• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

MLB Off-season Thread 2015-2016 IOTI Back to the Future was a lie

jbug617

Banned
Yu Darvish is being investigated by MLB.
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on...vestigation-tied-to-brothers-illegal-gambling

Although Rangers ace Yu Darvish has not been accused of wrongdoing by authorities in Japan to this point, Major League Baseball reportedly confirmed that he is under investigation related to the arrest of Darvish's younger brother for operating an illegal gambling ring that took bets on MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball games.

The Japan Times reports that MLB spokesperson Michael Teevan told them the league is "aware of this situation and are looking into it, per our standard protocols." The situation is the arrest of Sho Darvish in October following a year-long investigation for gambling and running a betting ring. Police allege he accepted some "1,850 wagers valued at ¥10,000 each on pro games in both North America and Japan."

It is not clear, writes Jack Gallagher, if Sho Darvish took any bets on Rangers games.

Best-selling author Robert Whiting, who penned both “You Gotta Have Wa” and “Tokyo Underworld,” feels it is not much of stretch to think that Sho Darvish, who was 26 at the time of his arrest, may have turned to his older brother for information.

“Gambling on baseball in Japan exists, it always has existed, and always will,” says Whiting.

“As for (Yu) Darvish, you would have to say it was likely that he provided information, unwittingly I would have to assume (unless of course he is looking to supplement his income, which the last time I looked was about half of Masahiro Tanaka's),” added Whiting.

“Anything Darvish would have to say about team injuries or health of the players could affect the possible outcome of a game and the betting line.”

Yu Darvish missed most the 2015 season after undergoing elbow reconstruction surgery but, even as an injured member of the team, could have been in a position to inform his brother of useful information for a gambling operation. Even unwittingly, as Whiting says.

Encouraging news for Yu Darvish, beyond police in Japan not associating him with any of his brother's alleged crimes, is that MLB has yet to hire a private investigator of its own. That's when it would become apparent that Yu is in actual trouble. Were MLB to find anything that indicated Yu Darvish knowingly helped his brother's alleged illegal gambling operation, he probably would be kicked out of MLB and banned for life. Leagues in Japan, Korea and Taiwan probably would abide such a ban, and Darvish would be done playing baseball as he knows it.

MLB, as the Pete Rose and the Black Sox scandals showed, is very serious about matters relating to gambling on baseball.
 
Yep, therefor it's 100% worthless to me.

I'd drop cable if I could stream Mariners games, but I guess I'll need to be subscribed for one year more.

If you subscribe to Unblock Us you can watch your local team without the annoyance of being blacked out. I cancelled my cable the day I found out about the service. $5/month or $50/year, I chose the latter since I also region swap between Netflix all the time, but based on recent news that might be coming to an end.
 

Chris R

Member
If you subscribe to Unblock Us you can watch your local team without the annoyance of being blacked out. I cancelled my cable the day I found out about the service. $5/month or $50/year, I chose the latter since I also region swap between Netflix all the time, but based on recent news that might be coming to an end.

I already pay for cable, I'll just keep watching the games on TV since I already have to deal with a bullshit data cap on my internet.

I'm streaming NHL games, but that amounts to about 1:30 every other day since I stop the feed during intermission, 3:00 plus of baseball almost every single day would wreck my cap so damn quick.
 

Beckx

Member
So as a Pirates fan who doesn't live in the Pittsburgh market, the changes are really good. $85 for the season is perfect. But yeah, for in-market fans, not much to cheer about. Especially LA.

I wonder what kind of postseasonTV options you get if you only take the one-team price? It was pretty cool watching the quad view playoff games.
 

Beckx

Member
Damn.

@JeffPassan
This is how baseball can get athletes back from football. Antwaan Randle El with scary words to @BradyMcCollough.

CZG66X3UgAARHdA.jpg

I read stuff like this and wonder why any sane person is letting their kids play football, but at the same time I bet it's not affecting participation levels at all.
 

RBH

Member
#Marlins offered Cespedes $36M/6 yrs. when he left Cuba, #Athletics signed him for $36M/4. Unlikely MIA would be at front of market now.
https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/689521764196573184?lang=en

In case you're wondering, hearing nothing has changed with the Angels: Still want to stay under the tax, still not going after Cespedes.
https://twitter.com/Alden_Gonzalez/status/689502299836706821

Source confirm that #Nationals interested in Cespedes if price drops, as @BNightengale said. The question: Which team, if any, will jump?
https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/689522417023213569
 
Damn.



I read stuff like this and wonder why any sane person is letting their kids play football, but at the same time I bet it's not affecting participation levels at all.

Even if he would have been a decent baseball player he probably would have easily made twice as much money as he did playing football.
 
I read stuff like this and wonder why any sane person is letting their kids play football, but at the same time I bet it's not affecting participation levels at all.

Legitimately heart-breaking.

I hate that there are some people who will shrug this off and say 'Meh, he knew the dangers, or should have' as if a young person - probably from a working or middle class background - is going to be making the best long-term decisions with the carrot of fame and fortune dangled in front of them.
 

Beckx

Member
MLB is not investing Darvish.

His brother's arrest is pretty old news, not sure why it blew up today though I've seen some speculation it was cynically played as a counterpoint to the Reds inducting Pete Rose to their Hall of Fame. (Which seems like a stretch since no one but Reds fans really care about that.)
 

zroid

Banned
Fuckin hell. One of my favourite Blue Jays / MLB writers was laid off today (along with a shit ton of other great sports writers in Canada). Day is ruined.
 

zulux21

Member
CX667Y-WcAAXij-.png

https://twitter.com/NEIFIco/status/684189726551740416

Hopefully they update when the remaining FA are signed.

The AL is brutal.

hmmm
white sox have 2/9 starting pitchers
2/9 position players
0/6 RP
unless that includes signed players as that would make 3/9 for the white sox as abreu/eaton/Frazier were all 3+ war players on baseball reference
chris sale and jose quintana were 2.5+ war pitchers (quintana had a higher WAR than sale :p)

white sox need some more relief pitching, though to be fair might end up having fulmer in the bullpen this season (though I would prefer danks just thrown away and having a rotation of Sale, Quintana, Johnson, Rodon, and Fulmer)

edit: not sure where their WAR stuff is from. from baseball reference I can get 9 more players that have 3+ war including the freshly signed upton
Miguel Cabrera
Ian Kinsler
J.D. Martinez
Eric Hosmer
Mike Moustakas
Lorenzo Cain
Jason Kipnis
Michael Brantley

also... I knew I was having problems remembering who played on the twins beside joe Mauer, looked at their roster... and no wonder I don't remember any of those scrubs lol.
 
It's going to be real, REAL interesting to see how the Yankees handle C.C. Sabathia this year.

He's got a $25 million vesting option for 2017 and honestly, it doesn't look that hard to reach.

In order for the option to vest, he has to not end 2016 on the disabled list with a left shoulder injury, he cannot spend 46 or more days on the disabled list with a left shoulder injury, and does not make 7 or more relief appearances due to a left shoulder injury.

If he fails one or more of those directives, it becomes a club option with a $5 million buyout.
 

Malo

Banned
It's going to be real, REAL interesting to see how the Yankees handle C.C. Sabathia this year.

He's got a $25 million vesting option for 2017 and honestly, it doesn't look that hard to reach.

In order for the option to vest, he has to not end 2016 on the disabled list with a left shoulder injury, he cannot spend 46 or more days on the disabled list with a left shoulder injury, and does not make 7 or more relief appearances due to a left shoulder injury.

If he fails one or more of those directives, it becomes a club option with a $5 million buyout.
He'll be in the rotation, unfortunately, and his option for 2017 will vest.
 

BFIB

Member
Yep, barring some early season injury (which the Yankees cannot afford), CC's option will likely vest for 2017.

Which does Cashman regret more? the CC deal, or the A-Rod extension?
 

Lambtron

Unconfirmed Member
also... I knew I was having problems remembering who played on the twins beside joe Mauer, looked at their roster... and no wonder I don't remember any of those scrubs lol.
They may be a bunch of scrubs, but they're a bunch of scrubs that own Chris Sale!
 

Beckx

Member
Tyler Glasnow moves up to #2 on MLBPipeline top RHP prospects.

2. Tyler Glasnow, Pirates
Hitters never seem to square up Glasnow's fastball, which sits in the mid-90s with life and arrives on a steep downhill plane because he's 6-foot-8. It has taken Glasnow some time to grown into his large frame, but he has continued to improve his curveball, changeup and control each year, and he eventually should slot in behind Gerrit Cole as Pittsburgh's No. 2 starter.
 

Chris R

Member
ESPN's MLB 2.0 articles haven't been terrible so far. Lots of common sense ideas that could be implemented with very little changes to the game as a whole.
 
Jamie McLennan's story about partying with Matt Harvey and then later with Giancarlo Stanton (at Stanton's house!) without having any idea who they are is hilarious.

John Lott. He's a legend.

Hope another site or paper hires him, will suck to follow the Jays this season without him on the beat.

Damn! I was hoping it was Alter or someone else.
 

zroid

Banned
Is Rogers selling UHD packages at this point? Are they crazy expensive?

From what I understand there's no additional charge for the programming beyond having basic cable... at least for now. You just need to have the Nextbox 4K which is probably expensive compared to regular cable boxes.
 
When asked if the Yankees were out of the pursuit of free-agent slugger Yoenis Cespedes, Steinbrenner laughed, and pretended to change the subject by admiring the ornate interior of the hotel lobby.
"We're always looking to improve the club," he said. "I'm comfortable with where the payroll is now, but we're always looking to improve. You never know with us. We can surprise people."

I would laugh if they sign Yoenis just to spite The Mests.
 
Top Bottom