Comments on: POLL: One person only

By: 10/30 - TGIF; Leave No Stone Unturned, Or You Might Miss a Gem

10/30 - TGIF; Leave No Stone Unturned, Or You Might Miss a Gem — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:25:32 +0000

[...] POLL: One person only - Fire Brand of the American League [...]

By: PLizzo

PLizzo — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:14:11 +0000

HANLEY RAMIREZ!

By: radiohix

radiohix — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:15:45 +0000

We need to show some love to Lin: One of the best defensive CFer in all the minors with a plus-plus arm. A speedster in the Ellsbury mold, a line drive hitter (LD% 21 this year in Salem) and has a great plate discipline ( BB% 12%, K% 13.4): If he razes his avg (very likely due to his LD hitting ability), we may have something very special.
A player that certainly need to be closely followed.

By: Gerry

Gerry — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:37:30 +0000

Not if we trade them for AGon, Felix, Halladay, JJ, etc. I understand the exponential value of a great player, but is Holliday truly that great player vs. Bay? Manny was. ARod was. Pujols and Mauer are. Or is Holliday's exponential greatness a fiction of the omnipresent Boras PR machine (see Teixeira, Lowe, Damon, Drew, Matsuzaka, etc.). Watch & listen to the talking heads of baseball, and the print media of baseball, begin their Press-Release saturated hyperventilating about the greatness of Holliday. IMO he is an above average player with stats largely based in the NL. As indications of this, I would point out just how well Julio Lugo and my man Joe Thurston have done with the Cardinals in the NLC, and the recent drubbings of Colorado in postseason.

I'm not arguing against Holliday's signing. I just don't think he is a premium player worth a Boras-inflated price, and not worth double what our team of above average All-Star/GG/MVP players earn. IMO, that is asking for trouble.

By: M.A.G.

M.A.G. — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 02:34:08 +0000

And If Ellsbury ask too much, we have Reddick, Kalish and Westy in line to take his spot.

By: 080808

080808 — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:43:39 +0000

just a reminder, Ellsbury is with Boras. not sure he's gonna extend here.

extension with Victor and some pay for Beckett will probably be covered with the off-book amount from Lowell and Ortiz.

"He is NOT worth double what Youk, Pedroia, Drew, Lowell, Ortiz, Beckett, Papelbon, Lester, Daisuke, etc. earn."

actually, I think premium talent player can demand premium value. whole market is not supposed to reflect the linearity of value and talent. the rarer the talent ; the talent getting paid more exponentially than linearly.

By: Gerry

Gerry — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:58:11 +0000

We will soon have to extend Victor, Ellsbury, Beckett & others. Signing Holliday to the Manny Money that Lucifer is demanding ($20MM or more) will skew payroll badly, create schisms and cliques in the clubhouse. He is NOT worth double what Youk, Pedroia, Drew, Lowell, Ortiz, Beckett, Papelbon, Lester, Daisuke, etc. earn. He isn't. The Boras contracts of Tek & Drew are waning, with only two remaining on the team.. Whatever we pay for his client Holliday will reflect what we will pay to keep Ells or Daisuke, or to pick up any current or young players during the 6 years that Holliday will be on the team. Holliday isn't worth that kind of money at this time. Allowing Boras to tamper with the team isn't worth the pain he will cause. If the Sox don't raise his worth by entering the bidding, the Cards will be better able to afford him.

By: M.A.G.

M.A.G. — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:14:25 +0000

Thanks for that data, 080808. Great info.

By: 080808

080808 — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 21:00:49 +0000

another interesting stat for Holliday:

Pitcher with ERA< 3.5 OPS.996 (JBay .778)
3.51 4.25 ERA over 5.25 OPS.989 (JBay 1.147)

He's all around player almost by definition.

comparably, out cleanup hitter K. Youkillis

Pitcher with ERA< 3.5 OPS.642
3.51 4.25 ERA over 5.25 OPS 1.147

there was a big rant from Gammons about Manny skipping strong starters in contract year.
kind of interesting to check out new cleanup hitter's performance.. :)
Youk. still, you're great player.

By: M.A.G.

M.A.G. — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 20:45:01 +0000

And I know Holliday is gonna be more expensive than Bay. But we have the money, and we have the need! And there’s nothing wrong in investing in a position of need. So, I think there is absolutely no excuse to miss this opportunity.

Theo, we need Holliday. Just give him the money.