Baseball Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous baseball thoughts and observations.

Jorge Posada has signed a 4-year $52.4 million contract to stay with the Yankees. Three thoughts on this signing. First - Jorge got that extra $100,000 per year because it now makes his contract the richest in history for a catcher (Mike Piazza had a $13 million per year contract). Second - does anyone think that Jorge will be worth the money in that last year? As a 40-year old catcher or as a DH? He may not be worth the money in the 3rd year. Finally - Jorge had a career year (in hits and batting average) at age 36 - would anyone be shocked if he's named in the Mitchell Report? As a Red Sox fan - I love this signing.... The Tigers re-signed Todd Jones to a 1-year $7 million deal. It's strange that Jones gets all that money mainly due to a guy making the minimum (Joel Zumaya) getting hurt. Seriously - Jones should send $1 million over Zumaya's way as a thank you for having such great stuff but being such a clumsy bastard... I think if the Yankees didn't give Posada the 4th year then the Mets would have. I don't think the Red Sox would operate that way. I think they put a dollar number and a number of years down next to a player and very rarely will they go over those numbers. Varitek being the exception that proves the rule... I think its a sign of how much the stock in Dontrelle Willis has fallen that even in a year with no real free agent pitchers worth the money there is almost no buzz about any team acquiring Willis and he's on the market! Willis has always pitched better on the road than at home (3.85 career ERA at home vs 3.71 career road ERA) and I think that maybe the South Beach nightlife may have sucked out his mojo last season. Just saying that I'm surprised his name doesn't come up more often... Having said that the Red Sox normally don't go over what they feel a player's true worth is - it will be interesting to see if the Red Sox offer Mike Lowell a 4th year. Lowell is a great clubhouse guy and the Red Sox really don't have anyone in the minors ready to play in the bigs. Lowell just may be another exception to the rule. If not I'd look for the Red Sox to sign Brad Wilkerson to play 1st and move Kevin Youkilis to 3rd... Congrats to Dustin Pedroia for winning the AL Rookie of the Year award. He deserved it. Let's hope Josh Beckett wins the Cy Young today.