Re: General Discussion

6136
Well! I would much rather be a whiner than a weiner.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller

Re: General Discussion

6141
joez - you said I think we wasted $30,000,000.00 of those dollars. But......the organization is strapped for cash

First of all, I trust your $30 million quote there was simply trying to make a point, as I am sure it isn't accurate.

But whatever,

I don't mind you making your point about, say, (just as an example) $15 million spent on various guys (Byrd, Uribe etc) as opposed to spending $15 million on one better guy. Of course, this is a legitimate point.

But just to start off, surely you do realize that spending $15 million on 4 guys is more economical than spending $15 million on one guy?? I am not saying it is better, I am saying it is more cost efficient. So your comment saying "the organization is strapped for cash?" is not accurate. A "strapped for cash" organization would prefer $15 million on 4 guys BECAUSE it's more economical. So the Indians ARE at least consistent with what they say (we are strapped) and what they do ($15 mill on 4 players).

But another flaw to your argument is this. A $15 million dollar player doesn't want JUST $15 million. He wants $15 million per year. If he is good enough to make $15 million, then he is good enough to want a multi-year contract. (Remember Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher?) And as we know, still that guarantees nothing a la Bourn and Swisher.

There's a saying, "There's no such thing as a bad one year contract". For obvious reasons. If they suck, at least they are gone - unlike Bourn and Swisher. This team can't afford another killer mistake like those 2 contracts. Shall I add Pronk to that list?

So, given their circumstance, I think they did an excellent job gathering low risk guys who just might pay off.

I think back to last year when the Mets, with loaded pitching like our Indians, acquired Kelly Johnson and our buddy Uribe during the season. Those are no superstars, but they immediately improved after those pickups, the team started hitting.

I think there is reason to like the low risk pickups. Don't get me wrong, I do understand the point of spending bigger on one guy. But to remind, one guy fills one position AND will not want a one year contract.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain

Re: General Discussion

6143
Masterson is nowhere. Wow, what a fall that has been.

The others are all having a lousy springs:

Johnson with Miami 238/304/286/590
Bourn with the Braves 242/286/303/589 and has not even tried to steal a base
Swisher whose smily face at BaseballRefernce kind of drives me up a wall also graces Braves' spring roster: 288/343/290/633

Re: General Discussion

6144
From DONNA's daughter, Corey:

Asking for prayers for my mom...she's having Gamma Knife Surgery at the Cleveland Clinic tomorrow to stop the growth of a small, benign tumor in her brain. There's actually no knife involved and it's direct beams of radiation into the tumor. Praying the radiation works and stops the growth! I know God will be watching over her, the doctors and all of us who love her!!

Re: General Discussion

6146
TFIR.......

I was up to 30 million in 1-yr deals.

Couldn't find contract status on five players.

I don't remember if there were more players not shown here.

I like the Napoli, Byrd, and Butler deals.

Davis ??? I'd like to give Naquin a shot

Actually, it's looking like Brantley has an excellent shot at starting on opening day. Forget Davis & Naquin ???

Uribe ???? I'd rather have Urshela.

Napoli 7 mil
Davis 5.2 mil
Uribe 4.7 mil
Hunter 2 mil
Cowgill 1 mil
Webb 1 mil
Stammens 1 mil
Venable 1.5 mil
Byrd 1 mil
Floyd 1 mil
Detwiler 1 mil
Thatcher 1 mil
Gorzelanny 1 mil
Manship .7 mil
Otero .5 mil
Yates ?
Robinson ?
Grossman ?
Butler ?
Chamberlain ?

I think I'm pretty close on the free agents. I may have missed a couple since there were a couple of trades along the line. Either way, trade or free agents, we have to pay'em.
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller

Re: General Discussion

6148
Joe:

On your salary list you include some guys we don't have any more: Webb and Floyd. Are we on the hook for them? Among Detwiler, Thatcher and Gorzelanny probably only 1 will make the team: are we obligated to pay the other salaries if we release them?
Similar question with Cowgill and Venable, neither of whom is likely to make the team.
Even if some of them wind up in Columbus and we're obliged to pay them, as will be the case with Grossman and Robinson who are signed to AAA contracts, we have to pay someone to fill the Clippers roster.

The only big contracts are Napoli: who based on his spring should be a good addition.
Davis: even if Brantley is in LF on opening day, we need some experienced help in the OF: Naquin may be able to handle CF; Chisenhall has not established himself in RF. So Davis is at most a RH bat behind all those lefties.
Uribe: I'm an Urshela fan of course, so could question this one.
Hunter: not a bad price for a pitcher with good history and we'll need him later in the season when someone in the pen gets hurt or flops.