Around Baseball 2014

[jaysfan2014]

Rays face a crucial road trip ahead in Minnesota and St. Louis, then home games vs. Boston, Milwaukee and the Angels. Very difficult stretch ahead.. with no room for error. One bad stretch and Price/Zobrist and others will be playing elsewhere, including possibly Seattle as mentioned.

[jaysfan2014]

Mariners, Rays Discussing David Price, Ben Zobrist

 

By Jeff Todd [July 17, 2014 at 2:10pm CDT]

 

Though no deal is imminent, the Mariners have been engaged in ongoing discussions with the Rays regarding lefty David Price and utilityman Ben Zobrist, reports Jon Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter links). Meanwhile, talks have stalled with the Phillies regarding Marlon Byrd.

 

Needless to say, Price and Zobrist both represent potential impact to contenders. Either player could presumably add value to just about every roster in baseball. That holds particularly true for Seattle, which could not only pair Price with current ace Felix Hernandez but would be able to play Zobrist at shortstop, outfield, or even first base.

 

Matter of when, not if this trade happens. No way Tampa can afford to keep these players, with the team still not drawing at the Trop and likely to be out of it by the deadline, considering their difficult schedule, not as bad as the O's, but still tough nonetheless.

[jaysfan2014]

Yanks sign Rich Hill to minors deal. Boy, Hill has sure fallen off from his time when he was a key cog in the Red Sox bullpen, and pitched 63 games for the Indians.

[bzapple]

Matter of when, not if this trade happens. No way Tampa can afford to keep these players, with the team still not drawing at the Trop and likely to be out of it by the deadline, considering their difficult schedule, not as bad as the O's, but still tough nonetheless.

 

Eight games out of a playoff spot with ten teams ahead of them, they're already out of it and I'm sure management knows it.

[G-Snarls]

Need games to watch

 

I am getting aggravated

[jaysfan2014]

Division is practically a crapshoot. From my perspective it's O's or Rays winning it, with an outside shot for the Blue Jays if we can get healthy and play effectively.

 

O's or Blue Jays. Rays are too far back to even be considered for a playoff spot, plus are likely to sell due to poor performance and low attendance, along with budgetary constraints. Boston's out of it due to lack of offense, and also expected to sell. Yankees are anybody's guess.. but the odds aren't good for them without Tanaka.

[jaysfan2014]

Need games to watch

 

I am getting aggravated

 

Me too. Stupid 4-day All Star break so that the player's union stays happy.

[jaysfan2014]

If that's true then it's the O's. You have to be realistic, the Jays were sucking before 3 of their key players went down. Even when they come back they'll need time to get it going again. In about a month the Jays went from 14 games over .500 to 1 game over .500 - they flat out suck. The O's were playing good and Machado just started heating up and Chris Davis is going to come around as well. O's win the division by a comfortable margin.

 

2 games above .500 for the Jays, not 1. And we have the easiest schedule of contenders, starting with a series vs. the MLB worst Texas Rangers.

 

Orioles would win, IF they didn't have the most difficult schedule post All-Star break. Not to mention that the team was mediocre, just barely above .500 before a recent Texas Rangers series. And they have yet to play Oakland or LA. Also, most sabermetric measures are not favourable to their starting rotation.. it's part of the reason I do not feel Baltimore will sustain recent success, and I expect regression from Cruz, Pearce and Jones.

 

And BTW, Davis is NOT coming around. .199/.309/.391 is not exactly coming around, and he's worsened every month since the season started, currently hitting .146/.182/.293 in July. At this point, Baltimore may need to seek an upgrade at the deadline at 1B or the OF, as Davis has become a liability for the team. Most of Davis' decline began in the 2nd half of last season, and has accelerated. Remember, Davis was dumped by Texas for being a high K/low AVG guy.. he's regressed back into the same habits. Good thing the O's didn't give him a long term deal!

[TBJ12]

Just noticed the Angels were 20 games over 500. If they get some pitching at the break they could very quietly become the team to beat in the AL.

[jaysfan2014]

Just noticed the Angels were 20 games over 500. If they get some pitching at the break they could very quietly become the team to beat in the AL.

 

No kidding. Only 1.5 back of the Angels. All they need is another starter, as Wilson is on the DL. The only real red flag in the rotation is Jered Weaver, who is pitching above what he should be (4.17 SIERA vs. a 3.45 ERA). Matt Shoemaker and Tyler Skaggs are actually better than they've shown, and can improve. And what else needs to be said about Garret Richards? But still, one more arm would help make LA a championship contender, and will almost certainly make the playoffs.

 

At this point, LA will at least get a wild card. They have few weaknesses in offense and the rotation, and are trying to fix their long putrid bullpen. They have a better chance of challenging Oakland than the Seattle Mariners, who have Felix, Iwakuma.. and a lot of regression candidates in the rotation which could sink their playoffs hope, along with their lousy offense besides Cano and Seager. Not sure if a Price/Zobrist trade will help, though, as Seattle needs a lot, including corner OFs, a 1B, a SS and bench help.

[jaysfan2014]

Apparently, Seattle only wants Zobrist and not Price. Besides, Price apparently will not accept a trade to Seattle:

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24625428/mariners-talking-about-zobrist-could-talks-expand-to-include-price

 

Sounds like a possible Franklin/Zobrist deal could be in the offing..

It also says many players have Seattle on their no-trade clauses, because of the air in Seattle suppressing offense, which hurts their value. They've looked at Willingham and Viciedo.. and have gotten nowhere.

[bzapple]

If that's true then it's the O's. You have to be realistic, the Jays were sucking before 3 of their key players went down. Even when they come back they'll need time to get it going again. In about a month the Jays went from 14 games over .500 to 1 game over .500 - they flat out suck. The O's were playing good and Machado just started heating up and Chris Davis is going to come around as well. O's win the division by a comfortable margin.

 

Davis' numbers should pick up a bit but honestly he's looking like he's going to settle as an Adam Dunn type. Likely will coincide with Cruz slowing down. Their lineup is okay but they have noticeable holes at 2B, LF, and C. Their pitching is bad. A healthy Blue Jays team (hopefully with some sort of upgrade before the deadline) matches up well with them.

[sh3156]

Apparently, Seattle only wants Zobrist and not Price. Besides, Price apparently will not accept a trade to Seattle:

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/24625428/mariners-talking-about-zobrist-could-talks-expand-to-include-price

 

Sounds like a possible Franklin/Zobrist deal could be in the offing..

It also says many players have Seattle on their no-trade clauses, because of the air in Seattle suppressing offense, which hurts their value. They've looked at Willingham and Viciedo.. and have gotten nowhere.

 

Seatle has a much tougher road. Yes they are holding the wild card but they have the toughest schedule in baseball

 

If they can get price for prospects I'm inclined to think they will. However I think their owner wants to sign price long term. Which would give them.the best 1-2 punch in baseball for several years

[jaysfan2014]

Seatle has a much tougher road. Yes they are holding the wild card but they have the toughest schedule in baseball

 

If they can get price for prospects I'm inclined to think they will. However I think their owner wants to sign price long term. Which would give them.the best 1-2 punch in baseball for several years

 

Making a trade for Price isn't wise for the Mariners, especially considering they have as many, if not more needs than the Jays, especially in CF, SS, 1B, LF, RF, backup C, and hitters that hit for AVG and OBP.

[jb22]

No kidding. Only 1.5 back of the Angels. All they need is another starter, as Wilson is on the DL. The only real red flag in the rotation is Jered Weaver, who is pitching above what he should be (4.17 SIERA vs. a 3.45 ERA). Matt Shoemaker and Tyler Skaggs are actually better than they've shown, and can improve. And what else needs to be said about Garret Richards? But still, one more arm would help make LA a championship contender, and will almost certainly make the playoffs.

 

At this point, LA will at least get a wild card. They have few weaknesses in offense and the rotation, and are trying to fix their long putrid bullpen. They have a better chance of challenging Oakland than the Seattle Mariners, who have Felix, Iwakuma.. and a lot of regression candidates in the rotation which could sink their playoffs hope, along with their lousy offense besides Cano and Seager. Not sure if a Price/Zobrist trade will help, though, as Seattle needs a lot, including corner OFs, a 1B, a SS and bench help.

 

Whoever told this troll about regression should be shot. I don't know why anyone even replies to him, he just latches onto any excuse he can find to argue the jays are going to play better and everyone else is going to get worse.

[jaysfan2014]

Did someone forget to tell ESPN that there's an MLB team in Toronto? I don't remember Bautista being traded to the Yankees.

 

http://nextimpulsesports.com/2014/07/14/espn-blows-jose-bautista-graphic-says-plays-yankees/

[Candy Maldonado]

Did someone forget to tell ESPN that there's an MLB team in Toronto? I don't remember Bautista being traded to the Yankees.

 

http://nextimpulsesports.com/2014/07/14/espn-blows-jose-bautista-graphic-says-plays-yankees/

 

They are predicting the future.

[jaysfan2014]

Update on the Price/Zobrist to Seattle rumors:

 

FRIDAY: Taijuan Walker‘s name is once again at the center of trade talks surrounding Price, reports Heyman. He adds that Tampa has also expressed interest in the likes of corner infield prospect D.J. Peterson and James Paxton, neither of which is particularly surprising; Peterson and Paxton are two of the top young players in Seattle’s system.

[Daniel Labude]

CC out for the season with micro-fracture surgery

[G-Snarls]

Erik Boland ‏@eboland11 17m

More

Cashman: Sabathia to undergo season-ending surgery on right knee July 23. Not the micro fracture surgery, but a "cleanup" procedure

[G-Snarls]

CC out for the season with micro-fracture surgery

 

If only we were better we could be taking advantage of all this

 

But alas

[Daniel Labude]

If only we were better we could be taking advantage of all this

 

But alas

 

I still have hope....starts tonight

[jaysfan2014]

Blue Jays line-up tonight, Navarro is our clean-up hitter... life is good! The Rangers have a better line-up then us tonight, even with JPA. It's Dickey or nothing

 

SS Jose Reyes (S)

LF Melky Cabrera (S)

RF Jose Bautista ®

DH Dioner Navarro (S)

1B Dan Johnson (L)

CF Colby Rasmus (L)

3B Juan Francisco (L)

C Josh Thole (L)

2B M. Kawasaki (L)

 

And Texas

 

DH Shin-Soo Choo (L)

SS Elvis Andrus ®

RF Alex Rios ®

3B Adrian Beltre ®

LF Jake Smolinski ®

CF Leonys Martin (L)

1B J.P. Arencibia ®

2B Rougned Odor (L)

C Geovany Soto ®

 

Only if Beltre and Rios hit. Neither lineup really impresses.

[Angrioter]

Sources: #Angels close to acquiring Street, as first reported by @JimBowdenESPNxm. Class AAA 2B Taylor Lindsey expected to head to #Padres.

[GD]

Hmm. Where does that leave Gyorko?

[jaysfan2014]

Sources: #Angels close to acquiring Street, as first reported by @JimBowdenESPNxm. Class AAA 2B Taylor Lindsey expected to head to #Padres.

 

Well, that's almost the last of the Angels prospects in the high minors. Angels better hope some of their lower-level prospects develop.. their farm is bone dry.

[sh3156]

Orioles just took a 2-1 lead in Oakland.

[GD]

Wow. The Angels just spent their last couple of assets on a reliever. Cool.

[GD]

christ

[TBJ12]

We should be able to get the same type of deal for Janssen right?