The Orioles still have a huge hole at shortstop, but that doesn’t mean it was a bad idea to trade their highest-paid player last offseason.  Miguel Tejada’s offensive numbers in his first season with the Astros were sub-par and certainly not worthy of the money he is making.  In hitter-friendly Minute Maid Park, a .283/.314/.415 line from one of Houston’s heavy hitters is not going to cut it.  Believe it or not, Miggy’s numbers actually declined from 2007 (.296/.357/.442), when he battled injuries and underachievement in what turned out to be his last season in Baltimore.

Almost immediately after being traded, Tejada was named in the Mitchell Report.  Soon after the 2008 season began, he admitted being two years older than he had previously claimed to be, following an interview with ESPN during which he was repeatedly questioned about his age.

Continue reading "Looking back on the Tejada trade – one year later"

Francisco Rodriguez just signed a big-money contract with the Mets, who have missed the playoffs the last two seasons.  CC Sabathia chose to become the highest-paid pitcher in baseball history, signing with the Yankees in spite of the fact that they play in what is considered the toughest division in baseball and failed to make the postseason in 2008.  What drew Sabathia to the Bronx and K-Rod to Queens?  It wasn’t a near-guarantee to return to the playoffs, which they could have had with the Angels.  They didn’t grow up in New York dreaming of wearing Yankee Pinstripes and Met blue and orange one day.  There’s only one thing it could be: money – $161 million for seven years of Sabathia and $37 million for three years of Rodriguez.

Continue reading "Greed takes away from the game"