John Lackey

[wibadgers23]

Yep, and that is what's wrong with baseball. The Yankees get three of the most prized free agents last year and will probably sign the most prized free agent pitcher this year. Absolutely ludicrous.

[Invader3K]

Just give them their own trophy at the start of the season and let the other 29 teams actually play for something.

[Ennder]

Plenty of big free agents go to teams other than the Yankees so you are really overstating things. Salary cap would ruin baseball, better luxury and revenue sharing would be good though.

 

I don't think we should overpay to get Lackey though. Pitchers are healthy until they are not and then they don't usually recover very well from it. It is pretty rare to see a pitcher who goes 200+ IP a season who gets hurt for 2 years and then stays healthy a big chunk of their career.

[JohnBriggs12]

I have a hard time seeing the Yankees passing on Lackey, but there's another report on MLB trade rumors that they're more intent on re-signing their own FA than they are on Lackey.

 

Lackey's value is $16-18 million per year. The question becomes years. I agree with the concerns about giving a 31 year old pitcher more than 4 years guaranteed. If they could get the lower per year number ($16 million), maybe. He's going to get 5 years from somebody.

[strawbossisevil]

I personally think it's ridiculous that a team can purchase the rights to the best 3 FA starting pitchers to come available over the past two seasons. How is anyone supposed to compete with them when they are intent on buying an ace pitcher (or two) to add to their already stocked rotation?

 

Like another poster above said, give them their trophy right now, and let the other 29 teams play for their own title.

[jjkoestler]

I saw this on Rotoworld and MLB Trade Rumors.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/11/brewers-unlikely-to-be-major-players-for-lackey.html#comments

 

Brewers Unlikely to Be Major Players For Lackey

By Luke Adams [November 10, 2009 at 11:40am CST]

In their roundup of the talk at the GM meetings, Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi at FOX Sports report that the Milwaukee Brewers aren't likely to land John Lackey.

 

While the report notes that the Brewers need starting pitching, it suggests they're much more likely to pursue lesser free agents such as Jarrod Washburn and Doug Davis.

 

Milwaukee was in the hunt for C.C. Sabathia last offseason, making him a $100MM offer, and could potentially have the money to go after Lackey. Brewers officials, however, think that the top starting pitching prize in this year's free agent class will want to play in a larger market.

[Klements Bratwurst]

"Brewers officials, however, think that the top starting pitching prize in this year's free agent class will want to play in a larger market. "

 

I think Melvin saw Brian Cashman leave the GM Meetings in Chicago, jump on a plane, so that he could take Lackey out to a nice dinner and offer him 7/167. It will be dejavu all over again!

[MJLiverock]

While the report notes that the Brewers need starting pitching, it suggests they're much more likely to pursue lesser free agents such as Jarrod Washburn and Doug Davis.

This is one of my biggest fears - - Melvin will take his "saved" money from letting Cameron go as part of the JJ/CarGo swap and invest it in aging mediocre pitchers. The team can't keep wasting money on these types of guys if they truly want to get over the hump. Just admit 2010 is a rebuilding year and focus on getting good talent that can help in 2011 or wait until the free agency class of 2011 is available and put some of the cash today along with Suppan/Hall money into that group. No more mediocre players signed to mulit year deals that drag down the ability to add good players in year 2 or 3 of the deal.

[brewmann04]

If the yanks want lackey they get him no question. The brewers aslo better stay away from aging Veteran Fa.

[owbc]

Tom H. now reporting that Lackey is looking for AJ Burnett money (5 years, ~$80 million). Not surprisingly, the Brewers are unlikely to make an offer.

[yoshii8]

The thing that is funny to me about that blog post, is that the quotes from Melvin do not match the title. It sounds a lot like the Brewers are thinking about making a run at him. Have a look.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/69769177.html?c=y&commentSubmitted=y

[Invader3K]

Yeah, Melvin seems to say that they will look at him, but obviously won't go overboard in making him an offer either.

[yoshii8]

These are the direct quotes from Melvin.

 

"It depends what they're asking for," said Melvin, who prepared to head home Wednesday after the annual general managers meetings wrapped up.

 

"I don't know if it could fit or not. I might have to make some other moves to make it fit."

[colbyjack]

Nice to see Randy Wolf's named mentioned, although MLB Trade Rumors points out that Arn Tellum also represents Joel Pineiro, Rich Harden and Vicente Padilla (since TH didn't specifically mention that Melvin met with Tellum to talk about Wolf). I still don't see Lackey fitting with the Brewers plans, as they would have to out-bid everyone else to make that happen, and that's rarely a good thing.

[endaround]

Thing is if the Yankees bring in Lackey and resign Petitte what happens to Joba and Hughes?

[bjkrautk]

Thing is if the Yankees bring in Lackey and resign Petitte what happens to Joba and Hughes?

I can see why Lackey's agent would want to portray the Yankees as having an interest, but the Yankees already have C.C., Burnett, Chamberlin, and Hughes for their rotation. I would likewise guess they can get Andy Pettitte to sign for half of what Lackey is asking for.

 

Realistically, if Lackey can't get Burnett-type money from a handful of teams (The 4 teams between LA and NY, Cubs, Boston, Philadelphia, maybe Atlanta, and I'm probably forgetting another team or two) ... he's just not going to get that size of a contract. If the Yankees are satisfied with their pitching staff, you no longer have to outbid the top club to sign Lackey.

[nate82]

Thing is if the Yankees bring in Lackey and resign Petitte what happens to Joba and Hughes?

If I was Hughes I would be demanding a trade if the Yankees bring in another veteran pitcher to take his spot in the rotation. Joba should be a reliever that is where he is best used at the Red Sox figured this out with Papelbon I don't know why the Yankees still insist he is a starter. Joba has more value to the Yankees as a reliever than he does as a starter but that is just my opinion.

[TooLiveBrew]

Thing is if the Yankees bring in Lackey and resign Petitte what happens to Joba and Hughes?

Pettitte may well just retire, so I can't imagine that there's a plan relying on him at this point.

[Weirdos19]

MLBTraderumors states that Melvin did have a sit down with Lackey's agent at the GM meetings. They said that he also talked with the agents of Davis and Wolf.

[Tbadder]

The Crew really need to stay away from free agent pitchers. This year's crop is not good emough to elevate them to a serious playoff team, so why waste the money? I'd much rather keep Looper at 5/6 mil than give 8 or 9 to davis or Washburn or any other stiff they're looking at. And as much as I'd like to avoid trading young players, if I got a youngish pitcher in return, Say Edwin Jackson, I rather go this route. Re-up Looper, trade for Jackson, hope Bush rebounds, and next year doesn't Suppan, Riske, Hall, and Hoffmann's money come off the books? Then if there's someone young enough think about a free agent. I'm amazed that people believe an organization can force-fix its problems in a single off season.

[yoshii8]

The Crew really need to stay away from free agent pitchers. This year's crop is not good emough to elevate them to a serious playoff team, so why waste the money?

I disagree, I think that the addition of Lackey would make them into a serious playoff contender. I would put Lackey and Gallardo up w/ the top of any rotation in the league.

[jjfanec]

The Crew really need to stay away from free agent pitchers. This year's crop is not good emough to elevate them to a serious playoff team, so why waste the money?

I disagree, I think that the addition of Lackey would make them into a serious playoff contender. I would put Lackey and Gallardo up w/ the top of any rotation in the league.

I agree with Yoshi here. While Lackey may cost more than is prudent to spend he would have been the second best pitcher in last years class behind CC. He and Yo could make a nice top of the rotation and with a healthy Dave Bush, Parra and someone in the 5 spot I would feel pretty good. We will still score runs so if we can get pitching we will be in very good shape.

[kramnoj]

I'm amazed that people believe an organization can force-fix its problems in a single off season.

 

Why? Teams have done so. It may not happen every year, but it's not a rare event.

 

This year's crop is not good emough to elevate them to a serious playoff team, so why waste the money?

 

Baseball is hardly that predictable. How many people thought that the White Sox would win the 2005 WS?

 

No team with Fielder, Yo and Braun should give up the season before it starts.

[crewcrazy]

The more I think about the possibility of Lackey coming to town, the more I like it, but I'm trying not to get my hopes up. There's still plenty of time for him to talk to other teams who have a lot more money to play with, and the long-term implications could be a little concerning, too. The money's probably there to pay Lackey this year with the recent cost-cutting moves (like McCalvy mentions on the MLB site), and next year Suppan comes off the books...like others have said, though, it's years 3-5 that would get me nervous, especially if they choose to backload the deal.

[logan82]

it's years 3-5 that would get me nervous, especially if they choose to backload the deal.

 

What do you mean if? When does a player sign a contract that doens't get much bigger in value by then end?