2015 Spring Training Thread

[SPTO]

Re: 2015 Spring Training Thread

Last year Devon Travis wasn't on top 100 prospects list and was in AA for the Tigers.
This year, he's 84th on the top prospects list and will be the Jays starting 2B!?

A lot of folks in the know knew that Travis was going to be something. He came to Toronto with the reputation of having a good bat but he was held back in the Detroit system. I really feel like the Jays may have fleeced Detroit on this one because Gose is going to be someone that absolutely frustrate Tigers fans.

BTW how has Gose been doing this spring?

[Majingir]

Re: 2015 Spring Training Thread

Goins
19 games(37 at bats)
.270AVG
.790OPS
10 strikeouts
5 walks


Travis:
16 games(40 at bats)
.400 AVG
.992OPS
5 strikeouts
3 walks

[ShowTyme15]

Re: 2015 Spring Training Thread

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/03/25/video-joc-pederson-slugs-fourth-home-run-batting-409-with-1-220-ops-this-spring/

[Jr.]

Re: 2015 Spring Training Thread

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/20...s-this-spring/

4 HR and a 1.220 OPS... I guess that's okay

Spoiler

[ShowTyme15]

Re: 2015 Spring Training Thread

4 HR and a 1.220 OPS... I guess that's okay

Spoiler

Yeah, but Joc will be with the team opening day................Meanwhile the Cubs will carry 3 catchers and Javier Baez.

In all seriousness though I know Kris Bryant personally (He played HS Ball with my little brother) and his parents are my neighbors. I know he will kill it when he gets to the Majors. I am rooting for him no doubt. I personally think he should be there Opening Day. The Cubs have so much momentum right now (As does Bryant) so why kill it now? I get the business side of it, but an extra year of arbitration isn't going to matter when he leaves in Free Agency down the road.

I'm just excited to see Pederson a full year. I hated seeing Matt Kemp get dealt, but watching Pederson this spring is lowering that blow a little bit. Pederson was the reason Kemp was traded anyways.

[19]

Re: 2015 Spring Training Thread

Carlos Rodon struck out 9 Royals in 4 innings tonight.

[Jr.]

Re: 2015 Spring Training Thread

Yeah, but Joc will be with the team opening day................Meanwhile the Cubs will carry 3 catchers and Javier Baez.

In all seriousness though I know Kris Bryant personally (He played HS Ball with my little brother) and his parents are my neighbors. I know he will kill it when he gets to the Majors. I am rooting for him no doubt. I personally think he should be there Opening Day. The Cubs have so much momentum right now (As does Bryant) so why kill it now? I get the business side of it, but an extra year of arbitration isn't going to matter when he leaves in Free Agency down the road.

I'm just excited to see Pederson a full year. I hated seeing Matt Kemp get dealt, but watching Pederson this spring is lowering that blow a little bit. Pederson was the reason Kemp was traded anyways.

Yeah man just a little fun jabbing. I completely agree with you about Bryant. We've been having this discussion back and forth in the Cubs team thread.. the extra year of control probably won't mean anything either way. If he's as good as everyone expects, the Cubs will want to lock him up long-term before he gets through arbitration. If he wants to stay, he'll sign, if he doesn't he's leaving in FA. If he busts, the extra year doesn't mean anything anyway.

[ShowTyme15]

Re: 2015 Spring Training Thread

Yeah man just a little fun jabbing. I completely agree with you about Bryant. We've been having this discussion back and forth in the Cubs team thread.. the extra year of control probably won't mean anything either way. If he's as good as everyone expects, the Cubs will want to lock him up long-term before he gets through arbitration. If he wants to stay, he'll sign, if he doesn't he's leaving in FA. If he busts, the extra year doesn't mean anything anyway.

Oh I know man I've been reading the discussion in the Cubs thread. I agree with everything you're saying. I get the business side of it I really do, but lets say he hits 14 homers this spring? Are the Cubs really going to send him down? People may riot in Chicago. He's pretty much out performed Olt, Baez, Castillo yet the Cubs are going to keep all 3 of those players on the Roster (I can understand Olt staying) carry 3 catchers and somehow keep Baez up for a month before it gets sent down? Makes no sense. If he can play let him play keep up the momentum in Cubs Nation while it's still hot. Keep Bryant on the roster while he's on a roll.

[Master Live 013]

Re: 2015 Spring Training Thread

The Bryant case I see it close to cut and dry. You keep him down and avoid him becoming a Super two, period. No one will remember this little dust up 4 months from, no one except...maybe Bryant.

The only flimsy case for keeping him up is to engender whatever good will you can directly with Bryant. Maybe it is important to him, maybe it isn't. Maybe he will remember it, maybe he will care...or won't, years from now.

I know who won't care. Scott Boras. Up, down or side ways the dude is just cutthroat. There is like a 99% chance that Bryant will become a FA. So no buying FA years. At best, the Cubs could buy some arbitration years. At a little discount, keeping him up now could help. Maybe.

[Jr.]

Re: 2015 Spring Training Thread

The Bryant case I see it close to cut and dry. You keep him down and avoid him becoming a Super two, period. No one will remember this little dust up 4 months from, no one except...maybe Bryant.

The only flimsy case for keeping him up is to engender whatever good will you can directly with Bryant. Maybe it is important to him, maybe it isn't. Maybe he will remember it, maybe he will care...or won't, years from now.

I know who won't care. Scott Boras. Up, down or side ways the dude is just cutthroat. There is like a 99% chance that Bryant will become a FA. So no buying FA years. At best, the Cubs could buy some arbitration years. At a little discount, keeping him up now could help. Maybe.

They're not keeping him down to avoid Super 2 status. They would have to keep him until June for that. The point of starting him in AAA is to have control over his rights for another year.

And I believe Boras has clients that have signed long term extensions that have bought out some FA years before (Elvis Andrus comes to mind).

[Master Live 013]

Re: 2015 Spring Training Thread

Woops, my bad. Then the decision becomes more obvious. 2-3 weeks for an additional year?

[OSUFan_88]

Re: 2015 Spring Training Thread

The whole thing is just ****ing stupid. Why would you punish teams for bringing up and playing the best player possible? The MLB really needs to redo this rule, because the same thing is going to happen to Lindor, which is fine with me, but I'd prefer he be there opening day.

[JODYE]

Re: 2015 Spring Training Thread

Obviously it wasn't Bryant's fault, but the players only have themselves to blame for such a rule in the first place. I agree, time to revisit this thing.

[redsox4evur]

Re: 2015 Spring Training Thread

So Shane Victorino needs to learn to shut his mouth. Last week he said to a Philly newspaper that the Sox should trade for Cole Hamels. And his exact quote was this, "Any time you can get a No. 1, as I told these guys -- not the front office, but the players -- any time you can go get a guy in my opinion who is established, who has done it, [you do it]. And I understand you don't want to give up this prospect or that prospect. You're hoping this guy becomes a Cole Hamels. Hoping. (Owens) Oh wait, that guy is there now. And even as a hitter. Why would you hope that guy becomes this hitter, when you have it right now? (Betts) And I understand there's a financial side. And there's a bigger picture. But like I said, at the end of the day, it's right here in front of you. Why are you hoping?"

Now I interpret that to mean trade guys like Betts and Owens. And so haven't two radio show hosts on 98.5 The Sports Hub, Michael Felger and Tony Massarotti. Now Shane did not give out names in comments, but if you read between the lines then you can tell he was talking about Betts. The bolded parts are where I inferred that he was talking about Betts and Owens.

And then yesterday at ST he had this to say. “The reason I paid attention so much to this is that this was a situation that got taken out of proportion and made it like I was trying to call my teammates out or I’m trying to get a guy shipped out,” Victorino said of comments made by hosts Michael Felger and Tony Massarotti on their radio show on 98.5 The Sports Hub. “Come on, that’s the last thing I’m trying to do. ... If anything, I’m trying to be there for my teammates and help them be better. As I said, the guys who make these kind of conversations, they’re not here today. They sit behind a [microphone] and ... it’s like, 'OK, I can say whatever I like. People will call in and make it a big story.' That’s fine. Hey, show me some credibility and come in. These guys, I don’t even know who these guys are. ... Mazz and whatever the other guy is. I’ll never get to talk to them face-to-face. Why? Because they don’t want to show up. Hey, hold yourself accountable.”

Now this line is a utter bullcrap according to the show. They reached to Victorino to have him call in to the show and he refused. Also Massarotti did talk to Victorino when Massarotti called Sean McAdam. And nothing of importance happened there.

But you gotta love it when sports talk radio blows every up and the players respond to it.

[redsox4evur]

Re: 2015 Spring Training Thread

Obviously it wasn't Bryant's fault, but the players only have themselves to blame for such a rule in the first place. I agree, time to revisit this thing.

I don't think you will get the majority of owners on board with it. Because of situations like this. With 99.9% of Boras clients going to FA every time and you have the small market teams like Tampa and Oakland who have these top prospects who need that extra year of control to keep the guy before letting him walk in FA. And this really shouldn't be an issue it happens every year. A top prospect gets sent down for anytime between 2 weeks and 2 months because of financial issues. And there are no issues then. I mean last year, wasn't the late, Oscar Taveres, ready to play after ST and he was sent back down to the minors. George Springer the same thing he had to wait a couple of months before being called up. It happens every year. It happened with A-Rod, Pedroia, etc.