Ol' Stoney's, Back in Town...

Looks like Steve Stone will stay in Chicago to continue his broadcasting career as he signed a new deal with 670 the Score WSCR to become thier new baseball analyst during the upcoming season. Citing that "nobody knows baseball better than Steve Stone," and realizing his obvious respect and following of all Cub fans from his nearly 20 years as the color guy on WGN. After watching the national games for years I can say that Stoney was the best color man that I have ever heard in MLB. He was almost always spot-on correct in his ability to decipher what was going to happen and never second-guessed players and managers like most of the people in announcing booths do now-a-days. If he really wanted to, Stoney make make a great manager. My guess is he doesn't want to deal with all of the garbage that goes with a job like that.

I still can't believe that the Cubs paid new color man Bob Brenly $1.2 million, or nearly three time the amount Stone would have made if he accepted the option year in his contract. If it is true that management sent Stone packing based on a couple of comments made toward the end of the season, despite all the crap he and Chip took during this season, that's pretty sad and is more of an indication of how things work at the Tribune Tower than I want to know. I, like many other Cub fans, would like to see Stoney back in the booth, but it looks like we'll have to settle for him in the studio. Something's better than nothing, I guess.


Motor City Calling Mags Home....

Well actually it's the other way around, but the point is that former Palehoser Magglio Ordonez has agreed in principle to a 5yr/$75 million deal to play RF for the Tigers. Now if you think that contract is straightforward, then you don't know superagent Scott Boras. The Tigers wanted some protection from Mags left knee operation in Austria last year so only the first season is gauranteed money. Next season Ordonez will get a $6 million signing bonus as well as a $6 million salary. Here is where is becomes tricky, so pay attention. If he misses 25 games or more due to a left knee injury this season, the Tigers can void the contract after the season, relieving them of the $63 million left on the deal. Now if he doesn't get hurt next season, after that he will make $15,$12,$15, and $18 in consecutive seasons. In the 2010 season the team has a $15 million option with a $3 million buyout and another $15 million option in the 2011 season. However, if he logs 135 games or 540 at-bats in the 2009 season, the 2010 option becomes gauranteed at $18 million. If he has 135 games or 540 at-bats in the 2010 season, or 270 games and 1080 at-bats combined in the 2009 & 2010 seasons then the $15 million 2011 option becomes gauranteed. Got all that?

Now if Magglio comes back healthy, this is a good deal for the Tigers as it adds another star player there to attract some top flight pitcher to the city next season. Here's the problem though, supposedly Magglio has the same condition in his left knee that Bo Jackson got in his hip years ago, a disease that causes lack of blood flow to the bone essentially killing it over time. Now it's not supposed to be as bad as Bo had it, but the condition is still there - it's not reversible. This is why I am SHOCKED that Magglio got this much money out of Detroit. I understand that the Tigers badly wanted a free agent and probably had to through a lot more money towards Mags to get him to sign, but Ordonez had no other serious suitors as all the other teams interested dropped out voluntarily - and the Mets refuse to bid until they could see a personal workout. Is it possible the Tigers bid made the Rangers, Cubs, and Blue Jay go away? Yes, with some other factors. But to lay down this much money, even if it costs them only the $12 million for this season, is a giant risk - one apparently the Tigers brass believed they needed to make. Detroit is now going to probably be the shiek pick to win the weak AL Central with this signing, but Magglio Ordonez doesn't solve thier problems of overall defense and starting pitching. The Tigers do have young starters waiting to bloom, but you cannot expect them all to come out at once, and really thats the only chance they have of taking the AL Central next season.


So that's what he was worth...

Remeber when Seattle was chastized for trading away Jose Cruz Jr. to Toronto in the mid 90's for pennent run relief pitching(Mike Tomlin maybe?). I wonder if Tampa Bay will get the same reaction as the Diamondbacks traded LHP Casey Fossum to the Devil Rays today for Jose Cruz Jr., filling the open spot they have in CF. There was, and still is, a giant log-jam in the OF in Tampa, so they dumped Cruz to help thier depleted pitching rotation.

Now that the D-Backs have traded Fossum, the Curt Schilling trade essentially boiled down to 23 games worth of Richie Sexson and Jose Cruz Jr, I wonder how much longer Joe Garagiola Jr. will given in the GM spot with the new mangement team now in place.