Cano to M's 10yr/240mil?

Reds · Post by **Reds** » Sun Dec 08, 2013 11:27 am

An interesting read with multiple sources.

Tigers · Post by **Tigers** » Sun Dec 08, 2013 11:36 am

Orioles wrote:Former members of the M's organization starting to speak out about how stupid and dysfunctional their front office is:
One of those speaking out is Blengino, the former No. 2 in Zduriencik’s front office. Blengino, who was working for the Milwaukee Brewers with Zduriencik at the time, said he authored virtually the entire job application package Zduriencik gave the Mariners in 2008, depicting a dual-threat candidate melding traditional scouting with advanced statistical analysis.

Blengino said he prepared the package because he was versed in the hot trend of using advanced stats for team decisions.

“Jack portrayed himself as a scouting/stats hybrid because that’s what he needed to get the job,” Blengino said. “But Jack never has understood one iota about statistical analysis. To this day, he evaluates hitters by homers, RBI and batting average and pitchers by wins and ERA. Statistical analysis was foreign to him. But he knew he needed it to get in the door.”

The Seattle Times obtained a copy of the package, which talks of rebuilding with minimal pain through shrewd drafts, undervalued free agents and a “vast pipeline of young, homegrown star-caliber talent.” Advanced stats charts ranked every major-leaguer and top minor-leaguers, while computer spreadsheets depicted each team’s positional depth and payroll commitments.
http://seattletimes.com/html/mariners/2 ... 08xml.html

Explains a lot about the decisions that franchise has made in the past few years. The M's dysfunction is in stark contrast to how well run the Seahawks organization is. It all starts at the top.

BlueJays · Post by **BlueJays** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:06 am

So we're about to break camp, how much sense does the Cano signing make now?

Their team still looks pretty awful. The Cano signing would have made much more sense if they were more bullish on bringing in other pieces.

And Jack Z is really looking like the shitty supervisor at that shitty company you once worked for and hated. Randy Wolf was notified yesterday that he performed well enough in ST after missing a year to make the rotation... only if he agreed to sign some 45 day release consent that would allow the M's to release him or send him to the minors within the first 45 days of the season.

So essentially they lured him in with the promise of a guaranteed MLB contract if he makes the team, but then last minute they're like "Oh, actually we'd like to be allowed to get rid of you after a month or so once Walker and Iwakuma are back".

Jack Z explained it as:

"All we did was ask Randy to sign the 45-day clause, which is very common," said Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik. "It's not unusual; it happens a lot. All it does is give us a degree of protection. We didn't have any fear of anything happening with Randy, but he hasn't been on the mound in a Major League Baseball game [since 2012]. We think he's going to be fine, but there's the unknown of a veteran guy that hasn't pitched for a year and a half.

"We made it reasonably clear yesterday that we'd give him the opportunity to break with us, but we also wanted him to sign the 45-day clause for that to happen, and he refused to do it," Zduriencik said. "He had his reasons why. Again, we were within our legal rights under baseball's Basic Agreement, and that's where the misunderstanding came in.

Randy didn't agree

"I principally objected to that, simply because we negotiated in good faith in February on a very team-friendly contract if I were to make the team," Wolf said. "I felt like I came in in amazing shape, I pitched great, I earned a spot on the team. They told me I earned a spot on the team and, to me, that advanced-consent thing is kind of renegotiating the contract. So I told them I wouldn't sign it. I disagreed with that."

When, as management, you have to explain a decision as being "well within your right", that just reaks of poor management. Good for Randy. Sure, Z may have been well within his right, but it doesn't mean Wolf has to bend over for him. There's plenty of blown out elbows this spring that Wolf should be able to catch on somewhere. After releasing Garcia, maybe the Braves will give him a call. Z may have been within his right to do what he did, but now he's going to have to start the season with 1 veteran and 4 huge question marks with no real insurance after that. People may argue that the M's were just trying to protect themselves, but the contract they signed was very team friendly to begin with, and when you consider the injury situations with Walker and Iwakuma, it's pretty obvious they just wanted to be able to end the contract as soon as possible once those arms returned.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/vet ... y=news_mlb

Phillies · Post by **Phillies** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 9:04 am

Orioles wrote:So we're about to break camp, how much sense does the Cano signing make now?

Their team still looks pretty awful. The Cano signing would have made much more sense if they were more bullish on bringing in other pieces.

And Jack Z is really looking like the shitty supervisor at that shitty company you once worked for and hated. Randy Wolf was notified yesterday that he performed well enough in ST after missing a year to make the rotation... only if he agreed to sign some 45 day release consent that would allow the M's to release him or send him to the minors within the first 45 days of the season.

So essentially they lured him in with the promise of a guaranteed MLB contract if he makes the team, but then last minute they're like "Oh, actually we'd like to be allowed to get rid of you after a month or so once Walker and Iwakuma are back".

Jack Z explained it as:
"All we did was ask Randy to sign the 45-day clause, which is very common," said Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik. "It's not unusual; it happens a lot. All it does is give us a degree of protection. We didn't have any fear of anything happening with Randy, but he hasn't been on the mound in a Major League Baseball game [since 2012]. We think he's going to be fine, but there's the unknown of a veteran guy that hasn't pitched for a year and a half.

"We made it reasonably clear yesterday that we'd give him the opportunity to break with us, but we also wanted him to sign the 45-day clause for that to happen, and he refused to do it," Zduriencik said. "He had his reasons why. Again, we were within our legal rights under baseball's Basic Agreement, and that's where the misunderstanding came in.
Randy didn't agree
"I principally objected to that, simply because we negotiated in good faith in February on a very team-friendly contract if I were to make the team," Wolf said. "I felt like I came in in amazing shape, I pitched great, I earned a spot on the team. They told me I earned a spot on the team and, to me, that advanced-consent thing is kind of renegotiating the contract. So I told them I wouldn't sign it. I disagreed with that."

When, as management, you have to explain a decision as being "well within your right", that just reaks of poor management. Good for Randy. Sure, Z may have been well within his right, but it doesn't mean Wolf has to bend over for him. There's plenty of blown out elbows this spring that Wolf should be able to catch on somewhere. After releasing Garcia, maybe the Braves will give him a call. Z may have been within his right to do what he did, but now he's going to have to start the season with 1 veteran and 4 huge question marks with no real insurance after that. People may argue that the M's were just trying to protect themselves, but the contract they signed was very team friendly to begin with, and when you consider the injury situations with Walker and Iwakuma, it's pretty obvious they just wanted to be able to end the contract as soon as possible once those arms returned.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/vet ... y=news_mlb

I feel like he almost has to be signing with the Phillies, right? Abreu, now Wolf? It only makes sense. Go Phils!

Rockies · Post by **Rockies** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:35 am

Jack Z is an idiot. The Mariners front office is a fucking mess. A joke. Sad times to be an Ms fan.

Tigers · Post by **Tigers** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 11:06 am

Did I mention that they don't run the M's like they do the Seahawks?

The M's need to have someone that is interested in the team and in winning a championship buy the organization out from the trust.

BlueJays · Post by **BlueJays** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:42 am

Boooo Robinson
http://thebiglead.com/2014/04/29/yankee ... ever-done/

BlueJays · Post by **BlueJays** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 8:18 am

Lots of boos last night from the Yankees fan base who were upset that another team stole their player by using a ton of money... the irony is not lost on me.

WhiteSox · Post by **WhiteSox** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 8:32 am

There was NO one at that game last night.

BlueJays · Post by **BlueJays** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 8:39 am

Yankees wrote:There was NO one at that game last night.

Yea, I was going to point that out (from what I saw in the replays), but I figured there had to have been a 3 hour rain delay or something. Was that a regular game time start?

Anyway, the couple dozen or so who were in the stands, booed with all their might.

WhiteSox · Post by **WhiteSox** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:27 am

Pretty sure the game started on time, but the weather in NYC was cold and raining --- all of the really expensive seats behind the plate were empty and most of the rest of the stadium.

I figured more fans would turn out to boo Cano. And to watch IBC Yank Brad Miller (who was benched again!)

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:27 am

Orioles wrote:Lots of boos last night from the Yankees fan base who were upset that another team stole their player by using a ton of money... the irony is not lost on me.

Thought the same thing with all the "Robbie returns to New York" talk and fans being bitter. How many players have left to go to New York for the money? Knuckleheads...

Cardinals · Post by **Cardinals** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:53 am

I much rather go to Citi Field than Yankee stadium, for what it's worth.

BlueJays · Post by **BlueJays** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:01 am

That reminds me of this article I saw where they rank MLB stadiums based on Yelp reviews, the writer ripped on new Yankee Stadium pretty good and said Citi is better as well.

http://www.rsvlts.com/2013/10/21/mlb-ba ... p-ranking/

Cardinals · Post by **Cardinals** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:03 am

"PNC Park is by far the best stadium in baseball. The skyline view in the outfield is breathtaking and the cheap upper deck seats are some of the best in baseball. When you visit Pittsburgh be sure to park your car downtown and walk over the Roberto Clemente Bridge."

IBC Pirates are a big hit.

BlueJays · Post by **BlueJays** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:21 am

Another Yankee Stadium related article
http://www.hardballtimes.com/the-great- ... t-of-2009/

I've sat in "luxury" seats behind home plate at GABP in Cincy before... and it was great and all, but I STRONGLY disapprove of "luxury seating" behind home plate. If you need to praise the shitheads willing to dish out stupid amounts of money so that they can hang out behind home plate and not pay attention, build some more luxury boxes and party patios elsewhere and stuff them away there. Those troughs that separate the elite (mostly in the form of companies treating clients or executives who couldn't give 2 shits about the game) from paying fans not only pisses everybody off, but it also eliminates a lot of seating. I can't believe the Yankee Stadium apartheid extends all the way past the dugouts.

That seating is the most visible on TV. Do you want your home games to appear packed and full of your team's colors, or mostly empty and spotted with suits and douchebags wearing their popped collar lacoste polos chatting on their cell phones the whole game?

Crap like that is what makes Wrigley still my favorite stadium to visit. It smells bad. You pee in troughs (tho last time I was there, I saw they added some urinals), but you actually feel like you're at a baseball game and there's no segregation.

Guardians · Post by **Guardians** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 10:21 am

The top three parks on that list are the three I want to see the most. Obviously, Fenway is the best park in baseball and to say otherwise is blasphemy.

Pirates · Post by **Pirates** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 3:36 pm

I know a few people who went last night and it was freezing and raining all night. While I 100% agree with you, Steven, unfortunately for teams now-a-days $$$$$ trumps all. Most of those seats are already bought out for the entire year. When I was younger, clients or my dads company would give him tickets to any NY sports game, all the time. They were either in the luxury box or the first 10 rows of the arena\stadium. I know that many times if he didn't take them, nobody would go. Its a tough sell, especially in the cold, for someone who most likely works in the city and lives in NJ, Long Island or Westchester.

One of my favorite parts of hockey was having a goal judge sit behind the net and actually determining if a goal was scored and pushing a button. Unfortunately those were also removed to make room for what, 10 more "luxury" seats.

BlueJays · Post by **BlueJays** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 3:46 pm

It's like watching a Red Wings game on TV. They'll brag about how all their games are sold out, and then you notice half the seats in the lower bowl are empty. It's because they're all owned by companies and often their people don't want to go. When I was with Chrysler, I was getting asked by suppliers about once a week if I wanted their tickets for that night.

That's why I like the Blues so much. Their tickets are fairly affordable (even I had a season ticket package), so you get all types of people there and they're all just excited to be at the game. You get college kids, blue collar people, and even gasp! People who aren't white! Go to a Red Wings game, and they're all middle aged white people occasionally with their kids. Hockey is all about getting drunk and yelling at ice. Those people are completely sober and just worried about traffic on I-75 to get back to white suburbia.

Pirates · Post by **Pirates** » Wed Apr 30, 2014 3:55 pm

Any event at MSG is completely unaffordable. I haven't been able to go to a Rangers game in about 3 years because the cheapest ticket is $75 and thats for the catwalks that they just built in the ceiling. Same goes for the Yankees and the Knicks. I go to probably 10 mets games a year because we can get on stubhub tickets in the front row in Left Field for only $25