Around Baseball 2018

[Orgfiller]

And on cue, FG has a Reds article today. Authored by the same guy who wrote that 'teams should spend irresponsibly because Arron Judge homers are awesome' article. He can be found in the comments arguing that Finnegan and Desclafani are better than Luis Castillo, which I guess he stated in the article before someone (probably Cistulli) edited it out.

 

The decline of FG this offseason has been fascinating.

 

He could just be very dumn (likely is) but the fact that you don't mention their best pitcher - by projections, scouts, literally everyone in the game - in an article about the future of the team just shows that little research went into this. It's sloppy and embarrassing that such a thing would happen, and that an editor wouldn't point out this very glaring omission.

[Terminator]

Giants signed Watson and DFA'd Gregorio. I'd be interested in him over a guy like Dermody.

[BTS]

He could just be very dumn (likely is) but the fact that you don't mention their best pitcher - by projections, scouts, literally everyone in the game - in an article about the future of the team just shows that little research went into this. It's sloppy and embarrassing that such a thing would happen, and that an editor wouldn't point out this very glaring omission.

 

He prefers Desclafani and Finnegan over Castillo because of Castillo's pitch sequencing.

 

Even though Desclafani and Finnegan have barely pitched in the past couple seasons.

 

He also had Mesoraco over 2 WAR Barnhart I think.

 

Oh well, he edited the article after the Fangraphs readers re-wrote it for him.

 

I think it’s pretty clear that he didn’t really know who Castillo was, then tried to fabricate an argument and landed on ‘pitch sequencing’. Either way, he didn’t do nearly enough research, and embarrassed the site.

 

They seem to miss Cameron

[King]

I think it’s pretty clear that he didn’t really know who Castillo was, then tried to fabricate an argument and landed on ‘pitch sequencing’. Either way, he didn’t do nearly enough research, and embarrassed the site.

 

They seem to miss Cameron

"Whither Luis Castillo? An earlier version of the piece had him as “your third favorite young Reds hurler,” which is because he is, in fact, my third favorite Reds hurler. But apparently there’s some rule about including him by name in articles about the Reds, so his name now appears there. I happen to be more down on him than others, but it’s perfectly reasonable to think that that’s a terrible opinion that will be made apparent by his breakout 2018. We shall see."

 

cringe

[BTS]

"Whither Luis Castillo? An earlier version of the piece had him as “your third favorite young Reds hurler,” which is because he is, in fact, my third favorite Reds hurler. But apparently there’s some rule about including him by name in articles about the Reds, so his name now appears there. I happen to be more down on him than others, but it’s perfectly reasonable to think that that’s a terrible opinion that will be made apparent by his breakout 2018. We shall see."

 

cringe

 

lol, yikes

[Brownie19]

New pace of play stuff and related rules:

 

Pitch clock - deferred until they see how other things work / don't work

 

Video review rooms - new equipment (which will be monitored) was installed to prevent teams from using video review to steal or relay signs

 

Mount visits - 6 per team per 9 innings, additional 1 per inning for extra inning games. Any manager, coach, or player visit counts, but pitching changes, cleaning cleats if rainy, or injury checks do not. Ump can grant additional visits if he believes a cross-up has occurred.

 

Between innings and Pitching changes - 2:05 for local games, 2:25 for national games, 2:55 for postseason games. Pitcher must throw their final warmup pitch no later than 20 seconds before this, and must start throwing first pitch when clock hits 0.

 

Additional Warmup - No limit to warmup pitches or minimum guarantee, but final pitch must occur in time frame above.

 

Umpire can grant time extensions if he believes there is a danger to the player not to do so, or if there's an equipment issue, etc.

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-announces-pace-of-play-initiatives/c-266718664

 

I just read that only 4 pitchers in ML baseball last year averaged less than 20 seconds between pitches. That number alarmed me.

[bowld]

Robert Murray of FanRag Sports reports that the Rays are in the process of acquiring Yankees second base prospect Nick Solak...The return is unknown, but Solak is a fairly well-regarded prospect, so this could be part of something big

[Abomination]

Robert Murray of FanRag Sports reports that the Rays are in the process of acquiring Yankees second base prospect Nick Solak...The return is unknown, but Solak is a fairly well-regarded prospect, so this could be part of something big

 

My first thought was Dickerson, but they don't have anywhere to play him.

[BTS]

3-tem trade. Souza to Arizona and Drury to New York.

[Orgfiller]

Wtf are the Rays doing?

 

Also Drury kind of sucks so I'll be glad if that's the main piece that the Yankees are getting.

[BTS]

Wtf are the Rays doing?

 

Also Drury kind of sucks so I'll be glad if that's the main piece that the Yankees are getting.

 

There had better be a significant prospect going to TB here in addition to Solak. Like Duplantier or Banda.

[bowld]

Rays got Nick Solack and Anthony Banda

[Angrioter]

Souza + Chase Field = Good for me

[jays4life19]

Souza + Chase Field = Good for me

 

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/diamondbacks-announce-chase-field-humidor-which-is-likely-to-suppress-offense/

[BTS]

I like this, because the D'Backs must think pretty highly of Banda to give up 3 years of Souza for him ans Solak.

[Orgfiller]

I like this, because the D'Backs must think pretty highly of Banda to give up 3 years of Souza for him ans Solak.

 

As a Solak owner I feel the same way, but this is just a terrible deal for the Rays and a steal for the DBacks.

[Orgfiller]

In two days the Diamondbacks turned their OF into Pollock, Souza, Dyson and Peralta and all it cost them was $7.5M over two years and Brandon Drury and Anthony Banda. Not too shabby.

[BTS]

As a Solak owner I feel the same way, but this is just a terrible deal for the Rays and a steal for the DBacks.

 

Every move they've made this offseason has made me feel underwhelmed, and like I would not have done that, but also with no strong conviction that the move was objectively bad. I don't really understand what they're doing.

 

Like, projections think Banda and Souza are only separated by half a win, if that. But I don't really buy that.

[jaysfan2014]

It's an Expos-style fire sale in Tampa! Everybody must go!

 

Next up, it'll be Archer, Colome, Kiermaier.. when does the league take over and move this team, like what happened in Montreal?

[Ray]

Yankees get Drury now to add to their infield. Where is Moustakas gonna end up going?

[jaysfan2014]

Yankees get Drury now to add to their infield. Where is Moustakas gonna end up going?

 

Cardinals?

[Brownie19]

Per Buster.....Astros top pitching prospect Forrest Whitley has been suspended 50 games for a violation of the minor league drug program.

[Brownie19]

"Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Wednesday in camp that he's planning to move Yuli Gurriel around the infield this season. Gurriel played first base primarily in 2017, but he was a third baseman in Cuba and Hinch believes he could handle some second base and shortstop."

 

Da Fuk?

[G-Snarls]

Marlins sign Cameron Maybin

 

3.25M plus possible incentives

[G-Snarls]

Has this been posted at all?

 

Miami-Dade suing Jeffrey Loria

 

https://www.sportbusiness.com/sport-news/miami-dade-launches-lawsuit-over-marlins-takeover

[Pendleton]

"Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Wednesday in camp that he's planning to move Yuli Gurriel around the infield this season. Gurriel played first base primarily in 2017, but he was a third baseman in Cuba and Hinch believes he could handle some second base and shortstop."

 

Da Fuk?

 

Trying to find playing time for Reed in the corner IF?

[BTS]

Rasmus is back! MiLB deal with Baltimore.

[Orgfiller]

"Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Wednesday in camp that he's planning to move Yuli Gurriel around the infield this season. Gurriel played first base primarily in 2017, but he was a third baseman in Cuba and Hinch believes he could handle some second base and shortstop."

 

Da Fuk?

 

What do you find so weird about this? He was a shortstop his whole career but also played some third base in the later years. He won't be a Gold Glover but he should be able to handle all of these positions adequately. It was pretty dumb to use him as a 1B.

[Shart]

Good old Colby R has signed a minor league deal with the Orioles. How the mighty have fallen.

[Boxcar]

What do you find so weird about this? He was a shortstop his whole career but also played some third base in the later years. He won't be a Gold Glover but he should be able to handle all of these positions adequately. It was pretty dumb to use him as a 1B.

 

They should probably just relegate him to a bench utility role tbh. Free AJ Reed!