A-Rod not the best landlord around
By · CommentsWe haven’t spoken about our favorite third baseman in a while. And as the Yankees and A-Rod wrap up their contract negotiations, let’s check in on how New York’s favorite son is doing.
Selena Roberts, soon to depart The Times, checks in on A-Rod’s properties in Florida. He is not a very good landlord, she finds. In 2004, A-Rod, flush with cash and arriving in New York, decided to he wanted to invest. So he spent $58.7 million for properties in Tampa that, while aren’t slums, are not in much better shape.
Today, those properties are worth just – just – $46.3 million, and residents are none too impressed with the A-Rod management company:
A-Rod is the face on their leaky faucets, and yet his name isn’t in the welcome kit. Rodriguez’s brother-in-law, Constantine Scurtis, is the company manager — the one whose signature is on nearly $50 million in mortgages for properties in Tampa, according to records — but some of the cashiers and cooks who live at places like Newport Riverside know who holds their house keys.
To them, he isn’t A-Rod, a regular-season crackerjack on the verge of a Yankees deal potentially worth $300 million. To them, he is Tight-Rod, an apartment tycoon, who, renters say, has jacked late fees to $100 from $50 on units that run around $600 a month.
“He’s got everything, so why take money off our backs?” ” said Roberto Santiago, standing next to his neighbor, Ruiz.
Throughout the rest of the article, Roberts looks at A-Rod’s philanthropy and notes how he doesn’t stack up too well with Derek Jeter and Tiger Woods. His donations are meager based on his salary, and his big-ticket items have resulted in scholarships and stadiums named after him at the University of Miami. Whether you want to consider Roberts’ piece a hack job looking to tear down A-Rod or an honest assessment of an absentee landlord, it’s not a very flattering look at the future Hall of Famer.
In other news, A-Rod was supposedly hitting on Rumer Willis yesterday. Rumer is the 19-year-old daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore. And, um, yeah, not so much.
ByOn Wednesday, I wrote about the BBWAA’s decision, inspired by Curt Schilling, to disqualify players with incentive clauses when it comes to award voting. Today, we hear that the Writers’ board decided to table this proposal pending discussion with MLB and the Players’ Association. I hope the writers don’t back down, but I’m not optimistic. · (3) ·
Yanks looking at Hawkins for one year
By · CommentsWhile most relievers on the market have either signed multi-year deals, or are holding out for one, the Yankees are looking at an exception to the norm. They are reportedly in talks with LaTroy Hawkins regarding a one year deal worth about $3.5 million. I’ve never been a fan of Hawkins, especially after seeing him get knocked around with the Orioles in 2006.
Look, he hasn’t pitched more than 60.1 innings since 2004. His WHIP was near 1.30 in 2007, a post-2004 low, because he did something he hadn’t done for two years: allow fewer hits than innings pitched. His walk rates are decent, sitting below 3.00 for the most part. He also doesn’t strike out anyone anymore — he’s had a worse-than 2:1 K/BB ratio since, guess when, 2004.
Hawkins has had three good seasons, and he’s done a good job of fooling teams over the past few years that he’s actually a good reliever. He got incredibly lucky with the Rockies in 2007. Please, Cashman, don’t let that fool you. I understand it’s a minimal risk move, being only one year, but that would be a complete waste of $3.5 million.
He’s better off paying it to RAB. We do more good than LaTroy Hawkins will, and we’d even distribute it to other Yankees bloggers. So see, we all win. Bloggers get money, and the Yankees save themselves the embarrassment of having to cut a $3.5 million player in June.
ByAnd that’s quite the dapper beard he’s got. For all you early risers, Joba’s going to be on Mike and Mike at 8 a.m. broadcasting from the Christmas Tree on the Amtrak Level in Penn Station. Go to it. · (4) ·
BySean McNally wants your help. The Yanks have, by his count, around 18 pitchers for six bullpen spots. So go construct the Yankee bullpen. · (23) ·
For Boston, it was about the Yanks, not Johan
By · CommentsWith the Winter Meetings over, is it any surprise that Johan Santana is still a member of the Minnesota Twins? Of course not. Not in this day of uber-competitiveness between the Red Sox and the Yankees.
In case you need anymore proof of this sometimes-Cold, sometimes-Hot War, look no further than today’s Providence Journal. In an article on the Santana talks, Sean McAdam admits that, for the Red Sox, it wasn’t really about Johan Santana in Boston as much as it was about Johan Santana not in the Bronx.
With talks with the Twins at an impasse, it has struck some that that was the Red Sox’ primary goal all along. They weren’t so much motivated by obtaining Santana as much as they were ensuring that he didn’t join the Yanks…
So the Red Sox, perfectly content, sit and wait. Particularly with the Yankees on the sideline — for the time being, anyway — the Sox feel no sense of urgency to sweeten their offer and hasten some sort of resolution.
While some Red Sox fans were excited about the prospects of Santana landing in Boston, once the Yanks dropped out, so did Boston’s interest. That’s just the way things work. The Red Sox were willing to push the envelope on the deal to force the Yanks’ hand in regards to Phil Hughes. Once the Yanks didn’t want to go higher, the Sox toned down their negotiations.
Who knows where Johan Santana will end up or when? The Twins seem intent to start the season with him in the rotation despite their status as projected third-place finishers in the AL Central. But then again, we never figured A-Rod would land in the Bronx once the Boston deal fell through.
There’s a long way yet, and this chess game is far from over. But it does seem as though Boston, despite not landing Santana, won round one. Who will win the war though is far from certain.
RAB mobile version problems
By · CommentsTo all you folks who read RAB now and then on your PDAs/ Blackberry/iPhones/cell phones, we’re experiencing some problems with the Mobile Version and our latest cache upgrades. Bear with us for a day or two as we try to sort out this problem.
Update 2:37: RAB Mobile should be up and running again. If you’re still having problems, my e-mail address is on the left-hand sidebar. Contact me and let me know.
Yanks, Giants talked Matsui
By · CommentsThe Giants and the New York Yankees have discussed left fielder Hideki Matsui for a starter. Matsui does have a complete no-trade clause.
The article doesn’t say much more than that. Obviously the first two names that pop into your head when you hear “Giants’ starters” are Matt Cain and Timmy, but I’d be floored if the Yanks could get one of those two for Godzilla. Maybe they could land Jon Sanchez and some salary relief instead? The main obstacle would be getting around Godzilla’s no-trade clause, but I do think he’d waive it to reunite with Torre in Chavez Revine. Pac Bell…not so much.
(hat tip to MLBTR)
The End (of Pavano) is near
By · CommentsFrom George “I make up funny nicknames for players, like Kyle ‘The Mop’ Farnsworth, haha” King:
With a need for space on the 40-man roster, the Yankees are about to approach “American Idle” Carl Pavano. Their plan is to release him then invite him to spring training on a minor-league deal. Pavano had Tommy John surgery last summer. The minor-league offer may have something to do with collecting insurance money on Pavano’s four-year, $40 million contract that expires after the 2008 season.
Let’s just end this experiment already and let him walk. Maybe Dave Duncan can work his magic and revitalize Pavano’s career, but his days in pinstripes should be over.
(Hat tip to Patrick)
ByJoe Sheehan at BP’s Unfiltered blog has up a great post about running into Don Mattingly in one of the Opryland elevators this week. Sheehan, as most Yankee fans would, folded under the pressure and couldn’t bring himself to talk to his boyhood idol. It’s a great read. · (4) ·
