Rod Barajas and J.P. Ricciardi

by Adam J. Morris on Jan 25, 2008 9:17 AM CST in News

Ah, what a difference a year makes...

Remember this, from November 2006?

As far as the Blue Jays were concerned, they had signed free-agent catcher Rod Barajas. After all, he had signed an agreement.

On Tuesday, Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi said that Barajas and the Jays had "more than a handshake," regarding the two-year contract the catcher was offered. On Wednesday, at a press conference to announce the re-signing of catcher Gregg Zaun, Ricciardi acknowledged that Barajas actually signed before backing out two days earlier.

"Where I'm from, that's done," Ricciardi said. "If your word doesn't mean anything any more or your signature doesn't mean anything, what kind of world do we live in? It's all right, though. This worked out for the better.

"We were going to have a press conference for him and we were flying his family up."

* * *

"The original two agents agreed, and they did a great job -- a super job," Ricciardi said. "Your word is supposed to mean something. What does that say to the agents you just did a deal with? You're going to get a new agent and start renegotiating? No."

"I was disappointed in the fact that the player would go back on his word and a new agent just came in and now we have no deal," he added. "Look, we don't want anyone who doesn't want to be here. If you don't want to be here, we don't need you. The game isn't going to stop."

And then, after all that, after Barajas goes to Philadelphia on a one year deal and becomes a free agent again, this story came down yesterday:

News flash: J.P. Ricciardi says he has a short memory.

"Sometimes you need that, especially in sports," the Toronto Blue Jays' general manager said last night after the club signed free-agent catcher Rod Barajas to a one-year contract worth $1.2-million (all currency U.S.). There is an option for 2009 based on games started.

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He took less money when he signed with

Philly too. That's some funny shit, LMAO.

""I love GOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLD" blueglovelefty

by NYTXFAN on Jan 25, 2008 9:20 AM CST reply actions

Here's what's fantastic

For my birthday a week ago, the Girl's family got me one of those Rangers bottle openers that has a speaker and plays something everytime you open a beer. So I open my first beer, and it's the play-by-play of a Popup walkoff homerun. It doesn't get any better than that.

"When I was a pup, we got spanked by presidents 'til the cows came home! Grover Cleveland spanked me on two non-consecutive occasions!" LBrooks

by WyoRanger on Jan 25, 2008 9:27 AM CST reply actions

Toronto

I seem to remember Jamey flashing that Barajas signed with Toronto, so the Rangers would get a pick.

Somehow nobody ever plotted out where that it would've fallen and what players were available.

I guess with a couple of drafted guys getting left on the table anyway it was no big tragedy...

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Jan 25, 2008 9:33 AM CST reply actions

Law must be happy

he's out of that circus.

"Lois, undecided voters are the biggest idiots on the planet, try giving short, simple answers."

by Longhorn on Jan 25, 2008 9:43 AM CST reply actions

Rod Barajas for $1.2

isn't any worse than Gerald Laird for $1.6, and neither are bad signings.

Thats just the going price for weak catchers.

"We should have bombed it (Auschwitz)"-President Bush

by DJCahill on Jan 25, 2008 10:04 AM CST reply actions

I think the availability of guys like Barajas

is what killed any possibility of trade value for Laird. When shopping for a part time C, it just makes a lot more sense for teams to get a guy like Popup for 1.2, rather than a guy like Laird for 1.6 plus some talent. The money is roughly the same and the production is roughly the same, so there just isn't any good reason to give away talent to acquire a backup catcher.

A commodity that can be found on the waiver wire just isn't going to generate much trade interest - no matter how often you chant "Einar Diaz, Einar Diaz, Einar Diaz".

Juevos Daniels: biggest stones in the business.

by tricer on Jan 25, 2008 10:29 AM CST up reply actions

Well

The one thing coming to mind is Brian Schneider.

Do you really think Ryan Church is more what got them Milledge?

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Jan 25, 2008 10:49 AM CST up reply actions

You got me there

I forgot about that one.

Those type trades can happen, it just seems that they are pretty rare and it would seem misguided to expect something like that for Laird. But I'm not impartial, so what do I know.

Juevos Daniels: biggest stones in the business.

by tricer on Jan 25, 2008 3:02 PM CST up reply actions

OT-Sickels

Sickels is going to discuss his grade of Engel Beltre tomorrow on www.minorleagueball.com

If I recall correctly, he originally listed him as a C+ but that was questioned by many posters on his site including an excellent take by Mike Hindman. I'm very interested to see whether the public outcry for Beltre was able to persuade Sickels to change his tune and perhaps his grade.

Give 'em hell.

"They also have a sense of irony, which America doesn't have seeing as it's being run by fundamentalists who take things literally." -Bill Hicks

by jparks77 on Jan 25, 2008 11:28 AM CST reply actions