Quick Thoughts: Tuesday, November 18

Some quick links & tidbits for your afternoon pleasure that I'll probably update throughout the day:

• Rob Neyer sums up baseball analysis succinctly in this piece by Lynn Hennig:

"It's really simple," Neyer said during a phone conversation. "All we're trying to do is count as many things as we can count to tell us how good a player is, or how good he can be. It's not really all that complicated.

Now what is so bad about that?

• Melky Cabrera signed with the Blue Jays for two-years $16 million. Honestly, I have to say this is a good deal for all parties involved. Melky isn't likely to be the MVP level player he was for the Giants last year but he was pretty darn good in 2011 on the Royals as well. And even if Melky can't achieve that level of performance the Blue Jays aren't investing all that much - $8 million per season for an every day outfielder who can log some time into center and who has the potential to play at a near all-star level is a solid deal. As for Melky, he has two years to reestablish himself for another contract, when he'll still be under 30 years old. 

• If everyone who didn't like the use of sabermetrics in baseball was this honest there wouldn't be the great divide that Mitch Albomination speaks of. 

• David Cone is my favorite announcer on YES, and it's great to read his Q & A with David Laurila of FanGraphs.

UPDATE 12:15

• The Royals re-signed Jeremy Guthrie to a three-year $25 million deal. Guthrie did pitch well in12 starts last year in Kansas City and eating innings is a valuable commodity, but spending $25 million on borderline journeymen just isn't how you build a winning club. Steroids be damned, I'd rather roll the dice with a Bartolo Colon for $3 million like the A's did than $25 million for Jeremy Guthrie. Anytime you have a chance to spend $38 million on Jeremy Guthrie and Ervin Santana you have to do it. #2013Royals

UPDATE 1:10

• The Mets are trying to re-sign R.A. Dickey and David Wright which is certainly better than just letting them walk like Jose Reyes. Breaking everything up isn't necessarily the smartest decision but I wonder if re-signing them is the best course of action. The Mets already have a young and promising rotation so if Dickey and/or Wright could fetch some positional prospects then something could be brewing in Queens.