John Corn
11-08-02, 05:15 AM
In the new Baseball Weekly - er, make that Sports Weekly - there's an article entitled New reality limits high-stakes bidding. But of course, the Phillies are simply going to OUTBID EVERYONE simply because they can. The timing is right, and to hell with what every other GM and team thinks they should do about free-agent salaries.
Anyway, the article leads off with, of course, Jim Thome. It says...
Quote:
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The Indians offered an incentive-laden four-year deal for about $46 million. The Phillies say they'll blow away the Indians' offer this week, and the Orioles are keeping a close watch....
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In other words, much like the Rangers, the Phillies are going to bid against themselves for Thome. They'll assure him that when he joins their cast of young players, they'll be the next Anaheim Angels. While that's certainly possible, it's also certainly possible that everything doesn't pan out as hoped for, does it? In fact, things DON'T turn out as hoped for more often than they do.
Two years ago everyone was convinced that the White Sox's young pitching was going to make them the team to beat in the AL Central for the next several years. It didn't work out that way, did it?
Fine. Let the Phillies throw all that money at Jim. If he goes, so be it. There will be plenty of people bitching that Dolan didn't want to spend the money. And, much like Manny, most Cleveland fans will be grateful in a couple of years that the Indians aren't locked in to a 6 year/$15 million per deal with a guy with a bad back. They'll be thrilled that the Tribe can spend that money locking up good, young pitchers.
"I am starting to prepare myself for a post-thome world (too many holes....no power hitting prospects....Broussard at first....Snyder at 3rd.....losing 3-2 games.....no contending until 2006 and beyond...ouch). Same as it ever was."
If I could only have a few of those power hitting prospects back.... What about Belle.....err, I mean Baerga...no, I mean Ramirez.....no wait, what about Thome.....err, Sexson.....scratch that, how about Giles.....drat, how about Burnitz.....err, maybe Branyan?
Boy, were we spoiled!
Anyway, the article leads off with, of course, Jim Thome. It says...
Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Indians offered an incentive-laden four-year deal for about $46 million. The Phillies say they'll blow away the Indians' offer this week, and the Orioles are keeping a close watch....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In other words, much like the Rangers, the Phillies are going to bid against themselves for Thome. They'll assure him that when he joins their cast of young players, they'll be the next Anaheim Angels. While that's certainly possible, it's also certainly possible that everything doesn't pan out as hoped for, does it? In fact, things DON'T turn out as hoped for more often than they do.
Two years ago everyone was convinced that the White Sox's young pitching was going to make them the team to beat in the AL Central for the next several years. It didn't work out that way, did it?
Fine. Let the Phillies throw all that money at Jim. If he goes, so be it. There will be plenty of people bitching that Dolan didn't want to spend the money. And, much like Manny, most Cleveland fans will be grateful in a couple of years that the Indians aren't locked in to a 6 year/$15 million per deal with a guy with a bad back. They'll be thrilled that the Tribe can spend that money locking up good, young pitchers.
"I am starting to prepare myself for a post-thome world (too many holes....no power hitting prospects....Broussard at first....Snyder at 3rd.....losing 3-2 games.....no contending until 2006 and beyond...ouch). Same as it ever was."
If I could only have a few of those power hitting prospects back.... What about Belle.....err, I mean Baerga...no, I mean Ramirez.....no wait, what about Thome.....err, Sexson.....scratch that, how about Giles.....drat, how about Burnitz.....err, maybe Branyan?
Boy, were we spoiled!