MLB Off-Topic

[The Kid 24]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

25 days from now is when J.D. Martinez signed last year. And Jake Arrietta didn't sign until March 4th.

I know, I just hate this new trend FA is heading towards.

[BigOscar]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I wonder what Keith Law has against the Jays.

He said Vlad isn't the top prospect in baseball, Jays don't have a top 5 farm system, and while everyone else like MLB.com and Baseball America are naming 5-7 Jays on their top 100, he named only 3.

His knock on Vlad seems to be based on how he thinks Vlad will simply just end up a DH. Who knows, it might happen, but I don't see it being anytime soon. Maybe like Encarnacion where it doesn't really happen until his 30s. Even a guy like Edgar, didn't become a primary DH until he was 32. Ortiz was in his late 20s, but I don't see it happening that early for Vlad.

Though that's still almost a decade of him as a fielder. 1B I feel will be the spot he gets most known for. Jays have so many 2B/SS in the minors, I'm sure they could get someone moving over to 3B to better their chances to make a starting lineup, and Vlad goes to 1B since Jays don't have much depth there.

To be fair, Vlad has the largest arse of anyone I've ever seen his age, I'd be very surprised if he lasts 10 years in the field before becoming a DH. Compare the size of his lower half to early pictures of someone like Encarnacion and it's not really a comparison. He's huge for his age and you can only imagine him getting bigger.

Maybe he plays first base for a while as it's really not an athletic position at all (Prince Fielder played there for 7 years, anyone can), but again I guess Law's argument is that a below average defensive first baseman isn't all that much more valuable than a DH.

I don't agree btw, I think he's so much better a hitter than Tatis that he'll make up the positional deficit, but I can see the argument that a 1B/DH type is always going to be starting a long way behind an above average shortstop (if that's what Tatis becomes). Vlad looks as close to a sure thing as you'll get, Tatis possibly has more potential but is much less certain to hit at the major league level.

Either way it's irrelevant tbh, as Wander Franco is clearly the true number 1 prospect

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I know, I just hate this new trend FA is heading towards.

Part of me kind of likes it. Players are holding out for ridiculous contracts and should lower their damn standards. I don't ever want to see ten-year deals ever again. I don't like them being free agents, but I like how value is being reestablished.

Though if it's a matter of teams just tanking and therefore not picking anybody up, that's not something I'll ever enjoy watching for any club, no matter if they become what the Astros became. Dark years are no fun for anyone.

[kehlis]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Part of me kind of likes it. Players are holding out for ridiculous contracts and should lower their damn standards. I don't ever want to see ten-year deals ever again. I don't like them being free agents, but I like how value is being reestablished.

Though if it's a matter of teams just tanking and therefore not picking anybody up, that's not something I'll ever enjoy watching for any club, no matter if they become what the Astros became. Dark years are no fun for anyone.

Players are treated like toys after they're drafted and are drug along with no control of their own career for far too long.

Until that changes, I have no problem at all with players wanting to make the most out of their successes at that point. Major changes to minor league contracts and the arbitration process need to happen immediately and I would fully support a strike.

Take Josh Donaldson for example, he was drafted in 2007 and just became a free agent in this past offseason. You're complaining about them asking for a 10 year deal when they are pretty much forced into one when they start their career.

[Blzer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Players are treated like toys after they're drafted and are drug along with no control of their own career for far too long.

Until that changes, I have no problem at all with players wanting to make the most out of their successes at that point. Major changes to minor league contracts and the arbitration process need to happen immediately and I would fully support a strike.

Take Josh Donaldson for example, he was drafted in 2007 and just became a free agent in this past offseason. You're complaining about them asking for a 10 year deal when they are pretty much forced into one when they start their career.

Oh, I get what you mean. I understand that then. I guess I'm thinking about the players who have already made a killing of a living from their career and are just seemingly a little greedy about what they are asking for thereafter.

But outside of the team that has had control of that for all that time, I just don't think any other team owes them all of that to the extent that an agent feels it's expected of said team to follow up with them.

If only this game was filled with more bonuses for what you do on the field that year and less guaranteed contracts (for better or worse). Of course, then you wouldn't be able to manage your budget as an organization.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I have no problem with players asking for whatever they can get.

I do have a problem with players not realizing what they can actually get and everyone peddling class warfare claptrap and pushing for strikes in response.

Intelligent front offices that don't hand out ridiculous deals anymore because advance data shows they shouldn't and don't need to.

This is what people wanted. This is what people are getting.

[ShowTyme15]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

So it sounds like Gabe Kapler may have tried to cover up a sexual assault back in 2015 when he was the Dodgers Head of Player Development.


https://www.12up.com/posts/6286412-y...e&view_medium=[mlb]

[Jr.]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

So it sounds like Gabe Kapler may have tried to cover up a sexual assault back in 2015 when he was the Dodgers Head of Player Development.


https://www.12up.com/posts/6286412-y...e&view_medium=[mlb]

Here's the story from the Washington Post. Just horrific

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/told-of-girls-assault-at-spring-training-hotel-gabe-kapler-dodgers-didnt-alert-police/2019/02/01/45da0208-2624-11e9-81fd-b7b05d5bed90_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.92619f92505c

[SPTO]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

So it sounds like Gabe Kapler may have tried to cover up a sexual assault back in 2015 when he was the Dodgers Head of Player Development.


https://www.12up.com/posts/6286412-y...e&view_medium=[mlb]

Good God...If this doesn't cost him his job in Philly I dunno what to say.

[ShowTyme15]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Here's the story from the Washington Post. Just horrific

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...=.92619f92505c

Good God...If this doesn't cost him his job in Philly I dunno what to say.

I agree if this story does end up being valid it's a bad look for everyone involved. It doesn't surprise me with Kapler though, he's always been a little different.

[TripleCrown9]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Not that this is anywhere near the most important thing to focus on with this story, but I wonder if this effects Harper's chances of signing with the Phillies?

[fugazi]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I fully concur that Kapler should be held accountable for those people's choices.

Just unfathomable atrocities. Underage girl in over her head? We gotta stop this madness before it becomes a common trend. Young, intoxicated people behaving irresponsibly? Inexcusable.

She reported the incident to the Dodgers...before the police? Am I understanding that correctly? And in this message she's clearly aiming at the organization and player...

One question that never seems to be asked...where are this girls PARENTS? If your underage daughter is allowed to party in hotel rooms and be it all night with adults, then the first act of criminality here is a bit of negligence on the parents.

But yeah, let's focus on the guy that had nothing to do with it and followed policies and instructions from his superiors.

The Phillies should stand by this guy and start asking for the Dodgers and the girls parents to offer their take on accountability.

My daughter is being raised to not be naive, and to be aware of what sort of situations she's putting herself into...not to mention how people will try earnestly to put her in those situations.

[KingOfLanglade]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I’m excited to see the rest of the ST Hats this year... The Cactus League Logo is real sharp.


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

[daflyboys]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I fully concur that Kapler should be held accountable for those people's choices.

Just unfathomable atrocities. Underage girl in over her head? We gotta stop this madness before it becomes a common trend. Young, intoxicated people behaving irresponsibly? Inexcusable.

She reported the incident to the Dodgers...before the police? Am I understanding that correctly? And in this message she's clearly aiming at the organization and player...

One question that never seems to be asked...where are this girls PARENTS? If your underage daughter is allowed to party in hotel rooms and be it all night with adults, then the first act of criminality here is a bit of negligence on the parents.

But yeah, let's focus on the guy that had nothing to do with it and followed policies and instructions from his superiors.

The Phillies should stand by this guy and start asking for the Dodgers and the girls parents to offer their take on accountability.

My daughter is being raised to not be naive, and to be aware of what sort of situations she's putting herself into...not to mention how people will try earnestly to put her in those situations.

Certainly a lot of valid points. However, like a lot of these situations, more details to come so that better assessment can be made. If Kapler had a responsibility at his level to report the incident to the authorities regardless of what he was told by upper management, he's probably toast, possibly even legally responsible at some level and could even be charges brought against him. But again, I think we need to know more.

[daflyboys]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

So it could very well be that Kapler may not have anything happen after all. There are some sketchy happenings going on here.

First, it does not appear as if they knew she was 17 at the time and the ownership is not on the players to determine that. Somewhat understandably these were most likely young players as they were prospects/minor leaguers just starting out who just thought they were partying with some ladies.

The girl and her grandmother called the Dodgers organization first. Why in an assault situation (assault by her friends, not the players) are you calling the "boss" of the supposed parties in question? Why are you not calling the authorities first?

From the Dodgers standpoint, why is this buck being passed to Kapler and immediate suggestion not being given by the front office to contact the authorities? In light of Kapler's somewhat strange reply supposedly indicated in an email ( “[w]e believe we can teach valuable lessons to all involved through this method of follow up.”), it appears as though he was following direction/orders from the front office, which doesn't necessarily exonerate him, but he may have been in a bit of a no win situation.

Of course the most curious thing is not involving the authorities right away, and then when she did, she didn't cooperate. Why the players didn't cooperate is just naive and stupid on their part. Of course, the ideal would have been for the Dodgers and Kapler to take this to the authorities immediately and ejected those players.