Cheech Tremendous 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 The Mariners signed Jeff Weaver. 1 yr./$8 milion + $1.4 million in incentives. Instead of focusing on how this will improve the Seattle rotation (incrementally), I'll, instead, mention how this not pretty much leaves the St. Louis rotation in shambles. It's gonna be a weak NL Central. The NL Central is going to be a wasteland this year. Cards are still the favorites, but literally any of the other teams could win it. I kind of like Chicago or Pittsburgh as darkhorses. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest "Go, Mordecai!" Report post Posted January 27, 2007 Dave Duncan does it again! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vivalaultra 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 I don't know if I'd consider the Cubs a 'darkhorse'. They spent like...800 brazillian dollars this offseason and when ya spend that kinda money, even just getting a WildCard is somewhat of a dissapointment. I think that the Brewers are in the best position to make a surprise move in the NLC; they have the best rotation, presuming Ben Sheets stays healthy. And with Chicago throwing all this cash around for Ted Lilly and Mark DeRosa, when are they gonna break out the checkbook and give Big Z a little somethin' somethin'? It would be absolutely terrible for them if he walked in 08 after they spent so much money...not that I would find that anything other than hilarious. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheech Tremendous 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 I don't know if I'd consider the Cubs a 'darkhorse'. They spent like...800 brazillian dollars this offseason and when ya spend that kinda money, even just getting a WildCard is somewhat of a dissapointment. I think that the Brewers are in the best position to make a surprise move in the NLC; they have the best rotation, presuming Ben Sheets stays healthy. And with Chicago throwing all this cash around for Ted Lilly and Mark DeRosa, when are they gonna break out the checkbook and give Big Z a little somethin' somethin'? It would be absolutely terrible for them if he walked in 08 after they spent so much money...not that I would find that anything other than hilarious. I guess it depends on your definition and expectations. The Cubs finished in last place last season and they're the Cubs, so I didn't think many would consider them a favorite to win the division. Milwaukee I considered the most likely to take over the division, so I thought they were out of the darkhorse camp. Wrong use of words, I guess. If I were to rank them, as of today, I'd go: St. Louis Milwaukee Chicago Houston Pittsburgh Cincinnati Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 If only the Orioles were in the NL Central..or the NL anywhere.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheech Tremendous 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 If only the Orioles were in the NL Central..or the NL anywhere.. Or probably the IL, if they hoped to win anything. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted January 27, 2007 I find it funny that another AL West team gave Weaver a contract after seeing what happened to him when he was with the Angels last year. Fortunately for the Mariners, they're playing in a good pitchers park, but that doesn't matter when they have to go on the road. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 I find it funny that another AL West team gave Weaver a contract after seeing what happened to him when he was with the Angels last year. Fortunately for the Mariners, they're playing in a good pitchers park, but that doesn't matter when they have to go on the road. It's not like the road parks in the AL West are hitters' havens (besides Texas). I'm very surprised this is a one year deal. VERY surprised. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted January 27, 2007 Weaver's career ERA in Seattle is 6.55, in Oakland it's 6.94, Texas it's 6.23, and in Anaheim it's 4.80. At the very least, the Mariners should have taken that into consideration. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 Weaver's career ERA in Seattle is 6.55, in Oakland it's 6.94, Texas it's 6.23, and in Anaheim it's 4.80. At the very least, the Mariners should have taken that into consideration. Perhaps. But this is a GM who traded Carlos Guillen (.319 batting average since) for peanuts, and traded worthwhile players to acquire a DH who slugged .395 last year. As far as the road stats though, I don't think it's enough starts to merit terrible concern. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KingPK 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 Because the Boston Marathon is starting an hour earlier this year, the Red Sox annual Patriots Day game (against Anaheim this year) will start at 10 in the friggin' morning. I don't get it, the whole deal was originally so that people would be able to go to the game and then be able to see the winners cross the finish line nearby, but since the game runs about 3 hours now, the winners would be finishing by the seventh inning, so what's the point? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest "Go, Mordecai!" Report post Posted January 27, 2007 Tell them to hurry up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Smues Report post Posted January 27, 2007 Because the Boston Marathon is starting an hour earlier this year, the Red Sox annual Patriots Day game (against Anaheim this year) will start at 10 in the friggin' morning. I don't get it, the whole deal was originally so that people would be able to go to the game and then be able to see the winners cross the finish line nearby, but since the game runs about 3 hours now, the winners would be finishing by the seventh inning, so what's the point? 10am est? Awesome I hope it's on ESPN so I can watch baseball at 6am. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 Rumors going around of a Todd Helton to Boston trade. This would be awful. Helton hit 20 home runs in 2005 and 15 in 2006, in a park that heavily increases home run production for lefties. He would move to one of the most difficult home runs parks for left handed hitters. A .400 OBP is nice, but you don't need to pay $8-10 Million for it. Kevin Youkilis had a .381 OBP with 13 home runs and cost $354,000. We're looking at an upgrade offensively of maybe 15-20 runs, and it only costs eight figures! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KingPK 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 (edited) Todd Helton? Todd "I've played my entire career at Coors Field so maybe my stats would be a little skewed" Helton? No thanks. EDIT: Wait, he's got FIVE YEARS left on his contract at $16M+/yr and he'll be 34 in August?! Let me change my vote from "no thanks" to "Hell fucking no." Edited January 27, 2007 by KingPK Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted January 27, 2007 I'll never understand why teams give out such long term deals so that a player can be 39 and making over 10 million bucks. It's nice to show loyalty to your players, but that's ridiculous. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheech Tremendous 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2007 It would be a two-part deal. Clement to the Rockies for Helton and Lowell to SD for Scott Linebrink. Upgrades the team and saves money for 2007. However, that still leaves four more years of expensive, crappy Helton. Awful trade for the Sox and I can't see them making this move unless Colorado was willing to eat a huge chunk of the remaining salary. If they have to part with Ellsbury or Hansen (or both) to do that, I say walk, no run away as fast as you can. The Sox have nothing in the pipeline for 1B for many years (Lars Anderson is literally 2-3 years away, if he makes it). I can see the reasoning in pursuing a long-term solution, but Helton is just not that guy. I don't care if he was sick last year or whatever his excuse was. Part with the premium prospects and get Teixeira if you're that desperate. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 Twins Fest is this weekend. Any other teams do something like this? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest "Go, Mordecai!" Report post Posted January 28, 2007 Soxfest is going on right now, the Cubs Convention was a few days ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mik 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 The Marlins have Fan Fest and it goes over really well on the Marlins message board. The whole team shows up, apparently. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
strummer 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 For some reason there was no "Mets Caravan" this year. I have no idea why Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vivalaultra 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 The Astros do a Caravan and a Fan Fest. The 'Stros Fan Fest is excellent. Not only is there the usual autograph sessions, Q&A sessions, but, the entire three days of Fan Fest at Minute Maid Park, there's also a buncha college baseball games going on. Every year there's 6 teams that play each of the other teams over the course of the weekend. This year, there's Unversity of Houston, Texas A&M, Arizona State, Rice, Baylor, and Vandebilt. Some of the games are really, really good. A couple years ago, when Huston Street was still at UT, they had a really good game against A&M. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
v.2 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 Mariners Fan Fest is either this or next weekend. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bored 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 For Vern, coming out March 27th: I'm surprised they are releasing this set instead of the 1991 set this year but I'm happy that MLB is going to keep doing this after releasing the '75, '79, and '86 sets last year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mik 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 I wish they would do this for as many WS as they can, but they probably won't. I am mostly interested in the '97 series which had a lot of good stories and isn't available on DVD. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 Why the heck would you put out that dvd set? Three of those games weren't competitive and a fourth was decided in the sixth inning. Only games three and seven really had any kind of drama in them. DVD Sets that MLB should produce... 1. Phillies 1980 NLCS (vs. Astros) 2. 1991 World Series 3. No Hitters Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2GOLD 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 When Twins vs Braves is released, I'll buy it. That is still the best World Series I have ever seen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bored 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 I think eventually they'll release every World Series on DVD, at least all of the ones where the original footage is still available. I'm holding out hope for the 1972 World Series (six of seven games decided by one run) but some of the footage from the 1975 set hadn't aged well so I'm not sure if it will be possible for any older World Series to have a complete set put out for them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
geniusMoment 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 Wait, your guys local stations don't show past World Series during the overnight hours. The other day I watched some of the 1990 World Series from Cincinnati. I've seen a couple of other one's shown on a local station here in Cincinnati. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted January 28, 2007 Wait, your guys local stations don't show past World Series during the overnight hours. The other day I watched some of the 1990 World Series from Cincinnati. I've seen a couple of other one's shown on a local station here in Cincinnati. It depends on what stations you get. The Mets' and Yankees' cable channels show classic games often. Comcast Philly doesn't show anything, as they've got the Flyers and Sixers to fill their schedule. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
