Around Baseball 2014

[jaysfan2014]

No Yuni Betancourt in Toronto, thank goodness.

 

Ken RosenthalVerified account ‏@Ken_Rosenthal

 

Source: Free-agent IF Yuniesky Betancourt has reached agreement with Japan’s Orix Buffaloes.

[GD]

1/14M get er done.

 

Drew - 11

Ubaldo - 13

Burnett - 14

 

That's like $38m for maybe 6 wins? That'd be sexy.

[z3r0s]

Drew - 11

Ubaldo - 13

Burnett - 14

 

That's like $38m for maybe 6 wins? That'd be sexy.

 

chub man... just chub

[GD]

chub man... just chub

 

That's paying like a full million less for a win than necessary, not even considering what wins we're buying.

[jaysfan2014]

No Burnett again. He burned bridges with us by signing with the Yankees in 2009 after opting out. And he's best choosing an NL team, as his TOR and NYY numbers weren't much to write home about in the AL. (Don't be fooled by his 18-10 record in 2008, as he was mostly mediocre in both Toronto and worse with the Yankees, and Baltimore should avoid the same mistake Boston sort of made with Ryan Dempster, whose numbers were poor after he left Chicago (NL) in both Texas and Boston.

Dempster isn't even guaranteed a roster spot in Boston in 2014, especially with a rotation of Lester, Buchholz, Peavy, Lackey, Doubront, and all those strong young arms in AAA. Don't be surprised if Boston trades him or Peavy by Opening Day, as Dempster probably doesn't want to go back to working out of the bullpen again at this point in his career.

[KingKat]

No Burnett again. He burned bridges with us by signing with the Yankees in 2009 after opting out. And he's best choosing an NL team, as his TOR and NYY numbers weren't much to write home about in the AL. (Don't be fooled by his 18-10 record in 2008, as he was mostly mediocre in both Toronto and worse with the Yankees, and Baltimore should avoid the same mistake Boston sort of made with Ryan Dempster, whose numbers were poor after he left Chicago (NL) in both Texas and Boston.

Dempster isn't even guaranteed a roster spot in Boston in 2014, especially with a rotation of Lester, Buchholz, Peavy, Lackey, Doubront, and all those strong young arms in AAA. Don't be surprised if Boston trades him or Peavy by Opening Day, as Dempster probably doesn't want to go back to working out of the bullpen again at this point in his career.

 

How is opting out burning bridges? The Blue Jays had to have every expectation that he could exercise the clause that was in his contract and negotiated in good faith. Maybe some fans were upset about that but for the team that's just business.

[jaysfan2014]

Then he shouldn't have signed with the Yankees. I can imagine the Blue Jays ownership doesn't want to go through AJ Burnett again. And let's not forget the maddening inconsistency when he was in Toronto, with the injury in 2006 which got Casey Janssen called up to start, frequent wildness, etc. Yankees fans likely have the same feelings with Burnett as well.. outside of 2009, he was frequently awful in NY.

[LunchBox]

Instead of trying to make an identical argument in two separate threads and expecting different responses, perhaps you should make your point at the old forum. I'm sure they'd embrace your belief wholeheartedly "we didn't make the playoffs with Burnett in 2006-2008, it won't be any different this time around, grumble grumble".

[GD]

You guys know this is raysjays, right?

[jaysfan2014]

Must we look at Burnett's 2009-2011 numbers in New York? He's best suited to the NL and in a pitcher's park.. putting him in somewhere like Baltimore would be a terrible.. he should stay in Pittsburgh or a market with a decent pitcher's park.

[itaos]

I absolutely LOVE when people say that someone struggled/excelled in a specific league! DERP!

 

Please explain. Does facing the pitcher in National League games not help NL pitchers?

[Angrioter]

ChrisCotillo

Source: #Mariners agree to minor league deal with Scott Baker. Includes spring training invite.

[Dylan]

Looks like the Mariners are in play again... I can see them in pursuit of Cruz, Ubaldo or Santana.

 

Personally I think trades are a better fit for them.. a lot of movable pieces.

[Angrioter]

So MR.RD......what do you think of Elier Hernandez, Renato Nunez and Amaurys Minier?

 

-Elier Hernandez: Toolsy tall OF

http://www.scoutingbook.com/players/p2939#

 

-Renato Nunez = Ed Spague kind of player lol..............A lot of pop

 

-Tall-big INF that the Twins sign 2 years ago. Switch hitter, pop but.....chubby guy lol

[NorthOf49]

Orlando Arcia tore through the DSL in 2011... any thought on him Ang?

[Angrioter]

Orlando Arcia tore through the DSL in 2011... any thought on him Ang?

 

I like Orlando Arcia alot. I saw this guy at Tetelo Vargas SPM. He's not fast but can hit the ball hard and make a lot contact.

Jose Serra (Cubs scout) said me "He reminds me of Starlin Castro but less speed"

Arcia suffered a fracture in one of his ankles

[Angrioter]

See, thanks for nothing ANG, you're a TOOL!

 

I saw Elier Hernandez in BP. He have a huge BP pop but looked like s*** in the showcase game. A release guy (5'10" 90 Mph) Strikeout him twice; his trainer coach yelled "Solo haz contacto con la maldita bola.....Just make contact with the damn ball"

[G-Snarls]

Stark on frustrated free agents like Arroyo:

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/blog/_/name/stark_jayson/id/10369584/how-free-agent-starter-bronson-arroyo-unemployed?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[KingKat]

"I get [Clayton] Kershaw," Arroyo told ESPN.com. "I get why he got all that money. But then you've got guys like Dice-K [Matsuzaka], who came over here and was good for the first couple years but then didn't pan out. And when he doesn't pan out, they all just forget and go on to the next guy who's not proven, and pay him.

 

1. Way to conveniently forget Darvish

2. Way to be too chicken s*** to actually name Tanaka.

[jaysfan2014]

Arroyo's right. Kershaw deserves the money because of his Cy Young awards and elite status. Tanaka's not proven in MLB.. giving him $20M+ a year is risky because he hasn't thrown a single pitch in MLB. I'd give that money to Yu Darvish.. but not to a guy who is not as good as Darvish, and got overpaid because of the Yankees' desperation to win another World Series before Jeter retires instead of actually committing to a rebuild like in the late 80s/early 90s.

[Laika]

"I get [Clayton] Kershaw," Arroyo told ESPN.com. "I get why he got all that money. But then you've got guys like Dice-K [Matsuzaka], who came over here and was good for the first couple years but then didn't pan out. And when he doesn't pan out, they all just forget and go on to the next guy who's not proven, and pay him.

 

1. Way to conveniently forget Darvish

2. Way to be too chicken s*** to actually name Tanaka.

 

And no mention of the numerous domestic, "proven" commodities that have flamed out shortly after inking big money free agent contracts or extensions.

 

I mean, it's not like Barry Zito didn't sign his Giants contract in the same offseason that Dice K came over.

[Brenner]

boohoo for Arroyo, he has only made $71 million so far. He will probably top $100 mil for his career. Thats alot for what he essentially a league average SP. Maybe he should fire his agent, clearly he isn't saying the right things if 12 teams have asked about him but not followed up with an offer. Why is he looking for a 3 year deal? He can probably make just as much money on 2 1 yr deals (like Kuroda).

 

Oh yes and referencing poor Lohse... another guy who has only made $67 mil to date with another $22 mil in waiting. He almost made it sound like it got so bad for Lohse that he had to wait in lines to get EI or something.

 

I guess its just posturing, so I can understand it. But what a s***** fluff piece by Stark, is he always this lame?

[Angrioter]

lol Arroyo is a moron

[Dylan]

"Lance Berkman has confirmed that his playing career is over and that he will retire, reports MLB.com's Richard Justice (Twitter links). The 37-year-old has seen action in fifteen MLB seasons, posting an outstanding .943 OPS over his 7,814 big league plate appearances."

[GD]

Damn, shame on Baker.

[TheHurl]

 

Aaron Hill playing the Phoenix Open and his teammates show up with giant heads.

[HERPDERP]

Arroyo is pissed

 

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/01/29/bronson-arroyo-not-too-happy-to-be-unemployed-at-the-moment/

[jays_fever]

Arroyo's a workhorse..he should have been signed already so i get that.

[G-Snarls]

The Rays have agreed to sign third baseman Wilson Betemit to a minor league deal, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).

[z3r0s]

The Rays have agreed to sign third baseman Wilson Betemit to a minor league deal, reports Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).

 

TAKE THAT BTS!!!

 

I actually can't remember if you were one of those who were panning Betemit earlier in the OS. Doesn't seem like a really 'Rays' move, but as a minor league deal this is a whole lot of who cares.