Probably not for Burrell (though it's hard to say whether the economy will remain stable or go down further) but by 2007 and 2008, Jim Thome making $15 million per season might make Delgado's current contract look like the deal of the century.

I tend to agree with Ricciardi on this...Thome is a very nice player but I wouldn't have given him that contract. The Phillies would probably have been better off trading for Travis Hafner themselves. Then again, we all know the move wasn't make for practicality but to generate excitement. And like all such politically motivated transactions, there will probably be a price to pay down the road no matter how happy people are at present.

Another "odd addition" -- still just speculation -- would be Kenny Lofton to the Rangers (I had assumed he would end up in Pittsburgh); given the glut of OF in Texas already, that would push Kevin Mench back to AAA.

Hart moves fast. Rather than wait until May or June to admit the pointlessness of signing Doug Glanville to a guaranteed contract last December, he can admit it immediately by signing Lofton.

I like Rosenthal, but he described Glanville's .292 OBP as "abysmal" and in the next paragraph described Michael Young as "valuable" despite his .308 OBP. Hmmm...

As for Thome, sure he'll be an albatross come 2007, but Phillie is trying to put the best team on the field now and in 2004 when they arrive in their new park. Right now, Thome is one of the premier slugging 1Bs in baseball. Hafner is a high-ceiling prospect, but he is also a 25-year-old who hasn't proved anything at the ML level yet. Is Thome worth $14 million more per season than Hafner? Arguably not, but he is if the Phillies win the World Series.

God bless Billy Beane!

I've long had the suspicion that the A's would choose Chavez over Tejada. I doubt Chavez would command the same kind of salary as a 3B, and Beane's comments las year that Chavez could be the next Barry Bonds if he learned to take a pitch suggests how highly the club thinks of him.

(Granted, there's nothing in the article to suggest the A's will lock up Chavez, either.)

But the lesson, again, is--nobody is irreplaceable. Other clubs need to take this to heart.

Speaking of which...

That Pat Burrell note is interesting. In yesterday's economy, it's probably a good move for such a talented player. In today's? In tomorrow's? I'd be more tempted to make this kind of move with a player of Burrell's calibre than Torii Hunter, but it'll be interesting to see nonetheless where salaries are at the end of these contracts.

If Tejada does become a FA where does he go? With the whole Drew Hanson thing not working out yet will the Yanks move Jetes to 3rd and pick-up Tejada? Or maybe the Mets will spend-spend-spend again when we all wonder how they possibly can spend anymore? (The Mets are also going to have to either re-sign Alomar or another 2B. Not to mention find themselves someone for 3B.) Maybe the Cubs will go after him although they are still on the hook for Alex Gonzalez through 2004. Certainly the O's could make a run at him but why, besides money, would he want to play there? I can't imagine going from the sleakly run A's to the vacant O's. Cleveland and SD may have some salary flexibility but signing a high-priced FA doesn't sound like part of their current philosophies. Rich Aurilia will be a FA, but SF is already over-budget by about 7 million, and I'd look for them to re-sign Aurilia or a cheaper replacement.

What I am saying is that there doesn't seem like a lot of options on the horizon for Tejada given the current market. Unless he wants to play for a bad team. (the O's, possibly the Mets.) Most of the high-spending teams, their ranks are dwindeling, have a SS they are happy with. (BOS, NYY, TEX, ST.L, Phillie.) If I was Tejada I would stop asking the A's for a 10 year deal (crazy) and try to get a decent 3-4 year deal and be content to play on a perenial winner for the bulk of my career.

But hey, maybe the Yanks will see Tejada as a consilation prize if they can't win the Vlad Guerrero sweepstakes. (As everybody feels they will.)