Possible Suspension and League Review Reported In Response To Harrison Hit On McCoy
December 11, 2011CSU Wins Two
December 12, 2011While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
Depressing stuff- “Ultimately, the Angels’ new TV deal sets the precedent (as if the Rangers deal didn’t) for local TV deals and certainly throws a wrench into the idea that teams in MLB occupy anything close to a level playing field, which is only going to get worse as more TV deals are re-negotiated or bid on in the larger markets. Granted, not every team is going to take advantage of these inherent market advantages, but if FOX Sports or Time Warner (who gave the Lakers a $3 BILLION contract to air their games for the next 20 years, an increase of the Lakers’ TV revenue by FIVE TIMES, likely prompting this Fox-Angels deal) are going to be setting up bidding wars in most of the larger markets across America, wouldn’t it stand to reason that the markets with the most TV sets (and here’s a reminder of market size, both in Metro Areas and Combined Statistical Areas) are going to see the biggest influx of cash in a TV deal…and cash that is guaranteed?
What does that mean to the Indians?
In the long term, in light of the recent leveling of the playing field at the place where it was LEAST needed (in the draft and with signing bonuses) in the recent CBA, it means that the Indians are going to be swimming upstream to capture their first World Series Championship since 1948, as if they weren’t already. Maybe this is depressing to a level that many can’t stand in terms of the system being broken and actually getting worse, but luckily for the Indians, they operate in a division in which two of the higher payroll teams can’t seem to get out of their own way recently, with the White Sox officially rebuilding, and the Twins signing Jamey Carroll (with all due respect to Carroll…who fell into the “Casey Blake, Inexplicably Reviled” Category to quickly in Cleveland) to be their everyday SS.” [Cousineau/The DiaTribe]
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“On Sunday, Fujita — a member of the NFLPA Executive Committee — told Peter King of Sports Illustrated and Football Night In America that Fujita will press the NFLPA to request the presence of an independent neurologist at games. Currently, the league requires any player diagnosed with a concussion during a game to be subsequently cleared by an independent neurologist before returning to practice or to a future game. But the league does not require an independent neurologist to attend NFL games. In fact, the NFL doesn’t even require a team-hired neurologist to be present at games.” [Florio/PFT]
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My fear exactly- “I have had an incipient feeling of dread regarding the Tribe’s offseason. The reason, I believe, is a fear that the Indians might be entering into a cycle of mediocrity that is hard to escape. Think Toronto, which has sat between 75-87 wins every season except 2004 (67 wins) since 1998. Certain teams just seem to get stuck in the 75-86 win range – not terrible, but not really viable contenders – year in and year out, uncertain whether they are contending or rebuilding, but really just sputtering in the unproductive middle ground. There are a variety of paths that can lead to the mediocrity vortex, but for the Indians the path seems to have begun with the Ubaldo trade, leveraging the long-term future (i.e. Alex White, Drew Pomeranz) for the near-term future (Ubaldo 2011-2013). That move was a gamble, and one that you can mount a strong defense of. But the risk is that Ubaldo is not enough, the core around him is not enough, and that all the trade really did was put the Indians in the “close, but not quite” range of contention. And that would be fine if the Indians had resources to continue to push forward, but do they? We obviously aren’t making major payroll additions, which eliminates free agency for us. After trading White and Pomeranz, and with injuries to the team’s core veterans (Sizemore, Choo, Hafner), the team can’t really afford to leverage much more in the way of young talent.” [Let’s Go Tribe]
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Sigh. “According to a report in the Baltimore Sun on Sunday, the Indians have agreed to terms with Felix Pie on a minor league contract with an invite to Major League spring training. The Indians have yet to formally announce the signing, likely because final terms of the deal are still being completed and he has to pass a physical. An official announcement should come soon if no hang ups occur with the contract terms or physical. Pie, 26, is a career .249 hitter with a .673 OPS in 398 games in the big leagues. Last year with the Orioles he hit .220 with 0 HR, 7 RBI and a .545 OPS in 85 games.
Pie is a former high level prospect with the Chicago Cubs a few years ago who has been a disappointment the last few seasons in the big leagues. Five years ago at this time he was the Cubs #1 prospect, but after two disappointing seasons in Chicago in 2007 and 2008 he was traded to Baltimore in January of 2009. The Orioles designated him for assignment this year after he put up three disappointing seasons with them, thus making him a free agent.” [Tony/Indians Prospect Insider]
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Finally, if you need a scorecard on all the NBA player movement, try this one. [The Point Forward]
14 Comments
“Fujita…told Peter King of Sports Illustrated and Football Night In America that Fujita will press the NFLPA to request the presence of an independent neurologist at games.
Last week he said the Browns’ staff did an excellent job at monitoring his concussion. If that were the case, then why would this be his stance this week?
And they say sports (baseball) isn’t big business, lol. The only saving grace about Pujols going to the Angels is at least it wasn’t the Yankees or Red Sox. How low can we go?
There really is no reason to bemoan the Pie signing. It is much needed organizational depth at a decent price. Is he thrilling? No. But he isn’t completely devoid of talent, either. Especially on the defensive end, which is important in a 4th outfielder.
I still contend that the Ubaldo trade was an awful one and is going to cost this team dearly in the long run.
Chris
I think diagnosing and monitoring are two different things. The Browns may take great care with a player once he has a concussion, but even Fujita admits he’s not sure when it happened which means nobody on the sideline is paying too much attention.
@Chris – the handling of Fujita’s concussion is one particular successful example within an NFL culture that is still obviously incapable of dealing with this problem. Am impressed by the swiftness of the union in making this rather intuitive suggestion to include objective neurologists in the assessment of head injuries.
@stin: I’ve also been saying that since the day it was rumored. Plus, I think it was designed to win last season while the division rivals sputtered. The response to that from most people is “he’s signed through 2013” but if he’s pitching well by then we’ll trade him for prospects before free agency, and if he’s not pitching well we’re stuck with an overpaid guy we can’t move.
High risk/high reward gambles have their place, but not when your target guy is not playing particularly well at the time. That further stacks the odds against the move. If Ubaldo is mediocre this season they’re down to hoping neither White nor Pomeranz pan out. But that doesn’t justify the gamble since they surely could have gotten more for those guys last year.
@ Chris – I’m guessing his stance changed when he watched the Browns send Zombie Colt back into the game after almost having his head taken off.
Re independent neurologists, the whole “team doctor” thing is a dangerous conflict of interest for the player, since the docs are on the team payroll and understand that the team which gives them team-associated prestige in their private practices wants the player back out there ASAP. The players union would do well to insist on a different system, with the player choosing a doc (at team cost) for post-game injury assessment, and on game day a union-approved doc on the sideline as well.
@ Harv21 Even if every option is exercised on both Carmona and Ubaldo, Ubaldo is $3-4mil cheaper every year. Doesn’t exactly smell of an overpaid pitcher. He costs the team $4.2 mil this year. Good luck finding a FA pitcher that comes close to his production for that price. In 2013 he only costs $5.75 mil. That is cheap even for mid-rotation.
Mmmmm…..Pie.
Jiminez’s salary isn’t a problem, or at least it shouldn’t be. $4.2 million is cheap for a starting MLB pitcher period, whether or not they have a good track record.
The question of whether the Indians gave up too much for Jiminez is a good one. I think they did. 3 starting pitchers with a good chance to be in a MLB starting rotation is way too much for one guy with a spotty track record in my opinion.
Joe Gardner (the 3rd pitcher in that deal) is a pretty good ground ball pitcher, and I think he has a good shot to be a decent back end of the rotation starter and at worst a good option out of the bullpen when you need a ground ball DP. Then you have Pomeranz and White…
Yeah, that darn Ubaldo trade. We’ll never be able to find another lefty who throws 91. Or a sinkerballer who has trouble keeping the ball down, oh wait, we already have a couple of those.
Do you think Jamey Carroll was even the best player on his Little League team?