A few quick notes
Okay, a couple of items, two even baseball related, that I need to get up before the game thread.
1. A friend of mine is starting a non-profit and needs some immediate help from an experienced web designer. If you’re interested in helping fix some code and get the site live, and can offer some assistance in the next couple of days, drop us a line.
2. John Hickey reports that Jose Guillen and the M’s are close to a three year contract extension. These negotiations haven’t been any kind of secret, and it’s been known for a while now that this was probably going to happen. It will get its own post when it becomes official, but I’m guessing it’s coming in around 3 years and $30 million, and if so, I’m on board – Guillen’s a quality player that the M’s should be interested in retaining.
3. I’m proud to have never watched one second of Dancing With The Stars, but that might change this fall – my cousin, Josie Maran, is part of the new cast. No, I have no idea how she and I came from the same gene pool, but she obviously hogged all the good looking genes. Go Josie.
4. Happy Felix Day.
Guillen’s been productive, and it’s nice to know you’ll have a productive MOTO bat for sure during the next 3 years… instead of taking your chances with two talented but unproven kids, one of which has Wily Mo Peña tools.
We all want Wlad and AJ to be monster MLB bats, but none of us know exactly how much they can give this team now or in 2008. But we’re pretty sure of what Guillen gives us, and not in the HoRam sense of ‘sure’.
That’s a lot of money, but for a team that brings in a lot of money and has a lot of talented, inexpensive kids in a lot of roster spots, that’s not too a big deal.
Also, it must be mentioned that extending Guillen is also a goodwill gesture. He performed and the team rewarded him with a nice contract extension. That reflects well on the org to others and may be seen as an encouraging sign by future free agents that could motivate good talent to sign here.
So then are we expecting to see Balentien traded? And if Ibanez moves to first, are we saying Ben and Rich are gonna be dumped?
Awesome revelation about Dave’s close relation being a supermodel. Wow.
Hope she does well in the competition.
Re the genes comments: I’ve never met Dave in person but from the photos that I remember of the recent get-together (which Jeff from LL also joined) it doesn’t seem a crazy stretch in terms of type.
3 years 30 million sounds a reasonable deal for Guillen in this market. He delivered the goods after so many acquisitions shrivelled up and died after coming to the Safe. And furthermore, there seems to be no sign that he’s holding back some pent up craziness to be unleashed once the contract’s signed.
Interesting point on the goodwill gesture. Bavasi, for all his his faults, does have a reputation for being a “good guy” who takes care of his players.
You know, I was all set to go to the game today — Felix pitching, sunshine, 80 degree weather… But after the last two nights, I just have no stomach for it. I may not even listen on the radio. Sigh.
#55
I haven’t given up hope yet. Still think there is a small chance they can back their way into the wildcard but I wouldn’t bet on it.
I could live with this if I could be convinced Bavasi won’t somehow screw up getting Sexson off the roster, and could net fungible rotation talent for Wlad.
Of course, if Antonetti’s the GM come October, I have a lot more confidence in that.
It’s not ideal to see the Mariners ride over-30 veterans until they suck, rather than ditch them a year early, but it’s defensible given that you don’t want Raul anywhere near the OF, and sticking in TWO RHB rookies in the OF in a park that’s DOOOOOOM TO RIGHTIES is probably pushing it. Guillen’s a useful player, and the contract’s not awful.