Archive for February, 2010

Feb 28

Why People Shouldn’t Write About Things They Know Nothing About

Aki Iwamura, Kelly Shoppach, Rafael Soriano Cork Gaines 10 Comments »

The Sports Banter attempted to rank the off-season improvements of every MLB team. Despite the Rays filling their one hole (closer) with a proven commodity (Rafael Soriano) and only having to pay for the player with a four-A pitcher, the Rays are near the bottom of the rankings…

(25) Rays: I was critical of Tampa Bay last offseason and have no reason to ease off the gas here (insert lame Toyota joke here). The Rays – essentially – traded Akinori Iwamura for Rafael Soriano and his $7.25m salary. They also acquired C Kelly Shoppach from the Indians for a PTBNL… and that’s about it.

Solidifying the back end of the bullpen will help (albeit at a hefty cost), but for a team on the cusp of competing, more could have and should have been done. Now, the Rays need to depend on their farm system to produce, and to produce quickly, if they have any hopes of playing deep into October.

Rule #1 for any writer: Research is your friend! Try it some time.

First of all, Aki Iwamura was traded because Ben Zobrist can do the second base job much better (8.6 WAR vs 1.3 WAR) at a fraction of the cost ($450K vs $4.25M). Considering the alternative was declining Aki’s option, getting anything for him was a “win.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Feb 27

One Blogger Thinks Carl Crawford Is Too ‘Street’ For The Yankees

Carl Crawford, stupid is as stupid does Cork Gaines 20 Comments »

This isn’t the first time we have been down this road and unfortunately it probably won’t be the last…

Was Watching is worried about the Yankees giving Carl Crawford a contract with too many years next winter. Why? We’ll let them tell you…

Two things about Carl Crawford: One, he’s very “street.” Think Mickey Rivers meets Rickey Henderson – not that there’s anything wrong with that. Two, I dunno why…but…I just have this feeling that he’s one of those players who will be out of the game by the time he’s 35 years old.

Let us get this straight. He is “very street” and there is nothing wrong with that. But it is one of the two reasons that the Yankees shouldn’t give Crawford a 7-year deal.

If you will give us a moment, we would like to address Steve Lombardi of Was Watching…

Mr. Lombardi,

Have you lost your god damned mind?!?

Why is Crawford “street”? We don’t know. You don’t explain your reasoning, so we are left to speculate.

Is Crawford “street” because he has a neck tattoo? Did you know that the tattoo is his astrological sign, Leo? Nothing “street” about being into astrology.

Is Crawford “street” because he doesn’t talk like you? We have no idea where you are from, but we are going to guess that it is not the south. We suggest that you expand your horizons beyond the northeast and visit the south some time. You will find there are a lot of nice people that talk just like Crawford.

Is Crawford “street” because of the way he acts? We have been following Crawford’s career very closely for over 10 years. Ask our readers how often we are critical of or make fun of the Rays and their players (a lot). Ask them how often we have been critical or made fun of Crawford (very rarely). He has been an absolute model citizen. We don’t remember a single incident in which Crawford acted “street.” Whatever that is.

Or is Crawford “street” because he has a neck tattoo that you don’t understand, you are not familiar with people that talk like him, you have no idea how he acts…and because he is black? Do you prefer that African-Americans that play for the Yankees not have tattoos and sound more like you?

We certainly hope this is not the case. And we are going to give you the benefit of the doubt and give you a chance to explain what the hell you are talking about. Because right now? You just sound ignorant.

Feb 27

What Would It Take To Sign Carl Crawford?

Carl Crawford Cork Gaines 10 Comments »

With news that the Rays and Carl Crawford have decided to postpone contract talks until after the season, speculation has already started on what type of contract CC might command in the open-market…

Opinion as to how much Crawford will earn was varied among a group of nearly 20 agents and club executives polled on Thursday by FOXSports.com. Some of the most common estimates centered on five-year deals worth between $12 million and $16 million per annum…Others believed that Crawford’s annual salary should approach the $18 million that Torii Hunter will receive from the Angels in each of the next three seasons. Hunter, though, has the added value of playing center field and having hit over 20 home runs eight times.

A 29-year old player whose game is based on speed? Our feeling is that most clubs will only want to give Crawford a 5-year deal, but somebody will go as high 7-years to get it done. We still think 7-years, $100 million (~$15M/yr) will be Crawford’s new deal when the smoke settles.

This is why we were surprised the Rays and Crawford were negotiating at all. What can you do if you are the Rays? Maybe the team can stretch and offer 4-years, $48 million ($12M/yr). But even if the Rays do put their best offer on the table, they take the risk of Crawford laughing at best and being genuinely insulted at worst. Which is why there is a good chance the Rays never discussed numbers even if there were “negotiations.”

So now we wait. We wait and see how the Rays perform in the first-half. We wait and see how Desmond Jennings plays in the first-half. We wait and see if the Rays get an offer they can’t refuse prior to the trade-deadline. And if that offer is significantly better than the two draft picks they would receive for CC walking as a free agent, we wait and see if the Rays say “yes” even if they are still in the race.

Feb 27

Joe Maddon Has Graduated From Math To Acronyms

Joe Maddon Cork Gaines 5 Comments »

Joe Maddon likes silly slogans.

In 2008 it was “9=8.” (it was)

In 2009 it was ” ’09>’08 ” (it wasn’t)

After declaring that there would be no math this year, where was JoeMa going to go for a silly slogan in 2010? Acronyms of course.

On Thursday he introduced the Rays philosophy…

Our philosophy: Rays F.A.C.T.O.R: Flexibility / Accountability / Consistency / Trust / Organization / Respect..

And then yesterday his new slogan for 2010 was unveiled…

Maddon unveils #Rays season slogan: “What’s Important Now?” Stands for WIN.

We thinks that JoeMa has spending a little too much time with the folks at NORML.

Feb 27

[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Discuss The Florida State Fairgrounds, Aybar’s Wrist And A Cuban Pitcher

Aki Iwamura, BJ Upton, Juan Yasser Serrano, New Stadium, Pat Burrell, Willy Aybar Cork Gaines 5 Comments »

Michael Sasso has more details on the proposed development of the Fairgrounds…

The developer proposing a massive entertainment complex at the Florida State Fairgrounds envisions a project worth up to $1 billion, with professional baseball and soccer stadiums and up to 2,600 hotel rooms, state and Florida State Fair Authority documents show.

The developer did add that the idea of including a baseball stadium is “not motivating any of this,” suggesting that the development could easily proceed without the stadium.

DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…

  • Willy Aybar says his wrist is feeling better. Of course, supposedly it was feeling fine before Wednesday’s workout and then he took batting practice. [Rays Plays]
  • Cuban pitcher Juan Yasser Serrano held a private workout for the Rays last week. Serrano, 22, has a fastball in the low-90s, but has been unspectacular while pitching in the Cuban league. In 2008 he was 2-7 with a 6.46 ERA. Serrano has worked out with at least 10 clubs. [MLB Trade Rumors]
  • If there is one player in baseball that deserves a celebrity roast it is Manny Ramirez. If there are two players it would be Manny and Pat Burrell. The Fightins took care of the latter. [The Fightins]
  • RotoTimes examines the red flags surrounding BJ Upton. [RotoTimes]
  • Four spring games will be broadcast on the MLB Network. [Rays Prospects]
  • A fun, if unrealistic question: Would you trade Desmond Jennings and Reid Brignac for Zack Greinke? [Royals Review]
  • Bradenton Herald writes about Aki Iwamura’s first spring with the Rays. [Bradenton Herald]
  • Lance Cormier talks about ‘Bama football, Rafael Soriano and his personal goals for 2010. [Tampa Tribune]
Feb 26

Andy Sonnanstine: 6th Starter Or Trade Bait?

Andy Sonnanstine, David Price, James Shields, Jeff Niemann, Wade Davis Cork Gaines 3 Comments »

The Rays announced the starting pitchers for the first five spring games today…

March 3 at Baltimore – RH James Shields or RH Matt Garza

March 4 vs. Baltimore – RH Jeff Niemann

March 5 at New York – LH David Price

March 6 vs. Boston – RH Andy Sonnanstine or RH Wade Davis

March 7 at Philadelphia – RH James Shields

There are two take-home points from this schedule…

First, Joe Maddon is already setting up the order of his rotation for April as he starts to get his starters on their regular 4-days rest. That rotation will be James Shields, Matt Garza, Jeff Niemann, David Price and Wade Davis.

Second, Sonnanstine will be used as a starter, at least early in the spring. Barring an injury, The Duke will not be in the rotation. His best shot at making the opening day roster is in the bullpen, and with the recent signing of Joaquin Benoit, even that seems like a long-shot.

So, why use Sonny as a starter at all? Using Sonny as a starter now suggests the team may not see him as a bullpen option. He could be used in Durham as a starting pitcher and be the starter-on-call should one of the Rays starters be injured.

Or maybe the Rays are showcasing Sonnanstine for other teams still looking to shore up their rotation with a cheap starting pitcher that has proven he has the ability to be successful at the big league level. But this can only happen if the Rays have somebody else they trust in the rotation if somebody gets hurt.

If Sonnanstine is traded and somebody is injured, who enters the rotation? The obvious choice is Jeremy Hellickson, but we don’t think the Rays are ready to go down that road (compare how they handled Davis and Price and how each performed as SP early on). The other option would be Carlos Hernandez. But do we know if his arm is ready to throw 6-7 innings every five days?

At this point it would appear Andy Sonnanstine’s ticket to Durham has already been punched and he will be the Rays 6th starter. But if another team is desperate enough, he may be more valuable to the Rays as a trade piece.

Feb 26

Carl Crawford Is Lucky Cliff Floyd Is Not His Agent

Carl Crawford, Cliff Floyd Cork Gaines 8 Comments »

Cliff Floydwent on SIRIUS/XM’s “MLB Home Plate” with Jim Duquette today and was asked about Carl Crawford’s future with the Rays…

“Well, my feeling is I think he will outprice himself in Tampa. Of course, it’s a win-win for CC. My advice to him would be to stay with Tampa because it makes him a ten-five guy and then he can pretty much pick anywhere he wants to go as opposed to being a free agent. But he’s a smart young man and I think the biggest thing he’s got going for himself is the game has changed right into his corner. Defense and stolen bases and batting average and things like that are definitely on his side. So he’s in a win-win. Hopefully he stays healthy and he makes the right decision. I think his decision will probably be that he outprices himself and becomes a free agent. And, of course, the Steinbrenners in New York will be banging at the door to get him.”

If Crawford re-signs with the Rays after the season, he would reach 10-and-5 status* sometime in 2012. Certainly this is good position to be in, but how is that any better than being a free agent? It’s not.

In both cases the players can pick his new club, but as a 10-and-5 he does not have the right to renegotiate his deal and he only gets to pick his new club if the current club decides they want to trade him. And once he is traded he would lose his 10-and-5 status just as he would signing with another team as a free agent. So why would Crawford stick with the Rays just so that he can have 10-and-5 status? The fact is, he wouldn’t.

you would think after playing for 7 teams in 17 years, that Floyd would have this free agency thing figured out.

* 10-and-5 players have at least 10 years of experience and at least the last 5 years with the same team. These players have the right to approve or reject any trade.

Feb 26

Early Christmas Present For The Rays From Yankees And Red Sox

Rafael Soriano, Revenue sharing Cork Gaines 2 Comments »

The Biz of Baseball is reporting that revenue-sharing for 2009 is $433 million. Some of that money will end up in the pockets of the Rays.

So we would like to take this moment to thank the Yankees and Red Sox for the Rays brand-spankin’ new $7 million closer (Rafael Soriano). The Rays couldn’t have done it without the generosity of their divisional rivals.

Feb 26

[THE HANGOVER] The One Where We Discuss Hisnke’s Underwear, Hellboy’s New Pitch And JoeMa’s New Slogan

Alex Torres, Eric Hinske, James Shields, Jeremy Hellickson, Joe Maddon, Tim Beckham Cork Gaines 4 Comments »

Carl Crawford still won’t let anybody see his new full-sleeve tattoo, but unfortunately, Eric Hinske (right) is not as shy about his full-back, two half-sleeves tattoo. We are still not sure what is more disturbing about this picture: the tattoo. or the Banana Republic tighty-whiteys hanging out over the jeans.

DEVIL DOGS WEBTOPIA…

  • Both Jeremy Hellickson and Alex Torres impressed in their first sessions facing live hitters. But more telling is news that Hellboy is working on a slider/cutter to add to his already impressive arsenal. Other tidbits from Marc Topkin: Joe Maddon says Tim Beckham is “totally different” this spring when taking groundballs (that’s a good thing)…James Shields is already being lined up to pitch on opening day…And Joaquin Benoit will throw his first BP today.  [St. Pete Times]
  • UmpBump reviews the Rays off-season. [UmpBump]
  • Matt Joyce had a rough first outing of live pitching. [Rays Report]
  • Joe Maddon said there wouldn’t be any silly math equations this year (e.g. 9=8), but he did introduce an acronym, F.A.C.T.O.R. [Twitter]
  • The group that may try to build a new Rays stadium at the Florida State Fairgrounds includes some big names. [Tampa Tribune]
  • One writer in Detroit is still worried that the Tigers will “lose” the Matt Joyce- for-Edwin Jackson trade even though Jackson has since moved on. [mlive.com]
  • Russell Branyan said picking the Indians over the Rays was a “very tough decision,” but ultimately the lure of more playing time pushed him to Cleveland. [Cleveland Plain-Dealer]
  • 5 questions for Reid Brignac. [Tampa Tribune]
  • Dock of the Rays has some pics from spring training. [Dock of the Rays]
Feb 25

Baseball Prospectus Just Lost A Lot Of Credibility In Our Eyes

Baseball Prospectus, Carl Crawford, Shit is shit no matter the ass Cork Gaines 4 Comments »

Last night after Baby Prof went to bed we decided to dive into one of our favorite rites of spring, Baseball Prospectus 2010. We were neck-deep in baseball statistics bliss when we came across Carl Crawford’s write-up which included this statement…

The Rays picked up Crawford’s $10 million option for 2010 amid reports that the move upset the outfielder, who allegedly had a handshake agreement that management would renegotiate a long-term deal instead.

First of all, there were no “reports.” There was one report. And the statement is of course referring to this post on New York Baseball Digest. In that report New York Baseball Digest claimed to have a source that said Crawford was “livid” over the Rays picking up his option based on a “handshake agreement” that the team would never pick up the option.

Of course the holes were big enough for Dioner Navarro to fit through and the story was debunked at several sites (including this one).

Let’s look past the idiocy of thinking both sides would first agree to a team option as part of a contract and at the same time have a “handshake agreement” that it would never be picked up. And let’s ignore how ridiculous it is for somebody to think that picking up an option means the two sides can’t continue to negotiate (something both sides say they are doing).  No, the post fails the “shit test” by not realizing the “management” that gave Crawford the deal (and the option) is no longer running the Rays. It would be impossible for Crawford to have a “handshake agreement” with Andrew Friedman in 2005.

We have yet to talk to a Rays fan or anybody that covers the Rays that thinks there is even an ounce of truth to the story*. Add that to the fact that New York Baseball Digest has zero track record of reliable sources in or near the Rays and there is absolutely no reason to think the story is true and even less reason to perpetuate a story from an unverified source.

But to our astonishment Baseball Prospectus did.

We have the utmost respect for the guys over at Baseball Prospectus. But to regurgitate this fecal matter in an actual book is beyond amateurish. We expect better from them. And you can be damn sure we are not reading the rest of the book as it now has about as much credibility in our eyes as New York Baseball Digest.

Shit is shit, no matter whose ass it comes out of. But the shit smells worse when we have to pay $15 for it.

*unless of course you think New York Baseball Digest were breaking the story that the Rays would not be able to extend Crawford, something that New York Baseball Digest and 32 million other sources have written.

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