First, the closer:

 

The Giants have reached a tentative agreement with Armando Benitez on a three-year contract worth about $21 million, The San Francisco Chronicle reports. If Benitez passes his physical, the deal could be announced as soon as Tuesday. Benitez turned down an offer to return to the Marlins for one year at $5 million, plus a 2006 option worth $6 million.

 

And now, the outgoing starter:

 

The Yankees will play host to Carl Pavano this weekend in New York, as the right-hander continues his tour of the country and interested teams. According to the Newark Star-Ledger, the Yankees believe Pavano will sign elsewhere (Marlins or Red Sox), but they plan to monitor his situation in case something falls through with one of their other targets.

 

Pavano's free-agent tour has been called "Carlpalooza" by the Seattle Times. "It's a fact-finding mission," agent Scott Shapiro told the Detroit News. "Carl wants to check out the ballparks, the resources each team makes available to pitchers to assist in their preparation (such as their video systems). Plus, he also wants to speak with the trainers and the pitching coach."

 

His possible replacement:

The Yankees appear likely to sign Al Leiter, ESPN.com's Peter Gammons reported. Leiter balked at the Mets' offer: one-year for $4 million with another $4 million possible in incentives. The Newark Star-Ledger reports the Yanks will sign Leiter whenever the left-hander decides he's finished talking with the Mets.

 

"The deal shouldn't be very complicated once he decides to do it," a baseball official close to the negotiations told the newspaper. Leiter will likely be offered a one-year deal for between $5 million and $6 million.

 

The signing of Leiter won't preclude the Yankees from signing free-agent left-hander Eric Milton, with whom they've been negotiating a three-year contract.

 

I'm starting to greatly dislike offseasons :confused

Here's something we may be able to look into:

 

Matt Morris - S - STL?

 

Free agent Matt Morris will undergo shoulder surgery today to repair some fraying of his labrum.

 

And there go Morris's chances of landing a big contract. He probably won't be 100 percent for the start of spring training, although he hopes he'll be ready to go at the beginning of the regular season. For the moment, Morris has instructed his agent not to pursue any deals. He eventually intends to sign an incentive-laden one-year deal with a team -- maybe the Cardinals -- in order to rebuild his value heading into 2006.

Nov. 30 - 3:49 am et

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

I like the Matt Morris idea. The guy needs one year to prove he is healthy. Sounds like Pudge/Benitez.

Why not offer incentive deals to Morris, Nen and Magglio?

 

Hell, the three of them healthy could make us the best team in the NL, and if they're not healthy, we're no worse than we are now...

It's a good plan, but I doubt the FO makes a move on Nen. They are probably very sold on Mota closing this year.

 

The other two are a nice possibility, though. Load the deal with a low base salary but a high ceiling for incentives, and a deal with at least one if not both could be struck. Then you just hope one likes it enough here to stay, and if anything you can dump them at the trading deadline if for some reason the team is doing poorly.

I like the Matt Morris idea. The guy needs one year to prove he is healthy. Sounds like Pudge/Benitez.

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I like it...it's worked so far. I doubt the Cards will offer more than 4 or 5 million, if we up it another million or two or so I think it could be a steal. Beinfest would rather overpay for one season's worth of play than give out thick contracts for several years...it makes some sense as the short contracts are meant as buffers until our minor league talent is ready to play at the Major League level.

i hate it.

 

 

i love matty...but i hate this stupid come here for a year, do well and then leave plans.

 

 

when did we become a pitstop for players on their career journey...instead of becoming an ending point. stupid stupid stupid.

 

 

we should of resigned our core 2 years ago instead of being 'finanically prudent' it will hurt us soon enough.

 

 

first penny, now pavano..next out the door will be burnett and beckett.

 

 

great.

Pavs is getting wined and diner. Let him enjoy it. I'm sure the teams are sparing no expense to impress him.

 

That the Yankees think he will sign elsewhere is great. If he ditches us and the owner that supported him when times where rough (Loria) for that liar scumbag called John Henry, so be it.

the owner that supported him when times where rough (Loria) for that liar scumbag called John Henry, so be it.

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Yeah Loria is a great human being, let me tell you....

 

:plain

Buh Bye Big Papi.

the owner that supported him when times where rough (Loria) for that liar scumbag called John Henry, so be it.

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Yeah Loria is a great human being, let me tell you....

 

:plain

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To Pavs he was.

Why not offer incentive deals to Morris, Nen and Magglio?

 

Hell, the three of them healthy could make us the best team in the NL, and if they're not healthy, we're no worse than we are now...

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Magglio will get a big deal somewhere. It's not like he's made of glass; he only missed half of one season, it just happened to be his contract year.

 

And if we sign Morris, I'd like to be bold and offer him 2 years $6 Million guarenteed. I don't want to pull another Armando Benitez and have him end up winning the Cy Young or something and leaving us for a gigantic deal. Hopefully if he has a big year or two here, he'll re-sign for a little less out of loyalty for the only team who would offer him something stable.

If we don' t get Dunn I will post a thread about every HR he hits, and a thread about every blister and every loss Josh gets.

 

I should have done this about Vlad this year since I think we balked at getting him too.

nothing new really. im pretty sure Pavz is leaving. its just torturing because i need to know for a fact. about benitez leaving, its devastating, and im still hanging on to hope. pathetic, i know.

I should have done this about Vlad this year since I think we balked at getting him too.

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They beyond balked. He basically gift wrapped it for them.

I should have done this about Vlad this year since I think we balked at getting him too.

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They beyond balked. He basically gift wrapped it for them.

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Probably, I try not to think about it to much because it enfuriates me. If they signed him they would be as close to a shoe in repeat champion as they could have gotten.

OMG I

I should have done this about Vlad this year since I think we balked at getting him too.

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They beyond balked. He basically gift wrapped it for them.

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I think that it was the first time that negotiations basically occured in the media.

 

Vlad: "I want to play in Miami"

 

Beinfest: "mmmm, how about a one year deal?"

 

Vlad's agent: "No"

 

Vlad: "Please, I'll sign, just give me two more years on the deal."

 

Beinfest: "jee, well, I dunno"

 

:banghead

I'm going to be miss Armando, even though he was only here for a short time I really enjoyed. Armando blowing fastballs past confused hitters and coming throught with perfect innnings night after night were some of the highlights of the season.

I know you're being sarcastic, but this really is great news.

 

At best we could have signed just one of Pavano and Benitez. Although more likely, as confirmed by today's reports, neither would've come back. Thanks to Armando the the Giants signing early, the Marlins now get the Giants' draft picks plus have the available funds to risk offering Pavano arbitration and collecting the draft picks from whatever team signs him too. Those picks will go a long way to replenishing the farm system.

 

And let's face it, there are better pitchers than Leiter for $7M.

I should have done this about Vlad this year since I think we balked at getting him too.

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They beyond balked. He basically gift wrapped it for them.

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I thought Edcanes said that the Players Union suggested Vlad not to take the Marlins' offer.

Thanks to Armando the the Giants signing early, the Marlins now get the Giants' draft picks plus have the available funds to risk offering Pavano arbitration and collecting the draft picks from whatever team signs him too. Those picks will go a long way to replenishing the farm system.

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Problem is, Giants signed Omar Vizquel first. If the Indians offered him arby, they get the better pick.

It's not that they signed Vizquel first. It's that the Indians had the worse record.

 

Still... a first, second and two inbetweeners is pretty good compared than getting two and seeing both players leave anyway. Also consider that the Giants, a challenger for the NL Wild Card, now will no longer have the cash to add a Moises Alou or bat to protect Bonds. All things considered this was a good day for the Marlins

If we don' t get Dunn I will post a thread about every HR he hits, and a thread about every blister and every loss Josh gets.

 

I should have done this about Vlad this year since I think we balked at getting him too.

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I don't think anyone objected to signing Vlad...

As it stands now I believe the Marlins still get the Giants and there own pick in the first round regardless of where the Indians pick. It's not the order of the picks that determines who get's the Giants first pick it's the Elias ranking of the player lost.