Ken Rosenthal reports that the Reds have signed LHP Jeremy Affeldt.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7695584
The Reds, striking a bargain with one of the top remaining free-agent pitchers, have reached preliminary agreement with left-hander Jeremy Affeldt on a one-year, $3 million contract, according to major-league sources.
The deal, pending a physical, will be the Reds' third significant pitching acquisition of the off-season. The team previously signed free-agent closer Francisco Cordero and acquired right-hander Edinson Volquez in a trade with the Rangers.
Affeldt, 28, will compete for a spot in the Reds' rotation after spending all of last season as a reliever with the Rockies. He has started in the past and the Reds' far greater need is in the rotation, where they are unsettled beyond right-handers Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo.
If Affeldt fails as a starter, the Reds always could return him to the bullpen. The team currently envisions right-hander David Weathers setting up for Cordero and already features three left-handed relievers — Mike Stanton, Bill Bray and Jon Coutlangus.
Either way, Affeldt stands to earn significant performance bonuses in his new contract, one source said. The deal, however, is for a much shorter term than the four years he originally desired.
Two older left-handed relievers received multi-year, free-agent contracts — J.C. Romero, 31, signed a three-year, $12 million deal with the Phillies, while Ron Mahay, 36, signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Royals.
Affeldt enjoyed a long-awaited breakthrough with the Rockies last season, going 4-3 with a 3.51 ERA in 59 innings. He is 25-27 with a 4.74 ERA in 286 career appearances, including 42 starts.Good luck in Cincinnati, Jeremy!
Posted on: January 21, 2008 1:41 pm
Posted on: January 21, 2008 12:36 am
Edited on: January 21, 2008 12:37 am
More on Troy
On the MLB boards, somehow I got to comparing Tulo to Rookie-of-the-Year winning shortstops. I think the best comparison (better than with Angel M. Berroa) is:
Hanley Ramirez, 2006
158 G, 633 AB, 119 R, 185 H, 46 2B, 11 3B, 17 HR
59 RBI, 51 SB, 56 BB, 128 K, .292 AVG, .353 OBP, .480 SLG
258 PO, 410 A, 26 E, 110 DP, .963 F%
Troy Tulowitzki, 2007
155 G, 609 AB, 104 R, 177 H, 33 2B, 5 3B, 24 HR
99 RBI, 7 SB, 57 BB, 130 K, .291 AVG, .359 OBP, .479 SLG
262 PO, 561 A, 11 E, 114 DP, .987 F%
The difference is that Ramirez has incredible speed. In both 2006 and 2007 Hanley swiped 51 bases, good enough for 3rd in the NL both seasons. This led to Hanley's better 2B and 3B numbers. Tulowitzki's HR total shows more power in his rookie campaign (though Ramirez has improved, hitting 29 HR in 2007). Tulo's better HR power nearly evens out with Hanley's great speed, as both finished their rookie seasons within one point in the SLG column. Both players showed similar plate discipline: AVG totals are within one point, BBs are within one, Ks are within two, and OBP is within six.
Troy also has a better rep as a defensive shortstop. The fielding stats reflect this, depending on how much credence one gives to fielding statistics in the first place.
The only other difference between Tulo and Hanley is in the way they wear their hat. Ramirez wears his tilted to his left, while Tulo wears his tilted to the right.
Hanley Ramirez, 2006
158 G, 633 AB, 119 R, 185 H, 46 2B, 11 3B, 17 HR
59 RBI, 51 SB, 56 BB, 128 K, .292 AVG, .353 OBP, .480 SLG
258 PO, 410 A, 26 E, 110 DP, .963 F%
Troy Tulowitzki, 2007
155 G, 609 AB, 104 R, 177 H, 33 2B, 5 3B, 24 HR
99 RBI, 7 SB, 57 BB, 130 K, .291 AVG, .359 OBP, .479 SLG
262 PO, 561 A, 11 E, 114 DP, .987 F%
The difference is that Ramirez has incredible speed. In both 2006 and 2007 Hanley swiped 51 bases, good enough for 3rd in the NL both seasons. This led to Hanley's better 2B and 3B numbers. Tulowitzki's HR total shows more power in his rookie campaign (though Ramirez has improved, hitting 29 HR in 2007). Tulo's better HR power nearly evens out with Hanley's great speed, as both finished their rookie seasons within one point in the SLG column. Both players showed similar plate discipline: AVG totals are within one point, BBs are within one, Ks are within two, and OBP is within six.
Troy also has a better rep as a defensive shortstop. The fielding stats reflect this, depending on how much credence one gives to fielding statistics in the first place.
The only other difference between Tulo and Hanley is in the way they wear their hat. Ramirez wears his tilted to his left, while Tulo wears his tilted to the right.
Category: MLB
Posted on: January 20, 2008 6:27 pm
Tulowitzki agrees to record contract extension
The Denver Post reports that the Rockies and SS Troy Tulowitzki have reached an agreement for a 6 year $30 million contract extension.
http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_8022077
Only the ironing out of small details stands in the way of a historic contract with shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.
In a deal first reported in The Denver Post, the Rockies and Tulowitzki have agreed to the parameters of a six-year, $30 million contract with a club option for a seventh season, the largest given a big leaguer with less than two years' experience.
It mirrors the contract structure given in 2006 to Cleveland Indians center fielder Grady Sizemore, who held the previous salary record at six years, $23.45 million with a club option. A source close to the Tulowitzki negotiations repeated this weekend that a deal "is close."
If the club option is exercised, Tulowitzki would remain with the Rockies through 2014, casting him as the future face of the franchise. It figures to be a big week for the precocious 23-year-old shortstop. He is also poised to wrap up significant endorsement deals, a novelty for Rockies players who, other than Todd Helton and Matt Holliday, are not widely recognized nationally.
See also: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080120&content_id=2351593&vkey=hotstove2007&fext=.jsp
This is AWESOME!!! Giving Tulo a long term deal is a brilliant move. Even as a rookie, he was a standout leader in the clubhouse. Down the stretch, it became more and more apparent how important Tulo was to the team. Now he'll be a centerpiece in the lineup for years to come. Hopefully, after the 2009 season, he'll be able to help convince Matt Holliday to stay in purple pinstripes. I'm so pumped about baseball right now. It's too bad that pitchers and catchers don't report for another 25 days. Maybe I'll go call my brother to see if I can crash at his place during spring training...
http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_8022077
Only the ironing out of small details stands in the way of a historic contract with shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.
In a deal first reported in The Denver Post, the Rockies and Tulowitzki have agreed to the parameters of a six-year, $30 million contract with a club option for a seventh season, the largest given a big leaguer with less than two years' experience.
It mirrors the contract structure given in 2006 to Cleveland Indians center fielder Grady Sizemore, who held the previous salary record at six years, $23.45 million with a club option. A source close to the Tulowitzki negotiations repeated this weekend that a deal "is close."
If the club option is exercised, Tulowitzki would remain with the Rockies through 2014, casting him as the future face of the franchise. It figures to be a big week for the precocious 23-year-old shortstop. He is also poised to wrap up significant endorsement deals, a novelty for Rockies players who, other than Todd Helton and Matt Holliday, are not widely recognized nationally.
See also: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080120&content_id=2351593&vkey=hotstove2007&fext=.jsp
This is AWESOME!!! Giving Tulo a long term deal is a brilliant move. Even as a rookie, he was a standout leader in the clubhouse. Down the stretch, it became more and more apparent how important Tulo was to the team. Now he'll be a centerpiece in the lineup for years to come. Hopefully, after the 2009 season, he'll be able to help convince Matt Holliday to stay in purple pinstripes. I'm so pumped about baseball right now. It's too bad that pitchers and catchers don't report for another 25 days. Maybe I'll go call my brother to see if I can crash at his place during spring training...
Category: MLB
Posted on: January 20, 2008 6:15 pm
Pios show some life
Well Denver beat Bemidji State 4-2 last night. It wasn't the most polished game from DU, but they did emerge with a win. Hopefully this gives them some life and they can get right during this bye week. cmc18v found this interesting article and brought it to my attention. It was written by Virg Foss of the Grand Forks Herald:
http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=64442§ion=Sports&freebie_check&CFID=84933581&CFTOKEN=18238027&jsessionid=883086d0e0a1615c2c59
I've never been a believer in the various conspiracy theories floating around out there. I'm not about to become a subscriber now.
But sometimes I do wonder.
I'm at a loss to explain the embarrassing situation the Western Collegiate Hockey Association finds itself in these days.
First, the league issued an apology to St. Cloud State after a video review clearly showed goaltender interference on Denver University's first goal in a 3-2 win at St. Cloud State on Dec. 7. The goal should not have counted.
On Jan. 11, video evidence clearly showed a game-tying goal by Wisconsin in the final second of what turned out to be a 3-2 loss to Denver in Denver was in the net before the goal light turned green, signaling that time had expired. That goal should have counted.
Referee Randy Schmidt - yes, the same referee who blew the call at St. Cloud State - originally signaled the goal was good in Denver. But somehow after looking at the replay, he disallowed the goal, The WCHA later issued a press release saying the goal should have counted.
The next night, Wisconsin scored a goal that was counted though newspapers in both Denver and Madison reported that the goal clearly came after the whistle had blown, supposedly stopping play. That goal came in a 7-2 Wisconsin blitzing of Denver, so the impact wasn't so dramatic.
Recently, the NBA ordered the final 51 seconds of a game between Miami and Atlanta replayed because of a bookkeeping mistake by the official scorer.
The WCHA isn't doing anything much more than saying “we're sorry, guys.” An appeal filed by Wisconsin was denied Thursday by the WCHA.
What's frustrating about all this is that the WCHA was at the forefront in college hockey in bringing video replay of goals into all WCHA sites. But what good is it if the people charged with making reviews botch the call?
This is far more than a couple of blown calls, a couple of mistakes, and a couple of letters of apology.
In the big picture, by taking away Denver's goal at St. Cloud State and allowing Wisconsin's goal at Denver, the outcomes of the games might have changed.
Maybe Denver still goes on to
http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=64442§ion=Sports&freebie_check&CFID=84933581&CFTOKEN=18238027&jsessionid=883086d0e0a1615c2c59
I've never been a believer in the various conspiracy theories floating around out there. I'm not about to become a subscriber now.
But sometimes I do wonder.
I'm at a loss to explain the embarrassing situation the Western Collegiate Hockey Association finds itself in these days.
First, the league issued an apology to St. Cloud State after a video review clearly showed goaltender interference on Denver University's first goal in a 3-2 win at St. Cloud State on Dec. 7. The goal should not have counted.
On Jan. 11, video evidence clearly showed a game-tying goal by Wisconsin in the final second of what turned out to be a 3-2 loss to Denver in Denver was in the net before the goal light turned green, signaling that time had expired. That goal should have counted.
Referee Randy Schmidt - yes, the same referee who blew the call at St. Cloud State - originally signaled the goal was good in Denver. But somehow after looking at the replay, he disallowed the goal, The WCHA later issued a press release saying the goal should have counted.
The next night, Wisconsin scored a goal that was counted though newspapers in both Denver and Madison reported that the goal clearly came after the whistle had blown, supposedly stopping play. That goal came in a 7-2 Wisconsin blitzing of Denver, so the impact wasn't so dramatic.
Recently, the NBA ordered the final 51 seconds of a game between Miami and Atlanta replayed because of a bookkeeping mistake by the official scorer.
The WCHA isn't doing anything much more than saying “we're sorry, guys.” An appeal filed by Wisconsin was denied Thursday by the WCHA.
What's frustrating about all this is that the WCHA was at the forefront in college hockey in bringing video replay of goals into all WCHA sites. But what good is it if the people charged with making reviews botch the call?
This is far more than a couple of blown calls, a couple of mistakes, and a couple of letters of apology.
In the big picture, by taking away Denver's goal at St. Cloud State and allowing Wisconsin's goal at Denver, the outcomes of the games might have changed.
Maybe Denver still goes on to