Of course he is. If the Astros had a $200 million budget as opposed to a $80 million, we wouldn't struggle either.
Steinbrenner could lower his payroll to the size of the A's or Twins if all he wanted to do was make the playoffs, or the LCS. But, its $200 million... and that means you're supposed to win the World Series. Hell, even if they do that... it really doesn't seem worth it. What I want to know is who's going to be the next Yankees star that was homegrown? Jeter, Posada, Pettite, Bernie, Rivera... these are all key key key players to the New York championships, and its no wonder that since they stopped developing guys, they haven't won it all. Or maybe... gasp... the Yankees should be more like the Sox, and sign a bunch of guys who were okay/pretty good for a cheaper price... and turn them into vital parts of the team (Ortiz, Mueller, Millar, Foulke, Bellhorn).
It's not so much that they stopped developing guys...although their current farm system isnt that great...its more that the guys they have been developing are being traded for midseason rent-a-sluggers/pitchers.
I know... but the reason why they were so willing to part w/ those guys was because they either weren't expecting much out of them, or they weren't all that impressive when given the opportunity. Juan Rivera, Nick Johnson, Drew Henson, Brandon Claussen... these were the biggest names out of the Yankees farm system in the last 5 years, and only Johnson has showed some extended success in the major leagues.
Yes. He's also the only (may be a couple more?) above average player the yanks have developed since the core of Pettitte, Jeter, Posada, Rivera, Williams. Their minor league system has been a joke for some time, because they haven't needed it. The "big name" prospects you have seen are ridiculously overhyped by the media.
Yes and No...He spent time in the Yanks' farm system BUT he was paid a huge signing bonus out of some dominican lge or something like that. Lots of teams wanted him but couldnt pay him what the Yankees did. Everyone knew about him but none could afford to pay him what the Yanks did.
I thought this thread was titled "Beltran Watch." Enough with the bickering about the Yankees. I don't want to hear that evil name spoken again until they have formally made an offer.
Peter Gammons on Sportscenter this evening said that Astros Management thinks that Beltran will use the Yanks as leverage but end up signing with ..... the sCrUBS. Here's hoping Gammons is just talking out of his arse as usual. The only thing worse than losing C-Money to the Yanks would be losing him to the sCrUBS. Oh wait, it gets better, apparently the Cards are loading up to make a run at the Unit. But in the process, they might have to let go of Renteria. Let the hot stove begin!!
Hmmm... I don't quite buy that. Beltran has said he wants to go to a winner...wants to be in the postseason consistently...so why would he pick the Cubs over the Yankees...or for that matter why would he pick the Cubs over the Astros....doesn't make sense.
1. Berkman got an extension last season... 2. We payed Beltran 9mil this year 3. Kent made 9mil this year With Kent possibly not coming back next season I think you can pay Los btwn 15 and 20 mil a season and not even Scot BorASS can say no to that.
1. Lance didn't get an extension last season. That's why he's up for free agency/arbitration this offseason. Drayton chose to only sign him a 3 year contract i believe for 11-12 million instead of a long-term contract thinking that lance won't blow up. Now its coming back to bite Drayton cause Lance is gonna command a 8-10 mil contract now. 2. we didn't pay carlos the whole 9 mil. That was his salary of the whole year where we got him just before the all-star game. If anything, we maybe paid a portion (5-6 mil) instead of the whole thing 3. Kent also has a lot of money deferred the upcoming 2 years meaning we didn't pay him the full 9 this past offseason and however much the 1st season. We actually have a lot of players being deferred money (baggy, pettitte, roger). Trying to figure out our salary situation with all the deferred money is really confusing. - i think we can offer carlos 15 mil/yr but i think 18-20 mil/yr is out of our range. We still got Roy-O due for arbitration and so is Wade, Everett, and Berkman. Ultimately, we got to raise our salary cap if we want to keep everybody and make another run at the world series. If not, then don't resign kent and beltran and play your prospects.
yeah...that was the FIRST thing he said. i've heard something the same. having said that...i can't imagine anyone wanting to go play for the cubs right now. not exactly a team i'd like to be associated with. just as buck has said here a bunch of times....lance on sportsradio this morning said this decision will come down to where carlos wants to live. money won't be the issue. i think that's good news for astros fans.
You're perpetuating a myth started by the venerable Richard Justice. The real story is that Drayton didn't even have to give Lance that 3 year 20 million dollar contract (it was about 6-7 million per year), because back in 2001, Lance was still under organization control, playing for peanuts (he would have gotten a sizeable raise after 2002, but in this sport, anything could happen). Also, you can't fault the Astros for being a bit cautious on giving out huge long term deals to power-hitting outfielders who just came off having one huge year (see Richard Hidalgo). They wanted to make sure Lance didn't fall into the same funk that Richard did after 2000... remember, at the time, he was looking like he was gonna be a perrenial MVP candidate, and his 2000 was better than any other year that Lance has had in his career. As it stands... Lance made a ton of guaranteed money, didn't have to worry about the arbitration junk from year to year, and now, he'll stand to make a boat-load because he didn't get injured. And how is it bitining Drayton in the ass, when Lance was going to be making 8-10 million dollars no matter what. Had Lance signed a 7 year 40 million dollar deal after 2001, then HE'D be the one getting "bit in the ass" because that contract is nowhere near his worth. Bottom line... the team was willing to guarantee him pay for 3 years, when they didn't have to, and now they'll pay him for his past performances and future performances to what he's worth on the open market.
yeah...the Justice demonization of the Astros' handling of Lance Berkman is beyond me. they gave the guy a nice contract when few players get it....no one forced lance to accept that deal...and at the time lance commented on how cool it was of the astros to make that move.
i see what your saying and i totally agree. I just mentioned that it came back to bite Drayton in the ass because he couldve signed lance to a long term deal back then and basically get lance for a lot cheaper than say what he would sign now. Its sorta of like the Cuttino deal with the Rocks. Getting a really good player at below market value. I'm not saying that I like Lance getting ripped off but it wouldve been a good economical move salary-wise. by the way. What do you think roy-o is gonna command this offseason and do you realistically believe we can keep oswalt, berkman, and beltran at 10+ mil/year each? I really hope so.
If we get all three of them, hell, if we get any of them for 10 mil a year, it will be the biggest baseball coup of our era.
