November 2, 2010

The 2011 Season Has Begun

The 2010 baseball season ended at 10:30 last night. Which means that the 2011 has now begun.

The rules governing free agency have changed and players no longer have to file. Their status changes automatically after the World Series ends. So catchers Victor Martinez and Jason Varitek are now FAs and the Red Sox have a five-day window of exclusivity.

Boston also has three days to decide on team options for David Ortiz ($12.5 million), Bill Hall ($9.25), and Scott Atchison. Hall's option will not be picked up, but the team may try to sign him at a lower figure.

Adrian Beltre has a $10 million player option, which he clearly will decline.

WEEI's Full Count blog has video of Kevin Youkilis at the University of Cincinnati. He has been working out at third base.
Example
Yesterday, Rangers owner Chuck Greenberg expressed his disgust at the behaviour of Yankees fans during the ALCS (Cliff Lee's wife said the players' wives were taunted, spit at, and had beer thrown at them):
I thought Yankee fans, frankly, were awful. They were either violent or apathetic, neither of which is good. So I thought Yankee fans were by far the worst of any I've seen in the postseason. I thought they were an embarrassment.
After getting a call from Bud Selig, Greenberg changed his tune: "Earlier today ... I unfairly and inaccurately disparaged fans of the New York Yankees. ... Yankees fans are among the most passionate and supportive in all of baseball."
Example
The only players with game-winning RBIs in two clinching World Series games? Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, and Edgar Renteria. (Plus he was nice enough to make the final out in 2004.)

12 comments:

Geoff said...

I wonder if fan behavior is going to affect where Lee signs.

laura k said...

After getting a call from Bud Selig, Greenberg changed his tune

The knock on the door, the visit from the authorities... did I say worst? Of course I meant best. Please don't hurt my family.

Amy said...

Any predictions on what will happen with VMart? Tek? Beltre?

allan said...

My uneducated opinion is Victor leaves. If so, there is a chance Tek returns with Salty. (Though any kind of trade for a C would kick Tek to the curb.)

No clue on Beltre, but I have a hard time seeing Theo lay out the years/$ he would probably want. Plus Boras will drag it out, so at some point, the Sox will have to say "this is the meal (so eat up buddy boy") and be prepared to close the door.

(My impression of Beltre is that he is older than he really is, but he'll will be 32 next April. 3 years would not kill us.)

Other important factors: what the free agent market looks like for 2012 and 2013 and the depth/development of the farm.

FenFan said...

Other important factors: what the free agent market looks like for 2012 and 2013 and the depth/development of the farm.

So is there a good resource for what free agents will be on the market in the next few years? B-R.com is usually good for stuff like this but I did not find a comprehensive list.

Amy said...

(My impression of Beltre is that he is older than he really is, but he'll will be 32 next April.

OK, perhaps I am being dense, but do you mean (1) that his body is actually older than his true age would suggest or (2) that he has lied about his true age or (3) some other mysterious age-related science fiction trick about which I am ignorant?

allan said...

(4) for whatever reason, I thought he was close to 35 now.

Looking at the roster, I see that Yook is one month OLDER than Beltre. I would never have thought that.

laura k said...

Amy, last night on Facebook I tagged two friends who were both posting WS updates, one a big Giants fan. They're also both progressive activists, and I thought it would be fun to bring them both into the same thread.

My friend Chuck F. - a Quaker peace activist in North Carolina - said he was purposely listening on radio so he could hear his favourite announcer... Jon Miller.

:>)

I had a good laugh over that, thinking of you.

Chuck said that Miller locally was much different than nationally (often the case). Not that it would matter to you! :)

allan said...

Fen: Cot's.

2011 FA

2012 FA (Pujols!)

Amy said...

How can anyone have Jon Miller as their favorite? The only announcer I hate more is John Sterling!

FenFan said...

Thank you! Now in my favorites...

Anonymous said...

Ah, Egger Renteria. Forever associated with World Series Glory!