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Re: The MLB Thread
Yeah I agree. FINALLY (no offense), the Yankees/Red Sox domination of the AL is over, or at least coming to a close. Finally we have an actual horse race again.
But for the next few seasons, barring any unforseen 2012-ish end of the world scenarios (like the Kansas City Royals win the World Series)...
You're AL playoff contenders will be set
Angels
Rangers
Tigers
Yanks
Red Sox
Rays
Jays
I don't see it wavering from that. Twins are falling, White Sox are gonna be out of it for awhile, Indians & Royals MIGHT be X-factors with their youth. The Orioles continue to make the constant wrong moves, and A's & M's are regular do nothing's. A's won't do much until they get more payroll or move to another city (for a FOURTH CITY).
I also think Kuroda will be a bust for New York.
I took a glance at Boston's roster last night, and they're stacked imo. More than enough to win, and look better on paper than the Rays. The biggest thing Tampa Bay & New York have over Boston is right-handed power. But I don't think it's make or break. Boston's rotatation is still fuckin' stud, and Andrew Bailey is gonna be a fine closer imo.
Axlin12 wrote:Ethier is ABSURDLY OVERPAID. The guy has talent, but I don't get the kind of money the Dodgers have paid him over the years and continue to pay him. Way too much.
He's a complimentary player getting paid star money. I don't think he provides enough power given his salary. The Dodgers really haven't done anything to improve their team. Guess they're waiting for the sale and the inevitable cash infusion. Eithier will get even more overpaid next year since he'll be a FA. Unless he totally tanks and gets injured.
On the Prince Fielder-Rangers thing, the Rangers have a pretty interesting dilema going. If they sign Prince that probably means that they'll let Josh Hamilton leave after 2012. Hamilton wants a fair contract from the Rangers (read: market value) and won't take a hometown discount. I don't see them giving him a big money contract and signing Fielder and Darvish. I think they sign Fielder and let Hamilton go and trade prospects for another OF after the 2012 season.
Peter Gammons said he thinks the Rangers lock up Darvish tomorrow before the deadline. That seems to be the popular belief.
No way Fielder & Darvish BOTH happen. I don't see Nolan spending the money. It's not his type of game. I know he was furious to have lost two series back-to-back, and especially considering the Rangers had it LOCKED in Game 6, and had an epic Cubs Game 6 2003 NLCS-type disaster.
Still, I don't see Nolan turning around and impulse buying to become the
Confederacy-version of the Yankees.
Imo, the Rangers sign Darvish, DON'T SIGN Fielder, and focus their efforts on locking up Hamilton over the season.
Re: The MLB Thread
People tend to forget that the Red Sox had the best record in baseball into July last season. I don't think that's a fluke. But people just want to focus on the epic collapse in September. It was awful, but I don't see that as the norm. They can easily right the ship. They have the players. I doubt they'll miss John Lackey too much.
My biggest concern for them is in the OF. Carl Crawford is having wrist surgery and may not be ready to start the season. Ryan Kalish is already out until May. So that leaves them with Ellsbury, McDonald, Sweeney, and possibly Aviles in the meantime. Doesn't look pretty on paper.
Re: The MLB Thread
If Mauer and Morneau can get healthy (which is the whole point off the OFFseason), I don't see any reason why the Twins couldn't be playoff contenders. They still have a great group of players outside of the M&M boys. They have won their division with mediocre starting pitching (which is what they still have). And the main Reason for their collapse last year was that almost every single offsensive player had a significant injury. They had as many injuries in 1 season as any other team would have in 3 seasons, it was that bad! They've made key additions in the offseason and have a Top 5 manager in the MLB in Ron Gardenhire. And in a very weak division this year, I see their only road block is the Tigers, who lost Victor Martinez for the season and have a mess in the infield
Re: The MLB Thread
I see the Twins easily could be that. The Tigers are overrated, and have been for years. Nothing more than the Blue Jays of the AL Central. The only reason they are division winners in the AL is because of their power & Verlander among a weak ass division (maybe the weakest in baseball).
What's even more pathetic about the White Sox is how they have the payroll they do, they're a big market team, and could EASILY dominate the AL Central... and they just don't. Kinda strange. Hitting & Pitching busts (think Dunn & Peavy) have sunk them.
Re: The MLB Thread
Phillies, Cole Hamels agree on one-year / $15 million deal
by Reuters
Jan 17 (Reuters) - The Philadelphia Phillies avoided arbitration with Cole Hamels by agreeing to a one-year, $15 million contract with the two-time All-Star pitcher, the Major League Baseball team said on Tuesday.
The left-hander posted a 14-9 record with Philadelphia last season, which marked the fifth consecutive campaign he has won at least 10 games.
Hamels, 28, had a 2.79 earned run average in 31 starts during the 2011 regular season and also won Game Three of the National League Division Series against the eventual World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals.
Re: The MLB Thread
Dayan Viciedo trying to recruit Yoenis Cespedes to White Sox
by AP
CHICAGO (AP)—Dayan Viciedo is looking to his native Cuba to find some help for the Chicago White Sox.
The 22-year-old Viciedo said Tuesday he has talked to fellow Cuban outfielders Yoenis Cespedes and Jorge Soler to offer them advice as they try to get major league contracts.
“This is about me reaching out to my fellow Cubans and really wishing the best of them,” Viciedo said through an interpreter. “I told them how great the organization is and how much of a great fit it would be if they would come over and join us.”
Cespedes said Friday the White Sox are among six major league teams which have expressed interest in him once he becomes a free agent. The Miami Marlins, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians and the Chicago Cubs are the other teams.
Viciedo hit .296 with 20 homers and 78 RBI in 119 games at Triple-A Charlotte last season before being called up in August to replace the injured Carlos Quentin. Quentin was traded to the San Diego Padres on Dec. 31, making Viciedo the favorite to start in right field this year.
Viciedo hit a three-run homer in his second at-bat of the year on Aug. 28, but didn’t homer again in 113 plate appearances. He finished with a .255 average and six RBIs.
Re: The MLB Thread
Tigers' Victor Martinez likely out for year with torn ACL
by Reuters
Jan 17 (Reuters) - Detroit Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez will likely miss the 2012 Major League Baseball season after the four-time All-Star injured his left knee in off-season conditioning, the team said on Tuesday.
Martinez, 33, tore his anterior cruciate ligament while working out last week and an examination on Monday revealed the injury. He will be re-evaluated next week.
“If surgery is required as anticipated, Martinez will most likely be lost for the 2012 season,” the Tigers said in a release.
Martinez had a .330 batting average with 103 runs batted in for the American League Central Division champions in 2011.
Re: The MLB Thread
Jordan Zimmerman, Tom Gorzelanny, Tyler Clippard agree with Nats
by AP
WASHINGTON (AP)—Nationals pitchers Jordan Zimmermann, Tom Gorzelanny and Tyler Clippard have agreed to one-year contracts with the team, avoiding arbitration.
Zimmermann’s deal is for $2.3 million, Gorzelanny gets $3 million and Clippard $1.65 million.
Zimmermann, a right-hander, is expected to be Washington’s No. 3 starter in 2012. Coming off right elbow surgery, he went 8-11 with a 3.18 ERA last season.
Clippard made the All-Star team as a setup man last year, when the right-hander finished 3-0 with a 1.83 ERA in 72 appearances. Gorzelanny, a lefty, is slated for the bullpen this season.
Two players exchanged arbitration figures with the Nationals on Tuesday: pitcher John Lannan asked for $5.7 million and was offered $5 million, while outfielder Michael Morse requested $5 million and was offered $3.5 million.
Re: The MLB Thread
Brewers strike two-year deal with Japanese OF Norichika Aoki
by Adam McCalvy / MLB.com
MILWAUKEE -- The Brewers finished their 2012 outfield and filled their 40-man roster Tuesday by importing three-time Japanese batting champion Norichika Aoki on a two-year contract with a club option for 2014.
The sides had until 4 p.m. CT to strike a deal, or Aoki would have returned to the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. Now, he projects to join Ryan Braun, Corey Hart, Nyjer Morgan and Carlos Gomez in the Brewers' outfield and represents insurance against a possible early-season suspension for Braun.
General manager Doug Melvin said club officials would get a better read on Aoki in Spring Training before settling his role.
"He never asked about [playing time], he's just confident that he can come over and show us his skill set," Melvin said. "He wants the challenge of playing here in Major League Baseball. He's met a lot of challenges in Japan. He's won batting titles, he's won Gold Gloves, he's been an All-Star. You have to talk to him, but I think he [likes] the challenges of coming over here."
The Brewers paid a $2.5 million posting fee to the Swallows for the right to negotiate with Aoki and preferred a multiyear deal laden with incentives, Melvin said. The contract, struck by Melvin and agent Nez Balelo of CAA Sports, is expected to be finalized Wednesday.
Aoki, 30 and a left-handed hitter, has played his entire professional career with Yakult. According to statistics provided by the Brewers, he's batted .329 over parts of eight seasons with 84 home runs, 385 RBIs and 164 stolen bases in 985 games. He batted better than .300 in six of his seven full seasons and was Central League batting champion in 2005 (.344), 2007 (.346) and 2010 (.358). He was the 2005 Central League Rookie of the Year and a six-time Golden Glove Award winner and represented Japan in both World Baseball Classics. The Brewers had a favorable report from their scout at the 2009 event.
The signing came a little more than a week after Aoki worked out for Brewers officials at Maryvale Baseball Park, which club officials described not as a tryout but an opportunity to see the player in person for the first time. The Brewers do not employ a scout in Japan and made their bid based on video of his games and to a lesser degree the team's solid working relationship with Balelo, who also happens to represent Braun.
Melvin, Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio, manager Ron Roenicke and coaches Jerry and Johnny Narron were among the club's contingent at Aoki's workout. He took batting practice and participated in running and throwing drills.
Melvin's decision-making team included director of pro scouting Zack Minasian and special assistant Dick Groch, both of whom attended the workout. Aoki underwent a physical exam the next day.
Aoki is the only position player this winter to sign with a Major League team via the posting system. Last year, the Twins signed shortstop Tsuyoshi Nishioka to a three-year, $9 million contract after paying a posting fee that topped $5 million. Nishioka's rookie season was ruined by an injury.
With Aoki, the Brewers may have the depth to try right fielder Hart at first base. Melvin said he'd instructed Roenicke to contact Hart with the idea of playing a limited number of games at that position, which for now appears to belong to longtime prospect Mat Gamel. Hart bats right-handed and Gamel is a lefty.
"Probably not on a regular basis, but [Hart] could fill in a few games here and there," Melvin said. "He played [first] in the Minor Leagues. I don't necessarily consider it being where he's playing there a lot, but if Corey feels comfortable doing it, it's something we would take a look at in Spring Training. I want to make sure Corey feels comfortable about doing it, too, because if he doesn't, I'm not going to force the issue on him."
The Brewers are hoping to introduce Aoki to their fans at the team's "On Deck" event on Jan. 29. Information about the fanfest is at Brewers.com/OnDeck.
Re: The MLB Thread
Marlins strike Juan Carlos Oviedo ("Leo Nunez") deal pending legal issues
by Reuters
Jan 17 (Reuters) - Miami Marlins closer Juan Carlos Oviedo agreed to a one-year deal with the team on Tuesday provided the Dominican player is able to return to the United States this season.
The Marlins announced the deal, worth $6 million according to local reports, that helped them avoid arbitration on their website (Miami.marlins.mlb.com) but it is pending legal issues.
Oviedo, formerly known as Leo Nunez, was forced to return to the Dominican Republic last September after it was discovered he had been playing under a different name.
He is still working to return to the U.S. and is still listed on MLB’s restricted list until that time.
Oviedo recorded 36 saves for the Marlins last season in his second straight year as the team’s closer. He had 30 saves in 2010.
