MLB Offseason 2013-2014

[Yanks]

What possible evidence supports this? At all? Or are you typing this while wearing your pinstriped pajamas?

The Yankee self denial that their team is no longer the elite in the AL, and may even be on the decline is hilarious. Why would the Red Sox be scared? They have 3 homegrown talented starters in their rotation, and a whole other crop of them on the way. They aren't basing their off season moves on what the 3rd place team in their division in doing.

You also don't seem to get that there is no guarantee that the Yankees are going to get Tanaka. It's just as likely he ends up on the Dodgers or any other of the big market teams with money to spend. Hell, I expect the Red Sox to even make a push for him.

Granted if the Red Sox did go and sign him I'm sure we'd hear from you how he will be a bust and is overrated.

The Red Sox are always scared of the Yankees. If you are a true RS fan, you know and understand and have lived this.

Your pitching rotation and depth is outstanding. I've never said any different. It will be interesting to see if your closer is the real deal or just a flash in the pan.

I never said the Yankees were a lock to get Tanaka. I hope they out spend EVERYONE on him, because I think he is the real deal, we need a young 1/2 pitcher in the rotation and whomever gets him won't lose a dime in doing so. Free agent starting pitching available is a gamble at best.

Not elite in the AL anymore? That's just laughable.

For gods sake we had a shot at making the play-offs with a AAA team last year. How quickly you forget that.

The Yankees are always elite, you should bow in the presence of 29 world series championships. And say thank you for allowing you to get your first in a million years.

...and, you one way homer, I rooted for the Red Sox in the World Series and picked them to win it... would you have done the same for the Yankees?

I think not.

Granted the Red Sox won the World Series last year on the backs of older guys who outperformed expectations, but the difference is there is an infusion of young talent that was on the ML roster, and is now building up in the minors. The Yankees have NONE of that. There isn't one player in their system that you look at and think: there is a major league star, or even a good major league player.

Edit: And to illustrate my point even better then I ever could, here is a great article from Grantland:

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/10150907/the-new-normal-new-york-yankees

The Red Sox won because they were the better team. I emphasize "team". They had no head-cases (manager included) and their pitching staff got it done. I enjoyed watching them in the post season.

That's a great article. Thank you, I hadn't seen it.

I knew we won allot of 1-run games, but didn't know it was 30!

He misjudges Jeter's worth. It's never been because he's a great defensive short-stop. It's been because he a fierce competitor, like a Michael Jordon.

Just Yankin chains about the Red Sox fear and everything BTW.

What I will disagree with is what he proclaims Cano is(was) worth. (and yes I know what his #'s are and what they are supposed to mean) I watched him play for 9 years. Yeah, lots of doubles and numbers but he DID NOT play up to potential. I don't like his laxidasical attitude and lack of discipline at the plate. He unquestionably has the talent to bust 400, he just doesn't have the brains. I would sooner take Pedroia over Cano. I can't believe you guys got him that cheap. I think he's worth more.

Great points about free agents and our farm system. They have always spent to keep a championship team on the field (all not wisely for sure). This new lux tax etc is going to make it tougher for them. They are going to have to figure out how to get talent in their farm system... no doubt.

A-Rod is a WTF... I personally never liked him, even when he lived up to his billing in 2009. That's just me. As far as I'm concerned, he could never play another inning of baseball and the game would be better for it. There was a time when I was rooting for him to break Bonds record, because I hate him worse. If only Junior could have stayed healthy.

Here's the way I see this upcoming season.

New blood (and class guys) in the club-house, new roles for some. Giardi has proven he can manage a pitching staff. If we land Tanaka, I think we are in it to win it. If we are in it at the end, it's because our pitching staff was strong enought to get us there and if it's strong enough to get us there, it's strong enough to win it coming out of the AL East.

Further than that? Don't know and the article paints what could be pretty grim lean years ahead.

It will most certainly interesting.

 

[Timby]

And folks wonder why the Yankees purchase star-power.

For the most part, all the big names (draw) were on the DL last year.

It will pick up again next year.

Fun fact: The attendance decline began in 2011 and really started tanking in 2012. Try again.

What difference does that make?

Doesn't change the fact that the Yankees need to purchase star power.

My point is that you suggested that the reason for the Yankees' attendance drop, television viewing drop and season ticket plunge was due to a lack of star power. However, all of those trends started in 2012, when Jeter, Cano, Rodriguez, Teixeira, Granderson and Swisher were all in the starting lineup, and Kuroda, Sabathia, Pettite and Rivera were all clowning fools. That's a lineup with a lot of "star power," but fewer people were paying attention already.

As it so happens, 2012 is when they started dumpster diving on the Project 189 bullshit.

I knew we won allot of 1-run games, but didn't know it was 30!

One-run games is a meaningless at worst and misleading at best statistic, because it doesn't provide any context for how the game came to be within one run.

What I will disagree with is what he proclaims Cano is(was) worth. (and yes I know what his #'s are and what they are supposed to mean) I watched him play for 9 years. Yeah, lots of doubles and numbers but he DID NOT play up to potential. I don't like his laxidasical attitude and lack of discipline at the plate. He unquestionably has the talent to bust 400, he just doesn't have the brains. I would sooner take Pedroia over Cano. I can't believe you guys got him that cheap. I think he's worth more.

When no one has ever hit .400 since 1941, Cano was supposed to do it? What on Earth? I'm not even sure what to make of the "brains" comment, outside of it reading as a borderline dog whistle.

This new lux tax etc is going to make it tougher for them. They are going to have to figure out how to get talent in their farm system... no doubt.

The luxury tax isn't new (it dates back to 2003). What is new is that Hal Steinbrenner doesn't want to pay it anymore.

And I don't get how anyone can hate Barry Bonds. He's only the greatest hitter in human history.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I'm not ready to give up. The Yankees survived the 80's, and they can survive this (despite the gloating of the Yankee-haters). Sure, the Yankees might not be "dominant" anymore, in that sense, but what the hell do I care? Real fans - of any team - will like them even if they're at the bottom of their division. I'm trying not to let the gloating get to me.

Signing Tanaka would definitely help, I'll grant that much.

 

[Timby]

With 101 full ballots in (roughly 18 percent of the vote), the current Hall of Fame numbers by percentage are:

100 - Maddux
97.0 - Glavine
90.0 - F. Thomas
80.2 - Biggio
———————————
72.3 - Piazza
65.3 - Bagwell
62.4 - Jack Morris
56.4 - Raines
44.6 - Bonds
43.6 - Clemens
38.6 - Schilling
34.7 - Mussina
23.8 - Trammell
19.8 - L. Smith
19.8 - E. Martinez
15.8 - McGriff
12.9 - Kent
11.9 - L. Walker
10.9 - McGwire
8.9 - S. Sosa
7.9 - R. Palmeiro
5.0 - Mattingly
———————————
1.0 - P. Rose (Write-In)

... man, fuck everyone who does a Pete Rose write-in.

 

[Yanks]

When no one has ever hit .400 since 1941, Cano was supposed to do it? What on Earth? I'm not even sure what to make of the "brains" comment, outside of it reading as a borderline dog whistle.

The point is he has the talent, but does not have the brains necessary to accomplish it. Not much displine at the plate at all.

The luxury tax isn't new (it dates back to 2003). What is new is that Hal Steinbrenner doesn't want to pay it anymore.

Hal doesn't want the percentage to go up to 50%. He wants the reset. 50% is just stupid, especially when you see where that "Yankee tax" goes.

Explaining the luxary tax. http://www.sportingcharts.com/articles/mlb/explaining-the-luxury-tax-in-major-league-baseball.aspx

And I don't get how anyone can hate Barry Bonds. He's only the greatest hitter in human history.

He's a prick that left my Pirates.

 

[Yanks]

With 101 full ballots in (roughly 18 percent of the vote), the current Hall of Fame numbers by percentage are:

100 - Maddux
97.0 - Glavine
90.0 - F. Thomas
80.2 - Biggio
———————————
72.3 - Piazza
65.3 - Bagwell
62.4 - Jack Morris
56.4 - Raines
44.6 - Bonds
43.6 - Clemens
38.6 - Schilling
34.7 - Mussina
23.8 - Trammell
19.8 - L. Smith
19.8 - E. Martinez
15.8 - McGriff
12.9 - Kent
11.9 - L. Walker
10.9 - McGwire
8.9 - S. Sosa
7.9 - R. Palmeiro
5.0 - Mattingly
———————————
1.0 - P. Rose (Write-In)

... man, fuck everyone who does a Pete Rose write-in.

I have no problem with the top 4.

I think Pete Rose will get in after he dies.

And I can't fathom a reason why Mike Piazza isn't already in.

http://waiverwireblog.com/2013/12/23/the-case-for-cooperstown-14-mike-piazza/

 

[Timby]

With 101 full ballots in (roughly 18 percent of the vote), the current Hall of Fame numbers by percentage are:

100 - Maddux
97.0 - Glavine
90.0 - F. Thomas
80.2 - Biggio
———————————
72.3 - Piazza
65.3 - Bagwell
62.4 - Jack Morris
56.4 - Raines
44.6 - Bonds
43.6 - Clemens
38.6 - Schilling
34.7 - Mussina
23.8 - Trammell
19.8 - L. Smith
19.8 - E. Martinez
15.8 - McGriff
12.9 - Kent
11.9 - L. Walker
10.9 - McGwire
8.9 - S. Sosa
7.9 - R. Palmeiro
5.0 - Mattingly
———————————
1.0 - P. Rose (Write-In)

... man, fuck everyone who does a Pete Rose write-in.

I have no problem with the top 4.

I think Pete Rose will get in after he dies.

And I can't fathom a reason why Mike Piazza isn't already in.

http://waiverwireblog.com/2013/12/23/the-case-for-cooperstown-14-mike-piazza/

Rose will never get in -- he is on the Hall of Fame's permanently ineligible list, and people on that list cannot be elected to the Hall, either by the BBWAA or the Veterans' Committee. In any event, fuck Pete Rose.

As for Piazza, he's only the greatest offensive catcher in history, but because he had acne on his back, self-righteous gasbags have declared him a steroid user. Ridiculous.

As for the top 4, I have no problem with any of them, although Jack Morris is still too close to 75% for my comfort and it's patently absurd that Mussina and Schilling are still south of 40% -- Mussina was one of the most consistent pitchers ever, and Schilling is indisputably the best postseason pitcher in history. Bonds' continued blacklisting is by far the biggest abomination, of course.

 

[Yanks]

Hey, great article about my old Yankees.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...dium=newsletter&utm_campaign=new-york-yankees

 

[Timby]

Hey, great article about my old Yankees.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...dium=newsletter&utm_campaign=new-york-yankees

Eh. It's an article that uses a ton of words to say a whole lot of nothing (which is par for the course for Bleacher Report, given that it's a clickbait and SEO farm). The article essentially says, "Well, the Yankees might be decent ... but they might not ... old teams sometimes are decent ... but sometimes they're not ... so who knows?"

 

[Pondwater]

I'm happy about the top two.

 

[Timby]

I'm happy about the top two.

All four of them are no-brainers, really.

It's distressing to see Mussina so low, though, as I said. He walked fewer batters, struck out more, and gave up fewer hits over his career than Glavine, and his ERA+ is better. As I've said in the past, though, this and the next few ballots are going to be stacked -- in addition to guys like Bonds and Clemens and Piazza who should already be in, this year added Mussina, Glavine, Maddux, Kent and Thomas, while next year's ballot adds Big Unit, Pedro Martinez, Smoltz and Sheffield, and even 2016 adds Junior Griffey, Edmonds and a borderline case in Trevor Hoffman.

All that being said, though, the BBWAA really needs to revamp who can and cannot vote. There's a small golf news site called golferswest.com that has three staff members who covered baseball about a million years ago and still use their Hall of Fame votes. It's a fucking golf site, but they get to vote and Vin Scully doesn't. Tell me where the justice is in that.

 

[Yanks]

Oh, what the hell.

Should be in, or should not be in?

Maddux - Could be the 1st player to get in 1st ballet with 100 percent of the vote. Slam dunk. I hated the Braves and used to watch games just to see him pitch. Wow.

Glavine - Hell year, nd should be a 1st ballet guy.

F. Thomas - The Big Hurt should be in.

Biggio - Catcher, 2nd baseman, OF, 3000+ hits, he should be in.

Piazza - Was his liability behind the plate the reason he is not already in? I think he makes it.

Bagwell - Arguably the 6th best 1st baseman to ever play and he's not already in? WTF??

Jack Morris - I remember him as one of the best of his era. He won 36 more games and threw 291 more innings than any other pitcher in baseball from 1977-94. Is he a Mattox? ... Clemons? no - but I think he should be in.

Raines - 5th all tie in steals, one of the best player of his day. He should be in.

Bonds - Arguably the best player ever? I don't know. Like I said earlier, I don't know how to decipher the PED thing.

Clemens - Same category as Bonds here.

Schilling - Nope, 216 wins isn't enough.

Mussina - Yup, I think so.

Trammell - Great defender, but not a bat to go with it. Nope, he's not in.

L. Smith - Nope.

E. Martinez - Nope. Big Papi should get in either. (DH)

McGriff - Nope, sorry crime dog

Kent - hell no.

L. Walker - In. I didn't remember him stealing so many bases. I don't care that he played in Coors Field.

McGwire - Same category as Bonds here.

S. Sosa - Same category as Bonds here.

R. Palmeiro - Same category as Bonds here.

Mattingly - So sad he had the bad back. Not in.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

For what it's worth on deciphering the PED thing, my view is that you try and discount that part of their career (to the best of your ability). If there's strong evidence of steroids, you exclude cases on the bubble. You never exclude on the basis of strong slugger with a big head and you have to keep in mind that pitchers are probably just as likely if not more likely to have benefited. However, marginal players who got better late in their career with ties to steroids around the same time period should be treated as marginal players and not Hall of Famers.

Given these statistics, there's not a doubt in my mind Barry Bonds should be in since he would be deserving even if he had a career ending injury the day before he used steroids. However, someone like Mark McGwire doesn't have much going for him besides homeruns so he's always more marginal and his most noteworthy time period was one he clearly was using steroids. So he probably shouldn't make it.

 

[Timby]

Oh, what the hell.
Jack Morris - I remember him as one of the best of his era. He won 36 more games and threw 291 more innings than any other pitcher in baseball from 1977-94. Is he a Mattox? ... Clemons? no - but I think he should be in.

...

Schilling - Nope, 216 wins isn't enough.

Wins are an artificial statistic that has no bearing upon a pitcher's performance, and Morris was never even the best pitcher on his own team. Being an innings eater doesn't make you a great pitcher -- ask Aaron Sele.

Edit: And Maddux is not getting 100%. If Seaver didn't, no one is.

 

[Yanks]

Yeah Ruth only got 95%

Not sure how you can not consider wins as a factor.

 

[Timby]

Not sure how you can not consider wins as a factor.

Because a pitcher's wins, again, are an artificial statistic -- it only means that his offense happened to score more runs than he gave up during a particular game (to say nothing of any defense-independent pitching statistics). It says absolutely nothing about his actual performance. For example: Ryan Dempster was a balls-out awesome starter for the Cubs in 2012, but he didn't get his first win until June 5 because the offense was complete dogshit.

Let's take it a step farther and look at Maddux. In 1994, when he had a fucking ridiculous 1.56 ERA and a 271 ERA+, he "only" had 16 wins. In both his 20-win seasons, his ERA+ averaged 168 (still excellent) and his WHIP was north of 1. Again, still excellent stats, but not as lights-out as 1994 -- but if you were to look at his wins, you'd think that '92 and '93 were better, which is wrong on its face. Even if you disregard 1994 due to it being strike-shortened, every single season in which Maddux had more than those 16 wins had him boasting a worse ERA+ and WHIP.

This is why Morris' entire case for the Hall of Fame falls apart as soon as you look at any meaningful number: He was a good, occasionally very good pitcher who ate a ton of innings and did nothing else of note. As soon as you remove Game 7 from the equation (which was really due to Lonnie Smith being a knucklehead and Kent Hrbek having a cannon of an arm), you cannot make an intellectually honest argument for Morris in the Hall.

 

[Pegaritaville]

Oh, what the hell.
Jack Morris - I remember him as one of the best of his era. He won 36 more games and threw 291 more innings than any other pitcher in baseball from 1977-94. Is he a Mattox? ... Clemons? no - but I think he should be in.

...

Schilling - Nope, 216 wins isn't enough.

Wins are an artificial statistic that has no bearing upon a pitcher's performance, and Morris was never even the best pitcher on his own team. Being an innings eater doesn't make you a great pitcher -- ask Aaron Sele.

Edit: And Maddux is not getting 100%. If Seaver didn't, no one is.

I think Morris should get in, but I also realize that as a Twins fan, I'm biased. Still, he was more than just an inning eater- he pitched a lot of great games (including a doozy in the World Series). This will be his last shot and I hope he gets in, but if he falls short, I can understand that as well.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Jerry Coleman has died. Link

 

[Timby]

Oh, what the hell.
Jack Morris - I remember him as one of the best of his era. He won 36 more games and threw 291 more innings than any other pitcher in baseball from 1977-94. Is he a Mattox? ... Clemons? no - but I think he should be in.

...

Schilling - Nope, 216 wins isn't enough.

Wins are an artificial statistic that has no bearing upon a pitcher's performance, and Morris was never even the best pitcher on his own team. Being an innings eater doesn't make you a great pitcher -- ask Aaron Sele.

Edit: And Maddux is not getting 100%. If Seaver didn't, no one is.

I think Morris should get in, but I also realize that as a Twins fan, I'm biased. Still, he was more than just an inning eater- he pitched a lot of great games (including a doozy in the World Series).

Assuming you're referring to Game 7, it was indeed a doozy of a game ... but, again, not because of Morris, but because Lonnie Smith was an idiot.

Again, what did Morris do in his career that was of particular note, performance-wise, besides eating a fuckton of innings? He gave up a lot of dingers, he had a few seasons of being strikeout king, never finished higher than third in Cy Young voting. He never had a run of being the best pitcher in the AL, to say nothing of the major leagues, and you can make arguments that he was only the second-best starter on both the Detroit and Minnesota staffs.

Going back to what I wrote on this topic a year ago:

Morris is an absolutely terrible Hall of Fame candidate. JAWS has him as the 167th best starting pitching candidate for the Hall. Let's say that method is massively unkind to Morris and he's actually in the 60s; only one person from 60-69 is in, and all but Eddie Cicotte are eligible. He'd instantly become one of the worst pitchers in the Hall. I'd be hard-pressed to even call him a borderline candidate; he belongs in the Hall of Good.

The following pitchers were better than Jack Morris, statistically speaking, in roughly the same era and didn't have a prayer at getting into the Hall: Dave Stieb, David Cone, Kevin Brown, Orel Hershiser, Brett Saberhagen, David Wells, Kevin Appier.

I don't see anyone saying that Wells or Hershiser are Hall of Famers, but because of Game 7, there's a ridiculous narrative around Morris. I don't get it. Again: Take Game 7 out of it, and what case do you have?

This will be his last shot and I hope he gets in, but if he falls short, I can understand that as well.

The Veterans Committee will elect him in '15 or '16 ('16 being more likely in my mind, because then they could put him in alongside Trammell, who will never get elected, despite him being one of the best shortstops of all time).

Jerry Coleman has died. Link

This is a huge bummer; Coleman was one of the all-time greats. We're going to be losing more of them, soon: Vin Scully doesn't have much time left, nor do Ralph Kiner or Milo Hamilton.

 

[Yanks]

Not sure how you can not consider wins as a factor.

Because a pitcher's wins, again, are an artificial statistic -- it only means that his offense happened to score more runs than he gave up during a particular game (to say nothing of any defense-independent pitching statistics). It says absolutely nothing about his actual performance. For example: Ryan Dempster was a balls-out awesome starter for the Cubs in 2012, but he didn't get his first win until June 5 because the offense was complete dogshit.

Let's take it a step farther and look at Maddux. In 1994, when he had a fucking ridiculous 1.56 ERA and a 271 ERA+, he "only" had 16 wins. In both his 20-win seasons, his ERA+ averaged 168 (still excellent) and his WHIP was north of 1. Again, still excellent stats, but not as lights-out as 1994 -- but if you were to look at his wins, you'd think that '92 and '93 were better, which is wrong on its face. Even if you disregard 1994 due to it being strike-shortened, every single season in which Maddux had more than those 16 wins had him boasting a worse ERA+ and WHIP.

This is why Morris' entire case for the Hall of Fame falls apart as soon as you look at any meaningful number: He was a good, occasionally very good pitcher who ate a ton of innings and did nothing else of note. As soon as you remove Game 7 from the equation (which was really due to Lonnie Smith being a knucklehead and Kent Hrbek having a cannon of an arm), you cannot make an intellectually honest argument for Morris in the Hall.

I'll agree with the ERA point. I ended up supporting King Felix getting the CY Young over CC. But it's really hard to discount wins as a factor. Felix was SO good that year I made the exception.

But I will take issue with "it only means that his offense happened to score more runs than he gave up during a particular game"

Take someone like Andy Petitte. He was his best in important games and that's what he thrived in

"it only means that the pitcher held the opposing offense to less runs than his team scored during a particular game"

If Mattox is left off someones ballet, I'm going to go shoot him. There is no reason on the planet or in the universe to leave him off a ballot.