MLB Off-season Thread

[Guest RyechnaiaSobaka]

Dodgers signed Andruw Jones. 2yr/36m. And we thought Pierre's offense was bad for center.

 

26 hr 90+ rbis

 

how awful!

 

so he hit for a poor average. its one season. people have "down" years, do pussy.

 

Andruw Jones 2007 WARP1: 4.6

Juan Pierre 2007 WARP1: 1.9

 

Andruw Jones 2007 EqA: .259*

Juan Pierre 2007 EqA: .257

 

(* .260 is league average.)

 

Gonzalez, Pierre, Ethier: 8.6 wins

Ethier, Jones, Kemp: 10.9 wins

 

Upgrade.

[Annabelle 0]

as i said earlier, i doubt pierre will take over from ethier or kemp. he may start the year as a starter, but won't finish.

[Perfxion 0]

Problem with A-Jones is that he goes for home runs almost every at bat. So he can have a year like 05 where he lead the league in HRs but just like Howard he will also lead the league in Ks.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Problem with A-Jones is that he goes for home runs almost every at bat. So he can have a year like 05 where he lead the league in HRs but just like Howard he will also lead the league in Ks.

 

Please, I beg of you, not with the strikeout crap again.

 

Jones has a career OBP of .342 (which isn't that great) and a SLG of .497. Basically, he's going to put up an OPS of .800 to .850 every year. That makes him one of the best hitters at his position. Couple that with superb outfield defense and you get a very valuable player.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Results from today's Rule V draft:

 

No., Team: Player (Old Team)

1. Rays: Tim Lahey, rhp, (Twins)

2. Pirates: Evan Meek, rhp, (Rays)

3. Orioles: Randor Bierd, rhp, (Tigers)

4. Giants: Jose Capellan, lhp, (Red Sox)

5. Marlins: Carlos Guevara, rhp, (Reds)

6. Reds: Sergio Valenzuela, rhp, (Braves)

7. Nationals: Matt Whitney, 3b, (Indians)

8. Astros: Wesley Wright, lhp (Dodgers)

9. Athletics: Fernando Hernandez, rhp, (White Sox)

10. Cardinals: Brian Barton, of, (Indians)

13. Blue Jays: Randy Wells, rhp, (Cubs)

15. Mariners: R.A Dickey, rhp, (Twins)

17. Mets: Steven Register, rhp, (Rockies)

18. Padres: Michael Gardner, rhp, (Yankees)

19. Phillies: Travis Blackley, lhp, (Giants)

30. Nationals: Garrett Guzman, of, (Twins)

41. Padres: Callix Crabbe, 2b, (Brewers)

42. Phillies: Lincoln Holdzkom, rhp, (Red Sox)

 

No. 1 pick Tim Lahay was already traded to the Chicago Cubs for cash considerations. Padres acquired no. 5 pick Carlos Guevara for cash as well.

 

Not a real interesting group. Brian Barton is probably the prize acquisition, but it's been about two years since he's shown any real skill. Chris Lubanski was another guy, but he didn't even get drafted. I know some people like Matt Whitney, but I know little about him.

 

Some of the pitchers could probably stick if the teams showed the necessary patience to let them develop. I'd rather take a stab at an interesting arm with some upside for $50,000 than throw millions at some mediocre, veteran reliever.

[Guest RyechnaiaSobaka]

Problem with A-Jones is that he goes for home runs almost every at bat. So he can have a year like 05 where he lead the league in HRs but just like Howard he will also lead the league in Ks.

 

Strikeouts do not lead to double plays. I would rather someone strikeout with a man on base than GIDP.

 

People say this sort of crap about guys like Jones, Howard, and Adam Dunn.

 

(All statistics are translated.)

 

Andruw Jones career EqA: .281

Ryan Howard career EqA: .322

Adam Dunn career EqA: .300

 

Here's some players who are known around the league for striking out incredibly infrequently.

 

Juan Pierre career EqA: .257 (.260 is an average player, remember)

Placido Polanco career EqA: .269

 

One set of players is extremely valuable to their respective teams. The other set of players, not so much*.

 

(* I like Placido Polanco. A guy who OBPs .410 and .400 two out of the past three seasons can play on my team any day.)

[Guest My Pal, the Tortoise]

Problem with A-Jones is that he goes for home runs almost every at bat. So he can have a year like 05 where he lead the league in HRs but just like Howard he will also lead the league in Ks.

 

Strikeouts do not lead to double plays. I would rather someone strikeout with a man on base than GIDP.

 

People say this sort of crap about guys like Jones, Howard, and Adam Dunn.

Oh man, you don't know the half of it. At least two TWIB threads this summer were debates on Adam Dunn, with all sorts of boneheaded crap like "putting the ball in play gives you a .5% chance of reaching on an error."

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

(* I like Placido Polanco. A guy who OBPs .410 and .400 two out of the past three seasons can play on my team any day.)

 

Polanco has a career OBP of .350. His on base percentage is completely driven by his batting average due to the fact that he only walks about 35 times a year. He is overly prone to performance fluctuation because he relies on a solid BABIP to drive his on base skills. He's alright for a 2B, but he doesn't have a skill set to profile as a .400 OBP guy from year to year.

[Guest RyechnaiaSobaka]

(* I like Placido Polanco. A guy who OBPs .410 and .400 two out of the past three seasons can play on my team any day.)

 

Polanco has a career OBP of .350. His on base percentage is completely driven by his batting average due to the fact that he only walks about 35 times a year. He is overly prone to performance fluctuation because he relies on a solid BABIP to drive his on base skills. He's alright for a 2B, but he doesn't have a skill set to profile as a .400 OBP guy from year to year.

 

BA accounts for 87.5% of Polanco's career OBP.

 

Roberto Alomar had OBPs over .400 five times in his career.

 

BA accounted for 80.8% of his career OBP. He also had an 11.2% walk rate.

 

Polanco's is only 5.4%.

 

You, sir, are very correct.

 

(Different positions, of course, but Ichiro has a career .396 OBP, 87.6% of which comes from BA. Pretty much the same as Polanco on the percentage. Even his walk rate is 7.5% though.)

[Guest RyechnaiaSobaka]

Rotoworld.com:

 

790 AM in Houston is reporting that the Astros are close to acquiring Miguel Tejada from the Orioles for Adam Everett, Chris Burke and a pitcher.

 

That better be some pitcher, or the Orioles are the dumbest team in baseball.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Nationals sign Wily Mo Pena, Ryan Langerhans and Aaron Boone from the bargain bin to go with the Matt Whitney selection in the Rule V draft. Is it crazy for me to think that they've had the best offseason of any team?

 

 

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Rotoworld.com:

 

790 AM in Houston is reporting that the Astros are close to acquiring Miguel Tejada from the Orioles for Adam Everett, Chris Burke and a pitcher.

 

That better be some pitcher, or the Orioles are the dumbest team in baseball.

 

Unless that pitcher's name is Roy Oswalt, and it's not, the Orioles would confirm their status as the worst run team in baseball.

[Mike wanna be 0]

They must be trading Clemens before they sign him this year. What a plan.

[Guest RyechnaiaSobaka]

Nationals sign Wily Mo Pena, Ryan Langerhans and Aaron Boone from the bargain bin to go with the Matt Whitney selection in the Rule V draft. Is it crazy for me to think that they've had the best offseason of any team?

 

No, but then again a lot of players are choosing to sign there because they want to be the next Dmitri Young reclamation project.

 

They do have kind of a glut of players are some positions though. I wonder if they can unload Nick Johnson on to somebody early in the season after he plays a bit (if he plays) to prove he's not still hurt (if he's not still hurt).

 

The idea of Dmitri Young having to move to LF and just screwing up the whole outfield makes me sad.

 

Anyway, they're a pretty decent team right now if you look at this lineup (all stats are translated):

 

1. SS Felipe Lopez (.702 OPS)

2. 2B Ronnie Belliard (.799 OPS)

3. 1B Dmitri Young (.914 OPS)

4. LF Wily Mo Peña (.899 OPS)

5. 3B Ryan Zimmerman (.831 OPS)

6. CF Austin Kearns (.806 OPS)

7. RF Lastings Milledge (.827 OPS)

8. C Jesus Flores (.700 OPS)

 

Not bad. Pitching might be a problem though. Again.

 

 

[Guest My Pal, the Tortoise]

NASHVILLE -- After absorbing an avalanche of criticism over his latest failed attempt to improve a 90-loss team, White Sox general manager Ken Williams fired back Wednesday night at a spectrum of targets.

 

"It was disappointing," Williams said of the negative reaction following the blockbuster trade that saw American League Central rival Detroit land Florida third baseman Miguel Cabrera, a Sox target.

. . .

He also said he was fed up with other teams he believes were leaking information to reporters about the Sox's targets.

 

"There are too many executives in Major League Baseball offices who have loose lips," Williams said. "If they didn't have loose lips, you guys wouldn't know about it and the rumors wouldn't get out.

 

"Of course they affect how you do business and whether you're able to do business. It's a lot easier to do business when you don't have to deal with the public debate."

. . .

Williams remained confident his current roster possesses enough talent to contend.

 

"All this has done is put the Tigers in a better position to contend with us," Williams said.

. . .

"What we have started this off-season, I'm proud of. And where we're headed is right toward being a well-rounded team in all facets of the game."

 

Further explanations might not be so forthcoming.

 

"What [the scrutiny] does is make me wonder why I even bother spending the time that I do expounding on what our plan is and how we go about our plan," Williams told reporters.

It's like he has extra feet just to stick in his mouth. How is this guy not the dumbest general manager in baseball?

[Guest RyechnaiaSobaka]

Yeah, Kenny Williams makes some good points as the GM of the defending AL Central champions.

 

Wait, what you say?

 

His team was 72-90 last year?

 

Worse than the Texas Rangers?

 

Worse than the Washington Nationals?

 

Worse than the Houston Astros?

 

Oh. Well, in that case, he should probably shut the fuck up.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

That battle for 4th with Kansas City is not looking good for them.

[Guest My Pal, the Tortoise]

Apparently ONLY the Chicago White Sox have public rumors about potential transactions! I hope Kenny is never fired.

 

"All this has done is put the Tigers in a better position to contend with us."

Yeah, Miguel Cabrera is going to be what finally pushes the Tigers past Mike MacDougal and Juan Uribe.

[Nightwing 0]

Oh God, I'm quoting that one. He had to be drunk when he said that.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Williams remained confident his current roster possesses enough talent to contend.

 

"All this has done is put the Tigers in a better position to contend with us," Williams said.

. . .

"What we have started this off-season, I'm proud of. And where we're headed is right toward being a well-rounded team in all facets of the game."

 

Trading your #3 starter for an overrated SS takes you from 72 win team to division favorite?

[Guest RyechnaiaSobaka]

Williams remained confident his current roster possesses enough talent to contend.

 

"All this has done is put the Tigers in a better position to contend with us," Williams said.

. . .

"What we have started this off-season, I'm proud of. And where we're headed is right toward being a well-rounded team in all facets of the game."

 

Trading your #3 starter for an overrated SS takes you from 72 win team to division favorite?

 

Jon Garland has had nothing to do with the White Sox' success in the past. It's all Ozzie.

[Guest My Pal, the Tortoise]

Don't worry, guys, they're gonna bring Aaron Rowand back, and then they'll have the one thing and the other thing again, and even though they'll pay $20 million for an overrated outfielder, they'll pass the Tigers, easily.

[Guest RyechnaiaSobaka]

Don't worry, guys, they're gonna bring Aaron Rowand back, and then they'll have the one thing and the other thing again, and even though they'll pay $20 million for an overrated outfielder, they'll pass the Tigers, easily.

 

They're gonna play some smallball and smartball and Ozzieball and bunt right past the Tigers in the standings.

[Guest My Pal, the Tortoise]

They're going to work on running from first to third with Konerko, Thome, and Pierzynski!

 

"You're going to see hit-and-run plays when it's not a hit-and-run situation. You're going to see people bunting when it's not a bunting situation."

 

You're going to see fifth place.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Word has it that the Giants are trying to pry Hideki Matsui away from the Yankees. Not sure how well they really match up in a trade, but I guess New York could just trade him there for a low level prospect with upside and call it a salary dump. I don't suppose they'd want a whole lot in return for him anyways as he's basically the 4th outfielder at the moment.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

You guys missed the truly dumb thing about that Andruw Jones/strikeouts comment. He didn't even finish in the top ten in the league that year!

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

You guys missed the truly dumb thing about that Andruw Jones/strikeouts comment. He didn't even finish in the top ten in the league that year!

 

 

I don't think he's ever finished higher than 8th of 9th. The post barely deserved the attention we gave it.

[Guest RyechnaiaSobaka]

Word has it that the Giants are trying to pry Hideki Matsui away from the Yankees. Not sure how well they really match up in a trade, but I guess New York could just trade him there for a low level prospect with upside and call it a salary dump. I don't suppose they'd want a whole lot in return for him anyways as he's basically the 4th outfielder at the moment.

 

Apparently Matsui has full no-trade too, so it's unclear why he would want to go play for San Francisco, who will probably not contend (though who knows in that division). Also, if they are trying to go younger, why would you trade for Hideki Matsui? Especially when you know what the Yankees will ask for will be younger than him.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Ok, Rule V draft. I like that the Mariners grabbed R.A. Dickey from the Twins. The Twins made a comment a week or two ago after signing Dickey to a minor league deal, saying his knuckler would play well in the Metrodome. So much for that idea. Brian Barton to the Cardinals is an excellent move, they could use the outfield depth. Phillies pick up Lincoln Holdzkom and Travis Blackley. Holdzkom I am almost certain I saw pitch this season. He has some very intriguing numbers. 291 Ks in 269 career innings, but 155 walks as well. Only five home runs allowed, all coming last year in AA Portland. And according to last year's Prospect Handbook, he appeared on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and played the piano when he was six.

 

Blackley was once a top prospect. He had a decent year at AAA Tacoma last year at the age of 24. If made a reliever, he might well be the best lefty bullpen option on the team right now. It'll be interesting to see if these guys make the team in Spring Training.

[Brett Favre 0]

Word has it that the Giants are trying to pry Hideki Matsui away from the Yankees. Not sure how well they really match up in a trade, but I guess New York could just trade him there for a low level prospect with upside and call it a salary dump. I don't suppose they'd want a whole lot in return for him anyways as he's basically the 4th outfielder at the moment.

 

Apparently Matsui has full no-trade too, so it's unclear why he would want to go play for San Francisco, who will probably not contend (though who knows in that division). Also, if they are trying to go younger, why would you trade for Hideki Matsui? Especially when you know what the Yankees will ask for will be younger than him.

 

Matsui has already said that he will probably get traded (like a month back). And that he wouldn't hold the team back. The Giants are still big in Japan and they have a large Japanese population (they're closer to Japan). It wouldn't be a bad fit for him.