2025 Major League Baseball Thread

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by sycro

But they do hurt teams like the Twins, Indians, Mariners. To a lesser extent, even the Braves (though their problems may be solved as soon as Liberty unloads them). Recently, the Rays and Royals as well.

The Braves ownership is terrible. As a Braves fan I knew no owner was going to spend what Ted Turner used to on the franchise, but Liberty's ownership is embarrassing. With a 2012 payroll of $82 mill Atlanta is now 16th of 30 teams in payroll. Only team in the NL East below us in salary is Washington and we're being outspent by the Marlins by a $35 mill.

I'm not sure what happened to Cleveland. Jacobs Field used to have incredible crowds in the mid 90's-early 00's. Consistently outstanding attendance. These days even when they have a decent team the attendance is at or near the bottom of MLB.

[walruswarrior]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

He said homegrown "talent." The only one of those guys I'd label especially talented is Pettitte. Phelps is too early to say for sure. Hughes is ok, but his ERA has been over 4.00 every season except for 2009. Joba Chamberlain is average at best and very inconsistent.

Hughes is still fairly young and has rebounded nicely since his disaster of a start to the season. Of his last 14 starts he's given up more than 3 earned runs twice. I am eager to see how Joba pitches when he comes back from his injury. He should be coming back sometime in August. I like Phelps. He's been a more than decent pitcher in the long relief spot. He should take Kuroda's spot next year, but knowing the Yanks they'll go sign someone else.

[Clark Kent]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

The Braves ownership is terrible. As a Braves fan I knew no owner was going to spend what Ted Turner used to on the franchise, but Liberty's ownership is embarrassing. With a 2012 payroll of $82 mill Atlanta is now 16th of 30 teams in payroll. Only team in the NL East below us in salary is Washington and we're being outspent by the Marlins by a $35 mill.

I'm not sure what happened to Cleveland. Jacobs Field used to have incredible crowds in the mid 90's-early 00's. Consistently outstanding attendance. These days even when they have a decent team the attendance is at or near the bottom of MLB.

Cleveland has been devastated by the economic downturn. Lots of people have moved on to other cities where they can find jobs.

[Glassroots]

Originally Posted by walruswarrior

blah blah blah you're maybe 4th best in the division. Maybe...

I guess we'll just have to wait and see....although I think you'll be eating your words come 2014.
Just because a team has finished near the bottom of the division standings for the past 15 or so years doesn't mean they can't turn things around...afterall being a weaker team for so many years is sure to garner a team several blue chip prospects that surely will turn a weaker franchise around in due time.

I think the Rays are a perfect example....back in the 90s and even at the turn of the new millennium they were a terrible team that consistently finished in the AL East cellar.....but years of futility has earned them several top draft picks (including Price and Longoria) that they have built their team around and now they're consistently contenders in the AL East.

I believe the Jays are operating with the same recipe for success as the Rays did and it's just a matter of getting all their top prospects groomed for the big stage....then TO will have a contender again......that is as long as injuries don't continue to plague them.

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by Glassroots

Still think the MLB should impose a salary cap.

Originally Posted by Wingman1977

And the players union will never let that happen.

It's not just the Player's Association that wouldn't want a salary cap, a lot of owners wouldn't want it either. Teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, Phillies, Angels, and Dodgers would never agree to a salary cap because it would limit their spending. Then there's teams like the Pirates, A's, Royals, and Padres that would never agree to a salary cap because if there was a salary cap there would also be a salary floor so they would be forced to spend a lot more money. Baseball's new Collective Bargaining Agreement does have a bit of a de facto salary cap because the penalties for spending over a set amount are huge in future years, but there's not going to be a true salary cap anytime soon.

[hakstone]

Originally Posted by Glassroots

I think the Rays are a perfect example....back in the 90s and even at the turn of the new millennium they were a terrible team that consistently finished in the AL East cellar.....but years of futility has earned them several top draft picks (including Price and Longoria) that they have built their team around and now they're consistently contenders in the AL East.

I think it's a bit more than just draft picks. A great GM, 'Manager of the year' contender and great farm system.

[fatediesel]

I wonder what is happening with the Ryan Dempster trade to the Braves. The Braves website reported the deal as done yesterday but Cubs manager Dale Sveum is saying the trade reports were a complete fabrication. There is speculation that Dempster, who has 5-10 rights and must approve any trade, is holding up the trade to Atlanta but that seems odd. He has a history with the Braves manager and Atlanta was rumored to be Dempster's second choice for a trade after the Dodgers, who deemed the Cubs asking price to be too high and are now going after Matt Garza.

On a side note, the Braves lost yesterday and are now 0-12 on Mondays this season. They have scored just 18 runs on Mondays.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...,2847889.story

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

Cleveland has been devastated by the economic downturn. Lots of people have moved on to other cities where they can find jobs.

That may be true but Detroit is another city that's been mired in economic depression and the Tigers still get great fan support.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

It's not just the Player's Association that wouldn't want a salary cap, a lot of owners wouldn't want it either. Teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, Phillies, Angels, and Dodgers would never agree to a salary cap because it would limit their spending. Then there's teams like the Pirates, A's, Royals, and Padres that would never agree to a salary cap because if there was a salary cap there would also be a salary floor so they would be forced to spend a lot more money. Baseball's new Collective Bargaining Agreement does have a bit of a de facto salary cap because the penalties for spending over a set amount are huge in future years, but there's not going to be a true salary cap anytime soon.

Thankfully salary caps are less relevant in baseball than other sports anyway. The NBA has a salary cap and it's practically meaningless in creating parity. San Antonio, LA, Chicago, Houston and Detroit have won almost every NBA title in the last quarter century.

[walruswarrior]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

That may be true but Detroit is another city that's been mired in economic depression and the Tigers still get great fan support.

They are also winning and their fans see that the owner is spending big bucks to put a great product on the field. Can you say as much for the Indians?

[Lacit170]

Originally Posted by Glassroots

What is it with the Yanks picking up over the hill veterans? The got A Roid, Chavez, now Ichiro.

Either way they're not winning nothing with their starting pitching the way it is.

Ichiro actually asked to be released and with new of Gardner needing surgery and Swish out right now, we needed to pick up an outfielder so it worked out perfectly...once Swish comes back, Ichiro will be in left field....so he will be playing every day.

Originally Posted by mrf

Mark McLemore (who played with the Rangers from '95-'99 and Mariners from '00-'03) regularly joins the Rangers broadcasts in the sixth or seventh inning has said that Ichiro speaks English well and used to joke around in the clubhouse and play practical jokes with the team. That was 10 years ago when they played so you know he has to speak even better English now.

they were saying during the game last night, that he can speak English but prefers to doing interviews etc through a translator to ensure everything he says is correct....

[walruswarrior]

I'm surprised no one has said anything about Colby Lewis being out for the whole year.

[Go Blue]

Originally Posted by StereoMike

Tigers Acquire Omar Infante, Anibal Sanchez in Trade from Miami Marlins

Not the "sexiest" trade, but as a life long Tiger fan, I love it.

[walruswarrior]

Wandy Rodriguez got traded to the Pirates. It looks like the Pirates are making a push for their first playoff berth since Barry Bonds was there in 1992. If there was one other team that I would like to see win the WS it's the Pirates. They've been horrendous for a very long time, and those fans deserve it.

[walruswarrior]

A-Rod to the DL with a broken hand.

[walruswarrior]

Hanley Ramirez on the move to the Dodgers. Uh oh Nav

[wilky61]

Originally Posted by Schultzy

Not the "sexiest" trade, but as a life long Tiger fan, I love it.

Omar Infante was a Brave two years ago; he's one of my favorite players in all of MLB. Great contact hitter and utility infielder (basically, he's Martin Prado). He was an Allstar two years ago when he was with the Braves.

Also, I heard that the Tigers' 2B position is the least productive in the majors, so I think it's a great trade for you guys.

[fatediesel]

Cole Hamels is staying in Philly with a 6-year, $140 million deal, making him the second-highest paid pitcher in history.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/81...year-140m-deal

Edit: Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com says the deal is worth $144 million, and Bob Nightengale of USA Today says the deal has a vesting option for a 7th year that would make the deal worth $160 million.

[Navster]

Originally Posted by walruswarrior

Hanley Ramirez on the move to the Dodgers. Uh oh Nav

[fatediesel]

I wonder if this means the Marlins are going back to their stingy ways. Trading Ramirez saves them $38 million over the next 2 1/2 seasons, trading Omar Infante saves them $6 million over the next 1 1/2 seasons, and trading Anibal Sanchez saves them roughly $4 million this season. They are also considering trading Josh Johnson who is due roughly $20 million over the next 1 1/2 seasons. The Marlins received some good prospects but fans are going to expect the team to spend money with their new stadium that was largely (and in some ways illegally) paid for by the city and county.