MLB Playoffs

I don't think you'll see smaller market teams pick up 25 mill a year in salary. For many teams that would be a quarter of the total team salary. Remember, smaller market teams don't have the built in tv revenues. Also, it should be noted that you need to raise ticket prices to cover the costs of these players and in many cities, the higher priced tickets won't sell. The Yankees, and most larger city teams, have the benefit of corporate box sales to go with their normal sales. Many smaller market teams don't have that luxury.

here's a nice little salary database.

asp.usatoday.com...

Going to check that link out now.

But I did not mean a small market team would pick him up. There are alot of markets who can handle that salary, and would accept him with open arms. It would be a huge undertaking and a risk too, but one well worth making.

A-Rod will fill the seats and without a doubt has another MVP Season in him, if not more.

San Fran? Cubs?

Before he signed with the Yanks, I always thought Boston was the better fit. Still do, I would think a Manny for A-Rod would be a deal. Doubt that would happen, but we can all speculate.

There's a problem with A-Rod moving to another large market. He can't handle pressure. That much is clear at this point. A jump to Boston would never happen but, if it did, he'd be under as much pressure as he was in NY. That city is the only one that compares to NY with regards to the press and fan pressure. The other larger market cities will still be pressure cooked for his apparently fragile psyche.

I firmly believe that Phillips was telling the truth about A-Rod when he decided not to offer him the deal that was on the table. Phillips said A-Rod wanted his own office, marketing team etc. He said A-Rod was trying to turn the mets into a 24 plus 1 team.

Originally posted by Crakeur
but the yankees aren't any team. they had two guys hitting over .340, they had a bunch of home run hitters and k-rod was just another bat in that line up. The reason why all of NY has been calling for his head is because he is the least clutch player in baseball. Forget his .104 batting average in the post season. Take a look at his regular season stats. His homeruns are almost always an after thought. He hits them when the team is way up or way down. A guy like Pujols or Howard from the Phillies? More than 40% of their home runs either gave their team the lead or tied the game for them. That's insane. That's clutch hitting.

I don't know, Crakeur, I think that 35 home runs and 121 runs batted in is pretty respectable. Rodriguez may not have great post season numbers but do tou think the Yankees would have made the post season without his bat and glove? I don't. ...And FYI, it's A-Rod, not K-Rod.

Originally posted by StormriderI don't know, Crakeur, I think that 35 home runs and 121 runs batted in is pretty respectable. Rodriguez may not have great post season numbers but do tou think the Yankees would have made the post season without his bat and glove? I don't.

Yes,, they would have made the post season without him. As I said, the majority of his homeruns come when the yankees are either winning big or losing big. He hits them most frequently when there is no pressure to perform.

Originally posted by StormriderAnd FYI, it's A-Rod, not K-Rod.

It's K-Rod when you strike out with men on base and the game is on the line. It's K-Rod when you whiff three times in a playoff game. It's K-Rod when you are Alex Rodriguez and all of the NY sports press are discussing your inability to put the ball in play when it counts.

Originally posted by Crakeur
Yes,, they would have made the post season without him. As I said, the majority of his homeruns come when the yankees are either winning big or losing big. He hits them most frequently when there is no pressure to perform.

Do you have stats to back up that claim or is it just your opinion? If he hits a lot of Hrs when the team is losing big then that would be hitting under pressure IMO. He scored 116 runs, so he was definitely contributing to the overall score and he had an on base percentage of .392 and slugging percentage of .523, so you can't really say he wasn't contributing to the team.

It's K-Rod when you strike out with men on base and the game is on the line. It's K-Rod when you whiff three times in a playoff game. It's K-Rod when you are Alex Rodriguez and all of the NY sports press are discussing your inability to put the ball in play when it counts.

This just proves my point about NY fans and press; it's all abiut "what have you done for me lately". A-Rod could have hit 75 Hrs and had 150 RBIs and the press would still be dogging him on the post season. It's always easy to criticize when you don't have to prove you could do a better job on the field yourself.

[edit on 10/9/2006 by Stormrider]

1. I am awaiting my friend's return from a business trip. He's the one who has the stats on k-rod's futility. He's a huge yankee fan and I mentioned this to him a while back so he went and checked into it and he recently told me he found the stats that proved I was right. He said the majority of his homeruns came with nobody on base, the team up by a lot or down by a lot. Like Posada's homerun in the ninth, down by 8 runs. Not to sell Posada short. He had a hell of a series and he's been a great player for them. That homerun was something you'd expect from k-rod.

2. I'm a mets fan. I was not happy when the mets pulled their offer to rodriguez but in the end, the mets have the last laugh. We have the best third baseman in the city and we don't have to read about his fragile state of mind and how his team doesn't appreciate him etc.

I'm far from a fickle fair weather fan. yankee fans are a strange creature. they lose to detroit and, instead of saying they got beat by a good team, they go and check the contracts on the pitchers to see when they will be obtaining them via the free agency market. I remember the yankees losing to florida and after becket (I think it was becket) totally mastering them, all anyone in ny could talk about was when his contract was up and who they were trading to get him.

Originally posted by Crakeur
We have the best third baseman in the city and we don't have to read about his fragile state of mind and how his team doesn't appreciate him etc.

Debating the abilities of Wright is certainly not something I would want to take the negative aspect in.

The guy is amazing, and his age makes it even more.

it seems torre will stay. I'm somewhat surprised, given Steinbrenner's comments and his desire to win. Perhaps he was told that they need torre's personality to keep the other superstars in check and they need his staff to help coddle k-rod and the next round of pitching failures.

Originally posted by Crakeur
it seems torre will stay. I'm somewhat surprised, given Steinbrenner's comments and his desire to win. Perhaps he was told that they need torre's personality to keep the other superstars in check and they need his staff to help coddle k-rod and the next round of pitching failures.

That's what I like about you, Crakeur; You are such an optimist!

Torre is not the problem.

The fundamentals the team is built on, is the problem.

Give me 9 guys who make the league minimum who actually love the game and I'll take on the Yankees in a series.

The Yanks don't have a team stacked from top to bottom who would give their lives to win the next game. Who can blame them when they make the money they do?

Johnson, Mussina, Sheffield, Giambi are all passed their time.

Keep Jeter, Damon & Cano. Get Milkey Cabrera in the every day lineup, and revamp that pitching staff.

Firing Torre would be senseless. What is Piniella going to bring to the team that Torre doesn't have?

Other than a few game ejections and kicked hats, they have what they need in Torre.

Originally posted by chissler
Johnson, Mussina, Sheffield, Giambi are all passed their time.

Keep Jeter, Damon & Cano. Get Milkey Cabrera in the every day lineup, and revamp that pitching staff.

Firing Torre would be senseless. What is Piniella going to bring to the team that Torre doesn't have?

Other than a few game ejections and kicked hats, they have what they need in Torre.

I agree that the team that is having fun seems to find ways to win, almost every time. I also agree with your player assessments. I do think Pinella might be a better fit right now. You bring him in and you have a guy who will not stand for the lax attitude these guys seem to wallow in. The older yankee teams, with a healthy mix of young, up and coming talent, with some older, proven and mature players is a better combination for winning. Putting the very best out players in every position is going to get you 90 wins but when you are facing the other elite teams, you still need to have that little extra something in your aresenal. That little extra something is the thing that allows a total clown like Kenny Rogers, a man who walked in the series winning run when he pitched for the mets, to give the performance of a lifetime to take a huge game and crush the spirit of an automaton like the yankees.

The Yanks got tossed right out of the playoffs by a team that blew winning their division on the last day of the season!!!! It can't get any better than that, wait a minute, yes it can!! Besides that, Joe Torre will stay put as manager of the Bronx Bombers. What Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman need to do to ensure a future World Series ring is that their pitching staff needs to be revamped and A-Rod needs to be told see ya later and traded.

Originally posted by Stormrider
That's what I like about you, Crakeur; You are such an optimist!

Listen, Steinbrenner likes winning but he also likes making money so he is always going to go and sign the marquee name, thinking that the big name will equate to big wins. When a guy like Randy Johnson is available, it is for a reason. Star pitchers are the one resource that teams seldom like to give up. The only time you see an ace on the market is when they are pitching for a crappy team and that team needs 3 or 4 players to make themselves a bit better. That or the star pitcher has been quite open about not wanting to return to the city they currently pitch in.

Glavine was not resigned by the Braves because they figured he was done. Maddux? Same thing. It happens with pitchers more often than with position players because position players are more easily replaced (for the most part).

So, when I say the next group of failures, what I'm implying is that Steinbrenner will go and pick up some giant name star on the decline with the hopes of placating the angry fans as well as ensuring that his team will get the required 90 plus wins again. Will he go after a Zito, outbidding everyone on the market? He might try but he also might figure that getting a couple of younger, less proven guys with promise should suffice so long as he replaces sheffield with another monster name.

Will Steinbrenner ever realize that a $200 million dollar payroll isn't a guaranteed recipe for victory?

Originally posted by chissler
Will Steinbrenner ever realize that a $200 million dollar payroll isn't a guaranteed recipe for victory?

sure, when he ups it to $250 next year and still doesn't win it all.

I believe he'd bump it to 3 at that point.

at some point he will have to stop. the bottom line is important to the man and there has to be a level where he can no longer be profitable.

The day a salary cap is introduced in the MLB, is the day I haul out my secret chissler happy dance.

It would be a tough argument to make, but it would be the best thing for the game.

They need to make sure they keep Cano for a few more seasons. That guy was great. I agree with firing A-Rod and I think Randy should retire soon. (Like this year)