Is Contreras a young super-prospect? Was Contreras the best baseball player in Cuba's history? Your comparison to young phenom prospects and Contreras doesn't work. Neither does your comaprison of Contreras to Ichiro. He's 31. He's a prospect because he's never pitched in the majors before. He's a super-prospect because he's one of the best players in Cuban baseball and was projected to be a potential star in the U.S. as well. Teams sign free agents like Contreras for immediate contribution. Especially if he is older, which Jose probably is. (Much older than 27, I would bet my life on it.) Teams sign players for any number of reasons. The Yankees signed him partially to keep him away from Boston, which was willing to pay nearly as much for him, and partially to see if they could get in on this foreign player gold mine (as they did with Orlando Hernandez). The Yankees have an overabundance of awesome pitching right now - it not like they are sending him down because he's so bad that he isn't useful - they simply don't NEED the guy right now so they are giving him the chance to start until he is needed. It's silly to judge the signing of someone who'd never played one day of major league baseball less than three weeks into his first season.
It's not silly. The Contreras signing was unecessary, and ridiculous. It's not like the Yankees needed depth in starting pitching. I won't post anymore about this, but I would rather die than change my opinion.
Out of all the Cuban defectors, name me 1 that's actually become a "superstar". There have been approximately 100 Cuban defectors with about 18 of them reaching the major leagues. A few have been decent to good players with a few exceptional seasons. However, None of them have turned out to be a superstar. http://www.cubanball.com/defect.html
At least 50% of why they signed him, was to prevent the Red Sox from getting him. As a Red Sox fan, I'm glad the Yanks "won" out.
It's not silly. The Contreras signing was unecessary, and ridiculous. It's not like the Yankees needed depth in starting pitching. My bad. I thought the goal of a GM was to create the best possible team, not a team that's just good enough. They had 5 starters at the time, so no need to try to improve or get backups, right? I won't post anymore about this, but I would rather die than change my opinion. Wow, thanks for sharing. There have been approximately 100 Cuban defectors with about 18 of them reaching the major leagues. A few have been decent to good players with a few exceptional seasons. However, None of them have turned out to be a superstar. And no Japanese player had become a star in the US until 2 years ago either. What's your point? I'm not saying he'll be a superstar. I'm saying some MLB scouts projected that, which is a good enough reason for a franchise with no money restrictions to take a chance and see what happens.
My point is that just because he's one of the best players in Cuba does not make him a super prospect, especially given his age. Within the last 15 years, there has not been 1 superstar to come from Cuba. The fact the Yankees signed him to a 4 year $32 million contract just means they have more money to blow than any other club. A 31 year old Triple A pitcher makes about as much as 1/4 of the entire Tampa Bay team. This might not have any immediate reprecussions. However, This type of reckless signing will continue to ruin baseball as more and more fans become disgruntled with salary inequities. This is bad for baseball and will eventually catch up with the Yankees.
Only with the Yankees. This offseason, pretty much every team was intent on not going to overboard with signing players, except the Phillies and Yankees. Maybe the Mets... The Phillies are incapable of doing this every offseason, while the Yanks and Mets are more likely to do it on a yearly basis. If those two teams want to outbid each other for mediocre free agents, then go ahead. It will not be a major problem in MLB right now or in the future. It definitely WAS a problem in the last 5 years or so, when guys like Jose Offerman or Dave Mlicki were making 7 mill a year on teams not named the Yankees.
Hmm, just found this, looks like things are getting interesting here with the "Evil Empire". LOL! Steinbrenner's involvement in move sparks dispute -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press NEW YORK -- Off to the best start in their storied history, the New York Yankees should be enjoying this season. Instead, there's suddenly tension between the manager and the Boss -- something commonplace for years until Joe Torre came along. Even a 14-0 mark for their starting rotation (the only such streak to start a season since 1900) and a 16-3 overall record could not cover up the first public spat between owner George Steinbrenner and Torre. Steinbrenner crossed swords with 13 managers until hiring Torre in 1996 and ushering in a period of tranquility, not to mention four World Series championships. The era of good feeling ended abruptly over the weekend, with a dispute over Cuban pitcher Jose Contreras and his minor league assignment. "It's not something that can just be washed away," Torre said Monday. "I'm over it, but I'm not going to pretend it never happened." The clash brought back memories of Steinbrenner's battles with Torre's predecessors. The Boss has been down this path frequently. He fired Billy Martin five times. He fired Lou Piniella and Bob Lemon twice each. He fired Dick Howser after a season in which the Yankees won 103 games. Piniella, now managing Tampa Bay, wanted no part of the Yankees' latest soap opera. "Oh, please," he said Monday. "I've got enough problems here without thinking about anything else." After Monday's 15-1 loss to the Yankees, Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was in no mood to worry about Torre and Steinbrenner. "I didn't know there was an incident," he said. "I'm in my own little Dome here and I've got enough to worry about. I played in New York, so I know what you're talking about." Torre wanted Contreras farmed out to Triple-A Columbus and was stunned to have Steinbrenner assign the right-hander to the team's minor league complex in Tampa, Fla., instead. Torre felt the misdirection play damaged his reputation for being honest with players. "Turns out, I'm the liar here," he said Sunday. "That, I'm not crazy about." The New York Daily News reported in its Tuesday editions that unnamed team executives believe organizational pitching instructor Billy Connors, a confidant of Steinbrenner's who is based in Tampa, is responsible for the dispute. "To me, I approach this as there's never too many people that can help. But sometimes it's different -- I say different moreso than strange,'' Torre told the newspaper, when asked if there is tension between the Yankees' offices in New York and Tampa. "It's going to be different when you have a lot of people offering opinions. It's important to have one plan to offer to the players.'' The manager always seemed above the fray in the Bronx, insulated by instant success -- the Yankees won the World Series in his first year, touching off another dynasty for the most successful franchise in sports. Torre took the team to three more World Series titles in 1998, 1999 and 2000, winning 14 straight Series games over one stretch. He is in the middle of a three-year, $16 million contract and won his 700th game as the Yankees' manager Sunday, fifth in team history. "I never worry about my job," he said when the Contreras matter developed. "I have more security here than I ever had in my life. If I worry about my job, I can't do my job." But with no world championships in the last two years, Steinbrenner has started to squirm. Over the winter, he criticized Torre's coaching staff, something the manager did not appreciate. Then a frontal attack on shortstop Derek Jeter caused a major flap in spring training. Torre has always been diplomatic about these matters. Even after the Contreras affair surfaced, he tried to hold his tongue. "I am angry but respectful," he said. "You try to say what's on your mind, but you try not to let anything fester." Whether that will happen this time remains to be seen.
New York's rotation is 15-0. That is the best start EVER, in the history of MLB. They are several games ahead of Boston, who are having what would otherwise be considered a great year. Don't expect minor stuff like moving Contreras to AA or having a spat with Wells in spring training to throw them off. They frakin' lost Jeter and Giambi is hitting below the Mendoza Line and they are still off to the best start in history.
Hydra, You and I both know that they won't be able to sustain that type of pitching, but bully for them right now. Let's see how their starters do against the AL West teams, Boston, White Sox, etc. And for the record, the Yankees are the team to beat because of their talent, I just find it amusing that Steinbrenner can't leave well enough alone. I mean Torre should have earned the guy's respect by now, but you would never tell that by some of Steinbrenner's actions. He, George Steinbrenner, is the REASON why I despise the Yankees because he is just like Jerry Jones, Al Davis, and all these other owners that always have to meddle in things.
Good signing by Yankees...bad for the rest of baseball, imo. As for the Hidalgo-Lane agument, so far it is way off base. Hidalgo is actually playing well, although you would hope for better RBI #'s. Biggio, despite some decent power #'s (HR's,RBI's), on the other hand, is again sucking at the plate. 17 strikeouts (5 more than anyone else on the team), a .309 OBP (lowest of all regular players). Why not have Lane play in Biggio's place. Or best yet, why not switch Biggio's position (again ), have him play short and have Lugo sit and Lane play outfield.
Originally posted by Manny Ramirez Hydra, You and I both know that they won't be able to sustain that type of pitching, but bully for them right now. Let's see how their starters do against the AL West teams, Boston, White Sox, etc. Of course they won't go undefeated for the whole season, probably. So far they seem to be doing alright against the defending champs. I wouldn't be shocked if they set a new wins record, especially considering the lack of competition in the AL East And for the record, the Yankees are the team to beat because of their talent, I just find it amusing that Steinbrenner can't leave well enough alone. I mean Torre should have earned the guy's respect by now, but you would never tell that by some of Steinbrenner's actions. He, George Steinbrenner, is the REASON why I despise the Yankees because he is just like Jerry Jones, Al Davis, and all these other owners that always have to meddle in things. Steinbrenner left things alone for pretty much 7 years under Joe Torre. They were disappointing last season against the Halos, so it is in his personality to cause a fuss. It is hard to judge how his ploy with Jeter would have worked, since he injured himself in the first game, but he is by no means a Jerry Jones. Cashman built that team.
