MLB Offseason 2014-15: Wait, pitchers and catchers report WHEN?

[Timby]

Starlin Castro being questioned about another nightclub shooting.

Involved or not, he's asking to be cut even being near this many incidents.

That's his second in three weeks, but let's be honest: If you're rich and famous, you get treated differently in the criminal justice system than everyone else -- and that's in America. You can imagine what kind of criminal justice system exists for the rich and famous in impoverished, publicly and famously corrupt countries like the Dominican Republic.

Put another way, Alfredo Simon killed a dude a couple of years ago and was allowed to leave the DR for spring training while under indictment.

It's a real, real bad look for Castro, and you aren’t on the potential shooting side of two reported shootings in a few weeks time if you aren’t into some seriously bad shit, but the likelihood of this having any consequences for him are minimal.

 

[Timby]

I look forward to Juan Vene's Hall of Fame ballot every year for its sheer insanity, and this year does not disappoint:

Leaving Bagwell, Biggio, Bonds, Clemens, Mussina, Piazza, Raines and Schilling off, while voting for Fred fuckin' McGriff, is patently absurd. (Last year, Vene's ballot had Glavine, Maddux, Morris and Lee Smith; in 2012, his only vote on his ballot was for Morris.)

 

[Pegaritaville]

^ Is that real? I don't even know who Fred McGriff is.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Isn't he the crime dog?

 

[Timby]

I don't even know who Fred McGriff is.

Your belief that Jack Morris is a Hall of Famer suddenly makes so much more sense.

 

[Kronos]

^ Is that real? I don't even know who Fred McGriff is.

Turn in your baseball fan card.

 

[Yanks]

Well Cashman... still happy you let Greene, Robertson, Phelps and McCarthy go?

http://bleacherreport.com/tb/dfFTk?...dium=newsletter&utm_campaign=new-york-yankees

Yankees starting rotation as of right now:

CC "my knee hurts and my arm has 4 billion innings on it" Sabathia
Masahira "my arm might break" Tanaka
Michael "pine tar/my back hurts" Pineda
Nathan "I throw hard" Eovaldi
Chris "I'm back" Capuano
Ivan "I just had Tommy John" Nova

In the wings: Bryan Mitchell, Chase Whitley, Jose De Paula and Esmil Rogers.

The current rotation has the potential to be dominant (really dominant), but way too much potential to break. Kuroda wasn't the best record guy (much if it was just bad luck), but he sure ate innings... sorry to see him go.

I'm not certain we are even in the mix for Scherzer...

Not a lot of confidence from this gusher Yankees fan...

 

[Yanks]

I look forward to Juan Vene's Hall of Fame ballot every year for its sheer insanity, and this year does not disappoint:

Leaving Bagwell, Biggio, Bonds, Clemens, Mussina, Piazza, Raines and Schilling off, while voting for Fred fuckin' McGriff, is patently absurd. (Last year, Vene's ballot had Glavine, Maddux, Morris and Lee Smith; in 2012, his only vote on his ballot was for Morris.)

edited because "reading is fundamental"

Agree on Crime Dog BTW.... very good, but HOF great? I think not.

This ballot is grounds for losing the privilege.

Aaron bleeping Boone doesnt' get a vote?

So, what would my ballot look like?

Not sure. I would probably vote for Edgar, Bagwell and Biggio... probably not for Bonds and Clemons... sorry Timby

Larry Walker? ... probably not.

Pedro for sure.

Randy Johnson for sure.

Moose? .... probably

Piazza? ... yup (back acne or not)

 

[cardinal biggles]

^ Is that real? I don't even know who Fred McGriff is.

Turn in your baseball fan card.

I haven't followed the game seriously in years... longer than that... and even I know who Fred McGriff is.

 

[Scout101]

Which kinda makes sense, seeing as how he hasn't played in a decade, and his big years were in the late 90s. Following the game in 2008, for example, wouldn't help

 

[Timby]

Not sure. I would probably vote for Edgar, Bagwell and Biggio... probably not for Bonds and Clemons... sorry Timby

Larry Walker? ... probably not.

Edgar over Walker and Bonds is the most absurd thing I've seen in a long time.

 

[Tom Hendricks]

50 days until Pitchers & Catchers report

 

[Jedi_Master]

A writer who won't vote for Barry Bonds is a self righteous idiot, who should have his or her voting privileges revoked. Good grief.

 

[Yanks]

Not sure. I would probably vote for Edgar, Bagwell and Biggio... probably not for Bonds and Clemons... sorry Timby

Larry Walker? ... probably not.

Edgar over Walker and Bonds is the most absurd thing I've seen in a long time.

Bonds has the ROIDS issue. That's why he's not going to make it.

I forgot Walker

But in any case, not "over" Timby...but Edgar IMO is the best DH ever... I loved Walker as a player but outside Coors Field he was pretty average.

Great summary of Walkers career here.
http://www.johnny-web.com/walker.htm

 

[Yanks]

A writer who won't vote for Barry Bonds is a self righteous idiot, who should have his or her voting privileges revoked. Good grief.

Bonds, Clemons, McGuire, Sosa, Pettite (the list goes on) ....

All these players, rightly or wrongly are being affected by the HGH/ROID "issue".

I honestly don't know where I stand. I'm uncomfortable that the "issue" is only affecting players. Tony Larussa harbored probably more players with the "issue" than any other manager and he's in the HOF. No one can convince me that he didn't know. (not just him BTW) The owners knew too... ROIDS was a baseball/sports issue, not just a player one. It wasn't banned until what? .... 2004?

But the writers don't see it that way...

 

[Timby]

Not sure. I would probably vote for Edgar, Bagwell and Biggio... probably not for Bonds and Clemons... sorry Timby

Larry Walker? ... probably not.

Edgar over Walker and Bonds is the most absurd thing I've seen in a long time.

Bonds has the ROIDS issue. That's why he's not going to make it.

I forgot Walker

But in any case, not "over" Timby...but Edgar IMO is the best DH ever... I loved Walker as a player but outside Coors Field he was pretty average.

If you're going to use steroids against Bonds (while keeping in mind that he never failed a test) then, if you're being intellectually honest, you must also argue for the recall of Maris and Mays from the Hall.

As for Edgar Martinez, his numbers wouldn't even merit a lick of consideration if he actually played a position. Being the best DH ever (of the seven career DHs in history) isn't exactly a sign of greatness, and he won't even have that title much longer, as Ortiz is closing in on or has already passed Edgar in most of the important stats outside of a handful of rates. Walker was a far better hitter than Edgar, and he had the added benefit, you know, of being able to actually play defense and run the bases.

This is a fucking stacked ballot, and especially given the rule changes that are going to bone no-brainers like Mussina and Schilling, wasting a vote on Edgar fucking Martinez is sheer madness.

 

[Yanks]

OK Timby give us your picks.

 

[Timby]

Bagwell, Biggio, Bonds, Clemens, Johnson, Pedro, Mussina, Piazza, Raines, Schilling, Smoltz, and I could probably be persuaded to put Sheffield on there. Which is 12 instead of the maximum of 10 allowed, but that just goes to show 1) how stacked the ballot is (and next year adds Junior Griffey, Jim Edmonds and a borderline / iffy case with Trevor Hoffman; 2017 has Vlad Guerrero, Ivan Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez) and 2) how moronic the BBWAA's rules are.

 

[Yanks]

Bagwell, Biggio, Bonds, Clemens, Johnson, Pedro, Mussina, Piazza, Raines, Schilling, Smoltz, and I could probably be persuaded to put Sheffield on there. Which is 12 instead of the maximum of 10 allowed, but that just goes to show 1) how stacked the ballot is (and next year adds Junior Griffey, Jim Edmonds and a borderline / iffy case with Trevor Hoffman; 2017 has Vlad Guerrero, Ivan Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez) and 2) how moronic the BBWAA's rules are.

I don't have Bonds or Clemens... they aren't getting in.

but.... my 10 would be...

Bagwell
Biggio
Johnson
Pedro
Mussina
Piazza
Raines
Schilling
Smoltz
.... and Edgar.

Sheffield ... slugger, probably the fastest bat I've ever seen but if you are keeping McGuire out for drugs, then you can't put Sheffield in. (ducks) Sheff wasn't that good in the field and he was always broke. (and of course everyone is a racist)

Also, can anyone vote for Papi if Edgar doesn't get in? Interesting question I think.

If only Dandy Don's back had held up.

 

[Timby]

Sheffield ... slugger, probably the fastest bat I've ever seen but if you are keeping McGuire out for drugs, then you can't put Sheffield in. (ducks)

The argument for McGwire not getting in isn't because of the drugs, it's because outside of hitting a shit-ton of dingers, he wasn't a particularly good player; his defense was beyond atrocious, he struck out a ton and wasn't a particularly talented hitter. .263 isn't a world-class bat.

And I'll say it again: Anyone who says the drugs issue should keep Bonds (literally the greatest hitter of all time) and Clemens (literally one of the greatest pitchers of all time) out of the Hall must also support the recall of Mays and Maris, otherwise they're making an intellectually dishonest argument that holds no water.

(and of course everyone is a racist)

Nice dog whistle.

Also, can anyone vote for Papi if Edgar doesn't get in? Interesting question I think.

As I said, Ortiz has already beaten Edgar in everything but a few rate stats. The bigger knock on him is that his peak was only really ten years or so -- he didn't start hitting like a moon monster until his seventh season.