Payroll gambles, Manny and the Kennedys

Saturday, August 29, 2009 | Print Entry

The Angels' acquisition of Scott Kazmir discourages the Rangers, against whom he is 5-1 with a 2.28 ERA, and he changes the playoffs with his 2.53 lifetime ERA against the Yankees and his career of success against the Red Sox. Look, the Angels have gone through 13 previous starters who compiled a 5.00 ERA, and they can afford the $22.5 million Kazmir has coming with their payroll that ranks fourth in the American League behind the Yankees, Tigers and Red Sox.

The Phillies completely remade their postseason vision with the Cliff Lee trade; they could afford it, with the third-highest payroll in the National League and ownership's mandate to win, now.

The Red Sox have been a completely different team since they acquired Victor Martinez at the trade deadline. They were able to take on shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who has changed their infield defense. The cash they saved releasing John Smoltz and Brad Penny and their combined 6.24 ERA pays for Billy Wagner.  
 

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  • Peter Gammons Peter Gammons

    Hall of Fame baseball reporter Peter Gammons has worked for ESPN since 1988. He primarily serves as a studio analyst for "Baseball Tonight," but he also does regular spots for "SportsCenter," ESPNEWS and ESPN Radio and contributes to ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine.

    Gammons was voted the National Sportswriter of the Year for 1989, 1990 and 1993 by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association and was awarded an honorary Poynter Fellow from Yale University. But his highest honor was the 2004 J.G. Taylor Spink Award, voted on by the BBWAA and awarded at the Baseball Hall of Fame for outstanding baseball writing.

    Gammons, a 1969 graduate of the University of North Carolina, began his career as a reporter for the Boston Globe in 1969. He has also worked for Sports Illustrated covering the NHL, college basketball and major league baseball (1976 to '78, 1986 to '90). In 1986, upon his return to Sports Illustrated as a senior writer following a second stay at the Globe, he wrote numerous stories covering some of baseball's most important news events and authored Inside Baseball, Sports Illustrated's weekly baseball notebook. Gammons is also the author of "Beyond the Sixth Game," a look at free agency.

    Gammons is a gifted musician, and his debut album, "Never Slow Down, Never Grow Old," was released on Rounder Records. With the assistance of a crack band of Boston rockers, Gammons trades in his typewriter for a Stratocaster and delivers a rousing set of vintage classics, originals and rock obscurities -- all to benefit Theo and Paul Epstein's Foundation to be Named Later, a charity that raises funds and awareness for nonprofit agencies serving disadvantaged youth in the greater Boston area.

    Gammons' vocals and guitar are featured, along with guests such as Theo Epstein, Juliana Hatfield, George Thorogood, Little Feat's Paul Barrere, Kay Hanley and an all-star chorus consisting of past and present Red Sox players, including Jonathan Papelbon, Kevin Youkilis, Trot Nixon, Lenny DiNardo, Tim Wakefield and Bronson Arroyo, and NESN broadcaster Don Orsillo. Get more information from Rounder Records.

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