Cutnpaste: - Bryce Harper, Trading K-Rod, Salary Cap, R.I.P. Dale Roberts, and More K-Rod

Bryce Harper:



The catcher-turned-outfielder hit .319 with a .407 on-base percentage for the Nationals in the instructional league. He also led the team in hits, home runs, RBIs and walks. The Nationals say he will begin the 2011 season at Class A. There is no big league timetable.



"I'm just trying to get out here and get the games in and take it day by day and have a lot of fun," Harper said. "I'm trying to get better every day and we'll see what happens in the next couple of years."



If Harper looks like he is having fun, it's because he is. He's living his dream -- the baseball dream. Harper's cleats read "J-Roll," a tribute to Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins. It's not hard to imagine that one day Harper will have his own name on his shoes, but for now, he's content wearing shoes that fit.


washington nationals  



Michael G. Baron

 Trading K-Rod:



2010 Statistics: 46 Games, 25 Saves, 2.20 ERA, 10.5 K/9


Contract Status: Signed in 2011, Team Option in 2012


Rodriguez has clearly fallen out of favor with the Mets after his late season clubhouse fight with a family member and now his grievance hearing with the team as he looks to reclaim some money that was withheld, and that could lead to a deal this offseason.


Make no mistake—Rodriguez is still among the best closers in all of baseball, and if the Mets do officially put him on the block, there will no doubt be at least a handful of interested teams.


bleacherreport.  

Salary Cap:



A salary cap would also limit outrageous contracts that teams give average players as well as the mammoth contracts superstars receive. For instance, Rodriguez makes $33 million this year and Chicago White Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez makes nearly $24 million.



When small market teams have great players, they cannot afford them and end up trading them for more prospects. However, if they happen to stay on the team, chances are they will move on to the bigger markets when their contracts are up.



Even though baseball is far away from a salary cap, it is fun to think what baseball would be like with a salary cap. It would bring more parity to the game and small market teams will have a fair shot at getting to the playoffs and possibly winning the World Series.


.fourthestatenewspaper.  

R.I.P. Dale Roberts:



Dale Roberts was born on Sunday, April 12, 1942, in Owenton, Kentucky. Roberts was 25 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 9, 1967, with the New York Yankees. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Dale Roberts baseball stats page - http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=roberda04 - Dale Roberts, 70, of Versailles, died Friday, Oct. 8, 2010, at the University of Kentucky A.B. Chandler Medical Center Hospital. He was a professional baseball player, playing in the Major Leagues as a relief pitcher, first for the New York Yankees and then the Atlanta Braves. He was 70 years old.

More K-Rod:



K-Rod is a bully and an abusive pig, no other way around it. The guy obviously has personal problems and should not be on this team. I respected the Mets originally for going up against the Players Union but in typical Mets fashion they took what little money they could save and just dropped it. Everyone wondered why the Angels would let K-Rod walk after a record setting season, and let the Mets sign him. Obviously it wasn’t just the money, they were just happy to get him off their team.


It’s just a matter of time before K-Rod does something to hurt someone else or make the team look bad.


metsmerizedonline.