MLB chatter 2009-10: The Offseason

[Tom Servo]

At first I was a little worried when I heard that the Sox signed Beltre, but once I saw that it was for one year (with an option for a second), I relaxed a little bit. If he intends to use this season to crank up his numbers so some other foolish team can sign him to a big deal next offseason, that's fine by me.

I'm liking the Sox' infield defense, though.

Its gonna be interesting to watch the Sox this year, it's almost the great experiment, the USS Excelsior of baseball, if you will. A big budget team, relying on run prevention, and exceptional defense, instead of out slugging the opposing team.

Still I think the lineup will be better then people think. I mean really,

Ellsbury
Pedroia
Martinez
Youkilis
Ortiz
Cameron
Drew
Beltre
Scutaro

No, they aren't the Yankees, but that is a lineup of professional, well rounded hitters.

 

[SmoothieX]

Adrian Beltre to the Red Sox (reported 1 year, 9 mil, with player option for 5 mil next year).

I don't see the AL West much, but wasn't he kind of a bust there? Big contract, OK numbers, but the performance never really backed it up.

A 1 year deal is a good call, keeps him playing for his next contract.

 

[Aragorn]

Beltre had that monster year with the Dodgers that allowed him to get a monster contract that he could never live up to. Defensively he's a stud, but offensively he's more of a 20-80 guy.

On a side note, Angels broadcaster Rory Markas died at the age of 54 on Monday.

 

[Scout101]

Right. He came off of a likely steroid year (suddenly more than twice his regular HR numbers) during a contract year, and then settled back down to normal numbers, .275-25HR-80RBI sorts of numbers. Good, not outstanding. His defense, however, has never been questioned, and is outstanding.

Since Boston got him to basically sign a 1-year contract, and he's hoping to use Fenway to play himself into a better one, it should be a good year for the Sox. And if they want to try and get Adrian Gonzalez/Prince Fielder/Whoever at the deadline, or next offseason, this doesn't limit them at all.

With his offense and defense numbers, it should basically replicate Mike Lowell's numbers from back before he was hurt and started to decline, but with a little less discipline traded for a little more power. Really nothing to hate about this deal, with these terms. If it was the 10-15 mil a year, for 3-4 years he was asking for originally, I'd hate it, but as a 1-year make-good deal, it's outstanding, and like I said, he can be dumped mid-season without much pain if it doesn't work out.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Randy Johnson retires... Linky

Farewell to the Unit.

 

[bbailey861]

^Bye, bye Big Unit. It was fun watching you.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

That dude's 4 inches taller than me! I had no idea he was 6' 10".

 

[tomalak301]

Hall of Fame News via Yahoo Sports

Andre Dawson has been elected to the Hall of Fame, while Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar fell just short of earning baseball’s highest honor.

Dawson received 420 of 539 votes in voting announced Wednesday by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, 15 more than the 75 percent necessary to gain election. The eight-time All-Star, appearing on the ballot for the ninth time, had fallen 44 votes short last year.





Blyleven had 400 votes, up from 338 last year, and will likely get in because he has two more tries on the BBWAA ballot.
Alomar received 397 votes in his first appearance and was followed by Jack Morris with 282.

 

[Pegaritaville]

I was hoping Bert Blyleven would get in the Hall of Fame this year, but he fell just short (needed 405 votes; received 400 votes). His vote total increased quite a bit this year, so he should get in next year.

 

[SmoothieX]

That dude's 4 inches taller than me! I had no idea he was 6' 10".

That's 13" taller than me!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Scott Eyre retires as well. Must not have wanted that minor league contract. Link

 

[Tim]

At first I was a little worried when I heard that the Sox signed Beltre, but once I saw that it was for one year (with an option for a second), I relaxed a little bit. If he intends to use this season to crank up his numbers so some other foolish team can sign him to a big deal next offseason, that's fine by me.

I'm liking the Sox' infield defense, though.

Its gonna be interesting to watch the Sox this year, it's almost the great experiment, the USS Excelsior of baseball, if you will. A big budget team, relying on run prevention, and exceptional defense, instead of out slugging the opposing team.

Still I think the lineup will be better then people think. I mean really,

Ellsbury
Pedroia
Martinez
Youkilis
Ortiz
Cameron
Drew
Beltre
Scutaro

No, they aren't the Yankees, but that is a lineup of professional, well rounded hitters.

I could get used to Ellsbury in left, Cameron in center, and Drew in his customary right-field spot; that has the potential to be a pretty solid outfield. Combined with a fearsome pitching rotation, I'm starting to feel good about the Sox this year. I just wish they could get another big-time slugger in the lineup instead of signing .201 hitters like Bill Hall. That said, Youk and V-Mart aren't anything to sniff at.

I'd like to see them keep Lowell, perhaps using him to split the DH role with Big Papi.

 

[RAMA]

Just want to report I'm going on a Yankee stadium tour this month, AND already have tickets to a game in June around my birthday!

RAMA

 

[SmoothieX]

If the playoffs keep running later and later, I'll be able to score tickets on my birthday in January!

 

[Chaos Descending]

I head Bud Selig is talking about having the World Series Champions face Japan's champions on a yearly basis, and he'd like to see this happen before he steps down as baseball commissioner in the next couple years. Anyone else heard this?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Yeah, I heard it too. I'm not sure what to make of it, though. It just doesn't seem like a big deal. I'd settle for the World Baseball Classic.

Edit: Looks like Aroldis Chapman may be a Red.

 

[Skywalker]

I think a Champions' League-style series between the MLB champs and the NPB champs could be a lot of fun. Have them play it out in Hawaii, where it wouldn't be as cold as the rest of the US even in November (and so it's not too far out for either side), and the MLB could treat it as a Pro Bowl-style vacation awarded to the World Series Champions.

 

[SmoothieX]

^I like this idea. It would make for a nice exhibition.

 

[Scout101]

Shocked that no one mentioned it, but McGuire admitted to taking steroids today. Not NEWS (as everyone knew it), but news-worthy that he finally came clean. Wanted to get it out of the way so it wouldn't be as much of a distraction when he showed up for work as the Cardinals' hitting coach...

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2010/01/mcgwire_admits.html

 

[tomalak301]

Shocked that no one mentioned it, but McGuire admitted to taking steroids today. Not NEWS (as everyone knew it), but news-worthy that he finally came clean. Wanted to get it out of the way so it wouldn't be as much of a distraction when he showed up for work as the Cardinals' hitting coach...

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2010/01/mcgwire_admits.html

And in other news, the sky is blue and water is wet.