As a kid growing up in the 50’s and 60’s baseball has changed alot. I used to watch home run derby every week. The players of many different teams would show-off their different skills. Today the only time you see something like this is at the All Stars game. There were also those players that kids could look up to. The only thing the players look for now is money. I think Baseball has changed for the worst , but the kids of today will never know that.
How can people compare athletes of today to athletes of yesteryears? Drugs were not used then and players actually cared for their sport instead of the money.
Home runs were hit fairly and with just the athletes skill and ability. How can anyone even try to compare these two. I mean honestly what are the fans actually getting for the price of a ticket?
New York Mets
Signed: OF Michael Hernandez
Released: RHP Steve Schmoll, 1B Luis Aguayo, 3B John Hattig, SS Enrique Cruz, OF Rene Reyes
Placed on restricted list: 1B Olmedo Saenz
Loaned to Mexican League: LHP Ricardo Rincon
Added to 40-man roster: RHP Nelson Figueroa, C Raul Casanova, OF Brady Clark
Outrighted off 40-man roster: RHP Brian Stokes
Placed on 7-day DL: RHP Jose de la Torre, RHP Juan Padilla, RHP Tobi Stoner, C Jean Luc Blaquiere, C Robinson Cancel, 2B Peeter Ramos, 2B Jose Valentin, 3B Shawn Bowman, SS Juan Lagares, OF Ben Johnson
Well, it is the start of baseball season and salary cap has the same predictions as last year. The New York Yankees will win the largest salary cap for the MLB, but there are some surprises in the salary caps for the season.
| Team | Payroll | Average |
| Yankees | $209,081,579 | $6,744,567 |
| Tigers | $138,685,197 | $4,622,840 |
| Mets | $138,293,378 | $4,609,779 |
| Red Sox | $133,440,037 | $4,765,716 |
| White Sox | $121,152,667 | $4,487,136 |
| Angels | $119,216,333 | $4,110,908 |
| Cubs | $118,595,833 | $4,392,438 |
| Dodgers | $118,536,038 | $4,233,430 |
| Mariners | $117,993,982 | $4,538,230 |
| Braves | $102,424,018 | $3,414,134 |
| Cardinals | $100,624,450 | $3,049,226 |
| Blue Jays | $98,641,957 | $3,522,927 |
| Phillies | $98,269,881 | $3,388,617 |
| Astros | $ 88,930,415 | $3,293,719 |
| Brewers | $ 81,004,167 | $2,793,247 |
| Indians | $ 78,970,067 | $3,037,310 |
| Giants | $76,904,500 | $2,651,879 |
| Reds | $74,277,695 | $2,971,108 |
| Padres | $ 73,677,617 | $2,376,697 |
| Rockies | $ 68,655,500 | $2,640,596 |
| Rangers | $ 68,239,551 | $2,353,088 |
| Orioles | $67,196,248 | $2,099,883 |
| Diamondbacks | $66,202,713 | $2,364,383 |
| Twins | $ 62,182,767 | $ 2,487,311 |
| Royals | $58,245,500 | $2,240,212 |
| Nationals | $ 54,961,000 | $1,895,207 |
| Pirates | $ 49,365,283 | $1,898,665 |
| A’s | $ 47,967,126 | $1,713,112 |
| Rays | $43,820,598 | $1,460,687 |
| Marlins | $ 21,836,500 | $661,712 |
ARod makes more than the entire Florida team. The New York Mets won the NL salary cap race. I wonder if they will choke away the division again this year?
Salary cap wants to give a big shout out to Opening Day. Here is my preview…
1. Phillies
2. Mets
3. Braves
4. Expos
5. Fish
I have to say the only thin I am positive about is that the Marlins will lose 100 games this year.
This is going to be salary caps preview of at least one team a day before spring traing…Yes, pitchers and catchers are reporting starting this week for some teams. The Atlanta Braves salary cap issues for this upcoming team are minimal. Let’s face it, the Braves are backed by a national channel and a Billionare that can throw money around like it is going out of style. The Braves have Mike Hampton signed to 15 million dollars, John Smoltz to 8 million, Chipper Jones to 12 million and Mark Teixeira to 9 million. Recently signed Tom Glavine is the last big salary cap hit of aaround 7.5 million. With this, the Braves are going to need some help in the forms of injuries are team dysfunction in New York and Philadelphia for this team to win the division. On paper, the Braves will be looking to win around 85 games this year unless they can get one more arm to compete in this two horse race called the NL East. Next up, The New York Yankees.
Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends. I was looking over the nonsense that happened down there at the ole Opry House this past week. Let’s go over the big news before we go into speculation of what might happen in the next few weeks.
The Florida Marlins decided that making 50 million dollars without selling one ticket is good business. I have a hard time faulting them for that, however, I highly doubt more than 3000 people show up to a game this year. With the trading of Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to the Detroit Tigers, the fish have decided that no payroll is too low. I have not see a trade this bad in years. We are talking a #2 pitcher and a clean up hitter under the ages of 26 for 6 ok prospects. Are you kidding me? I am just glad the Fish are in the same division as the Phillies.
The other big doings(if you call it that) is that the Dodgers took Andruw Jones for about 16 million a year. Um, good one, LA. You just got 130 stikeouts, .320 obp, and about 20 homeruns for the middle of your lineup. Jones was great…4 years ago. Hey, listen, I have nothing against Jones, but 16 million a year. What a country.
That was about it for the winter meetings. Might as well call them the winter nothing really gets done. SO here are the moves that should have and actually will be done in the next month.
Johan Santana will be traded to the Boston Red Sox. I have gone back and forth on this one, but this really makes sense for the new evil empire to stick it to the Yankees.
Dan Haren will be traded to the Arizona Diamond Backs. It just makes sense and Arizona has the people Oakland cherishes.
Eric Bedard gets traded to the Reds. I know, Cincinnati is a dark horse, but really, why would I go to a Reds game unless they make a spalsh with a great trade. I cry watching Adam Dunn Strikeout every other at bat. It was fine when he hit homeruns, now it is just sad to watch.
Joe Blanton will be traded, but not until everyone else is gone. I really dont have a feel for this one, but it will take the farm. My bet is the Yankees. However, either the Giants or the Dodgers could still do this deal at the end.
I am surprised Kyle Loshe has not been grabbed yet. I can see the Mets picking this guy up after losing out on all the trades this winter. Of course, they will over pay since Boras is the agent, but this is what you get when you have nothing of value to trade. The Phillies will not get Aaron Rowand back(I hear Dodgers or Giants, depending on that Japanese guy). So, the Phillies are basically set with what they got. Looks like a lot of 9-8 games again this year. Still, I predict the Phillies finish first in the East.
Seriously, Boras is either the dumbest or shrewest MLB Agent ever. He has taken a major risk in having Arod opt out of his three year mega 252 million dollar contract. Of course, we all know this. It has been Arod, all the time, non-stop, even during Boston’s sweep world series, publicity tour courtesy of Arod, himself.
So, What team wins(if you call this whopper of a contract a win) the Arod sweepsatkes? Lets take a closer look at the contenders and their payroll through these salary cap eyes…
1. New York Mets. This team needs pitching. Period. End of discussion. They need to either trade for it, buy it, or magically produce some in the next 4 months. While everyone likes to throw poor Tommy under the bus(and he did shit the bed that last game, no doubt), tell me another reliable pitcher to get you 10-14 wins next year? Then, the Mets have this little problem called second and catcher. Might want to fill these first. I say with no problems that this is a no.
2. New York Yankees. Hard to say, but this is the best option for Arod. Perfect fit other than that small nasty PR war in the papers. Yankees have so many holes, but letting Arod leave is a bad move for them. I just cannot believe of letting the best hitter in the game to walk away from the Evil Empire. Even for that kind of money
3. San Fransisco Giants. They need a draw now that the freak show has been shown the door. Barry Bonds was great right up to the point people stopped coming to see a last place team. Do they really want to go throught ten more years of freak show? It is San Fran, which is synonymous for freak show, so I have trouble ruling them out completely.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels. Both teams could use Arod. The draw of Hollywood, the glitter, the power might help sway Arod to these clubs. I mean, hell, David Beckham is there, so it isnt a big stretch to think the best Baseball player shouldnt be there as well, right? Now the salary cap issues are different for both teams. The Angels already draw well while the Dodgers do not. However, a long contract makes more sense for American league team versus National League team(see Bonds playing outfield). I am also not completely sold on the idea that Arod increases gate sales, either.
5. Boston Red Sox. Why?! Because it would be another in your face to the Yankees. No other reason.
Winner is……The Angels. Once the owners get over the sticker shock, I see Arod coming up small for the Angels for the next decade in the postseason.
Salary cap has been taking some heat the past few weeks from his idiot coworker we will call SCRF. His real name is outfield. He made these predictions about the baseball playoffs after his Mets choked. So, with bitterness in his heart, he made some daring moves and had the Rockies and Red Sox in the World Series. Of course, he went too far and had to say the Rockies would win. Well, anyway, I told him he had a better chance of being a porn star than the Rockies winning. So, in your face, you POS. Your predictions were just like your Mets, great in the beginning and then just horrible. Enjoy your offseason and only 4 more months before pitchers and catchers report.
Well, welcome back to the show. Summer has been too nice to be worried about blogging, but I am pretty excited about History being made by Jimmy Rollins this year. In the summer of records, we have seen Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Tom Glavine, and Tiger Woods winning his 13th Major. But, Jimmy Rollins has the chance to do something so special only one player(Willie Mays) has done. Twenty doubles, triples, homeruns, and stolen bases for the year. Jimmy Rollins started this year by saying Philadelphia was the team to beat. Well, all salary cap issues aside, he has certainly placed his money where his mouth is by having a truly special season. He is 5 triples away from this feat. At his current pace, he will hit only 18 triples for the year. Is anyone going to doubt that this guy will reach it, though? Jimmy knows what he has to do to be considered a great player for the ages, and anytime you can be mentioned in the same sentence as the The Say Hey Kid, thats saying something.