2007 Hot Stove League Thread

[Dan Gould]

It may seem early since the World Series only ended last night, but this will be a very interesting off-season for MLB, starting with this breaking news:

According to ESPN, Joe Girardi has been offered the Yankee Manager position.

Not a good move, imo. Girardi has serious domination/control/authoritarian tendencies and I don't see how that works with what will still be a veteran club next year. Hell, it didn't really work all that well in Florida - he got some good results for a time but the youngsters got sick of him too and were glad to see him go. Plus this pushes Mattingly back to Indiana and I have to wonder if he ever returns to New York again. He'd made it clear he wants to manage the Yankees, and he clearly had no interest in getting managerial experience elsewhere first, and he was hired as bench coach to groom him for the position. Now he's gotta be pissed off, and to top it off, the Steinbrenner son is talking about the new manager like he'll be there for ten years.

Meanwhile, A-Rod has opted out and the venom coming from Li'l Boss makes it pretty clear that the Yanks won't be bullied into bidding on A-Rod when push comes to shove. So where does A-Rod land? I've mentioned before that with Schilling, Clement and Lowell coming off the payroll, the Red Sox could add A-rod at 30 milllion dollars and not even increase payroll a dime. Beyond the fact that he's the best player in the game, the Sox also have to think about who is going to protect Papi in the lineup, with Manny only on board for one more year (two option years left on his deal though).

That leaves Lowell possibly as the odd man out (and likely to end up in pinstripes if the Sox don't re-sign him) and that may seem like a strange way to deal with the guy who won WS MVP. But let's remember:

He'll be 34 when March rolls around - and probably wants three or four years on his next contract, and could easily get it from other teams.

Until this year he has always tailed off in the second half of a season. He didn't - and ended up with a career year. But is that likely to happen again? The Sox are always leery of signing players past the age of 35.

Of course, that last point makes it difficult to support signing A-Rod for eight seasons or whatever. If Boras can find someone to give him 10 years - through age 42! - good luck with that.

But it is really hard to pass up on the best player in the game in a knee-jerk manner.

Here's another possibility: Could the Sox interest Lowell in a shorter term deal, if they told him they're signing A-Rod? Would he be interested in being part of a lineup that went Papi, Manny, A-Rod, Lowell? Would he take a shorter deal to play on that team? Then you could keep those two on the left side of the infield, then slide A-Rod back to third when Lowell is finished.

Of course, the Sox trying to sign both of them would make it official: they are the Yankees now, building an Uber-team, giving away Lugo (and paying half his salary) just because they can afford to.

But not to keep the focus on the Yanks and Sox - lots will be happening, like what do the Giants do in the post-Bonds era? How do they pick up the pieces and build a winning TEAM? Does Torre end up in LA? What about all of those free agent All-Star centerfielders? Can I interest anyone in a Coco Crisp? Low mileage, great defense - he's just been replaced by one Tacoby Bellsbury.

[Noj]

Dear Dodgers,

Please go out and get a power hitter. Two would be even better. Preferably ones which aren't too old.

Thanks,

Noj

[T.D.]

The Angels, with an aggressive owner, always seem to come up as a possible destination for A-Rod. I wouldn't completely rule out the Mets, as they'd love to seize back-page tabloid headlines from the Yankees, but the price tag is likely too high.

Ron Guidry's contract as pitching coach expired along with Torre's, and he appears unlikely to return, so jettisoning Mattingly would toss two NYY legends on the scrap heap. But I'm not sure that Mattingly's ready to manage yet.

I'd be surprised if Torre manages next year. 67 years old, with a price tag of $5 million a year or more.

Who are the big free-agent pitchers? Yankees will have to spend big bucks here, with Mussina looking washed-up, Clemens gone, Pettitte a question mark.

Will the Cubs make any big moves? It's hard to believe that they spent so much money last off-season, given that the parent (Tribune) company is up for sale, but they could spend more after getting to the playoffs this year.

Edited October 29, 2007 by T.D.

[Quincy]

Gee Dan, you about covered it all. Have you been celebrating with too much coffee? Thank goodness Alex opted out as it was shaping up to be a dull free agent crop. It'll be interesting to see if Alex prefers to return to short. That would put the Cubs in play...if they had the ownership situation worked out.

One free agent who should draw interest is Adam Dunn. Yeah, he strikes out a crazy amount, but he's in his prime (turns 28) & can slug. He could catch attention from the Mets (Alou's contract is up) or the Dodgers for starters.

[Dan Gould]

Who are the big free-agent pitchers? Yankees will have to spend big bucks here, with Mussina looking washed-up, Clemens gone, Pettitte a question mark.

The pitchers are headed (possibly) by Schilling. The fact that he'd be the best available tells you all you need to know about free agent pitchers. But that's not the concern of the Yanks, they'll have Hughes, Joba and probably Kennedy in the rotation, most likely. So long as Pettite activates his option year, they'll be OK IF the youngsters pitch to their expected skill. It would still be a very young, inexperienced rotation though.

Will the Cubs make any big moves? It's hard to believe that they spent so much money last off-season, given that the parent (Tribune) company is up for sale, but they could spend more after getting to the playoffs this year.

If the Cubs can figure out the ownership situation, they ought to be in on A-Rod considering how much he "loves" Piniella. Wouldn't it be amazing if A-Rod never reaches a World Series with the Yanks and then goes to the Cubs and ends their misery?

Gee Dan, you about covered it all. Have you been celebrating with too much coffee? Thank goodness Alex opted out as it was shaping up to be a dull free agent crop. It'll be interesting to see if Alex prefers to return to short. That would put the Cubs in play...if they had the ownership situation worked out.

One free agent who should draw interest is Adam Dunn. Yeah, he strikes out a crazy amount, but he's in his prime (turns 28) & can slug. He could catch attention from the Mets (Alou's contract is up) or the Dodgers for starters.

Well, I aim to please. Its interesting that apparently Sox fans were chanting "Re-Sign Lowell" and "Don't Sign A-Rod" last night. I don't think a rational fan can look at A-Rod as anything other than a great player who makes your team much better.

As for Dunn, I agree he should get a lot of interest. In addition to his home run totals, he's got an excellent eye, with an OBP around .380. I thought he'd be of interest to the Sox possibly, if he could play first base. However - I am almost certain I read that when they hired Dusty Baker, Reds ownership announced they would pick up the option year on Dunn's contract. So I don't think he is available for another year, or maybe as a rental next July.

[Quincy]

The pitchers are headed (possibly) by Schilling. The fact that he'd be the best available tells you all you need to know about free agent pitchers.

There is Jennings too, who (ha ha) got out of Colorado and barely played for Houston last year. Someone will look at him as the glass half full and pay too much. So like you said, it is a bleak group.

As for Dunn, I agree he should get a lot of interest. In addition to his home run totals, he's got an excellent eye, with an OBP around .380. I thought he'd be of interest to the Sox possibly, if he could play first base. However - I am almost certain I read that when they hired Dusty Baker, Reds ownership announced they would pick up the option year on Dunn's contract. So I don't think he is available for another year, or maybe as a rental next July.

Ah, hadn't heard the Reds now appreciated him. For the past 2 years they've treated him like an elevator operator with a flatulence problem. He played some RF in the beginning of his career and later some first base too. I get the impression that RF didn't work. The Reds had other options at first during those years which is one of the reasons he was sent to left. With Dusty as manager he can look forward to IBBs after the guy in front of him in the lineup bunts the runner over to 2nd.

[Dan Gould]

And the Hot Stove League has officially come to a boil:

The Braves have traded shortstop Edgar Renteria to the Detroit Tigers for two prospects, centerfielder Gorkys Hernandez and right-handed pitcher Jair Jurrjens.

Typical Braves - apparently these two prospects are extremely well-regarded. Poor Rent-A-Wreck - back in the AL. At least Tigers fans won't give him quite such a hard time. Doesn't this mean Carlos Guillen goes to first base for the Tigers? I think that was their plan, or the plan a lot of people were recommending.

[Tim McG]

Dear Brian Sabean,

SIGN A-ROD AND NOW!!!!

Thank you,

A somewhat disgruntled Giants fan

[Patrick]

And the Hot Stove League has officially come to a boil:

The Braves have traded shortstop Edgar Renteria to the Detroit Tigers for two prospects, centerfielder Gorkys Hernandez and right-handed pitcher Jair Jurrjens.

Typical Braves - apparently these two prospects are extremely well-regarded. Poor Rent-A-Wreck - back in the AL. At least Tigers fans won't give him quite such a hard time. Doesn't this mean Carlos Guillen goes to first base for the Tigers? I think that was their plan, or the plan a lot of people were recommending.

Count me among the non-Renteria fans, and count me a fan of Jurrjens. Still quite a bit of uncertainty with a young starter, but JJ pitched well in limited action this year. To me, this is a steal by the Braves.

If I recall correctly, Guillen would only give up short if he was replaced by a gold glover. And to think he would have been the Indians shortstop if Omar Vizquel hadn't flunked a physical in Seattle. (...so the Tribe had to deal Eduardo Perez (nice in a suit, and almost content-free on ESPN) for Asdrubal Cabrera ).

[alocispepraluger102]

torre and mattingly to dodgers.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2007/10/d...ttingly_to.html

Edited October 30, 2007 by alocispepraluger102

[Dan Gould]

torre and mattingly to dodgers.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2007/10/d...ttingly_to.html

Well, it sure would be surprising if it happens but that page on the nj.com site is empty, as if the paper took it down because they don't think its an accurate report, and the original report came out of the oh so highly regarded White Plains Journal.

[Noj]

I saw the same report on ESPN last night, but the Dodgers hadn't let Grady Little go yet. That seems odd.

What are Torre and Mattingly going to do with this team that Little couldn't? We need more hitters, more home run threats. The 2nd baseman can't be the best power hitter if the team expects to go anywhere.

[Dan Gould]

I saw the same report on ESPN last night, but the Dodgers hadn't let Grady Little go yet. That seems odd.

What are Torre and Mattingly going to do with this team that Little couldn't? We need more hitters, more home run threats. The 2nd baseman can't be the best power hitter if the team expects to go anywhere.

I think the idea is that the biggest problem down the stretch was a messed up clubhouse - I heard that the youngsters didn't give proper "respect" to the veterans - and that Torre is the man to fix that.

There is one really really sad thing that would happen if Torre gets this job: He gets to abuse Scott Proctor some more! Torre runs him out there in New York for a year and a half til his arm practically falls off, the poor guy gets away from him, and now Torre comes to LA and gets another crack at him? You gotta feel bad for Scott Proctor, who was a minor league lifer before finally getting a chance and making an impression on a major league roster.

On a separate note, I just realized something rather amusing: Next season is the last year for Yankee Stadium, and MLB decided a while back to hold the All-Star game there next July.

But who will be managing the AL team? Who will wear a Red Sox uniform in the home team manager's office? Terry Francona, that's who! :g :g :g :g

[alocispepraluger102]

mariano to the angels, too?

i am not sure torre can manage without rivera.

[zen archer]

It may seem early since the World Series only ended last night, but this will be a very interesting off-season for MLB, starting with this breaking news:

Meanwhile, A-Rod has opted out and the venom coming from Li'l Boss makes it pretty clear that the Yanks won't be bullied into bidding on A-Rod when push comes to shove. So where does A-Rod land? I've mentioned before that with Schilling, Clement and Lowell coming off the payroll, the Red Sox could add A-rod at 30 milllion dollars and not even increase payroll a dime. Beyond the fact that he's the best player in the game, the Sox also have to think about who is going to protect Papi in the lineup, with Manny only on board for one more year (two option years left on his deal though).

That leaves Lowell possibly as the odd man out (and likely to end up in pinstripes if the Sox don't re-sign him) and that may seem like a strange way to deal with the guy who won WS MVP. But let's remember:

He'll be 34 when March rolls around - and probably wants three or four years on his next contract, and could easily get it from other teams.

Until this year he has always tailed off in the second half of a season. He didn't - and ended up with a career year. But is that likely to happen again? The Sox are always leery of signing players past the age of 35.

Of course, that last point makes it difficult to support signing A-Rod for eight seasons or whatever. If Boras can find someone to give him 10 years - through age 42! - good luck with that.

But it is really hard to pass up on the best player in the game in a knee-jerk manner.

Here's another possibility: Could the Sox interest Lowell in a shorter term deal, if they told him they're signing A-Rod? Would he be interested in being part of a lineup that went Papi, Manny, A-Rod, Lowell? Would he take a shorter deal to play on that team? Then you could keep those two on the left side of the infield, then slide A-Rod back to third when Lowell is finished.

.

I just watched the parade and the chants to resign Lowell were unbelievable and the fans who came out

and said he was their fave player .

But i do agree with you Dan he will be 34 and he does tail off in the 2nd half (except this year).

BUT the chants of DONT SIGN A-ROD was just as deafening at the Parade

This could be a HARD sell to Sox fans .......i for one love A-Rod and think they should go for it , it will

be very interesting he is not well liked here !

[Tim McG]

I saw the same report on ESPN last night, but the Dodgers hadn't let Grady Little go yet. That seems odd.

What are Torre and Mattingly going to do with this team that Little couldn't? We need more hitters, more home run threats. The 2nd baseman can't be the best power hitter if the team expects to go anywhere.

So...what is wrong with Grady Little?

I dunno, call me spoiled, but don't you have to actually fire the guy before Joe Torre can have a job?

Looks like the rumor mill is in full bloom

Edited October 30, 2007 by GoodSpeak

[Quincy]

The 3rd baseman who'd it'd probably make the most sense to pay high & lock up long is Miguel Cabrera. He's not a FA but the rumors are already starting. Hughes, Melky, and someone else are the starting points talked about with the Yankees. Presumably the Yanks could spend money to grab one of the FA CFs if they don't want Damon to play there next year.

Pretty hot hot stove all the sudden, just 2 days in. Say, isn't the Mitchell report supposed to come out very soon?

[Chalupa]

It may seem early since the World Series only ended last night, but this will be a very interesting off-season for MLB, starting with this breaking news:

Meanwhile, A-Rod has opted out and the venom coming from Li'l Boss makes it pretty clear that the Yanks won't be bullied into bidding on A-Rod when push comes to shove. So where does A-Rod land? I've mentioned before that with Schilling, Clement and Lowell coming off the payroll, the Red Sox could add A-rod at 30 milllion dollars and not even increase payroll a dime. Beyond the fact that he's the best player in the game, the Sox also have to think about who is going to protect Papi in the lineup, with Manny only on board for one more year (two option years left on his deal though).

That leaves Lowell possibly as the odd man out (and likely to end up in pinstripes if the Sox don't re-sign him) and that may seem like a strange way to deal with the guy who won WS MVP. But let's remember:

He'll be 34 when March rolls around - and probably wants three or four years on his next contract, and could easily get it from other teams.

Until this year he has always tailed off in the second half of a season. He didn't - and ended up with a career year. But is that likely to happen again? The Sox are always leery of signing players past the age of 35.

Of course, that last point makes it difficult to support signing A-Rod for eight seasons or whatever. If Boras can find someone to give him 10 years - through age 42! - good luck with that.

But it is really hard to pass up on the best player in the game in a knee-jerk manner.

Here's another possibility: Could the Sox interest Lowell in a shorter term deal, if they told him they're signing A-Rod? Would he be interested in being part of a lineup that went Papi, Manny, A-Rod, Lowell? Would he take a shorter deal to play on that team? Then you could keep those two on the left side of the infield, then slide A-Rod back to third when Lowell is finished.

.

I just watched the parade and the chants to resign Lowell were unbelievable and the fans who came out

and said he was their fave player .

But i do agree with you Dan he will be 34 and he does tail off in the 2nd half (except this year).

BUT the chants of DONT SIGN A-ROD was just as deafening at the Parade

This could be a HARD sell to Sox fans .......i for one love A-Rod and think they should go for it , it will

be very interesting he is not well liked here !

Why would you want to pay $30 Million a season to "Mr.April" ???? Especially after this play....

Edited October 30, 2007 by J.H. Deeley

[Tim McG]

It may seem early since the World Series only ended last night, but this will be a very interesting off-season for MLB, starting with this breaking news:

Meanwhile, A-Rod has opted out and the venom coming from Li'l Boss makes it pretty clear that the Yanks won't be bullied into bidding on A-Rod when push comes to shove. So where does A-Rod land? I've mentioned before that with Schilling, Clement and Lowell coming off the payroll, the Red Sox could add A-rod at 30 milllion dollars and not even increase payroll a dime. Beyond the fact that he's the best player in the game, the Sox also have to think about who is going to protect Papi in the lineup, with Manny only on board for one more year (two option years left on his deal though).

That leaves Lowell possibly as the odd man out (and likely to end up in pinstripes if the Sox don't re-sign him) and that may seem like a strange way to deal with the guy who won WS MVP. But let's remember:

He'll be 34 when March rolls around - and probably wants three or four years on his next contract, and could easily get it from other teams.

Until this year he has always tailed off in the second half of a season. He didn't - and ended up with a career year. But is that likely to happen again? The Sox are always leery of signing players past the age of 35.

Of course, that last point makes it difficult to support signing A-Rod for eight seasons or whatever. If Boras can find someone to give him 10 years - through age 42! - good luck with that.

But it is really hard to pass up on the best player in the game in a knee-jerk manner.

Here's another possibility: Could the Sox interest Lowell in a shorter term deal, if they told him they're signing A-Rod? Would he be interested in being part of a lineup that went Papi, Manny, A-Rod, Lowell? Would he take a shorter deal to play on that team? Then you could keep those two on the left side of the infield, then slide A-Rod back to third when Lowell is finished.

.

I just watched the parade and the chants to resign Lowell were unbelievable and the fans who came out

and said he was their fave player .

But i do agree with you Dan he will be 34 and he does tail off in the 2nd half (except this year).

BUT the chants of DONT SIGN A-ROD was just as deafening at the Parade

This could be a HARD sell to Sox fans .......i for one love A-Rod and think they should go for it , it will

be very interesting he is not well liked here !

Why would you want to pay $30 Million a season to "Mr.April" ???? Especially after this play....

We'll take him

[Dan Gould]

The 3rd baseman who'd it'd probably make the most sense to pay high & lock up long is Miguel Cabrera. He's not a FA but the rumors are already starting. Hughes, Melky, and someone else are the starting points talked about with the Yankees. Presumably the Yanks could spend money to grab one of the FA CFs if they don't want Damon to play there next year.

Cabrera is probably going to be on the move, but he's an interesting situation:

incredibly talented hitter

appears to have a serious eating/conditioning problem

seems like a lot of people question his attitude/commitment to excellence

Its also clear that he is meant to be a DH in the American League and won't be doing anyone a lot of favors playing third base anymore. But oh what a hitter!

If I were the Marlins, I'd hold out for more of the great pitching prospects before I'd take Melky from the Yanks.

The biggest potential trade out there though has to be Johan Santana, with one year left before free agency. Its pretty clear the Twins can't or refuse to afford to keep him and the biggest question in my mind is whether the Yankees and Sox would bid with their youngsters to get him. If you had a guarantee that you could sign him to a long-term deal, I think I'd do something along the lines of Coco/Hansen/MDC/Masterson but the Twins would probably insist on Ellsbury and/or Lester/Buchholz. It would certainly take a king's ransom, the question is would it be worth it. Stay tuned.

[zen archer]

The 3rd baseman who'd it'd probably make the most sense to pay high & lock up long is Miguel Cabrera. He's not a FA but the rumors are already starting. Hughes, Melky, and someone else are the starting points talked about with the Yankees. Presumably the Yanks could spend money to grab one of the FA CFs if they don't want Damon to play there next year.

Cabrera is probably going to be on the move, but he's an interesting situation:

incredibly talented hitter

appears to have a serious eating/conditioning problem

seems like a lot of people question his attitude/commitment to excellence

Its also clear that he is meant to be a DH in the American League and won't be doing anyone a lot of favors playing third base anymore. But oh what a hitter!

If I were the Marlins, I'd hold out for more of the great pitching prospects before I'd take Melky from the Yanks.

The biggest potential trade out there though has to be Johan Santana, with one year left before free agency. Its pretty clear the Twins can't or refuse to afford to keep him and the biggest question in my mind is whether the Yankees and Sox would bid with their youngsters to get him. If you had a guarantee that you could sign him to a long-term deal, I think I'd do something along the lines of Coco/Hansen/MDC/Masterson but the Twins would probably insist on Ellsbury and/or Lester/Buchholz. It would certainly take a king's ransom, the question is would it be worth it. Stay tuned.

They wont move Ellsbury !!!!!!....the talk by Sean McAdam is Coco, Lester.Hansen or DelCarmen for Santana !

[BERIGAN]

The 3rd baseman who'd it'd probably make the most sense to pay high & lock up long is Miguel Cabrera. He's not a FA but the rumors are already starting. Hughes, Melky, and someone else are the starting points talked about with the Yankees. Presumably the Yanks could spend money to grab one of the FA CFs if they don't want Damon to play there next year.

Cabrera is probably going to be on the move, but he's an interesting situation:

incredibly talented hitter

appears to have a serious eating/conditioning problem

seems like a lot of people question his attitude/commitment to excellence

Its also clear that he is meant to be a DH in the American League and won't be doing anyone a lot of favors playing third base anymore. But oh what a hitter!

If I were the Marlins, I'd hold out for more of the great pitching prospects before I'd take Melky from the Yanks.

The biggest potential trade out there though has to be Johan Santana, with one year left before free agency. Its pretty clear the Twins can't or refuse to afford to keep him and the biggest question in my mind is whether the Yankees and Sox would bid with their youngsters to get him. If you had a guarantee that you could sign him to a long-term deal, I think I'd do something along the lines of Coco/Hansen/MDC/Masterson but the Twins would probably insist on Ellsbury and/or Lester/Buchholz. It would certainly take a king's ransom, the question is would it be worth it. Stay tuned.

They wont move Ellsbury !!!!!!....the talk by Sean McAdam is Coco, Lester.Hansen or DelCarmen for Santana !

Hey good luck with that, unloading a CF that can't hit much, and the team doesn't want, a 3rd or 4th starter type, and a 6th/7th inning guy should get you Santana! Man, and I thought Braves writers and fans were unrealistic when it came to possible trades!

Edited October 30, 2007 by BERIGAN

[Dan Gould]

Hey good luck with that, unloading a CF that can't hit much, and the team doesn't want, a 3rd or 4th starter type, and a 6th/7th inning guy should get you Santana! Man, and I thought Braves writers and fans were unrealistic when it came to possible trades!

At the very least Coco matches Hunter defensively, and would probably get a significant boost as a speedster hitting on artificial turf. He's also highly affordable, locked up for something like three years and 18 million or so. Hansen remains only 23 years old and could very well replace the Twins closer in a year, since Nathan is the next one to leave for greener pastures. Manny Delcarmen is also regarded as having the best "pure stuff" on the entire Red Sox staff, and Masterson happens to be someone that Tony Gwynn coached at San Diego State and regards as a future ace.

Its hardly offering table scraps for Santana.

And where were you when your team unloaded Renteria for a couple of prospects?

[Dan Gould]

I saw the same report on ESPN last night, but the Dodgers hadn't let Grady Little go yet. That seems odd.

What are Torre and Mattingly going to do with this team that Little couldn't? We need more hitters, more home run threats. The 2nd baseman can't be the best power hitter if the team expects to go anywhere.

So...what is wrong with Grady Little?

I dunno, call me spoiled, but don't you have to actually fire the guy before Joe Torre can have a job?

Looks like the rumor mill is in full bloom

Grady read the tea leaves and "offered his resignation" an hour ago. I seriously doubt that it was Grady's idea, but that is the way the Dodgers are playing it. So here comes Torre and Mattingly to SoCal. Be interesting to see Torre play up the fact that he grew up in Brooklyn rooting for the Dodgers way back when. (Didn't he say he grew up rooting for the Yankees when he got that gig?)

And Girardi has got a helluva an agent. Three years, 2.5 million a year. With one year's experience, he gets a higher annual salary than Terry Francona has with an undefeated record in the World Series. Sounds like Girardi pulled a Clemens.

[Tim McG]

I saw the same report on ESPN last night, but the Dodgers hadn't let Grady Little go yet. That seems odd.

What are Torre and Mattingly going to do with this team that Little couldn't? We need more hitters, more home run threats. The 2nd baseman can't be the best power hitter if the team expects to go anywhere.

So...what is wrong with Grady Little?

I dunno, call me spoiled, but don't you have to actually fire the guy before Joe Torre can have a job?

Looks like the rumor mill is in full bloom

Grady read the tea leaves and "offered his resignation" an hour ago. I seriously doubt that it was Grady's idea, but that is the way the Dodgers are playing it. So here comes Torre and Mattingly to SoCal. Be interesting to see Torre play up the fact that he grew up in Brooklyn rooting for the Dodgers way back when. (Didn't he say he grew up rooting for the Yankees when he got that gig?)

And Girardi has got a helluva an agent. Three years, 2.5 million a year. With one year's experience, he gets a higher annual salary than Terry Francona has with an undefeated record in the World Series. Sounds like Girardi pulled a Clemens.

Good point.

I like Joe Torre, but to kick Grady Little to the curb and after keeping a piss poor Dodgers squad in the hunt until early September...?

Here's to burning bridges....it's gonna come back to haunt one day and you can bet the ranch on it.