Exactly where I was going with it. I knew he brought someone back when he (cashman) got more control, although I couldn’t remember who it was for the life of me.
There was a time when they would trade any prospect for an older player. That time has passed, but it still takes a while to rebuild your farm system. They’re still doing that. However, like I said, they’re expecting some of those guys to make an impact this year.
I didn’t know Wang came up through their system. That supports the assertion that they are developing young talent. That is a scary thought, given the resources they can devote to scouting and training. But as long as Steinbrenner is alive, I’ll figure they’ll find a way to do less with more.
I don’t really know who should have gotten the NL Cy Young. Webb did about as well as anyone. Carpenter’s numbers are almost identical, save for 1 less win, but he did it for a contending (ultimately, championship) team. I suppose with Webb putting up his numbers for an also-ran, you could argue he did more of it himself. (Shrug) Just wondered if anyone had strong feelings about it.
Steinbrenner’s influence really looks to be on the wane. (Or at least, his temper is.) Just ask Cashman or Torre.
I am shocked Torre survived, but I think Cashman sold it as, we need Torre one more year to tutor Mattingly. George always wanted Mattingly to manage and I heard the Swindel went to bat big time for Torre in addition to Cashman.
I also heard the Jeter called George directly to speak on Torre’s behalf.
Jim
Morning update:
Scott Spiezio and the St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a $4.5 million, two-year contract Thursday, keeping one of the team’s top reserves with the World Series champions. The deal includes a club option for 2009.
At the bottom of the same article: Jim Edmonds signed a two-year, $19 million contract last week.
The money keeps flowing in but we are still stuck with McCarver or Major League Baseball owners on Thursday unanimously approved television contracts with Fox and TBS that run through 2013 and are worth more than $3 billion. Actually TBS will have the first round and alternating the League Championship series, so it is a possible improvement.
Chien-Ming Wang actually finished second in the AL Cy Young and Toronto ace Roy Halladay and closers Francisco Rodriguez (Anaheim) and Joe Nathan (Minnesota) rounded out the top five in this year’s voting.
Jim
Hey, are you actually Buster Olney or something?
Yeesh, you’re Mr. Comprehensive, there.
Resigning Sean Casey makes me happy.
Spiezio’s signing is A) surprising and B) a good thing. The guy was a key bench piece this year, and the fact that we were able to re-sign him is a good sign for the next couple of years.
I like the Edmonds deal too, because it allows him to retire a Cardinal, he can hand the job off to Colby Rasmus and he’s still a productive player.
The Cardinals are supposed to be increasing payroll to the $100 million range, which means it could be a big offseason.
They also signed lefty reliever Randy Keisler to a one-year deal, which means that at least one of the LOOGYs is gone (could be Flores, could be Rincon.)
Don’t know how the TBS thing will play out, but man is it depressing that FOX will still be carrying the lion’s share of the baseball broadcasts. If anyone ever wants an explanation for the low ratings, maybe that’s a good place to start.
The Speizio and Casey re-signings make sense, but mostly with an eye to the next postseason. Those will be good players to have around if the Cardinals and Tigers make it back.
Not sure what to make of the Thomas signing. Reports say the Jays only gave him two years, which I think he could have gotten from Oakland. I’m wondering if there is more to this move than just the contract. Thomas was solid all year for the A’s, a good teammate, but perhaps this is more of his mercurial streak coming back.
I suspect the Geren hiring was a fait accompli from the start. Seems like he was the guy Beane wanted there all along. But he did have success at AAA, so maybe it is the most sensible move.
What in the hell is going on with your Athletics? I don’t know what to make of them at all.
How long can Billy Beane keep this up?
Stupid question.
I keep hearing that this year is going to be one where pitching demand outstrips supply. When I look at ESPN’s Free Agent Tracker, one of my favorite local oafs, Sidney Ponson, isn’t listed. I know he got released by the Yankees for basic incompetence, but what are the chances of a smaller-market team picking him up to fill out a rotation?
Someone will at least give him a spring training make good contract. He is not out of baseball yet. Players like him cannot be predicted, but he will have at least one more chance to comeback.
Jim
I have a theory. I think Beane actually likes to stir things up, create uncertainty, make the odds a little longer, because he likes the challenge. I think he feels–rightly or not–that he’s mastered the art of being a GM, to the point where he needs to throw new wrinkles into the scene in order to keep himself interested and/or entertained. This would explain, to at least some extent, why he has stayed in Oakland rather than take another GM job at a “more attractive” location; i.e., he turned down the Red Sox job a few years ago because, given the high resources and profile he would have had to work with, it would have been too “easy” for him. Not so with the A’s: there’s always a challenge to be had here, working with limited capital and the team’s perception of obscurity.
And let’s face it: he’s done an amazing job, given the constraints and disadvantages. In a way, it’s kind of a no lose situation: if the team wins, he’s a genius for it. If it loses, there are built in excuses, and none of the weight falls on Beane’s head. Frankly, I think it’s pretty smart, and the setup I’d like to have if I were a GM.
“So, let Thomas walk, after he helps put me back in the playoffs and past the first round? Sure.”
“Change managers like they’re dirty socks? Hire the best man at my wedding to be the next manager. Hey, why not?”
“Let my best players leave as free agents again and again and again? Yeah, 'cause I’ll just bring up from the minors a few more just like 'em. (Players I drafted, by the way.)”
It’s a “crazy like a fox” kind of thing, one of the reasons the team is so interesting to follow. Seriously, the rest of the country doesn’t know what it’s missing when it ignores the A’s. That’s why each off season, Beane makes all these moves, it looks like they’re about to fall apart, everyone says they’ll blow chunks and finish last next season…and I just shrug my shoulders and think, “Eh, they’ll do all right.” It always looks like a disaster, it always works out OK. At least it has for the last six or seven years.
Jim IS the Hot Stove. 
I will of course take that as a complement.
I think the Jays made a bad deal. I think Beane and others like myself are expecting Thomas to have an off year this year.
Jim
I get the Thomas/Toronto thing now: two year contract, but a third year option. That makes sense, I mean in terms of Thomas accepting that offer vs. staying with the A’s. No way Oakland gives him a third year, even as an option, and I agree with the reasoning.
So the A’s need to replace him. However, I do sincerely hope they do NOT sign Bonds. There’s no way it would be worth it at this point.
What about the weather? Won’t the Big Hurt think about the weather?
He coulda stayed, been loved, and had the sun (and fine groupies). Instead, he gets to go to…Canada.
Heh.
Cold weather can be a problem if you’re injury prone. He shoulda thought of that.
And the exchange rate isn’t what it used to be. His contract won’t go nearly as far in Canadian dollars as it would have a few years ago.
Bad decision.
Don’t the Jays’ player contracts have to be in American, like everyone else’s?
Yes, but the exchange rate is such that the Blue Jays aren’t bleeding Canadian red ink by making a deal like that.