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Re: The MLB Thread
A's owner pushes public, MLB for move to San Jose
by Antonio Gonzalez / AP Sports
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP)—Oakland Athletics owner Lew Wolff said Wednesday that indecision by Major League Baseball over whether his club can move to San Jose has been “excruciating” but that he believes the process is finally nearing an end.
Just not as quickly as he’d like.
Taking questions at the downtown Rotary Club of San Jose, Wolff said the uncertainty about the possible move is harming the franchise more than anything. He’s hopeful that a resolution from baseball is coming soon—a word that has been reiterated by many for years.
“I’m not going to continue this much longer,” Wolff said. “What we want is an answer. We want a yes, you can relocate and share the district, share the territory. Or you can’t. But not having any answer is very difficult. Not just for me, but for the people that work for us, for planning our baseball team every year.”
The A’s need approval from league owners to move to the south bay, where the San Francisco Giants hold territorial rights to the technology-rich region filled with fans and corporate dollars. Not to mention the Giants’ Class-A affiliate is in San Jose.
Commissioner Bud Selig appointed a committee in March 2009 to evaluate the issue facing the Bay Area teams. MLB spokesman Pat Courtney said Wednesday there was nothing new from the commissioner’s office on the situation since Selig’s remarks at the owners’ meetings last month that the issue was on the “front burner.”
Wolff again refused to give a time frame on a possible decision—perhaps because even he’s not sure when one could come down—and hinted that he could force a vote by league owners in a few months if a ruling remains in limbo. He later clarified to reporters that he plans to wait for the committee’s recommendations.
“We’re following the process. It’s excruciating,” Wolff said. “We talk constantly on many matters. I think we’re getting there. We have ways where we can be a belligerent owner. It’s not in me at this point.”
Among the other notable items:
— Wolff said buying out the Giants’ territorial rights to San Jose “has not been discussed with us.”
— He confirmed the team would be renamed the San Jose A’s if it relocated. There was even a stuffed version of Stomper, the A’s mascot, dressed in a “San Jose Athletics” uniform that greeted guest at the luncheon.
— Wolff said he’d be fine if the Giants wanted to keep their Class-A team in San Jose.
— The A’s are not exploring a move to any other city and selling the team is not an option now.
— Wolff said the team took in about $32 million in revenue sharing from other teams last season. He said the franchise spent all of the money, about half on player payroll. He expects payroll to be about $65 million to $70 million next season.
Without a deal to move out of the outdated Oakland Coliseum, the A’s maintain that they can’t compete with other clubs. Oakland shed several of its best players this winter—including top starters Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez and closer Andrew Bailey—for talented prospects in the latest payroll purge.
“I have one grandchild who still won’t talk to me since we traded Gio,” Wolff said.
Wolff, a successful Los Angeles real estate developer, reiterated the he has exhausted all efforts to keep the team in Oakland.
The A’s also had previously planned to build a state-of-the-art stadium in nearby Fremont that they thought would eventually transform the small-budget club into a big spender. That plan, which would have been in partnership with Cisco Systems Inc., fell through because of a variety of complications— including public transportation issues.
There also are similar environmental and transportation concerns that could derail the San Jose project with a series of lawsuits, including one against the Silicon Valley city from a Giants-supported group called “Stand for San Jose.” Wolff believes all those issues will be resolved and that lawsuits are often part of the process.
“If you have a cure for cancer in California, somebody is going to be against it,” he joked.
Wolff declined to go into specifics about what is holding up a decision from the Selig-appointed committee. But he said everything has been researched and discussed by the club and all that’s needed now is a decision.
“If baseball is hiding some magic formula,” Wolff said, “I wish they’d tell me.”
Re: The MLB Thread
Mets GM: 'Big Fundraiser Tonight For Gas Money'
by AP
NEW YORK (AP)—Even Mets general manager Sandy Alderson can’t resist pointing out the team’s financial difficulties.
The team tweeted Thursday afternoon that Alderson had started a Twitter account (at)MetsGM.
Alderson’s first tweet: “Getting ready for Spring Training-Driving to FL but haven’t left yet. Big fundraiser tonight for gas money. Also exploring PAC contribution.”
Mets spokesman Jay Horwitz said Alderson was playfully responding to a New York newspaper that pointed out the GM was driving to Port St. Lucie—Horwitz said Alderson drives because he takes his dog.
Alderson then added in a second tweet: “We’re driving to St. Lucie because our dog (Buddy) doesn’t like to fly. His complaint: Where I sit, no lights and no stews.”
Coming off their third straight losing record, the Mets have cut payroll by about $25 million since the start of 2011. A trial is scheduled next month on the lawsuit filed by the trustee seeking to recover money for victims of the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme. He is seeking $386 million, claiming the team’s owners were net winners from their investment.
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Good god. The Mets are FUCKKKKEDDD. And buried in red. Aren't they still paying Bobby Bonilla $5 million a year for the next 30 years or some bullshit because of his horrible contract they let him have at the end of his career?
David Wright should've gotten out while the gettin' was good. If he prays real hard, God may bless him with a trade by June.
Re: The MLB Thread
Dodgers' legend broadcaster Vin Scully explains why he'll never retire
by Ben Maller / The Post Game-Yahoo! Sports
It has been one of the great mysteries of sports broadcasting: How does Vin Scully keep going after more than 60 years in the business?
The 84-year-old Dodgers play-by-play icon explained in the March issue of Golf Digest his thought process in returning for a 63rd season behind the microphone.
"Some people die twice: once when they retire, and again when they actually pass away. Fear of the first one is a big incentive for me to keep working," Scully told Golf Digest. "Players, writers, people who work at the ballpark and front office -- when I quit I know I'll never see them again. I've never been the type to come to the ballpark and hang out; I've gone to one game in the last 60 years that I wasn't working. I keep working because I don't want to lose my friends."
Scully, at the tender age of 25, began broadcasting Brooklyn Dodgers games in 1950 alongside Red Barber and Connie Desmond. Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Don Newcombe and Preacher Roe were among the legends who played for the Dodgers that season.
Over the years, Scully has had many legendary calls. One of the more famous was his description of Kirk Gibson's dramatic home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series for the Dodgers against the Oakland Athletics. The voice of baseball says he had an assist with that call.
"My Kirk Gibson home-run call is brought up to me quite often, and my answer is, sometimes God helps you through these things," Scully said. "I honestly believe that, because before he blasted the ball into the right-field bleachers I had no inkling I would say, "In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened!" It just spilled out of me, and it was a good line, but it was God's line, really, not mine."
Golf Digest senior writer Guy Yocom also touched on Scully's dislike of "Casual Fridays."
"I was dismayed by the advent of casual Fridays," Scully said. "If I were a boss, I wouldn't want someone to give me one casual day a week. There was a Dodger order on dress code one day, and it read, 'Jeans are allowed, but no holes.' I thought 'Oh, wow.' I just think dressing down can have a subtle effect on your performance. I've worn a jacket and tie since I started announcing. It’s my uniform. When I get dressed, I'm suiting up as much as a ballplayer or golfer. I'm setting the tone, getting my mind on my job. I always do it with the idea that I'm coming into people's homes."
Vin Scully's Top 5 Calls
Re: The MLB Thread
Vin Scully is a living legend imo right there with Clint Eastwood & Betty White.
Vin is the last of his generation. It'll be a sad day when he's gone. He's the last of the generation of the Harry Caray's, Jack Buck's, Mel Allen's, etc.
If you don't watch alot of Dodger games, I suggest you still catch a Dodger home game on TV if you can. Vin is still one of the voices of the angels (and not the LA kind 
)
Re: The MLB Thread
Shane Victorino to guest star Monday on CBS' "Hawaii Five-O"
by Todd Zolecki / MLB.com
PHILADELPHIA -- ["The Flying Hawaiian"] Shane Victorino likes to chat a lot in the clubhouse, and later this month, he should have even more to talk about, as he is appearing on the Feb. 20 episode of "Hawaii Five-O" on CBS.
According to CBS, Victorino appears as a business executive on a company retreat. Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno also appears in the episode as a Hawaiian history buff. The episode centers around the murder of a man dressed as a Hawaiian NaKoa warrior.
The Phillies have been well represented on television over the last couple of years. Ryan Howard has appeared on HBO's "Entourage" and FX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Chase Utley appeared in the same episode of "It's Always Sunny," and the Phanatic just appeared in a recent episode of NBC's "30 Rock."
Jimmy Rollins said last year that he has done voice work for an episode of FOX's "The Cleveland Show," although an air date is unknown.
Re: The MLB Thread
It's fantasy baseball time, and that means it's decision time for my keeper league I'm in. Any advice is welcomed.
I get to keep 2 hitters, 1 franchise player and 1 non franchise. Franchise players are drafted in rounds 1-5. Non-franchise are guys drafted round 6 or later, or picked up off of waivers. We started this league about 4 years ago and I've had Hanley Ramirez as my franchise keeper all along. Nelson Cruz has been my non franchise keeper. Unfortunately I had the option of keeping Miguel Cabrera over HanRam going into last season, but opted to stick with Hanley. It was a tough decision, but Cabrera's off field problems and conditioning issues made me THINK it was the right decision. Well it certainly wasn't, at least for last season. Hanley had a BAD year, but I think I have to stick with him. The only other guy I see as an option for me to keep is 3B Brett Lawrie from the Blue Jays, and I'm leaning towards keeping him OVER Cruz.
I like Cruz, problem is he can't stay healthy. The last 3 seasons he's played in 124, 108, and 128 games. So he's missing a good 25+ games a year. He puts up solid power numbers, but the SB's dropped last year (.263 BA, 29 HR, 87 RBI, 9 SB, 1 3B, .821 OPS in 475 AB's). Lawrie, had some solid numbers in limited time last year and showed good power and some speed as well (.293 BA, 9 HR, 25 RBI, 7 SB, 4 3B, . 953 OPS in 150 AB's), plus being listed as a 3B helps as that position is a little weaker than RF.
So I'm thinking Lawrie and Ramirez. I don't think I can give up on Hanley yet, and not for someone like Cruz. Thoughts?
I'll get to pitching later, it's a little more involved.
Re: The MLB Thread
I wouldn't worry too much about moving on from Cruz. His injury problems, plus he's heading into his decline phase starting either next year, or the year after, depending on if it hits the backside at 31 or 32.
So then he'll be dealing with injuries + aging.
Lawrie is a nice bet. 21 years ago, power threat, nice OBP, on projection to be a 30+ HR hitter in a full season of at least 150 games.
Hanley... I don't know. I guess you COULD write off last season as an off-year, but his power numbers have been in consistent decline since 2009. Even if you average out his power numbers from 2011 to the equivalent of a full season... they still come up even smaller than the year before.
That's not good.
Because if those numbers are affected, his RBI's are affected, SLG is affected, which affects his fear factor and patience which affects OBP, both of which means OPS is affected, like a domino effect.
I wouldn't give up Ramirez for Cruz, but at the same time I wouldn't hang onto Ramirez for dear life either. Hanley is lazy, and seems to be getting worse by the season, if by power alone. Defense has been in decline for years too, and his Speed will naturally decline from age.
There's a reason Miami has been trying to dump him for a couple seasons, despite the long-term contract.
Re: The MLB Thread
Yeah, I have the 3rd pick in the draft this year so hopefully I can pick up someone who can at least give me an alternative to Hanley next season. Unfortunately he's my only option going into this season, as my early picks last year didn't pan out. Bad drafting led from me going from first place to 10th. Not good.
As for my pitching. Another mess for my "franchise" situation. A little background. I've never had a good franchise pitcher. When we started the keeper league, I drafted Scott Kazmir as my stud pitcher of the future. Unfortunately he began his decline that year and the next year he was so bad I had to move on from him. So I drafted Jake Peavy to take his spot. It was Peavy's last season with the Padres. He got traded to the White Sox, got hurt, and hasn't been the same since. So last year I drafted Mat Latos, hoping he'd replace Peavy. He had a decent season, but nothing spectacular. To make matters worse, I had Adam Wainwright as one of my non franchise pitchers for 3 years or so until he got hurt in spring training last year. I had to drop him, which was a big blow. I did luck out on some of my pickups though.
So here we go. I can keep 1 franchise pitcher (Latos or Peavy) and 2 non franchise pitchers, or I could keep 3 non franchise pitchers. In either case, one of the pitchers has to be a reliever.
RP - Heath Bell, John Axford
SP - Jaime Garcia, Vance Worley, Ian Kennedy, Daniel Hudson
Also, a guy who had awesome numbers last year, but seems to be nothing more than a setup guy at this point, Greg Holland of the Royals. I thought I had heard he was going to be a starter, but it doesn't look like that's the case. So even though we do have "holds" as a category, it wouldn't be worth keeping a setup man, UNLESS he was in the plans to be a starter or a closer.
I'm thinking Ian Kennedy is a definite non franchise keeper and I think Axford would be a better choice than Heath Bell, solely based on the fact that he gets more strikeouts. Now, if I were to keep Hudson AND Kennedy that'd be banking a lot on the D-backs. Garcia had the worst numbers of the bunch last year. Worley had pretty solid numbers but in limited innings.
Latos and Hudson had similar numbers aside from "wins", but Latos should be on a better team this year. Latos also has better strikeout numbers. Worley also had similar nubers to Latos, including strikeouts, but again he's young. Can he keep that up? Is Latos the safest bet?
Latos, Kennedy, and Axford?
Oh, and Peavy is always an option too, but I have about given up on him.
Re: The MLB Thread
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/02/m … um=twitter
Marlins Make Offer To Yoenis Cespedes
By Zach Links [February 11, 2012 at 3:00pm CST]
3:00pm: Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald (via Twitter) hears that the Marlins offered Cespedes less than $40MM.
1:54pm: Yoenis Cespedes met with Marlins brass this week and returned to the Domincan Republic with an offer worth roughly $40MM over six years, a source close to the negotiations told Eric Reynoso of Cafe Fuerte. Cespedes, according to the source, still doesn't have any immediate plans to meet with other teams.
Prior to meeting with Cespedes, Marlins president David Samson hinted that the club would make an offer to the Cuban outfielder. The interest seems mutual as Cespedes told reporters that he would like to play in Miami.
Also within the piece, Reynoso writes that utility player and fellow Cuban Adonis Garcia became a free agent on Thursday. Agent Carlos Perez says that he has fielded interest from six teams, though the Marlins are not among them. The 26-year-old, who has shown the ability to hit for power, spent this winter with the Magellan Navigators of the Venezuelan League.
