Thirty-six-year old Freddy Garcia signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees and will try to make the starting rotation out of spring training. Garcia is clearly in the twilight of his career. His velocity is declining, his strikeouts are falling, and walks are rising. How much longer can The Chief keep his head above water?
As the bubble burst on the high-flying bubble days of the late 90s and early aughts, the world watched some of the greediest, most unsavory corporate overlords act like scoundrels, then get their comeuppance. Few matched the avarice of Tyco International CEO Dennis Kozlowski.
A jury would eventually find Kozlowski and a fellow Tyco executive guilty of swindling $600 million from company coffers. Kozlowski’s most notorious purchase with those looted funds? A $2 million Roman Orgy birthday party for his wife, on the Italian island of Sardinia, complete with the finest food and drink, scantily-clad dancing girls, and an ice sculpture of Michaelangelo’s David…with vodka shooting from David’s frozen penis.
(Seriously, all this, and more, really happened).
Last November, I asked you who should play in Japan this upcoming season. With NPB camps opening and offseason acquisitions basically complete. let’s take a look at who went over. Here’s the breakdown, using the categories I outlined in my original post: Read the rest of this entry »
This piece has been updated since the original version hit the site to reflect new information gathered about the terms of Ramirez’s deal.
Ever since Jayson Stark released his All-Underrated Team, and it didn’t include Alexei Ramirez, I’ve been working on a post about the White Sox shortstop. Ramirez was the first name that came to my mind when I read the introduction to the column, and it seems he’s so underrated he couldn’t even make an All Underrated team.
Yesterday, however, the White Sox screwed up my post by giving Ramirez a four year, $32 million contract extension. It’s hard to argue that he’s an unappreciated asset who doesn’t get the recognition he deserves right as he’s signing a deal that makes him one of the highest paid shortstops in baseball.
Any more rosterbation and I might go blind. That said, this comment on last week’s second Phillies lineup session was too much to pass up:
Dann M. says:
January 27, 2011 at 11:47 pm
If they break camp as expected with Schumaker, Theriot and Punto in the starting lineup (David Freese not ready and Allen Craig primarily used in a platoon role with Lance Berkman), I think that he’d be justified batting Adam Wainwright 6th every fifth day.
The Colorado Rockies
2010 MLB Record: 83-79 (third place, NL West)
Minor League Power Ranking: 14th (out of 30)
Click for: Last Year’s Top 10 Prospect List
The Prospects
1. Tyler Matzek, LHP
Acquired: 2009 1st round (California HS)
Pro Experience: 1 season
2010 MiLB Level: A-ball
Opening Day Age: 20
Estimated Peak WAR: 5.5
Notes: Matzek had a respectable debut in 2010 at low-A ball. The former No. 1 draft pick posted a 4.32 FIP in 89.1 innings. His strikeout rate sat at 8.87 K/9 but he struggled with his control (6.25 BB/9). Matzek also needs to find a way to keep the ball on the ground on a more consistent basis (39% ground-ball rate), especially if he’s going to succeed with approximately half his starts in Colorado. He has a solid repertoire, including an 88-92 mph fastball that touches the mid-90s, a curveball, slider, and changeup. Matzek has a three-quarter arm slot with a follow through that doesn’t leave him in a great fielding position. There is some deception in his delivery. If he can smooth out his throwing motion, Matzek’s control could improve.