The Yankees have been relatively quiet on the roster-shake-ups front this year, and the only major signings they made all involved folks who were already Yanks - no big trades, no newbie free agents picked up. If they end up busting some moves to woo the Twins and Santanamania that would be big news, of course, but thus far most of the excitement has come via
"The Other 29". There have been many a trade and signing made, and some of them have made us baseball fans scratch our heads in wonder or even let out a hearty chuckle. A lot of money was spent (surprise surprise!) and not all wisely, and a lot of lopsided trades were also executed. Some of them stand out as
particularly poor choices, though...
Top Ten Moves That Methinks Will Be Regretted10) Estrada for Mota swap: This could be looked at as a simple swap of some unimportant role players that their respective previous teams neither wanted nor needed, but I think the Mets made a mistake in picking Estrada as their catcher - even if it was just a "contingency plan" - when a very willing and New York-lovin' Lo Duca sitting right there practically begging for a spot on the team. Shortly thereafter they ended up non-tendering the boy, so I suppose they got the last laugh.
9) Carlos Silva misjudgment: What do you get when you add 28 (years old) + 4.31 (ERA) + 1.37 (WHIP) - $44,000,000? An overpaid average starting pitcher.
8) Francisco Cordero closer caper: The Reds were in need of a closer and Cordero is certainly a fine pitcher, but he snookered Cincy into giving a 32-year-old a 4-year deal worth $46 mil. It seemed crazy to some to give Mariano $43 million for 3 years, and that's MARIANO.
7) Scott Linebrink signing: He's going from the best pitching park to one that favors hitters. Furthermore, he's already 31, and 4 years seems risky to me.
6) Ozzie Guillen re-up: Dudes. This man is CRAZY TOWN USA. He got lucky in 2005 with an un-beatable team that could have won under the leadership of a donkey; I would not attribute any successes the Sox have had to this maniac.
5) Torrii Hunter mega-contract: $90 million when you've already got a surplus of outfielders...?
4) Aaron Rowand deal: The Giants have no business investing $60 mil into a 5-year deal with a 30-year old when they won't be in contention for at least the next few years anyway.
3) Lastings Milledge trade: I've said it before and I'll say it again: The Mets are the new old Yankees.
2) Kaz Matsui idiocy: Yes, he was fantastic in Japan and had a swell 2007, but come on 'Stros. Hitching your wagon to that star for 3 years?
1) Carl Pavano Not Somehow Being Eliminated: I understand that it's highly unlikely that anyone would have traded more than some loose change or perhaps a bag of leaves for him, but it still would have been nice (nay, glorious!) if Hank et al could have figured out something to do with him. They did make an effort to
pay him off and send him to the minors to free up a roster spot, but the beast wouldn't have it. Blimey!
How about you lovelies... what are your picks?
Read last week's Top Ten: New Year's Resolutions
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The only way for Silva to show he's worth the money is to have a Gil Meche like year. Although Meche will need to prove himself again this year.
I think the Linebrink deal is a huge mistake as well. All of us in the AL East saw what a huge mistake it was signing middle relief guys to big contracts.
I know you may disagree with me but I don't even think Mariano is worth that much money. But to give Cordero who's lost his closers job in Texas and was traded is not deserving of all that money either.
And as for the Connecticut boy Pavano, the Yanks just need to pay him his money and cut him loose. He's never going to do anything that will be of use to them other than take their money for not pitching.