tell me about your feeeeeeelings

[Theoldmole]

I would have gone Sad but hopeful, but I couldn't pass up Elated that the MFYs got screwed.

[Frayed Knot]

I guess the 'sad but hopeful' choice applies best.

Look, there's no question that this is good for the Phils at least in the short term. They got the best FA pitcher on the market who's very good with a short and recent track record of being great and not only didn't have to go to a guaranteed 7th year to get him but stopped a wee bit short of a 6th.
Their 4-man rotation - assuming everyone stays healthy - is a killer which will help them overcome whatever offensive outages they'll have (the way they did last year) as those bats and defense grow older and less reliable.
Maybe it starts to bite them by year 3 or later as both he ages and they need to start replacing all those aging and expensive parts elsewhere (although I still think Howard at 1B is the bigger anchor they need to worry about) but they're a 'now' team riding a big revenue stream so certainly looks like the right move at the right time.

Besides, just think about how much fun it will be when you wind up beating the overwhelming pre-season fave

- As far as the Yanx, the best part isn't merely the fact that they didn't get him - at those prices and length the winner of these things isn't always the one who gets him - as it is the fact that their fans and their press took the signing for granted as part of the natural order of the universe. That's twice now that they thought he was theirs (remember the trading deadline last July) only to be left grasping at air wondering why cats and dogs are now living together.
Of course they'll now do something else - particularly with all that money burning a hole in their pockets. But, in the meantime, it's Sabathia, Hughes, Burnett and ... ??

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: Of course they'll now do something else - particularly with all that money burning a hole in their pockets. But, in the meantime, it's Sabathia, Hughes, Burnett and ... ??

Why hasn't Mike Francessa killed Cashman for doing nothing at the Winter Meetings/offseason yet?

The Mets actually are one further along. They've got CC and Hughes + burnett, we've got Dickey, Pelfrey, Niese + ollie.

[seawolf17]

Ceetar wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: Of course they'll now do something else - particularly with all that money burning a hole in their pockets. But, in the meantime, it's Sabathia, Hughes, Burnett and ... ?? Why hasn't Mike Francessa killed Cashman for doing nothing at the Winter Meetings/offseason yet? The Mets actually are one further along. They've got CC and Hughes + burnett, we've got Dickey, Pelfrey, Niese + ollie.

Because Brian Cashman is "fungible."

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

I kinda sorta snapped at my Yankee fan sister on the Facebooks today after she did the woe is us thing. This deal will probably be bad news for the Phils in four years, maybe crippling in year five, but maybe not. Five years is a long way away. And in the meanwhile they will probably win somewhere north of 95 games a season. Their offense ain't great, but it won't need to be. Catastrophic career-ending injuries aside (which are possible, natch, but not exactly probable), this team might have wrapped up the division until 2014. The move is that good, I think. I has a sad.

Actually, I'm more angry to find out the Phils can spend 160 million dollars. That's disconcerting news. What the hell?

[ashie62]

Elated..

Not too many big dollar pitcher contracts work out.

[Vic Sage]

Actually, I'm more angry to find out the Phils can spend 160 million dollars. That's disconcerting news. What the hell?

you failed to finish your thought: "I'm more angry to find out the Phils can spend 160 million dollars... and the Mets can't or won't."

[ashie62]

Vic Sage wrote: Actually, I'm more angry to find out the Phils can spend 160 million dollars. That's disconcerting news. What the hell? you failed to finish your thought: "I'm more angry to find out the Phils can spend 160 million dollars... and the Mets can't or won't."

The Mets are a small market team for the time being.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Who's suicidal? That's what I want to know.

(And not necessarily in a help-y way. More like, "morbid curiosity/tell me about your pain.")

[Fman99]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Who's suicidal? That's what I want to know. (And not necessarily in a help-y way. More like, "morbid curiosity/tell me about your pain.")

That was the one I chose. God damn, their first four guys are all better than the flotsam we're trotting out there most days. The whole thing stinks worse than Suzie Waldman's giant granny panties.

[MFS62]

Fman99 wrote: The whole thing stinks worse than Suzie Waldman's giant granny panties.

Thank you for that Hallmark moment.

Later

[metirish]

Here's a view from Greg that I like

http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/

[MFS62]

metirish wrote: Here's a view from Greg that I like http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/

I like that view, too. But there is something else that I'm thinking about. If the team is going to build a contender from within the organization, I notice that the next wave of minor league position players who may fight their way into the Mets lineup over the next year or two are mostly left handed hitters. They include Duda, Nieuwenhuis, Ratliff (and finally, please, a healthy Martinez) in the outfield and Havens in the infield. The Philly addition of Lee won't make their entry into the NL East any easier.

Later

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Fman99 wrote: LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Who's suicidal? That's what I want to know. (And not necessarily in a help-y way. More like, "morbid curiosity/tell me about your pain.") That was the one I chose. God damn, their first four guys are all better than the flotsam we're trotting out there most days. The whole thing stinks worse than Suzie Waldman's giant granny panties.

It's not that bad, really. Oswalt's either gone next year, or signed to a budget-breaking deal. They will be very, very good next year. And that's it, really... after that, it's all a matter of fast they leak. Leak they will. And a smelly, chopped-meat-stinking leak it'll be.