Lacking the time to write a proper Cooking with Chas this week, I thought I’d take a slightly different approach. This will be sort of an Open Thread Thursday style post, I suppose, except I do have something specific to introduce as a conversation point.
There are a surprisingly large number of quality players who are still unemployed at this stage of the offseason, with less than a month until pitchers and catchers report for spring training. The following is a non-exhaustive list of guys who fall into this category. That is, prominent players who are–surprisingly or not–still without a team.
Bobby Abreu, Garret Anderson, Orlando Cabrera, Joe Crede, Adam Dunn, David Eckstein, Jim Edmonds, Eric Gagne, Jon Garland, Nomar Garciaparra, Tom Glavine, Luis Gonzalez, Tom Gordon, Ken Griffey, Mark Grudzielanek, Eddie Guardado, Livan Hernandez, Orlando Hernandez, Orlando Hudson, Jason Isringhausen, Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent, Paul Lo Duca, Pedro Martinez, Doug Mientkiewicz, Kevin Millar, Mark Mulder, Jay Payton, Oliver Perez, Andy Pettitte, Manny Ramirez, Ivan Rodriguez, Kenny Rogers, Curt Schilling, Richie Sexson, Ben Sheets, Mike Sweeney, Frank Thomas, Juan Uribe, Jason Varitek, Omar Vizquel, Randy Wolf.
Who on this list are we most surprised about? Who are we not surprised about? Or, are we not surprised at all? Whose career is involuntarily over? Any predictions regarding where some of these players will land? Will the Yankees sign them all and stock up their farm system with major league caliber players? Is there anyone of significant I missed?
Hopefully, this will generate some baseball discussion over this three-day weekend–for those of us who have Martin Luther King Day off, that is. Also, feel free to send any baseball-related questions my way. So, in a sense, this post will be like an Open Thread Thursday/Ask Smitty Mailbag hybrid.
I am finding it interesting that Varitek is meeting John Henry – at Varitek’s request without Scott Boras. Could this be another defection from the Boras’ camp. Not that it hurts him, but he really blew negotiations on Varitek’s behalf..
Also – there is absolutely no talk about Manny Ramirez.. I think Boras and Ramirez sorely underestimated the reaction to his antics..
But overall – the economy is really hurting alot of these guys.
I’m wondering if maybe the one thing that Boras underestimates is the intangible factor, particularly with respect to A-Rod and Manny. With A-Rod, who, other than the Yankees, was going to give him a $300 million deal when his $250 million deal basically crippled the Rangers financially and affected their clubhouse as well? And, of course, how he didn’t expect last year’s drama to hurt Manny’s viability on the free agent market is beyond me. Maybe if the economy wasn’t so bad, a few more teams would look beyond it based on the tear he went on with the Dodgers.
I think the Varitek situation is an example of why only major superstars should be his client. It was worth the risk more to Boras for Varitek to bypass a $10 million one-year deal based on the hope that he could get that kind of money over 3-4 years than it was to Varitek. It’s going to end up costing Varitek more than 50% of his annual salary, not that any of us should be shedding a tear for him or anyone who makes that kind of money. But, it really will be kind of a shame if it costs him the chance to end his career with the Red Sox on his terms. Of course, I’m not going to lose any sleep over Varitek’s hardships. 🙂
I don’t know why, Chas, but Richie Sexson surprises me. I know it’s been two years since he has put up monster numbers, but it wasn’t that long ago that many teams were making offers to Seattle it seemed like every trading deadline. Both Hernandezes also surprise me, what with all the need in experienced pitching around both leagues. Certainly neither of them would hurt as a 3-5 starter.
Are the Yankees guilty of obtaining talent after the talent has been spent out? Sexson, Abreau, Randy Johnson, and even go back to Kevin Brown (not that Brown was all that bad in pinstripes. I think his contract and expectations never allowed anyone to acknoweldge his worth in the Bronx. Injuries, too). Do they really get anything out of these guys? I’d rather see my team go get someone who is on the rise, not on the back end of a remarkable upswing in numbers.
Those that I am not surprised about: Griffey – he was lass than impressive after his trade to the South Side. Schilling – when was the last time he pitched? Garciaparra – what did he play in about 50 games last year? Tom Gordon – there’s not much ‘flash’ left.
Other than that I am surprised to see so many unemployed. Hey guys! Join the other Americans looking jobs.
As for Varitek – I have respect for the guy. I want him to retire as a Red Sock. I appreciate his efforts for the last decade. But be your own man for cryin’ out loud. This whole letting Boras screw up a deal has got to go. My goodness. Boras is NOT a baseball guy. Varitek has got to take a look at his numbers and say geez – I am not what I used to be. Maybe I should suck it up and take a pay cut and stay where I am appreciated.
I’m not that surprised about Sexson. His career has been in a slow fade for a few years. I think he’s had it, to be honest. Definitely some of the guys I added to the list because of their names, particularly the guys Casey mentioned. I’m disappointed that Seattle is apparently not going to give Junior a chance to end his career there.
I get your point about Varitek & Boras, Casey, but isn’t that what an agent is supposed to be for…to help the player make good business decisions?
The only problem is that using the guidance of Boras will cost Varitek considerably. The captain will probably get half of what he was supposed to. Not to mention the PR fiasco. How many guys does this make that have told Boras to stay home while they handle their own negotiations? ARod did it. Didn’t Kenny Rogers do the same thing?
Part of me starts to believe that Boras is in love with his own power and ability to make a deal for players. He always has the ability to string along teams and get those extra dollars. Part of his method is always creating that ficticious (sp?) Team X that he forces teams to basically bid against themselves.
I think teams are on to him and are calling his hand alot quicker. Boston actually was very skillful in the Varitek negotiations. By offering arbitration, probably knowing Boras would turn it down – it guaranteed that if someone did sign him, they would get a compensatory first round pick. It all but eliminated the market for Vartiek.