On this date in 2009, the Yankees were assessed with a luxury tax of $25.69MM for its spending. As it was in every year since the tax was enacted in 2002, the Yankees were the only team penalized. Now in 2013, there are multiple clubs paying the luxury tax, headlined by the Dodgers, and the Yankees are working to stay beneath the $189MM threshold. More from around baseball..
- Rays Colored Glasses wonders if a David Price-Mariners deal could involve a third team.
- Grab Some Bench says the Matt Davidson deal clarifies some roles and muddles others.
- Angels Win breaks down the Halos’ lefties.
- You Gotta Like These Kids has some pros and cons on the Mike Morse deal.
- Blue Jays Plus is feeling hopeful.
- Outside Pitch Sports Network spoke with Negro League Baseball Museum President Bob Kendrick.
- If I Were A GM caught up with Patrick Schuster.
- i70 Baseball says Jhonny Peralta will be under pressure in St. Louis.
- Konsume weighs in on three big moves by KC.
- Inside The Zona asks if Kevin Towers is going for broke.
- Replacement Level Red Sox goes to bat for Curt Schilling.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.
start_wearing_purple
I know as a Sox fan I’ll get attacked for this, but I’m surprised Schilling hasn’t received more support for HOF status. He holds the modern career record for K/BB (ahead of Pedro Martinez and Mariano Rivera) making him one of the best control/power pitchers of all time, he has over 3,000 career K’s putting him at 15th all time, and on top of it all has some truly stellar postseason numbers.
He may not be Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson material but he’s a better Hall candidate than several who are already in.
Scott 33
I HATE the Red Sox (and Yankees, mind you), but he’s better HoF material than the borderline Yankees that their annoying fans keep pushing on us…the likes of Mussina (who I think is close) and Pettitte (who is a HELL NO for me).
DarthMurph
I’d reverse that, though I’d prefer it Pettitte didn’t get in either. Mussina belongs in the Hall of Very Good. Pettitte at least has all his postseason success.
Scott 33
Reverse it!?
In roughly the same number of innings (Mussina has ~3500 to Pettitte’s ~3300), Mussina has 21 more wins above replacement, a better ERA, better ERA+, more Ks, a better K/9, a better BB/9, a better WHIP (1.19 vs. 1.34 is substantial), 250 FEWER walks (in 200 more innings), 5-times more shutouts, a better BAA, and, just for all you old-timers out there, more wins and a better win %.
And, P.S., he has a better postseason ERA than Pettitte by a comfortable margin (3.42 vs. 3.81). So much for that argument.
I can’t see a single argument in the history of baseball that would suggest an inferior player and known PED user should be in the HoF before his (ostensibly) clean, superior counterpart.
DarthMurph
I can name one argument, Pettitte’s 5 rings look a lot better than Moose’s 0.
Scott 33
That’s not an argument. At all.
Is Scott Brosius also better than Ted Williams, then?
DarthMurph
It is since Pettitte was a part of those teams. He wasn’t a throw in piece sitting on the bench.
Cobby_Box
I think the opener is supposed to say “The World Series champion club was the only team to be penalized THAT year”. Assume it meant the 2009 Yankees and not the 2013 Red Sox.
Jonathan Barlock
As much as I would love the Mariners to get Price, I think they would have to give up to much to get him. First off, they need a catcher, so dealing Zunino wouldnt make sense unless they acquired another catcher in the deal, plus I like Zuninos potential. Second, I think the Mariners need to acquire another bat to better protect Cano .
Scott 33
Already giving up on Jesus Montero (rightfully). Has any recent big-name trade been a bigger bust for both teams involved?
Jonathan Barlock
I think Montero is out of the picture for the M’s he has become an after thought. I cant think of anything off the top of my head, no.
astropolis
One bad season and Montero’s a bust.
His value being at its absolute lowest at this point, I’d prefer to stand pat and see if he recovers as a hitter and possibly a glove man at first. What difference will it make otherwise? While I don’t think he’ll ever be as good a player as he was hyped up to be while in the Yankees organization, the Mariners are probably better served holding on to him and figuring out if he’ll be able to regain the swing and adapt.
Scott 33
One pretty dreadful season, and then a partial season that was even worse.
And then busted for PEDs that should raise concerns about his minor league productivity that earned him his reputation.
The problem isn’t just the bad season: it’s that the best indicators of future success all looked bad: high-K rate, no patience, and middling power in general. He’s also proven that he doesn’t have a position on the diamond, which makes his flexibility non-existent.
Could he rebound? I suppose. But between the PEDs and the woeful performance, I wouldn’t hold my breath. Until he proves otherwise, yes, he’s a bust.
Jonathan Barlock
Not to mention the only thing the M’s can do with him is to keep him in the minors or trade him since he cant catch
Jonathan Barlock
Where do you think the Mariners are going to fit him in? He you cant catch and thats the only position he could fill, The only thing the Mariners can do is keep him in the minors or trade him. I’m not sure when hes out of options
astropolis
“Where do you think the Mariners are going to fit him in?”
Stashed away in the minors as insurance depth. I never stated or implied that he should break camp on the parent club.
I don’t see him netting any kind of large return as things are now, but not because other clubs don’t value Montero. Rather, because the M’s don’t value Montero. Just two years ago, he was a top 5 prospect and other clubs will remember that and would possibly view him as a high-upside reclamation project (this website itself some weeks back quoted an “insider” saying just that). The M’s and their fans – fans who ordinarily over-value M’s prospects yet paradoxically in this case very much undervalue one – are the ones for whom he has no value or prospects.
I don’t see any reason to deviate from transitioning him to first base. Obviously, he’s blocked at the big league level for the time being. I see no positives to trading him as is and if his bat does manage to take off elsewhere, M’s fans of insufficient memory will bemoan another prospect traded away. There’s no harm and plenty of upshot in holding on to him for another year at least.
DarthMurph
Schilling’s mouth is pretty much his only deterrent for the Hall. The guys was a dominant and feared pitcher for most of his career. He’s a borderline without taking his postseason dominance into consideration. The Diamondbacks would have no championship without him and the Curse and the Bambino would just be ending.
dshires4
I still don’t think dealing Zunino makes all that much sense for the Mariners without a suitable alternative.
Brian 27
Yeah, that whole article is based on that and it doesn’t make any sense. Pointless for the article to have even been brought up. The Mariners would be giving up way to much in that scenario even considering they *may* have no place for Franklin, Hultzen is coming off shoulder surgery, and Smoak is finely riding the ‘bust’ or league average line right now. I hope these Price rumors finally get put to rest and the M’s move on.
MJensen
Travis Darnaud and Noah Syndergaard for David Price.
DarthMurph
The Mets aren’t built to win now and Price doesn’t change that. That’s kind of why they traded Dickey away for those two in the first place.
spokaneman
That Rays trade reminds me of when I used to think up trades when I was 8 years old. “I’ll trade you my 4 win pitcher for your entire team. deal?!” Ok, I wasn’t quite that complex, but still. Zunino, Franklin, Hultzen, Smoak, Diaz, Larry, Curly, Mo, Eggbert, Green man, Felix’s 4 children, and the Sasquatch.. Why even publish that? Somebody’s dreaming of the Wil Myers trade and then some. If Zunino and Franklin aren’t enough, the Ms aren’t making a trade with Tampa. Most of the baseball world believes Walker on his own is an overpay, so I think the Rays have a huge misunderstanding of Price’s value. They have no reason to trade Hultzen at this point as I’m assuming the author thought he’d sneak him in there as a “throw in”. Additionally, the Mariners are so unbelievably thin at catcher with Zunino, there’s no way they can trade him without getting a catcher or two back.
If the Rays want a package, the only way I see that working with Seattle is taking Nick Franklin, and then 3 lower minors prospects like Pike, Diaz and Taylor. That’s a MLB ready contributor and 3 of Seattle’s top 10 prospects.