Author Archives: Mark Panuthos

Contracts Can Kill: Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter was expected to show his age this year but Girardi had that under control.  His declining bat would be protected by Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and the rest of the second-most potent offense in baseball last year.  Instead, he’s batting .404 with 13 RBIs and four homeruns.  A-Rod and the boys ...

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Contracts Can Kill: Alex Rodriguez

As a diasporic Yankee fan living in Tampa, I really like Alex Rodriguez.  Rays fans hate him. They boo him at their stadium, they refer to him as “A-Fraud” or “A-Roid” on a.m. sports-blather, and I have personally heard them pray to their gods  to have him destroyed.  And still, each time up to bat, ...

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Contracts Can Kill: An Introduction

How many baseball players can one buy with $118 million?  In 2012, 23 teams funded their entire rosters for less.  Only seven teams paid more and only the Yankees committed that much to just four players; Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, C.C. Sabathia, and Mark Teixeira.  The previous two World Series champions spent less.  To be ...

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The Derek Jeter options as he ages

Brian Cashman admitted in a recent press conference that one of his primary reasons for signing Raul Ibanez (39) during the offseason was so that the younger players would stop calling Derek Jeter “gramps”.  When the reporters asked what the other reasons were, he pointed his finger toward the back of the room and shouted ...

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Rays preview: Tampa Bay is the New Boston (w/o the $$$)

Last September, the Rays staged a miracle comeback versus the Yankees.  Down 7-0 in the 7th inning, Evan Longoria homered off Cory Wade to cap a six run 7th inning.  Dan Johnson, who was batting .108, then connected for a homerun in the 9th to tie it.  In the 12th, just as Boston blew a ...

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5 reason Andy Pettitte will have a great year in 2012

Andy Pettitte’s “un-retirement” has caused much consternation, and not just among certain other pitchers who were, until recently, struggling for a starting rotation spot.  Just think of the other teams in the American League East – against all of whom Pettitte holds winning records.  He was dominant versus the Rays (16-6), Red Sox (18-10), and ...

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For Phil Hughes, 2012 is an opportunity

To put it gently, Phil Hughes “struggled” in 2011. He showed up to spring training overweight and out of shape, so much so, as a matter of fact, that the usually laconic Joe Girardi noted to New York Times reporter David Waldstein, “There's a concern … It does question where their mindset is. You know, ‘where’s ...

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