The Truth Behind the Rays Fire Sale

And now we know the truth behind that Tampa Bay Rays fire sale that I was attacked on Twitter about when I said there was going to be a fire sale. About 20 players traded later, I exaggerate a tad, or let go the Rays are in the midst of a fire sale and now we may know why.

The St. Petersburg City Council rejected a deal between the Rays and the city’s Mayor for a new stadium in the Tampa Bay area. The council voted 5-3 to reject the deal after the two sides reached an agreement earlier in the week. The exact quote from Mayor Rick Kriseman was:

"St. Petersburg — and the entire Tampa Bay region — stands to lose our Major League Baseball team and receive nothing in return. This is an unfortunate outcome for St. Petersburg's taxpayers and every fan of the Rays."

The Rays are under lease with the city through the 2027 season and the plan has a payment plan established for breaking the lease starting at $4 million through 2018. The payments would have decreased to $3 million per season from 2019-2022 and $2 million from 2023-2026. Rays President Brian Auld was disappointed with the decision and released this statement, although he didn’t need to because the fire sale is all the statement we need…. Tampa is pissed and the fans are going to pay for it.

"We are obviously disappointed with the city council's decision today," Auld said. "Our goal was to begin a collaborative, exploratory process in our region to determine the best location for a next generation ballpark. The council has instead decided that the status quo is what is in the best interest of the citizens of St. Petersburg."

What the Yankees should do next

By Eddie Sapienza
Yesterday the Yankees made two trades. They now have some open spots to fill on their team. Let's get started with a good hitting infielder. The Yankees traded Martin Prado yesterday and he was a big piece to the Yankees lineup and he played solid defense.

The offseason is not over yet and their is still moves to be made. What some people have been saying is that the Yankees should sign Asdrubal Cabrera for second base as a possibility. I agree with the people who have been saying that but their is one problem.

In the system two infielders known as Jose Pirela and Rob Refsnyder are waiting for a call up. They both played superb in the 2015 season. Still Pirela has the edge over Refsnyder because he is a more finished product than Refsnyder.

In my opinion we should go with the home grown talent. Asdrubal Cabrera isn't considered old but us fans want this team as young as can be so Pirela/Refsnyder would be best for the job. Although that decision is up to Yankees GM Brian Cashman and he'll do what he thinks is best for the team.

Another problem that needs to be fixed is the rotation. We traded Prado and Phelps for Marlins pitcher Nate Eovaldi. From the season Eovaldi had in 2014 I'm concerned about him and the Yankees rotation.

Health isn't a concern for Eovaldi but the way he pitches is. In 2014 he went 6-14 with a 4.37 era. That is very concerning to Yankees fans. So what we did in that trade was give up one of our best hitters for a pitcher who can't even pitch. Cashman dealt wrong AGAIN but to our suffering he'll be with us for the next 3 years.


Cashman says he can transform Eovaldi into an ace. Let's hope that's true otherwise their will be rotation problems. Even though the Yankees rotation is full I still want them to go after a big pitcher such as Max Scherzer or James Shields. Scherzer's agent Scott Boras wanted 8 years 216 million dollars for Scherzer. That is a boatload of many and the Yankees will most likely not sign him.

Scherzer is a fantastic pitcher but for that money let somebody else overpay him. As for Shields I haven't heard any recent updates on him going to the Yankees or to any other team as of now. A lot of fans want the Yankees to rebuild. The Yankees are too impatient to wait 5 to 10 years for a rebuild. So that can't be a solution. If the Yankees want to make the playoffs in 2015 these moves need to be made and very soon.

Meet a Prospect: Nathan Eovaldi

Nathan Edward Eovaldi was born on February 13, 1990 and has spent time in his major league career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Miami Marlins and is now a New York Yankees player. Eovaldi was traded along with first baseman Garrett Jones for the Yankees Martin Prado and David Phelps on Friday so we will do what we always do by introducing you to the newest member of the Yankees family.

Eovaldi was drafted by the Dodgers in the 11^th round of the 2008 MLB First year Player’s Draft out of Alvin High School. Eovaldi was expected to go much higher than the 11^th round before a Tommy John Surgery in his junior season dramatically hurt his draft stock. Eovaldi was not long for the Dodgers system as he made his major league debut on August 6, 2011 as the starting pitcher against the Arizona Diamondbacks pitching five innings and allowing two runs while striking out seven batters. This was all without mentioning getting a single in his first major league at bat and coming around to score a run for the icing on a spectacular debut in the show. Eovaldi was back in the minors to begin the 2012 season before coming up mid-season to make 10 starts posting a 1-6 record with a 4.15 ERA.

On July 25, 2012 Eovaldi was traded along with pitcher Scott McGough to the Miami Marlins for Hanley Ramirez and Randy Choate. Eovaldi had another spectacular debut for his new team beating the San Diego Padres on July 28. Eovaldi started 12 games for Miami posting a 3-7 record with a 4.43 ERA for a combined 4-13 record in 22 starts with a 4.30 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 47 walks and 78 K’s in 119.1 IP. Eovaldi would post

Welcome to New York Nathan. You have some shoes to fill in the fans eyes in the absence of Mr. Phelps. Good luck and welcome to the family.

Dodgers the Big Spenders of MLB

Major League Baseball has released their final tallies on payroll and luxury tax penalties for the 2014 season and the Los Angeles Dodgers, not the New York Yankees for the first time in 15 seasons, spent the most money and owe the most to the luxury tax before next season. Los Angeles finished with a payroll of $257,283,410 (with player incentives, 40 man roster calculations etc. the payroll number for tax purposes is $277.7 million) and will have to pay $26,621,125 in luxury tax penalties. Add that together and prepare for your mind to be blown, $277.7 million plus the $26 million in change is tax is a record $304,321,125.

New York dropped their payroll right at $10 million in 2014 despite spending over $500 million in the offseason prior thanks to not picking up salary dumps mid-season and throughout the season like Vernon Wells. New York has still gone over the luxury tax every season since it's implantation 15 seasons ago and have paid a total of $271 million in taxes based on the max 50% on every dollar tax penalty. 

Interestingly enough three of the top five spenders in MLB missed out on the playoffs in 2014 in the Yankees, the Boston Red Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies while the Dodgers made the NLCS while the Detroit Tigers got swept by the Baltimore Orioles. 

MLB has calculated the average salary for a player in 2014 and came up with the number $3,692,123 for an 11% spike from 2013. There is definitely money in the game right now and owners are not shy about handing it out. 

Has Brian Cashman Called Billy Beane?

The title of the post is simple, has Brian Cashman called Billy Beane? If he hasn’t then don’t you think maybe he should? Beane is selling everything that isn’t tied down and deemed untouchable, oh wait Josh Donaldson was untouchable, and the Yankees should see if they can take advantage of that. Beane has already traded away the aforementioned Donaldson, Jeff Samadrzija, catcher Derek Norris and a slew of others making you wonder what exactly is going on in Oakland.

Do the Yankees matchup with Oakland and what are New York’s needs? Seemingly the infield, outfield and DH positions are locked and set in stone so it would be pitching that the two teams would discuss. While it looks like Beane has a picture of the 2014 All Star Game and is trading away all those players that made it maybe Scott Kazmir would be in play? Sean Dolittle? What would New York have to give up for one of those two? Gary Sanchez? I think I’d be comfortable with that.

We keep hearing the stories that Cashman is working the phones and in on everybody but the fans haven’t seen much out of the due diligence. Hopefully this is more than due diligence and is happening right now as we speak. 

TGP Daily Poll: Brian Cashman is Smoking Crack

I know this isn't a prediction that can actually be proven correct so if you're using Knoda vote no... but Brian Cashman is smoking crack. I predict Cashman is smoking crack. He has to be. Phelps and Prado for Eovaldi and Jones? Crack. Crack Kills.

Vote in our poll.

And the A Rod Saga Drags On…

The New York Yankees and Alex Rodriguez presumably want this whole Biogenesis mess behind them and taken care of but the saga keeps on keeping on. Especially after news was reported yesterday that the trial for Rodriguez’s cousin Yuri Sucrat (Sucart I know but he is a rat for snitching on his blood) has been delayed for two months. Conveniently, not coincidentally because I don’t believe in coincidences, the trial will instead of coinciding with positional players reporting to Yankees Spring Training camp in 2015 it will begin on Yankees Opening Day April 6th, yay!

The reasoning behind the delay is Sucart’s ailing, and failing, health problems which are keeping his from fully participating in his defense. Prosecutors have said that Rodriguez will be a witness in the trial so it remains to be seen how it will affect the Yankees season in 2015. If the past is any indicator of the future though I think we all know and are prepared for the circus that is coming our way very, very soon. 

This Day in New York Yankees History 12/20: American Idle

On this day in 2004 the Yankees signed Mr. Carl Pavano to a four year free agent deal worth $39.95 million. Pavano is coming off of an 18 win season with the World Series champion Florida Marlins and would make a total of 26 starts in his Yankees career.

On this day in 1973 the American League President Joe Cronin ruled that the New York Yankees could not sign manager Dick Williams. The Yankees announced a deal with the former Oakland manager just two days earlier.