Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Didn't mean to come off like I am a baseball expert, Don, just know enough to believe an AAA team can't compete with any MLB team consistently. We'll just agree to disagree. ;s

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

I like it, gives MLB a chance to broaden their market and gives Puig a chance to get arrested for something stupid on another continent!

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

That's why I like this place, we can agree to disagree and be civil about it.
I do agree with you that most AAA teams couldn't compete with the upper tier MLB teams on a consistent basis.


Don
:chr

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

I second this, points A and B. My point was that baseball is, like golf, a sport depending more on skill and execution, and even some luck, than just physical ability, and the best team does not always win. The old axiom is that the worst team in baseball will win 40 games a year, and the best team will lose 40 . . . it's the other 80 that make the difference. Some days your ace loses his arm slot and gets hammered. Some days your hitters are smacking hard liners right at fielders. Some days the ump is squeezing your strike zone, or giving the pitcher all corners and more. I repeat: Baseball's weird. If you don't think so, try making a living betting on games.

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

You forgot something fundamental, speaking of mental, pressure, you put a AAA team in front of 50,000 rabid fans against a pro team and I would have to say that is going to cause MORE "funny bounces" for the AAA team because they will most likely be more nervous, over play balls, strike out trying to hit a HR in front of the huge crowd. 19 out of 20 might in reality be a bit much, let's go with 17 out of 20 times the pro team is going to win :)

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Is there an application I need to fill out? :noon

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

It is MORE than "funny bonces" I alluded to, but let's leave that aside. My point was that 19 of 20 may be too great a dominance, and you seem to agree. I hear your point about playing in the bigs, but you overlook the fact that a typical AAA team has quite a few players who have already played in the majors, either as veterans or as youngsters or "AAAA" players called up for cups of coffee. Bottom line, the vast majority of AAA players are AAA players because they are considered to be useful to a MLB team, sometimes on a day's notice. If not, they wouldn't be at the AAA level. Plus, more often than not, MLB trades hinge upon which minor-league players the teams are willing to part with, so even the "true" baseball experts realize their value.

Let's take a step back for a minute. This whole discussion began when Mac expressed the hope that his Mets would field something besides an AAA team this coming season. Now, despite all the injuries and problems my Yankees had last year, no one could reasonably argue that they were not a legitimate MLB team despite the fact that they missed the playoffs by a few games. Well, as Mac would proudly boast, his team swept mine in interleague play last year, going 4-0, and thus it could be argued that the Mets kept the Yankees out of the post-season . . . and, if you accept Mac's premise that they were an AAA team, my point is proven. :r

Now let's step away entirely. Any thought on the Dodgers' monster contract with Clayton Kershaw? Seven years, $215 million . . . for a pitcher?

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Friend of mine here in Cincy is a Chicago refugee..er, transplant and still a Cubs fan. However when the new "mascot" was debuted the other day, he sent them a suggestion for the number on the back of its jersey: 1909. I found that rather funny.

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Yes, but it is most often call a voluntary committal. :D

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Insane for any player, especially for a pitcher. :2

NSFW cartoon.

http://deadspin.com/comcast-sportsne...ium=socialflow

Watch the video, funny stuff.

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Many years ago here in Cincinnati, there was a nightclub where several of the Reds showed up after games on a regular basis. One time when the Padres were in town they got the 'San Diego Chicken' to come along, in costume. Found myself next to him after some drinking had been done. ( Much more by him than me by the way.) Anyhow at one point he said "Watch this" and every time a pretty girl would pass by he'd ask them "Do you want to touch my p*cker?"

True story, which I'd forgotten about for a long long time until your post, icehog.

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Too funny, Brian. :r

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Awesome! :D

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Is it? I'm not familiar enough with ursine anatomy to know if it is awesome, or just average. ;)

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Tigers sign Scherzer for 1 year, 15.5 million. Hope they intend locking him up a little longer term before he hits free agency.

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

I got a push the other day that said Manny Machado's doc was releasing him to get back to baseball related activities.
Good for Manny. I felt awful for the poor kid.

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Hoping Tanaka makes up his mind before the 24th.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/01/tanaka.html

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Lot's of hoping going on here, ok I hope that the Red Sox play those cute fuzzy wuzzle widdle Tigers again in the ALCS, plus Dan's, minus Uncle Bob. :r

I hear by dub it the Mac -n- Cheese series.

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Well if the Sox land Tanaka, the other Sox probably won't be playing the Tigers in the ALCS;)

I stand by my original prediction, Tanaka will sign with a MLB team:D

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

PLEASE no Uncle Bob! :lr

The WS are gonna need a WHOLE lot more than Tanaka to make the ALCS, Nate. :24

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

That's a big "if" and big "probably" BOY, looks like we got here is a failure to communicate.

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Tanaka makes us instant contenders for the Central imho. Our hitting can't do anything but improve after last year and the moves we've made so far this off season (Abreu, Eaton, Davidson). Hell, as long as we don't give ABs to Dung, we've improved:r (even better his money comes off the books after next year)The kid really does have insane stuff though, so adding him with Sale would be a very nice 1, 2 punch. Not saying it's a slam dunk, tell the Tigers to go home type of move, but it certainly gets us winning again. At the very least, we don't have to worry about Fielder in the Central anymore!

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

The if is big, not the probably though:D

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

We can agree to disagree, My Brother. If the WS get Tanaka, perhaps we can even wager. ;)

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

It's likely the Sox don't get Tanaka, but say we do. How would you propose this wager work?

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Good riddance!
http://www.startribune.com/local/min...241000231.html

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Team that wins the Central gets a 10 count box of regular production, i.e. Monte #2s or PSD4s. If neither team wins the division, we both get nothing and like it. :D

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

I never said they would win the Central though, I said they'd be instant contenders:) I'll be down for some kind of a wager though if they get Tanaka. Maybe we could bet on if they can win 75-80 games??:r:r

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

75 or 80 wins don't make you a contender, Nate. :lr

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

They do in the Central. :D

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They don't but I like to win by large margins when I bet:D

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OK, how about we bet the Tigers win 81? ;)

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Gee, you're willing to wager they can play .500 ball? Way to go out on a limb there! Be careful! :r

In all seriousness, I don't care if Detroit wins 40 games or 140 games. Why should I? They are not my team, and they are not in "my" division, so more (or less :D ) power to them.

Speaking of Gee, I saw Mac's Mets gave him a one-year deal for $3.625M . . . or more than 4 time less than Scherzer, and 8 times less than Kershaw. Not sure what that means, but I'm certain they are NOT 4 and 8 times better than is Dillon.

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Follow the progression of the wager, Thomas, and you'll understand my post. ;)

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Oh, I understood it in context with the whole "competitive" issue with CWS . . . I just don't care to play in someone else's sandbox. Besides, I am heeding my own advise about not betting on baseball. When I give myself advise, I normally listen. :D

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Oh, the voices in our heads..... :r

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Tanaka to Yankees with 7-year, $155 M.

I'll let you know how I feel about that in three or four years.

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

You forgot to add the 20 million posting fee.
So far the yanks have spent a half billion this off season...all I can say is WOW:r

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

The $20 M doesn't affect the salary cap and luxury tax issue, and so is only money . . . money that anybody else would have had to pony up also. And here you go again, with the "damned if you do, damned if you don't" dilemma that the Yankees face every time they are mentioned in ANY move. Had Tanaka signed exactly the same contract with the Dodgers (who are spending money at at least as great a rate as the Yanks), the talk would be that LA stole a march on NY and took away a key piece of their future potential.

You know, I don't mind people having an opinion . . . I just wish they'd pick ONE, and stick to it. :r

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Tanaka to the Yankees makes sense. He is a youngster and on top of his game...wants to play in the big lights (as he's grown accustomed to in Japan). Like my Mets had a chance anyways.

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Hey, we can always hope. Still missing a few key pieces, but they're getting closer.

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

As I said initially, I'll let you know my thoughts in a few years . . . except for these two words: Hideki Irabu.

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Yanks overpaid for this one I think.:r

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

I'm shocked you feel that way. ;)

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Maybe the Tigers can use the money they saved by not signing Tanaka and get Prince back. ;) :r

Guess the WS aren't instant contenders, Nate. :)

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

And maybe they have a better chance of this than of getting Ty Cobb back. :D

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Ty Cobb wanted to come back, but we all hated him when he was alive, so we told him to stick it. :r

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

Yankees back to trying to buy a WS, I can only hope their latest purchase works out as good as Arod, Mark Teixeira, or any other number of high profile players they overpaid for and who have not lived up to the smallest of expectations.

On the flip side, the Red Sox signed Grady Sizemore, 750,000 base salary and a lot of incentives if he can stay off the operating table, this guy has had more surgeries than Frankenstein. Bradley Jr. still waiting in the wings, so it's not terrible.

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

I loved him on Sanford and Son! :noon

Re: 2014 MLB Thread
 

You big dummy!


:r