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MLB Off-Season 2011: Only a few more weeks until the radio talks about baseball again

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M

Malo

Banned
darkside31337 said:
Who cares about the NL Central? Big AL East news, totally shifts the balance of power within the division.

Bill Hall
IT'S OFFICIAL IM A YANKEE!!!!!!!! #IwannaRing!!!!
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Its a minor league deal. I just thought of the possibility of Hall and Nuñez on the same team.

Y2kev is going to love it.
 
D

darkside31337

Tomodachi wa Mahou
jman2050 said:
He's the sole reason the A's remain relevant to anyone at all right now. Why wouldn't they extend him?
Click to expand...

They haven't had a winning season since 2006. They won't this year. There is seemingly no real rebuilding structure in place. They like to sign shitty old washed up veterans more than the Mets do. They haven't been churning young talent through the system anywhere near the same kind of rate that other clubs, both large market and small market (although this is irrelevant to a teams win and loss record) have been doing.

I think Beane has done poor job running that organization for the past half decade. And he was already signed through the end of 2014 already as it was. The extension seemed completely unnecessary.

And of course there is no chance in hell Beane sticks around till 2019 if their stadium/ownership issues don't get resolved in the near future.
 
E

eznark

Banned
clemenx said:
I think the A's are just fielding the worst team they can to force themselves out of Oakland. Like the Expos!
Click to expand...

Beane just making the value play. First it was OBP that was undervalued. Then defense. Now it's shitty players. Land of misfit toys, biotch!
 
M

Mr. Enigma

Member
The Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw have agreed to a 2-year, $19 million deal, avoiding arbitration and eliminating Kershaw's next year of arbitration. Kershaw originally filed for $10 million while the Dodgers countered with $6.5 million.

The deal will pay Kershaw $9.5 million in 2012 and 2013. Kershaw is arbitration eligible again in 2014 and will be a free agent after that season unless the Dodgers lock him down to a long-term extension.
 
T

TheNatural

My Member!
AnEternalEnigma said:
The Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw have agreed to a 2-year, $19 million deal, avoiding arbitration and eliminating Kershaw's next year of arbitration. Kershaw originally filed for $10 million while the Dodgers countered with $6.5 million.

The deal will pay Kershaw $9.5 million in 2012 and 2013. Kershaw is arbitration eligible again in 2014 and will be a free agent after that season unless the Dodgers lock him down to a long-term extension.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the same type of deal the Reds gave Votto. Good faith contract to keep a hot young player happy for the next couple years, hoping they return the favor in kind when they're a free agent and their price skyrockets.
 
R

RBH

Member
slideshow_1002315684_020712bravesphoto-3.jpg


slideshow_1002315706_020712bravesphoto-2.jpg



Chippersmile.jpg
 
C

clemenx

Banned
I remember at another baseball forum at the start of last season someone made a thread comparing Kershaw to Bumgarner. I suggested that a better comparison would be with Lincecum and Giants fans started to pile on me. Lolol jackasses.
 
M

Mr. Enigma

Member
The Rangers and Elvis Andrus have agreed on a 3-year, $15 million deal to avoid arbitration. The deal covers all of Andrus' arbitration seasons: 2012, 2013, and 2014. Andrus had filed for $3.6 million while the Rangers countered with $2.65 million.
 
D

Dmncnby2k9

Banned
MLB The Show 12 fact sheet! Trying to get us hype for upcoming season!

MLB The Show Fact Sheet said:
Widely considered the most authentic baseball game available, MLB® 12 The Show™ is set again to provide fans with the best baseball experience this console generation with even more features and modes destine to quicken the heart, raise the stakes, and hurl you further into the true MLB® baseball experience. 

The Show has been and continues to be the market leading and highest ranked officially licensed baseball title of this console generation (according to MetaCritic.com) and the number-one rated sports video game over the past four years (according to GameRankings.com), delivering true-to-life gameplay, authentic franchise and season modes, and incredible detail not found in any other sports game. 

MLB 12 The Show builds on what has been delivered in previous franchise releases, adding compelling features that bring unparalleled innovation and polish to the sports genre.  As the number one selling baseball franchise in video game history, The Show is proving once again to be the industry’s premier licensed Major League Baseball® (MLB®) game, both critically and commercially.   

Due to hit stores on March 6, 2012, just in time for Spring Training™, as the only officially licensed first party video game exclusively for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™), and PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) systems, MLB 2 The Show is prepared to deliver a one-of-a-kind experience for all fans, new and old. 

NEW FEATURES IN MLB 12 THE SHOW:

MLB The Show on PS Vita (PS Vita) – MLB 12 The Show is available on the PS Vita this year so users can enjoy all of the core modes of play found in the PS3 game, including Exhibition, Season, Franchise, Home Run Derby, online play, and Road to The Show, for users who want the personal experience of taking control of one player through his career starting in the Minors all the way to the Majors.  PS Vita users will have the ability to use new touch screen controls within MLB 12 The Show using the front touch screen and the rear touch screen controls to throw the ball to specific locations, make pitch commands, and run the bases.  MLB 12 The Show for PS Vita will provide a big league experience that players can take with them on road, anytime, anywhere. 

Cross Platform Saves (PS3 & PS Vita) – New to MLB 12 The Show is the ability for users to share save files between PS3 and PS Vita.  Players can now take their Franchise, Season, and Road to The Show save files up to the cloud where they can then access those files on either platform.  Users are limited to one file per mode per PlayStation Network account, which can be overwritten as many times as you’d like.  At home on PS3 or on the road with the PS Vita, fans can continue their seasons anywhere!

True Ball Physics (PS3 & Vita) – MLB 12 The Show now incorporates realistic ball physics and proper spin for balls that bounce off the bases, the pitcher’s mound rubber, and other surface on the field.  The baseball now bounces realistically using actual math for a spinning ball hitting these surfaces.  Therefore, the way the ball bounces in MLB 12 has changed a lot from previous versions.  In order for hits to get through the infield, the ball counts on having top-spin so the spin of the ball off the bat is now accurate with realistic RPMs.  The ball also bounces and loses energy like a real baseball does and is launched with the correct spin.  This results in more hit type varieties, rising and sinking liners, more choppers, balls tailing away from the outfielders, and balls hitting off the bases.

TruBroadcast Presentations (PS3 Only) – Baseball fans demand an accurate simulation of reality and anything that detracts from this can shatter the feeling that you are playing in a real game.  MLB 12 The Show makes the biggest leap forward EVER in this regard, truly blurring the line between reality and the in-game experience.  With completely refined presentations combined with enhanced artificial intelligence (AI), revamped cameras, and expanded audio, MLB 12 is poised to deliver the most realistic baseball gaming experience to date.

Diamond Dynasty (PS3 Only) – Diamond Dynasty juggles aspects of team management, player progression, and online competition, with more creative freedom than any sports game to date. Gamers create a custom team complete with Team Name, Colors, custom Uniforms, and fully customizable Logos with up to 1000 layers of detail. Once created, the team is given a handful of MLB baseball cards and Dynasty baseball cards that, when activated, add the players to your team roster.

The fundamentals of Diamond Dynasty revolve around the difference between MLB and Dynasty cards and the unique reward systems that support each type.  A Dynasty player is a long-term investment that requires training similar to that of a “Road to the Show” player. Dynasty players are supplemented with an award/achievement system. In contrast MLB players are short-term investments that slot into your roster ready to play at their current attribute levels. Completing collections of MLB players will reward you with Budget bonuses. Budget is used to train players, purchase Card Packs (Dynasty or MLB), and to purchase cards from other users on the Marketplace. Most of your Budget is earned by playing either Head-to-Head online games, or VS. CPU against MLB teams. Head-to-Head games are matched and ranked using an ELO system that most competitive online games now use some form. Every fifth game played, your team is re-evaluated for placement into one of five competitive divisions: Spring Training, Season Series, Division Series, Championship Series, and World Series. What will define your dynasty? 

Full Move Support in The Show (PS3) – Control all aspects of The Show with the PlayStation®Move motion controller, including pitching, hitting, fielding, and running the bases.  There are also custom meters on screen to compliment the experience.  Imagine being at the plate and seeing the batters hands moving as you move.  Move gameplay can be used in all modes.

Zone Analog Batting (PS3 & PS Vita) – MLB® 11 The Show™ introduced analog controls, now this year, MLB 12 will bring a combination of the old and the new with Zone Analog Batting.  The right analog stick will still be used for the stride and swing, but now, if you choose to, you can control where you swing in the zone using the left analog stick.  All the other analog controls are also being improved and enhanced.

Pulse Pitching (PS3 & PS Vita) – This is a new interface to the classic pitching style.  Players still pitch using a simple “X” button press, but users must time the press with an on-screen display to ensure pitch accuracy.  All other pitching methods are also being improved and enhanced.

Franchise Improvements (PS3 & PS Vita) – MLB 12 The Show introduces a number of Franchise mode improvements, including player generation logic has been tuned to provide more variety inside draft classes and more realistic pitch repertoires.  The lineup logic has also been updated to give you closer to real-life rosters while in your Season, Franchise, and Road to The Show modes.  Finally, the trade system has been revamped with improved logic based more on the real-life club’s strategy. Small market teams will behave as such, while the bigger fish will continue to go after the top players in the game. Also, highly touted prospects will remain just that and won’t be showing up in trades early on in their careers.

Road to the Show Improvements (PS3 & PS Vita) – This generation of Road to The Show brings a new assortment of training modes for base running and fielding to round out your Road to The Show player’s training experience.  Also, your created player will now be “that” highlighted and touted prospect you think he is, by starting his career as a Double-A starter.  The player creator has seen improvements as well, by offering a slew of new accessories to compliment the already extensive system.

Situational Collision Awareness (PS3 & Vita) – Players will now know where they and other players are on the field and understand when to avoid other players and how to react when other players are near.  Although this sounds like a relatively simple concept, but it’s very important and makes the game experience feel more true to life. 

New Tag Animation System (PS3 & PS Vita) – Players can now branch out of any tag throw animation and branch out of a tag animation to avoid it.  There are also more animations and ways to tag runners out at the plate.  This new system allows for more results (dropping the ball, new swipes, etc.) and the addition of new standing and run down tags, which creates a more dynamic and organic player integration on the base paths and at the plate. 

Online Everywhere and Unified Settings (PS3 & PS Vita) – Online everywhere and Unified Settings will minimize, if not remove, the obvious line between offline and online in The Show via PSN.  One of the most notable changes is the inclusion of online features and components in the main menus, especially the Exhibition > Team Select screen.  That’s now the launching pad for offline Exhibition and online Play Now games.  Users will also now be auto-logged in to The Show servers, making online features more accessible.  Unifying user settings is a minor, but important feature.  Users no longer have to set their offline and online settings – there will be one!

Play Now Plus (PS3 & PS Vita) – Similar to Play Now, Play Now Plus can be used through custom settings. This is as easy as selecting Play Now, setting your Play Now settings, saving these settings, then selecting Play Now type.  There’s no need to set you Play Now settings again, unless you want to change them up.  You’ll then be able to find an opponent to match your gameplay settings, without having to go through the challenge process.

SimulView™ Functionality with PlayStation®3D Display (PS3) – MLB 12 The Show will incorporate SimulView™ technology that allows two people to play head to head without seeing each other’s screen while playing on the PlayStation®3D Display.  It uses the same technology as Stereoscopic 3D, but instead of sending image A to the left eye and image B to the right Eye, we send image A to player 1 and image B to player 2.

New Tutorial Movies (PS3 & PS Vita) – With all of the new features this year in MLB 12 The Show, we felt that it was essential to provide more tutorial movies to educate our fans.  For example, these tutorial movies showcase and explain the new PS Move implementation for all facets of gameplay (hitting, pitching, fielding, and throwing). In addition, the five tutorials explaining the Pure features implemented in MLB 11 The Show have also been updated an improved, including Pure Hitting, Pure Pitching, Pure Throwing, and the fake throw system.  Watch them in the frontend menus or the in-game pause menu.

The Best Gets Better!  MLB 12 The Show includes over 50 more enhancements, new features, and improvements!

Over 500 new Presentation animations
Over 300 new Fielding, Throwing, and Base running animations
Over 150 New Batting Stances
Over 75 New Pitching Animations
Improved load times
Completely new bat, ball and glove sounds
New Bullpen Management options
New player accessories (new sunglasses, protective gear, hat bills, etc…)
New Pick off logic
New player card including advanced baseball stats
New Batter/Pitcher Attribute snapshot OSD (D-Pad Left)
More fluid organic fielder animations from start to end of play
Improved fielder routes on balls off the wall (more variety of pursuit angles)
Dynamic fielding results and reaction (balls can now be dropped or missed by a fielder
anytime)
Improved button fielding with difficulty levels
New Pitcher Confidence Logic
Increased and improved conversation among Matt, Dave and Eric.
14 New umpires
Updated uniforms and stadiums for new and updated teams
Updated jumbotron movies and stat layouts (still team specific)
Updated LED Ribbon board art and movies
Focus on interface and display presentation and flair
Uniform select in all modes
Frontend sound preview when assigning audio
New Player Generation Logic
New Trade interface and screen
Improved Lineup Logic
Co-op available in Season and Franchise modes
Road to the Show career begins as a Double-A starter
Move video tutorials
New in-game tips
Did You Knows on Loading screens
15 new player specific home run swings.
Base Running Training in RTTS
Fielding Training in RTTS
New Base Runner Awareness
Online Gameplay Gets a Boost (better reaction, better experience) (PS3)
www.TheShowNation.com Community Web Site Revamp
Operating System supported Virtual Keyboard
New Online Gamer Card (more information)
Swing Analysis OSD Improvements and Profile Display Options
“Free” 1st inning quit in Online Games removed
Online Profile to use PSN Avatar
PSN Profile utility support on Vita (Friend Requests)
Game History showing XP gain/loss)
Play online with your full profile settings (minus negotiated settings)
Challenge of the Week is now free
Online League Schedule improvements
Online League Playoff improvements
Click to expand...
 
J

jman2050

Member
darkside31337 said:
They haven't had a winning season since 2006. They won't this year. There is seemingly no real rebuilding structure in place. They like to sign shitty old washed up veterans more than the Mets do. They haven't been churning young talent through the system anywhere near the same kind of rate that other clubs, both large market and small market (although this is irrelevant to a teams win and loss record) have been doing.

I think Beane has done poor job running that organization for the past half decade. And he was already signed through the end of 2014 already as it was. The extension seemed completely unnecessary.

And of course there is no chance in hell Beane sticks around till 2019 if their stadium/ownership issues don't get resolved in the near future.
Click to expand...

That doesn't counter anything I said in my post.
 
C

CajoleJuice

Member
TheNatural said:
OK smart ass. You know what I meant. WAR takes in account cumulative contribution over time, so I mean great - if Cueto misses all of April plus again I guess he's a worse player than Latos for April.

This is about who the #1 starter is though, and what in the blue hell does that have to do with someone missing a month and being worse than someone he had a 1 plus ERA better than in a batters park for the FOLLOWING year? Cueto IS better. His runs given up streak last year was something absolutely ridiculous and completely lost in the mediocrity of the Reds as a whole.

And shocker about ERA. Cueto had a 4.81 ERA for 2008, 4.41 in 2009, 3.64 in 2010, and 2.31 in 2011. Total shocker there for a young Domincan Republic pitcher to move to the major and improve greatly from not being able to even get a drink legally to the time he's in his mid 20's. So great, Latos has been more consistent, but Cueto last year hit a peak Latos hasn't come close to touching. No Cincy fan thinks Latos is going to be considered the #1 starter.
Click to expand...
Cueto 2010: 6.69 K/9, 2.71 BB/9
Cueto 2011: 6.00 K/9, 2.71 BB/9

PEAKING

This is an over-simplification, because he did benefit from having a MUCH higher groundball rate (53.7% from 41.7%), but both his HR/FB% and BABIP were much lower than should be expected next year. I expect him to have mid-3s ERA. Same with Latos.
 
D

darkside31337

Tomodachi wa Mahou
jman2050 said:
That doesn't counter anything I said in my post.
Click to expand...

Signing him through 2019 because you're going to be getting movie royalty checks seems like the dumbest idea possible.

The whole concept of a baseball team is to put an exciting product on the field that entices people to show up. Typically that means winning baseball games.

When the hell was the last time the actual Oakland Athletics baseball team was relevant? Exciting? Interesting to watch? Good?

Any other GM with the track record he's had the past half decade would either have been fired by now or put on the hottest of hot seats. And yet he gets an extension through 2019. It's just crazy.

Your argument is that because he's made the Oakland A's such a discombobulated, boring, and pathetic organization he should be given a contract extension through 2019?
 
M

Mr. Enigma

Member
Isn't this the last year of 2K's horrible exclusive deal with MLB for multi-console games?

Why even bother making MLB 2K12 for the PS3 at this point?
 
E

eznark

Banned
CajoleJuice said:
Cueto 2010: 6.69 K/9, 2.71 BB/9
Cueto 2011: 6.00 K/9, 2.71 BB/9

PEAKING

This is an over-simplification, because he did benefit from having a MUCH higher groundball rate (53.7% from 41.7%), but both his HR/FB% and BABIP were much lower than should be expected next year. I expect him to have mid-3s ERA. Same with Latos.
Click to expand...

Real talk: neither will pitch more than 135 innings this year
 
J

jman2050

Member
darkside31337 said:
Signing him through 2019 because you're going to be getting movie royalty checks seems like the dumbest idea possible.

The whole concept of a baseball team is to put an exciting product on the field that entices people to show up. Typically that means winning baseball games.

When the hell was the last time the actual Oakland Athletics baseball team was relevant? Exciting? Interesting to watch? Good?

Any other GM with the track record he's had the past half decade would either have been fired by now or put on the hottest of hot seats. And yet he gets an extension through 2019. It's just crazy.

Your argument is that because he's made the Oakland A's such a discombobulated, boring, and pathetic organization he should be given a contract extension through 2019?
Click to expand...

I'd wager the owner doesn't give a shit about any of that given how much of a cheapass he is. Being so hasty to blame the current mediocrity of the franchise on GM incompetence is questionable to me, to say the least. Far worse GMs putting out far worse products have been kept for far longer.
 
T

TheNatural

My Member!
CajoleJuice said:
Cueto 2010: 6.69 K/9, 2.71 BB/9
Cueto 2011: 6.00 K/9, 2.71 BB/9

PEAKING

This is an over-simplification, because he did benefit from having a MUCH higher groundball rate (53.7% from 41.7%), but both his HR/FB% and BABIP were much lower than should be expected next year. I expect him to have mid-3s ERA. Same with Latos.
Click to expand...

So the only way you get better is having a better strikeout or walk statistic? The guy got a lot, lot better at getting ground balls. And I don't know what BABIP proves out than he's a very good groundball pitcher and pitches behind one of the best, if not the best defense in baseball that will only get better as better defensive players (Cozart over Renteria, Mesoraco over Hernandez, anyone in left field over Gomes.)

He had more strikeouts his first year than any other, but he learned to pitch to contact instead of running up his pitch count so I don't give much of a damn about what his strikeout rate is.
 
C

CajoleJuice

Member
TheNatural said:
So the only way you get better is having a better strikeout or walk statistic? The guy got a lot, lot better at getting ground balls. And I don't know what BABIP proves out than he's a very good groundball pitcher and pitches behind one of the best, if not the best defense in baseball that will only get better as better defensive players (Cozart over Renteria, Mesoraco over Hernandez, anyone in left field over Gomes.)

He had more strikeouts his first year than any other, but he learned to pitch to contact instead of running up his pitch count so I don't give much of a damn about what his strikeout rate is.
Click to expand...
YESSSSSSSSSSSSS thank you for making my night
 
C

clemenx

Banned
CajoleJuice said:
YESSSSSSSSSSSSS thank you for making my night
Click to expand...

I agree that this is always a funny quote, but he's right on the Reds defense basically rendering FIP "meaningless" look at the Rays since they're good.

I mean he isn't really pitching to contact, but the defense is surely doing the work.
 
C

CajoleJuice

Member
clemenx said:
I agree that this is always a funny quote, but he's right on the Reds defense basically rendering FIP "meaningless" look at the Rays since they're good.

I mean he isn't really pitching to contact, but the defense is surely doing the work.
Click to expand...

The two "aces" on the Rays staff (Shields and Price) at least had K/9 over 8. And both had lower walk rates than Cueto. I just think he's being a bit delusional about Cueto being THAT good. And what about Edinson Volquez, who had a groundball rate comparable to Cueto? His BABIP was .293 (although his insanely high HR/FB% does point to him being hit hard). Dontrelle Willis (lol) had an even higher GB% than Cueto and his BABIP was .310.
 
C

clemenx

Banned
The two "aces" on the Rays staff (Shields and Price) at least had K/9 over 8. And both had lower walk rates than Cueto. I just think he's being a bit delusional about Cueto being THAT good. And what about Edinson Volquez, who had a groundball rate comparable to Cueto? His BABIP was .293 (although his insanely high HR/FB% does point to him being hit hard). Dontrelle Willis (lol) had an even higher GB% than Cueto and his BABIP was .310.
Click to expand...

Well, yeah their 2 aces are legit but there's stuff like Sonnanstine when they went to the WS or Hellickson last year make that case.

Since 2008, the Rays lead the league in ERA-FIP differential, with -0.27 (the Reds are 3rd) not that much, but makes a difference over 5787.2 IP
http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.as...08&ind=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&players=0&sort=16,a

I actually agree with your Cueto prediction, btw. Just sayin' that the Reds have the defense to make their pitchers look better consistently and not "flukely" if that makes sense.
 
C

CajoleJuice

Member
clemenx said:
Well, yeah their 2 aces are legit but there's stuff like Sonnanstine when they went to the WS or Hellickson last year make that case.

Since 2008, the Rays lead the league in ERA-FIP differential, with -0.27 (the Reds are 3rd) not that much, but makes a difference over 5787.2 IP
http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.as...08&ind=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&players=0&sort=16,a

I actually agree with your Cueto prediction, btw. Just sayin' that the Reds have the defense to make their pitchers look better consistently and not "fluckily" if that makes sense.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'll respect that. Their defense is pretty nasty. I apologize to TheNatural for glossing over that point in his last post in order to be a dick.
 
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