The Bridge Over Probies

September 29, 2010

Until 2012 with the new bargaining agreement and supposedly Commissioner Selig having stepped down (with early indication, at least), it’s foolish for Mr. Moreno to contribute of augmenting marquee player salaries under the current conditions.  Unlike my Hot Stove stances previous seasons, gung ho the Halos go investing in key free agents of boosting their rankings, the big picture unfolds uglier and uglier until MLB makes that essential elemental change. 

I won’t allude to the politically argumentive, Glen Beck “special interest corruption,” though I agree with him economically as I enjoy watching the Keynesian abuse bum progressives dropping out of the White House, such as Christina Romer and Larry Summers.  Let’s just stick to “protectionism” the problem, as certain external forces, ahhh hemm, the Players Union, free agency, and showbiz deciz (show business decision) ruin baseball’s biz.  Until MLB expands the central fund including local TV revenue sharing and instilling a per team mandatory annual investment floor to the competition committment, Arte’s just pumping into this lopsidedness with the game of his own money until it establishes the ideal model symmetry. 

It seems as if I posture as the conservative, politically, yet progressively for the change to MLB, correct?  Irrelevant!!  MLB’s behaving an out-of-character, miss-boss managed, brick and mortar building that is to a business.  Anyone is dumbfounded, believing the commissioner without the access by the forces involved, without recognizing the universal difference.  It starts with Yankees fans.  Abandon the “soft” deligation with the office and insert a “Mountain Landis” on the basis of this argument and the rest takes the back seat.  Management of MLB and the teams comprised as the show biz product is not exclusive to any other business.  Baseball’s evolved favoritism hand has forced tightened competition as the ultimate entertainment value to the best interest of all parties with it’s revenue resource.                

To Selig’s ambassadorship with MLB and his legacy as the official commissioner since 1998, he’s admirably recovered it’s marketing share since the 1994 strike, but done so with a revenue skew to the elite few holding only to that entertainment value.  The Yankees the apex, followed by Red Sox, the rest to squander, and whoever risks to spend on this king-of-the-hill crawl.  It’s long overdue for a commissioner to put his foot down with the mechanism of smoothening out the baseball operation, with inclusion, to EVERY team responsible of making the game the REAL business.        

Then, as it began in 1992 until their 2002 WS Championship: 92, Disar; 93, Salmon (RF); 94, Edmonds (CF); 95, Anderson (OF); 96, Erstad (CF and 1B); 97, Glaus (3B); 98, Molina (C).  They interchanged between OF, 1B, 2B, and SS but with the core to their own corps until Scioscia put them over the top with all on the same page for quality at bats and execution.  Might as well refrain from exhorbitant free agent spending for the re-establishment until the league indicates for the better balance of establishment to it’s own; it’s just not worth it if you’re not on the apex by the game’s decisions, today.  Callaspo’s of ideal ingredient toward the objective (despite the nagging wrist of putting a dent into his production this season) for the time-being until Kaleb Cowart might arrive.  Looking at their present rooted players, on track are Aybar (SS), Kendrick (2B), and Morales (1B).  Bourjos (CF) and Conger (C) are (love the term) “probies”  to maybe fit the mold as Trout (OF) might join them next year.  Aybar declined down this season stretch but I’ll hold too that it’s been the knee since the Brewers McGehee late June collision aggravating, and see him through.  Whether I end up suggesting Aybar replaced, Wood, Napoli, and Mathis are off track.  Face it, Bengie Molina proved the offensive and defensive unique system catcher they’re attempting now with Conger.  Hold to Mathis for the defense and mentorship but cash in on Napoli’s power value now of trading him and to his service with the attempt of better fit into another system. 

Unless, they might want to move Kendry to 3B and Callaspo to LF?  Certainly a way without fueling the present, discouraged against, free agent fire of buying the overvalued Crawford, who will be by how thin the best of the OF is with free agency.  And though the risk, they could take advantage of the time using the bridge over probies toward the core re-establishment.  I don’t have a problem with it but that it might be too risky to assume with the changes involved and without Napoli executing though working on it.   

Between the non-rooted players comprising the rest of the lineup, Torii, our honored 2010 All Star representative played a horribly overvalued, head way ahead of his body, older, misfit.  He missed Morales but was a rally-killing KO, GIDP. CS (fool), 180!  Sign of age?  Maybe, but he’s no-trade by clause and stock that they’re stuck with him.  Abreu’s a true champ at the plate, adjusting up and down the lineup, reaching 20+ SB, discipline, execution, with DH/OF platoon for his 2011 contract year.  Matsui, better late than never.  Too late.  There’s the Japanese media yield, nimbler healing off the knee surgery, showing the typical late season slugging…favorable enough to retain?  He’ll be 37 next season, Abreu’s replacing while they’ll be exploring for the complete player lost to the OF this season, this Hot Stove.  Torii needs help, don’t get caught up in the “keep Matsui” last ditch effort campaign!  With Rivera, see Torii but without the glove, hold him to the bench or find a taker offering the chance at regular, but he’s regressed to the part timer he once was.

Depending on their decisions, they still may need that key, complete player for LF.  But stay away from free agency and seek by bargain trade with Bourjos and Trout under the bridge.