Catching up on a few stories as pitchers and catchers make their way to Florida and Arizona...
Joe Mauer Signs with the Twins
Minnesota signed hometown hero Joe Mauer to a four-year, $33 million contract. Nice work by the Twins. Last season Mauer, at age 23, Mauer became the first American League catcher to win a batting title. Combine his enormous potential with the fact that he's from St. Paul -- let's just say this signing was absolutely necessary. This gives the Twins at least two seasons to try and ride the Joe Mauer/Justin Morneau/Johan Santana core to a championship. (Morneau isn't eligible for free agency until 2010. Santana is signed through '08.)
This season and next, the Twins will feature the American League's best pitcher and two of the AL's best position players under age 26. Wait -- weren't we gonna contract those guys? I mean, there's no way they can be competitive, is there?
Re-Arming the Mets
The Mets continue to add depth to their rotation, signing veteran Chan Ho Park to an incentive-laden one-year contract. Park is expected to compete with Aaron Sele, John Maine, Oliver Perez, Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and others for three spots behind greybeards Tom Glavine and Orlando Hernandez. (Pedro Martinez is expected to return from surgery in June.)
Interesting mix out there in Flushing, isn't it? Seems like every player on New York's roster is either under 25 or pushing 40. Heck, with El Duque and Julio Franco in the mix, "pushing 40" should be considered a major understatement. (Does anyone really believe that Hernandez is three years younger than Glavine, as the Mets' official site would have you believe?)
It seems reasonable to consider the Mets the favorites in the NL East again this year -- with the Phillies as a solid second pick. But it's also easy to see how inexperience and/or injuries to a couple of key players could have a serious effect on a very promising season. Keep an eye on the rumor mill -- something tells me Omar Minaya's roster might not be a finished product.
Cabrera Playin' Hooky
Marlins superstar third baseman Miguel Cabrera didn't do himself any favors by skipping the team's fan fest just days before his arbitration hearing. Cabrera was the only Marlin to play hooky, and team officials weren't shy about expressing their disappointment to the media. It seems reasonable to expect that this will become a topic of conversation during Cabrera's salary arbitration hearing on Friday, February 16.
One has to wonder if Cabrera is sending some sort of message to his employers, or trying to grease the skids for his inevitable departure from South Florida. As things stand, Cabrera will be stuck with the notoriously stingy Marlins until he is eligible for free agency after the 2009 season.
More A-Rod
Last week we wrote a article headlined, What's Next for A-Rod? We didn't know but should have expected the answer, more hideous press. Even an innocuous appearance promoting a children's book became bad press for A-Rod, who reportedly called security to remove reporters who insisted on... well, reporting... during an appearance at a Barnes & Noble in Manhattan. Rodriguez then got himself un-invited from an appearance on The Today Show by attempting to set limits on the questions he'd be asked during his appearance. (Note to A-Rod... yes, Katie Couric is a Sox fan, but she's not on Today any more.)
Has there ever been a superstar athlete more ham-handed in dealing with the press? Is A-Rod using Terrell Owens' manager? Or Britney Spears'?
Seems like the only thing left is for A-Rod to be photographed dancing on a table without any underwear on.
Originally published at About Baseball
No comments:
Post a Comment