Around Baseball 2014

[Nightmaul]

Are the Astros the dumbest? Rasmus, Vogelsong, Straily, Corporan, these are not the kind of players that will bring a young talented team to the next level.

 

Thought I do really like the acquisition of Conger as their back-up catcher. Hank Conger is arguably the best pitch framer in baseball.

[StroShow]

Vogelsong signed with the giants btw

[Nightmaul]

Rasmus was a good value signing. Straily is a throw in in an already good deal for Valbuena that could actually stick as a starter, and Vogelsong and Corporan aren't on the Astros.

 

OK clearly I'm not up-to-date with the news.

[StroShow]

I really don't get this. They are pushing two better pitchers (Lincecum and Petit) to the pen for a s***** 37 year old.

 

I really like Petit but is Lincecum much better at this stage in his career? He might be better served in the bullpen.

[Laika]

Kelly Johnson and Jesse Crain sure would've been nice minor league deal guys. Could have justified them on major league contracts, actually.

[glory]

Crain and Bedard on minor league deals. Where were the Jays? Canadians!

[Spanky__99]

Kelly Johnson and Jesse Crain sure would've been nice minor league deal guys. Could have justified them on major league contracts, actually.

 

Yes, sir.

[Laika]

Fawwwwk, Dodgers sign Ben Rowen.

 

That guy is going to be like Darren O'day if he's ever given a legit chance. At some point down the road he'll be 32/33 and have several quietly superb MLB seasons on his record.

 

65% groundball guy with great minor league RA rate.

[jaysblue]

I really don't get this. They are pushing two better pitchers (Lincecum and Petit) to the pen for a s***** 37 year old.

 

For $4 million on a one-year deal, theres no problem with them signing Vogelsong. You can never have enough pitching, and its not like their current rotation doesn't have question marks. Lincecum has been pretty bad the past three years, Petit has never pitched a full season starter workload, Cain is coming back from injury, Hudson is a year older. I've never been a fan of Vogelsong, though for the price point, you can't go wrong.

[Spanky__99]

For $4 million on a one-year deal, theres no problem with them signing Vogelsong. You can never have enough pitching, and its not like their current rotation doesn't have question marks. Lincecum has been pretty bad the past three years, Petit has never pitched a full season starter workload, Cain is coming back from injury, Hudson is a year older. I've never been a fan of Vogelsong, though for the price point, you can't go wrong.

 

Here, here.

[jaysfan2014]

Uh oh...good thing they got Clippard.

 

[Deadpool]

Uh oh...good thing they got Clippard.

 

 

Also, PHP injection for shits and giggles...

[Brownie19]

Fawwwwk, Dodgers sign Ben Rowen.

 

That guy is going to be like Darren O'day if he's ever given a legit chance. At some point down the road he'll be 32/33 and have several quietly superb MLB seasons on his record.

 

65% groundball guy with great minor league RA rate.

 

His fastball was sub 80 mph last year. How does he do it?

[TwistedLogic]

Cubs getting sued by the owners of Wrigley Rooftops.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/rooftop-owners-sue-cubs-over-wrigley-field-renovations/

 

This whole thing is f***ing stupid. Both parties involved are dumn.

[Laika]

His fastball was sub 80 mph last year. How does he do it?

 

http://www.dallasnews.com/incoming/20140617-20140616_ajl_ax5_518_38253173_13472.jpg.ece/BINARY/w620x413/20140616_ajl_ax5_518_38253173_13472.JPG

[admin]

http://www.dallasnews.com/incoming/20140617-20140616_ajl_ax5_518_38253173_13472.jpg.ece/BINARY/w620x413/20140616_ajl_ax5_518_38253173_13472.JPG

 

That's insane. Ever try and throw a ball like that? I couldn't imagine throwing 20mph like that.

I would love to step in the batters box to see what it's like coming at you.

[Spanky__99]

His fastball was sub 80 mph last year. How does he do it?

 

As soon as he comp'd O'Day, I figured he'd be a submarine pitcher.

[KingKat]

Fawwwwk, Dodgers sign Ben Rowen.

 

That guy is going to be like Darren O'day if he's ever given a legit chance. At some point down the road he'll be 32/33 and have several quietly superb MLB seasons on his record.

 

65% groundball guy with great minor league RA rate.

 

It blows my mind that in 2014, a submariner can still be under-valued. Moneyball came out in 2003! You would think that by now everyone would have read the story of Chad Bradford and how the ChiSox didn't know what they had in him but the A's did.

[TwistedLogic]

That's insane. Ever try and throw a ball like that? I couldn't imagine throwing 20mph like that.

I would love to step in the batters box to see what it's like coming at you.

 

I'd imagine it gets slightly easier if you're going downward from the mound, but it's still incredibly impressive.

[TheHurl]

It blows my mind that in 2014, a submariner can still be under-valued. Moneyball came out in 2003! You would think that by now everyone would have read the story of Chad Bradford and how the ChiSox didn't know what they had in him but the A's did.

 

There is still so much from Moneyball that is still widely ignored. As for Rowen there is still that other groundball machine that can't throw 85, Badenhop.

 

Interesting article about the pen here http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/you-can-still-build-a-full-and-complete-bullpen/

[jaysblue]

Wow just read this! Looks like Ted Lilly could be in trouble!

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12223786/ted-lilly-ex-major-league-pitcher-charged-insurance-fraud

[bronson44]

Manfred open to eliminating shifts.

 

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12221038

[burlingtonbandit]

Apparently was thinking about making relief pitchers have to throw to more than one batter. Such crap. Have a pitch clock, make batters not step out after pitches and tell umpires to call the actual strikezone. Problem solved.

[BlueJayWay]

I think eliminating shifts is a solution in search of a problem. Not really needed. I like the idea of making relievers face more than one hitter, though. Anything that helps cut down on mid inning pitching changes is fine with me.

 

As for the pitch clock, if they just kept the damn batter in the box and enforced the rules already in the book then it probably wouldn't be needed. To me, it's a last resort.

[Orgfiller]

Manfred open to eliminating shifts.

 

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=12221038

 

Ugh, bring back Selig pls. A shift isn't even an unnatural baseball thing to do, there's no boundary on the field (except for pitchers and catchers) that limits where a fielder may position himself. If you wanted to slot your 3 OF in the infield who's stopping you from doing it? It's a strategy that carries risk for a potential reward.

[jayswin11]

I hate artificial rules to change the game. Don't get rid if the shift, here's a novel idea, teach hitters to go the other way.

Also leave the relief pitcher usage alone. One of the beautiful things about baseball is the late inning strategy.

[BallsDeep]

The one rule change I'm in favour of is taking out intentionally walking batters. Think its a great idea.

[Stangstag]

I don't understand how they could even enforce a "no shifts" rule... Would the player have to stay within a certain distance from the base or the infield?

 

This would bring up a whole slew of new problems, like "oh was this player 1 inch too far" and a bunch of ******** like that.

[xposbrad]

Was this only to speed up the game? Because there are about a hundred other things they could do to accomplish that before eliminating shifts. lol

[BallsDeep]

Was this only to speed up the game? Because there are about a hundred other things they could do to accomplish that before eliminating shifts. lol

 

Yeah, like not letting batters step out of the box.