Friday, November 7, 2014

Rockies Finally Willing to Listen on Tulo, CarGo


From MLB Trade Rumors:

The Rockies have told other teams that they are willing to consider trade scenarios involving their two best players, Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
While the likelihood of a deal remains rather slight, and neither player is being shopped around, the report does indicate that Colorado is much more open to moving one of its stars than it had been previously. Notably, Rosenthal says that the Rockies are telling clubs that they will not accept a return that does not provide fair value for the healthy production levels of both players.

The Only Way To Get Alex Off The Yankees....


Are you a fan of the New York Yankees and are you fed up with the circus that surrounds and accompanies Alex Rodriguez? Do you want Alex off the team either because you don't like the guy, you want the financial flexibility that comes with terminating the contract, or because it's the right thing to do? Major League Baseball is not going to fix this problem for the Yankees and New York owes him too much money to fix this problem for us. You, us, the fans can fix this problem pretty simply though, hit the Yankees in the pockets.

You want New York to get rid of Alex? Stop going to the stadium. Stop buying the memorabilia, the hats, the shirts, the merchandise, etc. Don't buy the YES Network, buy MLB TV or the equivalent instead. Hit Hal Steinbrenner in his most vulnerable spot, in his wallet. It works, remember the 2013 season?

In 2013 Hal imposed the "Hal Cap" as the team tried to limit spending to get under the luxury tax threshold for the 2014 season. The fans, even with the farewell tour for Mariano Rivera and the retirement of Andy Pettitte, did not flock to Yankee Stadium in drones like years in the past and attendance and YES ratings were way down. Result? The Yankees spent over $500 million the next offseason and blew the Hal Cap and the austerity budget out of the water.

You want A Rod gone? Don't damn Arod, damn the Yankees.

My 2015 MLB Free Agents Predictions


Here are my predictions for free agency for this offseason. List via MLB Trade Rumors.

Catchers

J.P. Arencibia (29) - Texas Rangers
John Buck (34) - Miami Marlins
Ryan Doumit (34) - Seattle Mariners
Nick Hundley (31) – $5MM club option - Chicago White Sox
Gerald Laird (35) - Detroit Tigers
Russell Martin (32) - Pittsburgh Pirates
Jeff Mathis (32) – $1.5MM club option - Miami Marlins
Wil Nieves (36) - Retirement
A.J. Pierzynski (38) - Retirement
David Ross (38) - Boston Red Sox
Geovany Soto (32) - Texas Rangers

First Basemen

Daric Barton (29) - Chicago White Sox
Billy Butler (29) – $12.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout - Kansas City Royals
Mike Carp (29) - Chicago Cubs
Michael Cuddyer (36) - New York Yankees
Jozzen Cuesta (25) - Toronto Blue Jays
Corey Hart (33) - Texas Rangers
Adam LaRoche (35) – $15MM mutual option with a $2MM buyout - Milwaukee Brewers
Adam Lind (31) – $7.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Mike Morse (33) - San Francisco Giants
Carlos Pena (37) - Retirement
Mark Reynolds (32) - Milwaukee Brewers
Kevin Youkilis (36) - Retirement

Second Basemen

Emilio Bonifacio (30) - Atlanta Braves
Mark Ellis (38) - Retirement
Rafael Furcal (37) - Miami Marlins
Brandon Hicks (29) - Oakland Athletics
Kelly Johnson (33) - New York Mets
Brian Roberts (37) - Retirement
Ramon Santiago (35) - Retirement
Rickie Weeks (32) – $11.5MM vesting option - Toronto Blue Jays
Josh Wilson (34) - Cleveland Indians
Ben Zobrist (34) – $7.5MM club option with a $500k buyout - Tampa Bay Rays
Jose Fernandez - San Diego Padres

Shortstops

Mike Aviles (34) – $3.5MM club option with a $250k buyout - Cleveland Indians
Clint Barmes (36) - Pittsburgh Pirates
Asdrubal Cabrera (29) - New York Yankees
Stephen Drew (32) - New York Mets
Jed Lowrie (31) - Oakland Athletics
John McDonald (40) - Retirement
Hanley Ramirez (31) - Boston Red Sox

Third Basemen

Alberto Callaspo (32) - Toronto Blue Jays
Jack Hannahan (35) – $4MM club option with a $2MM buyout - Cleveland Indians
Chase Headley (31) - New York Yankees
Kelly Johnson (33) - New York Mets
Donnie Murphy (32) - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Chris Nelson (29) - Boston Red Sox
Aramis Ramirez (37) – $14MM mutual option with a $4MM buyout - Milwaukee Brewers
Hanley Ramirez (31) - Boston Red Sox
Mark Reynolds (32) - Milwaukee Brewers
Pablo Sandoval (28) - New York Yankees

Left Fielders

Melky Cabrera (30) - Baltimore Orioles
Mike Carp (29) - Chicago Cubs
Endy Chavez (37) - Retirement
Tyler Colvin (29) - Cleveland Indians
Nelson Cruz (34) - Toronto Blue Jays
Chris Denorfia (34) - Miami Marlins
Cole Gillespie (30) - Chicago White Sox
Jonny Gomes (34) - San Diego Padres
Tony Gwynn Jr. (32) - Oakland Athletics
Scott Hairston (35) - Retirement
Reed Johnson (38) - Retirement
Jason Kubel (33) - Retirement
Ryan Ludwick (36) – $9MM mutual option with a $4.5MM buyout
Nyjer Morgan (34) - Japan
Mike Morse (33) - San Francisco Giants
Alfonso Soriano (39) - Retirement
Josh Willingham (36) - Retirement
Chris B. Young (31) - Minnesota Twins
Delmon Young (29) - Detroit Tigers

Center Fielders

Emilio Bonifacio (30) - Atlanta Braves
Endy Chavez (37) - Retirement
Nyjer Morgan (34) - Japan
Colby Rasmus (28) - Detroit Tigers
Grady Sizemore (32) - Philadelphia Phillies
Denard Span (31) – $9MM club option with a $500K buyout - Washington Nationals
Chris B. Young (31) - Minnesota Twins

Right Fielders

Norichika Aoki (33) - Tampa Bay Rays
Endy Chavez (37) - Retirement
Tyler Colvin (29) - Cleveland Indians
Nelson Cruz (34) - Toronto Blue Jays
Michael Cuddyer (36) - New York Yankees
Chris Denorfia (34) - St. Louis Cardinals
Scott Hairston (35) - Retirement
Torii Hunter (39) - Detroit Tigers
Nick Markakis (31) – $17.5MM mutual option with a $2MM buyout - Seattle Mariners
Alex Rios (34) – $13.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Nate Schierholtz (31) - St. Louis Cardinals
Ichiro Suzuki (41) - New York Mets
Yasmany Tomas (24) - Philadelphia Phillies
Chris B. Young (31) - Minnesota Twins

Designated Hitters

Billy Butler (29) – $12.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout - Kansas City Royals
Ryan Doumit (34) - Seattle Mariners
Adam Dunn (35) - Retirement
Jason Giambi (44) - Retirement
Jonny Gomes (34) - San Diego Padres
Corey Hart (33) - Texas Rangers
Raul Ibanez (42) - Retirement
Jason Kubel (33) - Retirement
Adam Lind (31) – $7.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout - Toronto Blue Jays
Victor Martinez (35) - Chicago White Sox
Kendrys Morales (31) - Seattle Mariners
Delmon Young (29) - Detroit Tigers

Starting Pitchers

Brett Anderson (27) – $12MM club option with a $1.5MM buyout - Arizona Diamondbacks
Scott Baker (33) - San Francisco Giants
Chad Billingsley (30) – $14MM club option with a $3MM buyout - Los Angeles Dodgers
A.J. Burnett (38) – mutual option - Retirement
Chris Capuano (36) - Colorado Rockies
Bruce Chen (38) – $5.5MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout - Retirement
Wei-Yin Chen (29) – $4.75MM club option with a $372K buyout - Baltimore Orioles
Kevin Correia (34) - San Francisco Giants
Johnny Cueto (29) – $10MM club option with an $800K buyout - Cincinnati Reds
Gavin Floyd (32) - Atlanta Braves
Yovani Gallardo (29) – $13MM club option with a $600K buyout - Milwaukee Brewers
Jason Hammel (32) - New York Yankees
J.A. Happ (32) – $6.7MM club option - Toronto Blue Jays
Aaron Harang (37) - Atlanta Braves
Dan Haren (34) – $10MM player option - Los Angeles Dodgers
Roberto Hernandez (34) - Miami Marlins
Hisashi Iwakuma (34) – $7MM club option with a $1MM buyout - Seattle Mariners
Josh Johnson (31) – $4MM club option - San Diego Padres
Kyle Kendrick (30) - San Francisco Giants
Hiroki Kuroda (40) - Retirement
Jon Lester (31) - Chicago Cubs
Colby Lewis (35) - New York Yankees
Francisco Liriano (31) - Los Angeles Dodgers
Paul Maholm (33) - Chicago Cubs
Justin Masterson (30) - Pittsburgh Pirates
Daisuke Matsuzaka (34) - Seattle Mariners
Brandon McCarthy (31) - New York Yankees
Brad Mills (29) - Houston Astros
Franklin Morales (29) - Seattle Mariners
Brandon Morrow (30) – $10MM club option with a $1MM buyout - Toronto Blue Jays
Felipe Paulino (31) – $4MM club option with a $250K buyout - Tampa Bay Rays
Jake Peavy (34) - San Francisco Giants
Wandy Rodriguez (36) - Los Angeles Dodgers
Ervin Santana (32) - Minnesota Twins
Joe Saunders (34) - Baltimore Orioles
Max Scherzer (30) - Seattle Mariners
James Shields (33) - Boston Red Sox
Misael Siverio (24) - Philadelphia Phillies
Kevin Slowey (31) - Minnesota Twins
Carlos Villanueva (31) - Toronto Blue Jays
Ryan Vogelsong (37) - Pittsburgh Pirates
Edinson Volquez (30) - San Francisco Giants
Jerome Williams (33) - Philadelphia Philies
Randy Wolf (38) - Houston Astros
Chris Young (36) - Seattle Mariners
Kenta Maeda - Detroit Tigers 

Closers

Jason Grilli (38) - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
LaTroy Hawkins (42) – $2.25MM club option with a $250K buyout - Colorado Rockies
Casey Janssen (33) - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
David Robertson (30) - New York Yankees
Francisco Rodriguez (33) - Milwaukee Brewers
Sergio Romo (32) - Detroit Tigers
Rafael Soriano (35) – $14MM vesting/club option - Chicago White Sox
Huston Street (31) – $7MM club option - Los Angeles Angels
Koji Uehara (40) - Boston Red Sox

Right-Handed Relievers

Mike Adams (36) – $6MM club option
Matt Albers (32) - Houston Astros
Burke Badenhop (32) - Boston Red Sox
Andrew Bailey (31) - New York Yankees
Ronald Belisario (32) - Los Angeles Dodgers
Matt Belisle (34) - Pittsburgh Pirates
Heath Bell (37) - Retirement
Jared Burton (34) – $3.6MM club option with a $200K buyout - Minnesota Twins
Joba Chamberlain (29) - Kansas City Royals
Jesse Crain (34) - Cleveland Indians
Kyle Farnsworth (39) - Retirement
Jason Frasor (38) - Toronto Blue Jays
Kyuji Fujikawa (34) – $5.5MM club/vesting option with a $500K buyout - Seattle Mariners
Luke Gregerson (31) - San Francisco Giants
Matt Guerrier (36) - San Diego Padres
Luke Hochevar (31) - Boston Red Sox
Jim Johnson (32) - New York Yankees
Matt Lindstrom (35) - Milwaukee Brewers
Jeff Manship (30) - Miami Marlins
Daisuke Matsuzaka (34) - Seattle Mariners
Dustin McGowan (32) – $4MM club option with a $500K buyout - Toronto Blue Jays
Jason Motte (33) - St. Louis Cardinals
Pat Neshek (34) - Los Angeles Dodgers
Darren O’Day (32) – $4.25MM club option with a $400K buyout - Baltimore Orioles
Juan Carlos Oviedo (33) - Los Angeles Dodgers
Joel Peralta (39) – $2.5MM club option - Tampa Bay Rays
Chris Perez (29) - Chicago Cubs
J.J. Putz (38) - Retirement
Sergio Santos (31) – $6MM club option with a $750K buyout - Texas Rangers
Joakim Soria (30) – $7MM club option with a $500K buyout - Detroit Tigers
Kevin Slowey (31) - Minnesota Twins
Jose Veras (34) - New York Mets
Jamey Wright (40) - Retirement

Left-Handed Relievers

Joe Beimel (38) - Retirement
Craig Breslow (34) – $4MM club option with a $100K buyout - Boston Red Sox
Sean Burnett (32) – $4.5MM club/vesting option with a $500K buyout - Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Phil Coke (32) - Baltimore Orioles
Neal Cotts (35) - Minnesota Twins
Scott Downs (39) - Toronto Blue Jays
Zach Duke (32) - Detroit Tigers
Tom Gorzelanny (32) - Atlanta Braves
Andrew Miller (30) - New York Yankees
Franklin Morales (29) - Baltimore Orioles
Josh Outman (30) - Boston Red Sox
Joe Thatcher (33) - Minnesota Twins

Andrew Bailey Option Declined, Andrew Bailey Re-signed

Alex Rodriguez and my #13 Fan Card


With the admission that broke yesterday from Alex Rodriguez that he used steroids and PED's once again from 2010-2012 I find myself seriously considering my fandom for #13. I want to be a fan of the guy because I like the guy but he makes it so hard to go to bat for him. I have preached forgiveness and such for all steroids users but none of those steroids users sued the league and the population of a small former republic of Russia. Nor did any of the other steroid users go on the Mike Francesa show claiming how innocent he was and such only to be outed later as a liar.

Don't get me wrong as long as he wears the uniform I will root for him and wish him the best because I wish the team nothing but the best. I'm not abandoning Alex because I don't abandon my Yankees but that doesn't mean I need to wear my #13 jersey in public or go to bat for him on the blog either. It's official, I'm turning in my A Rod fan card with much disappointment and regret in my heart.

Reminder: College Football in Yankee Stadium Tomorrow


Just a quick reminder that there will be a professional sports game played in Yankee Stadium tomorrow. The UConn Huskies and the Army Black Knights will play a College Football game at the House that Jeter Built tomorrow afternoon in a match-up of 2-6 teams. Army will be the home team in the contest and the game will be played at 3:30 pm ET.

I'm sure there are tickets still available if you're dying to head back to the Bronx to see a game.

Yankees Finish Spring Training w/ Exhibition Against Nationals


Here's the press release from the team:

The New York Yankees announced today they will play their final spring training exhibition game of 2015 on Saturday, April 4 at 1:05 p.m., against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.
The Yankees’ 2015 spring training schedule now features a total of 34 exhibition games (17 at home and 17 on the road).
Season tickets for 2015 Yankees Spring Training home games are on sale now at www.steinbrennerfield.com or www.yankees.com. Individual-game spring tickets for games at Steinbrenner Field will go on sale on Friday, January 9 at 10:00 a.m. at the Steinbrenner Field box office, online at www.yankees.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.
For ticket information, fans can call (813) 879-2244 or visit www.yankees.com or www.steinbrennerfield.com.
Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to spring training on February 20, and hold their first workout on February 21. Position players are scheduled to report on February 25. The club’s first full-squad workout is scheduled for February 26.

This Day In New York Yankees History 11/7: Elston Howard is MVP


On this day in 1963 Elston Howard is named the American League's Most Valuable Player becoming the first African American to win the award. Roger Maris won the award in 1960 and 1961, Mickey Mantle won it in 1962, so Elston became the third consecutive Yankee to win the award.