This year’s flurry of activity, with teams filling open spots in their lineups irrespective of the cost and others dumping high priced productive players because of budgetary concerns, once again raises serious questions concerning baseball’s present structure. By way of example, looking at the Yankee/Red Sox operation and comparing it to the Brewers problems may be enlightening, although nothing said here is going to come as a great surprise to any devoted follower of the game. [Read more →]

October no longer marks the end of the baseball season. The intervening months, November to April, when play begins, are devoted to filling those positions which ownership feels need strengthening. Weaknesses are perceived and the hunt, designed to overcome such weaknesses, begins. It begins however, for the most part, for those teams which have the financial ability to attract free agents without concern respecting budget. The prime example is the Evil Empire, also known as the Yankees, although there are a few other teams in a similar position. [Read more →]

While the Evil Empire fights their own private Star Wars episode with the good folks from Boston, the rest of the baseball world will begin their holiday shopping within the next week or so.

Now that Curt Schilling has chosen Boston as his home for the next three years, the remaining free agent pitchers will quickly fall into place.

No doubt that the Yankees will counter the Boston move by resigning Andy Pettitte one of these days. Houston won’t kick in the necessary 45 million or so to lock Pettitte up, so the Yankees should keep their top lefty.

Next who will it be joining Mike Mussina and Pettitte in the rotation? Most likely Bartolo Colon since he will cost mere dollars instead of first baseman Nick Johnson, the price mentioned for Javier Vasquez of Montreal.

But what about Jeff Weaver, the Yankees forgotten righthanded starter?

Click below for the latest on his possible destination? [Read more →]

Nothing like some 35 degree temperatures to make baseball seem closer than it actually is. As of today, there are 84 days until the pitchers and catchers report for spring training on February 15th. Sounds pretty close.

This morning the question remains will Ramon Hernandez be the Oakland Athletics catcher on February 15th?

Click below for more! [Read more →]

Interesting stories in today’s sports pages respecting both the Giants and the A’s. With respect to the Giants, the headline is “Forget about Guerrero, Sheffield as additions.”

Ray Ratto is of the opinion that the Giants will not spend the money needed to get either of these right fielders. He may be right. If he is, the sentiment recently mentioned here, that Sabean wants to win it all now, should be modified to “Sabean wants to win it all now, if it can be done within the budget.”

[Read more →]

A Rod is the MVP of the American League. I’ve gone on record many times saying he is overrated, mainly because he sold out and went for the dough by signing with Texas, a team with little chance of reaching the postseason.

It’s no secret if you watch A Rod play that he has disappeared at the critical moments during his tenure with the Rangers. Still with the numbers he puts up he is tough to ignore when the MVP vote is taken. This season he won the award because no player from a playoff team had a knock your socks off type year.

Carlos Delgado and A Rod were the favorites because they were going to be named within the top five on more ballots than anyone else.

A Rod has acknowledged that the Rangers are trying to trade him this off season. He gave the go ahead earlier in the summer when he sent out the trial balloon indicating that he wouldn’t oppose a trade if the Rangers were so inclined.

Will he move on?

Click below and let’s talk some hot stove baseball about A Rod and others. [Read more →]

Once again, Sabean has let it be known that rebuilding is not the name of the game as far as the Giants are concerned. The trade for Pierzynski is, among other considerations, a message to those free agents sitting out there, that the team is intending in 2004 to make it to the World Series. There are a few free agents available who are capable of turning this team into a prime contender for the ultimate prize. One of them, for example, is Gary Sheffield. [Read more →]

One thing that separates baseball from the other sports is the amount of interest that is generated once the season comes to a close.

In many ways, the baseball offseason is more interesting on a day to day basis than either the NHL, NFL or NBA are in their full seasons.

With that in mind some things that may be percolating.

The Yankees may not be as panicked about redoing their club as we have been led to believe.

Click below for more on that and other thoughts!
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With Grady Little out of the picture in Boston, the braintrust is looking for the perfect manager to work with stat geek Bill James while still knowing how to run a baseball game on the highest level and then supervise a clubhouse full of multimillionaires for good measure.

The names kicked around to succeed Little are interesting to say the least.

Click below for more! [Read more →]

If you like the underdog you
must be the happiest person
on earth today a day after
the Florida Marlins took the
Yankees in 6 games in the
2003 World Series.

By Amaury Pi-González [Read more →]