Comments on: Silver lining: it’s possible the Papelbon signing won’t cost the Phillies a draft pick

By: Charles Gates

Charles Gates — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 15:15:58 +0000

The Phillies are the new ‘what’s wrong with baseball,’ as in they’re the Yankees of old spending too much money on big name free agents so that small market teams can no longer compete.

By: drmonkeyarmy

drmonkeyarmy — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 15:14:16 +0000

In fact, of Uribe’s 155 career HR, only 6 are to right field. Furthermore, he hadn’t hit an opposite field HR since 2007 before that at bat.

By: drmonkeyarmy

drmonkeyarmy — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 15:09:53 +0000

Yeah really…who really cares about payroll at this point. If they plan to upgrade at needed positions, they will go over the luxury tax anyway. I say, sign everybody…worry about the consequences later.

By: Jack Marshall

Jack Marshall — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 06:33:07 +0000

Papelbon had an awful year in 2010, and it was sandwiched between him blowing games in the two most important Sox must-win contests of 2009 and 2011, to end the play-offs in ’09, and the season in ’11. He’s still an eliete closer, but the Sox should be able to fill his slot without losing anything, and keeping some cash in the bargain.

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 03:57:44 +0000

Even if he accepts, he’ll get what, $10M for a year? And having two really good relievers at 8th and 9th isn’t a bad thing.

By: dreadpiratesteve

dreadpiratesteve — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 03:20:58 +0000

Gotta agree with Stairs on this. I read this site daily but rarely comment. It seems to me though that Craig is trashed frequently for no good reason…

And it was a BAD move by the Phils. Common sense must have gotten Veteran’s Day off too.

By: cur68

cur68 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 01:41:41 +0000

I got $10 Canadian on “Cholly’svoicecoacht”. If he can stick to baseball, I don’t mind him at all.

By: cur68

cur68 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 01:33:42 +0000

^this^

By: El Bravo

El Bravo — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 01:27:36 +0000

Craig, he toed the line on racial and other offensive fronts for quite some time AFTER you temporarily banned him in the first place. To be honest, you should have stuck with your first move, because you’ve now been fooled twice.

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 01:23:38 +0000

huh? Yes you can. The deadline for offering arbitration is another two weeks as well, so teams can offer arbitration even after the player has signed a deal with the new team.

By: faccda01

faccda01 — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 01:00:32 +0000

MattStairs, if you want to see brainless, I suggest you re-read your post. Regressing every year from 07 to 11, except in 11? Doesnt sound like regessing to me. He is way more experienced than Madson, and if the Phils are going to shell out money for a closer, Pap is thr guy you give it to.
It is way to much money, but lost in the contract is the player they have gotten. With that rotation, you want a shutdown closer, which is what they bought. Madson was terrible in the closer role until this year, Pap has always been a stud.

By: Jonny 5

Jonny 5 — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 23:52:04 +0000

copo, thank you. Ive been trying tell people that. Offer arbitration and get picks when he declines. It’s win win with the draft picks, unless he accepts arbitration (doubtful), then they trade him for a draft pick.

By: natstowngreg

natstowngreg — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 23:48:04 +0000

You can’t offer arbitration to a free agent.

By: Francisco (FC)

Francisco (FC) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 23:33:15 +0000

Could it be they are colluding to swap closers, exchange draft picks and get compensatory ones? Basically creating draft picks out of thin air? Is this a manipulation? OTOH Did Boston offer Papelbon Arbitration? If they haven’t already they must be running to get it filed!

By: Reflex

Reflex — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 23:05:57 +0000

Thank you.

By: drmonkeyarmy

drmonkeyarmy — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:50:25 +0000

The pitch to Uribe was a good pitch. Uribe had not hit an opposite field HR in a ridiculous amount of time…it happens. He throw the pitch exactly where he wanted it and where Chooch called for it, Uribe just did the unexpected.

By: eaglebobby

eaglebobby — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:44:18 +0000

There are reasons why Papelbon got the payday he did–

Saves–Papelbon 219 Madson 52
Experience–Papelbon has been a closer longer than Madson has by a mile.
Postseason experience–Papelbon has closed out a WS, Madson has not–and in Philly’s critical GM6 against the Giants in ’10, Madson gave up the winning HR to Jose Uribe–which was an opposite field shot by a RH hitter
Pedigree–Papelbon has pitched in the ultra-competitive AL East–while Madson has pitched in the mild NL East

The other thing Craig that you might do well to explore is that according to Yahoo Sports, MLB baseball might have had something to do with the Madson deal falling apart. They’ve written that there weree whispers that MLB was not happy with giving a guy with 1 year’s closing experience 11M a year compared to others more experienced than him.

By: drmonkeyarmy

drmonkeyarmy — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:44:04 +0000

Or Polancosperpetualsportshernia or Utleyswonkyknee or Choochsaccent

By: ditka96

ditka96 — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:41:27 +0000

We will all be smarter with no Biceps. I would look for him to resurface possibly as Ryanhowardsachilles.

By: WhenMattStairsIsKing

WhenMattStairsIsKing — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:38:03 +0000

It’s the biggest closer deal ever. And it was for a 30 year-old closer who had been regressing since 2007 with the exception of 2011, in a market flush full of closers with excellent experience and upside.

This isn’t a bad deal because the Phillies signed him. It’s a bad deal because he was vastly overpaid in such a market, with nobody else signed, and the deal even includes an easy-to-vest 2016 option.

Halfway through at the most, this deal will be an albatross.

Gotta love the brainless Craig-hate on here.

By: faccda01

faccda01 — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:29:04 +0000

Craig,
Your hatred for Philly is, as usual, blinding you. Yes they paid too much, but you fail to point out that they have an elite and proven closer.

By: drmonkeyarmy

drmonkeyarmy — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:27:44 +0000

They will get it back when the Red Sox sign Madson.

By: Francisco (FC)

Francisco (FC) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:18:53 +0000

Supply and Demand. Yes there’s a large supply, but there also seems to be demand…

By: gallaghedj311

gallaghedj311 — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:18:34 +0000

Wow. Bicepts banned? I’m saddened and amused all at the same time. And let the record state that I agree with Craig that my phillies massively overpaid here. As painful as it is for me to admit that

By: Ari Collins

Ari Collins — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:16:20 +0000

It’s unlikely that the CBA would cover this offseason’s draft pick compensation. Teams would cry foul if they made decisions based on the old rules and had them changed mid-stream. This offseason is almost certainly going to go forward according to last year’s rules.

Also, as Panda noted above, Boston would be gaining two draft picks, but the Phillies would only be losing one.

By: SmackSaw

SmackSaw — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:14:52 +0000

Jeez, I specifically came here to watch him melt down. His descent into apoplexy would’ve been epic. I guess, underneath the layers, I’m really a NASCAR fan.

Goodnight Biceps, wherever you are.

By: lyon810

lyon810 — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:08:45 +0000

Would Ban Johnson have banned Ty Cobb as per his request? I think not.

By: drmonkeyarmy

drmonkeyarmy — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:08:18 +0000

Furthermore, he deleted his twitter account.

By: WhenMattStairsIsKing

WhenMattStairsIsKing — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:05:19 +0000

I’d like to make a serious point – we all thought closers would come cheap this year because there are so many available, right? Nathan, Madson, Lidge, Broxton, K-Rod, Cordero, not to mention guys like Bell, Hanrahan and Storen that could likely be had in trades.

So, a lot of guys, right?

Now, since Papelbon signed for the moon, do all of these guys make similar cases that they all want to cash in as a result? Did Papelbon just make a surplus market inflated?

In similar economic cases, what happens in scenarios like these? Will a dozen closers end up overpaid, or will agents fail to come close to what Papelbon got?

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:03:16 +0000

the signing may not cost the Phillies two draft picks.

Sigh can we stop reporting this. For one, even if no one picks up Madson, the Phillies are only responsible for giving up their first round pick. The supplemental pick is added to Boston, not taken away from Philly. So that's a loss of one pick. Also, most likely Philly will offer Madson arb, which means they'll get whoever signs him's picks, so it's possible Philly both upgraded their roster AND upgraded their draft position.