Olney reporting Kyle Farnsworth to the Rays. one-year, $3.25 million with an option, could be worth 2 yrs., $6 mil

 

I'm sure Grant Balfour would not have gotten much more.

 

The Rays know what they're doing though, so eh.

Edited January 12, 201115 yr by chw42

I'm sure Grant Balfour would not have gotten much more.

 

The Rays know what they're doing though, so eh.

 

It's quite clear to me that the Rays want the draft picks. Otherwise signing Farnsworth over Balfour makes no sense at all.

It's quite clear to me that the Rays want the draft picks. Otherwise signing Farnsworth over Balfour makes no sense at all.

 

They've done well with them, so I don't question it whatsoever.

 

BTW, there will be a new book out on the Rays' turnaround coming out in March.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Extra-2-Street-Strat...l/dp/0345517652

 

I think this will be something like Moneyball vol. 2 in terms of the impact it might have on the general baseball population about advanced sabermetrics. Moneyball was a lot about basic sabermetric theory. This book might get a lot more advanced than that.

Edited January 12, 201115 yr by chw42

Somehow, Kyle Farnsworth always ends up with a relatively lucrative contract.

Mediocre reliever with a big arm hangs around for over a decade, racks up only 27 career saves and still manages to pull in over $33M in his career. Good stuff.

Maybe the Rays plan on having a lot of bench clearing brawls this year so they want Kyle around. Otherwise not sure.

Mediocre reliever with a big arm hangs around for over a decade, racks up only 27 career saves and still manages to pull in over $33M in his career. Good stuff.

Why should a man in the pictures below earn anything less than $33M in his career?

 

Why should a man in the pictures below earn anything less than $33M in his career?

 

 

The last pic looks photoshopped.

Hm, apparently Farnsworth is a Mormon. That just seems weird.

Why should a man in the pictures below earn anything less than $33M in his career?

 

 

Good thing the Red's catcher knew to pull full guard.

Edited January 12, 201115 yr by Charlie Haeger's Knuckles

Good thing the Red's catcher knew to pull full guard.

That's Paul Wilson actually and his right leg is under Farnsworth's legs so he's not in full guard.

That's Paul Wilson actually and his right leg is under Farnsworth's legs so he's not in full guard.

yeah, he's in an open half, you definitely want to lock that down.

Found this piece on Andruw Jones.

 

Andruw Jones

 

"He still has value as an extra outfielder who can fill in at all three spots and mash left-handed pitching," an AL assistant GM said of Jones, who hit 19 homers for the White Sox last year.

 

As he approaches his 34th birthday, Jones has regressed defensively in center field but is still above-average on the corners.

 

Jones posted a .919 OPS at U.S. Cellular Field compared to .729 on the road. But he did flash a little more bat speed than in recent seasons and slugged .558 against lefties with eight homers in 86 at-bats.

 

One advantage that Jones has over Damon and Ramirez is affordability: He's played for a $500,000 base salary in each of the past two seasons.

 

Potential fits include the Yankees, Rockies and possibly the Braves, who briefly discussed the idea of signing Jones for a bench role earlier this winter. But the Braves are committed to turning around Nate McLouth in center field, and they want to give him lots of breathing room in spring training. At the moment, Jones is strictly a back-burner option at best.

 

Chipper Jones was recently asked how he'd feel about a return to Atlanta for Andruw, his former teammate with the Braves from 1996 through 2007. He responded as noncommittally and diplomatically as possible.

 

"I love Andruw," Chipper said. "He's been like a little brother to me for a long time. It was nice to see him make some adjustments and bounce back with a better year last year.

 

"I know there are still some concerns about there being some holes in his swing, and that he's had a bunch of problems with his knees lately. Everybody would welcome Andruw back if he were given the opportunity. I'm just not sure what his role would be on the ballclub. Maybe an American League team might be a better fit for Andruw because he could play in the field a couple of days a week and DH, too. You can't do that in the National League."

 

I'd love to re-sign him. Our OF depth/power looks pretty s***ty.

So, is Pavano like the only free agent of note remaining?

So, is Pavano like the only free agent of note remaining?

 

He's going back to Minnesota. Not a done deal, but that's what is expected.

Grant Balfour to Oakland. 2 years, $8.1 million

Grant Balfour to Oakland. 2 years, $8.1 million

 

Reasonable deal. Oakland has had a very underrated offseason. Other than not landing Beltre I don't see what's not to like about what they did.

Grant Balfour to Oakland. 2 years, $8.1 million

Hmmm

He signed for cheaper than Jesse Crain

This also makes the Ohman signing just look silly

 

Wonder if KW went after him at all... seeing as how the 1st round pick was already gone.

Reasonable deal. Oakland has had a very underrated offseason. Other than not landing Beltre I don't see what's not to like about what they did.

 

That team is looking dangerous.

Hmmm

He signed for cheaper than Jesse Crain

This also makes the Ohman signing just look silly

 

Wonder if KW went after him at all... seeing as how the 1st round pick was already gone.

 

There was some concern by some front office people around baseball about Balfour's loss of velocity last season. He did lose velocity, but it was around 1 MPH. All I know is that he had a hell of a season last year. I would much rather have Balfour.

There was some concern by some front office people around baseball about Balfour's loss of velocity last season. He did lose velocity, but it was around 1 MPH. All I know is that he had a hell of a season last year. I would much rather have Balfour.

 

Yet he had a considerably better year than he did in 2009. So who knows what to make of the minimal loss in FB velocity. All I know is the guy has been pretty damn consistent three years running now. Something very rare among relievers.

Hmmm

He signed for cheaper than Jesse Crain

This also makes the Ohman signing just look silly

 

Wonder if KW went after him at all... seeing as how the 1st round pick was already gone.

 

If you saw Ohman at all when he was a Cub the signing pretty much looked silly already. There were simply better arms out there to be had at similar years/money than Crain and Ohman. Which is why I'm one of the few that thinks we've had a solid-to-good offseason. Hardly a great one.

I'm also not so sure that Grant Balfour likes our team. He had that altercation with OC in the ALDS back in 08. Pretty sure Ozzie doesn't like him either and vice versa.

 

Add me to the list that loves what the A's did this offseason.

Royals signed Jeff Francis to a 1 year $2 million contract.

 

He seems like the type of guy that's going to dominate the Sox for no reason.

Royals signed Jeff Francis to a 1 year $2 million contract.

 

He seems like the type of guy that's going to dominate the Sox for no reason.

 

Probably because he has a good change up, has good control, and is left handed.