What’s with all the Rangers / Phillies connections the last 12 months? Are there any other teams out there? Did someone forget to tell me the other 28 teams were contracted or something?
According to ESPN, Adam Eaton signed a 3 year deal today with the Phillies reportedly worth $24 million, with a fourth year team option which is supposed to bring the contract value up to $33 million.
Given 2006… Amazing. Just amazing.
Phillies & Rangers “sort of” make another trade
A couple of weeks ago, the Rangers hired former A’s manager Art Howe as bench coach. He had already been hired by the Phillies to be their first base coach. With former Rangers bench coach Don Wakamatsu accepting a “demotion” to third base coach, that pushed out former third base coach Steve Smith.
Steve Smith was hired today by the Phillies to be their third base coach, which was vacated by Art Howe’s departure for Texas.
So it’s not a real trade, but a “sorta” trade. :)
Carlos Lee to the Astros
From the “no surprise there” department, Carlos Lee has signed a deal with the Houston Astros. Supposedly a six year deal, depending on which story you read, it’s either $73 million, $85 million, or $100 million. I guess we’ll find out soon enough, the contract is supposed to be signed later tonight.
This will make Jamey Newberg very happy. :) I’m also for it as I also like following the Astros. Plus it will bring Lee back each year to let a few balls drop in front of him for hits in Arlington.
The draft impact for us is now we get the Astros #17 pick, which effectively is a wash against the #16 pick we gave up for signing Frank Catalanotto. Assuming the Astros or Angels don’t sign a higher rated free agent, we’ll have #17 & #24 in the first round of the 2007 draft, as well as three sandwich picks.
{Homer}Mmmmm.. Sandwich… Awhhhhhhhhhh {/Homer}
UPDATE: Here is an amusing story over at a Cardinals fan’s website on the Lee signing. I particularly enjoyed this line: Throwing $100 mil at a corpulent left fielder who has the range of a narcoleptic cow and a career OPS of .835 doesn’t quite add up to me..
Scott Rice
- P Scott Rice signed to a minor league contract with an invite to spring training [ Link ]
GMJ to Anaheim
Well, the shoe has finally fallen. Gary Matthews Jr has gotten a 5 year, $50 million deal from the Anaheim California Angels of Los Angeles of California. I wanted to see Matthews stay as much as the next Ranger fan – but yikes. Not THAT much.
This is another of those off seasons where contracts are way out of whack. Soriano? Pierre? Jeez.
I wonder if Matthews will stay productive that long – 5 years is a long time for a career journeyman until 2006. Good luck, GMJ.
UPDATE: Dave over at USS Mariner has a great look at GMJ’s career to date. Check it out.
Ryan Howard
Saw a minute or two ago that Ryan Howard was named MVP of the NL for 2006. As a Phillies fan in addition to a Rangers fan, I have to admit I had a bit of the homer choice there. :)
It is an accomplishment – I heard on XM’s Home Plate channel last week that if Howard did get it, he’d be one of only a few players in MLB history to be crowed rookie of the year and then league MVP the following year. Cal Ripken did it, I forget who the other was (memory says it’s just one other guy).
I think Pujols probably would have gotten it had he stayed healthy all season.
P.S. Wanted to say hi to the guy who works at the Garland Firewheel Build a Bear Store. I was in there Sat night making a bear for my daughter, and he recognized me. Yo! :)
Frank Catalanotto
Rangers make some moves
The biggest of the last few days came tonight while I was at church at my discipleship class. Frank Catalanotto has returned to the Rangers pending a physical. The deal is for three years, $13 million (similar money that DeRosa got from the Cubs). The Rangers hold a team option fourth year. This is probably a hedge against GMJ going elsewhere, which unfortunately looks pretty likely. Most Ranger fans were sorry to see Little Cat go, I know my wife was. I enjoyed him myself during his time here, so that will be a nice return. So we still do have something from the Juan Gonzalez trade! (Granted, its’ via free agency, but still… :) )
A few days back, we signed Miguel Ojeda to a contract for 2007, virtually assuring that Rod Barajas will not be back. I didn’t see enough of Ojeda to have any real comments on him, but it’s probably the signing we had to make for a backup (although I admit I was hoping they’d sign Gregg Zaun).
The Texas Rangers also signed RHP Franklyn German and INF Ramon Vazquez to minor league contracts with invites to spring training. I admittedly do not know much about these two. There was more on them in a recent Newberg report.
We also signed LHP Matt Merricks and INF David Matranga to minor league contracts. I know a little about Matranga, having driven down to Round Rock a few times and seeing him play there for the Express. Neither of these strike me as much else besides roster filler. If they do get to the bigs, I can’t imagine it will be for much more than a cup of coffee.
There was also word this past week that Jon Daniels is hopeful that we can resign Vicente Padilla. I wonder if the change in managers will make a difference in his surly behavior. Maybe not, but as long as he pitches well, I guess it doesn’t really matter, eh?
Soriano signs with Cubs
Apparently Alfonso Soriano signed with the Cubs tonight, a reported 8 year $136 million dollar deal. That’s a lot of dough. The Cubs are throwing a lot of money around. I wonder if the curse will cancel all that out. :)
Eek. I was hoping my hometown Phillies would sign him. Oh well.
German & Vazquez
- RHP Franklyn German signed to a 1 year minor league contract w/invite to spring training
- INF Ramon Vazquez signed to a 1 year minor league contract w/invite to spring training
- LHP Matt Merricks signed to a 1 year minor league contract
- IF David Matranga signed to a 1 year minor league contract [ link ]
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