MLB Offseason 2013-2014

Discussion in 'Sports and Fitness' started by Mr. Laser Beam, Oct 31, 2013.

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  1. Scout101

    Scout101 Admiral Admiral

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    Fun cherry-picking of a stat. He batted .272 his last year in MIN. Overall, even with the .234 the year before that, he was a .277 career hitter when DFAed by MIN. And Hrs went from 10 to 18 to 20 those last 3 years.

    Can't speak to whether he took anything or not in that timeframe, as there's nothing to say he did or didn't. Be shocked if he was completely clean, I guess, but who was? Never failed a drug test, but did show up on the Mitchell Report. (Tested for more than just steroids, by the way, and didn't say who was on there for which substances).

    But since you pointed out how crappy Ortiz was before Boston, it'll please you to know that after 2003 is really what they're calling the Testing Era. So pretty much all the stats you want to point to as why he'd be worthy are in an era where Ortiz was tested for roids. If his big numbers were before the failed test, you'd have something, but all the good stuff came later.

    Not to say people still aren't doing something, as some people always stay ahead of the system, cheat in the off-season, whatever, but Ortiz hasn't failed a test during his decade-long run of dominance...

    Always a few players that take longer to figure it all out and burst onto the scene a few years later on, after being tossed around a bit. Jose Bautista has played for 5 teams, and was middling and almost done when suddenly became a force in Toronto. Chris Davis was doing nothing and almost done when suddenly in 2012 got it going, and blew up big in 2013. Texas gave Adrian Gonzalez to the Padres in a trade because he looked like he wasn't going anywhere. Turned out ok.

    Just saying, it happens. Won't speculate whether all of that list (or any) was all-natural, but plenty of examples, and that was without even digging any, just first couple that popped up in my head.
     
  2. Mr. Laser Beam

    Mr. Laser Beam Fleet Admiral Admiral

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  3. Yanks

    Yanks Commodore Commodore

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    Interesting talking about Big Papi and Edgar.

    I'll stick with my prediction. Edgar gets in, Papi is a sure bet. He doesn't Papi doesn't.

    Do you think the NL would have to adopt the DH before either gets in?
     
  4. Scout101

    Scout101 Admiral Admiral

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    Dan Le Batard, the guy who sold his vote to Deadspin (which turned it over to the internet, and actually submitted a decent ballot) has lost his vote for life, and isn't allowed into a game as a media person for a year.

    About as expected, but still kinda dumb. And kinda made the point he was going for about BBWAA...
     
  5. Yanks

    Yanks Commodore Commodore

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    Wow, that didn't take long.

    I didn't know it was that taboo.

    What about the guy that only voted for one player? Don't we know who that is?
     
  6. Scout101

    Scout101 Admiral Admiral

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    I think they have to standardize things across the board eventually, the more they try to do the balanced schedules, 15 teams in each league, etc. Really gotta be playing by the same rules. And pretty unlikely they'll allow the DH position to go away (the union) as it extends the careers of star players, encourages longer contracts than would otherwise make sense, etc. In that respect, it comes down to a AAAA filler-type that's a utility infielder or a more 'big name' player that can still hit (or resting stars, I guess), so unlikely to favor the utility guy.

    Honestly, not interested in the automatic out that the Pitcher spot is, and the 'strategy' around it is highly overrated by the NL guys. And you end up killing interesting pitching performances (especially in the world series when you have AL teams with pitchers that NEVER hit) when you have to take someone out in the 6th because they're coming up, whereas in the AL, you might get another inning or two out of that pitcher otherwise.

    I'd rather watch David Ortiz hit than Adam Wainwright, I guess :shrug:
     
  7. Scout101

    Scout101 Admiral Admiral

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    There were ballots with 1 name only, ballots that were not turned in (which KILL your percentages as they count as a vote for no one), people voted for JT Snow, all kinds of nonsense. And other douchebags that refused to vote for Maddux because no one has ever gotten 100% vote, and they want to make sure they're the guy to continue it. Pretty much all those voters should have been removed along with LeBatard, his move was the least douchey of the bunch.

    Plus his ballot was better than most.
     
  8. Yanks

    Yanks Commodore Commodore

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    Me too for sure! :)

    I think the NL needs to get with it. Even the pitchers in the NL can't hit for crap.

    The one batting the pitcher doe do is cut down on beaning I think. Little different story if you have to go bat. :lol:
     
  9. Use of Time

    Use of Time Commodore Commodore

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    I'm willing to bet that most of the outrage over Le Batard has more to do with the mainstream media's general hatred of Deadspin. I think it chaps their ass when they have to credit them for breaking a story. Specifically, the Manti Te'o fake girlfriend story, their coverage of the Sandusky fiasco, Chris Kluwe's Vikings tenure and Favre's "penisgate." At the end of the day, what crime did Le Betard really commit? He turned in a ballot with a pretty reasonable checklist of legit HOF'ers. What a monster.
     
  10. Scout101

    Scout101 Admiral Admiral

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    Kinda like a regular election, I guess. You're free to ask the opinions of whoever you want when casting your vote. You get arrested for SELLING your vote.

    Had he done it differently, and worked with Deadspin to solicit INPUT towards his vote (same process, just semantics) maybe not a problem, or as big of one. By just selling it to a website, not much incentive for BBWAA to give him another one...
     
  11. Use of Time

    Use of Time Commodore Commodore

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    Dan Le Batard did not sell his vote to Deadspin. They go out of their way to make that perfectly clear. They wanted to give him at least a dollar but Le Batard refused to accept even that.

    From Deadspin.

    "To make this plain for anyone just catching up, Le Batard refused to accept anything at all in exchange for his vote. (Originally, we arranged to buy a vote in exchange for a contribution to charity, but that fell through; Le Batard was our backstop.) He didn't, so far as we can tell, violate any rule relating to how the Baseball Writers' Association of America elects ballplayers to the Hall of Fame. He also didn't, in giving his vote over to the public, do anything many other writers hadn't done before. All he did was crowdsource his vote and then write us an email about the problems he has with the Hall of Fame election process."
     
  12. Timby

    Timby o yea just like that Administrator

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    In the press release announcing the revocation of Le Batard's Hall of Fame vote, the Hall called it "the ultimate privilege."

    How about you revoke the votes of people who voted for Jacque Jones and Armando Benitez, you sanctimonious shitlords.

    I didn't think it was humanly possible for them to be up their own ass any further, but here we are. (This is as good of a time as ever to remind everyone that the BBWAA is the same group that defended Bill Conlin and didn't revoke his status.)
     
  13. Use of Time

    Use of Time Commodore Commodore

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    That and the VP of the BBWAA; Jose de Jesus Ortiz apparently chooses his candidates by having lunch with his cronies and letting them decide. How the hell is that ok but Le Batard is the worst person alive ever.

    http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/01/bbw...p-him-vote-on-the-hall-of-fame-dan-le-batard/

    It took the BBWAA about 24 hours after hearing about the Deadspin vote to prove Le Batard's fucking point for him. Hypocrisy and sanctimony reign supreme in Cooperstown.
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2014
  14. Scout101

    Scout101 Admiral Admiral

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    Good news, Yankees just got younger! Didn't pick anyone up, though. Vernon Wells DFAed. Couldn't even get the proverbial bag of balls for him.

    They had to clear room to get Brian Roberts and/or Matt Thornton on the roster (neither deal was finalized yet because the 40-man roster was clogged)...
     
  15. Yanks

    Yanks Commodore Commodore

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    That only saved the club $2.4 million toward the cap.

    He helped us early last year, but pretty much stunk up the joint after the all star break.

    Great guy though. I wish him the best.
     
  16. Timby

    Timby o yea just like that Administrator

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    The corpse of Vernon Wells DFA'd for the corpse of Brian Roberts.

    Man, the Yankees are just filled with young talent right now. :lol:
     
  17. Yanks

    Yanks Commodore Commodore

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    Careful, Robert could be lightning in a bottle.
     
  18. Scout101

    Scout101 Admiral Admiral

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    Yeah, that's not how baseball works. Contracts are guaranteed, so you get to pay him 2.4 Million regardless of whether he's on the team or not.

    And it counts towards the Luxury Tax anyway. Plus there's no cap.

    And Jeter could hit .650 all season, and his repaired ankle may suddenly give him competent range at SS, but those aren't likely either.

    RobertS MAY be serviceable, but he hasn't played a full season since 2009, and hasn't been very good in the partial seasons he HAS played. At 36, unlikely he's going to suddenly bounce back to being awesome, healthy, and young. He was worth it as a cheap flier, because there weren't any other 2B options after you let Cano go, but you didn't pick up a hidden all-star. Unless it's 2007 still, which is the last time he was that. And even then, not special, just the best on a shit O's team.

    But spin the narrative however you like. It's ok to admit the Yankees aren't the AL powerhouse at the moment, though. Bluster and rings from the 1920s don't translate to wins in 2014...
     
  19. Yanks

    Yanks Commodore Commodore

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    I'm not sure it counts toward the LT limit of 189M...

    ...and don't be a hater. Robertson is more than capable of making a huge contribution this year, providing he stays healthy - which is pretty much the story for the Yankees this year.
     
  20. SmoothieX

    SmoothieX Vice Admiral Admiral

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    I went to college in the Bronx, been to a shit ton of Yankee games, a Mets fan, lefty, and will be 34 next week. Where do I sign up? I'm a good fit.
     
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