Morneau Wins MVP; The Money Starts Rolling In

Morenau Edges Jeter for AL MVP.

This is the reason that I put little stock in awards that are voted on. That one baseball writer actually had Jeter sixth on his ballot . . . words fail me . . . is beyond childish. That said, Morneau had a fine year, Jeter handled it in classy fashion, and again, take a look at your average baseball writer's work -- we should go nuts over some award they subjectively give out?

The Soriano Factor Kicks In Already.

Gary Matthews Jr. signs with Anaheim for 5 years at more than $10 million per. Juan Pierre joins up with the Dodgers for $44 million over 5 years. Frank Catalanato, yes the Frank Catalanato, signs with Texas for $13.5 million for four.

What's Barry Zito going to get -- $16 million a year? $17 million? Zito is, let's face it, a #3 starter . . . maybe a #2 in an otherwise indifferent rotation. The perenially underachieving JD Drew? Carlos Lee? All of them, and others, are headed into the MegaMillionaires Club thanks to the owners' giddiness over the new TV deal and extended labor peace.

Of course it can't last . . . a couple of years from now the owners will be back to clamoring for a salary cap, bemoaning their inability to make any money owning a baseball team, and I'll have to listen to more interviews with Bud Selig, wherein the Commissioner talks in ominous tones about how bad the game's financial situation is. Maybe by then it will sound funny again.