The Halos have dropped $90 million on five years of Torrii Hunter (this one year after dropping $50 million on five years of GMJ) and have dealt standout shortstop Orlando Cabrera to Chicago for the reliable John Garland. Extremely expensive and counterproductive wheel-spinning? The Pale Hose also tossed a big check at Scott Linebrink. Closer to home, WasWatching’s Steve Lombardi suggests Yankee fans send Andy Pettitte holiday wishes and a plea to return, a nice thing to do but I think beneath my dignitude. Finally, Yankee CF prospect Austin Jackson is tearing up the Hawaiian Winter League, just as a certain flame-throwing Nebraskan did last year.
Angels in the Outfield: Shove Over
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12 comments… add one
He wants to stoop to begging for AP to come back? I always thought the mind set was “we don’t want anyone that doesn’t want us”? Now fans unite to send letters to beg for his return? Below the dignitude indeed, YF. He has over 16 million reasons to return, and if that isn’t enough, I hardly think the weirdo-stalkerish letters from fans will get it done.
I actually think that someone like AP might actually be swayed by an outpouring of support by fans. I think its a reasonable idea for those who feel inclined to write letters. People used to write letters to sports figures all the time. I for one wont be writing one but I dont think that a letter saying that we’d like him back is weirdo or stalkerish.
I wrote a letter to Mo Vaughn once and asked him to sign my baseball card. He did.
I’m almost positive he referenced it as a reason why he agreed to a contract extension with the Sox after the 1995 season.
If we are going to beg players to play for the Yankees by writing letters can’t someone get Johan’s email address?
Torii Hunter going to LA means the Twins are in need of an outfielder. Hmm, I wonder where they’ll find one?
Also, the Twins’ attempt to resign Santana seems to have failed:
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/red_sox/view.bg?articleid=1046361
Anyone think Crisp, Buchholz and Lester will do the trick?
The trade for Garland was reasonable – he can probably be spun off for more than OCab was worth, given the continuing shortage of solid pitching. But signing Hunter was really illogical, especially when the team has Willits / Figgins available to man CF, should something happen to Gary Matthews Jr. Moreover, they massively overpaid for him. 5/$90mil? WTF? That’s Carlos Lee / Soriano money. That’s money that could pay for extension years of Miguel Cabrera.
The Angels can probably expect more value from Hunter for their money than the Phillies from J C Romero. The Red Sox wasted $4 million in one year on Joel Pineiro; the Phillies are throwing $12 million over three at Romero.
I think that we are going to need to recalibrate our opinions of what is overpaid at this point. Seems like almost every free agent signing over the last 2 years has had somebody say “wow they over paid.” At this point these contracts are becoming normal and 27.5 mil for A-Rod is seeming reasonable. It really feels like he could have gotten more from the Angels. Hunter was an OK signing if they turn they excesses into Cabrera. That will be a scary team if so.
Hunter’s .324 OBP for 18 mil a year? Pass.
Yeah, Johnny Damon is overpriced. :)
And Pettitte, I don’t know about a letter, but I’ll send his family X-Mas card. It costs two bucks, and I’ll throw in once sentence about how great it was having him back. If just a small fraction of Yankee fans did the same, he’d have tens of thousands of cards.
the Angels better win in the next couple of years (making that Hunter contract worth every penny), since by 2010 it is going to be a major albatross. What is Hunter’s career OPS, by the way?
By the way, the Angels are now paying more for the deluxe combo of Matthews and Hunter than the Yanks are paying for A-Rod.
Yeah, A-Rod is overpriced :)
Career ops of .793