The Elias Sports Bureau is in desperate need of a Cure for whatever ails them. I like Delgado as much as the next guy, and sure hope he won't be Jumping Someone Else's Train this off-season, but he is not the best player in baseball.

The Jays sign Jermaine Dye for $11M over 3 years to act as DH. He responds by having an MVP-like season and is healthy for the first time in years :-)

There's no way that this ranking influences the salary Delgado gets, right? No executive in baseball is going to look at that and think that it tells them something they don't already know, right? Please?

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-meat-market-first-basemen/
Check out Aaron Gleeman's evaluation of the first basemen on the meat market, including our homie, on THT. COMN. And, while you're there, Steve Treder has a fine piece on bonus babies. Those were the 50s, and so guess which was more important to teams-
a. talent
b. colour of the player's skin.

I think if the Jays can get Carlos signed at a reasonable deal, it would be huge for the organization.
With no hockey (and the average fan seemingly siding with the owners) and Vince Carter's whine du jour, the Jays have a great opportunity to grab the spotlight.
How better to grab the casual sportsfan's attention than to have a big name player say that he wants to be in Toronto, and is willing to take less to be here?

Thoughts:

- QOTD, Jays sign utility infielder Desi Relaford to a 2 year $1,000,000 contract and he wins the 3rd base job with the trading of Eric Hinske. Unexpectedly he wins back to back triple crowns :)

Actually, I think whoever signs Troy Glaus may be getting the bargain.

- Any Sports data rankings that don't list Barry Bonds as the best player over the last 1-2-3 years, are faulty.

- My Delgadoisgone-O-meter has improved to 60-40 (from 80-20)

I think the Cure for the Jays is to improve their struggling offense. This is the only way to ensure the Boys Don't Cry!

Troy Glaus is a bargain if he stays healthy. Moreso if he stays healthy and can stay at 3B. Based on his history though that's a very big if. Delgado has missed 30 games in the past however many years. You know you're usually going to get a full season out of him eventhough he should probably take more days off now to rest aches and pains.

Both Glaus and Delgado's value have been hurt due to injuries. If either of them can stay in the line-up, they will be great bargains for the team that signs them.

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/library/frick_voting/index.asp
Morning all. I trust we all remembered to vote for Mr. Cheek yesterday. And will do so again today. COMN for link.

Just heard on espn radio that Glaus is the Dodgers backup plan if Beltre leaves.

Pro Sports Daily is a site great for trade rumours. It has been mentioned here before and is a site I've had on my favorite list for some time.

It collects baseball articles from newspapers throughout North America. It's really worth checking out if you haven't.

I also see that the Dodgers are looking to get out from under Shawn Green's $15 million contract. Are there any long-term, big money contracts (more than three years/more than $8 million a season) out there that haven't come back to haunt a team (not including Bonds)? Why do the owners keep giving those contracts? Buncha' idiots. Baseball players make enough money now that they should all live off of one year contracts and get paid based on their last season's accomplishments.

Speaking of Green, why did the Dodgers move him to first base?

Today is the day I decided to stop listening to The FAN590 in the mornings.. Their coverage of this story about Carlos' ranking ranged from uninformed to complete fantasy... at one dear old Gord even said it was an "efficiency" number that included salary data...

but neither of them had a CLUE what the point of the data was... Landy said "he got 98.33 on a scale of ..um.. something or other"

and somehow the whole Roy Halliday slant was completely missed!... They must read the Star...

By the way, Quoted from SLAM Article:


it doesn't matter a heck of a lot to Elias who is the top... just where the breaks are between A, B and C...

uhoh-

Italics off

Should be,
By the way, Quoted from SLAM Article:
These rankings are used to decide whether players are Type A, B or C free agents, and what draft picks their former teams get as compensation if they sign elsewhere. The top 30 per cent in each group get an A ranking, the next 20 per cent a B ranking and the group between 50 and 60 per cent a C ranking.

it doesn't matter a heck of a lot to Elias who is the top... just where the breaks are between A, B and C...

If someone would look at the code for my first post, you can see how I screwed it up and lost my quote etc... there is a "<" to be deleted

Rumor has it JP offered Hinske for Kearns and was (surprisingly) turned down. Maybe if we add a prospect (Chacin), the Reds might be a bit more interested. If only the Reds looked at Kearns the way JP looked at Phelps and Werth....

Today is the day I decided to stop listening to The FAN590 in the mornings..

I will never understand their logic in making Gord Stellic a morning guy? He knows nothing but hockey, has a terrible voice, doesn't talk in a fluent manner, and isn't very funny.

I didn't think they could get much worse than Pat Marsden, but they did and now I only listen if they have a good guest.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/2004draft/041101drcalc.html
BA is continuing with its 2004 draft report cards. In reading the assessment of the Twins, BA commented on them having the baseball's best draft. COMN (subscription only).

And before people start asking -

- BA has only reviewed the three AL divisions so far. NL divisions will be available over the next three days with a chat on Friday

- there is no official ranking of the 2004 draft (not that i have seen anyway). I am sure this will be available after the six division reports are complete...

C.

Speaking of Green, why did the Dodgers move him to first base?

One factor was Green's health. Apparently he has shoulder problems. Another factor is resource allocation. Werth beat out Choi for playing time last year meaning that Green had to move to the infield. With Werth on the shelf for the start of 2005 (at least) and Finley a FA, perhaps Green will return to the outfield.

We should just pool money together and purchase a group subscription to both BA and BP. I see no bad to come of this crime... I mean plan.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2004/10/27/102704_schilling/
For those who haven't already made up their minds about Schilling, here's a great interview. COMN

One factor was Green's health. Apparently he has shoulder problems. Another factor is resource allocation. Werth beat out Choi for playing time last year meaning that Green had to move to the infield. With Werth on the shelf for the start of 2005 (at least) and Finley a FA, perhaps Green will return to the outfield.

Thanks, thats what I was guessing but I wasn't sure.

We should just pool money together and purchase a group subscription to both BA and BP. I see no bad to come of this crime... I mean plan

I do. BA and BP do a fine job, and offer many valuable free resources. While we may disagree at times with them on some substantive points, we value their work greatly. We show our respect for their work by not publishing subscriber-only material.

Anyone know if there is a complete Elias list?????

I was about to sign up with baseball america, assuming the price would be in the 25 dollar range. unfortunately, it is 54USD. ouch.

US$54 and worth every penny.

I will never understand their logic in making Gord Stellic a morning guy?

No kidding, and to top it off they replace him with the Swirzk? I honestly dont know what it is, he seems like a nice enough guy and he knows his basketball, but for me listening to Chuck is like listening to nails on a chalkboard. I had to stop listening to the FAN in the afternoon after only two days of the Swirsk.

The Saguaros lead 1-0 after one inning. Jason Arnold is pitching and all three of Hill, Hattig, and Chiaravolotti are in the lineup. MLB Radio is broadcasting the game.

Arnold's fastball is described as 88 to low-90s but straight. Which would explain his high hit totals despite good command.

http://www.torontobaseballguys.com
Shawn Green plays 1B because his left (throwing) shoulder has been injured and he's missing some cartilage in there. When he throws its bone-on-bone which must hurt like crazy. He still plays OF but the Dodgers try to spot him at 1B whenever they can.
Its a shame to think about how well he used to throw. Ouch.

Bottom of 3rd 1-0 Saguaros. Arnold has given up 3 singles through 3. Hattig leads off with a single. 3 hits, a walk to Vito and a force out and it's 5-0 Saguaros. Another walk and it's a pitching change. The field the Saguaros use as home is apparently not in the greatest shape so take any error totals with a grain of salt.

Hill ends the inning with a ground out. He's 0-3.

Question (a serious one): What happens if a would be free agent doesn't formally file for free agency? What is his default status?

With baseball stories thin this time of year, wire stories about so-and-so filing always seem ridiculous. We know Nomar is a free agent, why is his filing newsworthy? Are there Cub fans thinking "oh no, he actually went ahead and filed"?

Arnold gives up a couple more hits but no runs so it's 5-0 after 3 1/2.

Question (a serious one): What happens if a would be free agent doesn't formally file for free agency?

I was actually wondering this exact question this morning. I am assuming the players rights remain with his current team. Thus if Nomar didn't file by November 11th, he would stay the property of the Cubs. If Nomar and the Cubs could not work out a contract the team could offer him arbitration or let him walk, thus making him a free agent in the end.

Hattig grounds out and the Saguaros strand a runner. 5-0 after 4.

Arnold is done. 4IP 5H 0ER 0W 1K.

If you don't file for free agency you're basically treated as someone who is arbitration eligible. Also other teams cannot negotiate with you until either you file for free agency or your existing team non-tenders you.

If you get offered arbitration then of course the arbitration process happens as normal and you get a one year deal with your current team. Although you are free to agree to any contract with your current team outside of arbitration.

If you're eligible for free agency chances are you're going to file to keep your options open.

Hill strikes out again.

Vito leads of the bottom of the 5th with a double to right and then my computer hangs. I get back on and it's 8-0.

Vito up again and K's. Gotta go.

Veron Wells won a gold glove this year. Congrats to Vernon. Jeter won too. That's horrific. Bobby Crosby got robbed. And does anyone else think that Mirabelli would be a perfect stopgap catcher for the Jays.

Boone? Boone? Boone?

Ugh, O-Dog got jobbed.

I guess JP was right when he said, you earn a gold glove one year, and you get it the next. 2nd base for 2005 better be O Dawg.

Come to think of it Hudson got robbed too. Boone doesn't have anywhere close to Orlando's range.

Is there some thing wrong with this statement? Derek Jeter Gold Glove Shortstop...

Vernon Wells also wins GG...

Source Rotoworld.com

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/tor/news/tor_news.jsp?ymd=20041102&content_id=909157&vkey=news_tor&fext=.jsp
COMN for V Dubb

http://http;//me.woot.net
I am assuming

DeMarco, if you don't know, don't post.

It's league policy that a Canadian team can have no more than 1 award.

It's also league policy that a Yankee must win at least 1 award.

http://www.battersbox.ca/archives/00002441.shtml#244129
Derek Jeter Gold Glove Shortstop...

I hate to say I told you so, but COMN...

Very Bang on Jim...picked V Dubb as well, too bad you weren't 3 for 3 w/ Hudson.

The GG award has no meaning left after Palmeiro won it a few years ago when he played about 11 games at 1B that year. Jeter and Boone winning....Yuck.

Congrats to Vernon anyway.

Just wait until the 2005 playoffs, or any Saturday FOX game next year.

"Gold Glover Derek Jeter now steps into the box, with those beautiful calm eyes of his..."

I bet Jeter's face-first-into-the-stands play had a huge impact on him winning this GG. Too bad it was an overrated play, by an overrated shortstop.

Hudson's grab in foul territory early April at Fenway was much more impressive. I get because he didn't smash his face on something he didn't get a tenth of the recognition Jeter got.

At least Hudson was honored by Harold Reynolds on Baseball Tonight(this was at the All-Star break) as his mid-season pick for best defensive second baseman. And I think it was out of all of baseball, not just the AL that Reynolds was choosing from.

because he didn't smash his face on something he didn't get a tenth of the recognition Jeter got.

The Jeter did not get recognition from The Catch. The Catch got recognition from The Jeter.

If it's Jays-Yanks in the Bronx, and O-Dog makes that play, nobody cares. Some may accuse Hudson of...er...hotdogging it. But The Jeter will never do that.

Oh, I forgot something. Let me see, what was it...oh yeah:

Bret Boone!??!

It wasn't even a great catch.

Mind you, it was a great play, but not a great catch. The catch was fairly routine, it was the run/dive into the stands after the catch that got it such recognition.

Oh, and the fact that it was Jeter that did it, of course. That's the most important thing.

It just bugs me how the media makes it sound like Jeter actually dove into the stands to make the catch, which he did not.

Absolutely True.

The catch occured a good 4 feet before the stands. If Jeter had turned on the emergency brakes he might not have even had to dive into the stands, let alone 4 rows in it.

Thats not even the most overrated Jeter play.. That little shovel pass against Oakland in the ALDS a couple years ago to get Jeremy Giambi at the plate was. I found nothing special about that play... I can run at a ball and backhand the ball 4 feet to someone...

Let me rephrash that... Any good major league shortstop can pick up a ball and backhand it to someone 4 feet away.

But he was out of position!
He instinctively knew that he would be needed at that particular place at that particular time!
It was clutch! It was in the playoffs!
How many players can throw out Jeremy Giambi at home? I challenge you to name 5.

I'm glad Vernon won, though.

I am assuming

DeMarco, if you don't know, don't post.

This was a constructive use of your only post of the day.

BTW - you can disregard the assuming part, because my comment was correct.