MLB Off-season Thread

[treble 0]

I don't know if we've been lied to about what FieldTurf is really like, but everything I've heard is that it's very close to what natural grass feels like, so I'm unsure how much of a difference it will make to Glaus's foot. He's still going to have to carry around all that weight in St. Louis.

 

I like the trade if Rolen's healthy, I guess. I'll miss Glaus and his entertaining baserunning, though. Guy looked about 90 out there most of the time last year.

[CanadianChris 0]

If last season was a blip for Rolen offensively, I think Toronto wins this trade. The real question is going to be whether Rolen's shoulder heals enough to where he can get close to his numbers from before 2005. I'd even take his 2006 numbers.

[Guest Cock Ring Warehouse]

Scott Rolen can't record one fucking at-bat on a non-Cubs baseball telecast without everyone telling me that he Plays The Game The Right Way, isn't afraid to get dirty, keeps his head down, does all the little things right, is the consummate great team player, and all that jazz. (For all the ragging that people did on Eckstein Love, they never seemed to target Rolen's commensurate verbal fellatio.) But now it's coming out that he's a prima donna of sorts who can't co-exist with anyone. Maybe there is more than meets the eye here.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Scott Rolen can't record one fucking at-bat on a non-Cubs baseball telecast without everyone telling me that he Plays The Game The Right Way, isn't afraid to get dirty, keeps his head down, does all the little things right, is the consummate great team player, and all that jazz. (For all the ragging that people did on Eckstein Love, they never seemed to target Rolen's commensurate verbal fellatio.) But now it's coming out that he's a prima donna of sorts who can't co-exist with anyone. Maybe there is more than meets the eye here.

He didn't get along with Bowa, who was the king of those types as a player. It's the AJ Pierzynski syndrome. You can be a jackass when you produce, but you'll find your shelf life VERY short if your production falters.

[Guest Cock Ring Warehouse]

The Rick Telander tempest in a teapot continues. It's not on suntimes.com, I don't believe, so here it is.

 

Radio host should know newspaper columns are meant to last

 

January 14, 2008

Sometimes you gotta laugh, take solace in what a philosopher once said: ''The difference between intelligence and stupidity is that intelligence has limits.''

 

You don't have to be a genius to see that Mr. Spittle, a learning-deprived-and-proud-of-it morning sports-talk radio host in Chicago, is knuckle-dragging his way toward that allegedly unreachable bottom.

 

He and his ace staff of ''researchers'' recently ''discovered'' that I wrote a column a year ago announcing that I voted for flagrant and admitted drug abusers Jose Canseco and Ken Caminiti (dead of a drug overdose), as well as Tony Gwynn, Goose Gossage, Cal Ripken Jr. and Andre Dawson, on my 2007 Hall of Fame ballot.

 

My ballot was photocopied next to my column for viewing, for those who can't read, I suppose.

 

The reason I voted for Canseco and Caminiti, as I described in my column of Dec. 22, 2006, was as a protest against baseball's lax handling of the performance-enhancing drug mess that has been building for years and years.

 

Baseball allowed the Steroid Era?

 

Then own its darkest kings.

 

As I wrote then: ''Ken Caminiti and Jose Canseco ... have as much chance of being elected as Snoop Dogg has of being the first civilian astronaut. (Indeed, they didn't even make this year's ballot.)

 

''I know they will get few votes -- maybe none, other than mine. But to me they represent more than the game. ... They represent the Steroid Era.

 

''If I were a child ... I would want to learn about these men. I would want to know.''

 

Such subtleties of protest and learning naturally eluded Mr. Spittle and his flying-monkey brigade.

 

The cackling host acted as though he had caught me in some kind of scandal, something that made my non-vote this year fraudulent.

 

Hmm.

 

It's hard to know the logic of a half-filled brain.

 

But here's a tip for the clueless little fellow: Columnists write columns so they can be printed.

 

So they last.

 

Try to remember that.

 

It may be hard.

 

But you can get it tattooed on your scabby knuckles if it helps.

 

Last thought on Mr. Spittle.

 

If ignorance truly is bliss, the guy is in heaven.

Fucking idiot. Stop writing. "Mr. Spittle"? Man, I don't like Mike North either, but Rick, shut up.

[Bored 0]

Surprised there's not much said on the Glaus/Rolen trade and the Kotsay/Devine deal.

 

I like Joey Devine going to Oakland. He had a real nice bounceback year after getting pushed to the Majors too quickly after he was drafted. It'll be interesting to see what Mark Kotsay has left in the tank with the Braves. He's a one-year stopgap until Jordan Schafer is ready.

I was holding off on Kotsay passing his physical until commenting and he has, and the Braves even threw in Single-A pitcher Jamie Richmond. From the Braves side of the trade this might be the worst trade made all offseason. Giving up a pitcher who could contribute in 2008 out of the bullpen and a low level pitcher for a center fielder who is toast at this point is mind numbingly stupid, even if they are only on the hook for $2 million. Kotsay in a span of three years went from a very good defensive center fielder to one of the worst due to his back problems. He was never a great hitter, had a few good years, but now he's utility infiedler bad at the plate. There wasn't anyone who thought the A's would get anything of value for Kotsay let alone get two players for him. Sure they now have $5.5 million in dead money on the payroll for 2008 but better than $7.5 million for a washed up vet who's taking up a roster spot and potentially help their bullpen, not that Devine isn't without question marks.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I guess at this point the A's are happy letting Chris Denorfia and Ryan Sweeney duke it out for the center field job. I don't know how good they'll be, but it will be an interesting team to watch next season.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I guess at this point the A's are happy letting Chris Denorfia and Ryan Sweeney duke it out for the center field job. I don't know how good they'll be, but it will be an interesting team to watch next season.

 

I can't see them being any good at all, especially if Huston Street and Joe Blanton are shipped out (and the returns are prospects and not young or underperforming big leaguers). This isn't exactly like the 2006 Marlins, wherein there was a massive fire sale but the returns had the squad busting at the seams with talent ready to break out. The A's rebuilding is much more deliberate. Beane didn't see a contending team and realized that there was no chance of rebuilding from within and rebuilt with an eye towards quantity over quality.

[Bored 0]

Oh they're going to suck. Unless Eric Chavez starts hitting and fielding like he did from 2001-04, Rich Harden pitches a full season, and Bobby Crosby stops hitting like Dale Sveum this team has no chance of competing in 2008.

 

They might better off holding on to Blanton and Street until the trade deadline when they might find a desperate contender as a trade partner. Right now it appears the market for Blanton isn't very strong.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

There is absolutely no reason why Turnbow is still on our team, Invader. None.

...

If anything, package Turnbow and Capuano (and another starter if necessary) and get another quality arm for the bullpen.

 

Oh don't get me wrong, I am all for trading any of the Brewers' excess pitching if it nets a valuable piece. Hell, I'm not opposed to seeing Ben Sheets traded at this point, aside from the fact that he's going into a contract year and will probably pitch out of his mind...or maybe he'll have another freak finger nail injury and once again not contribute. As for Turnbow, as much of a Turnbow fan as I had been, he really did nothing solid in '07 at all.

[Guest Cock Ring Warehouse]

Capuano and Turnbow should absolutely be traded. Plenty of arms in the rotation without the ol' Duke economist: Ben Sheets, Yovani Gallardo, Carlos Villanueva, Jeff Suppan, Dave Bush, Claudio Vargas, and Manny Parra. Just get shitty Turnbow out of there. Why subject yourself to THAT.

 

He'll get along well with Gagne, Cameron, Turnbow...

Wasn't Guillermo Mota suspended 50 games for illegal ass injections?

 

The obligatory Yost Q: in the event that the team struggles early, would Melvin or Attanasio fire him? The talk at the end of last season was that they'd give him 2008 to prove himself. I assumed that meant he'd get the entire season, since otherwise they just would've fired him at the end of the year, but some of the talk in the Journal-Sentinel and elsewhere was that they'd make a change if they had to. It's always nice to see a manager last more than three or four years, but he absolutely crumbled in late September, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the same thing happen again, since it'll go down to the wire between the Brewers and Cubs.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

It's always nice to see a manager last more than three or four years, but he absolutely crumbled in late September, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the same thing happen again, since it'll go down to the wire between the Brewers and Cubs.

 

Don't forget about the Reds, and possibly the Cardinals as well. Cincinnati has the prospects to piece together a Colorado/Arizona like run in 2008, provided the bullpen works out its issues. The Cardinals are far more shaky, but are going to have a beastly middle of the order with Pujols, Glaus, Duncan and Ankiel. They could have four guys with 30+ HR each.

[Guest Cock Ring Warehouse]

haha, what

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

haha, what

 

You have a different idea of how things will shake out?

[Guest Cock Ring Warehouse]

Cincinnati has Dusty Baker, and the Cardinals are not in a position to contend, not even in the Central. I don't believe in the Reds, no.

[jwest27 0]

Ha! You'll see. Our off-season has seen the acquisition of the hot free agent Matt Clement, the resigning of key infielder Aaron Miles, AND the blockbuster trade for feared power hitter Troy motherfuckin' Glaus. Not to mention that we might get half a season out of Carpenter this year!

 

 

 

 

oh jesus this is going to be terrible

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I do think that if the Brewers falter this season, Yost gets fired, no matter time of the year it is.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

From the "when it rains it pours" department, Miguel Tejada's brother was killed yesterday in an auto accident in the Dominican.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

From the "when it rains it pours" department, Miguel Tejada's brother was killed yesterday in an auto accident in the Dominican.

 

See kids, this is what happens when you use steroids.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Ken Rosenthal reporting that the Cubs have signed Jon Lieber to a one-year deal. No financials available.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

To add to the NL Central discussion, I really do not think the Reds or Cards will be a huge factor yet this year. I think the Reds are probably a year away from being serious contenders, and the Cards are just in total rebuilding mode at this point (which is ultimately a good thing for that franchise). The Reds could probably finish third in the division, overtaking the Astros, though.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Ken Rosenthal reporting that the Cubs have signed Jon Lieber to a one-year deal. No financials available.

They'll pay him in ice cream.

[Guest Cock Ring Warehouse]

Whatever. He's a better #5 than Dempster, I guess. The pitcher I'm most worried about is Ted Lilly, actually. Pshyeah, as if he's replicating last year's numbers? He could very well be a black hole this year.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Ricciardi, being either extremely accurate or somehat confused:

 

"If you look at the division we play in, Boston has a bunch of dirt bags, the Yankees have a bunch of dirt bags," Ricciardi said. "We have some, but we need more."

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

In other news, the Texas Rangers signed Jason Jennings to a one year, $4 million deal (plus an $4 mil in incentives). Jennings is recovering from injury and expects to be throwing off a mound by March 1st. Seems like a good buy low candidate to me.

 

Jennings was acquired by the Houston Astros last offseason to be their #2 starter of the future. However, they were unable to ink him to a long-term deal before the season started. Jennings struggled early and then went down with a season ending injury and both sides decided to part ways at the conclusion of the season.

[sfaJack 0]

Phil Rogers states that Bud Selig will receive a contract extension through 2012 at an owners' meeting today.

[Guest Cock Ring Warehouse]

Phil Rogers wouldn't know good reporting if it fucked him in the ass.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Phil Rogers states that Bud Selig will receive a contract extension through 2012 at an owners' meeting today.

 

 

So much for Bud guaranteeing that he would step down in 2009. This new extension will bring him to the tender age of 78.

 

I'm not really sure how I feel about this. On one hand, the game has never been in better financial shape. The sport has grown by leaps and bounds under Bud's watch, with revenues now topping the NFL. That's no small feat.

 

However, the public's perception of the sport is awful. The strike and steroid scandal are two of the game's biggest scars and they both happened as a result of his laissez faire attitude. Many of his creations, such as interleague and the Wild Card, have watered down the game for long-time fans.

 

It's definitely a mixed bag. How do you feel about Bud?

[Fuzzy Dunlop 0]

The Cubs sent out an e-mail today to people on the season ticket waiting list, with an offer to buy a 9-pack of games. We had to select from different brackets, and most of the games we ended up with are April/May, and we had to get all of the games in the same section (I chose bleachers, naturally), but I think I did pretty well.

 

April 2nd Brewers

April 15th Reds

April 22nd Mets

April 29th Brewers

May 9th D-Backs

May 14th Padres

May 27th Dodgers (MY BIRTHDAY!)

June 20th White Sox (My first Cubs/Sox game at Wrigley, the others I've been to were all at Old Comiskey)

August 28th Phillies

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Phil Rogers states that Bud Selig will receive a contract extension through 2012 at an owners' meeting today.

 

 

So much for Bud guaranteeing that he would step down in 2009. This new extension will bring him to the tender age of 78.

 

I'm not really sure how I feel about this. On one hand, the game has never been in better financial shape. The sport has grown by leaps and bounds under Bud's watch, with revenues now topping the NFL. That's no small feat.

 

However, the public's perception of the sport is awful. The strike and steroid scandal are two of the game's biggest scars and they both happened as a result of his laissez faire attitude. Many of his creations, such as interleague and the Wild Card, have watered down the game for long-time fans.

 

It's definitely a mixed bag. How do you feel about Bud?

Awful. Since I don't have a financial stake in MLB, I could give a damn about their financial health. And the Strike didn't happen because he was laissez faire about it. It happened because he sided with the labor hawks.