The Sommer Frieze

From MLBTR (emphasis mine):

According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, Andy Pettitte and the Yankees are in serious talks and there’s a “lot of optimism” for a one-year deal. It would be for less than $10MM guaranteed.

It sure looks as if some players are going to get nowhere near what they thought they’d get, doesn’t it?

As if Sunday night baseball on ESPN wasn’t bad enough. First we have to put up with Joe Morgan. Now Phil Mushnick reports that this year ESPN will have a 3-man booth. Miller, Morgan, and the nemesis of many Yankee fans—Steve Phillips.

Meanwhile, the Torre fallout continues.

It was nice of me to see the Celtics blow out Mark Cuban’s Mavs yesterday. After a 7 losses in 9 games slump, the Celtics have won 8 in a row and are starting to look like that 27-2 team again. There was also a good game yesterday in Lakers/Spurs. If Andrew Bynum continues his maturation at an accelerated rate, the Lakers will be tough. Could the Lakers have a big 3 in Bynum/Kobe/Gasol to match the Celts big 3 of Garnett/Pierce and Ray Allen?

UPDATE 1:45 P.M.

From MLBTR:

11:53am: According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Yankees are close to a deal with Pettitte that could guarantee nearly $6MM with another $6MM in incentives. The deal could be done this afternoon. Ken Rosenthal wrote earlier that the incentives could push Pettitte close to $16MM.

I don’t know about Rosenthal’s numbers. Unless Pettitte does in 2009 what Moose did in 2008–have a great comeback— win 20 and the CYA, I can’t see Andy earning $16M even WITH incentives. Hmmm, Olney’s numbers are revealing. $6MM with $6MM in incentives (wins, IP, etc.)… I do think Andy should have taken the original offer.

MLBTR also basically states that Kenny Rogers will retire. While not official, it’s probably as official as can be without dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. When the pitching coach for the Tigers calls, Rogers retired….

“The Gambler” would then finish his career at a highly respectable 219-156. Not HOF numbers, but certainly good. 4.27 ERA, ERA+ 108. A perfect game. Texas 1989-1995, Yankees (and a terrible time there) 1996-1997, A’s 1998-1999, Mets 1999 (a walked in the pennant-winning run for the Braves), Texas II 2000-2002, Twins 2003, Texas III 2004-2005, Detroit 2006-2008. In his final year he was 9-13, 5.70. ERA+ 78. He was a 4x All-Star.

He went 12-8, 4.68 (ERA+ 107) for the Yanks in 1996 then was awful in the postseason. Somehow, in all three of Rogers’ postseason starts (Alds 2 IP, 2 R; Alcs 3 IP, 4 R; WS 2 IP, 5 R) the Yanks pulled out come-from-behind victories. He went 6-7, 5.65, ERA+ 79 in 1997. He had an awful postseason with the Mets in 1999 but then finally had a decent postseason in 2003 for the Twins and a great postseason (24 scoreless IP, 3 wins) with the Tigers in 2006. The 2006 postseason Rogers had is controversial however, for some pinetar found on his pitching hand.

An excellent fielder, Rogers won 5 Gold Glove awards. Rogers is 44.

MLBTR also has this on Jason Varitek. Wow. Compare his salary to Posada’s.

WEEI’s Rob Bradford wrote that the Red Sox made this offer to Jason Varitek: $5MM for ‘09, with a $5MM club/$3MM player option for ‘10. The offer has a deadline attached.