Laika

I used to crush it with my left hand on the 401 in the fast lane. The risk made it feel better.

Okay, the Two Way Player (TWP) rule seemed weird to me to. Here is my breakdown: - There is a new rule saying you can only have 13 Pitchers on the 26 man roster - There is a new rule saying a Position Player cannot pitch unless it is extra innings OR there is a 6 run gap - A TWP can pitch without counting as one of the team's 13 pitchers (this is stated in the rule) - I am assuming that a TWP can also pitch whenever and they are not restricted by the new rules on Position players pitching (this is not stated anywhere in the release unless I missed it; it would be stupid if this wasn't the case) - I am assuming there is some rule about automatic TWP qualification if a player met the quotas in the minor leagues (this is not stated in the release but should exist) - The rules create a weird situation. If a player does not qualify as a TWP, the team must either a) consider them a Pitcher, in which case they count towards the 13 Pitcher limit, or consider them a Position player, in which case they can't pitch unless it is a blowout or in extras. I am assuming teams can change this day-to-day, e.g. if Ohtani is starting the Angels just consider him a Pitcher for that day (if he is not a TWP for some reason.) - If the above is not true and teams cannot change Pitcher vs. Position Player day-to-day, then teams must either a) consider a player a Pitcher until they can get them 20 position games started (not hard) or consider a player a Position Player until they can get them 20 innings pitched (much harder given the rules against Position Players pitching!) - The rules create another weird situation. You might see teams do some weird player usage late in seasons so that a player qualifies as a TWP. If the Reds are out of it they could just start Michael Lorenzen for their last twenty games so that he gets TWP designation next year. Then he doesn't count towards the 13 Pitcher limit next year and the Reds can effectively carry 14 Pitchers every game. This makes me wonder if even I am missing something!? There is a slight negative to being a TWP vs. just a Position Player, and that is longer IL and option times. In summary: I hate it.

You should look into how Fangraphs assigns grades now. They have a system that is not horrible. The 40 present command basically just means that if SWR were in the MLB today, his command would look like a 40. Same with Orelvis' hit tool - it would look like a 20 today if he got plopped onto the MLB roster. The projected 45 might be light, I guess, but all that really means is that they project Orelvis to be something like a .250 hitter in the MLB if he develops.

DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE sounds like the Florida criminal offense for jizzing in public, so sure.

For the charge to stick. Florida cops probably charge anyone who gets caught in the buff with this. For all we know Reese was just changing in his car and some old lady saw his Reese's Pieces. He'll probably get this dismissed unless juicer details come out.

The report on Pearson is pretty great. A bit of cold water for the other three though: Groshans - "but the severity of his injury concerns some teams... The mystery and severity of the injury, combined with Lansing’s tendency to cariacature hitter’s stats, has much of the industry in wait-and-see mode here, though the power is for real." SWR - "He’s not nearly as projectable as most teenage arms... his frame is pretty mature, so this is a player who might look a little too good on a pro scouting model. Orelvis - "Were Martinez a little more physically projectable, he’d be higher on this list... We ranked him behind a number of players in his class because of concerns about his contact skills, and those remain due to wild variation in the way Martinez’s lower half works during his swing. His footwork is all over the place and he takes a lot of ugly hacks... this is a kid with a high-variance hit tool."

I don't think it really matters - the specific rules could be drafted to make any age work. - To be eligible players must be 16 years old by January 1 of the draft year - Players must declare for the draft - If a player declares and is not selected they are a free agent, eligible to sign with any team without restrictions, unless they declare for a future draft (or attend a US high school or college, or CDN high school) which declaration will revoke their free agent eligibility - Players who are selected but do not sign are not free agents. They can declare for a future draft. - International players can declare for the draft any number of years until they are 22 years old. If a player is 22 years old on January 1 of the draft year, they cannot declare for the draft. They are a free agent without restrictions. Tell me what is glaringly wrong about something like that. the 16 to 22 gap means almost every player would declare - they could get a bonus at 16 and be in the majors by 22.

Yes, 4 from each league. 8 total. Like it used to be

https://www.caoc.org/?pg=facts

My drastic CBA proposal would be something like: - Kill the NL and AL. Pitchers don't hit anymore. - Replace them with a Western League and Eastern League. This is geographic for travel purposes because we are also getting rid of divisions. - Every team plays each team in their own League 5 times (145 games; probably a 3 game set and a 2 game set). - Every team plays 8 teams from the other League 2 times (16 interleague games, 161 game schedule) - Interleague opponents are based on some algorithm using last year's standings so each team gets a relatively fair distribution of opponent strength. - The result of this is a pretty balanced schedule. - Top 4 teams make the playoffs. - Every series is 7 games long. - Less off days during the 7 game series. Currently they get two off days for travel - make game 2 an afternoon game and they travel on that day. Only one off day during a 7 game series, after game 5, if it goes that far. - Arbitration starts a year earlier, in a player's third year. - Teams lose a year of control if a player makes their MLB debut after a certain age (it's getting nuts, some players are debuting at 27/28 and they will be cost-controlled for their entire careers. Doesn't seem fair). - To penalize service time manipulation, some some of bonus in the final arbitration year for players who enter that year with excess service time. Example, if a player starts year "6" with 5.160 service time, that 160 extra days is used in some calculation to compensate the player and penalize the team. - No more "competitive balance pick" ********. Revenue sharing is enough. - All draft picks can be traded - Just put J2 players in the draft. No need for a separate international draft. Bonus pools increase by the international spending budgets. - Streamline the instant replay process. Managers should have to decide whether to challenge without the help of off-field staff. Review umpire support staff should be looking at close plays immediately in case they are challenged. - Roy Halladay's hall of fame plaque gets a Jays logo

Upon reflection, I'm not sure that adding more playoff teams would increase competitiveness at all. If the playoffs are easier to make, does that not incentivize mediocrity? Owners of teams like the Rays could actually lower their bars since all they have to do is limp into the playoffs with ~85 wins half of the time, and that will produce enough lucky playoff runs to excite their 17 fans. s***** teams like the Padres and Reds and White Sox are already spending.

It's different in baseball because of the pitchers. A mediocre team that limps to 85 wins in the season can have an Ace that makes them the heavy favourite in a wild card game. It's not like football and the other football, where winner take all games can be random but are still essentially the full rosters of both teams fighting each other.

Well he's probably a downgrade for any of a decent team's top 6 forwards and he's not a bottom 6 forward. Strikes me as a "negative WAR" hockey player tbh but I don't know what the fancy stats say

A contender would want Galchenyuk? Hmmm

Seems great. Manfred for HOF?

Man, that would be so frustrating as a hardcore fan of that team. They were rumoured to be giving up Luis Rengifo for Stripling and Pederson. There were other names involved so it might have ended up an even deal, but imagine having that rug yanked out?

Yeah, there are multiple avenues to victory in a lawsuit like that: 1) An actual victory in court 2) A settlement because the other party wants to keep a lid on everything 3) A legal loss, but a moral victory; the other party has to squirm, is exposed publicly, etc. 4) A legal loss, and a moral loss (think the case getting dismissed quickly) BUT being involved in something noteworthy somehow gives the plaintiff benefits (book deals, future jobs, etc.)

Only one year of control though. I can't see it making sense for Toronto to pay futures for him. I'd be interested in Ross Stripling - three years of control there. He was going to the Angels in that.

Enough people are taking cracks at Sean Manaea that he probably moves today. The cost is shaping up to be something like two solid prospects, or an interesting young arm + a solid prospect. I am countering most offers so come at him fast if actually interested.

I don’t think this was stated yet but if you trade for a prospect that does not have a green flag but was on the other owner’s farm, you can ask a commissioner to put them on your farm. Only makes sense and it’s how the kids do it in LOD

Probably should just gut the rest of my old rotation and try something new so Sean Manaea and Chris Bassitt very available. Open to all types of deals. Current best offer for Manaea is a disgusting prospect who strikes out more often than I fart

I still think the Red Sox f***ed up David Price at half of his contract is probably what he would cost as a free agent. There should have been no absolute need to attach Betts to him, and possibly dampen the return for Betts in the process. Mookie is not your normal star player - he's a total package superstar and likely the 2nd best player in baseball. I think this return for him lacks a certain type of upside. This isn't even obviously more than Goldschmidt fetched.

Apparently it's Graterol + the pick + an older platoon prospect for Maeda and $10M. The money probably means the Twins did slightly better than the original trade as I can't imagine the pick is worth more than $5M.

Puig is going to get almost nothing. Kind of crazy. Kevin Pillar might come back for $1M!

Rays also have Tsutsugo as a s***** LF option. Maybe the Padres are going to poach Betts