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The City That Never Sleeps

ladoger

Meanwhile, in L.A...BOOM.

And, this.

[Photo Credit: Jon Weisman]

Categories:  1: Featured  Hot Stove

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22 comments

1 RIYank   ~  Dec 11, 2014 10:07 am

Wow.
Are the Dodgers now the favorites to win the NL West? I'd say so.

2 Shaun P.   ~  Dec 11, 2014 11:17 am

[1] Crazy thing is, they were probably the favorites BEFORE all this.

Really sucks that McCarthy isn't coming back. Especially with Shane Greene gone - and I like that move - I was hoping they would resign McCarthy. Sigh.

3 Alex Belth   ~  Dec 11, 2014 11:45 am

Yeah, I liked McCarthy, too. Wonder how much extra money he made by his performance in the BX last year. I'd say a good deal, no?

4 Shaun P.   ~  Dec 11, 2014 12:02 pm

[3] Yeah, I think so. Cheaper than Burnett was six years ago, and I think McCarthy is likely to perform better over the next 4 years than Burnett did from 2009-2012.

The win-value metrics say a win on the free agent market is worth around $6 or $7 million, so the Dodgers are paying McCarthy to be about a 2 win/year player. If he's healthy, he can do that.

The question is, does he stay healthy? The Yanks allegedly wouldn't go to 4 years because they were worried about his health. I would have, but it isn't my money. :)

5 Chyll Will   ~  Dec 11, 2014 1:45 pm

Somehow, I just don't mind this. I'd like to think there will be more of an open competition among the minor leaguers coming into spring for an open slot and hope for Manny B. to be healthy and put it all together before it's too late, or another Shane Greene stands out of the crowd. Perhaps they think they have a Brandon already in their fold...

Dodgers are going for it and need to make an impact now, Yanks are rebuilding without saying so. Boras for his part is probably frustrated and has all but declared that he will circumvent Cashman if he has to; I'd be wary of a Scherzer deal during these meetings. In fact, I'll be frustrated if the Yanks continue signing players older than 33 for any reason the next few seasons (aka please stop looking for David Justice and start drafting Mike Trout).

I hope (no, fantasize), if nothing else, that the days of the Yanks being used to drive the price up on players they offer even a remote interest in and actually have little-to-no chance of signing is coming to an end.

6 Alex Belth   ~  Dec 11, 2014 2:24 pm

According to Bryan Hoch: "Yankees never made an offer to RHP Brandon McCarthy. Cashman: “I figured the market would take him at a level that we couldn’t play on.”

Who are the Yanks anyway? Are they prudent and sensible sometimes only to then spend a ton of dough (Beltran, Ellsbury, McCann) other times? They used to be predictably crazy under George. They've become completely schitzo now. I can't figure them at all. Can you guys?

7 MSM35   ~  Dec 11, 2014 3:26 pm

I think Hal wants player development. He is unwilling to give up the draft choices and hates the idea of paying older players who are no longer productive. Since Hal has to answer to his brother and sisters it has taken a little time for everyone to get on board. How's that for a theory?

8 Dimelo   ~  Dec 11, 2014 3:55 pm

Here's my theory: Cashman has no strategy, he has no idea what the hell he's doing. You can't go the past two years in July and perpetually tell us the Yanks are contenders. They were not contenders! You can't experience last year's off-season and tell the Yankees fan base you have addressed the Yankees holes. He did not address their holes! You can't now say this year is REALLY different and there is a hard budget, yet last year you give an old ass player like Carlos Beltran 45 million. Sign a player like Ellsbury to insane money, when (IN FACT) you had the same player on your team in the form of Gardner, and a lot fucking cheaper I might add. You can't one day say you don't want to give Russell Martin that kind of money one year, then pay out your ass to McCann the following year.

I think this fucking guy is clueless and has no strategy for this team. He's just winging it!

9 Alex Belth   ~  Dec 11, 2014 4:17 pm

As our old pal Cliff said to me in an IM they are like the 1980s Yankees, "too many stars to suck, but not actually good."

10 Alex Belth   ~  Dec 11, 2014 4:20 pm

8) Yeah, letting Martin go on the cheap and then signing McCann is the thing that stands out as, "What are you guys thinking?"

11 Alex Belth   ~  Dec 11, 2014 4:29 pm

Also on a side note, I just learned that Cliff was elected to the BBWAA this week! Holy Amazing! This is incredible news.

12 thelarmis   ~  Dec 11, 2014 4:48 pm

Congrats, Cliff!!!

Well deserved.

Now, let's get Rock Raines in the hall : )

13 rbj   ~  Dec 11, 2014 4:52 pm

[11] Great news for Cliff and the BBWAA (now, if they could only clear out some of the deadwood. . .)

This roster, there are so many unfamiliar names. And A-Rod is the longest tenured these days? I don't mind a year or two of rebuilding, seeing what the farm system can produce.

14 Dimelo   ~  Dec 11, 2014 7:17 pm

Congrats Cliff!!!

15 Mr OK Jazz Tokyo   ~  Dec 11, 2014 8:52 pm

Great news for Cliff!

I'm with Dimelo on this..I see no clear strategy at all. Am just hoping that CC, Tanaka and Pineda stay healthy and effective next year, they're really the only guys on the team I enjoy watching now (along with Betances of course.)

16 seamus   ~  Dec 11, 2014 10:56 pm

That's pretty cool re: Cliff. I haven't really followed his trajectory since he left the banter. I did initially I think but barely have time to visit here. Just glad to here the boy done good.

[15] I think somebody nailed it earlier that it's more to do with competing philosophies in the organization. That's my thought anyhow.

17 Ben   ~  Dec 12, 2014 12:30 pm

15,16 I think so too. Maybe Cashman is the cheapie, maybe he's the spender. I think its the former and he is occasionally overridden by some other faction in the group to buy, buy, buy

18 Chyll Will   ~  Dec 12, 2014 1:58 pm

Woo-hoo Cliff! Now don't be Dan Lebetard and cast your pearls before swine >;)

Cashman shimmying down ropes from the top of buildings in an elf suit every winter is a sure indication that the front office ain't all it's cracked up to be. But whether he's more Peter Keating or Howard Roark remains to be seen (unfortunately). Whatever he or they are doing will take some time to figure out.

19 RIYank   ~  Dec 12, 2014 2:01 pm

I think the chance of Cliff becoming (like) Lebatard is approximately zero.

20 RIYank   ~  Dec 12, 2014 7:24 pm

I want this guy.

Cashman better be on this.

21 Ara Just Fair   ~  Dec 12, 2014 9:23 pm

Cheers to Cliff!
[20] Seconded.

22 thelarmis   ~  Dec 14, 2014 3:11 am

Leche joining the Hamma on the Pale Hose. 3/45.

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"This ain't football. We do this every day."
--Earl Weaver