So, you would rather have Billy Traber facing Big Papi with the game on the line – rather than a $6 million Marte?
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If the game’s on the line, I’d rather Rivera be in there…

So, you would rather have Billy Traber facing Big Papi with the game on the line – rather than a $6 million Marte?
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The old “either/or” trick. Who said it’s ONLY Billy Traber OR a $6M Marte?

As an aside, here’s why your pre-emptive Damaso Marte Cash-bash on Sunday was so silly: you rule out the chance that Marte is retained for less than $6M/year. It’s possible that the Yanks sign him to a two year deal instead of picking up his 2009 option. And I’d be fine with that.

So, you would rather have Billy Traber facing Big Papi with the game on the line – rather than a $6 million Marte?

Dude! Now, you’re just being plain inconsistent!
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Basing expectations on salary seems silly to me. I mean, what is $25M/worth of production anyway? 30 HR? 40 HR? 50 HR? Is it the old “I’ll know it when I see it” thing like pornography?

People that bash A-Rod for his “down” years always seem to forget that he’s still the best player on the team and one of the handful of best players in the game. He gets paid what he gets paid and as long as he’s leading the Yanks in the categories he’s supposed to be leading in, I’ve got no problems with what A-Rod makes. Don’t forget, he gets paid not only to produce but to sell the brand and to put butts in seats.

So, now that you’ve managed to turn this around on me, I’ll say that $6M for Marte makes no sense. There’s just as good a chance that he’ll suck next year as there is that he’ll be the second-best reliever on the team after Mo. Relievers are famously inconsistent from year to year. So to pay $6M for what is essentially a fungible asset seems ridiculous to me.

I’m happy to pay whatever the going rate is for exceptional performance. That means I’ll swallow the price for a Sabathia or a Teixeira or an A-Rod or a Jeter. If Marte were a stud, sure, I’d pay the man his money. I don’t consider Marte in that class of player so I don’t justify the expenditure.

It’s not that I’m worried about Marte being overpaid. It’s just that I don’t think profligate spending on non-stars — especially bullpen non-stars — makes a lot of sense.

FWIW, Marte really isn’t a LOOGY, and his usage patterns show that.

~~~Let’s differentiate the points here. If you view Marte as a LOOGY, then I don’t want any $6M LOOGY’s, even if the Yanks can afford to pay that.~~~

Dude! Now, you’re just being plain inconsistent! Are you NOT always THE GUY who says that salary and team payroll shouldn’t matter when judging a player and or team – and that it’s all about performance and that we should not base expectations and the like on salary and payroll?

I could swear that was you – on more than one occasion I may add…

And, NOW, you’re worried about Marte being overpaid? Really?

You want Bruney to be your late inning left-handed specialist over Marte – even ‘tho he’s not a lefty?
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Let’s differentiate the points here. If you view Marte as a LOOGY, then I don’t want any $6M LOOGY’s, even if the Yanks can afford to pay that.

And if your view is that Marte’s not a LOOGY but as a “trusted” reliever (something your previous post seemed to imply), then not only do I think Bruney can do the job, but I don’t think Marte is worth $6M in that role either.

I don’t want Bruney to be my LOOGY. I want the Yanks to find one that can do that job at less than $6M. Marte is decent and has value to the Yanks. But I don’t think he’s a sensible signing at the price you want to keep him around at.

You want Bruney to be your late inning left-handed specialist over Marte – even ‘tho he’s not a lefty?

So you have no reservations about Bruney’s talent, only his health?

Not to confuse topics here, but a $6M option on Damaso Marte seems like a pretty big insurance premium on the health of Brian Bruney.

FWIW, I think Bruney’s good enough to do the job.

~~~Not saying you’re right or wrong in this post. But I do want to point out that you made a pre-emptive slam on Cashman for potentially not picking up Marte’s option because you don’t think Bruney has proven anything or that he can be trusted. Yet, you seem to be using these metrics to show why Edwar/Veras can’t do the job. If these metrics are valuable enough to you to believe that Edwar/Veras can’t do the job, then do you change your mind on Bruney’s ability to do the job?.~~

Health. Bruney, in his short career, has already had two major injuries. That’s a red flag for me. Also, prior to this past season, conditioning has been an issue for him as well.

FWIW, I’ll do Bruney tomorrow in my 2009 forecast series – as there’s some good debate about him.