Light the Hot Stove fires

Barry switched agents to Scott Boras just before the All-Star Game and, yes, I'm pretty sure Boras understood that record revenues would result in record contracts. The Mets probably still would have taken the chance on re-signining him IF Zito had been available by trade, which, as Spnited has pointed out, wasn't the case. The A's were doing well after a typically slow start and headed towards winning the division. Plus, Beane has never been averse to collecting compensation picks rather than trading players in the last year of their contracts.

 

I disagree. First, they decided against trading him afyter seeing the market. I think they could have had him (at least at some point) for Milledge, Heilman & not much else (obviously we're both guessing, but the impression I got).

Also, while he would have gone to FA, I think it would have been alot cheaper, especially if they had gone to (& maybe won) the WS, which they very well may have.

 

Exactly, OOP... this market has gone totally out of control.

Hate to say this guy, but you are 100% wrong on the Zito situation.
He could not be had in July and there is NFW Boras is leaving even a nickel on the table in free agency.

 

Position players can be flip like that in negotiating.

Very dangerous for a pitcher.

 

I don't think the market has gone so crazy. The revenues went up steeply and the contracts followed, just as you'd expect. I think people, including a lot of reporters, have a difficult time fathoming these types of numbers in relation to their own lives but that doesn't mean that the market is abnormal. When you experience the kind of growth that MLB has experienced in recent years, it's going to be reflected in the player market, too.

 

Just curious... where is this massive growth in 2006 that baseball is paying out hand over fist for this offseason?

 

Use whatever terms you like. My point was that teams are spending a lot of money rellative to what they spent even last offseason and everybody who was paying attention knew that would happen.

And it may be dangerous to play the market like that for a pitcher, but this is Boras. He's going to squeeze for every penny he can get on Zito.

 

Revenues have grown from $1.2 billion in 1992 to something like $5.2 billion this past year but the luxury tax/revenue sharing combination in the previous contract artificially restrained salaries (created a "drag" Commissioner Selig likes to say) and kept them below that which an unfettered market would normally produce. Now, with the luxury tax thresholds going up, more of those revenues are invested back into the clubs in the form of player salaries.

 

Agree on the latter, but can't disagree more on the former.

 

It looks like the Reds are going to file a greivance against the Nationals, saying they were misled regarding the health of Gary Majewski.

The best part is a quote from Wayne Krivsky saying they will not seek to have the trade negated. My question there being, "Why on earth not!?"

 

Is it possible that Bill Hall could be put on the market by the Brewers? They have JJ Hardy and Counsel at short and Koskie at 3rd. People forget that Hall is already 27 - so its not like he's a "young" second year player. Could he be had for a #2 starter or top pitching prospect? The Brewers need starting pitching more than anything (besides maybe an upgrade in centerfield).

 

No. The Brewers plan to put Hall in the outfield. The Crew will likely trade Mench to Baltimore for Rodrigo Lopez and then try to deal Jenkins for a No. 5 starter. Here is the likely starting lineup next year for Milwaukee

C -- Johnny Estrada
1B -- Prince Fielder
2B -- Rickie Weeks
SS -- JJ Hardy
3B -- Cory Koskie
LF -- Bill Hall
CF -- Brady Clark/Laynce Nix/Tony Gwynn Jr.
RF -- Corey Hart

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=537647