G-Snarls

It’s hard not to wonder how much fault lies in the terrible decision to fire hitting coach Kevin Seitzer after the 2012 season. He was fired because the Royals didn’t hit for enough power, which sounds like the setup to one of Aesop’s Fables given what’s happened since: The Royals have plowed through hitting coaches like Spinal Tap drummers. Dale Sveum was hired on Thursday to replace Pedro Grifol, who last July replaced George Brett, who replaced Jack Maloof and Andre David last May. The Royals had five different hitting coaches in less than a year and haven’t hit for power with any of them — they are dead last in the majors in home runs since the start of last season. Meanwhile, the Toronto Blue Jays, who hired Seitzer to be their hitting coach this offseason, lead the majors in home runs and runs scored, and lead the AL East.

Olerud363: Please tell us the conversation that would take place between Beeston, Gaston, AA and Gibby during Utley's age 37 season, as they try to decide how much playing time they should give him. Thank you

Utley - Classic Amaro Jr contract: 2014 35 Philadelphia Phillies $15,000,000 2015 36 Philadelphia Phillies $10,000,000 (2015 salary increases by $5M to $15M with 15 days or less on disabled list with knee injury in 2014) 2016 37 Philadelphia Phillies *$15,000,000 $15M Vesting Option option guaranteed with 500 plate appearance in previous season 2017 38 Philadelphia Phillies *$15,000,000 $15M Vesting Option option guaranteed with 500 plate appearance in previous season 2018 39 Philadelphia Phillies *$15,000,000 $15M Vesting Option option guaranteed with 500 plate appearance in previous season

Dat payroll!! Can't gamble on Utley. 35 years old now and he has several of those "Amaro Jr special" vesting options that pay him 15M per year for his age 37, 38, 39 seasons if he gets enough plate appearances. No thanks...

http://d1mxyp5ceukbya.cloudfront.net/images/otis-nixon-arrested-drugs.jpg http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/content/2013/5-7-13-otis-nixon-arrested/15724671-1-eng-US/5-7-13-Otis-Nixon-arrested_full_600.jpg Not sure he looks any worse post drug bust than he did while playing...

Phillies sinking further and further in the standings, so...

Thank you for NOT making a thread for this, BTW

But meanwhile Hurl and BTS voted for James Loney 70 times Get back to work!

Random thought: I hated Otis Nixon and his ugly ass face

Yeah, I can name at least 30 other players I'd take ahead of Machado

Kansas City meanwhile has gone through 3 other hitting coaches since they fired him. LOL

He is striking out at EXACTLY his career norm (~34%) but the extra base power compensates. His BABip is 30 points higher than his usual.

Same here wRC+ 99 vs 78/75 for Machado/Moustakas Lawrie actually IS a league average bat. I don't think most of us realized that.

I'd do the same in their shoes You're already the worst team in the sport. Lump it out for a few years rather than spend to be a 4th place team. Hoard draft picks and $ and wait to pounce in a few years. Edit: I forgot about the Feldman contract. That was stupid.

And he qualifies for DH! Shame... Vote Edwin!!!

Runner up Face Of MLB after all!!! FU David Wright

LOL Exactly

Yep. Do it.

Love Bautista and the way he plays. His occasional over aggressiveness on the basepaths is laughably offset by his ridiculous OBP, huge power and arm/cannon. Also (poke fun if you wish) people around the team say he has legit leadership chops, and has helped bridge the gap between the English and Spanish speaking players on the team.

FU Nelson Cruz and Derek Jeter

Results starting to trickle in Cano, Cruz take leads, Bautista closes in on Trout http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/robinson-cano-nelson-cruz-take-leads-at-their-positions-in-al-all-star-voting?ymd=20140602&content_id=77866044&vkey=news_mlb http://mlb.mlb.com/assets/images/8/6/0/77871860/cuts/1280x720_ASG14_060214_AL_Leaders_mlb_h0qh21c8_eropxh2j.jpg

He literally hasn't touched a baseball since he went on the DL I'm not even kidding

I'm very curious to see how this Astros re build goes. Will be several years before we know if successful but I like the aggressive way they're doing it

Those plays were freaking awesome too What an arm and what a heads up play on the first one

A ranked top 50 prospect is worth WAY more than a first round draft pick since so many of the latter bust. Also, very importantly, these compensation picks are not really even first round picks - they are "sandwiched" between the first and second rounds, so they fall in the #31-40 ish range. This further reduces the chances of that pick becoming a top prospect/major league player. Someone who's already made the top 50 prospects list is much more likely to succeed than any given first or sandwhich round round draft pick who is chosen at 16-18 years of age, because so many busts have already been weeded out before that top 50 list is made. So yes, they'd MUCH rather have Marcus Stroman than a compensation pick. But teams are understandably reluctant to give someone like that up when they're only getting half a season and no draft pick back. That's the choice teams have to make when they think about trading guys with only half a season left before free agency. The question is - Can you get a player who is more valuable than a compensation pick or not? BTW, it's obviously the same situation we're in with Rasmus. Tampa rarely lets this happen - they usually trade their guys (Garza, Shields) while they still have trade value (usually 1-2 years before free agency) but are starting to get expensive. When you think about it, it's still surprising that they were willing to go in to 2014 with Price making 14M. They obviously couldn't get what they really wanted this off season, so will try again at the trade deadline. They DID let BJ Upton get to free agency and let him go for a comp pick, but I don't think they can afford to do that with Price. He'll make even more next year. Final answer? If I'm KC, Stroman is exactly who I ask Toronto for, but any "extra" beyond that would not be a top prospect.