Theres an article on Vlad. and how its going to be hard for him to try to get the big bucks this year which may help the Marlins sign him if Pudge decides to sign elsewhere. I dont have Insider. If someone who does can copy and paste in this thread i would appreciate it. Thanks!

Let me go get it for you.....

In the winter of 2000, when players and agents were driving the free-agent bus, Jeff Moorad shopped Manny Ramirez in full view of an ESPN camera crew. The mini-documentary, "Manny's $160 Million Adventure," featured a telephone conversation between Moorad and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who unwittingly expressed interest in Ramirez while the cameras were rolling.

 

"Now we've got our 300-pound gorilla," Moorad said, as he hung up the phone.

 

Moorad was just adhering to Chapter 1, Rule 1 of the agents' handbook: When the objective is negotiating the best possible deal for a star, it pays to get the New York teams involved as quickly as possible.

 

Times have changed. In a free-agent market this slow, no agent would be cocky enough to put a courtship on public display. And gorillas, regardless of their weight, don't look so menacing these days.

 

Vladimir Guerrero is the only player young, talented and accomplished enough to set the standard for free agents this winter, and so far, New York isn't biting. The Mets are afraid to overspend for anyone after getting burned by so many big contracts. And when agent Fernando Cuza called Cashman and told him Guerrero was looking for an eight-year contract, Cashman privately bailed. Then he publicly bailed.

 

"He's a 27-year-old premier free-agent outfielder, and I've got a lot of guys on very large contracts," Cashman told Insider. "Not that we're not interested in Vladimir Guerrero, but our current commitments negate us from being a player on him."

 

 

Vladimir Guerrero hasn't been able to get the Mets or Yankees to help drive up his price.

Ironically, Gary Sheffield, who is going sans agent this winter, had a nice fling in the New York papers last week through his Tampa-Doc Gooden connection. It actually helps Sheffield's cause that he's 35 and in no position to ask for a deal beyond two or three years.

 

Guerrero, in contrast, is picking the wrong time to be seeking a contract through 2010 or 2011. He might also be the wrong guy. To this point, he's generated incredibly little buzz for a player of his ability.

 

"He's always played extremely hard, but when you invest that much money in a player, what extra things can you expect as far as media appeal and leadership?" said an American League executive. "For that amount of money, to what extent are you now a part owner in the franchise, not just a guy who plays hard at 7:05?"

 

An American League assistant GM said Cuza might be wise to try to engage the Yankees in a dialogue about a short-term deal, just to inject the New York element and build some momentum. Cuza didn't return calls seeking comment.

 

While Cashman would prefer to make his personnel decisions in a vacuum, there's always the George Steinbrenner factor to consider. But even Steinbrenner might be wary, now that teams, not players, finally have the leverage, of letting agents and players use the Yankees to jack up their price.

 

"Brian realizes what people are trying to do to him," the assistant GM said. "He's not oblivious to it. But he can afford to have flexibility when he has options. It's different when George tells him, 'Brian, you absolutely need to get this guy. You can't lose him.' Then Brian can't be seen in the paper as saying, 'We'll take a pass.' "

 

Most baseball people continue to insist that Guerrero is too shy and withdrawn to thrive in New York. Would Baltimore or Los Angeles be better fits? Perhaps. Now the word floating around is that Guerrero's mother will play a pivotal role in his decision, and she's wary of him going to the big city.

 

Cashman, for one, doesn't buy the notion that Guerrero is temperamentally unsuited to succeed in New York.

 

"Jimmy Key came in from Alabama," Cashman said. "Don Mattingly came from rural Indiana. Paul O'Neill came from Cincinnati. And they all kicked a** here. Bobby Bonilla is from the Bronx and struggled mightily in this town. So who's to say who can handle things and tough it out here, and who can't? It's a crapshoot."

 

Unless Guerrero's demands drop -- at least in terms of length of contract -- the Yankees are basing their decision to pass strictly on economics. For now, at least, the 300-pound gorilla is sitting this one out.

 

 

Hot Toddy

The Todd Walker market is starting to heat up. Walker, who lives in Colorado, has a meeting scheduled with Kansas City GM Allard Baird on Dec. 3 in Denver. The Royals are considering Walker as a possible replacement for third baseman Joe Randa, who might leave through free agency.

 

Todd Walker's bat is an asset, but what about his glove?

That's not all. Tampa Bay is interested in Walker as a third baseman and DH. San Francisco and the Chicago Cubs are considering him at first base, and the Mets are looking at him at second in case things don't work out with Luis Castillo. The Indians would be interested too, but they claim Walker is too expensive for their budget.

 

Walker, who hit .283 with 13 homers and 85 RBI for Boston last year, wants a contract in the neighborhood of the three-year, $13.25 million deal that outfielder Raul Ibanez received from Seattle last week. While he's willing to accept a position switch, he'd prefer playing for a marquee team.

 

"Most guys would love to bask in the obscurity of Tampa Bay or Kansas City," said Walker's agent, Alan Meersand. "This is a guy who wants to play for a big-market club like the Yankees, the Mets, the Cubs, the White Sox, the Dodgers or the Red Sox. This is his first choice."

 

Meersand says he's mystified that so many teams seem to prefer Castillo, who hit six homers and drove in 39 runs for Florida in 2003, over Walker. Defense is definitely part of the equation: Castillo just won a Gold Glove, while Walker lacks range at second and has what one AL front-office man calls a "spotty" glove.

 

"I don't know what baseball planet these guys are from who are doing the judging, but the planet I come from tells me (13 and 85) are a lot better than 6 and 39," Meersand said. "Does Luis Castillo save that many runs with his defense? Maybe I'm missing something. But this guy must be an absolute human vacuum cleaner for teams to be telling me what they're telling me."

 

 

Around the game

 

Before signing a one-year, $2.2 million contract with Toronto last week, pitcher Pat Hentgen fended off a late charge from the Tigers. Detroit manager Alan Trammell and bench coach Kirk Gibson both called Hentgen at home and tried to convince him to sign with the Tigers, but Hentgen passed.

 

Minnesota scouts are watching first base prospect Justin Morneau in winter ball in Puerto Rico to determine if he's ready to make the jump to the big leagues. The Twins think Morneau is capable of replacing Doug Mientkiewicz offensively but question whether he can do the job defensively.

Jermaine Dye

Right Field

Oakland Athletics

Profile

 

 

2003 SEASON STATISTICS

GM HR RBI R SB AVG

65 4 20 28 1 .172

 

 

 

As the Athletics welcome Bobby Kielty and wait to see if Mark Kotsay will pass a physical exam to complete a trade with San Diego, scouts speak almost mournfully of Jermaine Dye's steep decline at age 29. It's been two years since Dye fouled a ball off his left leg and broke his tibia, but the consensus is he hasn't been the same. "I wouldn't say he's gone into slow motion, but it's like he doesn't have the same body quickness," said an NL scout. "Maybe he's tentative. It's just a weird thing. It's like he's gotten old real fast."

 

Milwaukee first base prospect Prince Fielder, who hit .313 with 27 homers and 112 RBI for Beloit in the low-A Midwest League, might skip the California League and begin next season at Double-A Huntsville. "If he shows in spring training that his defense has gotten a little better, he'll get the opportunity," said Brewers farm director Reid Nichols. "He will be a force in Double A."

Jerry Crasnick has covered baseball for the Cincinnati Post, the Denver Post and Bloomberg News Service. He has joined ESPN Insider as a regular contributor and can be reached via e-mail.

Thanks Juanky!

Since I'm to lazy to read the whole thing, can someone post the highlights of it, or Juanky, can you bold the important stuff?

Since I'm to lazy to read the whole thing, can someone post the highlights of it, or Juanky, can you bold the important stuff?

Vladimir can't get an offer. He tried to get an 8-year offer from the Yankees to set the market, they basically laughed at him. So far, there's little-to-no interest in Vlad.

 

There's you summary, lazy a**. :thumbup

do you mind if he pre-chews your elio's pizza for you while he's at it? :lol

Nothing about us making an offer?

Nothing about us making an offer?

No.

 

And for the record, you could have read the article in the time you waited for these answers.

Since I'm to lazy to read the whole thing, can someone post the highlights of it, or Juanky, can you bold the important stuff?

pa the tic

There. Despite the horrible and tremendous laziness and apathy on your part Josh, I bolded the important parts of the Vlad part for you. There are other parts to the article though.

Geez...

No wonder Wildcard talks out of his a** he doesnt read anything. :banghead

Since I'm to lazy to read the whole thing, can someone post the highlights of it, or Juanky, can you bold the important stuff?

just read it!

 

dont be lazy! :banghead

Gee. I'm too lazy also, could you highlight anything to do with Todd Walker, Luis Castillo, and all agents named in the Pre-emptive elio's pizza attack?

 

a columnist to lasy to read a very intresting article ... wht kinda pieze of sh*t columnist are u/ WC?

not a very good one i guess.

 

:lol