Houston general manager Gerry Hunsicker was holding a small press briefing in a hotel hallway Sunday afternoon when Tampa Bay GM Chuck LaMar strolled by on the way to a press conference of his own.
The two had just completed a deal that barely registered as a blip at the winter meetings, and LaMar kidded Hunsicker that he’d robbed him blind by picking up no-name reliever Brandon Backe in exchange for infielder Geoff Blum.
“It’s tough fighting against these teams with these deep pockets, with all this cash,” Hunsicker replied with a smile.
This is what passes for humor at the annual baseball swapfest, where money matters are always on everybody’s mind. Tampa Bay had the lowest payroll in the majors last year at $19.6 million, as opposed to the Astros’ $70 million payroll. But the Devil Rays were able to acquire Blum, a decent-hitting, midlevel utility player who can play six positions, because he was about to be non-tendered by the Astros at the Dec. 20 deadline.
Astros owner Drayton McLane says his team lost $15 million in 2003, and though the budget-conscious Astros signed Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte for $30 million last week, they could not afford to pay a backup infielder the $2 million or so he’d likely earn at the arbitration table.
A similar fate awaits Cubs first baseman Randall Simon, who likely will be traded or non-tendered this week because he won’t get enough at-bats to justify a midlevel salary in Chicago now that Derrek Lee is on board.
In a perfect world, the Cubs would keep Simon, whose presence helped energize a laid-back clubhouse and whose bat helped immensely during the stretch run and postseason. Instead, they are seeking a left-handed-hitting reserve who can play more than one position for far less money.
The Cubs began 2003 ranked 10th in major-league payroll at $80 million, despite a 95-loss season in 2002. They hope to begin 2004 with a payroll of about $85 million, a 6 percent increase after setting a franchise attendance record and raising ticket prices. Fans hoping to see Greg Maddux or Javy Lopez in a Cubs uniform can only hope no one else seriously pursues them. That would give Cubs general manager Jim Hendry an opportunity to steal them at bargain prices.
To Hendry’s credit, his club is already in good shape to repeat in the National League Central without any more major moves, thanks in part to the trade for Lee and the signing of setup man LaTroy Hawkins. And it should be noted that Florida began 2003 with the 26th-ranked payroll at $48.8 million–$31 million lower than the Cubs–and ousted them in the NLCS before beating the $164 million Yankees in the World Series.
Anaheim ranked 16th at $62 million in 2002 when it won it all.
“I don’t think our budget is a hindrance at all to success,” Hendry said. “I’m sure when it’s all said and done this year, we’re going to be in the top 10 [in payroll]. We ended last year in the low [80s]. The budget didn’t have anything to do with us not getting the last five outs we needed [in Game 6 of the NLCS].
“The company did exactly what they told me they’d do in the first year: You start the year on budget, you do well, you can add. We added a very significant player for the future in Aramis Ramirez, and were willing to take on money. We tried to trade for [Rafael] Palmeiro, and so on. That’s my nature, to always want to keep getting good players.
“But the last two teams that won the World Series didn’t have as big a budget as we did. If you scout them right and develop them right and you’re fortunate enough to make some good deals, our budget is certainly not going to hinder us from being successful.”
The Cubs may not need Maddux to win it all, but he would offset the Roger Clemens-to-Houston scenario if it plays out. Maddux led the National League in ground balls induced (375) and is well suited to pitching at Wrigley Field, where the high infield grass favors ground-ball pitchers. Maddux was also 2-0 against St. Louis and Houston last year, with a 0.64 earned-run average.
The Cubs wouldn’t mind if Maddux’s agent, Scott Boras, pulled a page out of the Andre Dawson playbook. Dawson wanted to play for the Cubs so badly he offered to sign a blank check in 1987. Playing for about $500,000 plus incentives, he had an MVP season.
