I had just posted something else, when I noticed this ridiculous article by Jayson Stark. He spends thousands of words glorifying the moves Boston made this offseason, while saying that the Yankees just threw money at their problems.
“For $423 million, the Yankees obviously got some nice pieces,” said one scout. “But in terms of filling needs, I think Boston did just as well, if not better.”
We know the names in the Yankees’ new stimulus package: CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett. They were the biggest, brightest packages on the free-agent shelves, and the Yankees bought out the store.
But the Red Sox’s additions were products of a whole different philosophy, not just a whole different checking account. The four free agents they imported — John Smoltz, Brad Penny, Takashi Saito and Rocco Baldelli — cost this team 4 million fewer guaranteed dollars ($12.5 million total) than the Yankees will pay Burnett alone this year.
Nevertheless, the upside of those men gives the Red Sox four potential impact players without the price tags, or long-term inflexibility, that come with handing out contracts that run through 2016.
And that, for this team, was the whole idea.
Seriously??? The Red Sox offered Teixeira an 8 year deal worth 170 million dollars. They did not choose to go to the bargain bin, they were forced there by their inability to reel in their top target. Being that they did not bring in any other big bats, it seems that the Red Sox have acknowledged that they have a weakness in the middle of the order that has now gone unaddressed. This canard that they set out on this plan prior to the offseason is ridiculous, being that most baseball insiders believed that Smoltz and Saito would sign with their 2008 clubs. The Sox failed at their offseason goals, and turned to gambles that may pay dividends, if everything falls their way. They need Baldelli to remain healthy for the first time, Smoltz to recover from major surgery on the wrong side of 40, Penny to avoid shoulder issues that have already flared up, and Saito to stay away from the surgery that Dodgers officials were certain that he would need. I am sure some of these players will help the 2009 Sox for at least part of the season. However, Stark’s article is written as if all four would play as they had in the past, while the Yankees additions would flop in the postseason due to their inexperience. it is a wonder that ESPN can print such drivel without a disclaimer.
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I just wanted to add that this idea that the Sox went bargain shopping is ridiculous. They paid these injured players a lot more than anyone else was willing too. The market price for these guys was lower, but they used their financial might and bought some risks. Moshe Mandel(Quote)
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This kind of thing has as much to do with the ‘Yankee Brand’ declining as anything else. When they spend 15 years basically saying the same thing, a lot of people begin to believe it. oldpep(Quote)
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Moshe Mandel Reply:
March 10th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
It is just so frustrating, because like it or not, ESPN is our primary sports news provider, and they are hypnotized by this drivel that is so blatantly ridiculous. Moshe Mandel(Quote)
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Jake H Reply:
March 10th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
What’s funny is that Jayson Stark wrote this up but ESPN’s fantasy people put Saito as one of the top relievers who is losing value and is a huge risk. Jake H(Quote)
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Moshe Mandel Reply:
March 10th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Well, the fantasy people are not trying to stir things up, they want to be accurate so that people will use their stuff next year. Moshe Mandel(Quote)
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Funny stuff-it says a lot that the people in fantasy baseball have more to do with reality than the ‘non-fantasy’ guys.
Once again: truth, stranger than fiction. oldpep(Quote)
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I love it when the Sawks and espn like to pretend they are the Kansas City Royals. Its amusing. I do like the moves they made though. I think Cashman subscribes to the same philosophy, he just felt we needed to replenish our core with age creeping up on us and a weak fa class the next few years. If the Sawks were in our position they would have done the same thing, provided they agreed with our evaluation of the players. The Sawks have spent like crazy in years past. I didnt see dopey John Henry calling for a cap when they spent tons of cash on Drew, lugo, etc.. Im a little suprised it bothers you so much, Its comical to me. Sam Firestone(Quote)
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Moshe Mandel Reply:
March 11th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Exactly- the two teams were in different positions- the Yankees needed to replenish their core (they had not signed major free agents for two years, unless I am forgetting someone), while the Sox had done that in recent years- signing Dice-K and Drew, trading Manny for Bay. Even so, the Sox tried to add Tex. Moshe Mandel(Quote)
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Am I the only person on the planet that sees a majot love fest going on between ESPN and the Yankees and Red Sox? I watched the Yankees-Indians game a week ago and they went two innings without doing play-by=play but could not keep gushing about the Yanks! Hey guys, there IS a game going on there….Yankees/Bo Sox suck. TribeGuy(Quote)
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