Kearns = GONE! Dmitri = GONE! Villone = GONE!

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I find it hard to get excited about these moves if only because it seemed a forgone conclusion that none of these players would be back.

This.

Wake me when we get rid of Guzman or Olsen.

[PatsNats28]

question - why wouldn't you file for FA? like in general?

[imref]

if we do nothing else this off-season, dropping Austin Kearns will have improved this team.

[shoeshineboy]

if we do nothing else this off-season, dropping Austin Kearns will have improved this team.

He wasn't playing anyway. All it improves is the balance sheet. I agree with Chief. This was all a foregone conclusion. All that matters is what moves Rizzo makes that are in the direction of adding actual talent to the organization.

[xposbrad]

Kearns couldn't quite put it together with us, and he had every chance. It's not like we had tons of talented outfielders to take his place. He could field, had average pop, should have had good OBP numbers. But he just never put all his talent together to be that consistent player.

[NoShoesNoShirtNoDice]

I think Kearns never got over the fact that he wasn't Adam Dunn, and continually took the same off-balance upper-cut swing for the fences approach, never adjusting. Still a great defensive player.

QFT. Kearns never realized he's a 20-25 HR guy tops.

[BerkeleyNat]

if we do nothing else this off-season, dropping Austin Kearns will have improved this team.

This!

[Minty Fresh]

(Image removed from quote.)

This needs to be a permanent fixture in the smiley area.

[raleighnat]

QFT. Kearns never realized he's a 20-25 HR guy tops.

Kearns is a good guy and good luck to him.  But he never adjusted his swing.  He was always flailing for power - should have taken a more compact approach instead of trying to launch everything.

As for Dmitri...I don't even remember what I thought about it at the time, but extending him should have been about the most obviously stupid decision a GM could make given his age, weight, etc...his contract was an abomination..

[blue911]

Kearns is a good guy and good luck to him.  But he never adjusted his swing.  He was always flailing for power - should have taken a more compact approach instead of trying to launch everything.

As for Dmitri...I don't even remember what I thought about it at the time, but extending him should have been about the most obviously stupid decision a GM could make given his age, weight, etc...his contract was an abomination..

Kearns showed the same level of dedication as Dmitri. Showed up at ST out of shape and no real desire to push himself.

[shoeshineboy]

Kearns showed the same level of dedication as Dmitri. Showed up at ST out of shape and no real desire to push himself.

Dmitri's health was a big issue that he in many ways could not control. I loved having the meat hook around as a PHer. He was great. But his diabetes combined with his general poor physical conditioning was big issue. I agree that the extension really was a poorly executed deal. At a minimum it should have been tied to plate appearances. This was a case where Bowden simply said, "Congratulations for having a good comeback season and making me feel good. Here, have $10M that I can't think of spending any other useful way. Merry Christmas. Try not to spend it all on dope for you and Robert Fick."

I think I did a calculation that over the last two years, DY was paid $66,666 per at bat.