I'd be pumped if I was on Orioles fan considering how the Orioles finished up last season.

News and notes:

Anybody wanna buy a team? Houston Astros are up for sale. Forbes valued the team at $453 mil. back in April.

Yankees are prepared to offer Derek Jeter a 3-year, $45 mil. deal. They're also interested in J.C. Romero. Johnathan Albaladejo got released too. :wavesad:

The Orioles are gonna bid in the Tsuyoshi Nishioka auction.

And coming over the wire, Larry Rothschild is the new pitching coach for the Yankees. He was previously pitching coach for the Cubs.

As a D'Backs fan, I want to curl up into the fetal position and die. This Justin Upton trade talk makes me sick.

Jim Leyritz aquitted of DUI Manslaughter charge in Florida

Wow.

Wasn't it pretty obvious that he was guilty?

Yeah...sometimes in cases where it's pretty obvious someone is guilty, they'll either get a slap on the wrist, or off the hook completely.

...sometimes Justice IS blind.

K, just read about it last night. Supposedly she was drunk too and there were conflicting testimonies on who had the green light. Nevertheless, he still has to serve 15 months for DUI.

(From ESPN.COM)

"However, Leyritz was convicted on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence, which carries a maximum sentence of six months in jail. Leyritz had faced up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the manslaughter charge."

He hasn't been sentenced yet, and even then, it's only a 6 month jail sentence at the most.

"Two witnesses testified that Veitch had the green light at an intersection before Leyritz's Ford Expedition hit her vehicle, causing a rollover crash that ejected her onto the pavement. But under cross-examination, those same witnesses were less definitive about whether Leyritz's light was red or yellow.

Defense expert witnesses also said Veitch's lights may have been off and that Leyritz did not appear to be speeding. They also raised questions about the reliability of Leyritz's blood tests and suggested he may have suffered a slight concussion that caused his body to absorb alcohol more slowly.

Prosecutors insisted that Leyritz was too drunk to react to the traffic light or avoid the collision with Veitch's Mitsubishi Montero. They said he consumed the equivalent of between 11 and 12 shots of liquor in the three hours before the crash, which happened at about 3 a.m. ET.

Florida law provides for a DUI manslaughter conviction when a person's actions either caused or contributed to the cause of someone else's death."

So basically, you could say that he got acquitted only because there was doubt about what happened, based on the testimony of the witnesses.

So, Leyritz will serve 6 months at the most...and Veitch's two kids will not get their mom back.

Don't get me wrong, I feel sorry for her children. But her BAL was twice the legal limit in Florida. You would think that a responsible mother would not put herself in danger like that.

Seems odd the witnesses wouldn't know if he had a yellow or red light since it would be impossible for him to have a yellow if she had a green light especially at an intersection.

<font color=goldenrod>Mets pick Terry Collins.

Ugh. He was the last guy I wanted. I'll give him a chance, but I just don't like the idea of hiring a guy who hasn't managed in the majors in 11 years. He's gotten rave reviews for his work in player development - which is good for all the young guys that will be on the team. Not sure the veteran players can get behind it though.

He's also meant to be somewhat fiery...which is a bit better than a guy like Bob Melvin who barely had a pulse.

If the Mets suck under Collins though, Alderson will be raked over the coals for not taking Wally Backman.</font>

I'm reading it's only a 2-year deal, Vito. I wouldn't worry too much.

Was reading that Hisashi Iwakuma was looking for a 7-year, $126 mil. deal to play in Oakland and talks have broken off.

Ballsy move, but he's going back to Japan. And Oakland is down a pitcher after trading away Mazzaro.

Suckers.

<font color=goldenrod>Wonder if the Mets told Backman the job could very well be his soon with that short deal. I mean Collins is 61 already so it's possible he wanted something short-term.

Then again, if he actually WANTED a short-term deal that worries me that he won't be all that motivated. Bah. We'll see.</font>

Good of you to give him a chance, Vito.

It could also mean he's smart enough to know if the Mets struggle again, he doesn't want to get involved with all the bickering and craziness the past managers and GMs been involved last few years.

I think Girardi's initial deal was the same since he knew how crazy management can be if they struggle even if its just a week.

<font color=goldenrod>Joey Votto wins NL MVP

Ryan Howard received a second place vote. Whoever gave him that should be tracked down and banned from ever voting again.</font>

Most Vottoest Player

Reds to sign Dontrelle Willis to a minor league deal.

Good choice for NL MVP and for a while was in the hunt for the Triple Crown against some quality hitters.

ESPN is predicting Josh Hamilton for AL MVP but also said if he didn't win it was because of him being hurt in September (2 games played).

Now now, you're being too nice. Honestly it amazes me he could read or write enough to fill out a lineup card.

Great boost for Canadian baseball to have another MVP crowned from Canada. West side(Morneau) and east side (Votto) representing.

Not to mention Lary Walker back in the mid 90's.

Holla

Cmoooooon Cano

<font color=goldenrod>Tigers sign Victor Martinez. 4 years, $50 million</font>

Big blow to the Red Sox offense but they just couldn't meet V-Mart's demands.

Huff Daddy is getting a big raise in San Fran. Going from $3 mil last year to agreeing on a two year $22 mil contract today.

D'Backs finally concede that Upton will most likely be in Arizons's lineup on Opening Day. Thank God.

Orioles talking to D'Backs about Mark Reynolds. That's more like it.

They're overpaying him, but, hey...they won the WS.

<font color=goldenrod>Josh Hamilton wins AL MVP

Cliff Lee didn't get a single vote yet Soria and Soriano did.</font>

Good for Josh.

Lee hit a rough patch in the middle of the season. Probably why he didn't get a vote.

<font color=goldenrod>Really impressed with Terry Collins after his press conference and interviews today. Sounds like a huge change of pace from the guys that have been in there recently, and certainly nothing like I'd read in news articles that claimed he'd be the same.

Sounds like he's on the 2-year plan no matter what. His job will be to come in, clean up, and get the team going in the right direction for the next man in 2013.</font>

Yes they could. They just didn't want to

the Os really need a below the mendoza line (198/.320/.453) 3B who will be getting $11 million in 2012 on his current contract.

I can hardly wait.

Bring back melvin mora!

I'm not saying they should have. Victor will be 36 when that contract is up. I really wanna see how Jarrod Saltalamacchia can do with a change of scenery. Supposedly he had the yips in the minors last year and couldn't even throw the ball back to the pitcher for a period. Possibly bring back Varitek and mentor him; something he never mad in the majors. Same goes for Andrew Miller. He could be this winter's steal.

Anyone think Jeyter and Mo might sign elsewhere?

NEW YORK (AP)—Hank Steinbrenner has a message as the New York Yankees negotiate to re-sign Derek Jeter(notes) and Mariano Rivera(notes).

“As much as we want to keep everybody, we’ve already made these guys very, very rich, and I don’t feel we owe anybody anything monetarily,” the Yankees co-chairman said Tuesday. “Some of these players are wealthier than their bosses.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_yl...-yankees-jeter

I don't know if they'll sign elsewhere, but I'm surprised it has come to this. I thought they would resign Mo and Jeter pretty quickly.

The way the Yankees blow money like it is nothing, you would think they would not fight over a few million when it comes to their two greatest players of the last 50 years.

Exactly, that's why I didn't think it would get to the point where the Yankees are basically saying "Either you sign the proposal we gave you, or go somewhere else". We're talking about Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. The Yankees have blown money on Carl Pavano, AJ Burnett, Javier Vazquez, among others, so I didn't expect them to be this "strict" with DJ and Mo.

This makes me sad.

We traded him for peanuts, and we could have signed him to this deal all along, which is a bargain. I hate the Dolans so much.