2015 Baseball season/Off Season Discussion

[JAEBALL]

Definitely nice to be 15 minutes away from both Yankee stadium and Citi Field. My free tickets last night still turned into close to 100 bux between parking, beer and food.

The parking is freaking killer....

We skipped going down this year (The Stadium is about 2.5 hours drive, for us...and no real, viable, train options near by).  First year we haven't been since the new stadium opened (and my first year not seeing a "live" game since 2005).  Part of it was total pricing (we're a family of 5), but a lot of it was just crazy work schedule stuff....

I drive, because even tho it is absurd... I'd rather pay the parking and be comfortable in my car going home, then pack it in on the subway for 70 minutes to get home... I live in Long Island City.

To take a family of five to Yankee stadium will cost you an entire pay check... it's really too much..

However as long as the Steinbrenner family continues to reinvest it in the payroll... I will never complain.

[pilferk]

I drive, because even tho it is absurd... I'd rather pay the parking and be comfortable in my car going home, then pack it in on the subway for 70 minutes to get home... I live in Long Island City.

To take a family of five to Yankee stadium will cost you an entire pay check... it's really too much..

However as long as the Steinbrenner family continues to reinvest it in the payroll... I will never complain.

I don't complain much, either. We tend to hit the bleachers or the 1st level outfield seats. Even did the Audi club (just the wife and I) a few times.  Like I said, only part of it was price this year (we have an Oct visit to the Mouse coming up, too).

The rest was 2 enormous projects at work, one with a hard date of Sept 1, the other with a soft date of "prior to Oct 1" (looking like go live of Sept 23rd...my freaking wedding anniversary).  I'm working 50+ hour work weeks...so it's hard to find time to get away AND by the weekends (such as they are), I'm ready to collapse.

But I have to say: I miss it.  If I could get ONE day away, that's probably where I'd try to head to.

[pilferk]

Sox just requested release waivers for Masterson....the first move of the Dombrowski regime.

[Falcon]

Utley to Dodgers maybe happening soon according to the Twitter feed.

[tim_m]

That's be a huge pickup for the Dodgers.

[Falcon]

That's be a huge pickup for the Dodgers.

I've been a huge Utley honk for years but unless he gets reinvigorated by his new surroundings - his goose is cooked.

I think they're on the hook for another year of his deal, no biggie for them but not exactly good for the business model.

The Dodgers just laid waste to the entire international scouting team yesterday as well, I suspect there will be changes in the dugout unless they make a deep run into post season (well, World Series)..

[tim_m]

He's been awful hot since the ASG.

[tim_m]

Ervin Santana Calls Yankee Stadium a 'Joke' After Allowing 2 HR to Greg Bird
By Tyler Conway , Featured Columnist Aug 19, 2015

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Ervin Santana Calls Yankee Stadium a 'Joke' After Allowing 2 HR to Greg Bird
Julie Jacobson/Associated Press
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There is no crying in baseball; we all know that by now. But deriding your work environment when things don't go your way? That's apparently fair game for Ervin Santana.     

The Minnesota Twins pitcher took to the media to call Yankee Stadium a "joke" Wednesday after giving up two home runs to rookie first baseman Greg Bird, as captured by Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press:

Bird's two home runs drove in all four of the Yankees' runs in their 4-3 win. Santana gave up those four earned runs and seven hits over his 7.2 innings of action, his longest start in nearly a month. Yankee Stadium has been a consistent thorn in Santana's side in recent years, generating his highest ERA of any opposing stadium since 2012.

Still, it's fair to wonder if Santana's comments were more about Yankee Stadium itself or his own frustrations. The former All-Star is in the midst of perhaps his worst big league season, posting a 2-5 record with a 5.53 ERA through his first nine starts. He has posted just four quality starts since returning from his performance-enhancing drug suspension, only one of which has come in his last five appearances.

"In all honesty, I think he's been trying to do an awful lot because we all know what happened," Twins pitching coach Neil Allen told Berardino. "I think he's trying to prove his worth to everybody: the city, the team, everybody. I think he's trying to do too much."

Santana, 32, is in the first season of a four-year, $54 million contract. So perhaps he's pressing. Perhaps he's a little rusty following the PED suspension. Or perhaps it's all the stadium's fault. Odds are it's much more likely to be one of the former statements than the latter.

Can we say sour grapes?

[pilferk]

Those two dingers were out of most parks. The first was a second deck SHOT to right field...not nearly a wall scraper.

The second was hit to the back of the yanks bullpen in right center....another shot.

I can understand the comments if they were wall scrapers, but these? No way. Sour grapes,

[tim_m]

It's official Utley to the Dodgers for 4M IF/OF Darnell Sweeney and RHP John Richy.

[pilferk]

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/08/20/brian-cashman-derek-jeter-sports-illustrated/

I want to read the piece in question...but looks like I'll have to pick up SI to do that.

From the report, above, it doesn't seem to paint Cash in all that positive a light, which, IMHO, isn't all that surprising. 

Oh, and for the record...I'd rather have Beane as Yanks GM, Cash...so there's that.

[faldor]

Holy shit, Dave Dombrowski in as Pres of Baseball Operations in Boston and Ben Cherington out as GM.

Curious to see what Faldor will have to say about this.

Cherington cleans up the mess Epstein left then created a similar mess on his own.

Apparently had the chance to stay on but declined, I doubt he'll have any trouble finding a gig.

I wonder if Dipoto will be offered the gig?

Strangely, Dipoto's name hasn't really been mentioned as a possibility. Maybe he's not interested in being the GM and would rather work in an advisory role. Names That have been mentioned are Frank Wren and Dan O'dowd. Both have had mixed results in the past. Building strong farm systems and making some good trades, but making some historically bad FA signings (BJ Upton, Uggla, Denny Neagle, and Mike Hampton). And as good as Dombrowski has been, the Tigers have had horrendous bullpens over the last few years which has prevented them from winning it all. So maybe they can share responsibilities and do what each does best.

All I know is, the team will be changing their philosophy on team building once again. Dombrowski made it clear at his PC yesterday that he feels power arms are important and you need an ace to be a contender. As bad as the Red Sox are, they have a great nucleus of young players to build around and a top rated farm system from which to deal with. Hanley and Porcello's contracts are not pretty, and Sandoval to a lesser extent. I think he could bounce back next year. He'll never be worth his contract, but he should be better than he's been this year. Porcello should be better too, but he's nowhere near a 20 million dollar pitcher. He's a #4, maybe a 3 at best, but he could even be a 5. Hanley is a straight up disaster in the field. Popular opinion is they should move him to 1B, but I think he could be even more of a disaster there than he is in LF, if that's even possible. He's a DH who's forced to play the field who makes 22 million a year, and he hasn't hit well of late. I cannot describe, or could never have imagined how much of a negative he could've been.

So, it's a mixed bag of sorts. I think the writing was on the wall for Ben. They say they were interested in keeping him on, but he probably would've been on a very short leash. He's tough to evaluate, because it was never really known who exactly was calling the shots. Was it Ben, Larry, John, a combination? At least it worked out well in 2013. He'll always have that WS championship on his resume. He should get a shot somewhere else in some capacity. He's a young, knowledgeable guy. Seems like a genuinely good guy too, so I wish him well. It could be worse. The team isn't in a horrible position with Betts, Bogaerts, Bradley, Castillo, E-Rod, Owens, Johnson, Moncada, Devers, Espinoza. They have some real good pieces to build around or with.

[TheBaconman]

Jays need another 10 game winning streak stat!

[tim_m]

Marlon Byrd to the Giants.

[Falcon]

Marlon Byrd to the Giants.

Nice pick up, adds depth when Pence and Pagan come back and a good stop gap until they do.

Sabean's one of the best in the biz.

Now the Giants need to go kick the Buc's butt starting tonight, the Cards head out on a 10 game west coast roadie starting tomorrow night in SD and they need all the help they can get.

Big boy baseball at PNC (my favorite park, that place is gorgeous) starting in 15 minutes on MLB Network, that place will be nuts.

[tim_m]

Looks like they didn't get the help you were looking for.

[TheBaconman]

This was a great off day for the Jays.  Every team we wanted to loose   lost!   

10 game winning streak starting in 20 hrs!

[Falcon]

Looks like they didn't get the help you were looking for.

Nope, the Bucs are damn good - especially at home.

They get Bumgarner tonight so that's the matchup of the night.

The Cubs keep rolling as well that's why it's imperative the Cards have a good roadie and keep those two as far away as possible.

Let them battle it out in the goofy "play in" game...

[TheBaconman]

lets go Indians!!!!!

This is usually results in the Yankees coming back for a win..

But....

I cant help myself baby!!!!!!!!!!!

Lets go Jays!!!

[tim_m]

Mike Fiers first ever complete game is a no-hitter! WOW!