ESPN's new TV deal with MLB http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/08/espn-reportedly-signs-new-mlb-tv-deal/1 gives each Team $23.33 MM as part of their cut. The article also includes FOX, TBS and NBC looking for Baseball Programing (content). Richard Dietsch of Sport Illustrated (on Prime Time Sports 29 Aug 12) says the Post-Season Broadcasts package should earn at least that kind of money for Teams.
That $46.66 MM, from MLB, per Team (50-75% increase) indicates Beeston`s "spend money" interview has some basis behind it. We now have the money to sign Greinke. We now have the prospect to trade for anyone. We can now have a payroll in the $110.0 MM - $120.0 MM range with minimal funding from Rogers. Interesting...
It just occurred to me, that if teams do pocket the new money for the most part (which a lot will, at least initially), the next labour negotiation will be quite something for MLB. Players will be rightfully demanding a lot more, maybe something along the lines of the other three big sports (a % of revenue guaranteed, essentially). WIth this much money floating around, someone will break the bank for a top guy...
Now if the Jays could just develop a few players worth mega-deals, Votto/Braun/Kemp-style...free agents seem to be increasingly less useful crops of players as teams continue to lock up absurdly longterm deals for young players. I'm not sure who the Jays should splurge on, I'm all in for Hamilton as a risky gamble with high year-to-year upside. His risk should keep the contract length shorter, right? Maybe "just" 5 years, 125 million? Not my money, just outbid other teams and see if he'll come.
Maybe a trade for a big contract is more likely. Unfortunately, with this new money, not many teams will be looking to dump good but (previously) overpaid players.
...there is no reason to assume that any and every other team would not do likewise....
This is Free Money. Unfortunately, some of the Teams are using it to pay debt load. Sometimes it's a Team's debt load or sometimes it's an Owner's debt load. Even rich ones need 'assistance' occassionally (MLSE purchase?). Stadium up-keep is usually on-going due to lack of finances for doing it all at once. (How much would it cost, per year, to maintain a natural grass field in the Rogers Center/SkyDome).
This is Free Money. Some of the Teams have needier (greedy) owners. A team can be fully funded on revenue earned - ticket sales, concessions, souvenirs, MLB subsidy (as K.C., Pittsburgh and Florida/Miami did at one time). Adding TV money lets you do more (keep More). Sometimes it's just cash flow problems that control decisions
Some of the Teams, using creative financing, need it to get current. Example: Using 2013 Season ticket purchases to pay off 2012 debts. Occassionally one or more 'companies' fund other 'company' or 'companies'.
...there may be in the neighbourhood of $20-25 million per team in the coffers going forward....
If you have three or four good players leaving pre-arb years, that $20.0 -$25.0 MM increase could vanish just there. Too many teams have other needs for this money, while others will spend.
Greinke is of interest because http://www.minorleagueball.com/2012/8/7/3226335/defining-1-2-3-4-5-starters he's a very good #2, borderline #1 Starter, that might still scare off some teams. I find these of interest http://blogs.thescore.com/djf/2012/08/29/scouring-the-nl-trade-market-for-pitching/ because you can link through to two others articles.
Signing a Free Agent just costs money, and not precious prospects. I believe Romero is working things out and will return to form leaving this aberation is behind. I believe Morrow has taken the next step and is the Front-of-the-Rotation Pitcher we hoped he would become. With a Front-line Pitching acquisition, we can contend. Balitmore is strange, Boston will suck in 2013 but maybe not in 2014, New York is more worried about a Luxury Tax reset than they are about acqusitions and Tampa's problem is money, money, money (TV deal is not enough).
New "Stud" Acquisition, Morrow, Romero, possible new acquisition, Alvarez, Happ, resigning Villanueva (for Starter to be Long Man in Bullpen/#6 Starter), Cecil gets us 7-8 deep. Santos, Janssen, Delabar, resigning Lyon, Lincoln, Loup gives us a quality six in the Bullpen. Encarnacion, Hechavarria (or resigning Johnson), Escobar, Lawrie, Arencibia and Mathis gives us a good Infield, while Bautista, Rasmus, Sierra and Davis fill out the Outfield. Adam Lind (mayor may not make this team) could be DH, but money needs to be spent upgrading the Middle Infielders (McCoy and Gomes are not enough).
The 'extra' monies should make it easier for A.A. With up to $27.5 MM available over 8 years, it could cover a Big Free Agent Deal and pay for itself.
Are you sure you didn't mean to post this here?
The Jays need to have their sights set higher than finding a rotation that "might very well end up better" than this year's.
That being said, add me to the chorus of people who want to see the club retain Villanueva, whether it's to begin him in the rotation or have him act as a reliever ready to step in when inevitable injury/underperformance occurs. I see no reason not to do the former, but there's still a lot of value to be had even if they think he's best utilized or can only handle 15 starts (to go along with 40 relief innings).
The Jays could go with a hybrid rotation, with two-three top starters and a couple of paired starter combos, ala the Colorado Rockies http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_21431269
It should be fascinating to watch this unfold - the unfortunate part is the Rockies have terrible pitching and Coors has reverted part of the way to pre-humidor silly-ball Coors, so it's damn hard to figure out if it is working. But there isn't a single starter on the team with the track reord to really complain about being used this way.
I can think of a few posters around here who are probably very happy that a team is finally committing to trying this strategy, which I think makes increasing sense in an age of 12-13 man pitching staffs. Wouldn't this make even more sense in the playoffs, as starting pitchers are wearing down anyway?
...a hybrid rotation, with two-three top starters and a couple of paired starter combos...
With three Top Starters (pitching 6-9 innings) and two pairs of tandem Starters (each: 4-5 IP or twice through the batting order), it leaves 5 spots for the bullpen. Preferably 3 Top Relievers (Closer and 2 Setup) for late innings and two Middle Relief/Longmen/Spot Starter types. That should be more than enough Pitching. Allowing for LF, CF, RF, 1B, 2B, SS, 3B and C, it permits a Top Quality 5-man Bench (rotating through the DH spot). I just don't think A.A. will try it...yet?
If my understanding is correct, 5 days after the last game of the World Series Teams make qualifying offers ($13+-ish MM) to the Free Agents. Seven days after that Free Agents must accept or decline their Team's offer. Day 13, Free Agency commences. From the end of the season (last game October 3rd), until Day 13, Teams have exclusive rights (for basically 6 weeks) to negotiate with their Free Agents.
With Villanueva scheduled to make 7 more starts (18 total) with an average of 6.0 IP per start (approx. 141.0 total innings pitched, a career high - 107.0 in `11), I`d like to see how he finishes the season before I sign him. J.A. Happ (LHP), who`s under control for two more years, is facing the same scrutiny. Consistency and staying strong and healthy will be important to Villanueva, considering he will be inning limited in 2013 (at age 29). I`m willing to give him Starter money, have him compete for a Starter`s job in 2013, but be prepared to be in the Bullpen, long relief, our 6th Starter (on a 5-man Rotation).
A.A. says Morrow (RHP) and Romero (LHP) have the only Guarenteed Rotation positions. A.A. has been looking at a lot of our prospects (Starters) fixing in his mind which Top prospects can be traded this offseason. I believe A.A. will acquire two Starters this offseason,making the 5th and 6th Starters (Happ, Alvarez, Villanueva?) very important.
AA had a chat with the media before yesterdays game. Mike Cormack has the transcript.
ON WHETHER HE STILL SEES HECHAVARRIA AS A LONG-TERM SHORTSTOP?
I've always said that in the past. Obviously he's a great defender, great athlete. You have to be careful breaking too many players in at the same time. There's a reason they have three options and a lot of them use at least one, if not more. So with young players it might take a year or two or three before they finally establish themselves, so right now I don't know if we've thought about it a whole lot. Obviously Kelly's (Johnson) a free agent and we'll examine that at some point. Yunel (Escobar) is obviously our everyday shortstop. Second base right now without anybody under contract, I really don't know how the off-season is going to play out as well. Does Kelly come back? Will something else occur in a trade? We have Adeiny either way. He's got options left. We don't have to make a decision on him.
