OK, a few more items, and then I have to do the job for which I get paid, as Watchdog always puts it...
Brian Cashman didn't rule out bringing back either Jason Giambi or Carl Pavano, both of whose 2009 team options he declined yesterday. Realistically, I'd say Giambi has a 10 percent chance of coming back, and Pavano one percent. Cashman did meet with Tom O'Connell, the representative for Pavano, shortly after his daily media session.
As for Giambi, a return to the A's makes a great deal of sense. It became more logical yesterday when Oakland announced it brought back Bobby Alejo as its team strength coach. Alejo served the A's in that capacity from 1993 through 2001, then accompanied Giambi to New York and served as Giambi's personal strength coach. Alejo alienated virtually everyone on the Yankees and left the team in 2005.
Asked whether this meant the A's wanted Giambi back, Oakland GM Billy Beane responded, "I wouldn’t be able to comment on that, because he’s not a free agent (Giambi hasn't filed yet for free agency). …But I will say this: If all it took to lure free agents was to hire strength coaches, I’d have a lot of strength coaches. If that was the currency that brought players in, I’d go hire them right and left."
I asked Beane if the fact that Alejo spent so much time at Giambi's side, during a time when Giambi is now on record as having used steroids, gave him pause. Beane answered: "In this environment, it would behoove us to do due diligence in hiring that position. We were satisfied with that due diligence."
The Rays have surplus starting pitching, with phenom David Price headed for the rotation, but Andrew Friedman won't be giving guys away. The Rays have yet to talk to the Mets about a potential match. Tampa Bay still likes Aaron Heilman, although not as much as it once did.
In the actual GMs' meetings this morning, Bud Selig spoke to the GMs via videoconference and urged them to heed what was going on with the national and world economy. In other words, Bud found a new hook for his "Take it easy out there!" lecture. I couldn't confirm the rumor that Cashman missed this part of the meeting because he was filling a sack of thousand-dollar bills for CC Sabathia.
In another non-shocker, Darek Braunecker, the agent for A.J. Burnett, announced that Burnett would opt out of the final two years and $24 million of his deal. Braunecker met with the Blue Jays here, but Toronto's offer to retain Burnett was not enough; I don't know the numbers, but it's probably going to take five years and about $70-$80 million to sign Burnett. Braunecker stressed that Burnett still held very positive feelings toward the Blue Jays.
Something I missed yesterday: Scott Boras said that Greg Maddux intended to retire, after a career that will put him in the Hall of Fame in the minimum five years. "I think he was rather definitive," Boras said. "My belief from his point of view is that he will retire."
I asked Boras whether Manny Ramirez was as fond of Hank Steinbrenner as Hank was of Manny. "I haven’t had a chance to have Manny-Hank discussions," the agent said. "I just think anybody who likes to win, anybody who watches what Manny did, it’s got to bring you to a place where you can say ‘There’s a real chance that player can help me achieve my objective.’"
Omar Minaya said he would likely meet with Boras over the next few days. The Mets are interested in retaining Oliver Perez, a Boras client.
Padres GM Kevin Towers clarified the Jake Peavy-to-the-Yankees stuff. Peavy's agent Barry Axelrod did mention the Yankees and Angels as possibilities. But "His preference is the NL. He likes the style of play. He like to hit."
The terrible umpiring in the World Series was discussed at the morning meetings.
The GMs spent the afternoon bowling. They have a lot of these bonding-type activities.
A thought on neutral sites for the World Series: No. The weather issue, to me, is tied into the ratings issue. Baseball is not football. A World Series isn't going to get a national following, at least at the outset, unless the Yankees, Red Sox or Cubs are involved. It's that simple.
The ratings will be huge in the participating cities, and not too many other places. And those participating cities absolutely deserve World Series games in their home ballparks. This year's Game 3, which started at 10:06 p.m., might have infuriated the TV audience. But those who attended were completely engaged.
Some years, the weather is just going to bite you. Look, this year's World Series became more compelling because of the suspended game.
And if the Series would ever actually make it to seven games again, I think we'd see increased ratings at that point.
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Comments (7)
Ken, great writeup. Thank you for sharing this information. As for Peavy, what do you think his chances are for moving to the AL?
Ken, a few thoughts:
1. Kevin Towers is increasingly becoming a windbag.
2. Bowling? You've got to be kidding? What's next? An ice cream social?
3. I can't believe there is even a 10% chance that Giambi returns to the NYY. Cashman had all year to figure out who his replacement would be. Theo Epstein is about 10 steps ahead of Cashman at all times.
4. The only thing Cashman has that most GMs don't is money. Take away his money and he is a very mediocre GM. Hey, come to think of it, he's mediocre in NY even with the money.
5. Hiring Bobby Alejo is a stain on your No. 1 GM. Come on, Alejo had to know what Giambi was up to. Wasn't Alejo despised around the Yankee clubhouse?
6. A neutral site WS policy is one of the worst ideas I have heard in recent years. I'd rather see a 154 game season to get to the WS quicker. But, alas, money bags BS would have a stroke if he heard that suggestion. To quote GG: "It's all about the bucks kid, the rest is conversation."
7. I cannot believe that any team would actually be interested in Heilman.
8. Burnett will be on the DL at least 5 times during any 5 year deal.
9. In the spirit of "misery loves company" I would get a real kick out of the Mets signing Pavano. I know that I asked you before if there was any chance of this and you responded in the negative, but I just can't keep from hoping.
10. Great job all day Ken. You really outdid yourself. Fabulous work! Congratulations.
A neutral site is a terrible idea, What a loss of atmosphere. I hope this doesn't have any legs with MLB.
Mets and Pavano? Anything at thet right price I guess.
I hope somebody still likes Heilman. The Mets need to squeeze some value out of him and his 'aberration' season. I'm sure we're going to hear his named bounced around a good bit this winter.
The ratings for the World Series are what they are. It would not get better anytime soon and it might get worse if we keep seeing the World Series going 4 or 5 games like we have the last 5 years. The weather you can't do anything about it. You can't predict what the weather will be. Having said that, baseball leave themselves vulerable to bad weather by pushing the World Series deep into November. Playing the World Series on a netrual site will be crazy. If the Phillies and Rays were playing the World Series at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona this year, nobody will watch it on TV.
Some team will take a chance on Heilman and perhaps make him a starter. Heilman needs a fresh start.
Well its all over, Barack Obama is the 44th elected President of the United States of America. And it wasn't even close.
Jack, agreed on Beane-Alejo. Bad job by Beane. It's very unlikely that the Mets sign Pavano. The Mets' PR sensitivity often hurts them, but this would be a case of them not wanting to upset their fans, and rightly so.
Good note on Bud's attempt to keep down salaries.
With a looming recession, I also assume that he urged teams to avoid raising ticket prices, parking and cioncessions fees?
Ken - you and your fellow reporters will probably be asked by Bob Dupuy to brown bag it this season.
Bob...great comment about ticket prices, parking and concesssions.
Ken, to say anybody is a future HOFer in this day and age is very very very premature. Who woulda thunk Rose, Bonds, Clemes, McGwire, Sosa wouldn't be in the Hall??
You just never know what you're gonna find out. I mean lean/skinny guys are steroid abusers too.