Dodgers land a bargain
The Los Angeles Dodgers won their arbitration hearing against Cy Young winning closer Eric Gagne. Gagner will earn $5 million (instead of $8m) for the upcoming year. The bargain aspect becomes clear when you consider that Gagner earned $550,000 last year while chalking up one of the most unbelievable seasons for a closer - notching 52 saves in 56 chances.
Sour grapes or has John Henry seen the light?
Boston Red Sox owner John Henry has recently made some comments about the spiraling salaries in major league baseball. The comments came after his arch rival George Steinbrenner and the Yankees pried Alex Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers. The comments seem a little hypocritical seeing the exorbitant salary structure of the Red Sox and from the fact that it wasn't long ago that the Red Sox themselves were trying to land ARod.
Who says you can't go home again?
Not Greg Maddux. The future hall of fame pitcher has signed a 3 year, $24 million dollar contract with the Chicago Cubs. Though most fans associate Maddux with the Atlanta Braves dynasty of the 1990s and early 2000s where he pitched with Glavine and Smotlz. But he began his career with the Cubs, spending seven seasons and winning a Cy Young Trophy in Chicago. Ironically Maddux left the Cubs in 1992 over a salary dispute and today returns a much needed veteran presence bolstering the Cubs starting rotation that already had Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, and Matt Clement.
Steroid use in Major League Baseball
So far no ML baseball players have been charged in recent documents, released by federal prosecutors. They did nail four people for participating in a steroid-distribution ring that allegedly supplied dozens of sports stars. But a few athletes from the major sports leagues including baseball, testified last fall before the grand jury panel that issued these recent indictments. It is possible that some of these players could be asked to testify again in the trial and even be charged. Amongst those currently charged are Barry Bonds' personal trainer and two execs from San Francisco based nutritional supplements lab - Bay Area Lab Cooperative or BALCO. This brings up the long standing debate about steroids in sports, an issue that needs to be discussed out in the open. I still remember from a few years ago when the big buzz was about creatine monohydrate, which is a legal nutritional supplement and naturally occurs in certain foods.
Either clean up the sports completely or let the fans know that they are paying money to watch juiced up freaks. Atleast have a level playing field and show respect for the historic stats of players who performed clean.
It's official: Rodriguez is a Yankee
The New York Yankees landed Alex Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers for Alfonso Soriano and a minor leaguer. That should put the Yankees payroll over $200 million for this upcoming season, with four $100 million player contracts (ARod, Jeter, Giambi and Brown).
Is it just me or is this absolutely crazy? Maybe its just a New York thing...the Yankees spend a lot, so do the New York Rangers of the NHL and the Knicks of the NBA. So if you make a boatload of money, might as well spend it and then some?
Ivan Rodriguez signs with the Detroit Tigers
I am still at a loss as to why Pudge would sign with the lowly Tigers. After winning a World Series with the Florida Marlins one would have assumed that he would maybe want to win another...but I guess money really does talk. So now he gets to spend the next 4 years in Detroit, playing on a crappy team but making a cool $10m per year.
I guess to each his own.
