Around Baseball 2014

[DuckDuckGose]

If things continue to go well, perhaps. They've been freakishly healthy with the young players coming up though. Maybe that's something they're doing or the players they are selecting, or maybe they have horseshoes up their asses. I don't know. That offense is likely going to be very light though, and they are relying on a lot of young pitchers that they have to hope don't regress a bit (especially as the workloads increase for 3 of them).

 

Longo has been hurt a fair bit and their pool of SP's is one of the deepest, if not THE deepest, in Major League Baseball. They have a few super utilities that can be shuffled to fill holes as injuries pop up and a fairly strong BP. They just set themselves up for success year-over-year.

[DuckDuckGose]

That offence is weak and you are right if their rotation regresses a bit or they suffer some injuries, they will be in a world of trouble. But that case can be made for any team in the division right now.

 

If everything goes wrong there isn't a team in pro sports that would still be a contender. The Rays' are as close to a lock to win +85 games as you can find in baseball.

[connorp]

Their FO is the biggest question mark. If any of those guys aren't going to be resigned they should be able to bring some significant assets in return. I think Hardy, Norris and Wieters will be back. IMO they trade Davis if he has another strong season since his contract demands would be astronomical. I'll include him for now though.

 

Yeah s***.. if O's were out of it and put CD on the trade market at the deadline this year.. HUGE return.. so I don't see a lot of downside to their franchise if they wanted to keep adding

[jaysfan2014]

Agreed that the Red Sox are faves, but there are questions with Bogaerts and Bradley, and potential regression after that World Series win.

[DuckDuckGose]

They could add maybe AJ Burnett and Morales say.. and be around $100m or less.. (I think).. those couple moves could help them be a little more viable..

as far as future goes.. I like both Bundy and Gausman a lot..Norris and Hardy both seem signable as well. If Weiters doesn't become at least a .750-.800 OPS bat again, he wont attract the big money contracts from the big spenders.. the teams like TAM and such that value the other things don't write big checks.. so O's should be able to retain him as well

 

Schoop is being overlooked IMO as well. He isn't a +5 WAR guy but I see him in the 2-3.5 WAR territory for the majority of his career.

 

If Davis is on pace for another +50HR season he will bring in a haul. We're talking 3 Top 100 guys one of which would have to be a potential superstar a la Tavares, Sano or Profar.

Edited January 25, 2014 by DuckDuckGose
forgot to mention Davis.

[Abomination]

That offence is weak and you are right if their rotation regresses a bit or they suffer some injuries, they will be in a world of trouble. But that case can be made for any team in the division right now.

 

That's true, but they are relying on much stronger numbers from their pitchers than the other teams in the division have to rely on due to their weak offense. I agree with you though that I would put the Rays and Red Sox as the two favorites atm.

[jays4life19]

On the MLB network one of the guys predicted that the Yankees would win "at least 100 games" with the Tanaka signing. Gave me a good laugh.

 

Boston or Tampa should be the favourites

[jaysfan2014]

Sorry to disappoint you, but as long as Peter Angelos runs the show, they're not giving huge contracts.

[DuckDuckGose]

That's true, but they are relying on much stronger numbers from their pitchers than the other teams in the division have to rely on due to their weak offense. I agree with you though that I would put the Rays and Red Sox as the two favorites atm.

 

They have the best pitching in the division... by a fairly large margin (Tanaka could change that). At least until Price is shipped out.

[Chappy]

If everything goes wrong there isn't a team in pro sports that would still be a contender. The Rays' are as close to a lock to win +85 games as you can find in baseball.

 

Sure they are a good team, I am not disputing that, just pointing out the fact that no team in the division looks truly elite other than maybe the Red Sox, but even then I don't think everything will break so perfectly for them this coming season.

[DuckDuckGose]

What's a typical lineup going to look like? Something like:

 

CF - Jennings

RF - Myers

2B - Zobrist

3B - Longoria

1B - Loney

DH - Joyce

LF - DeJesus

C - Hanigan

SS - Escobar

 

That lineup is no joke, and may be the best defensive team in baseball. Throw in a very useful bench (Molina, Forsythe, Rodriguez) and their position players are top-notch. With the rotation, Price, Cobb, and Moore is a very solid top-3, and then you have guys like Archer, Hellickson, and Odorizzi to round it out.

 

As a die-hard Rays fan, I think this is the best group they've had overall. There's a reason why Steamer has them top-5 in baseball.

 

I would sell my soul for Matt Moore. Only way he doesn't take a step forward next season is if he suffers a devastating injury.

[DuckDuckGose]

Sure they are a good team, I am not disputing that, just pointing out the fact that no team in the division looks truly elite other than maybe the Red Sox, but even then I don't think everything will break so perfectly for them this coming season.

 

The Rays will be competing for the WC not the division but they're a really solid, well built team.

[DuckDuckGose]

And easily the best defense in baseball IMO. I mean, look at that lineup. Everyone is a plus defender, many of them elite. That isn't an accident.

 

Best bench and defence IMO. Rogers should really invest in a guy like Silverman or Friedman.

[Abomination]

That lineup is no joke, and may be the best defensive team in baseball. Throw in a very useful bench (Molina, Forsythe, Rodriguez) and their position players are top-notch. With the rotation, Price, Cobb, and Moore is a very solid top-3, and then you have guys like Archer, Hellickson, and Odorizzi to round it out.

 

As a die-hard Rays fan, I think this is the best group they've had overall. There's a reason why Steamer has them top-5 in baseball.

 

I definitely agree regarding the defense and bench. I really do think they'll have difficulty scoring though.

[connorp]

I would sell my soul for Matt Moore. Only way he doesn't take a step forward next season is if he suffers a devastating injury.

 

I wouldn't sell my soul for him just yet.. though obviously he's a stud. Has to get the SO up (to be elite anyway) and BBs down (no matter what) though.. I don't know if its a given.. so much talent though no doubt..

[John_Havok]

And easily the best defense in baseball IMO. I mean, look at that lineup. Everyone is a plus defender, many of them elite. That isn't an accident.

 

It's the same type of team as Oakland has been running out for the past few years. Couple of stars, and the rest of the team is built of guys who may not have bigtime skills and talent, but they don't have weaknesses.

[Chappy]

The Rays will be competing for the WC not the division but they're a really solid, well built team.

 

Absolutely, an excellently built team under their payroll constraints. They will be contending for a long time with their pitching depth. Once they deal price, if they can get another young bat, they could be devastating in a couple years with that young core.

[connorp]

Sorry to disappoint you, but as long as Peter Angelos runs the show, they're not giving huge contracts.

 

Well they did to Jones.. but they really don't need to.. just some solid signings would suffice.. only Davis is coming up but as mentioned, he could return a massive haul if they wanted...

[connorp]

And easily the best defense in baseball IMO. I mean, look at that lineup. Everyone is a plus defender, many of them elite. That isn't an accident.

 

Well, it certainly helps when you have great d and great pitching in harmony..

[Jays]

I would sell my soul for Alex Cobb.

 

ftfy

[DuckDuckGose]

I wouldn't sell my soul for him just yet.. though obviously he's a stud. Has to get the SO up (to be elite anyway) and BBs down (no matter what) though.. I don't know if its a given.. so much talent though no doubt..

 

His minor league walk rate was lower and leaves room for optimism. The stuff is downright nasty. If I had to pick a pitcher in the AL East to break the 200 SO plateau Moore would be my first pick.

[DuckDuckGose]

ftfy

 

Power lefties with dominant SO ability give me a raging fandom hard-on

[GD]

I would sell my soul to be the Rays.

 

ftfy

 

Fixed again.

[jaysfan2014]

And yet teams like the Angels and Rangers continue to throw money at their problems, yet can't beat the A's. Now if only the A's could get back to the ALCS.. Detroit keeps beating them!

[Jays]

Power lefties with dominant SO ability give me a raging fandom hard-on

 

I really like Matt Moore too but he had a 4.32 xFIP last year and 4.35 the year before that. He lost 1.8 MPH off his FB in 1 year which is a bit concerning. Cobb last year had a K% 0.9% higher than Moore. Cobb is just the better pitcher right now.

[Chappy]

Yup. I love teams like that. Every player on the 25 man brings something to the table.

 

I always love a team with great balance. The Rays and A's are so good at it. Beats having dead weight like Vizquel and Derosa on the roster and limiting options.

[DuckDuckGose]

I really like Matt Moore too but he had a 4.32 xFIP last year and 4.35 the year before that. He lost 1.8 MPH off his FB in 1 year which is a bit concerning. Cobb last year had a K% 0.9% higher than Moore. Cobb is just the better pitcher right now.

 

One thing about Cobb you are overlooking is that he is two years older than Moore. Additionally FIP isn't meant to be used as a predictive stat, it is meant to establish what a pitcher's true talent was over the course of a season. Use projections or predictive FIP or something else. Moore is projected to a high 3 ERA and Cobb a mid 3 ERA -- not much of a difference. Furthermore the difference in K's you are mentioning (1%) isn't significant and Moore has much better minor league strikeout totals.

 

Although I agree that Moore's dropping velo isn't a good sign it is important to note he still throws it significantly harder than Cobb (and from the left side!). They are both great pitchers though. You can take one and I'll happily take the other.

[Angrioter]

Ken_Rosenthal

#Yankees announce trade of LHP David Huff to #SFGiants for cash considerations.

[Chappy]

I appreciate it because it requires good management. You can't build teams like that unless you have a great understanding of what makes a good ballplayer.

 

Good management that does not deviate from their plan is difficult to come by. It's a shame that this organization was set for great things and now here we are.

[connorp]

I appreciate it because it requires good management. You can't build teams like that unless you have a great understanding of what makes a good ballplayer.

 

The Ray's cock is jammed so far down your throat it would take some serious invasive surgery to even attempt to remove it:)