Wolf Hopper
05-04-2003, 09:00 AM
With all the teams hurting for pitching, I cannot believe someone, like Texas, would not give him $4-5 mill for one year - - he's a LHP with 200 career victories.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/Sports/Cardinals/0E4E57DE078AAFC586256D1C00166640?OpenDocument&Headline=Finley+faces+uphill+battle+in+bid+to+rejo in+Redbirds
Free-agent pitcher Chuck Finley has told the Cardinals he wants to play for the team again. The Cardinals have told him and his agents that they would like that to happen.
But it probably won't.
Cardinals management says the signing of Finley, a lefthanded starting pitcher, would face various hurdles, including a complicated bullpen situation, a fiscal "stone wall" and mixed clubhouse sentiment over the restructuring of contracts such a move would require. General manager Walt Jocketty spoke with Finley's representatives on Thursday. No proposals were exchanged, butJocketty said, "They're seeing a four-star general and we can only afford a one-star general."
The Cardinals currently have more pressing concerns than their starting rotation. Closer Jason Isringhausen's status remains uncertain and lefthanded relief specialist Steve Kline is a $1.8 million enigma.
"We might be better off saving our bullet," Jocketty said, "if we have a bullet."
Projecting a payroll of $83.05 million, the Cardinals are more than $3 million over budget. Last month, Jocketty cited finances when the club did not pursue released Houston Astros pitcher Shane Reynolds. (Reynolds signed with the Atlanta Braves for $300,000 plus a buyout.) Majority owner Bill DeWitt Jr. insisted recently that Jocketty must first move money before signing Finley.
Jocketty said, "Right now, there's no money. It's that simple."
The Cardinals traded for Finley and his $7.9 million salary last July by having the Cleveland Indians partly offset the cost. Their subsequent acquisition of third baseman Scott Rolen included cash considerations from the Philadelphia Phillies that made the deal a virtual financial wash. Finley's availability is a different matter. The Cardinals could trade a starting pitcher , perhaps Garrett Stephenson, to compensate but would still have to find more than $1 million they say they don't have. That would likely still involve approaching a veteran player about restructuring his contract.
Center fielder Jim Edmonds, first baseman Tino Martinez, IsringhausenRolen, pitcher Woody Williams and catcher Mike Matheny have deferred money in their contracts.
"Walt and the owners have always done what it takes to make us better," Edmonds said. "I think you expect them to continue to do that if there is a need. It's their job to decide if there's a need."
Scheduled to receive $10.5 million this season, pitcher Matt Morris was approached once about contract restructuring but declined. While his attitude might be different for a specific move rather than about protecting the club's budget, he is less inclined to redo a contract he negotiated himself at terms favorable to the team.
"I don't necessarily see where it's the players' problem," Morris said recently. "They've paid guys a certain amount of money and that's what the deal is. Guys have been very generous in giving back."
When Morris signed his three-year, $27 million deal before the 2002 season, he allowed the club to pay out $23 million in the final two years. "At some point you wonder where it ends," Morris said.
Finley's price tag is believed slightly more than $2 million, though some within the industry believe it may be prorated at $1 million a month, a lot of money for a 40-year-old who last pitched in October.
"It's one thing if it takes $2 million and another thing if it takes $5 million," said Edmonds, who already defers $1 million annually from his salary. "If it's $5 million and we don't do it, I think everybody would understand. If it's $2 million, that's not a lot of money. If they went to a few guys and asked them (to restructure), that wouldn't be a big hit for anybody."
Williams deferred much of the two-year, $14.9 million deal he signed last November through 2019. He is among those with a more forgiving attitude toward restructuring. "Any way we can help," he said. "Obviously, we make a lot of money. At some point it starts adding up. They have a budget. If there's any way we can help the club out, there are several guys in here who are willing to do that. I know that."
As a member of the Indians and Cardinals last year, Finley pitched a total of 190 2/3 innings and had a 4.15 earned-run average. The ERA was his second-best since 1993. He had a 7-4 record for the Cardinals.
"If we get him, it's awesome," Williams said. "When we got him last year, it made the stretch run that much easier for us. He brings a presence to the team. That's valuable."
Jocketty cites practical reasons for waiting. "Our rotation has been fine," he said, noting that righthander Chris Carpenter continues to rehabilitate in Florida. "There are some other guys who may be available if the need were there, certainly in July. We'll have to wait and see."
Finley could retire. But what happens if he pitches elsewhere, say Houston or Chicago?
"I don't think there would be hard feelings," Williams said. "The bottom line is, when is enough enough? Just because people have a lot of money doesn't mean they're willing to spend it just to spend it. If you look back, this team has done a lot to add or change. But we're in May. We're not talking about July. It's a different situation. It's not so desperate."
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/Sports/Cardinals/0E4E57DE078AAFC586256D1C00166640?OpenDocument&Headline=Finley+faces+uphill+battle+in+bid+to+rejo in+Redbirds
Free-agent pitcher Chuck Finley has told the Cardinals he wants to play for the team again. The Cardinals have told him and his agents that they would like that to happen.
But it probably won't.
Cardinals management says the signing of Finley, a lefthanded starting pitcher, would face various hurdles, including a complicated bullpen situation, a fiscal "stone wall" and mixed clubhouse sentiment over the restructuring of contracts such a move would require. General manager Walt Jocketty spoke with Finley's representatives on Thursday. No proposals were exchanged, butJocketty said, "They're seeing a four-star general and we can only afford a one-star general."
The Cardinals currently have more pressing concerns than their starting rotation. Closer Jason Isringhausen's status remains uncertain and lefthanded relief specialist Steve Kline is a $1.8 million enigma.
"We might be better off saving our bullet," Jocketty said, "if we have a bullet."
Projecting a payroll of $83.05 million, the Cardinals are more than $3 million over budget. Last month, Jocketty cited finances when the club did not pursue released Houston Astros pitcher Shane Reynolds. (Reynolds signed with the Atlanta Braves for $300,000 plus a buyout.) Majority owner Bill DeWitt Jr. insisted recently that Jocketty must first move money before signing Finley.
Jocketty said, "Right now, there's no money. It's that simple."
The Cardinals traded for Finley and his $7.9 million salary last July by having the Cleveland Indians partly offset the cost. Their subsequent acquisition of third baseman Scott Rolen included cash considerations from the Philadelphia Phillies that made the deal a virtual financial wash. Finley's availability is a different matter. The Cardinals could trade a starting pitcher , perhaps Garrett Stephenson, to compensate but would still have to find more than $1 million they say they don't have. That would likely still involve approaching a veteran player about restructuring his contract.
Center fielder Jim Edmonds, first baseman Tino Martinez, IsringhausenRolen, pitcher Woody Williams and catcher Mike Matheny have deferred money in their contracts.
"Walt and the owners have always done what it takes to make us better," Edmonds said. "I think you expect them to continue to do that if there is a need. It's their job to decide if there's a need."
Scheduled to receive $10.5 million this season, pitcher Matt Morris was approached once about contract restructuring but declined. While his attitude might be different for a specific move rather than about protecting the club's budget, he is less inclined to redo a contract he negotiated himself at terms favorable to the team.
"I don't necessarily see where it's the players' problem," Morris said recently. "They've paid guys a certain amount of money and that's what the deal is. Guys have been very generous in giving back."
When Morris signed his three-year, $27 million deal before the 2002 season, he allowed the club to pay out $23 million in the final two years. "At some point you wonder where it ends," Morris said.
Finley's price tag is believed slightly more than $2 million, though some within the industry believe it may be prorated at $1 million a month, a lot of money for a 40-year-old who last pitched in October.
"It's one thing if it takes $2 million and another thing if it takes $5 million," said Edmonds, who already defers $1 million annually from his salary. "If it's $5 million and we don't do it, I think everybody would understand. If it's $2 million, that's not a lot of money. If they went to a few guys and asked them (to restructure), that wouldn't be a big hit for anybody."
Williams deferred much of the two-year, $14.9 million deal he signed last November through 2019. He is among those with a more forgiving attitude toward restructuring. "Any way we can help," he said. "Obviously, we make a lot of money. At some point it starts adding up. They have a budget. If there's any way we can help the club out, there are several guys in here who are willing to do that. I know that."
As a member of the Indians and Cardinals last year, Finley pitched a total of 190 2/3 innings and had a 4.15 earned-run average. The ERA was his second-best since 1993. He had a 7-4 record for the Cardinals.
"If we get him, it's awesome," Williams said. "When we got him last year, it made the stretch run that much easier for us. He brings a presence to the team. That's valuable."
Jocketty cites practical reasons for waiting. "Our rotation has been fine," he said, noting that righthander Chris Carpenter continues to rehabilitate in Florida. "There are some other guys who may be available if the need were there, certainly in July. We'll have to wait and see."
Finley could retire. But what happens if he pitches elsewhere, say Houston or Chicago?
"I don't think there would be hard feelings," Williams said. "The bottom line is, when is enough enough? Just because people have a lot of money doesn't mean they're willing to spend it just to spend it. If you look back, this team has done a lot to add or change. But we're in May. We're not talking about July. It's a different situation. It's not so desperate."