Backtobanks

There have been many threads that involved hustling and giving 100% effort and many more threads that wandered into that topic. My question is if major league ballplayers are playing at a level so much higher than "normal" people and many seem to be giving 100% effort, how come their production kicks up an extra 20-30% during their contract year?

The same reason they would be interested in Prior.

As a couple of posters have written, I think he wants out of Washington. Also, I'm sure his agent and him think that the rejected Nationals' offer will set a starting point for others. I would think that he won't do much better than what was offered, but you have some desperate deep-pocket teams (Yankees, Cubs, Orioles, etc.) out there.

The Sox deal matches up with the Yankees' needs. I would think teams might be a little hesitant on Crede until they find out details on his back. If his back is okay, this would be a good deal for both teams. As others have posted, the Cubs would need a third team to obtain ARod. The only other deals I can think of: (1) Florida sends Cabrera and Willis to NYY, Yanks send ARod to Third team, and third team sends a boatload of excellent prospects or cheap players to Florida. But, who is that 3rd team? Angels? Dodgers? Padres? (2) Seattle trades Beltre and Felix Rodriguez. The CW is that ARod would veto a trade to a West Coast team. I think the only way the Yanks would trade ARod without getting back a 3B in the deal would be for Aramis to become a free agent. If the Yanks signed Aramis, I think they would trade ARod for just pitching - that's just a hunch. I don't think it would have to be Cabrera and Willis, but maybe Cabrera orWillis with another player or 2 involved. If it's one or the other, the third team might not have to send quite as many players (or the Yanks might send a prospect too).

The Sox deal matches up with the Yankees' needs. I would think teams might be a little hesitant on Crede until they find out details on his back. If his back is okay, this would be a good deal for both teams. As others have posted, the Cubs would need a third team to obtain ARod.

Barrett was hurt after the 2006 season was buried. If you are going to play the excuse game, at least have the courtesy to not include the ones that didn't have anything to do with the team going in the tank. But he did miss time for suspension.

I'm assuming this is the part of the post that was actually yours. Baker had Maddux. He also had the chance to treat Prior and Wood better when they were healthy. He also had the chance to let Hill battle through his problems last year, which may have quickened his eventual, and some would say inevitable, improvement. He had a chance to not rely on Rusch when he sucked and let Hendry know he wasn't worth bringing back. He also had the chance to not make Neifi and Bynum such prominent members of the roster. Excusing him for Barrett missing time is absurd. The team was lost long before that happened, and besides, catchers get hurt and miss time. It's a fact of baseball. Baker deserves much of the blame for what has happened the last two years, but as has been pointed out in the press conferences there's lots of blame to go around. Everyone hates excuses, but with injuries to Wood, Prior, DLee, Nomar, Barrett, etc. injuries have to be part of the reason the Cubs have been dismal for the last two years. As MacPhail pointed out in his press conference, too much of the payroll was on the DL at any given time. Dusty was a bad manager, but with the injuries they had and the players he had available, no manager would have been able to win consistently.

That analogy doesn't work unless you have chess pieces that move themselves. Also, if that chess player with only pawns is playing against a similarly skilled chess player with his normal pieces he will most certainly lose. Sure, Baker with a bunch of scrubs could beat some high school team but even Earl Weaver couldn't make the scrubs into a winning team against average major league competition. I'm certainly not defending Dusty, but you can't expect much when your starting pitching is Z and 4 rookies, 2 of your star players (Barrett & DLee) are out for extended periods, and you have the likes of Neifi, Mabry, and Bynum on your team.

Everyone has their favorites, but I have trouble believing that any of these guys would win or lose more than 3 games compared to the others. Is there a VORM statistic to compare them. If tremendous players have a VORP of around 10, how much effect can one manager have over another assuming they are all basically adequate?

Do you have any inside information on the behind the scenes issues that Phil Nevin hinted at?

I'm not to sure what you're going to find out in an interview anyhow, but Piniella, Brenly, Girardi, Listach, and Quade have been available for a week. Bochy is the only one he needed to wait for. I'm wondering if Rothschild as pitching coach is one of the interview questions.

If he hits .260 is like saying if Murton hits 50 HRs it will be a monster season. Dunn has only hit .260 once as a full-time player. Dunn for Jones - great. Dunn for Jones plus a pitching prospect - maybe. Dunn for Hill or Prior - no way. No its not, Dunn has hit 260 in his career, Murton has not hit 17 HRs in a season, let alone 50. Don't be ridiculous. He's hit .260 only once as a regular. I don't think Murton will ever hit 50 HRs, but I doubt Dunn will hit .260 again either. There were many posts about ARam not hustling, but at least he doesn't look like a giant Sequoia out in LF. Dunn is a total mope with a lousy BA and lousy defense who gives you 3 possibilities at the plate: HR, BB, or K. That being said I stand by my statement that if the Cubs can get him cheaply okay, but I wouldn't offer much. Actually, I think the whole discussion is moot since Cincy wouldn't trade him to a division rival anymore than the Cubs would trade someone like Prior to a division rival. Facing Dunn or Prior could come back to haunt their original teams for the next decade. I said hes hit 260 in his career, not over the course of his career. I understood what you said and I still don't think he will ever hit .260 again.

The FA class is very weak for 3b, and there are no obvious trade candidates. The yanks need pitching, but they should be able to get pitching AND a 3b for ARod. They won't need pitching after they sign Zito, Scmidt, and Matsuzaka.

If he hits .260 is like saying if Murton hits 50 HRs it will be a monster season. Dunn has only hit .260 once as a full-time player. Dunn for Jones - great. Dunn for Jones plus a pitching prospect - maybe. Dunn for Hill or Prior - no way. No its not, Dunn has hit 260 in his career, Murton has not hit 17 HRs in a season, let alone 50. Don't be ridiculous. He's hit .260 only once as a regular. I don't think Murton will ever hit 50 HRs, but I doubt Dunn will hit .260 again either. There were many posts about ARam not hustling, but at least he doesn't look like a giant Sequoia out in LF. Dunn is a total mope with a lousy BA and lousy defense who gives you 3 possibilities at the plate: HR, BB, or K. That being said I stand by my statement that if the Cubs can get him cheaply okay, but I wouldn't offer much. Actually, I think the whole discussion is moot since Cincy wouldn't trade him to a division rival anymore than the Cubs would trade someone like Prior to a division rival. Facing Dunn or Prior could come back to haunt their original teams for the next decade.

If he hits .260 is like saying if Murton hits 50 HRs it will be a monster season. Dunn has only hit .260 once as a full-time player. Dunn for Jones - great. Dunn for Jones plus a pitching prospect - maybe. Dunn for Hill or Prior - no way.

I'd trade Hill, if they'd do it straight up. No way! It looks like Hill is penciled in to be the #3 starter for the Cubs. Trade Hill and you have to find 3 starters for next year's team.

Can you imagine Bonds in Yankee Stadium? He might pass Aaron before the All-Star game.

I've never been a Dunn fan and I say no to Dunn unless the Cubs could get him very cheap (which isn't going to happen).

Iztuirz could fill the roles Shapiro is looking for to improve his infield defense at second base or shortstop. It's a lot easier to hide a guy like Izzy in your lineup with the benfit of the DH in AL lineups. The Indians were second last season in the AL in runs scored. If Hafner plays more 1B next season and Indians find some outifled/DH help this offense will l become even more lethal . There's fews team that can afford to have Izzy in there lineup it's the Indians. The Indians other offseason needs are outfield and a closer. Cordero's option has been picked up.Dotel had a 10.80 area last season and struggled to regain velocity. A nice gamble for some teams but with Larry Dolan giving the Shapiro a nice boost in payroll he'll expect more. They might see Dempsters struggles as being magnified by his erractic use this offseason and a vaule at 4.5 million considering that 37 year old Bob Wickman just got a 6.5 million one year deal. Jones who if reports are true might want out might make a attractive option for a replacement for Blake who would be sent the Cubs in this deal and might welcome a chance to return to the AL central. Dempster/Izturis/Jones/ 2 million in cash in Exchange for Casey Blake/Trevor Crowe/ Young arm Year Team Lg Age Org. Level Pos G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO HBP IBB SH SF DP AVG OBP SLG OPS 2003 Arizona NCAA 19 NCAA 53 187 34 59 14 2 2 35 13 4 9 32 1 1 3 3 .316 .345 .444 789 2004 Arizona NCAA 20 NCAA 58 203 53 71 13 9 5 33 26 1 21 39 2 1 0 7 .350 .416 .576 992 cws-as, as 2005 Arizona NCAA 21 NCAA 60 263 83 106 25 15 9 54 27 6 36 30 4 0 3 4 .403 .477 .715 1192 mvp, as, amer Mahoning V NYPL 21 Cle A- of 12 51 9 13 2 1 1 6 4 3 6 8 1 0 0 0 0 .255 .345 .392 737 Lake Cty SAL 21 Cle A of 44 178 18 46 8 2 0 23 7 5 18 25 1 1 0 2 4 .258 .327 .326 653 Akron East 21 Cle AA of 3 10 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 .100 .100 .100 200 2006 Lake Cty SAL 22 Cle A of 2 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 000 Kinston Caro 22 Cle A+ of 60 219 51 72 15 2 4 31 29 6 48 46 2 0 1 3 6 .329 .449 .470 919 Akron East 22 Cle AA of 39 154 20 36 7 2 1 13 16 6 20 24 0 1 0 2 6 .234 .318 .325 643 Minor League Totals - 2 Season(s) 160 617 99 168 32 7 6 73 56 20 92 107 4 2 1 7 16 .272 .367 .376 743 Trevor Crowe is a former first round pick and #10 on Baseball America's Indians prospect. A guy that projects to be good top of the order hitter that will allow the Cubs in the future to slot Pie further down in the oder Casey Blake 3.75 million Blake makes for an expensive utility guy. 1B/3B/RF/LF/PH/DH AVG .282 | HR 19 | RBI 68 | OBP .356 | SLG .479 If he can give the Cubs similar production in limited time next season he will be worth it. 4.5 Jones /4.5 Dempster/ Izzy 4.25/ 13.25 M - 5.75 = 7.50 in freed up payroll. It looks like Rusch will retire and the Cubs will have another 3.25 million. Sign Wood to a one year 3 million dollar deal with incentives and Sign Miller to a 2 Million dollar with a mutal option for a second year. The extra six million along with depatures of Pierre ,the midseason deals Maddux/Williamson/Walker/Nefi/Mabry and Wood's contract off the books and the payroll expected to be at least 100 million Hendry can make a push. Signing Schmidt and Soranio will be a major step in the right direction. With the options of exploring Carlos Lee, Edmonds, A.Jones/M.Ramiez/ Arod/Tejeda Hendry might have the youngs arms and cash to explore signing or trading for another big bat. Sounds good to me. I couldn't get much out of the stats you presented for Crowe, but getting rid of Jones, Dempster, and Izturis together makes it a simple case of addition by subtraction.

I'm not so sure about that. I think the Yanks will move AROD. I can't imagine how bad next year will be for him. The fans are going boo him beyond belief next year. If he's not traded it'll be a very long year for him... To all of you Piniella bashers, It's a shame Hendry didn't quickly sign Piniella and then he could go to the Yankees with ARod as our compensation.

Exactly. If they are gonna spend all that money, get 4 #1 starters. You can assemble the best offensive lineup in baseball, but on any given night they can get shut down by good pitching, its that simple. Offseason Headline: Yankees sign Zito, Scmidt, and Matsuzaka

It is questionable whether either one would accept a one year deal (Sheffield certainly should), but they would both expect a lot of money.

I think I've read a few articles questioning whether ARod could play SS again because he has bulked up since moving to 3B and might not have the range needed for SS.

You had me until the 8th spot. I keep forgetting he's still with the team. Unfortunately he is.

You MUST be on the Ganja! What in the world do the Yankme's want Scott more for? Marlin's make out like made. If the Yankees get Cabrera and add Scott Moore to the Marlins, then I can see the Cubs getting Arod by giving up Murton, Pie, and Moore. Sure I could see that. Throw in one of the pitching prospects to give Florida more reason to do it. I'd love to have Arod, but the new regime seems to want to win while developing for the future. Giving up Pie, Murton, and Moore means many more years of looking for free agent positional players without developing your own.