Andruw Jones re-signed with the Braves at the surprisingly low price of $75 million over 6 years. A year ago there was discussion of his contract reaching nearly 20 million dollars annually. Some Atlanta onlookers expected that if his demands were that high, AOL-Time Warner would opt to let him leave. Quite a few rumors have circulated about the company's desire to pare payroll. This move should allow the Braves to maintain the traditionally high quality of their line-up.

Under the current deal Jones will receive a $3 million bonus, $9.5 million in 2002, $11.5 million in 2003, $12 million in 2004, $12.5 million in 2005, $13 million in 2006, and $13.5 million in 2007. If they can eventually negotiate similar discounts with young infielders Rafael Furcal, Marcus Giles, and top prospect Wilson Betemit, Atlanta should have a solid offensive core for many years to come. The true beauty of the talent developed in their system is that it fits into the most difficult roster spots to fill. Chipper Jones is already signed at a nice price through 2006 considering he's established himself as one of the top third baseman in the game. His presence as a quality 3rd hitter in the lineup will allow the Braves to move him to LF or 1B in the next few years.

With these five players under the Braves' control through at least the 2006 season, they can concentrate on filling the always-scarce catcher slot. All that's left is for them to secure one outfielder and an OF/1B, two positions with an abundance of readily available talent.

One possible explanation for the markdown on Andruw is his involvement with the scandal at Atlanta's Gold Club. However, there has been no public mention of this in relation to his new deal. Andruw himself has said only that he simply wanted enough money to live comfortably and to stay with a team that will be back in the playoffs with a shot to win a World Series. His father was a major influence on him during negotiations, evidently encouraging him not to be overly greedy. Jones' numbers were slightly lower this year, but not to an extent that I'd expect would indicate he is likely to be anything less than a stellar player in the future. He will be a free agent again after 2007 and only 30 years old. Schuerholz negotiated quite a bargain, capitalizing on the likelihood that Jones' personal situation caused an aberrant 2001 performance. It will be interesting to see if the somewhat smaller size of this contract is the start of a trend with Scott Boras' clients this off-season. He doesn't normally preside over hometown discounts.

Mark McGwire - I believe he is very serious about this retirement, and that he will not play in 2002. His primary reason for leaving the game now is a feeling that he is no longer able to consistently play at an acceptable level. The current labor/contraction situation is likely also a factor as he has repeatedly expressed a desire not to be involved in another dispute of that kind. However, I do think that if in a year or two he finds himself once again in peak physical condition we might see a come back. In the meantime, his departure allows for the interesting possibility of Jason Giambi following in his mentor's steps by signing with St. Louis.

A Shame - Ichiro did not win AL Rookie of the Year unanimously. The sole lost vote was that of Chris Assenheimer of the Chronicle-Telegram in Elyria, Ohio. I'm not going to go there myself, but with very little imagination these jokes write themselves. Assenheimer's excuse for placing Sabathia 1st on his ballot not unexpectedly boils down to his feeling that Ichiro was less of a true rookie, never mind the set specifications for such things. Until the qualifications for this honor are changed (a subject worthy of discussion), it is simply revolting for those privileged to vote on these awards to presume to cheapen its current form. The first player ever to win the Rookie of the Year award, Jackie Robinson, had several years of experience in the Negro Leagues, as did many of the early winners. It is now, and clearly always has been, an honor available to the best player just entering Major League Baseball.

Congratulations - Randy Johnson won his 4th (3rd consecutive in the NL) Cy Young. Far more people than expected managed to get this vote right. On a side note, do you think that this year's playoffs and series have finally put an end to all of that talk of Randy not being a big game pitcher?

A Given - Clemens won his 6th Cy Young. The votes are understandable. He is a surefire Hall of Famer who had a great year. However, he did not give the best pitching performance in the AL in 2001. Freddy Garcia had the best ERA, Hideo Nomo had more strikeouts, and even teammate Mike Mussina was a far more dominant pitcher overall, compiling 214 K to 42 BB in 228.2IP. Clemens' devotees ignore important facts, including the fact that he received the 2nd best run support in the league at 6.58 runs per game, while the Yankees scored over two runs less per game for Mussina. American League beat writers are a bit too much like the Emmy voters: a little too ready to give the award to the person with the most previous wins.