Is it too early for a baseball hot stove Thread???

[.:.impossible]

Like any of you, if offered a 30% raise above what your current boss was offering for doing the same job you're doing now, would say "No thanks".

Hey, I've seen friends take a 50% raise, only to find out the company they went on to work for was no more within a year. Not that this is going to happen with the Empire, but there is a lesson here. There ARE other things to consider. What would Organissimo do for another 30% in revenue annually?

Its one thing to go to another team, but to go from the Red Sox to the Yankees? Cold. Hearted. Bastard. Wipe that smile off your face Damon. How could you do it? Of all of them, I would never have predicted that Damon would go to the Yanks. Wow.

[paul secor]

I guess that I have a somewhat different view about players. I may grow attached to them, but I don't feel that they "belong" to me or the team that I root for (the Yankees) forever. When Andy Pettite left the Yanks for the Astros, I was disappointed but I didn't feel betrayed. I felt that he had his life to live and that he had the right to play for a team that was located close to his home if he chose to. I still admire him as a pitcher and still root for him (except if he's pitching against the Yankees).

On the other hand, as I've posted above, I dropped the Giants when they traded Willie Mays to the Mets. That was a somewhat different situation, as he was traded, and it wasn't his choice. (There are different takes on that trade. When it occurred, Willie said that he was glad to be back in New York. These days, he says that he didn't want to be traded, and wanted to finish his career as a Giant.) Whatever the truth is, I know I felt betrayed by the Giants. To me Willie Mays WAS the Giants. He'd been the Giants since I'd started following baseball in 1955, and to me he always will be the Giants.

Reading these two paragraphs, I see that that they're contradictory. I guess what I'm seeing by reading them is that I haven't since been as attached to a player as I was to Willie Mays - perhaps I haven't let myself grow as attached to any player since then. Perhaps the experience/cynicism of age has replaced the innocence of youth.

End of "philosophic" ramblings.

[Brad]

I clearly agree with Dan. Once you're gone from my team, you're history and if you go the enemy, you're worse so I would have no sympathy for Damon. It's the team you root for, not the player.

[chris olivarez]

The Dodgers web site just anoounced signing Brett Tomko to a 2 year deal.

[Quincy]

The Dodgers web site just anoounced signing Brett Tomko to a 2 year deal.

A Giant going to the Dodgers? Gasp.

(That one has been done quite a few times - both ways.)

[chris olivarez]

The Dodgers web site just anoounced signing Brett Tomko to a 2 year deal.

A Giant going to the Dodgers? Gasp.

(That one has been done quite a few times - both ways.)

Indeed and with Ned Colletti now the Dodgers GM it might stay that way awhile longer.

[BERIGAN]

A long, but interesting piece from Espn's Bill Simmons on Damon...(Of course, I may have just found it interesting cuz it's December, and any baseball talk is interesting now!

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story...=simmons/051223

[MartyJazz]

How does he look?

[sheldonm]

How does he look?

....kinda "smarmy"!

[chris olivarez]

Good article Berigan. Just like Damon the Yankees are in various stages of brittleness with the perhaps the exception of Robinson Cano who the Yankees will probably trade(too young you know). On top of that an eight figure luxury tax payment from the Yanks to the league is now due. Just smile and write the check George- maybe he'll get a pennant out of this group and maybe he won't.

Edited December 24, 2005 by chris olivarez

[BERIGAN]

How does he look?

Rich!

[BERIGAN]

Good article Berigan. Just like Damon the Yankees are in various stages of brittleness with the perhaps the exception of Robinson Cano who the Yankees will probably trade(too young you know). On top of that an eight figure luxury tax payment from the Yanks to the league is now due. Just smile and write the check George- maybe he'll get a pennant out of this group and maybe he won't.

What would be great is if Baltimore, or Toronto could sneak in somehow....Hey, who thought last year that the White Sox would not only win it all, but make it look easy???

[Dan Gould]

How does he look?

Like Judas after he pocketed the 30 pieces of silver. Thought he had it made in the shade ...

[Dave James]

Everyone looks better in pinstripes. They're just so slimming. I am wound up tighter than a 10 day clock. This is sooooooo coooooool. I can't wait for May 19th when my boys cascade into Fenway. What a scene that'll be. The Red Sox trying to prove you can win in the bigs without an infield against the Bronx Bombers, trying to prove you can win in the bigs without any starting pitching.

Up over and out.

[BERIGAN]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2272046

[Johnny E]

I can't wait for May 19th when my boys cascade into Fenway. What a scene that'll be. The Red Sox trying to prove you can win in the bigs without an infield against the Bronx Bombers, trying to prove you can win in the bigs without any starting pitching.

and 99.9% of the rest of the country simply not giving a damn.

[Soulstation1]

that jeff reardon's story is funkin' weird

[PHILLYQ]

that jeff reardon's story is funkin' weird

I don't know what motivated Reardon to rob the store, but the 'medication made me do it' is a load of horse hockey to mix my sports here.

[Matthew]

that jeff reardon's story is funkin' weird

I don't know what motivated Reardon to rob the store, but the 'medication made me do it' is a load of horse hockey to mix my sports here.

From what I've read, Reardon was on anti-depression drugs because he was greiving over his son who died a couple of years ago -- the son died at the age of 20. I always share your doubt on these kinds of excuses, but in this case, it just might be true. From all reports Reardon is financially secure, has no history of trouble with the law, so I would cut him some slack on this one.

[BERIGAN]

that jeff reardon's story is funkin' weird

I don't know what motivated Reardon to rob the store, but the 'medication made me do it' is a load of horse hockey to mix my sports here.

From what I've read, Reardon was on anti-depression drugs because he was greiving over his son who died a couple of years ago -- the son died at the age of 20. I always share your doubt on these kinds of excuses, but in this case, it just might be true. From all reports Reardon is financially secure, has no history of trouble with the law, so I would cut him some slack on this one.

I agree. I usually think stories like his are B.S. but with him losing his son, it may very well be a combination of things...I missed this the first time I read the story, but heard it on ESPN.

Reardon also underwent a heart angioplasty last week and has been taking medication for that condition.

[Dan Gould]

I'm just hoping that Reardon doesn't end up with a hard-assed DA or Judge. I'm sure the clerk was scared as it happened, but all things considered, I can't see the point of jail time

[Johnny E]

I'm just hoping that Reardon doesn't end up with a hard-assed DA or Judge. I'm sure the clerk was scared as it happened, but all things considered, I can't see the point of jail time

I agree, and he'll probably get a light sentence. But if he was a nobody with no name no money, it'd probably be a different story.

[Dan Gould]

Finally, maybe some good news in Boston?

Manny Says He's Staying In Boston.

Of course, we still have to replace He Who Shall Not Be Named and Rent-a-Wreck, too. But Manny in Boston means protection for Papi and lots more run production than almost any other option out there. The only player I'd accept for Manny is Tejada, and it doesn't look like that will happen.

[paul secor]

Finally, maybe some good news in Boston?

Manny Says He's Staying In Boston.

But Manny in Boston means protection for Papi and lots more run production than almost any other option out there.

You got that right. Without Manny behind him, Ortiz gets as many intentionals as Barry. No one in their right mind would pitch to him if they didn't have to. And without Manny hitting behind him, there's no need to give him the chance to beat you.

[Dan Gould]

I just had to share this image with my Yankee friends:

That's photo was taken just a week ago. Have you ever seen Schilling so slender? He sure looks to me like a man on a mission to prove that 2005 was lost to injury and rehab, not declining skills. I think Curt's gonna put up numbers like 2004. Now if Foulke returns to 2004 form, I don't care about Damon, the Sox will be very tough to beat.