Brian Cashman has been used to dispensing big money contracts as general manager of the Yankees, but lately, the only thing he has been dishing out are excuses. As front man for the organization’s new policy of thrift, Cashman has been forced to rationalize the team’s frugality. Following the recent departure of Russell Martin, however, […]
Archive for November, 2012
Excuses Follow Russell Martin’s Exit; Time for Yankees, Cashman to Enter No Spin Zone
Posted in Baseball, Free Agents, Hot Stove, MLB, Roster Analysis, Yankees, tagged Brian Cashman on November 30, 2012 | 8 Comments »
Can Yankees Use CBA Loophole to Avoid Luxury Tax in 2014? Would Selig Let Them?
Posted in Baseball, CBA, MLB, Yankees on November 29, 2012 | 5 Comments »
Although the justification may be suspect, the Yankees’ actions this winter clearly imply that the team is serious about trimming its 2014 payroll below the $189 million competitive balance (aka luxury) tax threshold, which includes approximately $11 million in benefit expenses, leaving about $178 million left for actual salaries. Because of this pending restriction, the […]
Are Yankees Headed For Fiscal Cliff? A Closer Look at Team’s Plan to Cut Payroll
Posted in Baseball, Business and Finance, CBA, MLB, Yankees on November 28, 2012 | 13 Comments »
The Yankees’ austerity plan, which seeks to trim the team’s payroll below the $189 million luxury tax threshold by 2014, has placed the franchise in an unfamiliar position this off season. Instead of pursuing the best free agents, including re-signing several of their own, the team has eschewed long-term contracts in favor of value-laden one-year […]
Hamilton, Greinke Head Free Agent Class, but Rumored Deals Fail to Discount Risk
Posted in Baseball, Free Agents, Hot Stove, tagged Josh Hamilton, Zack Greinke on November 26, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Wish lists are a big part of the holiday season, and baseball is no exception. However, general managers around the league do not have the advantage of Black Friday bargains. Teams forced to satisfy their needs in the free agent market usually pay full price, and then some, so making an imprudent purchase can prove […]
Blue Jays, Yankees Battle in Board Room, but How Will It Spill onto the Field?
Posted in Baseball, Business and Finance, Media, MLB, Yankees, tagged Toronto Blue Jays on November 20, 2012 | 5 Comments »
The Blue Jays have almost single handedly kept the baseball hot stove burning in November. The team’s busy off season coalesced yesterday as Toronto’s blockbuster trade with the Marlins was approved, the signing of Melky Cabrera was finalized and the selection of John Gibbons as the team’s new manager (again) was revealed. The flurry of […]
Mike Trout Wins Negro Leagues Museum MVP, Joins a Legacy
Posted in Baseball, Baseball History, MLB, Negro Leagues on November 17, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
(The following was originally published at SB*Nation’s Pinstriped Bible) Mike Trout was named MVP after all. Granted, he didn’t earn that distinction from the Baseball Writers Association of American (BBWAA), but the award that will sit on his mantle is just as meaningful, having been bestowed by an organization dedicated to the rich and diverse heritage of the […]
Is 2012 MVP a Lost Battle in Two-Front WAR?
Posted in Baseball, MLB, sabermetrics on November 16, 2012 | 2 Comments »
Has sabermetrics lost the WAR? Or, is resistance to the movement’s flagship statistic a two-front battle that is no longer worth fighting? For the past several years, “sabermetricians” and “traditionalists” have battled over the relative importance of different statistics, with the award season being the most frequent battleground. In 2010, the SABR crowd won a […]