Edd, I am not saying that the owners are chomping, but what about the players.
It has been seen in many sports that people do not want to retire completely. What is a way of doing it that still allows them to play the game they love and have (possibly) fun rather than just chucking balls at a charity event?
Many retired players play in semi-pro leagues. I know Ricky Henderson played for one a while back, and I recall reading about others as well. I am not sure how prevelent it is, but I will bet the quality of play is pretty decent if a retired Ricky Henderson will do it.
Jim Bouton played amateur ball well into his 60s -- he may still be playing for all I know.
I know someone who played in the same league in NJ. My friend was a pretty good high school player...
It seems to me that these decisions to play in lesser venues are made after a player has accepted retirement, and just wants to stay in the game. Don Mattingly retired in 1995 with back problems, only 34 years old. He coached in the Yankee minor league system starting in 1997, but although hugely popular, didn't attend an Old Timers Day until 2000. Now he's totally involved in baseball as a manager.
Some players make the transition easily, such as Paul O'Neill, who concluded it was time to go and went out on a high note. Now he's a part-time Yankee TV broadcaster.
I'm on my way out, but YES network has Yankee classics instead of WFAN. Yankee-Philly WS, game 6, bottom of the 2nd.
Have to wait.
ARod walks.
Matsui up.
Works the count 2-2.
Pulls a pitch just foul by inches over first base.
Lays off a good slider inside. 3-2.
Fooled on the next pitch, but gets wood on it and lifts it foul into the stands.
Takes the next pitch deep into the RF upper deck.
2-0
Never get tired of this.
Later fellas.
Hah! I was going to menton Bouton, but I did not want to appear as ancient as I am!Originally Posted by hbcat
No problem -- I'm always ready to expose and humiliate myself.Hah! I was going to menton Bouton, but I did not want to appear as ancient as I am!
I read Ball Four at the age of eleven. It changed my life.
I am told that Matsui had a number of similar moments in Japan dating back to his high school days (the national high school championship is a big deal in Japan, akin to college football in the US). I don't know about those, but this WS home run and the grand slam he hit in his first ever game at the old Yankee Stadium do it for me.
They traded Montero.
Yeah I can't believe it, what garbage. This guy was going to be the next Albert Pujols. I know everyone says that about their top prospects but this guy was different, I swear he's going to be one of the greatest
Unexpected. Pineda might be a great pitcher long-term though.
No one mentioned the Kuroda signing. He's good. He's been buried on a weak team in LA, but he's MLB proven and will be fine in NY. If he stays healthy, pencil him in for 15+ wins.
With the addition of these two arms, I wonder if Cashman & the Steinbrenners are planning to write off most of the 33 million due AJ to make room. With seven starters on the roster some one will be gone by the end of March.
As much as I loved Montero's bat, the one thing I will say is that it did not seem like he was ever going to be a major league catcher, which means he was either going no be a dh or they needed to find another position for him to play. And I hate the idea of having a 22 yr old dh, but that could just be me. I don't know too much about Pineda except that he is green, but he has great stuff. But that does not translate to being a great pitcher. The jury is out.
I agree about Montero.
Even if he were to develop good skills as a catcher, and so far, I don't see it, he is too big for the position. Look at Joe Mauer.
Way too soon to tell how this trade will work out, but each side gave up a significant player. And the Yankees also traded Noesi, who was never going to be a top of the rotation pitcher, for Jose Campos, who has more upside potential and is only 19. Suddenly, the Yankees are loaded with young arms.
On paper, both the Yankees and Mariners got what they needed. Mariners have a load of pitching, but desperately need a big bat. This trade may mean they don't have to go after Prince Fielder. The Yankees got a pitcher without having to empty AAA, which I was afraid they were going to do to get Gio Gonzalez from the A's. I think the Nationals overpaid in that trade.
Time will tell.
My guess is that the Yankees will go after a DH, maybe Pena.
I'm more convinced now that these moves are not only to fill immediate needs, but address long-term payroll issues.
The current luxury-tax threshold for total payroll is $178 million. The Yankees have routinely gone over the threshold during the last decade as a cost of doing business. But they have been decreasing payroll for the last few years.
Luxury tax:
2009...............$25,689,000
2010...............$18,029,000
2011...............$13,896,000
The highest tax rate in the current CBA is 40%.
In the new CBA, the threshold will remain the same in 2012 and 2013, and then will rise to $189 million. The tax rates will also be raised, with transitional rates only for 2012.
The tax rates starting in 2013:
1st time over threshold............17.5%
2nd time over threshold............ 30%
3rd time over threshold..............40%
4th time over threshold..............50%
A significant change in the new agreement - at least where the Yankees are concerned - is that if a team drops under the threshold in any year, the next penalty is reset to 17.5%.
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