I think what also hurts Mussina is his lack of Cy Young awards (Schilling doesn't have any Cys either but finished twice 3 times) and he only won 20 once in his career. And like you said, although he pitched fine in the post season, his teams were never able to win the big one.
He had some really tough competition. Think about it Halladay, Pedro, Clemens, etc. Thing is I believe what didn't get him is yet another usless stat "20 win season".....Moose didn't get his 1st until HIS LAST YEAR OF HIS CAREER!!!!
I smell a Vernon Wells DFA happening shortly.....and also MLB needs to get it on now with A-Rod....enough is enough, whatever the outcome just announce it...
So silly about the 20 games too because he won 19 games twice, 18 games three times and 17 games two times.
I actually think Ichiro will be the goner since Ellsbury and Gardner are LHHs, at least with Wells he's a RHH, granted he wasn't great vs. RHPers last year, but still Yankees probably need another RHH on the bench otherwise they'll be counting on Brendan Ryan or Nunie (if he even makes the team) as the lone bench options.
I actually had forgotten about the Yankees signing Carlos Beltran but even so I'm still surprised they dumped Wells over Ichiro due to the whole left/right thing.
At least Ichiro has a chance of being a .280 hitter, Wells is cooked....but yes I agree with left/right
That's pretty much all you can hope for and get with Ichiro at this point in his career, as I think Ichiro is cooked too. I can't believe Ichiro will be 40 this year (which means he's what the 5th youngest Yankee?), time flies huh?
This should be good. Kind of hope he makes the team just for the fight that you know will happen between Buck and Aceves.
Best pitcher in baseball and with all the new TV money coming in this is hardily a bad deal for either the team or player. With that being said paying a pitcher 30 plus million a year scares the hell out of me.
Right but as you said, you are more interested in years not money....Speaking of which what is your take on the years? I think it is okay, they have him until 32, I dont think it will be out of the realm of possibility to be good until then...
I agree. But when you take into count that they signed him for ONLY 7 year, they were likely to have to over pay to make that happen. Id much rather have Kershaw for that contract rather then a 12 year 300 mil. Pay the extra per season to keep it "short".
Like I said, I think the contract is good for both the team and player. 7 years for the best pitcher in the game that's 25 years old isn't bad by any means. You have to take gambles on the best players sometimes. It's the next tier players and below that usually end up hurting the team and the payroll. Don't forget that Kershaw has an opt out after the 5th year so he could be a FA at age 30. That's what makes the contract good for both parties. I don't really think it was an overpay considering what he'd be offered by teams if he was a FA. Limiting the contract to 7 years or 5 if he opts out is fine.
I agree. By over paying I meant, they likely wouldn't have given him 30 a year if they gave him 12 years. Should of said "paid a little more", not overpaid.
You think a team would give him a 12 year contract? Maybe 10 but I would have been shocked if it was longer than that. And yes obviously the more years the less per year.
Well they were speculating 10-12. Would I give him 10-12? No. But would it surprise me? At this point where multiple players have signed 10 year contracts, after the age of 30, no it wouldn't shock me if someone dangled a 12 year contract in front of the best pitcher in baseball at the age of 25. Had he been on the open market.
Although pitching is a little different so, it may shock me. Who knows. Depends how I'm feeling that day I guess.
10 year contracts to position players are one thing, for a pitcher that's just asking for trouble even at 25 years old. I don't think a team would be that crazy/stupid to do that. I could see a team possibly offering 10 but more than that? I don't know.
It does seem that way, he came up the same year Joba and Hughes did but barely pitched for the Yankees in 2007 to 2009, only made 14 appearances total. He got hurt in 2008ish right? That's why he barely pitched in 2009? But yeah he won't be a FA until after the 2015 season.
Who will win the Tanaka sweepstakes ladies and gents? Place your bets here..... I say the Yankees, simply because they have too.....
I'm hoping it's the Cubbies. But yeah smart money is probably on the Yankees because like you said they have to.
No but his scouting department is pretty good as you know, and he must be getting pretty decent ones back for him to be balls to the wall like this.... Also lets not forget, I dont think all of the free agent moves where him, I think Luccino had something to do with it as well....
Yeah maybe the big ones like Crawford, Lackey etc but I'm talking about the Clements, Renterias, Lugos of the world.
