MLB FanHouse http://mlb.fanhouse.com MLB FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif MLB FanHouse http://mlb.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Trio With Uncertain Future Makes Yankees' Present Awfully Sweethttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/11/05/trio-with-uncertain-future-make-yankees-present-awfully-sweet/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/11/05/trio-with-uncertain-future-make-yankees-present-awfully-sweet/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/11/05/trio-with-uncertain-future-make-yankees-present-awfully-sweet/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Johnny Damon / Andy Pettitte / Hideki Matsui
NEW YORK -- None of them were on the field Wednesday when Robinson Cano threw out Shane Victorino to clinch the Yankees' World Series championship.

And no one should be surprised if neither Hideki Matsui, Andy Pettitte nor Johnny Damon are on the field in Tampa, Fla., next February for Yankees' spring training.

But this championship would not have happened without them.

All three are potential free agents. And all three may wind up leaving the Yankees, for various reasons.
FanHouse World Series Coverage: Fletcher | Mariotti | Moore | Olson
Game 6: Yankees 7, Phillies 3 | Box Score | Matsui MVP

The Yankees could let Matsui and his balky knees go because they seem to prefer not to have a full-time DH, instead rotating that spot in the lineup to give players some rest (remember, Jorge Posada, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter are all in their 30s).

Damon's defense and durability are in decline, and the Yankees do have outfielders Melky Cabrera, Brett Gardner and Nick Swisher under control for 2010.

Pettitte, meanwhile, would probably be welcomed back next year -- if he wants to play. He wavered on retirement the past three winters, especially after 2006 and '07, and now that he has fulfilled two goals by playing in the new Yankee Stadium and earning another ring, perhaps this is the time to walk away.

General manager Brian Cashman said he spent part of the 1998 World Series, his first as GM, stressing over the upcoming winter decisions, such as whether to re-sign Bernie Williams.

Now he knows to put everything off until after the postseason is over.

"Now is not the time to deal with that," Cashman said on the field after Game 6. "We're going to celebrate. The business side of the game will kick in here at some point."

Matsui drove in six runs in the 7-3 Game 6 victory, tying the record for a World Series game and most ever in a World Series clincher. He earned Series MVP honors even though, as a DH, he got just one plate appearance each night in Games 3-5, as a pinch hitter.

"I hope [to return]," Matsui said, through interpreter Roger Kahlon, upon being presented with the World Series MVP. "I hope it works out. I love New York. I love the Yankees. I love the fans here."

Yankees assistant GM Jean Afterman, who was instrumental in recruiting and signing Matsui after his 10 seasons with the Yomiuri Giants, said Matsui grew up idolizing Babe Ruth.

"His dream was to become a Yankee," Afterman said.

"He wanted to play where Babe Ruth played. He wanted to do what Babe Ruth did."

As if he was making a last-ditch case for the Yankees to being him back, Matsui hit .615 (8-for-13) with three homers, eight RBI and a 1.385 slugging percentage -- the second-highest in World Series history.


"I think you've got to think about everything that he's done," Afterman said when asked about bringing back Matsui. "I think you've got to think about everything he's achieved and who he is. And then who he is and what he means to this team. And what he means to this country and his country.

"It's quite a thing to be a hero in two countries at the same time."

Pettitte is such a hero that his postgame speech from the on-field stage was inaudible in Yankee Stadium, drowned out by the fans' chants of "An-dy Pett-ittte!"

He won two games in the Series, including Game 6 -- making him the first pitcher ever to start and win the series clincher in the Division Series, LCS and World Series the same season. His 18 career postseason wins are a record, and only Whitey Ford has pitched in more World Series than Pettitte's eight.

"I'm not sure," Pettitte said of his future. "I'm not. I need to get home, talk to my family. I'll need to talk to the Yankees and find out where they're at. And then I'll probably start trying to figure out what I'd like to do."

Pettitte wasn't great on three days' rest, walking five in 5 2/3 innings. But only one of those runners scored.

"There was really nothing special," Phillies leadoff man Jimmy Rollins said, "but he made one great pitch every at-bat it seemed like. When he needed that pitch he was able to make it, got some double plays that really shortens an inning.

"That's what Andy does. He keeps his team in the game. You walk away shaking your head -- how didn't we get to him? -- but obviously he's pretty good because he's been doing it a long time."

Closer Mariano Rivera wouldn't admit to any recruiting calls last winter but did say he "wanted to make sure that Andy came back."

Because Pettitte's past fence-sitting was based in large part on his health, and he showed with Wednesday's short-rest outing that he is OK, perhaps it won't be a tough sell this time around.

In contrast to Matsui and Pettitte, Damon showed in the finale why it might be wise not to re-sign him. He had to come out of Game 6 with a strained right calf, suffered running home on Matsui's third-inning single.

Damon did score a team-high six runs in the Series, none more important than the one in the ninth inning of Game 4 after his heady double steal. (The Hall of Fame has already taken possession of the cleats Damon wore that night.)

While Damon has said he would like to come back, he also admitted he doesn't know if he will.

Matsui, Damon and Pettitte have something else in common besides their contractual status: they are respected by their peers for their professionalism.

Damon is a goofy free spirit. Matsui shows great respect to everyone around him and seems serious but has a sense of humor that he can unveil, in English, at moments. Pettitte is a tireless worker with great pride.

But when time comes to play, they all show up.

With George Steinbrenner's health in decline, irrationality is gone from Yankees' front office. And Cashman can be cold-blooded in his decision-making; there was a blip of sentimentality after the 2007 season when Steinbrenner's sons -- in the wake of the Joe Torre parting -- signed Rodriguez, Rivera and Posada to over-market contracts, but that seems to have been wiped out.

So in the coming days, Pettitte will ponder his future as Cashman considers how badly he wants Matsui and Damon back, if at all.

The story lines won't play out quickly this winter. But even if all three are somewhere else come spring, their contributions this fall won't soon be forgotten by the Yankees and their fans.
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Trio With Uncertain Future Makes Yankees' Present Awfully Sweet originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Andy PettitteHideki Matsuijohnny damonEd PriceThu, 05 Nov 2009 03:45:00 EST New Cubs Owner Plans on Winning the World Serieshttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/30/new-cubs-owner-plans-on-winning-the-world-series/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/30/new-cubs-owner-plans-on-winning-the-world-series/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/30/new-cubs-owner-plans-on-winning-the-world-series/#commentsFiled under: ,

For the first time since they officially became the new owners of the Chicago Cubs, the Ricketts family spoke to the media on Friday morning in Chicago, and they made their top goal as owners perfectly clear. They are going to win a World Series. That's what Tom Ricketts told the throng of reporters surrounding him.

It was one of many things the new owner shared, but obviously, considering the Cubs' history of not winning the World Series, that's the line that will either solidify the Ricketts family as legends in Chicago, or hang over their heads for as long as they own the club.
In his first public appearance since his family officially took ownership of the Cubs earlier this week, Tom Ricketts said flatly, ``We're going to win the World Series,'' and said that single-minded agenda is what sets a family ownership model apart from corporate ownership that must answer to shareholders.

"The fans are our shareholders,'' said Ricketts, who when pressed for a timeline on his visions of a World said:

"I'll be honest, I think we have a team that can do it next year. I won't promise anything. I don't think there's any use in that. But the fact is there's enough talent coming back next season to go all the way to the finish line.''
Ricketts also went on to talk about the family's plans for Wrigley Field, saying he wanted to emulate what the Boston Red Sox did with Fenway Park. Renovating the old stadium without ever having to close it for any period of time. Ricketts also joked that one of the changes the family planned on making was having him and his brother coach first and third base.

As for Ricketts' response to the inevitable question about the team being cursed, he said there was no such thing and he didn't believe in curses. He also went on to say that any current Cubs player that believes the team is cursed will be moved to a "lesser-cursed team."

So I guess that means the Pirates or something.

New Cubs Owner Plans on Winning the World Series originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Ricketts FamilyTom RickettsTom FornelliFri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST Selig Says Replay Will Be Reviewedhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/29/selig-says-replay-will-be-reviewed/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/29/selig-says-replay-will-be-reviewed/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/29/selig-says-replay-will-be-reviewed/#commentsFiled under: ,

Bud SeligNEW YORK -- Bud Selig said he has not changed his opinion on expanding the use of instant replay, but baseball's commissioner left the door open a crack, saying the issue would be addressed in the offseason.

"I think there are other ways we can make corrections," Selig said. "During the offseason we'll review everything."

It could come up at the GM Meetings, Nov. 9-11 in Chicago.

Selig, speaking after he presented Derek Jeter with the Roberto Clemente Award before Game 2 of the World Series on Thursday, has maintained that he did not want to expand the use of replay beyond home-run boundary calls because it would impact the pace of the game. The question has come up again because of a string of mistakes made by umpires this postseason.

"I understand we have had some incidents that were most unfortunate," Selig said. "They were controversial and beyond controversial. There is no sense in hiding that, nor would I."

Although Selig said he hasn't seen enough to convince him to change his opinion, he said he has thought about the subject.

"I take this more seriously than anybody will know," he said, "but there will be a time and place to think about all this."

Selig also responded to criticism that there are too many off days in the playoffs under the current format. Selig said "it's a valid point," but that there is no way to avoid it because you don't know how long the playoff series will go when the schedule is done. He also said that shortening the season is not an option.

"If the clubs want to consider going to 154 games, we can reduce that, but they don't want to do that, unanimously," he said. "Big markets, medium markets, small markets. They just don't want any part of it."

Selig was asked about the Dodgers situation, given the impending divorce of owner Frank McCourt and his wife Jamie, but he said it wasn't appropriate for him to comment.

He also said that he was happy to see Mark McGwire get back into the game as the Cardinals' hitting coach.

"When he comes back you will all have a lot of opportunities to talk to him," Selig said. "The fact that he's coming back gives him an opportunity you wouldn't have had."

Selig Says Replay Will Be Reviewed originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Jeff FletcherThu, 29 Oct 2009 19:46:00 EST Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt, Wife Jamie Beginning Ugly Divorcehttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/28/dodgers-owner-frank-mccourt-wife-jamie-beginning-ugly-divorce/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/28/dodgers-owner-frank-mccourt-wife-jamie-beginning-ugly-divorce/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/28/dodgers-owner-frank-mccourt-wife-jamie-beginning-ugly-divorce/#commentsFiled under:

The personal and professional lives of Frank and Jamie McCourt have certainly seen better days. The two had been married since 1979, having four children together. They were working together in running one of the most recognizable sports franchises in the world, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now, citing irreconcilable differences, the two are going through divorce proceedings -- which appear neither friendly nor ending anytime soon.


Normally, this wouldn't really be newsworthy, considering the owner and his wife splitting up is more a personal matter than a business one. This isn't normal, though. Jamie was the team's CEO -- at least until Frank fired her a week ago, after they were already separated. Jamie is also trying to claim she is part owner of the team, which would technically mean Frank couldn't have fired her.

"Frank has no right to purport to terminate me. We are co-owners of the Dodgers," she said. "Not only has Frank publicly held us out as co-owners of the franchise, he has also admitted this fact in front of our estate planning counsel."

Most recently, Frank filed papers opposing his wife's demand to be reinstated as the team's chief executive, claiming she had an affair with her bodyguard, Jeff Fuller. Allegedly, Jamie took a trip in early July to Israel on team business, but then headed to France for 2 1/2 weeks and billed the Dodgers for the trip. Frank claims that before his wife went on the trip she asked for Fuller to be her driver.

There was also a 911 call made by Jamie McCourt in early September, but there are conflicting stories as to what actually happened. Frank McCourt's lawyer, Michael Grossman, claimed that the 911 call Jamie made was phony. According to the police report that was filed, Frank came over to the house while she was swimming, which prompted her to make the call.

Here's the rest of the drama, and where things currently stand:

Frank and Jamie McCourto. Jamie has filed for divorce and is requesting that she be reinstated as CEO of the Dodgers. She is seeking $320,967 per month in spousal support, but $487,634 if she's not reinstated at her old post. She claims she needs this much money for living expenses -- which Frank allegedly hasn't been paying since July -- and to pay her attorneys. Her point is that the divorce will be a lengthy, complicated and expensive process. Frank has unlimited funds, she says, considering the couple is worth over $1.2 billion and has an estimated cash flow of more than $10 million per year.
"I do not believe it is appropriate that I should be required to invade our savings to pay my living expenses and the costs of this divorce action while Frank receives (or has access to) millions of dollars in distributions perquisites and benefits from the various Dodger related entities and other companies."
o. Frank claims he's the sole owner of the Dodgers, Jamie claims they both own the Dodgers -- a team worth an estimated $800 million. Frank's name is listed as the owner with Major League Baseball, but rules require only one person be named as the "controlling person." Jamie's argument is that she was just as much a part of the ownership group as Frank. She has been the highest ranking female in baseball since 2005.

o. Jamie believes that her firing was part of a "calculated plan to try and humiliate and ostracize" her by her soon-to-be-ex-husband.

o. She is also seeking to have a laundry list of "privileges" reinstated, such as: private jet travel, five-star hotel accommodations, use of the owners' suite at Dodger Stadium, Blackberry charges, flowers for her office, country club dues and possession of two of the couple's nine properties.

o. The attorneys working the case are expecting to ring up a bill of over $2 million.

There are so many layers to this that it's going to be a long offseason for the team who fell one step short of the World Series.
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Dodgers Owner Frank McCourt, Wife Jamie Beginning Ugly Divorce originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>frank mccourtjamie mccourtMatt SnyderWed, 28 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST Sale of Cubs Finally Completehttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/27/sale-of-cubs-finally-complete/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/27/sale-of-cubs-finally-complete/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/27/sale-of-cubs-finally-complete/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It only took 2 1/2 years, but it was announced on Tuesday that the sale of one of baseball's most storied franchises, the Chicago Cubs, was completed. Tom Ricketts' bid to buy the team was first approved earlier this year, and now the team belongs to the son of TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts.

Along with the team, Ricketts and his family also assume ownership of Wrigley Field and a 25 percent share of Comcast SportsNet in Chicago, which broadcasts Cubs games, along with old Tribune Company standby WGN. Once it's all said and done, the Tribune Company should pull in about $740 million from the deal, a record surpassing the $660 million John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino paid for the Red Sox in 2002.

As for Ricketts, this is the culmination of a lifelong dream to own the team he rooted for as a child. He even spent time living in an apartment across the street from Wrigley Field, and met his wife at a Cubs game. No doubt winning her over with the line "You know, one day I'm going to own this team and this park. Go out with me and you'll have all the free hot dogs you can dream of."

He now says his new goal is to "go to work building the championship tradition that all Cubs fans so richly deserve." Considering the team's history, fans may want to just settle for the free hot dogs.

Sale of Cubs Finally Complete originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Joe+RickettsJohn+HenryLarry+LucchinoTom+RickettsTom+WernerTom FornelliTue, 27 Oct 2009 14:55:00 EST Dodgers Owner McCourt Fires Wifehttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/dodgers-owner-mccourt-fires-wife/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/dodgers-owner-mccourt-fires-wife/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/dodgers-owner-mccourt-fires-wife/#commentsFiled under: ,

Frank McCourt and wife JamieFrank McCourt, the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, has dismissed wife Jamie from her post as the team's CEO ahead of what is expected to be a bitter divorce battle between the separated couple, according to a report by SI.com's Jon Heyman.

McCourt, who has been married to Jamie since 1979, purchased the Dodgers in 2004 for $430 million, but the team is believed to be worth considerably more than that.

The firing of Jamie further complicates the fate of the franchise as the couple heads for divorce court, with Frank claiming that he has full ownership of the team and his spouse contending that she owns 50 percent of it.
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Dodgers Owner McCourt Fires Wife originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Frank McCourtAndrew JohnsonThu, 22 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST Jed Hoyer Likely to Be Next Padres GMhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/jed-hoyer-likely-to-be-next-padres-gm/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/jed-hoyer-likely-to-be-next-padres-gm/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/jed-hoyer-likely-to-be-next-padres-gm/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Jed HoyerOne of Major League Baseball's two general manager vacancies could be filled in the next few days. The Padres appear poised to hire Red Sox assistant general manager Jed Hoyer to replace long-time GM Kevin Towers, who was fired at the beginning of October, according to multiple outlets including the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Hoyer has been a bit of a hot property for awhile now, having interviewed for GM positions with the Pirates and Nationals in recent years, but this won't be his first general managing job.

He and Ben Cherington were named co-GMs of the Red Sox in the winter of 2006 during Theo Epstein's brief hiatus from his post running the club, and most famously helped orchestrate the deal that brought Josh Beckett to Boston.

While San Diego is not expected to make an announcement immediately, one could come in the next few days.
"We're still working on it," CEO Jeff Moorad told the Union-Tribune via e-mail Wednesday night. "We have a couple follow-up discussions scheduled for (Thursday), then are likely to move toward a decision."
Moorad took partial control of the Padres this year, agreeing to purchase the club in full from John Moores within five years, and though San Diego suffered through its second straight losing season and is cash-strapped because of Moores' ongoing divorce, the club showed promise by going 37-25 in its final 62 games.

That promise made it all the more surprising when Towers, highly respected in the industry and, at the time, the longest-tenured GM with one team, was forced out.

Hoyer is the second Epstein disciple to take the reins of a major league club, with current Diamondbacks general manager Josh Byrnes -- also hired by Moorad, who was with Arizona at the time -- being the first.

The Red Sox front office is one of the most highly regarded in the game. While the team has deep coffers, it is also known for its creative and methodical approach to building an organization. Hoyer will not have limitless resources at his disposal in San Diego, so he will have to be especially ingenious to turn the Padres into a winner again.

Jed Hoyer Likely to Be Next Padres GM originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Jed Hoyerjeff mooradKevin TowersAndrew JohnsonThu, 22 Oct 2009 18:25:00 EST Fenway Sports Group Enters Partnership With EPL's Fulhamhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/21/fenway-sports-group-enters-partnership-with-epls-fulham/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/21/fenway-sports-group-enters-partnership-with-epls-fulham/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/21/fenway-sports-group-enters-partnership-with-epls-fulham/#commentsFiled under: ,

Fenway ParkFenway Sports Group, the sports marketing company owned by the Boston Red Sox, has expanded its media empire, entering into a sponsorship deal with Fulham FC, an English Premier League soccer club.

The company already has a number of similar partnerships in other sports, most famously with Roush Fenway Racing, the NASCAR racing team that features top drivers Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards. Might this be there most impressive partnership yet?

That's hard to say, but partnering with a side from the Premiership can't be a bad thing. The EPL might not register much here in the NFL-centric United States, but its the most popular and powerful professional sports league in the world, with club revenues for the 2007-08 season exceeding $3 billion.

Picking Fulham, though? That's a little strange. The London side is probably more famous for being owned by Egyptian businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed than for its success on the pitch (that's the field, for those of you that are soccer-illiterate). The Cottagers, as they're known, have never finished higher than seventh in the Premier League.

The Yankees partnered with Manchester United eight years ago, a collaboration that was much more congruous given the championship pedigree both shared. Fulham is more akin to the Minnesota Twins, while the Red Sox are similar to some of the more famous English sides like Arsenal and Liverpool.

The most exciting development for any stateside soccer fan is that Fenway Sports Group is now considering the possibility of bringing a Premier League match to Fenway Park. The oldest venue in the majors has hosted a string of rock concerts in recent years and will host the NHL's Winter Classic, an annual outdoor game, on New Year's Day.
"It's absolutely an idea at this stage," [COO Sam] Kennedy said. "It might not even be a good idea.

"Our mission is to explore all sorts of what we call 'blue chip events' in Fenway Park. It started back in 2003 with the Bruce Springsteen concert. We're having outdoor hockey games with the NHL and Hockey East. The concept of an English Premier League game at Fenway is very, very exciting, and fits in line with our standard of events.

"I don't know that they would be interested in doing it. We need to do some more homework and see if it would work."
OK, so a match on Yawkey Way seems a long way off right now, but for soccer fans in America, it's something to dream about.

Fenway Sports Group Enters Partnership With EPL's Fulham originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Andrew JohnsonWed, 21 Oct 2009 21:25:00 EST Donald Fehr to Receive Hefty Severancehttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/21/donald-fehr-receives-hefty-severance-pay/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/21/donald-fehr-receives-hefty-severance-pay/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/21/donald-fehr-receives-hefty-severance-pay/#commentsFiled under:

Longtime head of the Major League Baseball Players Association, Donald Fehr, will be stepping down at the conclusion of the season. When he does, he will get a severance package worth more money than he made from 2001-2008, reports are saying.

Fehr, 61, has had an annual salary of $1 million per year since 2001. His severance package will pay him $11 million when he officially retires. Considering baseball's commissioner, Bud Selig, makes $18 million a year and how much extra money Fehr has freed up for the players over the years, the figure seems more than fair.
"I think without a doubt there was no hesitation," 9union subcommittee member Curtis) Granderson said. "We kept looking at how much Bud Selig makes and we looked at how much Don Fehr hasn't made."
Also, consider the union heads in the NBA and NFL make much more than Fehr ever did annually, and this seems like the proper sendoff -- from the perspective of the players -- for a man who has fought for compensation for the players since taking over his post in 1983.

Regardless of how much of a villain Fehr is played up to be from the perspective of many fans, he was very good at his job. This retirement gift is a token of gratitude from the players he helped.

Donald Fehr to Receive Hefty Severance originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>donald fehrDonaldFehrMatt SnyderWed, 21 Oct 2009 14:12:00 EST Colletti Agrees to Stay as Dodgers GM 'A Long Time'http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/20/colletti-agrees-to-stay-as-dodgers-gm-a-long-time/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/20/colletti-agrees-to-stay-as-dodgers-gm-a-long-time/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/20/colletti-agrees-to-stay-as-dodgers-gm-a-long-time/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ned Colletti Los Angeles DodgersNed Colletti hasn't been perfect in four seasons as the Dodgers' general manager. But he promises he has learned from his mistakes.

The team announced Tuesday that Colletti had agreed to a "long-term" extension.

"I think that some of the decisions we made that didn't work out particularly well were out of impatience on our own part," Colletti said -- referring to (not by name) -- contracts for Juan Pierre, Jason Schmidt and Andruw Jones. "I think the last year or so our deliberation and our thought process were keener, were a little bit more fine-tuned, were less impatient."

Instead, the Dodgers have blended acquisitions (Manny Ramirez, Orlando Hudson, Rafael Furcal, Casey Blake, Hiroki Kuroda) with a home-grown core.

The Dodgers have made the postseason three of the past four seasons and have the second-best record in the NL over Colletti's tenure.

"One of our core promises to our fans is championship-caliber baseball, year in and year out," owner Frank McCourt said in a prepared statement. "Ned has been instrumental in our going a long way towards fulfilling that promise. I couldn't be happier for him, both personally and professionally. The stability and continuity that extending his contract provides will further help us achieve the goal of being a consistent winner and I'm thrilled that he will continue to lead our baseball operations into the future."

McCourt and his wife are separated, raising questions about the stability of upper management. But Colletti said, "Had I
not believed that this was the right place to be, I wouldn't be here."

What went unspoken was the length of Colletti's new contract. Neither the Dodgers nor Colletti would get more specific than "long-term."

"I look forward to being here for a long time," he said. "It's a long-term deal. I'll be here for a long time and I may be here longer than a long time."

Colletti Agrees to Stay as Dodgers GM 'A Long Time' originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Frank McCourtFrankMccourtNed CollettiNedCollettiEd PriceTue, 20 Oct 2009 17:31:00 EST Texas Rangers Withholding Playoff Ticket Refunds Until Novemberhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/texas-rangers-withholding-playoff-ticket-refunds-until-november/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/texas-rangers-withholding-playoff-ticket-refunds-until-november/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/texas-rangers-withholding-playoff-ticket-refunds-until-november/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You know how you can purchase playoff tickets for your favorite teams even before they've qualified for the playoffs? It's a conditional thing, with the understanding that if your team fails to make the postseason you'll have your money refunded immediately. Of course, if you are a Texas Rangers fan, that understanding apparently doesn't apply.

According to Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News, the Rangers have emailed those who purchased playoff tickets that they won't be receiving a refund until "sometime in November." That's good to know, I'm sure. The Rangers were only eliminated from playoff consideration on Sept. 30. Why should the fans, who spent their own hard-earned cash, expect to get it back within six weeks? It's not like playoff tickets cost much.

In all honesty, this is yet another illustration of the desperate financial situation in which the Rangers currently find themselves. Cowlishaw discusses the fact that the league (MLB) is currently controlling the team and also that some banks will be next in line, should Tom Hicks not find a buyer almost immediately. It's dire straits for the team who once signed Alex Rodriguez to the richest contract in the history of professional sports.

The sad thing is, the Rangers' financial woes could doom a very promising young nucleus. They made huge strides in 2009, becoming a legitimate contender for the first time in years. You can build your franchise from within, as the Rangers appear to have done, but in the real world there are always going to be issues that arise here and there. Will they have the resources needed to fill any gaps that may arise on the roster?

It's especially scary for Rangers fans -- in addition to having to wait on their refunds -- that the Mariners, Angels and A's aren't getting any worse. The window of opportunity was opened in 2009 for the Texas Rangers, but the money mismanagement by ownership could be slamming it shut prematurely.

Texas Rangers Withholding Playoff Ticket Refunds Until November originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>tom hicksTomHicksMatt SnyderThu, 15 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST Frank McCourt, Wife Jamie Separatehttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/frank-mccourt-wife-jamie-separate/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/frank-mccourt-wife-jamie-separate/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/frank-mccourt-wife-jamie-separate/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and his wife, Jamie, have confirmed to the Associated Press that they have separated a few days after Frank attended the Cardinals-Dodgers game alone. This is intriguing news in terms of how it may effect the inner workings of the Dodgers' front office. Jamie McCourt is the team president and CEO of the Dodgers -- making her the highest ranking female in all of baseball.

If the separation continues and evolves into a divorce, how will all their substantial assets be divided? They've been married since 1979, so the ownership of the Dodgers -- and the job of the team president -- will likely be at stake during proceedings.

Frank McCourt has repeatedly glorified the work done by his spouse throughout the past several years, giving her credit for helping to build a "first-class organization" in Los Angeles.

Is it possible the two could co-exist through divorce hearings in running a Major League Baseball team? If not, someone is going to have to part with the ballclub. There is, however, no further information concerning this situation, just that they have separated and are keeping everything else private.

The Dodgers play the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series Thursday evening.

UPDATE: According to the LA Times, Jamie has no interest in ending her role with the Dodgers, nor does Frank. Both sides appear to be digging their heels in, too. Check out this quote:
"I firmly believe each of them is going to try to keep the team," a high-ranking baseball source said today, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation.

"I think it's going to be pretty ugly."
Not only that, there seems to be some dispute as to whether or not Frank is the sole owner of the Dodgers. Apparently, the couple (at the time) appeared before commissioner Bud Selig to gain approval when buying the Dodgers. Her attorneys believe the ownership is a 50/50 split between Frank and Jamie. Yet, Frank's attorneys are stating that he is listed as the "control person" and is the sole owner of the team.

Don't expect this story to go away for quite a while, as the ownership of one of major league baseball's premier franchises will probably remain unsettled for quite a while.

Frank McCourt, Wife Jamie Separate originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>frank mccourtFrankMccourtjamie mccourtJamieMccourtMatt SnyderThu, 15 Oct 2009 16:10:00 EST MLB Anticipating Attendance Bouncebackhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/12/mlb-anticipating-attendance-bounceback/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/12/mlb-anticipating-attendance-bounceback/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/12/mlb-anticipating-attendance-bounceback/#commentsFiled under: ,

Dodger fansMajor League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig likes what he sees in his crystal ball for next season.

According to Sports Business Journal, Selig is predicting a rebound in 2010 from this year's attendance decline of 6.65 percent to 73.42 million, a season in which 22 of 30 teams posted drop-offs in attendance.

The reason for Selig's optimism is the improvement in the economy, including the 13 percent increase this year in the Dow Jones industrial average. Some experts, though, are arguing that the improvements may be short-lived because unemployment is continuing to rise. Many have argued that the economic recovery in the U.S. will be painfully slow to help many Americans hurt by the recession.

Average major league ticket prices rose 5 percent this year, according to Team Marketing Report while the Fan Cost Index, which measures the cost for a family of four to attend a game, rose 3.2 percent to $196.89. Even so, baseball held up remarkably well, posting its fifth-largest combined crowds in its history, despite posting the lowest figures since 2004.

Many teams posted year-over-year gains in television ratings, underscoring the popularity of all televised sports as a cheap source of entertainment during tough economic times. Single-ticket sales also rose as teams undertook more aggressive promotions to upsell them to season-ticket plans, said Matt Bourne, an MLB spokesman, in an email to FanHouse.

"Sports are normal goods and generally move with the economy," said John-Charles Bradbury, an economist who teaches at the sport management program at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, in an email. "You can see ... some leveling out during past recessions (early-'80s, early-'90s, and early-'00s), though the correlation is imperfect. But, the overall long-run trend is positive, just as it is for the entire economy."

When it came to forecasting how good the good times would get, Selig was less specific. He told the trade publication that baseball was in an "excellent position to rebound next season.

"How much we'll bounce back, I don't know."

MLB Anticipating Attendance Bounceback originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>bud seligJonathan BerrMon, 12 Oct 2009 19:56:00 EST Twins' New Home Is on Targethttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/11/twins-new-home-is-on-target/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/11/twins-new-home-is-on-target/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/11/twins-new-home-is-on-target/#commentsFiled under: ,

Target Field
MINNEAPOLIS -- If Game 3 of the American League Division Series was to be played at Target Field, it would be about 40 degrees at game time. And falling.

But the grass would be fine, since 41 miles of coils containing glycol will keep the field itself at least 42 degrees so the grass never freezes.

The fans and players may have to suffer.

Target Field doesn't open until April, and the Twins -- and denizens of the upper Midwest -- are perfectly happy to be playing outside instead of at the Metrodome.

During a Sunday morning media tour of Target Field, team president Dave St. Peter said the Twins have already sold the equivalent of 17,000 season tickets for 2010. They had 11,000 season tickets this year at the Metrodome and could nearly double that for next season, which would put them in the top eight in Major League Baseball.

Target Field will seat about 39,800, plus standing room, and tickets range from $10 to $275 (just 16 seats at the latter price). And the stadium has a number of nice Minnesota touches.

The exterior is local stone, quarried 90 miles away near the Minnesota River. That cost an extra $8 million, which the Pohlad family was willing to pay for a local touch.

One of the flagpoles in right field, beyond an "Overlook" section of seats that extends eight feet past the 23-foot-high right field wall (the same height as the Metrodome "baggie," but an actual wall), will come from old Metropolitan Stadium. The flagpole has spent the intervening 28 years at the American Legion post in Richfield, Minn.

The Budweiser Roof Deck at the top of the stands in the left-field corner, a cross between Fenway Park's Green Monster seats and the rooftops at Wrigley Field, imitates a local tradition with a fire pit.

Target FieldAnd a 46-foot-high sign beyond center field has an outline of the state with the old team logo, twins "Minnie" and "Paul" across the Mississippi River. When a Twin hits a home run at Target Field, the sign will light up and the twins will shake hands.

It took the Twins 10 years of work to get this stadium approved and built. Local government is paying $350 million, with the team adding another $180-200 millon so far.

The site is downtown, near the Timberwolves' Target Center, wedged between two bridges and railroad tracks.

"When we first saw it," said Jerry Bell, president of Twins Sports Inc., "we said it was too small. And we were right.

"It's a 14 1/2-acre building on 8 1/2 acres."

So parts of the stands are cantilevered over the Burlington Northern tracks and a city street.

A retractable roof would have cost another $125 million, Bell said, so the elements will be part of the stadium.

Yet the Twins said had they played outdoors this year, they would have had just two or three delays and no postponements. So precipitation isn't the issue, but temperature is.

The wide concourses have radiant heating overhead. And there are places for fans to gather and rewarm their bodies: an upper-deck Twins Pub and a watering hole called Hrbek's, after Minnesotan and former Twins first baseman Kent Hrbek ("There's no salads," St. Peter said).

Target Field
Twins history is honored all over the park. The gates are numbered and named after former stars -- gate 29 is the "Rod Carew Gate," and most fans will enter gate 34, the "Kirby Puckett Gate."

On the club level, there's a Puckett Atrium, with the late Kirby Puckett's image engraved in wood above the bar. And a bar is named "573" after Harmon Killebrew's career homer total.

Target Field St. Peter can't stress enough how glad the Twins are to be leaving the Metrodome, where they were the No. 2 tenant after the Vikings.

About the only thing Target Field will have in common with the Metrodome is at the concession stands.

"We surveyed our fans," St. Peter said, "and the one thing they want is the 'Dome Dogs.'

"We're not bringing the baggie."

Twins' New Home Is on Target originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Ed PriceSun, 11 Oct 2009 14:15:00 EST MLB Attendance Down More Than 6 Percent in 2009http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/05/mlb-attendance-down-more-than-six-percent-in-2009/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/05/mlb-attendance-down-more-than-six-percent-in-2009/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/05/mlb-attendance-down-more-than-six-percent-in-2009/#commentsFiled under:

Major League Baseball welcomed 73,364,441 fans into stadiums this season, the fifth-highest total in the history of the game. That sounds great, until you realize that the total attendance numbers dropped 6.65 percent for the year, the steepest drop since 1952. Before you start sounding the recession alarm, however, it's important to note that there wasn't much chance of baseball avoiding a decline this season.

The Mets and Yankees each moved into new, smaller ballparks this season, moves which cost baseball more than 20,000 seats in total. As Maury Brown of The Biz of Baseball points out, even if each team had sold out every seat this season there wasn't much chance of baseball not seeing a downturn in attendance. As it was, the two New York teams accounted for 30 percent of the total decline.

That's not to say the recession didn't play a role. Both the Mets and Yankees were heavily criticized for the pricing of seats at their new stadiums, and their fans spoke with their wallets by leaving both teams well short of capacity crowds all season long. The Yankees only filled their ballpark to 87.3 percent of capacity even though they finished with the best record in baseball. That left the Dodgers with the highest attendance in the league, the first time since 2002 that anyone but the Bronx Bombers topped the rolls.

Another big drop that must be blamed, in some part, on the economy was the nearly 20 percent decline experienced by the Tigers. Although major magazines credited the Tigers' surprisingly stong season with buoying the sad state of affairs in Detroit, many fans obviously couldn't afford to find their way through the turnstiles. One wonders how much worse the league's total would have been if the Tigers hadn't actually produced a good product this season.

Bad teams in Oakland, Toronto and Washington spurred big drops in turnstile clicks in each of those towns, however. The A's have shed fans since 2004, a distressing situation for a team that can't seem to find a way to get a new stadium that might boost their attendance. As it is, they've now slipped behind the Marlins into 30th place and seem destined to stay there now that the Florida club has a stadium headed its way.

With all of those factors in play, the numbers could have been a lot worse. Commissioner Bud Selig seemed to agree with that sentiment in comments to USA Today.
"Given that we are in the worst economic recession since the Great Depression," Selig said, "it is stunning. This year is a great testament to the huge popularity of our sport."
Despite Selig's comments, that probably won't stop teams from using these attendance figures as a reason to suppress spending this offseason, which should make for an interesting case if the union alleges collusion after the free-agent season comes to a close.

MLB Attendance Down More Than 6 Percent in 2009 originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Bud SeligBudSeligJosh AlperMon, 05 Oct 2009 18:15:00 EST Yusei Kikuchi Could Bypass NPB Draft For American Baseballhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/09/29/yusei-kikuchi-could-bypass-npb-draft-for-american-baseball/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/09/29/yusei-kikuchi-could-bypass-npb-draft-for-american-baseball/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/09/29/yusei-kikuchi-could-bypass-npb-draft-for-american-baseball/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Every year, the relationship between American baseball and Japanese baseball gets a little more complicated. Reports Tuesday indicate that Yusei Kikuchi, a high school pitcher expected to be the first player picked in Nippon Professional Baseball's amateur draft late next month, is contemplating skipping the draft in favor of coming to America.

That may not seem like a big deal, but under Major League Baseball's current rules, Kikuchi would not be subject to the MLB Draft and instead be declared a free agent, free to sign with any American team he wants. In light of Junichi Tazawa making a similar jump last year, skipping the NPB draft for America now carries a three-year ban, but Kikuchi would be the second top prospect in two years to make the leap, should he choose to do so.

I contacted Patrick Newman and Ryo Shinkawa, the authors of NPB Tracker, to ask about Kikuchi's situation.

Both agreed that because of age (Kikuchi is 18, Tazawa was 22 when he signed) Kikuchi is considered a much rawer prospect than Tazawa was last year and might not command contract on par with the three-year, $3.3 million deal he received from Boston, but that he still might command a seven-figure contract.

Given time spent in the minors, that may not represent more money than he'd make if he were to stay in Japan, though it's impossible to put a dollar figure on getting into the MLB system at the age of 18 without having to be posted or waiting to be granted free agency (which comes nine years after being drafted in Japan).

The above video is taken from Kikuchi's appearance in a high school tournament in July. His fastball clocks in anywhere between 85 and 92 mph and he seems to spot it nicely with a big, slow curve that clocks in the low 70s. He even mixes in an eephus pitch for good measure.

It's hard to really judge his talent with free-swinging high school kids batting against him, but I think a lefty with the ability to hit 90-plus on the radar gun regularly (he does at least three or four times in the inning shown above) and a breaking pitch would make him a pretty good prospect if he were an American high schooler.

It's not hard to see why an American team would be interested in signing him and adding him to their system, even with his young age.

Yusei Kikuchi Could Bypass NPB Draft For American Baseball originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Yusei KikuchiPat LackeyTue, 29 Sep 2009 15:45:00 EST MLB's 2010 Schedule Is Outhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/09/15/mlb-2010-schedule-is-out/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/09/15/mlb-2010-schedule-is-out/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/09/15/mlb-2010-schedule-is-out/#commentsFiled under:

Major League Baseball released its tentative 2010 schedule Tuesday, which opens with an April 4 Sunday night game to be determined later and runs through Oct. 3.

The only new stadium, Minnesota's Target Field, will come on line April 12 in a day game (thank goodness, since it's open-air) against Boston.

The All-Star Game is July 13 in Anaheim.

The season-opening series are Mariners at A's, Twins at Angels, Blue Jays at Rangers, Tigers at Royals, Indians at White Sox, Orioles at Rays, Yankees at Red Sox, Phillies at Nationals, Marlins at Mets, Cubs at Braves, Dodgers at Pirates, Cardinals at Reds, Rockies at Brewers, Giants at Astros, Padres at Diamondbacks.

And here are the interleague matchups (May 21-23 and the larger block June 11-27):

o. Nationals: vs. Orioles, at Indians, at Tigers, vs. White Sox, vs. Royals, at Orioles

o. Mets: vs. Yankees, at Orioles, at Indians, at Yankees, vs. Tigers, vs. Twins

o. Phillies: vs. Red Sox, at Red Sox, at Yankees, vs. Twins, vs. Indians, at Blue Jays

o. Braves: at Twins, vs. Rays, vs. Royals, at White Sox, vs. Tigers

o. Marlins: at White Sox, at Rays, vs. Rangers, vs. Rays, at Orioles

o. Pirates: at Tigers, at White Sox, vs. Indians, at Rangers, at A's

o. Reds: at Indians, vs. Royals, at Mariners, at A's, vs. Indians

o. Cubs: at Rangers, vs. White Sox, vs. A's, vs. Angels, at Mariners, at White Sox

o. Brewers: at Twins, vs. Rangers, at Angels, vs. Twins, vs. Mariners

o. Cardinals: vs. Angels, vs. Mariners, vs. A's, at Blue Jays, at Royals

o. Astros: vs. Rays, at Yankees, at Royals, vs. Rangers, at Rangers

o. Rockies: at Royals, vs. Blue Jays, at Twins, vs. Red Sox, at Angels

o. Diamondbacks: vs. Blue Jays, at Red Sox, at Tigers, vs. Yankees, at Rays

o. Dodgers: vs. Tigers, at Angels, at Red Sox, vs. Angels, vs. Yankees

o. Padres: at Mariners, vs. Mariners, vs. Blue Jays, vs. Orioles, at Rays

o. Giants: at A's, vs. A's, vs. Orioles, at Blue Jays, vs. Red Sox

o. Mariners: vs. Padres, at Padres, at Cardinals, vs. Reds, vs. Cubs, at Brewers

o. A's: vs. Giants, at Giants, at Cubs, at Cardinals, vs. Reds, vs. Pirates

o. Angels: at Cardinals, vs. Dodgers, vs. Brewers, at Cubs, at Dodgers, vs. Rockies

o. Rangers: vs. Cubs, at Brewers, at Marlins, at Astros, vs. Pirates, vs. Astros

o. Royals: vs. Rockies, at Reds, vs. Astros, at Braves, at Nationals, vs. Cardinals

o. Twins: vs. Brewers, vs. Braves, vs. Rockies, at Phillies, at Brewers, at Mets

o. White Sox: vs. Marlins, at Cubs, at Pirates, at Nationals, vs. Braves, vs. Cubs

o. Tigers: at Dodgers, vs. Pirates, vs. Nationals, vs. Diamondbacks, at Mets, at Braves

o. Indians: vs. Reds, vs. Nationals, vs. Mets, at Pirates, at Phillies, at Reds

o. Blue Jays: at Diamondbacks, at Rockies, at Padres, vs. Giants, vs. Cardinals, vs. Phillies

o. Rays: at Astros, vs. Marlins, at Braves, at Marlins, vs. Padres, vs. Diamondbacks

o. Orioles: at Nationals, vs. Mets, at Giants, at Padres, vs. Marlins, vs. Nationals

o. Yankees: at Mets, vs. Astros, vs. Phillies, vs. Mets, at Diamondbacks, at Dodgers

o. Red Sox: at Phillies, vs. Phillies, vs. Diamondbacks, vs. Dodgers, at Rockies, at Giants

MLB's 2010 Schedule Is Out originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Ed PriceTue, 15 Sep 2009 15:03:00 EST Lenny Dykstra's 1986 World Series Ring For Salehttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/09/14/lenny-dykstras-1986-world-series-ring-for-sale/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/09/14/lenny-dykstras-1986-world-series-ring-for-sale/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/09/14/lenny-dykstras-1986-world-series-ring-for-sale/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Lenny DykstraThings aren't getting any better for Lenny Dykstra. On top of being in financial ruin and living out of his car, a collection of memorabilia he accrued throughout his career is expected to go on the auction block in the near future. That collection will include the World Series ring he won with the Mets in 1986. Making matters even worse, it's not Dykstra himself that's doing the selling; it's the pawn shop he pawned the items to, then subsequently left unclaimed.

The published reports say the auction is slated to take place on Oct. 1 and 2, but you can, in fact, see the ring up for auction right now (via Darren Rovell's Twitter) and the current bid is at $9,000 and it's been steadily raising from the $7,500 it started at earlier this morning. The auction page estimates the value of the ring at $20,000- $30,000, which is where most published reports also place the value.

Things just keep piling up for Dykstra. Since we last visited his story here at FanHouse, when he claimed he was living out of his car, he's also been accused of taking a $40,000 stove from his house and trying to sell it, which he's not allowed to do because he's filed for bankruptcy. And here, I didn't even know they made $40,000 stoves. That's like 80 months of rent for me.

Of course, both the ring story and the stove story are just two small blips on the radar since Dykstra's financial collapse began about a year ago. And while I'm tempted to say that it can't get much worse for him, it seems like a new one of these stories about him breaks every month.

Lenny Dykstra's 1986 World Series Ring For Sale originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Lenny DykstraLennyDykstraPat LackeyMon, 14 Sep 2009 12:55:00 EST Baseball Brunch: Meet the Rarest Breedhttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/09/13/baseball-brunch-meet-the-rarest-breed/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/09/13/baseball-brunch-meet-the-rarest-breed/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/09/13/baseball-brunch-meet-the-rarest-breed/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ryan Ludwick / Cody RossEvery Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

Cody Ross blames his mom.

"My dad was a really good athlete (Kenny Ross, who played safety at New Mexico in the late 1960s)," said Ross, the Marlins' right fielder. "My dad was all right[-handed]. My mom's a lefty, so maybe I got that gene from her."

Ross and St. Louis' Ryan Ludwick are the only two active position players who throw left and bat right. Just 14 such players in baseball history have gotten as many as 1,000 at-bats -- and that list now includes a Hall of Famer, Rickey Henderson.

"He kind of put us on the map," Ross said.

Some of the other names are recognizable -- early 20th-century Yankees star Hal Chase, Mets outfielder Cleon Jones, and more recent players Mark Carreon, Brian Hunter and David McCarty.

Some aren't -- Rube Bressler, Johnny Cooney, Al Nixon and Delos Drake.

"I think it's something that's kind of cool, something to be proud of," Ludwick said. "It's kind of an honor to be able to be in such little company."

Why so rare? There have certainly been plenty of players who throw right and bat left (582 with 1,000 or more at-bats), so it can't be that it's hard to be opposite-handed for hitting and throwing.

The simplest explanation is that a left-handed thrower can really play only four of the eight positions -- outfield and first base -- and is even less valuable if he bats right-handed, since lefties are less common and have the advantage against right-handed pitching.

"I think being a left-handed hitter is viewed as having an advantage," Ludwick said, "so you see a lot more people who throw right and are taught to hit left because it's an advantage."

Nether Ross nor Ludwick could explain how they ended up batting right and throwing left.

"It just happened," said Ludwick, who last year joined Henderson and Jones as the only bat-right/throw-left players to make an All-Star Game. "Natural."

Said Ross: "I have no reason why I do it. Nobody ever taught me to do it."

Both tried switch-hitting as kids -- "for a minute," Ludwick said, "but I was so much better right-handed."

Said Ross, "My dad tried to get me to switch-hit when I was younger. I did for a little while. But I realized really quickly that I had a lot more power from the right side and I didn't want to waste an at-bat [left-handed]."

It's not like Ross and Ludwick can't play. Ross, 28, is third on the Marlins with 22 homers and 83 RBI. Ludwick, 31, has 20 home runs and has driven in 87 runs, both second on the Cardinals.

"I feel like you see a lot of left-handed hitters that are right-handed throwers that have a lot of pop because they're right-hand-dominant, so they can really pull that bat through the zone," Ludwick said. "So I feel like being left-hand-dominant, I can [do the same]."

The bottom hand provides the power in a swing, and some recent boppers who throw right and bat left include Jim Thome, Prince Fielder, Larry Walker, Tino Martinez, Carlos Delgado, Adam Dunn, Jason Giambi and Mo Vaughn.

But those guys who throw left and bat right -- they don't get the love.

Ludwick was a second-round draft pick out of UNLV in 1999, so he never felt a bias because of his bat/throw combination. But Ross, a fourth-rounder in the same draft out of high school in New Mexico, said it worked against him. (Louie Medina, who played 51 games in the majors while throwing left and batting right, scouted both players for that '99 draft. Medina, now a special assistant to the GM in Kansas City, was then a scout for Arizona.)

"You have scouts come to watch you," Ross said, "and I was already challenged because of my height and I wasn't your prototypical baseball player, pushing 5-10. And also throwing left and hitting right, that's a lot against you going into pro ball. Or even college. So I think it affected me a little bit when it came to drafting and stuff like that.

"It's one of those things I knew I had to overcome, and I just did. A little bump in the road."

Both Ludwick and Ross didn't get a chance to become regulars in the majors until they had gone through multiple organizations. Ludwick was traded from Oakland to Texas to Cleveland and then had to sign on with Detroit and St. Louis as a minor-league free agent.

Ross was traded from the Tigers to the Dodgers to the Reds to the Marlins, including being traded twice in 33 days in 2006.

But he didn't blame that bouncing around on throwing left-handed and batting right-handed.

"I think once I got into pro ball, I think all of that kind of goes out the window," he said. "If you can play, you can play, and they'll find a spot for you."

Overheard and Understood

-- If you think Derek Jeter's pursuit of the Yankees' franchise hits record was overblown, wait until next spring training. Because the Yankees seem intent on letting Jeter go into 2010 without a contract beyond this year, and it will be a season-long storyline next year: Is this the Captain's last year in pinstripes?

Chart of the Week
Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria became the ninth player to have 40 doubles, 30 homers and 100 RBI in a season before the age of 24:
Player Year
Hal Trosky
 1934/36
Ted Williams
 1939
Alex Rodriguez
 1996
Scott Rolen
 1998
Eric Chavez
 2001
Aramis Ramirez
 2001
Albert Pujols
 2001-03
Miguel Cabrera
 2005
Evan Longoria
 2009
Source: Rays
While it might seem good public relations and, emotionally, a no-brainer to try to lock up Jeter long-term this winter, that wouldn't be good business for the Yankees. Not that they don't want him, but Jeter will be coming off his best season in at least three years, maybe 10. So in any contract negotiations this winter, Jeter would have the upper hand. The Yankees couldn't tell Jeter they have an alternative in mind, since both sides know he'll be the team's shortstop in 2010.

And it's not like the Yankees have ever gotten any kind of hometown discount from Jeter; the sides went to arbitration in 1999, avoided arbitration in 2000 with a $10 million salary and then worked out his current 10-year, $189 million deal in February 2001. Considering what he means to the franchise -- and its fans -- Jeter now could have every right to ask for more than Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia.

The only way an extension would get done before Jeter's contract is up (or close to up) is if ownership -- the Steinbrenner brothers -- steps in. They did in the fall of 2007, after the Joe Torre fiasco, to bring back Rodriguez (after his ugly opt-out), and with Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera on above-market deals. But the Steinbrenners may realize now they overpaid then and hold firm on Jeter.

Which will make for a fascinating winter of 2010-11, because the next negotiations will determine how much Jeter makes compared to A-Rod, whether he will be signed for the same length of time (through 2017!) and -- as part of the whole equation -- whether he ever moves from shortstop, and when, and where.

-- With a new ballpark opening next year, the Twins plan to spend more this winter than in any recent offseason. They "won't be picking up the scraps" of free agency, as one person put it.

-- Washington (including its Montreal years) is the only franchise never to have had two teammates with 100 RBI in the same season, but that could be corrected this year as Adam Dunn has 99 RBI and Ryan Zimmerman has 94. Tampa Bay got its first 100-RBI duo this year, with Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena.

-- The Angels could be the first team since the 2005 Cardinals to make it through the season without a four-game losing streak.

-- Figure this: Seven of the Dodgers' final 18 games are against the Pirates. Three others are against the Nationals.

-- Arizona's Chris Young last Sunday became the first player to go into a game batting less than .200 and then hit three homers.

-- The Cubs did not gain ground on the Cardinals in any day from Aug. 3 through Thursday.

-- If the A's, who have 85 errors, can finish with fewer than 100, they will set an all-time record by doing that for the sixth straight year. The Phillies had double-digit errors from 2001 to 2005.

-- Attendance at the Mets' new Citi Field on Thursday, for a game against the Marlins, was 37,620. But the Mets estimated 20,000 no-shows and about 17,000 in the stands.

-- The Rays are promoting right-hander Jeff Niemann (12-5, 3.57 ERA) for AL Rookie of the Year. They cite that he is in the top 10 all-time for winning percentage by an AL rookie starter; the first rookie to beat Roy Halladay twice; the first rookie in 55 years to lead the defending AL champs in wins and ERA; and that he could have three more wins but for two blown two-run leads and a blown three-run lead by his bullpen.

-- Since the start of last year, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, just two AL teams have swept four series from the same opponent (three or more games). It figures that the Yankees swept the Orioles five times, but not that the Royals have swept the Tigers four times.

-- Detroit's Brent Dlugach, called up Sept. 1, is the first big-leaguer ever whose name begins with "DL." Unless you count Mike Hampton.

Baseball Brunch: Meet the Rarest Breed originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>adam dunnAdamDunnbaseball brunchBaseballBrunchBrent Dlugachcarlos penaCarlosPenachris youngChrisYoungcody rossCodyRossderek jeterDerekJeterevan longoriaEvanLongoriajeff niemannJeffNiemannrickey hendersonRickeyHendersonryan ludwickryan zimmermanRyanLudwickRyanZimmermanEd PriceSun, 13 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST Author: Mets Owners Will Eventually Sell Team to Cover Madoff Losseshttp://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/08/28/author-mets-owners-will-eventually-sell-team-to-cover-madoff-lo/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/08/28/author-mets-owners-will-eventually-sell-team-to-cover-madoff-lo/http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/08/28/author-mets-owners-will-eventually-sell-team-to-cover-madoff-lo/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Mets are in baseball's biggest market, own a cable sports network and play in a spanking new stadium. But other than a backloaded three-year, $37 million deal with Francisco Rodriguez, the Mets have hardly spent any money over the past 10 months.

I -- and even people within the organization -- have long suspected the Wilpon family that owns the Mets lost more money than they have let on to convicted Ponzi-scheming con man Bernie Madoff. That would explain the cutting corners, such as not taking a full contingent to the winter meetings, the lack of depth that helped cost them their season and the unwillingness to take on contracts midseason to try to patch together a better club.

And now the author of a book on Madoff says the Wilpons will eventually have to sell the Mets to cover their losses.
The Wilpon family, led by Mets owner Fred Wilpon, lost about $700 million because of Madoff, according to Erin Arvedlund, author of "Too Good to Be True," published earlier this month.

Arvedlund said she does not know the terms of the Wilpons' bank loans but said the losses are steep enough that a sale of the baseball team is certain.

"It's qualified by when," she said. "It's possible they would have to sell by next year."
This is a tragedy for the Wilpons. But considering how things have gone since Madoff was exposed, it might not be a bad thing for Mets fans.

Author: Mets Owners Will Eventually Sell Team to Cover Madoff Losses originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>bernie madoffBernieMadoffEd PriceFri, 28 Aug 2009 13:01:00 EST