steadyb Posted February 18, 2004 Share Posted February 18, 2004 Payroll now $1,000,000,000.00+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpel Posted February 18, 2004 Share Posted February 18, 2004 Dude, I don't like the deal, but let's get two facts on the table. 1. They traded Soriano. Soriano is a great offensive player. The Rangers love him because he's only making 5 mil next year, and, in Texas, Alfonso may well hit more homers than A-Rod does in the Bronx. Sori is a righty who's averaged 40 Hrs a year playing in a park that is terrible for righty sluggers. 2. The Yanks negotitated a killer deal in which Texas is paying more than a third of A-Rod's remaining contract. Unreal. I don't know how they pulled that off, but as a result, The Yanks will be paying A-Rod nearly 3 mil less each year than they currently pay Jeter. Why the Sox couldn't score this deal is beyond me. So, this was not a bottomless-pocket free agent signing. The Mets and Sox have only themselves to blame for not grabbing this prize. All that said, I don't like it, but for other reasons. Check out the Sweet Clementines CD at bandcamp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steadyb Posted February 18, 2004 Author Share Posted February 18, 2004 Originally posted by Magpel: All that said, I don't like it, but for other reasons.Higher ticket prices? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpel Posted February 18, 2004 Share Posted February 18, 2004 Nah, I don't like it because I liked the Yanks when they had good players but no superstars, e.g. the '98 team, Pre-Clemens. Now George has reverted to the meglomania that ruined the 80s. Check out the Sweet Clementines CD at bandcamp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dawson Posted February 18, 2004 Share Posted February 18, 2004 The Mets and Sox have only themselves to blame for not grabbing this prize. Speaking as a Sox fan I couldn't be happier that we didn't get A-rod. I think the guy is the most overrated player in the league, and it will become evident this season. It's a lot easier to hit 40 home runs on a team that finishes in last every season than on a team that competes for the pennant every year. I'm also thrilled that you guys gave up Soriano to get him. Not only is Soriano more of a hitting and running threat, but now I can root for him without feeling guilty. *Howard Zinn for President* **Pilsner Urquell for President of Beers!** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steadyb Posted February 18, 2004 Author Share Posted February 18, 2004 Don't kid yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schmoron13 Posted February 19, 2004 Share Posted February 19, 2004 Originally posted by berkleeboi: The Mets and Sox have only themselves to blame for not grabbing this prize. Speaking as a Sox fan I couldn't be happier that we didn't get A-rod. I think the guy is the most overrated player in the league, and it will become evident this season. It's a lot easier to hit 40 home runs on a team that finishes in last every season than on a team that competes for the pennant every year. I'm also thrilled that you guys gave up Soriano to get him. Not only is Soriano more of a hitting and running threat, but now I can root for him without feeling guilty.i love boston fans by the way, he's hit 40+ homers the past 6 years, so to say he's overated....you're just being stupid now. I'm not a yanks fan (actually, I'm a twins fan) so this is totally "objective" (it that's possible in sports). Think about what you're saying. Sure he played in a homerbox, but it's not like he's NOT hitting anywhere else. And with this potent lineup, it's not like teams can "Barry Bonds" him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dementia13 Posted February 19, 2004 Share Posted February 19, 2004 Nah, I don't like it because I liked the Yanks when they had good players but no superstars, e.g. the '98 team, Pre-Clemens. Now George has reverted to the meglomania that ruined the 80s. That's exactly why the Yankees won't win the World Series this year, either. The Astros and Cubs have done more to improve themselves where it counts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coyote Posted February 19, 2004 Share Posted February 19, 2004 Yeah, the Yanks got Clemens his first ring despite his own lousy performance that autumn. I agree that the Yanks were doing it right for a long time before George got back involved in running things. HOWEVER, I think A-Rod is a serious player. By moving to 3rd he's already demonstrated that he's a team player. And frankly, a great team player is something the Yanks need right now... great as Soriano is & will be, he's not a true team player. If I'm the Yanks, that trade is a no-brainer. I think it makes them the odds-on favorite to represent the AL in the Series, and they are one starting pitcher and one good middle reliever away from being a dominant team. I used to think I was Libertarian. Until I saw their platform; now I know I'm no more Libertarian than I am RepubliCrat or neoCON or Liberal or Socialist. This ain't no track meet; this is football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dawson Posted February 19, 2004 Share Posted February 19, 2004 Well let's see how much of a team player he is in 2 or 3 years IF the Yankees don't win a world series. Don't forget that he was the 'team player' that Texas was going to build a franchise around when he received the biggest contract ever. After a couple seasons of losing, his tune switched from team player to team whiner. But you're right about the pitching, Coyote. The Yanks lost most of their pitching staff and don't seem to have done a think about it. That's why this A-rod thing doesn't seem like a big deal to me. Unless Rodriguez is going to get up on the mound and pitch, you've essentially taken Soriano - a homer hitting and base stealing threat, and inconsistant fieder - and replaced him with Arod - a homer threat, not nearly the runner, and better fielder who is now switching to a new position. So you've maybe upgraded your offense a little, and you've upgraded your defense, assuming Arod can switch to a position he's never played. For a trade with so much hype, the Yankees really aren't that much better of a team as a result. It's not as though having A-rod last year would have won you guys the world series, and that was before you lost Clemens and Pettitte to Houston. Have you guys heard that Soriano as actually 28 years old, instead of 26 which for some reason everybody thought he was? *Howard Zinn for President* **Pilsner Urquell for President of Beers!** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpel Posted February 19, 2004 Share Posted February 19, 2004 Actually, Coyote, the Yanks have loaded up their bullpen this off-season with Tom Gordon and Paul Quantrill to set up Rivera and to complement White and Heredia, whom they acquired from the Reds duing last year's strecth run. Steve Karsay may return to form as well. The bullpen is stocked. (Whether these guys prove to have the post-season mettle of Nelson, Stanton, Mendoza et. al. remains to be seen.) but I certainly agree that they're a starting pitcher short of dominance, specifically a lefty (of which they have none) and more specifically Andy Pettite, a potentially disastrous non-signing. I'm not sure I can ever forgive George's "baseball guys" for that one. Apparently, Cashman was entirely in favor of resigning Pettite but was overuled by Tampa. In a seven game series, I think the Red Sox might have the edge right now. Sounds crazy, I know, but Schilling/Pedro is some damn crazy pitching to contend with. See, for years, I've been fighting the good fight, arguing patiently and with statistical backing that the great Yanks of the late 90s were built, not bought, and that if you could buy a ring, the Dodgers and Orioles, among others, would have more than a few. But now I can't even make the case anymore. This team is embarrassingly endowed. I don't care too much about that, but I hate the way it taints the great teams of 5 or 6 years ago, the team that, as Coyote alluded to, was developed in the early '90s by Buck Showalter, Stick Michael, and Stump Merrill when George was suspended from baseball for the Howie Spira fiasco. (Stick, Buck, and Stump. You gotta love baseball.) Check out the Sweet Clementines CD at bandcamp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magpel Posted February 19, 2004 Share Posted February 19, 2004 And, Berk', it's not exactly true that the Yanks have done nothing to offset their starting pitches losses. Kevin Brown and Javier Vazquez aren't exacly chopped liver. Brown, yuck, don't like him and don't want him here. Vazquez, OTOH, was a great deal (got him for Nick Johnson and Juan Rivera, so they gave up quie a bit of potential offense). Still, How in the F*cking World do you let go of a proven lefty like Andy Pettitte, a career Yankee, a postseason performer, and a great clubhouse guy? I just don't get it. i guess we're going for a new kind of character here: Keven Brown, Gary Sheffield, Kenny lofton Check out the Sweet Clementines CD at bandcamp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dawson Posted February 20, 2004 Share Posted February 20, 2004 Fair enough, Mags. I'll definitely agree with you on Vazquez. I had forgotten the Yanks picked him up, and he'll definitely provide some solid innings. Although I'm not sure he truly replaces the Rocket or Pettitte. Likewise, I'm not sold on Brown. He could be a solid 4 or 5 pitcher like Wells, but I think asking him to be 2 or 3 on the rotation will kill you in a 7 game series against a good team. So in all fairness, you are a lot closer than I realized. But you're still missing the key piece, which is that big time lefty starting pitcher. If you could find someone to come in and pitch behind Mussina then you'll have a pretty formidable team. Watch George go out and bring in Randy Johnson... I'm with you on Pettitte. I can't tell you how happy I am to see that guy leave. He was definitely one of those guys who you just associated with the Yankees. Like Posada, or even Jeter. Now if we can just somehow get rid of Rivera... *Howard Zinn for President* **Pilsner Urquell for President of Beers!** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steadyb Posted February 20, 2004 Author Share Posted February 20, 2004 Yankees sign Randy Johnson!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Dawson Posted February 20, 2004 Share Posted February 20, 2004 Alright, Steady. It's been a long time coming - let's just drop the gloves and go at it. Mano a boi-o, LA versus Boston, Dodgers versus Sox, Kobe versus Pee Pee- it's time to settle the bill. I'll drop you to the ground like Pedro took down Don Zimmer in the playoffs. Seriously though, I about spilled my coffee when I read that. Good fun. *Howard Zinn for President* **Pilsner Urquell for President of Beers!** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steadyb Posted February 20, 2004 Author Share Posted February 20, 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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