The Official 2013 MLB Thread

[lungs]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Do not get me started on Yuni

SI

At least my Yuni B memories include him starting on a division winner with an NLCS appearance

[stevew]

Good on McCarver. That fucker makes enjoying a game real hard.

[stevew]

Just looking at the team the Pirates break camp with and I basically see the streak continuing yet another year. Spots 3-5 in the rotation are shaky. They're counting on unproven guys in both corners.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Good to see Luke back to being Luke. Single-handedly blew a comfortable 6 run lead for the Royals last night. When you can't hold that kind of lead for an inning, I'm not even sure you're fit for the mop-up role.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by stevew

Good on McCarver. That fucker makes enjoying a game real hard.

+1

[claphamsa]

Originally Posted by stevew

Good on McCarver. That fucker makes enjoying a game real hard.

I almost always watch games on mute....

[Crapshoot]

Now that McCarver is gone, can we work on getting rid of Buck pls?

[Suicane75]

I have such fond memories of McCarver from when I was a kid watching Mets games. Did he suck back then too and I was just too young to realize?

[fantom1979]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

I have such fond memories of McCarver from when I was a kid watching Mets games. Did he suck back then too and I was just too young to realize?

I wonder about that as well. I liked Madden when I was a kid to, so maybe I was just too young to know better.

[Scoobz0202]

Reading Johan Santana's season may be over (even career maybe?). Re-injury of the shoulder.

[Ramzavail]

[stevew]

At least they got a no hitter

[molson]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

I have such fond memories of McCarver from when I was a kid watching Mets games. Did he suck back then too and I was just too young to realize?

I always liked him too, but I've always preferred the older/campy/possibly drunk/uncle-like/former player-type announcers ahead of the provides accurate information and insightful-analysis-type announcers. There's so many tools available now if you want the latter, I want my announcers to have a unique sound and style.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by stevew

At least they got a no hitter

You're god damn right. Thanks Johan.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by molson

I always liked him too, but I've always preferred the older/campy/possibly drunk/uncle-like/former player-type announcers ahead of the provides accurate information and insightful-analysis-type announcers

Can we put this on his gravestone? Or at least read it as a fan letter on the air?

SI

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

Now that McCarver is gone, can we work on getting rid of Buck pls?

I'm worried that Dave Flemming might start to be considered for a big time gig. Dude is getting a lot of coverage in a lot of prime areas these days, his name has to be getting out there.

[Scoobz0202]

Buster Olney just posted:

Sources: Justin Verlander can make $202m under terms of his new deal. He'll get $180m over next seven seasons, plus vesting option of $22m.

That's a lot of green.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

Buster Olney just posted:

Sources: Justin Verlander can make $202m under terms of his new deal. He'll get $180m over next seven seasons, plus vesting option of $22m.

That's a lot of green.

You put the cart before the horse, Scoobz. It's not even posted in this thread that Verlander and reprotedly agreed to a five year extension.

So, for those of you slow on the up take, it is being reported that Verlander has agreed to an extension with the Tigers.

[Scoobz0202]

I didn't know he agreed to an extension either but when I read that I knew 2+2=4

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

I didn't know he agreed to an extension either but when I read that I knew 2+2=4

Heh... that's what I am saying, take credit for being the first to post about it here bedore the FOFC baseball cognescenti chime in.

I'm actually impressed an Ohio State fan saw it before anyone from our numerous Detroit faction did.

[Chief Rum]

BTW, I absolutely love that baseball is starting this weekend. It feels kinda forgotten in the media, with NFL draft talk, LeBron and the streak and college bball, but I'm really excited to get this thing going.

[Scoobz0202]

Best time of the year. March Madness. Opening day. Winter is coming to an end. Golf clubs about to come out.

[spleen1015]

Orioles don't play until Tuesday. Disappointed.

[CraigSca]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

BTW, I absolutely love that baseball is starting this weekend. It feels kinda forgotten in the media, with NFL draft talk, LeBron and the streak and college bball, but I'm really excited to get this thing going.

Amen, brother!

[Scoobz0202]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Orioles don't play until Tuesday. Disappointed.

What's the reasoning for certain teams playing on Monday then having Tuesday off and vice versa. Is it a television ratings grab thing? It's frustrating when I'm in full LETS GO BASEBALL WOOO mode on Monday and then Tuesday there's nothing (Reds-wise)...

[spleen1015]

I don't know why it is like that, but it is always like that.

1 game on Sunday night, a few on Monday, a few on Tuesday and some of the Monday teams don't play on Tuesday.

[henry296]

Most teams have off day after opening day in case opening day is postponed.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I don't know why it is like that, but it is always like that.

1 game on Sunday night, a few on Monday, a few on Tuesday and some of the Monday teams don't play on Tuesday.

Not really. The Reds always had the opener and then the rest followed. Why make it anymore complicated than that?

[claphamsa]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Orioles don't play until Tuesday. Disappointed.

your an Os fan.... you should be used to disappointment!

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by claphamsa

your an Os fan.... you should be used to disappointment!

Disappointment is driven by expectations. When you have low expectations, you can't be disappointed.

Granted, I cried when they lost to the Yankees in the playoffs last year.

[claphamsa]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Disappointment is driven by expectations. When you have low expectations, you can't be disappointed.

fair enough!

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by claphamsa

your an Os fan.... you should be used to disappointment!

I actually really like the O's this season. Last year was a bit flukish, a team that caught some breaks. Everyone noted how their run differential was about even as they were headed to the playoffs.

They are in the odd position that they could be better this season, but have a worse record, because the law of averages says they'll regress toward their run differential. Now that run differential will probably improve this season, as young players like Weiters and Machado get better, and their young pitchers get more seasoning.

But they are in a tough division where no team except maybe the Bluejays look like playoff locks, but every team is pretty solid or has reason to think they can pull off a solid season. The Rays still have tremendous pitching and some key hitters. The Yanks still have a tremendous lineup when healthy and SP depth and Rivera. The Sox made some underrated signings and still have some stars in tow, even after the deal with the Dodgers. And the Jays talent additions this offseason were just ridiculous. The AL East is going to beat up on each other big time, and for that reason, I see the wildcards coming out of the central and west, where those teams will get benefits of playing more games against the Astros and Twins.

So good luck to the O's. I think their team will be better than last year's squad in quality and talent, even if they end up having a worse year in the win column in 2013.

[Ramzavail]

Markakis should hit leadoff.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Buster Posey signs an 8-year contract extension, buying out his arbitration years. His contract is now 9 years, $167,000,000.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I actually really like the O's this season. Last year was a bit flukish, a team that caught some breaks. Everyone noted how their run differential was about even as they were headed to the playoffs.

They are in the odd position that they could be better this season, but have a worse record, because the law of averages says they'll regress toward their run differential. Now that run differential will probably improve this season, as young players like Weiters and Machado get better, and their young pitchers get more seasoning.

But they are in a tough division where no team except maybe the Bluejays look like playoff locks, but every team is pretty solid or has reason to think they can pull off a solid season. The Rays still have tremendous pitching and some key hitters. The Yanks still have a tremendous lineup when healthy and SP depth and Rivera. The Sox made some underrated signings and still have some stars in tow, even after the deal with the Dodgers. And the Jays talent additions this offseason were just ridiculous. The AL East is going to beat up on each other big time, and for that reason, I see the wildcards coming out of the central and west, where those teams will get benefits of playing more games against the Astros and Twins.

So good luck to the O's. I think their team will be better than last year's squad in quality and talent, even if they end up having a worse year in the win column in 2013.

Even when healthy the Yanks lineup isn't tremendous anymore. They'll have to get by on a staff of very good, but very old starting pitchers. A couple of injuries in the rotation and they could struggle to play .500.

[Crapshoot]

posey's contract is a very good deal for the Giants - even accounting for buying 3 years of arb, its a 21.4M AAV for FA, which is ridiculously good in a world where Jeyson Werth gets $18M a year.

[cartman]

ARod will make more than the entire Astros roster.

Ultimate Astros » Ailing A-Rod will make more than Astros this season

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Even when healthy the Yanks lineup isn't tremendous anymore. They'll have to get by on a staff of very good, but very old starting pitchers. A couple of injuries in the rotation and they could struggle to play .500.

Yeah, you're right, I was overstating it there. I was thinking about Cano and when healthy the top power of Granderson and all the "names" in there, but, yeah, that offense, even when healthy does look much more pedestrian. Teixeira took a step back. ARod did, too, and now he's more or less done. Jeter isn't getting younger. Swisher is in Cleveland. Posada is enjoying retirement. I'm not sure you're going to find the answer to those problems with Youklis (injury) and Ichiro (age).

I think they will mix some things up and produce a decent lineup, but definitely not tremendous.

I do think their pitching will be fine. Not great, but fine. They really have a wealth of options, for all of the poopoo talk about it. Sabathia, Hughes, Nova, Kuroda, Pettite, Phelps has looked good, Pineda on his way back. I seem to recall others, too, but I am drawing a blank right now. But there's enough there to build a pretty strong rotation, if not top billing.

It's weird to think that maybe the Yanks and Red Sox will be 4th and 5th in the AL East.

[JPhillips]

The Yanks lost @100 HRs from last year and are relying on Youk, Wells, and a full season of Ichiro and Gardner to make that up. If Tex is out long term they are in a lot of trouble.

This opening day lineup from Yahoo is very un-Yankees like.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

1. Brett Gardner, cf: The Yankees wanted to take a look at moving Gardner to center field this spring. Granderson's injury made more necessity than curiosity.

2. Ichiro Suzuki, rf: Which Ichiro will the Yankees get? The guy who hit .322 with some pop (.454 slugging percentage) after he was traded from the Seattle Mariners in late July? Or will it be the guy who had hit .261 with almost no pop (.353 slugging percentage) over the first four months or so of the season in the Pacific Northwest?

3. Robinson Cano, 2b: Cano had a huge World Baseball Classic, winning Most Valuable Player honors while leading the Dominican Republic to its first title in the event. The four-time All-Star is entering his contract year, so the pressure to put up big numbers will be ... significant.

4. Kevin Youkilis, 1b: Hey, whenever you can put a guy whose hitting numbers have dropped from .307/.411/.564 in 2010 to .235/.336/.409 last season in your cleanup hole, you have to do it, right? Wait ... what?

5. Ben Francisco, dh: The guy played for three teams and had 117 plate appearances with a .234/.282/.402 batting line in 2012. Francisco was released by the Cleveland Indians on March 11. He's going to open the season in the No. 5 slot for the New York Yankees. I am now going to stock up on bottled water and canned goods.

6. Vernon Wells, lf: The Vernon Wells who hit .303/.357/542 with 32 homers and 106 RBIs would be a great addition to this club. Unfortunately, that was in 2006. Instead, the Yankees are getting the Vernon Wells who hit .230/.279/.403 with 11 homers and 29 RBIs in 2012 ... and improved markedly from his 2011 batting line of .218/.248/.412.

7. Eduardo Nunez, ss: Look at the bright side, Yankee fans. You finally get your chance to see what Nunez can do with a regular spot in the lineup, for however long that may last before Jeter returns.

8. Jayson Nix, 3b: Rodriguez is a lifetime .300 hitter with 647 home runs and 1,950 RBIs. Nix is a lifetime .214 hitter with 34 home runs and 102 RBIs. So there may be an ever-so-slight drop in production at third base.

9. Chris Stewart, c: Think Russell Martin, only with better defensive skills and less power. That is as opposed to the alternative, Francisco Cervelli, who is like Russell Martin, only without the same defensive prowess and less power.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

The Yanks lost @100 HRs from last year and are relying on Youk, Wells, and a full season of Ichiro and Gardner to make that up. If Tex is out long term they are in a lot of trouble.

This opening day lineup from Yahoo is very un-Yankees like.

Yeah, that's why I agreed with you.

[JPhillips]

I just can't get over how bad that lineup looks. Good for Toronto seeing this is the year to go all in.

[stevew]

The Yankees will be just fine. Their rotation and bullpen are great

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by stevew

The Yankees will be just fine. Their rotation and bullpen are great

Great?

[stevew]

Near the top in like every pitching category. Plus their defense should be better. They don't walk guys and they strike out a lot of guys. Plus Mariano is back.

Once Granderson gets back their OF defense should be in the top few.

[stevew]

Dola-
The Yanks are much more likely to win 95 games instead of 85 or 75 imho.

[Vince, Pt. II]

I need to look before I speak, but my first reaction is "huh?"

The Yankees' pitching staff has been their major achilles heel in the last umpteen years. What the hell changed to make it a strength suddenly? I'd be absolutely floored if the Yankees win 95 games, especially in a stacked AL East this year.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by stevew

Dola-
The Yanks are much more likely to win 95 games instead of 85 or 75 imho.

They had the 5th best ERA in the AL last year, and were just a shade ahead of a couple others. It's a good staff, I made that argument above to JPhillips. It is nowhere near great. Much closer to average than great, IMO.

The Yanks won 95 games last season with that staff, but more importantly, with the second best offense (and only behind Texas by four runs).

They have lost a TON of scoring from that lineup thanks to injury, age and free agency.

So you're saying with the same staff and a lineup that is a shadow of what it was, the Yanks will equal their win total last year?

No way. They're going to be at around 85, not 95.

[Jas_lov]

The argument for the Yankees pitching staff is probably that they have Andy Pettitte for an entire year. The question with him is age and can he hold up. Kuroda had a great year last season but he's in his upper 30s. Sabathia had two DL stints last year. They'll want Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes to show progression at the back end of the rotation.

They can be great but Pettitte and Kuroda have to hold up. Nothing can happen to CC and Nova/Hughes have to continue to progress.

Mo is back but the bullpen no longer has the security blanket in Raphael Soriano so nothing can happen to him. Can Joba be an effective set up man for Robertson and Rivera?

There is just much less margin for error. The Yankees definitely aren't as deep as they usually are. They lost Swisher, Chavez and Martin and didn't replace them with anyone good. The pitching will have to be great if they're going to win 90 games. The defense is only better if Teixera and Gardner are healthy all year.

[Jas_lov]

Also, I wonder why the rest of the AL East is considered such a sure thing. The Orioles played above their ability last year with all those close and extra innings victories. Are they really a 93 win club? The Red Sox pitching is worse than the Yankees, one of the worst in baseball last year. The Rays offense is always suspect, lost Shields and Upton. Toronto made a lot of big moves, but so did the Marlins and Angels last year. It will be a competitive division all year.

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

posey's contract is a very good deal for the Giants - even accounting for buying 3 years of arb, its a 21.4M AAV for FA, which is ridiculously good in a world where Jeyson Werth gets $18M a year.

VERY happy this deal got done.

Looking forward to the next few years especially with the loan for the stadium almost paid off.