MLB Offseason 2013-2014

[Use of Time]

Oh, I don't think there's any argument about that; the NCAA is so completely ass-backwards on certain matters that it's mind-boggling. Reporting the kids and salting the earth on their college eligibility, though ... that's even more mind-boggling, and just reprehensible.

Didn't this happen a few years ago with the player eventually suing because his agent happened to double as a lawyer. I believe the case was based on the players right to counsel or something to that effect. I don't remember the details but I think he won the case.

 

[Skywalker]

I don't understand how Amaro continues to have a job. Does the Phillies ownership just not pay any attention to the team?

 

[Yanks]

Yeah, read that this morning and at first couldn't believe it. However I guess after what MLB has done to ARod, everything is now plausible.

ARIOD did it to himself.

 

[Timby]

Yeah, read that this morning and at first couldn't believe it. However I guess after what MLB has done to ARod, everything is now plausible.

ARIOD did it to himself.

Stupid Rivals.com puns like "A-Roid" are, well, stupid.

It's even worse when you can't spell your stupid pun correctly.

I don't understand how Amaro continues to have a job. Does the Phillies ownership just not pay any attention to the team?

Amaro was Pat Gillick's hand-picked successor, and since Gillick was the GM who built the 2008 World Series team, Amaro gets some leeway.

Also, now that the team is raking in money from Citizens Bank Park, David Montgomery doesn't give a shit about how they perform as long as people show up for the games.

 

[Yanks]

Yeah, read that this morning and at first couldn't believe it. However I guess after what MLB has done to ARod, everything is now plausible.

ARIOD did it to himself.

Stupid Rivals.com puns like "A-Roid" are, well, stupid.

It's even worse when you can't spell your stupid pun correctly.

Spelling is irrelevant.

 

[Yanks]

The Yankees agree to Gardner for 4 years 52 million.

I believe this to be a good deal. Home grown guy, tough out, under-rated fielder.

Depending on how Jeter does, could be the number 2 hitter sometime this year, for sure the number 1 or 2 spot next year.

 

[Yanks]

Wow, no comments on the new home-plate/catcher/runner MLB rule?

Baseball is now heading in to the failed NFL realm.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

I actually think it's good. It's very simple, with a lot of latitude.

 

[Scout101]

THey'll have to refine it as they go, but a good start. Basically, just have to slide into home vice trying for the open field tackle. Since the rest of the sport is non-contact, intentionally trying to bowl over the catcher was always dumb. Try for the plate instead...

 

[Tom Hendricks]

As someone who was a catcher my entire baseball career, pee-wees all the way past High School I can tell you I never blocked the plate. I always stood at the front of the plate and would do the swipe tag, just my way. It kept me from getting hurt, I'm sure of it.

 

[Timby]

I actually think it's good. It's very simple, with a lot of latitude.

It really doesn't change anything, though. The rule explicitly states that once he has the ball, the catcher can still block the plate. It was already not allowed for the catcher to block the plate without the ball, so I don't see where this "rule" actually changes anything.

Basically, it's been against the rules but never gets called. Ergo, I expect it to continue to never get called.

 

[Yanks]

I actually think it's good. It's very simple, with a lot of latitude.

It really doesn't change anything, though. The rule explicitly states that once he has the ball, the catcher can still block the plate. It was already not allowed for the catcher to block the plate without the ball, so I don't see where this "rule" actually changes anything.

Basically, it's been against the rules but never gets called. Ergo, I expect it to continue to never get called.

Exactly.

I think this rule gives an unfair advantage to the catcher.

The same situation exists at 2nd and 3rd, but the fielders chose not to put their bodies in harms way (most of the time). The difference for the play at home is the catcher is all armored up and they CHOSE to block the plate and take on an "unarmoured" base runner. I'd say 99 percent of all collisions are caused by a catcher chosing to block home to stop the run, bot base-runner "leaving the baseline" to intientionally take out the catcher.

 

[Timby]

I actually think it's good. It's very simple, with a lot of latitude.

It really doesn't change anything, though. The rule explicitly states that once he has the ball, the catcher can still block the plate. It was already not allowed for the catcher to block the plate without the ball, so I don't see where this "rule" actually changes anything.

Basically, it's been against the rules but never gets called. Ergo, I expect it to continue to never get called.

Exactly.

I think this rule gives an unfair advantage to the catcher.

Not really, because it's already been against the rules for years. This is a rule change that doesn't actually change anything.

In other news, the Angels sign Mike Trout to a 1 / 1 deal. Nice bit of luxury tax evasion there; MLB really needs to fix those loopholes.

 

[Yanks]

It really doesn't change anything, though. The rule explicitly states that once he has the ball, the catcher can still block the plate. It was already not allowed for the catcher to block the plate without the ball, so I don't see where this "rule" actually changes anything.

Basically, it's been against the rules but never gets called. Ergo, I expect it to continue to never get called.

Exactly.

I think this rule gives an unfair advantage to the catcher.

Not really, because it's already been against the rules for years. This is a rule change that doesn't actually change anything.

In other news, the Angels sign Mike Trout to a 1 / 1 deal. Nice bit of luxury tax evasion there; MLB really needs to fix those loopholes.

The rules DOES change things. Whether that is needed is another story.

Not sure it was a LT thing with Trout, could be but if you were Trout wouldn't you suck that market up when you time came? I think he turned down a multi-year offer from the Angels.

 

[Timby]

Not sure it was a LT thing with Trout, could be but if you were Trout wouldn't you suck that market up when you time came? I think he turned down a multi-year offer from the Angels.

Trout is going to be entering arbitration soon, and the Angels are going to extend him -- everyone knows it. By renewing him for 2014 before the extension (if they don’t change the terms of the 2014 renewal), it doesn’t change the 2014 tax ... whereas if they signed the extension before renewing him, they’d get hit with a tax bill and lose the 2014 reset (the reset that had the Yankees gunning for Project 189 for so long). So now they're going to sign him to a massive 2015 contract. This was entirely a luxury tax scam.

 

[Yanks]

Not sure it was a LT thing with Trout, could be but if you were Trout wouldn't you suck that market up when you time came? I think he turned down a multi-year offer from the Angels.

Trout is going to be entering arbitration soon, and the Angels are going to extend him -- everyone knows it. By renewing him for 2014 before the extension (if they don’t change the terms of the 2014 renewal), it doesn’t change the 2014 tax ... whereas if they signed the extension before renewing him, they’d get hit with a tax bill and lose the 2014 reset (the reset that had the Yankees gunning for Project 189 for so long). So now they're going to sign him to a massive 2015 contract. This was entirely a luxury tax scam.

I don't know that I would call that a 'scam'... seems pretty smart to me.

The Angels will only extend him if he wants to stay.

Not sure why the #1 player in all of baseball wouldn't want to be a free agent.

 

[1001001]

Not sure it was a LT thing with Trout, could be but if you were Trout wouldn't you suck that market up when you time came? I think he turned down a multi-year offer from the Angels.

Trout is going to be entering arbitration soon, and the Angels are going to extend him -- everyone knows it. By renewing him for 2014 before the extension (if they don’t change the terms of the 2014 renewal), it doesn’t change the 2014 tax ... whereas if they signed the extension before renewing him, they’d get hit with a tax bill and lose the 2014 reset (the reset that had the Yankees gunning for Project 189 for so long). So now they're going to sign him to a massive 2015 contract. This was entirely a luxury tax scam.

"Scam" is such an ugly word...

 

[Tom Hendricks]

The O's gave Johan Santana a minor league contract. In his tryouts his top velocity was 81, with him averaging 77-78 on his fastball.

 

[Timby]

Which makes Johan "oh god my arm is falling off" Santana healthier than Grant Balfour in the eyes of the O's.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ Speaking of arms falling off, Dr. Frank Jobe has passed.

Story

If there's a place in the BB HOF for doctors, this guy should get a shot. How many careers in the last 40 years were saved because of Tommy John surgery?