The Official MLB Offseason Topic

[Cartman 0]

Uhh....Carlos Beltran is one of the top 5 best overall players in baseball right now.

 

Johnny Damon should be at least a tad higher than that.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Damon's easily in the top half. I do agree that Beltran should be ranked higher. I'd put him first. He's truly terrific at all fascets of the game, and he's on the way up. Just check out his SB% rates. 41 for 45. That's INSANE.

 

And Garret Anderson is ranked too highly.

[Bored 0]

Milton BRADLEY as the sixth best center fielder in baseball?

Not even in video games.

Going back to the pervious page first...Bradley had a .421 OBP and a .501 SLG last season and he's only 26.

 

Now for the above on Beltran, Damon, and Anderson.

 

-I love Beltran but he does play in the most hitter friendly park in the American League so his stats are padded a bit.

 

-Damon has been a below league average hitter two of the last three seasons. I don't even think you can make a case he's top 20, let alone top half.

 

-Anderson has had two great years in a row. His OPS+ was 11 points higher than Beltran's last season.

[the max 0]

What about Preston Wilson's #'s. Playing in that park pads his stats a ton, and yet he's way above Johnny Damon, who plays great defense in a difficult spot, runs well, and is a big part of the Red Sox #1 offense?

[Bored 0]

Damon has a little bit better range than Wilson although Damon has one of the worst throwing arms in baseball. Wilson had a 115 OPS+ (again takes into account park factors) last season to Damon's 94. For their career Wilson has a 110 to Damon's 99.

 

I think Manny Ramirez, Nomar Garciaparra, Bill Mueller, David Ortiz, Trot Nixon, and Jason Varitek all played a big part in the Red Sox #1 offense. It isn't that hard to find a lead off hitter to post a .340 to .350 OBP.

 

DAMNIT YOUR ALL BEING FOOLED BY THE BEARD!!!

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I'm sorry Bored but I really have to take this list to task. Damon 26th? Juan Pierre 25th? You're being WAY too dependant on OPS for these things. Both Pierre and Damon sport higher on base percentages than Anderson. That means they make less outs. I'd take either of those two over Anderson.

 

Don't fix yourself on one statistic.

[Guest OctoberBlood]

I agree with Al about you being all about one stat. Unless these are OPS lists. :|

[Guest Anglesault]

Yankees signed El Duque.

 

Apparently, it was determined that the pitching staff was too shaky, and the solution was that icon of stability, Orlando Hernandez

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

How is this a bad signing? Its not that the pitching staff is too shaky. Its that they're injury risks, with little depth outside the first five. El Duque gives them a little insurance, at a good price.

[Guest Anglesault]

I don't get the insurance policy argument. I mean, yes, he's an extra body out there, but is he really much more than that? By the end of the stay in New York he was a major league pain in the ass.

 

We've got whiney, injury prone, who knows how old pitcher that may or may not be able to perform and can't even get along with the God damn catcher.

[Guest OctoberBlood]

He pitched well last year in 2 hitters parks, so why not.

[Bored 0]

I'm sorry Bored but I really have to take this list to task. Damon 26th? Juan Pierre 25th? You're being WAY too dependant on OPS for these things. Both Pierre and Damon sport higher on base percentages than Anderson. That means they make less outs. I'd take either of those two over Anderson.

 

Don't fix yourself on one statistic.

These lists aren't meant to be gospel and I just wanted to create regular baseball conversation since the offseason is over. But Johnny Damon over Garret Anderson? Your got to be kidding. Actually they had the same OBP last year so I think I'll take the guy who slugged 134 points higher in a more pitcher friendly ballpark. Anderson had a 119 runs created to Damon's 85 last season and Damon had 27 more plate appearances.

 

As for Juan Pierre, he is a very good lead off hiter but we aren't talking about who makes a better lead off hitter. Pierre slugs under .400 and had 30 fewer runs created in 73 more plate apperances than Anderson.

[Dr. Tom 0]

Just to chime in, I'd take them in the order Pierre, Anderson, Damon. Pierre's a .300 hitter, puts up a .370 OBP, walks more than he strikes out, and could steal 50 bases with a wooden leg. Anderson is a model of consistent run production. He's averaged 30 homers, 120 RBI, and a .300 AVG for the past four seasons. Sure, his OBP isn't as high as Pierre's or Damon's, but Al, by judging him based solely on that, you're doing what you said Bored was doing: fixating on one stat. Damon's still good, and his xBA has been .306 and .297 the past 2 years, so he could hit .300 again. Other than his 30 steals, though, he's a fairly empty offensive player, so I'll put him below Anderson.

[Bored 0]

Here are my right fielder rankings for the projected regulars for this season. I'm also tacking on my designated hitter rankings. Yes I know Matt Stairs is probably too high. I haven't gotten around to do pitcher rankings yet and don't know if I will.

 

1. Gary Sheffield, Yankees

2. Brian Giles, Padres

3. Vladimir Guerrero, Angels

4. Magglio Ordonez, White Sox

5. Sammy Sosa, Cubs

6. Trot Nixon, Red Sox

7. Bobby Abreu, Phillies

8. Richard Hidalgo, Astros

9. J.D. Drew, Braves

10. Jody Gerut, Indians

11. Reggie Sanders, Cardinals

12. Larry Walker, Rockies

13. Austin Kearns, Reds

14. Juan Gonzalez, Royals

15. Carl Everett, Expos

16. Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners

17. Brian Jordan, Rangers

18. Raul Mondesi, Pirates

19. Jay Gibbons, Orioles

20. Miguel Cabrera, Marlins

21. Jacque Jones, Twins

22. Jose Cruz Jr., Devil Rays

23. Reed Johnson, Blue Jays

24. Juan Encarnacion, Dodgers

25. Ben Grieve, Brewers

26. Michael Tucker, Giants

27. Karim Garcia, Mets

28. Bobby Higginson, Tigers

29. Danny Bautista, Diamondbacks

30. Jermaine Dye, A's

 

1. Frank Thomas, White Sox

2. Matt Stairs, Royals

3. David Ortiz, Red Sox

4. Dmitri Young, Tigers

5. Aubrey Huff, Devil Rays

6. Brad Fullmer, Rangers

7. Edgar Martinez, Mariners

8. Erubiel Durazo, A's

9. Tim Salmon, Angels

10. Travis Hafner, Indians

11. Josh Phelps, Blue Jays

12. Matt LeCroy, Twins

13. Bernie Williams, Yankees

14. David Segui, Orioles

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

1. Brian Giles isn't going to play right field as far as I know. It's Klesko's position.

 

2. You know I'm defending my boy Abreu here. 2003 was an out of context year for Nixon, and a down year for Abreu. Any other year, Abreu smokes Trot Nixon.

 

3. Ichiro deserves higher.

 

4. David Ortiz is ranked too highly. He hit .216 versus lefties last season.

 

5. Matt Stairs will likely platoon with Ken Harvey

 

6. Josh Phelps deserves higher. He's going to smoke AL pitching sooner than you think.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I don't get the insurance policy argument. I mean, yes, he's an extra body out there, but is he really much more than that? By the end of the stay in New York he was a major league pain in the ass.

 

We've got whiney, injury prone, who knows how old pitcher that may or may not be able to perform and can't even get along with the God damn catcher.

Essentially, pitching talent is notoriously fragile by nature. Pitching itself is an unnatural motion, and causes strain on the arm and shoulder. Rarely does a team complete a season using only its five best starters. Injuries occur. A frequency of injuries can wreck havoc on a team. Recognizing this problem, it is wise to have a few arms available either in your bullpen or on your AAA club which can fill in the rotation if needed. All the Yankees had was Jorge DePaula. They desperately need live arms, or they could collapse if a slew of injuries bite.

[Bored 0]

1.  Brian Giles isn't going to play right field as far as I know.  It's Klesko's position.

Nope, they decided to flip them because of the weird right field wall in San Diego's new park.

[Guest Anglesault]

Essentially, pitching talent is notoriously fragile by nature. Pitching itself is an unnatural motion, and causes strain on the arm and shoulder. Rarely does a team complete a season using only its five best starters. Injuries occur. A frequency of injuries can wreck havoc on a team. Recognizing this problem, it is wise to have a few arms available either in your bullpen or on your AAA club which can fill in the rotation if needed.

It's also wise to make sure those arms have something left to give.

 

I understand that we need extra arms, I don't understand why we need this extra arm.

 

I want my "insurance policy" to leave me somewhat confident.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Weird. Alright then.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

*looks at RF list*

 

*Sees Vlad at #3*

 

*Doesn't take any of the lists seriously anymore*

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Essentially, pitching talent is notoriously fragile by nature.  Pitching itself is an unnatural motion, and causes strain on the arm and shoulder.  Rarely does a team complete a season using only its five best starters.  Injuries occur.  A frequency of injuries can wreck havoc on a team.  Recognizing this problem, it is wise to have a few arms available either in your bullpen or on your AAA club which can fill in the rotation if needed.

It's also wise to make sure those arms have something left to give.

 

I understand that we need extra arms, I don't understand why we need this extra arm.

 

I want my "insurance policy" to leave me somewhat confident.

Because there's not much left.

 

Besides, its 500 grand. How much harm could it do? Its not like he's Jeff W--ver.

[Bored 0]

*looks at RF list*

 

*Sees Vlad at #3*

 

*Doesn't take any of the lists seriously anymore*

It all goes back to park factors. Playing half your season in Olympic Stadium and Hirmam Birthorn Stadium last year was like playing in Coors Field for half your season. In fact combined they graded out higher than Coors Field as being more friendly to hitters last season.

 

Vlad's numbers are likely to dip now in Anaheim in a pitcher friendly park. Last three years he's slugged 95 points higher at home than on the road.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

1. Frank Thomas, White Sox

2. Matt Stairs, Royals

3. David Ortiz, Red Sox

4. Dmitri Young, Tigers

5. Aubrey Huff, Devil Rays

6. Brad Fullmer, Rangers

7. Edgar Martinez, Mariners

8. Erubiel Durazo, A's

9. Tim Salmon, Angels

10. Travis Hafner, Indians

11. Josh Phelps, Blue Jays

12. Matt LeCroy, Twins

13. Bernie Williams, Yankees

14. David Segui, Orioles

 

I can't take his lists seriously because he actually ranked Segui #14 on the DH list. He shouldn't even be on the DH list period. Larry Bigbie, Jack Cust or BJ Surhoff are better than David Segui.

[Bored 0]

You can't take any of my lists seriously because I have David Segui as the Orioles DH? Um okay. Hell Segui was the Orioles primary DH last season. I did see on some depth charts that they had Segui listed as the Orioles DH for this so that's what I went by but Cust would obviously make more sense.

[Mik 0]

Cabrera at 20? I know he's only 20 years old, but c'mon. This guy is Pujols material.

[geniusMoment 0]

Angels/Mariners today at 2 on ESPN. Skip class to watch it, you have my permission. I will write your professors a note it you want.

[DerangedHermit 0]

Hmm...Karim Garcia had to bleed the lizard and......

 

No charge at pizza parlor

 

Manager just wants apology

 

By ADAM RUBIN

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

 

Karim Garcia is on the phone, but probably isn't calling for a pie from Big Apple Pizza after flap on Thursday night.

PORT ST. LUCIE - The assistant manager of a local pizzeria where Mets outfielders Karim Garcia and Shane Spencer were involved in a confrontation on Thursday night said yesterday his employees won't pursue legal action, apparently closing the incident.

 

Mets GM Jim Duquette apologized to the corporate owners of Big Apple Pizza and said the Mets will discipline Garcia and Spencer internally, though their standing on the team won't be affected.

 

According to Joshua Morrison, 17, a cook at the pizzeria who witnessed the incident, Garcia exited adjacent Duffy's Sports Grille and began urinating near the businesses. Pizzeria employees confronted Garcia, and he and Spencer began driving away in a light-colored Hummer.

 

Eric Vidal, 18, a returning delivery boy, chased the Hummer on foot, yelling, and eventually Garcia and Spencer stopped while still in the shopping center parking lot and got out of the vehicle. Morrison said the delivery boy began backpedaling and fell into bushes lining the sidewalk in front of the establishments, though one report yesterday claimed Spencer had punched Vidal - which Spencer vehemently denied.

 

A bouncer from Duffy's broke up the incident without further escalation and Spencer and Garcia - who was irate and muttering in Spanish - drove off.

 

Duquette acknowledged yesterday that accounts from the players and other witnesses differ, but he decided to close the matter anyway. Walter Bandyk, 33, the pizzeria's assistant manager, told the Daily News that player claims that they threw no punches are false.

 

"Yeah, he fell down or something," Bandyk said dryly. "Of course. There's always an excuse. I'm just pissed off the guy (Spencer) lied about it and said he didn't do it."

 

Asked if he was satisfied that nothing physical occurred, Duquette said: "I don't really know. I've heard eyewitness accounts. I've heard their side."

 

That Spencer and Garcia didn't directly apologize or offer some goodwill gesture, like token Mets memorabilia, to the pizzeria employees also irked Bandyk.

 

"I'm in the pizza business and I do it all the time," Bandyk said. "You rectify the problem. It's just not going to go away."

 

Vidal was scheduled to arrive at work at 5:30 p.m. yesterday, but Bandyk told him to take the night off and the company placed a gag order on him, threatening his job if he didn't comply.

 

Kacey Donnell, public information officer for the Port St. Lucie Police Department, said no investigation is currently underway and no complainant has come forward. He confirmed that Garcia and Spencer were pulled over in the Hummer in a nearby Burger King parking lot, but no action was taken.

 

"All I would say is I've spoken to the Mets and they'll handle it," said Bobby Barad, Garcia's agent.

 

Spencer, who has a nonguaranteed contract but is expected to platoon with Garcia this season in right field, was summoned to Art Howe's office yesterday afternoon and spent 10 mintues with the manager and Duquette.

 

"I apologized to the coaching staff, our owners," Spencer said.

 

Apparently, ill feelings aside, this case could now go away - unless it affects Garcia's pending criminal and civil trials in Boston stemming from the Game 3 ALCS incident with Jeff Nelson and a Fenway Park groundskeeper. Both players are scheduled to travel to Vero Beach for today's spring-training game with the Dodgers.

 

"We feel we're at a point where we can put the thing behind us," Duquette said.

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball...0p-149282c.html

 

I heard Jim Duquette said this but his PR advisors told him not to. "This in no way reflects the Mets organization. They......uhh....learned this while being...uhh, Yankees." I'M JUST KEEEDING!

[Guest OctoberBlood]

SHEFFIELD OUT 3 MONTHS

 

With torn thumb ligaments per ESPN.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

SHEFFIELD OUT 3 MONTHS

 

With torn thumb ligaments per ESPN.

Boy, I'm glad I didn't draft him.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Yippee and fuck at the same time.

 

The Yankee hater in me says hooray. But the realist in me says my H2H fantasy league is screwed.