TheHurl

Minor league movement. http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140917&content_id=95113940&fext=.jsp&vkey=news_milb&sid=milb UPDATE, Friday 9/19 The Mariners announced that their California League affiliate is returning to Bakersfield after an absence of 33 years. Three Class A Short Season Northwest League clubs exchanged parent clubs Thursday night, with Boise moving from the Cubs to the Rockies, Eugene changing from the Padres to the Cubs and Tri-City switching from the Rockies to the Padres. • Catch up on MLB affiliation changes as they become official » UPDATE, Thursday 9/18 The Nashville Sounds announced a new four-year agreement with the Athletics running through the 2018 season. Sacramento, the A's former home, has signed on with the Giants, while the Astros will take over from the Giants in Fresno. The moves left the Brewers and Colorado Springs as the only uncommitted pair remaining in Triple-A. They later signed a two-year pact on Thursday afternoon. Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin expressed dissatisfaction after his club was spurned by Nashville. "Very disappointing. We gave them 10 years there. A number of times we had a chance to move and we were patient with them," he said of the Sounds, who will move into a brand new ballpark next season after decades at aging Greer Stadium. "I'm just disappointed they wouldn't have given us two [more] years for what we put up with there." Nashville sounds owner Frank Ward responded to Melvin's comments in an email to MLB.com. "As a Minor League Baseball affiliate, we have very strict rules as set forth by Major League Baseball when it comes to investigating the possibility of reaffiliation. We followed those to the end. Within those parameters, we informed the Brewers that we would explore the opportunity to look at our options at the appropriate time. When it came time for us to have the opportunity to talk to other teams, we decided to do what we felt was best for our franchise and for the city of Nashville with respect to winning baseball." At the Class A Advanced level, the Reds have moved their affiliate across the country to Daytona, Florida, where they'll take over from the Cubs. The Reds leave Bakersfield in the California League after four seasons. They previously operated the Florida State League's Sarasota club between 2005 and 2009 before it was sold to the Pirates and moved to Bradenton. More changes are afoot in the Class A Midwest League, where the Cubs have finalized a deal to move from Kane County to South Bend, which had been a D-backs affiliate since 1997. Kane County, Beloit (currently with the A's) and Lansing (Blue Jays) are the remaining Midwest League clubs with expiring contracts. • Catch up on MLB affiliation changes as they become official » The final game of the 2014 season took place on Tuesday night, but Minor League action continued Wednesday when several clubs changed their Major League affiliations. The Dodgers made the biggest splash as Triple-A Oklahoma City announced its sale to a partnership including Mandalay Entertainment Chairman and CEO Peter Guber and other current principals of Mandalay Baseball Properties, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. After four seasons as the Astros' top farm club, the RedHawks will become the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate in 2015. Los Angeles also announced a Double-A move. Following stints in Jacksonville (2001-08) and Chattanooga (2009-2014), the Dodgers will shift their Double-A club out of the Southern League to Tulsa, formerly the Rockies' Double-A home, in the Texas League. The Dodgers' move to Oklahoma City set off a musical chairs-like shuffle in the Pacific Coast League. Albuquerque, the Dodgers' former home, announced an agreement with the Colorado Rockies, who departed Colorado Springs after 22 seasons. Further changes are expected as neither Nashville, which is moving to a new ballpark next season, nor Sacramento renewed Player Development Contracts with Milwaukee and Oakland, respectively. Nashville is rumored to be in talks with the A's while the Giants seem poised to take over in Sacramento. In Double-A, the Twins departed New Britain after 18 seasons, opting to shift their affiliation to Chattanooga in the Dodgers' absence. Completing a three-way shuffle among the Dodgers, Twins and Rockies with Tulsa, Chattanooga and New Britain, the Rockies will send their Double-A prospects to the Eastern League's Rock Cats. The Cleveland Indians made a move within the Carolina League, sending their club from Carolina to Lynchburg. Currently at the Class A Advanced level, Carolina and Daytona are looking for parent clubs and the Rangers and Braves need affiliates. Bakersfield, for now a Reds farm team, may also figure into the equation. Elsewhere, the Brewers extended their agreements with Double-A Biloxi (debuting in 2015 after relocating from Huntsville) through 2018 and Class A Advanced Brevard County through the 2016 season. San Diego also extended its pact with Fort Wayne, where it has had a Class A club since 1999. At the lower levels, the Cubs appear to be the factor driving possible changes. Chicago has already chosen to end its relationship with Class A Advanced Daytona after 22 seasons, moving to Myrtle Beach in the Carolina League, and is weighing its options in the Class A Midwest League, where it could extend its relationship with Kane County or perhaps shift to South Bend, which is currently a D-backs affiliate. The Yankees also got into the action last week, announcing a new partnership with Pulaski, formerly a Mariners affiliate, in the Appalachian League.

I think the bigger question is, does enough people actually look at the data and realize that these players have a bigger impact on the game and some catchers like Santana are losing a huge chunk of their value in comparison to catchers who can't hit a lick (in the case of Santana he was bad enough at the other defensive aspects of catching that he was going to end up moving anyway). So if pitch framing data ever ends up reaching the minors to a full scale and more catchers like Hanigan make the bigs...they may actually go to the electronic umps. As much as a guy like me is fascinated by framing, it's not good for casuals and in the end baseball. If every year a few of the ignorant become informed we'll be one step closer to roboump

If you are going to point out Delabar as a main reason for "disappointment" (disappointment for a team that is going to reach it's projected win total is an interesting concept), then why not take that a step further and say it's disappointing that the Jays did not cash in on trading their biggest relief assets in Santos, Casey and Delabar, in the past off season.

and by cancer he means whore.

I'd assume Bumgarner and Wood as well. Although I don't think Bumgarner showed it in the past. I've always considered Wood to be the best hitting pitcher.

I wonder when I'll no longer be able to log in...considering my subscription ran out at the 1st of August. BEST PLAYER: There is more to see than the 37 home runs Matt Olson blasted this year. The 20-year-old first baseman drew 117 walks, scored 111 runs and drove in 97 for high Class A Stockton in a season where he showed great progress and patience. The Athletics are particularly impressed by the walk totals, and Olson has learned the strike zone and how to get his pitch. Matt Olson (Photo by Bill Mitchell). Matt Olson (Photo by Bill Mitchell). Olson’s Stockton teammate Daniel Robertson also had a terrific year, hitting .311 with 15 home runs while establishing himself as a solid defensive shortstop. This became particularly important when the A’s dealt away Addison Russell to acquire Jeff Samardzija for the pennant race. In Olson and Robertson, the A’s could have two pieces to their future major league puzzle. “They grind out at-bats and have great attitudes. (I’m) very optimistic,” farm director Keith Lieppman said. “They are superb players, some of the best young players I’ve ever had at this maturity level for their age. BEST PITCHER: In a rough year for pitchers in the organization, righthander Seth Streich stood out. Despite missing most of the last month with a shoulder injury, Streich put together a 9-6, 3.16 record with a 1.16 WHIP. He has impressed the A’s not only with his work on the mound, but with his dedication. “Because of his preparation and work ethic, he has the structure that allows him to have success,” Lieppman said of the 23-year-old. “He was willing to take risks to improve his game. He used the changeup more, and the pitch improved.” KEEP AN EYE ON: There will be many eyes on outfielder Boog Powell as he continues his career. He seemed to be having a breakthrough season when he was hit with a 50-game suspension in July for amphetamine use. A solid defensive center fielder, Powell began the year by hitting .335/.452/.429 with 53 walks in 69 games for low Class A Beloit. Promoted to Stockton for 14 games at the end of the season, he wound up leading the minors with a .351 on-base percentage. A’s ACORNS • After missing much of the year with knee and shoulder injuries, righthander Tanner Peters was selected to join the Arizona Fall League. • Lefty Chris Lamb struck out 17 in seven innings for Stockton. The native of Berkeley, Calif., a short BART ride from O.co Coliseum, was an 11th-round pick out of Davidson.

did 3 people really just report a 10 month old post?

He had three in Omaha this year...I'm pretty sure he'll lead his beer league in saves in 10 years.

I don't know, mainstream media, like all good people, hate Hispanics. Seriously though, the old school thinking BBWAA would even have a tough time discounting Kluber at this point. He leads King in 3 of their traditionally quoted stats (K's, Wins and CG's) and even though Felix's road numbers are actually better there is the thought that he pitches out of pitchers park. If Kluber was in New York, LA or Detroit I think there would have been more of a push for him. I don't think it would be a landslide.

The bold prediction thread, I wasn't very good on those other predictions. http://www.bluejaysmessageboard.com/threads/2437-Bold-Prediction-Thread?highlight=bold

I'd like to add that it was not just an 80 win prediction. It's that they would be 40 and 30 after 70 (which happened exactly) and then they would end up at 80 wins.

Honestly, you should learn something about key indicators to future success. I'm not talking about JFAs type stuff here but just simple things like K-rates and plate discipline. Goins can up his BABIP (it's very possible) and the impact is quite small on his overall value. He's way too slow to ever have positive baserunning value and he strikes out too much to BABIP himself to a solid average and he's not walking enough to make up for that. He's got 2 years which he has options to prove himself. After that he's signing minor league deals. Simmons makes contact...which is why he has a chance to have some value from his bat.

because Goins bat will never ever be good enough to make his defensive value matter. Goins future roll is injury replacement...until he's out of options than it's 25th man.

I think for Toronto specifically it depends on the local, National and even U.S. media spin on it. After "the trade" one of the biggest season ticket sales day was after it became a big deal that we were the "Vegas" favourite. Meanwhile we were the Vegas favourite likely mostly in part to casual fans all blowing their load over that trade. The Jays would probably be much better off sales wise if they turned Sportsnet into a YES type hype machine. I hope it never happens but it's probably best for sales.

I don't even think Goins can become a good hitter. Gose has to prove to be coachable. Guys his age, that have had a similar skillset, similar K-Rates have become really good hitters or at least have had really good hitting seasons. He has to work huge on his approach but it's going on 4 years of saying that so I'm not sure it'll happen.

that's been proven to be wrong for about 30 years now. The biggest factor in attendance is off-season ticket sales. Winning (presumably walk up sales) is as much of a factor as giveaways and weather.

It's great that all of Jeter's good defensive plays can be put on to plaques on one base

Then stop blinking...you are such a bad fan.

I haven't read anything that people are talking about but it's pretty common for teams that are about to make "bad PR" moves to leak stories about a bad clubhouse in order to justify those moves. I really hope for the Jays sake this is the case here.

I think what surprises most of us is that he's putting up an 82 wRC+ and still has little to no value. Personally i look at Zach Cozart who is putting up much worse offensive numbers and has way more value and this is what I expected from Hech. I posted this before but it's worth a read. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/how-can-we-make-sense-of-adeiny-hechavarria/

I love listening to Pat and Buck talk about building a team.

5 days after the World Series ends. Same with qualifying offers...which they have 7 days to accept or reject.

I actually think Reyes would be okay with the move. It just has to be an obvious upgrade. They should tell him that they are looking for a 3B, 2B or SS in the off-season and if they find a solid player at SS he'd be 2B. I just don't think that player is out there...and I don't think the team sees Reyes at SS as a huge issue.

I do think that it's a tougher change to approach than fans probably think it is...it also shouldn't be done just to be done. There has to be an increase in overall value to make it worth while.

I'll put that one as putting in extra effort. He got the ball within arms length.