Killeverything's (New)NeverEndingBaseballThread

[tin00can]

A lot of people are jumping off the Mariners' bandwagon already. After Ichiro and Figgins, they don't have much offense at all. Cliff Lee missing the start of the season has to be worrisome, and their 4 and 5 pitchers are question marks. They'd need a LOT of things to bounce just right to contend.

The Rangers have me slightly worried. The only thing with them is, they play in Texas and that heat tends to wear players out at the end of the year.

Oakland - well, their big investment is Ben Sheets, so we'll have to wait and see. I don't see them breaking .500.

[killeverything]

A lot of people are jumping off the Mariners' bandwagon already. After Ichiro and Figgins, they don't have much offense at all. Cliff Lee missing the start of the season has to be worrisome, and their 4 and 5 pitchers are question marks. They'd need a LOT of things to bounce just right to contend.

The Rangers have me slightly worried. The only thing with them is, they play in Texas and that heat tends to wear players out at the end of the year.

Oakland - well, their big investment is Ben Sheets, so we'll have to wait and see. I don't see them breaking .500.

Oh I hear ya. I just think the debate is really going to be put to the test without a small sample size this season. I'm looking forward to it personally. Of course if the whole defense/pitching heavy teams struggle to be .500 this year. Next year we'll probably see them built up around offense.

I'm thinking that Ben Sheets was the best reclaimation project. I was hoping he'd get another chance. If he stays healthy, holy fuck.

Fuck yeah! Let's get this shit started!

[TawnyVonJagger]

JJ vs. Santana (the guy who doesn't play guitar) on Opening Day. Hellz yeah. I'm a lil worried about JJ though, he's been a little off this ST. Nolasco, on the other hand, holy shit has he been a BEAST! I'm too lazy to look up his stats right now, but his ERA was ridiculous, and he allowed ONE fucking walk. And boy, was he pissed at himself about that! LOL

I'm feeling pretty good about the season. I like the addition of Nate Robertson, may that boy stay healthy. Clay Hensley is in the pen currently, but if someone falters, he could step in. He's also had an amazing ST. And we have some huge talent waiting in the wings with Logan Morrison and Mike Stanton...I think we'll see them at some point during the season. Stanton's a beast!

I will be there on April 9 for the home opener vs. the Dodgers...BRING IT!

Yay, kill, it's starting!

[killeverything]

The revolution is coming. I found this article linked from shysterball. Bill Simmons writes about accepting/why we need to accept sabermetrics. It's a good read, especially someone tha works for ESPN....a sports network not exactly known for knowing...well anything really.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ons/100402

[killeverything]

People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.


It's time.

Cheers.



Oh yeah, motherfucking Pedro Martinez is throwing out the first pitch!

[tin00can]

The revolution is coming. I found this article linked from shysterball. Bill Simmons writes about accepting/why we need to accept sabermetrics. It's a good read, especially someone tha works for ESPN....a sports network not exactly known for knowing...well anything really.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/st ... ons/100402

He makes an interesting point about willfully remaining in the dark. I have nothing against sabermetrics, I just don't really want to put forth the effort to learn what all of those things mean (although they are slowly making their way into my noggin). On the angelswin.com board we've bastardized some of them to come up with the catcher's stat GLORC (Good Look Over Replacement Catcher) which gives Jeff Mathis' true value due to his outstanding squat.

[tin00can]

Wow, according to the announcers on EPSN, everybody on the Red Sox is awesome and will play a key role!!!!111!!!

[killeverything]

Wow, according to the announcers on EPSN, everybody on the Red Sox is awesome and will play a key role!!!!111!!!

Heh. Don't forget unfortunately being forced to watch ESPN means having to listen to Joe Morgan try to articulate thoughts.

[tin00can]

I'm digging the ESPN in-game scoreboard in the lower right corner. All the info you need, clearly presented. Well done!

I'm serious. I like it.

[tin00can]

I wonder if somebody out there has done a list of "what if all players stayed on the teams they broke into the bigs with or were drafted by"? That would be interesting.

[killeverything]

I wonder if somebody out there has done a list of "what if all players stayed on the teams they broke into the bigs with or were drafted by"? That would be interesting.

Oh I'm sure it's been done. It wasn't really needed till about the 60s though. Back in the day, a player played for the team they came up with 90% of the time.

Off the top of my head:

Ted Williams was with the Padres organization in the PCL, and was bought by Boston.

Babe Ruth actually signed a minor league contract with Baltimore ( where he aquired the "Babe" nickname ). He was sold to Boston.

Arod would be with Seattle.

Schilling would've been with Boston, same with Jeff Bagwell.

Jason Varitek would've been with Seattle.

This could go on an on.

They just said this, but Jeter, Posada and Rivera have been together 16 seasons. All of which who they were brought up with.

Speaking of which Jack Cust was just DFA by Oakland. He was brought up by San Diego ( PCL ).

*edited to add*

What a great catch by Curtis Granderson. Piece Of Shit Traitor who? Fuck you MFY.

[tin00can]

I remember the Padres cutting Cust (might have been a trade but I'm pretty sure he was cut or DFA) when they didn't have anybody who could hit more than 20 HRs, and then he went to the As and blasted something like 28.

[killeverything]

I remember the Padres cutting Cust (might have been a trade but I'm pretty sure he was cut or DFA) when they didn't have anybody who could hit more than 20 HRs, and then he went to the As and blasted something like 28.

I coulda swore it was that they picked him up from AAA. He came up with San Diego a few times, he has power, but lacks plate-discipline.

I'm too lazy to look it up right now, but I will later. Regardless I like the guy, and was stoked to see him flourish with the A's. I didn't think he would last in MLB though. It was only a matter of time till Beane moved on.

[JakeYonkel]

I'm digging the ESPN in-game scoreboard in the lower right corner. All the info you need, clearly presented. Well done!

I'm serious. I like it.

Really? I've been bitching about how much I hate it all game. But I guess it's better than the top-of-screen thing they had going last year that seemed to be cut off the screen on high def broadcasts 90% of the time.

But man, watching ESPN hurts my brain. Morgan is unbearable, Miller's obnoxious. Hershiser's good though.

I loved on the pregame show when they asked Nomar for his World Series prediction, he said Boston. I'm surprised he could even keep a straight face. We get it, pal. NESPN.

[tin00can]

Both bullpens getting a workout tonight.

Neil Diamond is looking creepy old.

[JakeYonkel]

I dunno what was worse... Steven Tyler's performance (although his daughter (?) was smoking hot) or Neil Diamond's. Then again I think they're a combined 230 years old, so a little slack should be cut.

[tin00can]

Fuck, this game is the definition of mixed emotions for me. I hate both teams. However, I love seeing Joba the hutt get lit up. And Beckett. And I hate Pedroia.

[JakeYonkel]

Screw you and your California-living ass. It's damn near midnight here and I'm an old fart.

[killeverything]

Fuck, this game is the definition of mixed emotions for me. I hate both teams. However, I love seeing Joba the hutt get lit up. And Beckett. And I hate Pedroia.

Joba got hit, and will continue to do so because he's not that good. There's a reason that fat fuck is head-hunting now. The league has figured him out. He's lost 3mph on his fastball and his slider ( according to pitchf/x ) has lost 3" of break.

The MFY made the right choice with Hughes. Just give him time. I think that guy will soon be talked about as having the potential of Lester. If he can stay healthy, he'll be a Cy Young canidate soon. Of course I was always pretty high on Alex Gordon too as a top player. So what the fuck do I know?


Let's go Mighty Red Sox!





Oh and how fucked up is it that both the "aces" Beckett and Sabbathia each had 5ER tonite? Damn.

[SkyDog112046]

Opening day doesn't mean shit as far as the season goes. The Red Sox almost always start the season hot while NY usually comes out cold. I want to see at least 20 games to see what the Sox are going to be like this season. I still think come crunch time they aren't going to score many runs and will lose a lot of 3-2 and 4-3 ball games.

That being said, I'm glad the good guys won.

[Machado]

typical game last night.
you knew the 5-1 lead would not last very long.

with these 2 teams, its all about the middle relief.

i'm not surprised that the Yankees knocked out beckett early and i'm not surprised that C.C. was knocked out early.

the play in RF that Swisher turned into a triple killed me. talk about taking a bad angle.

fucking ESPN w/Miller and Morgan.
2010 is here and that horrible duo is still screwing up the game for viewers.

p.s. what's up with the boston weather last night? very nice!!

[JakeYonkel]

I just wrote out a long fucking post saying I wasn't a fan of Sabathia OR Beckett, and everything got deleted. Basically said that even though I'm not huge on CC, I'm still glad the Yankees passed on Johan and went for him, though.

Otherwise I was talking about the Boston payroll and that they're fortunate that they've locked up Pedroia, Youkilis, and Lester to 'cheap' extensions.

The front 3 in the rotation (not counting Lester) is making a lot of money next year -

Lackey - $15.25M
Beckett - $17M
Matsuzaka - $10M (more like $20M with the posting fee, even though it doesn't count against the payroll)

And if they manage to re-up Papelbon he'll be making north of $10M per year.

The Yankees have nearly $40M per year tied up in Sabathia and Burnett alone, and Vazquez is gone after this year. Pettitte may be too.

But that's the big difference in these two teams' payrolls - Boston's got their high-priced free agent additions, but their core guys are young and cheap. New York's got high-priced additions, but their core guys are older and therefore on 'market' deals, not team-friendly ones.

[WhiteHouseSubsAC]

I love my "free two weeks" of the MLB package.

When did Washington become a suburb of Philly? Lot of Phils fans there.

Halladay is getting some gift calls.

[killeverything]

I just wrote out a long fucking post saying I wasn't a fan of Sabathia OR Beckett, and everything got deleted. Basically said that even though I'm not huge on CC, I'm still glad the Yankees passed on Johan and went for him, though.

Otherwise I was talking about the Boston payroll and that they're fortunate that they've locked up Pedroia, Youkilis, and Lester to 'cheap' extensions.

The front 3 in the rotation (not counting Lester) is making a lot of money next year -

Lackey - $15.25M
Beckett - $17M
Matsuzaka - $10M (more like $20M with the posting fee, even though it doesn't count against the payroll)

And if they manage to re-up Papelbon he'll be making north of $10M per year.

The Yankees have nearly $40M per year tied up in Sabathia and Burnett alone, and Vazquez is gone after this year. Pettitte may be too.

But that's the big difference in these two teams' payrolls - Boston's got their high-priced free agent additions, but their core guys are young and cheap. New York's got high-priced additions, but their core guys are older and therefore on 'market' deals, not team-friendly ones.

The price of the Mighty Red Sox's rotation is going to go up more than that bro. According to Amalie Benjamin Beckett agreed to a 4/68 extension.

I knew that it was pretty much done, but they have to wait until one day after opening day to announce it, or it counts against the 2010 luxury tax.

[tin00can]

So as our resident Boston baseball talking head, what do you think of the extension, KE? I'm always a bit uncomfortable with signing pitchers to long-term deals, which was why I didn't mind (too much) Lackey going to the Sox, because of the years.

[JakeYonkel]

I'm not the Boston guy and the question wasn't directed at me, but fuck it, I'm gonna answer too!

I think Boston wins for keeping the deal to 4 years, for sure - Beckett and Lackey are both injury risks. I don't know that Beckett took a discount on the money end, but he could have easily gotten more guaranteed years on the open market. If he pitches great he'll hit the market at 34 with a shot at one more multi-year big money deal.

All that said, Boston now has 3/5 of their rotation locked up through 2014. However like I mentioned Lackey and Beckett are a risk to get hurt and there's a lot of money tied up in the two of them.

[killeverything]

So as our resident Boston baseball talking head, what do you think of the extension, KE? I'm always a bit uncomfortable with signing pitchers to long-term deals, which was why I didn't mind (too much) Lackey going to the Sox, because of the years.

A five year deal for Lackey was kinda eye-opening for me, kinda a "what the fuck?" All pitcher's are an injury risk in that regard, but I know they have a little bit of protection for Lackey. Still 5 years is pretty big. Schilling on his blog wondered the same thing, about locking up that many years on a pitcher.

Now for Beckett, I like it. There is no way the guy would've signed for less than 4 years. Plus Boston looked a lot into his shoulder ( he was examined after High School ), and the medical records from then have come out. For the years and money I think it's a pretty good deal. Not 5/100, not 4/85, etc.

You're getting a guy that could provide 175-200IP for the life of the contract, and put up an ERA in the high 3's, plus the potential that a couple are much lower than that. Plus if you look at what he's acomplished in the AL, much less the East. It becomes completely worth it.

He's been one of the best pitchers in Baseball the last three years ( by that I mean like top 10-15 in the AL ). He's put up and ERA+ of 95, 145, 115, 122. His ERA+ since coming to Boston has averaged at 116. Now that doesn't always tell the whole story and xFIP can be misperceived and not tell the whole story too. For example in 2007 he was ranked #5, in 2009 at #9.

Here are the splits since coming to Boston.

2006 4.39xFIP 2.1WAR 4.39ERA 6.95K/9 3.25BB/9
2007 3.43xFIP 6.5WAR 3.27ERA 8.70K/9 1.79BB/9
2008 3.24xFIP 5.0WAR 4.03ERA 8.88K/9 1.79BB/9
2009 3.35xFIP 5.3WAR 3.86ERA 8.43K/9 2.33BB/9

Yes, I realize I left off his HR/9 in 2006 and 2009. Which were 1.58 and 1.09

"Upper-deckett Beckett" - Jake Yonkel

Now with those numbers/years/money. This deal looks very very good to me. One of the top three FA pitchers on the market was taken off for next season. Brandon Webb and Cliff Lee being the other two. It's hard to believe the MFY won't go after one of them.

Having a rotation of Beckett, Lester, Lackey, a possible blossoming Buchholz, and who's gonna show up today Matsuzaka is very good. Pluss they've still got Kelly, Doubront, Pimentel, Weiland, Britton, Younginer, Fife, Wilson and Mendez going in the minors ( yes, I realize none of them could actually make it ).

All in all I think this deal sets up the rotation to be one of the tops in the AL for long time. Plus none of the contracts is too crippling in case of an injury, or other issue that could arise.

[TawnyVonJagger]

Well, that was a shit game.

I HATE Gaby Sanchez at 1st. Fucker has NO glove. He got charged with one error, but I blame him for all three. AND he's responsible for not stretching/reaching for a ball that would've gotten Castillo out, which would've been a DP and the 3rd out, thus no HR by Wright in the next AB. Asshat. I DO like his bat though, and he's very patient at the plate. Ima beat him with his glove.

Gonna even it up on Wednesday...Ricky's pitching.

[tin00can]

Good opening day for the Angels. Surprised as fuck at Mathis starting at catcher, even more surprised that he hit the first HR for the Angels. New type of offense for the Angels, with a little more emphasis on power. Fernando Rodney was about as scary as expected. Looking forward to going to the game tonight, will have some pics on Thursday.

[Machado]

Memo to anybody here that has complained about the Saturday Fox telecasts:



Major League Baseball and Fox Network have revised the Saturday afternoon exclusivity windows which will now allow for more games in the MLB Extra Innings package. The new blackout windows will vary depending on the time of the Fox broadcast. Below are the three scenarios that will exist:

1) On a Saturday when the first MLB game to be telecast by Fox starts at 4:10pm ET games that start at 1:10pm ET or earlier and 7:05pm ET or later will be included in the package. No games that begin between 1:10pm ET and 7:05pm ET will be included. This will be the case on 21 Saturdays this season.

2) On a Saturday when the first MLB game to be telecast by Fox starts at 3:10pm ET games that start at 12:10pm ET or earlier and 6:05pm ET or later will be included in the package. No games that begin between 12:10pm ET and 6:05pm ET will be included. This will be the case on 3 Saturdays this season (April 10, May 1 and May .

3) On a Saturday when the first MLB game to be telecast by Fox starts at 7:10pm ET games that start at

4:10pm ET or earlier and 10:05pm ET or later will be included in the package. No games that begin between 4:10pm ET and 10:05pm ET will be included. This will be the case on 2 Saturdays this season (May 22 and June 26).

There is an assumption this agreement will also include DirecTV subscribers and other cable operators outside of iNDemand. More details as they become available.