3/7 Keepers due in to Commish
3/8 Minor League Draft starts (Mike has first pick)
3/18 Minor League Draft presumably ends
3/22 Draft Day
2.23.2009
2.06.2009
You Have a Secret Man-Crush on Brad Pitt
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117999601.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&nid=2562
Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, ladies and gentlemen. Does that not make your skin crawl? I'm all in favor of throwing Moneyball up on the big screen, but casting choice matters, people!
I'm having trouble conceptualizing how they're going to make this into a movie. I think Dave said as much too. In this, we will either bear witness to the true genius of Steven Soderbergh, or runs screaming from the theater to take comfort in our hard copies of Baseball Prospectus.
Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, ladies and gentlemen. Does that not make your skin crawl? I'm all in favor of throwing Moneyball up on the big screen, but casting choice matters, people!
I'm having trouble conceptualizing how they're going to make this into a movie. I think Dave said as much too. In this, we will either bear witness to the true genius of Steven Soderbergh, or runs screaming from the theater to take comfort in our hard copies of Baseball Prospectus.
Joe Morgan doesn't believe in you.
You bring up Varitek's stats, but you ignore the contributions he made to that team. Remember when Tony LaRussa informed you that Scott Rolen's defense saves his team at least 3 runs per game? Well Jason Varitek's ability to successfully manage the pitching staff is worth at least...let's say 33 wins per year. Probably how he got the jersey number.
Without 'Tek, Red Sox starters would all be curled up in fetal positions on the mound by the third inning. FACT.
Sure, he hasn't broken .260 since 2005, but would you rather have a guy who's traditionally successful "statistically", or a guy that plays the game the right way?
You can't teach intangibles.
As for Boras, clearly the responsibility to curb his atrocious behavior lies with his clients. My hope is that Varitek threatens to leg whip him for costing him all that moolah. Have you seen Jason's quads? Boras wouldn't be walking for a while.
Without 'Tek, Red Sox starters would all be curled up in fetal positions on the mound by the third inning. FACT.
Sure, he hasn't broken .260 since 2005, but would you rather have a guy who's traditionally successful "statistically", or a guy that plays the game the right way?
You can't teach intangibles.
As for Boras, clearly the responsibility to curb his atrocious behavior lies with his clients. My hope is that Varitek threatens to leg whip him for costing him all that moolah. Have you seen Jason's quads? Boras wouldn't be walking for a while.
2.04.2009
Boras
I guess, in a sense, Boras does lose money when his clients do because he gets a percentage of their contract and when their contract amount is lower because of his advice, his cut is lower.
I'm generally very torn on Boras. On the one hand, he's clearly an egomaniac who lets his concern with his own reputation get in the way of what might be best for a player in a given situation. Then again, it's kind of like that thing about negotiating with terrorists. You don't do it, even though it might make sense in a given situation, because of the larger implications. Boras feels like if he softens for one player, teams are going to know that he can be softened and he won't be able to get the most for his players in the future.
In the end, I think the primary responsibility for anything that Boras does rests squarely on the player. The player chose Boras not because he thought Boras was going to get him into the best situation (i.e. a winning team or a good fan base or whatever) but rather that he'd get them the most money. For most players, that gamble has resulted in them getting some ridiculous contracts (ARod the first time around being an example). Unfortunately for Boras and his clients this time around, they all ran into the buzzsaw of th economic collapse and its evident effect on the mentality of baseball's owners. This has proven to be harsh for Manny Ramirez in particular. I can't feel too sorry for him for obvious reasons. Nor can I feel too sorry for Jason Varitek because, as upright as citizen as he is, he sucked such tremendous crap last year that crap is like "don't compare that guy to us, he really sucks." I mean, have you looked at his stats? They're disgusting. Bob Ueker could hit better than that, and the man's like 80 years old. Terrible.
I'm generally very torn on Boras. On the one hand, he's clearly an egomaniac who lets his concern with his own reputation get in the way of what might be best for a player in a given situation. Then again, it's kind of like that thing about negotiating with terrorists. You don't do it, even though it might make sense in a given situation, because of the larger implications. Boras feels like if he softens for one player, teams are going to know that he can be softened and he won't be able to get the most for his players in the future.
In the end, I think the primary responsibility for anything that Boras does rests squarely on the player. The player chose Boras not because he thought Boras was going to get him into the best situation (i.e. a winning team or a good fan base or whatever) but rather that he'd get them the most money. For most players, that gamble has resulted in them getting some ridiculous contracts (ARod the first time around being an example). Unfortunately for Boras and his clients this time around, they all ran into the buzzsaw of th economic collapse and its evident effect on the mentality of baseball's owners. This has proven to be harsh for Manny Ramirez in particular. I can't feel too sorry for him for obvious reasons. Nor can I feel too sorry for Jason Varitek because, as upright as citizen as he is, he sucked such tremendous crap last year that crap is like "don't compare that guy to us, he really sucks." I mean, have you looked at his stats? They're disgusting. Bob Ueker could hit better than that, and the man's like 80 years old. Terrible.
If Scott Boras Costs His Clients Money...
...shouldn't he have to pay them back?
I mean, he gets a cut of whatever they make, right? So when they GET money, he GETS money. Seems like when they LOSE money, he should too.
His...cough..."advice" already cost Jason Varitek millions of dollars, and it's looking good that Manny is going to follow suit. Believe me, nothing would make me happier than seeing Manny get the financial equivalent of a prostate exam, but from a strictly business-oriented standpoint I feel compelled to defend him.
The argument is that if an agent fails to secure a sufficient deal, or if he underperforms, or if his ego gets loose and takes out a busload of schoolchildren, a player is free to hand him his walking papers. This self-regulation should ensure that bad agents don't last very long.
But I fear that Boras' clients aren't aware of such rights. Either Boras brain-washed them or simply stole the memo out of their mailboxes. (Granted with Manny, brainwashing would take precious little time, effort, or soap.)
Is the man out of touch with the realities of the current financial market, or he merely overestimating his powers of persuasion?
Here's my hope: I hope the Dodgers, in true Dick Cheney fashion, say to Manny, "Go **** yourself!" and proceed to sign Adam Dunn. Who, by the way, is Ryan Howard with slightly lower HR totals.
Then we could all watch as Boras is forced to shop Ramirez like common waiver-wire trash.
Sweet.
I mean, he gets a cut of whatever they make, right? So when they GET money, he GETS money. Seems like when they LOSE money, he should too.
His...cough..."advice" already cost Jason Varitek millions of dollars, and it's looking good that Manny is going to follow suit. Believe me, nothing would make me happier than seeing Manny get the financial equivalent of a prostate exam, but from a strictly business-oriented standpoint I feel compelled to defend him.
The argument is that if an agent fails to secure a sufficient deal, or if he underperforms, or if his ego gets loose and takes out a busload of schoolchildren, a player is free to hand him his walking papers. This self-regulation should ensure that bad agents don't last very long.
But I fear that Boras' clients aren't aware of such rights. Either Boras brain-washed them or simply stole the memo out of their mailboxes. (Granted with Manny, brainwashing would take precious little time, effort, or soap.)
Is the man out of touch with the realities of the current financial market, or he merely overestimating his powers of persuasion?
Here's my hope: I hope the Dodgers, in true Dick Cheney fashion, say to Manny, "Go **** yourself!" and proceed to sign Adam Dunn. Who, by the way, is Ryan Howard with slightly lower HR totals.
Then we could all watch as Boras is forced to shop Ramirez like common waiver-wire trash.
Sweet.
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