Official MLB Discussion Thread

[Stennick]

It must suck to be a Baltimore and Toronto fan knowing you have less than zero hope of making the playoffs. I've been pretty spoiled being a Cardinals fan. 10 World Championships (second most ever), 17 Pennants, most playoff games last decade in the National League.

 

I forget there are Royals fans and Pirates fans who never have a prayer.

 

I think that kind of shows just how great football is. Any team can be in last place and the next year they're in the playoffs. With baseball its not really like that.

[Slagaholic]

With the extension of the playoffs they certainly have a chance.

 

The Pirates intentionally don't spend money, they can't spend Red Sox money but they can definitely spend Twins money if they wanted to. I don't know about the Royals though.

 

Baseball needs more incredibly rich owners who are willing to spend money on their teams. See: ex-Wal-Mart CEO David Glass and the Nationals

 

Football is great because of the players union is incredibly weak and they have national TV contracts that by themselves just about cover the salary cap number. Baseball doesn't and can never have that since there is a 162 game schedule.

 

In other news the Reds just locked up Jay Bruce to a 6-year deal worth $51 million with an option of a 7th year. Fantastic signing for the Reds. Jay Bruce is a stud.

[BHK1978]

With the extension of the playoffs they certainly have a chance.

 

The Pirates intentionally don't spend money, they can't spend Red Sox money but they can definitely spend Twins money if they wanted to. I don't know about the Royals though.

 

Baseball needs more incredibly rich owners who are willing to spend money on their teams. See: ex-Wal-Mart CEO David Glass and the Nationals

 

Football is great because of the players union is incredibly weak and they have national TV contracts that by themselves just about cover the salary cap number. Baseball doesn't and can never have that since there is a 162 game schedule.

 

In other news the Reds just locked up Jay Bruce to a 6-year deal worth $51 million with an option of a 7th year. Fantastic signing for the Reds. Jay Bruce is a stud.

 

On top of that the Pirates tend to draft really poorly as well. Which is sad because the team was great in the mid to late 1980's. And then after all the stars left they never seemed to recover. That is part of the reason I have always disliked Barry Bonds, because he helped kill my father's second favorite team.

[Slagaholic]

Joel Sherman tweeted: 1st exec who pushed #Phillies this afternoon said to me, "Lee has known #Yankees, #Rangers offers for days and is not asking for more so he has to be stalling or hearing something some place else from team he likes. He likes Philly."

 

:D :D

 

If he signs he's gonna be leaving $50-70M on the table to come back here.

 

Halladay-Lee-Oswalt-Hamels-Worley/Kendrick

 

Blanton will be dealt to make room for Lee. Don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya Joe. Thanks for 2008 but PEACE!

[The Final Countdown]

Lee's going back to Philly, according to ESPN.

 

Wow, I did not see that coming at all. As a Dodger fan, I'm still bitter about being knocked out in the NLCS by the Phils two straight years...but at least it's not the Yankees.

[MattitudeV2]

Lee's going back to Philly, according to ESPN.

 

Wow, I did not see that coming at all. As a Dodger fan, I'm still bitter about being knocked out in the NLCS by the Phils two straight years...but at least it's not the Yankees.

 

Their rotation is dynamite, I mean Halladay,Lee,Oswalt,Hammels and Blanton.

[BHK1978]

Their rotation is dynamite, I mean Halladay,Lee,Oswalt,Hammels and Blanton.

 

Agreed that is one hell of a rotation. Now granted as a Yankees fan I would have rather him signed with the Yankees but it is what it is and I do not blame him going back to Philly because they do have the better rotation.

 

By the looks of it the Yankees do not seem to be walking away with any talent because there seems to be a lack of talent left.

[Slagaholic]

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/3897/cliffleecatch.gif

 

http://i36.tinypic.com/2f0dguq.gif

 

I need new pants.

[GatorBait19]

well he would be in the NL which usually has better pitching. I think if the Phil's could do it they would be money. Blanton as your 5th starter and Cole as the 4th.

[BHK1978]

well he would be in the NL which usually has better pitching. I think if the Phil's could do it they would be money. Blanton as your 5th starter and Cole as the 4th.

 

From what I have read, I think they are trying to shop Blanton around. And now that they have Lee, they really do not need him. With that rotation, you can have anyone as the 5th.

[Slagaholic]

Blanton is gone. In fact, don't be shocked if he ends up a Yankee.

 

Phils have a 23-year old who is tailor made for the back of this rotation. His name is Vance Worley. Vance up up a 3.36 ERA with a 2.6 BB/9 and 6.8 K/9 between AA and AAA last year, he had a cup of coffee in the majors where he posted a sub 1.50 ERA in 13 innings (take those major league numbers with a grain of salt obviously).

 

Not an overpowering pitcher, doesn't project as more than a #4 on a good team, but he doesn't give up a ton of baserunners and doesn't get hurt by the long ball (.7 HR/9 in the minors last year)

 

oh btw this almost made me die laughing

 

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/8476/15587717587569577525910.jpg

[BHK1978]

Blanton is gone. Phils have a yound 23-year old who was tailor made for the back of this rotation. Vance Worley. 3.36 ERA with a 2.6 BB/9 and 6.8 K/9 between AA and AAA last year, had a cup of coffee in the majors where he posted a sub 1.50 ERA in 13 innings.

 

Not an overpowering pitcher, doesn't project as more than a #4 on a good team, but he doesn't give up a ton of baserunners and doesn't get hurt by the long ball (.7 HR/9 in the minors last year)

 

I agree, teams can get by on four starters alone. Is it good to have a decent fifth? Sure but you do not have to have one. As long as the fifth is a decent pitcher a team should be okay. Heck the Phils could even go with a straight up four man rotation if they wanted to and only use the fifth started when needed.

[Slagaholic]

On Vance Worley: Thats exactly why I think Vance Worley will be the 5th starter by May. He will learn so much from the pitchers around him, is already an incredibly smart pitcher for his age, and will be under no pressure to be anything but "meh."

 

On your four man rotation idea: Don't give Charlie Manuel any ideas. He worked Roy Halladay like a horse last year.

[BHK1978]

On Vance Worley: Thats exactly why I think Vance Worley will be the 5th starter by May. He will learn so much from the pitchers around him, and will be under no pressure to be anything but "meh"

 

On your four man rotation idea: Don't give Charlie Manuel any ideas. He worked Roy Halladay like a horse last year.

 

That is the problem, you run the risk of either overworking them or injuring them. A four man rotation is possible as it was done in the past. However, with the amount of games played per season now I am not sure if it would be feasible.

[Slagaholic]

It happened in the past and many more pitchers also blew their arms out in their early 30s.

[BHK1978]

It happened in the past and many more pitchers also blew their arms out in their early 30s.

 

Which is why I said you run the risk of overworking and or injuring them. Also, remember that pitchers stayed in games a lot longer back then. The bullpen was not the end all to be all back then. Therefore, the more they pitched the higher the chances were that they would end up hurt.

 

I am not saying that I am in favor of the four man rotation. Because it would be a hard thing to make it work. Pitchers are just not conditioned to pitch in a four man rotation.

[Slagaholic]

We are in total agreement.

[BHK1978]

I just read that Bob Feller passed away at the age of 92. I have a story about Bob Feller, when I was a kid I went to a card show and saw an autographed baseball and card of Bob Feller. Of course I had to have it because he was a Hall of Famer. So I begged my father to buy if (it was $80) and he did. Anyway, I found out years later that Bob Feller was one of the most counterfeit autographs on the market. So I will never truly know if I have a Bob Feller autographed baseball or not.

[PoisonedSuperman]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="BHK1978" data-cite="BHK1978" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="26724" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I just read that Bob Feller passed away at the age of 92. I have a story about Bob Feller, when I was a kid I went to a card show and saw an autographed baseball and card of Bob Feller. Of course I had to have it because he was a Hall of Famer. So I begged my father to buy if (it was $80) and he did. Anyway, I found out years later that Bob Feller was one of the most counterfeit autographs on the market. So I will never truly know if I have a Bob Feller autographed baseball or not.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> You can find out.</p>

[BHK1978]

I know this is an old topic but I wonder what impact if any Manny and Johnny Damon will have on the Devil Rays.

 

Oh and the Yankees pitching staff is a house of horrors after C.C.

[AfRoMaN36]

The staff isn't horrible. But CC is the only automatic.

 

AJ needs to get it together, but he's capable of 15 wins on a good year or so.

If Phil Hughes performs anything like he did in the first half and doesn't tire in the second half, you have that second ace in the rotation.

Freddy Garcia is the perfect number four guy who'll give you 13 wins and keep you in the game every time out. With the Yanks offense, that's really all they need on most nights.

 

Bartolo... consider him a low risk investment. He's playing for cheap so if he stinks... no big deal, but if he performs ANYTHING like he did 5 years ago, Cashman looks like a stud.

 

Although I realize the question marks on that rotation, the stars do have to align for everything to go their way, but they did the best they could with an ace retiring and a really, really weak market.

[GatorBait19]

I know this is an old topic but I wonder what impact if any Manny and Johnny Damon will have on the Devil Rays.

 

Oh and the Yankees pitching staff is a house of horrors after C.C.

 

The media has been going crazy about this. Many have expected down here for the Rays to at least go .500 or better, but besides that for this to be a boring year. Now with these two many expect our best attendance and another solid year. These are two low risk investments to the Rays that could pay off greatly. It's no doubt we lost a lot of talent, but the Rays haven't made stupid moves in giving away talent for nothing and this upcoming draft we have I believe 12 picks before the end of the 2nd round. The Rays have drafted really well so this will be an interesting year.

[GatorBait19]

The staff isn't horrible. But CC is the only automatic.

 

AJ needs to get it together, but he's capable of 15 wins on a good year or so.

If Phil Hughes performs anything like he did in the first half and doesn't tire in the second half, you have that second ace in the rotation.

Freddy Garcia is the perfect number four guy who'll give you 13 wins and keep you in the game every time out. With the Yanks offense, that's really all they need on most nights.

 

Bartolo... consider him a low risk investment. He's playing for cheap so if he stinks... no big deal, but if he performs ANYTHING like he did 5 years ago, Cashman looks like a stud.

 

Although I realize the question marks on that rotation, the stars do have to align for everything to go their way, but they did the best they could with an ace retiring and a really, really weak market.

 

The staff interest me. I don't think they are horrible, but also not great. I still worry about CC, I understand is his one of the best Lefties in the League, but on opening day he will be 30 with over with over 2100 innings (including 230 each of the last 4 years). His weight isn't getting any better and I just worry for him that it will catch up to him soon.

 

Phil Hughes is interesting and I will like to see if he can keep it up for a full 30 starts. Burnett is a question, but I love the hire of Larry R. at their pitching coach.

[BHK1978]

<p>Maybe house of horrors was a bit strong. I don't know, I mean they have the hitting and I think they have a vastly improved bullpen. However, now that Andy Pettitte is not coming back, I think they are going to have a tough time this next season. Just for the simple fact that the starting rotation is questionable and the hitting is going to have to keep on scoring more than the other team.</p><p> </p><p>

In regards to AJ, that guy is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. You just never know who is going to show up. Are you going to get the world beater that could be a great number two starter. Or are you going to get the guy who stinks up the joint?</p><p> </p><p>

Maybe you are right (and I hope you are) about Freddy.</p>

[BHK1978]

This is interesting, it has to be very intimidating facing a pitcher who is 7'1 and throws the ball at 99 mph.