-$20 million from one offer to the other? Wow, $10-$20 million is a LOT of money to turn down and maybe I could be the guy that is able to take that not-so-good team to the playoffs. Tough choice.

From the "buzz" blog on ESPN....

]� While Texas and Seattle have been mentioned as potential landing spots for Barry Zito, there's rampant skepticism in Orlando that Zito would sign with either club. But it's a great way for Scott Boras to help drive up Zito's price with the Mets.

[Guest sharpie]

From Jayson Stark on that same blog:

The Mets and Barry Zito's agent, Scott Boras, haven't talked money yet. But they clearly have a major philosophical difference about the potential length of Zito's contract, according to a source who spoke with both Boras and Mets GM Omar Minaya. Boras has told teams that Zito's deal needs to be at least six years. But the Mets don't want to go beyond four years. And it's nearly impossible to envision them extending past five years. This could be a gigantic obstacle, but an official of another team that has kicked Zito's tires said Tuesday: "I wouldn't believe any of that talk. I still think the Mets will do whatever it takes to get Zito, despite what everyone is saying now."
� Another source who has spoken with the Mets advises us to discount reports that the club is actively pursuing Miguel Batista or any other free-agent starter besides Zito. The Mets were interested in Vicente Padilla before he re-signed with Texas. But with him off the board, the Mets are "not in on Batista or any of those guys at this time," the source said. "The only guy they have high-level interest in right now is [Zito]." Which seems like more confirmation that the Mets remain Zito's most likely destination.

� No agent is more famous for overplaying his hand than Boras. So one GM joked last week that Boras had so little interest going in Zito this year that, other than the Mets, "it's all mystery teams. Usually, with Scott, you have four or five real teams and one mystery team. This year, it's one real team and all the rest are mystery teams." But that has changed since the meetings began. The Rangers, Mariners and Angels are all "definitely in" on Zito, according to one club that has been talking to Boras. However, Boras could be running into similar roadblocks with two of those teams that he has run into with the Mets. Because both Texas and Seattle are wary of being used to drive up some other team's price tag, neither wants to offer a contract longer than four years. The Angels' intentions are a little more mysterious. But one executive wondered "if they have any money left, after giving their center fielder (Gary Matthews Jr.) $50 million."

[Guest Edgy DC]

Blowing your bankroll on Gary Matthews after he has a career year at 31 two feet above the level he established over his previous seven years. Not a good plan.

[smg58]

Maddux goes to the Padres for one year and $10M.

Drew to the Red Sox finally official at 5 years and $70M.

This from ESPN.com: Why would the Reds offer Mark Loretta two years and $6 million when they already have a talented second baseman in Brandon Phillips? The Reds think Loretta can log enough at-bats as the right-handed first base complement to Scott Hatteberg to make the deal worthwhile.

Does anybody see the logic in that?

[metirish]

That Drew deal is nuts....he's not that good is he?

[nymr83]

smg58 wrote: Maddux goes to the Padres for one year and $10M. Drew to the Red Sox finally official at 5 years and $70M. This from ESPN.com: Why would the Reds offer Mark Loretta two years and $6 million when they already have a talented second baseman in Brandon Phillips? The Reds think Loretta can log enough at-bats as the right-handed first base complement to Scott Hatteberg to make the deal worthwhile. Does anybody see the logic in that?

the right-handed guy in a strict platoon gets 60% of the at bats, throw in some starts at 2B (while Phillips plays SS or sits) and 6 million doesnt look all that bad in this market. i wish the Mets had signed Loretta for $6 million instead of the crazy deal they are suppesedly giving to Lugo.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Nymr83 wrote: the right-handed guy in a strict platoon gets 60% of the at bats

I may be misreading, but, in my experience, the righthander gets 30%

[nymr83]

Edgy DC wrote: ="Nymr83"]the right-handed guy in a strict platoon gets 60% of the at bats I may be misreading, but, in my experience, the righthander gets 30%

i was misreading, i thought he was batting against the righties.

they have Phillips who can play 2B/SS and Encarnacion at 3B, is there another guy locked in at SS that I'm not thinking of or can they move Phillips there and play Loretta at 2B against righties?

[DocTee]

Lugo to BOSOX 4 years, 36 million

[Frayed Knot]

I still think that's high and long (and gone!!) but it does make more sense for a team that needs a full-time SS than for a team (Us!) that wants someone to share 2B

[nymr83]

glad it wasn't us. thank you Epstein.

[stevejrogers]

Wow, Lugo, Drew, do the Sox actually have a plan or is all this just Epstein thinking that he has some sort of Midas touch?

This can't all be Bill James' Sabermetric/Moneyball way of thinking, can it?

[nymr83]

well, James and moneyball are two seperate things. i don't think beane would really want to pay so much for Drew or Lugo.

[stevejrogers]

Well, they could have had Johnny Damon

[metirish]

Thank you Theo...boy genius to man fool..

[Guest Edgy DC]

It doesn't take Bill James to suggest that J.D. Drew is a better player and smarter investment than Johnny Damon.

[Guest Rotblatt]

metirish wrote: That Drew deal is nuts....he's not that good is he?

Well, $14M a year sounds about right in this market (he's got a career 133 OPS+, after all), but 5 years is an awfully long time for a guy with his injury history. Over his last 5 years, he's averaged only 395 AB per year, and he turned 31 this year.

I wonder if the Sox are hoping he'll stay healthy this year, then try to trade him to some suckers for prospects next winter.

Either way, better the Sox than us.

[metirish]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Mike Piazza's days as a catcher in the National League appear to be over.


Although he won't catch much in the American League, no other player has hit more home runs as a catcher than Mike Piazza:

The former Mets, Dodgers, Marlins and Padres backstop agreed to a one-year, $8.5 million deal with the Oakland Athletics to become their designated hitter.

[Elster88]

Payton and Piazza together again. Maybe when Oakland visits Baltimore I'll have an excuse to finally go see Camden Yards. I'll just have to flip a coin on whether to wear 31 or 44.

[nymr83]

that is a pretty good idea, i'll even get to piss people off (one of my favorite activities) rooting for hte road team!

[metirish]

I don't think Payton is with Oakland anymore,unless he signed in the last few days..

[metirish]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Free agent pitcher Ted Lilly, who earlier in the day ruled out returning to Toronto, agreed Wednesday night to a $40 million, four-year contract with the Chicago Cubs.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

metirish had previously reported That Schmidt and the Dodgers were nearing an agreement. ESPN is now reporting that Jason Schmidt has agreed on a deal to join the Dodgers for 3 years and $47 mil.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Dodgers also sign Mike Leiberthal.

Dude's been a Phille 4eva.

[Frayed Knot]

Not signing but a significant trade:

Freddie Garcia heads from Chicago's south side to Philly's south side in exchange for young hurler Gavin Floyd and a player to be named later.


That'll take an option away from the Mets (and anyone else looking to trade for pitching). The ChiSox had made it known for a while that they were willing to deal an experienced pitcher due to the presence of young'un Brandon McCarthy. Now they've got two young'uns to choose from while presumably Buehrle, Contreras & Vazquez will stay put (at least for now).