March 27, 2011
It has been an interesting, fast paced and hectic year in the Web Soulsurfer household.
I have logged 341,700 frequent flyer miles and more than 200 days away from home since March 31st of 2010.
I have met many incredible people, worked with some great clients and charities and visited some wonderful places. I have seen baseball games in 7 countries (actually 6 since Puerto Rico is a territory of the US, but don't tell them that).
But, and its a big but, I am exhausted and I miss my wife and home. Obviously I have not posted near as much on this blog and on the boards I have been so active on in the past.
I am nearing 50 (AARP is on my tail to sign up by my birthday in June) and I need to slow down and enjoy my life with my devoted and loving wife instead of jetting around the country and living in hotel rooms. Towards that end I have sold my interest in the sports/charity marketing business I have been involved with and will be relocating to new digs in a new city within the next month.
While I will be attending the Padres opening series of the season in St Louis, for the first time in 26 years I will likely not be able to make the Padres home opener as I take care of the last of my duties and transfer the company over to the new teams my (ex)business partner has hired to fill my duties.
Yes they are replacing me with two teams of 2 people each. Tells you how much work I have been doing when they have to bring in two teams to take my place.
There will still be a Websoulsurfer the blog and I may even post more often as I did in years past, but it will be from afar as I will be living in a AAA city of the West.
I do hope you will continue to read the blog and maybe even enjoy it more as it starts to be a more regular part of my life.
Just for shits and grins I may just publish the many (about 40) articles I have started (and never completed) writing in airports and hotel rooms over the past year even though they are dated and sometimes just plain wrong. But then being wrong never stopped me from posting before...
Best regards,
- Web
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Your 2011 San Diego Padres Opening Day Edition - (Updated 3/28)
March 27, 2011
The San Diego Padres Roster to OPEN the 2011 season
The San Diego Padres Roster to OPEN the 2011 season
Update 3/28 - Sorry this took so long, but spent morning on plane (what, me on a plane) and then had game to attend.
In an anticipated move, the Padres traded minor league starter Erik Davis to the Washington Nationals for utility man Alberto Gonzale.
To make room for Gonzalez, Everth Cabrera was optioned to AAA Tucson.
The Padres decided they prefer to have Aaron Cunningham play every day instead of as a 5th outfielder so Cedric hunter, who had a phenomenal spring, got the call to fill that spot.
Wade LeBlanc was optioned to minor league camp and will make two starts start there in preparation for 4/12 call up to face Reds as Padres #5 starter.
Mat Latos, Eric Patterson, Jarrett Hoffpauir, Joe Thatcher and Kyle Blanks were placed on the 15 day DL. Latos, Patterson and Hoffpauir are eligible to return 4/6. Thatcher and Blanks when healthy.
Corey Luebke will fill the left handed specialist/long reliever spot in the bullpen until Thatcher returns or LeBlanc is called up. (Whichever comes first)
Ernesto Frieri and Luis Perdomo also will make the staff, at least until Latos, Thatcher come off DL and LeBlanc is called up to make his 4/12 start.
Dustin Moseley will get the start(s) in Latos absence.
This is a preliminary roster depending on if the Padres make a last minute trade. The roster WILL change within 10 days of opening day as LeBlanc will move from being the lefty out of the pen to the starting rotation for a game against the Reds on April 12th. Likely changes will be made on the 7th or 8th of April.
Starting 8
1B – Brad Hawpe
2B – Orlando Hudson
3b – Chase Headley
SS – Jason Bartlett
LF – Ryan Ludwick
CF – Cameron Maybin
RF – Will Venable
C – Nick Hundley
Bench
OF – Chris Denorfia
OF/Util – Aaron Cunningham – (Patterson will start season on DL)
MI – Everth Cabrera (3/28- Alberto Gonzalez)
Util – Jorge Cantu
C – Rob Johnson
Batting Order on Opening Day
Facing Chris Carpenter of the Cardinals
Leading off – Will Venable (LHB) - RF
Batting 2nd – Jason Bartlett (RHB)– SS
Batting 3rd – Orlando Hudson (SW) – 2B
Batting 4th – Brad Hawpe (LHB) – 1B
Batting 5th – Ryan Ludwick (RHB)– LF (moving back to his natural position)
Batting 6th – Chase Headley (SW) – 3B
Batting 7th - Nick Hundley (RHB) – C
Batting 8th – Cameron Maybin (RHB) – CF
4th and 5th will swap depending on RHP or LHP
Starting Rotation
Tim Stauffer - RHP
Aaron Harang - RHP
Clayton Richard - LHP
Mat Latos - RHP (3/28 - Placed on DL retroactive to 3/22)
Wade LeBlanc - RHP (may start in bullpen as his first start will be April 12th vs Reds)
(3/28 - Leblanc optioned to minor league camp until 4/12 start)
(3/28 - Leblanc optioned to minor league camp until 4/12 start)
Bullpen
Cl - Heath Bell - RHP
SU - Mike Adams - RHP
SU - Luke Gregerson - RHP
MR - Pat Neshek - RHP
MR - Chad Qualls - RHP
LR - Dustin Moseley - RHP - (Moseley will get start(s) in Latos absence)
LR - Corey Luebke - LHP
LR - Luis Perdomo - RHP
MR - Ernesto Frieri - RHP
LR - Corey Luebke - LHP
LR - Luis Perdomo - RHP
MR - Ernesto Frieri - RHP
Joe Thatcher will start the season on the DL
Ernesto Frieri has options so he will start the season in AAA
The Padres will start the season with only 11 pitchers until LeBlanc has to prepare for his start or about April 8th. Likely Thatcher will come off the DL if he is ready and Cunningham or Hoffpauir would be sent down. If not Frieri or southpaw Luebke could be called up.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Signing Albert Pujols @ 10 yrs/$300 million = Suicide: Baseball Style
Wednesday February 15, 2011
Signing Albert Pujols to a $30 million per year contract
would be franchise suicide for the St Louis Cardinals.
If the the St Louis Cardinals give in to Pujols (and many the fans and members of the media) demands for $30 million and 10 seasons, they will be effectively committing franchise suicide.
Why? Let me enumerate:
#1 - Even though he is Pujols, the best player in baseball, he is still human. His performance WILL decline. Possibly every year from this point forward, but certainly dramatically before a 10 year contract even reaches its half way point.
Will he be worth even 10 million per season when he is hitting 50-60 points lower and less than half the home runs at ages 37- 42? That was pretty close to the average drop from the peak performance ages of 26-28 prior to the steroid era.Yes .280-.290 with 15-20 hrs is still valuable, but 6 years of that production for $30 million per season? That would cripple even the Yankees.
#2 - Since the advent of free agency, no team has won the world series while having one player make 15% or more or its payroll. No team has MADE it to the World Series with one player making 20% or more of its payroll.
The Cardinals largest payroll ever was $99 million in 2008 and it was $94 million in 2010. At a payroll equaling their largest in franchise history, Pujols contract would account for over 30% per season. Even if they increased payrol by an astonishing 25% from 2010 levels to $117.5 million, Pujols salary would make account for 25.5% of the payroll with Halliday making up an additional 14.5%. So even with a 25% bump in total payroll, that is 40% in TWO players.
That is simply untenable. It would retard their ability to sign enough talent (internal - arbitration eligible, and external - free agents) to make them competitive AND cripple their ability to sign top prospects in the draft & international free agency. The Cardinals simply would not have the payroll flexibility to go out and get free agents to fill holes, sign their other good players to long term deals or build their farm system through the draft & international free agent signings.
#3 - Players get hurt. Even Albert Pujols gets hurt. See 2006 and 2008. As they get older, players get hurt more often.
When you are paying one player 20-30% of your total payroll you cannot afford for them to get hurt. You simply cannot afford to keep a good backup on the roster, so some replacement level schmuck will be taking the field if your superstar is out with an injury.
Holliday's $17 million contract was at the fringes of what a team like St Louis can afford and still stay competitive. If they sign Pujols to a $30 million per year contract regardless of length, they will be committing $47 million per season to 2 players. Nearly 50% of total payroll at 2010 levels or 40% IF they bump total payroll up by 25%. And that is a HUGE IF..
As it is the Cardinals have $33 million committed to those two in 2011. Another $49+ million is committed to 7 members of the 12 man pitching staff in 2011. $82 million overall for 9 players out of a projected $104 million payroll in 2011..
As it is they have no room for error. No room for injuries. No room for an off year. Everyone must compete at their peak and stay healthy for the Cardinals to have any hope of competing in the NL Central.
In 2012 the Cardinals currently have $63.3 committed to 7 players. Add Pujols is at $30 million and they are over their 2010 payroll before putting another player on the field.
At a $100 million payroll in 2012, Cardinals would only have about $6.67 million to spend on 17 players. That is just slightly less than the current major league minimum. 17*$410k = $6.970 million
Even IF they bump the payroll 25%, they still would only have $23.67 million to sign 17 players. Hardly a way to build a powerhouse club worthy of having an Albert Pujols on it.
Signing Albert Pujols to a $30 million per year contract
would be franchise suicide for the St Louis Cardinals.
 |
| Albert Pujols vs San Diego Padres |
If the the St Louis Cardinals give in to Pujols (and many the fans and members of the media) demands for $30 million and 10 seasons, they will be effectively committing franchise suicide.
Why? Let me enumerate:
#1 - Even though he is Pujols, the best player in baseball, he is still human. His performance WILL decline. Possibly every year from this point forward, but certainly dramatically before a 10 year contract even reaches its half way point.
Will he be worth even 10 million per season when he is hitting 50-60 points lower and less than half the home runs at ages 37- 42? That was pretty close to the average drop from the peak performance ages of 26-28 prior to the steroid era.Yes .280-.290 with 15-20 hrs is still valuable, but 6 years of that production for $30 million per season? That would cripple even the Yankees.
#2 - Since the advent of free agency, no team has won the world series while having one player make 15% or more or its payroll. No team has MADE it to the World Series with one player making 20% or more of its payroll.
The Cardinals largest payroll ever was $99 million in 2008 and it was $94 million in 2010. At a payroll equaling their largest in franchise history, Pujols contract would account for over 30% per season. Even if they increased payrol by an astonishing 25% from 2010 levels to $117.5 million, Pujols salary would make account for 25.5% of the payroll with Halliday making up an additional 14.5%. So even with a 25% bump in total payroll, that is 40% in TWO players.
That is simply untenable. It would retard their ability to sign enough talent (internal - arbitration eligible, and external - free agents) to make them competitive AND cripple their ability to sign top prospects in the draft & international free agency. The Cardinals simply would not have the payroll flexibility to go out and get free agents to fill holes, sign their other good players to long term deals or build their farm system through the draft & international free agent signings.
#3 - Players get hurt. Even Albert Pujols gets hurt. See 2006 and 2008. As they get older, players get hurt more often.
When you are paying one player 20-30% of your total payroll you cannot afford for them to get hurt. You simply cannot afford to keep a good backup on the roster, so some replacement level schmuck will be taking the field if your superstar is out with an injury.
Holliday's $17 million contract was at the fringes of what a team like St Louis can afford and still stay competitive. If they sign Pujols to a $30 million per year contract regardless of length, they will be committing $47 million per season to 2 players. Nearly 50% of total payroll at 2010 levels or 40% IF they bump total payroll up by 25%. And that is a HUGE IF..
As it is the Cardinals have $33 million committed to those two in 2011. Another $49+ million is committed to 7 members of the 12 man pitching staff in 2011. $82 million overall for 9 players out of a projected $104 million payroll in 2011..
As it is they have no room for error. No room for injuries. No room for an off year. Everyone must compete at their peak and stay healthy for the Cardinals to have any hope of competing in the NL Central.
In 2012 the Cardinals currently have $63.3 committed to 7 players. Add Pujols is at $30 million and they are over their 2010 payroll before putting another player on the field.
At a $100 million payroll in 2012, Cardinals would only have about $6.67 million to spend on 17 players. That is just slightly less than the current major league minimum. 17*$410k = $6.970 million
Even IF they bump the payroll 25%, they still would only have $23.67 million to sign 17 players. Hardly a way to build a powerhouse club worthy of having an Albert Pujols on it.
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