Jimmy Rollins, Comedian

I've got a funny story to tell you.  No, really.  It'll crack you up.  It's about Phillies' shortstop Jimmy Rollins.  Giggling yet?  Okay, here goes.

Jimmy Rollins wants a five-year contract.

I'll give you a few moments to collect yourself.

It's true.  The former National League MVP (accent on "former") and soon-to-be free agent is seeking a five-year deal to remain with the Phillies or with whoever doesn't mind giving their money away.

 Jimmy Rollins' decision to ask for a five-year deal is certainly a head-scratcher.

Let's review this together.  This isn't the 2007 Jimmy Rollins we're taking for a spin here.  You remember that model, don't you?  Rollins was 28 years old and entering his prime when he proclaimed the Phillies as the team to beat in the National League East and then went out and delivered an MVP season.  That was four years ago.

Now Rollins is about to turn 33.  He is coming off a season in which he was placed on the disabled list for the fourth time in four seasons.  He has also continued his decline as the Phillies' leadoff hitter and spark plug.  After his magical 2007 season in which he hit .296 with 38 doubles, a league-leading 20 triples, 30 HR, 94 RBI, 41 SB and 139 runs scored (also pacing the NL in that category), his numbers have suffered.

Since 2008, Rollins has missed a total of 126 games for the Phillies.  His batting average over the past four seasons has been an unimpressive .261 and his on-base percentage (.325) has not been what a team should expect from its leadoff hitter.  Furthermore, Rollins' unexpected power surge in 2007 has proven to be a fluke, as the shortstop has averaged only 14 HR per season since his MVP season.

Speaking of flukes, do you remember those 20 triples he hit in 2007?  (You should.  I only mentioned it two paragraphs ago.)  In the four years since the 2007 campaign, Rollins has managed to hit only 19 triples.  That's one less triple in a quartet of seasons than he managed to hit in one playing-over-his-head season.

So we have a player who's clearly on the downside of his career, knows all the employees at the DL Hotel by first name, and this player is asking to be rewarded with a five-year contract?  Is he being serious or does he think we're as dumb as Turd Ferguson?

Turd Ferguson doesn't think Jimmy Rollins is being funny with his contract demands, and Turd Ferguson knows a thing or two about what's funny.

Let's talk about some of Jimmy Rollins' teammates, shall we?  First, there's Cliff Lee.  In 2010, he helped lead the Texas Rangers to their first World Series appearance in franchise history, a year after he pitched in the Fall Classic for the Phillies.  From 2008 to 2010, Lee went 48-25 with a 2.98 ERA and picked up valuable postseason experience.  For his efforts, the Phillies signed the 32-year-old Lee to a $120 million contract.  How long was this contract for?  Five years.

Now, let's discuss Rollins' infield mate, Ryan Howard.  The Phillies' behemoth has been one of the most feared power hitters in all of baseball since making his major league debut in 2004.  Since 2006, Howard has averaged 44 HR and 133 RBI per season, along with a .274 batting average and .369 on-base percentage.  In April 2010, the Phillies gave the then-30-year-old Howard a $125 million contract extension that would begin in 2012.  What was the length of Howard's deal?  Five years.

Finally, let's look at a certain Harry Leroy Halladay.  The Phillies traded for Halladay prior to the 2010 season and gave him a $60 million contract extension that began this season.  At the time of the trade and subsequent extension, Halladay was 32 years old.  Since then, Halladay has given the Phillies a regular season perfect game, a postseason no-hitter, a 40-16 won-loss record and a stellar 2.40 ERA.  So how long was that extension the Phillies gave him?  Three years.

So Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay, two of the best pitchers in the National League who have no health issues and are showing no signs of slowing down, get five years and three years, respectively.  Ryan Howard, the top slugger in the league who had no injury history prior to signing his deal, also gets five years.  None of the three players was older than 32 years old at the time they signed their deals with the Phillies.

Jimmy Rollins is currently older than all three players mentioned above at the time they put their John Hancocks on their contracts.  He also has an injury history and has seen a sharp decline in his numbers, something Lee, Halladay and Howard could not say when they signed on the dotted line.

There is no way Rollins will get a five-year contract from anyone, including the only team he has suited up for.  If the Phillies gave five years to the healthy, productive and younger Cliff Lee and Ryan Howard and only three years to one of the best pitchers of our generation in Roy Halladay, why should they give the brittle Rollins what he's asking for?

Jose Reyes might not get more than five years and that's the 28-year-old reigning National League batting champion we're talking about.  Rollins should consider himself lucky if he gets a Jeter-esque three-year deal. 

Simply stated, Wile E. Coyote, Genius has a better chance to get a five-year deal than Jimmy Rollins, Comedian.  At least with Wile E., you know he'll come back from an injury quickly to do what he does best.

10 Reasons why the Philadelphia Phillies winning the 2011 World Series would be good for baseball

The latest entry for the Why Each Team's Potential World Championship Would Be Good For The Game series will be for the Philadelphia Phillies.

A lot of these entries have been for long shots or teams that are pretty much dead right now (I'm looking at YOU Indians, Giants and White Sox.)

But now it is time for one team that not only has a shot, but should be the prohibitive favorite against any team.

The Phillies were picked by many people (including yours truly) to win it all. And frankly it would be stunning if they didn't. Now if you are the kind of person who doesn't like offense, pitching and power, then the Phillies aren't for you.

Today they clinched a playoff berth.
With 95 wins and 16 games left, they are a cinch for 100 wins.
If they win 102 games, they will have the best regular season record in franchise history.

And with the memory of last year's stunning loss in the NLCS against San Francisco fresh in their minds, they have gone all in.

The Phillies are the Big Bad Wolf. They could turn the Red Sox or Yankees into underdogs.

So they are another big market Northeastern team with unruly fans using their deep pockets to buy another championship!

What could there POSSIBLY be to root for with a Phillies World Series title?
PLENTY!

10 Reasons why the
Philadelphia Phillies
winning the 2011 World Series
would be good for baseball

1. Another World Series title would make Charlie Manuel's Hall of Fame candidacy very compelling.

Charlie Manuel seems like a cool guy. A classic "Gold Ole Boy" Southern manager who has tamed the wild Philadelphia fanbase and delivered the city's first Championship in a quarter century.

While the classic Hall of Fame manager seems to be a strategist or a fiery, who can deny the results. With a clinched playoff spot this year (and assuming the Division is inevitable) he will have 5 straight Division Titles, back to back pennants and the 2008 World Series title.

Throw in the fact that his Phillies zoomed past the Mets in the wild 2007 Division race and Manuel could be the best manager in the team's history. Who is ahead of him?

(He also has another Division Title as a manager of the Indians.) If he wins another World Series title, his Cooperstown resume would start to look convincing.


2. Another title would shine light on the new "Core."

Jimmy Rollins has been a Phillie for 11 plus seasons. Chase Utley has been a Phillie for 9 seasons. Ryan Howard has been a Phillie for 8 plus seasons. Cole Hamels has been a Phillie for 6 seasons. Ryan Madson has been a Phillie for 8 plus seasons. Carlos Ruiz has been a Phillies for 6 seasons.

They are all home grown players who have been together for all 5 Division Champions. Throw in Shane Victorino who came over to Philadelphia after making his big league debut with the Padres and you have a core of players who have been together through many different Octobers and give the Phillies a sense of stability with the franchise not seen since the Joe Torre Yankee days.



3. The redemption of Ryan Howard's contract.

Speaking of that core, Ryan Howard has been much maligned since signing his long contract extension. I understand the deal emotionally. Having him play the bulk of his career in Philadelphia would mean that Phillies fans could invest some emotion in the big guy. And he is no doubt one of the more likable stars in the game.

But with his numbers declining (except RBI... the REASON he is paid so much) and the age of sluggers suddenly getting good again seems to be over, the deal looks like it might be an albatross for the next 5 years.

Ahh but what if he helps the Phillies earn ANOTHER World Series title? You could say "Sure he's over paid and slipping, but that's the price for an MVP, 3 pennants, an NLCS MVP and being part of 2 of the only 3 World Series titles in team history."


4. Speaking of redemption, Philadelphia fans can show themselves in a better light.

You might not like it, Phillies fans, but you have one of the worst reputation in sports. I know not ALL of you booed Mike Schmidt... or Santa Claus for that matter. I know not ALL of you got tased or threw up on a little girl. But enough of you have to give Philadelphia sports fans a bad rep.

Want to change that? When the Phillies win the World Series, cheer. Clap. Stomp your feet. Have a great time. But don't riot. Don't flip cars over. Show some class. And you can say "Yeah, I'm a Philly fan. At least I'm not a Vancouver fan!"


5. Roy Halladay is great for baseball and deserves to be a champion.

As we move past the Steroid Era and pitchers are becoming more and more dominant, it would be nice to see the BEST current pitcher get a ring.

Halladay could win his third Cy Young this year (although it will probably go to Clayton Kershaw) and last year showed his greatness with a regular season perfect game and a playoff no hitter. Today he threw a complete game shutout to clinch a spot in October. He's already a Hall of Famer. He is lacking the ring and he'll join Tim Lincecum, CC Sabathia, Cole Hamels, Jon Lester, Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter as current aces who are also World Champions.


6. Cliff Lee's bad ass-ness needs to be celebrated.

In 2009 World Series against the Yankees, Cliff Lee casually caught a pop up while barely moving his body. He just was so cool and non chalant. That's how he plays the game. He is good. He KNOWS he is good. And he'll just shut you down on HIS terms.

And those terms also means being a cool customer after being traded from the Indians to the Phillies to the Mariners and to the Rangers in two years. And cool in saying "Thanks but to thanks" to the Yankees money and declaring Philadelphia the place to win.

Like Halladay, Lee is one of the stars of post steroid pitching. And save for his two games in the World Series last year, has been as exciting a big game pitcher as you will see in baseball. He should be a champion.



7. Juan Samuel would get his World Series ring.

In the mid 1980s, Juan Samuel was the best second baseman in the National League not named Ryne Sandberg. He was part of the 1983 National League Champion Phillies and looked like he was going to be a staple in Philadelphia for a long time.

Then he went to the Mets, fetching Lenny Dykstra and Roger McDowell, which turned out to be one of the best deals in Phillies history. Samuel is a baseball lifer. He's been a coach and briefly managed the disastrous Orioles last year before Buck Showalter arrived.

The three time All Star has been in professional baseball since 1980 but has never been part of a World Series winner. The current member of the Phillies coaching staff has earned it.


8. A World Series ring for Brian Schneider, the last Expo.

There are very few Montreal Expos left in baseball. Schneider is one of them and he played for the team as MLB was screwing the franchise sending them to San Juan, not letting them call up players in September even while Frank Robinson was putting a winning product on the field. When baseball sent an All Star team to Japan after 2004, the Expos last season, Schneider represented the team. When he returned, they were the Washington Nationals. So by definition, Schneider was the last ever Expo.

He's now Carlos Ruiz's backup and probably won't see any action in the post season. But it would be nice to see one of the remnants of that lost team be rewarded.



9. Another title would make this the greatest Philadelphia team in history

If the Phillies win the World Series this year, which Philadelphia team would be better in history than this squad? The Dr. J/Moses Malone 76ers? The Broadstreet Bullies? The Jimmie Foxx/Lefty Grove Connie Mack led A's?

This Phillies team might be better than them all.

And sometimes it is GOOD to see greatness unfold and the best of something emerge.



10. Sometimes it is good to have the best team win.

Yeah, underdogs are fun to see win. A little team that could like last year's Giants or the 2006 Cardinals beating the odds can be appealing. But there are other times it is cool to see a team that is clearly the best in the sport take the title and the crown.

Sometimes seeing a champion who was the best from start to finish can be more satisfying than simply honoring whichever team happened to get hot over three weeks. This Phillies team was designed to win the whole damn thing and they played like it since April. There is something to be said for that.

Is there any doubt who the best team in baseball is? Then by definition they deserve to win the World Series!



Oh I know this will be a hard sell for a lot of you. Philadelphia is as bad as New York and Boston in terms of gluttony in many people's eyes. (The Phillies payroll is now bigger than the Red Sox!) But trust me, the world won't end if the Phillies win the World Series. And in many ways, it could be a very cool thing.

Show some brotherly love, my dear readers.


If you liked this then go ahead and read the entries for the other teams.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
CHICAGO WHITE SOX

CLEVELAND INDIANS
DETROIT TIGERS
LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
NEW YORK YANKEES
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

Sometimes the other team is just better

Seriously, what else can you say?
Cliff Lee was just unreal. He was the man on the mound AND at the plate. This was a classic tip the hat and realize that a win wasn't in the cards.

I'm glad that if Beckett had a lousy game, it might as well be in a game where the other guy was dominating.

It's better than Beckett losing a 1-0 game or a 6-5 games.

If it is a World Series preview then hey... at least they made the World Series.

Cliff Lee's no hitter was broken up

I can't help but feel partially responsible.

I should NEVER have mentioned he was throwing a no hitter in my last post.

It would be a shame if Cliff Lee lost the game.

(Am I pushing it?)

CLIFF LEE IS THROWING A NO HITTER!!! RIGHT NOW!

I'm not one for superstition... but just in case, I am going to scream the fact that CLIFF LEE IS THROWING A NO HITTER over and over again.

I will be happy to be the man who jinxed THIS one!!!

Something special happens around 0:59 of this video

7th inning of Game 5...

Lee and Lincecum are locking antlers in a pitchers duel...

Giant fans at the Public House watching.

For the first minute of this video, everyone is paying close attention, but know there are 2 outs, Cliff Lee is not the pinata he was in Game 1, and that a scoring opportunity may be squandered here.

I mean how many times can Edgar Renteria come through for the Giants.

Then the fly ball...

There is cautious optimism...

Then it completely clears the wall.

At around the 0:59 mark of this video, listen for that pause before the place erupts.

That pause was the very last moment that a Giant fan ever thought they were going to die without seeing their team win it all.

Then collective "YEAH!"

At that moment they knew the Giants were up 3-0 with Lincecum on the mound.

They knew that the World Series was theirs.

No more Finley grand slam.

No more J. T. Snow thrown out at the plate.

No more handing the game ball to Russ Ortiz.

No more Troy Glaus double or Scott Speizio homer.

No more Benny Agbayani walk off shot.

No more watching the Marlins get 3 walk off wins in two different series.

No more winning 103 games and missing the playoffs.

No more Earthquake series.

No more Jose Oquendo home run.

No more Maldonado losing it in the lights.

No more line drive by McCovey.

At that moment, all of that became prologue.

And the release of happiness was well earned.

I had a similar scream in 2004.

It felt good.

Enjoy it Giants fans.

Pitchers and catchers are reporting soon.

Brian Cashman is having a hell of an off season

On December 3rd of this year, Brian Cashman rappelled off of a 350 foot building in Stamford Connecticut. He did NOT fall to his death.

And that is probably the one positive thing that has happened to Cashman this off season.

As of this writing, Cashman's improvements to the team have been NOT losing two Yankee legends, signing a non tendered catcher from the Dodgers, an adequate lefty reliever from the Mets and a former ace in Mark Prior who, since 2006, is tied with ME for innings pitched in the major leagues.

The Yankees, the big bad Yankees who go and fill every need every off season with their deep pockets and make everyone scream how unfair it is, went into this winter with an obvious glaring need:

Pitching depth.
And the American League Cy Young Award winner for 2008 and the American League Cy Young Award winner for 2009 have both switched teams... yet neither will end up in the Bronx.

As of this writing, Andy Pettite is still unsigned, Phil Hughes is still questionable after a rotten second half, A. J. Burnett still stinks and C. C. Sabathia is still recovering from knee surgery.

Yeah yeah yeah, it is a minor surgery for Sabathia. But anytime a 300+ pound 30 year old man starts to have knee problems, it's hard to not at least be concerned.

Their bullpen depth is still questionable. And of course the stock of Joba Chamberlain has fallen to the point where he isn't considered to be a plus for the bullpen nor the rotation.

The pickings are slim in the free agent market (hey, they brought back Javy Vazquez last year. Why NOT Pavano?) And if they had the young talent to trade for a quality arm, that young talent would already be on the team.

Which brings us back to Cashman.
A few years ago, I wondered if his critics were wrong.

It turns out that picking on him that year was kind of foolish as the Yankees won it all in 2009. But some of my criticisms still seem valid.

Since taking more control of the team after the 2005 season, the Yankees have had the 2006 Division Series debacle against the Tigers where their lack of pitching depth was exposed... the 2007 Division Series midge infested ousting by the Indians where they relied on Chein Ming Wang as a #1 starter... the 2008 season where they missed the playoffs... the 2009 World Series Champs... and the 2010 ALCS where their lack of pitching depth was exposed badly.

Now for most GMs, a World Series title in a 5 year run would be enough.
But Cashman isn't in the situation that most GMs are in.
He never has to make a difficult rebuilding process decision.
He never has to consider moving a popular player because he is arbitration eligible.
He never has to ask "Which superstar can we afford to have?"

He can talk about setting a budget but then it will inevitably be blown up.
He can try to take a stance of not signing veterans to long term deals and going for youth, but then sign Derek Jeter to a 3 year deal when nobody else was offering 2.

So yeah, the standards are different.
And yes, I know that the Red Sox have a bottomless pit of money and since 2005, Theo has only bought one World Series himself.

But I don't see the Yankees having two homegrown aces like Lester and Buchholz, nor having the trade chips to pull the trigger on a deal for Adrian Gonzalez nor actually get someone to accept their money like Carl Crawford.

The Yankees are still a quality team, but it says a lot that when Cliff Lee wanted to go to the place where he is most likely to win a title, he chose Philadelphia.

There aren't any legit #1 or #2 starters left out on the market and Petitte might still decide to stay in Texas and count his millions and rings and play with his kids.

If this off season continues to go this badly for Cashman and it translates once again into a season where the lack of pitching bites the Yankees in the rear, he find himself hanging on by a much thinner rope than he was holding in Stamford.

Can we please ease up on the "Cliff Lee turned down money!" rhetoric?

I am getting a little tired of hearing about all the money Cliff Lee walked away from when he signed with the Phillies.

Yes, he could have tens of millions of dollars more if he signed with the Yankees and Rangers. And yes it is rare for a player to NOT sign for the highest dollar.

But let's slow down the selfless Cliff Lee not caring about money storyline please.

He isn't walking away from the Rangers and Yankees to go to Calcutta and help the sick.
He isn't Gandhi, making his own clothes and living on a crust of bread.

He is still making $120 million!
If he isn't stupid with his money, his great grandchildren should be able to go to Law School with the full tuition paid.

And he gets to pitch for a contender and one where he doesn't have the pressure of being the #1 starter.

It was a smart baseball decision because Halladay is ahead of him in the rotation and the Phillies have the best shot to make the World Series in 2011 and 2012.

It was a smart decision in terms of going to a fanbase where he already has goodwill in the bank.

It was a smart family decision because his wife and kids loved Philadelphia.

And it STILL made him $120 million.

He had three offers. One was obscene. And the other two were OBSCENE!

It's easier to walk away from $50 million when you still get to pocket nearly 2 1/2 times that!

File this under HOLY CRAP! Cliff Lee goes back to the Phillies

OK, who saw THIS coming?

Seriously... when I heard the Phillies were wandering in the mix for Cliff Lee I thought "They are still trying to make up for sticking Lee in the Roy Halladay trade. They are at least showing their fans that they knew they screwed that up."

It seemed like it was for show.
And I had asked Phillies fans to let their team off the hook for dealing Lee.

But obviously they weren't REALLY in the hunt.
We all read the articles. It was clear. It was either going to the Yankees for the big money or going to Texas to live a peaceful life, pay less taxes and murder deer.

It was like waiting for a new Pope. Black smoke meant Yankees. White smoke meant Rangers.

And napalm means EVERYONE ON THE PLANET EARTH WAS WRONG!

A night after the Dexter season finale disappointed with no big twist, Lee supplied one that has given shockwaves throughout baseball.


THE PHILLIES... they want to be the big bad monster of the National League and be included in the sentence with the Yankees and Red Sox as big ticket destinations.

Well it sure looks like they are that now. With a rotation of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt... is 110 wins out of the question? Plus they can deal Blanton for relief help or a veteran outfielder.

And you don't have to wonder if he can handle it. He WANTS to be there.

It is World Series or bust in Philadelphia.



THE YANKEES... There are two gigantic slaps in the face to the Yankees in this signing.

First of all it destroys the idea that the Yankees can sign anyone they want. The whole "Just get him... he'll take our money" didn't fly with Cliff Lee. And why not? I don't think it had to do with anyone spitting on his wife. He's going to Philadelphia where they VOMIT on each other in the stands.

It is the idea that if you want a sure fire chance at a ring, you are better off going to Philadelphia and NOT New York. Seriously which team is more likely to make it to series now? Clearly Philadelphia. Their #4 starter would be an ace for a contender.

And now the Yankees have to pick up the pieces. Their off season has been NOT subtracting while the Red Sox have been adding. After Sabathia, who do you trust in the rotation? Hughes? Is Petitte even coming back? Ivan Nova? Is Ed Figueroa around?

Dare I say it? Carl Pavano? He's available.



THE RANGERS... Well, Cliff Lee's role in Rangers history will be that of a mercenary. A spectacular cameo but a cameo nonetheless. You can't blame the Rangers. They went all in to get him... finally got the World Series and bent over backwards to retain him.

Ironically it was the Rangers willingness to sign him that allowed Lee to not automatically take the Yankees money and gave the Phillies time to get into the chase.

The Rangers still have a ton of young talent and could win the West. Look for them to target Zack Greinke and offer him the same Cliff Lee money.

(I thought Lee resigning with the Rangers would be the last scene of my Clint Eastwood movie.)


THE RED SOX... The fabulous off season in Boston just got a little bit better. With Lester and Buchholz, the Sox have a solid 1-2 punch in their rotation. They just need either Beckett, Lackey or Dice-K to rebound. And oh yeah, they need Papelbon to pitch for a new contract.

The lineup is set provided Youk is back and they have some depth. And unlike the Yankees they actually IMPROVED in the off season.

With the Rays dismantled and the Yankees pitching uncertain after Sabathia, the Red Sox MUST be the favorites now!


THE GIANTS... the World Champions are still giddy over winning it all and with the Padres dismantling, the Dodgers a mess, the Rockies questionable and the Diamonbacks in transition, they remain the team to beat in the West.

If Jonathan Sanchez gets his act together and Madison Bumgarner pitches the whole season, they could have the SECOND best 1-2-3-4 rotation in baseball. And prepare for a rematch in the NLCS.

Of course you realize this means War! (Not W.A.R.)



THE BRAVES...They should be on full "Let's go for the Wild Card" mode. They have good pitching and some great young talent. And picking up Dan Uggla was a big move and Jason Heyward is the real deal. But any hope that the mighty Phillies were going to take a big step backwards this year just was flushed down the toilet.

Having Lowe, Hanson, Hudson and Jurrjens might not be as sexy as what they have in Philadelphia, but it could lead to a 95 win season and an October ticket.



THE MARLINS... Like the Braves, they have a rotation that can best be described as "Diet Phillies." Josh Johnson is a top pitcher. Anibal Sanchez and Ricky Nolasco are solid. Javier Vasquez should fit in well in Miami.

Plus if Chris Volstad, Alex Sanabia or Jhan Marin develop they'll be five deep. And there's some talent in the line up. But with the Phillies entering "Yankee/Red Sox land" the Marlins shouldn't even be paying attention to them. They are Wild Card hunters in 2011 and hoping for more when they move into their new part in a few years.


THE NATIONALS... they are not a good team. At ALL. They are a 90 loss team that will probably have another losing season next year.

But God Bless them for pretending that they are just a few pieces away from being a winner. They overpaid for Jayson Werth and put themselves in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes. Now look for them to make a big push for Greinke.

Washington fans, you can't complain that your front office isn't TRYING, even though if EVERYTHING goes well in 2011 they will probably finish no higher than third.


THE METS... For Mets fans, tonight was the ultimate "I have good news and bad news" scenario. The good news? Cliff Lee isn't going to the Yankees. Take THAT arrogant Yankee fans.

The bad news? It is only going to get worse for the Mets and the Phillies are only going to get stronger.

If the Mets get off to a bad start in 2011, they have to consider dealing Johan Santana. A bad start could mean falling too far behind the Braves and Marlins in the Wild Card hunt and a meaningless season. The new brass can't be seduced by the "New York" in their name. They need to be realistic, something that was NOT Omar Minaya's strength.



So there you have it. One decision and suddenly all of baseball is turned sideways.
Man, do I have to wait this long to have it be more than "in theory"?

LET'S PLAY BALL ALREADY!

Carl Pavano and the American Dream

Has there ever been a player in baseball history with better timing than Carl Pavano? It’s staggering if you think about it from a certain point of view.

If I turned the clock back just two years and mentioned Carl Pavano’s name, it would be a baseball punchline.

He was the $39.95 million bust with the Yankees… the guy who pitched 9 games total in his last three years with the Yankees… the guy who the press dubbed “American Idle” because he didn’t seem to be in a rush to come back from injury… the guy who Jeter and Mussina openly mocked… the guy who didn’t tell the Yankees that he had an injury from a car accident.

He was a washed up bust who collected tens of millions of dollars while not even going to work.

His career was over and he was a disgrace.

Now look at him.

After reviving his career with the Indians and the Twins, he is currently the biggest pitching free agent NOT named Cliff Lee.

And if he waits until Cliff Lee signs, then he will be able to have a feeding frenzy from the other teams that need a starter.

He could EASILY command $10 million over 3 years… maybe even 4 years… based upon the market.

Now there is something very startling when you take a look at his stats. He has had two very good years in his 13 years in the bigs and a bunch of either mediocre or bad seasons.

He had a great season in 2004, his last with Florida. And he had a terrific season last year with Minnesota.

And he will probably parlay those two good seasons into two contracts of $30 million or more. He managed to time his first foray into free agency in 2004 when the Yankees and Red Sox were at the peak of their “take no prisoners” off seasons.

And Pavano, a New England native with Yankee fan parents, was one of the many prizes of free agent market. Both teams coveted him. The Yankees out bid the Sox and if Pavano ever has great grandchildren, their college tuition is already paid for.

And now a free agent again will have his value inflated by teams that need some consolation for not getting Cliff Lee.

(How awesome would it be if he rejoins the Yankees?)

So how about THIS for the American dream?

Carl Pavano got to play big league baseball.
He got to be an All Star.
He got to pitch in the World Series and win a ring with the 2003 Marlins.
He will earn more than $60 million playing baseball.

And for three of those years he sat home, didn’t go to work and deposit millions of dollars in the bank.

Isn’t that what most Americans want?
Work for a quick spurt and watch the money come in!

And Pavano adds two other twists to the whole dream life he is living.

He could have gone on a spending spree that would put Tony Montana, Montgomery Brewster and Navin Johnson to shame. He could have spent all $39 million of his contract and guess what? It’s being replenished!

It is safe to say that there will be a quality party at the Pavano home this off season.

And of yeah one other element to his American dream. He was involved with Alyssa Milano.

You may hate him, Yankee fans… but you’d trade lives with him in a heart beat.

Cue up “God Bless America.”

Cliff Lee... one the best post season pitchers ever? Not so sure about that.

The Cliff Lee sweepstakes keeps on rolling and I hear commentators and writers talk about how he is an All Time great post season pitcher.

Now I am not going to belittle his post season record but let's calm down for a little bit.

First of all, if I turned back the back the world a la Superman all the way back to 2008, Cliff Lee's career post season numbers would look like this:

0 Games.

So he went to 0 games to the second coming of Sandy Koufax in two years?

Now going into the 2010 World Series, his post season stats were indeed eye popping.
He was 7-0 with a 1.25 ERA in 8 career post season starts with the Phillies and Rangers.

He averaged more than 8 innings a start, throwing 3 complete games (and it could have been 5 complete games except he was lifted for a mop up man in both the 2009 NLCS and 2009 ALCS.)

So yes, he was outstanding.

Then came Game 1 of the 2010 World Series where he was more impressive as a hitter then a pitcher.

Look, any great pitcher can lose a pitchers duel. Even Bob Gibson lost a game 7 (mainly because Curt Flood tripped in a puddle.)

But here's the hand the Rangers dealt Lee in Game 1:

They were playing in a pitchers ballpark against a notoriously weak offense and they took an early 2 run lead off of Tim Lincecum, who couldn't make it out of the 6th and let up 4 runs.

Cliff Lee should win that game 101 times out of 100, not give up 6 earned runs in less than 5 innings to a bunch of banjo hitters.

And not to be harsh, but he lost again in the elimination Game 5. He didn't pitch badly, but he DID let up a 3 run homer to 80 year old Edgar Renteria while Lincecum was all but flawless.

His numbers for the World Series were ugly. REAL ugly.
It doesn't diminish what he did before, but it should put a damper on the hyperbole of where he ranks all time.

Lee's 2 years were damn good, save for the 2010 World Series... but he's no Dave Stewart. He's no Curt Schilling. He's no John Smoltz.

If he won that first game in San Francisco, chances are the Rangers would win the Series... and the whole "He just wants to win a ring" element of the negotiations would be off the table.

And as I pointed out in my OTHER post that references Superman, there are some red flags about his health and age that make me think that 7 years for him might be excessive.

But hey, he'll be paid as an All Time Great and if he leads either the Rangers or the Yankees to a World Series title than nobody will remember those 2 games in 2010.

I actually am happy for Cleveland fans this off season

Why do you ask?

Imagine if Cliff Lee was still with the Indians and he was the bad ass Cy Young winner and hope for any World Series title by the Lake.

Then imagine if he was going through this whole footsie with the Yankees, Rangers and the Indians this off season and EVERYONE trying to guess where he is going to go.

Will he stay here.

Will he take the big bucks elsewhere?

Will he go to New York?

And each team makes a desperate pitch and the entire off season is paralyzed until a decision is made.

Didn't Cleveland JUST GO THROUGH THAT with LeBron?

Doing that TWICE in one year to them would have been just cruel.

I would love it if Cliff Lee said "I am going to take my talents to South Beach" just to catch the Marlins off guard.

Maybe LeBron can help him pick out a subtle new home.

Reviewing who was traded for Cliff Lee

As the baseball world focuses on Arkansas for the first time EVER and wonder where Cliff Lee will go, one thing is certain:

One team will be grumbling when the season begins that all of their courtship yielded nothing.

Well, if he goes to New York, the Rangers will get a pair of draft picks.
And if he goes back to Texas, the Yankees will still have the money and some prospects to try and make another deal.

But I started thinking about the Indians, the Phillies and the Mariners... all the other teams to have employed Cliff Lee since winning the Cy Young Award in 2008.

None of them are currently involved in the mating dance for Lee... but each team has players who were brought in exchange for him.

Let's review who they are.

THE CLEVELAND INDIANS' COMPENSATION FOR CLIFF LEE

The Indians sent Cliff Lee to the Phillies along with outfielder Ben Francisco on July 29, 2009. In return they got:

CARLOS CARRASCO

The 23 year old right handed pitcher had a rough cameo with the 2009 Indians. But he had a solid 2010 in AAA Columbus and looked more like a big leaguer when he was recalled in September. His best game came on September 11th when he pitched 7 1/3 shutout innings against the Twins, matching Nick Blackburn inning for inning. He looks ready for the show.



JASON DONALD

Every single baseball fan and many non baseball fans saw the most famous moment in Jason Donald's career. According to the official record, he got an infield hit off of Armando Gallaraga to break up his perfect game this June. Of course he was out. The replay showed it. But why rehash that? Let's look at the positive! He showed he can hustle!

He also showed that he could play every day as he started 44 games at shortstop before manager Manny Acta made him the regular second baseman. In order to keep that gig, the 25 year old infielder will have to hold off switch hitting Cord Phelps who tore up AAA. But his flexibility could make the 25 year old a valuable reserve infielder.


JASON KNAPP

The 19 year old righthander pitched in the South Atlantic Legaue following shoulder surgery. He struck out 29 in only 16 innings and looks like a solid prospect.



LOU MARSON

A 24 year old catcher, he will compete with another young prospect in Carlos Santana. He played 87 games with Cleveland last year and looked over matched at the plate, but he's young and evidently handles pitching staffs well.

Was considered a top prospect before the trade, he may become a serviceable reserve catcher.

THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES' COMPENSATION FOR CLIFF LEE

The Phillies sent Cliff Lee to the Mariners on December 16, 2009. In return they got:


PHILLIPPE AUMONT

Listed as one of the top 100 prospects by Baseball America in 2008, 2009 and 2010, it is unlikely that he'll make it four years in a row after a subpar first season in the Phillies organization. The Quebec native and former first round pick started the season in AA Reading, thinking he was on the fast track to Philadelphia. Instead he was demoted to the Florida State League after a brutal start to the season.

He was unimpressive this year, but he was only 21 and could rebound. And could also develop into a good reliever. Time will tell.


TYSON GILLIES

Gillies was the 21 year old hitting stud who tore up the California League was supposed to be on the fast track to joining Domonic Brown as the new young center pieces of the Phillies outfield.

Instead he had a terrible season in AA, had hamstring issues and was arrested for cocaine possession.

It is safe to say that the Phillies weren't happy. But hey! How can 2011 be WORSE for him?


J. C. RAMIREZ

Like Aumont, Ramirez is a 21 year old right handed starter. And like Aumont he was unimpressive in both Clearwater and Reading in his first year in the Phillies pipeline. He has decent stuff and maybe with a good pitching coach he could be a serviceable big league pitcher. But as of this writing, he has yet to raise his head above AA.

THE SEATTLE MARINERS' COMPENSATION FOR CLIFF LEE

The Mariners sent Cliff Lee to the Rangers along with reliever Mark Lowe on July 9, 2010. In return they got:

BLAKE BEAVAN

A huge pitcher (6'7", 250 pounds) he 21 year old was terrific in AA and made 7 starts for AAA Tacoma. He was the Texas League pitcher of the year and figures to be one of the Mariners best pitching prospects going into 2011. And with the team rebuilding, a good year in AAA could land him in the majors.

And hey! He has a Fan Club!



MATTHEW LAWSON

The 24 year old second baseman tore up the Southern League pitching after arriving in the Mariners organization.

Where he fits in the long term plans of the Mariners is unknown with middle infielders Nick Franklin, Dustin Ackley and Carlos Triunfel also in the organization.

But hey! A little competition never hurt anyone.




JOSH LUEKE

An exceptionally talented reliever, Lueke put up terrific numbers wherever he went. So why isn't a feel good story?

Well because in 2009 he only played in four games in the Rangers organization.
When the Mariners inquired why, Rangers GM Jon Daniels basically said "Oh there was some legal trouble, but he got acquitted."

Turns out he wasn't. He was in jail for some lurid incident with a woman in 2008. I have no clue what actually happened, but the fact that "false imprisonment" was the LESSER charge that was in the plea bargain, it makes me shudder.

When word got out of his past, both the Mariners and Rangers did the whole "I'm shocked! SHOCKED!" routine and the Mariners scouting director got fired.

Obviously he wasn't acquired as a "good character" guy.

JUSTIN SMOAK

The centerpiece of the Cliff Lee deal, Smoak may not have been a Rookie of the Year candidate. But he has a sweet left handed swing that was good enough to get 13 homers in 397 plate appearances.

One of Baseball America's Top 25 prospects in 2009 and 2010, he has nothing left to prove in AAA. He is the Mariners starting first baseman going into next year. The Mariners hope he will be an All Star before long.




It's too early to tell who got the best deal.

Carlos Carasco and company could thrive in Cleveland or fizzle.
The Phillies prospects look like busts now but they could turn it around.
Justin Smoak could be the next great hitting prospect or he could be Dave McCarty.

One thing is certain: When Cliff Lee's inevitable 7 year contract is up, some of these players might be filing for free Agency.

THEN we can really see what team got the best out of the deals.