Dodgers sign Jeff Weaver to minor-league deal
He'll compete for a bullpen spot in spring training, NOT for the fifth spot in the rotation. Weaver's most recent major-league relief appearance, you may recall, was a rather infamous one. It came in Game 4 of th 2003 World Series for the Yankees. He had pitched so poorly that season that Joe Torre hadn't used him in several weeks, and he wound up giving up a walkoff homer to Florida's Alex Gonzalez in extra innings, tying the Series at 2-2. The Yankees didn't win another game. What you also may recall is that he did come back from that debacle to become a pretty good starter for the Dodgers in 2004 and 2005 before falling on hard times later on. He didn't pitch in the majors last year. If he makes the club, he'll get a straight $500,000 base salary with no additional incentives. The Dodgers still would like to bolster their bullpen with one more veteran reliever. Among those high on their list are Dennys Reyes, Jamey Wright and Will Ohman. (Oh, man, they're looking at HIM?) Sorry, bad joke.
MURRAY: "Jemaine, did you just say Yoko?"
JEMAINE: "Oh no, I didn't"
Jeff Weaver?!? Are you fuggin kidding me??
I forget who, but someone jokingly called this the other day on this site. He was poking fun at how the Dodgers signed old washed-up players like Wolf and Ausmus and Mota, and then joked that they may sign Weaver. HAHA priceless
I think I just came up with a bit of a complicated deal that will make everybody–Mannhy, Boras, Frank, Jed and Fred–happier than Dubya with that new job of his as a part time “greeter” at the front door of a Texas hardware store:
At this point I think Manny would sign a 3 year deal for $66 million dollars with a 4th year option at $22 million or a buy out of $12 million. That gives him a guaranteed 3 years at $26 million (total of $78 million) or 4 years at $24 million ($96 million total).
The 4th year could vest if he plays 140 games , hits .300 with 30 hrs and 100 rbis in year 3 that would give him a guaranteed 4 year deal for 90 million if he stays healthy and stays Manny.
After two years we could reserve an option to trade him to a list he provides of 3 or 4 American League teams where he’d thrive on being a DL if he starts to fall off after two years. Load the first year at about 16 million with the second year at 24 million and the third year at $26 million to keep him motivated for a bigger payday every year.
But if we’re unhappy after two years, and assuming he hasn’t reverted to being a total horses ass but has a two year two month track record with us as being a good egg we can trade him to a team of his choice after only paying him $40 million of our dollars–the rest would be assumed or renegotiated by the AL team where he’d probably be able to play another 6 years as the best DL in the history of the game .
This should make everybody happy!
Ooops. That 4th option year would have to be $26 million dollars to make the figures work. Sorry about that. We need an edit button!
law dog,
performance clauses like HR's and RBI's can't be included as vesting options in a contract
Another BIG signing today from McCheap: Eric Milton! Wow! Keep these bums rolling in!
Dunn signing with Nats, Abreu with Angels. So now the Dodgers don't have leverage with Boras in terms of FA alternatives (sorry, Garrett Anderson doesn't count), but Boras also has no alternative teams as leverage either - the Giants are only swooping on the cheap like vultures to pick at the roadkill if the Bora/Colletti negotiation explode and create carnage.
Look everyone, relax. I know it is really scary to see Abreu and Dunn off the board and signed. But one has to believe that the fact that both of them signed on the same day, after not garnering much interest all off season, is a direct sign that the Dodger do in fact have something done with Manny.
http://www.rbimagazine.com/2009/02/manny-deal-with-the-dodgers-in-the-bag/
I called it right away, when I saw the Dunn deal announced. The Dodgers just have not yet announced anything. I went through all the same emotions anger, resentment, confusion, then understanding.
The Dodgers would have to be really stupid to allow both Dunn and Abreu to sign if they did not already have Manny in the bag. OR Boras orchestrated one of the THE most brilliant strokes of genius ever which would include collusion with other player agents and teams and perfect timing at that.
We all know that Abreu and Dunn were waiting for the Dodgers!
Miguel, I thought the same thing. When I heard Dunn had signed with the Nationals I thought something must have made him do it. His agent must have been told that the Dodgers weren't going to by making an offer for whatever reason. That reason has to be Manny. I don't think Ned would have allowed Dunn to sign without offering him a deal if we weren't close to something with Manny. I'm not getting my hopes up but things could get very interesting pretty soon!
WOW!! Weaver and Milton....someone hold McCheap back, he's in a buying frenzie!! Jamies last pair of new shoes probably cost McCheap more then these two stiffs.
I told a friend a couple of weeks back that the Dodgers probably already have a deal in place with Manny, but they aren't going to announce it until they're into spring training. Manny rarely reports to spring training on time anyway, so this will make it look like he has a good reason not to be there right away.