TODD JONES SPORTING NEWS BLOG STORIES

Subject: Re: TODD JONES SPORTING NEWS BLOG STORIES Sun Aug 24, 2008 6:24 am

I tried emailing him again. I hope he answers one of em. But if not its understandable. I mean he does get a ton of emails everyday.
_________________
"Contrary to what everybody else thinks, I still think I can come back and help this team."

Todd Jones on shoulder injury.

Subject: Re: TODD JONES SPORTING NEWS BLOG STORIES Sun Aug 24, 2008 6:33 am

Subject: Re: TODD JONES SPORTING NEWS BLOG STORIES Sun Aug 24, 2008 4:38 pm

Subject: Re: TODD JONES SPORTING NEWS BLOG STORIES Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:10 pm

Todd Jones

In an ugly divorce, Manny beat Boston to the punch

The fact that Manny Ramirez got his wish and got out of Boston makes me believe the inmates do have some control of the asylum.

It's clear the deal was done under duress because Boston gave up a lot to get the Dodgers to take Manny. The Red Sox will say they're good enough to cover the gap, but it's a big gap. No longer will you pitch to David Ortiz in a key spot, so losing Manny has taken two guys out of the Red Sox's offense.

Boston has a smart front office, so the fact it traded Manny tells you just how big a burden he was. But I understand one of his points.

Manny knew the Red Sox, who held team options on his contract for 2009 and 2010, no longer wanted to pay him. But like every club in such a situation, Boston didn't want to take a P.R. hit from losing a great player.

This is a bad -- but almost unavoidable -- part of the game. If the club can do it, it will make the player look like he doesn't want to be there. Case in point: Torii Hunter and the Twins last year. As soon as Hunter turned down Minnesota's offer, the contract numbers were leaked. That way, the Twins could look their fans in the eyes and say, "Hey, we tried." Sorry to pick on the Twins , but the Johan Santana trade was similar. They made him an offer, he said no thanks, and the next thing you know, the terms were leaked. The player looks greedy, and the team takes the high road.

Manny smelled that coming, so he forced Boston's hand and got out the only way he could: airing some dirty laundry. He knew if the Red Sox didn't want to pick up his options, they would start a discreet campaign to turn the city against him. Don't believe me? Ask Nomar Garciaparra. With free agency looming, Nomar was offered a four-year deal by Boston -- but wanted more. Next thing you knew, Nomar was panned and then dealt to the Cubs.

I'm not condoning how Manny got out of Boston, but I know clubs don't like players to have leverage. Once a player of Manny's caliber decides he wants an expensive multiyear deal but the club doesn't want to go in that direction, somebody is going down. And that someone is the player.

E-mail Todd Jones, a reliever for the Tigers, at tjones@sportingnews.com

Subject: Re: TODD JONES SPORTING NEWS BLOG STORIES Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:18 pm

Todd Jones

Why I'm admiring and rooting for Francisco Rodriguez

Posted: September 6, 2008

Take a bow, Francisco Rodriguez. It's time to give credit where credit is due. You are having a closer's dream season.

Like baseball fans, A.L. relievers have been watching night after night as K-Rod does his thing. Save opportunity after save opportunity. We'd sit and count and be envious of all the chances he got. All we could do was wonder what it would be like to have 15 saves by May 15, 30 by July 1 and 50 by September 1. We'd talk and hate on him for his look-to-the-sky antics that he pulls after he gets the job done. We'd tell ourselves that he would slow down and somebody would be able to give him a run for his money.

The perception of K-Rod, however, began to change at the All-Star Game. By then, he had more saves at the break than anyone ever had before and had reason to believe he should be the guy called upon in the ninth inning. When Mariano Rivera was summoned instead, K-Rod didn't complain -- a sure indication that he understood baseball's pecking order. You could see that this is a guy who gets it.

Players watch (like hawks) how other players act, and I can tell you that over-the-top antics are not forgotten. As a rule of thumb, whatever you might do is accepted as long as you do it every time. Sammy Sosa's homer hop, for example. Well, every time K-Rod gets a save, he points to the heavens and blows a kiss. The key there is that he does it every time. What once was perceived as a guy saying, "Look at me and how good I am," no longer was construed as any kind of attempt to show anyone up.

When you look at K-Rod, you should look at him as a guy who's having a dream season as far as the save opportunities he is getting and how he is converting them. He is doing a remarkable job and remains on pace to blow away Bobby Thigpen's record for saves in a season (57).

Look at any closer who has been on K-Rod's pace for even a month, and you'll see a closer who's mentally blown out. The chances pile up and you say, "Geez, guys, how about a blowout every once in a while?" But you keep your mouth shut because closers know their work comes in spurts, and we'd all do just about anything to have 59 save opportunities by the first week of September.

Fans focus on the fact K-Rod is going to be a free agent after the season. Players don't. Players look at the opportunities he has had and the rate at which he has converted those chances. We wonder if we'd be able to hold up to the mental grind it takes to get 50-plus saves.

K-Rod's incredible numbers (2-2, 2.43 ERA and 54 saves through September 5) deserve respect. So does K-Rod now that we've seen him handle himself like such a pro this year. Here's one guy hoping K-Rod breaks the record.

E-mail Todd Jones, a reliever for the Tigers, at tjones@sportingnews.com

Subject: Re: TODD JONES SPORTING NEWS BLOG STORIES Tue Oct 28, 2008 5:22 pm

Todd Jones

Longoria, Papelbon and Manny putting on a postseason show
10/7/2008

As the playoffs unfold, things are playing out a lot like I expected. Well, except for the Cubs, anyway. As the games go on, there's plenty to watch.

Hey, Evan Longoria, could you do us a favor and look nervous just once? My gosh. You walk up on a pretty big stage and don't even blink. You hit two homers in the first two postseason at-bats of your career and are a solid rock for the Rays. Not only have you done this since being called up, but when Carlos Pena was out, you found a way to step up. Congrats.

In Jonathan Papelbon, we might be seeing this era's Mariano Rivera. Y'all are saying, "Hold on, Todd. You've been gone from the game too long -- and it hasn't been but a week." Well, take a look. If Boston is winning in the postseason, Papelbon is pitching in the eighth inning -- and shutting down that inning -- then doing his thing in the ninth flawlessly.

I know Papelbon is a long way from Mariano's 117 1/3 innings and 0.77 ERA in his playoff career, but you have to start somewhere. And didn't Papelbon get three saves in the World Series last year? He's in a huge market that, from a media standpoint, can drive him hard enough to make him bigger than life. The only drawback: There is no worse place to fail in the postseason (see: 1986 and Bill Buckner).

Hats off to Rays manager Joe Maddon. He has a way of making all of games feel the same, whether it's spring training, the regular season or the postseason. If you keep relaxing and almost dumb it down so the players are just playing, they might not look up and realize they can go to the World Series. They certainly are not scared of the Red Sox, and I'd say they're one team that could beat the Manny-less Goliaths.

Then there's Manny. Before the playoffs, I said the big guys wouldn't get much to hit. Well, then Manny hits two homers and before you know it, the sentimental-favorite Cubs are done. Of course, the first homer Ramirez hit was off the tops of his shoes, and Cubs lefthander Sean Marshall was as dumbfounded as everyone else who saw it. That swing said so much more about what Manny can do than how the Cubs wouldn't pitch to him.

My next prediction: Manny is on his way to being thought of like Barry Bonds was in the 2002 World Series. Bonds was walked and walked, but still got his hits. Manny's swinging the same way, against everyone.

E-mail Todd Jones, the recently retired closer who saved 319 games in his 16-year career in the major leagues, at tjones@sportingnews.com

Subject: Re: TODD JONES SPORTING NEWS BLOG STORIES Thu Oct 30, 2008 3:35 pm

I did too...probably in June or July...nothing
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: TODD JONES SPORTING NEWS BLOG STORIES Fri Oct 31, 2008 2:31 pm

Retired but filing for FREE agency.

Subject: Re: TODD JONES SPORTING NEWS BLOG STORIES Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:27 pm

Subject: Re: TODD JONES SPORTING NEWS BLOG STORIES Sat Nov 01, 2008 2:17 pm

I know, right?

Subject: Re: TODD JONES SPORTING NEWS BLOG STORIES Thu Nov 13, 2008 7:31 pm

Todd Jones

Vegas meetings will bring free agent jackpots

Posted: November 8, 2008

The general managers' meetings are in the books. Next up: the winter meetings (Dec. 8-11) in Las Vegas. That promises to be one time when what happens in Las Vegas doesn't stay in Las Vegas. Not with all the deals that should happen.
Every team wants to improve, but let's face it: Some clubs merely are rearranging chairs on the Titanic. They know who they are. For the other 18 or so teams that have the resources to get better, I have a plan of attack for each team's front-office personnel to consider:
First, decide whether you can afford CC Sabathia. And then ask his people if he would consider playing in your town.

Sabathia is the marquee player all clubs want but few realistically can acquire -- and not just because of money. Winning will be a factor, too. Look at your "coast" teams: Angels, Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Red Sox and -- are you ready for this? -- maybe even the Rays. Tampa Bay would be a great fit for CC; the Rays went to the World Series, so they've got a ton of fresh money to spend. It's a hot franchise that wants to show its fans it won't just sit around. And if the Rays don't land Sabathia, they could go after Derek Lowe.

Sabathia likely will end up with one of the big-spending teams we hear about all the time. After all, there's no need for the Pirates or Nationals to pursue him because they are more than a No. 1 stud pitcher away from contending.

If Mark Cuban would somehow be able to close a deal on the Cubs and decide he wants to collect baseball cards, so to speak, he could blow the roof off the free-agent market.

OK, back to reality. After all, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday that Cuban is a long shot to purchase the Cubs.

How about Big Tex, Mark Teixeira? He is a young, slick, middle-of-the-order guy. One thing to consider, though: His agent is Scott Boras. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's a factor. Teixeira wants a long-term, big-money contract, which is just a little bit of a factor, too. He is the type of player who can command that kind of deal, especially with the Yankees and Red Sox expected to be in the market for his services.

Then there's the enigma known as Francisco Rodriguez. He is dynamic, but four or five years dynamic? That's a tough question. If he is seeking the groundbreaking deal most expect, his record-breaking 2008 season actually might hurt him a little. Clubs have to wonder if this was for real, and his agent lacks a precedent deal to use as bargaining power. K-Rod can't point to anyone who actually got better after this kind of season. Boggy Thigpen, who saved 57 games for the White Sox in 1990, never had another year close to his record-breaking campaign.

Of course, Rodriguez still is going to cash in for about four years and $60 million. That's the kind of jackpot that could be won in Vegas -- but won't stay there.

E-mail Todd Jones, the recently retired closer who saved 319 games in his 16-year career in the major leagues, at tjones@sportingnews.com