Brilliantly hilarious....

Notice how you didn't mention our trendy downtown shops. Don't want to let him know A-Rod would be in paradise.

I thought Prince lived in Minnesota?

He's from Minnesota but he has a house in Rosedale, I believe (and probably several other places around the world too).

Thanks Mr. Dudek!

If the Red Sox get to within a game of the championship.... I feel like taking a road trip to boston to experience that

But what about Nomahhhh?

If the Red Sox get to within a game of the championship.... I feel like taking a road trip to boston to experience that

Jobu, I'm smellin' what you're cookin'.

Boo Yah! Leigh's got the spirit!

Anyone else in the mood for a BB road trip?

I for one feel that A-Fraud's true character has been exposed once again and I would never want to see him in a Jays uniform.

Forget the curse of the Bambino, let's look at the curse of A-Fraud. The 1995 and 2000 Mariners and now the 2004 Yankees failed to advance past the LCS and the 1997 Mariners failed to get through the LDS. What's the common thread: A-Fraud. His 2001-2003 legacy after becoming the richest player in the history of the game with the Rangers? Three straight humiliating basement finishes. Seattle set a record with 116 wins the year after he left and look how the Rangers got up off the deck this year.

This guy is a true anchor but not in the good sense of the word, more in the albatross sense. He tried to run the Texas Rangers by wanting to be consulted about the farm system and personnel decisions. If you listen to his comments of the last 24 hours it sounds like he'd like to try running MLB. He feels that the umpires should go back to calling things like they used to where one ump would make the call and right or wrong it would stand. He's upset that every time the umps got together to discuss a call in game 6, it "went against the Yankees." Forget about the fact that it was the right call every time A-Fraud!

Schilling was right to call A-Fraud's huge braincramp last night bush league. I would go one step further. This guy is a spokesman for the Boys and Girls Club of America. What kind of message does that send to kids about fair play and sportsmanship? Schilling cut A-Fraud pretty good by asking an interviewer: "Do you think Jeter would ever do that?" Kinda cuts to the quick don't it?

A-Fraud is all about A-Fraud. Anybody noticed the glares he gives to fielders who dare make great plays on him or pitchers who dare to set him up with great pitches. Who does he think he is? I guess it's hard to grow up when you're being paid some small country's GNP. Derek Jeter has more class in his thumbnail than A-Fraud. Talk about getting saddled with a contract that's impossible to unload. Oh well, they deserve each other: the Yankees and A-Fraud, hitched for another 6 years. It just goes to show money doesn't buy class or world championships.

I say we trade batista for vazquez with NYY swallowing some salary. Rogers should call george up, and make sure to mention damon's 2 home runs.

They also get Hinske to play 3rd base, and that opens up third for A Rod here in TO.

actionjackson, I agree that what he did in game 6 was stupid, but I don't agree that he has a legacy of his teams tanking because of him. He's had some bad luck, that's all. The Rangers didn't suck because of all the money they were paying ARod to be the best in the game, they sucked because they were paying Chan Ho Park to be terrible and couldn't find any other pitching.

Funny, after the game I was thinking 'wonder if George could be conned into trading A-Rod to Toronto, pick up $7 million of his contract per year (knocking his contract to $10 mil per), take Hinske off our hands, perhaps Batista as well. 'Sadly', we don't have any proven veterns who would appeal at the moment though (no, Dave Berg doesn't count) outside of, maybe, Halladay.

In truth, this could be a very entertaining off-season as the Yanks try to clean house (funny how few mention Jeter going 200/333/233 in the LCS vs A-Rod's 258/378/516, ah but Jeter is a 'proven vetern' and 'clutch player'). Who is likely gone? A-Rod is a possiblity, Matsui looked amused at times during the game and didn't really show the emotion George would expect for the situation (although a 412/444/824 record in the LCS should protect him). Tom Gordon blew up real good in the LCS (8.10 ERA) so he could be available as could Quantrill (5.40 ERA in LCS with the announcers sounding like 'dont bring him in no matter what, he is used up') and Vazquez (9.95 ERA LCS, 9.53 postseason). Btw, I'm ignoring the small sample size arguement as this winter will probably be an irrational one in NY.

Sadly, I fear we'll see Delgado in pinstripes as a big signing this winter is a must. 8(

Sadly, I fear we'll see Delgado in pinstripes as a big signing this winter is a must.

I may be totally off, but everything I've observed about Delgado's personality indicates to me that he'd hate to be a part of THAT zoo.

Did anyone feel sorry for Cry-Rod when Fox showed how dejected he looked after the game? Didn't think so...

John, I think the big signing for the Yankees will be Beltran. He's such a good fit it's ridiculous.

The next stop will be starting pitching. That's got to be where Steinbrenner's frustration lies.

And they may elect to do something about 2B, not being optimistic about Cairo repeating.

I can't imagine that any core players are going to be moved, especially ARod.

First base will be interesting. Do they drop a chunk of change in pursuit of Delgado, or do they figure out what they have left with Giambi? I think it'll be the latter, with another so-so 1B (in the family of Travis Lee, Olerud and Clark) kept around as insurance.

One of these years, Cashman is going to spend time and energy filling out the roster with useful small pieces. Of course, that won't mean Torre will be predisposed to using any of them.

If the big signing isn't Beltran, it will be Garciaparra to play 2B. As ridiculous (and depressing) as it sounds Garciaparra said earlier this year that he would play 2B for the Yankees if it meant playing with A-Rod and Jeter. Plus the New York papers are already speculating that the evil empire could pursue him.

Garciaparra to play 2B wouldn't be as bad as Beltre to play 3B, which I think is more likely to happen.

I'd guess that Garciaparra winds up an Angel.

Schilling was right to call A-Fraud's huge braincramp last night bush league.

Actually, Schilling disagreed with Dan Patrick's assertion that the play was bush league. He thought it was Kerry league.

I don't like the Red Sox, but I may have to reconsider after that bon mot.

I like to think the Dodgers will pony up the cash to keep Beltre in the National League (and away from the Yankees).

But, there's a quoda on how many A/B FA's that one team can purchase in the offseason.... The yankees are limited to one or two of such free agents based on the total number of type A/B's on the market...

So, If I were Georgie, I would go right after Delgado. I mean granted Beltran is peaking right now and is truly on fire at the moment, but they've gotta be concerned over the Giambi situation.

Olerud/Clark can't be seen as a good enough contingency plan at the position, and if Giambi does manage to come back then you can just DH him, seeing as how Delgado is the better defender anyways...

Whereas, CF in New York has 2 people on the depth chart right now and while neither are Carlos Beltran, I wouldn't see that position as the same priority...

Starting pitching is the other obvious glaring concern.

I never thought I'd see the day when that quoda would actually prevent the yanks from buying the entire league per annual offseason, but seeing as how void that farm system is it appears that these are their constraints. I'm crying for them I really am...

Sadly, I fear we'll see Delgado in pinstripes as a big signing this winter is a must.

I don't think so. Delgado wants to play for a winner. :-)

An Open Letter To George Steinbrenner

Dear George,

Go @$#%^)@$% #!~$%`$#!% yourself 1#$^@%^ with #!$_+_%#$% and (*$#@#$<>(().

Much love,

Everyone

I wonder if Georgie needs a similar level of protection to what most politicians need...

Did anyone else think it ironic that they were advertising 'My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss' in George's house?

But, there's a quoda on how many A/B FA's that one team can purchase in the offseason.... The yankees are limited to one or two of such free agents based on the total number of type A/B's on the market...

There is a quota on A and B free agents? I have never heard of that before... Where did you hear that?

The first question is: will Steinbrenner fire either Cashman or Torre or both? Or will Torre resign after being on the receiving end of a Steinbrenner tirade?

The second question is: how much is Steinbrenner willing to spend? At this point, the Yankees desperately need pitching and defensive help (I claim that the Sox won because of their better defense). And Steinbrenner, being who he is, will likely also want to pursue the marquee free agents, such as Beltran.

The third question is: will players be more reluctant to come to New York now? Two years ago, Beltran would have jumped at the chance to sign with the Yankees. Now, it's quite likely that his Astros will go to the World Series while the Yankees stay at home. And, two or three years ago, Pedro might have been tempted to jump ship; now, he probably won't.

It's beginning to look as though Mick D was right: the Yankees could be dangerously close to a crash. At the very least, they will find it harder to attract the top talent now, and that's got to be good for baseball.

There is a quota on A and B free agents? I have never heard of that before... Where did you hear that?

I hope I'm properly applying that rule in the correct context. But I was reading over the Free Agency section of the CBA and I believe its section 5 under free agency that tells of the quoda....

the quoda is also affected by how many a/b players were to leave a team... ie the yankees last year would be allowed to sign an addition a/b FA if Arod were to suddenly depart via Free agency...

Here's the passage... Sounds pretty restrictive to me... I could be wrong though... There might be something else in the cba that undermines or contradicts it...


(5) Quota

(a) Clubs shall be limited in the number of Type A and B Players, as defined below, they may subsequently sign to contracts. The number of signings permitted shall be related to the number of Players electing free agency under this Section B. If there are 14 or less such Players, no Club may sign more than one Type A or B Player. If there are from 15 to 38 such Players,no Club may sign more than two Type A or B Players. If there are from 39 to 62 such Players,no Club may sign more than three Type A or B Players. If there are more than 62 such Players, the Club quotas shall be increased accordingly. There shall be no restrictions on the number of unranked Players which a Club may sign to contracts.

(b) Irrespective of the provisions of subparagraph (a) above, a Club shall be eligible to sign at least as many Type A and B Players as it may have lost through Players having become free agents under this Section at the close of the season just concluded.

I stand corrected... I am a little suprised the union didn't mind that little tidbit on restricting free agent movement. But I guess they figured someone would shell out the cash regardless. I guess there aren't that many clubs (evil empires not included) that could afford to sign many more than three A/B free agents in one year, although I still think the Angels signed four last year. I guess the free agent pool was that big. Sorry for doubting you Matt.

Apparantly the free agent clause isn't widely known (I don't feel so bad). I asked Alan Schwarz, a senior writer (and their resident major league expert) at BA about it and this is what he said:
"I don't think there's a limit on the free agents you can sign. If there's any limit somewhere, it might be with the number of draft picks you relinquish/get, etc. You should try to find the Basic Agreement in order to check. Good luck."

Problem is, I can't find the list of type a's and b's... furthermore I also can't find the criteria that they use to determine type a's and b's...

so this knowledge becomes relatively meaningless to us as we will be hindered in our ability to forecast the offseason movement in relation to this clause....

You're all overlooking the real reason the Red Sox won: they only have two ex-Cubs; the Yanks have five. If they get Nomar, that'll be six.

The A/B/C free agents are determined, I believe, by the Elias Sports Bureau but not until after the World Series. Eventually, after it happens, BA always prints the list... usually in their Ask BA column (which I believe comes out every Wed. during the playoffs/offseason).

When I told Alan about the clause you found, he said the reason most people, himself included, didn't know about it is because there are so many free agents that no one ever hits the limit.

Anyone know at what point the luxury tax kicks in (and how the penalty is calculated)? The Yankees' $180 million payroll, possibly to be augmented by the addition of Beltran (for starters), has me curious...

Imagine if the Yanks began pouring some of that money into their farm system. A $180-200 million developmental machine--yikes. Don't mention this idea to Steinbrenner, by the way.

Eventually, after it happens, BA always prints the list

Last year, ESPN had the list as soon as it was released, so I'm hoping for the same this year.

I don't believe the Angels signing of Vlad Guerrero counted toward their A Free Agent signings. He was technically a non-tender as MLB ordered the Expos to non-tender him, if Omar Minaya's version of the events is to be believed.

In any case, Vlad would not count technically as a Type A Free Agent.

I am a little suprised the union didn't mind that little tidbit on restricting free agent movement.

It's been there forever, so they'd have to give something up to get rid of it.

Realistically, it's not a bar to free agent movement. The limits usually work out to two A's and two B's, and it's pretty rare to sign that many marquee free agents in one year.

What's with all these facts littering my Steinbrenner letter thread? ;)

What's the common thread: A-Fraud.

You know, every team that A-Rod has ever left has gotten noticably better the next year.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/news/2002/08/30/luxury_tax_ap/
Anyone know at what point the luxury tax kicks in (and how the penalty is calculated)?

COMN.

Looks like 40% for every dollar over $128 million. So if the Yanks hit a $200 million payroll it'd be 40% of $72 million, or almost $29 million, or $1 million/team (although I believe its a discretionary fund).

So if the Yanks hit a $200 million payroll it'd be 40% of $72 million, or almost $29 million, or $1 million/team (although I believe its a discretionary fund).

Yeah, it doesn't get distributed to the teams. Luxury tax != revenue sharing. The luxury tax money goes to funding things that baseball wants funded, like the Commissioner's personal-discretion slush fund.

Commissioner's personal-discretion slush fund.

Which, IIRC, is where the Jays currency equalization payments come from.