MLB: Offseason Sweepstakes Edition

[TheBigTEA]

See, it's not blame though. And it's not punishment. It's simply recognizing that Brauns' situation was more agreeable than Kemp's.

I just think in a situation like this, with two players that have such similar stats, that it should go to the guy on the team that plays in the high pressure, important games rather than the guy who's team is pretty much playing for respectability.

I am just being defensive because I have read a lot of places that Braun didn't deserve the award and I think that is just crazy talk.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

But seriously, by definition Fielder and Braun being on the same team should have given the award to Kemp automatically, regardless of comparable stats individually.

Unless the award is renamed "Most Valuable Tandem (the not fat guy gets the award though.)"

That's probably going to happen more often than not, as those two guys are splitting votes and Kemp is not.

[Greywolf2375]

Looks like the Red Sox will be going with Groucho Marx for their next manager - B. Valentine is being reported as having signed on.

[Mack Kilimaro]

Rob Dibble hating Bobby Valentine is about as strong praise as Bobby can receive.

Although in this case he's probably not wrong.

[Greywolf2375]

Posthumously unfortunately, but Ron Santo finally gets The Call - 15 of 16 Golden Age committee members select Santo for the Hall.

http://eye-on-baseball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22297882/33708355

[mediocre cheese]

Deserved certainly.

Regarding the MVP, I think kemp deserved it. Kemp's WAR: 8.7, Braun's WAR: 7.8. Kemp plays the more defensively challenging position, which has to count for something.

[Greywolf2375]

So the Marlins get Reyes for 6/$106MM and have a 10 year offer on the table to Pujols. While it may not rival the ARod contract, I've got to think that offer is somewhere in the $200mm plus neighborhood.

Hopefully they actuall get butts in the stands in the regular season to pay for the FA's they're picking up.

[Jaxom 1974]

Posthumously unfortunately, but Ron Santo finally gets The Call - 15 of 16 Golden Age committee members select Santo for the Hall.

http://eye-on-baseba...297882/33708355

Bittersweet.

I never saw Santo play, so I can't comment there. The numbers tell me that there is a case both ways. As a fan, I wanted him in, but understand the detracting position. As a broadcaster, he was entertaining as hell, but lacked in capability, even after nearly 20 years doing it.

But I agree with those who ask, "If you were going to vote him in, why not do it while he was alive?". That 15 of th 16 votes came through this time around makes it seem like either some sort of mea culpa and the Golden Age voters are covering their butts, or that with holding the entry while he was still alive was somehow punative in that he wasn't the most well liked player amongst his peers...

But good on you, Ron!

Wow, Dibble was ripping into Bobby V. really hard on the radio tonight. I'll paraphrase: "This is a guy who could not stop going up and down the isle on plane flights telling everyone how he'd forgotten more than they would ever know about baseball." I don't really have a strong take on Dibble, but this does feed my impression of Valentine. He seems like a total narcissist. Everyone who knows him dislikes him, it seems, or at least that's what Dibble was sort of implying. I buy it, though I'll try to keep an open mind.

So Chicago wants to talk to Albert. Not too big of a surprise. As much as it would pain me to see Albert in a Cub uniform (and there could be no greater pain), I think it might be a huge mistake for Chicago to splurge on him. Actually, I think there's a chance that Epstein is just posturing. Why would you want Pujols that badly? Is Chicago in a championship window in the next few years? It doesn't really look like it. Is Albert likely to be great beyond the next 3-4 year window? Not likely. So why sign him to huge money if you're Epstein? Sure, you make an off-season splash, but you probably aren't a great team in the near future, and he hamstrings your rebuilding effort in the long term. Losers (Cub fans) are going to give you (Epstein) love for the first few years anyway. Makes more sense to build from the ground up.

Even if you can't, or won't sign him, you make the call. Every team, even the Royals and Pirates and Orioles of the world need to make the call. If only to say, "Just double checking we're not on this list of possibles", even if they know they aren't on it. Hell, there was the rumor that Albert would've considered a trade to KC last summer, due to his ties there, if only for the short term of that season. It behooves KC to at least check.

It's doubly important in the NL Central to at least make the token effort. What if something did click?

I don't think Theo's doing anything wrong making the calls and asking the questions. Report out this morning that the Cubs did make some sort of offer.

[The Wedge]

Couple of things: Santo should have been voted in well before he passed away. One thing I read indicated that Jerome Holtzman (Chicago writer / MLB historian) had a hand in keeping Ronnie out of Cooperstown for a long time. Perhaps now that Holtzman is dead, Santo's ticket to the Hall could be punched. Not saying that's why it took so long, but it could have been.

As for Pujols, this Miami push is interesting. I think a lot of Cardinals fans feel that if Albert gets the 10 years at megabucks he wants, then thanks for the incredible memories and we'll certainly stand up and cheer before you bat when you visit Busch. I just don't see the Cards wanting to commit that long a time now that the era of players (ahem) performing at beast mode through the age of 40 has gone. Not accusing anyone of enhancing performance here, but just noticing that with tighter rules for testing it becomes even more remote a possibility that a player sustains health and production at Pujols-type levels through that much of a contract.

Dunno. Would love to see Albert stay, but don't want to see the Cards hamstrung by a megadeal to a 32 year. And I kind of wouldn't mind seeing Albert playing for Ozzie Guillen. That could be fun to watch.

[Jaxom 1974]

Buhrle to Miami for 4 years at 58 million. You can't blame the guy. The allure of that 4th year (he'd be 37 at contract's end) is too strong of a pull...I just wish he'd stayed in Chicago. On the North Side that is...

[Jaxom 1974]

Will St. Louis sign him already? Or talk Miami into fixing their offer for him? That domino needs to fall so everyone else can start really making moves...

Though I did kinda like the thought that, if MIami had signed Albert, then they would serioulsy consider taking on Zambrano and sending Gaby Sanchez back this way...

[Greywolf2375]

Will St. Louis sign him already? Or talk Miami into fixing their offer for him? That domino needs to fall so everyone else can start really making moves...

Though I did kinda like the thought that, if MIami had signed Albert, then they would serioulsy consider taking on Zambrano and sending Gaby Sanchez back this way...

They'd love to, but he isn't budging yet. I think it was the Angels put in a $210mm bid and he is going to wait till the winter meetings are done with to see how hight Pujolsball can get before the next drawing. I

edit: and just a short time later, I'm proven wrong.

[The Wedge]

Albert Pujols - 10 years, $250 million. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Thanks and good luck out west, Albert.

While I'm a bit sad to see Pujols chase the cash he deserves as one of the greats of all time, I'm also a bit relieved the Cardinals are not saddled with a potentially decade-long organization crippling contract, should his production decline or an injury occur. The risk/reward factor just didn't seem to justify that much from the Cardinals, IMO.

[Greywolf2375]

So long St. Louis.

Pujols sings...uh, signs for $250MM

with the Angels.

http://scott-miller.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270335/33753584

[Jaxom 1974]

Adios, Albert!

Seems like a bad move (long term) for the Angels. And it doesn't feel smart for Albert either. But it's a heck of a paycheck.

[Greywolf2375]

Adios, Albert!

Seems like a bad move (long term) for the Angels. And it doesn't feel smart for Albert either. But it's a heck of a paycheck.

He will now have the DH opportunity so he doesn't wear down as much....but jeez, for that money you can wax my back and use me as a surfboard.

For the Angel's, yeah. He's a ridiculous talent, but the days of the 38 year old power hitter are coming to a close. Ortiz is reported to get up to $14mm as a full time DH and that is getting huge questions as to whether it is a lifetime achievement award or truly for his potential for the next two years.

edit: and they picked up CJ Wilson for 5yrs/75mm.

[Dio]

I'm sad to see Albert go, but there's a part of me that is relieved. There is no way we should have given him what the Angels did, and I wouldn't even be wild about giving him a 9 year deal for a little under $200 million which is what we supposedly offered him.

Yeah, I'm more relieved than anything else. 10 years was ridiculous. If the Cardinals had wanted to keep him long term, they should have restructured/extended his contract 5 years ago. 10 years for a 27 year old is doable; 10 years for a 32 year old is insanity, especially in the NL. They didn't do it because they were paying 70 cents for dollar talent. That's business.

It does make me sad to think of him closing in on the all-time HR record in an Angels uniform. But that's years down the line and not a definite possibility anyway.

The only thing that bums me out at the end of the day is that I think St. Louis is in a pretty good championship window right now, or we would be with Albert on the team. So this may really hurt in the short term while still being a good thing in the long term.

I think short term the Cardinals are still very solid. Move Berkman to first, put Craig out in right (after he heals up from knee surgery), try to shore up the middle infield - that's not a bad team, especially in the NL Central. Winning the division is the most important thing; as we just saw last year, once the playoffs start, anything can happen.

[Fez]

Pujols is obviously the big story, but ESPN is reporting that the Angels also landed CJ Wilson for 5 years and $70something million. That's an awful lot of cash they're throwing around right now. I gotta think the Pujols deal is gonna bite them in the ass hard too. Sure he's still an absolutely amazing player now, but there have already been signs of a slow decline, for instance his shrinking WAR for the past several seasons. If that continues this contract is gonna be a huge problem in the second half of this deal. Also its not even confirmed that he is 32, he could easily be 33, 34 or even 35. And with the no-trade clause the Angels are stuck with him no matter what.

It probably would never land him but if I were a GM I would never offer this deal, if I really wanted him I would've done a shorter, higher per year contract, like 3 years for $100 million. I'd get the best years of production out of him for money that'd he's arguably worth, and he'd still be young enough to be able to land another large contract from another team.

[Dio]

They're in decent shape, but I can't see them winning a title unless Holliday steps up and Freese is really as good as it looks like he could be.

Wainwright coming back as good as new is also key.

I'm curious about how soon Shelby Miller will be ready, and I'm wondering what we'll do at SS and 2B. Now that Albert is gone, I kind of wish we had a chance to go after Reyes.

Getting Wainwright back and 100% is definitely the most important thing. Everything else is more hit-or-miss.

Will Berkman continue his resurgence? Will Freese hold up all season? How will Craig adjust to playing everyday?

And yeah, like I said, need to do something about the middle infield. They may just resign Furcal since Reyes is off the table, but 2nd base has been a revolving door in St. Louis for years, and I don't see it changing this season.

I read somewhere that Miller probably won't be ready until 2013, maybe the end of next season if he shows a lot of progress and pitching is needed at the time.

So I think we're okay. It's only December though, so while they look good on paper, we won't really know anything until March.

[GrimTuesday]

At this rate, if the Mariners don't get Fielder, the AL west will be a two horse race between the Angels and the Rangers for the next four or five years. I guess its a little early to start to despair, but I'm a Mariners fan, it come naturally.