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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>"I thought I was going to have all the baseball headlines today." <a href="http://t.co/1wAEXu3eNK">pic.twitter.com/1wAEXu3eNK</a></p>— Jesse Spector (@jessespector) <a href="https://twitter.com/jessespector/statuses/403376988963880960">November 21, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Alex Rodriguez kicked off Wednesday by irately leaving his grievance hearing after arbitrator Fredric Horowitz ruled that Bud Selig didn't have to testify before Rodriguez's attorneys.
Sources claim that A-Rod slammed his fist on a table, yelled "This is ridiculous!" and/or "This is fucking bullshit!" and then proceeded to leave the courtroom.
He then released the following statement via his spokesman,
"I am disgusted with this abusive process, designed to ensure that the player fails," the statement said. "I have sat through 10 days of testimony by felons and liars, sitting quietly through every minute, trying to respect the league and the process. This morning, after Bud Selig refused to come in and testify about his rationale for the unprecedented and totally baseless punishment he hit me with, the arbitrator selected by MLB and the players' association refused to order Selig to come in and face me.
"The absurdity and injustice just became too much. I walked out and will not participate any further in this farce."
Since he had a free afternoon, he ventured over to Mike Francesa's show on WFAN to tell the world how he felt, claiming he was "so pissed off he couldn't even think straight" and that Bud Selig is "trying to destroy me. To put me on his big mantle on the way out, that's a hell of a trophy."
Also, in the maturest of fashions, he said that he now won't be testifying on Friday since Selig doesn't have to.
And just when baseball fans near and far thought that we had received our fill of offseason excitement for the day, the Rangers and Tigers decided to come out of left field with a blockbuster trade to shock us all: Ian Kinsler for Prince Fielder.
It's like they knew...
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Detroit traded Fielder and $30 million dollars to Texas for Kinsler, with the Rangers getting Prince for seven years at $138 million and the Tigers receiving Ian for four years at $62 million and $30 million. The deal allows the Tigers to free up some cash in the hopes of keeping Max Scherzer and Miguel Cabrera with the team.
Fielder will man first base for the Rangers, leaving Mitch Moreland out of a job; potentially allowing him to become an option for first at the Trop?
The pick up of Kinsler takes the Tigers out as players for Robinson Cano, though that may have already occurred after his Monday night dinner with HOVA and the Mets, complete with a PowerPoint presentation, books and pamphlets.
For the Rangers, this takes them out of the Mike Napoli race due to spend, though they've already been mentioned in talks with Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran and others.
Of what I've read thus far, Jeff Passan seems to have provided the best breakdown of how this was "a good baseball trade" for both sides.
All in all, yesterday was without a doubt the most exciting day of the offseason thus far. Hopefully more is to come (sooner rather than later).
Tweet of the Day? Questionable?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Just got pulled over with goats in the car. The cop laughed at our poor goats . Awesome <a href="http://t.co/hN1WiE7qDG">pic.twitter.com/hN1WiE7qDG</a></p>— Jose Canseco (@JoseCanseco) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoseCanseco/statuses/403315055594176512">November 21, 2013</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Links:
- Marc Topkin provided various quotes from GMs around the majors, including Cardinals GM John Mozeliak, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro, and Oakland GM Billy Beane, praising Andrew Friedman and the Rays for their moves in the past, and got their feedback as to how that would play out with David Price.
Texas GM Jon Daniels is friends with Friedman, and said the following:
"Wildly irresponsibly," Daniels said. "When you look at the different ways to build a club and you look at some of the rules in place as far as amateur acquisition, Tampa has kind of carved out a different way to go about it with some really impactful trades. ...
"Whatever they choose to do, I think they've had success and I'm sure they're prepared for it. But I hope they screw it up."
- "So when does Ben Zobrist get his $300 million?" Rob Neyer sent some love Zobrist's way, looking at his value in comparison to Robinson Cano.
- Jerry Crasnick scoped the closer market this offseason, mentioning the Rays in both their need and Fernando Rodney's availability.
- Fangraphs provided a free agent depth chart, and my favorite Hot stove: MLB free agent tracker is continually updating throughout the offseason.
- If you're looking to waste 1:03 of your life today, have I got the video for you. And by "the" video, I mean the worst of all time.