A's Pitchers Dan Haren and Rich Harden Experience Success, Despite Having Low Salaries

By David
Kaye

Oakland's star pitchers Dan Haren and Rich Harden are two of the best at what they do, but are not compensated like their colleagues. Both men are 26 and 25 years of age respectively, but will make a combined $4.5 million this season. In societies standards that's a handsome salary, but not in the world of baseball when the league minimum is $380,000.

Both pitchers had impressive outings to start the season with Harden pitching seven scoreless innings last night to pick up manager Bob Geren's first career victory, and on Opening Day Haren surrendered zero earned runs in six innings of work, but was the hard luck loser to the Mariners Felix Hernandez.

I began to take a look at other teams around the American League and what the salaries this season of their two top starters are. When healthy, 2005 AL CY Young winner Bartolo Colon is the ace of the Angels staff and along with Kelvim Escobar both men will make an astounding $25 million this season. Haren has won 28 games and pitched 440 innings over the past two seasons, while Colon and Escobar have combined for 36 wins and pitched 528 innings.

Haren, who is making a mere $2.25 million this season, has won 8 fewer games and pitched 88 less innings by himself than Colon and Escobar have done together. Not to mention, both starters are constantly plagued by injuries and Haren is extremely durable. I think this tells you something about how the A's allocate their resources compared to how the Angels allocate theirs. The difference is both staggering and troubling at the same time.

Other pitching duos who are breaking the bank for their clubs include: Kenny Rogers and Jeremy Bonderman of the Tigers who will make a combined $12.5 million this season, C.C. Sabathia and Jake Westbrook of Cleveland who will make a combined $14.875 million, Jose Contreras and Jon Garland of the White Sox who will make a combined $19 million, Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling of Boston who will make nearly $20 million, Kevin Milwood and Vicente Padilla of the Rangers who will make a combined $19 million this season.

The one-two duo who takes the cake in terms of salary this season are A.J. Burnett and Roy Halladay of Toronto who will make a staggering $25.95 million this season when you add their salaries together. These figures are preposterous, but remember that none of these players can match the salary of A-Rod. The Yankees third baseman will be raking in $27, 708, 525.

New York Mets Begin 2007 Season on a Hot Streak

By David
Kaye

The Mets entered Bush Stadium with revenge on their minds after being eliminated by the Cardinals' in last year's NLCS. Never did the Amazins' think that they would sweep the defending Champions and outscore them 20-2 in the season-opening series.

Tom Glavine outpitched Cards ace Chris Carpenter Sunday night and lead his team to victory. With the victory, Glavine now has 291 wins for his career. To make matters worse for St.Louis Carpenter will miss his next start and by all indications the Cardinals could use any form of help in an effort to record their first win of the season.

Tuesday night I sat down eagerly with my uncle to see if 37-year old Orlando Hernandez has anymore tricks left up his sleeves. In seven innings of work El Duque surrendered five hits and one run to the Cards batters. He even chipped in a 2-run double down the left field line in the sixth inning.

The first two nights of the series witnessed quality pitching and timely hitting by the Mets. Last night, New York put on an offensive display as they smacked three home runs and produced twelve hits. 25-year old right-hander John Maine mowed down the Cards offense over seven scoreless innings and only gave up one hit to Scott Rolen. If Maine can pitch the way he did last night he has the opportunity to be one of the premier number three starters in the NL.

Offensively, the Amazins' did not disappoint as slugger Carlos Beltran blasted a solo shot and a 2-run dinger. Speedster Jose Reyes who is not known for his power added a solo homer in the seventh and a 2-run double in the top of the 8th. Both men combined to drive in seven of the Mets' ten runs.

I was shocked at how easy it was for the Mets to trounce the defending Champs and how poorly the Cards played. It appeared as if New York received the memo that the season had begun and St.Louis was still in spring training mode.