2006-07 MLB Offseason Thread

[vivalaultra 0]

Wow. If Carlos Lee really did sign with the Giants, I bet that'll probably significantly hurt the Astros' chances of signing Carlos Lee...

[Annabelle 0]

re: pierre

 

for some of these teams, money doesn't mean anything. its just a matter of getting the right guys on their team. i think pierre was probably signed otu fo fera that all of the top free agewnts would be off the table in a week & the dodgers would have no one to replace drew. but for a team would sorely lacked in the homerun department, going from drew to pierre is an enormous downgrade.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Lets not get crazy here....

 

Soriano's averages over the past 5 years:

 

.280 BA (approx)

40.6 doubles

37.4 home runs

96.6 runs batted in

.331 OBP (approx)

.525 SLG (approx)

165 sbs in 210 attempts (average of 33 a year) for a percentage of .785

 

5 year averages of 37/33 and 40 doubles. Anyone else in baseball that can lay claim to that? The only guy who comes close is Carlos Beltran at 30/30/33.

 

So to say he had just one amazing year is silly. His numbers last year were almost identical to his 5 year averages save for a higher OBP (which some people think is a statistical outlier, but I think it's just as likely that he's learning to be more patient as he gets older).

 

Three players in baseball history accumulated 150 Home Runs, stolen bases and doubles between the ages of 26-30. Soriano, Barry Bonds...and Howard Johnson. Johnson had a great season at the age of 30, and proceeded to hit .219 over 352 games before retiring. I doubt Soriano will do that bad, but that should indicate something.

[Precious Roy 0]

The Dodgers should have gone after a relatively cheaper OF with pop like Trot Nixon, David Dellucci, Jose Guillen or Cliff Floyd. On the upside Pierre and Furcal gives them a ton of speed at the top of the lineup, but 9 million is a lot to spend on a one dimensional player, who as noted above doesn't steal as effectively as the leadoff guy you signed last offseason.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

On a side note, I gotta say these signings are going MUCH quicker than they have in years past. Usually the big names don't drop until early December.

[Precious Roy 0]

Lets not get crazy here....

 

Soriano's averages over the past 5 years:

 

.280 BA (approx)

40.6 doubles

37.4 home runs

96.6 runs batted in

.331 OBP (approx)

.525 SLG (approx)

165 sbs in 210 attempts (average of 33 a year) for a percentage of .785

 

5 year averages of 37/33 and 40 doubles. Anyone else in baseball that can lay claim to that? The only guy who comes close is Carlos Beltran at 30/30/33.

 

So to say he had just one amazing year is silly. His numbers last year were almost identical to his 5 year averages save for a higher OBP (which some people think is a statistical outlier, but I think it's just as likely that he's learning to be more patient as he gets older).

 

Three players in baseball history accumulated 150 Home Runs, stolen bases and doubles between the ages of 26-30. Soriano, Barry Bonds...and Howard Johnson. Johnson had a great season at the age of 30, and proceeded to hit .219 over 352 games before retiring. I doubt Soriano will do that bad, but that should indicate something.

 

 

Yeah, that Howard Johnson was a product of steroids and amphetamines who's body broke down on him. Soriano, like Bonds at that age, is naturally gifted.

[Guest]

Man, I fuckin' hate Juan Pierre. Really like the Nomar deal though.

 

The team doesn't need to worry about the money, that's no issue to me. It's WHO they get. Maybe Juan will find a way to clog the bases here, hitting behind Furcal.

 

Zito's going to get way overpaid by LA. As long as he doesn't pull a Kevin Brown, no big deal.

[Guest NYankees]

What about a Darren Dreifort?

[Guest]

I was trying to keep that as far from my mind as possible, but thanks anyway!

 

Dreifort's signing was unwarranted, as far as I'm concerned. He hadn't done shit. There's a signing worse than the Pavano one, right there.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

If Lee does sign with the Giants, I'm praying they resign Bonds. They'll need about 3 or 4 CFs to rotate as they run themselves into the ground.

[tominator89 0]

I'm interested in seeing what the Phillies do now that Soriano is off the market. I have a feeling that Aaron Rowand or Pat Burrell will eventually get traded, maybe both. The pitching still needs to be addressed.

[The Man in Blak 0]

It took less than 24 hours for someone to look dumber than the Cubs.

 

Let's not get carried away. At least the Dodgers signed somebody to play center field that has actually logged major league innings at the position.

[Guest NYankees]

Jeter and Morneau might tie for the AL MVP.

 

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11212006/sport...george_king.htm

 

Take that article for what it is worth.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I'm interested in seeing what the Phillies do now that Soriano is off the market. I have a feeling that Aaron Rowand or Pat Burrell will eventually get traded, maybe both. The pitching still needs to be addressed.

Jose Guillen might be a good addition as a right handed, corner outfielder.

[Guest NYankees]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/21/sp...l/21jeter.html

 

Two members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America from each A.L. city cast ballots. When ESPN.com polled 18 of its contributors last week, Ortiz collected only one vote; Jeter and Morneau had seven each, and the Twins’ Joe Mauer had three.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Justin Morneau had a very good season and he seems like a good enough guy, but Santana and Mauer were more valuable players on his own team. Even though it pains me to say this, I think Jeter is the easy choice this year.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I still haven't heard anything about Carlos Lee to the Giants. I think TheDon broke a story that hasn't even happened yet.

[Guest NYankees]

It's not even the fact that Mauer and Santana are better choices for MVP from his own team. It's the fact that Dye, Hafner, Konerko, and Thome are from Morneau's own division. You can make a case that their are 5 better choices of an MVP from the AL Central who are better than Morneau. Plus Jeter was given the Hank Aaron award for the American League best hitter. Why would they give the MVP award to a first basemen who isn't known for his defense but for his numbers when Jeter was voted as the AL best hitter.

[naiwf 0]

Or you could ask why Jeter won the Hank Aaron when he wasn't the best hitter in the AL this year. He has a much better claim to MVP than what amounts to the offensive player of the year award.

[Guest NYankees]

Breaking news, just Reported on Mike and the Mad Dog

 

 

Justin Morneau wins the AL MVP.

 

Jeter lost it to a guy who is the 3rd best player on his team and the 6/7th overall in his own fuckign division. Morneau had 16 first place votes and Jeter had 12 first place votes.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Breaking news, just Reported on Mike and the Mad Dog

 

 

Justin Morneau wins the AL MVP.

Finally, an award selection where all fans can stand up and agree by saying, "what the fuck?!"

[Red Baron 0]

I heard it was the closest MVP race in the MLB.

[Guest NYankees]

If they want to give it to a player based on Homeruns and RBI's, give it to Hafner, Dye or Ortiz who were all better players this year.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Wow, Morneau wasn't one of the five best players in the league, and it's debatable whether he was in the top 10. That's an awful choice, and I can't see how its defendable from any point of view.

 

EDIT: We already did the stats debate yesterday, but by VORP alone Morneau wasn't even in the top 15 in the league.

 

EDIT again: By the traditional stats, he didn't finish in the top 5 for BA, OBP, SLG, or HR. The only thing he had going for him were the 130 RBI.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

FWIW, Win Shares ranks him 5th.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Player Club 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th Points

Justin Morneau Minnesota Twins 15 8 3 2 — — — — — — 320

Derek Jeter New York Yankees 12 14 — 1 — 1 — — — — 306

David Ortiz Boston Red Sox — 1 11 5 7 3 1 — — — 193

Frank Thomas Oakland Athletics — 3 4 7 7 4 1 — — — 174

Jermaine Dye Chicago White Sox — 1 2 6 5 7 4 2 1 — 156

Joe Mauer Minnesota Twins — — 3 6 1 2 5 3 2 1 116

Johan Santana Minnesota Twins 1 — 5 1 3 3 3 1 1 3 114

Travis Hafner Cleveland Indians — 1 — — — 2 4 7 3 2 64

Vladimir Guerrero Los Angeles Angels — — — — — 2 3 4 6 — 46

Carlos Guillen Detroit Tigers — — — — 1 — 3 3 2 3 34

Grady Sizemore Cleveland Indians — — — — 1 — 1 1 2 7 24

Jim Thome Chicago White Sox — — — — — 1 3 — — — 17

Alex Rodriguez New York Yankees — — — — 1 — — 2 — 1 13

Jason Giambi New York Yankees — — — — — 1 — — 2 — ` 9

Johnny Damon New York Yankees — — — — 1 — — — — 1 7

Justin Verlander Detroit Tigers — — — — 1 — — — — 1 7

Ichiro Suzuki Seattle Mariners — — — — — 1 — — 1 — 7

Joe Nathan Minnesota Twins — — — — — 1 — — — 1 6

Manny Ramirez Boston Red Sox — — — — — — — 1 1 1 6

Miguel Tejada Baltimore Orioles — — — — — — — — 2 1 5

Raul Ibanez Seattle Mariners — — — — — — — 1 — 1 4

Robinson Cano New York Yankees — — — — — — — 1 — — 3

Paul Konerko Chicago White Sox — — — — — — — 1 — — 3

Magglio Ordonez Detroit Tigers — — — — — — — 1 — — 3

Vernon Wells Toronto Blue Jays — — — — — — — — 1 1 3

Carl Crawford Tampa Bay Devil Rays — — — — — — — — 1 — 2

Mariano Rivera New York Yankees — — — — — — — — 1 — 2

Kenny Rogers Detroit Tigers — — — — — — — — 1 — 2

Chien-Ming Wang New York Yankees — — — — — — — — 1 — 2

Troy Glaus Toronto Blue Jays — — — — — — — — — 1 1

Gary Matthews Jr. Texas Rangers — — — — — — — — — 1 1

A.J. Pierzynski Chicago White Sox — — — — — — — — — 1 1

Michael Young Texas Rangers — — — — — — — — — 1 1

 

That's just insane all across the board. Sizemore, Thome and Ramirez don't even crack the top 10 and Johan Santana/Joe Mauer got only one first place vote between the two of them. Hafner was in the top 5 on only one ballot. I'm speechless.

[Red Baron 0]

I'm guessing that compairing him from last year to this year has had something to do with it.

[Vern Gagne 0]

What a joke.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

FWIW, Win Shares ranks him 5th.

 

Yes, but his own teammate finished second in win shares and Santana was only two Win Shares behind (and WS as a system seems to undervalue pitching).

 

Numbers fun: Joe Mauer is a standout defensive catcher with a .936 OPS. Morneau is an average 1B with a .934 OPS. Who's more valuable again?

[Guest NYankees]

Santana is by far the most Valuable and Best player on the Twins. It's not that Jeter lost it's the fact that the person how isn't even in the top 10 players in the AL won the MVP.