The Market is Still Hot

Did you know...that, even with the $423.5 million that the Yankees just promised to CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and AJ Burnett, that their 2009 payroll is slated to be lower than it was in 2008? With several big contracts (Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi, Andy Pettitte, Mike Mussina and Carl Pavano) coming off their books, the Yankees had loads of money to spend.

Speaking of phormer Phillie Bobby Abreu, the latest rumors state that Abreu is being targeted by two California teams...the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Manny Ramirez remains the Dodgers' first choice to play left field, but they can't wait around while other options that appeal to the Dodgers, like Abreu and Adam Dunn, are available. According to the LA Times, Manny's agent Scott Boras has been out of touch with the Dodgers since Mark Teixeira, another Boras client, signed with the Yankees before Christmas. Those hefty commission checks take some time to deposit, I suppose.

Among some mild chatter about the Athletics' interest in Bob Abreu, the LA Daily News also mentions Oakland's interest in Pat Burrell. Apparently the Tampa Bay Rays might be the A's chief competition in signing free agent outfielders Burrell, Garrett Anderson and/or Abreu.

For those wondering, in 2009, the Phillies do play the Rays...in the "On-deck Series" at home right before the regular season starts April 3rd and 4th, and on the road during the regular season, June 23-25. The Phillies face the Dodgers at home May 12-14, then visit LA in early June. The Phillies are not scheduled to play the A's.

In a roster note, our Phils signed reliever Gary Majewski to a minor league contract on Monday. Majewski was with the Nationals franchise before being traded to the Reds organization in the Felipe Lopez/Austin Kearns deal, in 2006. Majewski is a righty who will turn 29 during spring training, and has a considerably high WHIP of 1.94 over the past two seasons. Majewski has little chance of making the opening day roster.

Comments

IRONPIGPEN said…

Yeah, but even the Beatles know money can't buy you love (World Series trophy)

2008 World Series champions - Philadelphia Phillies

I wonder how that reads in New York these days? For both the Mets AND Yankees.

January 2, 2009 at 6:24 PM

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Gene Kelly was the radio voice of the Philadelphia Phillies from 1950- 1959. Born in Brooklyn NY, Kelly pitched in the minor leagues after graduating from Marshall College in 1941. He would soon experience arm trouble, which ended his playing days. Kelly managed to continue a career in sports by turning to radio. When legendary announcer By Saam, who pulled double duty beginning in 1939 calling both Phillies and Athletics games, moved over to the A's side exclusively, Gene Kelly was the man who would fill the void and took over as the Phillies play-by-play man. The Phillies began broadcasting their games over the air in 1936, but until the 1950's, the broadcasters only attended home games and did not travel with the team. All road games were recreated, on the air, by the announcers who read a Western Union teletype account of the games from the studio in Philadelphia. During the decade of the 50's, Kelly was partnered with several different broadcasters, including Claude Ha...

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