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Inside source - Zito angling for the Yankees

I promised you a report from the elementary school playground. Apparently I did not need to urge my son to question his classmate - he was already on top of it!

She is going to have Thanksgiving with Uncle Barry, and Alex has passed on that the Padres fans really really want him here. However, the discouraging news is that the report from the niece is that he wants a World Series contender and has always coveted the Yankee pinstripes. So, if the Yankees make a serious play for him, that is where he will most likely sign. Arrgh!!!

This FanPost was written by a member of the Gaslamp Ball community and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Gaslamp Ball managers or SB Nation.

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You do need a LHP Starter at Yankee Stadium...
... but they're only playing a few more seasons there, right?
Got a flight for tonight and I'm ready to ROLL! All my homies checkin fo' me and I'm ready to GO!

by TheRevRun on Nov 20, 2006 1:45 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Well
the next stadium is going to have the same dimensions as the current one (but a lower outfield wall) so yes and no.  They'll move into "new" Yankee Stadium in 2009, so it's still a couple years down the pike.
Following the Yanks, it seems like Cashman is lukewarm on Zito as a declining power pitcher, so Zito would have to offer his services at a discount to get suited in pinstripes.  I read a comment he made about the cost of free agent pitchers compared to what he thinks he'll get out of the farm system.
And remember that Boras is Zito's agent.
"If you're in love with the game, you can't turn it on and off like a light. It's something that runs so deep it takes you over." ~Billy Martin.

by jscape2000 on Nov 20, 2006 8:20 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Anger in general...
Let me preface this post by saying this: I'm frustrated. We were promised money would be spent this off-season and I know it's still early in the process....but DAMMIT. My addiction is getting worse every day. I'm on mlbtraderumors.com, fox sports mlb, google news, etc. ALL THE TIME. In the past few weeks it seems we've actually trimmed our payroll instead of adding to it. I KNOW something is going to happen...but I'm like a kid staring at that huge present sitting under the Christmas tree with my name on it...IT'S KILLING ME.
   I hate to spout off like a whiny bitch, but Padre fans should understand what I mean. This isn't like Christmas at all. You know why? Because Christmas comes EVERY year. Not for Padre fans. We haven't had Christmas since the off-season before the 1998 season. Here's what kills me...as the 1998 season was coming to a close...and many of us were running around town with our "Vote for Prop C" buttons and bumperstickers...we were given a promise. That promise was about the Padres being more profitable and in turn, putting some of that money towards players. We have yet to see that.
    Which brings us to now. Some major contracts have gone away (Klesko, Chan Ho, Woody) and we have been told by Sandy and KT we have around $30 million to spend. There isn't a whole lot left in the free agent market that can make a major impact on an organization. Personally, I felt Soriano was one of those guys. But at 8 years and $136 mil?? Um, no.
    This brings us to Barry Zito. Or as Christina has introduced to us: "Uncle Barry". One of the reasons Barry has been a guy in the spotlight has a lot to do with his personality, not just what he brings to the mound every fifth day. Some of the words to describe Zito range from "beatnik" to "creative" to "weird" to "spiritual". Barry has always been on a bit of a different level than everybody else. I'm not going to get into the numbers...the innings thrown each season, ERA, Cy Young awards or any of that other stuff. With any other pitcher I wouldn't be surprised if they just went to the highest bidder, which chances are would be one of the New York teams.  But I don't see that in Barry. I'm not saying he's some kind of saint, because the dollars the Padres have to offer will be damn competitive, but I think Barry will look at the process with a different set of eyes. San Diego will be HOME. HOME. At Petco he will be welcomed with open arms. In NY he will be welcomed with a big check and a "Why haven't you won us a ring, yet?" Ask A-Rod.
    Barry has a once in a lifetime opportunity here. He can still get the huge contract...AND he can come home and change a franchise. How many can say that? Grabbing the NY money and pulling on the pinstripes is now cliche and stereotypical. This isn't the 60's anymore. Mickey isn't in center anymore. Whitey isn't on the hill. Casey Stengel isn't in the dugout. The Yankee mystique is dead. The face of the Yankees is a control freak owner and $200 million dollar payroll.
     Be different, Uncle Barry...be YOU. Come home.
Let's have some fun out here! This game's fun, OK? Fun goddamnit.

by Drama on Nov 20, 2006 9:04 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

On a lighter note...
The reason Gaslamp Ball is the best...is because our "inside source" is a ten-year old telling another ten-year old at recess what she thinks her uncle is going to do in the free agent market. Screw you Ken Rosenthal! Screw you Buster Olney!
Let's have some fun out here! This game's fun, OK? Fun goddamnit.

by Drama on Nov 20, 2006 9:08 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Laughed out loud
I nearly spit my cereal all over the computer when I read this this morning.  Hilarious.

And true.

And the kids are probably just as accurate - if not more so - than Gammons, Olney, et al.

I think it is now understood that we only refer to Zito as Uncle Barry from on.

by Winfield's Ghost on Nov 21, 2006 6:17 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Re: Uncle Barry
Definitely.  Everyone needs to remember to call him that.  Bonus points if you refer to him as Uncle Barry in front of people who don't read GLB and offer no explanation.

by Richard Wade on Nov 21, 2006 12:13 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

<big sigh>
...oh Drama, are you married?
"...first the shit must always hit the (hard core) fan." - Nico, AN

by ABY on Nov 20, 2006 9:21 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I feel your pain...
I got so god damn excited about all the rumors floating around... even with the ex-available dodgers. With the rising prices of tickets, concessions, parking ect they better fucking give us somebody. Not only that but they have lost many fan favorites, which they better fing make up for.

It just frusrates me how much potential san diego has for being a sports town. Im happy but not satisfied with 2 nl west titles and 8-1 post season record. If they want diehard fans they need to do their part. PULL THE FING TRIGGER AND SPEND SOME FING MONEY YOU ASSHOLES! Im sick of waiting for xmas morning...because that box looks very big.

by Mikegedup on Nov 20, 2006 9:34 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

As an A's fan...
I can empathize. Since I know Barry has about as much of a chance as going to the Royals as he does the A's, I'm really rooting for him to sign with the Padres.

And Christmas has been pretty harsh for us. It was a couple weeks before Christmas that the A's traded aces Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder. In hindsight, it was a great deal, but as a fan that day, it was devastating.

We never know what to expect from Barry. As someone who has watched him a lot, I don't think he would do well in New York. He's way too much of a headcase to survive. He seems so right for the Padres, even if he can no longer be an A. <le sigh>

Check out my blog - Off The Record

by JLaff on Nov 21, 2006 6:01 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Step back ABY!
Drama is all mine!! :-)

While I have not been quite as obsessed as you Drama, I totally fell the same way. Well, not as obsessed as in, pumping the boy for inside info!!

I don't know who promoted this to the front page, but Alex is GLOWING about it!! Wait 'till I tell him it's Uncle Barry now!

Anyhow Drama - you are very spot on about Barry. It is his unique personality that makes him such a great fit here. Face it, he's a San Diego beach rat. As someone who has lived in the Del Mar area for 15 years and knows the north coast surfing culture from Del Mar to Oceanside very well - he is definitely a product of these communities! Much like Tim Flannery (gawd I still hate losing him!). Who was Barry's first real pitching coach as a kid? Randy Jones. He needs to come home.

Christina

by Christina on Nov 21, 2006 8:19 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

ABY & Christina....
(Blushing)
Let's have some fun out here! This game's fun, OK? Fun goddamnit.

by Drama on Nov 21, 2006 7:55 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I feel better.
I thought that I was the only one checking the rumor sites a bizzilion time a day!! Drama maybe we should start a support group...

I agree somewhat with feeling a bit disappointed at this stage. I've been a critic of KT's in the past but he has redeemed himself as of late. Therefore I'm trying to keep faith in his judgement. Although at this point I would almost rather have the Pads hold off and not sign any stupid contracts (Dodgers/Pierre 5yrs/45MM WTF!!!!) for the sake of signing people. I would much rather give the guys that we have on hand (Sledge, Cust, Mac) and wait until next year's better free agent class to spend the big dough.

Any thoughts??

by jburtrum1 on Nov 20, 2006 9:32 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Zito, then loretta or lee
I would love to have loretta back, he fits well into the NL west style. Left field is a big problem...As there isnt much besides Lee. I would take a Floyd and im assuming that is whats going to happen given the slightly homoerotic relationship we have with the mets.

Just bugs me that KT promised a 2nd baseman of "star quality" or whatever...to me he was only speaking of of soriano but now i just dont know.

Also, remember that it isnt just FA open for business(duh)... i can just feel a trade for linebrink.

Honestly, if we could just get zito i would be content...id love a bat but id rather have an arm, its the padre way.

by Mikegedup on Nov 20, 2006 9:46 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

The Waiting Game
I've stayed away from here and all the other sites for a couple of days because the anxiety was causing me to grind my teeth and stare at the ceiling at night, wondering "Is Towers working right now?  Or is he bowling with Theo?"

(On a side note - staying away has forced me, as a transplanted San Diegan living in Dallas, to pay attention to what the Rangers are doing.  Here's what the Rangers are doing - trotting out their new manager to local Hooters locations to introduce him to the fans.  "The fans", I believe, consisted of a bachelor party and a bunch of kids from SMU celebrating someone's twenty first birthday.  When I say "classy", you say "Rangers!")

Seeing the front office sit on this salary cap space is brutal.  But I'm not in favor of spending money just to spend money.  Seeing the money that's being thrown around - Soriano, Pierre, etc - is insane.  I don't think anyone has said about any of the deals so far "Good signing.  Well done."

I am still hopeful that Uncle Barry and perhaps Carlos Lee are still in the mix.  The 2B we've discussed signing since trading Barfield are still out there, minus Nomar (which I don't think anyone bought anyway.)  So if you subtract Soriano from the mix (and based on what he got from Chicago, we were never really in the conversation), the players the organization has talked about bringing in are still out there.  

It absolutely sucks to wait, but I'm not in panic mode yet.  I'm close, but I'm hanging on.

by Winfield's Ghost on Nov 21, 2006 6:33 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Reaction...
I agree with jburtum1 and mikegedup. I have no desire to see the Padres spend money just to spend money. I've read quite a few columnists saying that it might be smartest route to just save the dough and wait until next off-season (better free agents, fewer teams with money to burn, etc.). It makes sense, it really does.

When you see what the Cubs and Dodgers have done in the last few days it makes you cringe. The FIVE YEAR, $45 million dollar contract for Juan Pierre was like a slap in the face. (And BTW - How happy do you think Dave Roberts was when he heard about this deal?) And thanks to the Cubs giving Soriano an INSANE deal...the price for Carlos Lee went up considerably. I don't know about the rest of you, but I would rather wait for another season than give Carlos Lee a $100 million dollar deal. No thanks.

My wish: Sign Uncle Barry. Then let KT do his magic and fill 2nd and LF for 2007. We can break the bank before the 2008 season.

Let's have some fun out here! This game's fun, OK? Fun goddamnit.

by Drama on Nov 21, 2006 6:49 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Spending Money
With season tickets for field box costing $6,480 for two seats, spend some of my freaking season ticket holder money, even if it is on a Van Gogh to hang in the therapy room.

by Enzo Hernandez on Nov 21, 2006 11:40 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Re: the waiting game, et al...
Cincinnati, with one of the poorest defenses last season, just signed TWO veterans.  The Mets also signed a 90 yr old to run around on their OF grass.  The Dodgers just paid through the nose for a "come-back" player of the year and as for Cubs, I don't whether to feel more sorry for them or Soriano himself.  I guess he can buy his own ring with that pay-check, coz he ain't getting one in Chicago!  Having said all that I guess no movement in the Padre front office seems like pretty good news right now.
"...first the shit must always hit the (hard core) fan." - Nico, AN

by ABY on Nov 21, 2006 7:51 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Friar Offseason: The Pappa Weighs In
Hello, Gaslampers!  I love this site!  Pappa Morgigno here to comment on this very interesting thread.  

In fact, I was talking to the boys in the editing suite yesterday about these skyrocketing player salaries (and you should see what we're paying for our tiny, chatter-box of a TV announcer! Seriously, I love Matttie).  

Any-who, there's a thought that the Padre front office is thrilled to see prices break the realm of common sense, hence they have a built in excuse as to why they won't spend money on top name free agents this year.  Heck, even Jane Mitchell won't pony up $15+ mil for Zito!

I think it's another "wait 'til next year" offseason for the backers of Prop C.

Oh, and in time for the holidays,  make sure to pick up your discounted "One on One" segments with Josh Barfield, Tim Flannery and Bruce Bochy.  They make great kindling for the fireplace.

Cha-nel Fooouuuuuurrrrr......San D-eh-goooooo.

by Pappa Morgigno on Nov 21, 2006 9:52 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Next years class...
Since the general consensus here seems to be for us to wait until next year to spend money (because the salaries now are bloated blah blah blah ).What is going to make next year any different? Just seems that the same big market teams will always inflate the salaries. BTW, who is next years class of FAs? I could probably look it up but ehhh.

by Mikegedup on Nov 21, 2006 11:31 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

Next year....
Here are the top 40 free agents for the 2008 season. This is from www.mlbtraderumors.com.
  1. John Smoltz (41)
  2. Michael Young (31)
  3. Carlos Zambrano (27)
  4. Joe Nathan (33)
  5. Mariano Rivera (38)
  6. Chris Carpenter (33)
  7. Jorge Posada (36)
  8. Curt Schilling (41)
  9. Bobby Abreu (34)
  10. Ichiro Suzuki (34)
  11. Andruw Jones (31)
  12. Carlos Guillen (32)
  13. Jeff Kent (40)
  14. Mike Lowell (34)
  15. Vernon Wells (29)
  16. Jason Jennings (29)
  17. Jake Westbrook (30)
  18. Ivan Rodriguez (36)
  19. Trevor Hoffman (40)
  20. Freddy Garcia (32)
  21. Kenny Rogers (43)
  22. Torii Hunter (32)
  23. Jason Isringhausen (35)
  24. Omar Vizquel (41)
  25. Marcus Giles (30)
  26. Eric Byrnes (32)
  27. Paul Lo Duca (36)
  28. Bob Wickman (39)
  29. Corey Patterson (28)
  30. Adam Dunn (28)
  31. Randy Johnson (44)
  32. Scott Linebrink (31)
  33. Doug Davis (32)
  34. Michael Barrett (31)
  35. Milton Bradley (30)
  36. Jon Lieber (38)
  37. David Eckstein (33)
  38. Aaron Rowand (30)
  39. Juan Uribe (29)
  40. Bartolo Colon (35)
Let's have some fun out here! This game's fun, OK? Fun goddamnit.

by Drama on Nov 21, 2006 12:58 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Ichiro
It would never happen, but Ichiro, my favorite player in baseball, would look great in blue and sand, wouldn't he?

by Enzo Hernandez on Nov 21, 2006 2:43 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Ichiro is
my favorite softball player...god i hate the way he swings while runs.

by Mikegedup on Nov 21, 2006 3:19 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

Hmmm
Id really like an Adam Dunn in left field...

by Mikegedup on Nov 21, 2006 3:28 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

wow!
Thanks for the research.  
There are aaaalot of big names on that list.  Do you think that will bring down the prices any?
btw: lurve that we have 10 yr old scouts and are already discussing the 2008 free agent list!
"...first the shit must always hit the (hard core) fan." - Nico, AN

by ABY on Nov 21, 2006 6:55 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

I never noticed
That 'ol Scotty L. is going to be a free agent next year. He's as good as gone.....

by jburtrum1 on Nov 21, 2006 3:38 PM PST reply actions   0 recs

Cla Meredith...
...just got a call from Corky's Pest Control. Meet your new spokesman!

by Dex on Nov 21, 2006 4:01 PM PST up reply actions   0 recs

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