Around Baseball 2014

[jaysblue]

Sadly, BJ Upton and Chris Johnson have untradeable deals. And yes, they do need better bats.. it wouldn't be surprising if they dangle J. Upton and/or Jason Heyward in the offseason for more consistent bats that can get on base and not K a ton.

 

Heyward has shockingly kept his K rates down this season in comparisons to years past, and has been worth 5.1 WAR. I don't see them making a bold move by trading him unless they are blown away. Justin Upton could be dangled possibly.

[Dr. Dinger]

Just to refresh your memory:

January 24, 2013: Traded by the Arizona Diamondbacks with Chris Johnson to the Atlanta Braves for Brandon Drury (minors), Nick Ahmed, Randall Delgado, Martin Prado and Zeke Spruill.

 

Drury is surging up the D-Backs system, after a good season in A-AA. Nick Ahmed's role is unclear with Gregorius and Owings in the system. Randall Delgado was garbage, Prado did some good stuff with the D-Backs.. and was traded to the Yankees. Zeke Spruill is uncertain.

 

BTW, Chris Johnson is awful... the Braves gave him that extension, and he has regressed offensively and defensively. And don't be surprised if the Braves look at trading both BJ and Justin Upton this offseason.. one's an albatross, the other is a free agent after 2015 and unlikely to resign in Atlanta.

 

You can't be serious. That was a bloody awful deal for the Dbacks, arguably the worst in recent memory.

[jaysfan2014]

Royals/Indians game finally done. Indians win 4-3. Royals lose .5 game in the standings. It means that if KC gets swept by the Indians, Cleveland may have a shot at making the postseason, depending what Seattle does.

[jaysblue]

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/story/_/id/11556539/joc-pederson-makes-coffee-run-wearing-los-angeles-dodgers-uniform

[Atothe]

If the braves quit on Fredi Gonzalez, why does Gonzales still have a job?

[BTS]

Some GM is going to come in an win with a team largely assembled by Wren and be given far too much credit for it.

 

Heyward, Simmons, Gattis, Upton, Freeman is a really nice core. Five studs aged 25-28. Add in Kimbrel Teheran, Wood, and Medlen and the foundation is there.

 

Can we please hire Wren?

[jaysfan2014]

Heyward, Simmons, Gattis, Upton, Freeman is a really nice core. Five studs aged 25-28. Add in Kimbrel Teheran, Wood, and Medlen and the foundation is there.

 

Can we please hire Wren?

 

Two of that core will be gone after next season (Upton, Heyward). And Gattis could be gone as well this offseason.

[jaysfan2014]

A's and Royals are saying thanks to the Blue Jays.. Royals beat the Indians 2-0, A's currently lead 6-1 on the Angels.. CJ Wilson was garbage AGAIN. Better hope Shoemaker gets healthy.. or they're going to struggle in the playoffs against Oakland or Kansas City/Detroit.

[Abomination]

A's and Royals are saying thanks to the Blue Jays.. Royals beat the Indians 2-0, A's currently lead 6-1 on the Angels.. CJ Wilson was garbage AGAIN. Better hope Shoemaker gets healthy.. or they're going to struggle in the playoffs against Oakland or Kansas City/Detroit.

 

I would really hate to face the Oakland / Detroit pitching staffs in the playoffs. Maybe you manage to eek out some wins, but your offense is probably in a slump the rest of the playoffs regardless.

[Orgfiller]

Heck of a game going on in Los Angeles between the Dodgers and the Giants. And I should be sleeping.

[shortstop]

Would be a crazy game if A's & tigers are the 2 wildcard teams.

[L54]

Phil Hughes has pitched 8 innings against the Diamondbacks this afternoon. He needs to pitch 8 1/3 innings to receive a 500k bonus, and they're in the middle of a rain delay! That's some tough luck.

[jaysfan2014]

Yanks eliminated from contention. This is going to hurt that team.. less revenue = increased issues with their stadium debt payments and a risk of a debt downgrade by ratings agencies. Basically, the Yanks are forced to perpetually spend in hopes of making the playoffs, because a rebuild may cause them to risk having their debt downgraded by Moody's (their outlook was downgraded to stable from positive last year)

 

Here's the main reason the Yanks are forced to spend and never rebuild:

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303997604579238550215265832

[jaysblue]

Phil Hughes has pitched 8 innings against the Diamondbacks this afternoon. He needs to pitch 8 1/3 innings to receive a 500k bonus, and they're in the middle of a rain delay! That's some tough luck.

 

Set the record for best K/BB ratio over a full season. Hughes was awesome this season!

[NorthOf49]

They should give him the bonus regardless

They could let him pitch in relief for the last game of the season on three days rest.

[jaysblue]

They should give him the bonus regardless

 

Does 500 K grow on trees for you

[L54]

Set the record for best K/BB ratio over a full season. Hughes was awesome this season!

 

He was. I live close to the Twin Cities so I watch a lot of his games. Keeps the ball in the park, pounds the zone.

[L54]

They should give him the bonus regardless

 

I agree. Especially since he would've went out for the ninth, he was only ~90 pitches if I remember correctly.

[Captain Adama]

AL WAR Leaders:

Trout 8.0

Kluber 7.0

Brantley 6.7

Bautista 6.4

Donaldson 6.2

 

4 games ago he was literally at 5.9, it would be hilarious if he actually manages to surpass Kluber.

[jaysfan2014]

Red Sox Nation is souring on Cespedes.. to them, the trade is looking more favorable to Oakland, especially with the A's postseason bound:

 

http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/alex-speier/2014/09/24/gamble-fate-red-sox-landmark-bet-yoenis-cesped

[Arkadium]

Red Sox Nation is souring on Cespedes.. to them, the trade is looking more favorable to Oakland, especially with the A's postseason bound:

 

http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/alex-speier/2014/09/24/gamble-fate-red-sox-landmark-bet-yoenis-cesped

 

Huh?.......................

[jaysfan2014]

Huh?.......................

 

If you've seen him play at Fenway, it's apparently not good on his fielding. Only his arm pretty much saves him, as we've seen quite a bit this season. Most of the complaints on him also are on his OBP skills, which are poor.. a sub .300 OBP is not a good thing for a power hitter like him.. if he hit for a better average, it wouldn't be so exposed.

[Arkadium]

If you've seen him play at Fenway, it's apparently not good on his fielding. Only his arm pretty much saves him, as we've seen quite a bit this season. Most of the complaints on him also are on his OBP skills, which are poor.. a sub .300 OBP is not a good thing for a power hitter like him.. if he hit for a better average, it wouldn't be so exposed.

 

They got Cespedes for literally NOTHING.

 

And Cespedes could end up being a solid hitter in that ballpark.

 

And Lester probably goes back to Boston next season.

[BTS]

They got Cespedes for literally NOTHING.

 

And Cespedes could end up being a solid hitter in that ballpark.

 

And Lester probably goes back to Boston next season.

 

A compensation pick isn't nothing.

[GD]

A compensation pick isn't nothing.

 

The compensation pick is only to, well, compensate for his contract. His contract requires him to be non-tendered rather than him being a free agent. So the compensation pick just makes up for the lack of a QO.

[TheHurl]

I missed it a few days ago...did Ortiz, a f***ing DH, really say that Kershaw shouldn't win MVP because he doesn't do enough or play enough? How is this man so liked around the league?

[Arkadium]

I missed it a few days ago...did Ortiz, a f***ing DH, really say that Kershaw shouldn't win MVP because he doesn't do enough or play enough? How is this man so liked around the league?

 

That doesn't make any sense.

 

Kershaw - Pitches thrown in 190 IP: 2,605

Ortiz - Total pitches in 602 PA: 2,407

 

And Ortiz only has to swing about 1/3 the time... =/

 

He also doesn't have to field.

 

*Facepalm*

[TheHurl]

Last time David Ortiz did this...

 

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/8878826/v36572769/sflad-kershaw-robs-hudson-with-behindtheback-snag

[Candy Maldonado]

Yan Gomes still hurts

[jaysfan2014]

 

And Lester probably goes back to Boston next season.

 

Only if Boston remembers they have to offer a lot of money to get Lester back. Part of the reason for the trade was because they refused to give him the huge deal he wanted.. it's rumored Boston offered only 4/$70M.