Best analysis ever

Not that I disagree with you about this being a great signing for the Rays, but over the last three years, Ibanez has put up OPS+ of 125, 121, 124, over 2000 total PA in the allegedly superior AL, while Burrell has 122, 127, 125 over 1800 total PA in the NL. While Burrell is likely to be a better offensive player going forward, the two of them have been almost identical in terms of rate value with the bat over the last three years.

Now, if we're talking about D, after viewing the Ibanez highlights from this season, I can't imagine how Burrell could possibly be worse.

It's the aging curve. Mr ZiPS does not think highly of Raul's future.

But Dan, you don't realize the clever aspect of the Phils losing those draft picks. The money they save on signing bonuses should just about make up the difference between the Burrell and Ibanez contracts! :-)

Randy Johnson signing?

Ryan: Ibanez is going from the AL, a league with the DH, to the NL, a team where he will have to play the field. Burrell, who is not a good fielder, though better than Ibanez, is going from the NL, where he was forced to play the field, to the AL, where he'll be able to rotate into the Rays' DH slot when they have a flyball pitcher on the mound, or against lefty-heavy lineups.

You'd almost think the Rays planned it this way.

How does this compare to expectations of what he'd get? I was thinking he'd do a bit better in both years and AAV; closer to, if not exceeding, the 3/$30M Bradley's getting(?) from the Cubs.

Burrell allegedly turned down a 2/$22 offer from the Phillies a few months ago, so I'm thinking this is way less than expectation.

I think Burrell was thinking that the floor was probably around $10M/yr and that he'd be looking at deals of 4-5 years in length.

If Burrell's rationale was to sign a short-term deal to get another chance at FA after (hopefully) an economic recovery, I'm not sure that Tampa Bay offers him the best opportunity. His chances of putting together better numbers would have been greater in the NL in a division where he could face weak pitching. Playing in a tougher league and having to face Halladay, Sabathia, etc. several times a year will hurt him, especially on BA.

I'm really curious to see what Adam Dunn winds up getting as he's still competing against Manny Ramirez for LF/DH. IIRC, he rejected a contract extension around this time last year from the Reds that could very well prove to have been more lucrative than whatever he winds up signing.

"Delphic Dan" strikes again!

"Delphic Dan" strikes again!

\

He certainly has a way with moves involving Rays position players. The Reggie Taylor writeup poons all though.

Was this really because of the market or did he reject better offers from losing teams to play for a contender? I can't imagine this was the best offer, and if it was, I am angry.

Dan, I'd be laughing if it wasn't the only logical explanation. Your letter ranks right up there with Baron von Awesome's Pirate Mediocracy Conspiracy.

Mr. Amaro is one more bad move away from earning the nickname "Rube" from me. The only break I'll give Amaro is that Burrell wouldn't hear about a pay cut from the Phils but accepted a depressed market once other clubs made him understand that his view of the salary situation was not in line. Kind of like kids learning life's lessons from experience, not from what their parents tell them.

I hope his parents learned a lesson, too.

Terrific post in and of itself. Still, I'd have been okay with this being half as funny if it meant that Dan had time to cover the DeRosa deal, the Fuentes signing, etc. Bradley's signing and the Marquis deal aren't official yet, I guess, but the other two are weeks old now.

Honestly, I value his insight/projections enough that I would love to see some coverage of even the smaller deals like Miles, Vargas, Turnbow, Hendrickson, etc.

Honestly, I value his insight/projections enough that I would love to see some coverage of even the smaller deals like Miles, Vargas, Turnbow, Hendrickson, etc.

Hendrickson is 6'9". There's nothing small about his deal.

Hendrickson is 6'9". There's nothing small about his deal.

Ba-doom-CHING!

Nice.

Most of the other transactions should be coming today - I usually get backed up during the holidays.

Eat more fiber.

"IIRC, he rejected a contract extension around this time last year from the Reds that could very well prove to have been more lucrative than whatever he winds up signing."

I think he'd play for free if it meant not having to put up with Marty anymore.

Why does the Oracle have such an anti-Cubs bias?

Still nothing on the DeRosa trade?

If anyone is looking to put down serious money at 50 to 1 that Pat will hit 6 or more triples next year, I'll take that action.

Still nothing on the DeRosa trade?

Or the Marquis trade. (That one DID go down as reported, didn't it?)

The Marquis trade has not yet been made official.

Why does the Oracle have such an anti-Cubs bias?

Reality has a well-known anti-Cubs bias.

Best analysis ever

This is good, but it isn't even the best TO analysis for this team. The Roberto Alomar analysis is still tops.

Thanks for the link in #25. I love reading old posts of mine that I have absolutely no recollection of ever writing.

This Oracle is my personal favorite...

See, I don't care for Dan's wisassery. It's so Kahrl Farbman like. If he thinks he's so smart, why doesn't he buy a team?

Please excuse the ignorance, but who is Kahrl Farbman?

And Dan, what MLB club were you thinking you might buy for a measly $300Mil?

That's how much the Orioles will be worth in another few years.

And Dan, what MLB club were you thinking you might buy for a measly $300Mil?

Well, Forbes valued the Marlins at $256M last year. He could buy that team and have enough left over to buy the jet that Marbury is looking at.

Dan, how does Burrell in 2008-09 compare to Carlos Lee in 2006-07? They seem like clones to me, consistent 125 OPS+ defensively challenged LF...the difference between 6/90 and 2/16 is quite stunning.

the difference between 6/90 and 2/16 is quite stunning

The difference between the Astros FO & the Rays FO, not so much.