MLB 2013-14: End of the World Series, Offseason, Etc.

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Their two FA signings - Ellsbury and McCann - will be the youngest position players on the team.

Aren't they both 30?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Headache, you're going to enjoy having Granderson in your team. Guy is so damn likeable, easy to root for.

It's a reasonable enough contact both in terms of length and dollars. I wonder what this means for David Murphy.

Outfield is now overcrowded, and Eric Young Jr can play second base.

 

[gump]

Aren't they both 30?

Yes. I was agreeing with you.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Ahh. Sorry

 

[gump]

This is an interesting tidbit I saw on Twitter:

#Yankees have committed 16 years, $299 million to Kuroda, Ellsbury, McCann and Beltran. Grandy and Cano got 14 years, $300 million combined.

I think that's a good strategy. It's of course a lot of money still, but I'd rather spread it in many players, as they are doing, rather than in one big contract. They are learning the lesson from the A-Rod contract, I think.

 

[the tourist]

Well I knew that the President and CEO of the Mariners were dicks and idiots. Now it's just public.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

This is an interesting tidbit I saw on Twitter:

I think that's a good strategy. It's of course a lot of money still, but I'd rather spread it in many players, as they are doing, rather than in one big contract. They are learning the lesson from the A-Rod contract, I think.

They've learned their A Rod lesson, sure... but they still haven't learned their develop young pitching lesson.

 

[bono_212]

it's not like the market is teeming with pitchers

It's funny you say that, I was just reading an article yesterday, lamenting the fact that the Cubs would likely be unable to deal Samardzija, due to how deep the pitching pool is this off-season.

Incidental anecdote: Jeff Samardzija is from a city 20 minutes from where I live, and one of his relatives yelled at me on Facebook the other day because I "defended" fast food restaurants. So I've got that going for me.

 

[LemonMelon]

Incidental anecdote: Jeff Samardzija is from a city 20 minutes from where I live, and one of his relatives yelled at me on Facebook the other day because I "defended" fast food restaurants. So I've got that going for me.

Friggin

 

[No spoken words]

Well, to be fair, I guess there's some quantity…..Jimenez, Garza, Tanaka (maybe), Burnett, Arroyo, Santana….Colon….but none of these cats are #1 starters in my opinion with the possible exception of Tanaka, I guess. So the Cubs might have trouble cos if you want someone at Samardzija's level or slightly better, well, there are a few floating around.

 

[No spoken words]

You know what intrigues me greatly? Where will Roy Halladay wind up. I have no idea if he indicated an interest in returning to the Phils nor if the Phils are interested. Piss, any insight?

 

[PhilsFan]

I think the Phillies realize the signing another old player, no matter the contract, might drive the fanbase insane.

Plus, I think he's done and I think they know it.

 

[No spoken words]

I think he's done, too….but someone will sign him. I WONDER WHO.

 

[bono_212]

Well, to be fair, I guess there's some quantity…..Jimenez, Garza, Tanaka (maybe), Burnett, Arroyo, Santana….Colon….but none of these cats are #1 starters in my opinion with the possible exception of Tanaka, I guess. So the Cubs might have trouble cos if you want someone at Samardzija's level or slightly better, well, there are a few floating around.

Totally fair, I get where you're coming from. There are two sides to the pitching coin here.

 

[gump]

You know what intrigues me greatly? Where will Roy Halladay wind up. I have no idea if he indicated an interest in returning to the Phils nor if the Phils are interested. Piss, any insight?

Thanks, you forced the guy to retire.

 

[PhilsFan]

I'm really glad he didn't go out and look terrible again in 2014. This season was just painful to watch.

He was the best.

 

[No spoken words]

Told you guys he'd sign somewhere.

Sorry to see that dude retire on that sort of note, but, he did look pretty wretched the 2 times I saw him pitch last season. He had a great 10 year run once he reestablished himself in the majors. And, I will never forget watching the 9th inning of his playoff debut, no-hitting the Reds. I was standing and watching in a coworker's office and I was shaking, I was that nervous and into it. Goosebumps.

 

[MrPryck2U]

Torre gets into the HOF before Boss George. Somebody in the Great Beyond is probably throwing a world class tantrum.

 

[the tourist]

Interesting trade between the DBacks, Angels, and White Sox today. Doesn't seem like any side out and out won the trade on paper.

 

[gump]

Really? The side shipping Trumbo, a very mediocre player, certainly won.

 

[Hewson]

We'll see...dude has some pop and playing in the BoB can't hurt.

 

[the tourist]

Really? The side shipping Trumbo, a very mediocre player, certainly won.

They got back a "crafty lefty" who is young but not looking good. Skaggs has lost a lot of his shine.

 

[gump]

And now the Diamonsbacks offer Joba a $3 million contract. Kevin Towers has lost his mind.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Interesting trade between the DBacks, Angels, and White Sox today. Doesn't seem like any side out and out won the trade on paper.

I haven't actually seen Adam Eaton play, but apparently he's a good on-base guy with plus speed and defense. I'm down with the sound. I like Hector Santiago, but don't think he's much more than a bottom of the rotation pitcher. Think it's a good trade for us.

 

[the tourist]

Yeah, some guys are high on Eaton. Some guys aren't as high on him because of his size. I usually pay the most attention to John Sickels, and he likes Eaton a fair bit. Do you think Dunn will be traded soon as well?

In other news, I wonder what PFan thinks of RAJ saying Hamels, Lee, and Brown could all be had. If they're going to rebuild, I'd think ownership would want a new GM to be making these trades.

 

[PhilsFan]

In other news, I wonder what PFan thinks of RAJ saying Hamels, Lee, and Brown could all be had. If they're going to rebuild, I'd think ownership would want a new GM to be making these trades.

This implies that this organization has any fucking clue that Ruben is bad at his job.

I don't give a shit anymore. I've moved into my nihilist phase with baseball. Chase Utley is still here. That will ease the pain as the team continues to dig a tunnel to the first overall pick in a couple of years.

 

[the tourist]

This implies that this organization has any fucking clue that Ruben is bad at his job.

I don't give a shit anymore. I've moved into my nihilist phase with baseball. Chase Utley is still here. That will ease the pain as the team continues to dig a tunnel to the first overall pick in a couple of years.

True. I did read RAJ say the Phillies wouldn't eat any of the money owed Hamels or Lee, which means the return would be way smaller. If they ate 50% and traded those 3, the Phillies would have a top 10 (possibly 5) system overnight. Lots of teams with good systems just can't afford to pay a guy like Lee essentially 32.5 million a year. Dayton Moore, for example.

 

[PhilsFan]

Trading Lee and eating the money would yield good prospects with the right trade partner (though Ruben gave him a deal where he can block trades to 21 teams), but the Phillies won't ever eat money on a contract because that would mean admitting the contract was bad. I mean, it's not like the Phillies can't afford to eat some salary. It's a stubborn thing, a pride thing.

All of this makes zero fucking sense on the heels of the multi-year deals to Chooch and Marlon fucking Byrd.

Here are some real, actual Ruben Amaro quotes:

"I don't care about walks, I care about production."
"I don't do five year plans. Other organizations do, I guess."
"If Ryan Howard is now relegated to being a platoon player, he’s a very expensive platoon player and he needs to be better." (Ryan Howard had a .653 OPS against left handed pitching the season BEFORE Ruben essentially gave him an eight year contract.)
"He's my best bat, I don't want to move him." (Talking about Michael Young.)
"If he can’t play defense he can’t play in the National League." (Talking about Delmon Young AFTER signing him.)

Seriously, fuck Ruben Amaro.

 

[gump]

On a related topic, not sure if all of you read the recent article on the Mariners, Dysfunction at the Top.

One quote in particular stuck with me:

Jack portrayed himself as a scouting/stats hybrid because that’s what he needed to get the job,” Blengino said. “But Jack never has understood one iota about statistical analysis. To this day, he evaluates hitters by homers, RBI and batting average and pitchers by wins and ERA. Statistical analysis was foreign to him. But he knew he needed it to get in the door.”

In a way, this is more nefarious than the likes of Ruben Amaro. At least with a guy like Ruben you know what you're getting, and it's easier for ownership to identify and solve the problem when they come to their senses. The Jack Z's of the world know how to game the system, and become more entrenched in the culture.

When the new Knicks GM, Steve Mills (the MSG President when Isiah Thomas was there), was introduced, Dolan made a big fuss about this indicating the Knicks decision to "go analytical". But this, I'm sure, is the Jack Z-type of "analytical", a guy saying what he needs to say to get a job/sell a hiring to the public. The guy still probably evaluates player value on a point per game basis and wouldn't be able to find the four factors in a crosswords puzzle.

 

[MrPryck2U]

Tourist alluded to it on page 18. Guess Eric Wedge doesn't want a job anywhere else. Lol!