Just a couple of quick stories to point you to today.  Matt Holiday discusses his interest and his willingness to compromise in coming to terms with a long-term deal with the Rockies with Troy E. Renck.  He’s careful though, making sure not to offend but really also making sure he says what is important to him.  Players often talk about Money in terms of respect, and sometimes it really does show how much a team respects what you bring to the table by what they will offer. Sometimes it isn’t actually about the money, but what the money means.  

Oh, sometimes it is just about the money though. The Rays, thats Tampa Bay now in case you haven’t been following along, are looking to change their image with more then just a new name and new uni’s.  They gave Carlos Pena, their team MVP, some big money an voided arbitration, something that is another signal that their business philosophy might be shifting. The short Marc Topkin story sheds some light on what a signing like that does do to how other players think about a team.  Scott Kazmir though shows you it hasn’t convinced anyone just yet.  Tampa has long been the team you went to if you were convinced you could still play one more year in hopes you might do so well someone would trade for you.  What became clear is that management their rarely gets a deal done mid-season… they just always want too much.  Hopefully, that will be another thing that can change.