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Post by Gwell55 on Oct 7, 2014 18:41:44 GMT -5
Well those "better then Pedro post season Kershaw fellers" better be worrying now as his record can only be worse in the post season not better.
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 28, 2014 15:33:43 GMT -5
Breslow really fought to get that option picked up. I hope Ben gives some of these kids a chance to build a bullpen with. I know we can't have all of the prospects up here but we have good arms and not many can be starters and I believe are good for the pen. This offseason is gonna be very interesting. Layne should get the Breslow slot. He has already looked better than Breslow this year and probably enough innings to evaluate between here and SD in '13 should give him the go ahead for next spring.
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 27, 2014 23:42:00 GMT -5
It's the coverage of the retirement tour that's exhausting. And I think it's a little insulting to the majority of baseball fans who don't particularly care about the Yankees. Obviously it's all that Yankees fans really have this season, and even for Red Sox fans I can see why it's a significant moment but if you're an Angels fan or an Oakland fan or a Royals fan or a Pirates fan I think it's absolutely ridiculous that anyone thinks you should give a crap about Jeter's retirement tour. Did anyone act like Craig Biggo's retirement tour should mean anything to fans outside of Houston? Oh, it's a lot more than the coverage. It's the crass commercialism of it all. NYY players have been wearing his number on their shirts, his name was on the side of the bases at Yankee Stadium and the NYDN ran a front-pager the other day about how you can buy his socks for $400. I've always admired Jeter for staying out of trouble, but I always thought he was way overrated both as a player and as teammate. He always gets kudos for being an unselfish team guy, but he could have shut down a lot of the circus this year if he had chosen. He could have said, "Hey, I don't want everyone wearing my number or my number on the bases. This is a team game and I'm just one of 25 guys on this team." Instead, he let the NYY/Steiner Sports marketing machine and his own ego win out. It makes him look self-indulgent and phony. Imagine the reaction if Alex Rodriguez or Barry Bonds had their socks for sale for $400. Jetes plays the spoiled athlete game better than anyone and always gets a pass. The game today was unwatchable for us. The whole time it was Jeter this Jeter that show him in between batter throwing out giambi and it got so bad Listen to the Jeter only announcers who didn't even bother play by play that by the 2nd inning we just taped the game and went outside and worked on tearing down an addition. When we came back in we just watched the game on fast forward and the highlights. Is tomorrow's on espn or can we get the Sox NESN feed?
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 27, 2014 12:11:42 GMT -5
Well someone at Fox or Dish decided that there had been enough of Jeter, etc., so we folks in the West get to see the Pirates and the Reds. Really disappointing. In Montana we get a bunch of trash about Jeter and it is so bad we had to take the game off for awhile.
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 27, 2014 11:03:52 GMT -5
It's the coverage of the retirement tour that's exhausting. And I think it's a little insulting to the majority of baseball fans who don't particularly care about the Yankees. Obviously it's all that Yankees fans really have this season, and even for Red Sox fans I can see why it's a significant moment but if you're an Angels fan or an Oakland fan or a Royals fan or a Pirates fan I think it's absolutely ridiculous that anyone thinks you should give a crap about Jeter's retirement tour. Did anyone act like Craig Biggo's retirement tour should mean anything to fans outside of Houston? 100% agree, BUT ... Jeter witnessed the media coverage that Mariano received (and the circus that came with it), and decided to take the same approach. He could have opted for a different approach, but he didn't. However, like I said earlier, it's his right to retire however he wants to, and it doesn't bother me all that much either way. I just prefer it when athletes choose to retire a little more quietly, that's all. However maybe Selig was involved in both these retirement plans as they did increase exposure and bigger payoffs more than likely for baseball as a whole. And Selig needed that for his place in history too. Jeter sales of trinkets has been number one this year so stadium monies had to of been higher also. After all to the league of gentlemen owners the game is about making more money.
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 23, 2014 17:46:21 GMT -5
He looks a lot better at SS.
[/b] Better at ss, yes. A lot better, no. He is a bad defender. Can he improve? yes. I'm just going on what I've seen. Sox better hope Napoli stays healthy next year. An average or below average first baseman will not be able to bail Xander out on the bad throws. [/quote] Another thing he needs to seriously work on is his turning double plays. Jerry was noting the other day that he never uses his forward momentum to reach the bag and then fire to first. Since I started watching I do notice every time he reaches the bag he steps out towards right field than throws to first. If he is running to the bag on an angle to head a straight direction to first he still goes out to right field to try and make the throw and it takes to long. He has to cross the bag towards first or he will never make that throw with any purpose.
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 16, 2014 14:44:22 GMT -5
He has real power and room for nutrition/workout/ age based improvements. He would be a year of lf/1b backup and insurance and then Cespedes/Napoli/Victorino replacement. I think 100 sounds very high to me. Castillo money is probably more like what it will take. Shouldn't we be looking for some lefties instead of going with a straight right handed crew?
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 15, 2014 10:41:34 GMT -5
Here's the article you're talking about: www.gammonsdaily.com/peter-gammons-marlins-looking-for-third-second-and-catching-help/It says the Marlins approached the Red Sox about Cecchini, but that the Red Sox told Miami that they had no interest in moving him. However, Stanton's name is conspicuously absent, and the article is in the context of the Marlins adding to their core, not breaking it apart. I certainly wouldn't read it as saying that Cecchini held up a Stanton deal. No it was more recent than that. Late June/July 2014. And I am now convinced it was Gammo. I actually thought I posted it here too and we kind of laughed it off, but I looked and I didn't. Grrr - Sheesh - I knew I should've saved. The Miami actually were talking about it if ya google it from last March. They said something to the likes of 5 with Mookie and Bradley thrown in along with Garin and a couple others. I'm sure they got the idea from a Boston article though from Cafardo. www.fishstripes.com/2014/3/11/5496388/giancarlo-stanton-trade-rumors-miami-marlins-boston-red-sox-garin-cecchini
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 13, 2014 16:52:46 GMT -5
I'm explaining why Beane gave up significant future assets to upgrade his club even though the Athletics were the undisputed best team in baseball at the time. In your analogy, I'm saying the Red Sox should have traded future production for present production even though they were rolling as of the trade deadline (which they did in dealing Iglesias for Peavy). Those first half wins are banked, and considering what a crapshoot the playoffs are, a team in that situation should absolutely see if it can improve the talent on the club enough to win the division despite expected regression. Did you read the article? Literally every position player hit worse in the second half, many significantly so. Keeping Cespedes would not have magically kept the offense running at its first half levels. This is the part I don't agree with... to win a pennant someone has to be the spark that steps up and contributes his best. If you take that person out of the lineup for the near future there is no one than to keep the team up and playing above or at their better level. Just as if last year we would of taken Ortiz away the first of August we wouldn't of been the team that went to the series and won... It would even be just as the A's are fighting for that last gamble spot to even get in even with a lead. How do you know that Cespedes would or not been that spark for Oakland. It sure appeared he was at that level. Writers don't always know what is going on just as statistic don't win games. They have an educated guess only. If Oakland when Beane supposedly new his team was going to die because of the regression of the bats why then didn't he go after more quality bats at the deadline instead of another pitcher. The fact I see is the team is altered and Cespedes did in fact show his capability to play in Oakland this year. Add his Boston stats right up to and including his RBI's to what Oakland has since the deadline and their odds of winning all those one run games they are losing now goes higher. Anyway that is what I believe I am seeing.
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 13, 2014 16:05:33 GMT -5
grantland.com/the-triangle/oakland-athletics-slump-al-west-race-yoenis-cespedes-factor/Literally every single one of their hitters has hit worse in the second half, some significantly so. Their two best first-half pitchers have been much worse as well. The reason Beane made those trades in the first place is because he recognized that his team was playing over their collective heads and were going to regress. That's exactly what happened, and even two front-line pitchers weren't enough to stop the slide. So effectively your saying the Red sox last year should of recognised their players were playing over their collective heads as a group so they should of traded Ortiz and Naps because the team was going to regress to their normal and couldn't possibly keep it up with the status quo for the rest of 13? I think Beane made a heck of a mistake if that was he reasoning. he gambled he had enough power in the lineup with his biggest power asset and lost looks to me like. Loosing all these games 2-1, 1-0, 3-2 sure seems to me it is hitting not his pitchers failing him. Anyway, on the field his manager sure was noting it wasn't the pitching but the lack of RBI's.
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 13, 2014 10:30:08 GMT -5
It's really astounding to look at the standings this morning and see the Angels 11 games in front of Oakland. This after adding both Shark and Lester. Almost as astounding is the only team with a larger divisional lead being Baltimore outpacing the division by 11.5. The pitching hasn't been bad at all for the A's but they have no run support and that no one seems to be pushing those RBI's across the plate. Hmm Plus the fact that all this happened after that bad apple left fielder who couldn't get on base left. Some one earlier commented on you need a guy who even though has poor OBP but seems to push the rbi's across and was attacked for it. So go figure.
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 13, 2014 10:14:19 GMT -5
DeJesus with the 2-run bomb. I wasn't going to say it previously, but this game was shaping up as the classic, we-should-have-been champs loss for the Bulls. One out away, and Rusney ties it; and then the Cup-winning run gets thrown out at the plate. Here I thought it was like game 2 justification or just the game in reverse myself.
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 13, 2014 10:07:34 GMT -5
I would much rather have John Lackey. Well, Lackey has been horrible for St. Louis and he is much older than Kelly. I'll still take the deal. Let's wait for Craig next year. The guy has done well before and, unless injured, is young enough to resurrect. Not many players fall off the cliff as his age. Yea, but guess who was his personal catcher on almost all the bad starts with Cruz and Molina he had one bad game and of course the last one with Molina when he got throwed out yelling at the ump after 2 innings and 2 runs. LOL Poor Aj just can't win for losing!
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 12, 2014 15:45:51 GMT -5
I wonder when they first heard and how long it took to make its way through the system before the suspension announcement. Could it have been that long ago that it influenced the trade? The scuttlebutt is he had to of been using it last year because the report states he didn't apply for the exemption last year (for 2013). So does this drug keep you in the zone and super alert? That seems to be a pretty big advantage if so. Instead of adderall exemptions maybe MLB should look into how cross tops and black beauties effect the 60's and 70's atheletes. They were all common back then and every university had people taking them to keep sharp and late night studies for finals and such. You would think if they are going to ban the Johnny Daman drugs from the clubhouse all of these should go including the ADD from childhood types also.
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 11, 2014 19:40:17 GMT -5
Farrell had a right to be po'ed at the ump there... that was a bad deal with Buch already in the delivery.
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 11, 2014 11:30:09 GMT -5
I would say 99% of free agents only care about the dollar signs. It's why Ginacarlo Stanton might actually end up re-signing with the Marlins if they actually follow their words and offer him a lucrative contract. I mean, look at Mariners and their ability to land Robinson Cano away from the Yankees of all teams. Even when the Red Sox were in their prime I don't remember a player ever taking less to go play for them. I've heard of players taking a hometown discount (Mike Lowell), but not take less to come play here from another team. What about Drew for the 2013 season wasn't he offered more by the Yankees but he wanted to be guaranteed to play SS and took the sox offer which was lower.
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 6, 2014 15:08:35 GMT -5
Selling low on Craig might be better than holding onto him and having him not contributing anything. I view it as similar to holding onto Sizemore too long and sending Nava to the minors just in case Sizemore turned it around. So there is lost opportunity costs when you're holding onto terrible players taking up spots on the 25-man. I'm more confident in Victorino than Craig next year. And you could keep Victorino rested by putting him in the Gomes role. But really, two outfielders need to go if they want Betts to have a place to play. I have a feeling he'll be in AAA with JBJ and WMB because I think the takeaway this year is going to be that they will want the young players to force their way into the lineup and not just be counted on from day one with some half-***ed backup plans like Sizemore and signing Drew in May. No, only one outfielder needs to go to open up a full-time starting spot for Betts. They have six names (Cespedes, Castillo, Betts, Nava, Craig, Victorino) for five spots, and Betts is easily penciled into the starting RF spot no matter which of the other five is moved. They could also easily enter Spring Training with the six outfielders with the idea that they'll whittle it down to five by the start of the season. There are myriad ways that could happen-- an injury puts someone on the DL, Castillo or Betts turns out to need seasoning in the majors, or they make a trade at the end of Spring Training (for instance, once Victorino has proven that he's healthy). Regardless, it's way, way too early to be kvetching about logjams already. To me what they better worry about is having one lefty in Nava who it seems everyone wants to trade. With the mix of fielders plus Holt than Nava might just service as they have to have at least one outfield lefty (off the bench anyway). Seems as though out of all the talk no one wants to look at that aspect.
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 6, 2014 13:33:42 GMT -5
Victorino with his way negative value Victorino provided 5.6 WAR last year, and he is getting paid like a 2 WAR player. It's possible that he has negative value next year but it doesn't seem very likely. So with this year in other words ... he is about break even for his contract and he needs to be better next year for someone else?
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 3, 2014 10:06:55 GMT -5
Kelly really seemed to be losing his release point from the stretch last night. Looking at his stats on the season I'm wondering if that's something of a trend. His walk rate with runners on base is 14.1%, and with the bases empty it's 7.9%. Compounding matters, he's striking out 18.9% with the bases empty, and 13.3% (yuck) with men on. I don't think it's a mental thing either. I believe he worked from the stretch when he walked Cervelli with the bases loaded, and then switched to the windup and made better pitches when he got the soft liner from Ellsbury, grounder from Jeter and (sorta BS) strikeout of Gardner. So I suppose the questions are whether that discrepancy is noise or an actual problem. And, if it's actually a problem, if it's correctable. In general, this is the type of player I'm happy to see the Sox take a chance on - a flawed player with a major issue that may be fixable and with enough upside to make the troule worth it. The downside here is a complete loss, though - if he can't pitch from the stretch then it's hard to foresee success as a reliever. Why is it that when Kelly throws to a lefty the first pitch seems to be moving so far off the outside edge that no one swings? Seems to me last night every time he throws there he misses the plate so far he loses control for the next pitch and digs deep holes. He needs to throw more pitches closer to or on the plate to be successful and when he gets in those bad stretches it is because he starts way outside every time.
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 3, 2014 0:56:25 GMT -5
I just watched YES' late night replay of Gardner's temper tantrum. Their announcers always treat the close up of the plate as definitive. However, one can only accurately tell if a ball is outside if the camera is situated over the outside edge. Instead, it is clearly slightly to the first base side of the plate (the point of the plate is pointed to the left of the camera). Simple geometry will tell you that perspective will actually make a pitch over the far edge of the plate appear to cross in front of dirt or the batters box line - giving the illusion that it was outside. That pitch may well have been outside (and I think it was), but it was, at a worst, closer than it appeared. At best, it could have caught the plate. You can't tell with certainty from that angle. Then again, I doubt anyone in the Yankees booth actually passed high school geometry. Actually all those pitches to Ortiz called strikes that were outside the plate can now be used as a reference. What is good for the goose ya know. If it is 6 inches off the plate it can be called a K anytime to Ortiz and other hitters so what are the NY whiners screaming about anyway???
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Post by Gwell55 on Sept 2, 2014 19:16:10 GMT -5
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Post by Gwell55 on Aug 28, 2014 12:55:50 GMT -5
Can't believe we're having a worse season than the Cubs, Twins, Chisox, Phillies and Mets. Don't those thing happen when you trade your best 2 starters minus another ... oh yea and your best lefty reliever. Kind of makes your odds of going up in the season standings come into perspective.
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Post by Gwell55 on Aug 27, 2014 21:35:43 GMT -5
So now flunking a physical is a legal excuse to force a signing? Dang and so why didn't my Bro get sent to Vietnam as he flunked his physical too (flat feet) Actually, I doubt there is much they can do with Aiken. And if the Astros had stated they would sign him contingent on aiken signing then I doubt there is much happening there either. There was a previous incident like this and after that they have all top prospects take a pre draft physical so he passed MLB's physical. Barret Loux I do believe. I don't think that is correct as to binding physical. While he (Aiken like Barret) might become a free agent the team physical is still the defining moment. It has been mentioned by some though.
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Post by Gwell55 on Aug 27, 2014 20:39:15 GMT -5
Normally I'd be pissed with this extension for the Astros, but since it will move us up the draft order and increase out chances of a top 5 pick, I don't really mind. Can't think of his/their name(s) but if they force the astros to sign the picks they were gonna pay with the money they saved on Aiken it would put them over the 5% overage and cost them both picks ahead of us. That scenario had been discussed at one point. So now flunking a physical is a legal excuse to force a signing? Dang and so why didn't my Bro get sent to Vietnam as he flunked his physical too (flat feet) Actually, I doubt there is much they can do with Aiken. And if the Astros had stated they would sign him contingent on aiken signing then I doubt there is much happening there either.
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Post by Gwell55 on Aug 27, 2014 18:10:40 GMT -5
You better build a team like you're playing the math bowl or else there will be zero entertainment in October, which is what really matters. An excellent way to put it. OPS, incidentally, will only win you the elementary school level math bowl. But but but earning that position will get you in the much preferred Jonny Gomes bowl.
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