2014 MLB Thread

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Bobble

Has anyone else been watching the MLB network's airing of some of the spring training games? The Kim Jong Un-Axe commercial is being played EVERY commercial break. OK. We get it. You have a new commercial. Yeesh.

No I haven't watched, but that's indicative of 2 (or 3) things.

1) They figure that time spent by each viewer is almost negligible & therefore you aren't seeing it long. (think people doing look-ins)

2) The network has virtually (or literally) no other advertisers & therefore there are no other spots to run

3) Since I know that Axe has more than one spot available, there's a chance they bought what's called a "roadblock", where they intentionally took every single spot on a given day(s). Seems stupid in this instance to me but, well, not every buy is a paragon of brilliance either.

[Bobble]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

No I haven't watched, but that's indicative of 2 (or 3) things.

1) They figure that time spent by each viewer is almost negligible & therefore you aren't seeing it long. (think people doing look-ins)

2) The network has virtually (or literally) no other advertisers & therefore there are no other spots to run

3) Since I know that Axe has more than one spot available, there's a chance they bought what's called a "roadblock", where they intentionally took every single spot on a given day(s). Seems stupid in this instance to me but, well, not every buy is a paragon of brilliance either.

I've got in on in the background while i do other things (it feels like summer) so I was watching through several games. I would sorta get it if they only played a couple of different Axe spots per game. If you're watching several games, then you're going to see repeats but as it is, DANG!

[JetsIn06]

Santana to Braves, $14.1m, one year

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by JetsIn06

Santana to Braves, $14.1m, one year

Crazy. All of that waiting and he could have just signed the Royals qualifying offer and stayed here.

Royals didn't want to offer more because they believe he's an injury waiting to happen and didn't want dead money. Braves got a great deal here. No loss if he goes down because it's only a one year deal.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Crazy. All of that waiting and he could have just signed the Royals qualifying offer and stayed here.

Royals didn't want to offer more because they believe he's an injury waiting to happen and didn't want dead money. Braves got a great deal here. No loss if he goes down because it's only a one year deal.

Loss of a 1st round pick though.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Logan

Loss of a 1st round pick though.

Yeah, but I have to think that the Royals would have rather had him on the staff than Vargas. They're not going to say it, but I'd think that's the case. Vargas is a good alternative, but Santana was a great influence on the clubhouse in addition to being a very good pitcher.

[Logan]

I'm talking about from the Braves...you said "no loss" if he doesn't work out for them since it's a one year deal.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Logan

I'm talking about from the Braves...you said "no loss" if he doesn't work out for them since it's a one year deal.

Yes, that's true. Sorry about that.

[larrymcg421]

They get the 1st round pick back if they make a qualifying offer next season. And they had an extra one this year due to the qualifying offer they made to McCann.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Crazy. All of that waiting and he could have just signed the Royals qualifying offer and stayed here.

from ESPN.com

Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos told Sportsnet 590 The FAN on Wednesday that he was told Santana wanted to pitch in the NL.

"From what I was told we couldn't compete with the NL," Anthopoulos told The FAN, according to Sportsnet. "The NL was where he wanted to be. It was not money, it was not years."

[cartman]

I guess he really hates BP

[sterlingice]

Reminds me of AA getting indignant when Gil Meche went to Kansas City

SI

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by cartman

I guess he really hates BP

More like he hates the DH and wants to be assured of that one easy out every 3 innings.

[cartman]

Francisco Rodriguez might miss his scheduled start due to stepping barefoot on a cactus.

Francisco Rodriguez of Milwaukee Brewers steps on cactus, hurt - ESPN

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Crazy. All of that waiting and he could have just signed the Royals qualifying offer and stayed here.

Players refusal to sign the QO is weird. I don't even blame Santana or Stephen Drew - they at least had a shot to get paid (and Drew might've been asked to platoon some). But Kendrys Morales? Even David Ortiz wouldn't get more than 2 years or $15m/y on the open market - where was the market for a much worse version of him going to come from?

[BishopMVP]

Jose Iglesias of Detroit Tiger out until at least All-Star break due to shin injuries - ESPN

Stephen Drew and Scott Boras are popping bottles of champagne tonight.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Players refusal to sign the QO is weird. I don't even blame Santana or Stephen Drew - they at least had a shot to get paid (and Drew might've been asked to platoon some). But Kendrys Morales? Even David Ortiz wouldn't get more than 2 years or $15m/y on the open market - where was the market for a much worse version of him going to come from?

The fact that Santana's agent was holding out for a contract worth over $100 million is just as absurd.

[stevew]

I wonder if Morales' agent is going to have to make good on the $$$ he'll lose. Not sure how he gave such bad advice and he's gotta be ripe for a malpractice suit. Same with Cruz.

Also this is a 100% guarantee right? Not like when Varatek's agent refused arb under the old agreement and then claimed it was cause he could have just got a 30day termination pay.

Ultimately the QO needs to just go anyways.

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by stevew

I wonder if Morales' agent is going to have to make good on the $$$ he'll lose. Not sure how he gave such bad advice and he's gotta be ripe for a malpractice suit. Same with Cruz.

Also this is a 100% guarantee right? Not like when Varatek's agent refused arb under the old agreement and then claimed it was cause he could have just got a 30day termination pay.

Ultimately the QO needs to just go anyways.

I think starting next year teams will have to be VERY careful about using it. It's two year now, the players should now know nothing is a lock. What will happen next is going to be very similar to the franchise tag in football. You'll have some professionals who will come in and do their job no matter what.

Then you'll have some guys say "you want to pay 13 million for a pissed off player who will sit out if his fingernail hurts on a given day? Go for it"

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by TroyF

I think starting next year teams will have to be VERY careful about using it. It's two year now, the players should now know nothing is a lock. What will happen next is going to be very similar to the franchise tag in football. You'll have some professionals who will come in and do their job no matter what.

Then you'll have some guys say "you want to pay 13 million for a pissed off player who will sit out if his fingernail hurts on a given day? Go for it"

Those of us who really paid attention last year thought they'd take a note from the Lohse situation... but Lohse got $33 mil... and Santana got an equal amount of money, and Drew will get paid. Until those GM's hold the line through June, Boras etc hold the upper hand.

[PilotMan]

Aroldis Chapman was hit in the head with a line drive last night. It's ugly. Multiple fractures.

Aroldis Chapman of Cincinnati Reds hit in face by line drive, carted off - ESPN

[rowech]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Aroldis Chapman was hit in the head with a line drive last night. It's ugly. Multiple fractures.

Aroldis Chapman of Cincinnati Reds hit in face by line drive, carted off - ESPN

I'll say it again -- if pitchers would simply be willing to finish in a fielding position this would be taken care of in 99 percent of cases. As it is though, they continually finish across their bodies, wide open, and you can't get the glove up in time from that position. It's an easy fix but of course nobody will do it because it is too fundamental.

[cougarfreak]

Originally Posted by rowech

I'll say it again -- if pitchers would simply be willing to finish in a fielding position this would be taken care of in 99 percent of cases. As it is though, they continually finish across their bodies, wide open, and you can't get the glove up in time from that position. It's an easy fix but of course nobody will do it because it is too fundamental.

No, it really wouldn't. 60'6" is too close for it to. I'm not an advocate of moving it back or anything, but things like this are always going to happen. I've thrown a lot of BP in my lifetime to college/high school hitters, and I don't care what kind of position you're in, sometimes you are going to get drilled.

[JPhillips]

I hope Chapman can come back physically and mentally from that.

The Reds are now going to have about 20 million worth of relief pitching rehabbing to start the season. I have very little hope for 2014.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by cougarfreak

No, it really wouldn't. 60'6" is too close for it to. I'm not an advocate of moving it back or anything, but things like this are always going to happen. I've thrown a lot of BP in my lifetime to college/high school hitters, and I don't care what kind of position you're in, sometimes you are going to get drilled.

Saw something last night that the ball was traveling at about 125 MPH when he was hit. And it's not even 60'6"...add in striding off the mound and even a slight follow through, you're probably closer to 52-55 feet. Impossible to react to that.

[cougarfreak]

Originally Posted by Logan

Saw something last night that the ball was traveling at about 125 MPH when he was hit. And it's not even 60'6"...add in striding off the mound and even a slight follow through, you're probably closer to 52-55 feet. Impossible to react to that.

I think about how fast 3b has to react. Cut that in about 1/2 if they're playing even with the bag. Fielding position or not, you're going to get drilled on occasion. When I used to coach a lot (about 10 years ago now), there was talk of soft helmets for pitchers in HS. I'm surprised it hasn't gained more traction. I mean, they make coaches wear helmets now. Is there any downside to pitchers doing the same (probably wouldn't have helped Chapman in this case, but still).

[Butter]

Unless he was wearing a face mask, a helmet wouldn't have made a lick of difference.

[Logan]

I think the idea is that while the face being exposed will lead to broken bones, possible vision issues, and a likely concussion, it would be unlikely to kill someone or cause permanent brain damage like a direct hit to the skull could do.

Not saying it should happen though...

[Bobble]

Originally Posted by Logan

Saw something last night that the ball was traveling at about 125 MPH when he was hit. And it's not even 60'6"...add in striding off the mound and even a slight follow through, you're probably closer to 52-55 feet. Impossible to react to that.

125 mph is 183.33 feet per second. 60.5 feet gives you 1/3rd of a second to react. Yikes.

[Suicane75]

These regular season games, a week before the actual season starts, a half a world away, are so dumb. Would it make a lick of difference to the Australians if these were exhibition games?

[samifan24]

The Aussie national team played an exhibition game against the Dodgers a few days ago I believe.

I think the early games aren't so bad. Baseball has grown so much worldwide in the last 15 years that I understand why they'd want to continue growing the game. Gigantic soccer clubs do it too although those are exhibition games.

[sterlingice]

I think it's a good idea. I wish the 10pm game were on somewhere to watch tonight, tho

I'm not quite sure why this is 2 home games for the Diamondbacks instead of one each

SI

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

I think it's a good idea. I wish the 10pm game were on somewhere to watch tonight, tho

I'm not quite sure why this is 2 home games for the Diamondbacks instead of one each

SI

{cough} MLB.TV {cough}

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

{cough} MLB.TV {cough}

Is it a freebie game?

SI

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

These regular season games, a week before the actual season starts, a half a world away, are so dumb. Would it make a lick of difference to the Australians if these were exhibition games?

+11111111111111111111111111111111111

[PilotMan]

No SI it isn't.

[Peregrine]

Why the hell am I getting a crawl of NBA scores in my MLB.TV? Any way to remove that? Didn't see it in settings.

[Young Drachma]

I like that they are real games, no different than the games in Japan. It's not a big deal, the DBacks make money on the home games and so...whatever. It's good for baseball and I've always wanted to see it in a cricket ground.

[claphamsa]

its on the MLB network.

[EagleFan]

It's stupid to have season games in the middle of preseason games. It would be like saying that a random week 3 NFL preseason game counts and then they can go back to expanded rosters for the preseason week 4. If they want to have real games there, have them on the actual opening nights of the season.

[Peregrine]

I don't know, I like the Aussie games. And it wouldn't be fair to team to have the games at the regular start, and have them be jet lagged and delayed coming back.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

I don't know, I like the Aussie games. And it wouldn't be fair to team to have the games at the regular start, and have them be jet lagged and delayed coming back.

How would they be jetlagged? Season starts 3/30. If they play 3/30 and 3/31 that will give them 4 days until the next series starts. Have the same two teams play each other for that following Friday-Sunday series if they are that worried about it.

[MrBug708]

Other than traditionalist being annoyed, which is fine with me, what difference does it make? It's nice too see something different

[Suicane75]

It's not about being a traditionalist, it's just that it's silly. The season opener is played at 4am est a full week before the season starts. Plus now the Dodgers get to throw Kershaw in games 1 & 2, which is a minor advantage, but an advantage none the less. I'm not ranting over it, I just think it's a bit dumb since, as you said, what difference does it make?

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

It's not about being a traditionalist, it's just that it's silly. The season opener is played at 4am est a full week before the season starts. Plus now the Dodgers get to throw Kershaw in games 1 & 2, which is a minor advantage, but an advantage none the less. I'm not ranting over it, I just think it's a bit dumb since, as you said, what difference does it make?

Does anyone really think of this as Opening Day, tho? I think it's like the Sunday night game they've had for a while now where it's *Opening Day. I don't feel it takes away from actual should-be-a-national-holiday Opening Day.

SI

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Come on back to Missouri, Max! If Shields doesn't stay, we'll have a spot open for an ace!

Tigers, Max Scherzer cut off extension talks | HardballTalk

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Come on back to Missouri, Max! If Shields doesn't stay, we'll have a spot open for an ace!

Tigers, Max Scherzer cut off extension talks | HardballTalk

And you'\d pay him 26 million a year for 7 years? Yeah, I may as well make a post begging him to come play for the Rockies.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by TroyF

And you'\d pay him 26 million a year for 7 years? Yeah, I may as well make a post begging him to come play for the Rockies.

It'll obviously depend on what happens this year whether you pull the trigger. If the Royals continue to make progress in the right direction, there's no reason why they couldn't pull the trigger on a deal like that to get a staff anchor if they wanted to do so. If the Royals have another year of improvement, they're going to see increases in ticket revenue.

If they trend back the wrong direction, it's obviously not something they'd look at.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

It'll obviously depend on what happens this year whether you pull the trigger. If the Royals continue to make progress in the right direction, there's no reason why they couldn't pull the trigger on a deal like that to get a staff anchor if they wanted to do so. If the Royals have another year of improvement, they're going to see increases in ticket revenue.

If they trend back the wrong direction, it's obviously not something they'd look at.

What about in a few years when they have to re-sign Hosmer, Perez, and a few others of their super talented young team? Are you willing to go all in on a pitcher and run the risk of losing some of them players?

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

It'll obviously depend on what happens this year whether you pull the trigger. If the Royals continue to make progress in the right direction, there's no reason why they couldn't pull the trigger on a deal like that to get a staff anchor if they wanted to do so. If the Royals have another year of improvement, they're going to see increases in ticket revenue.

If they trend back the wrong direction, it's obviously not something they'd look at.

If they trend in the right direction, they will need to pay guys like Hosmer and Moustkakes. I'm supposed to believe they'll pay over double what their highest paid player is now for a 30 year old pitcher? Ummmmm, OK.