2014 MLB Thread

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Interesting that Billy Butler is all but begging the Royals to take him back. I think Billy is one of those really good guys who feels comfortable in the Midwest. Although he could get money elsewhere, I think he's also one of those guys that isn't all that excited about facing the increased scrutiny of a coastal media market if things go south for him. Will be interesting to see if he takes a 5-6M sweetheart deal from the Royals just to avoid going elsewhere.

Nice letter in the KC Star today.

I've heard TONS of stories like this. Pretty cool.

[Buccaneer]

I wonder if said Royals fans invited the SF fan to Branson since they're all white hillbillies, right Karlifornia?

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Sun Tzu

Stark contrast to Giants fans, who, as we all know, celebrated in San Francisco after game 7 by lighting several Royals fans on fire.

I LOL'd

SI

[Sun Tzu]

Damn, I didn't even notice the typo until you quoted me. Damn, damn, damn!

[sterlingice]

No worries

SI

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Looks like I may have been right about Billy Butler. KC Star reporting that Royals are looking to offer Butler a 2 year contract at between $6-8M/year. That's a lot more palatable than the $12M option they turned down. Opens up quite a bit of money for FA too.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

dola

Royals pick up option on Wade Davis for next year. Also gave a qualifying offer to James Shields.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Of any team out there, they have the brightest future between a bevy of prospects, a good front office, and a money making machine that should make them the Red Sox of the next decade.

But beware of prospects (of course):
Success and Failure Rates of Top MLB Prospects - Royals Review
Royals' can't-miss prospects have missed - SweetSpot Blog - ESPN
http://www.sportsonearth.com/article...-what-happened

For the "Best Farm System Ever", here's the gains for the Royals:

Hosmer and Moose, for all their postseason heroics this season have been worse than expected. Moose has a career .236 average and 1 season over 1.1 WAR. Hosmer has been worth a total (not average, total) of 2.4 Myers won ROY for Tampa last year but put up a triple slash of .222/.294/.320 this year.
Lamb (18 in 2011 BA rankings), Montgomery (19), and Dwyer (83) have combined for 3 major league innings.
The jury is still out on Colon (Utility IF so far), Duffy (Royals #3 starter this year but oft injured), and Jake Odorizzi (decent season in Tampa this year)

SI

To be fair though, while both Baez and Soler have high bust potential, Addison Russell gives them another top 10ish guy (at a certain point, one of those guys has to be good), and Kris Bryant is about as can't miss as prospects get. Very similar to Alex Gordon in that even if it takes him a couple years, he's going to be an above-average MLB hitter. Plus both Castro and Rizzo are only 25 and they look like they found a couple starters in Arrieta and Hendricks. If they do decide to spend on a front line starter (or two) they're set up pretty well to at least make a playoff run in the next 2 seasons, and their mid-long term future looks brighter than Tampa Bay's. So yeah, I hope Bucc is just trolling with that statement.

Butler's an interesting case. I'm sure he loves the Midwest, but he also had the exact opposite of a contract year. Even as a slow DH, he probably would have gotten $100 million if he hit FA after 2012. A 2 year (or 1 year + an option) contract that puts him back on the market by age 30 hopefully after he's reestablished his value is his best move. Heck, if the Red Sox didn't have DH locked up I wouldn't mind offering him an Adrian Beltre-esque $10-$12m, with a team option for year 2, and it'll be interesting if any other AL team does that if he doesn't resign with KC before FA starts.

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

I wonder if said Royals fans invited the SF fan to Branson since they're all white hillbillies, right Karlifornia?

My God, where did I say hillbillies or all white? There are black people there....the cops need someone to beat on and shoot!

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

My God, where did I say hillbillies or all white? There are black people there....the cops need someone to beat on and shoot!

LOL! Nicely done.

[Dutch]

Fixing Rays, World Series doesn't take a brain surgeon

I wish!

[BillJasper]

Originally Posted by Dutch

Fixing Rays, World Series doesn't take a brain surgeon

I wish!

Problem is that how do we know that we don't end up with the same situation in Tampa that we have in Miami: a half-billion dollar stadium that no one goes to.

I favored contraction back in the early-2000's, I still do.

Plus, I still don't see how the realignment guarantees that a couple of 80+ win teams aren't facing off in the World Series?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by BillJasper

Problem is that how do we know that we don't end up with the same situation in Tampa that we have in Miami: a half-billion dollar stadium that no one goes to.

I favored contraction back in the early-2000's, I still do.

Plus, I still don't see how the realignment guarantees that a couple of 80+ win teams aren't facing off in the World Series?

This. Pretty much all of it.

[cuervo72]

We move the Rays ownership group to Washington. We move the Washington ownership group to Montreal.

Theodore N. "Ted" Lerner (born October 15, 1925 in Washington, DC) is an American real estate developer, managing principal owner of the Washington Nationals baseball team, and founder of the real estate company Lerner Enterprises, the largest private landowner in the Washington, DC area

So, the fuck is that jackass smoking?

[stevew]

Anything that gets the Phillies and Pirates back in the same division is a good start.

[ISiddiqui]

However his suggesting of adding two more teams is a solid one. Baseball can easily support two more teams (it can probably support way more than that). And since most of baseball revenue is local, it likely makes more sense to expand to areas that are far away from a MLB team (like Portland, Oregon or the Carolinas).

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

However his suggesting of adding two more teams is a solid one. Baseball can easily support two more teams (it can probably support way more than that). And since most of baseball revenue is local, it likely makes more sense to expand to areas that are far away from a MLB team (like Portland, Oregon or the Carolinas).

Or Vegas

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by BillJasper

Problem is that how do we know that we don't end up with the same situation in Tampa that we have in Miami: a half-billion dollar stadium that no one goes to.

Tampa would absolutely need to get the team for it to work. My guess is by putting it in the epicenter of the Tampa Bay area, it would draw somewhere between 20,000 and 30,000 a game (between 13th and 28th in the league). A similar strategy that the Bucs and Lightning use very well.

I favored contraction back in the early-2000's, I still do.

That's great for you, but not for me!

Plus, I still don't see how the realignment guarantees that a couple of 80+ win teams aren't facing off in the World Series?

It would only get rid of "2nd place teams" getting in...a nod to the purists.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

So, the fuck is that jackass smoking?

Yeah, the weed probably kept him away from perfection.

For as many moving parts in his "plan" I was surprised how much more positive than negative it was. But I agree with you, the Nationals moving was a weird suggestion (don't know a thing about the Orioles/Wash problems) .

But damn, just think about it. New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Washington and Baltimore in one division? That would be a great division.

But alas, this is not going to happen and I am forced to sit here and contemplate the only real scenarios which are 1.) a new Tampa Stadium (if the Rays can get out of their lease) or 2.) a new Montreal Stadium.

[ISiddiqui]

I was actually really sad when that St. Pete stadium went down. It looked like a beautiful plan!

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

I was actually really sad when that St. Pete stadium went down. It looked like a beautiful plan!

My personal take: Screw St. Pete!

[MikeVic]

Is Alfonso Soriano a HOFer?

[markprior22]

Nope

[frnk55]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Is Alfonso Soriano a HOFer?

Great career but I don't think so. But I'm sure he will get in some time because the HOF is the Hall of Good not Hall of great/elite/excellent.

[claphamsa]

i think he is better than some of the people in the HOF, but he wont make it.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

Is Alfonso Soriano a HOFer?

Not even close.

Jim Edmonds and Carlos Beltran are both far better players that probably won't get much consideration.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Not even close.

I wouldn't say that so easily. He won't make it, and shouldn't make it, but he's not someone you can just toss out with a "not even close." Had he not switched from 2b, he would likely be a first ballot inductee. He obviously did switc and will be penalized accordingly.

He will hang around on the ballot for a while I think. I would not vote for him but I think he will get a lot of votes when his time comes.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by rowech

I wouldn't say that so easily. He won't make it, and shouldn't make it, but he's not someone you can just toss out with a "not even close." Had he not switched from 2b, he would likely be a first ballot inductee. He obviously did switc and will be penalized accordingly.

He will hang around on the ballot for a while I think. I would not vote for him but I think he will get a lot of votes when his time comes.

He compiled a WAR of 14.7 in 5 full seasons as a second baseman. He was absolutely terrible defensively there and didn't have any business there to begin with. I don't think him staying there would change much of anything.

Every year the committee gains a slightly better understanding of advanced stats. 30 years ago he would have had a chance. 5 years from now? I just don't see a low OBP guy that hit a lot of home runs going very far on the ballot when there will be much better options hanging around.

[ISiddiqui]

I don't think the "had he not switched from 2B" is as relevant as "had he not left the New York Yankees" in this discussion .