Around Baseball 2014

[The Cats Ass]

We already have Jose Reyes at SS. And Drew is likely going to end up back in Boston, as the Mets refuse to pay, and the Yankees want Derek Jeter playing at SS everyday again, plus have already blown most of the budget on the McCann/Ellsbury/Beltran signings.

 

I'd take Drew for 2B.

[The Cats Ass]

Take another look at his 2011 season, it was far from terrible.

 

It sure as hell wasn't good.

[LunchBox]

Based on what the HR spike and inflated ERA? He lost a lot of velocity between 2010-2011 but his K/BB, GB%, FIP/xFIP were all stable and he posted a 3.3 WAR.

[connorp]

Based on what the HR spike and inflated ERA? He lost a lot of velocity between 2010

-2011 but his K/BB, GB%, FIP/xFIP were all stable and he posted a 3.3 WAR.

 

Yeah im not looking now but i think hes put up 3.3 WAR or higher 5 of last 6 years. That obvioulsy=ho-hum #4 SP.. (sarcasm)

 

As long as he keeps the BB% trending down, i think he will earn his deal.

[GD]

Giving a 4-year contract to a league-average starter is generally an awful idea.

 

oops

http://media.kansas.com/smedia/2013/11/21/18/16/1mwwj4.SlMa.81.jpeg

[Laika]

The Vargas contract is actually pretty team friendly, despite the term. He could earn the entire thing before 2016 if he avoids injury.

[Angrioter]

oops

http://media.kansas.com/smedia/2013/11/21/18/16/1mwwj4.SlMa.81.jpeg

 

Littering the Randy Johnson's Jersey-number....Maynard should write a song on this matter.

[EdelweissBouquet]

Minnesota Twins second baseman Eddie Rosario has been suspended 50 games for a second positive test for a drug of abuse in violation of baseball’s minor league drug program.

 

Rosario is on the roster of Double-A New Britain and his suspension, announced Saturday, will begin at the start of the Rock Cats’ season.

 

The 21-year-old Rosario was a fourth-round pick in 2010. He batted .302 with 10 homers and 73 RBIs in 122 games split between Class-A and Double-A last year.

 

He is the second player suspended for violating the minor league drug program this year, both for drugs of abuse. There were 60 suspensions last year under the minor league program and 16 under the major league program.

 

This copy and paste sure makes posting easy.

Thanks for showing me how.

 

60 suspensions in the minors, wow guess that saying

"the apple don't fall far from the tree" has some ooomph to it.

[GD]

This is certainly belonging in Around Baseball.

 

Eddie Rosario? Damn.

[G-Snarls]

This is certainly belonging in Around Baseball.

 

Eddie Rosario? Damn.

 

Moved

[LunchBox]

Mulder is actually kind of interesting. Apparently he's sitting low-90s with his new delivery.

 

Meh. He's 36 and hasn't really pitched since 2006, I don't know if there's any kind of precedent for a player that old making a comeback after such a long absence.

 

Jason Knapp please!

 

Turns out there is some precedent, but it's not exactly encouraging. Still with absolutely no risk it's hard to go wrong. Fifty innings as a GB specialist out of the pen isn't totally unreasonable and would be a pretty big win.

[Dr. Dinger]

I'd take Drew for 2B.

 

I'd take Drew for SS and move Reyes to 2B, but he's a Boras client so it's a waste of time to even discuss it.

[connorp]

You keep bringing up "5 of the last 6 years" but any more than three is pretty much worthless as far as projection goes. His 2012 is a lot more relevant than his 2009 or 2010. Over his 27, 28, and 29 seasons he's averaged 2.2 fWAR per season with a 4.45 ERA and 4.09 xFIP. Steamer has him at 2.5 fWAR in 2014, and Oliver 1.8, and you'd project decline from there as he's entering his age-30 season.

 

Giving a 4-year contract to a league-average starter is generally an awful idea. Especially when he'll be paid to remain league-average for the length of the contract.

 

First off.. Mods: i couldnt log in from my new laptop so tried a new account "connorp2" but that was a fail too. So dont ban me...

 

Back to BTS.. In fairness other people like abom used that timeline to make a point so dont remember it as me beimg broken record. I definitely have mentioned at least once before though..

 

Youre only deeming it irrelevant because hes not the same pitcher he was 5 years ago but his durability is relevant. Also that he pitched good in 5 of those 6 years.. so simply stating GS wouldnt give him his proper due.

 

My issue is more projecting him to fall off cliff (relatively speaking) when he showed a lot of promise last year in a lot of ways outside of velocity.

[KingKat]

I'd take Drew for SS and move Reyes to 2B, but he's a Boras client so it's a waste of time to even discuss it.

 

Not only will AA not sign a Boras client but I can't see him making the decision to move Reyes to 2B either. Someone who hesitates to trade Jeff Mathis out of a displaced sense of loyatly doesn't ask his star shortstop to change position.

[Abomination]

Not only will AA not sign a Boras client but I can't see him making the decision to move Reyes to 2B either. Someone who hesitates to trade Jeff Mathis out of a displaced sense of loyatly doesn't ask his star shortstop to change position.

 

I'd be okay with him playing Drew at 2b too, even if it's not 100% ideal

[KingKat]

I'd be okay with him playing Drew at 2b too, even if it's not 100% ideal

 

It's hard to put a value on keeping key players happy but it's probably not worthless. When it comes to lineup spots, Bill James is of the opinion that the optimal lineup just doesn't make enough of a difference to be worth any pushback. When it comes to position changes, it's probably much more worthwhile but the way to handle it is to make sure all your players know in advance that nothing is in stone. There should never be any guarantees. It's wishful thinking to believe that things like that are going to suddenly make Toronto a more attractive destination for players.

[Laika]

Yuni Betancourt - Blue Jays rumours... In the world of scrub collecting, AA is top dog. Mathis and Yuni are like shiny holographic charizards. Not sure there have been any more significant statistical laughing stocks in the last five years or so... Maybe Delmon. He's probably on the Jays radar too, all the time.

[Dr. Dinger]

Signing Yuni would be quite unacceptable.

[KingKat]

Yuni Betancourt - Blue Jays rumours... In the world of scrub collecting, AA is top dog. Mathis and Yuni are like shiny holographic charizards. Not sure there have been any more significant statistical laughing stocks in the last five years or so... Maybe Delmon. He's probably on the Jays radar too, all the time.

 

He's the whiz defender that Goins is commonly assumed to be. He's about the same player offensively too and just like the middle infielders AA brought in last year, he doesn't have an exploitable platoon split. This seems destined to happen.

[KingKat]

 

Yikes.

[Sammy225]

Betancourt is Goins. What would be the purpose of all this be.

[jays_fever]

Just when I thought AA couldnt get any worse..he goes and does something like this..AND TOTALLY REDEEMS HIMSELF

[jays_fever]

Betancourt is Goins. What would be the purpose of all this be.

 

He isnt though..he's a f***ing awful defender

[connorp]

Betancourt is Goins. What would be the purpose of all this be.

 

I guess its a case of just compiling 5 or 6 of the shittiest ingredients available..tossing them in a pot..determine which is the least s***** of the bunch..and serve it up

[KingKat]

I remember watching Mariners broadcasts when Betancourt first came up. They RAVED about his defense.

 

Oh he's an absolute joy to watch on the field. There's no doubt about that but Kawasaki and a platoon partner would provide much better production. It's especially strange given that Goins is a cost controlled, option friendly version of him anyways.

[KingKat]

He isnt though..he's a f***ing awful defender

 

Am I reading his page wrong? Does the minus indicate runs saved or runs he costs?

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=8585&position=SS#fielding

[KingKat]

Bun Betancourt fact: since the start of DRS he has the 3rd worst career total (-74) behind only Fielder (-92) and Jeter (-147).

 

Oh crap.. I totally read his numbers backwards. He was a +7 run defender (and a staggering -10 offensively) in one legendary season and pure s*** defensively since. This is beyond dumb.

[KingKat]

Runs cost. He's a legendary butcher infamous for being known as a great fielder.

 

Just goes to show how long perceptions stays in the mind. I remember the highlight plays from his early days and just assumed he was still saving runs and read the numbers backwards.

[KingKat]

So basically if AA signs this guy, we have to assume he's going on outdated scouting reports and reputation.

[KingKat]

Yeah. He was known as a great defender all through the minors, then came up and made a lot of highlight reel plays and cemented his reputation. Anyone who hasn't had the misfortune of looking at his fangraphs page would think his a great defender. That reputation has earned him over 8000 egregious and completely undeserved major league plate appearances.

 

What's wrong with people?