Links: Akerfelds' cancer, No 3 year deals, Farm might buy the farm, Coleman signing

by jbox on Dec 6, 2011 10:38 AM PST

San Diego Padres bullpen coach Darrel Akerfelds too busy living to worry about dying of cancer - ESPN
This article is an emotional roller coaster. I'm just warning you now.

"For God's sake,'' Bell said later, "he treats it like the flu.''
Padres bullpen coach Darrel Akerfelds was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year and still suited up for 148 games. Unfortunately the cancer has now spread to his liver. Keep him in your prayers.
Bell says Padres' last offer came in August | SignOnSanDiego.com
As much as it sucks to see Heath Bell leave, I am kind of glad that the Padres are sticking to their guns and not signing aging players to long contracts. Besides, the way the team is looking now, we won't have much use for a closer for about 3 years.

"I did talk to Seth (Levinson) a couple of times," Byrnes said of Bell’s agent. "But our general range hadn’t changed from August. We’re pretty militant about the time we give out. The length of deals are guards against mistakes. "We’re not going to offer anyone a three-year contract."
The Sacrifice Bunt " Josh Byrnes the Diamondback in the form of lines on a screen
The Sac Bunt has a graph that they think might foretell the downfall of the Padres farm system.

Here’s what I think: the Diamondbacks did not see nearly enough major league success in exchange for a farm system that tanked so badly, and I don’t see where Jeff Moorad‘s high level of confidence in Josh Byrnes comes from. Meanwhile, Jed Hoyer brought the Padres’ farm from near the bottom to the top, and was allowed to leave along with draft guru Jason McLeod after Jeff Moorad refused to match the Chicago Cubs’ contract offer to Hoyer.
ESCONDIDO: Padres announcer Jerry Coleman joins holiday celebrations
Jerry Coleman will be doing a book signing tonight and then on Saturday he'll be the Grand Marshall of the Escondido Christmas Parade. If you haven't read his book, you should really cruise up there and get a signed copy. It's a great read.

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That Akerfelds story really choked me up

What an inspirational guy, and an important part of the Padres family! I wish him all the best!

by london_balling on Dec 6, 2011 12:26 PM PST via mobile reply actions

I won't be reading it.

My dog just died in my arms this weekend, so I am way too susceptible to waterworks.

by EvilSammy on Dec 6, 2011 1:52 PM PST up reply actions

Just sucks

Cancer is a mean son of a bitch.

by athletics68 on Dec 6, 2011 2:50 PM PST up reply actions

Yep

My dad, who would have turned 70 today, died of cancer (not pancreatic) and I went through treatment for Hodgkin’s last fall and this spring. Cancer can fuck itself.

25 years as a baseball fan and I'm still confused by the infield fly rule

by SolanaFan on Dec 6, 2011 4:07 PM PST up reply actions

"We’re not going to offer anyone a three-year contract."

Like…ever? Anyone?

by Drama on Dec 6, 2011 1:27 PM PST reply actions

it was inresponse to a question about bell

so i’m pretty sure he’s talking about relief pitchers.

by iheartyourfart on Dec 6, 2011 2:45 PM PST up reply actions

Not a bad policy

I mean some of these contracts this offseason are nuts. 10 years for Albert Pujols? No player is worth 10 years… Not even Babe Ruth would have been worth it.

by athletics68 on Dec 6, 2011 2:52 PM PST up reply actions

Babe Ruth between 1920 and 1929 would have been worth it

by Dex on Dec 6, 2011 3:05 PM PST up reply actions 5 recs

if the yankees got 1919 babe ruth again today

and gave him a 10 year $250m contract like pujols is gonna get he would have been “worth” the contract before the end of his fifth season. between 1919 and 1923 he made for 61 WAR while losing about a third of a season to injury.

by iheartyourfart on Dec 6, 2011 4:13 PM PST up reply actions

a-rod actually outperformed his first 10 year deal handily

had he not opted out. he produced something like $90m surplus value. his extension was insane of course.

by iheartyourfart on Dec 6, 2011 4:05 PM PST up reply actions

nope. he said "anyone"

Considering the source, I don’t think that seems terribly far fetched. But to be completely honest, maybe its not the worst policy. Baseball players after the steroids era perform act more like the rest of use in their 30s now…. No more guys “seeing the ball better” or “just figuring out how to locate pitches” magically all of a sudden in their mid to late 30s. So 2 year contracts don’t seem that silly.

"Well, he ought to go home and find somebody else to bang." Jerry Coleman

by cubbuster on Dec 6, 2011 7:46 PM PST via mobile up reply actions