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[Branduil]

Is it okay to put ketchup on a hat?

 

[Meier]

So happy to get Clay sorted and at a reasonable length of time. Hope he's a Dodger for his whole career though.

Keeping my fingers crossed about Tanaka still.

 

[3N16MA]

I love the Dodgers...but I don't think ANY current everyday player is worth 30 million a year.

Much less a pitcher (even if it's the best picture in baseball).

God..I'm going to laugh and cry if a small market team has a better record than the Dodgers this season.

Trout is worth it and more. He would have no problem getting more than 30 AAV from several teams.

In other news the Yanks only have 3 games on Sunday Night Baseball this season which is awesome. I rather they play a day game on Sunday instead of waiting around for the night game.

 

[CygnusXS]

I'd eat my hat if Tanaka becomes a Dodger. Just putting that out there now FWIW.

Saved.

 

[Dominican Power]

he hasn't lived up to the hype. He better sign an extension before he crashes into a wall.

You only say that because of Mike Trout.

 

[Little Green Yoda]

You only say that because of Mike Trout.

Remember when people were speculating how good 20 y.o. Harper would be since 19 y.o Harper was better than 19 y.o. Trout and 20 y.o. Trout was amazing? Yeah.

 

[jakncoke]

At what point does compensation for a FA end, I find it hard to believe anyone will wanna give up a 1st to sign Kendry Morales

MLB website just released top 10 RHP prospects list. If anyone is interested in prospects should check it out.


http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/archie-bradley-atop-mlbcoms-list-of-top-10-right-handed-pitching-prospects?ymd=20140115&content_id=66536832&vkey=news_mlb

Every time I see Appel with the Astros it makes me salty at Selig. Fuck him. He should be a Pirate and would of if Selig didnt bring along those dumbass restrictions

 

[CygnusXS]

At what point does compensation for a FA end, I find it hard to believe anyone will wanna give up a 1st to sign Kendry Morales

The day after the draft.

 

[cashman]

Every time I see Appel with the Astros it makes me salty at Selig. Fuck him. He should be a Pirate and would of if Selig didnt bring along those dumbass restrictions

Actually, I don't think he would have fallen to 8 without the restrictions.

 

[jakncoke]

Actually, I don't think he would have fallen to 8 without the restrictions.

Dont you get in the way of a good Selig hate parade!

 

[Friggz]

Every time I see Appel with the Astros it makes me salty at Selig. Fuck him. He should be a Pirate and would of if Selig didnt bring along those dumbass restrictions

i feel that way everytime i saw highlights of Gerrit Cole and everytime ill watch Jonathan Gray pitch. Yankees would be stacked with those two guys.

 

[Pryce]

Dodgers MLB TV deal finally approved. Took long enough.

 

[Loco4Coco]

Top 10 catching prospect.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/mlbcoms-list-of-top-10-catching-prospects?ymd=20140116&content_id=66617222&vkey=news_mlb

 

[yankeehater]

Top 10 catching prospect.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/mlbcoms-list-of-top-10-catching-prospects?ymd=20140116&content_id=66617222&vkey=news_mlb

 

[CygnusXS]

Fredi G on Uggla -- "he's going to be our 2B." Says he expects a turnaround from DU.

https://twitter.com/andrewhirsh/status/423875409235968000

Apparently Gattis told Fredi last spring that the Braves needed him on the team if they wanted to win.

https://twitter.com/andrewhirsh/status/423876963829575680

Fredi on BJ -- "We're all human. Even HOFers have bad years."

https://twitter.com/andrewhirsh/status/423877133836906496

Fredi says it's OK if the offense is middle of the pack. Elite pitching will take team to playoffs.

https://twitter.com/andrewhirsh/status/423877921166880768

Fredi -- "I left Uggla off our playoff roster, and he left me off his wedding roster."

https://twitter.com/andrewhirsh/status/423881344070864897

McDowell says Braves as an organization will not pay for an ace anymore. Cites Derek Lowe mistake as part of the reason.

https://twitter.com/andrewhirsh/status/423882494614573056

Fredi -- Heyward and Freeman are now this team's leaders.

https://twitter.com/andrewhirsh/status/423883794656288768

 

[The Elite]

Pizza Nova is replacing Pizza Pizza as the Pizza of choice at Rogers Centre.

Thought about making a thread but decided not to.

Landmark move by the Blue Jays.

 

[Windu]

Fredi G on Uggla -- "he's going to be our 2B." Says he expects a turnaround from DU.

https://twitter.com/andrewhirsh/status/423875409235968000

Apparently Gattis told Fredi last spring that the Braves needed him on the team if they wanted to win.

https://twitter.com/andrewhirsh/status/423876963829575680

Fredi on BJ -- "We're all human. Even HOFers have bad years."

https://twitter.com/andrewhirsh/status/423877133836906496

Fredi says it's OK if the offense is middle of the pack. Elite pitching will take team to playoffs.

https://twitter.com/andrewhirsh/status/423877921166880768

Fredi -- "I left Uggla off our playoff roster, and he left me off his wedding roster."

https://twitter.com/andrewhirsh/status/423881344070864897

McDowell says Braves as an organization will not pay for an ace anymore. Cites Derek Lowe mistake as part of the reason.

https://twitter.com/andrewhirsh/status/423882494614573056

Fredi -- Heyward and Freeman are now this team's leaders.

https://twitter.com/andrewhirsh/status/423883794656288768

soo open bar > uggla's bad performance?

 

[jman2050]

he hasn't lived up to the hype. He better sign an extension before he crashes into a wall.

Are you for real?

 

[Dmncnby2k9]

Top 10 catching prospect.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/mlbcoms-list-of-top-10-catching-prospects?ymd=20140116&content_id=66617222&vkey=news_mlb

Travis D'Arnaud you sexy catching beast!

 

[Zep]

Pizza Nova is replacing Pizza Pizza as the Pizza of choice at Rogers Centre.

Thought about making a thread but decided not to.

Landmark move by the Blue Jays.

Pizza Pizza almost ruined my Toronto trip.

 

[CygnusXS]

Fredi says it was never reported, but Heyward and Kimbrel were offered multi-year deals last year. Both turned them down.

https://twitter.com/andrewhirsh/status/423897148690661376

Knew about Heyward already, but I'm surprised they offered kimbrel an extension. Probably wasn't big bucks, but glad he turned it down.

 

[Duane Cunningham]

"Expanded Instant Replay" unanimously approved for 2014, eh? This according to the ESPN breaking news thing that just lit my phone up.

I dunno... sounds good to me.

EDIT Official MLB press release

MLB clubs unanimously approve expansion of instant replay

Major League umps will serve as replay officials, who will make final call; All replays may be shown in-park

PARADISE VALLEY, AZ - The 30 Clubs of Major League Baseball have unanimously approved the expansion of instant replay, which will be in effect for the 2014 Championship Season and the 2014 Postseason. The historic announcement was made this afternoon, at the conclusion of MLB's quarterly owners meetings.

Both the Major League Baseball Players Association and the World Umpires Association have given their consent to the game's new protocols for instant replay.

MLB's new system of instant replay dictates which plays are subject to review, how instant replay will be initiated by field managers and how the review process will be conducted. As a part of the expansion of instant replay, Clubs will now be allowed to show all replays on the ballpark scoreboard, regardless of whether the play was reviewed.

"I am very pleased that instant replay will expand to include additional impactful plays," Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. "The new system will give managers valuable recourse in potentially game-changing situations. The opportunity for our fans to see more replays in our ballparks is also an important modification that the Clubs and I favored.

"I thank the Major League Players and Umpires for their cooperation with this change, which will serve our shared game well. I also extend my gratitude to John Schuerholz, Joe Torre, Tony La Russa, Peter Woodfork and Chris Marinak, all of whom worked extremely hard to make this highly complicated task a reality."

Managers will have at least one challenge to use. If any portion of a challenged play is overturned, then the manager who challenged the play will retain the ability to challenge one more play during the game. No manager may challenge more than two plays in a game. Once the manager has exhausted his ability to challenge plays during the game and after the beginning of the seventh inning, the Crew Chief may choose to invoke instant replay on any reviewable call. Home run and other boundary calls will remain reviewable under the procedures in place last season.


A designated communication location near home plate will be established at all 30 MLB ballparks. There, the Crew Chief and at least one other Major League Umpire will have access to a hard-wired headset connected to the Replay Command Center, which will remain at MLB Advanced Media headquarters in New York. Major League Umpires will be staffed as Replay Officials at the Replay Command Center. After viewing video feeds, the Replay Official will make the ultimate determination of whether to overturn the call, based on the continuing standard of whether there is clear and convincing evidence.

Instant replay will be utilized during some televised games in Spring Training for the purposes of educating on-field personnel on the rules of the new system.

Other protocols of the new system for instant replay are as follows:

[More at the link]

 

[Mr. Enigma]

The Rays and David Price have agreed to a 1-year, $14 million deal to avoid arbitration. The Rays are still trying to trade him.

 

[Duane Cunningham]

Dang, so this is a pretty damn big deal. In addition to the managers two "red flags", the umpires can refer to instant replay to reverse calls all they want. But I wonder if that old school culture will actually embrace it, or if they'll still feel like they can't ever change their mind just because it's so ingrained in them at this point?

Also, I wonder if Sony San Diego is scrambling to change The Show right about now, haha.

 

[Mr. Enigma]

New replay sounds awesome. Umpires go to a headset on the field and hear if they fucked up or not. They can also choose to review a play on their own without a manager challenge.

I do like how the umpires cannot overrule the replay official. Fuck yourself, Angel Hernandez. I also like how managers can still challenge a home run without it being used as an official challenge.

 

[Fenderputty]

Baseball catching up with the modern world. Wow. Super stoked.

 

[zulux21]

Dang, so this is a pretty damn big deal. In addition to the managers two "red flags", the umpires can refer to instant replay to reverse calls all they want. But I wonder if that old school culture will actually embrace it, or if they'll still feel like they can't ever change their mind just because it's so ingrained in them at this point?

Also, I wonder if Sony San Diego is scrambling to change The Show right about now, haha.

I have to figure that the show will just hold off until next year to implement this... they are already dealing with a new platform to make the game on, and this change would require a massive redoing of their system.

not only would you need to implement a replay challenge option, but you would have to expand the dynamic ump system beyond balls and strikes and make it so they purposely mess up calls on the field.

plus it's hard to predict how this will change over the course of the season... it's quite possible they will get to spring training and try this out for a bit only to realize it has a few flaws that need changed before the regular season.

I'd rather the show take it's time to get this in there and get it right then rush to make it work now.

New replay sounds awesome. Umpires go to a headset on the field and hear if they fucked up or not. They can also choose to review a play on their own without a manager challenge.

I do like how the umpires cannot overrule the replay official. Fuck yourself, Angel Hernandez. I also like how managers can still challenge a home run without it being used as an official challenge.

the more interesting thing I am reading is that they are now allowed to show any replay they want on the score board even if it's not being reviewed.... I wonder how much of a window there is to challenge a play... can they play the review the manger watch it himself to see if it's worth challenging and then challenge lol.

 

[BFIB]

Baseball, welcome to the 20th century.

 

[Zep]

Also, I wonder if Sony San Diego is scrambling to change The Show right about now, haha.

I'd rather they not have it at all. Stuff like challenges have been terrible in sports games(madden)

 

[zulux21]

I'd rather they not have it at all. Stuff like challenges have been terrible in sports games(madden)

well knowing the show it will be an option you can turn on or off when it does get put in

they only get one challenge per game period right? so if you have a super crummy crew and you have an issue in the first inning you might want to hold off even if you know the call was horribly wrong?

 

[yankeehater]

well knowing the show it will be an option you can turn on or off when it does get put in

they only get one challenge per game period right? so if you have a super crummy crew and you have an issue in the first inning you might want to hold off even if you know the call was horribly wrong?

No, if the manager wins his first challenge he gets a second.

 

[El_Chino]

New replay sounds awesome. Umpires go to a headset on the field and hear if they fucked up or not. They can also choose to review a play on their own without a manager challenge.

I do like how the umpires cannot overrule the replay official. Fuck yourself, Angel Hernandez. I also like how managers can still challenge a home run without it being used as an official challenge.

I don't understand the Rays. They're willing to keep Longoria but not Price? Why?

 

[darkside31337]

I don't understand the Rays. They're willing to keep Longoria but not Price? Why?

Because if we kept both guys that would be more than 50% of our payroll.

Price isn't taking a serious discount like Longo did to stay with the Rays. Dude is getting paid. Not Kershaw money but something well out of the range the Rays can realistically pay any player.

 

[El_Chino]

I don't understand the Rays. They're willing to keep Longoria but not Price? Why?

Because if we kept both guys that would be more than 50% of our payroll.

Price isn't taking a serious discount like Longo did to stay with the Rays. Dude is getting paid. Not Kershaw money but something well out of the range the Rays can realistically pay any player.

But is losing your ace worth the money?

 

[zulux21]

No, if the manager wins his first challenge he gets a second.

ah good, that is really the way it should be.

now to really make this replay thing work... we need to go back in time and get it working for that one tigers pitcher that was screwed over.

But is losing your ace worth the money?

for tampa it absolutely is. They will be selling decently high on Price and should be able to get back a top pitching prospect or two who in a year or two could become their next ace for much less.

If tampa was a bigger market team then yes trading away your ace would be silly, but tampa has to worry about keeping a competitive team with a small budget which means losing most of your star players to other teams when they become expensive and having a very good system of scouting younger players and turning them into stars.

 

[darkside31337]

But is losing your ace worth the money?

For a team like the Rays? There isn't much of a choice, they have to ship him for young players on better contracts

 

[yankeehater]

For a team like the Rays? There isn't much of a choice, they have to ship him for young players on better contracts

Why not keep your best players, increase the payroll, and hope that winning a WS draws in the fans in big numbers.

 

[The Frankman]

... so The Neighborhood Play is unreviewable. So bullshit.

 

[slightconfuse]

New replay stuff sounds great for the game

 

[BFIB]

... so The Neighborhood Play is unreviewable. So bullshit.

Agreed.

 

[darkside31337]

Why not keep your best players, increase the payroll, and hope that winning a WS draws in the fans in big numbers.

Rays have been the best team in baseball record wise over the last 6 years.

Still have shit attendance.

 

[yankeehater]

Rays have been the best team in baseball record wise over the last 6 years.

Still have shit attendance.

Maybe if they could win it all that would change. People love a winner. Their current system of always being good and never being great doesnt seem to be working to well.

 

[Draconian]

... so The Neighborhood Play is unreviewable. So bullshit.

I used to be an avid baseball fan, but have since turned more casual over the years, but I have never understood why this play even exists. Yeah, I know they don't want people getting injured, but at the same time, it's absurd that infielders can pull off the bag early and be nowhere in the vicinity of the base when catching the ball and the umpire still gives them the benefit of the doubt. It's ridiculous, and I just don't understand why it's acceptable just because they want to prevent injuries.

 

[darkside31337]

Maybe if they could win it all that would change. People love a winner. Their current system of always being good and never being great doesnt seem to be working to well.

Rays problems with attendance has little to do with that. They play in a state that doesn't really care much for pro sports in general and they play in a total dump of an indoor stadium in a pretty lousy location.

Relocation is inevitable honestly. There really isn't anywhere else they can make it work in Florida with the exception of maybe Orlando but more realistically its going to be somewhere else. I hope its Montreal if it happens because they got totally fucked over by Selig and with his ass gone maybe they'll get their team back.

 

[zulux21]

Maybe if they could win it all that would change. People love a winner. Their current system of always being good and never being great doesnt seem to be working to well.

so you are saying instead of fielding good teams that have a legit chance of winning it every year, it would be better to blow their entire budget on this one year on a slightly better team, and if they don't win it not be competitive again for another 5-10 years while they build them selves back up after having to sell any decent player in the off season so they can make a super low budget from next season on?

not even taking into account that short of winning the world series 10 times in a row it's still doubtful that tampa will even sell out a season given their local fans?

 

[Meier]

#Dodgers President and CEO Stan Kasten and General Manager Ned Colletti will make a special announcement tomorrow at 10am: http://atmlb.com/1aUbYlA

Tomorrow's special announcement will be streamed live on http://atmlb.com/1aUc38D

Tanaka? Or just an official announcement about Clay's new deal?

 

[RBH]

Rays problems with attendance has little to do with that. They play in a state that doesn't really care much for pro sports in general and they play in a total dump of an indoor stadium in a pretty lousy location.

Relocation is inevitable honestly. There really isn't anywhere else they can make it work in Florida with the exception of maybe Orlando but more realistically its going to be somewhere else. I hope its Montreal if it happens because they got totally fucked over by Selig and with his ass gone maybe they'll get their team back.

Pretty much this.

Their plans for renovating Tropicana Field just seem like a complete waste of money. I understand what they're trying to do since they're stuck with such a shitty lease and stadium situation overall and they're trying to make the best out of their situation, but it's not going to attract more people to the ballpark when it's essentially the same shitty ballpark in the same shitty location with a new coat of paint on it.

Relocation is pretty much inevitable at some point or another.

 

[BFIB]

#Dodgers President and CEO Stan Kasten and General Manager Ned Colletti will make a special announcement tomorrow at 10am: http://atmlb.com/1aUbYlA

Tomorrow's special announcement will be streamed live on http://atmlb.com/1aUc38D

Tanaka? Or just an official announcement about Clay's new deal?

Probably regarding Kershaw's extension and the new cable deal they just signed.

 

[Zep]

Relocation is inevitable honestly. There really isn't anywhere else they can make it work in Florida with the exception of maybe Orlando but more realistically its going to be somewhere else. I hope its Montreal if it happens because they got totally fucked over by Selig and with his ass gone maybe they'll get their team back.

The Rays are as much to blame. Here's an article from September talking about breaking the lease and who but of course is planted directly in the middle!

Selig is truly a scumbag.

 

[eznark]

Maybe people would go to Rays games if they didn't employ a kidnapper and rapist?