Royalties & Cardinalate

Suspect moves by the Royals

Well, I'm not feeling as crusty as I was yesterday. Nevertheless, there are plenty of things to complain about.

Eli Marrero, $2.5 million. Jose Lima, $2.5 million. Terrence Long, $3.7 million. These players are replaceable talents, overpaid to the tune of about $6 million between them. You would think that $6 million could have been much better spent.

What is the purpose of this frivolousness? David Glass has always said that his economic vision for the Royals operation is to break even over any given five-year period. He claims the team broke even last season when the payroll was $47 million.

After shedding several moderately-priced veterans in the off-season, the Royals could roll out a roster that is about $10 million lighter in payroll from last season. Instead, GM Allard Baird seems intent on spending his way back up the $47 million mark.

The question is, what purpose does this serve? Wouldn't that $6 million be of better use in the bank, heldover over for when the Royals are trying to retain the services of a member of a their young talent core, who presumably has proven himself on the field? Or to augment that core? When a team is unlikely to contend, it makes no sense to invest in the Eli Marreros, Jose Limas of the world. Overpay now and that is money you won't have later.

I wonder how much of it has to do with Glass' statements about expecting the team to play .500 ball this season. Could that happen? Sure. But, if it does, it's not going to be because of Eli Marrero or Jose Lima. It will be because the young core becomes major-league productive and outperform expectation.

For a building team, the first order of business is to identify which of your core players will be around for the long haul. An Eli Marrero/Terrence Long platoon doesn't accomplish much of anything in this regard.

As for Lima, innings eaters have value, even on a building team. But for $2.5 million? For what? Lima had a 5.56 ERA with and .879 OPS against on the road last season. Even in Chavez Ravine, he surrendered 16 home runs. He's a 6-plus ERA waiting to happen. You should be able to get that for the league minimum.

There is an upshot, however. Yep, its Mrs. Lima.

Made some changes to the masthead. Sorry, Brian. I couldn't resist.

Why I don't like David Eckstein

A Cardinal fan friend at work asked me if I had read Bernie Miklasz's Eckstein piece. As an insensitive, baseball curmudgeon, I blurted out "3 years, 10-plus million! That was a horrible signing!" The guy was taken aback, as I could tell by the look on his face. Then I read the piece. What a hatchet job. I don't give a fuck if Eckstein is about to be canonized. I don't give a fuck if he cares for homeless children in the streets of Calcutta in his spare time. All I want from sports writing is discussion and analysis about what takes place between the lines and in the front office. Leave the personal stuff out. Let's stop making athletes more than they are.

You know why I feel this way? For every positive story you read, there are fifty negative ones. For every player who professes love for a city and an organization and demonstrates loyalty to both, their are fifteen who chase the dollar like a gold-digging Hollywood wife. Let's stop putting athletes and other celebrities on pedestals. Let's stop paying hard-earned money for their signatures. Why do people go so google-eyed at the mere whiff of fame? Judge these people for how they do their job. Nothing more. Because unless you are truly a member of a someone's inner circle, you don't really know that person. When it comes to celebrities, the image that is presented to the public is as often as not deception rather than reality. No, the only thing we can really see and judge in athletes is what they do on the field, on the court, on the ice. I want a world where people idolize themselves, not someone with questionable motivations (money) who perform a non-essential task (play sports).

Sure, David Eckstein will play hard. He'll bunt and get his uniform dirty and lift his little body into the air to get enough juice on his throws to first base. And, yes, fans in St. Louis will love him. But he'll be one of the worst offensive players in the National League. He'll play adequate, if unspectacular, defense - maybe. (After all, he's a 30-year old middle infielder who debuted at the age of 26 - not the profile of a player to whom you want to make a long-term commitment.) He'll cause the Rex Hudlers of the world to go all a-flutter. And he'll make over $10 million dollars during the next three years to do these things. After that, he'll sign with the team that offers him the most money. All players do.

I don't know David Eckstein and if I gave it much thought, I'd probably admire him for getting so much out of limited natural ability. But I don't like him because he's not that good of a player and, yet, he's paid as if he were a good player. Of course, the latter part of that is not Eckstein's fault. It's Walt Jocketty. It's inefficient spending. And, however indirectly, that kind of market inefficiency hurts my team - the Royals. (See this was a Royals entry after all.)

Can we have Scully too?

Brad –

I would classify the fan reaction in St. Louis regarding the Mulder trade as very enthusiastic. In fact, that is to be expected and does not bother me. After all, the Red Sox swept a series from us and something had to be done. (I’m BS-ing) The team might be much better in 2005 if Mulder pitches well and the immediate future is all that 95 percent of Cardinals fans really care about. It will be 2007 or 2008 before we can make a firm call on this shaky deal. What is really bothering me is the Post-Dispatch sports columnists already touting David Eckstein as the next big thing to hit town. The new gritty, gutty winner who will do whatever it takes to win and do it in a raw, hard-working style that is sure to endear him to STL fans ala Bo Hart and Joe McEwing. C’mon, folks! There is some truth to Eckstein’s work ethic and hustle, but where is the analytical, critical voice from these guys? Leave the intangibles alone for a few seconds and try to enlighten the average St. Louis fan as to specifically what Eckstein is bringing to St. Louis and why he is, at best, an average (see Brad’s comments), likeable player. He is very sure-handed, but being last in range factor is precarious, though Brad points out the Angels “had the third-most flyball prone staff.” I’m not asking for Runs Created and Range Factor to be referenced, just a well-researched viewpoint that does not create a surge of false excitement over a below-average player.

If DE was replacing Tony Womack, I’d be pleased because it would be an even replacement, more so considering Womack’s fluky 2004 season (which is something we now must for hope for from DE). I’m very upset Renteria is gone, but E-Rent had an OPS above league average only twice over the past 8 years and, perhaps, his 2003 season was just fluky. To make up for the Eckstein signing, we need a good 2B, hopefully Placido Polanco. And what the heck about Hector Luna? I’m not saying he is great SS option, but he is near-enough the level of Ickstein to have been an option. Finally, what were the Angels thinking to even let Icky go? Now they overpay like mad for Orlando Cabrera, which makes Boston’s signing of Rent look good since money is not as factor with them. Enough; I’ll pick up again next week. I started to post on Christmas, and now it is the day after. But if the Broncos have a win stored on my TiVo for this late night, well, that would be cool.