Consider the following scenario: Andy Pettite returns to New York to be a part of opening the new stadium in 2009 and to help the team get back to the playoffs after a disappointing season. And he’s even willing to take a pay cut, say $13.5 million or thereabouts. Only here’s the catch — he’s wearing blue and orange and helping open up CitiField. While it might seem a stretch to imagine Pettite adjusting to a brand new work environment, the Mets certainly have a need, and if the stories of Andy being piqued by the Yankees “low” offer (again $10,000,000 — sooo many zerooooes) are true, then how better to get back at the franchise than by signing with their crosstown rivals? Two snags: Andy may not be keen on the idea, and possibly more importantly: the Mets might not see Pettite as a player worth that kind of money. It’s a long shot, but it would be interesting to see.
Filed under: Around the League | Tags: Bad Choices, Derek Lowe, Javy Vazquez, The Braves
After a start to the off-season marked by failed trades and missed free agents, the Braves finally made a big splash.
The Braves impressed Derek Lowe during a meeting at Turner Field last week and then lured him to Atlanta with the four-year deal that he and his agent Scott Boras were seeking.
A Major League source confirmed on Tuesday that Lowe and the Braves have agreed on a four-year, $60 million offer. The deal is expected to be finalized when the 35-year-old right-hander travels to Atlanta for a physical that will likely be performed on Friday or Saturday.”
The only one of the “Big Three” free agent pitchers not to sign with the Yankees, Derek Lowe will probably now be seen as the Braves ace, and handed the ball on Opening Day. This, of course, in spite of the fact that Javier Vazquez has been significantly more valuable over the last three years. The indispensable Fan Graphs informs us that from 2006-2008 Vazquez had Value Wins totals of 5.2, 5.2, and 5.3. Lowe’s totals over the same time: 5.0, 3.2, 3.5. As you can see, Lowe was only as valuable as Vazquez once in the last three years. Also more valuable than Lowe last year, Braves pitcher Jair Jurrjens, who posted a Value Wins total of 4.0. In fairness to the Braves, Fangraphs has Lowe valued at $15.8 million last year, so if he can keep up that level of production, his dollar value and salary will coincide perfectly. Of course, it is highly doubtful that a 35 year old pitcher will avoid some kind of decline over the final four years of his thirties. Lowe slots in nicely as a second or third starter, and if Jurrjens takes another step forward and Vazquez gets a bit of a bump from moving to the NL, then the Braves will have quite the interesting rotation. Now, if only they had some offense…
Filed under: Around the League, Yankees | Tags: Andy Pettite, Holiday Hijinks, Returning
The weeks after Christmas and New Year’s are a time when many people are actively engaged in the process of returning. Returning gifts, Returning to work, returning home after a trip, returning to the real world, returning to the spouse you left after witnessing his atrocious behavior at the company holiday party, and, last but not least, returning to blogging. So naturally we find the story of the potential return of a Yankee (sort of) great rather compelling. We speak, of course, of Andrew Eugene Pettite. According to an article on The Leader’s website, Andrew Eugene has rejected the Yankees’ offer of a $10,000,000 salary. (Do you see all those zeroes, Andy? You’re going to turn that down?) In a year in which the best offer Derek Lowe — a pitcher who had a 131 ERA+ to Pettite’s 98, and who has shown none of the arm problems Pettite has — has received is a deal worth only $12 million annually (did we really just say only before writing $12 million? What an absurd sport), it seems sheer madness for Andy to pass up the Yankees’ dollars. Now, the smart money says that enough members of the Yankees’ brass want him that they’ll up the offer slightly, but our Bold Prediction: The Cash-Man wins the day and says adieu, Andy, leaving the fifth spot in the rotation open for Phil (OMG! He’s SuCh a FLOP!!!1!1!!1) Hughes.
Another trade deadline behind us, another year of Manny demanding a trade, and nothing coming of it, and he finally gets his wish. In a rare instance of a trade with no clear loser (Joe Torre excepted), the Red Sox replaced Manny with a more versatile, younger outfielder with similar stats, the Dodgers finally got an aging former All-Star outfielder who will actually produce runs for them, and the Pirates continued to acquire multiple mediocre prospects. (This is a puzzling approach to trading, but you see it all the time; a GM with a coveted major leaguer ships him off in exchange for 4 mid-level prospects. Presumably the thought process goes something like this: 4 players with a 20% chance of being productive major leaguers are more valuable than one with an 80% chance, and by acquiring a number of mid-level prospects, you put yourself in a position to plug more holes on a team that is in a rebuilding process. But really doesn’t this approach just make it more likely that you will continue the cycle of filling the lineup and rotation with average [at best] players? Interestingly, Brave’s GM, Frank Wren — an intriguing executive who is increasingly showing himself capable of making canny moves — eschewed this approach when dealing the most sought after position player of this trading season. He sent Mark Teixera over to the Angels, not for a handful of young players, but for 1 mid-range pitching prospect, and 1 sure-fire, young major league first baseman. It’s not an exciting move — Casey Kotchman doesn’t set fans salivating at the thought of his untapped potential, but it is a smart one).
It’s noteworthy that Manny Ramirez, Jason Bay, Mark Teixera, Xavier Nady, Ivan Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr, C.C. Sabathia, Rich Harden, and Joe Blanton were all traded in the last few weeks. Over the last few years, major deadline deals had been sorely lacking, as front offices around the league began valuing their own prospects more highly, and became less willing to part with them in exchange for established stars. The success of young players like Justin Verlander and Jonathan Papelbon seemed to confirm to teams that they were best served by holding on to their young prospects. Now, the pendulum seems to be swinging back the other way, with teams once again bidding farewell to their young ‘uns. We can’t help but wonder if the failures of players like Homer Bailey, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and others have started to wear away teams’ confidence in their young prospects. The last few years saw the perceived value of established veteran major leaguers at a low ebb, the next few should see it rise once more. This last offseason, players like Kenny Lofton, David Wells, and (of course) Barry Bonds were left unsigned, as teams decided to turn inwards, and use young players to fill their needs. But one need look no further than the Manny trade to realize that teams are beginning to question this approach. Tired of waiting for Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier to develop power and consistency, the Dodgers pounced on Ramirez.
We expect to see a new trend emerge over the next 3-4 seasons. Teams will start to look to sell high on hot prospects, for fear that they will suddenly fall off a cliff and lose all value. (See Jose Tabata. Once considered the Yankees best non-pitching prospect, a player who could have been traded straight up for someone like X. Nady, Tabata has had a horrible ‘08 in the minors, has asked to be released by the Yankees, and finally wound up as little more than a throw-in in the the Nady deal.) And the most highly regarded players will no longer be flashy 20 year olds, but instead will be consistent 27-32 year olds with established track records. And that is as it should be.
Filed under: Around the League, Yankees | Tags: Mets, Michael Kay, snarkiness, Yankees
As the temperature rises here in New York, so does the bad blood between the crew from Queens and the boys from the Bronx. And we don’t mean the Yankees and Mets players — the sense of rivalry between the two NY teams has long since evaporated; the Subway Series now means little more than an opportunity for a sandwich chain to get some predictable advertising in. No, the bitter rivalry we’re referring to is the one involving the YES Network and SNY announcing teams. In the bottom of the second inning of today’s Yankees-Mets matchup, Michael Kay took a lull in the action as the opportunity to note that an SNY (instead of pronouncing each letter individually, Kay runs them together, pronouncing it “snie” as in the beginning of “snide”) employee asked him why he and his commentating cohorts wear suits, even on these particularly hot days. Kay then relates that he told the SNY employee “because we want to look good.” Kay, David Cone and Ken Singleton then riffed on the casual attire of SNY announcers Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez. Powerful stuff. It remains to be seen if the SNY-ers have been cowed by this verbal assault, or if they will respond. We’ll continue to update you on this epic battle. If you happen to catch any more snarky snipes, drop us a line in the comments.
