Major League News.

by Allen Chace on Jan 17, 2007 2:45 AM EST in News

Elijah Dukes in the news for negative reasons again. Yawn.

Rangers near MiL deal with Sammy Sosa. Low-risk and all that, but do they really want this guy (and the media circus that would/could follow him) taking time and ABs from Jason Botts? I'm guessing best-case for Sosa is that his production will be roughly equivalent, and Botts is already on the 40-man. Reactions from LSB.

Arbitration figures exchanged. The Cubs and Carlos Zambrano have some disagreement over his value. Cubs offer? $11M and change. Zambrano's figure? $15.5M. It's pretty simple, but Cubs, don't go to arbitration. #1, he's probably going to win. #2, he deserves closer to $15.5M, especially in light of Zito's contract. #3, he could make a decision about a hometown discount in negotiations on a long-term contract based on this potential compromise or hearing.

ASG announcements. Yankee Stadium in '08, St. Louis in '09. Good for YS, one last hurrah before it is thankfully demolished. St. Louis? Brand new and nice park, fine. I wouldn't mind seeing MLB make a committment to one or both of the Florida teams and award them an ASG in hopes of boosting overall ticket sales.

Plenty of competition over the services of one Brian Lawrence. Brian and I have something in common. We both threw zero ML innings last season.

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My Thoughts On Everything.

I'm loving the fact that the values of Dukes (who is always in trouble) and Upton (who is running out of positions to play) continue to plummet; maybe this, along with Lugo bolting via free agency, will compell their management to be more realistic in trade talks. They now have surpluses in both the IF and OF, with nothing that resembles an ML rotation to show for it. Sad state of affairs in Tampa Bay, but hopefully this will wake them up.

Why anyone would sign one of the disgraced players in the game is beyond me, especially when the roster doesn't necesitate the signing. Sammy, Palmeiro, etc. should be ignored by baseball.

Are the Cubs going to be able to afford Zambrano? Is he going to want to stay there, even if they can? I see this guy being lured by the bigger bucks elsewhere, especially since he might be the only ace in the market next offseason.

Nice (yet obvious) picks for the ASG. I thought Yankee Stadium was not to be demolished, but I could be wrong about that. I wonder when the NEW Yankee Stadium will get to host the ASG...

I can understand the attention that Lawrence is getting; my friend who is a Nats fan and I agreed that he was a steal for Washington in exchange for Castilla (this is before we found out he'd never pitch for them) and he could well be a solid contributor to a rotation in 2007.

by ejruiz @ Over the Monster on Jan 17, 2007 11:41 AM EST reply actions

Re: My Thoughts On Everything.

As per your question, ej, from a wikipedia article:

In 2006 that the Yankees began construction of a New Yankee Stadium, to open in 2009. Most of Yankee Stadium is expected to be demolished at that time, leaving only the underground clubhouses as part of replacement park facilities

I'm also unsure why the D-Rays are taking such a hard line in trade talks. If they can trade Baldelli (who I fear will be an injury risk his whole career) for someone who they can count on for almost 200 IP behind Fossum and Kazmir, I think they have to do it. Both Uptons seem destined to the OF, and an alignment of Crawford-Upton-Young next season could be just as or more productive than what they got this season.

"Sorry? Sorry doesn't cut it Melissa, I want an apology."-Jason Penopolis, Home Movies

by Allen Chace on Jan 17, 2007 11:58 AM EST up reply actions

Re: Major League News.

I'll be interested (but far from riveted) to see if Brian Lawrence can actually put his career back together. His last full season was average-to-crappo, but he may have been suffering from the effects of his injuries.
One way or another, he's nothing special.

KEEP MANNY!

by Saberrox on Jan 18, 2007 10:58 PM EST reply actions