Examining baseball's biggest issues
Buster Olney
ESPN INSIDER
Breaking down some of the biggest issues baseball faces today:
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Issue at hand: Mike Trout gets $510,000 in his 2013 contract with the Angels.
Explication: Years ago, there was a tradeoff in collective bargaining between the union and Major League Baseball -- the union bartered for free agency and for salary arbitration for players with at least three years of service time, plus a handful who had just under three years of service time. The teams, on the other hand, have been left with the right to pay the youngest players -- those who aren't yet eligible for arbitration -- very cheaply. The youngest players have the right to try to barter for more money, as Evan Longoria did, but ultimately, the team holds the hammer in the first two years with all players. Everybody knows this is the case, and has been for many years.
After Miguel Cabrera helped the Marlins win the 2003 World Series, he got small raises for the next two seasons, to $320,000 and then $370,000. Craig Kimbrel made $590,000 last year after winning the Rookie of the Year in 2011. Cabrera is now worth tens of millions of dollars, and Kimbrel will start to make big bucks next year. That's the system.
<offer>So it makes almost no sense for Trout to refuse to sign his contract tender from the Angels, for $510,000, and to have a negotiation flare-up so early in his career. But that's what has happened, to the degree that his agent, Craig Landis, issued a statement. From Alden Gonzalez's story:
There are worthy fights to pick. This is just not one of them, which is why even the best young players sign their first contract offers, rather than engage in some silly public spat. Trout's whole focus should be on continuing what looks to be an incredible career, and not over a financial scrap that will probably represent pennies over the course of his lifetime. He can't control his negotiations now, but soon enough, his day will come.
Jeff Miller finds the whole thing fishy. The Diamondbacks renewed the contract of Wade Miley, and there were no statements issued. Giancarlo Stanton is set to make $537,000, without any statements.
Issue at hand: Bud Selig calls for tougher penalties for players who test positive for PEDs. From the Associated Press story:
Selig wants a tougher penalty for first-time offenders.
"There's no question about that," he said.
Twelve players were given 10-day suspensions in 2005. Thirty suspensions have been announced from 2006 on, including just two 100-game bans -- to pitcher Guillermo Mota and catcher Eliezer Alfonzo. The penalty for Alfonzo was cut to 48 games because of procedural issues similar to the ones that led an arbitrator last year to overturn Ryan Braun's positive test for elevated testosterone before a suspension was announced.
Suspensions for positive urine samples announced in 2012 increased to eight, when Cabrera, Bartolo Colon and Yasmani Grandal all tested positive for testosterone.
"We've made meaningful adjustments to our testing, and the time has come to make meaningful adjustments to our penalties," Selig said. "There is no question that there have been enough events that say to me the program is good, but apparently the penalties haven't deterred some people."
But since then, times have changed; the players are strongly signaling that they want tougher penalties, and it is smart for Selig to ride the wave of that momentum.
Issue at hand: Johan Santana rested a lot in the offseason to the point of annoying the Mets, and his regimen seems almost certain to affect his availability for the start of the 2013 season.
Explication: In the Mets' perfect world, Santana would've started the season at 100 percent and shut down hitters for three months, building some trade value by mid-summer. That scenario was an incredible longshot to begin with, and even if Santana comes back and pitches effectively, the Mets would have to eat a ton of salary to trade Santana and almost certainly won't get more than marginal prospect return -- think Grade C- prospects -- because there's just too much risk in him. Now the best-case hope for the Mets is that Santana's time in New York ends gracefully, with the left-hander able to make most of his starts. His legacy with the Mets is all but cemented: Ultimately, his production fell far short of what they hoped they would get in per-dollar return -- only one season of 30-plus starts, and one season of 200-plus innings. But Santana will always be remembered for being the first in organization history to throw a no-hitter.
The Mets' future dreams are tied to their pitching prospects, writes Joel Sherman.
Issue at hand: Rafael Furcal is not getting better. From Rick Hummel's story:
Issue at hand: Kyle Lohse, the best unsigned free agent, is not completely off the Texas Rangers' radar, writes Jeff Wilson.
Explication: The Rangers' rotation doesn't have as much depth as they had hoped to have, and Alexi Ogando has not looked good in camp. But remember, the Rangers passed on all the free agents attached to draft-pick compensation, from Nick Swisher to Michael Bourn, and if they sign Lohse, they'll lose their first-round pick -- a sacrifice which would be mitigated by the fact that they get an extra pick due to the departure of Josh Hamilton.
But it's hard to imagine the Rangers surrendering their pick for Lohse unless the deal they make with the pitcher is very team-friendly -- for more than one year, to justify the sacrifice of the pick, but for less than four years for a 34-year-old pitcher, at a relatively modest salary.
It's worth repeating, time and again: Lohse is really in a terrible spot.
" Brett Lawrie called out Russell Martin. From Brendan Kennedy's story:
2. R.A. Dickey felt good.
3. Tommy Milone's spring is off to a good start.
4. Drew Smyly put up zeroes.
5. Ubaldo Jimenez had a really bad inning.
[h=3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h]1. The Athletics are trying to determine where to hit their new shortstop in their lineup, writes John Hickey.
2. Don Kelly is showing some versatility. The Braves are looking for a left-handed hitting bench guy, and I wonder if Kelly would be a good fit, if the Tigers don't keep him.
3. The Royals' payroll figures to be in the $79 million range, writes Bob Dutton.
4. At some point, the Twins will shut down Kyle Gibson.
[h=3]Dings and dents[/h]1. David Ortiz is still not playing.
2. Russell Martin is dealing with a shoulder issue.
3. Starlin Castro has minor inflammation.
4. Aramis Ramirez has a strained knee.
[h=3]The fight for jobs[/h]1. Brent Morel is facing an uphill battle, writes Mark Gonzales.
AL East
Nick Markakis is ready to go, writes Peter Schmuck.
Alfredo Aceves is hard to figure out.
Jose Bautista's plate passion will be monitored, writes Ken Fidlin.
Sean Rodriguez is getting his turn in the outfield.
AL Central
Victor Martinez is raring to go.
Miguel Cabrera isn't sure whether he's going to play first base or third base in the WBC.
Terry Francona wants the Indians to be aggressive.
AL West
Larry Stone is feeling a vibe from the Mariners.
Franklin Gutierrez is showing glimpses.
An Astros catcher shows how he breaks in his glove.
NL East
A Mets prospect has put together a highlight reel.
Pat Gillick believes the Phillies' window is still open.
Terry Collins hopes to be around when the Mets turn the corner.
Dan Uggla is off to a slow start.
NL Central
Russell Martin and A.J. Burnett are a good match, writes Michael Sanserino.
Michael Wacha has a high ceiling, as Derrick Goold writes.
Chris Heisey's head is up.
NL West
The Rockies intend to turn back the clock, writes Woody Paige.
Rafael Betancourt likes his new manager.
The Padres insist their team is not in financial stress. That question is being asked in the aftermath of an offseason in which San Diego did very little.
[h=3]Other stuff[/h]" Only Colby Rasmus knows for sure if his compliment of John Gibbons was a back-handed swipe of John Farrell.
" The Nationals' vision training has become a regular part of what they do, as James Wagner writes.
" Ichiro got into a car accident, and before that, he went face to face with an alligator, as David Waldstein writes. He says it was a 13-footer, but as any loyal watcher of "Gator Boys" knows, there tends to be an overestimation of 'gator size. A 13-footer would be a very large alligator.
" Tony Gwynn talked about his cancer recovery and about the Hall of Fame's steroid candidates.
" Players form a bond with their gloves, writes Bruce Jenkins.
" The Dodgers want to add Korean broadcasts.
" Michael Cuddyer's t-shirt has attitude.
" Ryan Dempster has been fighting an affliction.
" Best wishes to our good friend Rick Sutcliffe.
" Some folks tried out to be Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, et al.
" The Marlins must win back the trust of the fans, writes Dan Le Batard. In my opinion: That will be impossible for Jeffrey Loria to do, short of building a team that wins consistently, which won't happen for years, if it happens at all.
One of the more interesting things I heard from a baseball executive this week: Hiring a public relations firm is not a good idea in baseball, because they'll always want you to do something when the best thing to do might be to do nothing. The best thing for the Marlins to do is to just stay under the radar and go about the business of winning games.
There couldn't have been a worse idea than Loria publishing a letter -- tinged with bitterness over criticism -- to Marlins fans, because the backlash of criticism was inevitable.
The Marlins are suffering from March madness, writes Greg Cote.
" Vanderbilt keeps getting better.
And today will be better than yesterday
</offer>
Buster Olney
ESPN INSIDER
Breaking down some of the biggest issues baseball faces today:
<o
></o>Issue at hand: Mike Trout gets $510,000 in his 2013 contract with the Angels.
Explication: Years ago, there was a tradeoff in collective bargaining between the union and Major League Baseball -- the union bartered for free agency and for salary arbitration for players with at least three years of service time, plus a handful who had just under three years of service time. The teams, on the other hand, have been left with the right to pay the youngest players -- those who aren't yet eligible for arbitration -- very cheaply. The youngest players have the right to try to barter for more money, as Evan Longoria did, but ultimately, the team holds the hammer in the first two years with all players. Everybody knows this is the case, and has been for many years.
After Miguel Cabrera helped the Marlins win the 2003 World Series, he got small raises for the next two seasons, to $320,000 and then $370,000. Craig Kimbrel made $590,000 last year after winning the Rookie of the Year in 2011. Cabrera is now worth tens of millions of dollars, and Kimbrel will start to make big bucks next year. That's the system.
<offer>So it makes almost no sense for Trout to refuse to sign his contract tender from the Angels, for $510,000, and to have a negotiation flare-up so early in his career. But that's what has happened, to the degree that his agent, Craig Landis, issued a statement. From Alden Gonzalez's story:
- Trout's representative, Craig Landis, made it clear in an email that Trout's contract is "not the result of a negotiated compromise," adding that the salary "falls well short of a 'fair' contract and I have voiced this to the Angels throughout the process."
There are worthy fights to pick. This is just not one of them, which is why even the best young players sign their first contract offers, rather than engage in some silly public spat. Trout's whole focus should be on continuing what looks to be an incredible career, and not over a financial scrap that will probably represent pennies over the course of his lifetime. He can't control his negotiations now, but soon enough, his day will come.
Jeff Miller finds the whole thing fishy. The Diamondbacks renewed the contract of Wade Miley, and there were no statements issued. Giancarlo Stanton is set to make $537,000, without any statements.
Selig wants a tougher penalty for first-time offenders.
"There's no question about that," he said.
Twelve players were given 10-day suspensions in 2005. Thirty suspensions have been announced from 2006 on, including just two 100-game bans -- to pitcher Guillermo Mota and catcher Eliezer Alfonzo. The penalty for Alfonzo was cut to 48 games because of procedural issues similar to the ones that led an arbitrator last year to overturn Ryan Braun's positive test for elevated testosterone before a suspension was announced.
Suspensions for positive urine samples announced in 2012 increased to eight, when Cabrera, Bartolo Colon and Yasmani Grandal all tested positive for testosterone.
"We've made meaningful adjustments to our testing, and the time has come to make meaningful adjustments to our penalties," Selig said. "There is no question that there have been enough events that say to me the program is good, but apparently the penalties haven't deterred some people."
But since then, times have changed; the players are strongly signaling that they want tougher penalties, and it is smart for Selig to ride the wave of that momentum.
Explication: In the Mets' perfect world, Santana would've started the season at 100 percent and shut down hitters for three months, building some trade value by mid-summer. That scenario was an incredible longshot to begin with, and even if Santana comes back and pitches effectively, the Mets would have to eat a ton of salary to trade Santana and almost certainly won't get more than marginal prospect return -- think Grade C- prospects -- because there's just too much risk in him. Now the best-case hope for the Mets is that Santana's time in New York ends gracefully, with the left-hander able to make most of his starts. His legacy with the Mets is all but cemented: Ultimately, his production fell far short of what they hoped they would get in per-dollar return -- only one season of 30-plus starts, and one season of 200-plus innings. But Santana will always be remembered for being the first in organization history to throw a no-hitter.
The Mets' future dreams are tied to their pitching prospects, writes Joel Sherman.
- Furcal, who suffered a torn ligament in the elbow Aug. 30 and then was plagued by a bone spur this spring, said he began to feel worse the more he stepped up his throwing program the last few days."What do you want me to do?" Furcal asked, not really expecting an answer. "It's not getting better. I wish I could do whatever I could to make it better, so I could play."
Furcal has been shut down from throwing and even hitting. He last had competed in a "B" game on Thursday, taking several at-bats.
"It's very disappointing," Furcal said. "I tried to push it a little harder. We'd better back up a little bit because I feel more pain."
For now, Furcal will rest. Asked the $64,000 question, if he will be ready for the start of the season (April 1), Furcal responded, "I don't know. I wish to know if I will be ready. But you never know."
Explication: The Rangers' rotation doesn't have as much depth as they had hoped to have, and Alexi Ogando has not looked good in camp. But remember, the Rangers passed on all the free agents attached to draft-pick compensation, from Nick Swisher to Michael Bourn, and if they sign Lohse, they'll lose their first-round pick -- a sacrifice which would be mitigated by the fact that they get an extra pick due to the departure of Josh Hamilton.
But it's hard to imagine the Rangers surrendering their pick for Lohse unless the deal they make with the pitcher is very team-friendly -- for more than one year, to justify the sacrifice of the pick, but for less than four years for a 34-year-old pitcher, at a relatively modest salary.
It's worth repeating, time and again: Lohse is really in a terrible spot.
" Brett Lawrie called out Russell Martin. From Brendan Kennedy's story:
- Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie expressed his frustration Saturday with Russell Martin's last-minute decision not to play for Canada at the upcoming World Baseball Classic."For him to kind of do that right when we're about to take off, it's kind of annoying," Lawrie, a native of Langley, B.C., told the Star. He later described Martin's decision as "weak" and "not right" to Sportsnet radio.
2. R.A. Dickey felt good.
3. Tommy Milone's spring is off to a good start.
4. Drew Smyly put up zeroes.
5. Ubaldo Jimenez had a really bad inning.
[h=3]Moves, deals and decisions[/h]1. The Athletics are trying to determine where to hit their new shortstop in their lineup, writes John Hickey.
2. Don Kelly is showing some versatility. The Braves are looking for a left-handed hitting bench guy, and I wonder if Kelly would be a good fit, if the Tigers don't keep him.
3. The Royals' payroll figures to be in the $79 million range, writes Bob Dutton.
4. At some point, the Twins will shut down Kyle Gibson.
[h=3]Dings and dents[/h]1. David Ortiz is still not playing.
2. Russell Martin is dealing with a shoulder issue.
3. Starlin Castro has minor inflammation.
4. Aramis Ramirez has a strained knee.
[h=3]The fight for jobs[/h]1. Brent Morel is facing an uphill battle, writes Mark Gonzales.
AL East
Nick Markakis is ready to go, writes Peter Schmuck.
Alfredo Aceves is hard to figure out.
Jose Bautista's plate passion will be monitored, writes Ken Fidlin.
Sean Rodriguez is getting his turn in the outfield.
AL Central
Victor Martinez is raring to go.
Miguel Cabrera isn't sure whether he's going to play first base or third base in the WBC.
Terry Francona wants the Indians to be aggressive.
AL West
Larry Stone is feeling a vibe from the Mariners.
Franklin Gutierrez is showing glimpses.
An Astros catcher shows how he breaks in his glove.
NL East
A Mets prospect has put together a highlight reel.
Pat Gillick believes the Phillies' window is still open.
Terry Collins hopes to be around when the Mets turn the corner.
Dan Uggla is off to a slow start.
NL Central
Russell Martin and A.J. Burnett are a good match, writes Michael Sanserino.
Michael Wacha has a high ceiling, as Derrick Goold writes.
Chris Heisey's head is up.
NL West
The Rockies intend to turn back the clock, writes Woody Paige.
Rafael Betancourt likes his new manager.
The Padres insist their team is not in financial stress. That question is being asked in the aftermath of an offseason in which San Diego did very little.
[h=3]Other stuff[/h]" Only Colby Rasmus knows for sure if his compliment of John Gibbons was a back-handed swipe of John Farrell.
" The Nationals' vision training has become a regular part of what they do, as James Wagner writes.
" Ichiro got into a car accident, and before that, he went face to face with an alligator, as David Waldstein writes. He says it was a 13-footer, but as any loyal watcher of "Gator Boys" knows, there tends to be an overestimation of 'gator size. A 13-footer would be a very large alligator.
" Tony Gwynn talked about his cancer recovery and about the Hall of Fame's steroid candidates.
" Players form a bond with their gloves, writes Bruce Jenkins.
" The Dodgers want to add Korean broadcasts.
" Michael Cuddyer's t-shirt has attitude.
" Ryan Dempster has been fighting an affliction.
" Best wishes to our good friend Rick Sutcliffe.
" Some folks tried out to be Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, et al.
" The Marlins must win back the trust of the fans, writes Dan Le Batard. In my opinion: That will be impossible for Jeffrey Loria to do, short of building a team that wins consistently, which won't happen for years, if it happens at all.
One of the more interesting things I heard from a baseball executive this week: Hiring a public relations firm is not a good idea in baseball, because they'll always want you to do something when the best thing to do might be to do nothing. The best thing for the Marlins to do is to just stay under the radar and go about the business of winning games.
There couldn't have been a worse idea than Loria publishing a letter -- tinged with bitterness over criticism -- to Marlins fans, because the backlash of criticism was inevitable.
The Marlins are suffering from March madness, writes Greg Cote.
" Vanderbilt keeps getting better.
And today will be better than yesterday
</offer>
