David Eckstein A Met a $9 Million Per Year???

This is ridiculous. I like David Eckstein, as he's a good, scrappy ballplayer; however, in a seminar I took with Bill Ripken this winter, he noted that the infielder had, "no tools, but manages to make it work"...

Well, Mr. Eckstein wants to get paid.

From the New York Daily News: Eckstein, the 2006 World Series MVP at shortstop, apparently is looking for a contract comparable to the four-year, $36 million deal Julio Lugo signed with the Red Sox last December, which might prove a stumbling block. That's a larger price tag than fellow free agent Luis Castillo is expected to command. Castillo has several other suitors, including the Astros.

How serious the 32-year-old Eckstein is about playing second base isn't clear, but he was interested enough about getting the Mets involved in the bidding to dine with Omar Minaya, Willie Randolph and other team executives in chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon's neighborhood.

The 5-7, 177-pound Eckstein did have career lows with 117 games played and 434 at-bats in '07. He missed 23 games from June 14-July 13 with lower-back trouble, but still hit .309 with three homers, 31 RBI and 10 steals for the Cardinals.

He's a good player who has exceeded his natural ability; however, you are not worth $9 million per year.

Sorry.