-Strasburg is staying with the Nats and will take home about $220 million for it. -The Yankees are looking to give at least that much to Cole. -The Dodgers GM was just quoted as saying that he doesn't think the Dodgers need to make any big off-season moves. I'm going to need to borrow the noise cancelling headphones that my best pal's son wears for his Autism if that happens. JOCO will not be pleased. -At the same time, the Dodgers could be trying to slow play things into working Rendon or Cole into the lineup. I did see they signed some minor league LHP who throws ridiculous gas, but can't throw strikes. I assume the Dodgers believe they can coach him into another one of their 'miracle turnarounds.' What else do you guys hear out there?
Reports are now that the Yankee's have offered Cole more than that 245M that the Nat's gave Strasburg.
The Yankees are all in with Cole. He is their #1 target. They figure with a rotation of Cole, Tanaka, Severino, Paxton and German they will be hard to beat. Looking to trade Happ. Would not be shocked if they re-signed Gregorius.
Big Hole now in the Astros rotation....the next big question will be how the Astros react and fix that hole.
The Yanks signing Cole has me on suicide watch. The next best pitcher out there now is Bumgarner and I hate that bastard. There will be rioting in the streets if they sign him. Like Marichal, we will never forgive and never forget. Signing Ryu is now a must...
I guess I just don't understand. Will.the team ever recover the cost of this contract? Will they make $260M more than if they signed a measly $100M pitcher?
Here's a rather bitter take from a guy who I like to read...he's an op-ed columnist, not a sports columnist, though he used to be sports editor. Baseball puts Snidely Whiplash into its Hall of Fame
There's another side to the coin. Prior to Snidely's efforts on behalf of the players, baseball ownership was, in effect, a fiefdom which prevented players from being compensated according to their true value to the team, to the sport and to the fans, who willingly paid the freight. Free agency virtually was non-existent. Arbitrary rules favoring owners tied players to their teams in a way that made them unable to capitalize on their performance in the marketplace. Scratch that. It wasn't a marketplace. If at some point in the history of the game, the owners had determined - on their own - fair methods of compensation and movement within the sport, Snidely may never have had a single case to plead. I recall reading a story about HOF member Ralph Kiner, who when pleading his salary case to Branch Rickey, then the GM of the Pirates, was told by Rickey, "We finished last with you. We can finish last without you." (Because of my feeble memory, I verified it via Wikipedia). He then was dealt to the Cubs and finished his career with the Indians at 32 due to a bad back. This is just one of hundreds of stories of management thwarting attempts by players to let the marketplace determine their value. So when applying selective memory to this particular topic, please remember that there were - and are - two sides to the story.
The Dodgers never put in a bid for Rendon, who signed with the Angels. All the talk here is about a brewing super trade between the Dodgers and the Indians. The Dodgers want Lindor and Kluber. The Indians want Gavin Lux, Dustin May, and Joc Petersen. Stay tuned...
Sid,.well put! While I don't understand how a pitcher is worth $300M, I also think that.without the talent the.owners would have to find something else to waste their loose change on.
I don't disagree with your sentiments, Sid...but I do agree with the article in that the pendulum has perhaps swung back too far the other way. The Indians have become a marvelous developmental team for the big boys...
Stu, I completely agree with your concern about the pendulum swinging too far in favor of the wealthy teams. It's wrong and should be dealt with. I don't have a solution, but I am ever hopeful that karma always will have the upper hand as it did this past season for the Phillies after they signed over the ranch to Bryce Harper. I believe that karma consists of the right combination of ownership, general manager, field manager, player attitudes, and ability to steal signals and always will prevail over big spenders who lack one or more elements of that combination. (Sorry, Terry. Couldn't resist ).