Progressive Boink

[kliq]

Wow, this is awesome!! Adding Cabrera and Willis and Cabrera to the Tigers lineup has to make the immediate Central Division favorites.

[Duzzy Funlop]

and from the other perspective that is also an absolutely awesome trade for the marlins!

[Whittle]

How did Cabrera find out he'd been traded? Ozzie Guillen's wife told him. Guillen's wife and Cabrera's wife are close friends. So when Guillen called his wife to tell her that Cabrera had just been traded, she replied: "Guess what? He's sitting right next to me. I'm driving him to the airport."

[Ragingape]

I just found out that Cabrera and Willis were the last remaining Marlins from the World Series. In 2003.

[Duzzy Funlop]

Starting in 2013, players can no longer receive MVP, CY, or ROY votes if they have awards clauses in their contracts.

Definitely a good idea.

[mojogal]

I wish they had implemented this a long time ago. Not saying it would have changed my feelings but it might have softened me a little about Arod. Wonder how Boras will get around this one.

[Duzzy Funlop]

five million bones for winning one of fifty annual scott boras appreciation awards

[Shamrock]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3143653

Dodgers sign Andruw Jones for 2 years, $36.2 million. Hopefully this goes over better than the last free agent center fielder we signed. That Pierre signing was so dumb it only took them a couple months to realize they just had to eat it and sign someone better. The only thing that has me worried is that struggling hitters never seem to come to L.A. and play better. Hopefully Mattingly and Torre and straigten him out, and if he can even give us 30 HRs and 100 RBI with an average less than .250, it'll still be a major improvement. It was worth it to roll the dice for only 2 years. I also like this new strategy the Dodgers seem to be employing: overpaying veterans for only a couple years instead of for many, many years.

[Whittle]

a center fielder that hit .222 (.263 career) and won a gold glove even though he's slowing down got 18 million a year for 2 years. he last hit over .300 in 2000.

aaron rowand, another center fielder, hit .309 (career .286) and also won a gold glove this year. is he seriously going to get $20 million, or does andruw just get it based on his name? by the way, they'll be the same age next season (jones is about 4 months older).

[Hanstock]

[09:07] BlueCarolina97: BREAKING NEWS: Giants sign stick of gum, lint ball
[09:08] Krabappel1: according to brian sabean, "we think lint ball will be a great addition to the middle of the order. He's an experienced guy who brings a strong bat and a solid arm to left field.
[09:09] Krabappel1: stick of gum's veteran presence will be great for the youngsters in the clubhouse
[09:09] Krabappel1: tim lincecum, the only youngster in the clubhouse, is offended at being referred to as such.
[09:09] BlueCarolina97: Blockbuster package deal responsible for 40% of Giants payroll through 2010

[Wez]

I fear Andruw Jones. He has raked at Petco, which is why I wanted to Padres to get him (not for 18 million though). Sure it's a small sample size, but check this out:

G--AB--R--H--HR--RBI----BA---OBP--SLG---OPS
15-56-18--22--9----21--.393--.477--.964--1.441

At Petco Park.


Aaron Rowand had the best year of his career, and it wasn't much better than Andruw Jones's down year. Torii Hunter got the same amount per year as Jones because they have both proven to be consistently good. Jones wasn't great this year, but chances are he would return to form next year. Rowand has only been good for a few seasons, but chances are he won't be much better next year than he was this year. Plus the old he plays at Citizens Bank argument. Jones could be a legitimate cleanup hitter, whereas Rowand could not.

Also, Boras.

[Wez]

Also, I noticed the Pirates acquired SS J(osh) Wilson!

I think they are using the strategy I would use when I did Madden drafts with my friend: try to get as many people with similar names as possible. I could fill an entire defense with Williamses.

[withpeninhand]

Dodgers sign Andruw Jones for 2 years, $36.2 million.

That's a terrible enough contract that I'm surprised the Giants didn't beat the Dodgers to the punch.

Actually, the more I think about it, the less it seems TERRIBLE, but it could definitely turn out bad. If he can bring his average up above .270 (.222 had to be a fluke) and hit over 40 home runs, I'd say it's money well-spent. Of course he's only hit over .270 or had 40+ home runs twice since the turn of the century, and neither of those things ever took place in the same year. So yeah, it could work out, but probably not. At least he's not signed through 2046 like Barry Zito.

[withpeninhand]

"It seems like ownership put the writers up to this," Schwartz said. "It seems like the real beneficiaries here are owners who don't have to pay bonuses to players who've had good years. Players who have award-winning seasons ought to be rewarded for it."

Last I checked, the players are rewarded with MVP and Cy Young awards.