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Fangraphs had A's playoff odds at like 95%+ before the trade, this is more of a let's-not-get-knocked-out-in-the-first-round-for-the-30th-time-in-a-row trade it seems, this is the year that Oakland should be going all in, they have possibly the best team in baseball, Yankees and Sox are both weak.
I'd like to say this puts the team over the hump, but im keeping my optimism in check. Seen so many years where I thought Oakland was the best team in the AL and it go up in flames. (**** you Koch) I'm enjoying the ride, last years team was my favorite of all Oakland squads, and this year is shaping up for fun.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alloutwar
anyone watching this TOR/LAA game? crazy amounts of errors, passed balls, bad throws...holy cow
its the 4th effing inning
HOU/OAK is the free game of the day. I just saw Sogard steal 3rd after a key Donaldson hit and couldn't resist clapping. Man what an enjoyable team.
Nice to see my Tigers make a move to get Soria from Texas. Their bullpen has been the one achilles heel of the team, so hopefully this will help address it.
Do you think it was worth the 2 specs, both being top 10 in DET's system? I see the need to win now, definitely, but I wonder why they didn't nab Street at that price.
top 10 in "their" system...i'm just curious where they were ranked in say the top 100 or so?Quote:
Originally Posted by Alloutwar
not sure if it's me or not but it seems like there's far more players being discussed as "available" than in the prior years. maybe the two WC's have something to do with it? It also seems daily i'm reading about people being available that are really trash anyhow. Take Edwin Jackson for example. i'm probably wrong, i dunno.
I'd rather have Soria. Street is hurt far too often. And Soria comes for a reasonable salary. The specs were decent, but nothing spectacular. Knebel wasn't looking all that great so far for the Tigers, and Thompson's upside is a mid-rotation starter. Considering Detroit's window to win is likely only a few more seasons, this move makes sense to me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alloutwar
What does everyone think about the modification to how long players can be on the Hall of fame ballot from 15 years to 10? do you think it will probably effectively do nothing??
I think it will keep a lot of players from the PED era out. I'm suspecting it will keep out deserving players like Whitaker and Trammell too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wassit3
Your first part was right & the 2nd part might be right, but your examples were wrong. They could extend eligibility to twenty years and Whitaker and Trammel wouldn't get in. Their only hope has always been the veterans committee.Quote:
Originally Posted by ragecage
Whitaker and Trammel should go in as a tandem, maybe they should have a special place for tandems....Quote:
Originally Posted by Cubbie
It's too bad that Whitaker and Trammell haven't gotten more HOF support. As a Tigers fan, they were a lot of fun to watch, and a couple of very good offensive players in addition to being so good defensively.
Man that crazy Beane fella I tell ya
wooooow. Cespedes' arm in the Sox outfield, that rocks. Of course, he is pricey...hmm.
Oak's rotation must be the best in a long time...does Hammel get bumped now? After yesterdays crap outing, one must think so.
The Red sox traded like, an entire rotation in the span of a week...Peavy, Doubront, Lackey, Lester. Andrew Miller used to start too, so hey!
Pretty big sell off for the Sox.
Tigers get Price for Austin Jackson and Smyly, wow
love the arm, hate the OBP. Basically they dealt Lester and Gomes for Cespedes and a 3rd rd pick. I think it goes to show how pricey power bats are now in the day of the power outage. I dont' know if I fully understand how the draft pick compensation goes, but it seems if the Sox have one of the 10 worst records they could theorhetically sign Lester in FA and NOT have to give Oakland a pick if I understand correctly. I highly doubt they going to pay Lester the 6/150 he'll get on the market but it would be comical if they did get him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alloutwar
weird trades today. I thought Boston would've gotten top flight prospect somehow but apparently not. Tampa got schooled by Detroit. The Pirates did nothing, i would've thought for sure they would get some reinforcement. The yankees/sox swap of shitbags was funny.
Basically a 2 way race in the AL between Detroit and Oakland now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alloutwar
Dickay - since Lester was traded mid season, there's no draft pick attachéd to signing him. Which is good, and bad - now all kinds of teams will be in on the bidding.
I'm surprised at the mlb returns - Kelly Johnson, cespedes, Allen Craig, Joe Kelly...not quite what I had in mind, but if you combine them with Ortiz, Napoli, Xander, and the flotilla of pitching like Webster, de la rosa, and workman if he pans out...it's a chance.
The doubront for crap was a real weird one for me. Also AJ pierzynski, doing decent with the cards - wish they traded for him.
Excellent moves by the Red Sox.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alloutwar
Ready to compete in 2015 - well, need a couple of pitchers.
yeah people are pegging them as going after shields, plus trying to bring Lester back...but I see the 2015 rotation (today) as:
Clay Buchholz (29, signed thru 2015 with two club options after that)
Rubby De La Rosa (25 now)
Anthony Ranaudo (age 24, first win last night, yay!)
Brandon Workman (25)
Joe Kelly (26)
Allan Webster (24 already)
Even if you put all 6 in the rotation, as the Sox love to do in case of injuries...or don't see Kelly as a legit starter...or see Workman going back to the 'pen...then you have a host of prospects knocking on the door. Not just the Steven Wrights of the world, but solid specs:
Henry Owens
Eduardo Rodriguez
Edwin Escobar
Brian Johnson
Matt Barnes
At least one of those should be starting for the sox by this time next year...so 5 under contract, legit SPs anyway you slice it. So going out and signing a guy long term is a bit dangerous...they could always flip the prospects, though. And I'd certainly love to see Lester back...Shields is 33, but I think he's worth a deal too.
The sox have a ton of financial flexibility...heck their payroll is set to be around $94mil before arb, might be as low as $100mil with arb. That's $50-$60mil of space easily, and $89mil of space before getting to luxury tax area. That's exciting.
Sox have tons of flexibility however the FA market next season, outside of a few SP's, is pretty weak. I can see them going for Sheilds hard, they won't go after Lester. If the Sox are going to add payroll and make a big splash this offseason, I think it'll be via trade for larger contract and moving some of that excess in the farm, it won't be via free agency. I can see a trade for Hamels and having Philly keep some of that contract. Maybe a trade for Starlin Castro, a 3B, or a proven CF'er if they give up on JBJ. I think they will bring in two veteran pitchers though, i can't see them going into next year with Buchholz and a slew of unprovens.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alloutwar
I don't think I've ever been as angry at baseball as McCutchens beaning by Kirk (Neanderthal) Gibson and the fact that Gibson will get away with it. His shitty ass team may have cost Pittsburgh a chance at the postseason.
Unwritten rules my pimply butt. Fuq Gibson. What he did, turns people off.